Great Expectations Chapter Fifty-Five Summary

Magwitch is taken to prison, but his trial is delayed a little bit because there are no prison officers in town that can confirm that Magwitch is the same man that was exiled to New South Wales many years ago. The only man who could really confirm this is Compeyson. But he’s swimming with the fishies, as it were.
Pip implores Jaggers to take on Magwitch’s case, but Mr. Jaggers tells Pip it’s a lost cause. Once a witness is found who can confirm that Magwitch is in fact Magwitch, he will be sentenced to death.
Jaggers scolds Pip for not hanging onto his fortune. Now, Magwitch’s money will go directly to the government. When Magwitch fought Compeyson in the Thames, he found a book of papers in his pocket that were from a bank in New South Wales and that detailed Magwitch’s fortune. Apparently, Compeyson thought he’d get a reward by ratting out Magwitch.
Magwitch gives these papers to Jaggers in the hopes that Pip could assume the fortune they entailed. Jaggers doesn’t tell him where this money will really go.
Pip doesn’t care so much about money. He’s worried about Magwitch.
And just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, they get worse. Herbert tells Pip that he has to go east to Cairo to seek his fortune and that he will be leaving soon.
Pip is totally heartbroken to be losing Herbert, but Herbert asks Pip to come with him and to live with him and Clara in Egypt. Herbert tells him that he can give him a job as a clerk, and that Pip could very quickly become a partner in the business.
Pip asks Herbert to give him two-to-three months to decide, and Herbert gladly does.
Pip runs into Wemmick one day, and Wemmick feels really guilty about the fact that Magwitch was captured since he told Pip when they should try to escape.
Wemmick says that he had his ear to the underground and heard rumblings about when Compeyson would try to out Magwitch, but it turns out Compeyson was too sneaky.
Wemmick asks Pip to go on a long walk with him on Monday.
Pip doesn’t feel much like socializing, but he agrees.
Next Monday arrives, and Pip goes to Wemmick’s castle. Wemmick is around, but the Aged is nowhere in sight. Wemmick grabs his fishing rod and the two set out on their hike.
They walk by a church, and Wemmick says, "Halloa! Here’s a church!" (3.55.48) and the two go inside.
There happen to be a pair of gloves inside the church, and Wemmick suggest they put them on.
Pip does so, but he has no clue as to what in the hey is going on.
Miss Skiffins appears on the arm of the Aged, and Wemmick says, "Here’s Miss Skiffins! Let’s have a wedding" (3.55.54). In this way, Pip becomes Wemmick’s best man.
The four of them go to the local inn after the wedding ceremony and have a delicious wedding breakfast.
Wemmick asks Pip never to tell Jaggers about the wedding for fear that Jaggers thinks that he is turning into a softie.

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