Silas Marner Chapter 19 Summary

  • That night, Eppie and Silas are recovering from a very stressful day of finding out that they're actually rich—we should all have such problems. The gold is lying on the table, when a knock comes on the door. In walk Nancy and Godfrey.
  • Godfrey apologizes for Dunstan. He points out that Silas is getting older and will probably want to stop working soon. Gradually he comes round to his point: they want to adopt Eppie.
  • Poor Silas is trembling, but all he'll say is that he won't stop Eppie—who says thanks but no thanks. She insists that she can't leave the people she grew up with and doesn't want to be a lady.
  • Godfrey is surprised and irritated that the object of his charity is getting in the way of his good intentions. He plays his trump card: Eppie is his daughter.
  • Silas can't take any more. Why didn't Godfrey come forward earlier, instead of coming now when it's just like ripping his heart out, he asks?
  • But Eppie insists that nothing is going to change the fact that Silas is her father.
  • Godfrey can't believe this. Dude, he says, I can make Eppie rich.
  • Silas admits that's true, but Eppie speaks up and insists that she can't leave Silas. What's more, she wasn't brought up to be a lady. She's a common villager, and she doesn't want anything better.
  • Nancy, pure class as always, wishes Eppie the best.