NovelGuide: Great Expectations: Novel Summary: Volume 3, Chapter 1-Volume 3, Chapter 3

Volume 3, Chapter 1-Volume 3, Chapter 3

Volume 3, Chapter 1: As Pip leaves his house the next morning to get a light from the watchman so he can start a fire, he stumbles over someone lying at the bottom of the stairs. The person runs away before he can ask him his business, and when Pip reaches the watchmen he asks him if any strange persons had been lurking about. The watchmen tells him who rang the night before, explaining to Pip that there was a man with his "uncle" which is how Pip was explaining his benefactor. Pip returns to his room and waits for the cleaning women to come in, and he tells them of the new situation with his visitor. The person in question wakes up, and tells Pip his name was Abel Magwitch, but he now goes by Provis. Pip asks him where he plans to say, to which he replies with him. Pip is distressed, but knows not what to do. He worries about Provis's safety and leaves to get him suitable clothes. While he is out, he stops at Mr. Jaggers's office to verify that Magwitch is his benefactor. Jaggers confirms it, and Pip leaves. A few days later Herbert returns and they make him swear that he will not tell anyone what he is about to learn.

Volume 3, Chapter 2: They tell Herbert the whole story and it astounds him. Pip walks Provis to temporary lodgings they found for him, and after he leaves, Herbert and Pip discuss what to be done next. Pip wants to get him out of the country so that he is not in danger, and wants to break all ties but it scares him to do so for fear of how Provis will react. Wanting to know more about Provis's past, the next night at dinner Pip and Herbert ask him the story behind what happened with the other man in the marshes the day Pip met him when he was a child. Provis swears them to secrecy again, and agrees to tell them.

Volume 3, Chapter 3: Provis grew up an orphan and spent the majority of his life thieving to stay alive. He worked at times doing different jobs but eventually ended up in jail most of his life. At one point when he was not incarcerated he met a man named Compeyson who was the man on the marshes. Compeyson and his partner Arthur asked Provis to work for them doing illegal things. Provis agreed and did dirty work for them. Arthur dies; haunted by a woman in a white wedding dress and both Provis and Compeyson are arrested for some of their crimes. He begins talking about a woman but stops saying that it is not important. Because Provis did the dirty work, he took the brunt of the punishment and charges and he felt bitter towards Compeyson for this. The judge sentenced them both to the prison ship, and before he escaped, Provis beat up Compeyson. Compeyson, fearing for his life, also escaped and when Provis found out from Pip that Compeyson was the other man on the marshes, he hunted him down and bodily dragged him back to the soldiers. Since he escaped, Provis was sentenced to life, and never heard what happened to Compeyson. At the end of his story, Herbert slips a note to Pip saying that Miss Havisham's half brother was named Arthur, and the man who broke her heart, Compeyson.