A well-laid plan and its failure

This chapter chronicles the high-stakes attempt to smuggle Magwitch out of England and the tragic turn of events that leads to his capture.

The Preparation

• The Signal: Pip receives a cryptic letter from Wemmick advising him to attempt the escape on Wednesday.
• The Team: Due to Pip’s injuries, he and Herbert recruit their friend Startop to help row the boat, knowing he will assist without asking intrusive questions.
• The Plan: The group intends to row Magwitch to a solitary public house on the riverbank, wait for a Hamburg-bound steamer the following morning, and hail it to take Magwitch abroad.

The Escape Attempt

• The Journey: The group successfully picks up Magwitch (referred to as Provis) at Mill Pond Stairs. He appears remarkably calm and grateful, focused entirely on Pip’s future as a gentleman.
• The Night Watch: They spend a quiet, anxious night at a lonely inn, resuming their rowing early the next morning to intercept the steamer.

The Ambush and Struggle

• The Interception: Just as the Hamburg steamer approaches, a police galley pulls alongside them. An officer commands Magwitch to surrender, identifying him by his real name, Abel Magwitch.
• The Old Enemy: Magwitch discovers that the man sitting in the police galley is Compeyson, the convict who had betrayed him years ago.
• The Capsizing: A violent struggle ensues as Magwitch lunges at Compeyson. Both fall into the water, and the wash from the steamer’s paddles causes Pip’s small boat to capsize.

The Aftermath

• Capture and Loss: Magwitch is pulled from the water, severely injured in the chest and head, and is immediately manacled. Compeyson, however, disappears beneath the water and is presumed drowned.
• A Change of Heart: Witnessing Magwitch’s suffering, Pip’s former feelings of "repugnance" vanish. He sees Magwitch not as a criminal, but as a generous benefactor who risked everything for him.
• A New Loyalty: Despite the legal danger, Pip vows to stay by Magwitch’s side throughout his impending trial, showing a level of devotion and gratitude he admits he failed to show to Joe in the past.