The Rise of Silas Lapham

Lapham goes away for two weeks, then comes back to the office in a bad mood. Walker the bookkeeper warns Tom that a storm seems to be brewing—not a real storm, but one with Lapham’s mood. Walker think there might be financial problems at the company.

Rogers comes into the office, asking to see Lapham, and Lapham agrees to see him. It turns out Rogers may have known that his mills were less valuable, due to the control of the railroad by G. L. & P., although Rogers acts innocent. Lapham accuses Rogers of stealing the money Lapham lent him. He threatens to sell the mills that Rogers gave him as collateral for whatever they can fetch. Rogers remains detached and doesn’t react when Lapham sends a messenger out to inquire about the mills.

That evening at dinner, Penelope doesn’t come down to eat. At the table, Lapham admits to Persis that he’s in a difficult situation with his business both due to a slow season and the money he lent to Rogers. He says he may have to pause construction on the new house. Persis replies that she’d just as soon sell the new house if needed. Still, Lapham says there’s about a one-in-a-million chance that Rogers may still be good for the money—Lapham is giving him 24 hours. Supposedly, some English buyers are interested in Rogers’s mills for a decent price.

In spite of everything, Persis trusts that if Rogers has the option, he’ll help Lapham get his money back. Lapham admits he’s afraid of his business’s future, but Persis says she’s never seen a challenge Lapham couldn’t meet. But later, in the middle of the night, Persis wakes up and says that, if the English buyers turn out to be real, Lapham has a duty to inform them about G. L. & P.