The Adventures of Roderick Random | Page 9

master that I fired a pistol loaded with small
shot into his window; though my landlady and the whole family bore
witness that I was abed fast asleep at the time when this outrage was
committed, I was once flogged for having narrowly escaped drowning,
by the sinking of a ferry boat in which I was passenger. Another time,
for having recovered of a bruise occasioned by a horse and cart running

over me. A third time, for being bitten by a baker's dog. In short,
whether I was guilty or unfortunate, the correction and sympathy of this
arbitrary pedagogue were the same.
Far from being subdued by this informal usage, my indignation
triumphed over that slavish awe which had hitherto enforced my
obedience; and the more my years and knowledge increased, the more I
perceived the injustice and barbarity of his behaviour. By the help of an
uncommon genius, and the advice and direction of our usher, who had
served my father in his travels, I made a surprising progress in the
classics, writing, and arithmetic; so that, before I was twelve years old,
I was allowed by everybody to be the best scholar in the school. This
qualification, together with the boldness of temper and strength of
make which had subjected almost all my contemporaries, gave me such
influence over them that I began to form cabals against my persecutor;
and was in hope of, being able to bid him defiance in a very short time.
Being at the head of a faction, consisting of thirty boys, most of them
of my own age, I was determined to put their mettle to trial, that I
might know how far they were to be depended upon, before I put my
grand scheme in execution: with this view, we attacked a body of stout
apprentices, who bad taken possession of a part of the ground allotted
to us for the scheme of our diversions, and who were then playing at
ninepins on the spot; but I had the mortification to see my adherents
routed in an instant, and a leg of one of them broke in his flight by the
bowl, which one of our adversaries had detached in pursuit of us. This
discomfiture did not hinder us from engaging them afterwards in
frequent skirmishes, which we maintained by throwing stones at a
distance, wherein I received many wounds, the scars of which still
remain. Our enemies were so harassed and interrupted by these alarms
that they at last abandoned their conquest, and left us to the peaceable
enjoyment of our own territories.
It would be endless to enumerate the exploits we performed in the
course of this confederacy, which became the terror of the whole
village; insomuch that, when different interests divided it, one of the
parties commonly courted the assistance of Roderick Random (by
which name I was known) to cast the balance, and keep the opposite

faction in awe. Meanwhile, I took the advantage of every play-day to
present myself before my grandfather, to whom I seldom found access,
by reason of his being closely besieged by a numerous family of his
female grandchildren, who, though they perpetually quarrelled among
themselves, never failed to join against me, as the common enemy of
all. His heir, who was about the age of eighteen, minded nothing but
fox-hunting, and indeed was qualified for nothing else, notwithstanding
his grandfather's indulgence in entertaining a tutor for him at home;
who at the same time performed the office of parish clerk. This young
Actaeon, who inherited his grandfather's antipathy to everything in
distress, never sat eyes on me without uncoupling his beagles, and
hunting me into some cottage or other, whither I generally fled for
shelter. In this Christian amusement he was encouraged by his
preceptor, who, no doubt, took such opportunities to ingratiate himself
with the rising sun, observing, that the old gentleman, according to the
course of nature, had not long to live, for he was already on the verge
of fourscore.
The behaviour of this rascally sycophant incensed me so much, that one
day, when I was beleaguered by him and his hounds in a farmer's house,
where I had found protection, I took aim at him (being an excellent
marksman) with a large pebble, which struck out four of his foreteeth,
and effectually incapacitated him from doing the office of a clerk.
CHAPTER III

My Mother's Brother arrives--relieves me--a Description of him--he
goes along with me to the House of my Grandfather--is encountered by
his Dogs--defeats them, after a bloody Engagement--is admitted to the
old Gentleman--a Dialogue between them
About this time my mother's only brother, who had been long abroad,
lieutenant of a man-of-war, arrived in his own country; where being
informed of my condition, he came to