Roderick's departure.
RODERICK (V.O.)
She hurried my departure now, though her heart, I know, was full, and almost in half-an-hour from my arrival at home, I was once more on the road again, with the wide world, as it were, before me.
Roderick waves. His mother cries.
RODERICK (V.O.)
No lad of seventeen is very sad who has liberty for the first time, and twenty guineas in his pocket; and I rode away, thinking, I confess, not so much of the kind of mother left alone, and of the home behind me, as of tomorrow, and all the wonders it would bring.
Roderick happily riding down the road.
RODERICK (V.O.)
I had no doubts of the future; thinking that a man of my person, parts, and courage, could make his way anywhere. So I rode on, singing to myself, or chatting with the passersby; and all the girls along the road said, "God save me, for a clever gentleman."
Farm girls in the fields flirting with him.
RODERICK (V.O.)
As for thoughts of Dorothy Dugan, there seemed to be a gap of a half-a-score of years.
A well-armed gentleman dressed in green, and a gold cord, with a patch on his eye, and riding a powerful mare, puts his horse alongside.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Good day to you, young sir.
RODERICK
Good morning.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Where are you bound for?
RODERICK
(after a long look at his companion)
That is none of your business.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Is your mother not afraid on account of the highwayman to let one so young as you travel?
RODERICK
(pulling out a pistol)
Not at all, sir. I have a pair of good pistols that have already done execution, and are ready to do it again.
At this, a pock-marked man coming up, the well-armed gentleman spurs into his bay mare, and leaves Roderick.
RODERICK (V.O.)
A little later on, as I rode towards Kilcullen, I saw a crowd of peasant people assembled round a one-horse chair, and my friend in green, as I thought, making off half-a-mile up the hill.
A footman howls, at the top of his voice.
FOOTMAN
Stop thief!
But the country fellows only laugh at his distress, and make all sorts of jokes at the adventure which had just befallen.
COUNTRY FELLOW #1
Sure, you might have kept him off with your blunderbush!
COUNTRY FELLOW #2
O the coward! To let the Captain bate you, and he only one eye!
COUNTRY FELLOW #3
The next time my lady travels, she'd better leave you at home!
RODERICK
What is this noise, fellows?
Roderick rides up amongst them, and seeing the lady in the carriage, very pale and frightened, gives a slash of his whip, and bids the red-shanked ruffians keep off.
Pulling off his hat, and bringing his mare up in a prance to the chair-window.
RODERICK
What has happened, madam, to annoy your ladyship?
MRS. O'REILLY
Oh, I am grateful to you, sir. I am the wife of Captain O'Reilly hastening to join him at Dublin. My chair was stopped by a highwayman; this great oaf of a servant-man fell down on his knees, armed as he was, and though there were thirty people in the next field, working, when the ruffian attacked, not one of them would help but, on the contrary, wished him "good luck."
COUNTRY FELLOW #1
Sure, he's the friend of the poor, and good luck to him.
COUNTRY FELLOW #2
Was it any business of ours?
RODERICK
(shouting)
Be off to your work, you pack of rascals, or you will have a good taste of my thong.
(to Mrs. O'Reilly)
Have you lost much?
MRS. O'REILLY
Everything -- my purse, containing upwards of a hundred guineas, my jewels, my snuff-boxes, watches. And all because this blundering coward fell to his knees...
FOOTMAN
Be fair, ma'am, them wasn't so much. Didn't he return you the thirteen pence in copper, and the watch, saying it was only pinchbeck?
MRS. O'REILLY
Don't be insolent, or I'll report you to the Captain.
FOOTMAN
Sorry, ma'am.
He shuffles a few steps away and frowns in the direction that the Captain has vanished.
MRS. O'REILLY
That fool didn't know what was the meaning of a hundred-pound bill, which was in the pocket-book that the fellow took from me.
RODERICK
I am riding to Dublin myself, and if your ladyship will allow me the honor of riding with you, I shall do my best to protect you from further mishap.
MRS. O'REILLY
But I shouldn't like to put you to such trouble, Mister... ?
RODERICK
O'Higgins... Mohawk O'Higgins.
They stop at the inn.
RODERICK
(very gallantly)
As you have been robbed of your purse, may I have permission to lend your ladyship a couple of pieces to pay any expenses which you might incur before reaching your home?
MRS. O'REILLY
(smiling)
That's very kind of you, Mr. O'Higgins.
He gives her two gold pieces.
Roderick and Mrs. O'Reilly finishing their meal. We will hear dialogue underneath Roderick's voice over.
RODERICK (V.O.)
How different was her lively rattle to the vulgar wenches at Kilwangan assemblies. In every sentence, she mentioned a lord or a person of quality. To the lady's question about my birth and parentage, I replied that I was a young gentleman of large fortune, that I was going to Dublin for my studies, and that my mother allowed me five hundred per annum.
MRS. O'REILLY
You must be very cautious with regard to the company you should meet in Dublin, where rogues and adventurers of all countries abound. I hope you will do me the honor of accepting lodgings in my own house, where Captain O'Reilly will welcome with delight, my gallant young preserver.
Paying the bill.
RODERICK (V.O.)
Perhaps had I been a little older in the world's experience, I should have begun to see that Madame O'Reilly was not the person of fashion she pretended to be; but, as it was, I took all her stories for truth, and, when the landlord brought the bill for dinner, paid it with the air of a lord. Indeed, she made no motion to produce the two pieces I had lent her.
They ride by.