The Adventures of Roderick Random

KAPITEL XLVII.

This chapter (the 47th entry in the sequence, titled CHAPTER XLVII) follows a series of interconnected misadventures: the narrator’s servant Strap is deceived in his attempt to court a chandler’s widow, the narrator becomes infatuated with the wealthy socialite Melinda after meeting her at the Opera, confronts her arrogant suitor Bragwell at a Hampstead assembly, suffers heavy losses playing cards with Melinda, grapples with doubts about his courtship overnight, and receives a sarcastic, critical visit from his friend Banter.

Strap and the Chandler’s Widow

Strap confides in the narrator that he plans to propose to a nearby tallow chandler’s widow, who he believes runs a profitable trade, owns a well-furnished home, and has expressed interest in marrying him to escape her current circumstances. The narrator agrees to meet the widow first to verify reports of her fortune before giving Strap his full approval. Upon meeting her, the narrator immediately notices her prominently pregnant belly and warns Strap that he is almost certainly being deceived by the friend who introduced them, who is likely trying to pawn the pregnant widow off on Strap to avoid supporting her and her child himself. Strap initially doubts the narrator’s judgment, but the prediction is proven correct within a fortnight: the widow gives birth, her false friend disappears, and her household goods are seized by creditors to settle her debts.

The Opera and Melinda

The narrator meets his friend Banter and Mr. Chatter at a public eating house, and accompanies them to the Opera that evening. Chatter points out the popular, wealthy socialite Melinda in a box, and promises to introduce the narrator to her, noting she is a highly sought-after social “toast” with a £10,000 fortune. The narrator eagerly accepts, and Chatter secures Melinda’s agreement to dance with the narrator at the next assembly. Banter later warns the narrator privately that Melinda is a frivolous coquette who grants favors to any attractive young man only to expand her flock of admirers to feed her vanity, claims she is cold and unfeeling, and predicts she will ultimately marry the wealthiest fool who pursues her. The narrator dismisses Banter’s warning as either satire or resentment over a past rejection from Melinda, and is confident his own charms will win her over.

The Hampstead Assembly

The narrator travels to a Hampstead assembly with Billy Chatter, Lord Hobble, and Doctor Wagtail, where he dances a minuet with Melinda, charmed by her lively, easy manner. Before the country dances begin, he receives a brash message from his rival Bragwell, who is also present: the message states that no one who knows Bragwell will dance with Melinda while he is in attendance, and demands the narrator surrender her so Bragwell can lead a country dance with her. The message is delivered in Melinda’s hearing, and the narrator flatly refuses, instructing the messenger to tell Bragwell he will not yield Melinda, and to bring no more impertinent messages. Melinda feigns confusion and claims she has no connection to Bragwell, and the narrator offers to call Bragwell to account for his insolence, a proposal Melinda declines under the pretense of worrying for the narrator’s safety, though the narrator notes she seems secretly pleased by the prospect of a duel fought over her. The narrator spots Bragwell surrounded by other young men at the other end of the room, confronts him openly, and demands to know if he has anything to say to him; Bragwell sullenly replies he has nothing to say at present and walks away, and the narrator taunts him that he can be found anytime for a duel. The confrontation draws the attention of the entire room, and when the ball ends, the narrator offers to ride on the back of Melinda’s coach to protect her on the road, but she refuses, claiming there is no empty seat inside for him.

Melinda’s Lodgings

The next afternoon, the narrator visits Melinda at her lodgings, accompanied by Chatter, and is politely received by Melinda’s mother, with whom she lives. A group of fashionable young people are present, and after tea, card tables are set up. The narrator plays cards with Melinda for three hours, and loses eight guineas to her. Though he is willing to lose a small sum to win her favor, he grows suspicious that she is cheating him, which damages his opinion of her character. Undeterred, he resolves to be less formal with her, and that night makes a plain declaration of his love. Melinda laughs off the declaration but treats him with such obvious favor that he believes he has won her heart, and returns to the card table after supper, cheerfully losing another ten guineas to her.