The Adventures of Roderick Random

The Distress of the Grenadier

The narrator joins the grenadier company and finds himself in extreme want. His pay of five sols a day barely provides subsistence, and hunger and hard duty reduce him to a meagre condition matching his fellow soldiers. His linen has deteriorated from three tolerable shirts to two pairs of sleeves and necks, the bodies having been converted into spatterdashes. He writes to his uncle in England without much hope, and consoles himself with his imagination’s flattering suggestions.

Finding Strap

One day while on guard at a general officer’s gate, the narrator sees a gentleman in mourning departing from a nobleman’s house, to whom the nobleman says “You may depend upon my good offices.” The gentleman turns and the narrator recognises the features of his old friend Strap, though Strap is transformed and appears as a gentleman. The Swiss porter reveals that the man is Monsieur d’Estrapes, formerly valet-de-chambre to a deceased English gentleman, and highly regarded by the marquis for his fidelity.

The Recognition

The narrator visits Strap’s lodgings, concealing his name and causing Strap considerable fear, imagining he might be connected with the Bastille. When the narrator asks Strap to look at him, he starts back exclaiming impossibility. Only when the narrator speaks English does Strap recognise him, leaping upon him with transport, kissing him and weeping like a schoolboy. Strap expresses grief at finding his friend reduced to a foot soldier and upbraids him for abandoning Strap in London, though he forgives the narrator, acknowledging his lucky ramble abroad.

Strap’s Generosity

Strap insists that all he has is at the narrator’s disposal and invites him to dinner. The narrator accepts but first requests a shirt, revealing that he has been without one for weeks. Strap, shocked, provides a fine ruffled Holland shirt and cambric neckcloth, revealing he has three dozen of the same kind. Strap provides an excellent dinner of soup, bouilli, pullets, and asparagus, with biscuit and Burgundy, then requests the story of the narrator’s fortunes since their parting.

The narrator learns Strap’s story: he lived a year at Paris with his master, who acquired the language and fashionable exercises, then toured France and Holland where Strap fell ill from excess. He recovered at Montpelier but relapsed at Rheims and died within ten days. Strap was left by will wearing apparel, a gold watch, sword, rings, ready money, and moveables worth three hundred pounds. Strap immediately offers all this to the narrator, but he refuses, reminding Strap that he is a soldier, prompting Strap to insist they must procure his discharge.

Procuring My Discharge

Strap suggests that a bold push must be made and proposes the narrator appear as a gentleman and make addresses to a lady of fortune to become independent. He assures the narrator this is both prudent and honourable, promising to provide clothes befitting a duke. Strap plans to serve as the narrator’s valet to save expense. The narrator listens with pleasure as the scheme flatters his vanity and indulges his hope of inspiring Narcissa.

Strap successfully petitions the marquis and procures the narrator’s discharge within a few days.

The Journey to Paris

The narrator reflects on his sudden transition from abject misery to quiet possession, provided with an extensive wardrobe including five fashionable coats, velvet and laced varieties, numerous waistcoats and breeches, silk stockings in abundance, multiple hats, fine shirts and handkerchiefs. Additional possessions include a gold watch with chased case, diamond rings, mourning swords, buckles, silver-mounted pistols, a gold-headed cane, and a tortoiseshell snuff-box with a lady’s picture. The narrator also receives over two hundred pounds in cash from the sale of other valuables.

Sights in the Capital

Dressed as a gentleman of figure and attended by Strap as his valet, the narrator visits the Louvre, examines the gallery of Luxembourg, and appears at Versailles where he sees Louis XV eat olives. Over the month at Paris, he goes several times to court, the Italian comedy, opera, and playhouse, dances at a masquerade, and sees everything remarkable in and about the capital.