The Adventures of Roderick Random

The Avenger’s Pact

Overwhelmed with a “delirium of gloomy joy” at the offer of vengeance, Miss Williams immediately agreed to the stranger’s terms. The stranger promised to murder Horatio that night and return with proof of his death before morning.

Remorse and Terror

That night, the stranger returned claiming he had killed Horatio in a duel, leaving him bleeding on the ground. Miss Williams initially delighted in the account, but that night she had vivid nightmares of Horatio’s ghost appearing to her pale, mangled, and bloody, protesting his innocence and pleading his case so pathetically that she became convinced of his fidelity. She woke in a fit of horror and remorse, and the same apparition recurred if she fell back asleep, leaving her tormented by guilt at being a murderer. The next morning, the stranger suggested Horatio might not be dead after all, which horrified Miss Williams; she demanded he find out if Horatio was alive, and if he could not confirm his safety, she would turn herself in to face justice for her role in the supposed murder. The stranger argued it was unreasonable to reject him for a deed she had asked him to commit, but she insisted she would value him more if he had spared Horatio’s life. He agreed to investigate the outcome of the duel, leaving Miss Williams consumed by terror at the weight of her guilt.

Horatio’s Return

The stranger, whom Miss Williams named Horatio, eventually returned, told her she had nothing to fear, and handed her a billet (letter) containing an unknown message.

CHAPITRE XXII.

The chapter tracks the unnamed female narrator as she receives a reassuring letter from Lothario, experiences a brief period of intense joy, discovers her father’s desperate search for her via a newspaper advertisement, learns of his death and his decision to disinherit her, is abandoned by her lover Horatio after uncovering that their initial conflict was a calculated ruse to win her over, and ultimately agrees to a scheme with an older woman to exploit wealthy men for financial gain, beginning with targeting a judge.

Lothario’s Letter

Lothario sends a handwritten letter to the narrator, informing her that the wounds he sustained in his conflict with Horatio are not life-threatening, sharing this news out of consideration for her peace of mind.

Transport of Joy

Familiar with Lothario’s handwriting and convinced the letter is not a forgery, the narrator reads it repeatedly with intense joy, and showers Horatio with such affection that he appears to be the happiest man alive. This joy temporarily lifts her out of despair, as the threat of a greater loss (Lothario’s potential death) overshadows her earlier grief.

The Father’s Advertisement

While reading through newspapers she had not previously examined, the narrator notices an advertisement placed by her father, who is searching for her. The notice offers a reward for information leading to her location, and promises that if she returns to him, he will welcome her with full tenderness regardless of her past actions, and that her return may extend the life of a father already bowed down by grief over her disappearance.

Discovery of Her Father’s Death

Moved by the advertisement, the narrator resolves to return home to beg her father’s forgiveness, only to discover upon making inquiries that he died a month earlier. He had lamented her absence on his deathbed, and left his entire fortune to a stranger as punishment for her unkind, undutiful behavior. This revelation plunges her into profound remorse, and she holds herself directly responsible for his death.

Horatio’s Desertion

Consumed by grief, the narrator loses all interest in socializing, and her former acquaintances abandon her as her mood grows increasingly dark. Horatio, either repulsed by her melancholy or motivated by other unstated reasons, grows steadily more distant before leaving her entirely, offering no apology and no financial support despite his central role in her ruin.

The Betrayal Revealed

After Horatio’s departure, the narrator learns that the reported fight between Lothario and Horatio was completely fabricated: it was a calculated scheme designed to remove Lothario from her life, and to give Horatio a credible reason to pursue her, after he had spotted her at the home of the man who seduced her.