The Adventures of Roderick Random

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.