The Adventures of Roderick Random

Diving for a Dinner

The landlord offers to introduce them to the practice. He leads them to a certain lane, demonstrates by diving into a cellar and vanishing, and tells them to follow. Roderick descends successfully into the middle of a cook’s shop, nearly suffocated by steam from boiled beef. The establishment is filled with hackney coachmen, chairmen, draymen, and footmen out of place or on board-wages, eating shin of beef, tripe, cow-heel, or sausages at separate boards with dirty cloths. Roderick stands uncertain whether to stay or leave.

An Accident at the Ordinary

In his descent, Strap misses a step and tumbles headlong into the ordinary, overturning the cook as she carries soup to a guest. The soup scalds a drummer of the foot-guards sitting nearby, who leaps up and delivers a volley of execrations while dancing in agony. The cook curses Strap, who lies under the table, and applies a salt poultice to the burn, stripping the drummer’s stocking and pulling off skin in the process. The drummer’s yells intensify, and he seizes a pewter pint pot, squeezing it together with a horrible grin. Roderick orders the salt washed off and oil applied, bringing relief. The cook then demands payment for the ruined pot, but the drummer refuses to pay for anything beyond what he ate, threatening prosecution for damages. Fearing responsibility, Strap promises to satisfy the cook and orders gin for the drummer, which composes all animosities. They then sit down and dine deliciously on shin of beef, their reckoning amounting to twopence halfpenny each, including bread and small beer.