No lad of seventeen is very sad who has liberty for the first time, and twenty guineas in his pocket; and I rode away, thinking, I confess, not so much of the kind of mother left alone, and of the home behind me, as of tomorrow, and all the wonders it would bring.
Roderick happily riding down the road.
RODERICK (V.O.)
I had no doubts of the future; thinking that a man of my person, parts, and courage, could make his way anywhere. So I rode on, singing to myself, or chatting with the passersby; and all the girls along the road said, "God save me, for a clever gentleman."
Farm girls in the fields flirting with him.
RODERICK (V.O.)
As for thoughts of Dorothy Dugan, there seemed to be a gap of a half-a-score of years.
A well-armed gentleman dressed in green, and a gold cord, with a patch on his eye, and riding a powerful mare, puts his horse alongside.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Good day to you, young sir.
RODERICK
Good morning.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Where are you bound for?
RODERICK
(after a long look at his companion)
That is none of your business.
ARMED GENTLEMAN
Is your mother not afraid on account of the highwayman to let one so young as you travel?
RODERICK
(pulling out a pistol)
Not at all, sir. I have a pair of good pistols that have already done execution, and are ready to do it again.
At this, a pock-marked man coming up, the well-armed gentleman spurs into his bay mare, and leaves Roderick.
RODERICK (V.O.)
A little later on, as I rode towards Kilcullen, I saw a crowd of peasant people assembled round a one-horse chair, and my friend in green, as I thought, making off half-a-mile up the hill.
A footman howls, at the top of his voice.
FOOTMAN
Stop thief!
But the country fellows only laugh at his distress, and make all sorts of jokes at the adventure which had just befallen.
COUNTRY FELLOW #1
Sure, you might have kept him off with your blunderbush!
COUNTRY FELLOW #2
O the coward! To let the Captain bate you, and he only one eye!
COUNTRY FELLOW #3
The next time my lady travels, she'd better leave you at home!
RODERICK
What is this noise, fellows?
Roderick rides up amongst them, and seeing the lady in the carriage, very pale and frightened, gives a slash of his whip, and bids the red-shanked ruffians keep off.
Pulling off his hat, and bringing his mare up in a prance to the chair-window.
RODERICK
What has happened, madam, to annoy your ladyship?
MRS. O'REILLY
Oh, I am grateful to you, sir. I am the wife of Captain O'Reilly hastening to join him at Dublin. My chair was stopped by a highwayman; this great oaf of a servant-man fell down on his knees, armed as he was, and though there were thirty people in the next field, working, when the ruffian attacked, not one of them would help but, on the contrary, wished him "good luck."
COUNTRY FELLOW #1
Sure, he's the friend of the poor, and good luck to him.
COUNTRY FELLOW #2
Was it any business of ours?
RODERICK
(shouting)