Fellow, get me a glass!
At which, all the wretches round him burst into a roar of laughter, the very loudest among them being Mr. Toole, a red-haired monster of a man.
MR. TOOLE
Get the gentleman a towel for his hands, and serve him a basin of turtle-soup.
Roars the monster, who is sitting, or rather squatting, on the deck opposite him, and as he speaks, he suddenly seizes Roderick's beaker of grog and empties it in midst of another burst of applause.
LINK-BOY
(whispers)
If you want to vex him, ask him about his wife, the washerwoman, who bates him.
RODERICK
Is it a towel of your wife's washing, Mr. Toole? I'm told she wiped your face often with one.
LINK-BOY
(whispers)
Ask him why he wouldn't see her yesterday, when she came to the ship.
RODERICK (V.O.)
And so I put to him some other foolish jokes about soapsuds, hen-pecking, and flat-irons, which set the man into a fury, and succeeded in raising a quarrel between us.
Roderick and Toole fight with cudgels. Roderick gives him a thump across his head which lays him lifeless on the floor.
RODERICK (V.O.)
This victory over the cock of the vile dunghill obtained me respect among the wretches among whom I formed part.
RODERICK (V.O.)
Our passage was very favorable, and in two days we landed at Cuxhaven, and before I had been a month in the Electorate, I was transported into a tall and proper young soldier, and, having a natural aptitude for military exercise, was soon as accomplished at the drill as the oldest sergeant in the regiment.
Various cuts.
Roderick learning the soldierly arts, musket drill, manual of arms, bayonet, marching.
The Cuxhaven troops are drawn up to receive a new regiment, arrived from England.
Roderick sees, marching at the head of his company, his old friend, Captain Grogan, who gives him a wink.
RODERICK (V.O.)
Six weeks after we arrived in Cuxhaven, we were reinforced by Gales regiment of foot from England, and I promise you the sight of Grogan's face was most welcome to me, for it assured me that a friend was near me.
Roderick and Grogan.
RODERICK (V.O.)
Grogan gave me a wink of recognition, but offered no public token of acquaintance and it was not until two days afterwards that he called me into his quarters, and then, shaking hands with me cordially, gave me news which I wanted, of my family.
CAPTAIN GROGAN
I had news of you in Dublin. Faith, you've begun early, like your father's son, but I think you could not do better than as you have done. But why did you not write home to your poor mother? She has sent half-a-dozen letters to you in Dublin.
RODERICK
I suppose she addressed them to me in my real name, by which I never thought to ask for them at the post office.
CAPTAIN GROGAN
We must write to her today, and you can tell her that you are safe and married to "Brown Bess."
Roderick sighs when Grogan says the word "married," on which Grogan says with a laugh:
CAPTAIN GROGAN
I see you are thinking of a certain young lady at Duganstown.
RODERICK
Is Miss Dugan well?
CAPTAIN GROGAN
There's only six Miss Dugans now... poor Dorothy.
RODERICK
Good heavens! Whatever? Has she died of grief?
CAPTAIN GROGAN
She took on so at your going away that she was obliged to console herself with a husband. She is now Mrs. John Best.
RODERICK
Mrs. John Best! Was there another Mr. John Best?!
CAPTAIN GROGAN