Page:Adventures of Roderick Random.pdf/54

 present think proper to declare; but I would not advice you, for your own sake, to drive me to extremity.” Gawky, assuming a big look, told me, If I presumed to asperse his wife, he would put me to death. To this I answered, “I wish to God, I could meet with thee in a desart, that I might have an opportunity of revenging thy perfidy towards me, and rid the world of such a rascal.—What hinders me this moment (said I seizing an old bottle) from doing myself justice?” I had no sooner armed myself in this manner, than Gawky and his father-in-law retired in such a hurry, that the one overturned the other, and rolled together down stairs, while my mistress swooned away for fear, and her daughter asked if I intended to murder her. Finding it impossible to vindicate my innocence. I left the house immediately. and and sought for advice in the neighbourhood: but my story had taken air, and not one of my friends would vouchsafe me a hearing.—The first resolution I took, was to remove my clothes to the house of the person with whom I had formerly lodged; there I remained two days, in hopes of getting another place, by the interest of Mr. Concordance; but in this I reckoned before my host, for Lavement took care to be before hand with me; and when I attempted to explain the whole affair to the schoolmaster, I found him so prepossessed against me, that he would scarce