Thank You, Jeeves

" Well, you know best, of course. Very doubtful, I should have said myself. And, anyway, what do you want me to do about it?" " Well, you're a friend of his. You could give him a hint. You could tell him there's no need for cold feet. ..." " It is not cold feet. It is delicacy. As I just explained, we men have our code in these matters. We may fall in love pretty nippily, but after that we consider it decorous to backpedalawhile. We are the parfait gentle knights, and we feel that it ill beseems us to make a beeline for a girl like a man charging into a railway restaurant for a bowl of soup. We . . ." " What utter nonsense I You asked me to marry you after you had known me two weeks." " Ah, but there you were dealing with one of the Wild Woosters." " Well, I can't see . . ." " Yes ? " I said. " Proceed. You have our ear." But she was looking past me at something to the south-east; and, turning, I perceived that we were no longer alone. There, standing in an attitude of respectful courtliness, with the sunshine playing upon his finely chiselled features, was Jeeves.

CHAPTER V BERTIE TAKES THINGS IN HAND

I NODDED affably. This man and I might have severed our professional relations, but a Wooster is always debonair. "Ah, Jeeves." " Good afternoon, sir." Pauline appeared interested. " Is this Jeeves ? " "

This is Jeeves." " No, miss." I preferred that this delicate matter be not discussed, and it may be, in consequence, that I spoke a little curtly. " Well, Jeeves ? What is it ? " " Mr. Stoker, sir. He is inquiring after Miss Stoker's whereabouts." Well, of course, there's always that old one about them being at the wash, but this seemed to me neither the time nor the place. I turned to the girl with an air of courteous dismissal. " You'd better push along." " I suppose so. You won't forget what I said?"

" The matter," I assured her, " shall have my prompt attention." She legged it, and Jeeves and I were alone together in the great solitude. I lit a cigarette nonchalantly. " Well, Jeeves." " Sir ? " " I mean to say, we meet again." " Yes, sir." " Philippi, what ? " " Yes, sir." *' I hope you're getting on all right with Chuffy ? " " Everything is most pleasant, sir. I trust your new personal attendant is giving satisfaction ? " " Oh, quite. A sterling fellow." " I am extremely gratified to hear it, sir." There was a pause. " Er, Jeeves," I said. A rummy thing. It had been my intention, after exchanging these few civilities, to nod carelessly and leave the fellow. But it's so dashed difficult to break the habit of years. I mean to say, here was I and here was Jeeves, and a problem bad been put up to me of just the type concerning which I had always been wont to seek his advice and counsel, and now something seemed to keep me rooted to the spot. And instead of being aloof and distant and passing on with the slight inclination of the head which, as I say, I had been planning,

I found myself irresistibly impelled to consult 1pm just as if there had been no rift at all. "Er-Jeeves," I said. " Sir ? " " I should rather like, if you have a moment to spare, to split a word with you." "

Certainly, sir." " I wish to canvass your views regarding old Chuffy." "

Very good, sir." His face was wearing that expression of quiet intelligence combined with a feudal desire to oblige which I had so often seen upon it, and I hesitated no longer. " You will agree with me that something's got to be done about the fifth Baron, I take it ? " " I beg your pardon, sir ? " I was impatient with this-what the dickens | is the word I want ? " Come, come, Jeeves. You know what I mean as well as I do. A little less coyness and a bit more of the old rallying round spirit. You can't tell me you've been in his employment for nearly a week without observing and deducing and forming your conclusions." " Am I correct in supposing, sir, that you are alluding to his lordship's feelings towards Miss Stoker ? " " Exactly." " I am, of course, aware that his lordship is experiencing for the young lady a sentiment

deeper and warmer than that of ordinary friendship, sir." " Would I be going too far if I said that he was potty about her ? " " No, sir. The expression would meet the facts of the case quite adequately." " Very well, then. Now, mark this. She, too, loves, Jeeves." " Indeed, sir ? "

" She was telling me so specifically when you came along. She confessed herself dippy about the man. And she's very upset, poor fish. Extremely upset. Her feminine intuition has enabled her to read his secret. She detects the lovelight in his eyes. And she is all for it. And what is worrying her is that he does not tell his love, but lets concealment like . . . like what, Jeeves ? " " A worm i' the bud, sir." " Feed on his something ..." " Damask cheek, sir." " Damask ? You're sure ? " "