Дживс, вы – гений! / Thank you, Jeeves!

“Luncheon has just concluded, sir.”

“Ah! Did you see Miss Stoker?”

“Yes, sir. I informed her that you desired a word with her, and she will be here shortly.”

“Why not now?”

“His lordship engaged her in conversation immediately after I had given her your message.”

“Had you told him to come here, too?”

“Yes, sir.”

“No good, Jeeves. They will arrive together.”

“No, sir. If so, I can easily detain him for a moment on some matter.”

“When did you see Miss Stoker?”

“About a quarter of an hour ago, sir.

”

“Ah!”

I had observed a gleam of white among the bushes. The next moment, the girl appeared. She was looking more beautiful than ever, her eyes, in particular, shining like twin stars.

“Hallo, Bertie,” said Pauline. “Are you really having a headache? You seem to have been doing yourself pretty well, in spite of it.”

“Oh … You had better take these things back, Jeeves.”

“Very good, sir.”

“And if his lordship should want me, I’m here.

”

“Yes, sir.”

He gathered up the plate, cup and bottle and disappeared.

Pauline had grabbed my arm.

“Bertie—” she was saying

But at this point I caught sight of Chuffy’s head over a shrub, and I felt that the moment had come to act. I waited no longer. Folding the girl in my arms, I kissed her on her right eyebrow.

But the fellow in the shrub was not Chuffy. The bloke who now stood before us was old Stoker.

It was, you must admit, not a little awkward. A fellow with fifty millions in his pocket doesn’t have to wear the mask. If he wants to give anybody a nasty look, he gives him a nasty look. He was giving me one now.

Fortunately, the thing did not go beyond looks. The civilization prevailed. With one more of those looks he collected Pauline, and the next moment I was alone.

Suddenly Chuffy appeared.

“Look here, Bertie,” he began without preamble, “what’s all this I hear?”

“What’s all what you hear, old man?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you had been engaged to Pauline Stoker?”

“I don’t understand you, Chuffnell,” I said stiffly.

“Did you expect me to send you a post card?”

“You could have told me this morning.”

“I saw no reason to do so. How did you hear about it, anyhow?”

“Sir Roderick Glossop happened to mention it.”

“Oh, he did, did he? Well, he broke it off.