Этот неподражаемый Дживс! / The Inimitable Jeeves

”

I don’t know why it was, but Bingo’s words sounded strange.

“There is something strange in it,” I said. “Why should your uncle ask a fellow to lunch whom he’s never seen?”

“My dear old fathead, haven’t I just said that I’ve been telling him all about you—that you’re my best friend—at school together, and all that sort of thing?”

“So what? Why do want me to come?”

Bingo hesitated for a moment.

“Well, I told you I’d got an idea. This is it. I want you to tell him the news.

I’m not brave enough.”

“What!”

“And you call yourself a friend of mine!”

“Yes, I know; but there are limits.”

“Bertie,” said Bingo, “I saved your life once.”

“When?”

“Didn’t I? It must have been some other fellow, then. Well, anyway, we were studying at school together and all that. You can’t let me down[35 - let me down – бросить меня].”

“Oh, all right,” I said. “But, when you say you are not brave enough, you misjudge yourself.

A fellow who—”

“Cheerio![36 - Cheerio! – Пока-пока!]” said young Bingo. “One-thirty tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

I can say that the more I thought about the lunch the less I liked the idea. It was all very well for Bingo to say that I was invited; but what if they would drive me out? However, at one-thirty next day I was at No. 16, Pounceby Gardens, and punched the bell. And half a minute later I was in the drawingroom, shaking hands with the fattest man I have ever seen in my life.

The motto of the Little family was evidently “variety”. Young Bingo is long and thin; but the uncle was like a square.

“Mr Wooster, I am gratified—I am proud—I am honoured.”

“Oh, ah!” I said.

He stepped back a bit.

“You are very young and did so much!”

I couldn’t follow his thought. My family, especially my Aunt Agatha[37 - Aunt Agatha – тётя Агата], have always told me that my existence is a wasted life, and that, since I won the prize at my school for the best collection of wild flowers made during the summer holidays, I haven’t done anything useful at all.

I was wondering if he mixed me up with someone else, when the telephone bell rang outside in the hall, and the maid came in to say that I was wanted. I came down, and found it was young Bingo.

“Hallo!” said young Bingo. “So you’ve got there? Good man! I knew I could rely on you.