Jeeves Stories · Chapter
Jeeves and the Chump Cyril explained
Bertie Wooster receives a letter of introduction from his Aunt Agatha for Cyril Bassington-Bassington, a chump whose arrival in New York complicates Bertie's life.
What happens
Bertie Wooster receives a letter of introduction from his Aunt Agatha for Cyril Bassington-Bassington, a chump whose arrival in New York complicates Bertie's life. Cyril is arrested after a misunderstanding with a policeman, and Bertie bails him out. Meanwhile, Jeeves entertains a young boy and his father's valet, leading to awkward encounters. Bertie worries about his responsibility for Cyril and hopes to mend relations with Aunt Agatha.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Identity
Cyril's arrest and his mistaken perception of the policeman as a postman highlight misunderstandings and the theme of mistaken identity.
Family and Obligation
Bertie feels obligated to protect Cyril due to Aunt Agatha's letter, despite the trouble it causes.
Characters to notice
- Bertie Wooster
Narrator and protagonist, dealing with Aunt Agatha's letter and Cyril's antics.
- Jeeves
Bertie's valet, who manages the situation with tact and provides counsel.
- Cyril Bassington-Bassington
Aunt Agatha's nominee, a chump who gets arrested and causes trouble.
- Aunt Agatha
Bertie's aunt, who sends Cyril with a letter of introduction and expects Bertie to protect him.
- George Wilson
Bertie's friend, a playwright who accompanies him to bail out Cyril.
Key passages
“You know, the longer I live, the more clearly I see that half the trouble in this bally world is caused by the lighthearted and thoughtless way in which chappies dash off letters of introduction and hand them to other chappies to deliver to chappies of the third part.”
Bertie reflects that many problems arise from people casually writing and giving letters of introduction without considering the consequences.
Bertie's opening reflection on the dangers of letters of introduction.
“I don't mind admitting that in the first flush of the thing, so to speak, when Jeeves told me—this would be about three weeks after I'd landed in America—that a blighter called Cyril Bassington-Bassington had arrived and I found that he had brought a letter of introduction to me from Aunt Agatha … I don't mind admitting, I was saying, that just at first I was rather bucked.”
Bertie admits he was initially pleased when he learned Cyril had arrived with a letter from Aunt Agatha, seeing it as a peace offering.
Bertie's initial positive reaction to Cyril's arrival.
“I gave him a shove, you know. I've got a frightfully hasty temper, you know. All the Bassington-Bassingtons have got frightfully hasty tempers, don't you know! And then he biffed me in the eye and lugged me off to this beastly place.”
Cyril explains that he shoved a policeman who prodded him, leading to his arrest and a black eye.
Cyril's account of his arrest.