Psmith in the City · Chapter
Breaking the News explained
Mike receives a phone call from his brother Joe, who needs him to play for the county cricket team at Lord's.
What happens
Mike receives a phone call from his brother Joe, who needs him to play for the county cricket team at Lord's. He rushes off, leaving Psmith to inform Mr. Gregory of his absence. Psmith breaks the news with characteristic wit, leading to a confrontation with Mr. Bickersdyke, who assigns Psmith to temporarily replace Mike in the Fixed Deposits Department.
Themes in this chapter
Work vs. Idleness
Mike abandons his bank duties for cricket, highlighting the tension between professional obligations and personal passions.
Humor and Absurdity
Psmith's witty and exaggerated explanations to Mr. Gregory and Mr. Bickersdyke underscore the chapter's comedic tone.
Characters to notice
- Mike Jackson
Rushes off to play cricket for his county after a call from his brother Joe.
- Psmith
Informs Mr. Gregory of Mike's absence and later faces Mr. Bickersdyke, who assigns him to the Fixed Deposits Department.
- Mr. Gregory
Head of Fixed Deposits; becomes angry upon learning Mike has left to play cricket.
- Mr. Bickersdyke
Bank manager who disciplines Mike by assigning Psmith to replace him temporarily.
- Joe Jackson
Mike's brother; calls to ask Mike to play for the county team.
Key passages
“Dashing away from the call box, Mike nearly cannoned into Psmith, who was making his way pensively to the telephone with the object of ringing up the box office of the Haymarket Theatre.”
Mike hurried from the phone booth and almost collided with Psmith, who was thoughtfully heading to call the Haymarket Theatre's ticket office.
Sets the scene of Mike's haste and Psmith's leisure.
“I don't wish to interfere in any way, but I suppose you realize that, by acting thus, you are to some extent knocking the stuffing out of your chances of becoming manager of this bank?”
I'm not trying to meddle, but do you understand that this might ruin your prospects of becoming bank manager?
Psmith humorously warns Mike about the consequences of skipping work.
“He has gone without his hat. It seems to me that this is practically a case of running amok.”
He left without his hat. This looks like a complete loss of control.
Psmith's dry observation of Mike's frantic departure.
“I was groaning, explained Psmith with quiet dignity. And why was I groaning? Because a shadow has fallen on the Fixed Deposits Department. Comrade Jackson, the Pride of the Office, has gone.”
I groaned, Psmith said with dignity, because a gloom has settled over the Fixed Deposits Department. Comrade Jackson, the office's pride, has left.
Psmith's theatrical announcement to Mr. Gregory.
“You misunderstand me. Comrade Jackson has not gone to mix with any member of our gay and thoughtless aristocracy. He has gone to Lord's cricket ground.”
You've got it wrong. Jackson hasn't gone to socialize with aristocrats. He's gone to Lord's cricket ground.
Psmith clarifies Mike's destination with a playful jab at the aristocracy.
“How curious, Comrade Gregory, are the workings of Fate! A moment back, and your life was a blank. Comrade Jackson, that prince of Fixed Depositors, had gone. How, you said to yourself despairingly, can his place be filled? Then the cloud broke, and the sun shone out again. I came to help you.”
How strange fate is, Comrade Gregory! A moment ago, your life seemed empty because Jackson had left. You wondered how to replace him. Then the cloud lifted, and I arrived to help.
Psmith's mock-heroic consolation to Mr. Gregory after being assigned to the department.
