Psmith in the City · Chapter
At Lord's explained
Mike arrives at Lord's to play for his county after being called up as a last-minute replacement.
What happens
Mike arrives at Lord's to play for his county after being called up as a last-minute replacement. He learns that three Cambridge players were injured in a car crash, leaving the team short. Joe Jackson, his brother, puts him in fourth wicket. Mike reflects on his situation: he has effectively left the bank and must now rely on cricket to make a living. He telephones Psmith at the bank, who reports that he has taken Mike's place in Fixed Deposits and has already clashed with Mr. Gregory and Mr. Bickersdyke. As Mike prepares to bat, he resolves to prove himself.
Themes in this chapter
Ambition and Career
Mike faces a career crossroads, realizing he must become a professional cricketer to support himself after leaving the bank.
Resilience and Adaptation
Mike adapts to the pressure of a last-minute county match and the uncertainty of his future, focusing on his performance at the wicket.
Characters to notice
- Mike Jackson
Arrives at Lord's to play for his county; reflects on his future after leaving the bank; resolves to succeed as a professional cricketer.
- Joe Jackson
Mike's brother; explains the team's shortage due to a car accident; puts Mike in fourth wicket.
- Psmith
Speaks with Mike on the phone; reports taking over Mike's duties in Fixed Deposits and his confrontations with Mr. Gregory and Mr. Bickersdyke.
- Mr. Bickersdyke
Mentioned as the manager who will likely use Mike's desertion to dismiss him; Psmith reports a brief chat with him.
- Mr. Gregory
Mentioned as being upset by Mike's absence; Psmith accidentally drops a ledger on his gouty foot.
Key passages
“It was not a time for half-measures. He could not go home. He must carry the thing through, now that he had begun, and find something definite to do, to support himself.”
Mike realizes he cannot turn back; he must commit fully to his decision and find a way to earn a living.
Reflects Mike's determination to face the consequences of leaving the bank.
“He could not help feeling that it might not be. Thinking it over more tensely than he had ever thought over anything in his whole life, he saw clearly that everything depended on what sort of show he made in this match which was now in progress.”
Mike worries that his school reputation might not be enough for Surrey, and he understands that his performance in this game is crucial.
Highlights the high stakes of the match for Mike's future career.
“I broke the news to Comrade Gregory. A charming personality. I feel that we shall be friends.”
Psmith sarcastically describes informing Mr. Gregory of Mike's absence, implying the encounter was far from friendly.
Shows Psmith's characteristic humor and his role as a buffer between Mike and the bank's management.