Right Ho, Jeeves · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to Raymond Needham, K.C., expressing affection and admiration.
Chapter 2
Right Ho, Jeeves
Bertie Wooster recounts his various misadventures and the ongoing romantic entanglements among his friends and relatives, with Jeeves offering his usual sage advice.
Chapter 3
I
Bertie returns to his flat and learns from Jeeves that Gussie Fink-Nottle has been seeking Jeeves' counsel rather than Bertie's. Jeeves explains that Gussie, like Old Sippy before him, suffers from a rooted diffidence that prevents him from proposing to Miss Madeline Bassett. Bertie recalls meeting Miss Bassett at Cannes and finds her overly sentimental, but believes she is a suitable match for the dreamy Gussie. After a brief victory over Jeeves regarding his jacket choice, Bertie dines at the Drones and returns home to find Gussie in a Mephistopheles costume.
Chapter 4
II
Bertie tries to dissuade Gussie Fink-Nottle from attending a fancy-dress ball as Mephistopheles, a scheme devised by Jeeves to embolden Gussie to propose to Madeline Bassett. Bertie criticizes Jeeves's elaborate approach, asserting his own simpler plan, but is distracted by telegrams. Gussie reveals Jeeves's psychological reasoning behind the costume choice, and Bertie reflects on his own irritation with Jeeves over the mess jacket incident.
Chapter 5
III
Bertie receives a series of perplexing telegrams from Aunt Dahlia urgently summoning him to Brinkley Court, despite having just spent two months with her. After a back-and-forth exchange, Jeeves advises him to acquiesce, though Bertie is reluctant due to Pongo Twistleton's birthday party. The chapter also revisits the ongoing disagreement about Bertie's mess jacket.
Chapter 6
IV
Aunt Dahlia bursts into Bertie's bedroom early in the morning, demanding he get up and dress. She reveals she has come to take him back to Brinkley Court, where he must give away prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School's summer prize-giving. Bertie protests, but Aunt Dahlia threatens to cut him off from Anatole's cooking if he refuses. Bertie is left in gloom, and Jeeves announces Gussie Fink-Nottle's arrival.
Chapter 7
V
Bertie, nursing a hangover, reluctantly agrees to see Gussie Fink-Nottle after Jeeves reminds him of his promise to help. Jeeves prepares a restorative pick-me-up, and Bertie learns that Gussie never reached the fancy-dress ball due to a series of mishaps: he went to the wrong address, had no money or latchkey, and ended up fleeing a cabman in his Mephistopheles costume before finding refuge at Mr. Sipperley's. Bertie considers abandoning the case but is restrained by Wooster pride.
Chapter 8
VI
Bertie informs Gussie that Jeeves is no longer handling his case and takes charge himself. He arranges for Gussie to stay at Brinkley Court to woo Madeline Bassett, and devises a plan to make Gussie distribute prizes instead of himself. After a series of telegrams with Aunt Dahlia, Bertie successfully shifts the prize-giving duty onto Gussie. However, a new crisis arises when he learns that Angela and Tuppy have broken off their engagement, prompting him to go to Brinkley Court.
Chapter 9
VII
Bertie arrives at Brinkley Court to find Aunt Dahlia distressed over Angela and Tuppy's broken engagement. He reveals a plan to fix things based on his own psychology, but Aunt Dahlia dismisses his schemes. Bertie also reflects on a minor rift with Jeeves over the white mess-jacket. Later, he encounters a morose Tuppy in the garden.
Chapter 10
VIII
Bertie encounters Tuppy Glossop at Brinkley Court and learns of his broken engagement with Angela. Bertie devises a plan for Tuppy to skip dinner to signal his lingering love, but Tuppy mistakenly credits Jeeves for the idea, wounding Bertie's pride. Tuppy agrees to the scheme, planning to raid the larder later for a steak-and-kidney pie.
Chapter 11
Chapter IX
Bertie coaches Gussie on how to woo Madeline Bassett, suggesting he talk about the sunset and use romantic phrases. He then confronts Jeeves, who criticizes his plan, but Bertie defends his scheme to make Tuppy skip dinner to prove his love for Angela. Later, Gussie confesses his fear of proposing, so Bertie decides to soften up Madeline first by taking her for a stroll.
Chapter 12
Chapter X
Bertie walks with Madeline Bassett at twilight, where she reveals she is in love with someone else (Gussie Fink-Nottle) after a romantic encounter involving her dog's thorn. Bertie, realizing Gussie is the man, feels relieved and leaves them together. Later, Bertie tries to explain to Madeline that another heart aches for love, but she misunderstands, thinking he means Angela or others. Bertie eventually clarifies that the aching heart is in love with her, but he is actually referring to Gussie's situation.
Chapter 13
Chapter XI
Bertie learns from Jeeves that Gussie's proposal to Madeline failed because he nervously talked about newts instead of proposing. Aunt Dahlia confronts Bertie about the disastrous dinner scheme, revealing that Anatole has given notice due to the insult of untouched food, causing Uncle Tom great distress. Later, Tuppy confides in Bertie his belief that Angela has fallen for someone else during her Cannes trip, threatening violence against the supposed rival.
Chapter 14
Chapter XII
Tuppy Glossop recounts to Bertie the humiliating scene in the larder where he was caught by Aunt Dahlia, Uncle Tom, and Angela while trying to eat a steak-and-kidney pie. Angela's mocking remarks convince Tuppy she no longer loves him, but Bertie tries to reassure him that Angela's behavior is just girlish banter and that she still cares. Bertie also reveals that during their time in Cannes, Angela was practically inseparable from him, dispelling Tuppy's belief that she fell for another man there. The chapter ends with Bertie feeling optimistic about his plans to resolve the romantic entanglements.
Chapter 15
XIII
Bertie Wooster devises a plan to reunite Tuppy Glossop and his cousin Angela by roasting Tuppy to her, expecting her maternal instincts to defend him. He also decides to lace Gussie Fink-Nottle's orange juice with gin to embolden him to propose to Madeline Bassett and perform well at the Market Snodsbury prize distribution. Jeeves refuses to cooperate with the latter scheme, citing risks based on a past incident with a parrot.
Chapter 16
XIV
Bertie finds Angela after her day with the Stretchley-Budds and takes her for a walk in the garden. He proceeds to roast Tuppy Glossop, expecting her to defend him, but instead she agrees wholeheartedly, listing Tuppy's faults. Tuppy, who has been hiding in the bushes, emerges after Angela leaves.
Chapter 17
XV
Bertie encounters Tuppy Glossop, who is furious after overhearing Bertie's roasting of him to Angela. Tuppy accuses Bertie of stealing Angela from him at Cannes and of tipping her off about the larder incident. Bertie deflects by revealing his recent rejection by Madeline Bassett, but Tuppy remains suspicious and accuses Bertie of being in love with Angela himself. The chapter ends with Tuppy still threatening violence.
Chapter 18
XVI
Bertie wakes to a new day at Brinkley Court, reflecting on the previous night's events: Tuppy and Angela's rift has worsened, while Gussie's prize-giving looms. Bertie has secured gin to lace Gussie's orange juice, but discovers that Gussie has already drunk the laced jug, leaving him intoxicated. Bertie tries to reassure Gussie about his speech and his chances with Madeline Bassett, but Gussie remains despondent, haunted by the memory of General Bosher's trousers splitting at a similar event.
Chapter 19
XVII
Bertie drives Jeeves to Market Snodsbury Grammar School for the prize-giving, where Gussie Fink-Nottle, intoxicated after Bertie laced his orange juice with gin, delivers a rambling and embarrassing speech, personally attacking Bertie and later accusing a student of cheating. After the event, Jeeves informs Bertie that Gussie has become engaged to Madeline Bassett. Bertie returns to Brinkley Court, rests, and later learns from Jeeves the full extent of Gussie's disastrous behavior, including accusations against the headmaster and a student's mother, which led to the early termination of the proceedings.
Chapter 20
XVIII
Tuppy Glossop apologizes to Bertie for doubting his claim of being in love with Madeline Bassett, but reveals he has discovered that Gussie Fink-Nottle is engaged to Angela. Tuppy vows to kill Gussie and chases him. Gussie hides under Bertie's bed, then in a cupboard, but is discovered and flees. Bertie, overwhelmed, asks Jeeves to leave him to ponder the complex situation.
Chapter 21
XIX
Bertie attempts to reason with Angela about her engagement to Gussie, but she reveals it was a gesture to spite Tuppy. Later, he dines with Aunt Dahlia, who is in high spirits after Anatole withdraws his notice, though the chapter ends with Seppings reporting that Gussie is making faces at Anatole through a skylight.
Chapter 22
Chapter XX
Bertie and Aunt Dahlia deal with the fallout from Gussie's antics, including Anatole's outrage at being spied on through the skylight, Gussie's engagement to Angela, and Madeline Bassett's unexpected letter announcing her intention to marry Bertie.
Chapter 23
XXI
Bertie, now engaged to Madeline Bassett, discusses with Jeeves the possibility of using a fire-alarm scheme to reunite Madeline with Gussie and Angela with Tuppy. Despite initial doubts, Bertie agrees to the plan, set for after midnight. Later, Madeline compares Bertie to Cyrano de Bergerac, and their engagement is announced. Bertie, feeling trapped, seeks Jeeves' help once more.
Chapter 24
XXII
Bertie rides back to Brinkley Court, rings the fire bell at 12:30 a.m. as part of Jeeves's plan to force Gussie and Tuppy to rescue Madeline and Angela, but the scheme fails—no rescue occurs. Bertie confronts Jeeves, then faces Aunt Dahlia's questioning about the false alarm.
Chapter 25
Chapter XXIII
Bertie learns that Jeeves' fire bell scheme was only a preliminary to a psychological plan that united the quarreling couples through their mutual dislike of Bertie. After Bertie's bicycle ride, the animosity turned to amusement, and all relationships are restored: Tuppy and Angela are betrothed, Gussie and Madeline are together, Uncle Tom funds the magazine, and Anatole stays. Madeline releases Bertie from their engagement, calling him a 'parfait knight,' and Bertie, though sore, is overjoyed.
