Short Fiction · Chapter
By Advice of Counsel explained
A waiter recounts to a silent traveller the story of his time living with a charismatic drifter called Gentleman Bailey and a simple, wealthy man named Jerry Moore.
What happens
A waiter recounts to a silent traveller the story of his time living with a charismatic drifter called Gentleman Bailey and a simple, wealthy man named Jerry Moore. The two drifters enjoy a life of ease at Jerry's home until Jerry falls in love with the spirited Jane Tuxton. Despite Gentleman's attempts to dissuade him by disparaging women, Jerry's affections persist, and the trio's comfortable arrangement is threatened.
Themes in this chapter
Money and Financial Struggle
The waiter and Gentleman Bailey depend on Jerry Moore's inherited wealth for their livelihood, and the prospect of his marriage threatens their financial security.
Love and Marriage
Jerry Moore's romantic interest in Jane Tuxton drives the plot, and the narrative explores how marriage can disrupt established domestic arrangements.
Deception and Secrets
Gentleman Bailey and the waiter engage in espionage to monitor Jerry's courtship, and Gentleman attempts to manipulate Jerry's views on women to preserve their situation.
Characters to notice
- Jerry Moore
A simple, wealthy bachelor with partial deafness who takes in Gentleman Bailey and the waiter (Roach). He falls in love with Jane Tuxton, threatening the drifters' comfortable life.
- Jane Tuxton
A spirited, wiry young woman with snapping eyes and a determined chin. Jerry Moore is in love with her, and she seems to prefer a more assertive man.
- Mr. Robert Ferguson
The waiter telling the story, formerly known as Roach. He lived off Jerry Moore's hospitality alongside Gentleman Bailey.
Key passages
“If people spoke distinct, there wouldn't be half the trouble there is in the world. Not half the trouble there wouldn't be.”
Clear communication could prevent many of life's problems.
The waiter reflects on the misunderstanding over 'lamb' vs. 'ham' as a metaphor for broader human conflict.
“Believe me, there isn't a man on earth that's fixed and contented but what a woman can't knock his old Paradise into 'ash with one punch.”
No matter how settled a man is, a woman can easily disrupt his contentment.
The waiter observes how Jerry's romantic interest threatens the drifters' idyllic life.