Page:Carry On, Jeeves.pdf/14

This page needs to be proofread.

JEEVES TAKES CHARGE 13

At this point in the proceedings there was another ring at the front door. Jeeves shimmered out and came back with a telegram. I opened it. It ran : Return immediately. Extremely urgent. Catch first train. Florence. " Rum! ” I said.

' Sir? ”

" Oh, nothing!” It shows how little I knew Jeeves in those days that I didn’t go a bit deeper into the matter with him. Nowadays I would never dream of reading a rummy communication without asking him what he thought of it. And this one was devilish odd. What I mean is, Florence knew I was going back to Easeby the day after to-morrow, anyw ay; so why the hurry call? Something must have happened, of course; but I couldn’t see what on earth it could be. ” Jeeves,” I said, “we shall be going down to Easeby this afternoon. Can you manage it? ” “Certainly, sir.”

“You can get your packing done and all that ? ” " Without any difficulty, sir. Which suit will you wear for the journey? ” “ This one.” I had on a rather sprightly young check that morning, to which I was a good deal attached; I fancied it, in fact, more than a little. It was perhaps rather sudden till you got used to it, but, nevertheless, an extremely sound effort, which many lads at the club and elsewhere had admired unrestrainedly.

“ Very good, sir.” Again there was that kind of rummy something in his manner. It was the way he said it, don’t you know. He didn’t like the suit. I pulled myself together to assert myself. Something seemed to tell me that, unless I was jolly careful and nipped this lad