My Man Jeeves - The Original Classic Edition. Wodehouse P

he had a lot of intelligence in him.

       "Ripping!" I said. "Is Lord Pershore in, Jeeves?" "No, sir."

       "Do you expect him back to dinner?" "No, sir."

       "Where is he?" "In prison, sir."

       Have you ever trodden on a rake and had the handle jump up and hit you? That's how I felt then.

       "In prison!" "Yes, sir."

       "You don't mean--in prison?" "Yes, sir."

       I lowered myself into a chair.

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       "Why?" I said.

       "He assaulted a constable, sir."

       "Lord Pershore assaulted a constable!" "Yes, sir."

       I digested this.

       "But, Jeeves, I say! This is frightful!" "Sir?"

       "What will Lady Malvern say when she finds out?" "I do not fancy that her ladyship will find out, sir." "But she'll come back and want to know where he is."

       "I rather fancy, sir, that his lordship's bit of time will have run out by then." "But supposing it hasn't?"

       "In that event, sir, it may be judicious to prevaricate a little." "How?"

       "If I might make the suggestion, sir, I should inform her ladyship that his lordship has left for a short visit to Boston." "Why Boston?"

       "Very interesting and respectable centre, sir." "Jeeves, I believe you've hit it."

       "I fancy so, sir."

       "Why, this is really the best thing that could have happened. If this hadn't turned up to prevent him, young Motty would have been in a sanatorium by the time Lady Malvern got back."

       "Exactly, sir."