(no subject)

[tootsiemuppet.livejournal.com]

Ahem, ignore the last thing I said about shipping Jeeves and Psmith. A thought has occured to me. (Oh, I am relieved, miss.)

If not actually slashing Psmith and Jeeves, would it not have been an ideal circumstance if the latter was actually employed by the former?

In 'Bertie Changes His Mind', Jeeves said that: "Mr Wooster is a young gentleman, with practically every desirable quality except one. I do not mean brains for in an employer brains are not desirable. The quality to which I allude is hard to define, but perhaps I might call it the gift of dealing with the Unusual Situation. In the presence of the Unusual, Mr Wooster is too prone to smile weakly and allow his eyes to protrude. He lacks Presence. I have often wished that I had the power to bestow upon him some of the savoir-faire of a former employer of mine ....."

While reading Leave It To Psmith, I kept thinking back on this. All things that in a mind like Reginald Jeeves's would be undesirable in a fellow like Bertie, were righted in Psmith's character; and all the things that were desirable still remained.

Psmith wouldn't dream of buying purple socks, Etonian spats or alpine hats; or start playing the banjolele on a lark. He's a perfect gentleman of (usually) impeccable manners and can cope with any situation you fling at him.

But would Psmith be too intelligent for Jeeves? I don't particularly see him as the scholarly, learned type, but he's smart enough. If brains are not desirable in an employer, would Bertie's bumbling weigh up against Psmith's sharp mind?

Put it like this, and I'll ask you a question. Suppose for a second, that one day Mr Psmith showed up at Number 6, Crichton Mansions, Berkely Street, W. Suppose he offered Bertie a too generous to be passed up sum of money for Jeeves. Suppose Bertie left Jeeves to decide (which he probably would anyway). Which do you think would look a more appealing employer from the valet's point of view?

Comments

[anima-mecanique.livejournal.com]

I found the following phrase in the document that contains my drabbles:

“It’s awfully odd, Jeeves,” I said,

Clearly I started a Jeeves and Wooster drabble, but damned if I know what Bertie thought was so odd. :/

[tootsiemuppet.livejournal.com]

You've no idea how many starter sentences I have like that. It usually has about five or six lines and then peters out.

[dryadwoman.livejournal.com]

Ha, that's great. I just had the experience of returning to an old unfinished fic with no recollection of how the plot was going to pan out...