
Freddie Rooke awakens in his tidy London bachelor flat, nursing a hangover and a baffling breakfast mishap that sets the tone for his delightfully chaotic world. With his loyal servant Barker at his side and a penchant for absurd musings about poached eggs and “acid tests,” Freddie’s eccentricities are matched only by his witty self‑deprecation. The opening scene crackles with Wodehousian humor, as he navigates the foggy city outside and the genteel absurdity inside his drawing‑room.
Into this swirl steps Derek Underhill, a strikingly handsome old schoolmate whose brow‑furrowed seriousness provides a perfect foil for Freddie’s airy antics. A forthcoming dinner will bring together a flamboyant mother returning from the Riviera, the enigmatic Miss Mariner, and a few other colorful guests, all under the shadow of a supposed “family curse.” Their interactions promise a comedy of misunderstandings, gentle rivalries, and the kind of light‑hearted misadventure that makes every morning feel like the start of a grand, if slightly reckless, escapade.
Language
en
Duration
~10 hours (627K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2007-02-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1881–1975
Best known for creating Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, he wrote comic fiction so polished and light on its feet that it still feels fresh a century later. His novels, stories, lyrics, and musical comedies helped define English-language humor for generations of readers.
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