The Wooster Papers

Books

The Mating Season

1949. 27 chapters, 39 scenes.

Chapter 1

  1. Jeeves briefs a reluctant Bertie on Esmond Haddock, his five aunts and Gussie's coolness with Madeline Bassett before a low-spirited Catsmeat Pirbright is shown in.Chapters 1–2, Bertie's flat

Chapter 2

  1. Jeeves briefs a reluctant Bertie on Esmond Haddock, his five aunts and Gussie's coolness with Madeline Bassett before a low-spirited Catsmeat Pirbright is shown in.Continued from chapter 1
  2. A low-spirited Catsmeat reveals that Corky is the vicar's niece who roped Bertie into the concert, explains his thwarted engagement to Gertrude Winkworth, and gets Bertie to guard her from Esmond Haddock, in return agreeing to give Gussie dinner.Chapter 2

Chapter 3

  1. After seeing Thos off to school, Bertie comes home to find Corky and her dog Sam Goldwyn, hears of her break with Esmond Haddock and her feud with Constable Dobbs, and then a hung-over Catsmeat reveals that Gussie waded in the Trafalgar Square fountain and got fourteen days.Chapters 3–4, Bertie's flat

Chapter 4

  1. After seeing Thos off to school, Bertie comes home to find Corky and her dog Sam Goldwyn, hears of her break with Esmond Haddock and her feud with Constable Dobbs, and then a hung-over Catsmeat reveals that Gussie waded in the Trafalgar Square fountain and got fourteen days.Continued from chapter 3
  2. Bertie recalls how, pleading Gussie's cause at Brinkley Court, he left Madeline thinking he loved her, and she promised to marry him if Gussie ever fell short.Chapter 4
  3. Jeeves proposes that someone go to Deverill Hall as Gussie, Catsmeat flatly refuses, and Bertie gives in and sets off in Gussie's name, with Corky's dog Sam Goldwyn left on his hands.Chapter 4

Chapter 5

  1. Bertie arrives late at Deverill Hall, is overawed by Jeeves's Uncle Charlie the butler, gives his name as Fink-Nottle, and learns dinner has already begun.Chapter 5, Deverill Hall
  2. At dinner as Gussie, Bertie hears the aunts condemn Corky's cross-talk act and the absent Mr Wooster, resolves to drop out of the act, flops with a story about two deaf men, and is left alone with Esmond Haddock over the port.Chapters 5–6, the dining room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 6

  1. At dinner as Gussie, Bertie hears the aunts condemn Corky's cross-talk act and the absent Mr Wooster, resolves to drop out of the act, flops with a story about two deaf men, and is left alone with Esmond Haddock over the port.Continued from chapter 5
  2. Dame Daphne catches Bertie on a chair and Esmond on the table singing, sends Esmond cringing to the drawing room, tells Bertie his dog Sam Goldwyn has chased Charlotte and bitten Silversmith, and packs him off to bed.Chapter 6, the dining room at Deverill Hall
  3. Silversmith shows Bertie to his room and is asked to send his man, but the person who enters is Catsmeat, not Jeeves.Chapters 6–7, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 7

  1. Silversmith shows Bertie to his room and is asked to send his man, but the person who enters is Catsmeat, not Jeeves.Continued from chapter 6
  2. A frosty Silversmith brings the morning tea and says the late-night arrival was 'Mr Wooster', leaving Bertie baffled until Jeeves himself walks in with a breakfast tray.Chapters 7–8, Deverill Hall

Chapter 8

  1. A frosty Silversmith brings the morning tea and says the late-night arrival was 'Mr Wooster', leaving Bertie baffled until Jeeves himself walks in with a breakfast tray.Continued from chapter 7

Chapter 9

  1. Gussie, furious at being taken for Bertie and loathing Catsmeat, rubbishes the Pat and Mike cross-talk act and refuses to hit a policeman with an umbrella, until Corky arrives and Bertie leaves her to win him round.Chapter 9, the post office
  2. Gussie returns besotted with Corky and keen on the act, reports that Sam Goldwyn bit Dobbs and was arrested, that Catsmeat will now play Mike, and hands Bertie the Christopher Robin poems he must recite at the concert.Chapter 9, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 10

  1. Over his first days at Deverill Hall Bertie becomes certain that Gussie has fallen for Corky, and the aunts grow bitter at the absent guest they take for Wooster.Chapter 10, Deverill Hall
  2. Bertie learns from a woebegone Queenie that Jeeves has gone to a lecture in London, and resolves to tackle Corky himself.Chapter 10, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall
  3. Dame Daphne, syringe in hand, upbraids Bertie (as Augustus) over Madeline's telegram complaining that she has had no letters, leaving him stunned on a rustic bench.Chapter 10, the rose garden
  4. Corky brushes Bertie off to take soup to Mrs Wellbeloved, and Gussie flatly refuses to write to Madeline, saying he is teaching her a lesson.Chapter 10, King's Deverill
  5. Back at the Hall Bertie finds Catsmeat lying dreamily on his bed, smoking his cigarettes.Chapters 10–11, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 11

  1. Back at the Hall Bertie finds Catsmeat lying dreamily on his bed, smoking his cigarettes.Continued from chapter 10
  2. Bertie copies out the letter, posts it at the post office and is at once hailed by Corky.Chapters 11–12, the post office

Chapter 12

  1. Bertie copies out the letter, posts it at the post office and is at once hailed by Corky.Continued from chapter 11
  2. Catsmeat bursts into Bertie's room with the news, picked up from Silversmith, that Aunt Agatha is coming to stay at Deverill Hall.Chapter 12, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 13

  1. Catsmeat returns from London with Jeeves's plan to keep Aunt Agatha away by luring Thos from school to visit Corky; after he leaves, Bertie breaks the code of the Woosters, opens Gussie's telegrams, and learns that Madeline is arriving at Deverill Hall tomorrow.Chapters 13–14, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 14

  1. Catsmeat returns from London with Jeeves's plan to keep Aunt Agatha away by luring Thos from school to visit Corky; after he leaves, Bertie breaks the code of the Woosters, opens Gussie's telegrams, and learns that Madeline is arriving at Deverill Hall tomorrow.Continued from chapter 13
  2. Bertie waylays Catsmeat returning from the pictures with a tearful Queenie, shows him the telegram, and Catsmeat promises to come to Bertie's room after dinner with a plan.Chapter 14, the main gate
  3. A big dinner party with ten Hampshire neighbours keeps Bertie trapped until nearly midnight.Chapter 14
  4. Bertie finds Catsmeat's note saying he has gone to London with a superb plan for Madeline, then Gussie borrows the pink-lozenged tie for Corky and reveals he has written to Madeline breaking off the engagement.Chapter 14, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 15

  1. Bertie hides in a bush at The Larches, waits out a flirting postman, a smoking housemaid, Madeline and her school friend's dog, then grabs Gussie's letter from the breakfast table and, cut off at the window, bolts across the hall into another room.Chapters 15–17, The Larches

Chapter 16

  1. Bertie hides in a bush at The Larches, waits out a flirting postman, a smoking housemaid, Madeline and her school friend's dog, then grabs Gussie's letter from the breakfast table and, cut off at the window, bolts across the hall into another room.Continued from chapter 15

Chapter 17

  1. Bertie hides in a bush at The Larches, waits out a flirting postman, a smoking housemaid, Madeline and her school friend's dog, then grabs Gussie's letter from the breakfast table and, cut off at the window, bolts across the hall into another room.Continued from chapter 16
  2. Bertie goes out to the road to waylay Catsmeat, who speeds past without seeing him, and heads off gloomily for breakfast and the train back.Chapter 17, the road outside The Larches

Chapter 18

  1. Back at King's Deverill station, Bertie clouts the cheeky Thomas, then learns from Corky that Thomas plans to cosh Dobbs and that Catsmeat kept Madeline away by telling her Bertie loves her hopelessly, while Corky puts off dropping Gussie until he has done a mysterious little job for her.Chapter 18, King's Deverill station
  2. Walking back to the hall brooding on Corky's job, Bertie runs into Esmond Haddock.Chapters 18–20, the road to the hall

Chapter 19

  1. Walking back to the hall brooding on Corky's job, Bertie runs into Esmond Haddock.Continued from chapter 18

Chapter 20

  1. Walking back to the hall brooding on Corky's job, Bertie runs into Esmond Haddock.Continued from chapter 19
  2. Walking on, Bertie is horrified to see Gussie coming out of the village police station closely escorted by Constable Dobbs.Chapters 20–21, the police station

Chapter 21

  1. Walking on, Bertie is horrified to see Gussie coming out of the village police station closely escorted by Constable Dobbs.Continued from chapter 20
  2. Dame Daphne catches Bertie in the hall and is delighted to hear 'Augustus' went to Wimbledon on the milk train to see Madeline, and Silversmith announces that his daughter Queenie is engaged to Meadowes.Chapter 21, the hall at Deverill Hall
  3. Catsmeat tells Bertie how, kissing a weeping Queenie in brotherly fashion, he was caught by Silversmith and Gertrude, found himself engaged to Queenie, and has had his elopement with Gertrude cancelled.Chapter 21, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 22

  1. At the village concert the Kegley-Bassingtons and George's 'Ben Battle' are endured, Catsmeat and Gussie's Pat and Mike act dies, and Esmond's hunting song brings the house down until the standees chant him back on over Poppy's dance.Chapter 22, the village hall
  2. Stepping outside for a smoke, Bertie rejoices in Esmond's triumph until he realises he has forgotten every word of his Christopher Robin poems.Chapters 22–23, the village hall

Chapter 23

  1. Stepping outside for a smoke, Bertie rejoices in Esmond's triumph until he realises he has forgotten every word of his Christopher Robin poems.Continued from chapter 22
  2. Outside the inn Gussie, in his green beard, gulps brandy before going to steal Corky's dog from Dobbs's cottage, confident Dobbs is at the concert; then Jeeves returns to say Esmond will deputize and that Dobbs has gone home to his cottage.Chapters 23–24, the Goose and Cowslip

Chapter 24

  1. Outside the inn Gussie, in his green beard, gulps brandy before going to steal Corky's dog from Dobbs's cottage, confident Dobbs is at the concert; then Jeeves returns to say Esmond will deputize and that Dobbs has gone home to his cottage.Continued from chapter 23
  2. Corky drives off with the rescued Sam Goldwyn, Dobbs chases Gussie up a tree, and Jeeves lays the constable out with a cosh and leads Gussie away to remove his beard.Chapter 24, the road
  3. Back in his room, Bertie hears from Gussie that his love for Corky died up the tree, tells him Madeline has been squared, and sees him dash off to Wimbledon just before Esmond Haddock comes in.Chapters 24–25, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 25

  1. Back in his room, Bertie hears from Gussie that his love for Corky died up the tree, tells him Madeline has been squared, and sees him dash off to Wimbledon just before Esmond Haddock comes in.Continued from chapter 24
  2. Jeeves reports he has got Gussie out of his beard, Bertie tells him Gussie is cured of Corky and off to Madeline and that Esmond needs a way to defy his aunts, and Jeeves leaves to help his Uncle Charlie with the refreshments just before Esmond returns.Chapter 25, Deverill Hall
  3. In the hall the new Esmond calls Silversmith a pompous old ass, prods him in the ribs, and cheerfully answers back Dame Daphne when she asks why he is late.Chapter 25, the hall at Deverill Hall
  4. Esmond calls the Kegley-Bassingtons fatheads and leads Bertie into the drawing room, where Bertie is enjoying sardine sandwiches when Silversmith announces Constable Dobbs.Chapters 25–26, the drawing room at Deverill Hall

Chapter 26

  1. Esmond calls the Kegley-Bassingtons fatheads and leads Bertie into the drawing room, where Bertie is enjoying sardine sandwiches when Silversmith announces Constable Dobbs.Continued from chapter 25

Chapter 27

  1. Bertie congratulates Jeeves on squaring every loose end, then learns that Aunt Agatha has arrived, that Thos has blown the gaff, and resolves to go down and pull an Esmond Haddock on her.Chapter 27, Bertie's room at Deverill Hall