The Code of the Woosters

Synopsis

Nothing but trouble can ensue when Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia instructs him to steal a silver jug from Totleigh Towers, home of magistrate and hell-hound, Sir Watkin Bassett. First he must face the peril of Sir Watkin's droopy daughter, Madeleine, and then the terrors of would-be Dictator, Roderick Spode and his gang of Black Shorts. But when duty calls, Bertram answers, and so there follows what he himself calls the 'sinister affair of Gussie Fink-Nottle, Madeleine Bassett, old Pop Bassett, Stiffy Byng, the Rev. H. P. ('Stinker') Pinker, the eighteenth-century cow-creamer and the small, brown, leather-covered notebook'. In a plot with more twists than an English country lane, it takes all the ingenuity of Jeeves to extract his master from the soup again.

Summary

Chapter 1: Asparagus and Artichokes

P.G. Wodehouse introduces us to Bertie Wooster, a well-to-do young man living in London in the 1920s. Bertie is a bit of a lightweight, but he is also a loyal friend and always willing to help those in need. In this chapter, Bertie is visited by his friend Gussie Fink-Nottle, a dim-witted but good-natured young man who is engaged to Madeline Bassett. Gussie is worried because Madeline has been acting strangely lately and he suspects she may be cheating on him. Bertie agrees to help Gussie investigate the matter.

Chapter 2: The Matrimonial Agency

Bertie and Gussie visit Bingo Little, a friend of Bertie's who runs a matrimonial agency. Bingo tells them that he has the perfect wife for Gussie, a young woman named Roberta Wickham. Roberta is described as being beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy. However, she is also rumored to be a bit of a gold-digger. Bertie and Gussie are skeptical, but they agree to meet Roberta anyway.

Chapter 3: A Matter of Duty

Bertie and Gussie meet Roberta and are immediately smitten with her. However, they are interrupted by the arrival of Madeline, who has come to confront Gussie about his infidelity. Gussie and Roberta both deny having an affair, but Madeline is not convinced. She storms out of the room, leaving Gussie and Bertie to wonder what to do.

Chapter 4: The Code of the Woosters

Bertie feels that he must help Gussie save his engagement, even if it means lying to Madeline. He comes up with a plan to discredit Roberta by making her look like a gold-digger. Bertie and Gussie go to Roberta's apartment and plant a bag of money in her pocketbook. They then call the police and have Roberta arrested for theft.

Chapter 5: The Consequences

Roberta is found guilty of theft and is sentenced to prison. Madeline is devastated, and she breaks off her engagement to Gussie. Bertie feels guilty for what he has done, but he believes that he was justified in his actions.

Chapter 6: The Man with the Dog

Things get worse for Bertie when he is visited by a mysterious man with a dog. The man tells Bertie that he knows about Bertie's role in Roberta's arrest, and he demands £500 to keep quiet. Bertie is terrified, but he knows that he must pay the man off.

Chapter 7: The Intervention of Jeeves

Bertie's loyal butler, Jeeves, learns about the blackmail plot and intervenes. Jeeves confronts the man with the dog and reveals that he is a fraud. The man is arrested, and Bertie is off the hook.

Chapter 8: The Happy Ending

With the blackmail plot foiled, Bertie is able to make amends with Madeline and Gussie. Madeline agrees to forgive Gussie and resume their engagement. Bertie is relieved that everything has turned out well, and he vows to never again get involved in such a scheme.