Mr. Mulliner Stories · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Mr. Mulliner Stories by P. G. Wodehouse.
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Chapter 1
The Truth About George
Mr. Mulliner recounts the story of his nephew George, who suffers from a severe stammer. George falls in love with Susan Blake but cannot propose due to his speech impediment. After a failed attempt at a cure, he accidentally disrupts a village pageant and is chased across the countryside. The chase exhausts him, and upon returning home, Susan's sympathy finally enables him to speak fluently. However, his subsequent attempts to practice speaking on a train lead to awkward encounters with a fellow stammerer and a man who believes he is the Emperor of Abyssinia.
Chapter 2
Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo
Mr. Mulliner recounts the story of his nephew Augustine, a pale and timid curate in love with Jane, the daughter of the formidable Rev. Stanley Brandon. After taking a powerful tonic called Buck-U-Uppo, Augustine transforms into a bold and assertive man, confronting his housekeeper, the vicar, and even the bishop, ultimately winning Jane's hand and resolving conflicts with newfound confidence.
Chapter 3
The Bishop's Move
Mr. Mulliner recounts the next chapter in Augustine's life, now serving as secretary to the Bishop of Stortford. The bishop is pressured by his wife to give a vacant living to her incompetent cousin instead of Augustine, who takes the disappointment in stride. They travel to Harchester School for the unveiling of a statue to Lord Hemel of Hempstead, where the bishop is overwhelmed by nostalgic schoolboy feelings. After the ceremony, the bishop and headmaster Trevor Entwhistle, exhausted, sample Augustine's Buck-U-Uppo tonic and find it surprisingly pleasant.
Chapter 4
Came the Dawn
Mr. Mulliner recounts the story of his nephew Lancelot, a young poet who refuses to join his wealthy uncle Jeremiah Briggs's pickle business. While at Cowes, Lancelot falls in love at first sight with a girl, later revealed to be Lady Monica Southbourne, the daughter of the Earl of Biddlecombe. Despite his poetic declarations, she is pressured to marry the wealthy Slingsby Purvis. Lancelot attempts to win her by writing commercial poetry for his uncle's pickles, but his uncle rejects him. After a failed confrontation with Lord Biddlecombe, Lancelot pleads with Angela (Lady Monica) at her club, but she ultimately chooses Purvis due to Lancelot's lack of money, leaving him heartbroken.
Chapter 5
The Story of William
William Mulliner competes with the adventurous Desmond Franklyn for the affections of Myrtle Banks. Despite his attempts to prove his steadiness and reliability, Myrtle is captivated by Franklyn's tales of derring-do and accepts his marriage proposal. Heartbroken, William gets drunk for the first time, is thrown out of a saloon, and falls asleep against railings. He wakes to witness a domestic scene that intensifies his longing for a home. Returning to his hotel, he experiences hallucinations and fears the Mulliner family curse. The next morning, he discovers that a real earthquake has destroyed his room, and Myrtle is impressed by his apparent fearlessness during the disaster.
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