, and
the author, whose method is broadly impressionist rather than meticulously
realistic, contrives cleverly to suggest that what he imagines has in fact
been closely observed. He can make and tell a story and he can marshal
words with a certain magic. The tragedy ends peacefully with the resolution
of the too bitter discord of _Nesta's_ hate in love of the child of the man
she had wrongfully and vainly desired. A book to be read.

* * * * *

Amongst the makers of what might be called, without in this case any
disparagement, the commercial short story, I think I should place Mr. P. G.
WODEHOUSE as easily my favourite. The comfortable anticipation that is
always mine on observing his name on the contents page of a popular
magazine has been renewed by the sight of it attached to a collection of
tales in volume form and called, after the first of them, _The Man
Upstairs_ (METHUEN). You must not expect a detailed criticism. All I can
promise you is that, if you are a Wodehouseite, you will find here the
author at his delightful best. He is winged and doth range. The heroes of
these tales include (I quote from the cover) "a barber, a gardener, a
play-writer, a tramp, a waiter, a golfer, a stockbroker, a butler, a bank
clerk, an assistant master at a private school, a Peer's son and a Knight
of the Round Table." So there you are; and, if you don't see what you want
in the window, you must be hard to please. Personally, I fancy I would give
my vote for the play-writing stories. "_Experientia_," as _Mrs. Micawber's_
late father used to observe, "_does it_"; and here I have the feeling that
the author is upon tried ground. But not one of the collection will bore
you; there is about them all too nice a deftness, too happy a gift of
phrase. I am told by the publishers that the American public fully shares
my approval of this engaging craftsman. It shows their sense. But, if there
is any threat of removing Mr. WODEHOUSE permanently to the other side of
the Atlantic, where already he goes far too much, my guinea shall head any
public subscription to retain him.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Punctilious Burglar._ "SORRY TO DISTURB YOU, GUV'NOR, BUT
_WOULD_ YOU MIND LETTING ME HAVE THE THRIPPENCE FOR YOUR SHARE OF THE
INSURANCE STAMP? THIS IS THE FIRST JOB I'VE HAD THIS WEEK."]

* * * * *

In an extremely able but peculiarly unpleasant bo