海角大神

Authorized sequels and prequels generally inspire a, well, quelling feeling in me.

The best of them are the work of sincere fans who are themselves gifted writers, like Anthony Horowitz鈥檚 2011 take on Sherlock Holmes, 鈥淭he House of Silk.鈥� But while perfectly enjoyable, I鈥檇 still rather read an original work by the brilliant 鈥淔oyle鈥檚 War鈥� creator and leaf back through 鈥淭he Speckled Band鈥� or 鈥淎 Scandal in Bohemia鈥� whenever I need a return visit to Baker Street.

In the case of British comic writer P.G. Wodehouse, the case for an authorized sequel is even thinner, since he penned more than 95 books over seven decades, meaning the average reader could go for years without running out of Blandings, Psmith, or Drones Club stories.

Wodehouse's most famous creations were Bertie Wooster, an amiable chap not overly burdened by brains, and his gentleman鈥檚 gentleman, Jeeves, who is given to reading Spinoza and extricating his employer from scrapes with aplomb. Wodehouse first introduced Bertie in 1915. His last book about the inimitable valet and his feckless employer, 鈥淎unts Aren鈥檛 Gentlemen,鈥� was published in 1974.

During one of literature鈥檚 most deftly lighthearted comic runs, no matter how many aunts, village fetes, speech days, lingerie-selling amateur dictators, cow creamers, or renditions of 鈥淪onny Boy鈥� with which the duo were confronted, Jeeves鈥� powers of ratiocination and diplomacy never faltered.

In the pair鈥檚 first outing in 40 years, British author Sebastian Faulks, who also tried his hand at channeling Ian Fleming in 2009, offers a homage in Jeeves and the Wedding Bells so clearly fond and well-intentioned that it would be downright mean-spirited to nitpick. While no 鈥淐ode of the Woosters,鈥� this also is no 鈥淪carlett.鈥�

But it must be said that, while Faulks seems to have been loaned the lathe on which Wodehouse turned his phrases, he does one thing the late author shied firmly away from: He has Bertie fall in love.

The object of his affection is one Georgiana Meadowes, who is, alas, already engaged to the stodgy writer of a series of travel books, 鈥淏y Pullman to Peking鈥� and 鈥淏y Sled to Siberia.鈥� (Or, as Bertie puts 鈥淏y Handcart to Hell and so forth.鈥�)

Now, Bertie was forever getting engaged, but despite the debatable charms of a Bobbie Wickham or Pauline Stoker, Jeeves would neatly winkle his hapless employer away from his intended and the two would wind up ensconced at home at Berkeley Mansions, with Jeeves quietly regulating the order of their days.

鈥淛eeves and the Wedding Bells鈥� offers a comic country house misadventure, with Jeeves and Bertie forced to perform a switcheroo: Jeeves lounges about all day, offering racing tips to Sir Henry Hackwood, while Bertie has to sleep in an attic bedroom and drop gooseberry fool on the dinner guests. (Needless to say, while Jeeves has no trouble impersonating a gentleman of leisure, Bertie鈥檚 lot is not a happy one.)

鈥淚t was a haggard Bertram who stared back from the glass as he plied the morning steel and sponged the outlying portions,鈥� he recounts of his guise as Wilberforce, the valet.

鈥淟ittle did I know, as I set fire to an after-breakfast gasper in the cottage garden, what the lead-filled sock of fate had in store for me,鈥� he intones.

As is typical, Bertie finds himself in this fix after one of his endless number of school chums arrives, 鈥渄ecanting his anguished soul on me,鈥� as he once put it in 鈥淭he Great Sermon Handicap.鈥� Peregrine 鈥淲oody鈥� Beeching is in love with Genevieve鈥檚 cousin, Amelia, and requires Jeeves鈥檚 help in winning her back. (Gussie Fink-Nottle and Bingo Little don鈥檛 make appearances in 鈥淛eeves and the Wedding Bells,鈥� but Stinker Pinker is on hand as a batsman in a game of cricket on which their host鈥檚 honor rests.)

鈥淪ir Henry is a gentleman who appears keenly aware of matters of social standing,鈥� Jeeves notes, echoing Wodehouse鈥檚 assessment of Harold, the page boy, in 鈥淭he Purity of the Turf,鈥� which along with 鈥淪ermon鈥� are two of my favorite stories: 鈥淗e is somewhat acutely alive to the existence of class distinctions, sir.鈥�

Shakespeare, cricket and the threat of an imminent visit by the fearsome Aunt Agatha all play a role in the screwball antics, and Jeeves 鈥渟himmers鈥� in with a cup of tea at least once. (Actually, another time he 鈥渟himmies,鈥� much to this reader鈥檚 delight.)

The patter between Bertie and Jeeves is the book鈥檚 chief delight, as when an exasperated Bertie exclaims, 鈥淸T]here are times when the question of the appropriate dress is simply not on the agenda.鈥�

鈥淚 have yet to encounter one, sir.鈥�

Bertie even shows some glimmers that the years with his well-read valet are starting to rub off when he correctly identifies Keats as the source of one of Jeeves鈥� allusions.

鈥淲e drove on in silence for a mile or so. 鈥業 say, Jeeves, do you know, I think that鈥檚 the first time I鈥檝e ever recognized one of your quotations.鈥�

鈥溾�業 know, sir. I found it most gratifying.鈥欌��

Yvonne Zipp is the Monitor fiction critic.