I found myself wishing that Jeeves wasn't always so dashed tactful. I mean, it's all very well to remove yourself like an eel sliding into mud when the employer has a visitor, but there are moments — and it looked to me as if this was going to be one of them — when the truer tact is to stick round and stand ready to lend a hand in the free-for-all.

All a publisher has to do is write cheques at intervals, while a lot of deserving and industrious chappies rally round and do the real work.

[I'm] as broke as the ten commandments.

I've often wondered why Nature, widely publicized being infinite in its wisdom, should have made the grave mistake of creating redheads, always so impulsive and quick on the trigger.

Very good," I said coldly. "In that case, tinkerty tonk." And I meant it to sting.