yonmei

Ha! I wanted to say something about Wodehouse, too. My knowledge is entirely fanfic based but even there "young master" is used exclusively by Bertie when he asks for Jeeves' help.

Oh, that's quite canonical.

(Lord Peter Wimsey uses it sometimes, ironically, and I think in a rare example of Bunter's POV he refers to "his master", but I may be making that up - it's one of the early novels where Wimsey has a recurrance of his nervous breakdown, and walks in his sleep to Bunter's bed, addressing him as "Sergeant" and worrying about the sappers and the shells. But Sayers is quite clear that Wimsey is being ironical and referencing the Wodehouse novels - as he's aware of the literary parallels of Famous Sleuths, he's aware of the literary Wooster/Jeeves parallel of employer/servant who are also comrades in adventure/friends - and Wooster's admiration/respect for Jeeves, which Wimsey feels for Bunter.)

Also: the bit about the shitting cows made me laugh. I'm wondering if the lawns are fenced-in. All the cows I came across were very curious creatures who followed you around or stared at you while standing in the middle of the road. But maybe the Scottish cattle (E.B.'s cattle to be precise) are really just content with being picturesque. ;)

Diane Duane comments on horses in fantasy novels being better considered a form of vegetable. Those remarkable non-shitting non-straying cattle and sheep seem to be of a similar breed.

I've already spent too much time thinking about imaginary sheep and cows on imaginary lawns in Scotland. One last question: where do the animals get water? A little undescribed stream next to the castle? Water trough?

*shrug* Elizabeth Bear doesn't say. But I would guess there's a water trough, because she does specify that the watercourse near the castle runs through marsh and sometimes floods.

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In the story Jeeves narrates, as I recall, he refers to Bertie throughout as 'Mr Wooster' (sometimes describes him as 'a young gentleman'). You get the distinct impression that anything else would be a breach of decorum and dignity, and more importantly would undermine the true nature of the relationship. While I think he does on occasion refer to his role as 'Mr Wooster's gentleman's gentleman', I can't imagine his ever calling Wooster his 'master'. Certainly not with a straight face.

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Certainly not with a straight face.

And yet one cannot really imagine Jeeves giggling. Over anything.

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There'd maybe be a microscopic twitch in one corner of his mouth.

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And there'd be a fractional pause before he spoke, so that he could muster his gently expressionless voice.

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Plus the eighth of an inch raise of one eyebrow.

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"I endeavour to give satisfaction," Jeeves paused. I eyed him with a bit of uncertainty, rather like I think that chap who went around slaying dragons all the time when a fresh dragon showed up at a time when he was out of his armour and his sword had gone away to be spring-cleaned and his horse was having lunch. Not that I'd call Jeeves a dragon. Or myself a saint, for that matter. In fact, some people, naming no aunts, claim Jeeves is a saint for putting up with me. Which I suppose would make me a dragon. Anyway, the point I am trying to convey is, that when Jeeves pauses like that it's dashed worrying, because he's obviously turning something over in his mighty brain, and I was, I admit, just a bit convulsing with anxiety that I'd gone one step too far and the next words out of his mouth were going to be "I wish to tender my resignation, sir."

Jeeves has very noticeable eyebrows. I notice them, anyway. One of his eyebrows went up, some fraction of an inch, and his mouth twitched just a bit. He said, in his usual mellow and mellifluous tones, "...young Master."

A gentleman must draw a veil over what followed - the private relationship of a gentleman with his gentleman's gentleman being no concern of the rest of the world - but if you were in any doubt, Jeeves always gives the utmost satisfaction. And I endeavour to reciprocate.

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Exactly how it happened. :D

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So in effect 'young Master' is 'the signal'? I can live with that. I was going to say 'the anti-safe word', but that's not right!

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Well, it's a signal, anyway. Depending.

...somehow I find the idea of Jeeves as a bottom totally unnerving.

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Good God, yes. I think you've bent my brain with that thought what I have never thought before. Jeeves is simply the bottomiest top.

(In coincidental news, a Scotswoman is working in my office today. I realised that I read all journals in my own accent because it suddenly occured to me that the rhythm of 'totally unnerving' is likely entirely different when you say it.)

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Jeeves is simply the bottomiest top.

Very much so. (This had not quite occurred to me either, but it's just so right.)

In coincidental news, a Scotswoman is working in my office today. I realised that I read all journals in my own accent because it suddenly occured to me that the rhythm of 'totally unnerving' is likely entirely different when you say it.

I don't have much of a Scottish accent, but maybe. You must let me know sometime. ;-)

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