The Man, the Maid, and the Miasma
The story begins with Mr. Ferguson, who has been stuck in his office for hours, trying to come up with a plan to escape. He is joined by Master Bean, a peculiar and annoying individual who has been sent to assist him. However, instead of helping, Master Bean only seems to make things worse. As the night wears on, Mr. Ferguson becomes increasingly frustrated with Master Bean's antics and decides that he needs to get rid of him. But just as he is about to call for help, Master Bean reveals a surprising talent - he can recite vast amounts of useless information from memory. Despite his initial annoyance, Mr. Ferguson finds himself impressed by Master Bean's abilities and begins to see him in a new light. He starts to wonder if maybe Master Bean isn't so bad after all. As the night draws to a close, Mr. Ferguson and Master Bean come up with a plan to escape from their office building. They decide to call the police and have them bring a ladder to rescue them. However, just as they are about to make their escape, Mr. Ferguson realizes that he has no idea what time it is. He looks at his watch, but it's not working properly. Master Bean offers to lend him his own watch, which turns out to be accurate. To Mr. Ferguson's surprise, the time on Master Bean's watch reads half past ten - much earlier than he had expected. This means that they have plenty of time to go out for supper at the Savoy. As they make their way to the restaurant, Mr. Ferguson and his companion discuss their plans for the future. They decide that they will call up the police and have them bring Master Bean a job with Raikes and Courtenay - a company based in Edinburgh, which is far away from London. The story ends with Mr. Ferguson and his companion enjoying a meal at the Savoy, reminiscing about old times and laughing together.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1906 · Genre: Comedy, Romance, Adventure · 5,688 words
First lines
Although this story is concerned principally with the Man and the Maid, the Miasma pervades it to such an extent that I feel justified in putting his name on the bills. Webster's Dictionary gives the meaning of the word "miasma" as "an infection floating in the air; a deadly exhalation"; and, in the opinion of Mr. Robert Ferguson, his late employer, that description, though perhaps a little too flattering, on the whole summed up Master Roland Bean pretty satisfactorily. Until the previous day he had served Mr. Ferguson in the capacity of office-boy; but there was that about Master Bean which made it practically impossible for anyone to employ him for long. A syndicate of Galahad, Parsifal, and Marcus Aurelius might have done it, but to an ordinary erring man, conscious of things done which should not have been done, and other things equally numerous left undone, he was too oppressive. One conscience is enough for any man. The employer of Master Bean had to cringe before two.
What this Textopian page supports
The Man, the Maid, and the Miasma is listed on Textopian as a novella by P. G. Wodehouse, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: P. G. Wodehouse
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, Adventure
- Length: 5,688 words
- Structure: 1 section, 210 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Man, the Maid, and the Miasma by P. G. Wodehouse
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Man, the Maid, and the Miasma?
- How does this novella by P. G. Wodehouse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Three From Dunsterville by P. G. Wodehouse
- Bingo And The Little Woman by P. G. Wodehouse
- Rough Hew Them How We Will by P. G. Wodehouse
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Genres
- Comedy — The author, P.G. Wodehouse, was known for his humor and wit, a characteristic shared by this work.
- Romance — The inclusion of a 'man' and a 'maid' in the title suggests a possible romantic relationship, typical of many of Wodehouse’s stories.
- Adventure — Wodehouse often incorporates elements of adventure and suspense in his narratives, likely to be found in this work as well.
Tags
comedy · romance · humor · satire · British literature · early 20th century · social class · love triangle · witty dialogue · character-driven · lighthearted · farce