Chivalry: Wimsey-Style

Perhaps this is why I love Lord Peter so very, very dearly. He knows, whereas Sir Gawain only subconsciously guesses, that to give a woman the power to make a decision is to subtly manipulate her into meekly re-submitting to you that same power. Reverse psychology, if you will (we are so terribly, terribly susceptible ... ). Here, Lord Peter takes his beloved Harriet punting* on the Thames in Oxford and, in proper Wimsey fashion, refers all decision-making to her. Now, Harriet is a strong woman; perfectly capable of punting herself, or of taking perfect care of herself in any way; she has no need of his assistance. Yet the GREAT DIFFERENCE between Wimsey's sort of chivalry and the "yes-dear" attitude of many men is that Lord Peter is himself a capable man, and though usually as immature as any seven-year-old, he has his moments of greatness, too.

Nothing comes to mind at the moment, but ... I'm sure I'll think of something.

* Punting (for non-Anglophiles) is to take a punt, or a little flat boat, down the river by pushing into the riverbed with a long pole. The Thames does flow up (or down, however the gravity works in that country) to Oxford, so it is possible to go punting on the Thames there, though in general the understanding is one goes punting on the Thames in London. But there is also the Cherwell in Oxford, so they could have taken that route as well ... I can't remember.

***

"Is it your pleasure to go up or down?"

"Well, going up there's more riot but a better bottom; going down you're all right as far as the fork, and then you choose between thick mud and the Corporation dump."

"It appears to be altogether a choice of evils. But you have only to command. My ear is open like a greedy shark to catch the tunings of a voice divine."

"Great heavens! Where did you find that?"

"That, though you might not believe it, is the crashing conclusion of a sonnet by Keats. True, it is a youthful effort; but there are some things that even youth does not excuse."

"Let us go downstream. I need solitude to recover from the shock."

He turned the punt out into the stream and shot the bridge accurately. Then: "Admirable woman! You have allowed me to spread the tail of vanity before that pair of deserted Ariadnes. Would you now prefer to be independent and take the pole? I admit it is better fun to punt than to be punted, and that a desire to have all the fun is nine-tenths of the law of chivalry."

"Is it possible that you have a just and generous mind? I will not be outdone in generosity. I will sit like a perfect lady and watch you do the work. It's nice to see things well done."

"If you say that, I shall get conceited and do something silly."

pp 313 Gaudy Night