Lucky Jim Chapter 4 Summary

  • We find ourselves smack dab in the middle of the Welches' living room. Professor Welch is handing out sheet music and instructing everyone on how they should sing their parts.
  • Unfortunately, Jim has already said that he can sort of read sheet music and sing along with it; this is a total lie.
  • He has no clue what he's doing, and he tries to hide the fact by silently moving his mouth while everyone else sings.
  • After the first song is over, Jim hears someone laughing behind him, and turns to see his house mate Evan Johns smiling at him.
  • He asks what's so funny, and Johns answers, "You'll see."
  • Jim quickly realizes that the upcoming song has specific parts for different singers, and there's no way Jim will be able to fake it.
  • Just when he's about to be exposed as a liar, though, there's a commotion at the front door of the house.
  • Professor Welch's son Bertrand bursts in with his classy and beautiful girlfriend.
  • It's clear from the start that Bertrand is an obnoxious dude who thinks pretty highly of himself, but Jim's more than happy that the guy's arrival has put an end to the singing (for now).
  • The girlfriend catches Jim staring at her, and he turns and moves back to Margaret. But there's no hiding.
  • Professor Welch brings Bertrand and the girlfriend over to meet Jim and Margaret.
  • Bertrand proceeds to go on and on about his awesome life as a painter in London.
  • Jim decides that he really doesn't like this guy.
  • The girlfriend asks Jim if he likes working on medieval history. He lies and says it's okay, but admits that it must not be as exciting as working in the ballet (which is all he knows about Bertrand's girlfriend).
  • When he says this, Bertrand goes red in the face and gets really mad.
  • Wrong girlfriend.
  • He eventually finds out that the girl with Bertrand is not the ballerina, Sonia Loosmore, but a new girlfriend named Christine Callaghan.
  • Jim tries to apologize, and eventually Bertrand calms down. Bertrand's overreaction just makes Jim dislike him that much more.
  • Margaret agrees that Bertrand is an oversensitive jerk, but Jim doesn't want to dwell on it. He asks Margaret if she'll leave with him to go to a bar.
  • She says this would be a terrible idea, as the Welches would be annoyed with Jim for leaving their party.
  • For the time being, Jim listens to the voice of reason. He needs his job.
  • Instead, he gets into a conversation with Margaret about how pretty Christine Callaghan is. He tries to pretend that he isn't interested in her.
  • When Margaret calls the girl a prig, though, Jim defends her, and Margaret can tell he feels something for her.
  • It turns out that Bertrand isn't just dating Christine for her looks. He also wants to meet her uncle Julius Gore-Urquhart, who is a rich and famous patron of the arts.
  • Bertrand's looking to get a job with this guy so he'll have the money to support his painting.
  • Margaret tries to smooth things over between Jim and Bertrand by asking Bertrand if he'll come back to town for the university's Summer Ball.
  • After some more small talk, Jim gets into a heated argument with Bertrand about whether or not the English government should tax rich people in order to feed the poor.
  • Christine takes Bertrand's side, which disappoints (but doesn't surprise) Jim.
  • Jim won't let the question go, though; but since Bertrand knows more about politics than he does, he can only resort to taking personal shots at Bertrand and Christine.
  • Bertrand asks Jim to go outside and fight, but the situation eventually simmers down.
  • Jim decides he can't take one more minute of this awful party, and leaves for the pub. On his way out, he runs into Welch, who is clearly not happy at seeing him leave.
  • Jim's gone now, and we're all left wondering if this guy knows anything at all about how to keep a job.