The Berry Scene is a 1947 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer), featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.
Plot
The book consistes of ten short stories, filling in some of the gaps in the earlier books, with a brief prologue recounting an episode of Berry's schooldays. Other characters from Yates's novels, including the Lyvedens (Anthony Lyveden), the Beaulieus (The Stolen March) and Jenny Chandos (She Fell Among Thieves), appear briefly.
Chapters
Chapter
Title
Setting
Prologue
Harrow School
I
In Which I Drive Daphne To Brooch on Midsummer Day, and Berry Gives Evidence
Hampshire, 1907
II
In Which Withyham Pays The Piper, But Berry Calls The Tune
Hampshire, 1907
III
In Which We Talk With Big James, and Daphne Has Eyes To See
Hampshire, 1907
IV
In Which We Play For The Village, And I Consider A Conversation Piece
Hampshire, 1914
V
In Which I Make Daphne A Present, And Berry Favours The Bold
London and Hampshire, 1924
VI
In Which Berry Is Attacked By Lumbago, And Jill Is Escorted To France
Hampshire and France, 1924
VII
In Which Berry Meets Mr. Wireworm, And I Keep The Truth To Myself
Hampshire and London, 1924
VIII
In Which We Fight For Our Rights, And An Old Acquaintance Does Us A Very Good Turn
Hampshire and London, 1934
IX
In Which Berry Keeps A Diary, And Tells Us A Fairy-Tale
Hampshire, Portugal and London, 1935
X
In Which Berry Dispenses Justice, And I Attend Fallow Hill Fair
Hampshire, 1936
Epilogue
Portugal, 1946
Critical reception
In his 1982 biography of Dornford Yates, AJ Smithers described the writing as 'elegant' while noting that certain chronological inconsistencies had by this time crept in to the narrative: "the reader must accept the fact without argument that Jonah bought his first Rolls at the age of sixteen. Readers are not expected to be too clever by half. If they are, they must suffer the consequences."[2] "Mercer had reached a point where such things could not be helped."[3]
