Page 8 - LN2

Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency’s ambition in life is to get in the way and
be sworn at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he particularly is not wanted, and be a
perfect nuisance, and make people mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels
his day has not been wasted.

sworn at: get scolded
Squirm: to wriggle or twist one’s body
Nuisance: to cause inconvenience or annoyance

Jerome’s pet dog Montmorency participated in all this. His aim was to interrupt everyone and
then get scolded for it. Jerome adds that if Montmorency was able to twist into a place and
create nuisance by angering people and get things thrown at him in return, he felt that he had
utilised the day in a good way.
To get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour, is his highest aim
and object; and, when he has succeeded in accomplishing this, his conceit becomes quite
unbearable.

Stumble: to trip over a hurdle
Curse: scold
Conceit: here, his pride in himself