Page 119 - English Expedition Class 6

‘Stand still, can’t you!’ roared George, fl ying aft er him.
And they got it off , and packed it in the teapot.
Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency’s ambition in life is to get in the way and
11
be sworn at . He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; and
12
he laboured under the fi xed belief that, whenever Harris or George reached out their hand for
anything, it was his cold, damp nose that they wanted. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried 13
the teaspoons, and he pretended that the lemons were rats, and got into the hamper and killed
three of them before Harris could land him with the frying-pan.
Harris said I encouraged him. I didn’t encourage him. A dog like that doesn’t want any
encouragement. It’s the natural, original sin that is born in him that makes him do things like that.
Th e packing was done at 12:50; and Harris sat on the big hamper, and said he hoped nothing
would be found broken. George said that if anything was broken it was broken, which refl ection
seemed to comfort him. He also said he was ready for bed. We were all ready for bed.
(Abridged)

11 sworn at: be cursed 13 worried: (here) pulled about with the teeth; chased and
12 laboured under the fi xed belief: fi rmly believed attacked
something that was not true
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