“At Marlow” by Jerome K Jerome Class 6 English Lesson Explanation & Glossary (Word Meanings): Get here the explanation of the story along with word meanings of the lesson “At Marlow” published in Class 8 Wind Chimes book. Click here for questions & answers.
Page 162 & 163
Three well-fed but bored nineteenth century London gentlemen decide to row down the Thames for enjoyment. Oh! did I mention the dog? Montmorency. And while we’re at it, all four of them are more or less incompetent. This is J. He will be telling you the story. He is romantic and fanciful. He loves history and sunsets. Also, food. He hates hard work. He is always imagining illnesses. This is George. George works in a bank and is relatively sensible. He sleeps a lot and snores more. He is polite and can cook a bit. He also plays the banjo. Terribly. This is Harris. Harris is boastful, ill-mannered and short-tempered. He lies habitually, sings tunelessly and overeats unfailingly. He is lazier than J and George. This is Montmorency. He is J’s fox terrier. He is a hell raiser with angelic eyes. He will create a scene almost everywhere, unless there are cats around. Recent adventures include failing to open a tin of pineapple. Harris nearly cut himself with a pocket knife, George nearly lost an eye using scissors and J fell overboard along with the boat hook he was employing. And just yesterday, they managed to crash into fishing boat carrying three old gentlemen, because all three of them were too lost in thought. Undeterred, the three bumbling amateurs trundle onwards down the River Thames…
Glossary:
- Bumbling: Clumsy or incompetent.
- Amateurs: People who engage in a pursuit for pleasure rather than as a profession.
- Trundle onwards: Continue moving forward slowly and laboriously.
We meet the main characters of our story: J, George, Harris, and Montmorency. J is the narrator, a romantic and fanciful individual who loves history, sunsets, and food, while detesting hard work and often imagining illnesses. George, who works in a bank, is relatively sensible but known for sleeping a lot and snoring heavily. He is polite, can cook a little, and plays the banjo, albeit poorly. Harris, on the other hand, is boastful, ill-mannered, and short-tempered. He tends to lie, sings off-key, and overeats consistently. Despite these traits, he is even lazier than J and George. Finally, there’s Montmorency, J’s mischievous fox terrier with a penchant for causing trouble wherever he goes, though he possesses innocent-looking eyes. Some recent mishaps involving the group include failing to open a tin of pineapple, nearly injuring themselves with sharp objects, and colliding with a fishing boat due to their absent-mindedness. Despite their incompetence, they continue their journey down the River Thames.
Page 164
We got up tolerably early on the Monday morning at Marlow, and went for a bath before breakfast; and, coming back, Montmorency made an awful ass of himself. The only subject on which Montmorency and I have any serious difference of opinion is cats. I like cats; Montmorency does not. When I meet a cat, I say, ‘Poor Pussy!’ and stop down and tickle the side of its head; and the cat sticks up its tail in a rigid, cast-iron manner, arches its back, and wipes its nose up against my trousers; and all is gentleness and peace. When Montmorency meets a cat, the whole street knows about it; and there is enough bad language wasted in ten seconds to last an ordinarily respectable man all his life, with care. I do not blame the dog, because I take it that it is his nature. Fox-terriers are born with about four times as much sin in them as other dogs are, and it will take years and years of patient effort on the part of us to bring about any appreciable reformation in the rowdiness of the fox-terrier nature.
Glossary:
- Tolerably: Acceptably; in a satisfactory manner.
- Awful ass of himself: Behaved foolishly or embarrassingly.
- Serious difference of opinion: A significant disagreement.
- Bad language: Swear words or profanity.
- Wasted: Used unnecessarily or without purpose.
- Reformation: Improvement or change for the better.
- Rowdiness: Noisy, unruly behavior.
The story shifts to the events of Monday morning at Marlow. The group rises fairly early and decides to take a bath before breakfast. However, upon returning, Montmorency, the mischievous dog, behaves embarrassingly. The narrator, J, humorously notes that the only serious disagreement he has with Montmorency is regarding cats. J likes cats and treats them kindly, whereas Montmorency does not share this sentiment.
When J encounters a cat, he reacts with gentleness, petting it and speaking affectionately. The cat responds by arching its back and displaying signs of affection. However, when Montmorency encounters a cat, his reaction is quite the opposite. He creates a ruckus, causing the whole street to hear, and his language becomes quite vulgar in a matter of seconds. J attributes Montmorency’s behavior to his nature as a fox terrier, suggesting that this breed inherently possesses more mischievous tendencies than others.
J doesn’t blame Montmorency for his behavior, understanding that it’s simply part of his nature. He humorously remarks that fox terriers seem to be born with an excess of mischief, requiring years of patient effort from their owners to bring about any noticeable change in their rowdy behavior.
Page 164, 165
But this time, it was Montmorency who wished he had not given way to his instincts that morning. We were, as I have said, returning from a dip, and half-way up the High Street a cat darted out from one of the houses in front of us, and began to trot across the road. Montmorency gave a cry of joy—the cry of a stern warrior who sees his enemy given over to his hands and flew after his prey. His victim was a large black tom. I never saw a larger cat, nor a more disreputable-looking cat. It had lost half its tail, one of its ears, and a fairly appreciable proportion of its nose. It was a long, sinewy-looking animal. It had a calm, contented air about it. Montmorency went for that poor cat at the rate of twenty miles an hour; but the cat did not hurry up—did not seem to have grasped the idea that its life was in danger. It trotted quietly on until its would-be assassin was within a yard of it, and then it turned round and sat down in the middle of the road, and looked at Montmorency with a gentle, inquiring expression, that said: ‘Yes! You want me?’ Montmorency does not lack pluck; but there was something about the look of that cat that might have chilled the heart of the boldest dog. He stopped abruptly, and looked back at the tom. Neither spoke; but the conversation that one could imagine was clearly as follows…
Glossary:
- Instincts: Natural or innate behaviors.
- Darted: Moved suddenly and quickly.
- Prey: The target of a predator’s pursuit.
- Disreputable-looking: Having a poor or questionable appearance.
- Sinewy: Lean and muscular.
- Would-be assassin: Someone intending to harm or kill another.
- Lacks pluck: Lacks courage or bravery.
- Boldest: Most courageous or fearless.
- Abruptly: Suddenly and unexpectedly.
Now the focus shifts to a particular incident involving Montmorency and a cat, where Montmorency finds himself regretting his impulsive behavior.
As the group returns from their bath, a cat suddenly emerges from a house and starts crossing the road. Montmorency, spotting the cat, becomes excited, likened to a fierce warrior seeing his enemy within reach. The cat, described as a large black tom with various injuries, including a missing tail, ear, and part of its nose, appears disheveled but oddly composed. Despite Montmorency’s rapid pursuit, the cat remains calm and continues trotting along as if unaware of the danger.
Even when Montmorency closes in, the cat doesn’t panic. Instead, it calmly sits down in the middle of the road, facing Montmorency with a gentle and curious expression, as if inviting confrontation. This demeanor unnerves Montmorency, despite his usual bravery. The paragraph ends with a suspenseful pause, leaving the reader curious about the unspoken exchange between Montmorency and the cat.
Page 165, 166
The cat said, “Can I do anything for you?” Montmorency said, “No-no, thanks.” The cat said. “Don’t you mind speaking, if you really want anything, you know.” Montmorency said, “Oh, no—not at all—certainly—don’t you trouble. I—I am afraid I’ve made a mistake. I thought I knew you. Sorry, I disturbed you.” The cat said, “Not at all – quite a pleasure. Sure you don’t want anything, now?” Montmorency said, :Not at all, thanks—not at all—very kind of you. Good morning.” The cat said, “Good Morning,” Then the cat rose, and continued his trot; and Montmorency, fitting what he calls his tail carefully into its groove, came back to us, and took up an unimportant position in the rear. To this day, if you say the word ‘Cats!’ to Montmorency, he will visibly shrink and look up piteously at you, as if to say: ‘Please don’t.’
Glossary:
- Hospitable: Friendly and welcoming.
- Imagined: Created or thought of in the mind.
- Courteous: Polite and respectful.
- Refusals: Denials or rejections.
- Persistently: Continuing firmly or obstinately.
- Pleasantries: Polite remarks or conversation.
- Embarrassed: Feeling self-conscious or awkward.
- Elicits: Causes or brings about a reaction.
In this amusing exchange, the imagined conversation between Montmorency and the cat unfolds. The cat, displaying a polite and hospitable demeanor, addresses Montmorency first, offering assistance with a courteous “Can I do anything for you?” Montmorency, feeling awkward and realizing his mistake in judging the cat, responds with polite refusals, claiming he made a mistake and apologizing for disturbing the cat.
Despite Montmorency’s reassurances that he doesn’t need anything, the cat persistently offers help, showing kindness and politeness throughout the interaction. Eventually, with pleasantries exchanged, the cat resumes its trot, and Montmorency, feeling somewhat embarrassed, returns to the group, quietly tucking his tail back into place.
The paragraph ends with a humorous observation about Montmorency’s lasting reaction to the encounter. Even to this day, mentioning the word “Cats!” to Montmorency elicits a visible reaction from him, as if he remembers the encounter vividly and prefers to avoid any further interactions with cats.
Page 166, 167
We did our marketing after breakfast, and revictualled the boat for three days. George said we ought to take vegetables—that it was unhealthy not to eat vegetables. He said they were easy enough to cook, and that he would see to that; so we got ten pounds of potatoes, a bushel of peas, and a few cabbages. We got a meat pie, a couple of gooseberry tarts, and a leg of mutton from the hotel; and fruit, and cakes, and bread and butter, and jam, and eggs, and other things we foraged round about the town for. Our departure from Marlow I regard as one of our greatest successes. It was dignified and impressive, without being ostentatious. We had insisted at all the shops we had been to that the things should be sent with us then and there. None of your ‘Yes, sir, I will send them off at foraged went around searching ostentatious landing-stage for food and supplies characterised by showy display a wooden structure for moving passengers and goods to and from boats Gladstone bag a bag like a briefcase having two equal compartments joined by a hinge once: the boy will be down there before you are, sir!’ and then fooling about on the landing-stage, and going back to the shop twice to have a row about them, for us. We waited while the basket was packed and took the boy with us.
Glossary:
- Revictualled: Replenished supplies, especially food.
- Foraged: Searched or scavenged for food.
- Ostentatious: Characterized by a showy display or excessive pretentiousness.
- Landing-stage: A wooden structure for embarking and disembarking from boats.
- Gladstone bag: A type of bag resembling a briefcase, typically with two equal compartments.
- Fooling about: Acting in a silly or frivolous manner.
- Row: A quarrel or argument.
- Hassles: Troubles or annoyances.
The focus shifts to the group’s activities after breakfast, where they embark on shopping for provisions to replenish their boat for the next three days. George, the more sensible member of the group, insists on acquiring vegetables, emphasizing their importance for health. He assures the others that he can cook them properly.
Following George’s advice, they purchase a variety of vegetables, including potatoes, peas, and cabbages, along with other provisions such as a meat pie, gooseberry tarts, a leg of mutton, fruits, cakes, bread and butter, jam, and eggs. They scavenge around the town to gather these supplies.
The departure from Marlow is described as a success, characterized by dignity and impressiveness, yet lacking any unnecessary showiness. They ensured that all the items they purchased were immediately sent to them, avoiding any delays or excuses from the shopkeepers.
Instead of dealing with the inconvenience of waiting for deliveries, they opt to have everything packed immediately and even take the boy who helped pack their basket with them. This approach reflects their determination to avoid unnecessary hassles and delays.
Page 167 & 168
We went to a good many shops, adopting this principle at each one; and the consequence was that, by the time we had finished, we had as fine a collection of boys with baskets following us around as heart could desire; and our final march down the middle of the High Street, to the river, must have been as imposing a spectacle as Marlow had seen for many a long day. The order of the procession was as follows:— Montmorency, carrying a stick. Two disreputable-looking curs, friends of Montmorency’s. George, carrying coats and rugs. Harris, trying to walk with easy grace, while carrying a bulged-out Gladstone bag in one hand and a bottle of lime-juice in the other. Greengrocer’s boy and bakers boy, with baskets. Boots from the hotel, carrying hamper. Confectioner’s boy, with basket. Grocer’s boy, with basket. Long-haired dog. Cheesemonger’s boy, with basket. Odd man carrying a bag. Bosom companion of odd man, with his hands in his pockets. Fruiterer’s boy, with basket. Myself, carrying three hats and a pair of boots, and trying to look as if I didn’t know it. Six small boys, and four stray dogs. When we got down to the landing-stage, the boatman said: ‘Let me see, sir; was yours a steam-launch or a house-boat?’
Glossary:
- Entourage: A group of people accompanying and attending to someone.
- Spectacle: A visually striking or impressive display.
- Procession: A line or sequence of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly manner.
- Bulged-out: Swollen or protruding.
- Gladstone bag: A type of bag resembling a briefcase, typically with two equal compartments.
- Bosom companion: A close or intimate friend.
- Fruiterer: A person who sells fruit.
- Entailed: Involved or necessitated.
- Commotion: Noisy or chaotic activity.
The group’s shopping spree leads to them being followed by a growing number of boys with baskets, eager to assist them with their purchases. This unintended entourage creates a spectacle as they make their way down the High Street towards the river, attracting attention from the locals.
The procession is described in detail, with Montmorency leading the way, followed by two other dogs, presumably friends of Montmorency’s. George carries coats and rugs, while Harris struggles to maintain an elegant stride with a bulging Gladstone bag and a bottle of lime-juice in hand. Various boys with baskets from different shops trail behind, along with other individuals and animals, including a long-haired dog and stray dogs.
The narrator, feeling somewhat burdened with the responsibility of carrying hats and boots, attempts to maintain composure despite the chaotic scene. Six small boys and four additional stray dogs add to the commotion.
Upon reaching the landing-stage, the boatman’s inquiry about the type of boat they have booked adds a humorous touch, highlighting the absurdity of their situation and the unexpected challenges they encounter.