Maud’s depictions of the attention she received from different men are insightful observations of human behaviour. She only needs to detail a few of their actions and we can perfectly understand her feelings. Though she is not mean-spirited, her brutally honest depiction of her unwanted “courtship” with her former teacher, Mr. Mustard, is very amusing.
The passage below reads much like one of the walks that Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet had to endure with her dreaded cousin, Mr. Collins.
Monday, June 22, 1891
This evening was lovely—too lovely, indeed, since it put a wretched idea into Mustard’s pate. I was busy washing the tea dishes when he came shuffling along to ask “if I would mind”—he always prefaces his requests with this graceful please—“going out for a walk?” I did mind very much indeed, but I couldn’t think of any valid excuse on the spur of the moment, so I consented rather grimly and told him to call at 7.30. I also felt properly scared. He is going away in a fortnight’s time and I was terrified lest he were looking for an opportunity to say something I didn’t want to hear.
We started at 7:30 and I managed to tow him through the back streets and away up the river trail where I thought I’d run no risk of meeting acquaintances. But it’s always the case that you are sure to meet the very people you most want to avoid and in the most unlikely places. And so of course we met Mr. and Mrs. McTaggart and Min Wheeler—a girl who is visiting them—square in the teeth. Just imagine my feelings. I hope they didn’t show too plainly in my face. Such a grimace as Min made at me as the carriage passed! Won’t I catch it when I see her!
I talked on nervously, uttering I don’t know what silly nonsense, so as not to give M. any chance of saying anything embarrassing. I’m firmly convinced that that was just his aim and object for he was silent and pre-occupied all the time and acted as if he were trying to screw his courage up to some sticking point or other; and once he picked some wild roses and sheepishly—oh, he is so sheepish always—asked if I would wear them! I took the roses—but I didn’t wear them! Instead I picked them deliberately to pieces and scattered them over the trail as we walked along. I didn’t give him the ghost of a chance but hurried back as soon as I decently could. On the way back he said,
“Oh, say, would you mind going out for a drive some evening soon?”
I nearly took a fit. Cooped up in a buggy with Mustard where I couldn’t get away from him! No, thank you! So I told him I would be too busy to go driving any evening. He must have thought me a most hard-working mortal!
When we got back he came in and sat for two hours! What possesses the man! He must think something of me when he is so persistent and yet how can he? Why, I’ve never been half decent to him. I’ve snubbed him times without number! I’ve made fun of him to his very face and he knows it—and yet he comes and comes! Thank goodness he’s going soon!
Source: The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume I: 1889-1910
