Warning: If you have a visual impairment, use the manuscript transcript version including the Lucy Maud Montgomery’s foot notes and contextual annotation references.

Chapter 21

340 394

out of the oven as light and feathery as golden foam. Anne, flushed with delight, clapped it together with layers of (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)ruby(end superscript) jelly and, in imagination, saw Mrs. Allan eating it and possibly asking for another piece.

“You’ll be using the best tea-set, of course, Marilla,” she said. “Can I fix up the table with ferns and wild roses.”

“I think that’s all nonsense,” sniffed Marilla. “In my opinion it’s the eatables that matter and not flummery decorations.”

“Mrs. Barry had her table decorated,” said Anne, who was not entirely guiltless of the wisdom of the serpent. (begin superscript)Z12(end superscript)

“Well, do as you like,” said Marilla, who was quite determined not to be surpassed by Mrs. Barry or anybody else. “Only mind you leave

 

LMM Notes

LMM Note Z12
"and the minister paid her an elegant compliment. He said it was a feast for the eye as well as the palate.["]


TEXT ANNOTATION

"flummery": Something that is silly, superfluous.

TEXT ANNOTATION

"wisdom of the serpent": The Bible, Matthew 10:16: "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." The serpent, throughout the Bible, is pictured as deceptive and manipulative. Genesis 3:1 begins "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field…" and the whole story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden depends on the wiles of the serpent, presenting half-truths or conveniently incomplete truths to benefit its own plans and purposes.