This expression has appeared many times whenever Maria laughs. It seems rather innocent, but at the same time I am thinking if this is a genuine laugh.

As someone mentioned above, Maria seems to love things to be in order, and it is surprising and not surprising that she would be so frustrated and outraged that she forgot her cake, which can seem quite trivial to a reader.

All of these instances just emphasize how kind and caring of a person she is.

Again, I am noticing many mentions of the words "eyes" in all of the short stories, and the way they shined, what color they are, and if they are "beady" like in The Sisters. I think it would be interesting to run some concordances on "eyes".

this may be a symbol of him clearing away his on selfish thoughts about protecting his own life and wanting to remain free and clear his vision and think about Polly's situation as well.

remnants of a hardened and tough personality from surviving as a single mother. But also a way to manipulate the situation, not protect her daughter, but to sell her.

It seems like the narrator hoped to see exotic goods at the bazaar and is disappointed to see English tea sets.

This reminds me of the start of a quest or journey to bring back treasure for his love.

A lot of the annotations so far are focusing on the relationship between the dead priest and the narrator.

Going back to the title of this short story, "The Sisters". Why do you think that the title is this?

I think this section emphasized "listen", I thought that the priest also "listened". This might be saying that after death people start to talk freely about the person's life and try to categorize their actions as good or bad, but that dead person is still a person, and should be respected and not gossiped about.

Not as a person but "it".

I imagine cackles for witches. It sets the mood as we watch Harold steal from the narrator with a smile.

This story feels different from the other ones that we have read about high society. The descriptions are darker and the people are a little more weary than the fresh-faced girls in the other stories.

So far, the color pink has come up a lot in this short story, and also quite often in Mansfield's other stories.

In the beginning, Leila was so hopeful and excited, but it seems like all of her dreams and expectations for a beautiful night at her first dance, have been shattered and dizzily blurred.

I looked up the symbolism for a melon, and one of them says that melons are a symbol of family unity. William buys this melon as an offering to his family and his children, but Isabel's friends steal and destroy this melon and their family unity.

Isabel's poet friend also reminds me of a small rodent or animal that will scurry and steal food and hide in a corner and devour the food.

Isabel's friends are seem to be very inconsiderate and rude. Why are they making fun of a love letter?

This is where marriage and family counseling would come in. This couple needs to TALK to each other. It is clear that both of them are unhappy in this situation, but postpone their conversation. Even when they had the chance to, such as on their driveway, both of them stayed silent.

Isabel was lonely when they were in their old house, and William misunderstood this and sent her away instead of staying closer and talking. And here, both of them are frustrated again as they both misinterpret the meaning of the letter!

William seems to really enjoy working. Work seems to be a stress reliever which is very different from a lot of people who rather not do their work.

This reminds me of parenting books that teach you how to take care of your kid. Providing the "right" toys from a young age is good a good thing, but being so stressed about finding the perfect toy so that their children do not become "hooligans" is not a good thing either.

The young girl is kind of like diamond wrist watch. Diamonds are beautiful and valued, but also very hard and used to cut things.

When I see a clock, I always think there is some sort of significance. Is it that she is wasting her time pretending to be older and mature, and abusing her beauty and being rude to others?

What do you think the significants of her glove getting caught on her watch is?

Very vivid and artificial colors. Especially the orange trees.

Mrs. Raddick seems to be obsessed with spending her money and maybe even addicted to gambling.

When you do something for the first time, you do it very carefully so that it is perfect. This makes me imagine, hair that is pinned up very meticulously.

These two seem so excessively timid (and a little spineless) that it feels like they cannot freely express themselves with even their own sibling.

I have a bad feeling about the father. I know that the Jug and Con are grieving, but their grief is feels like it is mixed with not good memories of their father, but memories of fear. Did their father also beat them?

Time stopped/slowed after their father has died? Maybe this is about their heavy reliance on their father, and now that he is gone everything is slowing to a standstill.

The 2 sisters remind me of the mice from the beginning. All are scared, timid, scurry around, and are quite helpless and unable to find food.

This sounds like a strict parent. This reminds me of children that do something secretly and are afraid to get yelled at by their parents.

Josephine seems really prickly, while Constantia seems like a dreamer. The contrast between their personalities is pretty striking.

People imagine teardrops to be blue, but they are actually just clear water. This description makes me imagine the tear being soaked up by the paper and causing a blue pigment stain on the paper.

Very interesting to say "pale as a lemon" instead of "pale as a sheet" or something similar.

When I think of lemon, I think of the color yellow, which is not what I would think of as being pale.

Right from the start, this is distinct. Mansfield could have just declared "The weather was ideal", but decided to start with "And". The first time I read it I felt like I was jumping into the middle of a story/phrase. An interesting way to start.

The week after what?

Again, we jump right into the middle of the story. I like this style it engages readers right from the start of the short story.

Another comment on the hat as a symbol of materialism.

What does looking Spanish mean?

This description kind of makes me feel like Laura is a little envious of his joy and contentness.

Laura's mother seems to be in her own world. To her this things like a charitable way to help the poor, but is it really the best thing to do?

To visit a mourning family with scraps from a frivolous party held despite knowing that a death had happened. And visiting your neighbors with an demeaning attitude.

Laura seems so naive and young, but aware enough to be concerned about the world outside of their beautiful garden bubble. However, she is being swayed by her extravagant mother and family, to stay privileged and pretend to be ignorant of the sufferings and poverty of others.

It really shows that when you are young, others really influence the way you think, and it takes a lot to go against it.

This made me think of "Ezra the scribe" and Jennings's narrative is pulled directly from his diary.

Another footnote:

"* NOTE.—Wherever the Report touches on the events of the birthday, or of the three days that followed it, compare with Betteredge’s Narrative, chapters viii. to xiii."

Is it common for rooms to be joined like this in a normal house?

It seems like Cuff is the only character to call Gooseberry by his actual name.

A new detective in the making.

Gooseberry clearly enjoys the chase and the excitement of this murder mystery, but he is just a "boy". Young children are normally shielded and protected from this type of violence and death to preserve their innocence. I think that is probably part of the reason why Franklin finds Gooseberry's fascination to be "hideous".

These passages really shows how knowledgeable Collins is with opium. Collin's experience with opium really shows through here.

Although Betteredge's love of Robinson Crusoe is quite funny, is this another commentary on religious people? To "cut someone off" if they don't believe?

"floricultural" seems like a better word.

Even with all the grumbling and sarcasm, Betteredge is still loyal and dependable!

I am curious how, opium supposed tastes really bad. What could he have drank/ate that could cover up the taste?

There is a missing footnote here.

NOTE; by Franklin Blake.—The writer is entirely mistaken, poor creature. I never noticed her. My intention was certainly to have taken a turn in the shrubbery. But, remembering at the same moment that my aunt might wish to see me, after my return from the railway, I altered my mind, and went into the house.

As some people have mentioned before, I feel like Penelope has been a voice of reason throughout this whole book so far.

Franklin and Betteredge seem to have a good friendship. Franklin understands Betteredge and his philosophy and his habits and thoughts as well.

There are many other ways. Washing the gown or destroying it or others!

Mr. Bruff seems to me to be a very reliable narrator throughout his section. He is very straightforward and to the point which makes me what to believe his descriptions and opinions about the other characters more. He also tries to make connections such as pointing out the question made to him and Mr. Luker by the Indian.

I am really enjoying Collins's writing so far as he creates sections by contrasting narrators, personalities, and styles of writing. I think it would be interesting to somehow compare the writing styles of each of the narrators through some type of code.

I really like this phrase. I think it is a very succinct and clever way of describing the path to coming to terms with and preparing for death.

This is a very different description of Godfrey compared to Clack and Betteredge's perspectives. Again, this is a time for the reader to be detective and gather clues from these descriptions in order to determine the true character of Godfrey.

There is supposed to be a note here added by Franklin Blake. It reads:

[*Note. Added by Franklin Blake.—Miss Clack may make her mind quite easy on this point. Nothing will be added, altered or removed, in her manuscript, or in any of the other manuscripts which pass through my hands. Whatever opinions any of the writers may express, whatever peculiarities of treatment may mark, and perhaps in a literary sense, disfigure the narratives which I am now collecting, not a line will be tampered with anywhere, from first to last. As genuine documents they are sent to me—and as genuine documents I shall preserve them, endorsed by the attestations of witnesses who can speak to the facts. It only remains to be added that “the person chiefly concerned” in Miss Clack’s narrative, is happy enough at the present moment, not only to brave the smartest exercise of Miss Clack’s pen, but even to recognise its unquestionable value as an instrument for the exhibition of Miss Clack’s character.]

This really made me laugh.

This correspondence between Blake and Clack is very entertaining and really brings the characters to life. This phrase really shows a satirical take on some aspects of some Christians.

I am curious what Wilkie Collins thought of Christians and if he was one? Instead of feeling sad for an ill person, Miss Clack is excited that this is a potential time to convert Lady Verinder.

The footnote from a paperback version says "it would be nice to think that Miss Clack is named after a very un-Christian Julia Drusilla ... better known as 'Caligula' ... she was the depraved Emperor's favorite sister and was rumored to have an incestuous relations with him" and how "'Clack' is a slang term for 'a loquacious person, a chatterbox'".

This is very different from how Rachel is described in the previous section by Betteredge. This really shows how much we have to rely on subjective perspectives given by others in order to learn about Rachel and the story in general.

https://allpoetry.com/poem/8601699-An-Evening-Hymn-by-Thomas-Ken

This makes it seem like we are traveling to meet/interview others for information and actually chasing after the Diamond, when we are actually just reading these accounts on paper.

This sentence reminded me of Betteredge's initial description of Rachel in Chapter VIII about how her one "defect" was that she was self-willed and how she would take the blame for others even if she were to be punished. I think that this would be similar. She might be protecting someone by staying silent.

Sergeant Cuff's character reminds me of a blood hound sniffing out the clues.

Foreshadowing more complications and convoluted details that may overshadow and cover up the truth of the moon(stone)?

I am really enjoying the descriptions of the Shivering Sand. It really sets an ominous tone.

Why is Miss Rachel acting so aggressively? Does she have something to hide? I would think that she would want other people's help to find her precious diamond.

Roses are normally associated with romance and love, but when I looked up their meaning, I found that they can also mean secrecy or confidentiality.

I really like the description of the finished art on the door. It is beautiful and is painted by 2 people in a budding romance, but is also very disorienting. The art feels a little sinister like it will ensnare you.

Betteredge constantly compares his English customs to Mr. Franklin's foreign education. It is implied that a foreign education is supposed to make you more sophisticated and cultured.

I am really enjoying the comments to the readers. Betteredge seems to anticipate what he thinks will be our confusion.

Where did he go? Clue?

They would rather destroy the diamond than to just give it to the Indians that desperately want it.

Interesting choice of name. "Selene" for moon and the moonstone!

I think it would not be easy to make an unbiased opinion when the narrator describes his cousin as "foolish", bad tempered, and "boastful" in the first paragraph of ch3.

Very interesting that in multiple religions such the Maya religion and Hindu religion, power, divine spirit, and a life force is transferred to another through a breath.