`` We tied the horse and then rapped at the kitchen door . Nobody came but the door was open and we could hear somebody in the pantry , going on dreadfully . We could n't make out the words but Diana says she knows they were swearing by the sound of them . I ca n't believe that of Mr. Blair , for he is always so quiet and meek ; but at least he had great provocation , for Marilla , when that poor man came to the door , red as a beet , with perspiration streaming down his face , he had on one of his wife 's big gingham aprons . ' I ca n't get this durned thing off , ' he said , ` for the strings are tied in a hard knot and I ca n't bust 'em , so you 'll have to excuse me , ladies . ' We begged him not to mention it and went in and sat down . Mr. Blair sat down too ; he twisted the apron around to his back and rolled it up , but he did look so ashamed and worried that I felt sorry for him , and Diana said she feared we had called at an inconvenient time . ` Oh , not at all , ' said Mr. Blair , trying to smile ... you know he is always very polite ... ` I 'm a little busy ... getting ready to bake a cake as it were . My wife got a telegram today that her sister from Montreal is coming tonight and she 's gone to the train to meet her and left orders for me to make a cake for tea . She writ out the recipe and told me what to do but I 've clean forgot half the directions already . And it says , ` flavor according to taste . ' What does that mean ? How can you tell ? And what if my taste does n't happen to be other people 's taste ? Would a tablespoon of vanilla be enough for a small layer cake ? '' `` I felt sorrier than ever for the poor man . He did n't seem to be in his proper sphere at all . I had heard of henpecked husbands and now I felt that I saw one . It was on my lips to say , ` Mr. Blair , if you 'll give us a subscription for the hall I 'll mix up your cake for you . ' But I suddenly thought it would n't be neighborly to drive too sharp a bargain with a fellow creature in distress .
So I offered XXXXX mix the cake for him without any conditions at all .
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