Chapters 61–70
The Breaking of the Shell
The title refers to a quote by Kahlil Gibran:
“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.”
Cold Words
… and Warm Kisses
These titles refer to a quote by Utada Hikaru: “I’ll give you cold words and warm kisses. This is love.”
Like a Bridge
The old proverb Percy uses to conclude the ceremony is actually a quote from the German writer Ulrich Beer. The original reads “Marriage is a bridge you have to rebuild every day – best of all from both sides.”
Gifts and Flowers
Floriography was quite en vogue in the 19th century. The book “The Flowers Personified” from 1847 is available online. Google it—it’s really interesting. The arrangement of flowers used in this chapter is based on various online resources (too many to list them here). I’m not sure if a florist would approve of the arrangement, but at least the colours go well together and the meaning works.
A single daffodil symbolizes misfortune.