The letter was addressed to Mr.Withers, and after reading it through he passed it to his wife without a word.

She was too surprised to say anything for a moment, especially as Mabel was in the room, and she laid the letter beside her until breakfast was over and Mabel had gone out.
"Well, James, what do you think of it ?" she asked.
"What do you think of it yourself ?" he replied.
Mrs.Withers hesitated, and then said: "Well, James, it is a sort of thing that requires so much thinking about that I have scarcely had time to turn it over in my mind yet, especially with Mabel there eating her breakfast opposite, and having no idea that this letter contained anything of such importance to her.

I would really rather hear what you think about it." Mr.Withers remained silent, and she went on: "Of course it would be a very nice thing for Mabel to have such a provision for life." A slight smile passed across Mr.Withers' face, and his wife saw that that was not at all the way in which he looked at it.
"That is just like you men, James," she said a little pettishly.

"You ask us what we think about things when you have perfectly made up your minds what you mean to do, whether we agree with you or not." "I don't think that's often the case with us.

Still I did want to see whether the matter would have struck you at once in the same light in which I see it, and I perceive that it has not." "Well, James, let me hear your view of the matter.