"To be sure, it can be of no consequence to me whether your will is made or not. I shall not be alive, Mr. Caudle, to want anything: I shall be provided for a long time before your will's of any use. No, Mr. Caudle, I sha'n't survive you: and--though a woman's wrong to let her affection for a man be known, for then she's always taken advantage of--though I know it's foolish and weak to say so, still I don't want to survive you. How should I? No, no; don't say that: I'm not good for a hundred--I sha'n't see you out, and another husband too. What a gross idea, Caudle! To imagine I'd ever think of marrying again. No--never! What? "THAT'S WHAT WE ALL SAY? "Not at all; quite the reverse. To me the very idea of such a thing is horrible, and always was. Yes, I know very well that some do marry again--but what they're made of I'm sure I can't tell. Ugh! "There are men, I know, who leave their property in such a way that their widows, to hold it, must keep widows. Now, if there is anything in the world that is mean and small, it is that. Don't you think so, too, Caudle? Why don't you speak, love? That's so like you! I never want a little quiet, rational talk, but you want to go to sleep. But you never were like any other man! What? "HOW DO I KNOW? "There now--that's so like your aggravating way. I never open my lips upon a subject but you try to put me off. I've no doubt when Miss Prettyman speaks, you can answer HER properly enough. There you are, again! Upon my life, it IS odd; but I never can in the most innocent way mention that person's name that - "WHY CAN'T I LEAVE HER ALONE? "I'm sure--with all my heart! Who wants to talk about her? I don't: only you always will say something that's certain to bring up her name. "What was I saying, Caudle? Oh, about the way some men bind their widows. To my mind, there is nothing so little. When a man forbids his wife to marry again without losing what he leaves--it's what I call selfishness after death. Mean to a degree! It's like taking his wife into the grave with him. Eh? "YOU NEVER WANT TO DO THAT? "No, I'm sure of that, love: you're not the man to tie a woman up in that mean manner. A man who'd do that would have his widow burnt with him, if he could--just as those monsters, that call themselves men, do in the Indies. "However, it's no matter to me how you've made your will; but it may be to your second wife. What? "I SHALL NEVER GIVE YOU A CHANCE?