This village is intolerably stupid, and so are the people.

I shall be glad to get away." Could the good women, whose kind hearts had prompted them to proffer their sympathy, have heard these words they would not have been likely to obtrude any more on the hard, cold woman who held them in such low estimation.
Mrs.Preston took the lamp in her hand, and began to explore her husband's desk.

She had often thought of doing so, but, as his death was not supposed to be so near, she had not thought that there was any immediate cause of doing so.

Besides, it had almost been her belief that he had made no will.

Now she began to open drawers and untie parcels of papers, but it was some time before she came to what she sought.