If he had been ignorant, he would have put it aside through superstition.

Being neither weak nor ignorant, and having a human passion for wealth and power and a willingness to get them if he could do it without sacrifice of self-respect, he sat calmly down with the temptation and listened to it and debated with it.

He was silent all through dinner; and after dinner, when he and Madelene were in their sitting room upstairs, she reading, he sat with his eyes upon her, and continued to think.
All at once he gave a curious laugh, went to the writing table and wrote a few moments.

Then he brought the letter to her.

"Read that," said he, standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders and an expression in his face that made his resemblance to Hiram startling.
She read: "MY DEAR MR.