Ahh, what a Dickensian fantasy, that someone of power and means would live to regret it, to articulate the loss of human bonds, and not take it all screaming to their grave. It's a lot of what I wanted to believe, but even then, Jane isn't fully convinced of the grace of it all.

Mike (my husband, not the character) came up with the "simple thing" line, which I still think is very funny, the kind of sentimental cliche that worms its way into OP characters' brains and drives them nuts.