Question

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22- "There, now, tell her to her face you could have stayed to
see her, and you wouldn't."
23- That second glimpse broke down my good resolution. I
would stay and take the risk. That night we smoked the tranquil
pipe, and talked till late about various things, but mainly about
her; and certainly I had had no such pleasant and restful time for
many a day. The Thursday followed and slipped comfortably
away. Toward twilight a big miner from three miles away came-
one of the grizzled, stranded pioneers-and gave us warm
salutation, clothed in grave and sober speech. Then he said:
24- "I only just dropped over to ask about the little madam, and
when is she coming home. Any news from her?"
25- "Oh, yes, a letter. Would you like to hear it, Tom?"
26- "Well, I should think I would, if you don't mind, Henry!"
27- Henry got the letter out of his wallet, and said he would skip
some of the private phrases, if we were willing; then he went on
28- As the reader finished, he glanced at Tom, and cried out:
29- "Oho, you're at it again! Take your hands away, and let me
see your eyes. You always do that when I read a letter from her. I
will write and tell her."
30- "Oh no, you mustn't, Henry. I'm getting old, you know, and
any little disappointment makes me want to cry. I thought she'd
be here herself, and now you've got only a letter."

What effect did it have when Tom asked if there was any news from Henry's wife, as related in the underlined passages of Sec. 24 and 25 of Twain's "The Californian's Tale"?
A. It made the narrator that much more compelled to stay.
B. The touching letter to Henry is revealed and the foreshadowing of sorrow with Tom's tears.
C. Tom didn't even know the wife.
and read the bulk of it—a loving, sedate, and altogether
charming and gracious piece of handiwork, with a postscript full
of affectionate regards and messages to Tom, and Joe, and
Charley, and other close friends and neighbors.

Answer 1

Tom's question about Henry's wife revealed a touching letter and preempted sadness as shown by Tom's emotional reaction when the letter was read.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Tom inquired about any news from Henry's wife in sections 24 and 25 of Twain's "The Californian's Tale," the effect was twofold: it introduced a touching letter that Henry read aloud, eliciting an emotional response, and it foreshadowed impending sorrow through Tom's reaction and tears. Tom's emotional response, particularly his resistance to having Henry mention his tears to Henry's wife, underscores the deep connections between the characters and sets the stage for a deeper exploration of their relationships and the underlying emotions tied to the absent wife.

Tom's inquiry about Henry's wife led to the reading of a touching letter and foreshadowed sorrow, indicated by Tom's emotional reaction.