Maud states that Jasper has a "selfish way of looking at things." However, the text shows that Jasper thinks his attitude is As the Milvains sat down to breakfast the clock of Wattleborough parish church struck eight; it was two miles away, but the strokes were borne very distinctly on the west wind this autumn morning. Jasper, listening before he cracked an egg, remarked with cheerfulness:
"There's a man being hanged in London at this moment."
"Surely it isn't necessary to let us know that," said his sister Maud, coldly.
"And in such a tone, too!" protested his sister Dora.
"Who is it?" inquired Mrs. Milvain, looking at her son with pained forehead.
"I don't know. It happened to catch my eye in the paper yesterday that someone was to be hanged at Newgate this morning. There's a certain satisfaction in reflecting that it is not oneself."
"That's your selfish way of looking at things," said Maud.
"Well," returned Jasper, "seeing that the fact came into my head, what better use could I make of it? I could curse the brutality of an age that sanctioned such things; or I could grow sad over the misery of the poor fellow. But those emotions would be as little profitable to others as to myself. It just happened that I saw the thing in a light of consolation. Finances are bad, but not so bad as THAT. I might be going out between Jack Ketch and the Chaplain to be hanged; instead of that, I am eating a really fresh egg, and very excellent buttered toast, with coffee as good as can be reasonably expected in this part of the world.—(Do try boiling the milk, mother.)—The tone in which I spoke was spontaneous; being so, it needs no justification."
He was a young man of five-and-twenty, well built, though a trifle thin, and of pale complexion. He had hair that was very nearly black, and a clean-shaven face, best described, perhaps, as of bureaucratic type. The clothes he wore were of expensive material, but had seen a good deal of service. His stand-up collar curled over at the corners, and his necktie was lilac-sprigged.
Of the two sisters, Dora, aged twenty, was more like him physically, but she spoke with a gentleness which seemed to indicate a different character. Maud, who was twenty-two, had bold, handsome features, and very beautiful red hair; hers was not a face that readily smiled. Their mother had the look and manners of an invalid, though she sat at table in the ordinary way. All were dressed as ladies, though very shabbily. The room, which looked upon a small patch of garden, was decorated with old-fashioned comfort despite its small size and poor furnishings.

A. compassionate.
B. pragmatic.
C. humorous.
D. depressing.