All getting bogged down here, are you not?, by trying to establish, and extrapolate from, some common thread or theme running thru the almost infinite number of versions and variants ~~ an activity that seems to me as pointless as trying to stop a bandersnatch. Sometimes she's cruel; sometimes vengeful ['drank a toast to the ladies all but slighted Barbara Allen']; sometimes matter-of-fact ['Young man I think you're dying']; sometimes regretful; sometimes blames her mother... You could deduce anything you liked about her, & his, character by eclectic reference; but just try and find an explanation which will cover all versions...!

~M~