\"Ifyouhadbeenaboy，andIownIamgladyouwerenot——amanwantsadaughter——IshouldhavebeenquitewillingtoallowyouyourflutteronWallStreet，oryourtryatanythingyoufeltyouwouldliketohandle。Itwouldhaveinterestedmetolookonandseewhatyouweremadeof，whatyouwanted，andhowyousetabouttryingtogetit。It’sanewkindofdealyouhaveundertaken。It’smoreromanticthanWallStreet，butIthinkIdoseewhatyouseeinit。EvenapartfromRosyandtheboy，itwouldinterestmetoseewhatyouwoulddowithit。Thisisyour`flutter。’Ilikethewayyoufaceit。Ifyouwereasoninsteadofadaughter，IshouldseeImighthaveconfidenceinyou。IcouldnotconfidetoWallStreetwhatIwilltellyou——whichisthatinthemidstofthedriveandswirlandtumultofmylifehere，Ilikewhatyouseeinthething，Ilikeyourideaofthelordoftheland，whoshouldlovethelandandthesoulsbornonit，andbethefriendandstrengthofthemandgivethebestandgetitbackinfairexchange。There’sasteadinessinthethoughtofsuchalifeamongone’skindwhichhasattractionsforamanwhohasspentyearsinamaelstrom，snatchingatwhatwhirlsamongtheeddiesofit。Yournotesandsketchesandsummingupofprobablecostsdidusbothcredit——Isay`both’becauseyourbusinesseducationistheresultofourlongtalksandjourneyingstogether。Youbegantotrainforthiswhenyoubegangoingtovisitminesandrailroadswithmeattwelveyearsold。
Ileavethewholethinginyourhands，mygirl，IleaveRosyinyourhands，andinleavingRosytoyou，youknowhowIamtrustingyouwithyourmother。Yourletterstohertellheronlywhatisgoodforher。Sheisbeginningtolookhappierandyoungeralready，andislookingforwardtothedaywhenRosyandtheboywillcomehometovisitus，andwhenweshallgoinstatetoStornhamCourt。Godblessher，sheismadeupofaffectionandsimpletrust，andthatmakesiteasytokeepthingsfromher。Shehasneverbeenill—treated，andsheknowsIloveher，sowhenItellherthatthingsarecomingright，sheneverdoubtsme。
\"WhileyouarerebuildingtheplaceyouwillrebuildRosysothatthesightofhermaynotbeapainwhenhermotherseesheragain，whichiswhatsheislivingfor。\"
CHAPTERXXIII
INTRODUCINGG。SELDEN