"And so it means this. Oh, Rosie, you look lovelier than ever, and
I'm as happy as a king. It means this. Your father is the greatest
genius in the world. He buys my property for sixty thousand
pounds--sixty thousand. That's over two thousand a year for me, and
he makes a company out of it with a hundred and fifty thousand
capital. He says that, taking ten thousand out of it for expenses,
there will be a profit of eighty thousand. And all that he gives to
you--eighty thousand; that's three thousand a year for you--and sixty
thousand; that's two more, my dearest Rosie. You remember what you
said, that when you married you should step out of one room like this
into another just as good?"
"Oh, Reggie"--she sank upon his bosom--"you know I never could love
anybody but you. It's true I was engaged to old Lord Evergreen, but
that was only because he had one foot--you know--and when the other
foot went in too, just a day too soon, I actually laughed. So the
pater is going to make a company of it, is he? Well, I hope he won't
put any of his own money into it, I'm sure, because of late all the
companies have turned out so badly."
"But, my child, the place is full of gold."
"Then why did he turn it into a company, my dear boy? And why didn't
he make you stick to it? But you know nothing of the City. Now, let
us sit down, and talk about what we shall do. Don't, you ridiculous
boy!"