[The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James]@TWC D-Link bookThe Portrait of a Lady CHAPTER XXVI 5/32
I know very little about the young man in America; I don't think she spends much of her time in thinking of him, and I suspect he has got tired of waiting for her.
There's nothing in life to prevent her marrying Mr.Osmond if she only looks at him in a certain way.
That's all very well; no one approves more than I of one's pleasing one's self.
But she takes her pleasure in such odd things; she's capable of marrying Mr.Osmond for the beauty of his opinions or for his autograph of Michael Angelo. She wants to be disinterested: as if she were the only person who's in danger of not being so! Will HE be so disinterested when he has the spending of her money? That was her idea before your father's death, and it has acquired new charms for her since.
She ought to marry some one of whose disinterestedness she shall herself be sure; and there would be no such proof of that as his having a fortune of his own." "My dear mother, I'm not afraid," Ralph answered.
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