human
By the terms of her father's will, he explained some minutes later,
gpt
I'm her guardian and trustee. She can't marry without my consent till she comes of age. I don't say that in this instance I should--a--withhold my consent; but I should feel constrained to--a--give it with conditions.
human
If it's anything I can fulfil, sir--
gpt
No; it wouldn't concern you so much as her. She's very young--and in heart she's younger than her age. She knows nothing about men--she can't know--and I dare say you're the first young fellow who ever said anything to her about--well, you understand what I mean. Mind you, we've no objections to you whatever. You are your own credentials; and we take them at their face value. You tell me you're an orphan, with no near relations, so that there couldn't be any complications on that score. Besides that, you're--a likely chap; and I don't mind saying that--a--my ladies--Mrs. Jarrott and my sister--have taken rather a fancy to you. It can't do you any--a--harm to know as much as that.
human
No; you're all right. But, as I said before, she's very young, and if we married her to you out of hand we feel that we shouldn't be giving her a fair show. We think she ought to have a little more chance to look round her, so to speak. In fact, she isn't what ladies call 'out.' She's scarcely ever seen a man, except through a window. Consequently, we think we must send her back to New York, for a winter at any rate, and trot the procession before her. My sister is to undertake it, and they're to sail next week. That won't make so much difference to you now, as it would if you weren't soon going to follow them.
gpt
Now all I have to say is this: if, when she's regularly started, she sees some other young fellow she likes better than you, you're to give her up without making a fuss.
human
Of course. Naturally, she would have to be free to do as she chose in the long run. I'm not afraid of losing her--
gpt
That'll be your own lookout. You'll be on the spot, and will have as good a chance as anybody else. You'll have a better chance; for you'll only have to keep what you've won, while any one else would have to start in at the beginning. But it's understood that there--a--can be no talk of a wedding just yet. She must have next winter to reconsider her promise to you, if she wants to.
human
We'll keep the matter between ourselves--in the family, I mean--for the time being, he said, with another slowly breaking smile;
gpt
And, of course, you'll go to New York? I didn't think it necessary to ask you if you cared to make the change.