ThepleasureofhearingHopetakehispartagainsthimselfwasso，comfortingtoClaythathehesitatedinansweringinorderto，enjoyitthelonger。Herenthusiasmtouchedhimdeeply，andhe，wonderedifshewereenthusiasticbecauseshewasyoung，or，becauseshewassureshewasright，andthathewasinthewrong。
``Itstartedthisway，’’Claybegan，carefully。Hewasanxious，tobequitefairtoMissLangham，buthefounditdifficultto，giveherpointofviewcorrectly，whilehewashungeringfora，wordthatwouldre-establishhiminhisowngoodopinion。``Your，sistersaidshedidnotthinkverymuchofwhatIhaddone，but，sheexplainedkindlythatshehopedforbetterthingsfromme。
Butwhattroublesmeis，thatIwillneverdoanythingmuch，betterorverydifferentinkindfromtheworkIhavedone，lately，andsoIamabitdiscouragedaboutitinconsequence。
Yousee，’’saidClay，``whenIcometodie，andtheyaskmewhat，Ihavedonewithmytenfingers，IsupposeIwillhavetosay，`Well，Ibuiltsuchandsuchrailroads，andIdugupsomanytons，ofore，andopenednewcountries，andhelpedmakeothermen，rich。’，Ican’turgeinmybehalfthatIhappentohavebeenso，fortunateastohavegainedthegood-willofyourselforyour，sister。Thatisquitereasonenoughtome，perhaps，forhaving，lived，butitmightnotappealtothem。IwanttofeelthatI
haveaccomplishedsomethingoutsideofmyself——somethingthat，willremainafterIgo。Evenifitisonlyabreakwaterora，patentcoupling。WhenIamdeaditwillnotmattertoanyone，whatIpersonallywas，whetherIwasaboreoramost，charmingcompanion，orwhetherIhadredhairorblue。Itisthe，workthatwilltell。Andwhenyoursister，whosejudgmentisthe，judgmentoftheoutsideworld，moreorless，saysthatthework，isnotworthwhile，Inaturallyfeelabitdiscouraged。Itmeant，somuchtome，andithurtmetofinditmeantsolittleto，others。’’