sister carrie

Chapter 20 (2)

Chapter 11 Trendy persuasion: Feelings try to defend themselves (2)
She walked with less weight, imitating the graceful manners of the accountant's daughter.What other influences the young girl in the room had had on her, it would be difficult to say.But because of all this, the young woman whom Hurstwood saw when he visited looked more like the Carrie with whom Drouet had first conversed.Major shortcomings in dress and manners are a thing of the past.Her beauty, her elegance, her unsophisticated shyness, and her large, childlike eyes fascinated this pretentious man.The old is always attracted by the new, and it has always been so since time immemorial.If there were any remnants of youth and innocence left in him, it was now rekindled.Looking at her beauty, he felt the mysterious light waves of youth projected from her.In those large eyes, clear as water, there was not a single thing that could be interpreted as cunning in this man of excessive wine.That little desire to be a showman, if it was still perceptible in her, was only as an amused thing to tempt him.

"I don't understand," he thought to himself, as he drove off in his carriage, "how Drouet got her."

He saw at a glance that her talent surpassed Drouet's.

The carriage moved along the gas lamps that were rapidly receding on either side.He folded his gloved hands and saw nothing but the lighted room and Carrie's face.What he thinks of is the happiness of youth and beauty.

"I'll give her a bouquet of flowers," thought he. "Drouet won't mind."

He never hides the fact that she is attractive to him.As for Drouet taking the lead, he was not at all troubled by it.He's just letting these wandering thoughts float where they want, and he thinks they'll always be tied somewhere like a spider's thread.He didn't know, and it was impossible for him to guess, what would be the result of this.

A few weeks later, after a business trip, Drouet, returning from a short trip to Omaha, met an acquaintance in Chicago with a well-dressed woman.He would have surprised Carrie by hurrying back to Ogton Square.However, now that he was talking vigorously, he quickly changed his original mind.

"Let's go eat," he said.It never occurred to him that this chance meeting would get him into trouble.

"Of course," said his companion.

They patronized a good restaurant to chat.It was five o'clock in the afternoon when they met.It was 07:30 when the last meaty bone was picked up.

Drouet was finishing one of his little incidents, and his face was beaming with laughter, when Hurstwood caught sight of him, and met his gaze.Hurstwood, who had come with some friends, drew his own conclusions when he saw that Drouet was with some other woman than Carrie.

"Oh, the rascal," he thought, and then with a not unjust sympathy, "that little girl is in trouble."

As soon as Drouet caught Hurstwood's eyes, his mind was filled with satisfying thoughts.He had no scruples, only later noticing that Hurstwood had pretended not to see him.It was at this point that something in Hurstwood's expression could not but touch him.Then he thought of Carrie, and of a recent meeting.God, he'd have to explain that to Hurstwood.Such an occasional meeting with an old friend for half an hour should not be interpreted too far.

For the first time, he felt annoyed.This is a moral question.It is impossible for him to figure out the complicated reasons.Hurstwood could not help laughing at him for being an impetuous boy.He would laugh with Hurstwood.But Carrie must not hear of it.The people who are eating at the same table now must not let her know about it.But, in any case, he couldn't help feeling that he was out of luck—something of a bad reputation was involved anyway.But he is innocent.He grew dull, and the meal was over.He put his partner in the car, and then he went home.

"He never told me about all the flirting that followed," thought Hurstwood. "He thought, I think he really cared about that girl over there."

"He shouldn't have thought I was fooling around with women, since I've only introduced him to Carrie a while ago," thought Drouet.

"I saw yours," said Hurstwood kindly, the next time he saw Drouet.Drouet had come to visit this luxurious hotel.Here he can't help but patronize.He deliberately raised his index finger like a parent to a child.

"An old acquaintance I came across by chance coming down from the train station," Drouet explained. "She used to be quite pretty."

"It's kind of attractive now, eh?" said Hurstwood, mockingly.

"Oh, no," said Drouet, "this time there is no escape."

"How long have you been here?" asked Hurstwood.

"Only a few days."

"You must bring the girl, and I'll treat you to dinner," he said. "I'm afraid you keep her locked up there. I'll book a box at the Joe Jefferson Theater."

"I don't care about her," replied the salesman, "I'll definitely come."

This made Hurstwood very happy.He did not think Drouet had any affection for Carrie.He is jealous of him.Now, as he looked at the well-dressed salesman whom he liked cheerfully, there was a glint of hostility in his eyes.He began to "evaluate" Drouet in terms of how smart and attractive he was.He started looking for where his weakness was.No doubt, though he might have thought him a good company, he felt himself somewhat despising him as a lover.Surely he could fool him.Ah, if only he could show Carrie something like Thursday's little incident, the problem would be solved.While he was laughing and chatting, his mind was filled with such thoughts as if they were almost delighted, and Drouet felt nothing.He didn't have the power to analyze a smile that a man like Hurstwood had.He stood there, smiling and accepting the invitation, while his friend looked at him hawkishly.

The protagonist of this comedy, which involves peculiar complications, has no idea of ​​the above two persons.She was busy trying to figure out how to adapt her thoughts and feelings to the new situation.Nor was she in danger of being harmed by either of them.

One evening Drouet saw her adorning a mirror.

"Carrie," he said, holding her back, "I think you're getting a little pushy."

"No such thing." She replied with a smile.

"Oh, you're handsome," he went on, throwing his arms around her, "put on that blue dress, and I'll take you to the theatre."

"Oh, I've promised Mrs. Hale to go to the Fair tonight," she replied apologetically.

"Yes, alas!" He considered the situation absently, "I don't want to go alone."

"Oh, I don't know," said Carrie awkwardly, but she made no mention of canceling the engagement for his sake.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and the maid brought in a letter.

"He said to hear back," she said.

"It's from Hurstwood," said Drouet, opening the letter, looking at the name and address of the sender written on the envelope.

"I invite you to come and watch Joe Jefferson's play together tonight," wrote part of the letter. "This time it is my turn to treat guests. It was agreed a few days ago. Any objection will not be accepted."

"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Drouet naively, and at this moment Carrie agreed with hope from the bottom of her heart.

"You decide, Charlie," she said cautiously.

"I think we'd better go, if you can cancel the appointment upstairs," said Drouet.

"Oh, I can," said Carrie without thinking.

While Carrie went to change, Drouet produced the paper.She herself couldn't explain why the latter invitation was so to her liking.

"Should I have my hair the way it was yesterday?" she asked.As he walked out, there were some clothes on his arms.

"Of course." He replied cheerfully.

She noticed what he didn't notice, and she was relieved.She did not think that her willingness to go was because of Hurstwood's attraction to her.It seemed that Hurstwood and Drouet and herself were more desirable than any other idea.She dressed herself with great care, then apologized upstairs, and set off.

"I say," said Hurstwood, when they came into the foyer, "you look beautiful to-night."

Carrie's heart skipped a beat at his appreciative glance.

"Okay, please," he said, leading them from the foyer into the arena.

If there's anything trendy, it's here.The old saying of "struggling with newness and striving for beauty" can be said to be vivid here.

"Have you seen the Jefferson play?" he asked, leaning towards Carrie in the box.

"I haven't seen it," she replied.

"He's very funny," he went on, introducing the usual compliments that such people know.He sent Drouet to buy a program and talked Jefferson to Carrie about what he knew.Carrie was overjoyed by the surroundings, the furnishing of the box, and the manner of her companion, who were simply infatuated with her.A few times, they inadvertently I looked at you, you looked at me.It set off a surge of emotion she had never experienced before.She couldn't explain it clearly for a while, because in the next wink, or the next gesture, it seemed that she became indifferent again, and it was just mixed with a bit of very kind politeness.

Drouet also joined in the conversation, but it was quite dull by comparison, and Hurstwood entertained them both, so that it was imprinted on Carrie that here was a superior A person with a chip.She instinctively felt that he was stronger, taller, and so simple.By the end of the third act she had concluded that Drouet was only a good man, and nothing else.Under the strong contrast, in her eyes, he was more and more being compared.

"Had a great time tonight," she said as they walked out of the theater after the play.

"Yes, that's true," continued Drouet.He didn't realize at all that this was the end of a battle and that his defenses had been weakened.He is like the emperor of China, who sits high on the dragon court, boasting of himself, but does not know that the rich provinces are being plundered from him.

"Oh, you saved me from a dull evening," replied Hurstwood. "goodbye."

He took Carrie's little hands, and a heat flowed from one to the other.

"I'm so tired," said Carrie, leaning back in the carriage, when Drouet began to speak.

"Okay, you rest for a while, I'll smoke a cigarette." He said, standing up, sitting in the front seat of the car, just letting everything go.

(End of this chapter)