sister carrie

Chapter 3 (2)

Chapter 1 The role of electromagnetism in attracting: people who float in the power of nature (2)
In all the fantasies aroused by all he described, there was not without a little pain.In the face of such prosperity, she is so insignificant, which makes her not without sadness.She knew in her heart that looking for fun all day long would not be her future life. However, he described the place to play in this way, which made her quite excited.It was also a little flattering to be courted by such a well-dressed man.Seeing her reminded him of several famous actresses, he said, and she couldn't help smiling when he said that.She wasn't stupid, but there was weight in such courtesies.

"You're going to be in Chicago for a while, aren't you?" Now that the conversation was going well, he took a chance to say so.

"Not yet," said Carrie vaguely.A flash of thought came to my mind: What if I can't find a job to do.

"For a few weeks at least," he said, looking straight into her eyes.

Now we are exchanging nonsense.He felt the charm of her indescribable beauty.For her part, she realized that he was interested in her for a reason that women both liked and dreaded.Her demeanor was simple.It was for this reason that she had not learned many of the gestures of women to conceal their true feelings.Some of her performances have appeared rash.A savvy companion—if she had one—would have warned her never to look a man in the eye like that.

"Why do you ask that?" she said.

"Well, I'm staying for a few weeks. I'm going to look at the store and get some new samples. I might be able to show you the way."

"I don't know if you can or can't. I mean I don't know if I can. I live with my sister, which—"

"If she's interested, we can arrange it." He took out a pencil and a pocket notebook, as if everything had been settled in this way, "What's your address?"

She fumbled for the purse, and the small piece of paper with the address on it was in the purse.

He took out a bulging money bag from his back trouser pocket.It contained notes, an itinerary, and a roll of banknotes, stuffed to the brim.This made a deep impression on her.None of the people who paid her attention in the past had such a purse on their person.Yes, never before had a traveler so experienced, a man so fresh and worldly, courted her so directly.That purse, that pair of polished leather shoes, that handsome new suit, and the way he did things (with style), all of these outlined a hazy picture of a rich man in her mind. world of which he is the central figure.It made her take a cheerful attitude towards anything he might do.

He took out a smartly printed card with the name Butlert-Carlyau on it, and Charlie H. Drouet's name in the lower left corner.

"This is me," he said, pointing to his name as he put the card in her hand, "pronounced Durou-et. Our family is French, from my father's side."

She looked at the business card, and he put away the money bag.Then he took an envelope from his coat pocket. "This is the factory I'm selling for," he said, pointing to a picture printed on it, "at the corner of State and Lake," he said with a smug air.He thought it was a matter of honor to have a relationship with such a place, and he wanted her to see it.

"Where's your address?" he asked again, getting his pencil ready to write it down.

She looks at his hands.

"Carrie Meebe," she said slowly, "354 West Van Buren Street, Sey West Hanson Blvd."

He wrote it down carefully, and took out the money bag again. "If I came on Monday night, would you be home?" he said.

"I think so," she replied.

It is right to say that words are but dim shadows of thousands of minds.They are but little audible chains linking inaudible but significant feelings and intentions.There are two people like this here, talking a few words, taking out the wallet, looking at the card, neither of them realizes what their silent true feelings are.Neither of the two is smart enough to keep a firm grip on the other's mental activity.He couldn't tell how successful his teasing was.What she didn't understand was that she was drifting at random until he got her address.Only then did she feel that she herself had shown some meekness—and he felt that he had won a victory for himself.The two of them already felt that they had developed some friendship.He already took the lead in the conversation.He spoke smoothly, and her expression was no longer restrained.

They were almost in Chicago, and there were countless such signals everywhere.Carriages flashed past them.Across the vast and flat grassland, they saw rows of wooden electric poles, crossing the fields and heading towards the big city.In the distance is the appearance of the suburbs, with many chimneys soaring into the sky.

There are often two-story wooden houses in the fields, without fences and trees, like a lonely sentry post for thousands of families approaching.

For a child, for an imaginative genius, or for someone who has never been outside, to be near a great city for the first time is a great thing.Especially at twilight, in the mysterious hour of alternation of light and twilight worlds, the moment when life passes from one form to another, oh, what the night can give, to those who are weary, What could it not give him! Has not the old illusion of hope ever unfolded here! Those toiled souls say to themselves: "Soon I will be free. I will join the ranks of pleasure. Those avenues, those lights, those bright places where meals are prepared, are mine. Theatres, halls, tea-parties, places to hang out, places to sing—at night, these are mine.” Though the people still shut In the shop, however, the cry has already rushed outside, it has reached the sky.Even the dullest of people feel something of the mind which they perhaps too often cannot describe.It’s all about yearning after a hard day’s work has been ruled out.

Carrie stared out of the window.Everything in the world is so easy to infect each other. Under the influence of her surprised expression, her traveling companion rekindled some interest in this city and pointed her to some strange things here.

"This is the Northwest Side of Chicago," said Drouet, "and this is the Chicago River," pointing to a murky creek, crowded with galleons from afar, against a bank lined with black pillars.The train let out a puff of air, and with a clang, the rails snapped, and the scene was gone in a flash. "Chicago is becoming a great city," he continued, "and it's a miracle that there's so much to see."

She didn't hear them clearly.Her heart was haunted by a sense of fear.She was alone, far from home, thrown so suddenly into the ocean of life and career: it was having an effect on her.She couldn't help feeling a little suffocated -- her heart was beating fast, and she felt sad.She half-closed her eyes and tried her best to think of the best, thinking that it was nothing, since Columbia City was not far away.

"Chicago! Chicago!" cried the train brakeman, slamming the doors open.People rushed into the crowded square, and the voices were noisy.She packed up her poor little bag, keeping one hand on her wallet.Drouet rose, kicked her legs, flattened her trouser seams, and clutched her clean yellow bag.

"I think your family will come to pick you up?" he said, "I'll carry your bag."

"Oh, no," she said, "I don't want you to be like that. You'd better not be with me when I'm with my sister."

"All right!" he said kindly, "but I'll be close by. In case she doesn't come, I'll escort you out."

"You are very kind," said Carrie, feeling deeply that he had been so courteous in a foreign land.

"Chicago!" yelled the train brakeman in a drawn-out tone.They were standing under a large dark carport.The lights were already on, the pick-up cars were scattered all over the place, and the carriages were moving slowly.All the passengers in the car stood up and crowded at the door.

"Ah, here we are," said Drouet, leading the way to the door. "Good-bye, and see you on Monday."

"Goodbye," she replied, shaking his outstretched hand.

"Remember, I'll be watching until you find your sister."

She looked straight into his eyes, smiling.

They came out one by one, and he pretended not to notice her.A long-faced, unremarkable-looking woman recognized Carrie on the platform and hurried forward.

"Hullo, Sister Carrie!" she said, followed by a lukewarm embrace of welcome.

Carrie was at once aware of the change in the affective atmosphere.In this confused, noisy and novel environment, she deeply felt that the cold reality was holding her hand.It's not a world of light and joy ahead.Her sister's life is very difficult.

"Hi, how's the whole family?" her sister said, "How's Daddy? How's Mommy?"

Carrie answered, but turned away.At the far end of the passage, at the door, which leads on one side to the waiting-room and on the other to the street, stood Drouet, facing the back.He saw that she was looking at him, and was already with her sister, and turned away with a faint smile.This was only noticed by Carrie.When he left, she seemed to lose something.When she couldn't even see his shadow, she felt deeply that he was no longer there.When she was with her sister, she felt very lonely in this sea of ​​people pushing each other with no regard for others.

(End of this chapter)