sister carrie

Chapter 41

Chapter 24 All Fires Out: A Face at the Window
(Refers to the result of a family quarrel. - Translator)
Hurstwood stayed in the city that night, and when his work was over he settled at the Balmer Hotel.He was in a state of disquiet because his wife was threatening actions that would jeopardize his entire son's career.He was not sure of the magnitude of the effect of her threatened actions, but one thing he could be sure of was that, in the long run, her attitude would get him into endless trouble.She had made up her mind, and had beaten him in a very important contest.What would become of it? He wandered about in the small office and later in his room, wondering about the floor, unable to find a way out.

On the contrary, Mrs. Hurstwood had made up her mind not to wait and lose her chance.Now that she had practically bluffed him, she was determined to follow up with some demands, the acceptance of which would make her words law.Now that she asks him for the money regularly, he will pay her in the future, otherwise, he will be impolite.As to what he would do, that did not matter.As for whether he will return home in the future, she really doesn't care.Without him, the housework would go on happily as usual, and she could do what she liked without consulting anyone.Now she's going to hire a lawyer and hire a detective.She wants to do it right away to see what benefits she can get.

Hurstwood walked up and down the floor, considering in his mind the principal circumstances of his present situation. "The property is in her name," he kept saying to himself, "what a trick. Damn it! What a fool."

He also considered the position of his manager. "If she makes a fuss now, I'll lose the job. If my name is in the papers, they won't take me. And my friends, it's not the same!" Thinking that if she acted, He gets angry when people say gossip.What would the papers say about it? Everyone he knew would guess wildly.He has to explain, to deny, and he becomes the target of public criticism.In this way, Moai will come and talk to him, and there will be endless troubles.

When he was calculating like this, wrinkles gathered around his eyes, and cold sweat oozes from his forehead.He couldn't find a solution to anything—no escape.

After thinking about it like this, I suddenly thought of Carrie and the imminent Saturday.All his affairs were so entangled, but he didn't worry about it.Among the endless troubles, there is only this one thing that makes people happy.He could have arranged it very well, for Carrie would be happy to wait if necessary.He'd see what was going on tomorrow, and then he'd have a word with Carrie.They will meet as before.All he was going to see was her beautiful face, her slender figure.He wondered why life couldn't be arranged like this-the joy of being with her would last forever and never end.What a joy it would be.Then he would think of her wife's threat again.Wrinkles and sweat will appear again.

In the morning he came from the hotel and opened the mailbox, but there was nothing but ordinary letters.For some reason, he felt that things might turn out like this, so he was relieved to find nothing suspicious after looking through all the envelopes one by one.Before going to the office, he had had no appetite, but now he did, and decided to stop at the Grand Pacific Hotel for a cup of coffee and some rolls before meeting Carrie in the park.Although the danger hadn't abated, it hadn't materialized either, and for him, no news was good news.As long as he has enough time to think about it, maybe he will find a way.Of course, you must not let this matter go unchecked, so that it will cause disaster and make you helpless.

Once he got to the park, however, he was depressed.He waited, but Carrie would not come.He found a favorable terrain, waited for more than an hour, then got up and walked up and down nervously.Could something have happened to keep her from coming? Could his wife have gone to find her? Of course not.He thought of Drouet so little that he never even once feared that he might find out.He thought about it, was in a state of uncertainty, and then decided that maybe there was nothing wrong at all.Maybe she couldn't get away this morning.He will always get a letter today.Perhaps the letter was already on his desk when he returned.He wants to find it right away.

After waiting for a while, he decided not to wait.Then he walked listlessly in the direction of Madison Street Station.Adding to his misfortune was the fact that the otherwise fine weather was now covered with little fleece clouds that hid the sun.The wind turned to the east, and by the time he got to the office, it was likely to be drizzling all afternoon.

He went in and looked through his letters again, but there was no letter from Carrie.Fortunately, there was no letter from his wife either.Thank goodness he didn't have to deal with a guy like that just when he needed to think hard.He was walking up and down the floor again, pretending that everything was normal, but in fact he was beyond words to describe the annoyance.

At 01:30 he went to Lecter's for lunch.When he returned from lunch, a messenger was waiting for him.He looked at the little guy, full of doubts.

"I'll wait for a reply," said the child.

Hurstwood knew his wife's handwriting.He tore it open, but didn't show any emotion.The beginning of the letter is completely formulaic, but the wording of the whole letter is both sharp and cold.

"I want you to send the money I want right away. I need the money to carry out my plans. If you like, you don't have to come, it doesn't matter at all. But I must want the money, so don't delay, give it to me. For the kids."

He stood there after he finished reading it, letter in his hand.As soon as the arrogance of the matter came to this point, he was pissed off.This aroused his anger, and aroused the rebellious psychology deep in his heart.His first impulse was to write only four large characters as a reply-"Damn you!" But he took a compromise method and told the child that there was no reply to take back.Then he sat down in his chair, staring blankly ahead, considering the consequences of his doing so.What was she going to do? Damn it! Was she going to threaten him into submission? He was going to go and settle accounts with her, that's what he was going to do.She is too bossy.These were some of his earliest ideas.

In the end, however, his customary caution got the better of him.Something has to be done.The orgasm was near, and she wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.He knew her temper well, and once she decided on a plan, she would follow closely.It is likely that the matter will immediately go to the lawyer's hands.

"Damn woman!" he whispered, his teeth clenched. "I can't stand her if she gets me into trouble. I'll have to get her to speak in a different tone, even if I force her." No hesitation!"

He got up from his chair, went out, and looked out into the street.The drizzle began to fall.Pedestrians turned up their clothes and rolled up their trouser legs. Those without umbrellas put their hands in their pockets, and those with umbrellas propped up their umbrellas.The long string of trucks and large carriages rang together, and people tried to hide from the rain everywhere.But such a picture he turned a blind eye to.It was always his wife who stood in front of him, and he was always asking her to change her attitude towards him, taking advantage of the time when he hadn't hurt her.

By four o'clock another letter came.The letter contained a few simple words, saying that if the money was not paid tonight, it would be brought to Fitzgerald and Moai tomorrow morning, and other methods would be used to demand the money.

Hurstwood almost cried out with such determination not to let go.Yes, he will give her the money.He would have taken the money and given it to her—he would have gone in person, interviewed her, and left immediately.

He put on his hat and looked around for his umbrella.He had to get this thing sorted out.

He called a carriage and set out for the North Quarter in the dismal drizzle.Along the way, he thought about the details of the matter and calmed down.What did she know? What did she do? Perhaps she had Carrie in her hands—who knew—or—or Drouet.Maybe she really had the evidence and dealt with him like she jumped out of an ambush and knocked him to the ground.She is a cunning person.How could she have taunted him so much if she hadn't been quite sure?
He began to think that some kind of compromise should have been reached—give her the money.Maybe it could be done now, anyway, he wanted to see for himself.He doesn't want to fight.

When he got to the street where he lived, he deeply felt the difficulty of his situation, and he hoped that there would be some solution, and he could find a way to get rid of it.He got out of the car and walked up the front steps, but his heart was still pounding.He took out the key and tried to slip it in, but there was already another key in that end.He shook the doorknob, but the door was locked.Then he rang the bell, but no one answered.He rang the bell again, louder this time, but still no one answered.He rang the bell several times, but to no avail.Then just go down.

At the bottom of the steps there is a door leading to the kitchen, and there is an iron grating on the outside to prevent theft.When he got there, he found the door closed, as well as the window in the kitchen.What was the opinion? He rang the bell and waited.After seeing that there was no answer, he turned around and walked towards the carriage.

"I reckon they're all out," he said apologetically to his red face, who was hiding in a baggy tarpaulin.

"I saw a young girl in that window," replied the coachman.

Hurstwood looked around, but the face was out of sight now.He climbed into the carriage sullenly, relieved and distressed at the same time.

A game like that, eh? Shut him out, but he still has to pay.Oh my gosh, the deception is too much!
(End of this chapter)