american tragedy

Chapter 48

Chapter 214
When Clyde came into contact with her, his heart was itchy.He was so lonely.That high society, which he was not qualified to enter at all, but dreamed of one day getting what he wanted, ended up hastily breaking off relations with other parties.So what happened in the end? It was even more lonely! He could only nod his head or have a quick chat when he met someone, or say some polite words to the female workers, and these female workers, he had no interest and could not be friends, what should he do? Do? But, luckily, he was Griffiths, and for that alone he deserved their respect.

This Roberta Alden.After she settled down, she knew something about this place and Clyde.And Clyde's strengths and love for her also made her in a dilemma.According to the prejudiced customs of the place, she could not express anything to anyone who was higher than him.Because a person is not allowed to climb up to the boss here.As long as she is a female worker with moral character and faith, she will not do this.Soon, she discovered the clear line between rich and poor in Lycurgus, which was blocked like a high wall.There is another prohibition: Those stupid, dirty foreign men and women, no matter who they are, should not have any contact with them.

She also discovered that the people around her who were closely connected with her belonged to this class.Even dancing, exploring, walking, and watching movies are prohibited.And what's worse, she and Grace go to church, and many men and women in the church don't see them as equals, because most of them have lived here for a long time, and some of them are children of rich people. .It is also because of this that most of the social gatherings in the church are attended by those people in turn, but in the same church, why can't they participate?

When Roberta met Clyde, she felt that he should be a gentleman, and he had a crush on her.Thus her ambitions and troubles followed, like Clyde's.When she was at work, she always felt that there were affectionate eyes staring at her, with longing and hesitation in the eyes.But she also thought about what she would do if he suddenly confessed something.She believes it may be rejected or resented.But after two weeks, she started to want to talk to him, and he had to start first, but sometimes, think that if he is so bold, it is definitely not a good thing, because it will immediately make other girls They see, once let them see, they feel that she is talking to someone of much higher status, and they talk about it, and the content is only one word: debauchery.

As for Clyde, he liked her, but Gilbert's previous warning made him dare not act.Therefore, he has always pretended not to pay any particular attention to any girl.But when Roberta came, he always walked up to her involuntarily to watch her work.She was really good at it, and it didn't take long for her to get the job done, which brought her wages up to fifteen dollars a week.Moreover, from her look, she liked the job, and even a little bit of his attention would excite her.

At the same time, he noticed a lively, cheerful disposition in her, a delicate but contagious eroticism.This surprised him, because he had always thought she was different.He also noticed that she was different and stable, she could make friends with almost all foreign girls, and her personality was diverse.She can read their minds through this conversation.She talked first with Lena Slickert, Hoda Betkawas, Angela Beatty about the work here, and then with others, and he came to the conclusion that she wasn't like the average pretty girl Both proud and reserved.But at the same time, her geniality did not diminish her respect.

One day at noon, he had eaten and returned to the office earlier than usual.He saw her, with two foreign girls and four American girls, around the Polish Mary, the wildest and most daring of the foreign girls.In her own loud voice, she told the group of sisters her lucky story: she met a young man who bought her a handbag with many beads.

"I should follow him and be his lover." She spoke very artificially, and proudly raised the bag in her hand. "I told him to his face that I liked him. By the way, this bag is very beautiful, isn't it?" She shook the handbag again, full of air, but also very serious. "Should I accept this bag or not? If I accept it, I will be his lover. If I don't accept it, I have to return it to him. I like him, and I still have this bag."

Clyde thought Roberta would be surprised by such words.But to his surprise, she didn't seem to care, and her expression showed that she was interested.

She even smiled and said, "It depends on what he looks like. If he's handsome, just lie to him, leave the handbag, and try to spend as long as possible."

"But he is very impatient." Mary seemed very nervous, and looked at Clyde who was coming, "Either be his lover, or return the handbag to him. But I can't afford this handbag at all. ’ She looked at the bag again, wrinkling her nose. "What the hell am I going to do?"

But he was wrong, and Roberta seemed to be able to handle it.She pretended to be a little embarrassed. "Oh, this is hard," she said, "I don't know what you're going to do." She looked anxious.But Clyde understood that she was just putting on a show.

Lena, the curly-haired Dutch girl, said, "If you don't like him, I'll take him all down. Tell me where he lives. Now I'm lonely." She held out her hand as if to snatch the handbag, Mary withdrew her hand hastily.The girls laughed at the joke, including Roberta.Clyde was also very happy to see it, because he thought there was nothing, and he liked it very much.

"Perhaps you're right, Lena." He heard her say, just as the bugle call rang and hundreds of sewing workers next door started, "good men are hard to find." She blinked her blue eyes, and the corners of her lips Wide open, very charming.Clyde knew it was a joke, she wasn't that narrow-minded.She is very human, lively, good-natured, and friendly.She had a lively disposition, and though she was not well dressed, in the same brown round hat, and in the same blue dress, she was still the prettiest thing here.She doesn't have to wear lipstick like some foreign girls with rosy cheeks, she is plump without being slim.She is very focused on her work, which is another kind of beauty. She looks serious. In the hottest and busiest time, her face is covered with sweat drops. She wipes it with a handkerchief. To him , these sweat drops add to her beauty like pearls.

Clyde felt so good, he had another girl.In the factory, he could be with her all day long, looking at her, saying that he loved her, and later, the passion drove him to dream about her, just like Hortense Briggs.The difference is that she is more honest and kind, and therefore, he likes her more.Even though Roberta seemed uninterested in him, that wasn't really her intention.She just doesn't know how to do it.He was handsome, with soft black hair and melancholy dark eyes that were alluring.

One day not long after, Gilbert Griffith passed by here and had a few words with Clyde.So she thinks that Clyde's social status is much higher than she thinks.As Gilbert approached, Lena Schlicker, who was beside her, told her, "This is the boss's son—his cousin, who will later be the owner of the factory. His name is Gilbert Griffiths." She looked around and said, "They look alike."

"Yes," replied Roberta, glancing furtively over there. "Mr. Clyde seems more handsome."

Hoda Betkanas on the other side laughed softly after hearing this, "We all think so, and he's very kind."

"Is he rich?" thought Roberta, and asked.

"I don't know, they said no." She hesitated, and she was also interested in Clyde. "Before coming here, he worked in the sinkhole. I think he should be a temporary worker. Maybe he wants to gain experience and stay here soon."

The last sentence made Roberta's heart flustered. She had never had any illusions about Clyde.He is young, energetic, and handsome, and he treats her very well.But his status is so high, would he be interested in her? And her unreasonable thoughts should not be.

She really thought so.As soon as she heard that Clyde had a relation of such high rank, she felt that his affection for her was unreliable.She is so poor and of such low status.He is the nephew of a rich man.Yes, he wouldn't marry her, so what else could it be? She had to be careful.

(End of this chapter)