american tragedy

Chapter 63

Chapter 227
The days after December brought Clyde some mixture of triumph and vexation.

Sandra Finchley felt that, as someone who admired her, he made her like her very much.From the very beginning, I planned not to be too kind to him, nor to be indifferent to him.However, her social status is too prominent, she is a little hesitant about what to do next.Since Clyde was so poor that even the Guthfiths ignored him, she did not want to show too much affection for him.

All of this has one main motive, which is to show goodwill to Gilbert's cousin and to anger Gilbert.In addition, there is another aspect, she likes him, his handsome appearance, or his admiration for her person and her status, both make her proud and fascinated.With a character like hers, Clyde needs to be obsessed with her with sincerity and romantic flattery, but he doesn't dare to annoy her too much.His physical and mental vigor just matched hers.

Therefore, how to continue to associate with Clyde without attracting undue attention and discussion, this really troubled Sandra.After falling asleep at night, her naughty little head was always thinking about these things.However, those who met him that night at Duble's house all noticed her interest in him, and in addition, he was very pleasing and courteous, so they all thought that he was It is enough.

Two weeks later, when Clyde was looking for inexpensive Christmas gifts for his family and Roberta in the Stark Company, he met Jere Duble, who came to make up some things, and she invited him To Vanda Steele's dance at Gloversville's next day.Gell herself was going with Frank Harriet, but Sandra Finchley was not sure.It seems that there is another party in preparation.

"Tracey's car can pass by you then," she went on, "or..." she hesitated, "how about you come over to our house for dinner before we leave? Just our house Not only are you welcome, but the dancing doesn't start until eleven o'clock."

The dance was scheduled for Friday night, and Clyde had agreed to cancel his date with Roberta for that evening, though he was not without hesitation about the difficulty of canceling the date and whether it should be done.For, he was now captivated by Sandra, but he still had a deep affection for Roberta, and he did not want to upset her in this way.He knew she would be very disappointed.However, a new situation suddenly appeared in this social opportunity. Although it came a bit late, he was still both proud and excited.It would be impossible for him to think of turning down Gere, what? Give up the chance to visit the Steeles in Gloversville? And with the Dubles, not the Griffiths. What can I do for you.May be unfaithful, cruel, and deceitful to Roberta, but if you don't go, you may not see Sandra?

So he said he was going, but as soon as he had said that, he decided to go to Roberta's, to explain to her, to find a suitable excuse, for instance, that the Griffiths were inviting him to dinner.Such a statement would make her feel awe-inspiring and justified.If, after arriving at Roberta's house, he found her out, he decided to explain to her the next day at the factory and, if necessary, write her a note.To make up for it, he decided not to promise her to accompany her to Fonda on Saturday, and to give her the gift then.

But on Friday morning, in the factory, he didn't explain to her seriously, and he didn't even look unhappy like before, but just whispered: "Honey, we have to cancel tonight's appointment. Uncle's house please I'm going, I have to go. And I'm not sure if I can come. If it's over early, I'll try to see if I can come back, but if I don't come back, I'll meet you in Fonda's car tomorrow. I have something I want to send it to you, so don't be sad, I just got the letter this morning, otherwise, I would have told you. You won't feel sad, will you?" He looked at her with feigned concern, expressing his concern for the news. It was also very sad.

But Roberta, who meant to give him presents, and to have a pleasant last evening with him, was thrown aside so casually, and just shook her head, as if to say, "Oh, no. "She looked depressed, thinking that at this time, leaving her like this, she didn't know what ominous things foreshadowed.Until now, Clyde had been considerate.His recent dealings with Sandra had been veiled and deceived by his artificial, as if identical, enthusiasm.He said he was invited, but he had to go, so he had to do so. (Perhaps it was true. But, oh, this pleasant evening she had planned earlier.) So they would not be together for three whole days.In the factory, and later in her room, she was only dubious and sad, thinking that at least Clyde should have told her to come to her later, after supper at his uncle's.In this way, she can give him a gift.However, he added a sentence later, indicating that the late meal might end too late, and he was not sure.If people talk about where to go to play after dinner.

Clyde went first to the Duble's and then to the Steele's.This series of new situations, which he could not have dreamed of a month ago, made him proud and confident.For, at the Steeles' house, he was introduced at once to a dozen or so eminent persons.Noticing that he was accompanied by the Dubles, and of the same name as Griffiths, and that she seemed to be on an unusual relationship with him, they immediately invited him to their party, or hinted at something. Party, also said to invite him to go.Afterwards he decided to attend only the New Year's ball at the Vander's in Gloversville, as far as possible, and the dinner and dance at the Harriet's in Lycurgus which were to be given on Christmas Eve.This time the party also invited Gilbert and his sister Bella, along with Sandra, Bettina and others.

One last thing, at midnight, Sandra came too, with Scott Nicholson, Freddie Sells, Bettina, at first she pretended not to know that he would too The way she came, and only later greeted him somewhat condescendingly: "Ah, I didn't expect you to be here." She was very seductive in a crimson Spanish shawl.However, Clyde sensed from the very beginning that she knew he was there, and came to her at every opportunity, and asked with great admiration, "You don't intend to dance with me at all?"

"Why, of course, if you want to dance with me. I thought you'd forgotten about me," she said sarcastically.

"It's as if I can't forget. The only purpose of my coming here tonight is to see you again. Since I saw you last time, I haven't thought about anything else."

He was really fascinated by her demeanor and demeanor, and he was not lessened by the indifference she pretended on the surface.On the contrary, he was even more fascinated.Besides, he couldn't help but be tempted by his crazy enthusiasm now.He narrowed his eyelashes, his eyes gleaming with unnerving desire.

"My God, you can say a lot of good things when you feel like it," she said, smiling as she fiddled with a little thing that looked like a comb in her hair, "and it's true. "

"You mean you don't believe me at all, Sandra," he asked frantically.The second time he called her name directly like this, both she and he felt their hearts beating violently.Although she wanted to blame him for being too fanatical, it was ultimately because of her admiration for her, and she felt very comfortable doing so.

"Ah, yes, that's what I mean," she said, feeling a little regretful, and seemed a little flustered in her heart.She decided to restrain him a little bit, or let him go a little bit.She thought it was not easy. "However, you have to tell me which time you want to dance, someone has asked me out," and then she read the program list to him, with a charming and mischievous expression. "You can only choose No.11, which is the next song."

"Just this once?"

"Well, I'll give you No. 14 too. You're really greedy." She looked into Clyde's eyes and smiled.This smile conquered his whole being.

Later in the dance she had heard from Frank Harriet that he had invited him to the Christmas Eve party at his house, and that Jessica Font had invited him to Utiga on New Year's Eve.She immediately felt that he had the hope of becoming a decent person, and that in communication, he would not be a burden as she had feared so much at first.He's adorable, there's no denying that, and he's totally devoted to her.But in this way, it is possible for some girls to be interested in him when they see that the upper class thinks highly of him, and try to weaken his loyalty to her.Her nature was vain and self-willed, and she was determined to prevent it.The second time she danced with Clyde she said, "Harriet invited you on Christmas Eve, didn't she?"

"Yeah, and it's all in your honor, he enthusiastically said you'd like to go too?"

"Oh, I'm very sorry. I wish I could go, though I'm invited. But, you know, I've made an appointment earlier to go to Azidini, and then to Sarabaga for the festival. I'm leaving tomorrow, Be back before New Years. Freddy has a few friends, though, and is planning a big party at Schnackdart. Your cousin Bella, my brother Stuart, and Gert and Bettina are all Going to. Come with us if you like.

She originally wanted to say "I", but changed it to "we".Surely, she thought, she would be able to show everyone else the power she had over him.Because of this, Miss Font's invitation was cancelled.Clyde accepted the invitation at once, and was glad to be with her again.

But something else surprised him, and he was almost petrified.She had arranged so casually, yet so kindly, so definitely, that she would have him meet Bella again.And Bella would immediately tell her family that he was playing with her and some others.The Griffiths had not yet invited him there, not even at Christmas.In this way, what will happen? Because the news that Sandra gave Clyde a ride, and the news that the Occasional Club invited him later, although it also reached the ears of the Griffiths family, But they still hadn't invited him there.Gilbert Griffiths was very angry, and his parents didn't know what to do, so nothing happened.

However, according to Sandra, the group of them might as well stay in Schnackdart for one night and come back the next morning.This she did not tell Clyde in detail at first.He has long since forgotten that Roberta will be back after several days at Biltz, and since he left her at Christmas, she naturally hopes that he can be with her on New Year's Eve, this trouble, he I only thought of it later.Now he just felt happy because Sandra thought of him, so he was very excited and agreed.

"But you know," she said cautiously, "that here or there, or anywhere, unless I say first that you must not pay me any particular attention, or think of anything, I will I can't see you anymore. I'll talk to you about it another day. You know, my parents are weird. Some of my friends here are like that. But you have to be good and pretend to be cold, you know, then I might see you a few more times this winter. Got it?"

These intimate words made him intoxicated beyond description in any words.She said this because he was too impatient, and he understood that.At this time, he just looked at her stupidly.

"So, don't you take me a little bit to heart?" he said in the same half-questioning, half-beseeching tone, and there was a charming gleam in his eyes that fascinated her.Sandra, now wary and wary and intoxicated; lustful and unsure of what to do with herself, replied, "Well, I can't say I like you or anything like that yet, but Sometimes I do feel that I like you better. Will you go to Schnackdart with me?"

"Yes! Of course I did."

"I'll write to you about it, or I can call you. You have a phone, don't you?" He gave her the number.

"Don't be upset if something changes. I'll meet you at the same place another day." She smiled.Clyde felt as if his throat was choked.Thinking of her being so direct to him and saying that she also has him in her heart, he couldn't control it.Just think about it, such a beautiful girl, the object of all men's pursuit, and the kind of girl who can choose her suitors at will, now even includes him in her life circle.

(End of this chapter)