american tragedy

Chapter 84

Chapter 240
Two unexpected events during this period sharpened the tension between Clyde and Roberta.One is this: Roberta suddenly saw Clyde stop in front of the post office one night and say a few words to Arabella Stark.She was in a big, very pompous car, waiting for his father to come out of Stark Tower across the way.Miss Stark, dressed in a very fashionable dress, stood contrivedly by the wheel, not only for Clyde, but for everyone to see.In Roberta's opinion, under the double torment of Clyde's procrastination and her own determination to force him to do something for her, she was almost going crazy.In her heart, Stark is almost the abbreviation of easy life, and it is precisely these that Clyde is obsessed with, and because of this, he keeps getting rid of her terrible situation, and ignores her terrible situation.Ah, it was a pity that she could still ask him for the moment, but if he had given her all up and given up everything, what could she have given him? Nothing.

However, when she compared herself to Miss Stark, she was even more aggrieved.This is so unfair! In the weeks since they last discussed the matter, Clyde has never said a word to her, in the factory or elsewhere, let alone Came to see her in her room.Because he is really afraid that she will always bring up that problem that can't be solved anyway.

When she saw this very ordinary but symbolic scene, her heart was not so much angry as sad and distressed.Because, love, consolation, all of these have become a thing of the past, and I'm afraid it won't come again...forever...never again.Ah, how... how terrible!

At about this time, Clyde also saw a scene related to Roberta.Perhaps it was the irony and malicious teasing of fate that made this happen.This Sunday, according to Sandra's plan, everyone had fun on the weekend and then drove to Arrow Lake and went to the Duble's villa.When the car came to the fork on the edge of Alden Grange, there was a road from east to west leading to Biltz.Tracy Duble, who was driving, suggested that everyone get out of the car and ask if this road leads directly to Biltz.Clyde got out of the car as he was closest to the door.There was a very shabby farmhouse on the slopes, and the letter box outside said Titus Alden, which surprised him because that was Roberta's father's name.He remembered at once that Roberta had told him that her parents lived near the Beards, so this must be her home.So he stood there in a daze, wondering whether he should go in, because he had sent Roberta a photo, maybe she had shown them, and he was afraid of being recognized by them.

However, when Sandra, who was sitting next to him in the car, noticed him, Clyde seemed extremely happy, because one of his greatest wishes had been somewhat fulfilled, and it would not take long to have her in his hands. ; and sometimes (thoughts of Roberta passed through his mind) he felt that, of all his dreamy dreams of beauty, love, and happiness, he was now confronted with the saddest, most terrible, most dangerous threat. that's it.Although he has a feverish plan for these two weeks, he may have to say goodbye to it all for good.Then suddenly he realized that he was messing around, and that it was Bettina, or Sandra, or Grant, who was yelling, "Oh, Clyde, what's going on in your head?" If he could say Come out, then he will definitely reply from the bottom of his heart: "Roberta."

From now until October, how to overcome the difficulties during this period, he has never thought about it at all.Roberta had asked him to marry her several times, but he hadn't given it much thought.Seeing his hesitant expression, he called out, "What are you doing? Clyde, are you afraid of dogs?" He realized at once that if he didn't leave right away, people would definitely talk about him, so he walked along the path. go up.However, after he looked at this room carefully, many distressed and undesirable thoughts appeared in his mind.How desolate and dilapidated the house was in this beautiful spring season! The roof was in bad shape, and the chimney was backed up with rubble.The unpainted dilapidated houses looked even more bleak against the surrounding environment.

"Ah! This is Roberta's house!" Just think, just when he was bent on climbing up to the high-ranking people such as Sandra and Lycurgus, she actually asked to marry him! And Sandra was in the car Look at these, and she doesn't know the truth.How poor! What a difference from the life he wanted!

Reluctantly he entered the gate, and, as if fate had deliberately tortured him, it was Titus Alden who opened it.He wore a ragged, elbow-opening jacket, old denim trousers, and bad, ill-fitting country shoes.He pursed his lips, indicating that he was asking what was the matter.Seeing Roberta's shadow, Clyde couldn't help being startled, so he asked in a panic whether the road downhill passed through Biltz.Titus descended the steps step by step, then gestured with his arms that if he wanted to walk well, he would walk another two miles, and then turned west.Clyde thanked in a hurry, and ran away as if fleeing.

It occurred to him now that, just when love, affairs, pleasure, status, power, etc., were just around the corner, Roberta wanted him to give up everything and run away with her to get married elsewhere, to a The place is far, far away, how scary it is! So he couldn't help but secretly regretted that he couldn't bear the loneliness and had an affair with her. Why couldn't he wait a while back then?

But now? There was no doubt that if he could not get rid of her immediately, everything that was coming to him would be withdrawn, and he himself would be surrounded by the poverty of the past, which would once again kill him.He also wondered why he and Roberta were attracted to each other as soon as they met? Life is so strange! How can he get out of this situation? If Roberta tells this matter to his uncle or Jill Just one word from Burt, and he's done for, isn't he?

This thought made him restless. Just now he was talking with others about how to play, but when he got into the car, he didn't say a word.Sandra sat beside him, did not resume the conversation just now, but asked softly: "What's the matter with the baby? (Clyde is not happy, she often teases him like a child, he will find it very sweet) Why is your face down, and you were smiling just now. Well, cheer up, smile at Sandra, be a good boy, and squeeze Sandra's arm, Clyde."

She spoke and kept looking into his eyes to see what effect the words had.Clyde naturally pretended to be as cheerful as possible.However, Roberta's ghost seems to have been wandering in front of him, unable to let it go.

Ah, rather than hiding in it, it would be better to run away, although this would lose Sandra, and since then, no one has heard of him again.But then he would lose not only Sandra, but all the connections here, and he would have to wander and suffer, and he would have to tell his mother everything.Was he doomed to run away for the rest of his life? No, he didn't want to run away again.

At the Brookshaw's that evening, met again some friends of Sandra, Bettina, and others, all pretty characters.In the ballroom, I met the smiling Sandra again.In order not to be criticized by others, especially her parents, she pretended that she had never met Clyde before, or even knew that he was here.

"You're coming up too? Great! Living at the Cranstons? Great, isn't it? We can be next-door neighbors and see each other a lot, what's up? How about a horse walk before seven tomorrow morning? Bettina And I go almost every day. We also have a picnic planned tomorrow and if all goes well, we also want to go kayaking and driving. Don't worry about the bad ride, I can let Bettina take her meek Jerry will ride for you. Nothing to worry about clothes, Grant has plenty. I'll dance with someone else for the next two dances, and you for the third, okay? Out on the balcony, I know there's a very beautiful place what."

She beckoned away, but her eyes seemed to say: "We all know it in our hearts." Later, in a dark place where no one else could see, she cupped his face and kissed him passionately.In the late night, they walked on the path in the lake far from the house, embraced, and reveled in the moonlight environment.

Here came Clyde, Sandra loved him so much, missed him so much, and she stroked his hair when he kissed her.Clyde kissed her desperately, thinking of the dark shadow that lay between them. "Oh, my dear girl," he cried, "my beautiful and lovely Sandra! If only you knew how much I love you! If only you knew! I wish I could tell you all, I wish I could .”

But now he can't, or maybe never will.He didn't dare to tell her about the thick black wall between the two of them, even if it was a little bit.Because although she loves herself deeply, her upbringing and the marriage and love standards set for her by others make her never understand, and she will never be willing to pay a lot for love.Moreover, she would leave him immediately and abandon him.

She looked into his eyes, into her gray frozen face, the little sparks in his eyes sparkling in the moonlight, and as she was being held fast, she exclaimed, "You really loved Sandra so deeply." Love? Ah, sweet child! Sandra loves you too." Her hands clasped his head tightly, kissing passionately. "Besides, Sandra will never abandon her Clyde, never will. Just wait and see! Don't give a damn about what's going on. Maybe it's not easy, but she never will." Suddenly , which is why she is so pragmatic in her nature, she exclaimed: "But we have to go now. No more kissing. No, no, Sandra said not now. Someone else is looking for us." She got up, took his arm, and dragged him back to the house in a hurry. By chance, she ran into Balma Thurston who was looking for her.

(End of this chapter)