第43章

HIS CREDENTIALS ACCEPTED--A BABEL OF TONGUES

It was not quite two days after the scene between Carrie and Hurstwood in the Ogden Place parlour before he again put in his appearance.He had been thinking almost uninterruptedly of her.

Her leniency had, in a way, inflamed his regard.He felt that he must succeed with her, and that speedily.

The reason for his interest, not to say fascination, was deeper than mere desire.It was a flowering out of feelings which had been withering in dry and almost barren soil for many years.It is probable that Carrie represented a better order of woman than had ever attracted him before.He had had no love affair since that which culminated in his marriage, and since then time and the world had taught him how raw and erroneous was his original judgment.Whenever he thought of it, he told himself that, if he had it to do over again, he would never marry such a woman.At the same time, his experience with women in general had lessened his respect for the sex.He maintained a cynical attitude, well grounded on numerous experiences.Such women as he had known were of nearly one type, selfish, ignorant, flashy.The wives of his friends were not inspiring to look upon.His own wife had developed a cold, commonplace nature which to him was anything but pleasing.What he knew of that under-world where grovel the beat-men of society (and he knew a great deal) had hardened his nature.He looked upon most women with suspicion--a single eye to the utility of beauty and dress.He followed them with a keen, suggestive glance.At the same time, he was not so dull but that a good woman commanded his respect.Personally, he did not attempt to analyse the marvel of a saintly woman.He would take off his hat, and would silence the light-tongued and the vicious in her presence--much as the Irish keeper of a Bowery hall will humble himself before a Sister of Mercy, and pay toll to charity with a willing and reverent hand.But he would not think much upon the question of why he did so.

A man in his situation who comes, after a long round of worthless or hardening experiences, upon a young, unsophisticated, innocent soul, is apt either to hold aloof, out of a sense of his own remoteness, or to draw near and become fascinated and elated by his discovery.It is only by a roundabout process that such men ever do draw near such a girl.They have no method, no understanding of how to ingratiate themselves in youthful favour, save when they find virtue in the toils.If, unfortunately, the fly has got caught in the net, the spider can come forth and talk business upon its own terms.So when maidenhood has wandered into the moil of the city, when it is brought within the circle of the "rounder" and the roue, even though it be at the outermost rim, they can come forth and use their alluring arts.

Hurstwood had gone, at Drouet's invitation, to meet a new baggage of fine clothes and pretty features.He entered, expecting to indulge in an evening of lightsome frolic, and then lose track of the newcomer forever.Instead he found a woman whose youth and beauty attracted him.In the mild light of Carrie's eye was nothing of the calculation of the mistress.In the diffident manner was nothing of the art of the courtesan.He saw at once that a mistake had been made, that some difficult conditions had pushed this troubled creature into his presence, and his interest was enlisted.Here sympathy sprang to the rescue, but it was not unmixed with selfishness.He wanted to win Carrie because he thought her fate mingled with his was better than if it were united with Drouet's.He envied the drummer his conquest as he had never envied any man in all the course of his experience.

Carrie was certainly better than this man, as she was superior, mentally, to Drouet.She came fresh from the air of the village, the light of the country still in her eye.Here was neither guile nor rapacity.There were slight inherited traits of both in her, but they were rudimentary.She was too full of wonder and desire to be greedy.She still looked about her upon the great maze of the city without understanding.Hurstwood felt the bloom and the youth.He picked her as he would the fresh fruit of a tree.He felt as fresh in her presence as one who is taken out of the flash of summer to the first cool breath of spring.

Carrie, left alone since the scene in question, and having no one with whom to counsel, had at first wandered from one strange mental conclusion to another, until at last, tired out, she gave it up.She owed something to Drouet, she thought.It did not seem more than yesterday that he had aided her when she was worried and distressed.She had the kindliest feelings for him in every way.She gave him credit for his good looks, his generous feelings, and even, in fact, failed to recollect his egotism when he was absent; but she could not feel any binding influence keeping her for him as against all others.In fact, such a thought had never had any grounding, even in Drouet's desires.

The truth is, that this goodly drummer carried the doom of all enduring relationships in his own lightsome manner and unstable fancy.He went merrily on, assured that he was alluring all, that affection followed tenderly in his wake, that things would endure unchangingly for his pleasure.When he missed some old face, or found some door finally shut to him, it did not grieve him deeply.He was too young, too successful.He would remain thus young in spirit until he was dead.