Theodore Dreiser Fullscreen Jenny Gerhardt (1911)

Perhaps he could suggest something which would help her.

He took the train to Sandwood, but Jennie had gone to the Hotel Tremont in Chicago.

He went there, but Jennie had gone to her daughter's grave; later he called again and found her in.

When the boy presented his card she suffered an upwelling of feeling—a wave that was more intense than that with which she had received him in the olden days, for now her need of him was greater.

Lester, in spite of the glamor of his new affection and the restoration of his wealth, power, and dignities, had had time to think deeply of what he had done.

His original feeling of doubt and dissatisfaction with himself had never wholly quieted.

It did not ease him any to know that he had left Jennie comfortably fixed, for it was always so plain to him that money was not the point at issue with her.

Affection was what she craved.

Without it she was like a rudderless boat on an endless sea, and he knew it.

She needed him, and he was ashamed to think that his charity had not outweighed his sense of self-preservation and his desire for material advantage.

To-day as the elevator carried him up to her room he was really sorry, though he knew now that no act of his could make things right.

He had been to blame from the very beginning, first for taking her, then for failing to stick by a bad bargain.

Well, it could not be helped now.

The best thing he could do was to be fair, to counsel with her, to give her the best of his sympathy and advice.

"Hello, Jennie," he said familiarly as she opened the door to him in her hotel room, his glance taking in the ravages which death and suffering had wrought.

She was thinner, her face quite drawn and colorless, her eyes larger by contrast.

"I'm awfully sorry about Vesta," he said a little awkwardly.

"I never dreamed anything like that could happen."

It was the first word of comfort which had meant anything to her since Vesta died—since Lester had left her, in fact.

It touched her that he had come to sympathize; for the moment she could not speak.

Tears welled over her eyelids and down upon her cheeks.

"Don't cry, Jennie," he said, putting his arm around her and holding her head to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry.

I've been sorry for a good many things that can't be helped now.

I'm intensely sorry for this.

Where did you bury her?"

"Beside papa," she said, sobbing.

"Too bad," he murmured, and held her in silence.

She finally gained control of herself sufficiently to step away from him; then wiping her eyes with her handkerchief, she asked him to sit down.

"I'm so sorry," he went on, "that this should have happened while I was away.

I would have been with you if I had been here.

I suppose you won't want to live out at Sand wood now?"

"I can't, Lester," she replied.

"I couldn't stand it."

"Where are you thinking of going?"

"Oh, I don't know yet.

I didn't want to be a bother to those people out there.

I thought I'd get a little house somewhere and adopt a baby maybe, or get something to do. I don't like to be alone."

"That isn't a bad idea," he said, "that of adopting a baby.

It would be a lot of company for you.

You know how to go about getting one?"

"You just ask at one of these asylums, don't you?"

"I think there's something more than that," he replied thoughtfully.

"There are some formalities—I don't know what they are.

They try to keep control of the child in some way.

You had better consult with Watson and get him to help you.

Pick out your baby, and then let him do the rest.

I'll speak to him about it."

Lester saw that she needed companionship badly.

"Where is your brother George?" he asked.