“Do,” said Hurstwood.
“So long,” said the other, smiling affably and going on.
“He never asked for my number,” thought Hurstwood; “he wouldn’t think of coming.”
He wiped his forehead, which had grown damp, and hoped sincerely he would meet no one else.
These things told upon his good-nature, such as it was.
His one hope was that things would change for the better in a money way.
He had Carrie.
His furniture was being paid for.
He was maintaining his position.
As for Carrie, the amusements he could give her would have to do for the present.
He could probably keep up his pretensions sufficiently long without exposure to make good, and then all would be well.
He failed therein to take account of the frailties of human nature — the difficulties of matrimonial life. Carrie was young.
With him and with her varying mental states were common.
At any moment the extremes of feeling might be anti-polarised at the dinner table. This often happens in the best regulated families.
Little things brought out on such occasions need great love to obliterate them afterward.
Where that is not, both parties count two and two and make a problem after a while.
Chapter XXXI
A Pet of Good Fortune — Broadway Flaunts its Joys
The effect of the city and his own situation on Hurstwood was paralleled in the case of Carrie, who accepted the things which fortune provided with the most genial good-nature.
New York, despite her first expression of disapproval, soon interested her exceedingly.
Its clear atmosphere, more populous thoroughfares, and peculiar indifference struck her forcibly.
She had never seen such a little flat as hers, and yet it soon enlisted her affection.
The new furniture made an excellent showing, the sideboard which Hurstwood himself arranged gleamed brightly.
The furniture for each room was appropriate, and in the so-called parlour, or front room, was installed a piano, because Carrie said she would like to learn to play. She kept a servant and developed rapidly in household tactics and information.
For the first time in her life she felt settled, and somewhat justified in the eyes of society as she conceived of it.
Her thoughts were merry and innocent enough.
For a long while she concerned herself over the arrangement of New York flats, and wondered at ten families living in one building and all remaining strange and indifferent to each other.
She also marvelled at the whistles of the hundreds of vessels in the harbour — the long, low cries of the Sound steamers and ferry-boats when fog was on.
The mere fact that these things spoke from the sea made them wonderful.
She looked much at what she could see of the Hudson from her west windows and of the great city building up rapidly on either hand.
It was much to ponder over, and sufficed to entertain her for more than a year without becoming stale.
For another thing, Hurstwood was exceedingly interesting in his affection for her.
Troubled as he was, he never exposed his difficulties to her.
He carried himself with the same self-important air, took his new state with easy familiarity, and rejoiced in Carrie’s proclivities and successes.
Each evening he arrived promptly to dinner, and found the little dining-room a most inviting spectacle.
In a way, the smallness of the room added to its luxury. It looked full and replete.
The white — covered table was arrayed with pretty dishes and lighted with a four-armed candelabra, each light of which was topped with a red shade.
Between Carrie and the girl the steaks and chops came out all right, and canned goods did the rest for a while.
Carrie studied the art of making biscuit, and soon reached the stage where she could show a plate of light, palatable morsels for her labour.
In this manner the second, third, and fourth months passed.
Winter came, and with it a feeling that indoors was best, so that the attending of theatres was not much talked of.
Hurstwood made great efforts to meet all expenditures without a show of feeling one way or the other.
He pretended that he was reinvesting his money in strengthening the business for greater ends in the future.
He contented himself with a very moderate allowance of personal apparel, and rarely suggested anything for Carrie.
Thus the first winter passed.
In the second year, the business which Hurstwood managed did increase somewhat. He got out of it regularly the $150 per month which he had anticipated.
Unfortunately, by this time Carrie had reached certain conclusions, and he had scraped up a few acquaintances.
Being of a passive and receptive rather than an active and aggressive nature, Carrie accepted the situation. Her state seemed satisfactory enough.
Once in a while they would go to a theatre together, occasionally in season to the beaches and different points about the city, but they picked up no acquaintances.
Hurstwood naturally abandoned his show of fine manners with her and modified his attitude to one of easy familiarity.