Chapter 36
AGRIMRETROGRESSION—THEPHANTOMOFCHANCE
TheVances,whohadbeenbackinthecityeversinceChristmas,hadnotforgottenCarrie;butthey,orratherMrs.Vance,hadnevercalledonher,fortheverysimplereasonthatCarriehadneversentheraddress.Truetohernature,shecorrespondedwithMrs.VanceaslongasshestilllivedinSeventy-eighthStreet,butwhenshewascompelledtomoveintoThirteenth,herfearthatthelatterwouldtakeitasanindicationofreducedcircumstancescausedhertostudysomewayofavoidingthenecessityofgivingheraddress.Notfindinganyconvenientmethod,shesorrowfullyresignedtheprivilegeofwritingtoherfriendentirely.Thelatterwonderedatthisstrangesilence,thoughtCarriemusthaveleftthecity,andintheendgaveherupaslost.SoshewasthoroughlysurprisedtoencounterherinFourteenthStreet,whereshehadgoneshopping.Carriewasthereforthesamepurpose.
「Why,Mrs.Wheeler,」saidMrs.Vance,lookingCarrieoverinaglance,「wherehaveyoubeen.Whyhaven』tyoubeentoseeme.I』vebeenwonderingallthistimewhathadbecomeofyou.Really,I—」
「I』msogladtoseeyou,」saidCarrie,pleasedandyetnonplussed.Ofalltimes,thiswastheworsttoencounterMrs.Vance.「Why,I』mlivingdowntownhere.I』vebeenintendingtocomeandseeyou.Whereareyoulivingnow.」
「InFifty-eighthStreet,」saidMrs.Vance,「justoffSeventhAvenue—218.Whydon』tyoucomeandseeme.」
「Iwill,」saidCarrie.「Really,I』vebeenwantingtocome.IknowIoughtto.It』sashame.Butyouknow—」
「What』syournumber.」saidMrs.Vance.
「ThirteenthStreet,」saidCarrie,reluctantly.「112West.」
「Oh,」saidMrs.Vance,「that』srightnearhere,isn』tit.」
「Yes,」saidCarrie.「Youmustcomedownandseemesometime.」
「Well,you』reafineone,」saidMrs.Vance,laughing,thewhilenotingthatCarrie』sappearancehadmodifiedsomewhat.「Theaddress,too,」sheaddedtoherself.「Theymustbehardup.」
StillshelikedCarriewellenoughtotakeherintow.
「Comewithmeinhereaminute,」sheexclaimed,turningintoastore.
WhenCarriereturnedhome,therewasHurstwood,readingasusual.Heseemedtotakehisconditionwiththeutmostnonchalance.Hisbeardwasatleastfourdaysold.
「Oh,」thoughtCarrie,「ifsheweretocomehereandseehim.」
Sheshookherheadinabsolutemisery.Itlookedasifhersituationwasbecomingunbearable.
Driventodesperation,sheaskedatdinner:
「Didyoueverhearanymorefromthatwholesalehouse.」
「No,」hesaid.「Theydon』twantaninexperiencedman.」
Carriedroppedthesubject,feelingunabletosaymore.
「ImetMrs.Vancethisafternoon,」shesaid,afteratime.
「Did,eh.」heanswered.
「They』rebackinNewYorknow,」Carriewenton.「Shedidlooksonice.」
「Well,shecanafforditaslongasheputsupforit,」returnedHurstwood.「He』sgotasoftjob.」
Hurstwoodwaslookingintothepaper.HecouldnotseethelookofinfinitewearinessanddiscontentCarriegavehim.
「Shesaidshethoughtshe』dcallheresomeday.」
「She』sbeenlonggettingroundtoit,hasn』tshe.」saidHurstwood,withakindofsarcasm.
Thewomandidn』tappealtohimfromherspendingside.
「Oh,Idon』tknow,」saidCarrie,angeredbytheman』sattitude.「PerhapsIdidn』twanthertocome.」
「She』stoogay,」saidHurstwood,significantly.「Noonecankeepupwithherpaceunlessthey』vegotalotofmoney.」
「Mr.Vancedoesn』tseemtofinditveryhard.」
「Hemaynotnow,」answeredHurstwood,doggedly,wellunderstandingtheinference;「buthislifeisn』tdoneyet.Youcan』ttellwhat』llhappen.Hemaygetdownlikeanybodyelse.」
Therewassomethingquiteknavishintheman』sattitude.Hiseyeseemedtobecockedwithatwinkleuponthefortunate,expectingtheirdefeat.Hisownstateseemedathingapart—notconsidered.
Thisthingwastheremainsofhisold-timecocksurenessandindependence.Sittinginhisflat,andreadingofthedoingsofotherpeople,sometimesthisindependent,undefeatedmoodcameuponhim.Forgettingthewearinessofthestreetsandthedegradationofsearch,hewouldsometimesprickuphisears.Itwasasifhesaid:
「Icandosomething.I』mnotdownyet.There』salotofthingscomingtomeifIwanttogoafterthem.」
Itwasinthismoodthathewouldoccasionallydressup,goforashave,and,puttingonhisgloves,sallyforthquiteactively.Notwithanydefiniteaim.Itwas
moreabarometriccondition.Hefeltjustrightforbeingoutsideanddoingsomething.
Onsuchoccasions,hismoneywentalso.Heknewofseveralpokerroomsdowntown.AfewacquaintanceshehadindowntownresortsandabouttheCityHall.Itwasachangetoseethemandexchangeafewfriendlycommonplaces.
Hehadoncebeenaccustomedtoholdaprettyfairhandatpoker.Manyafriendlygamehadnettedhimahundreddollarsormoreatthetimewhenthatsumwasmerelysaucetothedishofthegame-nottheallinall.Now,hethoughtofplaying.
「Imightwinacoupleofhundred.I』mnotoutofpractice.」
Itisbutfairtosaythatthisthoughthadoccurredtohimseveraltimesbeforeheacteduponit.ThepokerroomwhichhefirstinvadedwasoverasalooninWestStreet,nearoneoftheferries.Hehadbeentherebefore.Severalgamesweregoing.Thesehewatchedforatimeandnoticedthatthepotswerequitelargefortheanteinvolved.
「Dealmeahand,」hesaidatthebeginningofanewshuffle.Hepulledupachairandstudiedhiscards.Thoseplayingmadethatquietstudyofhimwhichissounapparent,andyetinvariablysosearching.
Poorfortunewaswithhimatfirst.Hereceivedamixedcollectionwithoutprogressionorpairs.Thepotwasopened.
「Ipass,」hesaid.
Onthestrengthofthis,hewascontenttolosehisante.Thedealsdidfairlybyhiminthelongrun,causinghimtocomeawaywithafewdollarstothegood.
Thenextafternoonhewasbackagain,seekingamusementandprofit.Thistimehefollowedupthreeofakindtohisdoom.Therewasabetterhandacrossthetable,heldbyapugnaciousIrishyouth,whowasapoliticalhanger-onoftheTammanydistrictin
whichtheywerelocated.Hurstwoodwassurprisedatthepersistenceofthisindividual,whosebetscamewithasangfroidwhich,ifabluff,wasexcellentart.Hurstwoodbegantodoubt,butkept,orthoughttokeep,atleast,thecooldemeanorwithwhich,inoldentimes,hedeceivedthosepsychicstudentsofthegamingtable,whoseemtoreadthoughtsandmoods,ratherthanexteriorevidences,howeversubtle.Hecouldnotdownthecowardlythoughtthatthismanhadsomethingbetterandwouldstaytotheend,drawinghislastdollarintothepot,shouldhechoosetogosofar.Still,hehopedtowinmuch—hishandwasexcellent.Whynotraiseitfivemore.
「Iraiseyouthree,」saidtheyouth.
「Makeitfive,」saidHurstwood,pushingouthischips.
「Comeagain,」saidtheyouth,pushingoutasmallpileofreds.
「Letmehavesomemorechips,」saidHurstwoodtothekeeperincharge,takingoutabill.
Acynicalgrinlitupthefaceofhisyouthfulopponent.Whenthechipswerelaidout,Hurstwoodmettheraise.
「Fiveagain,」saidtheyouth.
Hurstwood』sbrowwaswet.Hewasdeepinnow—verydeepforhim.Sixtydollarsofhisgoodmoneywasup.Hewasordinarilynocoward,butthethoughtoflosingsomuchweakenedhim.Finallyhegaveway.Hewouldnottrusttothisfinehandanylonger.
「Icall,」hesaid.
「Afullhouse!」saidtheyouth,spreadingouthiscards.
Hurstwood』shanddropped.
「IthoughtIhadyou,」hesaid,weakly.
Theyouthrakedinhischips,andHurstwoodcameaway,notwithoutfirststoppingtocounthisremainingcashonthestair.
「Threehundredandfortydollars,」hesaid.
Withthislossandordinaryexpenses,somuchhadalreadygone.
Backintheflat,hedecidedhewouldplaynomore.
RememberingMrs.Vance』spromisetocall,Carriemadeoneothermildprotest.ItwasconcerningHurstwood』sappearance.Thisveryday,cominghome,hechangedhisclothestotheoldtogshesataroundin.
「Whatmakesyoualwaysputonthoseoldclothes.」askedCarrie.
「What』stheusewearingmygoodonesaroundhere.」heasked.
「Well,Ishouldthinkyou』dfeelbetter.」Thensheadded:「Someonemightcall.」
「Who.」hesaid.
「Well,Mrs.Vance,」saidCarrie.
「Sheneedn』tseeme,」heanswered,sullenly.
ThislackofprideandinterestmadeCarriealmosthatehim.
「Oh,」shethought,「therehesits.『Sheneedn』tseeme.』Ishouldthinkhewouldbeashamedofhimself.」
TherealbitternessofthisthingwasaddedwhenMrs.Vancedidcall.Itwasononeofhershoppingrounds.Makingherwayupthecommonplacehall,sheknockedatCarrie』sdoor.Tohersubsequentandagonizingdistress,Carriewasout.Hurstwoodopenedthedoor,half-thinkingthattheknockwasCarrie』s.Foronce,hewastakenhonestlyaback.Thelostvoiceofyouthandpridespokeinhim.
「Why,」hesaid,actuallystammering,「howdoyoudo.」
「Howdoyoudo.」saidMrs.Vance,whocouldscarcelybelievehereyes.Hisgreatconfusionsheinstantlyperceived.Hedidnotknowwhethertoinviteherinornot.
「Isyourwifeathome.」sheinquired.
「No,」hesaid,「Carrie』sout;butwon』tyoustepin.She』llbebackshortly.」
「No-o,」saidMrs.Vance,realizingthechangeofit
all.「I』mreallyverymuchinahurry.IthoughtI』djustrunupandlookin,butIcouldn』tstay.Justtellyourwifeshemustcomeandseeme.」
「Iwill,」saidHurstwood,standingback,andfeelingintensereliefathergoing.Hewassoashamedthathefoldedhishandsweakly,ashesatinthechairafterwards,andthought.
Carrie,cominginfromanotherdirection,thoughtshesawMrs.Vancegoingaway.Shestrainedhereyes,butcouldnotmakesure.
「Wasanybodyherejustnow.」sheaskedofHurstwood.
「Yes,」hesaidguiltily;「Mrs.Vance.」
「Didsheseeyou.」sheasked,expressingherfulldespair.ThiscutHurstwoodlikeawhip,andmadehimsullen.
「Ifshehadeyes,shedid.Iopenedthedoor.」
「Oh,」saidCarrie,closingonehandtightlyoutofsheernervousness.「Whatdidshehavetosay.」
「Nothing,」heanswered.「Shecouldn』tstay.」
「Andyoulookinglikethat!」saidCarrie,throwingasidealongreserve.
「Whatofit.」hesaid,angering.「Ididn』tknowshewascoming,didI.」
「Youknewshemight,」saidCarrie.「Itoldyoushesaidshewascoming.I』veaskedyouadozentimestowearyourotherclothes.Oh,Ithinkthisisjustterrible.」
「Oh,letup,」heanswered.「Whatdifferencedoesitmake.Youcouldn』tassociatewithher,anyway.They』vegottoomuchmoney.
「WhosaidIwantedto.」saidCarrie,fiercely.
「Well,youactlikeit,rowingaroundovermylooks.You』dthinkI』dcommitted—」
Carrieinterrupted:
「It』strue,」shesaid.「Icouldn』tifIwantedto,butwhosefaultisit.You』reveryfreetositandtalkaboutwhoIcouldassociatewith.Whydon』tyougetoutand
lookforwork.」
Thiswasathunderboltincamp.
「What』sittoyou.」hesaid,rising,almostfiercely.「Ipaytherent,don』tI.Ifurnishthe—」
「Yes,youpaytherent,」saidCarrie.「Youtalkasiftherewasnothingelseintheworldbutaflattositaroundin.Youhaven』tdoneathingforthreemonthsexceptsitaroundandinterferehere.I』dliketoknowwhatyoumarriedmefor.」
「Ididn』tmarryyou,」hesaid,inasnarlingtone.
「I』dliketoknowwhatyoudid,then,inMontreal.」sheanswered.
「Well,Ididn』tmarryyou,」heanswered.「Youcangetthatoutofyourhead.Youtalkasthoughyoudidn』tknow.」
Carrielookedathimamoment,hereyesdistending.Shehadbelieveditwasalllegalandbindingenough.
「Whatdidyoulietomefor,then.」sheasked,fiercely.「Whatdidyouforcemetorunawaywithyoufor.」
Hervoicebecamealmostasob.
「Force!」hesaid,withcurledlip.「AlotofforcingIdid.」
「Oh!」saidCarrie,breakingunderthestrain,andturning.「Oh,oh!」andshehurriedintothefrontroom.
Hurstwoodwasnowhotandwakedup.Itwasagreatshakingupforhim,bothmentalandmoral.Hewipedhisbrowashelookedaround,andthenwentforhisclothesanddressed.NotasoundcamefromCarrie;sheceasedsobbingwhensheheardhimdressing.Shethought,atfirst,withthefaintestalarm,ofbeingleftwithoutmoney—notoflosinghim,thoughhemightbegoingawaypermanently.Sheheardhimopenthetopofthewardrobeandtakeouthishat.Thenthedining-roomdoorclosed,andsheknewhehadgone.
Afterafewmomentsofsilence,shestoodup,dry-eyed,andlookedoutthewindow.Hurstwoodwasjuststrollingupthestreet,fromtheflat,towardSixthAvenue.
ThelattermadeprogressalongThirteenthandacrossFourteenthStreettoUnionSquare.
「Lookforwork!」hesaidtohimself.「Lookforwork!Shetellsmetogetoutandlookforwork.」
Hetriedtoshieldhimselffromhisownmentalaccusation,whichtoldhimthatshewasright.
「WhatacursedthingthatMrs.Vance』scallwas,anyhow,」hethought.「Stoodrightthere,andlookedmeover.Iknowwhatshewasthinking.」
HerememberedthefewtimeshehadseenherinSeventy-eightStreet.Shewasalwaysaswell-looker,andhehadtriedtoputontheairofbeingworthyofsuchasshe,infrontofher.Now,tothinkshehadcaughthimlookingthisway.Hewrinkledhisforeheadinhisdistress.
「Thedevil!」hesaidadozentimesinanhour.
Itwasaquarterafterfourwhenheleftthehouse.Carriewasintears.Therewouldbenodinnerthatnight.
「Whatthedeuce,」hesaid,swaggeringmentallytohidehisownshamefromhimself.「I』mnotsobad.I』mnotdownyet.」
Helookedaroundthesquare,andseeingtheseverallargehotels,decidedtogotoonefordinner.Hewouldgethispapersandmakehimselfcomfortablethere.
HeascendedintothefineparloroftheMortonHouse,thenoneofthebestNewYorkhotels,and,findingacushionedseat,read.Itdidnottroublehimmuchthathisdecreasingsumofmoneydidnotallowofsuchextravagance.Likethemorphinefiend,hewasbecomingaddictedtohisease.Anythingtorelievehismentaldistress,tosatisfyhiscravingforcomfort.Hemustdoit.Nothoughtsforthemorrow—hecouldnotstandtothinkofitanymorethanhecouldofanyothercalamity.Likethecertaintyofdeath,hetriedtoshutthecertaintyofsoonbeingwithoutadollarcompletelyoutofhismind,andhecameveryneardoingit.
Well-dressedguestsmovingtoandfrooverthethickcarpetscarriedhimbacktotheolddays.Ayounglady,aguestofthehouse,playingapianoinanalcovepleasedhim.Hesattherereading.
Hisdinnercosthim$1.50.Byeighto』clockhewasthrough,andthen,seeingguestsleavingandthecrowdofpleasure-seekersthickeningoutsidewonderedwhereheshouldgo.Nothome.Carriewouldbeup.No,hewouldnotgobacktherethisevening.Hewouldstayoutandknockaroundasamanwhowasindependent-notbroke—wellmight.Heboughtacigar,andwentoutsideonthecornerwhereotherindividualswerelounging—brokers,racingpeople,thespians—hisownfleshandblood.Ashestoodthere,hethoughtoftheoldeveningsinChicago,andhowheusedtodisposeofthem.Many』sthegamehehadhad.Thistookhimtopoker.
「Ididn』tdothatthingrighttheotherday,」hethought,referringtohislossofsixtydollars.「Ishouldn』thaveweakened.Icouldhavebluffedthatfellowdown.Iwasn』tinform,that』swhatailedme.」
Thenhestudiedthepossibilitiesofthegameasithadbeenplayed,andbegantofigurehowhemighthavewon,inseveralinstances,bybluffingalittleharder.
「I』moldenoughtoplaypokeranddosomethingwithit.I』lltrymyhandto-night.」
Visionsofabigstakefloatedbeforehim.Supposinghedidwinacoupleofhundred,wouldn』thebeinit.Lotsofsportsheknewmadetheirlivingatthisgame,andagoodliving,too.
「TheyalwayshadasmuchasIhad,」hethought.
Sooffhewenttoapokerroomintheneighborhood,feelingmuchashehadintheolddays.Inthisperiodofself-forgetfulness,arousedfirstbytheshockofargumentandperfectedbyadinnerinthehotel,withcocktailsandcigars,hewasasnearlyliketheoldHurstwoodashewouldeverbeagain.ItwasnottheoldHurstwood—onlyamanarguingwithadividedconscienceandluredbyaphantom.
Thispokerroomwasmuchliketheotherone,onlyitwasabackroominabetterdrinkingresort.Hurstwoodwatchedawhile,andthen,seeinganinterestinggame,joinedin.Asbefore,itwenteasyforawhile,hewinningafewtimesandcheeringup,losingafewpotsandgrowingmoreinterestedanddeterminedonthataccount.Atlastthefascinatinggametookastrongholdonhim.Heenjoyeditsrisksandventured,onatriflinghand,tobluffthecompanyandsecureafairstake.Tohisself-satisfactionintenseandstrong,hedidit.
Intheheightofthisfeelinghebegantothinkhisluckwaswithhim.Nooneelsehaddonesowell.Nowcameanothermoderatehand,andagainhetriedtoopenthejack-potonit.Therewereotherstherewhowerealmostreadinghisheart,soclosewastheirobservation.
「Ihavethreeofakind,」saidoneoftheplayerstohimself.「I』lljuststaywiththatfellowtothefinish.」
Theresultwasthatbiddingbegan.
「Iraiseyouten.」
「Good.」
「Tenmore.」
「Good.」
「Tenagain.」
「Rightyouare.」
ItgottowhereHurstwoodhadseventy-fivedollarsup.Theothermanreallybecameserious.Perhapsthisindividual(Hurstwood)reallydidhaveastiffhand.
「Icall,」hesaid.
Hurstwoodshowedhishand.Hewasdone.Thebitterfactthathehadlostseventy-fivedollarsmadehimdesperate.
「Let』shaveanotherpot,」hesaid,grimly.
「Allright,」saidtheman.
Someoftheotherplayersquit,butobservantloungerstooktheirplaces.Timepassed,anditcametotwelveo』clock.Hurstwoodheldon,neitherwinningnorlosingmuch.Thenhegrewweary,andonalasthandlosttwentymore.Hewassickatheart.
Ataquarterafteroneinthemorninghecameoutoftheplace.Thechill,barestreetsseemedamockeryofhisstate.Hewalkedslowlywest,littlethinkingofhisrowwithCarrie.Heascendedthestairsandwentintohisroomasiftherehadbeennotrouble.Itwashislossthatoccupiedhismind.Sittingdownonthebedsidehecountedhismoney.Therewasnowbutahundredandninetydollarsandsomechange.Heputitupandbegantoundress.
「Iwonderwhat』sgettingintome,anyhow.」hesaid.
InthemorningCarriescarcelyspokeandhefeltasifhemustgooutagain.Hehadtreatedherbadly,buthecouldnotaffordtomakeup.Nowdesperationseizedhim,andforadayortwo,goingoutthus,helivedlikeagentleman—orwhatheconceivedtobeagentleman—whichtookmoney.Forhisescapadeshewassoonpoorerinmindandbody,tosaynothingofhispurse,whichhadlostthirtybytheprocess.Thenhecamedowntocold,bittersenseagain.
「Therentmancomesto-day,」saidCarrie,greetinghimthusindifferentlythreemorningslater.
「Hedoes.」
「Yes;thisisthesecond,」answeredCarrie.
Hurstwoodfrowned.Thenindespairhegotouthispurse.
「Itseemsanawfullottopayforrent,」hesaid.
Hewasnearinghislasthundreddollars.