正文预览

第4章 震怒的北璃陌

　　"What is it they're going to play?"

　　"What's your number?" said Mrs. Vance.

　　"Well, we'll have a game of cards. If your husband comes homebring him over."

　　Hurstwood turned away and set his lips so as best to express andconceal his feelings.

　　"Of course," said the girl, as if, after all, it were nothing inparticular.

　　"I don't want you to do it all," he said. "I only want a littlehelp until I can get something to do."

　　"I know," said Carrie, "but maybe I can't get anything else."

　　Now, when Carrie heard Drouet's laudatory opinion of her dramaticability, her body tingled with satisfaction. Like the flamewhich welds the loosened particles into a solid mass, his wordsunited those floating wisps of feeling which she had felt, butnever believed, concerning her possible ability, and made theminto a gaudy shred of hope. Like all human beings, she had atouch of vanity. She felt that she could do things if she onlyhad a chance. How often had she looked at the well-dressedactresses on the stage and wondered how she would look, howdelightful she would feel if only she were in their place. Theglamour, the tense situation, the fine clothes, the applause,these had lured her until she felt that she, too, could act--thatshe, too, could compel acknowledgment of power. Now she was toldthat she really could--that little things she had done about thehouse had made even him feel her power. It was a delightfulsensation while it lasted.

　　"Gee, but it's cold!"