Chapter XXI

by Theodore Dreiser

　　THE LURE OF THE SPIRIT--THE FLESH IN PURSUITWhen Carrie came Hurstwood had been waiting many minutes. Hisblood was warm; his nerves wrought up. He was anxious to see thewoman who had stirred him so profoundly the night before."Here you are," he said, repressedly, feeling a spring in hislimbs and an elation which was tragic in itself."Yes," said Carrie.They walked on as if bound for some objective point, whileHurstwood drank in the radiance of her presence. The rustle ofher pretty skirt was like music to him."Are you satisfied?" he asked, thinking of how well she did thenight before."Are you?"He tightened his fingers as he saw the smile she gave him."It was wonderful."Carrie laughed ecstatically."That was one of the best things I've seen in a long time," headded.He was dwelling on her attractiveness as he had felt it theevening before, and mingling it with the feeling her presenceinspired now.Carrie was dwelling in the atmosphere which this man created forher. Already she was enlivened and suffused with a glow. Shefelt his drawing toward her in every sound of his voice."Those were such nice flowers you sent me," she said, after amoment or two. "They were beautiful.""Glad you liked them," he answered, simply.He was thinking all the time that the subject of his desire wasbeing delayed. He was anxious to turn the talk to his ownfeelings. All was ripe for it. His Carrie was beside him. Hewanted to plunge in and expostulate with her, and yet he foundhimself fishing for words and feeling for a way."You got home all right," he said, gloomily, of a sudden, histune modifying itself to one of self-commiseration."Yes," said Carrie, easily.He looked at her steadily for a moment, slowing his pace andfixing her with his eye.She felt the flood of feeling."How about me?" he asked.This confused Carrie considerably, for she realised the flood-gates were open. She didn't know exactly what to answer."I don't know," she answered.He took his lower lip between his teeth for a moment, and thenlet it go. He stopped by the walk side and kicked the grass withhis toe. He searched her face with a tender, appealing glance."Won't you come away from him?" he asked, intensely."I don't know," returned Carrie, still illogically drifting andfinding nothing at which to catch.As a matter of fact, she was in a most hopeless quandary. Herewas a man whom she thoroughly liked, who exercised an influenceover her, sufficient almost to delude her into the belief thatshe was possessed of a lively passion for him. She was still thevictim of his keen eyes, his suave manners, his fine clothes.She looked and saw before her a man who was most gracious andsympathetic, who leaned toward her with a feeling that was adelight to observe. She could not resist the glow of histemperament, the light of his eye. She could hardly keep fromfeeling what he felt.And yet she was not without thoughts which were disturbing. Whatdid he know? What had Drouet told him? Was she a wife in hiseyes, or what? Would he marry her? Even while he talked, and shesoftened, and her eyes were lighted with a tender glow, she wasasking herself if Drouet had told him they were not married.There was never anything at all convincing about what Drouetsaid.And yet she was not grieved at Hurstwood's love. No strain ofbitterness was in it for her, whatever he knew. He was evidentlysincere. His passion was real and warm. There was power in whathe said. What should she do? She went on thinking this,answering vaguely, languishing affectionately, and altogetherdrifting, until she was on a borderless sea of speculation."Why don't you come away?" he said, tenderly. "I will arrangefor you whatever--""Oh, don't," said Carrie."Don't what?" he asked. "What do you mean?"There was a look of confusion and pain in her face. She waswondering why that miserable thought must be brought in. She wasstruck as by a blade with the miserable provision which wasoutside the pale of marriage.He himself realized that it was a wretched thing to have draggedin. He wanted to weigh the effects of it, and yet he could notsee. He went beating on, flushed by her presence, clearlyawakened, intensely enlisted in his plan."Won't you come?" he said, beginning over and with a morereverent feeling. "You know I can't do without you--you know it--it can't go on this way--can it?""I know," said Carrie."I wouldn't ask if I--I wouldn't argue with you if I could helpit. Look at me, Carrie. Put yourself in my place. You don'twant to stay away from me, do you?"She shook her head as if in deep thought."Then why not settle the whole thing, once and for all?""I don't know," said Carrie."Don't know! Ah, Carrie, what makes you say that? Don't tormentme. Be serious.""I am," said Carrie, softly."You can't be, dearest, and say that. Not when you know how Ilove you. Look at last night."His manner as he said this was the most quiet imaginable. Hisface and body retained utter composure. Only his eyes moved, andthey flashed a subtle, dissolving fire. In them the wholeintensity of the man's nature was distilling itself.Carrie made no answer."How can you act this way, dearest?" he inquired, after a time."You love me, don't you?"He turned on her such a storm of feeling that she wasoverwhelmed. For the moment all doubts were cleared away."Yes," she answered, frankly and tenderly."Well, then you'll come, won't you--come to-night?"Carrie shook her head in spite of her distress."I can't wait any longer," urged Hurstwood. "If that is toosoon, come Saturday.""When will we be married?" she asked, diffidently, forgetting inher difficult situation that she had hoped he took her to beDrouet's wife.The manager started, hit as he was by a problem which was moredifficult than hers. He gave no sign of the thoughts thatflashed like messages to his mind."Any time you say," he said, with ease, refusing to discolour hispresent delight with this miserable problem."Saturday?" asked Carrie.He nodded his head."Well, if you will marry me then," she said, "I'll go."The manager looked at his lovely prize, so beautiful, so winsome,so difficult to be won, and made strange resolutions. Hispassion had gotten to that stage now where it was no longercoloured with reason. He did not trouble over little barriers ofthis sort in the face of so much loveliness. He would accept thesituation with all its difficulties; he would not try to answerthe objections which cold truth thrust upon him. He wouldpromise anything, everything, and trust to fortune to disentanglehim. He would make a try for Paradise, whatever might be theresult. He would be happy, by the Lord, if it cost all honestyof statement, all abandonment of truth.Carrie looked at him tenderly. She could have laid her head uponhis shoulder, so delightful did it all seem."Well," she said, "I'll try and get ready then."Hurstwood looked into her pretty face, crossed with littleshadows of wonder and misgiving, and thought he had never seenanything more lovely."I'll see you again to-morrow," he said, joyously, "and we'lltalk over the plans."He walked on with her, elated beyond words, so delightful hadbeen the result. He impressed a long story of joy and affectionupon her, though there was but here and there a word. After ahalf-hour he began to realise that the meeting must come to anend, so exacting is the world."To-morrow," he said at parting, a gayety of manner addingwonderfully to his brave demeanour."Yes," said Carrie, tripping elatedly away.There had been so much enthusiasm engendered that she wasbelieving herself deeply in love. She sighed as she thought ofher handsome adorer. Yes, she would get ready by Saturday. Shewould go, and they would be happy.