Chapter XXVIII

by Theodore Dreiser

　　A PILGRIM, AN OUTLAW--THE SPIRIT DETAINEDThe cab had not travelled a short block before Carrie, settlingherself and thoroughly waking in the night atmosphere, asked:"What's the matter with him? Is he hurt badly?""It isn't anything very serious," Hurstwood said solemnly. Hewas very much disturbed over his own situation, and now that hehad Carrie with him, he only wanted to get safely out of reach ofthe law. Therefore he was in no mood for anything save suchwords as would further his plans distinctly.Carrie did not forget that there was something to be settledbetween her and Hurstwood, but the thought was ignored in heragitation. The one thing was to finish this strange pilgrimage."Where is he?""Way out on the South Side," said Hurstwood. "We'll have to takethe train. It's the quickest way."Carrie said nothing, and the horse gambolled on. The weirdnessof the city by night held her attention. She looked at the longreceding rows of lamps and studied the dark, silent houses."How did he hurt himself?" she asked--meaning what was the natureof his injuries. Hurstwood understood. He hated to lie any morethan necessary, and yet he wanted no protests until he was out ofdanger."I don't know exactly," he said. "They just called me up to goand get you and bring you out. They said there wasn't any needfor alarm, but that I shouldn't fail to bring you."The man's serious manner convinced Carrie, and she became silent,wondering.Hurstwood examined his watch and urged the man to hurry. For onein so delicate a position he was exceedingly cool. He could onlythink of how needful it was to make the train and get quietlyaway. Carrie seemed quite tractable, and he congratulatedhimself.In due time they reached the depot, and after helping her out hehanded the man a five-dollar bill and hurried on."You wait here," he said to Carrie, when they reached thewaiting-room, "while I get the tickets.""Have I much time to catch that train for Detroit?" he asked ofthe agent."Four minutes," said the latter.He paid for two tickets as circumspectly as possible."Is it far?" said Carrie, as he hurried back."Not very," he said. "We must get right in."He pushed her before him at the gate, stood between her and theticket man while the latter punched their tickets, so that shecould not see, and then hurried after.There was a long line of express and passenger cars and one ortwo common day coaches. As the train had only recently been madeup and few passengers were expected, there were only one or twobrakemen waiting. They entered the rear day coach and sat down.Almost immediately, "All aboard," resounded faintly from theoutside, and the train started.Carrie began to think it was a little bit curious--this going toa depot--but said nothing. The whole incident was so out of thenatural that she did not attach too much weight to anything sheimagined."How have you been?" asked Hurstwood gently, for he now breathedeasier."Very well," said Carrie, who was so disturbed that she could notbring a proper attitude to bear in the matter. She was stillnervous to reach Drouet and see what could be the matter.Hurstwood contemplated her and felt this. He was not disturbedthat it should be so. He did not trouble because she was movedsympathetically in the matter. It was one of the qualities inher which pleased him exceedingly. He was only thinking how heshould explain. Even this was not the most serious thing in hismind, however. His own deed and present flight were the greatshadows which weighed upon him."What a fool I was to do that," he said over and over. "What amistake!"In his sober senses, he could scarcely realise that the thing hadbeen done. He could not begin to feel that he was a fugitivefrom justice. He had often read of such things, and had thoughtthey must be terrible, but now that the thing was upon him, heonly sat and looked into the past. The future was a thing whichconcerned the Canadian line. He wanted to reach that. As forthe rest he surveyed his actions for the evening, and countedthem parts of a great mistake."Still," he said, "what could I have done?"Then he would decide to make the best of it, and would begin todo so by starting the whole inquiry over again. It was afruitless, harassing round, and left him in a queer mood to dealwith the proposition he had in the presence of Carrie.The train clacked through the yards along the lake front, and ranrather slowly to Twenty-fourth Street. Brakes and signals werevisible without. The engine gave short calls with its whistle,and frequently the bell rang. Several brakemen came through,bearing lanterns. They were locking the vestibules and puttingthe cars in order for a long run.Presently it began to gain speed, and Carrie saw the silentstreets flashing by in rapid succession. The engine also beganits whistle-calls of four parts, with which it signalled dangerto important crossings."Is it very far?" asked Carrie."Not so very," said Hurstwood. He could hardly repress a smileat her simplicity. He wanted to explain and conciliate her, buthe also wanted to be well out of Chicago.In the lapse of another half-hour it became apparent to Carriethat it was quite a run to wherever he was taking her, anyhow."Is it in Chicago?" she asked nervously. They were now farbeyond the city limits, and the train was scudding across theIndiana line at a great rate."No," he said, "not where we are going."There was something in the way he said this which aroused her inan instant.Her pretty brow began to contract."We are going to see Charlie, aren't we?" she asked.He felt that the time was up. An explanation might as well comenow as later. Therefore, he shook his head in the most gentlenegative."What?" said Carrie. She was nonplussed at the possibility ofthe errand being different from what she had thought.He only looked at her in the most kindly and mollifying way."Well, where are you taking me, then?" she asked, her voiceshowing the quality of fright."I'll tell you, Carrie, if you'll be quiet. I want you to comealong with me to another city,""Oh," said Carrie, her voice rising into a weak cry. "Let meoff. I don't want to go with you."She was quite appalled at the man's audacity. This was somethingwhich had never for a moment entered her head. Her one thoughtnow was to get off and away. If only the flying train could bestopped, the terrible trick would be amended.She arose and tried to push out into the aisle--anywhere. Sheknew she had to do something. Hurstwood laid a gentle hand onher."Sit still, Carrie," he said. "Sit still. It won't do you anygood to get up here. Listen to me and I'll tell you what I'lldo. Wait a moment."She was pushing at his knees, but he only pulled her back. Noone saw this little altercation, for very few persons were in thecar, and they were attempting to doze."I won't," said Carrie, who was, nevertheless, complying againsther will. "Let me go," she said. "How dare you?" and largetears began to gather in her eyes.Hurstwood was now fully aroused to the immediate difficulty, andceased to think of his own situation. He must do something withthis girl, or she would cause him trouble. He tried the art ofpersuasion with all his powers aroused."Look here now, Carrie," he said, "you mustn't act this way. Ididn't mean to hurt your feelings. I don't want to do anythingto make you feel bad.""Oh," sobbed Carrie, "oh, oh--oo--o!""There, there," he said, "you mustn't cry. Won't you listen tome? Listen to me a minute, and I'll tell you why I came to dothis thing. I couldn't help it. I assure you I couldn't. Won'tyou listen?"Her sobs disturbed him so that he was quite sure she did not heara word he said."Won't you listen?" he asked."No, I won't," said Carrie, flashing up. "I want you to take meout of this, or I'll tell the conductor. I won't go with you.It's a shame," and again sobs of fright cut off her desire forexpression.Hurstwood listened with some astonishment. He felt that she hadjust cause for feeling as she did, and yet he wished that hecould straighten this thing out quickly. Shortly the conductorwould come through for the tickets. He wanted no noise, notrouble of any kind. Before everything he must make her quiet."You couldn't get out until the train stops again," saidHurstwood. "It won't be very long until we reach anotherstation. You can get out then if you want to. I won't stop you.All I want you to do is to listen a moment. You'll let me tellyou, won't you?"Carrie seemed not to listen. She only turned her head toward thewindow, where outside all was black. The train was speeding withsteady grace across the fields and through patches of wood. Thelong whistles came with sad, musical effect as the lonelywoodland crossings were approached.Now the conductor entered the car and took up the one or twofares that had been added at Chicago. He approached Hurstwood,who handed out the tickets. Poised as she was to act, Carriemade no move. She did not look about.When the conductor had gone again Hurstwood felt relieved."You're angry at me because I deceived you," he said. "I didn'tmean to, Carrie. As I live I didn't. I couldn't help it. Icouldn't stay away from you after the first time I saw you."He was ignoring the last deception as something that might go bythe board. He wanted to convince her that his wife could nolonger be a factor in their relationship. The money he hadstolen he tried to shut out of his mind."Don't talk to me," said Carrie, "I hate you. I want you to goaway from me. I am going to get out at the very next station."She was in a tremble of excitement and opposition as she spoke."All right," he said, "but you'll hear me out, won't you? Afterall you have said about loving me, you might hear me. I don'twant to do you any harm. I'll give you the money to go back withwhen you go. I merely want to tell you, Carrie. You can't stopme from loving you, whatever you may think."He looked at her tenderly, but received no reply."You think I have deceived you badly, but I haven't. I didn't doit willingly. I'm through with my wife. She hasn't any claimson me. I'll never see her any more. That's why I'm here to-night. That's why I came and got you.""You said Charlie was hurt," said Carrie, savagely. "Youdeceived me. You've been deceiving me all the time, and now youwant to force me to run away with you."She was so excited that she got up and tried to get by him again.He let her, and she took another seat. Then he followed."Don't run away from me, Carrie," he said gently. "Let meexplain. If you will only hear me out you will see where Istand. I tell you my wife is nothing to me. She hasn't beenanything for years or I wouldn't have ever come near you. I'mgoing to get a divorce just as soon as I can. I'll never see heragain. I'm done with all that. You're the only person I want.If I can have you I won't ever think of another woman again."Carrie heard all this in a very ruffled state. It soundedsincere enough, however, despite all he had done. There was atenseness in Hurstwood's voice and manner which could but havesome effect. She did not want anything to do with him. He wasmarried, he had deceived her once, and now again, and she thoughthim terrible. Still there is something in such daring and powerwhich is fascinating to a woman, especially if she can be made tofeel that it is all prompted by love of her.The progress of the train was having a great deal to do with thesolution of this difficult situation. The speeding wheels anddisappearing country put Chicago farther and farther behind.Carrie could feel that she was being borne a long distance off--that the engine was making an almost through run to some distantcity. She felt at times as if she could cry out and make such arow that some one would come to her aid; at other times it seemedan almost useless thing--so far was she from any aid, no matterwhat she did. All the while Hurstwood was endeavouring toformulate his plea in such a way that it would strike home andbring her into sympathy with him."I was simply put where I didn't know what else to do."Carrie deigned no suggestion of hearing this."When I say you wouldn't come unless I could marry you, I decidedto put everything else behind me and get you to come away withme. I'm going off now to another city. I want to go to Montrealfor a while, and then anywhere you want to. We'll go and live inNew York, if you say.""I'll not have anything to do with you," said Carrie. "I want toget off this train. Where are we going?""To Detroit," said Hurstwood."Oh!" said Carrie, in a burst of anguish. So distant anddefinite a point seemed to increase the difficulty."Won't you come along with me?" he said, as if there was greatdanger that she would not. "You won't need to do anything buttravel with me. I'll not trouble you in any way. You can seeMontreal and New York, and then if you don't want to stay you cango back. It will be better than trying to go back to-night."The first gleam of fairness shone in this proposition for Carrie.It seemed a plausible thing to do, much as she feared hisopposition if she tried to carry it out. Montreal and New York!Even now she was speeding toward those great, strange lands, andcould see them if she liked. She thought, but made no sign.Hurstwood thought he saw a shade of compliance in this. Heredoubled his ardour."Think," he said, "what I've given up. I can't go back toChicago any more. I've got to stay away and live alone now, ifyou don't come with me. You won't go back on me entirely, willyou, Carrie?""I don't want you to talk to me," she answered forcibly.Hurstwood kept silent for a while.Carrie felt the train to be slowing down. It was the moment toact if she was to act at all. She stirred uneasily."Don't think of going, Carrie," he said. "If you ever cared forme at all, come along and let's start right. I'll do whateveryou say. I'll marry you, or I'll let you go back. Give yourselftime to think it over. I wouldn't have wanted you to come if Ihadn't loved you. I tell you, Carrie, before God, I can't livewithout you. I won't!"There was the tensity of fierceness in the man's plea whichappealed deeply to her sympathies. It was a dissolving firewhich was actuating him now. He was loving her too intensely tothink of giving her up in this, his hour of distress. Heclutched her hand nervously and pressed it with all the force ofan appeal.The train was now all but stopped. It was running by some carson a side track. Everything outside was dark and dreary. A fewsprinkles on the window began to indicate that it was raining.Carrie hung in a quandary, balancing between decision andhelplessness. Now the train stopped, and she was listening tohis plea. The engine backed a few feet and all was still.She wavered, totally unable to make a move. Minute after minuteslipped by and still she hesitated, he pleading."Will you let me come back if I want to?" she asked, as if shenow had the upper hand and her companion was utterly subdued."Of course," he answered, "you know I will."Carrie only listened as one who has granted a temporary amnesty.She began to feel as if the matter were in her hands entirely.The train was again in rapid motion. Hurstwood changed thesubject."Aren't you very tired?" he said."No," she answered."Won't you let me get you a berth in the sleeper?"She shook her head, though for all her distress and his trickeryshe was beginning to notice what she had always felt--histhoughtfulness."Oh, yes," he said, "you will feel so much better."She shook her head."Let me fix my coat for you, anyway," and he arose and arrangedhis light coat in a comfortable position to receive her head."There," he said tenderly, "now see if you can't rest a little."He could have kissed her for her compliance. He took his seatbeside her and thought a moment."I believe we're in for a heavy rain," he said."So it looks," said Carrie, whose nerves were quieting under thesound of the rain drops, driven by a gusty wind, as the trainswept on frantically through the shadow to a newer world.The fact that he had in a measure mollified Carrie was a sourceof satisfaction to Hurstwood, but it furnished only the mosttemporary relief. Now that her opposition was out of the way, hehad all of his time to devote to the consideration of his ownerror.His condition was bitter in the extreme, for he did not want themiserable sum he had stolen. He did not want to be a thief.That sum or any other could never compensate for the state whichhe had thus foolishly doffed. It could not give him back hishost of friends, his name, his house and family, nor Carrie, ashe had meant to have her. He was shut out from Chicago--from hiseasy, comfortable state. He had robbed himself of his dignity,his merry meetings, his pleasant evenings. And for what? Themore he thought of it the more unbearable it became. He began tothink that he would try and restore himself to his old state. Hewould return the miserable thievings of the night and explain.Perhaps Moy would understand. Perhaps they would forgive him andlet him come back.By noontime the train rolled into Detroit and he began to feelexceedingly nervous. The police must be on his track by now.They had probably notified all the police of the big cities, anddetectives would be watching for him. He remembered instances inwhich defaulters had been captured. Consequently, he breathedheavily and paled somewhat. His hands felt as if they must havesomething to do. He simulated interest in several scenes withoutwhich he did not feel. He repeatedly beat his foot upon thefloor.Carrie noticed his agitation, but said nothing. She had no ideawhat it meant or that it was important.He wondered now why he had not asked whether this train went onthrough to Montreal or some Canadian point. Perhaps he couldhave saved time. He jumped up and sought the conductor."Does any part of this train go to Montreal?" he asked."Yes, the next sleeper back does."He would have asked more, but it did not seem wise, so he decidedto inquire at the depot.The train rolled into the yards, clanging and puffing."I think we had better go right on through to Montreal," he saidto Carrie. "I'll see what the connections are when we get off."He was exceedingly nervous, but did his best to put on a calmexterior. Carrie only looked at him with large, troubled eyes.She was drifting mentally, unable to say to herself what to do.The train stopped and Hurstwood led the way out. He lookedwarily around him, pretending to look after Carrie. Seeingnothing that indicated studied observation, he made his way tothe ticket office."The next train for Montreal leaves when?" he asked."In twenty minutes," said the man.He bought two tickets and Pullman berths. Then he hastened backto Carrie."We go right out again," he said, scarcely noticing that Carrielooked tired and weary."I wish I was out of all this," she exclaimed gloomily."You'll feel better when we reach Montreal," he said."I haven't an earthly thing with me," said Carrie; "not even ahandkerchief.""You can buy all you want as soon as you get there, dearest," heexplained. "You can call in a dressmaker."Now the crier called the train ready and they got on. Hurstwoodbreathed a sigh of relief as it started. There was a short runto the river, and there they were ferried over. They had barelypulled the train off the ferry-boat when he settled back with asigh."It won't be so very long now," he said, remembering her in hisrelief. "We get there the first thing in the morning."Carrie scarcely deigned to reply."I'll see if there is a dining-car," he added. "I'm hungry."