《嘉莉妹妹》春意融融：人去楼空
Those who look upon Hurstwood's Brooklyn venture as an error of judgment will none the less realise the negative influence on him of the fact that he had tried and failed. Carrie got a wrong idea of it. He said so little that she imagined he had encountered nothing worse than the ordinary roughness -- quitting so soon in the face of this seemed trifling. He did not want to work.
She was now one of a group of oriental beauties who, in the second act of the comic opera, were paraded by the vizier before the new potentate as the treasures of his harem. There was no word assigned to any of them, but on the evening when Hurstwood was housing himself in the loft of the street-car barn, the leading comedian and star, feeling exceedingly facetious, said in a profound voice, which created a ripple of laughter:
"Well, who are you?"
It merely happened to be Carrie who was courtesying before him. It might as well have been any of the others, so far as he was concerned. He expected no answer and a dull one would have been reproved. But Carrie, whose experience and belief in herself gave her daring, courtesied sweetly again and answered:
"I am yours truly."
It was a trivial thing to say, and yet something in the way she did it caught the audience, which laughed heartily at the mock-fierce potentate towering before the young woman. The comedian also liked it, hearing the laughter.
"I thought your name was Smith," he returned, endeavouring to get the last laugh.
Carrie almost trembled for her daring after she had said this. All members of the company had been warned that to interpolate lines or "business" meant a fine or worse. She did not know what to think.
As she was standing in her proper position in the wings, awaiting another entry, the great comedian made his exit past her and paused in recognition.
"You can just leave that in hereafter," he remarked, seeing how intelligent she appeared. "Don't add any more, though."
"Thank you," said Carrie, humbly. When he went on she found herself trembling violently.
"Well, you're in luck," remarked another member of the chorus. "There isn't another one of us has got a line."
There was no gainsaying the value of this. Everybody in the company realised that she had got a start. Carrie hugged herself when next evening the lines got the same applause. She went home rejoicing, knowing that soon something must come of it. It was Hurstwood who, by his presence, caused her merry thoughts to flee and replaced them with sharp longings for an end of distress.
The next day she asked him about his venture.
"They're not trying to run any cars except with police. They don't want anybody just now -- not before next week."
Next week came, but Carrie saw no change. Hurstwood seemed more apathetic than ever. He saw her off mornings to rehearsals and the like with the utmost calm. He read and read. Several times he found himself staring at an item, but thinking of something else. The first of these lapses that he sharply noticed concerned a hilarious party he had once attended at a driving club, of which he had been a member. He sat, gazing downward, and gradually thought he heard the old voices and the clink of glasses.
"You're a dandy, Hurstwood," his friend Walker said. He was standing again well dressed, smiling, good-natured, the recipient of encores for a good story.
All at once he looked up. The room was so still it seemed ghostlike. He heard the clock ticking audibly and half suspected that he had been dozing. The paper was so straight in his hands, however, and the items he had been reading so directly before him, that he rid himself of the doze idea. Still, it seemed peculiar. When it occurred a second time, however, it did not seem quite so strange.
Butcher and grocery man, baker and coal man -- not the group with whom he was then dealing, but those who had trusted him to the limit -- called. He met them all blandly, becoming deft in excuse. At last he became bold, pretended to be out, or waved them off.
"They can't get blood out of a turnip," he said. "If I had it I'd pay them."
Carrie's little soldier friend, Miss Osborne, seeing her succeeding, had become a sort of satellite. Little Osborne could never of herself amount to anything. She seemed to realise it in a sort of pussy-like way and instinctively concluded to cling with her soft little claws to Carrie.
"Oh, you'll get up," she kept telling Carrie with admiration. "You're so good."
Timid as Carrie was, she was strong in capability. The reliance of others made her feel as if she must, and when she must she dared. Experience of the world and of necessity was in her favour. No longer the lightest word of a man made her head dizzy. She had learned that men could change and fail. Flattery in its most palpable form had lost its force with her. It required superiority -- kindly superiority -- to move her -- the superiority of a genius like Ames.
"I don't like the actors in our company," she told Lola one day. "They're all so stuck on themselves."
"Don't you think Mr. Barclay's pretty nice?" inquired Lola, who had received a condescending smile or two from that quarter.
"Oh, he's nice enough," answered Carrie; "but he isn't sincere. He assumes such an air."
Lola felt for her first hold upon Carrie in the following manner:
"Are you paying room-rent where you are?"
"Certainly," answered Carrie. "Why?"
"I know where I could get the loveliest room and bath, cheap. It's too big for me, but it would be just right for two, and the rent is only six dollars a week for both."
"Where?" said Carrie.
"In Seventeenth Street."
"Well, I don't know as I'd care to change," said Carrie, who was already turning over the three-dollar rate in her mind. She was thinking if she had only herself to support this would leave her seventeen for herself.
Nothing came of this until after the Brooklyn adventure of Hurstwood's and her success with the speaking part. Then she began to feel as if she must be free. She thought of leaving Hurstwood and thus making him act for himself, but he had developed such peculiar traits she feared he might resist any effort to throw him off. He might hunt her out at the show and hound her in that way. She did not wholly believe that he would, but he might. This, she knew, would be an embarrassing thing if he made himself conspicuous in any way. It troubled her greatly.
Things were precipitated by the offer of a better part. One of the actresses playing the part of a modest sweetheart gave notice of leaving and Carrie was selected.
"How much are you going to get?" asked Miss Osborne, on hearing the good news.
"I didn't ask him," said Carrie.
"Well, find out. Goodness, you'll never get anything if you don't ask. Tell them you must have forty dollars, anyhow."
"Oh, no," said Carrie.
"Certainly！" exclaimed Lola. "Ask 'em, anyway."
Carrie succumbed to this prompting, waiting, however, until the manager gave her notice of what clothing she must have to fit the part.
"How much do I get?" she inquired.
"Thirty-five dollars," he replied.
Carrie was too much astonished and delighted to think of mentioning forty. She was nearly beside herself, and almost hugged Lola, who clung to her at the news.
"It isn't as much as you ought to get," said the latter, "especially when you've got to buy clothes."
Carrie remembered this with a start. Where to get the money? She had none laid up for such an emergency. Rent day was drawing near.
"I'll not do it," she said, remembering her necessity. "I don't use the flat. I'm not going to give up my money this time. I'll move."
Fitting into this came another appeal from Miss Osborne, more urgent than ever.
"Come live with me, won't you?" she pleaded. "We can have the loveliest room. It won't cost you hardly anything that way."
"I'd like to," said Carrie, frankly.
"Oh, do," said Lola. "We'll have such a good time."
Carrie thought a while.
"I believe I will," she said, and then added: "I'll have to see first, though."
With the idea thus grounded, rent day approaching, and clothes calling for instant purchase, she soon found excuse in Hurstwood's lassitude. He said less and drooped more than ever.
As rent day approached, an idea grew in him. It was fostered by the demands of creditors and the impossibility of holding up many more. Twenty-eight dollars was too much for rent. "It's hard on her," he thought. "We could get a cheaper place."
Stirred with this idea, he spoke at the breakfast table.
"Don't you think we pay too much rent here?" he asked.
"Indeed I do," said Carrie, not catching his drift.
"I should think we could get a smaller place," he suggested. "We don't need four rooms."
Her countenance, had he been scrutinising her, would have exhibited the disturbance she felt at this evidence of his determination to stay by her. He saw nothing remarkable in asking her to come down lower.
"Oh, I don't know," she answered, growing wary.
"There must be places around here where we could get a couple of rooms, which would do just as well."
Her heart revolted. "Never！" she thought. Who would furnish the money to move? To think of being in two rooms with him！ She resolved to spend her money for clothes quickly, before something terrible happened. That very day she did it. Having done so, there was but one other thing to do.
"Lola," she said, visiting her friend, "I think I'll come."
"Oh, jolly！" cried the latter.
"Can we get it right away?" she asked, meaning the room.
"Certainly," cried Lola.
They went to look at it. Carrie had saved ten dollars from her expenditures -- enough for this and her board beside. Her enlarged salary would not begin for ten days yet -- would not reach her for seventeen. She paid half of the six dollars with her friend.
"Now, I've just enough to get on to the end of the week," she confided.
"Oh, I've got some," said Lola. "I've got twenty-five dollars, if you need it."
"No," said Carrie. "I guess I'll get along."
They decided to move Friday, which was two days away. Now that the thing was settled, Carrie's heart misgave her. She felt very much like a criminal in the matter. Each day looking at Hurstwood, she had realised that, along with the disagreeableness of his attitude, there was something pathetic.
She looked at him the same evening she had made up her mind to go, and now he seemed not so shiftless and worthless, but run down and beaten upon by chance. His eyes were not keen, his face marked, his hands flabby. She thought his hair had a touch of grey. All unconscious of his doom, he rocked and read his paper, while she glanced at him.
Knowing that the end was so near, she became rather solicitous.
"Will you go over and get some canned peaches?" she asked Hurstwood, laying down a two-dollar bill.
"Certainly," he said, looking in wonder at the money.
"See if you can get some nice asparagus," she added. "I'll cook it for dinner."
Hurstwood rose and took the money, slipping on his overcoat and getting his hat. Carrie noticed that both of these articles of apparel were old and poor looking in appearance. It was plain enough before, but now it came home with peculiar force. Perhaps he couldn't help it, after all. He had done well in Chicago. She remembered his fine appearance the days he had met her in the park. Then he was so sprightly, so clean. Had it been all his fault?
He came back and laid the change down with the food.
"You'd better keep it," she observed. "We'll need other things."
"No," he said, with a sort of pride; "you keep it."
"Oh, go on and keep it," she replied, rather unnerved. "There'll be other things."
He wondered at this, not knowing the pathetic figure he had become in her eyes. She restrained herself with difficulty from showing a quaver in her voice.
To say truly, this would have been Carrie's attitude in any case. She had looked back at times upon her parting from Drouet and had regretted that she had served him so badly. She hoped she would never meet him again, but she was ashamed of her conduct. Not that she had any choice in the final separation. She had gone willingly to seek him, with sympathy in her heart, when Hurstwood had reported him ill. There was something cruel somewhere, and not being able to track it mentally to its logical lair, she concluded with feeling that he would never understand what Hurstwood had done and would see hard-hearted decision in her deed; hence her shame. Not that she cared for him. She did not want to make any one who had been good to her feel badly.
She did not realise what she was doing by allowing these feelings to possess her. Hurstwood, noticing the kindness, conceived better of her. "Carrie's good-natured, anyhow," he thought.
Going to Miss Osborne's that afternoon, she found that little lady packing and singing.
"Why don't you come over with me to-day?" she asked.
"Oh, I can't," said Carrie. "I'll be there Friday. Would you mind lending me the twenty-five dollars you spoke of?"
"Why, no," said Lola, going for her purse.
"I want to get some other things," said Carrie.
"Oh, that's all right," answered the little girl, good-naturedly, glad to be of service.
It had been days since Hurstwood had done more than go to the grocery or to the news-stand. Now the weariness of indoors was upon him -- had been for two days -- but chill, grey weather had held him back. Friday broke fair and warm. It was one of those lovely harbingers of spring, given as a sign in dreary winter that earth is not forsaken of warmth and beauty. The blue heaven, holding its one golden orb, poured down a crystal wash of warm light. It was plain, from the voice of the sparrows, that all was halcyon outside. Carrie raised the front windows, and felt the south wind blowing.
"It's lovely out to-day," she remarked.
"Is it?" said Hurstwood.
After breakfast, he immediately got his other clothes.
"Will you be back for lunch?" asked Carrie, nervously.
"No," he said.
He went out into the streets and tramped north, along Seventh Avenue, idly fixing upon the Harlem River as an objective point. He had seen some ships up there, the time he had called upon the brewers. He wondered how the territory thereabouts was growing.
Passing Fifty-ninth Street, he took the west side of Central Park, which he followed to Seventy-eighth Street. Then he remembered the neighbourhood and turned over to look at the mass of buildings erected. It was very much improved. The great open spaces were filling up. Coming back, he kept to the Park until 110th Street, and then turned into Seventh Avenue again, reaching the pretty river by one o'clock.
There it ran winding before his gaze, shining brightly in the clear light, between the undulating banks on the right and the tall, tree-covered heights on the left. The spring-like atmosphere woke him to a sense of its loveliness, and for a few moments he stood looking at it, folding his hands behind his back. Then he turned and followed it toward the east side, idly seeking the ships he had seen. It was four o'clock before the waning day, with its suggestion of a cooler evening, caused him to return. He was hungry and would enjoy eating in the warm room.
When he reached the flat by half-past five, it was still dark. He knew that Carrie was not there, not only because there was no light showing through the transom, but because the evening papers were stuck between the outside knob and the door. He opened with his key and went in. Everything was still dark. Lighting the gas, he sat down, preparing to wait a little while. Even if Carrie did come now, dinner would be late. He read until six, then got up to fix something for himself.
As he did so, he noticed that the room seemed a little queer. What was it? He looked around, as if he missed something, and then saw an envelope near where he had been sitting. It spoke for itself, almost without further action on his part.
Reaching over, he took it, a sort of chill settling upon him even while he reached. The crackle of the envelope in his hands was loud. Green paper money lay soft within the note.
"Dear George," he read, crunching the money in one hand. "I'm going away. I'm not coming back any more. It's no use trying to keep up the flat; I can't do it. I wouldn't mind helping you, if I could, but I can't support us both, and pay the rent. I need what little I make to pay for my clothes. I'm leaving twenty dollars. It's all I have just now. You can do whatever you like with the furniture. I won't want it. -- Carrie."
He dropped the note and looked quietly round. Now he knew what he missed. It was the little ornamental clock, which was hers. It had gone from the mantel-piece. He went into the front room, his bedroom, the parlour, lighting the gas as he went. From the chiffonier had gone the knick-knacks of silver and plate. From the table-top, the lace coverings. He opened the wardrobe -- no clothes of hers. He opened the drawers -- nothing of hers. Her trunk was gone from its accustomed place. Back in his own room hung his old clothes, just as he had left them. Nothing else was gone.
He stepped onto the parlour and stood for a few moments looking vacantly at the floor. The silence grew oppressive. The little flat seemed wonderfully deserted. He wholly forgot that he was hungry, that it was only dinner-time. It seemed later in the night.
Suddenly, he found that the money was still in his hands. There were twenty dollars in all, as she had said. Now he walked back, leaving the lights ablaze, and feeling as if the flat were empty.
"I'll get out of this," he said to himself.
Then the sheer loneliness of his situation rushed upon him in full.
"Left me！" he muttered, and repeated, "left me！"
The place that had been so comfortable, where he had spent so many days of warmth, was now a memory. Something colder and chillier confronted him. He sank down in his chair, resting his chin in his hand -- mere sensation, without thought, holding him.
Then something like a bereaved affection and self-pity swept over him.
"She needn't have gone away," he said. "I'd have got something."
He sat a long while without rocking, and added quite clearly, out loud:
"I tried, didn't I?"
At midnight he was still rocking, staring at the floor.
然而，那些认为赫斯渥的布鲁克林之行是个判断错误的人，也将意识到他尝试过并且失败了的事实在他身上产生的消极影响。对这件事情，嘉莉得出了错误的看法。他谈得很少，她还以为他遇到的只不过是些一般的粗暴行为。遇到这种情况，这么快就不干了，真是没意思。他就是不想工作。
她这时在扮演一群东方美女中的一个。在这出喜歌剧的第二幕中，宫廷大臣让这群美女列队从新登基的国王面前走过，炫耀他的这群后宫宝贝。她们中谁都没被指定有台词，但是在赫斯渥睡在电车场的阁楼上的那天晚上，那个演主角的喜剧明星想玩个噱头，就声音洪亮地说：鈥溛梗闶撬剑库�澮鹆艘徽笮ι�
只是碰巧这时是嘉莉在他面前行礼。就他而言，原本随便对谁都是一样的。他并不指望听到回答，而且如果回答得笨拙是要挨骂的。但是，嘉莉的经验和自信给了她胆量，她又甜甜地行了个礼，回答说：鈥溛沂悄阒沂档募фｂ�澱馐且痪浜芷匠５幕埃撬嫡饣笆钡姆缍热次斯壑冢强牡爻靶ψ偶僮靶紫唷⑼系卣驹谡飧瞿昵崤嗣媲暗墓酢Ｕ飧鱿簿缪菰碧搅诵ι蚕不墩饩浠啊�
鈥溛一挂晕憬惺访芩鼓兀�澦卮鹚担氩┑米詈蟮囊徽笮ι�
说完这句话，嘉莉几乎被自己的大胆吓得发抖。剧团的全体成员都受过警告，擅自加台词或动作，要受到罚款或更严重的惩罚。她不知如何是好。
当她站在舞台侧面自己的位置上，等待下一次上场时，那位喜剧大师退场从她身边走过，认出了她便停了下来。
鈥溎阋院缶捅Ａ粽饩涮ù拾桑�澦担闯鏊缘梅浅４厦鳌ｂ�湶还鹪偌邮裁戳恕ｂ�濃�溞恍荒悖�澕卫虮瞎П暇吹厮怠５人吡耍⑾肿约涸诰缌业夭丁�
鈥溑叮阏孀咴耍�澣何瓒拥牧硪桓龆釉彼担�溛颐侵屑涿挥兴艿玫焦痪涮ù省ｂ�澱饧碌闹匾允俏蘅芍靡傻摹＞缤爬锶巳硕家馐兜剿丫颊嘎锻方橇恕５诙焱砩希饩涮ù视植┑昧撕炔剩卫虬底愿械角煨摇Ｋ丶沂狈浅８咝耍勒馐驴隙ê芸炀突嵊泻玫慕峁？墒牵胶账逛自诩遥哪切┯淇斓南敕ň捅桓吓芰恕Ｈ《氖且崾庵滞纯嗑置娴那苛以竿�
第二天，她问他找事做的情况。
鈥溗遣幌氤龀盗耍怯芯毂；ぁＫ悄壳安灰萌耍滦瞧谥岸疾灰萌恕ｂ�澫乱桓鲂瞧诘搅耍羌卫蛎患账逛子惺裁幢浠Ｋ坪醣纫郧案缘寐槟静蝗省Ｋ醋偶卫蛎刻煸绯砍鋈ゲ渭优帕分嗟氖拢渚驳搅思恪Ｋ皇强幢ǎ幢āＳ屑复嗡⑾肿约貉劬Χ⒆乓辉蛐挛牛宰永锶丛谙胱疟鸬氖虑椤Ｋ谝淮蚊飨缘馗械秸庋呱袷保诨叵胨谄锫砭憷植坷锊渭庸囊淮慰窕段杌幔笔痹钦飧鼍憷植康幕嵩薄Ｋ谀抢铮妥磐罚ソサ匾晕约禾搅送盏娜松团霰�
鈥溎闾袅耍账逛祝�澦呐笥盐挚怂担执虬绲闷亮恋卣驹谀抢铮嫘θ荩群蜕疲詹沤擦艘桓龊锰墓适拢丝陶诮邮芘匀说暮炔省�
突然他抬头一看，屋里寂静得像是有幽灵一般。他听到时钟清楚的滴嗒声，有些怀疑刚才自己是在打瞌睡。可是，报纸还是笔直地在他手里竖着，刚才看的新闻就在他眼前，于是他打消了认为自己刚才是在打瞌睡的想法。可这事还是很奇怪。
等到第二次又发生这样的事时，似乎就不那么奇怪了肉铺、食品店、面包房和煤炭店的老板们 --不是他正在打交道的那些人，而是那些曾最大限度地赊帐给他的人--上门要帐了。他和气地对付所有的这些人，在找借口推托上变得很熟练了。最后，他胆大起来，或是假装不在家，或是挥挥手叫他们走开。
鈥準防镎ゲ怀鲇屠矗�澦担�溂偃缥矣星一岣陡堑摹ｂ�澕卫蛘谧吆臁Ｋ歉鲅菪”呐笥寻滤贡拘〗悖丫涞孟袷撬钠腿肆恕Ｐ“滤贡咀约翰豢赡苡腥魏巫魑Ｋ拖裥∶ㄒ谎馐兜搅苏庖坏悖灸艿鼐龆ㄒ盟侨崛淼男∽ψ幼プ〖卫虿环拧�
鈥溑叮慊岷炱鹄吹模�澦苁钦庋廾兰卫颍�溎闾袅恕ｂ�澕卫蛩淙坏ㄗ雍苄。悄芰芮俊１鹑硕运男爬凳顾约阂簿醯梅路鹨欢ɑ岷炱鹄矗热凰欢ɑ岷欤簿偷ù罅似鹄础Ｋ丫嫌谑拦什⒕独В庑┒级运欣Ｋ辉倩岜荒腥艘痪湮拮闱嶂氐幕芭猛纺苑⒒琛Ｋ丫靼啄腥艘不岜浠不崾О堋Ｂ豆堑姆畛卸运丫チ俗饔谩�
要想打动她，得有高人一等的优势--善意的优势-鈥斚癜匪鼓茄奶觳诺挠攀啤�
鈥溛也幌不段颐蔷缤爬锏哪醒菰保�澮惶焖嫠呗芾�溗嵌继愿毫恕ｂ�濃�溎悴蝗衔涂死壬芎寐穑库�澛芾剩玫焦飧鋈硕鞔透囊涣酱挝⑿Α�
鈥溹福遣淮恚�澕卫蚧卮穑�湹撬徽娉稀Ｋ澳Ｗ餮恕ｂ�澛芾谝淮问蕴阶庞跋旒卫颍玫氖且韵碌姆绞健�
鈥溎阕〉牡胤揭斗孔饴穑库��
鈥湹比灰叮�澕卫蚧卮稹ｂ�溛裁次收飧觯库�濃�溛抑酪桓龅胤侥茏獾阶钇恋姆考浯∈遥鼙阋恕�
我一个人住太大了，要是两个人合住就正合适，房租两个人每周只要６块钱。
鈥溤谀睦铮库�澕卫蛩怠�
鈥準呓帧ｂ��
鈥溈墒牵一共恢牢沂遣皇窍牖桓龅胤阶。�澕卫蛩担宰永镆丫诜锤纯悸悄牵晨榍姆孔饬恕Ｋ谙耄绻恍柩钏约海撬湍芰粝滤牵保房榍约河昧恕�
这件事直到赫斯渥从布鲁克林冒险回来而且嘉莉的那句台词获得成功之后才有了下文。这时，她开始感到自己必须得到解脱。她想离开赫斯渥，这样让他自己去奋斗。但是他的性格已经变得很古怪，她怕他可能不会让她离开他的。他可能去戏院找到她，就那样追着她不放。她并不完全相信他会那样做，但是他可能会的。她知道，如果他使自己引起了人们的注意，不管是怎么引起的，这件事都会令她难堪的。这使她十分苦恼。
有一个更好的角色要让她来扮演，这样一来就使情况急转直下了。这个角色是个贤淑的情人，扮演它的女演员提出了辞职，于是嘉莉被选中来补缺。
鈥溎隳苣枚嗌偾库�澨秸飧龊孟ⅲ滤贡拘〗阄实馈�
鈥溛颐挥形剩�澕卫蛩怠�
鈥溎蔷腿ノ是宄Ｌ炷模蝗ノ剩闶裁匆驳貌坏降摹８嫠咚牵还茉跹愣嫉媚茫矗翱榍ｂ�濃�溑叮唬�澕卫蛩怠�
鈥湵鸩焕玻♀�澛芾辛似鹄础ｂ�溛蘼廴绾我饰仕恰ｂ�澕卫蛱恿苏飧鋈案妫还故且恢钡鹊骄硗ㄖ缪菡飧鼋巧糜行┦裁葱型返氖焙颉�
鈥溛夷苣枚嗌偾库�澦省�
鈥湥常悼椋�澦卮稹�
嘉莉惊喜至极，竟没想起要提４０块钱的事。她高兴得几乎发狂，差一点要拥抱萝拉了。萝拉听到这个消息就粘上了她。
鈥溎阌Ω媚玫帽日飧啵�澛芾担�溣绕涫侨绻愕米员感型返幕啊ｂ�澕卫蛳肫鹫馐鲁粤艘痪Ｈツ睦锱庖槐是兀克挥谢钅苡Ω墩庵旨毙瑁斗孔獾娜兆佑挚斓搅恕�
鈥溛也桓斗孔饬耍�澦担肫鹱约旱募毙琛ｂ�溛矣貌蛔耪馓坠⒘恕Ｕ庖淮挝也换崮贸鑫业那Ｎ乙峒摇ｂ�澃滤贡拘〗愕脑俅慰仪罄吹恼鞘焙颍庖淮翁岬帽纫郧案悠惹小�
鈥溊春臀乙黄鹱。寐穑库�澦仪笏担�溛颐强梢缘玫阶羁砂姆考洹６夷茄慵负醪挥没ㄊ裁辞ｂ�濃�溛液茉敢猓�澕卫蛱孤实厮怠�
鈥溑叮蔷屠窗桑�澛芾怠ｂ�溛颐且欢ɑ岷芸旎畹摹ｂ�澕卫蚩悸橇艘换岫�
鈥溛蚁胛一岚岬模�澦担缓笥旨恿艘痪洹ｂ�湶还业孟瓤纯础ｂ�澱庋蚨苏飧鲋饕庵螅孀鸥斗孔獾娜兆拥牧俳由瞎褐眯型酚制仍诿冀蓿芸炀痛雍账逛椎拿痪虿缮险业搅私杩凇Ｋ纫郧案偎祷埃酉痢�
当付房租的日子快到的时候，他心里产生了一个念头。债权人催着要钱，又不可能再往下拖了，于是就有了这个念头。
２８块钱的房租实在太多了。鈥溗补荒训模�澦耄�溛颐强梢哉腋霰阋艘恍┑牡胤健ｂ�澏苏飧瞿钔分螅谠绮妥郎峡丝凇�
鈥溎憔醯梦颐钦饫锏姆孔馐遣皇翘罅耍库�澦省�
鈥溛沂蔷醯锰罅耍�澕卫蛩担幻靼姿鞘裁匆馑肌�
鈥溛蚁胛颐强梢哉腋鲂〉愕牡胤剑�澦ㄒ樗担�溛颐遣恍枰募浞孔印ｂ�澱饷飨缘乇砻魉鲂暮退谝黄穑源烁械讲话病Ｈ绻谧邢傅毓鄄欤突岽铀拿娌勘砬樯峡闯稣庖坏恪Ｋ⒉蝗衔笏鸵恍┯惺裁纯纱缶」值摹�
鈥溑叮馕揖筒恢懒耍�澦卮穑涞媒魃髌鹄础�
鈥溦庵芪Э隙ㄓ械胤侥茏獾搅郊浞孔樱颐亲×郊湟簿凸涣恕ｂ�澦睦锖芊锤小ｂ�湶豢赡艿模♀�澦搿Ｋ们窗峒遥苛攵疾桓蚁牒退黄鹱≡诹郊浞孔永铮∷龆ň】彀炎约旱那ㄔ诼蛐型飞希显谑裁纯膳碌氖虑榉⑸啊＞驮谡庖惶欤蛄诵型贰Ｕ庋隽艘院螅捅鹞扪≡窳恕�
鈥溌芾�澦莘盟呐笥咽彼担�溛铱次乙崂戳恕ｂ�濃�湴。昧耍♀�澓笳叽蠼衅鹄础�
鈥溛颐锹砩暇湍苣玫绞致穑库�澦剩傅氖欠孔印�
鈥湹比宦蓿�澛芾碌馈�
她们去看了房子。嘉莉从自己的开支中省下了１０块钱，够付房租而且还够吃饭的。她的薪水要等十天以后才开始增加，要等十七天后才能到她的手中。她和她的朋友各付了６块钱房租的一半。
鈥溝衷冢业那还挥玫秸飧鲋苣┝耍�澦拱姿怠�
鈥溑叮一褂幸恍�澛芾怠ｂ�溔绻阋茫一褂校玻悼榍ｂ�濃�湶挥茫�澕卫蛩怠ｂ�溛蚁胛夷芏愿兜摹ｂ�澦蔷龆ㄐ瞧谖灏峒遥簿褪橇教煲院蟆Ｏ衷谑虑橐丫讼吕矗卫蛉锤械叫闹胁话财鹄础Ｋ醯米约涸谡饧虑樯虾芟袷且桓鲎锓浮Ｃ刻炜纯春账逛祝⑾炙奶人淙涣钊松幔灿行┙腥丝闪牡胤健�
就在她打定主意要走的当天晚上，她看着他，发现这时的他不再显得那么既无能又无用，而只不过是被倒霉的运气压垮和打败了。他目光呆滞，满脸皱纹，双手无力。她觉得他的头发也有些灰白了。当她看着他时，他对自己的厄运毫无察觉，坐在摇椅里边摇边看着纸。
她知道这一切即将结束，反倒变得很有些放心不下了。
鈥溎愠鋈ヂ蛐┕尥诽易雍寐穑库�澦屎账逛祝畔乱徽牛部榍某薄�
鈥湹比豢梢裕�澦担鹊乜醋徘�
鈥溎憧纯茨懿荒苈蛐┖寐瘢�澦钩渌担�溛乙美醋鐾矸埂ｂ�澓账逛渍酒鹄矗昧饲颐Υ┥洗笠拢帜昧嗣弊印＜卫蜃⒁獾剿饬郊┐鞯亩鞫家丫闪耍瓷先ズ芎帷Ｕ庠谝郧跋缘煤芷匠＃窍衷谌词顾醯锰乇鸬卮ツ烤摹Ｒ残硭翟谑敲挥邪旆āＫ谥ゼ痈绺傻煤芎玫摹Ｋ叵肫鹚诠袄锖退蓟岬哪切┤兆永锼翘锰玫囊侨荨Ｄ鞘焙颍悄敲瓷⒁鹿谡唷Ｄ训勒庖磺腥撬拇砺穑�
他回来了，把找头和食物一起放下。
鈥溁故悄隳米虐桑�澦担�溛颐腔挂虮鸬亩鳌ｂ�濃�湶唬�澦担谄锎诺阕宰穑�溎隳米拧ｂ�濃�溑叮憔湍米虐桑�澦卮穑嬗行┢佟ｂ�溁褂斜鸬亩饕颉ｂ�澦源烁械骄妫恢雷约涸谒劾镆丫涑闪艘桓隹闪妗Ｋ酥谱∽约海蝗米约旱纳舴⒍丁�
说实话，对待任何事情，嘉莉的态度都是这样。她有时也回想起自己离开杜洛埃，待他那么不好，感到很后悔。她希望自己永远不要再见到他，但她对自己的行为却感到羞愧。这倒不是说在最后分手时，她还有什么别的选择。当赫斯渥说他受伤时，她是怀着一颗同情的心，自愿去找他的。然而在某个方面曾有过某些残忍之处，可她又无法按照逻辑推理来想出究竟残忍在哪里，于是她就凭感觉断定，她永远不会理解赫斯渥的所作所为，而只会从她的行为上看出她在作决定时心肠有多么硬。因此她感到羞愧。这倒不是说她还对他有情。她只是不想让任何曾经善待过她的人感到难过而已。
她并没有意识到她这样让这些感情缠住自己是在做些什么。赫斯渥注意到了她的善意，把她想得好了一些。鈥湶还茉趺此担卫蚧故呛眯某Φ摹ｂ�澦搿�
那天下午，她去奥斯本小姐的住处，看见这位小姐正在边唱歌边收拾东西。
鈥溎阄裁床缓臀乙坏澜裉炀桶崮兀库�澦实馈�
鈥溑叮也恍校�澕卫蛩怠ｂ�溛倚瞧谖寤岬侥抢锏摹Ｄ阍敢獍涯闼倒哪牵玻悼榍韪衣穑库�濃�溹蓿比辉敢猓�澛芾底牛腿ツ米约旱那�
鈥溛蚁肼蛐┢渌亩鳎�澕卫蛩怠�
鈥溑叮饷晃侍猓�澱馕恍」媚镉焉频鼗卮穑芨咝四馨锷厦Α�
赫斯渥已经有好些天除了跑跑食品店和报摊以外，整天无所事事了，现在他已厌倦了待在室内--这样已有两天了--可是寒冷、阴暗的天气又使他不敢出门。星期五天放晴了，暖和起来。这是一个预示着春天即将到来的可爱的日子。
这样的日子在阴冷的冬天出现，表明温暖和美丽并没有抛弃大地。蓝蓝的天空托着金色的太阳，洒下一片水晶般明亮温暖的光辉。可以听得见麻雀的叫声，显然外面是一片平静。嘉莉打开前窗，迎面吹来一阵南风。
鈥溄裉焱饷娴奶炱婧茫�澦怠�
鈥準锹穑库�澓账逛姿怠�
早饭后，他立刻换上了别的衣服。
鈥溎慊乩闯灾蟹孤穑库�澕卫蚪粽诺匚省�
鈥湶唬�澦怠�
他出门来到街上，沿着第七大道朝北走去，随意选定了哈莱姆河作为目的地。他那次去拜访酿酒厂时，曾看见河上有几条船。他想看看那一带地区发展得怎么样了。
过了五十九街，他沿着中央公园的西边走到七十八街。这时，他想起了他们原来住的那块地方，就拐过去看看那一大片建起的高楼。这里已经大为改观。那些大片的空地已经造满了房子。他倒回来，沿着公园一直走到一百一十街，然后又拐进了第七大道，１点钟时才到达那条美丽的河边。
他注视着眼前的这条河流，右边是起伏不平的河岸，左边是丛林密布的高地，它就在这中间蜿蜒流去，在灿烂的阳光下闪闪发亮。这里春天般的气息唤醒了他，使他感觉到了这条河的可爱。于是，他背着双手，站了一会儿，看着河流。然后，他转身沿着河朝东区走去，漫不经心地寻找着他曾看见过的船只。等到他发现白天就要过去，夜晚可能转凉，想起要回去的时候，已经是４点钟了。这时他饿了，想坐在温暖的房间里好好地吃上一顿。
当他５点半钟回到公寓时，屋里还是黑的。他知道嘉莉不在家，不仅因为门上的气窗没有透出灯光，而且晚报还塞在门外的把手和门之间。他用钥匙打开门，走了进去。里面一片漆黑。他点亮煤气灯，坐了下来，准备等一小会儿。即使嘉莉现在就回来，也要很晚才能吃饭了。他看报看到６点钟。然后站起身来去弄点东西给自己吃。
他起身时，发觉房间里似乎有些异样。这是怎么啦？他看了看四周，觉得像是少了什么东西。然后，看见了一个信封放在靠近他坐的位置的地方。这个信封本身就说明了问题，几乎用不着他再做什么了。
他伸手过去拿起信封。他在伸手的时候，就浑身打了个寒战。信封拿在他手里发出很响的沙沙声。柔软的绿色钞皮夹在信里。
鈥溓装那侵危�澦醋判牛恢皇职殉蹦蟮酶轮ㄏ臁ｂ�溛乙吡恕Ｎ也辉倩乩戳恕２挥迷偕璺ㄗ庹馓坠⒘耍腋旱２黄稹Ｌ热粑夷茏龅玫降幕埃一崂忠獍锬愕模俏椅薹ㄎ治颐橇礁鋈说纳睿一挂斗孔狻Ｎ乙梦艺醯哪堑闱绰蛞路Ｎ伊粝拢玻翱榍Ｎ已巯轮挥姓饷炊唷＜揖呷斡赡愦恚也灰摹＜卫颉ｂ�澦研欧畔拢乜戳丝此闹堋Ｏ衷谒郎倭耸裁戳恕Ｊ侵坏弊霭谏璧男≈樱鞘撬亩鳌Ｋ丫辉诒诼ㄉ狭恕Ｋ呓胺考洹⑺奈允液涂吞咦弑叩懔撩浩啤Ｎ宥烦魃希患四切┮频暮徒鹗羝纷龅男⊥嬉舛Ｗ烂嫔希挥辛嘶ū咛ú肌Ｋ蚩鲁麾��-她的衣服不见了。他拉开抽屉--她的东西没有了。她的箱子也从老地方失踪了。回到他自己的房间里看看，他挂在那里的自己的旧衣服都还在原来的地方。其它的东西也没少。
他走进客厅站了一会儿，茫然地看着地板。屋里寂静得开始让人觉得透不过起来。这套小公寓看上去出奇地荒凉。他完全忘记了自己还饿着肚子，忘记了这时还是吃晚饭的时候，仿佛已经是深夜了。
他突然发现自己手里还拿着那些钞票。一共是２０块钱，和她说的一样。这时他走了回来，让那些煤气灯继续亮着，感觉这套公寓像是空洞洞的。
鈥溛乙肟饫铮�澦宰约核怠�
此刻，想到自己的处境，一种无限凄凉的感觉猛然袭上他的心头。
鈥溔酉铝宋遥♀�澦具孀牛⑶抑馗戳艘痪洹ｂ�溔酉铝宋遥♀�澱飧龅胤皆嵌嗝吹氖媸剩谡饫锼裙硕嗌傥屡娜兆樱扇缃裾庖丫闪送隆Ｋ媪僮拍持指雍洹⒏悠嗔沟亩鳌Ｋ谝∫卫铮檬滞凶畔掳�--没有思想，只有感觉把他牢牢地抓祝于是，一种类似失去亲人和自我怜悯的感觉控制了他。
鈥溗挥斜匾鲎叩模�澦担�溛一嵴业绞伦龅摹ｂ�澦撕芫茫挥幸∫∫危缓蠛芮宄卮笊钩渌担衡�溛页⑹怨模皇锹穑库�澃胍沽耍棺谝∫卫镆∽牛⒆诺匕宸⒋簟�
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