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第0章 洞天福地

　　She smiled into his eyes.

　　Hurstwood had gone, at Drouet's invitation, to meet a new baggageof fine clothes and pretty features. He entered, expecting toindulge in an evening of lightsome frolic, and then lose track ofthe newcomer forever. Instead he found a woman whose youth andbeauty attracted him. In the mild light of Carrie's eye wasnothing of the calculation of the mistress. In the diffidentmanner was nothing of the art of the courtesan. He saw at oncethat a mistake had been made, that some difficult conditions hadpushed this troubled creature into his presence, and his interestwas enlisted. Here sympathy sprang to the rescue, but it was notunmixed with selfishness. He wanted to win Carrie because hethought her fate mingled with his was better than if it wereunited with Drouet's. He envied the drummer his conquest as hehad never envied any man in all the course of his experience.

　　"Oh," he answered, in a very pleasing way and with an assumed airof mistake, "I thought you did."

　　"I know I saw your husband," he went on. "I wasn't so sure aboutyou. Perhaps it was your daughter."

　　"You do not need to have me explain why I did not meet you," shewrote in part. "How could you deceive me so? You cannot expectme to have anything more to do with you. I wouldn't under anycircumstances. Oh, how could you act so?" she added in a burstof feeling. "You have caused me more misery than you can think.I hope you will get over your infatuation for me. We must notmeet any more. Good-bye."

　　"Still attracts a little, eh?" returned the other, affecting tojest.

　　"Do you lose what you put in?"

　　In the light of the world's attitude toward woman and her duties,the nature of Carrie's mental state deserves consideration.Actions such as hers are measured by an arbitrary scale. Societypossesses a conventional standard whereby it judges all things.All men should be good, all women virtuous. Wherefore, villain,hast thou failed?

　　Mrs. Hurstwood gave this bit of information considerable thoughtduring the next few hours, and even days. She took it forgranted that the doctor had really seen her husband, and that hehad been riding, most likely, with some other woman, afterannouncing himself as BUSY to her. As a consequence, sherecalled, with rising feeling, how often he had refused to go toplaces with her, to share in little visits, or, indeed, take partin any of the social amenities which furnished the diversion ofher existence. He had been seen at the theatre with people whomhe called Moy's friends; now he was seen driving, and, mostlikely, would have an excuse for that. Perhaps there were othersof whom she did not hear, or why should he be so busy, soindifferent, of late? In the last six weeks he had becomestrangely irritable--strangely satisfied to pick up and go out,whether things were right or wrong in the house. Why?