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第6章 硬闯

　　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.

　　He seemed rather annoyed at having to bother with such help, butput down her name and then led her across to where a line ofgirls occupied stools in front of clacking machines. On theshoulder of one of the girls who was punching eye-holes in onepiece of the upper, by the aid of the machine, he put his hand.

　　Accordingly, Mrs. Hurstwood decided to broach the subject. Shewas thinking this over when she came down to the table, but forsome reason the atmosphere was wrong. She was not sure, after itwas all over, just how the trouble had begun. She was determinednow, however, that her husband was a brute, and that, under nocircumstances, would she let this go by unsettled. She wouldhave more lady-like treatment or she would know why.

　　"Maybe you could get something in the stage line?" he blandlysuggested.

　　When Hurstwood put the money back, his nature again resumed itsease and daring. No one had observed him. He was quite alone.No one could tell what he wished to do. He could work this thingout for himself.

　　"Didn't think!" said Carrie, now angered to the core by the man'speculiar attitude. "Of course not. You thought only of whatwould be to your satisfaction. You thought you'd make a toy ofme--a plaything. Well, I'll show you that you won't. I'll havenothing more to do with you at all. You can take your old thingsand keep them," and unfastening a little pin he had given her,she flung it vigorously upon the floor and began to move about asif to gather up the things which belonged to her.

　　She moved her arm.

　　There was a time when he had been considerably enamoured of hisJessica, especially when he was younger and more confined in hissuccess. Now, however, in her seventeenth year, Jessica haddeveloped a certain amount of reserve and independence which wasnot inviting to the richest form of parental devotion. She was inthe high school, and had notions of life which were decidedlythose of a patrician. She liked nice clothes and urged for themconstantly. Thoughts of love and elegant individualestablishments were running in her head. She met girls at thehigh school whose parents were truly rich and whose fathers hadstanding locally as partners or owners of solid businesses.These girls gave themselves the airs befitting the thrivingdomestic establishments from whence they issued. They were theonly ones of the school about whom Jessica concerned herself.

　　"No, he doesn't go very often," returned Minnie.