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第8章 破解真水

　　At a quarter after one in the morning he came out of the place.The chill, bare streets seemed a mockery of his state. He walkedslowly west, little thinking of his row with Carrie. He ascendedthe stairs and went into his room as if there had been notrouble. It was his loss that occupied his mind. Sitting downon the bedside he counted his money. There was now but a hundredand ninety dollars and some change. He put it up and began toundress.

　　He strolled up and down the polished floor of the resort, hishands in his pockets, his brow wrinkled, his mouth set. He wasgetting some vague comfort out of a good cigar, but it was nopanacea for the ill which affected him. Every once in a while hewould clinch his fingers and tap his foot--signs of the stirringmental process he was undergoing. His whole nature wasvigorously and powerfully shaken up, and he was finding whatlimits the mind has to endurance. He drank more brandy and sodathan he had any evening in months. He was altogether a fineexample of great mental perturbation.

　　Carrie felt this as a personal reproof. She read "Dora Thorne,"or had a great deal in the past. It seemed only fair to her, butshe supposed that people thought it very fine. Now this clear-eyed, fine-headed youth, who looked something like a student toher, made fun of it. It was poor to him, not worth reading. Shelooked down, and for the first time felt the pain of notunderstanding.

　　Therewith he lined up the last two and proceeded to the head,counting as he went.

　　"Say," he said, after he had, as he thought, pleasantly disposedof the marriage question, "I saw Hurstwood to-day, and he wantsus to go to the theatre with him."

　　Chapter III

　　Still no answer.

　　"I'll try," said Carrie, brimming with affection and enthusiasm.

　　"Well, how goes it, Caddie?" he said.