The result of all this on Clyde was to cause him to think more specifically on the problem of the sexes than heever had before, and by no means in any orthodox way. For while he condemned1 his sister's lover for thusruthlessly deserting her, still he was not willing to hold her entirely2 blameless by any means. She had gone offwith him. As he now learned from her, he had been in the city for a week the year before she ran away with him,and it was then that he had introduced himself to her. The following year when he returned for two weeks, it wasshe who looked him up, or so Clyde suspected, at any rate. And in view of his own interest in and moodregarding Hortense Briggs, it was not for him to say that there was anything wrong with the sex relation in itself.
Rather, as he saw it now, the difficulty lay, not in the deed itself, but in the consequences which followed uponnot thinking or not knowing. For had Esta known more of the man in whom she was interested, more of whatsuch a relationship with him meant, she would not be in her present pathetic plight3. Certainly such girls asHortense Briggs, Greta and Louise, would never have allowed themselves to be put in any such position as Esta.
Or would they? They were too shrewd. And by contrast with them in his mind, at least at this time, she suffered.
She ought, as he saw it, to have been able to manage better. And so, by degrees, his attitude toward her hardenedin some measure, though his feeling was not one of indifference4 either.
But the one influence that was affecting and troubling and changing him now was his infatuation for HortenseBriggs--than which no more agitating5 influence could have come to a youth of his years and temperament6. Sheseemed, after his few contacts with her, to be really the perfect realization7 of all that he had previously8 wishedfor in a girl. She was so bright, vain, engaging, and so truly pretty. Her eyes, as they seemed to him, had a kindof dancing fire in them. She had a most entrancing way of pursing and parting her lips and at the same timelooking straightly and indifferently before her, as though she were not thinking of him, which to him was bothflame and fever. It caused him, actually, to feel weak and dizzy, at times, cruelly seared in his veins9 with minuteand wriggling10 threads of fire, and this could only be described as conscious lust11, a torturesome and yetunescapable thing which yet in her case he was unable to prosecute12 beyond embracing and kissing, a form ofreserve and respect in regard to her which she really resented in the very youths in whom she sought to inspire it.
The type of boy for whom she really cared and was always seeking was one who could sweep away all suchpsuedo-ingenuousness and superiorities in her and force her, even against herself, to yield to him.
In fact she was constantly wavering between actual like and dislike of him. And in consequence, he was inconstant doubt as to where he stood, a state which was very much relished13 by her and yet which was neverpermitted to become so fixed14 in his mind as to cause him to give her up entirely. After some party or dinner ortheater to which she had permitted him to take her, and throughout which he had been particularly tactful--nottoo assertive--she could be as yielding and enticing15 in her mood as the most ambitious lover would have liked.
And this might last until the evening was nearly over, when suddenly, and at her own door or the room or houseof some girl with whom she was spending the night, she would turn, and without rhyme or reason, endeavor to dismiss him with a mere16 handclasp or a thinly flavored embrace or kiss. At such times, if Clyde was foolishenough to endeavor to force her to yield the favors he craved17, she would turn on him with the fury of a spitefulcat, would tear herself away, developing for the moment, seemingly, an intense mood of opposition18 which shecould scarcely have explained to herself. Its chief mental content appeared to be one of opposition to beingcompelled by him to do anything. And, because of his infatuation and his weak overtures20 due to his inordinatefear of losing her, he would be forced to depart, usually in a dark and despondent21 mood.
But so keen was her attraction for him that he could not long remain away, but must be going about to wheremost likely he would encounter her. Indeed, for the most part these days, and in spite of the peculiar22 climaxwhich had eventuated in connection with Esta, he lived in a keen, sweet and sensual dream in regard to her. Ifonly she would really come to care for him. At night, in his bed at home, he would lie and think of her--herface--the expressions of her mouth and eyes, the lines of her figure, the motions of her body in walking ordancing--and she would flicker23 before him as upon a screen. In his dreams, he found her deliciously near him,pressing against him--her delightful24 body all his--and then in the moment of crisis, when seemingly she wasabout to yield herself to him completely, he would awake to find her vanished--an illusion only.
Yet there were several things in connection with her which seemed to bode25 success for him. In the first place,like himself, she was part of a poor family--the daughter of a machinist and his wife, who up to this very timehad achieved little more than a bare living. From her childhood she had had nothing, only such gew-gaws andfripperies as she could secure for herself by her wits. And so low had been her social state until very recently thatshe had not been able to come in contact with anything better than butcher and baker26 boys--the rathercommonplace urchins27 and small job aspirants28 of her vicinity. Yet even here she had early realized that she couldand should capitalize her looks and charm--and had. Not a few of these had even gone so far as to steal in orderto get money to entertain her.
After reaching the age where she was old enough to go to work, and thus coming in contact with the type of boyand man in whom she was now interested, she was beginning to see that without yielding herself too much, butin acting29 discreetly30, she could win a more interesting equipment than she had before. Only, so truly sensual andpleasure-loving was she that she was by no means always willing to divorce her self-advantages from herpleasures. On the contrary, she was often troubled by a desire to like those whom she sought to use, and percontra, not to obligate herself to those whom she could not like.
In Clyde's case, liking31 him but a little, she still could not resist the desire to use him. She liked his willingness tobuy her any little thing in which she appeared interested--a bag, a scarf, a purse, a pair of gloves--anything thatshe could reasonably ask or take without obligating herself too much. And yet from the first, in her smart, trickyway, she realized that unless she could bring herself to yield to him--at some time or other offer him the definitereward which she knew he craved--she could not hold him indefinitely.
One thought that stirred her more than anything else was that the way Clyde appeared to be willing to spend hismoney on her she might easily get some quite expensive things from him--a pretty and rather expensive dress,perhaps, or a hat, or even a fur coat such as was then being shown and worn in the city, to say nothing of goldearrings, or a wrist watch, all of which she was constantly and enviously32 eyeing in the different shop windows.
One day not so long after Clyde's discovery of his sister Esta, Hortense, walking along Baltimore Street near its junction33 with Fifteenth--the smartest portion of the shopping section of the city--at the noon hour--with DorisTrine, another shop girl in her department store, saw in the window of one of the smaller and less exclusive furstores of the city, a fur jacket of beaver34 that to her, viewed from the eye-point of her own particular build,coloring and temperament, was exactly what she needed to strengthen mightily35 her very limited personalwardrobe. It was not such an expensive coat, worth possibly a hundred dollars--but fashioned in such anindividual way as to cause her to imagine that, once invested with it, her own physical charm would registermore than it ever had.
Moved by this thought, she paused and exclaimed: "Oh, isn't that just the classiest, darlingest little coat you eversaw! Oh, do look at those sleeves, Doris." She clutched her companion violently by the arm. "Lookit the collar.
And the lining36! And those pockets! Oh, dear!" She fairly vibrated with the intensity37 of her approval and delight.
"Oh, isn't that just too sweet for words? And the very kind of coat I've been thinking of since I don't know when.
Oh, you pity sing!" she exclaimed, affectedly38, thinking all at once as much of her own pose before the windowand its effect on the passer-by as of the coat before her. "Oh, if I could only have 'oo."She clapped her hands admiringly, while Isadore Rubenstein, the elderly son of the proprietor39, who was standingsomewhat out of the range of her gaze at the moment, noted40 the gesture and her enthusiasm and decidedforthwith that the coat must be worth at least twenty-five or fifty dollars more to her, anyhow, in case sheinquired for it. The firm had been offering it at one hundred. "Oh, ha!" he grunted41. But being of a sensual andsomewhat romantic turn, he also speculated to himself rather definitely as to the probable trading value,affectionally speaking, of such a coat. What, say, would the poverty and vanity of such a pretty girl as this causeher to yield for such a coat?
In the meantime, however, Hortense, having gloated as long as her noontime hour would permit, had gone away,still dreaming and satiating her flaming vanity by thinking of how devastating42 she would look in such a coat. Butshe had not stopped to ask the price. Hence, the next day, feeling that she must look at it once more, she returned,only this time alone, and yet with no idea of being able to purchase it herself. On the contrary, she was onlyvaguely revolving44 the problem of how, assuming that the coat was sufficiently45 low in price, she could get it. Atthe moment she could think of no one. But seeing the coat once more, and also seeing Mr. Rubenstein, Jr., insideeyeing her in a most propitiatory46 and genial47 manner, she finally ventured in.
"You like the coat, eh?" was Rubenstein's ingratiating comment as she opened the door. "Well, that shows youhave good taste, I'll say. That's one of the nobbiest little coats we've ever had to show in this store yet. A realbeauty, that. And how it would look on such a beautiful girl as you!" He took it out of the window and held it up.
"I seen you when you was looking at it yesterday." A gleam of greedy admiration48 was in his eye.
And noting this, and feeling that a remote and yet not wholly unfriendly air would win her more considerationand courtesy than a more intimate one, Hortense merely said, "Yes?""Yes, indeed. And I said right away, there's a girl that knows a really swell49 coat when she sees it."The flattering unction soothed50, in spite of herself.
"Look at that! Look at that!" went on Mr. Rubinstein, turning the coat about and holding it before her. "Where in Kansas City will you find anything to equal that today? Look at this silk lining here--genuine Mallinson silk--andthese slant51 pockets. And the buttons. You think those things don't make a different-looking coat? There ain'tanother one like it in Kansas City today--not one. And there won't be. We designed it ourselves and we neverrepeat our models. We protect our customers. But come back here." (He led the way to a triple mirror at theback.) "It takes the right person to wear a coat like this--to get the best effect out of it. Let me try it on you."And by the artificial light Hortense was now privileged to see how really fetching she did look in it. She cockedher head and twisted and turned and buried one small ear in the fur, while Mr. Rubenstein stood by, eyeing herwith not a little admiration and almost rubbing his hands.
"There now," he continued. "Look at that. What do you say to that, eh? Didn't I tell you it was the very thing foryou? A find for you. A pick-up. You'll never get another coat like that in this city. If you do, I'll make you apresent of this one." He came very near, extending his plump hands, palms up.
"Well, I must say it does look smart on me," commented Hortense, her vainglorious52 soul yearning53 for it. "I canwear anything like this, though." She twisted and turned the more, forgetting him entirely and the effect herinterest would have on his cost price. Then she added: "How much is it?""Well, it's really a two-hundred-dollar coat," began Mr. Rubenstein artfully. Then noting a shadow ofrelinquishment pass swiftly over Hortense's face, he added quickly: "That sounds like a lot of money, but ofcourse we don't ask so much for it down here. One hundred and fifty is our price. But if that coat was at Jarek's,that's what you'd pay for it and more. We haven't got the location here and we don't have to pay the high rents.
But it's worth every cent of two hundred.""Why, I think that's a terrible price to ask for it, just awful," exclaimed Hortense sadly, beginning to remove thecoat. She was feeling as though life were depriving her of nearly all that was worth while. "Why, at Biggs andBeck's they have lots of three- quarter mink54 and beaver coats for that much, and classy styles, too.""Maybe, maybe. But not that coat," insisted Mr. Rubenstein stubbornly. "Just look at it again. Look at the collar.
You mean to say you can find a coat like that up there? If you can, I'll buy the coat for you and sell it to youagain for a hundred dollars. Actually, this is a special coat. It's copied from one of the smartest coats that was inNew York last summer before the season opened. It has class. You won't find no coat like this coat.""Oh, well, just the same, a hundred and fifty dollars is more than I can pay," commented Hortense dolefully, atthe same time slipping on her old broadcloth jacket with the fur collar and cuffs55, and edging toward the door.
"Wait! You like the coat?" wisely observed Mr. Rubenstein, after deciding that even a hundred dollars was toomuch for her purse, unless it could be supplemented by some man's. "It's really a two-hundred-dollar coat. I'mtelling you that straight. Our regular price is one hundred and fifty. But if you could bring me a hundred andtwenty-five dollars, since you want it so much, well, I'll let you have it for that. And that's like finding it. Astunning-looking girl like you oughtn't to have no trouble in finding a dozen fellows who would be glad to buythat coat and give it to you. I know I would, if I thought you would be nice to me."He beamed ingratiatingly up at her, and Hortense, sensing the nature of the overture19 and resenting it--from him- drew back slightly. At the same time she was not wholly displeased56 by the compliment involved. But she was notcoarse enough, as yet, to feel that just any one should be allowed to give her anything. Indeed not. It must besome one she liked, or at least some one that was enslaved by her.
And yet, even as Mr. Rubenstein spoke57, and for some time afterwards, her mind began running upon possibleindividuals-- favorites--who, by the necromancy58 of her charm for them, might be induced to procure59 this coat forher. Charlie Wilkens for instance--he of the Orphia cigar store--who was most certainly devoted60 to her after hisfashion, but a fashion, however, which did not suggest that he might do much for her without getting a good dealin return.
And then there was Robert Kain, another youth--very tall, very cheerful and very ambitious in regard to her, whowas connected with one of the local electric company's branch offices, but his position was not sufficientlylucrative--a mere entry clerk. Also he was too saving--always talking about his future.
And again, there was Bert Gettler, the youth who had escorted her to the dance the night Clyde first met her, butwho was little more than a giddy-headed dancing soul, one not to be relied upon in a crisis like this. He was onlya shoe salesman, probably twenty dollars a week, and most careful with his pennies.
But there was Clyde Griffiths, the person who seemed to have real money and to be willing to spend it on herfreely. So ran her thoughts swiftly at the time. But could she now, she asked herself, offhand61, inveigle62 him intomaking such an expensive present as this? She had not favored him so very much--had for the most part treatedhim indifferently. Hence she was not sure, by any means. Nevertheless as she stood there, debating the cost andthe beauty of the coat, the thought of Clyde kept running through her mind. And all the while Mr. Rubensteinstood looking at her, vaguely43 sensing, after his fashion, the nature of the problem that was confronting her.
"Well, little girl," he finally observed, "I see you'd like to have this coat, all right, and I'd like to have you have it,too. And now I'll tell you what I'll do, and better than that I can't do, and wouldn't for nobody else--not a personin this city. Bring me a hundred and fifteen dollars any time within the next few days-- Monday or Wednesday orFriday, if the coat is still here, and you can have it. I'll do even better. I'll save it for you. How's that? Until nextWednesday or Friday. More'n that no one would do for you, now, would they?"He smirked63 and shrugged64 his shoulders and acted as though he were indeed doing her a great favor. AndHortense, going away, felt that if only--only she could take that coat at one hundred and fifteen dollars, shewould be capturing a marvelous bargain. Also that she would be the smartest-dressed girl in Kansas City beyondthe shadow of a doubt. If only she could in some way get a hundred and fifteen dollars before next Wednesday,or Friday.
这一件事的前因后果，使克莱德特别对两性问题比过去思考得更多，而且决不按照正统观念。他谴责姐姐的情人如此无情地遗弃了她，可是他也不认为姐姐自己就没有过错。当时是她同他一块出走的。现在他从她那里了解到，她同他出走前一年，此人在堪萨斯城待过一星期，就是在那时跟她相识。转年，此人又回到这里，待了两个星期，可这一回，是她自己去找他的……至少克莱德心里是这样怀疑的。因为他自己热衷于霍丹斯。布里格斯，并且心中又在打她的主意，他当然不会说两性关系本身有什么过错。
现在依他看，麻烦倒不是在这件事本身，而是在于他们对这件事的种种后果事先没有想到，或则一无所知。要是爱思达对她自己的意中人，以及对自己同他发生这样一种关系后的后果，事先了解得更多些，那她就不至于陷入目前的惨境了。当然罗，象霍丹斯。布里格斯。格里达。路易斯这一类女人，怎么也不会让自己象爱思达那样陷入这样的绝境。说不定她们也会那样吗?
决不会的，她们太精明呀。他心中把她同她们相比，至少现在她是在吃苦。依他看，本来她应该处理得更明智些。因此，他对她的态度就开始逐渐变得严厉起来，尽管他对姐姐也并不见得漠不关心。
可是，目前只有一件事正使他激动。苦恼，乃至于发生变化，那就是他已经被霍丹斯。布里格斯弄得神魂颠倒了……除这以外，再也没有别的事能使年龄。气质与他相仿的年轻人更加心乱如麻了。他跟她接触了不多几次，就觉得:
说实在的，她是过去他梦寐以求的那类女性的完美化身。她是那么灵活。自负。
迷人，而且确实漂亮。他觉得，她眼里好似迸闪出火花星子。她让自己两片朱唇不停翕动，同时两眼却无动于衷地凝视前方，简直令人心荡神移，仿佛她压根儿不想他似的，可是一下子却激起了他的情焰与狂热，说真的，有时候使他感到浑身无力，头昏目眩，血管里好象有一股股烈火流过，无情地灼烧着他，而这只能称之为意识之中的欲望……本是一种痛苦而又无可奈何的事情，因为他同霍丹斯之间的关系，除了拥抱。接吻以外，不能越雷池一步。同时，他对她在某种程度上说还有点儿拘谨与顾虑;而她呢，实际上非常厌恶她的这些年轻的崇拜者，尽管她总是设法在他们身上激起以上这种心态。她真正疼爱。而且时刻留心寻摸的，正是那样一种年轻小伙子，那就是说，他能够把她所有虚情假意和优越感一扫而空，从而迫使她……哪怕有违她的意志……就范。
事实上，霍丹斯心中始终在摇摆不定:
究竟喜欢他呢，还是不喜欢他。因此，克莱德总是对自己半信半疑;他这种心态，特别使她沾沾自喜，但她又决不让他对她完全死了心以至于最终离弃了她。每当她跟他一块去参加晚会，或是赴宴，或是看戏时，他总是始终表现得特别机智圆通……从不过分武断……而她却突然变得那么驯顺。那么诱人，连最最求全责备的恋人都会感到高兴。这样往往持续到黄昏行将逝去，那时，她在自己家，或是她在那里过夜的别的女孩子家，大门口。房门口，突然转过身来，毫无理由地或则根本不加解释，仅仅跟他握握手，或是漫不经心地拥抱一下，或则接吻一下，就把他给打发走了。碰到这种时候，克莱德还是傻呵呵，妄想迫使她屈服，从她那里攫取到他如饥似渴的抚爱，那末，她就会象一头恶狠狠的猫，怒咻咻地一转过身来不睬他，或是让自己从他怀里挣脱出来，一时间仿佛产生一种强烈的敌意，其原因几乎连她自己都说不上来。看来她主要的心理因素，就是她不愿事事受他驱使支配。而他呢，一来是已被她弄得神魂颠倒，又加上过分害怕失掉了她，所以表现软弱无力，往往怀着阴郁。沮丧的心情，不得不乖乖地走了。
不过，她对他的吸引力毕竟太强烈了，离开她时间久了，他就受不了，所以又情不自禁赶到最容易同她相遇的地方去。这些天来，尽管他同爱思达晤面后已产生相当紧张的后果，事实上，他对霍丹斯依然浸沉在热切。甜蜜而又富于性感的梦幻之中。只要她能真心疼爱他该有多好。入夜，他在家躺卧床上，心里却在想着她……想着她的脸……她的嘴和眼睛的表情，她身段的曲线，她走路时或跳舞时的姿态……她的身影有如映在银幕上，在他眼前一一闪过。他梦见她美滋滋地在他身旁，紧偎着他……她那可爱的身子全都属于他的……然后，在最后关键时刻，好象她就要整个儿委身于他了，蓦然间他一惊醒，发现她早已倏忽不见了……只不过是一场幻梦罢了。
可是与她有关的一些客观情况，好象预示他有可能成功。先说她如同他一样，也是穷人家出身……她父亲是修机器的师傅，还有她的母亲，至今一家人也只能勉强糊口度日。她自幼起就要啥没啥，但凭自己的小聪明，弄到一些花里胡哨的小饰物和蹩脚衣服。她的社会地位是那么低下，至今充其量只能同肉铺子。面包房小伙计这一类人……也就是说，在她家街坊附近常见的顽童，以及净找一些零活干的那一类男孩子来往。不过即使那时，她早已懂得她可以而且应该利用自己的外貌和魅力谋利……事实上，她确实也这么做了。这些小伙子中，就有不少人为了弄钱供她吃喝玩乐，甚至偷盗行窃也都干。
当她年龄稍长，可以工作了，她才同她现在喜欢的那一伙男孩子或成年人有来往。那时她恍然大悟，原来自己不必过分迁就人家，只要小心行事，就能得到比她过去更好的衣着服饰。只不过她实在太淫荡，酷爱寻欢作乐，所以她不大愿意把自己的优势与寻欢作乐截然分开。恰好相反，她一面故意喜欢那些她想加以利用的人，而另一方面又不愿向那些她不喜欢的人卖弄风情，这样，她不时感到苦恼。
以克莱德为例，她并不太喜欢他，可她又禁不住要想利用他。他乐意给她买一些看来她喜爱的小东西……比方说一个拎包。一条披巾。一只钱包。一双手套……只要她提出的要求合情合理，或者接受下来自己并不觉得背了过多的人情债就得了。不过，凭她那聪明乖觉的劲儿，她一开始就明白:
除非她能百依百顺他……在某一个时候，给予他她知道他正如饥似渴地盼着的那种最后酬报……那她就根本不能永远拢住他。
一想到这里，最让她动心的，是:
看来克莱德很乐意为她破钞;也许她能从他那里弄到一些更值钱的东西……比方说，一件价格昂贵的漂亮衣服，或是一顶帽子，乃至于市面上常见陈列也有人穿戴的裘皮大衣;至于她常在各商号橱窗里见了眼红的金耳环和手表，那就更求之不得了。
克莱德发现姐姐爱思达以后不久，有一天，霍丹斯正漫步在第十五街交岔口附近的巴尔的摩街上……那儿是本城商业区最豪华商店集中之地……当时正值正午时分……同她在一起的，有她店里的女同事多丽丝。特兰因。霍丹斯在本市一家规模较小。并非第一流的皮货行橱窗里，看见一件海獭皮外套，依她看，正适合自己的体态。肤色和气质，也是她认为需要花大力地充实自己那个空空如也的衣橱。这件外套并不太贵，也许一百块美元左右……不过款式挺别致，使她心中不由得这样设想:
她一旦穿上了它，就更能勾勒出自己体态的那种迷人的魅力。
她一想到这里就异常激动，竟驻步不前，大声嚷了起来:
"啊，这么帅的精美短外套可从来没见过!
哦，瞧这袖子，多丽丝，"她猛地一把抓住了同伴的胳膊。
"瞧这领子，还有外套衬里!
还有那些口袋!
哦，我的老天哪!
"她赞不绝口地说，简直欣喜若狂，浑身上下都抖索了。"哦，它太漂亮了，真不知道该怎么说呢。正是我多少天来一心向往的外套啊。哦，你是我心中的小宝贝!
"她媚态十足地嚷了起来，心里一个劲儿捉摸着眼前这件短毛皮外套，以及她站在橱窗跟前的神态和这副神态给过往行人留下的印象。"啊，要是我也能有这么一件多好!
"她竟在狂喜之中鼓起掌来，这时，商店老板的大儿子伊萨多。鲁宾斯坦正伫立在她目光见不到的地方，已注意到她的姿态和狂喜劲儿。他马上决定，只要她来打听价钱的话，那末，这件短毛皮外套至少要比原价多出二十五块。乃至于五十块美元。而店里原价是一百块美元。"就这样得了!
"他咕哝着说。不过，此人是带有一点儿罗曼蒂克的好色之徒，心里还在琢磨着，从爱情视角来说，这么一件外套，真不知道该有多大交换价值。比方说，象这么一个漂亮女郎，但是穷，偏偏又爱虚荣，为了这么一件外套，总会使她不得不俯首听命吧?
霍丹斯在整个午休时间里大饱眼福后，终于走了，可心里依然在梦想。她还在暗中思忖，以满足她那炽烈的虚荣心:
她要是穿上这件外套，一定会使人倾倒。不过，她可没有去店里打听价钱。因此，转天她觉得非要再看一次不可，于是，她就又去了，这回是独个儿去的，心里倒也不认为自个儿就买得起。相反，她只是模模糊糊地在算计着，假定说这件外套价钱相当低，那她又该怎样把它弄到手。当时，她心里并没有在打哪一个人的主意。不过，当她又一次看见了那件外套，也看见正在店堂里和颜悦色地端详她的小鲁宾斯坦先生，她终于闯了进去。
"您喜欢这件外套，嗯?
"她推门进去时，鲁宾斯坦就这样献殷勤地说。
"哦，我说，这就足见您有眼力呗。这是只有本店才能陈列出来的最最高贵的短毛皮外套之一。它可真美啊。象您这样的漂亮女郎，一穿上它，这才好看!
"他从橱窗里把外套取出来，高高地举了起来。"昨天您一个劲儿看它的时候，我就看见您啦，"他眼里忽闪着馋涎欲滴的光芒。
霍丹斯觉察到这一点，心里想，自己不如摆出一副比较冷淡，但又不是完全不友好的姿态，说不定比一味亲热反而使她能得到更大尊敬和奉承。于是，她只说了一声:
"是吗?
""是啊，那还用说嘛。那时我马上就对自己说，这位小姐真能识货，一见它就知道，真有眼力呀。"听了这些奉承话，她心里不由得感到美滋滋的。
"您看!
您看!
"鲁宾斯坦先生接下去说，一面把外套来回转悠着，还端到她面前晃动。"今儿个您走遍堪萨斯城，哪儿还找得到同它相比的外套?
您看这绸衬里……地地道道的马林森绸……还有这些斜衣兜。还有这些钮扣。您说，所有这些玩意儿合在一块，不就成了一件与众不同的外套吗?
今儿个在全堪萨斯城，压根儿找不到象它那样的外套了……一件也找不到。包管不会有的。这是我们店自个儿设计的，而且我们的款式，也是从来不重复雷同的。我们店一向维护顾客的权益。劳您大驾，上这边来。"(他把她领到店堂间后边三联镜跟前)"象这么一件外套，还只好让模样儿最合适的人穿……那时穿起来的效果，也就最好了。让我给您试一试吧。"霍丹斯在精心设计的耀眼灯光之下，看到自己身穿这件外套确实格外迷人。
她昂起头来，身子一扭，转了一圈，一只小耳朵埋在裘皮外套里;而鲁宾斯坦先生则伫立在一旁，无限爱慕地凝视着她，几乎不断在搓手。
"敢情好，"他接下去说。"您看看。这会儿您说说，怎么样，嗯?
我不是早说过这仿佛特地为您精心缝制的吗?
可以说是您的一大发现。真是难得碰上的。您在本城再也找不着第二件啦。您要是找得着，我把这一件奉送给您就得了，"他走过来贴近她身旁，他那两只胖乎乎的手一齐伸出来，掌心一概向上。
"哦，穿在我身上，我不能不承认确实漂亮，"霍丹斯说，她的那颗爱虚荣的心，渴望这件外套，简直难受极了。"不过，象这样的裘皮服装，反正穿哪一件我都合适。"她在试衣镜前一次又一次地来回扭腰转圈，压根儿把他给忘了，自然也忘了自己这样热衷此物，同他讨价还价时会不会有什么影响。随后，她又找补着说:
"那要多少钱呢?
""哦，这可是货真价实，两百块美元一件的外套，"鲁宾斯坦先生真够精明的，一开头是这么说的。稍后，他觉察到霍丹斯脸上忽然掠过一阵心里只好放弃不买的阴影，就连忙说下去:
"听起来价钱好象挺大的，不过，本店当然不会卖得这么贵呗。我们的售价是……一百五十块美元。不过话又说回来，这件外套要是在贾雷克那儿，那您就得出那么多钱，说不定还要更多呢。本店不属于那个市口，所以也用不着付高额房租。可是这件外套，完全绝对是值两百块美元的。
""哦，我说你们要价太大了，简直是吓人，"霍丹斯脸色不快地大声嚷嚷说，开始把外套脱下来。她感到好象生活中几乎所有一切最珍贵的东西都被剥夺殆尽。"嘿，在比格斯和贝克那儿，按照这个价钱就可以随便拣了，不管是四分之三的貂皮外套，还是海獭皮外套，而且款式也是最时髦的。""这有可能，这有可能。不过，决不是这样的外套，"鲁宾斯坦先生一口咬定重复说。"请您再看一眼。看看这衣领。您刚才是说那儿能找到这样的外套吗?
您要是能找到，我自己先把那件上衣替您买下来，再转手以一百块美元卖给您就得了。老实说，我们这件外套，完全是特制的。是赶当令时节到来以前，就在夏天，专门仿照纽约一家店里最漂亮的外套精心制作的。完全是第一流。包您再也找不到这样好的外套。""哦，不管你怎么说，反正一百五十块美元我可买不起，"霍丹斯郁郁不乐地说，一面披上她那件皮领子。皮袖口的绒面呢旧短大衣，侧身朝店门口挤了出去。
"等一会儿!
您喜欢这件外套?
"鲁宾斯坦先生乖觉地说。他心中有数，即使是一百块美元，谅她也买不起，除非有哪一个男人给她的钱袋装得满满的。"这件外套的确值两百块美元。我就跟您实话实说吧。本店的定价，就是一百五十块美元。不过，既然您已是这么喜欢它，您要是能出一百二十五块美元，我就卖给您得了。这反正就象半送半卖呢。象您这样的一位女郎，当然罗，不难找到十来个论打的年轻小伙子，他们都乐意掏钱买下来，送给您罗。我知道，您要是对我好，那我自个儿也会掏钱买下来，送给您的。"他殷勤地对她露出满脸笑容。霍丹斯一觉察到……从他嘴里说出来的……这句话的意思，就很反感。她稍微往后挪了一步。与此同时，她对其中恭维她的话，倒也不是完全不高兴。不过，她毕竟还没有那样鄙俗透顶，乃至于不拘是谁，都可以送东西给她啊。的确，还没有达到这样的程度，如果说有的话，也必须是她喜欢的人，或者至少是她能随便驱使的人。
不过，在鲁宾斯坦先生正在说这话的时候以及说过这话以后，她心里已开始琢磨她所喜欢的那些年轻小伙子，竭力断定他们里头有谁最可能在她迷人的魅力的诱惑下给她买下这件外套。比如说，奥菲亚烟摊的查理。威尔肯斯，他当然自以为对她极端忠诚，但是如果没有很大的还报，谅他也未必会买给她这么珍贵的礼物。
还有另一个年轻人罗伯特。凯恩……个儿高高的，总是乐乐呵呵，对她也很关怀备至，在本地电力公司一个分支机构工作，不过，他仅仅是个记记帐的小职员，进项也不多。而且他又太节俭了……动不动就讲他将来要如何如何。
此外，还有那个伯特。格特勒，也就是克莱德初次同她见面的那天晚上，陪她去跳舞的那个年轻人。不过，此人充其量只是个浮荡子弟，一心只知道跳舞，在这样关键时刻是断断乎不可信赖的。他仅仅是一家皮鞋店里的推销员，每周大约挣二十块美元，连一个铜子儿都要计较的。
可是毕竟还有克莱德。格里菲思，此人好象确实有钱，而且乐意为她花钱，说得上爽气大方了。这时，她的思路就是这样飞也似地运转着。可她又抚心自问，她到底能不能一下子诱使他买下这么一份贵重的礼物呢?
她对他并不是太好……常常对他表示冷淡。因此，她对他是完全没有把握的。尽管如此，她伫立在商店那里，琢磨着那件外套一来要多少钱，二来又有多美，不知怎的她心中老是在想克莱德。鲁宾斯坦一直站在一边瞅着她，凭他的经验，已模模糊糊地猜到了她正面临一个什么样的难题。
"哦，小乖乖，"他终于开腔说，"我看得出您很想买这件外套。好极了，我也很想让您能有这么一件外套。现在，我就把我出的一个好点子告诉您。这可仅仅是对您一个人来说的，对本城其他的人我就不干啦。那就是说，在最近几天以内……星期一，或是星期三，或是星期五，不拘在什么时候，您交给我一百十五块美元，只要外套还在这儿，您包管拿走就得了。我甚至于还可以特别照顾。我会专门给您先把它保留一下。您说怎么样?
直到下星期三，或是星期五为止。人家谁都不会对您比这更为照顾的了，可不是吗?
"他得意地笑着，耸耸肩膀，瞧他那种德行仿佛他果真给了她很大的恩惠似的。而霍丹斯呢，走出了店门，心里在想，要是……要是她能够以一百十五块美元买下这件外套，那她就算是做成了一笔惊人的买卖了。而且，毫无疑问，堪萨斯城里穿得最最漂亮的女郎也就数她霍丹斯了。只要她能在下星期三，或是下星期五以前，设法弄到一百十五块美元就得了。
收听单词发音 |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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agitating
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| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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overture
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| n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉 | |
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overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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bode
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| v.预示 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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urchins
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| n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 )；淘气鬼；猬；海胆 | |
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aspirants
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| n.有志向或渴望获得…的人( aspirant的名词复数 )v.渴望的，有抱负的，追求名誉或地位的( aspirant的第三人称单数 )；有志向或渴望获得…的人 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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enviously
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| adv.满怀嫉妒地 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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beaver
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| n.海狸，河狸 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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affectedly
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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propitiatory
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| adj.劝解的；抚慰的；谋求好感的；哄人息怒的 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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vainglorious
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| adj.自负的；夸大的 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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mink
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| n.貂，貂皮 | |
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cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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necromancy
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| n.巫术；通灵术 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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60
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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offhand
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| adj.临时，无准备的；随便，马虎的 | |
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inveigle
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| v.诱骗 | |
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smirked
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| v.傻笑( smirk的过去分词 ) | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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