嘉莉妹妹(Sister Carrie) 第三十三章

Chapter 33

WITHOUT THE WALLED CITY: THE SLOPE OF THE YEARS

The immediate result of this was nothing. Results from such things are usually long in growing. Morning brings a change of feeling. The existent condition invariably pleads for itself. It is only at odd moments that we get glimpses of the misery of things. The heart understands when it is confronted with contrasts. Take them away and the ache subsides.

Carrie went on, leading much this same life for six months thereafter or more. She did not see Ames any more. He called once upon the Vances, but she only heard about it through the young wife. Then he went West, and there was a gradual subsidence of whatever personal attraction had existed. The mental effect of the thing had not gone, however, and never would entirely. She had an ideal to contrast men by -- particularly men close to her.

During all this time -- a period rapidly approaching three years -- Hurstwood had been moving along in an even path. There was no apparent slope downward, and 'distinctly none upward, so far as the casual observer might have seen. But psychologically there was a change, which was marked enough to suggest the future very distinctly indeed. This was in the mere matter of the halt his career had received when he departed from Chicago. A man's fortune or material progress is very much the same as his bodily growth. Either he is growing stronger, healthier, wiser, as the youth approaching manhood, or he is growing weaker, older, less incisive mentally, as the man approaching old age. There are no other states. Frequently there is a period between the cessation of youthful accretion and the setting in, in the case of the middle-aged man, of the tendency toward decay when the two processes are almost perfectly balanced and there is little doing in either direction. Given time enough, however, the balance becomes a sagging to the grave side. Slowly at first, then with a modest momentum, and at last the graveward process is in the full swing. So it is frequently with man's fortune. If its process of accretion is never halted, if the balancing stage is never reached, there will be no toppling. Rich men are, frequently, in these days, saved from this dissolution of their fortune by their ability to hire younger brains. These younger brains look upon the interests of the fortune as their own, and so steady and direct its progress. If each individual were left absolutely to the care of his own interests, and were given time enough in which to grow exceedingly old, his fortune would pass as his strength and will. He and his would be utterly dissolved and scattered unto the four winds of the heavens.

But now see wherein the parallel changes. A fortune, like a man, is an organism which draws to itself other minds and other strength than that inherent in the founder. Beside the young minds drawn to it by salaries, it becomes allied with young forces, which make for its existence even when the strength and wisdom of the founder are fading. It may be conserved by the growth of a community or of a state. It may be involved in providing something for which there is a growing demand. This removes it at once beyond the special care of the founder. It needs not so much foresight now as direction. The man wanes, the need continues or grows, and the fortune, fallen into whose hands it may, continues. Hence, some men never recognise the turning in the tide of their abilities. It is only in chance cases, where a fortune or a state of success is wrested from them, that the lack of ability to do as they did formerly becomes apparent. Hurstwood, set down under new conditions, was in a position to see that he was no longer young. If he did not, it was due wholly to the fact that his state was so well balanced that an absolute change for the worse did not show.

Not trained to reason or introspect himself, he could not analyse the change that was taking place in his mind, and hence his body, but he felt the depression of it. Constant comparison between his old state and his new showed a balance for the worse, which produced a constant state of gloom or, at least, depression. Now, it has been shown experimentally that a constantly subdued frame of mind produces certain poisons in the blood, called katastates, just as virtuous feelings of pleasure and delight produce helpful chemicals called anastates. The poisons generated by remorse inveigh against the system, and eventually produce marked physical deterioration. To these Hurstwood was subject.

In the course of time it told upon his temper. His eye no longer possessed that buoyant, searching shrewdness which had characterised it in Adams Street. His step was not as sharp and firm. He was given to thinking, thinking, thinking. The new friends he made were not celebrities. They were of a cheaper, a slightly more sensual and cruder, grade. He could not possibly take the pleasure in this company that he had in that of those fine frequenters of the Chicago resort. He was left to brood.

Slowly, exceedingly slowly, his desire to greet, conciliate, and make at home these people who visited the Warren Street place passed from him. More and more slowly the significance of the realm he had left began to be clear. It did not seem so wonderful to be in it when he was in it. It had seemed very easy for any one to get up there and have ample raiment and money to spend, but now that he was out of it, how far off it became. He began to see as one sees a city with a wall about it. Men were posted at the gates. You could not get in. Those inside did not care to come out to see who you were. They were so merry inside there that all those outside were forgotten, and he was on the outside.

Each day he could read in the evening papers of the doings within this walled city. In the notices of passengers for Europe he read the names of eminent frequenters of his old resort. In the theatrical column appeared, from time to time, announcements of the latest successes of men he had known. He knew that they were at their old gayeties. Pullmans were hauling them to and fro about the land, papers were greeting them with interesting mentions, the elegant lobbies of hotels and the glow of polished dining-rooms were keeping them close within the walled city. Men whom he had known, men whom he had tipped glasses with -- rich men, and he was forgotten! Who was Mr. Wheeler? What was the Warren Street resort? Bah!

If one thinks that such thoughts do not come to so common a type of mind -- that such feelings require a higher mental development -- I would urge for their consideration the fact that it is the higher mental development that does away with such thoughts. It is the higher mental development which induces philosophy and that fortitude which refuses to dwell upon such things -- refuses to be made to suffer by their consideration. The common type of mind is exceedingly keen on all matters which relate to its physical welfare -- exceedingly keen. It is the unintellectual miser who sweats blood at the loss of a hundred dollars. It is the Epictetus who smiles when the last vestige of physical welfare is removed.

The time came, in the third year, when this thinking began to produce results in the Warren Street place. The tide of patronage dropped a little below what it had been at its best since he had been there. This irritated and worried him.

There came a night when he confessed to Carrie that the business was not doing as well this month as it had the month before. This was in lieu of certain suggestions she had made concerning little things she wanted to buy. She had not failed to notice that he did not seem to consult her about buying clothes for himself. For the first time, it struck her as a ruse, or that he said it so that she would not think of asking for things. Her reply was mild enough, but her thoughts were rebellious. He was not looking after her at all. She was depending for her enjoyment upon the Vances.

And now the latter announced that they were going away. It was approaching spring, and they were going North.

"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Vance to Carrie, "we think we might as well give up the flat and store our things. We'll be gone for the summer, and it would be a useless expense. I think we'll settle a little farther down town when we come back."

Carrie heard this with genuine sorrow. She had enjoyed Mrs. Vance's companionship so much. There was no one else in the house whom she knew. Again she would be all alone.

Hurstwood's gloom over the slight decrease in profits and the departure of the Vances came together. So Carrie had loneliness and this mood of her husband to enjoy at the same time. It was a grievous thing. She became restless and dissatisfied, not exactly, as she thought, with Hurstwood, but with life. What was it? A very dull round indeed. What did she have? Nothing but this narrow, little flat. The Vances could travel, they could do the things worth doing, and here she was. For what was she made, anyhow? More thought followed, and then tears -- tears seemed justified, and the only relief in the world.

For another period this state continued, the twain leading a rather monotonous life, and then there was a slight change for the worse. One evening, Hurstwood, after thinking about a way to modify Carrie's desire for clothes and the general strain upon his ability to provide, said:

"I don't think I'll ever be able to do much with Shaughnessy."

"What's the matter?" said Carrie.

"Oh, he's a slow, greedy 'mick'! He won't agree to anything to improve the place, and it won't ever pay without it."

"Can't you make him?" said Carrie.

"No; I've tried. The only thing I can see, if I want to improve, is to get hold of a place of my own."

"Why don't you?" said Carrie.

"Well, all I have is tied up in there just now. If I had a chance to save a while I think I could open a place that would give us plenty of money."

"Can't we save?" said Carrie.

"We might try it," he suggested. "I've been thinking that if we'd take a smaller flat down town and live economically for a year, I would have enough, with what I have invested, to open a good place. Then we could arrange to live as you want to."

"It would suit me all right," said Carrie, who, nevertheless, felt badly to think it had come to this. Talk of a smaller flat sounded like poverty.

"There are lots of nice little flats down around Sixth Avenue, below Fourteenth Street. We might get one down there."

"I'll look at them if you say so," said Carrie.

"I think I could break away from this fellow inside of a year," said Hurstwood. "Nothing will ever come of this arrangement as it's going on now."

"I'll look around," said Carrie, observing that the proposed change seemed to be a serious thing with him.

The upshot of this was that the change was eventually effected; not without great gloom on the part of Carrie. It really affected her more seriously than anything that had yet happened. She began to look upon Hurstwood wholly as a man, and not as a lover or husband. She felt thoroughly bound to him as a wife, and that her lot was cast with his, whatever it might be; but she began to see that he was gloomy and taciturn, not a young, strong, and buoyant man. He looked a little bit old to her about the eyes and mouth now, and there were other things which placed him in his true rank, so far as her estimation was concerned. She began to feel that she had made a mistake. Incidentally, she also began to recall the fact that he had practically forced her to flee with him.

The new flat was located in Thirteenth Street, a half block west of Sixth Avenue, and contained only four rooms. The new neighbourhood did not appeal to Carrie as much. There were no trees here, no west view of the river. The street was solidly built up. There were twelve families here, respectable enough, but nothing like the Vances. Richer people required more space.

Being left alone in this little place, Carrie did without a girl. She made it charming enough, but could not make it delight her. Hurstwood was not inwardly pleased to think that they should have to modify their state, but he argued that he could do nothing. He must put the best face on it, and let it go at that.

He tried to show Carrie that there was no cause for financial alarm, but only congratulation over the chance he would have at the end of the year by taking her rather more frequently to the theatre and by providing a liberal table. This was for the time only. He was getting in the frame of mind where he wanted principally to be alone and to be allowed to think. The disease of brooding was beginning to claim him as a victim. Only the newspapers and his own thoughts were worth while. The delight of love had again slipped away. It was a case of live, now, making the best you can out of a very commonplace station in life.

The road downward has but few landings and level places. The very state of his mind, superinduced by his condition, caused the breach to widen between him and his partner. At last that individual began to wish that Hurstwood was out of it. It so happened, however, that a real estate deal on the part of the owner of the land arranged things even more effectually than ill-will could have schemed.

"Did you see that?" said Shaughnessy one morning to Hurstwood, pointing to the real estate column in a copy of the "Herald," which he held.

"No, what is it?" said Hurstwood, looking down the items of news.

"The man who owns this ground has sold it."

"You don't say so?" said Hurstwood.

He looked, and there was the notice. Mr. August Viele had yesterday registered the transfer of the lot, 25 x 75 feet, at the corner of Warren and Hudson streets, to J. F. Slawson for the sum of $57,000.

"Our lease expires when?" asked Hurstwood, thinking. "Next February, isn't it?"

"That's right," said Shaughnessy.

"It doesn't say what the new man's going to do with it," remarked Hurstwood, looking back to the paper.

"We'll hear, I guess, soon enough," said Shaughnessy.

Sure enough, it did develop. Mr. Slawson owned the property adjoining, and was going to put up a modern office building. The present one was to be torn down. It would take probably a year and a half to complete the other one.

All these things developed by degrees, and Hurstwood began to ponder over what would become of the saloon. One day he spoke about it to his partner.

"Do you think it would be worth while to open up somewhere else in the neighbourhood?"

"What would be the use?" said Shaughnessy. "We couldn't get another corner around here."

"It wouldn't pay anywhere else, do you think?"

"I wouldn't try it," said the other.

The approaching change now took on a most serious aspect to Hurstwood. Dissolution meant the loss of his thousand dollars, and he could not save another thousand in the time. He understood that Shaughnessy was merely tired of the arrangement, and would probably lease the new corner, when completed, alone. He began to worry about the necessity of a new connection and to see impending serious financial straits unless something turned up. This left him in no mood to enjoy his flat or Carrie, and consequently the depression invaded that quarter.

Meanwhile, he took such time as he could to look about, but opportunities were not numerous. More, he had not the same impressive personality which he had when he first came to New York. Bad thoughts had put a shade into his eyes which did not impress others favourably. Neither had he thirteen hundred dollars in hand to talk with. About a month later, finding that he had not made any progress, Shaughnessy reported definitely that Slawson would not extend the lease.

"I guess this thing's got to come to an end," he said, affecting an air of concern.

"Well, if it has, it has," answered Hurstwood, grimly. He would not give the other a key to his opinions, whatever they were. He should not have the satisfaction.

A day or two later he saw that he must say something to Carrie.

"You know," he said, "I think I'm going to get the worst of my deal down there."

"How is that?" asked Carrie in astonishment.

"Well, the man who owns the ground has sold it, and the new owner won't re-lease it to us. The business may come to an end."

"Can't you start somewhere else?"

"There doesn't seem to be any place. Shaughnessy doesn't want to."

"Do you lose what you put in?"

"Yes," said Hurstwood, whose face was a study.

"Oh, isn't that too bad?" said Carrie.

"It's a trick," said Hurstwood. "That's all. They'll start another place there all right."

Carrie looked at him, and gathered from his whole demeanour what it meant. It was serious, very serious.

"Do you think you can get something else?" she ventured, timidly.

Hurstwood thought a while. It was all up with the bluff about money and investment. She could see now that he was "broke."

"I don't know," he said solemnly; "I can try."

第三十三章

禁城之外：每况愈下

这件事情没有产生任何直接的结果。这类事要产生什么结果往往需要漫长的时间。早晨给人带来新的心情。目前的处境总会自我开脱的。只是在偶尔的时候，我们会起见事情的不幸。对照之下，人心能体会到这种不幸。没有了对照，痛苦也就减轻了。

在这以后的六个多月里，嘉莉照旧这样生活着。她没再见过艾姆斯。他来拜访过万斯夫妇一次，但她只是从那位年轻的太太那里听说了这事。随后，他便去了西部，即使这个人曾经吸引过她，现在这种吸引力也逐渐消失了。然而这件事的精神影响并没有消失，而且永远不会完全消失。她有了一个典范，可以用来对照男人，特别是她身边的男人。

转眼就快到三年了。在这整个时期内，赫斯渥倒也一帆风顺。没有什么明显的走下坡路，也没有什么显著的上升，一般的旁观者都能看出这一点。但他在心理上有了变化，这种变化很显著，足以清楚地表明将来的情况。这种变化仅仅是因为离开了芝加哥，导致了他的事业中断而造成的。一个人的财产或物质方面的发展和他的身体的成长很相像。他要么如同青年接近成年，越变越强壮、健康、聪明；要么如同成年接近老年，越变越虚弱、衰老、思想迟钝。没有任何别的状况。就中年人而言，在青春活力停止增长和衰老的趋势到来之间，往往会有一段时期，两种进展几乎完全平衡，很少向任何一方倾斜。可是，过了足够长的时间以后，这种平衡开始朝坟墓一面下陷。

开始很慢，然后有些加速，最后就全速走向坟墓。人的财产也往往如此。倘若财产的增长过程从未中断过，倘若那种平衡的状态从未达到过，那么就不会垮掉。现今的这些有钱人往往因为他们能雇佣年轻的聪明人而避免了这样耗尽他们的财产。

这些年轻的聪明人把雇主财产的利益看作是自己的利益。因此，财产就有了稳定、直接的发展。倘若每个人都要绝对地自己照管自己的财产，而且在过了足够长的时间后又变得极起衰老，那么他的财产就会像他的精力和意志一样消逝掉。他和他的财产就会完全化为乌有，不知去向。

但是，现在来看看这种类比在什么方面有所不同。一份财产，如同一个人，是一个有机体，除了创业人固有的才智和精力之外，它还要吸引别人的才智和精力。除了那些靠薪水吸引来的年轻人以外，它还要联合年轻人的力量。即使当创业人的精力和智慧逐渐衰退的时候，这些年轻人的力量仍能维持它的生存。它可能会由于一个社会或国家的发展而得以保存。它可能会致力于提供某种需求量日益增加的东西。这样一来，它立即就可以摆脱创业人的特殊照料。它这时就不需要远见而只需要指导了。人在衰退，需求在继续或者在增长，那么这份财产，无论可能会落入谁的手中，都会维持下去。因此，有些人从未意识到自己能力的衰退。只是在一些偶尔的情况下，当他们的财产或成功的处境被剥夺时，才会明显地看出他们已经缺少过去的那种经营能力。当赫斯渥在新的环境中安顿下来的时候，他应该能够看出自己已不再年轻。要是他看不出这一点，那完全是因为他的状况正极为平衡，还没有露出衰退的痕迹。

他本身并不善于推理或反省，也就不能分析他的精神乃至身体上正在发生的变化，但是他已经感到了这种变化所带来的压抑。不断地将他过去的处境和现在的处境相对比，表明平衡正向坏的一面倾斜，于是产生了一种终日忧郁或者至少是消沉的心态。如今，有实验表明，终日抑郁的心情会在血液中产生某些叫做破坏素的毒素，正如愉快和欢乐的心情会产生叫做生长素的有益化学物质一般。由悔恨产生的毒素侵袭着身体组织，最终造成明显的体质恶化。这种情况正在赫斯渥身上发生。

一段时间以后，他的性情受到了影响。他的目光不再像当年在亚当斯街时那样轻快、敏锐。他的脚步不再像从前那样敏捷、坚实。他总是沉思、沉思、再沉思。他的那些新朋友都不是知名人士。他们属于比较低级，偏重肉欲而且较为粗俗的那等人。和这群人打交道，他不可能得到他在和常来芝加哥酒店的那些优雅人士交往中得到的乐趣。他只有任由自己郁郁沉思。

渐渐地，他不再愿意招呼、讨好和款待这些来沃伦街酒店的顾客了，虽然这种变化很慢，极其缓慢。渐渐地，他所放弃的那块天地的重要性也开始慢慢变得清楚起来。当他置身于起中时，也没觉得它有多么美妙。似乎人人都很容易去那里，人人都有很多的衣服穿，有足够的钱花。可是，如今当他被排斥在外，它竟变得如此遥远。他开始发现它就像一座围有城墙的禁城。各个城门口都有人把守。你无法进去。城里的人不屑出来看看你是谁。他们在里面快乐得很，根本就忘记了外面的所有人，而他就在外面。

每天他都能从晚报上看到这座禁城内的活动。在有关旅欧游客的通告中，他看到他过去那家酒店的知名主顾们的名字。在戏剧栏内，不时出现有关他过去认识的人们的最新成功之作的报道。他知道他们快乐依旧。头等卧车拉着他们在国内到处跑，报纸刊登有趣的新闻向他们表示欢迎，旅馆里雅致的门厅和明亮的餐厅里的一片灯火辉煌将他们紧紧地围在禁城之中。啊，那些他认识的人，那些和他碰过杯的人，那些有钱的人，而他却已被遗忘！惠勒先生是个什么人物？沃伦街酒店是个什么地方？呸！

倘若有人认为，这样的想法不会出现在如此普通的头脑里--这样的感觉需要更高的思想境界--那么我要提请他们注意，正是更高的思想境界才会排除这样的想法。正是更高的思想境界才会产生哲理和那种坚韧的精神，有了这种精神，人们就不愿去细想这类事情，不愿因考虑这类事情而自寻烦恼。普通的头脑对于有关物质幸福的一切事物都会非常敏感--敏感至极。只有无知的守财奴才会为损失了１００块钱而心痛万分。只有埃普克提图类型的主张忍耐与节制的人，才会在最后的一丝物质幸福的痕迹被抹掉的时候，能一笑置之。

到了第三年，这种想法开始对沃伦街酒店产生影响了。客流量比他进店以来最好的时候略有减少。这使他既恼怒又担忧。

有一天晚上，他向嘉莉吐露说，这个月的生意不如上个月做的好。他说这话来答复她提出的想买些小东西的要求。她已经注意到，他在为自己购买衣服时，好像并不和她商量。她第一次觉得这是个诡计，或者他这么说就是叫她不再想着开口要东西。她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。他一点也不关心她。她把自己的乐趣寄托在万斯夫妇的身上。

可是，这时万斯夫妇说他们要离开这里。春天快到了，他们要去北方。

“哦，是呀，”万斯太太对嘉莉说，“我们想还是最好把房子退掉，把东西寄存起来。我们整个夏天都不在这里，租这套房子是个无益的浪费。我想等回来的时候，我们住到靠市区近一点的地方去。”嘉莉听到这个消息，心里十分难过。她非常喜欢和万斯太太作伴。在这幢房子里，她不认识别的什么人。她又要孤单一人了。

赫斯渥对赢利减少的忧虑和万斯夫妇的离开，是同时发生的。因此，嘉莉要同时忍受自己的寂寞和丈夫的这种心境。

这事真让人伤心。她变得烦燥、不满，这种不满不完全像她想的那样是对赫斯渥的不满，而是对生活的不满。这是什么样的生活呀？整个一个日复一日的枯燥循环，实在是无味透顶。她拥有什么呢？除了这套窄小的公寓之外，她一无所有。万斯夫妇可以旅行，他们可以做些值得做的事情，而她却呆在这里。

她生来究竟是为了什么？由此越想越多，随后就流泪了。流泪似乎情有可原，而且是这世上唯一的安慰。

这种状况又持续了一段时间，这对人儿过着颇为单调的生活，后来情况又稍有恶化。一天晚上，在考虑用什么办法来减少嘉莉对衣服的需求并减轻压在他的支付能力上的总的重负以后，赫斯渥说：“我想我再也无法和肖内西一起做了。”“出什么事了？”嘉莉说。

“咳，他是一个迟钝、贪婪的爱尔兰佬。他不同意任何改进酒店的办法，而不改进，酒店根本就赚不了钱。”“你不能说服他吗？”嘉莉说。

“不行，我试过。我看要想改进只有一个办法，就是我自己开一家酒店。”“你为什么不这样做呢？”嘉莉问。

“唉，目前我所有的钱都卡在那里了。倘若我有可能节约一段时间，我想我就能开一家酒店，为我们赚很多的钱。”

“我们有可能节约吗？”嘉莉说。

“我们不妨试试，”他建议道。“我一直在想，要是我们在市区租一套小一些的公寓，节俭地过上一年，加上我已经投资的部分，我就有足够的钱开一家好酒店了。到那个时候，我们就能按你的愿望生活了。”“那将很合我的心意，”嘉莉说，尽管当她想到事情竟然发展到这一步时，心里感到很难过。谈到租小些的公寓，听起来像是要受穷了。

“在第六大道附近，十四街往南，有很多漂亮的小公寓。我们可以在那里租上一套。”“如果你说行的话，我就去看看，"嘉莉说。

“我想一年之内就能和这个家伙散伙，”赫斯渥说，“像现在这个做法，这桩生意无利可图。”“我要去看看，”嘉莉说，她看出他关于换房子的建议看来是当真的。

这次谈话的结果是最终换了房子。嘉莉也不免因此而闷闷不乐。这件事对她的影响比以往发生的任何事都更为严重。

她开始把赫斯渥完全看作是一个男人。而不是一个情人或丈夫。作为一个妻子，她觉得自己和他息息相关，不管命运如何，总是和他共命运的。可是，她开始发现他郁郁寡欢、沉默不语，不是一个年轻力壮、心情愉快的人了。在她看来，现在他的眼角和嘴边都有些显老了。照她的估计，还有别的事情让他露出了真面目。她开始感到自己犯了一个错误。顺便提一句，她还开始想起，当初实际上是他强迫她和他一起私奔的。

新公寓在十三街上，第六大道往西边去一点，只有四间房间。新住所的周围环境也不如以前的那么让嘉莉喜欢。这里没有树木，西面也看不见河。这条街上造满了房子。这里住着十二户人家，都是很体面的人，但是远不及万斯夫妇。更加有钱的人需要更多的居住空间。

嘉莉没雇女仆，因为只有她自己一个人待在这个小地方。

她把房子布置得相当可爱，但是无法把它弄得令自己欢心。赫斯渥想到他们不得不改变自己的境况，心里也不高兴，但是他争辩说他也是没有办法。他只有尽量做出高兴的样子，随它去了。

他试图向嘉莉表明，不必为经济问题感到恐慌，而应感到庆幸，因为一年后，他就有可能多带她去看戏，餐桌上的饭菜也会丰富多了。这只是一时的权宜之计。他的心情变得只想一人独处，这样可以想想心事。他已经开始成为郁郁沉思这一毛病的牺牲品。唯一值得做的就是看看报纸和独自思考。爱情的欢乐再次被错过。现在的问题只是生活下去，在十分平凡的生活中，尽量享受生活。

下坡路上很少有落脚点和气地。他那和处境并发的精神状态，加大了他和他的合伙人之间的裂痕。最后，那个人开始希望摆脱赫斯渥了。然而，也真凑巧，这块地皮的主人做了一笔地产交易，把事情解决得比相互仇视所能谋划的更为有效。

“你看见这个了吗？”一天早上，肖内西指着他手里拿的一张《先驱报》的房地产交易栏，对赫斯渥说。

“没有，什么事呀？”赫斯渥说着，低头去看那些新闻。

“这块地皮的主人把它卖掉了。”

“你不是开玩笑吧？”赫斯渥说。

他看了一下，果然有一则通告：奥古斯特·维尔先生已于昨日将沃伦街和赫德森街拐角处那块２５×７５英尺的土地，作价５．７万块钱，正式过户给杰·费·斯劳森。

“我们的租赁权什么时候到期？”赫斯渥问，一边思忖着。

“明年２月，是不是？”

“是的，”肖内西答道。

“这上面没说地皮的新主人打算把它派什么用场吧，”赫斯渥说，又看了看报纸。

“我想，我们很快就会知道的，”肖内西说。

的确如此，事情有了发展。斯劳森先生是与酒店毗邻的那片地产的主人，他准备在这里盖一幢现代化的办公楼。现有的房子要拆掉，大约要一年半的时间才能盖好新楼。

这一切逐步地发展着，赫斯渥也开始考虑啤酒店的前景来。一天，他向他的合伙人谈起这事“你认为在这附近别的地方另开一家酒店值得吗？”“那有什么用呢？”肖内西说。“在这附近我们也找不到别的拐角。”“你觉得在别的地方开酒店赚不到钱吗？”。

“我不想尝试，”另一位说。

这时，即将发生的变化对于赫斯渥显得十分严峻了。散伙意味着失去他那１０００块钱，而且此间他不可能再攒出１０００块钱来。他明白肖内西只是厌倦了合伙，等到拐角上的新楼盖好后，他很可能会独自在那里租一家店。他开始为必须再找寻新的关系而发愁，并且开始意识到，除非出现什么转机，否则严重的经济困难已经迫在眉睫。这使得他无心欣赏他的家或嘉莉，因此，沮丧也侵入了这个家庭。

在此期间，他尽量抽出时间去四处奔波，但是机会很少。

而且，他已不再具有初来纽约时的那种感人的气质。不愉快的想法给他的眼睛蒙上了一层阴影，不会给人留下好的印象。交谈时，手头也没有１３００块钱作为谈话的本钱。大约一个月后，他发现自己毫无进展，而此时肖内西则明确的告诉他，斯劳森不愿延长租期。

“我看这事是非完蛋不可了。”他说，一副假装关心的模样。

“哦，如果非完蛋不可，就让它完蛋吧，”赫斯渥冷冷地答道。他不愿意让对方看出自己的想法，无论是什么样的想法。

不能让他得意。

一两天后，他觉得他必须和嘉莉谈谈了。

“你可知道，”他说，“我看我的那家酒店生意要出现最糟糕的情况了。”“怎么会这样呢？”嘉莉吃惊地问道。

“唉，地皮的主人把它卖了，新的主人又不愿再租给我们。

生意可能就要完蛋了。”

“你不能在别处再开一家吗？”

“看来没地方可开。肖内西也不愿意。”“你会损失全部投资吗？”“是的，”赫斯渥说，满脸愁容。

“哎呀，那不是太糟了吗？”嘉莉说。

“这是一场骗局，”赫斯渥说，“就是这么回事。他们肯定会在那里另开一家的。”嘉莉望着他，从他整个的神态上看出了这件事的意义所在。这是件严重的事，非常严重。

“你觉得能想些别的办法吗？”她怯生生地鼓起勇气问道。

赫斯渥想了一会儿。现在他再也不能说什么有钱、有投资的骗人鬼话了。她看得出现在他是“破产”了。

“我不知道，”他严肃地说。“我可以试试。”