The magnet attracting a waif amid forces

 
 

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CHAPTER XXX 
THE KINGDOM OF GREATNESS: THE PILGRIM ADREAM 
Whatever a man like Hurstwood could be in Chicago, it is very evident that 
he would be but an inconspicuous drop in an ocean like New York. In 
Chicago, whose population still ranged about 500,000, millionaires were not 
numerous. The rich had not become so conspicuously rich as to drown all 
moderate incomes in obscurity. The attention of the inhabitants was not so 
distracted by local celebrities in the dramatic, artistic, social, and religious 
fields as to shut the well-positioned man from view. In Chicago the two 
roads to distinction were politics and trade. In New York the roads were any 
one of a half-hundred, and each had been diligently pursued by hundreds, 
so that celebrities were numerous. The sea was already full of whales. A 
common fish must needs disappear wholly from view—remain unseen. In 
other words, Hurstwood was nothing. 
There is a more subtle result of such a situation as this, which, though not 
always taken into account, produces the tragedies of the world. The great 
create an atmosphere which reacts badly upon the small. This atmosphere 
is easily and quickly felt. Walk among the magnificent residences, the 
splendid equipages, the gilded shops, restaurants, resorts of all kinds; scent 
the flowers, the silks, the wines; drink of the laughter springing from the 
soul of luxurious content, of the glances which gleam like light from defiant 
spears; feel the quality of the smiles which cut like glistening swords and of 
strides born of place, and you shall know of what is the atmosphere of the 
high and mighty. Little use to argue that of such is not the kingdom of 
greatness, but so long as the world is attracted by this and the human heart 
views this as the one desirable realm which it must attain, so long, to that 
heart, will this remain the realm of greatness. So long, also, will the 
atmosphere of this realm work its desperate results in the soul of man. It is 
like a chemical reagent. One day of it, like one drop of the other, will so 
affect and discolour the views, the aims, the desire of the mind, that it will 
thereafter remain forever dyed. A day of it to the untried mind is like opium 
to the untried body. A craving is set up which, if gratified, shall eternally 
result in dreams and death. Aye! dreams unfulfilled—gnawing, luring, idle 
phantoms which beckon and lead, beckon and lead, until death and 
dissolution dissolve their power and restore us blind to nature's heart. 
A man of Hurstwood's age and temperament is not subject to the illusions 
and burning desires of youth, but neither has he the strength of hope which 
gushes as a fountain in the heart of youth. Such an atmosphere could not 
incite in him the cravings of a boy of eighteen, but in so far as they were 
excited, the lack of hope made them proportionately bitter. He could not fail 
to notice the signs of affluence and luxury on every hand. He had been to 

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New York before and knew the resources of its folly. In part it was an 
awesome place to him, for here gathered all that he most respected on this 
earth—wealth, place, and fame. The majority of the celebrities with whom he 
had tipped glasses in his day as manager hailed from this self-centred and 
populous spot. The most inviting stories of pleasure and luxury had been 
told of places and individuals here. He knew it to be true that unconsciously 
he was brushing elbows with fortune the livelong day; that a hundred or five 
hundred thousand gave no one the privilege of living more than comfortably 
in so wealthy a place. Fashion and pomp required more ample sums, so that 
the poor man was nowhere. All this he realised, now quite sharply, as he 
faced the city, cut off from his friends, despoiled of his modest fortune, and 
even his name, and forced to begin the battle for place and comfort all over 
again. He was not old, but he was not so dull but that he could feel he soon 
would be. Of a sudden, then, this show of fine clothes, place, and power 
took on peculiar significance. It was emphasised by contrast with his own 
distressing state. 
And it was distressing. He soon found that freedom from fear of arrest was 
not the sine qua non of his existence. That danger dissolved, the next 
necessity became the grievous thing. The paltry sum of thirteen hundred 
and some odd dollars set against the need of rent, clothing, food, and 
pleasure for years to come was a spectacle little calculated to induce peace 
of mind in one who had been accustomed to spend five times that sum in 
the course of a year. He thought upon the subject rather actively the first 
few days he was in New York, and decided that he must act quickly. As a 
consequence, he consulted the business opportunities advertised in the 
morning papers and began investigations on his own account. 
That was not before he had become settled, however. Carrie and he went 
looking for a flat, as arranged, and found one in Seventy-eighth Street near 
Amsterdam Avenue. It was a five-story building, and their flat was on the 
third floor. Owing to the fact that the street was not yet built up solidly, it 
was possible to see east to the green tops of the trees in Central Park and 
west to the broad waters of the Hudson, a glimpse of which was to be had 
out of the west windows. For the privilege of six rooms and a bath, running 
in a straight line, they were compelled to pay thirty-five dollars a month—an 
average, and yet exorbitant, rent for a home at the time. Carrie noticed the 
difference between the size of the rooms here and in Chicago and mentioned 
it. 
"You'll not find anything better, dear," said Hurstwood, "unless you go into 
one of the old-fashioned houses, and then you won't have any of these 
conveniences." 

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Carrie picked out the new abode because of its newness and bright wood-
work. It was one of the very new ones supplied with steam heat, which was 
a great advantage. The stationary range, hot and cold water, dumb-waiter, 
speaking tubes, and call-bell for the janitor pleased her very much. She had 
enough of the instincts of a housewife to take great satisfaction in these 
things. 
Hurstwood made arrangement with one of the instalment houses whereby 
they furnished the flat complete and accepted fifty dollars down and ten 
dollars a month. He then had a little plate, bearing the name G. W. Wheeler, 
made, which he placed on his letter-box in the hall. It sounded exceedingly 
odd to Carrie to be called Mrs. Wheeler by the janitor, but in time she 
became used to it and looked upon the name as her own. 
These house details settled, Hurstwood visited some of the advertised 
opportunities to purchase an interest in some flourishing down-town bar. 
After the palatial resort in Adams Street, he could not stomach the 
commonplace saloons which he found advertised. He lost a number of days 
looking up these and finding them disagreeable. He did, however, gain 
considerable knowledge by talking, for he discovered the influence of 
Tammany Hall and the value of standing in with the police. The most 
profitable and flourishing places he found to be those which conducted 
anything but a legitimate business, such as that controlled by Fitzgerald 
and Moy. Elegant back rooms and private drinking booths on the second 
floor were usually adjuncts of very profitable places. He saw by portly 
keepers, whose shirt fronts shone with large diamonds, and whose clothes 
were properly cut, that the liquor business here, as elsewhere, yielded the 
same golden profit. 
At last he found an individual who had a resort in Warren Street, which 
seemed an excellent venture. It was fairly well-appearing and susceptible of 
improvement. The owner claimed the business to be excellent, and it 
certainly looked so. 
"We deal with a very good class of people," he told Hurstwood. "Merchants, 
salesmen, and professionals. It's a well-dressed class. No bums. We don't 
allow 'em in the place." 
Hurstwood listened to the cash-register ring, and watched the trade for a 
while. 
"It's profitable enough for two, is it?" he asked. 
"You can see for yourself if you're any judge of the liquor trade," said the 
owner. "This is only one of the two places I have. The other is down in 
Nassau Street. I can't tend to them both alone. If I had some one who knew 

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the business thoroughly I wouldn't mind sharing with him in this one and 
letting him manage it." 
"I've had experience enough," said Hurstwood blandly, but he felt a little 
diffident about referring to Fitzgerald and Moy. 
"Well, you can suit yourself, Mr. Wheeler," said the proprietor. 
He only offered a third interest in the stock, fixtures, and good-will, and this 
in return for a thousand dollars and managerial ability on the part of the 
one who should come in. There was no property involved, because the owner 
of the saloon merely rented from an estate. 
The offer was genuine enough, but it was a question with Hurstwood 
whether a third interest in that locality could be made to yield one hundred 
and fifty dollars a month, which he figured he must have in order to meet 
the ordinary family expenses and be comfortable. It was not the time, 
however, after many failures to find what he wanted, to hesitate. It looked as 
though a third would pay a hundred a month now. By judicious 
management and improvement, it might be made to pay more. Accordingly 
he agreed to enter into partnership, and made over his thousand dollars, 
preparing to enter the next day. 
His first inclination was to be elated, and he confided to Carrie that he 
thought he had made an excellent arrangement. Time, however, introduced 
food for reflection. He found his partner to be very disagreeable. Frequently 
he was the worse for liquor, which made him surly. This was the last thing 
which Hurstwood was used to in business. Besides, the business varied. It 
was nothing like the class of patronage which he had enjoyed in Chicago. He 
found that it would take a long time to make friends. These people hurried 
in and out without seeking the pleasures of friendship. It was no gathering 
or lounging place. Whole days and weeks passed without one such hearty 
greeting as he had been wont to enjoy every day in Chicago. 
For another thing, Hurstwood missed the celebrities—those well-dressed, 
élite individuals who lend grace to the average bars and bring news from far-
off and exclusive circles. He did not see one such in a month. Evenings, 
when still at his post, he would occasionally read in the evening papers 
incidents concerning celebrities whom he knew—whom he had drunk a 
glass with many a time. They would visit a bar like Fitzgerald and Moy's in 
Chicago, or the Hoffman House, uptown, but he knew that he would never 
see them down here. 
Again, the business did not pay as well as he thought. It increased a little, 
but he found he would have to watch his household expenses, which was 
humiliating. 

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In the very beginning it was a delight to go home late at night, as he did, and 
find Carrie. He managed to run up and take dinner with her between six 
and seven, and to remain home until nine o'clock in the morning, but the 
novelty of this waned after a time, and he began to feel the drag of his 
duties. 
The first month had scarcely passed before Carrie said in a very natural 
way: "I think I'll go down this week and buy a dress." 
"What kind?" said Hurstwood. 
"Oh, something for street wear." 
"All right," he answered, smiling, although he noted mentally that it would 
be more agreeable to his finances if she didn't. Nothing was said about it the 
next day, but the following morning he asked: 
"Have you done anything about your dress?" 
"Not yet," said Carrie. 
He paused a few moments, as if in thought, and then said: 
"Would you mind putting it off a few days?" 
"No," replied Carrie, who did not catch the drift of his remarks. She had 
never thought of him in connection with money troubles before. "Why?" 
"Well, I'll tell you," said Hurstwood. "This investment of mine is taking a lot 
of money just now. I expect to get it all back shortly, but just at present I am 
running close." 
"Oh!" answered Carrie. "Why, certainly, dear. Why didn't you tell me before?" 
"It wasn't necessary," said Hurstwood. 
For all her acquiescence, there was something about the way Hurstwood 
spoke which reminded Carrie of Drouet and his little deal which he was 
always about to put through. It was only the thought of a second, but it was 
a beginning. It was something new in her thinking of Hurstwood. 
Other things followed from time to time, little things of the same sort, which 
in their cumulative effect were eventually equal to a full revelation. Carrie 
was not dull by any means. Two persons cannot long dwell together without 
coming to an understanding of one another. The mental difficulties of an 
individual reveal themselves whether he voluntarily confesses them or not. 
Trouble gets in the air and contributes gloom, which speaks for itself. 
Hurstwood dressed as nicely as usual, but they were the same clothes he 
had in Canada. Carrie noticed that he did not install a large wardrobe, 
though his own was anything but large. She noticed, also, that he did not 
suggest many amusements, said nothing about the food, seemed concerned 
about his business. This was not the easy Hurstwood of Chicago—not the 

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liberal, opulent Hurstwood she had known. The change was too obvious to 
escape detection. 
In time she began to feel that a change had come about, and that she was 
not in his confidence. He was evidently secretive and kept his own counsel. 
She found herself asking him questions about little things. This is a 
disagreeable state to a woman. Great love makes it seem reasonable, 
sometimes plausible, but never satisfactory. Where great love is not, a more 
definite and less satisfactory conclusion is reached. 
As for Hurstwood, he was making a great fight against the difficulties of a 
changed condition. He was too shrewd not to realise the tremendous 
mistake he had made, and appreciate that he had done well in getting where 
he was, and yet he could not help contrasting his present state with his 
former, hour after hour, and day after day. 
Besides, he had the disagreeable fear of meeting old-time friends, ever since 
one such encounter which he made shortly after his arrival in the city. It 
was in Broadway that he saw a man approaching him whom he knew. There 
was no time for simulating non-recognition. The exchange of glances had 
been too sharp, the knowledge of each other too apparent. So the friend, a 
buyer for one of the Chicago wholesale houses, felt, perforce, the necessity of 
stopping. 
"How are you?" he said, extending his hand with an evident mixture of 
feeling and a lack of plausible interest. 
"Very well," said Hurstwood, equally embarrassed. "How is it with you?" 
"All right; I'm down here doing a little buying. Are you located here now?" 
"Yes," said Hurstwood, "I have a place down in Warren Street." 
"Is that so?" said the friend. "Glad to hear it. I'll come down and see you." 
"Do," said Hurstwood. 
"So long," said the other, smiling affably and going on. 
"He never asked for my number," thought Hurstwood; "he wouldn't think of 
coming." He wiped his forehead, which had grown damp, and hoped 
sincerely he would meet no one else. 
These things told upon his good-nature, such as it was. His one hope was 
that things would change for the better in a money way. He had Carrie. His 
furniture was being paid for. He was maintaining his position. As for Carrie, 
the amusements he could give her would have to do for the present. He 
could probably keep up his pretensions sufficiently long without exposure to 
make good, and then all would be well. He failed therein to take account of 
the frailties of human nature—the difficulties of matrimonial life. Carrie was 

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young. With him and with her varying mental states were common. At any 
moment the extremes of feeling might be anti-polarised at the dinner table. 
This often happens in the best regulated families. Little things brought out 
on such occasions need great love to obliterate them afterward. Where that 
is not, both parties count two and two and make a problem after a while.