As for Hurstwood, he was making a great fight against the difficulties of a changed condition.  He was too shrewd not to realize 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 young.  With him and with her varying mental states were common.  At any moment the extremes of feeling might be anti-polarized 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.

Chapter XXXI A PET OF GOOD FORTUNE—­BROADWAY FLAUNTS ITS JOYS