An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

would also have an opportunity to study him for themselves

and see what they really did think without committing

themselves in any way.

But in the meantime in connection with Dillard, Rita and

Zella there had been a development which, because of the

problem it had posed, was to be affected by this very

decision on the part of the Griffiths. For following the

evening at the Shuman home, and because, in spite of

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Clyde’s hesitation at the time, all three including Rita

herself, were still convinced that he must or would be

smitten with her charms, there had been various hints, as

well as finally a direct invitation or proposition on the part of

Dillard to the effect that because of the camaraderie which

had been established between himself and Clyde and these

two girls, they make a week-end trip somewhere—

preferably to Utica or Albany. The girls would go, of course.

He could fix that through Zella with Rita for Clyde if he had

any doubts or fears as to whether it could be negotiated or

not. “You know she likes you. Zell was telling me the other

day that she said she thought you were the candy. Some

ladies’ man, eh?” And he nudged Clyde genially and

intimately,—a proceeding in this newer and grander world

in which he now found himself,—and considering who he

was here, was not as appealing to Clyde as it otherwise

might have been. These fellows who were so pushing

where they thought a fellow amounted to something more

than they did! He could tell.

At the same time, the proposition he was now offering—as

thrilling and intriguing as it might be from one point of view—

was likely to cause him endless trouble—was it not? In the

first place he had no money—only fifteen dollars a week

here so far—and if he was going to be expected to indulge

in such expensive outings as these, why, of course, he

could not manage. Carfare, meals, a hotel bill, maybe an

automobile ride or two. And after that he would be in close

contact with this Rita whom he scarcely knew. And might

she not take it on herself to become intimate here in

Lycurgus, maybe—expect him to call on her regularly—and

go places—and then—well, gee—supposing the Griffiths—

his cousin Gilbert, heard of or saw this. Hadn’t Zella said

that she saw him often on the street here and there in

Lycurgus? And wouldn’t they be likely to encounter him

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somewhere—sometime—when they were all together? And

wouldn’t that fix him as being intimate with just another

store clerk like Dillard who didn’t amount to so much after

all? It might even mean the end of his career here! Who

could tell what it might lead to?

He coughed and made various excuses. Just now he had a

lot of work to do. Besides—a venture like that—he would

have to see first. His relatives, you know. Besides next

Sunday and the Sunday after, some extra work in

connection with the factory was going to hold him in

Lycurgus. After that time he would see. Actually, in his

wavering way—and various disturbing thoughts as to Rita’s

charm returning to him at moments, he was wondering if it

was not desirable—his other decision to the contrary

notwithstanding, to skimp himself as much as possible over

two or three weeks and so go anyhow. He had been saving

something toward a new dress suit and collapsible silk hat.

Might he not use some of that—even though he knew the

plan to be all wrong?

The fair, plump, sensuous Rita!

But then, not at that very moment—but in the interim

following, the invitation from the Griffiths. Returning from his

work one evening very tired and still cogitating this gay

adventure proposed by Dillard, he found lying on the table

in his room a note written on very heavy and handsome

paper which had been delivered by one of the servants of

the Griffiths in his absence. It was all the more arresting to

him because on the flap of the envelope was embossed in

high relief the initials “E. G.” He at once tore it open and

eagerly read:

“MY DEAR NEPHEW:

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“Since your arrival my husband has been away most

of the time, and although we have wished to have you

with us before, we have thought it best to await his

leisure. He is freer now and we will be very glad if you

can find it convenient to come to supper with us at six

o’clock next Sunday. We dine very informally—just

ourselves—so in case you can or cannot come, you

need not bother to write or telephone. And you need

not dress for this occasion either. But come if you can.

We will be happy to see you.

“Sincerely, your aunt,

“ELIZABETH GRIFFRRHS.”

On reading this Clyde, who, during all this silence and the

prosecution of a task in the shrinking room which was so

eminently distasteful to him, was being more and more

weighed upon by the thought that possibly, after all, this

quest of his was going to prove a vain one and that he was

going to be excluded from any real contact with his great

relatives, was most romantically and hence impractically

heartened. For only see—here was this grandiose letter

with its “very happy to see you,” which seemed to indicate

that perhaps, after all, they did not think so badly of him. Mr.

Samuel Griffiths had been away all the time. That was it.

Now he would get to see his aunt and cousins and the

inside of that great house. It must be very wonderful. They

might even take him up after this—who could tell? But how

remarkable that he should be taken up now, just when he

had about decided that they would not.

And forthwith his interest in, as well as his weakness for,

Rita, if not Zella and Dillard began to evaporate. What! Mix

with people so far below him—a Griffiths—in the social

scale here and at the cost of endangering his connection

with that important family. Never! It was a great mistake.

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Didn’t this letter coming just at this time prove it? And

fortunately—(how fortunately!)—he had had the good sense

not to let himself in for anything as yet. And so now, without

much trouble, and because, most likely from now on it

would prove necessary for him so to do he could gradually

eliminate himself from this contact with Dillard—move away

from Mrs. Cuppy’s—if necessary, or say that his uncle had

cautioned him—anything, but not go with this crowd any

more, just the same. It wouldn’t do. It would endanger his

prospects in connection with this new development. And

instead of troubling over Rita and Utica now, he began to

formulate for himself once more the essential nature of the

private life of the Griffiths, the fascinating places they must

go, the interesting people with whom they must be in

contact. And at once he began to think of the need of a

dress suit, or at least a tuxedo and trousers. Accordingly the

next morning, he gained permission from Mr. Kemerer to

leave at eleven and not return before one, and in that time

he managed to find coat, trousers and a pair of patent

leather shoes, as well as a white silk muffler for the money

he had already saved. And so arrayed he felt himself safe.

He must make a good impression.

And for the entire time between then and Sunday evening,

instead of thinking of Rita or Dillard or Zella any more, he

was thinking of this opportunity. Plainly it was an event to

be admitted to the presence of such magnificence.

The only drawback to all this, as he well sensed now, was

this same Gilbert Griffiths, who surveyed him always

whenever he met him anywhere with such hard, cold eyes.

He might be there, and then he would probably assume

that superior attitude, to make him feel his inferior position,

if he could—and Clyde had the weakness at times of

admitting to himself that he could. And no doubt, if he

(Clyde) sought to carry himself with too much of an air in

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the presence of this family, Gilbert most likely would seek to

take it out of him in some way later in connection with the

work in the factory. He might see to it, for instance, that his

father heard only unfavorable things about him. And, of

course, if he were retained in this wretched shrinking room,

and given no show of any kind, how could he expect to get

anywhere or be anybody? It was just his luck that on

arriving here he should find this same Gilbert looking

almost like him and being so opposed to him for obviously

no reason at all.

However, despite all his doubts, he decided to make the