American Tragedy 美国悲剧 chapter 13

For a period of four months at least this was exactly the way it worked out. After meeting her in this fashion, hewas devoting not an inconsiderable portion of his free time to attempting to interest her to the point where shewould take as much interest in him as she appeared to take in others. At the same time he could not tell whethershe could be made to entertain a singular affection for any one. Nor could he believe that there was only aninnocent camaraderie ¹ involved in all this. Yet she was so enticing ² that he was deliriously ³ moved by the thoughtthat if his worst suspicions were true, she might ultimately favor him. So captivated was he by this savor ⁴ ofsensuality and varietism that was about her, the stigmata of desire manifest in her gestures, moods, voice, theway she dressed, that he could not think of relinquishing ⁵ her., ,Rather, he foolishly ran after her. And seeing this, she put him off, at times evaded ⁶ him, compelled him tocontent himself with little more than the crumbs ⁷ of her company, while at the same time favoring him with descriptions or pictures of other activities and contacts which made him feel as though he could no longer endureto merely trail her in this fashion. It was then he would announce to himself in anger that he was not going to seeher any more. She was no good to him, really. But on seeing her again, a cold indifference ⁹ in everything she saidand did, his courage failed him and he could not think of severing ¹⁰ the tie., ,She was not at all backward at the same time in speaking of things that she needed or would like to have -- littlethings, at first -- a new powder puff ¹¹, a lip stick, a box of powder or a bottle of perfume. Later, and without havingyielded anything more to Clyde than a few elusive ¹² and evasive endearments ¹³ -- intimate and languorous ¹⁴ recliningsin his arms which promised much but always came to nothing -- she made so bold as to indicate to him at differenttimes and in different ways, purses, blouses, slippers ¹⁵, stockings, a hat, which she would like to buy if only shehad the money. And he, in order to hold her favor and properly ingratiate himself, proceeded to buy them, thoughat times and because of some other developments in connection with his family, it pressed him hard to do so., , ,In the meantime, in so far as his home ties went, the irritations ¹⁸ and the depressions which were almostinextricably involved with membership in the Griffiths family were not different from what they had ever been., ,For, following the disappearance ¹⁹ of Esta, there had settled a period of dejection which still endured. Only, in sofar as Clyde was concerned, it was complicated with a mystery which was tantalizing ²⁰ and something more-irritating;for when it came to anything which related to sex in the Griffiths family, no parents could possibly have been more squeamish., ,Some bosses are formal and have occasional interactions,while others prefer continual camaraderie.有些老板很刻板 ，偶尔才和下属互动一下；有些则喜欢和下属打成一片 。,The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。