He was very much enlivened in temper and inclined to whisper, but Hurstwood pretended interest.

He fixed his eyes on the stage, although Carrie was not there, a short bit of melodramatic comedy preceding her entrance.

He did not see what was going on, however.

He was thinking his own thoughts, and they were wretched.
The progress of the play did not improve matters for him.

Carrie, from now on, was easily the center of interest.