The mental effect of the thing had not gone, however, and never would entirely.

She had an ideal to contrast men by--particularly men close to her.
During all this time--a period rapidly approaching three years-Hurstwood had been moving along in an even path.

There was no apparent slope downward, and distinctly none upward, so far as the casual observer might have seen.

But psychologically there was a change, which was marked enough to suggest the future very distinctly indeed.

This was in the mere matter of the halt his career had received when he departed from Chicago.