OnemorningaboutaweekafterMarcushadleftforthesouthernpartoftheState，McTeaguefoundanoblongletterthrustthroughtheletter-dropofthedoorofhis“Parlors。“
Theaddresswastypewritten。Heopenedit。TheletterhadbeensentfromtheCityHallandwasstampedinonecornerwiththesealoftheStateofCalifornia，veryofficial；theformandfilenumberssuperscribed。
McTeaguehadbeenmakingfillingswhenthisletterarrived。
Hewasinhis“Parlors，“potteringoverhismovablerackunderneaththebirdcageinthebaywindow。Hewasmaking“blocks“tobeusedinlargeproximalcavitiesand“cylinders“forcommencingfillings。Heheardthepostman’sstepinthehallandsawtheenvelopesbegintoshuttlethemselvesthroughtheslitofhisletter-drop。Thencamethefatoblongenvelope，withitsofficialseal，thatdroppedflatwisetothefloorwithasodden，dullimpact。
Thedentistputdownthebroachandscissorsandgathereduphismail。Therewerefourlettersaltogether。OnewasforTrina，inSelina’s“elegant“handwriting；anotherwasanadvertisementofanewkindofoperatingchairfordentists；thethirdwasacardfromamillineronthenextblock，announcinganopening；andthefourth，containedinthefatoblongenvelope，wasaprintedformwithblanksleftfornamesanddates，andaddressedtoMcTeague，fromanofficeintheCityHall。McTeaguereaditthroughlaboriously。“Idon’know，Idon’know，“hemuttered，lookingstupidlyattheriflemanufacturer’scalendar。ThenheheardTrina，fromthekitchen，singingasshemadeaclatteringnoisewiththebreakfastdishes。“IguessI’llaskTrinaaboutit，“hemuttered。
Hewentthroughthesuite，bythesitting-room，wherethesunwaspouringinthroughtheloopedbackedNottinghamcurtainsuponthecleanwhitemattingandthevarnishedsurfaceofthemelodeon，passedonthroughthebedroom，withitsframedlithographsofround-cheekedEnglishbabiesandalertfoxterriers，andcameoutintothebrick-pavedkitchen。Thekitchenwascleanasanewwhistle；thefreshlyblackenedcookstoveglowedlikeanegro’shide；thetinsandporcelain-linedstew-pansmighthavebeenofsilverandofivory。Trinawasinthecentreoftheroom，wipingoff，withadampsponge，theoilclothtable-cover，onwhichtheyhadbreakfasted。Neverhadshelookedsopretty。
Earlythoughitwas，herenormoustiaraofswarthyhairwasneatlycombedandcoiled，notapinwassomuchasloose。
Sheworeabluecalicoskirtwithawhitefigure，andabeltofimitationalligatorskinclaspedaroundhersmall，firmly-corsetedwaist；hershirtwaistwasofpinklinen，sonewandcrispthatitcrackledwitheverymovement，whilearoundthecollar，tiedinaneatknot，wasoneofMcTeague’slawntieswhichshehadappropriated。Hersleeveswerecarefullyrolledupalmosttohershoulders，andnothingcouldhavebeenmoredeliciousthanthesightofhersmallroundarms，whiteasmilk，movingbackandforthasshespongedthetable-cover，afainttouchofpinkcomingandgoingattheelbowsastheybentandstraightened。Shelookedupquicklyasherhusbandentered，hernarroweyesalight，heradorablelittlechinintheair；herlipsroundedandopenedwiththelastwordsofhersong，sothatonecouldcatchaglintofgoldinthefillingsofherupperteeth。
Thewholescene——thecleankitchenanditscleanbrickfloor；thesmellofcoffeethatlingeredintheair；Trinaherself，freshasiffromabath，andsingingatherwork；
themorningsun，strikingobliquelythroughthewhitemuslinhalf-curtainofthewindowandspanningthelittlekitchenwithabridgeofgoldenmist——gaveoff，asitwere，anoteofgayetythatwasnottoberesisted。ThroughtheopenedtopofthewindowcamethenoisesofPolkStreet，alreadylongawake。Oneheardthechantingofstreetcries，theshrillcallingofchildrenontheirwaytoschool，themerryrattleofabutcher’scart，thebrisknoiseofhammering，ortheoccasionalprolongedrollofacablecartrundlingheavilypast，withavibrantwhirringofitsjostledglassandthejoyousclangingofitsbells。
“Whatisit，Mac，dear？“saidTrina。
McTeagueshutthedoorbehindhimwithhisheelandhandedhertheletter。Trinareaditthrough。Thensuddenlyhersmallhandgrippedtightlyuponthesponge，sothatthewaterstartedfromitanddrippedinalittlepatteringdelugeuponthebricks。
Theletter——orratherprintednotice——informedMcTeaguethathehadneverreceivedadiplomafromadentalcollege，andthatinconsequencehewasforbiddentopractisehisprofessionanylonger。Alegalextractbearinguponthecasewasattachedinsmalltype。
“Why，what’sallthis？“saidTrina，calmly，withoutthoughtasyet。
“Idon’know，Idon’know，“answeredherhusband。
“Youcan’tpractiseanylonger，“continuedTrina，——“’isherewithprohibitedandenjoinedfromfurthercontinuing——
’“Shere-readtheextract，herforeheadliftingandpuckering。Sheputthespongecarefullyawayinitswirerackoverthesink，anddrewupachairtothetable，spreadingoutthenoticebeforeher。“Sitdown，“shesaidtoMcTeague。“Drawuptothetablehere，Mac，andlet’sseewhatthisis。“
“Igotitthismorning，“murmuredthedentist。“Itjustnowcame。Iwasmakingsomefillings——there，inthe’Parlors，’inthewindow——andthepostmanshoveditthroughthedoor。Ithoughtitwasanumberofthe’AmericanSystemofDentistry’atfirst，andwhenI’dopeneditandlookedatitIthoughtI’dbetter——“
“Say，Mac，“interruptedTrina，lookingupfromthenotice，“DIDN’Tyouevergotoadentalcollege？“
“Huh？What？What？“exclaimedMcTeague。
“Howdidyoulearntobeadentist？Didyougotoacollege？“
“Iwentalongwithafellowwhocametothemineonce。Mymothersentme。Weusedtogofromonecamptoanother。I
sharpenedhisexcavatorsforhim，andputuphisnoticesinthetowns——stuckthemupinthepost-officesandonthedoorsoftheOddFellows’halls。Hehadawagon。“
“Butdidn’tyounevergotoacollege？“
“Huh？What？College？No，Ineverwent。Ilearnedfromthefellow。“
Trinarolleddownhersleeves。Shewasalittlepalerthanusual。Shefastenedthebuttonsintothecuffsandsaid：
“Butdoyouknowyoucan’tpractiseunlessyou’regraduatedfromacollege？Youhaven’ttherighttocallyourself，’doctor。’“
McTeaguestaredamoment；then：
“Why，I’vebeenpractisingtenyears。More——nearlytwelve。“
“Butit’sthelaw。“
“What’sthelaw？“
“Thatyoucan’tpractise，orcallyourselfdoctor，unlessyou’vegotadiploma。“
“What’sthat——adiploma？“
“Idon’tknowexactly。It’sakindofpaperthat——that——oh，Mac，we’reruined。“Trina’svoicerosetoacry。
“Whatdoyoumean，Trina？Ain’tIadentist？Ain’tIadoctor？Lookatmysign，andthegoldtoothyougaveme。
Why，I’vebeenpractisingnearlytwelveyears。“
Trinashutherlipstightly，clearedherthroat，andpretendedtoresettleahair-pinatthebackofherhead。
“Iguessitisn’tasbadasthat，“shesaid，veryquietly。
“Let’sreadthisagain。’Herewithprohibitedandenjoinedfromfurthercontinuing——’“Shereadtotheend。
“Why，itisn’tpossible，“shecried。“Theycan’tmean——oh，Mac，Idobelieve——pshaw！“sheexclaimed，herpalefaceflushing。“Theydon’tknowhowgoodadentistyouare。
Whatdifferencedoesadiplomamake，ifyou’reafirst-classdentist？Iguessthat’sallright。Mac，didn’tyouevergotoadentalcollege？“
“No，“answeredMcTeague，doggedly。“Whatwasthegood？I
learnedhowtooperate；wa’n’tthatenough？“
“Hark，“saidTrina，suddenly。“Wasn’tthatthebellofyouroffice？“TheyhadbothheardthejanglingofthebellthatMcTeaguehadhungoverthedoorofhis“Parlors。“Thedentistlookedatthekitchenclock。
“That’sVanovitch，“saidhe。“He’saplumberroundonSutterStreet。He’sgotanappointmentwithmetohaveabicuspidpulled。Igottogobacktowork。“Herose。
“Butyoucan’t，“criedTrina，thebackofherhanduponherlips，hereyesbrimming。“Mac，don’tyousee？Can’tyouunderstand？You’vegottostop。Oh，it’sdreadful！
Listen。“Shehurriedaroundthetabletohimandcaughthisarminbothherhands。
“Huh？“growledMcTeague，lookingatherwithapuzzledfrown。
“They’llarrestyou。You’llgotoprison。Youcan’twork——
can’tworkanymore。We’reruined。“
Vanovitchwaspoundingonthedoorofthesitting-room。
“He’llbegoneinaminute，“exclaimedMcTeague。
“Well，lethimgo。Tellhimtogo；tellhimtocomeagain。“
“Why，he’sgotanAPPOINTMENTwithme，“exclaimedMcTeague，hishanduponthedoor。
Trinacaughthimback。“But，Mac，youain’tadentistanylonger；youain’tadoctor。Youhaven’ttherighttowork。
Youneverwenttoadentalcollege。“
“Well，supposeIneverwenttoacollege，ain’tIadentistjustthesame？Listen，he’spoundingthereagain。No，I’mgoing，sure。“
“Well，ofcourse，go，“saidTrina，withsuddenreaction。
“Itain’tpossiblethey’llmakeyoustop。Ifyou’reagooddentist，that’sallthat’swanted。Goon，Mac；hurry，beforehegoes。“
McTeaguewentout，closingthedoor。Trinastoodforamomentlookingintentlyatthebricksatherfeet。Thenshereturnedtothetable，andsatdownagainbeforethenotice，and，restingherheadinbothherfists，readityetanothertime。Suddenlytheconvictionseizeduponherthatitwasalltrue。McTeaguewouldbeobligedtostopwork，nomatterhowgoodadentisthewas。ButwhyhadtheauthoritiesattheCityHallwaitedthislongbeforeservingthenotice？
AllatonceTrinasnappedherfingers，withaquickflashofintelligence。
“It’sMarcusthat’sdoneit，“shecried。
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Itwaslikeaclapofthunder。McTeaguewasstunned，stupefied。Hesaidnothing。Neverinhislifehadhebeensotaciturn。AttimeshedidnotseemtohearTrinawhenshespoketohim，andoftenshehadtoshakehimbytheshouldertoarousehisattention。Hewouldsitapartinhis“Parlors，“turningthenoticeaboutinhisenormousclumsyfingers，readingitstupidlyoverandoveragain。Hecouldn’tunderstand。WhathadaclerkattheCityHalltodowithhim？Whycouldn’ttheylethimalone？
“Oh，what’stobecomeofusNOW？“wailedTrina。“What’stobecomeofusnow？We’repaupers，beggars——andallsosudden。“Andonce，inaquick，inexplicablefury，totallyunlikeanythingthatMcTeaguehadnoticedinherbefore，shehadstartedup，withfistsandteethshuttight，andhadcried，“Oh，ifyou’donlyKILLEDMarcusSchoulerthattimehefoughtyou！“