第41章
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  “DrinkSTEAMbeer,then。You’vegotanickel。Igaveyouaquarterdaybeforeyesterday。“

  “ButIdon’tlikesteambeernow。“

  Itwassowitheverything。Unfortunately,TrinahadcultivatedtastesinMcTeaguewhichnowcouldnotbegratified。Hehadcometobeveryproudofhissilkhatand“PrinceAlbert“coat,andlikedtowearthemonSundays。

  Trinahadmadehimsellboth。Hepreferred“Yalemixture“

  inhispipe;Trinahadmadehimcomedownto“Mastiff,“afive-centtobaccowithwhichhewasoncecontented,butnowabhorred。Helikedtowearcleancuffs;TrinaallowedhimafreshpaironSundaysonly。AtfirstthesedeprivationsangeredMcTeague。Then,allofasudden,heslippedbackintotheoldhabitsthathadbeenhisbeforeheknewTrina

  withaneasethatwassurprising。Sundayshedinedatthecarconductors’coffee-jointoncemore,andspenttheafternoonlyingfulllengthuponthebed,crop-full,stupid,warm,smokinghishugepipe,drinkinghissteambeer,andplayinghissixmournfultunesuponhisconcertina,dozingofftosleeptowardsfouro’clock。

  Thesaleoftheirfurniturehad,afterpayingtherentandoutstandingbills,nettedaboutahundredandthirtydollars。Trinabelievedthattheauctioneerfromthesecond-

  handstorehadswindledandcheatedthemandhadmadeagreatoutcrytonoeffect。Butshehadarrangedtheaffairwiththeauctioneerherself,andoffsetherdisappointmentinthematterofthesalebydeceivingherhusbandastotherealamountofthereturns。ItwaseasytolietoMcTeague,whotookeverythingforgranted;andsincetheoccasionofhertrickerywiththemoneythatwastohavebeensenttohermother,Trinahadfoundfalsehoodeasierthanever。

  “Seventydollarsisalltheauctioneergaveme,“shetoldherhusband;“andafterpayingthebalancedueontherent,andthegrocer’sbill,there’sonlyfiftyleft。“

  “Onlyfifty?“murmuredMcTeague,wagginghishead,“onlyfifty?Thinkofthat。“

  “Onlyfifty,“declaredTrina。Afterwardsshesaidtoherselfwithacertainadmirationforhercleverness:

  “Couldn’tsavesixtydollarsmucheasierthanthat,“andshehadaddedthehundredandthirtytothelittlehoardinthechamois-skinbagandbrassmatch-boxinthebottomofhertrunk。

  InthesefirstmonthsoftheirmisfortunestheroutineoftheMcTeagueswasasfollows:Theyroseatsevenandbreakfastedintheirroom,Trinacookingtheverymeagremealonanoilstove。ImmediatelyafterbreakfastTrinasatdowntoherworkofwhittlingtheNoah’sarkanimals,andMcTeaguetookhimselfofftowalkdowntown。Hehadbythegreatestgoodlucksecuredapositionwithamanufacturerofsurgicalinstruments,wherehismanualdexterityinthemakingofexcavators,pluggers,andotherdentalcontrivancesstoodhiminfairlygoodstead。Helunchedatasailor’sboarding-housenearthewaterfront,andintheafternoonworkedtillsix。Hewashomeatsix-thirty,andheandTrinahadsuppertogetherinthe“ladies’diningparlor,“anadjunctofthecarconductors’coffee-

  joint。Trina,meanwhile,hadworkedatherwhittlingalldaylong,withbuthalfanhour’sintervalforlunch,whichsheherselfpreparedupontheoilstove。Intheeveningtheywerebothsotiredthattheywereinnomoodforconversation,andwenttobedearly,wornout,harried,nervous,andcross。

  Trinawasnotquitesoscrupulouslytidynowasintheolddays。AtonetimewhilewhittlingtheNoah’sarkanimalsshehadworngloves。Sheneverworethemnow。Shestilltookprideinneatlycombingandcoilingherwonderfulblackhair,butasthedayspassedshefounditmoreandmorecomfortabletoworkinherblueflannelwrapper。Whittlingsandchipsaccumulatedunderthewindowwhereshedidherwork,andshewasatnogreatpainstocleartheairoftheroomvitiatedbythefumesoftheoilstoveandheavywiththesmellofcooking。Itwasnotgay,thatlife。Theroomitselfwasnotgay。Thehugedoublebedsprawledovernearlyafourthoftheavailablespace;theanglesofTrina’strunkandthewashstandprojectedintotheroomfromthewalls,andbarkedshinsandscrapedelbows。Streaksandspotsofthe“non-poisonous“paintthatTrinausedwereuponthewallsandwood-work。However,inonecorneroftheroom,nextthewindow,monstrous,distorted,brilliant,shiningwithalightofitsown,stoodthedentist’ssign,theenormousgoldentooth,thetoothofaBrobdingnag。

  OneafternooninSeptember,aboutfourmonthsaftertheMcTeagueshadlefttheirsuite,Trinawasatherworkbythewindow。Shehadwhittledsomehalf-dozensetsofanimals,andwasnowbusypaintingthemandmakingthearks。Littlepotsof“non-poisonous“paintstoodatherelbowonthetable,togetherwithaboxoflabelsthatread,“MadeinFrance。“Herhugeclasp-knifewasstuckintotheundersideofthetable。Shewasnowoccupiedsolelywiththebrushesandthegluepot。Sheturnedthelittlefiguresinherfingerswithawonderfullightnessanddeftness,paintingthechickensNaplesyellow,theelephantsbluegray,thehorsesVandykebrown,addingadotofChinesewhitefortheeyesandstickingintheearsandtailwithadropofglue。

  Theanimalsoncedone,sheputtogetherandpaintedthearks,somedozenofthem,allwindowsandnodoors,eachoneopeningonlybyalidwhichwashalftheroof。Shehadalltheworkshecouldhandlethesedays,for,fromthistimetillaweekbeforeChristmas,UncleOelbermanncouldtakeasmany“Noah’sarksets“asshecouldmake。

  SuddenlyTrinapausedinherwork,lookingexpectantlytowardthedoor。McTeaguecamein。

  “Why,Mac,“exclaimedTrina。“It’sonlythreeo’clock。Whatareyouhomesoearlyfor?Havetheydischargedyou?“

  “They’vefiredme,“saidMcTeague,sittingdownonthebed。

  “Firedyou!Whatfor?“

  “Idon’know。Saidthetimesweregettinghardan’theyhadtoletmego。“

  Trinaletherpaint-stainedhandsfallintoherlap。

  “OH!“shecried。“Ifwedon’thavetheHARDESTluckofanytwopeopleIeverheardof。Whatcanyoudonow?Isthereanotherplacelikethatwheretheymakesurgicalinstruments?“

  “Huh?No,Idon’know。There’sthreemore。“

  “Well,youmusttrythemrightaway。Godownthererightnow。“

  “Huh?Rightnow?No,I’mtired。I’llgodowninthemorning。“

  “Mac,“criedTrina,inalarm,“whatareyouthinkingof?

  Youtalkasthoughweweremillionaires。Youmustgodownthisminute。You’relosingmoneyeverysecondyousitthere。“Shegoadedthehugefellowtohisfeetagain,thrusthishatintohishands,andpushedhimoutofthedoor,heobeyingthewhile,docileandobedientasabigcarthorse。Hewasonthestairswhenshecamerunningafterhim。

  “Mac,theypaidyouoff,didn’tthey,whentheydischargedyou?“

  “Yes。“

  “Thenyoumusthavesomemoney。Giveittome。“

  Thedentistheavedashoulderuneasily。

  “No,Idon’wantto。“

  “I’vegottohavethatmoney。There’snomoreoilforthestove,andImustbuysomemoremealticketsto-night。“

  “Alwaysaftermeaboutmoney,“mutteredthedentist;butheemptiedhispocketsforher,nevertheless。

  “I——you’vetakenitall,“hegrumbled。“Betterleavemesomethingforcarfare。It’sgoingtorain。“

  “Pshaw!Youcanwalkjustaswellasnot。Abigfellowlikeyou’fraidofalittlewalk;anditain’tgoingtorain。“

  Trinahadliedagainbothastothewantofoilforthestoveandthecommutationticketfortherestaurant。ButsheknewbyinstinctthatMcTeaguehadmoneyabouthim,andshedidnotintendtoletitgooutofthehouse。ShelistenedintentlyuntilshewassureMcTeaguewasgone。

  Thenshehurriedlyopenedhertrunkandhidthemoneyinthechamoisbagatthebottom。

  Thedentistpresentedhimselfateveryoneofthemakersofsurgicalinstrumentsthatafternoonandwaspromptlyturnedawayineachcase。Thenitcameontorain,afine,colddrizzle,thatchilledhimandwethimtothebone。Hehadnoumbrella,andTrinahadnotlefthimevenfivecentsforcarfare。Hestartedtowalkhomethroughtherain。ItwasalongwaytoPolkStreet,asthelastmanufactoryhehadvisitedwasbeyondevenFolsomStreet,andnotfarfromthecityfront。

  BythetimeMcTeaguereachedPolkStreethisteethwerechatteringwiththecold。Hewaswetfromheadtofoot。AshewaspassingHeise’sharnessshopasuddendelugeofrainovertookhimandhewasobligedtododgeintothevestibuleforshelter。He,wholovedtobewarm,tosleepandtobewellfed,wasicycold,wasexhaustedandfootsorefromtrampingthecity。Hecouldlookforwardtonothingbetterthanabadly-cookedsupperatthecoffee-joint——hotmeatonacoldplate,halfdonesuetpudding,muddycoffee,andbadbread,andhewascold,miserablycold,andwettothebone。

  AllatonceasuddenrageagainstTrinatookpossessionofhim。Itwasherfault。Sheknewitwasgoingtorain,andshehadnotlethimhaveanickelforcarfare——shewhohadfivethousanddollars。Shelethimwalkthestreetsinthecoldandintherain。“Miser,“hegrowledbehindhismustache。“Miser,nastylittleoldmiser。You’reworsethanoldZerkow,alwaysnaggingaboutmoney,money,andyougotfivethousanddollars。Yougotmore,an’youliveinthatstinkingholeofaroom,andyouwon’tdrinkanydecentbeer。Iain’tgoingtostanditmuchlonger。Sheknewitwasgoingtorain。SheKNEWit。Didn’tITELLher?

  Andshedrivesmeoutofmyownhomeintherain,formetogetmoneyforher;moremoney,andshetakesit。ShetookthatmoneyfrommethatIearned。’Twasn’thers;itwasmine,Iearnedit——andnotanickelforcarfare。Shedon’tcareifIgetwetandgetacoldandDIE。No,shedon’t,aslongasshe’swarmand’sgothermoney。“Hebecamemoreandmoreindignantatthepicturehemadeofhimself。“Iain’tgoingtostanditmuchlonger,“herepeated。

  “Why,hello,Doc。Isthatyou?“exclaimedHeise,openingthedooroftheharnessshopbehindhim。“Comeinoutofthewet。Why,you’resoakedthrough,“headdedasheandMcTeaguecamebackintotheshop,thatreekedofoiledleather。“Didn’tyouhaveanyumbrella?Oughttohavetakenacar。“

  “Iguessso——Iguessso,“murmuredthedentist,confused。

  Histeethwerechattering。

  “YOU’REgoingtocatchyourdeath-a-cold,“exclaimedHeise。“Tellyouwhat,“hesaid,reachingforhishat,“comeinnextdoortoFrenna’sandhavesomethingtowarmyouup。

  I’llgettheoldladytomindtheshop。“HecalledMrs。

  HeisedownfromtheflooraboveandtookMcTeagueintoJoeFrenna’ssaloon,whichwastwodoorsabovehisharnessshop。

  “Whiskeyandgumtwice,Joe,“saidhetothebarkeeperasheandthedentistapproachedthebar。

  “Huh?What?“saidMcTeague。“Whiskey?No,Ican’tdrinkwhiskey。Itkindofdisagreeswithme。“

  “Oh,thehell!“returnedHeise,easily。“Takeitasmedicine。You’llgetyourdeath-a-coldifyoustandroundsoakedlikethat。Twowhiskeyandgum,Joe。“

  McTeagueemptiedtheponyglassatasingleenormousgulp。

  “That’stheway,“saidHeise,approvingly。“Doyougood。“

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