Hedidnotlikethem，obstinatelycherishingthatintuitivesuspicionofallthingsfeminine——theperversedislikeofanovergrownboy。Ontheotherhand，shewasperfectlyatherease；doubtlessthewomaninherwasnotyetawakened；shewasyet，asonemightsay，withoutsex。Shewasalmostlikeaboy，frank，candid，unreserved。
Shetookherplaceintheoperatingchairandtoldhimwhatwasthematter，lookingsquarelyintohisface。Shehadfallenoutofaswingtheafternoonoftheprecedingday；
oneofherteethhadbeenknockedlooseandtheotheraltogetherbrokenout。
McTeaguelistenedtoherwithapparentstolidity，noddinghisheadfromtimetotimeasshespoke。Thekeennessofhisdislikeofherasawomanbegantobeblunted。Hethoughtshewasratherpretty，thatheevenlikedherbecauseshewassosmall，soprettilymade，sogoodnaturedandstraightforward。
“Let’shavealookatyourteeth，“hesaid，pickinguphismirror。“Youbettertakeyourhatoff。“Sheleanedbackinherchairandopenedhermouth，showingtherowsoflittleroundteeth，aswhiteandevenasthekernelsonanearofgreencorn，exceptwhereanuglygapcameattheside。
McTeagueputthemirrorintohermouth，touchingoneandanotherofherteethwiththehandleofanexcavator。Byandbyhestraightenedup，wipingthemoisturefromthemirroronhiscoat-sleeve。
“Well，Doctor，“saidthegirl，anxiously，“it’sadreadfuldisfigurement，isn’tit？“adding，“Whatcanyoudoaboutit？“
“Well，“answeredMcTeague，slowly，lookingvaguelyaboutontheflooroftheroom，“therootsofthebrokentootharestillinthegum；they’llhavetocomeout，andIguessI’llhavetopullthatotherbicuspid。Letmelookagain。Yes，“
hewentoninamoment，peeringintohermouthwiththemirror，“Iguessthat’llhavetocomeout，too。“Thetoothwasloose，discolored，andevidentlydead。“It’sacuriouscase，“McTeaguewenton。“Idon’tknowasIeverhadatoothlikethatbefore。It’swhat’scallednecrosis。Itdon’toftenhappen。It’llhavetocomeoutsure。“
Thenadiscussionwasopenedonthesubject，Trinasittingupinthechair，holdingherhatinherlap；McTeagueleaningagainstthewindowframehishandsinhispockets，hiseyeswanderingaboutonthefloor。Trinadidnotwanttheothertoothremoved；oneholelikethatwasbadenough；
buttwo——ah，no，itwasnottobethoughtof。
ButMcTeaguereasonedwithher，triedinvaintomakeherunderstandthattherewasnovascularconnectionbetweentherootandthegum。Trinawasblindlypersistent，withthepersistencyofagirlwhohasmadeuphermind。
McTeaguebegantolikeherbetterandbetter，andafterawhilecommencedhimselftofeelthatitwouldbeapitytodisfiguresuchaprettymouth。Hebecameinterested；
perhapshecoulddosomething，somethinginthewayofacrownorbridge。“Let’slookatthatagain，“hesaid，pickinguphismirror。Hebegantostudythesituationverycarefully，reallydesiringtoremedytheblemish。
Itwasthefirstbicuspidthatwasmissing，andthoughpartoftherootofthesecondthelooseonewouldremainafteritsextraction，hewassureitwouldnotbestrongenoughtosustainacrown。Allatoncehegrewobstinate，resolving，withallthestrengthofacrudeandprimitiveman，toconquerthedifficultyinspiteofeverything。Heturnedoverinhismindthetechnicalitiesofthecase。No，evidentlytherootwasnotstrongenoughtosustainacrown；
besidesthat，itwasplacedalittleirregularlyinthearch。But，fortunately，therewerecavitiesinthetwoteethoneithersideofthegap——oneinthefirstmolarandoneinthepalatinesurfaceofthecuspid；mighthenotdrillasocketintheremainingrootandsocketsinthemolarandcuspid，and，partlybybridging，partlybycrowning，fillinthegap？Hemadeuphismindtodoit。
WhyheshouldpledgehimselftothishazardouscaseMcTeaguewaspuzzledtoknow。Withmostofhisclientshewouldhavecontentedhimselfwiththeextractionoftheloosetoothandtherootsofthebrokenone。Whyshouldheriskhisreputationinthiscase？Hecouldnotsaywhy。
Itwasthemostdifficultoperationhehadeverperformed。
Hebungleditconsiderably，butintheendhesucceededpassablywell。Heextractedtheloosetoothwithhisbayonetforcepsandpreparedtherootsofthebrokenoneasifforfilling，fittingintothemaflattenedpieceofplatinumwiretoserveasadowel。Butthiswasonlythebeginning；altogetheritwasafortnight’swork。Trinacamenearlyeveryotherday，andpassedtwo，andeventhree，hoursinthechair。
BydegreesMcTeague’sfirstawkwardnessandsuspicionvanishedentirely。Thetwobecamegoodfriends。McTeagueevenarrivedatthatpointwherehecouldworkandtalktoheratthesametime——athingthathadneverbeforebeenpossibleforhim。
NeveruntilthenhadMcTeaguebecomesowellacquaintedwithagirlofTrina’sage。TheyoungerwomenofPolkStreet——
theshopgirls，theyoungwomenofthesodafountains，thewaitressesinthecheaprestaurants——preferredanotherdentist，ayoungfellowjustgraduatedfromthecollege，aposer，ariderofbicycles，amanabouttown，whoworeastonishingwaistcoatsandbetmoneyongreyhoundcoursing。TrinawasMcTeague’sfirstexperience。Withherthefeminineelementsuddenlyenteredhislittleworld。Itwasnotonlyherthathesawandfelt，itwasthewoman，thewholesex，anentirenewhumanity，strangeandalluring，thatheseemedtohavediscovered。Howhadheignoreditsolong？Itwasdazzling，delicious，charmingbeyondallwords。Hisnarrowpointofviewwasatonceenlargedandconfused，andallatoncehesawthattherewassomethingelseinlifebesidesconcertinasandsteambeer。Everythinghadtobemadeoveragain。Hiswholerudeideaoflifehadtobechanged。Themaleviriledesireinhimtardilyawakened，arouseditself，strongandbrutal。Itwasresistless，untrained，athingnottobeheldinleashaninstant。
Littlebylittle，bygradual，almostimperceptibledegrees，thethoughtofTrinaSieppeoccupiedhismindfromdaytoday，fromhourtohour。Hefoundhimselfthinkingofherconstantly；ateveryinstanthesawherround，paleface；
hernarrow，milk-blueeyes；herlittleout-thrustchin；herheavy，hugetiaraofblackhair。Atnighthelayawakeforhoursunderthethickblanketsofthebed-lounge，staringupwardintothedarkness，tormentedwiththeideaofher，exasperatedatthedelicate，subtlemeshinwhichhefoundhimselfentangled。Duringtheforenoons，whilehewentabouthiswork，hethoughtofher。Ashemadehisplaster-
of-parismouldsatthewashstandinthecornerbehindthescreenheturnedoverinhismindallthathadhappened，allthathadbeensaidattheprevioussitting。Herlittletooththathehadextractedhekeptwrappedinabitofnewspaperinhisvestpocket。Oftenhetookitoutandhelditinthepalmofhisimmense，hornyhand，seizedwithsomestrangeelephantinesentiment，wagginghisheadatit，heavingtremendoussighs。Whatafolly！
Attwoo’clockonTuesdays，Thursdays，andSaturdaysTrinaarrivedandtookherplaceintheoperatingchair。WhileathisworkMcTeaguewaseveryminuteobligedtobendcloselyoverher；hishandstouchedherface，hercheeks，heradorablelittlechin；herlipspressedagainsthisfingers。
Shebreathedwarmlyonhisforeheadandonhiseyelids，whiletheodorofherhair，acharmingfeminineperfume，sweet，heavy，enervating，cametohisnostrils，sopenetrating，sodelicious，thathisfleshprickedandtingledwithit；averitablesensationoffaintnesspassedoverthishuge，callousfellow，withhisenormousbonesandcordedmuscles。Hedrewashortbreaththroughhisnose；
hisjawssuddenlygrippedtogethervise-like。
Butthiswasonlyattimes——astrange，vexingspasm，thatsubsidedalmostimmediately。Forthemostpart，McTeagueenjoyedthepleasureofthesesittingswithTrinawithacertainstrongcalmness，blindlyhappythatshewasthere。
ThispoorcrudedentistofPolkStreet，stupid，ignorant，vulgar，withhisshameducationandplebeiantastes，whoseonlyrelaxationsweretoeat，todrinksteambeer，andtoplayuponhisconcertina，waslivingthroughhisfirstromance，hisfirstidyl。Itwasdelightful。ThelonghourshepassedalonewithTrinainthe“DentalParlors，“silent，onlyforthescrapingoftheinstrumentsandthepouringofbud-burrsintheengine，inthefoulatmosphere，overheatedbythelittlestoveandheavywiththesmellofether，creosote，andstalebedding，hadallthecharmofsecretappointmentsandstolenmeetingsunderthemoon。
Bydegreestheoperationprogressed。Oneday，justafterMcTeaguehadputinthetemporarygutta-perchafillingsandnothingmorecouldbedoneatthatsitting，Trinaaskedhimtoexaminetherestofherteeth。Theywereperfect，withoneexception——aspotofwhitecariesonthelateralsurfaceofanincisor。McTeaguefilleditwithgold，enlargingthecavitywithhard-bitsandhoe-excavators，andburringinafterwardwithhalf-coneburrs。Thecavitywasdeep，andTrinabegantowinceandmoan。TohurtTrinawasapositiveanguishforMcTeague，yetananguishwhichhewasobligedtoendureateveryhourofthesitting。Itwasharrowing——hesweatedunderit——tobeforcedtotortureher，ofallwomenintheworld；couldanythingbeworsethanthat？
“Hurt？“heinquired，anxiously。
Sheansweredbyfrowning，withasharpintakeofbreath，puttingherfingersoverherclosedlipsandnoddingherhead。McTeaguesprayedthetoothwithglyceriteoftannin，butwithouteffect。Ratherthanhurtherhefoundhimselfforcedtotheuseofanaesthesia，whichhehated。
Hehadanotionthatthenitrousoxidegaswasdangerous，soonthisoccasion，asonallothers，usedether。
HeputthespongeahalfdozentimestoTrina’sface，morenervousthanhehadeverbeenbefore，watchingthesymptomsclosely。Herbreathingbecameshortandirregular；therewasaslighttwitchingofthemuscles。Whenherthumbsturnedinwardtowardthepalms，hetookthespongeaway。
Shepassedoffveryquickly，and，withalongsigh，sankbackintothechair。
McTeaguestraightenedup，puttingthespongeupontherackbehindhim，hiseyesfixeduponTrina’sface。Forsometimehestoodwatchingherasshelaythere，unconsciousandhelpless，andverypretty。Hewasalonewithher，andshewasabsolutelywithoutdefense。
Suddenlytheanimalinthemanstirredandwoke；theevilinstinctsthatinhimweresoclosetothesurfaceleapedtolife，shoutingandclamoring。
Itwasacrisis——acrisisthathadarisenallinaninstant；
acrisisforwhichhewastotallyunprepared。Blindly，andwithoutknowingwhy，McTeaguefoughtagainstit，movedbyanunreasonedinstinctofresistance。Withinhim，acertainsecondself，anotherbetterMcTeaguerosewiththebrute；
bothwerestrong，withthehugecrudestrengthofthemanhimself。Thetwowereatgrapples。Thereinthatcheapandshabby“DentalParlor“adreadedstrugglebegan。Itwastheoldbattle，oldastheworld，wideastheworld——thesuddenpantherleapoftheanimal，lipsdrawn，fangsaflash，hideous，monstrous，nottoberesisted，andthesimultaneousarousingoftheotherman，thebetterselfthatcries，“Down，down，“withoutknowingwhy；thatgripsthemonster；
thatfightstostrangleit，tothrustitdownandback。
Dizziedandbewilderedwiththeshock，thelikeofwhichhehadneverknownbefore，McTeagueturnedfromTrina，gazingbewilderedlyabouttheroom。Thestrugglewasbitter；histeethgroundthemselvestogetherwithalittleraspingsound；thebloodsanginhisears；hisfaceflushedscarlet；
hishandstwistedthemselvestogetherliketheknottingofcables。Thefuryinhimwasasthefuryofayoungbullintheheatofhighsummer。Butforallthatheshookhishugeheadfromtimetotime，muttering：
“No，byGod！No，byGod！“
DimlyheseemedtorealizethatshouldheyieldnowhewouldneverbeabletocareforTrinaagain。Shewouldneverbethesametohim，neversoradiant，sosweet，soadorable；
hercharmforhimwouldvanishinaninstant。Acrossherforehead，herlittlepaleforehead，undertheshadowofherroyalhair，hewouldsurelyseethesmudgeofafoulordure，thefootprintofthemonster。Itwouldbeasacrilege，anabomination。Herecoiledfromit，bandingallhisstrengthtotheissue。
“No，byGod！No，byGod！“