NotStanleypenetratingforthefirsttimeintotheDarkContinent，notNapoleonleadinghisarmyacrosstheAlps，wasmoreweightedwithresponsibility，moreburdenedwithcare，moreovercomewiththesenseoftheimportanceofhisundertaking，thanwasMr。Sieppeduringthisperiodofpreparation。Fromdawntodark，fromdarktoearlydawn，hetoiledandplannedandfretted，organizingandreorganizing，projectinganddevising。Thetrunkswerelettered，A，B，andC，thepackagesandsmallerbundlesnumbered。Eachmemberofthefamilyhadhisespecialdutytoperform，hisparticularbundlestooversee。Notadetailwasforgotten——
fares，prices，andtipswerecalculatedtotwoplacesofdecimals。Eventheamountoffoodthatitwouldbenecessarytocarryfortheblackgreyhoundwasdetermined。
Mrs。Sieppewastolookafterthelunch，“dergomisariat。“
Mr。Sieppewouldassumechargeofthechecks，themoney，thetickets，and，ofcourse，generalsupervision。ThetwinswouldbeunderthecommandofOwgooste，who，inturn，wouldreportfororderstohisfather。
Dayinanddayouttheseminutiaewererehearsed。Thechildrenweredrilledintheirpartswithamilitaryexactitude；obedienceandpunctualitybecamecardinalvirtues。Thevastimportanceoftheundertakingwasinsisteduponwithscrupulousiteration。Itwasamanoeuvre，anarmychangingitsbaseofoperations，averitabletribalmigration。
Ontheotherhand，Trina’slittleroomwasthecentrearoundwhichrevolvedanotheranddifferentorderofthings。Thedressmakercameandwent，congratulatoryvisitorsinvadedthelittlefrontparlor，thechatterofunfamiliarvoicesresoundedfromthefrontsteps；bonnet-boxesandyardsofdress-goodslitteredthebedsandchairs；wrappingpaper，tissuepaper，andbitsofstringstrewedthefloor；apairofwhitesatinslippersstoodonacornerofthetoilettable；lengthsofwhiteveiling，likeasnow-flurry，buriedthelittlework-table；andamislaidboxofartificialorangeblossomswasfinallydiscoveredbehindthebureau。
Thetwosystemsofoperationoftenclashedandtangled。Mrs。
SieppewasfoundbyherharassedhusbandhelpingTrinawiththewaistofhergownwhensheshouldhavebeenslicingcoldchickeninthekitchen。Mr。Sieppepackedhisfrockcoat，whichhewouldhavetowearatthewedding，attheverybottomof“TrunkC。“Theminister，whocalledtoofferhiscongratulationsandtomakearrangements，wasmistakenfortheexpressman。
McTeaguecameandwentfurtively，dizziedandmadeuneasybyallthisbustle。Hegotintheway；hetroduponandtorebreadthsofsilk；hetriedtohelpcarrythepacking-boxes，andbrokethehallgasfixture；hecameinuponTrinaandthedress-makeratanill-timedmoment，andretiringprecipitately，overturnedthepilesofpicturesstackedinthehall。
Therewasanincessantgoingandcomingateverymomentoftheday，agreatcallingupanddownstairs，ashoutingfromroomtoroom，anopeningandshuttingofdoors，andanintermittentsoundofhammeringfromthelaundry，whereMr。
Sieppeinhisshirtsleeveslaboredamongthepacking-boxes。
Thetwinsclatteredaboutonthecarpetlessfloorsofthedenudedrooms。Owgoostewassmackedfromhourtohour，andweptuponthefrontstairs；thedressmakercalledoverthebanistersforahotflatiron；expressmentrampedupanddownthestairway。Mrs。Sieppestoppedinthepreparationofthelunchestocall“Hoop，Hoop“tothegreyhound，throwinglumpsofcoal。Thedog-wheelcreaked，thefrontdoorbellrang，deliverywagonsrumbledaway，windowsrattled——thelittlehousewasinapositiveuproar。
AlmosteverydayoftheweeknowTrinawasobligedtorunovertotownandmeetMcTeague。Nomorephilanderingovertheirlunchnow-a-days。Itwasbusinessnow。Theyhauntedthehouse-furnishingfloorsofthegreatdepartmenthouses，inspectingandpricingranges，hardware，china，andthelike。Theyrentedthephotographer’sroomsfurnished，andfortunatelyonlythekitchenanddining-roomutensilshadtobebought。
ThemoneyforthisaswellasforhertrousseaucameoutofTrina’sfivethousanddollars。Forithadbeenfinallydecidedthattwohundreddollarsofthisamountshouldbedevotedtotheestablishmentofthenewhousehold。
NowthatTrinahadmadehergreatwinning，Mr。Sieppenolongersawthenecessityofdoweringherfurther，especiallywhenheconsideredtheenormousexpensetowhichhewouldbeputbythevoyageofhisownfamily。
IthadbeenadreadfulwrenchforTrinatobreakinuponherpreciousfivethousand。Sheclungtothissumwithatenacitythatwassurprising；ithadbecomeforherathingmiraculous，agod-from-the-machine，suddenlydescendinguponthestageofherhumblelittlelife；sheregardeditassomethingalmostsacredandinviolable。Never，nevershouldapennyofitbespent。Beforeshecouldbeinducedtopartwithtwohundreddollarsofit，morethanonescenehadbeenenactedbetweenherandherparents。
DidTrinapayforthegoldentoothoutofthistwohundred？
Lateron，thedentistoftenaskedheraboutit，butTrinainvariablylaughedinhisface，declaringthatitwashersecret。McTeagueneverfoundout。
OnedayduringthisperiodMcTeaguetoldTrinaabouthisaffairwithMarcus。Instantlyshewasaroused。
“Hethrewhisknifeatyou！Thecoward！Hewouldn’tofdaredstanduptoyoulikeaman。Oh，Mac，supposeheHADhityou？“
“Camewithinaninchofmyhead，“putinMcTeague，proudly。
“Thinkofit！“shegasped；“andhewantedpartofmymoney。
Well，Idolikehischeek；partofmyfivethousand！Why，it’smine，everysinglepennyofit。Marcushasn’ttheleastbitofrighttoit。It’smine，mine——Imean，it’sours，Mac，dear。“
TheelderSieppes，however，madeexcusesforMarcus。Hehadprobablybeendrinkingagooddealanddidn’tknowwhathewasabout。Hehadadreadfultemper，anyhow。MaybeheonlywantedtoscareMcTeague。
Theweekbeforethemarriagethetwomenwerereconciled。
Mrs。SieppebroughtthemtogetherinthefrontparloroftheBStreethouse。
“Now，youtwofellers，don’tbedotfoolish。Schakehandsundmaigutoop，soh。“
Marcusmutteredanapology。McTeague，miserablyembarrassed，rolledhiseyesabouttheroom，murmuring，“That’sallright——that’sallright——that’sallright。“
However，whenitwasproposedthatMarcusshouldbeMcTeague’sbestman，heflashedoutagainwithrenewedviolence。Ah，no！ah，NO！He’dmakeupwiththedentistnowthathewasgoingaway，buthe’dbedamned——yes，hewould——beforehe’dbehisbestman。Thatwasrubbingitin。LethimgetOldGrannis。
“I’mfriendswithumallright，“vociferatedMarcus，“butI’llnotstandupwithum。I’llnotbeANYBODY’Sbestman，Iwon’t。“
Theweddingwastobeveryquiet；Trinapreferreditthatway。McTeaguewouldinviteonlyMissBakerandHeisetheharness-maker。TheSieppessentcardstoSelina，whowascountedontofurnishthemusic；toMarcus，ofcourse；andtoUncleOelbermann。
Atlastthegreatday，thefirstofJune，arrived。TheSieppeshadpackedtheirlastboxandhadstrappedthelasttrunk。Trina’stwotrunkshadalreadybeensenttohernewhome——theremodelledphotographer’srooms。TheBStreethousewasdeserted；thewholefamilycameovertothecityonthelastdayofMayandstoppedovernightatoneofthecheapdowntownhotels。Trinawouldbemarriedthefollowingevening，andimmediatelyaftertheweddingsuppertheSieppeswouldleavefortheSouth。
McTeaguespentthedayinafeverofagitation，frightenedoutofhiswitseachtimethatOldGrannislefthiselbow。
OldGranniswasdelightedbeyondmeasureattheprospectofactingthepartofbestmanintheceremony。Thisweddinginwhichhewastofigurefilledhismindwithvagueideasandhalf-formedthoughts。HefoundhimselfcontinuallywonderingwhatMissBakerwouldthinkofit。Duringallthatdayhewasinareflectivemood。
“Marriageisa——anobleinstitution，isitnot，Doctor？“heobservedtoMcTeague。“The——thefoundationofsociety。
Itisnotgoodthatmanshouldbealone。No，no，“headded，pensively，“itisnotgood。“
“Huh？Yes，yes，“McTeagueanswered，hiseyesintheair，hardlyhearinghim。“Doyouthinktheroomsareallright？
Let’sgoinandlookatthemagain。“
Theywentdownthehalltowherethenewroomsweresituated，andthedentistinspectedthemforthetwentiethtime。
Theroomswerethreeinnumber——first，thesitting-room，whichwasalsothedining-room；thenthebedroom，andbackofthisthetinykitchen。
Thesitting-roomwasparticularlycharming。Cleanmattingcoveredthefloor，andtwoorthreebrightcoloredrugswerescatteredhereandthere。Thebacksofthechairswerehungwithknittedworstedtidies，verygay。ThebaywindowshouldhavebeenoccupiedbyTrina’ssewingmachine，butthishadbeenmovedtotheothersideoftheroomtogiveplacetoalittleblackwalnuttablewithspirallegs，beforewhichthepairweretobemarried。Inonecornerstoodtheparlormelodeon，afamilypossessionoftheSieppes，butgivennowtoTrinaasoneofherparents’
weddingpresents。Threepictureshunguponthewalls。Twowerecompanionpieces。Oneoftheserepresentedalittleboywearinghugespectaclesandtryingtosmokeanenormouspipe。Thiswascalled“I’mGrandpa，“thetitlebeingprintedinlargeblackletters；thecompanionpicturewasentitled“I’mGrandma，“alittlegirlincapand“specs，“
wearingmitts，andknitting。Thesepictureswerehungoneithersideofthemantelpiece。Theotherpicturewasquiteanaffair，verylargeandstriking。Itwasacoloredlithographoftwolittlegolden-hairedgirlsintheirnight-
gowns。Theywerekneelingdownandsayingtheirprayers；
theireyes——verylargeandveryblue——rolledupward。Thispicturehadforname，“Faith，“andwasborderedwitharedplushmatandaframeofimitationbeatenbrass。
Adoorhungwithchenilleportieres——abargainattwodollarsandahalf——admittedonetothebedroom。Thebedroomcouldboastacarpet，three-plyingrain，thedesignbeingbunchesofredandgreenflowersinyellowbasketsonawhiteground。Thewall-paperwasadmirable——
hundredsandhundredsoftinyJapanesemandarins，allidenticallyalike，helpinghundredsofalmond-eyedladiesintohundredsofimpossiblejunks，whilehundredsofbamboopalmsovershadowedthepair，andhundredsoflong-leggedstorkstrailedcontemptuouslyawayfromthescene。Thisroomwasprolificinpictures。MostofthemwereframedcoloredprintsfromChristmaseditionsoftheLondon“Graphic“and“IllustratedNews，“thesubjectofeachpictureinevitablyinvolvingveryalertfoxterriersandveryprettymoon-facedlittlegirls。
Backofthebedroomwasthekitchen，acreationofTrina’s，adreamofakitchen，withitsrange，itsporcelain-linedsink，itscopperboiler，anditsoverpoweringarrayofflashingtinware。Everythingwasnew；everythingwascomplete。
MariaMacapaandawaiterfromoneoftherestaurantsinthestreetweretopreparetheweddingsupperhere。Mariahadalreadyputinanappearance。Thefirewascracklinginthenewstove，thatsmokedbadly；asmellofcookingwasintheair。ShedroveMcTeagueandOldGrannisfromtheroomwithgreatgesturesofherbarearms。
Thiskitchenwastheonlyoneofthethreeroomstheyhadbeenobligedtofurnishthroughout。Mostofthesitting-
roomandbedroomfurniturewentwiththesuite；afewpiecestheyhadbought；theremainderTrinahadbroughtoverfromtheBStreethouse。