“Allright，“saidMcTeague，anddidnotmakeanyfurtherprotest。Hiswifelookedathimsurprised。Shecouldnotunderstandthissuddenacquiescence。PerhapsMcTeaguewassomuchawayfromhomeoflatethathehadceasedtocarewhereorhowhelived。Butthissuddenchangetroubledheralittleforallthat。
ThenextdaytheMcTeaguesmovedforasecondtime。Itdidnottakethemlong。Theywereobligedtobuythebedfromthelandlady，acircumstancewhichnearlybrokeTrina’sheart；andthisbed，acoupleofchairs，Trina’strunk，anornamentortwo，theoilstove，andsomeplatesandkitchenwarewereallthattheycouldcalltheirownnow；andthisbackroominthatwretchedhousewithitsgrislymemories，theonewindowlookingoutintoagrimymazeofbackyardsandbrokensheds，waswhattheynowknewastheirhome。
TheMcTeaguesnowbegantosinkrapidlylowerandlower。
Theybecameaccustomedtotheirsurroundings。Worstofall，Trinalostherprettywaysandhergoodlooks。Thecombinedeffectsofhardwork，avarice，poorfood，andherhusband’sbrutalitiestoldonherswiftly。Hercharminglittlefiguregrewcoarse，stunted，anddumpy。Shewhohadoncebeenofacatlikeneatness，nowslovenedalldayabouttheroominadirtyflannelwrapper，herslippersclap-clappingafterherasshewalked。Atlastsheevenneglectedherhair，thewonderfulswarthytiara，thecoiffureofaqueen，thatshadedherlittlepaleforehead。Inthemorningshebraideditbeforeitwashalfcombed，andpiledandcoileditaboutherheadinhaphazardfashion。Itcamedownhalfadozentimesaday；byeveningitwasanunkempt，tangledmass，averitablerat’snest。
Ah，no，itwasnotverygay，thatlifeofhers，whenonehadtorustlefortwo，cookandworkandwash，tosaynothingofpayingtherent。Whatoddswasitifshewasslatternly，dirty，coarse？Wastheretimetomakeherselflookotherwise，andwhowastheretobepleasedwhenshewasallprinkedout？Surelynotagreatbruteofahusbandwhobityoulikeadog，andkickedandpoundedyouasthoughyouweremadeofiron。Ah，no，betterletthingsgo，andtakeitaseasyasyoucould。Humpyourback，anditwassoonestover。
Theoneroomgrewabominablydirty，reekingwiththeodorsofcookingandof“non-poisonous“paint。Thebedwasnotmadeuntillateintheafternoon，sometimesnotatall。
Dirty，unwashedcrockery，greasyknives，soddenfragmentsofyesterday’smealsclutteredthetable，whileinonecornerwastheheapofevil-smelling，dirtylinen。Cockroachesappearedinthecrevicesofthewoodwork，thewall-paperbulgedfromthedampwallsandbegantopeel。Trinahadlongagoceasedtodustortowipethefurniturewithabitofrag。Thegrimegrewthickuponthewindowpanesandinthecornersoftheroom。Allthefilthofthealleyinvadedtheirquarterslikearisingmuddytide。
Betweenthewindows，however，thefadedphotographofthecoupleintheirweddingfinerylookeddownuponthewretchedness，Trinastillholdinghersetbouquetstraightbeforeher，McTeaguestandingatherside，hisleftfootforward，intheattitudeofaSecretaryofState；whilenearbyhungthecanary，theonethingthedentistclungtoobstinately，pipingandchitteringalldayinitslittlegiltprison。
Andthetooth，thegiganticgoldenmolarofFrenchgilt，enormousandungainly，sprawleditsbranchingprongsinonecorneroftheroom，bythefootboardofthebed。TheMcTeague’shadcometouseitasasortofsubstituteforatable。AfterbreakfastandsupperTrinapiledtheplatesandgreasydishesuponittohavethemoutoftheway。
OneafternoontheOtherDentist，McTeague’sold-timerival，thewearerofmarvellouswaistcoats，wassurprisedoutofallcountenancetoreceiveavisitfromMcTeague。TheOtherDentistwasinhisoperatingroomatthetime，atworkuponaplaster-of-parismould。Tohiscallof“’Comerightin。
Don’tyouseethesign，’Enterwithoutknocking’？“McTeaguecamein。Henotedatoncehowairyandcheerfulwastheroom。Alittlefirecoughedandtitteredonthehearth，abrindledgreyhoundsatonhishauncheswatchingitintently，agreatmirroroverthemantleofferedtoviewanarrayofactresses’picturesthrustbetweentheglassandtheframe，andabigbunchoffreshly-cutvioletsstoodinaglassbowlonthepolishedcherrywoodtable。TheOtherDentistcameforwardbriskly，exclaimingcheerfully：
“Oh，Doctor——MisterMcTeague，howdo？howdo？“
Thefellowwasactuallywearingavelvetsmokingjacket。A
cigarettewasbetweenhislips；hispatentleatherbootsreflectedthefirelight。McTeagueworeablacksurahnegligeshirtwithoutacravat；hugebuckledbrogans，hob-
nailed，gross，encasedhisfeet；thehemsofhistrouserswerespottedwithmud；hiscoatwasfrayedatthesleevesandabuttonwasgone。Inthreedayshehadnotshaved；hisshockofheavyblondhairescapedfrombeneaththevisorofhiswoollencapandhunglowoverhisforehead。Hestoodwithawkward，shiftingfeetanduncertaineyesbeforethedapperyoungfellowwhoreekedofthebarbershop，andwhomhehadonceorderedfromhisrooms。
“WhatcanIdoforyouthismorning，MisterMcTeague？
Somethingwrongwiththeteeth，eh？“
“No，no。“McTeague，flounderinginthedifficultiesofhisspeech，forgotthecarefullyrehearsedwordswithwhichhehadintendedtobeginthisinterview。
“Iwanttosellyoumysign，“hesaid，stupidly。“ThatbigtoothofFrenchgilt——YOUknow——thatyoumadeanofferforonce。“
“Oh，Idon’twantthatnow，“saidtheotherloftily。“I
preferalittlequietsignboard，nothingpretentious——justthename，and“Dentist“afterit。Thesebigsignsarevulgar。No，Idon’twantit。“
McTeagueremained，lookingaboutonthefloor，horriblyembarrassed，notknowingwhethertogoortostay。
“ButIdon’tknow，“saidtheOtherDentist，reflectively。
“Ifitwillhelpyououtany——Iguessyou’reprettyhardup——I’ll——well，Itellyouwhat——I’llgiveyoufivedollarsforit。“
“Allright，allright。“
OnthefollowingThursdaymorningMcTeaguewoketoheartheeavesdrippingandtheprolongedrattleoftherainupontheroof。
“Raining，“hegrowled，indeepdisgust，sittingupinbed，andwinkingattheblurredwindow。
“It’sbeenrainingallnight，“saidTrina。Shewasalreadyupanddressed，andwascookingbreakfastontheoilstove。
McTeaguedressedhimself，grumbling，“Well，I’llgo，anyhow。
Thefishwillbiteallthebetterfortherain。“
“Lookhere，Mac，“saidTrina，slicingabitofbaconasthinlyasshecould。“Lookhere，whydon’tyoubringsomeofyourfishhomesometime？“
“Huh！“snortedthedentist，“so’swecouldhave’emforbreakfast。Mightsaveyouanickel，mightn’tit？“
“Well，andifitdid！Oryoumightfishforthemarket。
Thefishermanacrossthestreetwouldbuy’emofyou。“
“Shutup！“exclaimedthedentist，andTrinaobedientlysubsided。
“Lookhere，“continuedherhusband，fumblinginhistrouserspocketandbringingoutadollar，“I’msickandtiredofcoffeeandbaconandmashedpotatoes。Goovertothemarketandgetsomekindofmeatforbreakfast。Getasteak，orchops，orsomething。
“Why，Mac，that’sawholedollar，andheonlygaveyoufiveforyoursign。Wecan’taffordit。Sure，Mac。Letmeputthatmoneyawayagainstarainyday。You’rejustaswelloffwithoutmeatforbreakfast。“
“YoudoasItellyou。Getsomesteak，orchops，orsomething。“
“Please，Mac，dear。“
“Goon，now。I’llbiteyourfingersagainprettysoon。“
“But——“
Thedentisttookasteptowardsher，snatchingatherhand。
“Allright，I’llgo，“criedTrina，wincingandshrinking。
“I’llgo。“
Shedidnotgetthechopsatthebigmarket，however。
Instead，shehurriedtoacheaperbutchershoponasidestreettwoblocksaway，andboughtfifteencents’worthofchopsfromasideofmuttonsometwoorthreedaysold。Shewasgonesomelittletime。
“Givemethechange，“exclaimedthedentistassoonasshereturned。Trinahandedhimaquarter；andwhenMcTeaguewasabouttoprotest，brokeinuponhimwitharapidstreamoftalkthatconfusedhimupontheinstant。Butforthatmatter，itwasneverdifficultforTrinatodeceivethedentist。Heneverwenttothebottomofthings。Hewouldhavebelievedherifshehadtoldhimthechopshadcostadollar。
“There’ssixtycentssaved，anyhow，“thoughtTrina，assheclutchedthemoneyinherpockettokeepitfromrattling。
Trinacookedthechops，andtheybreakfastedinsilence。
“Now，“saidMcTeagueasherose，wipingthecoffeefromhisthickmustachewiththehollowofhispalm，“nowI’mgoingfishing，rainornorain。I’mgoingtobegoneallday。“
Hestoodforamomentatthedoor，hisfish-lineinhishand，swingingtheheavysinkerbackandforth。HelookedatTrinaassheclearedawaythebreakfastthings。
“Solong，“saidhe，noddinghishugesquare-cuthead。Thisamiabilityinthematterofleavetakingwasunusual。Trinaputthedishesdownandcameuptohim，herlittlechin，oncesoadorable，intheair：