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。