“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。“