“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：