第4章

Hedidnotlikethem，obstinatelycherishingthatintuitivesuspicionofallthingsfeminine——theperversedislikeofanovergrownboy。Ontheotherhand，shewasperfectlyatherease；doubtlessthewomaninherwasnotyetawakened；shewasyet，asonemightsay，withoutsex。Shewasalmostlikeaboy，frank，candid，unreserved。

Shetookherplaceintheoperatingchairandtoldhimwhatwasthematter，lookingsquarelyintohisface。Shehadfallenoutofaswingtheafternoonoftheprecedingday；

oneofherteethhadbeenknockedlooseandtheotheraltogetherbrokenout。

McTeaguelistenedtoherwithapparentstolidity，noddinghisheadfromtimetotimeasshespoke。Thekeennessofhisdislikeofherasawomanbegantobeblunted。Hethoughtshewasratherpretty，thatheevenlikedherbecauseshewassosmall，soprettilymade，sogoodnaturedandstraightforward。

“Let’shavealookatyourteeth，“hesaid，pickinguphismirror。“Youbettertakeyourhatoff。“Sheleanedbackinherchairandopenedhermouth，showingtherowsoflittleroundteeth，aswhiteandevenasthekernelsonanearofgreencorn，exceptwhereanuglygapcameattheside。

McTeagueputthemirrorintohermouth，touchingoneandanotherofherteethwiththehandleofanexcavator。Byandbyhestraightenedup，wipingthemoisturefromthemirroronhiscoat-sleeve。

“Well，Doctor，“saidthegirl，anxiously，“it’sadreadfuldisfigurement，isn’tit？“adding，“Whatcanyoudoaboutit？“

“Well，“answeredMcTeague，slowly，lookingvaguelyaboutontheflooroftheroom，“therootsofthebrokentootharestillinthegum；they’llhavetocomeout，andIguessI’llhavetopullthatotherbicuspid。Letmelookagain。Yes，“

hewentoninamoment，peeringintohermouthwiththemirror，“Iguessthat’llhavetocomeout，too。“Thetoothwasloose，discolored，andevidentlydead。“It’sacuriouscase，“McTeaguewenton。“Idon’tknowasIeverhadatoothlikethatbefore。It’swhat’scallednecrosis。Itdon’toftenhappen。It’llhavetocomeoutsure。“

Thenadiscussionwasopenedonthesubject，Trinasittingupinthechair，holdingherhatinherlap；McTeagueleaningagainstthewindowframehishandsinhispockets，hiseyeswanderingaboutonthefloor。Trinadidnotwanttheothertoothremoved；oneholelikethatwasbadenough；

buttwo——ah，no，itwasnottobethoughtof。

ButMcTeaguereasonedwithher，triedinvaintomakeherunderstandthattherewasnovascularconnectionbetweentherootandthegum。Trinawasblindlypersistent，withthepersistencyofagirlwhohasmadeuphermind。

McTeaguebegantolikeherbetterandbetter，andafterawhilecommencedhimselftofeelthatitwouldbeapitytodisfiguresuchaprettymouth。Hebecameinterested；

perhapshecoulddosomething，somethinginthewayofacrownorbridge。“Let’slookatthatagain，“hesaid，pickinguphismirror。Hebegantostudythesituationverycarefully，reallydesiringtoremedytheblemish。

Itwasthefirstbicuspidthatwasmissing，andthoughpartoftherootofthesecond(thelooseone)wouldremainafteritsextraction，hewassureitwouldnotbestrongenoughtosustainacrown。Allatoncehegrewobstinate，resolving，withallthestrengthofacrudeandprimitiveman，toconquerthedifficultyinspiteofeverything。Heturnedoverinhismindthetechnicalitiesofthecase。No，evidentlytherootwasnotstrongenoughtosustainacrown；

besidesthat，itwasplacedalittleirregularlyinthearch。But，fortunately，therewerecavitiesinthetwoteethoneithersideofthegap——oneinthefirstmolarandoneinthepalatinesurfaceofthecuspid；mighthenotdrillasocketintheremainingrootandsocketsinthemolarandcuspid，and，partlybybridging，partlybycrowning，fillinthegap？Hemadeuphismindtodoit。

WhyheshouldpledgehimselftothishazardouscaseMcTeaguewaspuzzledtoknow。Withmostofhisclientshewouldhavecontentedhimselfwiththeextractionoftheloosetoothandtherootsofthebrokenone。Whyshouldheriskhisreputationinthiscase？Hecouldnotsaywhy。

Itwasthemostdifficultoperationhehadeverperformed。

Hebungleditconsiderably，butintheendhesucceededpassablywell。Heextractedtheloosetoothwithhisbayonetforcepsandpreparedtherootsofthebrokenoneasifforfilling，fittingintothemaflattenedpieceofplatinumwiretoserveasadowel。Butthiswasonlythebeginning；altogetheritwasafortnight’swork。Trinacamenearlyeveryotherday，andpassedtwo，andeventhree，hoursinthechair。

BydegreesMcTeague’sfirstawkwardnessandsuspicionvanishedentirely。Thetwobecamegoodfriends。McTeagueevenarrivedatthatpointwherehecouldworkandtalktoheratthesametime——athingthathadneverbeforebeenpossibleforhim。

NeveruntilthenhadMcTeaguebecomesowellacquaintedwithagirlofTrina’sage。TheyoungerwomenofPolkStreet——

theshopgirls，theyoungwomenofthesodafountains，thewaitressesinthecheaprestaurants——preferredanotherdentist，ayoungfellowjustgraduatedfromthecollege，aposer，ariderofbicycles，amanabouttown，whoworeastonishingwaistcoatsandbetmoneyongreyhoundcoursing。TrinawasMcTeague’sfirstexperience。Withherthefeminineelementsuddenlyenteredhislittleworld。Itwasnotonlyherthathesawandfelt，itwasthewoman，thewholesex，anentirenewhumanity，strangeandalluring，thatheseemedtohavediscovered。Howhadheignoreditsolong？Itwasdazzling，delicious，charmingbeyondallwords。Hisnarrowpointofviewwasatonceenlargedandconfused，andallatoncehesawthattherewassomethingelseinlifebesidesconcertinasandsteambeer。Everythinghadtobemadeoveragain。Hiswholerudeideaoflifehadtobechanged。Themaleviriledesireinhimtardilyawakened，arouseditself，strongandbrutal。Itwasresistless，untrained，athingnottobeheldinleashaninstant。

Littlebylittle，bygradual，almostimperceptibledegrees，thethoughtofTrinaSieppeoccupiedhismindfromdaytoday，fromhourtohour。Hefoundhimselfthinkingofherconstantly；ateveryinstanthesawherround，paleface；

hernarrow，milk-blueeyes；herlittleout-thrustchin；herheavy，hugetiaraofblackhair。Atnighthelayawakeforhoursunderthethickblanketsofthebed-lounge，staringupwardintothedarkness，tormentedwiththeideaofher，exasperatedatthedelicate，subtlemeshinwhichhefoundhimselfentangled。Duringtheforenoons，whilehewentabouthiswork，hethoughtofher。Ashemadehisplaster-

of-parismouldsatthewashstandinthecornerbehindthescreenheturnedoverinhismindallthathadhappened，allthathadbeensaidattheprevioussitting。Herlittletooththathehadextractedhekeptwrappedinabitofnewspaperinhisvestpocket。Oftenhetookitoutandhelditinthepalmofhisimmense，hornyhand，seizedwithsomestrangeelephantinesentiment，wagginghisheadatit，heavingtremendoussighs。Whatafolly！

Attwoo’clockonTuesdays，Thursdays，andSaturdaysTrinaarrivedandtookherplaceintheoperatingchair。WhileathisworkMcTeaguewaseveryminuteobligedtobendcloselyoverher；hishandstouchedherface，hercheeks，heradorablelittlechin；herlipspressedagainsthisfingers。

Shebreathedwarmlyonhisforeheadandonhiseyelids，whiletheodorofherhair，acharmingfeminineperfume，sweet，heavy，enervating，cametohisnostrils，sopenetrating，sodelicious，thathisfleshprickedandtingledwithit；averitablesensationoffaintnesspassedoverthishuge，callousfellow，withhisenormousbonesandcordedmuscles。Hedrewashortbreaththroughhisnose；

hisjawssuddenlygrippedtogethervise-like。

Butthiswasonlyattimes——astrange，vexingspasm，thatsubsidedalmostimmediately。Forthemostpart，McTeagueenjoyedthepleasureofthesesittingswithTrinawithacertainstrongcalmness，blindlyhappythatshewasthere。

ThispoorcrudedentistofPolkStreet，stupid，ignorant，vulgar，withhisshameducationandplebeiantastes，whoseonlyrelaxationsweretoeat，todrinksteambeer，andtoplayuponhisconcertina，waslivingthroughhisfirstromance，hisfirstidyl。Itwasdelightful。ThelonghourshepassedalonewithTrinainthe“DentalParlors，“silent，onlyforthescrapingoftheinstrumentsandthepouringofbud-burrsintheengine，inthefoulatmosphere，overheatedbythelittlestoveandheavywiththesmellofether，creosote，andstalebedding，hadallthecharmofsecretappointmentsandstolenmeetingsunderthemoon。

Bydegreestheoperationprogressed。Oneday，justafterMcTeaguehadputinthetemporarygutta-perchafillingsandnothingmorecouldbedoneatthatsitting，Trinaaskedhimtoexaminetherestofherteeth。Theywereperfect，withoneexception——aspotofwhitecariesonthelateralsurfaceofanincisor。McTeaguefilleditwithgold，enlargingthecavitywithhard-bitsandhoe-excavators，andburringinafterwardwithhalf-coneburrs。Thecavitywasdeep，andTrinabegantowinceandmoan。TohurtTrinawasapositiveanguishforMcTeague，yetananguishwhichhewasobligedtoendureateveryhourofthesitting。Itwasharrowing——hesweatedunderit——tobeforcedtotortureher，ofallwomenintheworld；couldanythingbeworsethanthat？

“Hurt？“heinquired，anxiously。

Sheansweredbyfrowning，withasharpintakeofbreath，puttingherfingersoverherclosedlipsandnoddingherhead。McTeaguesprayedthetoothwithglyceriteoftannin，butwithouteffect。Ratherthanhurtherhefoundhimselfforcedtotheuseofanaesthesia，whichhehated。

Hehadanotionthatthenitrousoxidegaswasdangerous，soonthisoccasion，asonallothers，usedether。

HeputthespongeahalfdozentimestoTrina’sface，morenervousthanhehadeverbeenbefore，watchingthesymptomsclosely。Herbreathingbecameshortandirregular；therewasaslighttwitchingofthemuscles。Whenherthumbsturnedinwardtowardthepalms，hetookthespongeaway。

Shepassedoffveryquickly，and，withalongsigh，sankbackintothechair。

McTeaguestraightenedup，puttingthespongeupontherackbehindhim，hiseyesfixeduponTrina’sface。Forsometimehestoodwatchingherasshelaythere，unconsciousandhelpless，andverypretty。Hewasalonewithher，andshewasabsolutelywithoutdefense。

Suddenlytheanimalinthemanstirredandwoke；theevilinstinctsthatinhimweresoclosetothesurfaceleapedtolife，shoutingandclamoring。

Itwasacrisis——acrisisthathadarisenallinaninstant；

acrisisforwhichhewastotallyunprepared。Blindly，andwithoutknowingwhy，McTeaguefoughtagainstit，movedbyanunreasonedinstinctofresistance。Withinhim，acertainsecondself，anotherbetterMcTeaguerosewiththebrute；

bothwerestrong，withthehugecrudestrengthofthemanhimself。Thetwowereatgrapples。Thereinthatcheapandshabby“DentalParlor“adreadedstrugglebegan。Itwastheoldbattle，oldastheworld，wideastheworld——thesuddenpantherleapoftheanimal，lipsdrawn，fangsaflash，hideous，monstrous，nottoberesisted，andthesimultaneousarousingoftheotherman，thebetterselfthatcries，“Down，down，“withoutknowingwhy；thatgripsthemonster；

thatfightstostrangleit，tothrustitdownandback。

Dizziedandbewilderedwiththeshock，thelikeofwhichhehadneverknownbefore，McTeagueturnedfromTrina，gazingbewilderedlyabouttheroom。Thestrugglewasbitter；histeethgroundthemselvestogetherwithalittleraspingsound；thebloodsanginhisears；hisfaceflushedscarlet；

hishandstwistedthemselvestogetherliketheknottingofcables。Thefuryinhimwasasthefuryofayoungbullintheheatofhighsummer。Butforallthatheshookhishugeheadfromtimetotime，muttering：

“No，byGod！No，byGod！“

DimlyheseemedtorealizethatshouldheyieldnowhewouldneverbeabletocareforTrinaagain。Shewouldneverbethesametohim，neversoradiant，sosweet，soadorable；

hercharmforhimwouldvanishinaninstant。Acrossherforehead，herlittlepaleforehead，undertheshadowofherroyalhair，hewouldsurelyseethesmudgeofafoulordure，thefootprintofthemonster。Itwouldbeasacrilege，anabomination。Herecoiledfromit，bandingallhisstrengthtotheissue。

“No，byGod！No，byGod！“