第12章

“Denheeggsplode，idiot！“shoutedhisfather。Allatoncetheboilerofthesteamerblewupwithasharpcrack。Thelittletintoyturnedoverandsankoutofsightbeforeanyonecouldinterfere。

“Ah——h！Yah！Yah！“yelledAugust。“It’sgo-one！“

InstantlyMr。Sieppeboxedhisears。Therewasalamentablescene。Augustrenttheairwithhisoutcries；hisfathershookhimtillhisbootsdancedonthejetty，shoutingintohisface：

“Ach，idiot！Ach，imbecile！Ach，miserable！Itol’youheeggsplode。Stopyourcry。Stop！Itisanorder。DoyouwishIdrowyouinderwater，eh？Speak。Silence，bube！

Mommer，whereistmeinstick？Hewilldergrossestwhippuneverofhislifereceive。“

Littlebylittletheboysubsided，swallowinghissobs，knucklinghiseyes，gazingruefullyatthespotwheretheboathadsunk。“Dotisbettersoh，“commentedMr。Sieppe，finallyreleasinghim。“Nextdimeberhapsyouwillyourfat’erbetterpelief。Now，nomore。Wewillderglamsge-

dig，Mommer，afire。Ach，himmel！wehavederpfefferforgotten。“

Theworkofclamdiggingbeganatonce，thelittleboystakingofftheirshoesandstockings。AtfirstAugustrefusedtobecomforted，anditwasnotuntilhisfatherdrovehimintothewaterwithhisgold-headedcanethatheconsentedtojointheothers。

WhatadaythatwasforMcTeague！Whatanever-to-be-

forgottenday！HewaswithTrinaconstantly。Theylaughedtogether——shedemurely，herlipsclosedtight，herlittlechinthrustout，hersmallpalenose，withitsadorablelittlefreckles，wrinkling；heroaredwithalltheforceofhislungs，hisenormousmouthdistended，strikingsledge-

hammerblowsuponhiskneewithhisclenchedfist。

Thelunchwasdelicious。Trinaandhermothermadeaclamchowderthatmeltedinone’smouth。Thelunchbasketswereemptied。Thepartywerefullytwohourseating。Therewerehugeloavesofryebreadfullofgrainsofchickweed。

Therewereweiner-wurstandfrankfurtersausages。Therewasunsaltedbutter。Therewerepretzels。Therewascoldunderdonechicken，whichoneateinslices，plasteredwithawonderfulkindofmustardthatdidnotsting。Thereweredriedapples，thatgaveMr。Sieppethehiccoughs。Therewereadozenbottlesofbeer，and，lastofall，acrowningachievement，amarvellousGothatruffle。Afterlunchcametobacco。Stuffedtotheeyes，McTeaguedrowsedoverhispipe，proneonhisbackinthesun，whileTrina，Mrs。

Sieppe，andSelinawashedthedishes。IntheafternoonMr。

Sieppedisappeared。Theyheardthereportsofhisrifleontherange。Theothersswarmedoverthepark，nowaroundtheswings，nowintheCasino，nowinthemuseum，nowinvadingthemerry-go-round。

Athalf-pastfiveo’clockMr。Sieppemarshalledthepartytogether。Itwastimetoreturnhome。

ThefamilyinsistedthatMarcusandMcTeagueshouldtakesupperwiththemattheirhomeandshouldstayovernight。

Mrs。Sieppearguedtheycouldgetnodecentsupperiftheywentbacktothecityatthathour；thattheycouldcatchanearlymorningboatandreachtheirbusinessingoodtime。

Thetwofriendsaccepted。

TheSieppeslivedinalittleboxofahouseatthefootofBStreet，thefirsthousetotherightasonewentupfromthestation。Itwastwostorieshigh，withafunnyredmansardroofofovalslates。Theinteriorwascutupintoinnumerabletinyrooms，someofthemsosmallastobehardlybetterthansleepingclosets。InthebackyardwasacontrivanceforpumpingwaterfromthecisternthatinterestedMcTeagueatonce。Itwasadog-wheel，ahugerevolvingboxinwhichtheunhappyblackgreyhoundspentmostofhiswakinghours。Itwashiskennel；hesleptinit。FromtimetotimeduringthedayMrs。Sieppeappearedonthebackdoorstep，cryingshrilly，“Hoop，hoop！“Shethrewlumpsofcoalathim，wakinghimtohiswork。

Theywereallverytired，andwenttobedearly。AftergreatdiscussionitwasdecidedthatMarcuswouldsleepupontheloungeinthefrontparlor。TrinawouldsleepwithAugust，givingupherroomtoMcTeague。Selinawenttoherhome，ablockorsoabovetheSieppes’s。Atnineo’clockMr。SieppeshowedMcTeaguetohisroomandlefthimtohimselfwithanewlylightedcandle。

ForalongtimeafterMr。SieppehadgoneMcTeaguestoodmotionlessinthemiddleoftheroom，hiselbowspressedclosetohissides，lookingobliquelyfromthecornersofhiseyes。Hehardlydaredtomove。HewasinTrina’sroom。

Itwasanordinarylittleroom。Acleanwhitemattingwasonthefloor；graypaper，spottedwithpinkandgreenflowers，coveredthewalls。Inonecorner，underawhitenetting，wasalittlebed，thewoodworkgaylypaintedwithknotsofbrightflowers。Nearit，againstthewall，wasablackwalnutbureau。Awork-tablewithspirallegsstoodbythewindow，whichwashungwithagreenandgoldwindowcurtain。Oppositethewindowtheclosetdoorstoodajar，whileinthecorneracrossfromthebedwasatinywashstandwithtwocleantowels。

Andthatwasall。ButitwasTrina’sroom。McTeaguewasinhislady’sbower；itseemedtohimalittlenest，intimate，discreet。Hefelthideouslyoutofplace。Hewasanintruder；he，withhisenormousfeet，hiscolossalbones，hiscrude，brutalgestures。Themereweightofhislimbs，hewassure，wouldcrushthelittlebed-steadlikeaneggshell。

Then，asthisfirstsensationworeoff，hebegantofeelthecharmofthelittlechamber。ItwasasthoughTrinawerecloseby，butinvisible。McTeaguefeltallthedelightofherpresencewithouttheembarrassmentthatusuallyaccompaniedit。Hewasneartoher——nearerthanhehadeverbeenbefore。Hesawintoherdailylife，herlittlewaysandmanners，herhabits，herverythoughts。Andwastherenotintheairofthatroomacertainfaintperfumethatheknew，thatrecalledhertohismindwithmarvellousvividness？

Asheputthecandledownuponthebureauhesawherhair-

brushlyingthere。Instantlyhepickeditup，and，withoutknowingwhy，heldittohisface。Withwhatadeliciousodorwasitredolent！Thatheavy，enervatingodorofherhair——herwonderful，royalhair！Thesmellofthatlittlehairbrushwastalismanic。Hehadbuttoclosehiseyestoseeherasdistinctlyasinamirror。Hesawhertiny，roundfigure，dressedallinblack——for，curiouslyenough，itwashisveryfirstimpressionofTrinathatcamebacktohimnow——nottheTrinaofthelateroccasions，nottheTrinaoftheblueclothskirtandwhitesailor。HesawherashehadseenherthedaythatMarcushadintroducedthem：sawherpale，roundface；hernarrow，half-openeyes，blueliketheeyesofababy；hertiny，paleears，suggestiveofanaemia；thefrecklesacrossthebridgeofhernose；herpalelips；thetiaraofroyalblackhair；and，aboveall，thedeliciouspoiseofthehead，tippedbackasthoughbytheweightofallthathair——thepoisethatthrustoutherchinalittle，withthemovementthatwassoconfiding，soinnocent，sonearlyinfantile。

McTeaguewentsoftlyabouttheroomfromoneobjecttoanother，beholdingTrinaineverythinghetouchedorlookedat。Hecameatlasttotheclosetdoor。Itwasajar。Heopeneditwide，andpauseduponthethreshold。

Trina’sclotheswerehangingthere——skirtsandwaists，jackets，andstiffwhitepetticoats。Whatavision！ForaninstantMcTeaguecaughthisbreath，spellbound。IfhehadsuddenlydiscoveredTrinaherselfthere，smilingathim，holdingoutherhands，hecouldhardlyhavebeenmoreovercome。Instantlyherecognizedtheblackdressshehadwornonthatfamousfirstday。Thereitwas，thelittlejacketshehadcarriedoverherarmthedayhehadterrifiedherwithhisblunderingdeclaration，andstillothers，andothers——awholegroupofTrinasfacedhimthere。Hewentfartherintothecloset，touchingtheclothesgingerly，strokingthemsoftlywithhishugeleathernpalms。Ashestirredthemadelicateperfumedisengageditselffromthefolds。Ah，thatexquisitefeminineodor！Itwasnotonlyherhairnow，itwasTrinaherself——hermouth，herhands，herneck；theindescribablysweet，fleshlyaromathatwasapartofher，pureandclean，andredolentofyouthandfreshness。Allatonce，seizedwithanunreasonedimpulse，McTeagueopenedhishugearmsandgatheredthelittlegarmentsclosetohim，plunginghisfacedeepamongstthem，savoringtheirdeliciousodorwithlongbreathsofluxuryandsupremecontent。

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ThepicnicatSchuetzenParkdecidedmatters。McTeaguebegantocallonTrinaregularlySundayandWednesdayafternoons。HetookMarcusSchouler’splace。SometimesMarcusaccompaniedhim，butitwasgenerallytomeetSelinabyappointmentattheSieppes’shouse。

ButMarcusmadethemostofhisrenunciationofhiscousin。

Herememberedhisposefromtimetotime。HemadeMcTeagueunhappyandbewilderedbywringinghishand，byventingsighsthatseemedtotearhisheartout，orbygivingevidencesofaninfinitemelancholy。“Whatismylife！“hewouldexclaim。“Whatisleftforme？Nothing，bydamn！“

AndwhenMcTeaguewouldattemptremonstrance，hewouldcry：

“Nevermind，oldman。Nevermindme。Go，behappy。I

forgiveyou。“

Forgivewhat？McTeaguewasallatsea，washarassedwiththethoughtofsomeshadowy，irreparableinjuryhehaddonehisfriend。

“Oh，don’tthinkofme！“Marcuswouldexclaimatothertimes，evenwhenTrinawasby。“Don’tthinkofme；Idon’tcountanymore。Iain’tinit。“Marcusseemedtotakegreatpleasureincontemplatingthewreckofhislife。

Thereisnodoubtheenjoyedhimselfhugelyduringthesedays。

TheSieppeswereatfirstpuzzledaswelloverthischangeoffront。

“Trinahasdenanewyoungeman，“criedMr。Sieppe。“FirstSchouler，nowderdoktor，eh？Whatdietevil，Isay！“

Weekspassed，Februarywent，Marchcameinveryrainy，puttingastoptoalltheirpicnicsandSundayexcursions。

OneWednesdayafternooninthesecondweekinMarchMcTeaguecameovertocallonTrina，bringinghisconcertinawithhim，aswashiscustomnowadays。AshegotoffthetrainatthestationhewassurprisedtofindTrinawaitingforhim。

“Thisisthefirstdayithasn’trainedinweeks，“sheexplained，“an’Ithoughtitwouldbenicetowalk。“

“Sure，sure，“assentedMcTeague。

BStreetstationwasnothingmorethanalittleshed。Therewasnoticketoffice，nothingbutacoupleofwhittledandcarvenbenches。Itwasbuiltclosetotherailroadtracks，justacrosswhichwasthedirty，muddyshoreofSanFranciscoBay。AboutaquarterofamilebackfromthestationwastheedgeofthetownofOakland。Betweenthestationandthefirsthousesofthetownlayimmensesaltflats，hereandtherebrokenbywindingstreamsofblackwater。Theywerecoveredwithagrowthofwirygrass，strangelydiscoloredinplacesbyenormousstainsoforangeyellow。

Nearthestationabitoffencepaintedwithacigaradvertisementreeledoverintothemud，whileunderitsleelayanabandonedgravelwagonwithdishedwheels。ThestationwasconnectedwiththetownbytheextensionofB

Street，whichstruckacrosstheflatsgeometricallystraight，afileoftallpoleswithinterveningwiresmarchingalongwithit。Atthestationthesewereheadedbyanironelectric-lightpolethat，withitssupportsandoutriggers，lookedforalltheworldlikeanimmensegrasshopperonitshindlegs。

Acrosstheflats，atthefringeofthetown，werethedumpheaps，thefiguresofafewChineserag-pickersmovingoverthem。Fartothelefttheviewwasshutoffbytheimmensered-browndrumofthegas-works；totherightitwasboundedbythechimneysandworkshopsofanironfoundry。

Acrosstherailroadtracks，toseaward，onesawthelongstretchofblackmudbankleftbarebythetide，whichwasfarout，nearlyhalfamile。Cloudsofsea-gullswereforeverrisingandsettlinguponthismudbank；awreckedandabandonedwharfcrawledoveritontotteringlegs；closeinanoldsailboatlaycantedonherbilge。