第13章

Butfartheron，acrosstheyellowwatersofthebay，beyondGoatIsland，laySanFrancisco，abluelineofhills，ruggedwithroofsandspires。FartothewestwardopenedtheGoldenGate，ableakcuttinginthesand-hills，throughwhichonecaughtaglimpseoftheopenPacific。

ThestationatBStreetwassolitary；notrainspassedatthishour；exceptthedistantrag-pickers，notasoulwasinsight。Thewindblewstrong，carryingwithitthemingledsmellofsalt，oftar，ofdeadseaweed，andofbilge。Theskyhunglowandbrown；atlongintervalsafewdropsofrainfell。

NearthestationTrinaandMcTeaguesatontheroadbedofthetracks，attheedgeofthemudbank，makingthemostoutofthelandscape，enjoyingtheopenair，thesaltmarshes，andthesightofthedistantwater。FromtimetotimeMcTeagueplayedhissixmournfulairsuponhisconcertina。

Afterawhiletheybeganwalkingupanddownthetracks，McTeaguetalkingabouthisprofession，Trinalistening，veryinterestedandabsorbed，tryingtounderstand。

“Forpullingtherootsoftheuppermolarsweusethecow-

hornforceps，“continuedthedentist，monotonously。“Wegettheinsidebeakoverthepalatalrootsandthecow-hornbeakoverthebuccalroots——that’stherootsontheoutside，yousee。Thenweclosetheforceps，andthatbreaksrightthroughthealveolus——that’sthepartofthesocketinthejaw，youunderstand。“

Atanothermomenthetoldherofhisoneunsatisfieddesire。

“SomedayI’mgoingtohaveabiggildedtoothoutsidemywindowforasign。Thosebiggoldteetharebeautiful，beautiful——onlytheycostsomuch，Ican’taffordonejustnow。“

“Oh，it’sraining，“suddenlyexclaimedTrina，holdingoutherpalm。Theyturnedbackandreachedthestationinadrizzle。Theafternoonwasclosingindarkandrainy。Thetidewascomingback，talkingandlappingformilesalongthemudbank。Faroffacrosstheflats，attheedgeofthetown，anelectriccarwentby，stringingoutalongrowofdiamondsparksontheoverheadwires。

“Say，MissTrina，“saidMcTeague，afterawhile，“what’sthegoodofwaitinganylonger？Whycan’tustwogetmarried？“

Trinastillshookherhead，saying“No“instinctively，inspiteofherself。

“Whynot？“persistedMcTeague。“Don’tyoulikemewellenough？“

“Yes。“

“Thenwhynot？“

“Because。“

“Ah，comeon，“hesaid，butTrinastillshookherhead。

“Ah，comeon，“urgedMcTeague。Hecouldthinkofnothingelsetosay，repeatingthesamephraseoverandoveragaintoallherrefusals。

“Ah，comeon！Ah，comeon！“

Suddenlyhetookherinhisenormousarms，crushingdownherstrugglewithhisimmensestrength。ThenTrinagaveup，allinaninstant，turningherheadtohis。Theykissedeachother，grossly，fullinthemouth。

Aroarandajarringoftheearthsuddenlygrewnearandpassedtheminareekofsteamandhotair。ItwastheOverland，withitsflamingheadlight，onitswayacrossthecontinent。

Thepassageofthetrainstartledthemboth。TrinastruggledtofreeherselffromMcTeague。“Oh，please！

please！“shepleaded，onthepointoftears。McTeaguereleasedher，butinthatmomentaslight，abarelyperceptible，revulsionoffeelinghadtakenplaceinhim。

TheinstantthatTrinagaveup，theinstantsheallowedhimtokissher，hethoughtlessofher。Shewasnotsodesirable，afterall。Butthisreactionwassofaint，sosubtle，sointangible，thatinanothermomenthehaddoubteditsoccurrence。Yetafterwarditreturned。WastherenotsomethinggonefromTrinanow？Washenotdisappointedinherfordoingthatverythingforwhichhehadlonged？WasTrinathesubmissive，thecompliant，theattainablejustthesame，justasdelicateandadorableasTrinatheinaccessible？Perhapshedimlysawthatthismustbeso，thatitbelongedtothechangelessorderofthings——themandesiringthewomanonlyforwhatshewithholds；thewomanworshippingthemanforthatwhichsheyieldsuptohim。

Witheachconcessiongainedtheman’sdesirecools；witheverysurrendermadethewoman’sadorationincreases。Butwhyshoulditbeso？

TrinawrenchedherselffreeanddrewbackfromMcTeague，herlittlechinquivering；herface，eventothelobesofherpaleears，flushedscarlet；hernarrowblueeyesbrimming。

Suddenlysheputherheadbetweenherhandsandbegantosob。

“Say，say，MissTrina，listen——listenhere，MissTrina，“

criedMcTeague，comingforwardastep。

“Oh，don’t！“shegasped，shrinking。“Imustgohome，“shecried，springingtoherfeet。“It’slate。Imust。Imust。

Don’tcomewithme，please。Oh，I’mso——so，“——shecouldnotfindanywords。“Letmegoalone，“shewenton。“Youmay——

youcomeSunday。Good-by。“

“Good-by，“saidMcTeague，hisheadinawhirlatthissudden，unaccountablechange。“Can’tIkissyouagain？“

ButTrinawasfirmnow。Whenitcametohispleading——amerematterofwords——shewasstrongenough。

“No，no，youmustnot！“sheexclaimed，withenergy。Shewasgoneinanotherinstant。Thedentist，stunned，bewildered，gazedstupidlyafterherassheranuptheextensionofB

Streetthroughtherain。

Butsuddenlyagreatjoytookpossessionofhim。Hehadwonher。Trinawastobeforhim，afterall。Anenormoussmiledistendedhisthicklips；hiseyesgrewwide，andflashed；

andhedrewhisbreathquickly，strikinghismallet-likefistuponhisknee，andexclaimingunderhisbreath：

“Igother，byGod！Igother，byGod！“Atthesametimehethoughtbetterofhimself；hisself-respectincreasedenormously。ThemanthatcouldwinTrinaSieppewasamanofextraordinaryability。

Trinaburstinuponhermotherwhilethelatterwassettingamousetrapinthekitchen。

“Oh，mamma！“

“Eh？Trina？Ach，whathashappun？“

Trinatoldherinabreath。

“Sohsoon？“wasMrs。Sieppe’sfirstcomment。“Eh，well，whatyoucryfor，then？“

“Idon’tknow，“wailedTrina，pluckingattheendofherhandkerchief。

“Youloafderyoungedoktor？“

“Idon’tknow。“

“Well，whatforyoukisshim？“

“Idon’tknow。“

“Youdon’know，youdon’know？Wherehafyoursensusgone，Trina？Youkissderdoktor。Youcry，andyoudon’know。

IsutMarcusden？“

“No，it’snotCousinMark。“

“Denutmustbederdoktor。“

Trinamadenoanswer。

“Eh？“

“I——Iguessso。“

“Youloafhim？“

“Idon’tknow。“

Mrs。Sieppesetdownthemousetrapwithsuchviolencethatitsprungwithasharpsnap。

CHAPTER6

No，Trinadidnotknow。“DoIlovehim？DoIlovehim？“A

thousandtimessheputthequestiontoherselfduringthenexttwoorthreedays。Atnightshehardlyslept，butlaybroadawakeforhoursinherlittle，gaylypaintedbed，withitswhitenetting，torturingherselfwithdoubtsandquestions。Attimessherememberedthesceneinthestationwithaveritableagonyofshame，andatothertimesshewasashamedtorecallitwithathrillofjoy。Nothingcouldhavebeenmoresudden，moreunexpected，thanthatsurrenderofherself。ForoverayearshehadthoughtthatMarcuswouldsomedaybeherhusband。Theywouldbemarried，shesupposed，sometimeinthefuture，shedidnotknowexactlywhen；thematterdidnottakedefiniteshapeinhermind。ShelikedCousinMarkverywell。Andthensuddenlythiscross-currenthadsetin；thisblondgianthadappeared，thishuge，stolidfellow，withhisimmense，crudestrength。Shehadnotlovedhimatfirst，thatwascertain。