第24章

Thepresentshadbeensetoutontheextensiontableinthesitting-room。Besidestheparlormelodeon，Trina’sparentshadgivenheranice-waterset，andacarvingknifeandforkwithelk-hornhandles。SelinahadpaintedaviewoftheGoldenGateuponapolishedsliceofredwoodthatansweredthepurposesofapaperweight。MarcusSchouler——afterimpressinguponTrinathathisgiftwastoHER，andnottoMcTeague——hadsentachatelainewatchofGermansilver；

UncleOelbermann’spresent，however，hadbeenawaitedwithagooddealofcuriosity。Whatwouldhesend？Hewasveryrich；inasenseTrinawashisprotege。Acoupleofdaysbeforethatuponwhichtheweddingwastotakeplace，twoboxesarrivedwithhiscard。TrinaandMcTeague，assistedbyOldGrannis，hadopenedthem。Thefirstwasaboxofallsortsoftoys。

“Butwhat——what——Idon’tmakeitout，“McTeaguehadexclaimed。“Whyshouldhesendustoys？Wehavenoneedoftoys。“Scarlettoherhair，Trinadroppedintoachairandlaughedtillshecriedbehindherhandkerchief。

“We’venouseoftoys，“mutteredMcTeague，lookingatherinperplexity。OldGrannissmileddiscreetly，raisingatremuloushandtohischin。

Theotherboxwasheavy，boundwithwithesattheedges，thelettersandstampsburntin。

“Ithink——Ireallythinkit’schampagne，“saidOldGrannisinawhisper。Soitwas。AfullcaseofMonopole。Whatawonder！Noneofthemhadseenthelikebefore。Ah，thisUncleOelbermann！That’swhatitwastoberich。Notoneoftheotherpresentsproducedsodeepanimpressionasthis。

AfterOldGrannisandthedentisthadgonethroughtherooms，givingalastlookaroundtoseethateverythingwasready，theyreturnedtoMcTeague’s“Parlors。“AtthedoorOldGrannisexcusedhimself。

Atfouro’clockMcTeaguebegantodress，shavinghimselffirstbeforethehand-glassthatwashungagainstthewoodworkofthebaywindow。Whileheshavedhesangwithstrangeinappropriateness：

“Noonetolove，nonetoCaress，Leftallaloneinthisworld’swilderness。“

Butashestoodbeforethemirror，intentuponhisshaving，therecamearollofwheelsoverthecobblesinfrontofthehouse。Herushedtothewindow。Trinahadarrivedwithherfatherandmother。Hesawhergetout，andassheglancedupwardathiswindow，theireyesmet。

Ah，thereshewas。Thereshewas，hislittlewoman，lookingupathim，heradorablelittlechinthrustupwardwiththatfamiliarmovementofinnocenceandconfidence。Thedentistsawagain，asifforthefirsttime，hersmall，palefacelookingoutfrombeneathherroyaltiaraofblackhair；

hesawagainherlong，narrowblueeyes；herlips，nose，andtinyears，paleandbloodless，andsuggestiveofanaemia，asifallthevitalitythatshouldhavelentthemcolorhadbeensuckedupintothestrandsandcoilsofthatwonderfulhair。

Astheireyesmettheywavedtheirhandsgaylytoeachother；thenMcTeagueheardTrinaandhermothercomeupthestairsandgointothebedroomofthephotographer’ssuite，whereTrinawastodress。

No，no；surelytherecouldbenolongeranyhesitation。Heknewthathelovedher。Whatwasthematterwithhim，thatheshouldhavedoubteditforaninstant？Thegreatdifficultywasthatshewastoogood，tooadorable，toosweet，toodelicateforhim，whowassohuge，soclumsy，sobrutal。

Therewasaknockatthedoor。ItwasOldGrannis。Hewasdressedinhisoneblacksuitofbroadcloth，muchwrinkled；

hishairwascarefullybrushedoverhisbaldforehead。

“MissTrinahascome，“heannounced，“andtheminister。Youhaveanhouryet。“

Thedentistfinisheddressing。Heworeasuitboughtfortheoccasion——areadymade“PrinceAlbert“coattooshortinthesleeves，striped“blue“trousers，andnewpatentleathershoes