第29章

Theyevenspentsometimeintheartgallery。Trina’scousinSelina，whogavelessonsinhandpaintingattwobitsanhour，generallyhadanexhibitonthewalls，whichtheywereinterestedtofind。Itusuallywasabunchofyellowpoppiespaintedonblackvelvetandframedingilt。Theystoodbeforeitsomelittletime，hazardingtheiropinions，andthenmovedonslowlyfromonepicturetoanother。TrinahadMcTeaguebuyacatalogueandmadeadutyoffindingthetitleofeverypicture。This，too，shetoldMcTeague，asakindofeducationoneoughttocultivate。Trinaprofessedtobefondofart，havingperhapsacquiredatasteforpaintingandsculpturefromherexperiencewiththeNoah’sarkanimals。

“Ofcourse，“shetoldthedentist，“I’mnocritic，IonlyknowwhatIlike。“Sheknewthatshelikedthe“IdealHeads，“lovelygirlswithflowingstraw-coloredhairandimmense，upturnedeyes。Thesealwayshadfortitle，“Reverie，“or“AnIdyll，“or“DreamsofLove。“

“Ithinkthosearelovely，don’tyou，Mac？“shesaid。

“Yes，yes，“answeredMcTeague，noddinghishead，bewildered，tryingtounderstand。“Yes，yes，lovely，that’stheword。

Areyoudeadsurenow，Trina，thatallthat’shand-paintedjustlikethepoppies？“

Thusthewinterpassed，ayearwentby，thentwo。ThelittlelifeofPolkStreet，thelifeofsmalltraders，drugclerks，grocers，stationers，plumbers，dentists，doctors，spirit-mediums，andthelike，ranonmonotonouslyinitsaccustomedgrooves。ThefirstthreeyearsoftheirmarriedlifewroughtlittlechangeinthefortunesoftheMcTeagues。

Inthethirdsummerthebranchpost-officewasmovedfromthegroundflooroftheflattoacornerfartherupthestreetinordertobenearthecablelinethatranmailcars。ItsplacewastakenbyaGermansaloon，calleda“WeinStube，“inthefaceoftheprotestsofeveryfemalelodger。Afewmonthslaterquitealittleflurryofexcitementranthroughthestreetontheoccasionof“ThePolkStreetOpenAirFestival，“organizedtocelebratetheintroductionthereofelectriclights。Thefestivallastedthreedaysandwasquiteanaffair。Thestreetwasgarlandedwithyellowandwhitebunting；therewereprocessionsand“floats“andbrassbands。MarcusSchoulerwasinhiselementduringthewholetimeofthecelebration。Hewasoneofthemarshalsoftheparade，andwastobeseenateveryhouroftheday，wearingaborrowedhighhatandcottongloves，andgallopingabroken-downcab-horseoverthecobbles。Hecarriedabatoncoveredwithyellowandwhitecalico，withwhichhemadefuriouspassesandgestures。Hisvoicewassoonreducedtoawhisperbycontinuedshouting，andheragedandfrettedovertriflestillheworehimselfthin。McTeaguewasdisgustedwithhim。

AsoftenasMarcuspassedthewindowoftheflatthedentistwouldmutter：

“Ah，youthinkyou’resmart，don’tyou？“

Theresultofthefestivalwastheorganizingofabodyknownasthe“PolkStreetImprovementClub，“ofwhichMarcuswaselectedsecretary。McTeagueandTrinaoftenheardofhiminthiscapacitythroughHeisetheharness-maker。

Marcushadevidentlycometohavepoliticalaspirations。Itappearedthathewasgainingareputationasamakerofspeeches，deliveredwithfieryemphasis，andoccasionallyreprintedinthe“Progress，“theorganoftheclub——

“outragedconstituencies，““opinionswarpedbypersonalbias，““eyesblindedbypartyprejudice，“etc。

Ofherfamily，Trinaheardeveryfortnightinlettersfromhermother。TheupholsterybusinesswhichMr。Sieppe