第31章

“Withhisfingers！Now，thinkofthat，“exclaimedMissBaker，waggingherhead。“Isn’thethatstrong！It’sjustwonderful。Cleaninghouseto-day？“sheinquired，glancingatTrina’stowelledhead。

“Umhum，“answeredTrina。“MariaMacapa’scomingintohelpprettysoon。“

AtthementionofMaria’snamethelittleolddressmakersuddenlyutteredanexclamation。

“Well，ifI’mnotheretalkingtoyouandforgettingsomethingIwasjustdyingtotellyou。Mrs。McTeague，whateverintheworlddoyousuppose？MariaandoldZerkow，thatred-headedPolishJew，therag-bottles-sacksman，youknow，they’regoingtobemarried。“

“No！“criedTrina，inblankamazement。“Youdon’tmeanit。“

“OfcourseIdo。Isn’titthefunniestthingyoueverheardof？“

“Oh，tellmeallaboutit，“saidTrina，leaningeagerlyfromthewindow。MissBakercrossedthestreetandstoodjustbeneathher。

“Well，Mariacametomelastnightandwantedmetomakeheranewgown，saidshewantedsomethinggay，likewhatthegirlsatthecandystorewearwhentheygooutwiththeiryoungmen。Icouldn’ttellwhathadgotintothegirl，untilfinallyshetoldmeshewantedsomethingtogetmarriedin，andthatZerkowhadaskedhertomarryhim，andthatshewasgoingtodoit。PoorMaria！Iguessit’sthefirstandonlyoffersheeverreceived，andit’sjustturnedherhead。“

“ButwhatDOthosetwoseeineachother？“criedTrina。

“Zerkowisahorror，he’sanoldman，andhishairisredandhisvoiceisgone，andthenhe’saJew，isn’the？“

“Iknow，Iknow；butit’sMaria’sonlychanceforahusband，andshedon’tmeantoletitpass。Youknowsheisn’tquiterightinherhead，anyhow。I’mawfullysorryforpoorMaria。ButIcan’tseewhatZerkowwantstomarryherfor。It’snotpossiblethathe’sinlovewithMaria，it’soutofthequestion。Mariahasn’tasou，either，andI’mjustpositivethatZerkowhaslotsofmoney。“

“I’llbetIknowwhy，“exclaimedTrina，withsuddenconviction；“yes，Iknowjustwhy。Seehere，MissBaker，youknowhowcrazyoldZerkowisaftermoneyandgoldandthosesortofthings。“

“Yes，Iknow；butyouknowMariahasn’t——“

“Now，justlisten。You’veheardMariatellaboutthatwonderfulserviceofgolddishesshesaysherfolksusedtoowninCentralAmerica；she’scrazyonthatsubject，don’tyouknow。She’sallrightoneverythingelse，butjuststartheronthatserviceofgoldplateandshe’lltalkyoudeaf。Shecandescribeitjustasthoughshesawit，andshecanmakeyouseeit，too，almost。Now，yousee，MariaandZerkowhaveknowneachotherprettywell。Mariagoestohimeverytwoweeksorsotosellhimjunk；theygotacquaintedthatway，andIknowMaria’sbeendroppingintoseehimprettyoftenthislastyear，andsometimeshecomesheretoseeher。He’smadeMariatellhimthestoryofthatplateoverandoverandoveragain，andMariadoesitandisgladto，becausehe’stheonlyonethatbelievesit。Nowhe’sgoingtomarryherjustso’shecanhearthatstoryeveryday，everyhour。He’sprettynearascrazyonthesubjectasMariais。They’reapairforyou，aren’tthey？

Bothcrazyoveralotofgolddishesthatneverexisted。

PerhapsMaria’llmarryhimbecauseit’sheronlychancetogetahusband，butI’msureit’smoreforthereasonthatshe’sgotsomeonetotalktonowwhobelievesherstory。

Don’tyouthinkI’mright？“

“Yes，yes，Iguessyou’reright，“admittedMissBaker。

“Butit’saqueermatchanywayyouputit，“saidTrina，musingly。

“Ah，youmaywellsaythat，“returnedtheother，noddingherhead。Therewasasilence。Foralongmomentthedentist’swifeandtheretireddressmaker，theoneatthewindow，theotheronthesidewalk，remainedlostinthought，wonderingoverthestrangenessoftheaffair。

Butsuddenlytherewasadiversion。Alexander，MarcusSchouler’sIrishsetter，whomhismasterhadlongsinceallowedthelibertyofrunninguntrammelledabouttheneighborhood，turnedthecornerbrisklyandcametrottingalongthesidewalkwhereMissBakerstood。AtthesamemomenttheScotchcolliewhohadatonetimebelo