第32章

Meanwhile，Marcuswasbecominginvolvedinthepoliticsofhisward。AssecretaryofthePolkStreetImprovementClub——whichsoondevelopedintoquiteanaffairandbegantoassumetheproportionsofaRepublicanpoliticalmachine——hefoundhecouldmakealittle，averylittlemorethanenoughtoliveon。AtoncehehadgivenuphispositionasOldGrannis’sassistantinthedoghospital。Marcusfeltthatheneededawidersphere。Hehadhiseyeuponaplaceconnectedwiththecitypound。Whenthegreatrailroadstrikeoccurred，hepromptlygothimselfengagedasdeputy-

sheriff，andspentamemorableweekinSacramento，whereheinvolvedhimselfinmorethanoneterriblemeleewiththestrikers。Marcushadthatquicknessoftemperandpassionatereadinesstotakeoffencewhichpassesamonghisclassforbravery。Butwhateverwerehismotives，hispromptnesstofacedangercouldnotforamomentbedoubted。

AfterthestrikehereturnedtoPolkStreet，andthrowinghimselfintotheImprovementClub，heart，soul，andbody，soonbecameoneofitsrulingspirits。Inacertainlocalelection，whereahugepavingcontractwasatstake，theclubmadeitselffeltintheward，andMarcussomanagedhiscardsandpulledhiswiresthat，attheendofthematter，hefoundhimselfsomefourhundreddollarstothegood。

WhenMcTeaguecameoutofhis“Parlors“atnoonofthedayuponwhichTrinahadheardthenewsofMariaMacapa’sintendedmarriage，hefoundTrinaburningcoffeeonashovelinthesitting-room。Tryasshewould，Trinacouldneverquiteeradicatefromtheirroomsacertainfaintandindefinableodor，particularlyoffensivetoher。Thesmellofthephotographer’schemicalspersistedinspiteofallTrinacoulddotocombatit。SheburntpastillesandChinesepunk，andeven，asnow，coffeeonashovel，alltonopurpose。Indeed，theonlydrawbacktotheirdelightfulhomewasthegeneralunpleasantsmellthatpervadedit——asmellthatarosepartlyfromthephotographer’schemicals，partlyfromthecookinginthelittlekitchen，andpartlyfromtheetherandcreosoteofthedentist’s“Parlors。“

AsMcTeaguecameintolunchonthisoccasion，hefoundthetablealreadylaid，aredclothfiguredwithwhiteflowerswasspread，andashetookhisseathiswifeputdowntheshovelonachairandbroughtinthestewedcodfishandthepotofchocolate。Ashetuckedhisnapkinintohisenormouscollar，McTeaguelookedvaguelyabouttheroom，rollinghiseyes。

DuringthethreeyearsoftheirmarriedlifetheMcTeagueshadmadebutfewadditionstotheirfurniture，Trinadeclaringthattheycouldnotaffordit。Thesitting-

roomcouldboastofbutthreenewornaments。Overthemelodeonhungtheirmarriagecertificateinablackframe。

ItwasbalancedupononesidebyTrina’sweddingbouquetunderaglasscase，preservedbysomefearfulunknownprocess，andupontheotherbythephotographofTrinaandthedentistintheirweddingfinery。Thislatterpicturewasquiteanaffair，andhadbeentakenimmediatelyafterthewedding，whileMcTeague’sbroadclothwasstillnew，andbeforeTrina’ssilksandveilhadlosttheirstiffness。ItrepresentedTrina，herveilthrownback，sittingverystraightinareparmchair，herelbowswellinathersides，holdingherbouquetofcutflowersdirectlybeforeher。Thedentiststoodatherside，onehandonhershoulder，theotherthrustintothebreastofhis“PrinceAlbert，“hischinintheair，hiseyestooneside，hisleftfootforwardintheattitudeofastatueofaSecretaryofState。

“Say，Trina，“saidMcTeague，hismouthfullofcodf