第38章

McTeaguehadcontinuedhiswork，actingfromsheerforceofhabit；hissluggish，deliberatenature，methodical，obstinate，refusingtoadaptitselftothenewconditions。

“MaybeMarcuswasonlytryingtoscareus，“Trinahadsaid。

“Howaretheygoingtoknowwhetheryou’repractisingornot？“

“Igotamouldtomaketo-morrow，“McTeaguesaid，“andVanovitch，thatplumberroundonSutterStreet，he’scomingagainatthree。“

“Well，yougorightahead，“Trinatoldhim，decisively；“yougorightaheadandmakethemould，andpulleverytoothinVanovitch’sheadifyouwantto。Who’sgoingtoknow？

Maybetheyjustsentthatnoticeasamatterofform。MaybeMarcusgotthatpaperandfilleditinhimself。“

Thetwowouldlieawakeallnightlong，staringupintothedark，talking，talking，talking。

“Haven’tyougotanyrighttopractiseifyou’venotbeentoadentalcollege，Mac？Didn’tyouevergo？“Trinawouldaskagainandagain。

“No，no，“answeredthedentist，“Ineverwent。IlearntfromthefellowIwasapprenticedto。Idon’knowanythingaboutadentalcollege。Ain’tIgotarighttodoasI

like？“hesuddenlyexclaimed。

“Ifyouknowyourprofession，isn’tthatenough？“criedTrina。

“Sure，sure，“growledMcTeague。“Iain’tgoingtostopforthem。“

“Yougorighton，“Trinasaid，“andIbetyouwon’thearanotherwordaboutit。“

“SupposeIgoroundtotheCityHallandseethem，“hazardedMcTeague。

“No，no，don’tyoudoit，Mac，“exclaimedTrina。“Because，ifMarcushasdonethisjusttoscareyou，theywon’tknowanythingaboutitthereattheCityHall；butthey’llbegintoaskyouquestions，andfindoutthatyouneverHAD

graduatedfromadentalcollege，andyou’dbejustasbadoffasever。“

“Well，Iain’tgoingtoquitforjustapieceofpaper，“

declaredthedentist。Thephrasestucktohim。Alldaylonghewentabouttheirroomsorcontinuedathisworkinthe“Parlors，“growlingbehindhisthickmustache：“Iain’tgoingtoquitforjustapieceofpaper。No，Iain’tgoingtoquitforjustapieceofpaper。Surenot。“

Thedayspassed，aweekwentby，McTeaguecontinuedhisworkasusual。TheyheardnomorefromtheCityHall，butthesuspenseofthesituationwasharrowing。Trinawasactuallysickwithit。Theterrorofthethingwaseverattheirelbows，goingtobedwiththem，sittingdownwiththematbreakfastinthekitchen，keepingthemcompanyallthroughtheday。TrinadarednotthinkofwhatwouldbetheirfateiftheincomederivedfromMcTeague’spracticewassuddenlytakenfromthem。ThentheywouldhavetofallbackontheinterestofherlotterymoneyandthepittanceshederivedfromthemanufactureoftheNoah’sarkanimals，alittleoverthirtydollarsamonth。No，no，itwasnottobethoughtof。Itcouldnotbethattheirmeansoflivelihoodwastobethusstrickenfromthem。

Afortnightwentby。“Iguesswe’reallright，Mac，“Trinaallowedherselftosay。“Itlooksasthoughwewereallright。Howaretheygoingtotellwhetheryou’repractisingornot？“

ThatdayasecondandmuchmoreperemptorynoticewasserveduponMcTeaguebyanofficialinperson。ThensuddenlyTrinawasseizedwithapanicterror，unreasoned，instinctive。IfMcTeaguepersistedtheywouldbothbesenttoaprison，shewassureofit；aplacewherepeoplewerechainedtothewall，inthedark，andfedonbreadandwater。

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