第42章

Hedrankhisoffslowly。

“I’d——I’daskyoutohaveadrinkwithme，Heise，“saidthedentist，whohadanindistinctideaoftheamenitiesofthebarroom，“only，“headdedshamefacedly，“only——yousee，Idon’tbelieveIgotanychange。“HisangeragainstTrina，heatedbythewhiskeyhehaddrank，flamedupafresh。WhatahumiliatingpositionforTrinatoplacehimin，nottoleavehimthepriceofadrinkwithafriend，shewhohadfivethousanddollars！

“Sha！That’sallright，Doc，“returnedHeise，nibblingonagrainofcoffee。“Wantanother？Hey？Thismytreat。Twomoreofthesame，Joe。“

McTeaguehesitated。Itwaslamentablytruethatwhiskeydidnotagreewithhim；heknewitwellenough。However，bythistimehefeltverycomfortablywarmatthepitofhisstomach。Thebloodwasbeginningtocirculateinhischilledfinger-tipsandinhissoggy，wetfeet。Hehadhadaharddayofit；infact，thelastweek，thelastmonth，thelastthreeorfourmonths，hadbeenhard。Hedeservedalittleconsolation。NorcouldTrinaobjecttothis。Itwasn’tcostingacent。HedrankagainwithHeise。

“Getupheretothestoveandwarmyourself，“urgedHeise，drawingupacoupleofchairsandcockinghisfeetupontheguard。ThetwofelltotalkingwhileMcTeague’sdraggledcoatandtrouserssmoked。

“WhatadirtyturnthatwasthatMarcusSchoulerdidyou！“

saidHeise，wagginghishead。“Yououghttohavefoughtthat，Doc，sure。You’dbeenpractisingtoolong。“TheydiscussedthisquestionsometenorfifteenminutesandthenHeiserose。

“Well，thisain’tearninganymoney。Igottogetbacktotheshop。“McTeaguegotupaswell，andthepairstartedforthedoor。JustastheyweregoingoutRyermetthem。

“Hello，hello，“hecried。“Lord，whatawetday！Youtwoaregoingthewrongway。You’regoingtohaveadrinkwithme。Threewhiskeypunches，Joe。“

“No，no，“answeredMcTeague，shakinghishead。“I’mgoingbackhome。I’vehadtwoglassesofwhiskeyalready。“

“Sha！“criedHeise，catchinghisarm。“Astrappingbigchaplikeyouain’tafraidofalittlewhiskey。“

“Well，I——I——Igottogorightafterwards，“protestedMcTeague。

Abouthalfanhourafterthedentisthadlefttogodowntown，MariaMacapahadcomeintoseeTrina。OccasionallyMariadroppedinonTrinainthisfashionandspentanhourorsochattingwithherwhilesheworked。AtfirstTrinahadbeeninclinedtoresenttheseintrusionsoftheMexicanwoman，butoflateshehadbeguntotoleratethem。Herdaywaslongandcheerlessatthebest，andtherewasnoonetotalkto。TrinaevenfanciedthatoldMissBakerhadcometobelesscordialsincetheirmisfortune。Mariaretailedtoherallthegossipoftheflatandtheneighborhood，and，whichwasmuchmoreinteresting，toldherofhertroubleswithZerkow。

TrinasaidtoherselfthatMariawascommonandvulgar，butonehadtohavesomediversion，andTrinacouldtalkandlistenwithoutinterruptingherwork。OnthisparticularoccasionMariawasmuchexcitedoverZerkow’sdemeanoroflate。

“He’sgettunworsean’worse，“sheinformedTrinaasshesatontheedgeofthebed，herchininherhand。“HesaysheknowsIgotthedishesandamhidunthemfromhim。TheotherdayIthoughthe’dgoneoffwithhiswagon，andIwasdoin’abitofir’ning，an’byan’byallofasuddenIsawhimpeepingatmethroughthecrackofthedoor。IneverletonthatIsawhim，and，honest，hestayedthereovertwohours，watchuneverythingIdid。Icouldjustfeelhiseyesonthebackofmyneckallthetime。LastSundayhetookdownpartofthewall，’causehesaidhe’dseenmemakingfiguresonit。Well，Iwas，butitwasjustthewashlist。

Allthetimehesayshe’llkillmeifIdon’ttell。“

“Why，whatdoyoustaywithhimfor？“