第43章

Thedentisttookoffhiscoat，hiscollarandnecktie，unbuttonedhisvest，andslippedhisheavy-soledbootsfromhisbigfeet。Thenhestretchedhimselfuponthebedandrolledovertowardsthewall。Inafewminutesthesoundofhissnoringfilledtheroom。

Trinacranedherneckandlookedatherhusbandoverthefootboardofthebed。Shesawhisred，congestedface；

thehugemouthwideopen；hisuncleanshirt，withitsfrayedwristbands；andhishugefeetencasedinthickwoollensocks。Thenhergriefandthesenseofherunhappinessreturnedmorepoignantthanever。Shestretchedherarmsoutinfrontofheronherwork-table，and，buryingherfaceinthem，criedandsobbedasthoughherheartwouldbreak。

Theraincontinued。Thepanesofthesinglewindowranwithsheetsofwater；theeavesdrippedincessantly。Itgrewdarker。Thetiny，grimyroom，fullofthesmellsofcookingandof“non-poisonous“paint，tookonanaspectofdesolationandcheerlessnesslamentablebeyondwords。Thecanaryinitslittlegiltprisonchitteredfeeblyfromtimetotime。Sprawledatfulllengthuponthebed，thedentistsnoredandsnored，stupefied，inert，hislegswideapart，hishandslyingpalmupwardathissides。

AtlastTrinaraisedherhead，withalong，tremblingbreath。Sherose，andgoingovertothewashstand，pouredsomewaterfromthepitcherintothebasin，andwashedherfaceandswolleneyelids，andrearrangedherhair。

Suddenly，asshewasabouttoreturntoherwork，shewasstruckwithanidea。

“Iwonder，“shesaidtoherself，“Iwonderwherehegotthemoneytobuyhiswhiskey。“Shesearchedthepocketsofhiscoat，whichhehadflungintoacorneroftheroom，andevencameuptohimashelayuponthebedandwentthroughthepocketsofhisvestandtrousers。Shefoundnothing。

“Iwonder，“shemurmured，“Iwonderifhe’sgotanymoneyhedon’ttellmeabout。I’llhavetolookoutforthat。“

CHAPTER16

Aweekpassed，thenafortnight，thenamonth。ItwasamonthofthegreatestanxietyandunquietudeforTrina。

McTeaguewasoutofajob，couldfindnothingtodo；andTrina，whosawtheimpossibilityofsavingasmuchmoneyasusualoutofherearningsunderthepresentconditions，wasonthelookoutforcheaperquarters。InspiteofhisoutcriesandsulkyresistanceTrinahadinducedherhusbandtoconsenttosuchamove，bewilderinghimwithatorrentofphrasesandmarvellouscolumnsoffiguresbywhichsheprovedconclusivelythattheywereinaconditionbutoneremovefromdownrightdestitution。

Thedentistcontinuedidle。Sincehisillsuccesswiththemanufacturersofsurgicalinstrumentshehadmadebuttwoattemptstosecureajob。TrinahadgonetoseeUncleOelbermannandhadobtainedforMcTeagueapositionintheshippingdepartmentofthewholesaletoystore。However，itwasapositionthatinvolvedacertainamountofciphering，andMcTeaguehadbeenobligedtothrowitupintwodays。

ThenforatimetheyhadentertainedawildideathataplaceonthepoliceforcecouldbesecuredforMcTeague。Hecouldpassthephysicalexaminationwithflyingcolors，andRyer，whohadbecomethesecretaryofthePolkStreetImprovementClub，promisedtherequisitepolitical“pull。“

IfMcTeaguehadshownacertainenergyinthemattertheattemptmighthavebeensuccessful；buthewastoostupid，oroflatehadbecometoolistlesstoexerthimselfgreatly，andtheaffairresultedonlyinaviolentquarrelwithRyer。

McTeaguehadlosthisambition。Hedidnotcaretobetterhissituation。Allhewantedwasawarmplacetosleepandthreegoodmealsaday。Atthefirst——attheveryfirst——hehadchafedathisidlenessandhadspentthedayswithhiswifeintheironenarrowroom，walkingbackandforthwiththerestlessnessofacagedbrute，orsittingmotionlessforhours，watchingTrinaatherwork，feelingadullglowofshameattheideathatshewassupportinghim。Thisfeelinghadwornoffquickly，however。Trina’sworkwasonlyhardwhenshechosetomakeitso，andasaruleshesupportedtheirmisfortuneswithasilentfortitude。

Then，weariedathisinactionandfeelingtheneedofmovementandexercise，McTeaguewouldlighthispipeandtakeaturnuponthegreatavenueoneblockabovePolkStreet。Agangoflaborerswerediggingthefoundationsforalargebrownstonehouse，andMcTeaguefoundinterestandamusementinleaningoverthebarrierthatsurroundedtheexcavationsandwatchingtheprogressofthework。Hecametoseeiteveryafternoon；byandbyheevengottoknowtheforemanwhosuperintendedthejob，andthetwohadlong