第47章

“Allright，“saidMcTeague，anddidnotmakeanyfurtherprotest。Hiswifelookedathimsurprised。Shecouldnotunderstandthissuddenacquiescence。PerhapsMcTeaguewassomuchawayfromhomeoflatethathehadceasedtocarewhereorhowhelived。Butthissuddenchangetroubledheralittleforallthat。

ThenextdaytheMcTeaguesmovedforasecondtime。Itdidnottakethemlong。Theywereobligedtobuythebedfromthelandlady，acircumstancewhichnearlybrokeTrina’sheart；andthisbed，acoupleofchairs，Trina’strunk，anornamentortwo，theoilstove，andsomeplatesandkitchenwarewereallthattheycouldcalltheirownnow；andthisbackroominthatwretchedhousewithitsgrislymemories，theonewindowlookingoutintoagrimymazeofbackyardsandbrokensheds，waswhattheynowknewastheirhome。

TheMcTeaguesnowbegantosinkrapidlylowerandlower。

Theybecameaccustomedtotheirsurroundings。Worstofall，Trinalostherprettywaysandhergoodlooks。Thecombinedeffectsofhardwork，avarice，poorfood，andherhusband’sbrutalitiestoldonherswiftly。Hercharminglittlefiguregrewcoarse，stunted，anddumpy。Shewhohadoncebeenofacatlikeneatness，nowslovenedalldayabouttheroominadirtyflannelwrapper，herslippersclap-clappingafterherasshewalked。Atlastsheevenneglectedherhair，thewonderfulswarthytiara，thecoiffureofaqueen，thatshadedherlittlepaleforehead。Inthemorningshebraideditbeforeitwashalfcombed，andpiledandcoileditaboutherheadinhaphazardfashion。Itcamedownhalfadozentimesaday；byeveningitwasanunkempt，tangledmass，averitablerat’snest。

Ah，no，itwasnotverygay，thatlifeofhers，whenonehadtorustlefortwo，cookandworkandwash，tosaynothingofpayingtherent。Whatoddswasitifshewasslatternly，dirty，coarse？Wastheretimetomakeherselflookotherwise，andwhowastheretobepleasedwhenshewasallprinkedout？Surelynotagreatbruteofahusbandwhobityoulikeadog，andkickedandpoundedyouasthoughyouweremadeofiron。Ah，no，betterletthingsgo，andtakeitaseasyasyoucould。Humpyourback，anditwassoonestover。

Theoneroomgrewabominablydirty，reekingwiththeodorsofcookingandof“non-poisonous“paint。Thebedwasnotmadeuntillateintheafternoon，sometimesnotatall。

Dirty，unwashedcrockery，greasyknives，soddenfragmentsofyesterday’smealsclutteredthetable，whileinonecornerwastheheapofevil-smelling，dirtylinen。Cockroachesappearedinthecrevicesofthewoodwork，thewall-paperbulgedfromthedampwallsandbegantopeel。Trinahadlongagoceasedtodustortowipethefurniturewithabitofrag。Thegrimegrewthickuponthewindowpanesandinthecornersoftheroom。Allthefilthofthealleyinvadedtheirquarterslikearisingmuddytide。

Betweenthewindows，however，thefadedphotographofthecoupleintheirweddingfinerylookeddownuponthewretchedness，Trinastillholdinghersetbouquetstraig