第50章

TheinstantshewasoutofthehospitalTrinahadbeguntosaveagain，butnowitwaswithaneagernessthatamountedattimestoaveritablefrenzy。Sheevendeniedherselflightsandfuelinordertoputbyaquarterorso，grudgingeverypennyshewasobligedtospend。Shedidherownwashingandcooking。Finallyshesoldherweddingdress，thathadhithertolaininthebottomofhertrunk。

ThedayshemovedfromZerkow’soldhouse，shecamesuddenlyuponthedentist’sconcertinaunderaheapofoldclothesinthecloset。Withintwentyminutesshehadsoldittothedealerinsecond-handfurniture，returningtoherroomwithsevendollarsinherpocket，happyforthefirsttimesinceMcTeaguehadlefther。

Butforallthatthematch-boxandthebagrefusedtofillup；afterthreeweeksofthemostrigideconomytheycontainedbuteighteendollarsandsomesmallchange。Whatwasthatcomparedwithfourhundred？Trinatoldherselfthatshemusthavehermoneyinhand。Shelongedtoseeagaintheheapofituponherwork-table，whereshecouldplungeherhandsintoit，herfaceintoit，feelingthecool，smoothmetaluponhercheeks。Atsuchmomentsshewouldseeinherimaginationherwonderfulfivethousanddollarspiledincolumns，shiningandgleamingsomewhereatthebottomofUncleOelbermann’svault。ShewouldlookatthepaperthatUncleOelbermannhadgivenher，andtellherselfthatitrepresentedfivethousanddollars。Butintheendthisceasedtosatisfyher，shemusthavethemoneyitself。Shemusthaveherfourhundreddollarsbackagain，thereinhertrunk，inherbagandhermatch-box，whereshecouldtouchitandseeitwhenevershedesired。

Atlengthshecouldstanditnolonger，andonedaypresentedherselfbeforeUncleOelbermannashesatinhisofficeinthewholesaletoystore，andtoldhimshewantedtohavefourhundreddollarsofhermoney。

“Butthisisveryirregular，youknow，Mrs。McTeague，“saidthegreatman。“Notbusiness-likeatall。“

Buthisniece’smisfortunesandthesightofherpoormaimedhandappealedtohim。Heopenedhischeck-book。“Youunderstand，ofcourse，“hesaid，“thatthiswillreducetheamountofyourinterestbyjustsomuch。“

“Iknow，Iknow。I’vethoughtofthat，“saidTrina。

“Fourhundred，didyousay？“remarkedUncleOelbermann，takingthecapfromhisfountainpen。

“Yes，fourhundred，“exclaimedTrina，quickly，hereyesglistening。

Trinacashedthecheckandreturnedhomewiththemoney——allintwenty-dollarpiecesasshehaddesired——inanecstasyofdelight。Forhalfofthatnightshesatupplayingwithhermoney，countingitandrecountingit，polishingthedullerpiecesuntiltheyshone。Altogetherthereweretwentytwenty-dollargoldpieces。

“Oh-h，youbeauties！“murmuredTrina，runningherpalmsoverthem，fairlyquiveringwithpleasure。“Youbeauties！

ISthereanythingprettierthanatwenty-dollargoldpiece？

Youdear，dearmoney！Oh，don’tILOVEyou！Mine，mine，mine——allofyoumine。“

Shelaidthemoutinarowontheledgeofthetable，orarrangedtheminpatterns——triangles，circles，andsquares——

orbuiltthemallupintoapyramidwhichsheafterwardoverthrewforthesakeofhearingthedeliciousclinkofthepiecestumblingagainsteachother。Thenatlastsheputthemawayinthebrassmatch-boxandchamoisbag，delightedbeyondwordsthattheywereoncemorefullandheavy。

Then，afewdaysafter，thethoughtofthemoneystillremaininginUncleOelbermann’skeepingreturnedtoher。Itwashers，allhers——allthatfourthousandsixhundred。Shec