McTeague: A Story of San Francisco

rs, the dentist knew one song. Whenever he shaved, he sung this song; never at any other time. His voice was a bellowing roar

love, non

in this world

cus came into his room, half-dressed

and waiting. The old dressmaker was shocked out of all expression. She was outraged, offended, pursing her lips, putting up her head. She talked of complaining to the landlady. "And Mr. Grannis right next door,

if you don't want to see. Look out, now, here I com

Teague out into the hall, to the head of t

ten to Maria,

ed by her two fists. The red-headed Polish Jew, the ragm

just once more." Maria's voice came up the stairway in a mon

every one of them gold-just that punch-bow

arcus. "The old skin has got her started

bells, didn't it

hurch bells,

s. Wasn't that punc

ould do to

kow, clawing at his lips. "Where d

hook he

gone,

and the engraved ladle, and the plates and goblets.

wonderfu

ful; it must

can woman and the red-haired Polish Jew mused l

ertain dread; a dozen times he would have turned back had not Marcus been with him. The stolid giant was as nervous as a schoolboy. He fancied th

eternal picnics. They were to go to Schuetzen Park, within walking distance of the station. They were grouped about four lunch baskets. One of the children, a little boy, held a

decided upon after the arrival of his letter. Mrs. Sieppe explained this to him. She was an immense o

le eggs-kursion, eh not soh? We breathe der freshes air, a celubr

cus, enthusiastic in an instant. "This is m' frie

ktor," cried

hands gravely as Marcus should

imself very seriously. He was a member of a rifle team. Over his shoulder was

e was dumfounded. She appear

his hand. "It's nice to see you again. Look, see how fine my filling is

ved the responsibility of the excursion. He seemed to cons

smallest boys, who were dressed exactly alike, "will releef one unudder mit der camp-stuhl und basket number four. Dat is comprehend, hay? When we make der sta

uch out of breath. She was a slender, unhealthy looking girl, who overworked herself giving lessons in hand-painting at twenty-five

the other. "Attention! We depart." The four little boys moved off ahead; the greyhou

ssuming the attitude of a lieutenant of infantry leadi

to shout an order up and down the line. Marcus followed with Selin

ek," said Trina, by way of a beginning, "an

wered McTeague, nodding;

ur lunch; you leave the dirty city all day; you race about in the open air, and when

keeping his eyes fixed on the ground betw

we'll have. In the morning father and the children dig clams in the mud

cTeague. "It was in a tugboat; we fished

boats tip over so easy. A cousin of mine, Selina's brother, was drowned on

to at th

remember, Marcus told m

every Thursday evening. One of them was bit by a rattlesnake once while he was

, just the same, I like to watch them. You know that drug

e rattler wit

d swim? Did you ever try? D'yo

now. I never tried

Sometimes we all go ou

, huh? Can you swi

my chin up. Soon as he takes his hand away, down

's good

oo warm, it isn't

ning down the track

rail, and waved his hat to the passengers as the train roared past. The children shouted shrilly. When the train was gone, they all rushed to see the nickel and the crossed pins. The nickel had been jolted off, but the pins had been flattened out so that they bore

of der day, ven we shall have home gecommen, den wull it pe adjudge, eh?

said Marcus to Selina as they s

old McTeague. "She's forewoman in a gl

e," observed McTeague, "

lace-as nice as

ractised there

looking across the bay to where th

gue. "Do you like it bett

ity. If you want to go across for a

the whole d

ody named Oelbermann? That's my uncle. He has a wholes

don' kn

ave it. He says it would be just like burying his child. Yes, she wants to

No,

Mass on the feast days once in

the schools," observed McTeague, suddenly re

We are going to send the twins

the kind

t of straw and toothpicks-kind of a pl

nto Street, not far from P

Selina used to pla

e play t

he plays fine. Selina's very

y on the c

ext time you will. I hope you'll come often on

cnic, ain't it? Th

up, "not a single cloud. Oh, yes; th

's sm

ud. Smoke isn't

a cl

I never say a thing u

like a d

sn't Marcus

w dog last w

d h

to the Cliff House last Sunday, but we had to walk all the way home

ic there one Fourth of July, but it

like it pr

hips. Just away, and away, and away, anywhere. They'r

so wo

twenty-one days. Mamma's uncle used to be a sailor. He

himself, or merely buy his own ticket? And even in this latter case would a quarter be enough? He lost his wits, rolling his eyes helplessly. Then it occurred to him to feign a great abstraction, pretending not to know that the time w

said Marcus, coming up. "

h Trina. What was the use of trying to win her? Destiny was against him. "I only got a quarter," he stamme

ily. "I'll pay for you, and you c

k, Mr. Sieppe counting

"here we are once more, Doctor." She had not appeared to notice McTeague's embarrassm

ts at the peanut stand. The whole party trooped down to the seas

t-August's birthday present-a gaudy little toy which could be steamed up and na

" shouted August, danc

ieppe, bearing it aloft. "I mus

August. "I want

f the way into the water. Here, after a careful study of the directions

t in the wa-ater

do not know so well as me; dere is dand

ut," protested Augu

r. Sieppe. "Mommer," addressing Mrs. Sie

wut," screamed

ieppe. The little boat

excited. The perspiration dripped from the back of his neck. The little boat was launched.

how she wo-rks

sest liddle fool as you," cried Mr

it sh-shove!" e

iler of the steamer blew up with a sharp crack. The little tin to

!" yelled Augus

ene. August rent the air with his outcries; his father shook h

Stop! It is an order. Do you wish I drow you in der water, eh? Speak. Silence, bube!

at had sunk. "Dot is better soh," commented Mr. Sieppe, finally releasing him. "Next dime berhaps you will your fat'

ockings. At first August refused to be comforted, and it was not until his father dro

ly, her lips closed tight, her little chin thrust out, her small pale nose, with its adorable little freckles, wrinkling; he roare

was cold underdone chicken, which one ate in slices, plastered with a wonderful kind of mustard that did not sting. There were dried apples, that gave Mr. Sieppe the hiccoughs. There were a dozen bottles of beer, and, last of all, a crowning achievement, a marvellous Gotha truffle. After lunch came tobacco. Stuffed to the eyes, Mc

ieppe marshalled the party toge

er night. Mrs. Sieppe argued they could get no decent supper if they went back to the city at that hour; t

tiny rooms, some of them so small as to be hardly better than sleeping closets. In the back yard was a contrivance for pumping water from the cistern that interested McTeague at once. It was a dog-wheel, a huge revolving box in which the unhapp

in the front parlor. Trina would sleep with August, giving up her room to McTeague. Selina went to her home, a block or so ab

iddle of the room, his elbows pressed close to his sides, looking obliquely

s a little bed, the woodwork gayly painted with knots of bright flowers. Near it, against the wall, was a black walnut bureau. A work-table with spiral legs stood by the window, wh

e, discreet. He felt hideously out of place. He was an intruder; he, with his enormous feet, his colossal bones, his

f her presence without the embarrassment that usually accompanied it. He was near to her-nearer than he had ever been before. He saw into her daily life, her little ways and

rror. He saw her tiny, round figure, dressed all in black-for, curiously enough, it was his very first impression of Trina that came back to him now-not the Trina of the later occasions, not the Trina of the blue cloth skirt and white sailor. He saw her as he had seen her the day that Marcus had introduced them: saw her pale, round face; her narrow, half-open eyes, blue lik

g Trina in everything he touched or looked at. He came at last to the cl

ad carried over her arm the day he had terrified her with his blundering declaration, and still others, and others-a whole group of Trinas faced him there. He went farther into the closet, touching the clothes gingerly, stroking them softly with his huge leathern palms. As he stirred them a delicate perfume disengaged itself from the folds. Ah, that exquisite feminine odor! It was not only her hair now, i

Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. He took Marcus Schouler's place. Sometimes Marcus acc

s hand, by venting sighs that seemed to tear his heart out, or by giving evidences of an infinite melancholy. "What is my life!" he would exclaim. "What is

harassed with the thought of some shadowy

ink of me; I don't count any more. I ain't in it." Marcus seemed to take great pleasure in cont

rst puzzled as well ov

ed Mr. Sieppe. "First Schouler, now d

me in very rainy, putting a stop to a

on Trina, bringing his concertina with him, as was his custom nowadays. As he g

ined in weeks," she explained, "an'

e," assent

ich was the dirty, muddy shore of San Francisco Bay. About a quarter of a mile back from the station was the edge of the town of Oakland. Between the station and the first houses of the town l

as connected with the town by the extension of B Street, which struck across the flats geometrically straight, a file of tall poles with intervening wires marching along with i

ag-pickers moving over them. Far to the left the view was shut off by the immense red-brown drum

h was far out, nearly half a mile. Clouds of sea-gulls were forever rising and settling upon this mud bank; a

a blue line of hills, rugged with roofs and spires. Far to the westward opened the Golden Ga

not a soul was in sight. The wind blew strong, carrying with it the mingled smell of salt, of tar,

k, making the most out of the landscape, enjoying the open air, the salt marshes, and the sight

s, McTeague talking about his profession, Trina listen

side beak over the palatal roots and the cow-horn beak over the buccal roots-that's the roots on the outside, you see. Then

g to have a big gilded tooth outside my window for a sign. Those big gold teeth

fternoon was closing in dark and rainy. The tide was coming back, talking and lapping for miles along the mud bank. Far off acro

a while, "what's the good of waiting a

d, saying "No" instinctiv

McTeague. "Don't you

es

why

cau

said, but Trina st

of nothing else to say, repeating the same p

on! Ah,

with his immense strength. Then Trina gave up, all in an instant, turn

sed them in a reek of steam and hot air. It was the Overland

sirable, after all. But this reaction was so faint, so subtle, so intangible, that in another moment he had doubted its occurrence. Yet afterward it returned. Was there not something gone from Trina now? Was he not disappointed in her for doing that very thing for which he had longed? Was Trina the submissive, the compliant, the attainable just the same, just as delicate and adora

ing; her face, even to the lobes of her pale ears, flushed scarlet; her narrow

isten here, Miss Trina," cried

t. "It's late. I must. I must. Don't come with me, please. Oh, I'm so-so,"-she could

ntable change. "Can't I kiss you again?" But Trina was firm now. When

another instant. The dentist, stunned, bewildered, gazed stupidly

all. An enormous smile distended his thick lips; his eyes grew wide, and flashed; and he drew

ht better of himself; his self-respect increased enormously. The

r while the latter was settin

mam

Ach, what

d her in

e's first comment. "Eh, we

Trina, plucking at the

der youn

n't k

t for you

n't k

r sensus gone, Trina? You kiss der doktor. Y

not Cous

ust be de

ade no

E

guess

loaf

n't k

etrap with such violence that