McTeague: A Story of San Francisco

ense!" ans

ed Mrs. Sieppe, misundersta

rowded stairway, the medley of voices. The party reached the landing.

e you," he cried, catching Trina's

ousand dollars," cried Maria. "Don't you remember the

"Five tausend thalers! five tausend

it?" exclaimed McTea

to do with it, Tri

curls quivering with excitement, "and I'm glad for your sake. Let

"there is a mistake. There must be. Why-why sho

ber was 400,012. Here it is in the paper this eveni

d Trina, beginning to tremble in s

dn't you?" cri

question of effort or merit on her part. Why should she suppose a mistake? What if it w

think so?"

the drab overc

ied two or three voi

ones, Miss Sieppe," he said. "I s

three oughts twe

ss is printed on the back of the ticket-and you'll receive a check on our bank for five thousand dollars. Your nu

five thousand dollars. She was carried away with the joy of her good fortune,

it. I've won five thousand dollars, just by buying a ticket. Mac, what do you say to

ommanded Mrs. Sieppe. "What efer will

outed with laughter. McTeague grinned, and looked about sheepishly. "Talk about

ut here in the hall all night? Can't

med McTeague, hastil

ed Mrs. Sieppe, geniall

the dentist. "There'

" Again he set the company off into a gale of laughter. Anything was funny at a time like this. In some way every one of them felt ela

into the "Parlors," and Marcus had lit the gas. "Right here in this chair." She sat d

ut of the operating chair

p and said, 'Buy a ticket in the lottery; just a dollar.' Oh, I remember it

I told Maria it wa

y pocketbook. It's in my pocketbook now at home in the top drawer of m

g money now,"

dy started and turned. It was McTeague. He stood in the middle of the floor

udden unaccountable mirthlessness. "Five thousand dollars! Do

twenty-five dollars a m

ague. He went aimlessly about the room, h

erved Miss Baker. "But he spent every cent of

wing. Mrs. Sieppe knew a gasfitter in Oakland who had won several times; once a hundred dollars. Little Miss Baker a

rved Marcus, with a certain sarcasm. What was the matter

d then give up trying, and of how this last ticket had brought her a fortune upon which she could retire; of tickets that had been lost or destroyed, and whose numbers had won fabulous sums at the drawing; of criminals, driven to vice by poverty, and who had reformed after winning competencies; of gamblers who played the lottery as they would play a faro bank, turning in their winnings again as soon as made, buying thousands of tickets all over the country; of superstitions as to terminal and initial numbers, and as to lucky days of purchase; of marvellous coi

joining rooms, and Maria was sent out for more beer and tamales, and also commi

chair and upon the stand of shelves in the corner, side by side with the concertina and the volumes of "Allen's Practical Dentist." The canary woke and chittered crossly, his feat

ttles, serving the tamales, slapping McTeague upon the back, laughing and joking continually. He made McTeague sit at the head of the table, with Trina at his right and the agent at hi

Marcus. Sure enough, where had the old E

hat Miss Sieppe had won. We all came down to Mr. Schouler's room and waited for you to come h

ed Miss Baker, "

n had taken advantage of the con

wn," shouted Marcus;

was in grea

er," she murmured; "he-he-I

ment in sewin' up b

evertheless, having found

d-find myself a little unprepared." He was without collar and cravat, owing to Marcus Schouler's precipi

Sieppe and to Trina as Marcus's e

r been introduced," cried Maria Macapa, shrilly,

er's gaze. It had come at last; they were to know eac

ach other long ago. Miss Baker, this is Mr. Grannis; Mr. Grannis, this is Miss Baker." Neither spoke. Like two little children they faced each other,

little, putting his hand uncertainly to his chin. Miss Baker flushed ever so slightly, but Maria Macapa passed suddenly be

nto the chair, withdrawing at once from the company's notice. He stared fixedly at his plate and did not speak again.

of Trina and the dentist was announced. In a pause in the chatter of c

a get married bretty soon. She and de

a general

aker, excitedly. "The first time I saw

t, "to be married and win a snug

Old Grannis, nod

to you,"

th, relapsing for a moment into one of those strange moods

other. McTeague grinned from ear to ear, looking

his hand. He was a man of the world, this agent. He knew li

nk-in fact, I am sure I can speak for the great institution, the great company I represent. The company congratulates Miss Sieppe. We-they-ah-They wish her every happiness her new fortune can procure her. It has been my duty, my-ah-cheerful duty to call upon the winners of large prizes and to offer the felicitation of the company. I have, in my experience, called upon many such; but never have I seen fortune so happily bestowed as in this case. The company have do

ing his hands. "Very well said. To the health o

dentist to speak. McTeague was terrified; he gripped

s, running around the table and

ble with their beer glasses, insisting upon a speech. McTeague settled obsti

he exclaimed;

how," persisted Marcus; "you ough

applause; he looked slowly about him, then sudd

, Mac," cr

how," cried Marcus, tuggin

Teague rose

ooking steadily at the

e a speech before; I-I ain't never made a spee

t you are," m

e agent. Trina and I are goin' to be married, an' I'm glad everybody's here to-night, an' you're-all-welcome, an' drink hearty, an' I hope you'l

ich pervaded the "Parlors." Soon the windows had to be lowered from the top. Mrs. Sieppe and old Miss Baker sat together in the bay window exchanging confidences. Miss Baker had turned back the overskirt of her dress; a plate of cake was in her

rsonage really,"

she said; "always gay, yes, und sing from morgen to night. Und Owgooste, he is soh smart al

uld have been a sailor; he would have begun as a midshipman on my brother's ship; in

face, "think of all this money coming to us just at this v

e, shaking his head. "Let's buy a lot of

ved the agent to Marcus as the two sat smoking at the end

g his fist. "It's them as is ruining the cause of white labor. They ar

violently stirred over Trina's sudden wealth; Maria's mind had gone back to her younger days. She leaned forward,

oth and bright; oh, bright as a little sun. Such a service as that was-platters and soup tureens and an immense

rannis, never for an instant doubting its

st," repe

hat a pity!

gent rose and

e going, if I'm

ting cigar to Marcus, congratulated McTeague

gentleman," com

d, "there's a man of the world for

pany br

rcus; "we're to sleep with

ight" all around and departe

had made the discovery as to the similarity of the wallpaper. At long intervals he could hear a faint rustling as she moved about. What an evening that had been for him! He had met her, had spoken to her, had touched her hand; he was in a tremor of excitement. In a like manner the little old dressma

rocking chair close to the partition; she rocked gently, sipping he

invitation. He drew his chair close to his side of the partition, before his work-table. A pile of half-bound "Natio

artition. It was charming; they were perfectly happy. There in the stillness that settled over the flat in the half hour after midni

ive gold. It was the most valuable steal she had ever yet made in the dentist's "Parlors." She told herself that it was worth at least a couple of dollars. Suddenly an idea occurred to her, and she went hastily to a window at the end of the ha

rk. The collie who lived on the other side of the fence, in the back yard of the branch post-office, answered with a snarl. Then in an instant the endless feud between the two dogs was resumed. They dragged their respective kennels to the fence,

s knocking at Zerko

in his hoarse voice, that was half whisper, starting ner

r voice, and as if speaking to herself,

welcome, even as late as this. No junk, hey? But you're welcome for all that. You'll have a drink, w

the instant. The sight of gold invariably sent a qualm all through him; try as he would, h

re, give it here; give it to me, Maria.

ght Maria was too excited over other matters to

to tell you. A little while ago I sold a lottery ticket to a girl at the flat; th

ow. How muc

ousand d

almost physical pain twisted his face-his entire body. He raised his

llars, five thousand dollars. Oh, why couldn't it have come to me?" he cried, his voice choking, the tears starting to his eyes; "why couldn't it have come to me? To come so close, s

ch a glory, and heavy. Yes, every piece was heavy, and it was all you could

didn't it?" prompted Zerkow, eagerly, his lips tr

church bell," c

kow, drawing his chair closer, a

hundred pieces, and ev

y one of

wa'n't a piece that was so much as scratched; every one was like a mirror

w," cried Zerkow,

of the knives, now, were they gold, too? All the knife was made from one piece of gold, was it? And the forks the same? The interior of the trunk was quilted, of course? Did M

w. "Begin now with 'There were more than a hundred pieces

tion of the story-into a third. The more his mind dwelt upon it, the sharper grew his desire. Then, with Maria's refusal to continue the tale, came the reaction. Zerkow awoke as from some ravishing dream. The plate was gone, was irretrievably lost. There was nothing in that miserable room but grimy rags and rust-corroded iron. What to

clawing at her arm; "you had it once, all

r good a

ied near your old

one," chanted Mar

into his scalp, tea

, it's gone-lost for

ech failed him. He was busy thinking of the great thing that had happened that night, and was trying to realize what its effect would be upon his life-his life

s gas stove, and its colored prints of famous dogs hanging against t

observed Marcus. "I'll take a l

d on three sides by pens where the dogs were kept. A bull terri

he was alone and could give vent to his thoughts. He took a couple o

-but this," he stamped his foot with rage-"to throw five thousand dollars out of the window-to stuff it into the pockets of someone else, when it might have been yours, when you mi