t think, I had to stand up in the car all the way, after
being on my feet the whole blessed morning. Look here what I've bought.
Just things and things. Look, there's some dotted veiling I got for
myself; see now, do you think it looks pretty?"--she spread it over her
face--"and I got a box of writing paper, and a roll of crepe paper to
make a lamp shade for the front parlor; and--what do you suppose--I
saw a pair of Nottingham lace curtains for FORTY-NINE CENTS; isn't that
cheap? and some chenille portieres for two and a half. Now what have
YOU been doing since I last saw you? Did Mr. Heise finally get up enough
courage to have his tooth pulled yet?" Trina took off her hat and veil
and rearranged her hair before the looking-glass.

"No, no--not yet. I went down to the sign painter's yesterday afternoon
to see about that big gold tooth for a sign. It costs too much; I can't
get it yet a while. There's two kinds, one German gilt and the other
French gilt; but the German gilt is no good."

McTeague sighed, and wagged his head. Even Trina and the five thousand
dollars could not make him forget this one unsatisfied longing.

At other times they would talk at length over their plans, while Trina
sipped her chocolate and McTeague devoured huge chunks of butterless
bread. They were to be married at the end of May, and the dentist
already had his eye on a couple of rooms, part of the suite of a
bankrupt photographer. They were situated in the flat, just back of his
"Parlors," and he believed the photographer would sublet them furnished.

McTeague and Trina had no apprehensions as to their finances. They could
be sure, in fact, of a tidy little income. The dentist's practice was
fairly good, and they could count upon the interest of Trina's five
thousand dollars. To McTeague's mind this interest seemed woefully
small. He had had uncertain ideas about that five thousand dollars; had
imagined that they would spend it in some lavish fashion; would buy
a house, perhaps, or would furnish their new rooms with overwhelming
luxury--luxury that implied red velvet carpets and continued feasting.
The oldtime miner's idea of wealth easily gained and quickly spent
persisted in his mind. But when Trina had begun to talk of investments
and interests and per cents, he was troubled and not a little
disappointed. The lump sum of five thousand dollars was one thing, a
miserable little twenty or twenty-five a month was quite another; and
then so