June, arrived. The Sieppes had
packed their last box and had strapped the last trunk. Trina's
two trunks had already been sent to her new home--the remodelled
photographer's rooms. The B Street house was deserted; the whole family
came over to the city on the last day of May and stopped over night at
one of the cheap downtown hotels. Trina would be married the following
evening, and immediately after the wedding supper the Sieppes would
leave for the South.

McTeague spent the day in a fever of agitation, frightened out of his
wits each time that Old Grannis left his elbow.

Old Grannis was delighted beyond measure at the prospect of acting the
part of best man in the ceremony. This wedding in which he was to figure
filled his mind with vague ideas and half-formed thoughts. He found
himself continually wondering what Miss Baker would think of it. During
all that day he was in a reflective mood.

"Marriage is a--a noble institution, is it not, Doctor?" he observed
to McTeague. "The--the foundation of society. It is not good that man
should be alone. No, no," he added, pensively, "it is not good."

"Huh? Yes, yes," McTeague answered, his eyes in the air, hardly hearing
him. "Do you think the rooms are all right? Let's go in and look at them
again."

They went down the hall to where the new rooms were situated, and the
dentist inspected them for the twentieth time.

The rooms were three in number--first, the sitting-room, which was also
the dining-room; then the bedroom, and back of this the tiny kitchen.

The sitting-room was particularly charming. Clean matting covered the
floor, and two or three bright colored rugs were scattered here and
there. The backs of the chairs were hung with knitted worsted tidies,
very gay. The bay window should have been occupied by Trina's sewing
machine, but this had been moved to the other side of the room to give
place to a little black walnut table with spiral legs, before which
the pair were to be married. In one corner stood the parlor melodeon, a
family possession of the Sieppes, but given now to Trina as one of her
parents' wedding presents. Three pictures hung upon the walls. Two were
companion pieces. One of these represented a little boy wearing huge
spectacles and trying to smoke an enormous pipe. This was called "I'm
Grandpa," the title being printed in large black letters; the companion
picture was entitled "I'm Grandma," a little girl in cap and "specs,"
wearing mitts,