ItwasSunday，and，accordingtohiscustomonthatday，McTeaguetookhisdinnerattwointheafternoonatthecarconductors’coffee-jointonPolkStreet。Hehadathickgraysoup；heavy，underdonemeat，veryhot，onacoldplate；
　　twokindsofvegetables；andasortofsuetpudding，fullofstrongbutterandsugar。Onhiswaybacktohisoffice，oneblockabove，hestoppedatJoeFrenna’ssaloonandboughtapitcherofsteambeer。Itwashishabittoleavethepitcherthereonhiswaytodinner。
　　Onceinhisoffice，or，ashecalleditonhissignboard，“DentalParlors，“hetookoffhiscoatandshoes，unbuttonedhisvest，and，havingcrammedhislittlestovefullofcoke，laybackinhisoperatingchairatthebaywindow，readingthepaper，drinkinghisbeer，andsmokinghishugeporcelainpipewhilehisfooddigested；crop-full，stupid，andwarm。
　　Byandby，gorgedwithsteambeer，andovercomebytheheatoftheroom，thecheaptobacco，andtheeffectsofhisheavymeal，hedroppedofftosleep。Lateintheafternoonhiscanarybird，initsgiltcagejustoverhishead，begantosing。Hewokeslowly，finishedtherestofhisbeer——veryflatandstalebythistime——andtakingdownhisconcertinafromthebookcase，whereinweekdaysitkeptthecompanyofsevenvolumesof“Allen’sPracticalDentist，“playeduponitsomehalf-dozenverymournfulairs。
　　McTeaguelookedforwardtotheseSundayafternoonsasaperiodofrelaxationandenjoyment。Heinvariablyspenttheminthesamefashion。Thesewerehisonlypleasures——toeat，tosmoke，tosleep，andtoplayuponhisconcertina。
　　Thesixlugubriousairsthatheknew，alwayscarriedhimbacktothetimewhenhewasacar-boyattheBigDipperMineinPlacerCounty，tenyearsbefore。Herememberedtheyearshehadspenttheretrundlingtheheavycarsoforeinandoutofthetunnelunderthedirectionofhisfather。
　　Forthirteendaysofeachfortnighthisfatherwasasteady，hard-workingshift-bossofthemine。EveryotherSundayhebecameanirresponsibleanimal，abeast，abrute，crazywithalcohol。
　　McTeaguerememberedhismother，too，who，withthehelpoftheChinaman，cookedforfortyminers。Shewasanoverworkeddrudge，fieryandenergeticforallthat，filledwiththeoneideaofhavinghersonriseinlifeandenteraprofession。Thechancehadcomeatlastwhenthefatherdied，corrodedwithalcohol，collapsinginafewhours。Twoorthreeyearslateratravellingdentistvisitedthemineandputuphistentnearthebunk-house。Hewasmoreorlessofacharlatan，buthefiredMrs。McTeague’sambition，andyoungMcTeaguewentawaywithhimtolearnhisprofession。Hehadlearntitafterafashion，mostlybywatchingthecharlatanoperate。Hehadreadmanyofthenecessarybooks，buthewastoohopelesslystupidtogetmuchbenefitfromthem。
　　ThenonedayatSanFranciscohadcomethenewsofhismother’sdeath；shehadlefthimsomemoney——notmuch，butenoughtosethimupinbusiness；sohehadcutloosefromthecharlatanandhadopenedhis“DentalParlors“onPolkStreet，an“accommodationstreet“ofsmallshopsintheresidencequarterofthetown。Herehehadslowlycollectedaclienteleofbutcherboys，shopgirls，drugclerks，andcarconductors。Hemadebutfewacquaintances。PolkStreetcalledhimthe“Doctor“andspokeofhisenormousstrength。
　　ForMcTeaguewasayounggiant，carryinghishugeshockofblondhairsixfeetthreeinchesfromtheground；movinghisimmenselimbs，heavywithropesofmuscle，slowly，ponderously。Hishandswereenormous，red，andcoveredwithafellofstiffyellowhair；theywerehardaswoodenmallets，strongasvises，thehandsoftheold-timecar-boy。
　　Oftenhedispensedwithforcepsandextractedarefractorytoothwithhisthumbandfinger。Hisheadwassquare-cut，angular；thejawsalient，likethatofthecarnivora。
　　McTeague’smindwasashisbody，heavy，slowtoact，sluggish。Yettherewasnothingviciousabouttheman。
　　Altogetherhesuggestedthedraughthorse，immenselystrong，stupid，docile，obedient。
　　Whenheopenedhis“DentalParlors，“hefeltthathislifewasasuccess，thathecouldhopefornothingbetter。Inspiteofthename，therewasbutoneroom。Itwasacornerroomonthesecondflooroverthebranchpost-office，andfacedthestreet。McTeaguemadeitdoforabedroomaswell，sleepingonthebigbed-loungeagainstthewalloppositethewindow。Therewasawashstandbehindthescreeninthecornerwherehemanufacturedhismoulds。Intheroundbaywindowwerehisoperatingchair，hisdentalengine，andthemovablerackonwhichhelaidouthisinstruments。Threechairs，abargainatthesecond-handstore，rangedthemselvesagainstthewallwithmilitaryprecisionunderneathasteelengravingofthecourtofLorenzode’
　　Medici，whichhehadboughtbecausetherewereagreatmanyfiguresinitforthemoney。Overthebed-loungehungariflemanufacturer’sadvertisementcalendarwhichheneverused。Theotherornamentswereasmallmarble-toppedcentretablecoveredwithbacknumbersof“TheAmericanSystemofDentistry，“astonepugdogsittingbeforethelittlestove，andathermometer。Astandofshelvesoccupiedonecorner，filledwiththesevenvolumesof“Allen’sPracticalDentist。“OnthetopshelfMcTeaguekepthisconcertinaandabagofbirdseedforthecanary。Thewholeplaceexhaledamingledodorofbedding，creosote，andether。
　　Butforonething，McTeaguewouldhavebeenperfectlycontented。Justoutsidehiswindowwashissignboard——amodestaffair——thatread：“DoctorMcTeague。DentalParlors。
　　GasGiven“；butthatwasall。Itwashisambition，hisdream，tohaveprojectingfromthatcornerwindowahugegildedtooth，amolarwithenormousprongs，somethinggorgeousandattractive。Hewouldhaveitsomeday，onthathewasresolved；butasyetsuchathingwasfarbeyondhismeans。
　　Whenhehadfinishedthelastofhisbeer，McTeagueslowlywipedhislipsandhugeyellowmustachewiththesideofhishand。Bull-like，heheavedhimselflaboriouslyup，and，goingtothewindow，stoodlookingdownintothestreet。
　　Thestreetneverfailedtointeresthim。ItwasoneofthosecrossstreetspeculiartoWesterncities，situatedintheheartoftheresidencequarter，butoccupiedbysmalltradespeoplewholivedintheroomsabovetheirshops。
　　Therewerecornerdrugstoreswithhugejarsofred，yellow，andgreenliquidsintheirwindows，verybraveandgay；
　　stationers’stores，whereillustratedweekliesweretackeduponbulletinboards；barbershopswithcigarstandsintheirvestibules；sad-lookingplumbers’offices；cheaprestaurants，inwhosewindowsonesawpilesofunopenedoystersweighteddownbycubesofice，andchinapigsandcowskneedeepinlayersofwhitebeans。AtoneendofthestreetMcTeaguecouldseethehugepower-houseofthecableline。Immediatelyoppositehimwasagreatmarket；whilefartheron，overthechimneystacksoftheinterveninghouses，theglassroofofsomehugepublicbathsglitteredlikecrystalintheafternoonsun。Underneathhimthebranchpost-officewasopeningitsdoors，aswasitscustombetweentwoandthreeo’clockonSundayafternoons。Anacridodorofinkroseupwardtohim。Occasionallyacablecarpassed，trundlingheavily，withastridentwhirringofjostledglasswindows。
　　Onweekdaysthestreetwasverylively。Itwoketoitsworkaboutseveno’clock，atthetimewhenthenewsboysmadetheirappearancetogetherwiththedaylaborers。Thelaborerswenttrudgingpastinastragglingfile——plumbers’
　　apprentices，theirpocketsstuffedwithsectionsofleadpipe，tweezers，andpliers；carpenters，carryingnothingbuttheirlittlepasteboardlunchbasketspaintedtoimitateleather；gangsofstreetworkers，theiroverallssoiledwithyellowclay，theirpicksandlong-handledshovelsovertheirshoulders；plasterers，spottedwithlimefromheadtofoot。
　　Thislittlearmyofworkers，trampingsteadilyinonedirection，metandmingledwithothertoilersofadifferentdescription——conductorsand“swingmen“ofthecablecompanygoingonduty；heavy-eyednightclerksfromthedrugstoresontheirwayhometosleep；roundsmenreturningtotheprecinctpolicestationtomaketheirnightreport，andChinesemarketgardenersteeteringpastundertheirheavybaskets。Thecablecarsbegantofillup；allalongthestreetcouldbeseentheshopkeeperstakingdowntheirshutters。
　　Betweensevenandeightthestreetbreakfasted。Nowandthenawaiterfromoneofthecheaprestaurantscrossedfromonesidewalktotheother，balancingononepalmatraycoveredwithanapkin。Everywherewasthesmellofcoffeeandoffryingsteaks。Alittlelater，followinginthepathofthedaylaborers，cametheclerksandshopgirls，dressedwithacertaincheapsmartness，alwaysinahurry，glancingapprehensivelyatthepower-houseclock。Theiremployersfollowedanhourorsolater——onthecablecarsforthemostpartwhiskeredgentlemenwithhugestomachs，readingthemorningpaperswithgreatgravity；bankcashiersandinsuranceclerkswithflowersintheirbuttonholes。
　　Atthesametimetheschoolchildreninvadedthestreet，fillingtheairwithaclamorofshrillvoices，stoppingatthestationers’shops，oridlingamomentinthedoorwaysofthecandystores。Foroverhalfanhourtheyheldpossessionofthesidewalks，thensuddenlydisappeared，leavingbehindoneortwostragglerswhohurriedalongwithgreatstridesoftheirlittlethinlegs，veryanxiousandpreoccupied。
　　Towardseleveno’clocktheladiesfromthegreatavenueablockabovePolkStreetmadetheirappearance，promenadingthesidewalksleisurely，deliberately。Theywereattheirmorning’smarketing。Theywerehandsomewomen，beautifullydressed。Theyknewbynametheirbutchersandgrocersandvegetablemen。FromhiswindowMcTeaguesawtheminfrontofthestalls，glovedandveiledanddaintilyshod，thesubservientprovisionmenattheirelbows，scribblinghastilyintheorderbooks。Theyallseemedtoknowoneanother，thesegrandladiesfromthefashionableavenue。
　　Meetingstookplacehereandthere；aconversationwasbegun；othersarrived；groupswereformed；littleimpromptureceptionswereheldbeforethechoppingblocksofbutchers’
　　stalls，oronthesidewalk，aroundboxesofberriesandfruit。
　　Fromnoontoeveningthepopulationofthestreetwasofamixedcharacter。Thestreetwasbusiestatthattime；
　　avastandprolongedmurmurarose——themingledshufflingoffeet，therattleofwheels，theheavytrundlingofcablecars。Atfouro’clocktheschoolchildrenoncemoreswarmedthesidewalks，againdisappearingwithsurprisingsuddenness。Atsixthegreathomewardmarchcommenced；thecarswerecrowded，thelaborersthrongedthesidewalks，thenewsboyschantedtheeveningpapers。Thenallatoncethestreetfellquiet；hardlyasoulwasinsight；thesidewalksweredeserted。Itwassupperhour。Eveningbegan；andonebyoneamultitudeoflights，fromthedemoniacglareofthedruggists’windowstothedazzlingbluewhitenessoftheelectricglobes，grewthickfromstreetcornertostreetcorner。Oncemorethestreetwascrowded。Nowtherewasnothoughtbutforamusement。Thecablecarswereloadedwiththeatre-goers——meninhighhatsandyounggirlsinfurredoperacloaks。Onthesidewalksweregroupsandcouples——theplumbers’apprentices，thegirlsoftheribboncounters，thelittlefamiliesthatlivedonthesecondstoriesovertheirshops，thedressmakers，thesmalldoctors，theharness-
　　makers——allthevariousinhabitantsofthestreetwereabroad，strollingidlyfromshopwindowtoshopwindow，takingtheairaftertheday’swork。Groupsofgirlscollectedonthecorners，talkingandlaughingveryloud，makingremarksupontheyoungmenthatpassedthem。Thetamalemenappeared。AbandofSalvationistsbegantosingbeforeasaloon。
　　Then，littlebylittle，PolkStreetdroppedbacktosolitude。Eleveno’clockstruckfromthepower-houseclock。