OnemorningaboutaweekafterMarcushadleftforthesouthernpartoftheState，McTeaguefoundanoblongletterthrustthroughtheletter-dropofthedoorofhis“Parlors。“
　　Theaddresswastypewritten。Heopenedit。TheletterhadbeensentfromtheCityHallandwasstampedinonecornerwiththesealoftheStateofCalifornia，veryofficial；theformandfilenumberssuperscribed。
　　McTeaguehadbeenmakingfillingswhenthisletterarrived。
　　Hewasinhis“Parlors，“potteringoverhismovablerackunderneaththebirdcageinthebaywindow。Hewasmaking“blocks“tobeusedinlargeproximalcavitiesand“cylinders“forcommencingfillings。Heheardthepostman’sstepinthehallandsawtheenvelopesbegintoshuttlethemselvesthroughtheslitofhisletter-drop。Thencamethefatoblongenvelope，withitsofficialseal，thatdroppedflatwisetothefloorwithasodden，dullimpact。
　　Thedentistputdownthebroachandscissorsandgathereduphismail。Therewerefourlettersaltogether。OnewasforTrina，inSelina’s“elegant“handwriting；anotherwasanadvertisementofanewkindofoperatingchairfordentists；thethirdwasacardfromamillineronthenextblock，announcinganopening；andthefourth，containedinthefatoblongenvelope，wasaprintedformwithblanksleftfornamesanddates，andaddressedtoMcTeague，fromanofficeintheCityHall。McTeaguereaditthroughlaboriously。“Idon’know，Idon’know，“hemuttered，lookingstupidlyattheriflemanufacturer’scalendar。ThenheheardTrina，fromthekitchen，singingasshemadeaclatteringnoisewiththebreakfastdishes。“IguessI’llaskTrinaaboutit，“hemuttered。
　　Hewentthroughthesuite，bythesitting-room，wherethesunwaspouringinthroughtheloopedbackedNottinghamcurtainsuponthecleanwhitemattingandthevarnishedsurfaceofthemelodeon，passedonthroughthebedroom，withitsframedlithographsofround-cheekedEnglishbabiesandalertfoxterriers，andcameoutintothebrick-pavedkitchen。Thekitchenwascleanasanewwhistle；thefreshlyblackenedcookstoveglowedlikeanegro’shide；thetinsandporcelain-linedstew-pansmighthavebeenofsilverandofivory。Trinawasinthecentreoftheroom，wipingoff，withadampsponge，theoilclothtable-cover，onwhichtheyhadbreakfasted。Neverhadshelookedsopretty。
　　Earlythoughitwas，herenormoustiaraofswarthyhairwasneatlycombedandcoiled，notapinwassomuchasloose。
　　Sheworeabluecalicoskirtwithawhitefigure，andabeltofimitationalligatorskinclaspedaroundhersmall，firmly-corsetedwaist；hershirtwaistwasofpinklinen，sonewandcrispthatitcrackledwitheverymovement，whilearoundthecollar，tiedinaneatknot，wasoneofMcTeague’slawntieswhichshehadappropriated。Hersleeveswerecarefullyrolledupalmosttohershoulders，andnothingcouldhavebeenmoredeliciousthanthesightofhersmallroundarms，whiteasmilk，movingbackandforthasshespongedthetable-cover，afainttouchofpinkcomingandgoingattheelbowsastheybentandstraightened。Shelookedupquicklyasherhusbandentered，hernarroweyesalight，heradorablelittlechinintheair；herlipsroundedandopenedwiththelastwordsofhersong，sothatonecouldcatchaglintofgoldinthefillingsofherupperteeth。
　　Thewholescene——thecleankitchenanditscleanbrickfloor；thesmellofcoffeethatlingeredintheair；Trinaherself，freshasiffromabath，andsingingatherwork；
　　themorningsun，strikingobliquelythroughthewhitemuslinhalf-curtainofthewindowandspanningthelittlekitchenwithabridgeofgoldenmist——gaveoff，asitwere，anoteofgayetythatwasnottoberesisted。ThroughtheopenedtopofthewindowcamethenoisesofPolkStreet，alreadylongawake。Oneheardthechantingofstreetcries，theshrillcallingofchildrenontheirwaytoschool，themerryrattleofabutcher’scart，thebrisknoiseofhammering，ortheoccasionalprolongedrollofacablecartrundlingheavilypast，withavibrantwhirringofitsjostledglassandthejoyousclangingofitsbells。
　　“Whatisit，Mac，dear？“saidTrina。
　　McTeagueshutthedoorbehindhimwithhisheelandhandedhertheletter。Trinareaditthrough。Thensuddenlyhersmallhandgrippedtightlyuponthesponge，sothatthewaterstartedfromitanddrippedinalittlepatteringdelugeuponthebricks。
　　Theletter——orratherprintednotice——informedMcTeaguethathehadneverreceivedadiplomafromadentalcollege，andthatinconsequencehewasforbiddentopractisehisprofessionanylonger。Alegalextractbearinguponthecasewasattachedinsmalltype。
　　“Why，what’sallthis？“saidTrina，calmly，withoutthoughtasyet。
　　“Idon’know，Idon’know，“answeredherhusband。
　　“Youcan’tpractiseanylonger，“continuedTrina，——“’isherewithprohibitedandenjoinedfromfurthercontinuing——
　　’“Shere-readtheextract，herforeheadliftingandpuckering。Sheputthespongecarefullyawayinitswirerackoverthesink，anddrewupachairtothetable，spreadingoutthenoticebeforeher。“Sitdown，“shesaidtoMcTeague。“Drawuptothetablehere，Mac，andlet’sseewhatthisis。“
　　“Igotitthismorning，“murmuredthedentist。“Itjustnowcame。Iwasmakingsomefillings——there，inthe’Parlors，’inthewindow——andthepostmanshoveditthroughthedoor。Ithoughtitwasanumberofthe’AmericanSystemofDentistry’atfirst，andwhenI’dopeneditandlookedatitIthoughtI’dbetter——“
　　“Say，Mac，“interruptedTrina，lookingupfromthenotice，“DIDN’Tyouevergotoadentalcollege？“
　　“Huh？What？What？“exclaimedMcTeague。
　　“Howdidyoulearntobeadentist？Didyougotoacollege？“
　　“Iwentalongwithafellowwhocametothemineonce。Mymothersentme。Weusedtogofromonecamptoanother。I
　　sharpenedhisexcavatorsforhim，andputuphisnoticesinthetowns——stuckthemupinthepost-officesandonthedoorsoftheOddFellows’halls。Hehadawagon。“
　　“Butdidn’tyounevergotoacollege？“
　　“Huh？What？College？No，Ineverwent。Ilearnedfromthefellow。“
　　Trinarolleddownhersleeves。Shewasalittlepalerthanusual。Shefastenedthebuttonsintothecuffsandsaid：
　　“Butdoyouknowyoucan’tpractiseunlessyou’regraduatedfromacollege？Youhaven’ttherighttocallyourself，’doctor。’“
　　McTeaguestaredamoment；then：
　　“Why，I’vebeenpractisingtenyears。More——nearlytwelve。“
　　“Butit’sthelaw。“
　　“What’sthelaw？“
　　“Thatyoucan’tpractise，orcallyourselfdoctor，unlessyou’vegotadiploma。“
　　“What’sthat——adiploma？“
　　“Idon’tknowexactly。It’sakindofpaperthat——that——oh，Mac，we’reruined。“Trina’svoicerosetoacry。
　　“Whatdoyoumean，Trina？Ain’tIadentist？Ain’tIadoctor？Lookatmysign，andthegoldtoothyougaveme。
　　Why，I’vebeenpractisingnearlytwelveyears。“
　　Trinashutherlipstightly，clearedherthroat，andpretendedtoresettleahair-pinatthebackofherhead。
　　“Iguessitisn’tasbadasthat，“shesaid，veryquietly。
　　“Let’sreadthisagain。’Herewithprohibitedandenjoinedfromfurthercontinuing——’“Shereadtotheend。
　　“Why，itisn’tpossible，“shecried。“Theycan’tmean——oh，Mac，Idobelieve——pshaw！“sheexclaimed，herpalefaceflushing。“Theydon’tknowhowgoodadentistyouare。
　　Whatdifferencedoesadiplomamake，ifyou’reafirst-classdentist？Iguessthat’sallright。Mac，didn’tyouevergotoadentalcollege？“
　　“No，“answeredMcTeague，doggedly。“Whatwasthegood？I
　　learnedhowtooperate；wa’n’tthatenough？“
　　“Hark，“saidTrina，suddenly。“Wasn’tthatthebellofyouroffice？“TheyhadbothheardthejanglingofthebellthatMcTeaguehadhungoverthedoorofhis“Parlors。“Thedentistlookedatthekitchenclock。
　　“That’sVanovitch，“saidhe。“He’saplumberroundonSutterStreet。He’sgotanappointmentwithmetohaveabicuspidpulled。Igottogobacktowork。“Herose。
　　“Butyoucan’t，“criedTrina，thebackofherhanduponherlips，hereyesbrimming。“Mac，don’tyousee？Can’tyouunderstand？You’vegottostop。Oh，it’sdreadful！
　　Listen。“Shehurriedaroundthetabletohimandcaughthisarminbothherhands。
　　“Huh？“growledMcTeague，lookingatherwithapuzzledfrown。
　　“They’llarrestyou。You’llgotoprison。Youcan’twork——
　　can’tworkanymore。We’reruined。“
　　Vanovitchwaspoundingonthedoorofthesitting-room。
　　“He’llbegoneinaminute，“exclaimedMcTeague。
　　“Well，lethimgo。Tellhimtogo；tellhimtocomeagain。“
　　“Why，he’sgotanAPPOINTMENTwithme，“exclaimedMcTeague，hishanduponthedoor。
　　Trinacaughthimback。“But，Mac，youain’tadentistanylonger；youain’tadoctor。Youhaven’ttherighttowork。
　　Youneverwenttoadentalcollege。“
　　“Well，supposeIneverwenttoacollege，ain’tIadentistjustthesame？Listen，he’spoundingthereagain。No，I’mgoing，sure。“
　　“Well，ofcourse，go，“saidTrina，withsuddenreaction。
　　“Itain’tpossiblethey’llmakeyoustop。Ifyou’reagooddentist，that’sallthat’swanted。Goon，Mac；hurry，beforehegoes。“
　　McTeaguewentout，closingthedoor。Trinastoodforamomentlookingintentlyatthebricksatherfeet。Thenshereturnedtothetable，andsatdownagainbeforethenotice，and，restingherheadinbothherfists，readityetanothertime。Suddenlytheconvictionseizeduponherthatitwasalltrue。McTeaguewouldbeobligedtostopwork，nomatterhowgoodadentisthewas。ButwhyhadtheauthoritiesattheCityHallwaitedthislongbeforeservingthenotice？
　　AllatonceTrinasnappedherfingers，withaquickflashofintelligence。
　　“It’sMarcusthat’sdoneit，“shecried。
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　　Itwaslikeaclapofthunder。McTeaguewasstunned，stupefied。Hesaidnothing。Neverinhislifehadhebeensotaciturn。AttimeshedidnotseemtohearTrinawhenshespoketohim，andoftenshehadtoshakehimbytheshouldertoarousehisattention。Hewouldsitapartinhis“Parlors，“turningthenoticeaboutinhisenormousclumsyfingers，readingitstupidlyoverandoveragain。Hecouldn’tunderstand。WhathadaclerkattheCityHalltodowithhim？Whycouldn’ttheylethimalone？
　　“Oh，what’stobecomeofusNOW？“wailedTrina。“What’stobecomeofusnow？We’repaupers，beggars——andallsosudden。“Andonce，inaquick，inexplicablefury，totallyunlikeanythingthatMcTeaguehadnoticedinherbefore，shehadstartedup，withfistsandteethshuttight，andhadcried，“Oh，ifyou’donlyKILLEDMarcusSchoulerthattimehefoughtyou！“