Itwasanestegg，amonstrous，roc-likenestegg，notsolarge，however，butthatitcouldbemadelarger。AlreadybytheendofthatwinterTrinahadbeguntomakeupthedeficitoftwohundreddollarsthatshehadbeenforcedtoexpendonthepreparationsforhermarriage。
McTeague，onhispart，neveraskedhimselfnow-a-dayswhetherhelovedTrinathewifeasmuchashehadlovedTrinatheyounggirl。TherehadbeenatimewhentokissTrina，totakeherinhisarms，hadthrilledhimfromheadtoheelwithahappinessthatwasbeyondwords；eventhesmellofherwonderfulodoroushairhadsentasensationoffaintnessallthroughhim。Thattimewaslongpastnow。
Thosesuddenoutburstsofaffectiononthepartofhislittlewoman，outburststhatonlyincreasedinvehemencethelongertheylivedtogether，puzzledratherthanpleasedhim。
Hehadcometosubmittothemgood-naturedly，answeringherpassionateinquirieswitha“Sure，sure，Trina，sureIloveyou。What——what’sthematterwithyou？“
Therewasnopassioninthedentist’sregardforhiswife。