As
soon as he heard her come in, he laid down the plaster-of-paris mould
he was making and went out into the kitchen and found her chopping up
onions.
"Well, Trina," he said, "we got that house. I've taken it."
"What do you mean?" she answered, quickly. The dentist told her.
"And you signed a paper for the first month's rent?"
"Sure, sure. That's business, you know."
"Well, why did you DO it?" cried Trina. "You might have asked ME
something about it. Now, what have you done? I was talking with Mrs.
Ryer about that house while I was out this morning, and she said the
Hungarians moved out because it was absolutely unhealthy; there's water
been standing in the basement for months. And she told me, too," Trina
went on indignantly, "that she knew the owner, and she was sure we could
get the house for thirty if we'd bargain for it. Now what have you gone
and done? I hadn't made up my mind about taking the house at all. And
now I WON'T take it, with the water in the basement and all."
"Well--well," stammered McTeague, helplessly, "we needn't go in if it's
unhealthy."
"But you've signed a PAPER," cried Trina, exasperated. "You've got
to pay that first month's rent, anyhow--to forfeit it.
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