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176
THE TENANT
"What business is it of yours?"
"Why, none," replied he, with provoking quietness; "only," and here he raised his eyes to my face, and spoke with unusual solemnity, "only let me tell you, Markham, that if you have any designs in that quarter they will certainly fail; and it grieves me to see you cherishing false hopes, and wasting your strength in useless efforts, for—
"Hypocrite!" I exclaimed, and he held his breath, and looked very blank, turned white about the gills, and went away without another word.
I had wounded him to the quick; and I was glad of it.
