But Marcus was far from being appeased. McTeague could not hear the talk
that followed between him and the harnessmaker, but it seemed to him
that Marcus was telling Heise of some injury, some grievance, and that
the latter was trying to pacify him. All at once their talk grew louder.
Heise laid a retaining hand upon his companion's coat sleeve, but Marcus
swung himself around in his chair, and, fixing his eyes on McTeague,
cried as if in answer to some protestation on the part of Heise:
"All I know is that I've been soldiered out of five thousand dollars."
McTeague gaped at him, bewildered. He removed his pipe from his mouth
a second time, and stared at Marcus with eyes full of trouble and
perplexity.
"If I had my rights," cried Marcus, bitterly, "I'd have part of that
money. It's my due--it's only justice." The dentist still kept silence.
"If it hadn't been for me," Marcus continued, addressing himself
directly to McTeague, "you wouldn't have had a cent of it--no, not a
cent. Where's my share, I'd like to know? Where do I come in? No, I
ain't in it any more. I've been played for a sucker, an' now that you've
got all you can out of me, now that you've done me out of my girl and
out of my money, you give me the go-by.
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