Frank Norris

Name: McTeague — Chapter 4
Author: Frank Norris

Summary

“McTeague — Chapter 4”, published in 1899, is a work by Frank Norris. It explores elements such as Marcus, McTeague and Trina.

Quotes from McTeague — Chapter 4 (Frank Norris)

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ But McTeague suffered miserably for all that. He never would have Trina, he saw that clearly. She was too good for him; too delicate, too refined, too prettily made for him, who was so coarse, so enormous, so stupid. She was for someone else--Marcus, no doubt--or at least for some finer-grained man. She should have gone to some other dentist; the young fellow on the corner, for instance, the poser, the rider of bicycles, the courser of grey-hounds. McTeague began to loathe and to envy this fellow. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ There were actually tears in Marcus's eyes as he spoke. There was no doubt he thought himself sincere. At that moment he almost believed he loved Trina conscientiously, that he was sacrificing himself for the sake of his friend. The two stood up and faced each other, gripping hands. It was a great moment; even McTeague felt the drama of it. What a fine thing was this friendship between men! the dentist treats his friend for an ulcerated tooth and refuses payment; the friend reciprocates by giving up his girl. This was nobility. Their mutual affection and esteem suddenly increased enormously. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ The dentist rose to his feet, stumbling about among the dogs, his face working, his eyes starting. Try as he would, he could not stretch his jaws wide enough to slip the ball out. Marcus lost his wits, swearing at the top of his voice. McTeague sweated with terror; inarticulate sounds came from his crammed mouth; he waved his arms wildly; all the four dogs caught the excitement and began to bark. A waiter rushed in, the two billiard players returned, a little crowd formed. There was a veritable scene.
All at once the ball slipped out of McTeague's jaws as easily as it had gone in. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ Marcus was thinking hard. He could see very clearly that McTeague loved Trina more than he did; that in some strange way this huge, brutal fellow was capable of a greater passion than himself, who was twice as clever. Suddenly Marcus jumped impetuously to a resolution.
"Well, say, Mac," he cried, striking the table with his fist, "go ahead. I guess you--you want her pretty bad. I'll pull out; yes, I will. I'll give her up to you, old man."
The sense of his own magnanimity all at once overcame Marcus. He saw himself as another man, very noble, self-sacrificing ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ Ten minutes after his renunciation of Trina Sieppe, Marcus astounded McTeague with a tremendous feat.
"Looka here, Mac. I know somethun you can't do. I'll bet you two bits I'll stump you." They each put a quarter on the table. "Now watch me," cried Marcus. He caught up a billiard ball from the rack, poised it a moment in front of his face, then with a sudden, horrifying distension of his jaws crammed it into his mouth, and shut his lips over it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ McTeague had followed him to the yard to keep him company. Alexander settled to his supper at once, chewing vigorously at the biscuit, his head on one side.
"What you going to do about this--about that--about--about my cousin now, Mac?" inquired Marcus.
McTeague shook his head helplessly. It was dark by now and cold. The little back yard was grimy and full of odors. McTeague was tired with their long walk. All his uneasiness about his affair with Trina had returned. No, surely she was not for him. Marcus or some other man would win her in the end. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ He liked her immensely. Some day he would speak; he would ask her to marry him. Marcus put off this matter of marriage to some future period; it would be some time--a year, perhaps, or two. The thing did not take definite shape in his mind. Marcus "kept company" with his cousin Trina, but he knew plenty of other girls. For the matter of that, he liked all girls pretty well. Just now the singleness and strength of McTeague's passion startled him. McTeague would marry Trina that very afternoon if she would have him; but would he--Marcus? ”

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Source: Wikisource

Frank Norris, McTeague — Chapter 4 (1899)

“ I wouldn't 'a' had ut happen for anything, if I could 'a' stopped it, but I don' know, it's something that's just stronger than you are, that's all. She came there--Miss Sieppe came to the parlors there three or four times a week, and she was the first girl I had ever known,--and you don' know! ”

Frank Norris

Summary

Quotes from McTeague — Chapter 4 (Frank Norris)

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