He perceived that the odd position of this last object had attracted my notice.
"Vanity and I have parted company," he explained; "I shrink from myself when I look at myself now.

The ugliest man living--if he has got his hearing--is a more agreeable man in society than I am.

Does this wretched place disgust you ?" He pushed a pencil and some sheets of writing-paper across the table to me.

I wrote my reply: "The place makes me sorry for you." He shook his head.

"Your sympathy is thrown away on me.