Final answer:
Verbal irony is used in the text to hint at a darker outcome, creating tension and suspense through foreshadowing.
Explanation:
Verbal irony is the discrepancy between words and their meaning. In the excerpt provided, the author's use of verbal irony is evident when the character states, 'the cough is a mere Nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.' The irony lies in the fact that while the character dismisses the cough as insignificant, the reader knows it foreshadows a more serious outcome. Foreshadowing is employed here to create tension and suspense, as the reader can anticipate the character's fate. This verbal irony serves to ironic effect emphasizes the character's ignorance or refusal to acknowledge the impending danger.
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