Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Chapter 15 Page 13

“They began to talk; their conversation eased me completely: frivolous, mercenary, heartless, and senseless, it was rather calculated to weary than enrage a listener. A card of mine lay on the table; this being perceived, brought my name under discussion. Neither of them possessed energy or wit to belabour me soundly, but they insulted me as coarsely as they could in their little way: especially C�line, who even waxed rather brilliant on my personal defects — deformities she termed them. Now it had been her custom to launch out into fervent admiration of what she called my ‘beaut� m�le:’ wherein she differed diametrically from you, who told me point-blank, at the second interview, that you did not think me handsome.

The contrast struck me at the time and — ”