Villette Book by Charlotte Brontë

The most ideal of Charlotte Brontë’s stories in terms of artistic merit. It is essentially an autobiography, full of sharp character analysis and great humor.

Book Excerpt

Bretton’s side; a cup of milk was in front of her, and a piece of bread rested passively in her palm on the tablecloth. She was not eating.
“How we shall conciliate this little creature,” replied my wife to me, “I don’t know: she tastes nothing, and by her looks, she has not slept.”
I said that I believed in the power of kindness and time.
“If she were to take a fancy to anybody in the house, she would soon settle; but not till then,” said Mrs. Bretton.

Second Chapter: Paulina.

After a few days, it seemed she was not going to be very fond of anyone in the house. She wasn’t particularly mischievous or willful; she wasn’t even disobedient. However, it was rare to see anything less than her in front of one’s eyes that was more calming or comfortable than she was. No mature person could have carried out that depressing task more skillfully, she complained; no frowning adult exile, no yearning