"My dear Louis, I find you strangely hostile to this poor man and his daughter—you who are always so kind and benevolent!"
"His daughter! do you call that a daughter?"
"What in the devil do you mean! do you take her for a monster?"
"I don't take her for a woman."
"My dear boy, you must have taken leave of your senses!"
"But, my dear father, what would, you call a tall, dry creature, growling and snarling, with hands and feet like a man, a face like a nut-cracker, and a nose—great heavens, what a nose!—as long as this knife, and red as a brick! But to be just, I must admit that this incomparable creature has yellow hair and black teeth."
"The portrait is not flattering; but all women cannot be equally beautiful. A kind heart is often better than a pretty face; and as for me, ugliness has always inspired me with pity."
"I will say that I was much inclined to pity her when I saw her disagreeable face at first, especially as she was condemned to live with a man as greedy as her father; but when I saw that red-nosed creature eternally nagging and growling at those two unhappy servants, measure their food, and rival with her father in avarice, my first impulse of compassion was immediately turned to aversion for that wicked red-nose. Notwithstanding my good nature, I felt a strong temptation to contradict and annoy this red-nose; but, fearing to compromise my employer's interests, I kept my peace and swallowed my rancour."
"And you are relieving your mind with a vengeance.
"Ah! what a relief, after five long days of that red-nose!"