Vanity Fair

dreary and ludicrous,

being shot dead by a glance of her eyes

The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.

Well, he is a lofty man of genius, and admires the great and heroic in life and novels;

she had a pair of eyes which sparkled with the brightest and honestest good-humour, except indeed when they filled with tears, and that was a great deal too often; for the silly thing would cry over a dead canary-bird; or over a mouse, that the cat haply had seized upon; or over the end of a novel, were it ever so stupid; and as for saying an unkind word to her, were any persons hardhearted enough to do so—why, so much the worse for them.

He hurried upstairs to Amelia in the highest spirits. What was it that made him more attentive to her on that night than he had been for a long time—more eager to amuse her, more tender, more brilliant in talk? Was it that his generous heart warmed to her at the prospect of misfortune; or that the idea of losing the dear little prize made him value it more?

He was seen lighting his cigar with one, to the horror of Captain Dobbin, who, it is my belief, would have given a banknote for the document.

equal to you in intelligence or breeding

There was always the best understanding between the servants at the Rectory and the Hall.

I did not sleep one single wink the whole night.