Charles Dickens

“ Bazzard."
"He must be very fond of you," said Rosa.
"He bears up against it with commendable fortitude if he is," returned Mr. Grewgious, after considering the matter. "But I doubt if he is. Not particularly so. You see, he is discontented, poor fellow."
"Why isn't he contented?" was the natural inquiry.
"Misplaced," said Mr. Grewgious, with great mystery.
Rosa's eyebrows resumed their inquisitive and perplexed expression.
"So misplaced," Mr. Grewgious went on, "that I feel constantly apologetic towards him. And he feels (though he doesn't mention it) that I have reason to be." ”

“ Your toilet must be provided for, and you shall have everything that an unlimited head chambermaid—by which expression I mean a head chamber-maid not limited as to outlay—can procure. Is that a bag?" he looked hard at it; sooth to say, it required hard looking at to be seen at all in a dimly-lighted room: "and is it your property, my dear?" "Yes, sir. I brought it with me."
"It is not an extensive bag," said Mr. Grewgious, candidly, "though admirably calculated to contain a day's provision for a canary bird. Perhaps you brought a canary bird?"
Rosa smiled, and shook her head. ”

“ Grewgious helped her to get her hat on again, and hung upon his arm the very little bag that was of no earthly use, and led her by the hand (with a certain stately awkwardness, as if he were going to walk a minuet) across Holborn, and into Furnival's Inn. At the hotel door, he confided her to the Unlimited head chambermaid, and said that while she went up to see her room, he would remain below, in case she should wish it exchanged for another, or should find that there was anything she wanted. ”

“ In short, the poor girl (for what could she know of the criminal intellect, which its own professed students perpetually misread, because they persist in trying to reconcile it with the average intellect of average men, instead of identifying it as a horrible wonder apart) , could get by no road to any other conclusion than that he was a terrible man, and must be fled from. ”

“ Rosa's expressive little eyebrows asked him what he meant?
"The sensation of having a sweet young presence in the place that whitewashes it, paints it, papers it, decorates it with gilding, and makes it Glorious!" said Mr. Grewgious. "Ah me! Ah me!"
As there was something mournful in his sigh, Rosa, in touching him with his tea-cup, ventured to touch him with her small hand too.
"Thank you, my dear," said Mr. Grewgious. "Ahem! Let's talk."
"Do you always live here, sir?" asked Rosa.
"Yes, my dear."
"And always alone?"
"Always alone ”

“ Which is the case with so many of us! You didn't say what meal, my dear. Have a nice jumble of all meals."
Rosa thanked him, but said she could only take a cup of tea. Mr. Grewgious, after several times running out, and in again, to mention such supplementary items as marmalade, eggs, water-cresses, salted fish, and frizzled ham, ran across to Furnival's without his hat, to give his various directions. And soon afterwards they were realised in practice, and the board was spread.
"Lord bless my soul!" cried Mr. Grewgious, putting the lamp upon it, and taking his seat opposite Rosa ”