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Yes, you know enough of my frankness to believe me capable of that. After abusing you so abominably to your face, I could have no scruple in abusing you to all your relations.
Jane Austen
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The speaker is expressing that their previous harshness may extend to others in the speaker's life without hesitation.

In this quote, Jane Austen reflects on the nature of relationships and the complexities of communication. The speaker acknowledges that after being brutally honest and even abusive to someone directly, they would have no qualms about speaking similarly about that person to others, shedding light on the darker side of human interactions and the potential insincerity in relationships.

Themes

HonestyRelationshipsCommunicationAbuseFrankness

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of honesty in relationships.

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I pay very little regard...to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person.
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You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.
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She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! Alas! She must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.
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