If he attempted to defend himself, or to deny the facts, she was, in that event, to refer him to me.
The writing style of Mr. Bruff just really matches his occupation, direct and clear. And often we can ask just like this sentence, he writes as what a lawyer would say at work, such as "attempt," "defend," and "deny," etc.
“Suppose anything you please, Miss Clack, it wouldn’t shake my belief in Rachel Verinder by a hair’s-breadth.”
Mr. Bruff believes Miss Rachel just like Betteredge and the Lady does.
Mr. Bruff looked surprised to see me. He is the family solicitor, and we had met more than once, on previous occasions, under Lady Verinder’s roof. A man, I grieve to say, grown old and grizzled in the service of the world. A man who, in his hours of business, was the chosen prophet of Law and Mammon; and who, in his hours of leisure, was equally capable of reading a novel and of tearing up a tract.
No one seems to be praise by Miss Clack besides Mr. Godfrey
The sublime
Greatness beyond comprehension. The sublime was a concept heavily discussed in English art and philosophy in the century preceding the writing of The Moonstone. Much like the intoxication of opium, the mystery of the Moonstone cannot be explained through calculations or logical argumentation. It's not Law - I think Mr.Bruff's presence in the scene serves as a great foil here. The mystery can only be solved through experience, not deduction.
Time would show; and Mr. Bruff was willing to wait for time.
Given his physical condition, Ezra does not have the luxury of waiting for time. Same goes for Franklin, who is the accused. There is a certain distinction of privilege between those who are able to wait for time and those who aren't. It should be pointed out that those of English disposition are willing to wait patiently, while the 'foreign' characters are taking an active approach to the investigation. Is this a critique of passivity in Victorian English society - that people had become all too content to "wait for time" in times of urgency?
She was obstinate; she was wrong. She was interesting; she was admirable; she was deeply to be pitied
It’s quite intriguing how he diversely describes Rachel. It shows his fluctuating views on women, where at most times, he sees or deems women unworthy of making their own decisions.
throw herself away on Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite.
It’s worth noting how Bruff seems to act like he has control on how Rachel should pursue a relationship.
in my experience of the fair sex, not one in a thousand of them is competent to do
Similar to Betteredge, Bruff also views women with lower expectations.
And there you have the statement of my claims to fill the position which I occupy in these pages.
the clarity of the voice! the previous two narrators were marked by meandering storylines, personal tangents, and overall lack of self-awareness. as indicated even within the first couple paragraphs, mr. bruff, as a lawyer/solicitor, will likely keep only what's relevant and be much more careful with his wording/cognizant of his biases
This absolute self-dependence is a great virtue in a man. In a woman it has a serious drawback of morally separating her from the mass of her sex, and so exposing her to misconstruction by the general opinion
Once again not the best view of women, but at least this is different from the other critiques of Rachel's femininity that we've seen.
Quite indefensible, I admit–an act of tyranny, and nothing less. Like other tyrants, I carried my point
Bruff is pretty ruthless. It's interesting to see how while he's not the devil incarnate like Clack described him, he's certainly a no nonsense do what it takes business man at his core
The location has been identified as Bruff, Co. Limerick, along the current R516, GPS 52.4771388,-8.5476751. Compare Google Street View image.