“Miss Fairfax is naturally so pale, as almost always to give the appearance of ill health. – A most deplorable want of complexion.”
– Jane Austen
Emma, Chapter 24. There is a great deal of irony in Frank Churchill’s statement about Jane Fairfax. He dismisses her for having a “deplorable want of complexion,” giving the impression that he has no romantic interest in her. But later in the story we discover his intimate attachment to her and their secret engagement. The quote is an example of situational irony and Frank’s deceptive behavior.