Mr. Rochester had sometimes read my unspoken thoughts with an acumen to me incomprehensible: in the present instance he took no notice of my abrupt vocal response; but he smiled at me with a certain smile he had of his own, and which he used but on rare occasions. He seemed to think too good for common purpose: it was the real sunshine of feeling – he shed it over me now.
– Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre, Chapter 22. Jane’s thoughts about Rochester as they meet at the stile – she has just returned from visiting her dying aunt, and he from a trip to buy a new carriage. There is brief banter between them and Jane describes how Rochester gives her a smile he reserves for people he considers special. She likens it metaphorically to shedding sunshine over her. This is an incredibly romantic passage indicating the love bond that has grown between Rochester and Jane.