How we cite our quotes: Collins doesn't use traditional chapters in The Moonstone, so the citations are a little trickier than in other Victorian novels. Citations follow this format: (Period.Narrative.Chapter.Paragraph).
Quote #4
You have heard of beautiful young ladies falling in love at first sight, and have thought it natural enough. But a housemaid out of a reformatory, with a plain face and a deformed shoulder, falling in love, at first sight, with a gentleman who comes on a visit to her mistress's house, match me that, in the way of an absurdity, out of any story-book in Christendom, if you can! I laughed till the tears rolled down my cheeks. (1.1.7.7)
Betteredge thinks that it's just beyond absurd that an unattractive servant girl should fall in love with a gentleman. He thinks falling in love is only the business of "beautiful young ladies."
Quote #5
'I never knew you cruel before, father,' she said, very gently, and went out. My girl's words fell upon me like a splash of cold water. I was savage with myself, for feeling uneasy in myself the moment she had spoken them—but so it was. (1.1.7.7-8)
Penelope, Betteredge's daughter, doesn't think that it's all that unnatural for an unattractive servant girl to fall in love with a gentleman. She certainly doesn't think it's a laughing matter. She even thinks her father is "cruel" to laugh at Rosanna for falling in love with a rich man when she's only a servant.
Quote #6
Gentlefolks in general have a very awkward rock ahead in life—the rock ahead of their own idleness. Their lives being, for the most part, passed in looking about them for something to do, it is curious to see—especially when their tastes are of what is called the intellectual sort—how often they drift blindfold into some nasty pursuit. (1.1.8.10)
Betteredge has spent his entire life as a servant in the Verinders' house, so he's seen a lot of "gentlefolks," or people who are rich enough that they don't need to work for a living. And he has noticed a general trend: people who don't need to work have a lot of time on their hands, and they tend to fill it with strange and often "nasty" hobbies.