Dom Casmurro 32.9 · 32.9

The delay of contemplation

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A demora da contemplação creio que lhe deu outra idéia do meu intento; imaginou que era um pretexto para mirá-los mais de perto, com os meus olhos longos, constantes, enfiados neles, e a isto atribuo que entrassem a ficar crescidos, crescidos e sombrios, com tal expressão que...

The delay of contemplation, I believe, gave him another idea of my intent; he imagined that it was a pretext to look at them more closely, with my long, constant, fixed eyes on them, and to this I attribute that they began to become grown, grown and somber, with such expression that...

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The setting

The narrator reflects on how the delay of contemplation gave another idea of his intent, leading to the figures growing and becoming somber.

A note on this passage

The narrator believes that the delay in contemplation caused the other person to misinterpret his intent, thinking he was using it as a pretext to stare at them, which made them appear larger and more somber.

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