He seemed to use them rather as instruments to search other people's thoughts, than as agents to reveal his own: the which combination of keenness and reserve was considerably more calculated to embarrass than to encourage.
Parevano piuttosto istrumenti atti a scrutare i pensieri degli altri, che a rivelare i suoi. La riserva di lui e la perspicacia erano fatte più per imbarazzare che per incoraggiare.