Could I have judged, indeed, by the wild overstrained air of vivacity with which he hearkened, or apparently hearkened, to the words of the tale, I might well have congratulated myself upon the success of my design.
A giudicarne dall'aria d'interesse stranamente profondo con cui ascoltava, o fingeva d'ascoltare le frasi del racconto, avrei potuto felicitarmi del successo del mio strattagemma.