She had been crying after a routine row with her mother and, as had happened on former occasions, had not wished me to see her swollen eyes: she had one of those tender complexions that after a good cry get all blurred and inflamed, and morbidly alluring. I regretted keenly her mistake about my private aesthetics, for I simply love that tinge of Botticellian pink {3}, that raw rose about the lips, those wet, matted eyelashes; and, naturally, her bashful whim deprived me of many opportunities of specious consolation.
In this passage, the narrator describes a moment of vulnerability experienced by a young woman after a conflict with her mother. Although she has been crying, she tries to hide her swollen eyes from the narrator, revealing a sense of shame about her appearance. This reaction highlights her sensitivity and the complex nature of their relationship.
The narrator expresses a deep appreciation for her emotional state, finding beauty in her flushed cheeks and tear-stained features. His regret about her desire to conceal her vulnerability suggests a longing for a more genuine connection where he could provide comfort. This internal conflict emphasizes the themes of desire and the intricacies of human emotions in Nabokov's work.
