You can hardly imagine a being whose interior existence was more devoid of complexity and of mixed motives than was Coronado's.

Thus he was quite able to contemplate the possible death of Clara, and still look her calmly in the face and tell her that he loved her.
The girl returned his gaze tranquilly, because she had no suspicions of his profound wickedness.

By nature confiding and reverential, she trusted those who professed friendship, and respected those who were her elders, especially if they belonged in any manner to her own family.

Considering herself under obligations to Coronado, and not guessing that he was capable of doing her a harm, she was truly grateful to him and wished him well with all her heart.

If her eye now and then dropped under his, it was because she feared a repetition of his offer of marriage, and hated to pain him with a refusal.
The commonplaces lasted longer than the man had meant, for he could not bring himself promptly to take the leap of fate.