--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But her eyes would look cold, though her…" description: "\"“But her eyes would look cold, though her voice might be gentle, and her hand when it fondled would be tentative, unwilling. The hand would be making a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/radclyffe-hall-13929_lovely-face_but-her-eyes-would-look-cold-though-her_2219990.jpg" --- # But her eyes would look cold, though her voice might be… ![“But her eyes would look cold, though her voice might be gentle, and her hand when it fondled would be tentative, unwilling. The hand would be making an effort to fondle, and Stephen would be conscious of that effort. Then looking up at the calm, lovely face, Stephen would be filled with a sudden…” quote by Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/radclyffe-hall-13929_lovely-face_but-her-eyes-would-look-cold-though-her_2219990.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/radclyffe-hall-13929_lovely-face_but-her-eyes-would-look-cold-though-her_2219990.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/radclyffe-hall-13929_lovely-face_but-her-eyes-would-look-cold-though-her_2219990.jpg) > ““But her eyes would look cold, though her voice might be gentle, and her hand when it fondled would be tentative, unwilling. The hand would be making an effort to fondle, and Stephen would be conscious of that effort. Then looking up at the calm, lovely face, Stephen would be filled with a sudden contrition, with a sudden deep sense of her own shortcomings; she would long to blurt all this out to her mother, yet would stand there tongue-tied, saying nothing at all.”” [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stephen feels conflicted admiration and guilt when observing a woman’s tentative affection, revealing deep insecurity and the struggle to express emotions. **In simple terms:** Stephen is conflicted and feels guilty about his feelings. Key Takeaway Recognize and address hidden insecurities. Themes insecurity affection communication guilt self‑reflection Mood reflective melancholic introspective Type literary emotional psychological When to use this quote - personal relationships - coming‑identification - conflict resolution - self‑awareness Key Concepts gender identity emotional intimacy social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do societal expectations shape personal guilt? - What steps can help express difficult emotions? A Different Perspective His internal conflict may be rooted in societal pressures, not just personal flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Lovely face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovely-face/) [Making An Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-an-effort/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) ## Related quotes > [“She fondled, cradled, pacified and hushed the wounded heart to slumber by constantly saying, It’s over. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/as-usual-the-fickle-unreasoning-world-took-muff-potter-to-its-bosom/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“I do not know that Lady Glencora's heart was made of that stern stuff which refuses to change its impressions; but it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-do-not-know-that-lady-glencora-s-heart-was-made-of-that-stern-stuff/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“I am always there. But they don't care if I am because I am furniture. I don't get hit I don't get fondled I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalia-chaltas/i-am-always-there-but-they-don-t-care-if-i-am-because-i-am-furniture/) [Thalia Chaltas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalia-chaltas/) > [“He fondled that sublime bundle of nerves with his tongue,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-carven/he-fondled-that-sublime-bundle-of-nerves-with-his-tongue/) [Anna Carven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-carven/) > [“DONT praise her lovely EYES, UNLESS you have a LOVELY FACE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaikh-mustafa/dont-praise-her-lovely-eyes-unless-you-have-a-lovely-face/) [shaikh mustafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaikh-mustafa/) > [Relationship does Not Need cute voice nd lovely faces… Its just a needs A Beautiful responsible heart with affection..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/relationship-does-not-need-cute-voice-nd-lovely-faces-its-just-a/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Relation does not need cute voice and lovely face…!! ...!! It just need a Beautiful and Responsive Heart with total attention and Affection ¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/relation-does-not-need-cute-voice-and-lovely-face-it-just-need-a/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [“Love is so different here In another hemisphere All I can do is sit and stare at your lovely, Stare at your lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-so-different-here-in-another-hemisphere-all-i-can-do-is-sit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give up the struggle and the fight; relax in the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus; look up into His lovely face and as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-redpath/give-up-the-struggle-and-the-fight-relax-in-the-omnipotence-of-the/) [Alan Redpath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-redpath/) > [“She could not have created this moment, these lovely faces, these candles flickering, the flash of the silverware, the fragrances of the food hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/she-could-not-have-created-this-moment-these-lovely-faces-these/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [She has a lovely face; God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/she-has-a-lovely-face-god-in-his-mercy-lend-her-grace-the-lady-of/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [“Lalla Ruk Dearest dream, my soul's enchantment Lovely guest from heav'n above, Most benevolent attender To the earthly realm below, You gave me blissful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-zhukovsky/lalla-ruk-dearest-dream-my-soul-s-enchantment-lovely-guest-from-heav/) Vasily Zhukovsky > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More by Radclyffe Hall > [“this thing seems more dreadful than anything else that has ever happened, more utterly dreadful — but you’ll find that it will pass and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/this-thing-seems-more-dreadful-than-anything-else-that-has-ever/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [Language is surely too small a vessel to contain these emotions of mind and body that have somehow awakened a response in the spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/language-is-surely-too-small-a-vessel-to-contain-these-emotions-of/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [“Stephen, why are you shivering?' 'I don't know, my darling.' 'Mary, why are you crying?' 'I don't know, Stephen.' p424”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/stephen-why-are-you-shivering-i-don-t-know-my-darling-mary-why-are/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [“Man could not live by darkness alone, one point of light he must have for salvation – one point of light. 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Very few of them can behave like gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/a-great-many-women-can-feel-and-behave-like-men-very-few-of-them-can/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [“Strange it is, but unforgettable moments are often connected with very small happenings, happenings that assume fictitious proportions, especially”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/strange-it-is-but-unforgettable-moments-are-often-connected-with-very/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) [Explore all 48 Radclyffe Hall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. 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