half-malignant

Updated: June 16, 2025

This laughing-stock was the retired vermicelli-merchant, Father Goriot, upon whose face a painter, like the historian, would have concentrated all the light in his picture. How had it come about that the boarders regarded him with a half-malignant contempt?

Honoré de Balzac - Father Goriot

But I know that he would like very much to extract from me some intimation that there is something under the sun I should like to do. I catch myself in the act of taking heaven forgive me! a half-malignant joy in confounding his expectations leading his generous sympathies off the scent by giving him momentary glimpses of my latent wickedness.

- Stories by American Authors, Volume 5