half-propitiatory

Updated: May 20, 2025

For one of the great charms of the little village hidden under the hills was that no tourist could stay a night in it, unless he or she took one spare room there was only one at the small public-house which sneaked away up round a corner of the street under an archway of ivy, and pushed its old gables through the dark enshrouding leaves with a half-surprised, half-propitiatory air, as though somewhat ashamed of its own existence.

Marie Corelli - God's Good Man