Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [1110]

John did not hear; he was staring raptly at Emma. “I thought we might go to Canada on the honeymoon, if we are married in June, of course.” Mosquitoes the size of quails filled my inner eye, not to mention gnats as big as rooks, circling carrion—if rooks eat flesh. Poor Emma. But now it is all out of my hands. I am simply an onlooker. — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 1110

Note

The phrase ‘staring raptly’ conveys John’s intense admiration, showing his affection for Emma while also underscoring the theme of social observation and interaction. This act of gazing is imbued with emotional tension, revealing layers of connection and expectation.