Her smile was not unmischievous.
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Did Pynchon use double negatives because he didn't want to imply that her smile was mischievous; it's just that it wasn't not that? This construction hints that it could have been but you can't really be sure? Or is this construction simply Pynchon being not unmischievous?
I suppose we're supposed to realize she's not being purposefully rude; she's simply having some fun with this kid. Perhaps flirting? I would be more confident if I knew how people flirted in 1893 but I don't even know how they flirt in 2021.
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