accept defeat with a contemptuous good grace

[chong lee]

Hi,
The quote is from the story "Morlvera" by H. H. Munro.

Victor's mother made his son to take a present for Victor's cousin. Victor does not like his cousin. But for some reason he yielded.

How can one "accept defeat with a contemptuous good grace" ? It sounds containing contradiction.

Thank you.

Emmeline and Bert were just moving away from the window when Morlvera made her exit from the shop, very carefully in Victor's arms. A look of sinister triumph seemed to glow in her hard, inquisitorial face. As for Victor, a certain scornful serenity had replaced the earlier scowls; he had evidently accepted defeat with a contemptuous good grace.

 

[PaulQ]

Saki uses many oxymorons in his writing for comic effect - this is one of them. The essence of an oxymoron is that it is only apparently contradictory, but in reality it describes the situation perfectly.

He "accepted defeat with a contemptuous good grace" = "He accepted defeat with a form of good grace but it was a type of good grace that was calculated to annoy everyone else as, from his expression, it was possible to interpret his "good grace" as contempt."

 

[chong lee]

Towards to whom that contempt?

 

[PaulQ]

Towards to whom was that contempt directed?

I don't know, I have not read the story.

 

[chong lee]

So how do you know Saki's oxymorons describe situation perfectly?

 

[PaulQ]

Because I know Saki's work, I'm a great fan of his, and that is what a well-crafted oxymoron does.

 

[chong lee]

As a great fan of Saki's, maybe you prefer read(re-read) this story and help me further.
Thanks for your help so far.

Short Stories: Morlvera by Saki