half-painful

He had always felt an odd tug at his heart at the thought of Alicante, the half-painful hope that his family would return one day to the place where they belonged.

City of Glass

He had always felt an odd tug at his heart at the thought of Alicante, the half-painful hope that his family would return one day to the place where they belonged.

Cassandra Clare: The Mortal Instrument Series

He talked to me of London in a tone of half-painful reminiscence, asking all kinds of questions about changes that had taken place.

The Island of Doctor Moreau

On the white lid and dark lashes of her downcast eye, trembled all that is graceful in the sense of half-painful half-pleasing shame.

Shirley, by Charlotte Bronte

“I will soon explain to what these feelings tended, but allow me now to return to the cottagers, whose story excited in me such various feelings of indignation, delight, and wonder, but which all terminated in additional love and reverence for my protectors (for so I loved, in an innocent, half-painful self-deceit, to call them).”

Frankenstein

Without it, he looked younger; underneath were shock, surprise, and a dawning expression of half-painful eagerness.

Drums of Autumn

I could feel my heart beat slowly, and the half-painful throb of blood in my fingers.

Drums of Autumn

He made a small sound of half-painful content, and rolled slowly onto his back, letting his legs sprawl loosely outward, half-covered by my cloak.

Dragonfly in Amber

Staring out into the darkness, Sherston's stormy, eager heart began to quiver with longing, with regret, and with the half-painful rapture of anticipation.

Defenders of Democracy; contributions from representative men and women of letters and other arts from our allies and our own country, edited by the Gift book committee of the Militia of Mercy

I remembered with a pang, half-proud, half-painful, how, so many years ago, I had walked over the same path and felt round my finger the soft pressure of a little hand that was one day to harden with faithful grip of saber.

On a Certain Condescension in Foreigners