Entre irónicos /no hay para qué

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

OK. In context:

[...]el indígena le ofrecía en venta una cabeza de hombre, curiosamente reducida, que traía en la mano.

[...]

Mr. Taylor contempló con deleite durante un buen rato su curiosa adquisición. El mayor goce estético lo extraía de contar, uno por uno, los pelos de la barba y el bigote, y de ver de frente el par de ojillos entre irónicos que parecían sonreírle agradecidos por aquella deferencia.

Although I still find the use of "entre irónicos" without a complement very strange, I think it's a subtle ellipsis, where Monterroso avoids mentioning the fact that the "little eyes" belong to a dead head. It could be easy to imagine something like "entre irónicos y muertos", for example. (I think the use of "entre" here could be also expressed by "casi".)
Since Mr. Taylor has established some sort of relationship with the head, he attributed expressions to it like irony, a smile and gratitude for "making eye contact" with it. (I think this also adds to the answer about the use of the word "deferencia", that has been posted in another thread).

[JPablo]

I tend to agree with Angélica. (I rather consider the original Spanish a bit flawed on this sentence, as no Spanish native speaker will get it at first glance... much less checking the dictionary...)

The 'subtle' ellipsis theory seems the only way to 'justify it'.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Pablo: Right. Monterroso is not an author who would make a mistake. If there is no "error de imprenta", that's the explanation I find to it.

[JPablo]

Well, I was about to simply acknowledge what you say, but in looking further, or on a second thought, it seems that the "error de imprenta" (a minor one) could be the best explanation.

entre- Elemento prefijo correspondiente a «entre». ¤ Expresa situación intermedia: ‘entretela, entrecubierta, entrepierna’. ¤ Calidad intermedia: ‘entrefino’. ¤ Acción que se realiza incompletamente: ‘entrever’. ¤ Mezcla o combinación de cosas: ‘entretejer’.

I.e., the word would be "entreirónicos" (as you mention on the "casi" option)

"Ojos entreirónicos" then, would mean "eyes that were somewhat ironic/sarcastic looking".

It seems to me that that would be the more plausible explanation.

[katerina]

Gracias por su ayuda preciosa.Creo que las exlanaciones que me han dado ,(si exclusimos el "error de prensa" ) van bien con el sentido que yo habia elegido por instinto.Es decir ojos casi irónicos , o poquito sarcasticos.

[JPablo]

De nada, Katerina. (Buen ejercicio para nosotros... o por lo menos para mí.)