smiled "at" somebody or smiled "in" somebody?

[Seraph_l_Gabriel]

Recently I read a book, there were a simple sentence in a short story that confused me with the strange structure. The story title is the "Cask of Amontillado", narrated by Edgar Allan Poe.

The context is quoted for your reference:

"I accepted the thousand injuries done to me by Fortunato, but when he insulted me, I wanted revenge.

I said nothing, of course. That is why I am. I would have my revenge, but I would not put myself in danger. I would punish Fortunado. He would know that I caused his suffering, but no one else would know. I smiled in his face. No one would think that I hated him. I smiled pleasantly in his face. I was thinking of him on fire."

The sentences in red immediately aroused my curiosity, and even confusion. After looking up both Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, I was pretty sure that the usage of the verb "smile" is supposed to be expressed in the following way:

Smile at someone/something

Meaning: to make a smile appear on your face

E.g. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

Throughout the dictionary, other explanation concerning "smile", such as "smile on someone/something", are not suitable for the preceding expression.

I could fully understand the meaning of those sentences, either in English or Chinese; nevertheless, is the expression satisfied? Or the sentences are just common mistakes?

Please feel free to give your opinions, better translation, and other striking thought. Reference data and examples should be provided. Assert yourself!

Thanks in advance.

[Prezbucky]

I think that Poe wanted to show an aspect of taunting in the character's smile.

To this day, when a shot is blocked in a basketball game, the one who blocked may be heard taunting the shooter by saying "in your face".

"in his/her/your face", I think, carries with it an implied sense of menace, intimidation, etc.
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