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.
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[bogdanno]

We have to take into consideration that Poe lived 150 years ago( I think) and the text is from a story. Btw I read that beautiful story.
I think the author intends to say by "I smiled in his face" that "I smiled in his presence"

It's more emphatic than "I smiled at his face" which might mean that he mockingly smile at him
He wants to suggest that he smiled every time he saw his face because he wanted to make him confident while the revenge plan was searched.
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The reader is encouraged to correct my English mistakes.

[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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