There were always in me, two women at least, one woman desperate and bewildered, who felt she was drowning and another who would leap into a scene, as upon a stage, conceal her true emotions because they were weaknesses, helplessness, despair, and present to the world only a smile, an eagerness, curiosity, enthusiasm, interest.

This quote is talking about a person who is dealing with a lot of emotion that they don’t want to show the world. The person is feeling overwhelmed, desperate, and confused, but they don’t let anyone see that. Instead, they present a “smile, an eagerness, curiosity, [and] enthusiasm” to disguise their real feelings. This quote is describing people who have to present a false version of themselves to cope with difficult situations.