«فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ نَظْرَةَ الْخَادِعِ إِلَى الْمَخْدُوعِ»
He looked at me as a deceiver looks at someone he has deceived.
Al-khādiʿ is an active participle, “the deceiver”; al-makhdūʿ is a passive participle, “the deceived.” Both are drawn from the root kh-d-ʿ, but they mark opposite roles in one act.
The comparison is a compact turning point. Al-Ḥārith had imagined himself a helpful companion and an interested literary observer. The glance makes him realize he was also a target of the manipulation.