Final answer:
Keller likens the transition from unawareness to contemplation to a ship emerging from the fog, which is reflected in Bess's changes observed by Venters.
Venters contemplates the innocence of Bess and her mysterious past, contributing to his preoccupation with her evolution rather than the sights she may have witnessed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason Keller says he hadn't thought about the sight she saw stems from a complex interplay of emotions, memories, and psychological states. When characters like Venters contemplate the enigma of an individual like Bess, they face a dichotomy between her innocent demeanor and her shadowy past.
This dichotomy creates a mystery that is augmented by Keller's ship and fog analogy—it symbolizes the transition from a preliterate or unaware state to one of contemplation and realization.
Venters's observations of Bess's transformation—from a masked outlaw with a secret to a girl whose facial transformation symbolizes a cleansing of her past—reveals a critical narrative about personal growth and redemption. Pairing the physical change with his internal struggle,
Venters reflects on the innocence he perceives in Bess despite knowing the reality of her past with Oldring. It is this internal conflict and the gradual change in Bess that preoccupy his thoughts, drawing his attention away from fully considering the sights she may have seen.