Cranford — Page 5

English → Spanish CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

When Mrs Forrester, for instance, gave a party in her baby-house of a dwelling, and the little maiden disturbed the ladies on the sofa by a request that she might get the tea-tray out from underneath, everyone took this novel proceeding as the most natural thing in the world, and talked on about household forms and ceremonies as if we all believed that our hostess had a regular servants' hall, second table, with housekeeper and steward, instead of the one little charity-school maiden, whose short ruddy arms could never have been strong enough to carry the tray upstairs, if she had not been assisted in private by her mistress, who now sat in state, pretending not to know what cakes were sent up, though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been busy all the morning making tea-bread and sponge-cakes.

Cuando la señora Forrester, por ejemplo, daba una fiesta en su diminuta vivienda, y la pequeña criada molestaba a las damas del sofá con la petición de poder sacar la bandeja del té de debajo, todos tomaban este novedoso proceder como la cosa más natural del mundo, y seguían hablando sobre formas y ceremonias del hogar como si todos creyéramos que nuestra anfitriona contaba con un salón de servicio regular, mesa de segunda, con ama de llaves y mayordomo, en lugar de la única y pequeña criada de la escuela de caridad, cuyos cortos y rubicundos brazos nunca habrían sido lo bastante fuertes para subir la bandeja por las escaleras, si no hubiera sido ayudada en privado por su señora, quien ahora estaba sentada con toda solemnidad, fingiendo no saber qué pasteles habían sido enviados, aunque ella lo sabía, y nosotros lo sabíamos, y ella sabía que nosotros lo sabíamos, y nosotros sabíamos que ella sabía que nosotros lo sabíamos, que había estado ocupada toda la mañana haciendo pan de té y bizcochos.

There were one or two consequences arising from this general but unacknowledged poverty, and this very much acknowledged gentility, which were not amiss, and which might be introduced into many circles of society to their great improvement.

Había una o dos consecuencias que surgían de esta pobreza general pero no reconocida, y de esta distinción social muy reconocida, que no eran del todo malas, y que podrían introducirse en muchos círculos de la sociedad para su gran mejora.

For instance, the inhabitants of Cranford kept early hours, and clattered home in their pattens, under the guidance of a lantern-bearer, about nine o'clock at night; and the whole town was abed and asleep by half-past ten.

Por ejemplo, los habitantes de Cranford mantenían horarios tempranos, y regresaban a casa ruidosamente con sus zuecos, bajo la guía de un portador de farol, alrededor de las nueve de la noche; y toda la ciudad estaba en cama y dormida para las diez y media.

Vocabulary

Cuando: When; at the time that.
la: The (feminine singular definite article).
señora: Woman; lady; Mrs. (title of respect).
por: By; for; through; per (preposition).
ejemplo: Example; instance or illustration.
daba: Gave; was giving (imperfect tense).
una: A; an (feminine singular indefinite article).
fiesta: Party; celebration or festive gathering.
en: In; at; on (preposition).
su: His; her; its; your (possessive adjective).
diminuta: Tiny; very small or minute.
vivienda: Dwelling; residence or living quarters.
pequeña: Small; little (feminine form).
criada: Maid; female servant or domestic helper.
molestaba: Bothered; annoyed or disturbed (imperfect).
las: The (feminine plural definite article).
damas: Ladies; women or female guests.
del: Of the; from the (contraction).
sofá: Sofa; couch or upholstered seating.
con: With; accompanied by (preposition).
petición: Request; petition or asking for something.
de: Of; from; about (preposition).
poder: Power; ability to do something.
sacar: To take out; remove or extract.
bandeja: Tray; flat serving dish or platter.
té: Tea; hot beverage made from leaves.
debajo: Under; beneath or below something.
todos: All; everyone or everything (plural).
tomaban: Took; drank (imperfect third person plural).
este: This; this one (masculine singular).
novedoso: Novel; new or innovative (adjective).
proceder: Procedure; process or way of doing.
como: As; like; how (conjunction/preposition).
cosa: Thing; object or matter.
más: More; greater in quantity or degree.
natural: Natural; normal or unforced.
mundo: World; earth or all people.
seguían: Continued; kept on or followed (imperfect).
hablando: Speaking; talking or conversing.
sobre: About; concerning or on top of.
formas: Forms; shapes or ways of being.
ceremonias: Ceremonies; formal rites or proceedings.
hogar: Home; household or dwelling place.
si: If; in case that (conditional).
creyéramos: Believed; would believe (imperfect subjunctive).
que: That; which (relative pronoun).
nuestra: Our; belonging to us (feminine).
anfitriona: Hostess; female host of gathering.
contaba: Counted; had or possessed (imperfect).
un: A; an (masculine singular indefinite).
salón: Drawing room; large formal sitting room.
servicio: Service; staff or set of dishes.
regular: Regular; ordinary or moderate.
mesa: Table; furniture for dining or work.
segunda: Second; next after first (feminine).
ama: Mistress; female head of household.
llaves: Keys; instruments for opening locks.
mayordomo: Butler; head male servant of house.
lugar: Place; location or position.
única: Only; sole or exclusive (feminine).
escuela: School; institution for education.
caridad: Charity; charitable giving or kindness.
cuyos: Whose; of whom (possessive relative).
cortos: Short; brief or not long.
brazos: Arms; upper limbs of body.
nunca: Never; not ever (adverb).
habrían: Would have; conditional perfect (auxiliary).
sido: Been; past participle of ser.
lo: It; the (neuter definite article).
bastante: Enough; sufficient or quite.
fuertes: Strong; having great strength.
para: For; in order to (preposition).
subir: To go up; climb or ascend.
escaleras: Stairs; steps for going up/down.
no: Not; negation (adverb).
hubiera: Would have; had (imperfect subjunctive).
ayudada: Helped; aided (feminine past participle).
privado: Private; personal or not public.

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