← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 10

English → De Preface Level 7/10

He had already bought a farm with his money, on which he had designed to pass the remainder of his life; but he bestowed the whole on his rival, together with the remains of his prize-money to purchase stock, and then himself solicited the young woman's father to consent to her marriage with her lover.

Er hatte bereits mit seinem Geld einen Bauernhof gekauft, auf dem er den Rest seines Lebens zu verbringen gedacht hatte; aber er schenkte alles seinem Rivalen, zusammen mit dem Rest seines Preisgeldes, um Vieh zu kaufen, und bat dann selbst den Vater der jungen Frau, seiner Heirat mit ihrem Geliebten zuzustimmen.

But the old man decidedly refused, thinking himself bound in honour to my friend, who, when he found the father inexorable, quitted his country, nor returned until he heard that his former mistress was married according to her inclinations.

Aber der alte Mann lehnte entschieden ab, da er sich meinem Freund gegenüber ehrenhaft verpflichtet fühlte, der, als er den Vater unerbittlich fand, sein Land verließ und erst zurückkehrte, als er hörte, dass seine frühere Geliebte nach ihren Neigungen geheiratet hatte.

He is so; but then he is wholly uneducated: he is as silent as a Turk, and a kind of ignorant carelessness attends him, which, while it renders his conduct the more astonishing, detracts from the interest and sympathy which otherwise he would command.

Das ist er; aber dann ist er völlig ungebildet: er ist so schweigsam wie ein Türke, und eine Art unwissende Gleichgültigkeit begleitet ihn, die, während sie sein Verhalten umso erstaunlicher macht, von dem Interesse und der Sympathie ablenkt, die er sonst hervorrufen würde.

Yet do not suppose, because I complain a little or because I can conceive a consolation for my toils which I may never know, that I am wavering in my resolutions.

Doch glauben Sie nicht, weil ich ein wenig klage oder weil ich mir einen Trost für meine Mühen vorstellen kann, den ich vielleicht nie kennen werde, dass ich in meinen Entschlüssen schwanke.

Those are as fixed as fate, and my voyage is only now delayed until the weather shall permit my embarkation.

Diese sind so unabänderlich wie das Schicksal, und meine Reise wird nur jetzt verzögert, bis das Wetter meine Einschiffung erlaubt.

The winter has been dreadfully severe, but the spring promises well, and it is considered as a remarkably early season, so that perhaps I may sail sooner than I expected.

Der Winter war schrecklich streng, aber der Frühling verspricht gut zu werden, und er gilt als eine bemerkenswert frühe Jahreszeit, sodass ich vielleicht früher als erwartet absegeln kann.

Vocabulary

hatte
Had; past tense of haben (to have).
bereits
Already; previously; at an earlier time.
Geld
Money; currency or financial resources.
Bauernhof
Farm; agricultural property with buildings and land.
gekauft
Bought; past participle of kaufen (to buy).
Rest
Rest; remainder or what is left over.
Lebens
Life; genitive singular of Leben (life).
verbringen
To spend; to pass time in a place.
gedacht
Thought; past participle of denken (to think).
schenkte
Gave; past tense of schenken (to gift).
alles
Everything; all things; complete totality.
Rivalen
Rivals; competitors or adversaries in conflict.
zusammen
Together; with others; in combination.
Preisgeldes
Prize money; reward given for winning.
Vieh
Livestock; farm animals collectively.
kaufen
To buy; to purchase goods or services.
bat
Asked; past tense of bitten (to request).
dann
Then; at that time; afterward.
selbst
Self; same; oneself as emphasizer.
Vater
Father; male parent or paternal figure.
jungen
Young; youthful; dative feminine singular adjective.
Frau
Woman; wife; female person of adult age.
Heirat
Marriage; union of two people.
Geliebten
Beloved; sweetheart or loved one.
zuzustimmen
To agree to; to consent or approve.
alte
Old; advanced in age; elderly.
Mann
Man; adult male person.
lehnte
Declined; past tense of lehnen (refuse).
entschieden
Decidedly; firmly; with clear determination.
ab
Off; away; prefix or preposition.
da
There; then; at that place or time.
Freund
Friend; person with whom one has bond.
gegenüber
Opposite; across from; facing each other.
ehrenhaft
Honorable; showing integrity and moral principles.
verpflichtet
Obligated; bound by duty or responsibility.
fühlte
Felt; past tense of fühlen (to feel).
als
As; in the role of; when.
unerbittlich
Relentless; merciless; showing no compassion.
fand
Found; past tense of finden (to find).
sein
His; to be; possessive pronoun or verb.
Land
Land; country; territory or ground.
verließ
Left; past tense of verlassen (to depart).
erst
Only; first; not until some time.
zurückkehrte
Returned; past tense of zurückkehren (come back).
hörte
Heard; past tense of hören (to hear).
frühere
Former; previous; earlier in time.
Geliebte
Beloved; female sweetheart or loved one.
nach
After; according to; following.
Neigungen
Inclinations; tendencies or preferences.
geheiratet
Married; past participle of heiraten (wed).
völlig
Completely; entirely; absolutely without exception.
ungebildet
Uneducated; uncultured; lacking formal education.
so
So; as; in such a manner.
schweigsam
Taciturn; quiet; speaking very little.
wie
Like; as; in the same way as.
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