← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 12

English → De Preface Level 7/10

I dare not expect such success, yet I cannot bear to look on the reverse of the picture.

Ich wage nicht, einen solchen Erfolg zu erwarten, und doch kann ich es nicht ertragen, auf die Kehrseite des Bildes zu blicken.

Continue for the present to write to me by every opportunity: I may receive your letters on some occasions when I need them most to support my spirits.

Schreibe mir vorerst bei jeder Gelegenheit: Es kann sein, dass ich Deine Briefe manchmal dann erhalte, wenn ich sie am meisten brauche, um meine Stimmung aufrechtzuerhalten.

I love you very tenderly.

Ich liebe Dich von ganzem Herzen.

Remember me with affection, should you never hear from me again.

Denke in Zuneigung an mich, solltest Du nie wieder von mir hören.

Your affectionate brother, Robert Walton

Dein liebevoller Bruder, Robert Walton

Letter 3

Brief 3

To Mrs. Saville, England.

An Mrs. Saville, England.

July 7th, 17—.

7. Juli, 17—.

My dear Sister,

Meine liebe Schwester,

I write a few lines in haste to say that I am safe—and well advanced on my voyage.

Ich schreibe diese wenigen Zeilen in Eile, um Dir zu sagen, dass ich wohlauf bin — und auf meiner Reise gut vorangekommen bin.

This letter will reach England by a merchantman now on its homeward voyage from Archangel; more fortunate than I, who may not see my native land, perhaps, for many years.

Dieser Brief wird England durch ein Kauffahrteischiff erreichen, das sich gerade auf seiner Heimreise von Archangel befindet; glücklicher als ich, der sein Heimatland vielleicht für viele Jahre nicht sehen wird.

I am, however, in good spirits: my men are bold and apparently firm of purpose, nor do the floating sheets of ice that continually pass us, indicating the dangers of the region towards which we are advancing, appear to dismay them.

Ich bin jedoch guter Stimmung: Meine Männer sind kühn und offenbar fest entschlossen, und die treibenden Eisschollen, die uns ständig passieren und auf die Gefahren der Region hinweisen, der wir uns nähern, scheinen sie nicht zu erschrecken.

We have already reached a very high latitude; but it is the height of summer, and although not so warm as in England, the southern gales, which blow us speedily towards those shores which I so ardently desire to attain, breathe a degree of renovating warmth which I had not expected.

Wir haben bereits einen sehr hohen Breitengrad erreicht; aber es ist Hochsommer, und obwohl es nicht so warm ist wie in England, verbreiten die südlichen Stürme, die uns rasch jenen Gestaden entgegentreiben, die ich so sehnlichst zu erreichen wünsche, eine belebende Wärme, die ich nicht erwartet hatte.

No incidents have hitherto befallen us that would make a figure in a letter.

Bisher sind uns keine Ereignisse widerfahren, die es wert wären, in einem Brief erwähnt zu werden.

Vocabulary

wage
Dare or venture to do something
solchen
Such a, of that kind or type
Erfolg
Success or a successful outcome or result
erwarten
To expect or anticipate something happening
doch
Yet, still, or nevertheless; contradictory particle
ertragen
To endure, bear, or tolerate something difficult
Kehrseite
Reverse side, downside, or flip side of something
blicken
To look, glance, or direct one's gaze
vorerst
For now, for the time being, initially
jeder
Every, each one; indefinite pronoun or article
Gelegenheit
Opportunity, occasion, or chance to do something
Briefe
Letters; plural of Brief, written correspondence
manchmal
Sometimes, occasionally, now and then
erhalte
Receive; first person singular of erhalten
meisten
Most; superlative form of viel
Stimmung
Mood, atmosphere, or emotional state
aufrechtzuerhalten
To maintain, uphold, or keep something going
ganzem
Whole, entire; dative inflected form of ganz
Herzen
Heart; dative singular or plural of Herz
Zuneigung
Affection, fondness, or warm feelings toward someone
solltest
Should; second person singular subjunctive of sollen
nie
Never; negation of time
wieder
Again, once more, back
hören
To hear or listen to something
liebevoller
Loving, affectionate; adjective used as attribute
Bruder
Brother; male sibling
Brief
Letter; written correspondence sent to someone
Juli
July; seventh month of the year
Schwester
Sister; female sibling
wenigen
Few, a small number; inflected form of wenig
Zeilen
Lines; rows of text in a letter or document
Eile
Haste, hurry; urgency in doing something quickly
wohlauf
Well, in good health; feeling fine
Reise
Journey, trip, or voyage somewhere
vorangekommen
Made progress, advanced; past participle of vorankommen
durch
Through, by means of; preposition
Kauffahrteischiff
Merchant ship used for trading and transporting goods
erreichen
To reach, attain, or arrive at a destination
gerade
Just, straight, currently, or right now
Heimreise
Return journey home, homeward voyage
befindet
Is located, finds itself; third person of befinden
glücklicher
Happier, luckier; comparative form of glücklich
Heimatland
Homeland, native country, place of origin
vielleicht
Perhaps, maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility
viele
Many, numerous; indefinite quantity adjective
Jahre
Years; plural of Jahr
jedoch
However, yet, nevertheless; concessive conjunction
Männer
Men; plural of Mann
kühn
Bold, daring, audacious in character or action
offenbar
Apparently, obviously, evidently; expressing clear observation
fest
Firm, solid, fixed, or steadfast
entschlossen
Determined, resolute, decided; past participle of entschließen
treibenden
Drifting, floating; present participle of treiben, inflected
Eisschollen
Ice floes; large floating chunks of sea ice
ständig
Constantly, continuously, all the time
passieren
To pass by, happen, or occur
Gefahren
Dangers, hazards; plural of Gefahr
Region
Region, area, or geographic zone
hinweisen
To point out, indicate, or draw attention to
nähern
To approach, draw near to something
scheinen
To seem, appear, or shine
erschrecken
To frighten, startle, or be frightened
bereits
Already, by now; indicating something has occurred
hohen
High; inflected adjective, accusative or dative form
Breitengrad
Latitude; geographic coordinate measuring north-south position
erreicht
Reached, attained; past participle of erreichen
Hochsommer
Midsummer; the peak warmest period of summer
obwohl
Although, even though; concessive subordinating conjunction
verbreiten
To spread, disseminate, or circulate something widely
südlichen
Southern; inflected adjective referring to southern direction
Stürme
Storms; plural of Sturm
rasch
Quickly, rapidly, swiftly; adverb of speed
jenen
Those; demonstrative pronoun, dative plural form
Gestaden
Shores, coasts; poetic plural of Gestade
entgegentreiben
To drift toward, be driven toward something
sehnlichst
Most longingly, most ardently; superlative of sehnlich
wünsche
Wish; first person singular of wünschen
belebende
Invigorating, enlivening; present participle of beleben
Wärme
Warmth, heat; the quality of being warm
erwartet
Expected, anticipated; past participle of erwarten
Bisher
So far, up to now, until this point
Ereignisse
Events, occurrences; plural of Ereignis
widerfahren
To befall, happen to someone; experience something unexpected
wert
Worth, deserving; adjective indicating value or merit
wären
Would be; subjunctive II plural form of sein
erwähnt
Mentioned; past participle of erwähnen
werden
To become or auxiliary for passive and future
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