Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 4
He strove to shelter her, as a fair exotic is sheltered by the gardener, from every rougher wind and to surround her with all that could tend to excite pleasurable emotion in her soft and benevolent mind.
Se esforzó por protegerla, como una hermosa planta exótica es protegida por el jardinero, de todo viento más áspero, y por rodearla de todo aquello que pudiera tender a despertar emociones placenteras en su tierna y benevolente mente.
Her health, and even the tranquillity of her hitherto constant spirit, had been shaken by what she had gone through.
Su salud, e incluso la tranquilidad de su hasta entonces constante espíritu, habían sido sacudidas por todo lo que había atravesado.
During the two years that had elapsed previous to their marriage my father had gradually relinquished all his public functions; and immediately after their union they sought the pleasant climate of Italy, and the change of scene and interest attendant on a tour through that land of wonders, as a restorative for her weakened frame.
Durante los dos años transcurridos antes de su matrimonio, mi padre había abandonado gradualmente todas sus funciones públicas; e inmediatamente después de su unión buscaron el agradable clima de Italia, y el cambio de paisaje e interés que conlleva un recorrido por esa tierra de maravillas, como remedio restaurador para su debilitada constitución.
From Italy they visited Germany and France.
Desde Italia visitaron Alemania y Francia.
I, their eldest child, was born at Naples, and as an infant accompanied them in their rambles.
Yo, su hijo mayor, nací en Nápoles, y de pequeño los acompañé en sus correrías.
I remained for several years their only child.
Durante varios años fui su único hijo.
Much as they were attached to each other, they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love to bestow them upon me.
Por mucho que estuvieran unidos el uno al otro, parecían extraer inagotables reservas de afecto de una auténtica mina de amor para prodigarlos en mí.
My mother's tender caresses and my father's smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me are my first recollections.
Las tiernas caricias de mi madre y la sonrisa de benevolente placer de mi padre al mirarme son mis primeros recuerdos.
I was their plaything and their idol, and something better—their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me.
Era su juguete y su ídolo, y algo mejor aún: su hijo, la inocente e indefensa criatura que el Cielo les había concedido, a quien debían criar en el bien, y cuyo destino futuro estaba en sus manos encaminar hacia la felicidad o la desgracia, según cumplieran sus deberes hacia mí.
Vocabulary
- esforzó
- Made an effort, tried hard to do something
- protegerla
- To protect her from harm or danger
- hermosa
- Beautiful, lovely in appearance
- planta
- Plant; a living organism that grows
- exótica
- Exotic, foreign, unusual in origin or character
- protegida
- Protected, kept safe from harm
- jardinero
- Gardener, person who tends a garden
- viento
- Wind, moving air current
- áspero
- Harsh, rough, unpleasant to endure
- rodearla
- To surround her with something protective
- aquello
- That thing, referring to something previously mentioned
- pudiera
- Could, might; subjunctive of poder
- tender
- To tend toward, incline to something
- despertar
- To awaken, stir up emotions or feelings
- emociones
- Emotions, strong feelings experienced internally
- placenteras
- Pleasant, agreeable, enjoyable feelings or experiences
- tierna
- Tender, gentle, soft in disposition
- benevolente
- Benevolent, kind and well-meaning toward others
- mente
- Mind, the seat of thought and feeling
- salud
- Health, the condition of the body
- incluso
- Even, including something additional
- tranquilidad
- Tranquility, calmness, peace of mind
- entonces
- Then, at that time
- constante
- Constant, steady, unchanging over time
- espíritu
- Spirit, the inner nature or soul
- sacudidas
- Shaken, disturbed violently or emotionally
- atravesado
- Crossed, gone through a difficult experience
- Durante
- During, throughout a period of time
- transcurridos
- Elapsed, passed; referring to time gone by
- matrimonio
- Marriage, the union of two people
- abandonado
- Abandoned, given up or left behind
- gradualmente
- Gradually, slowly step by step
- funciones
- Functions, duties, roles one performs
- públicas
- Public, relating to society or government
- inmediatamente
- Immediately, right away without delay
- unión
- Union, joining together of two people
- buscaron
- They sought, looked for something specific
- agradable
- Pleasant, agreeable, enjoyable to experience
- clima
- Climate, typical weather of a region
- cambio
- Change, alteration from one state to another
- paisaje
- Landscape, scenery of a natural area
- interés
- Interest, curiosity or engagement in something
- conlleva
- Entails, involves or brings along something
- recorrido
- Journey, route traveled through a place
- tierra
- Land, earth, territory of a region
- maravillas
- Wonders, marvels that inspire amazement
- remedio
- Remedy, cure or solution for an ailment
- restaurador
- Restorative, something that restores health or strength
- debilitada
- Weakened, reduced in strength or vitality
- constitución
- Constitution, physical makeup or bodily health
- visitaron
- They visited, went to see a place
- mayor
- Eldest, oldest among siblings or a group
- nací
- I was born; first person past of nacer
- acompañé
- I accompanied, went along with someone
- correrías
- Wanderings, travels, roaming expeditions
- único
- Only, sole, one of a kind
- estuvieran
- Were; subjunctive past of estar
- unidos
- United, joined closely together
- parecían
- They seemed, appeared to be something
- extraer
- To extract, draw out from a source
- inagotables
- Inexhaustible, never running out or depleted
- reservas
- Reserves, stored supplies kept for later
- afecto
- Affection, warm feeling toward someone
- auténtica
- Authentic, genuine, truly real or sincere
- mina
- Mine, a rich source of something valuable
- prodigarlos
- To lavish them, give generously and abundantly
- tiernas
- Tender, gentle, affectionate in manner
- caricias
- Caresses, gentle loving touches or strokes
- sonrisa
- Smile, facial expression of happiness
- placer
- Pleasure, feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction
- mirarme
- To look at me, gaze upon me
- recuerdos
- Memories, recollections of past experiences
- juguete
- Toy, object children play with
- ídolo
- Idol, someone deeply adored and cherished
- inocente
- Innocent, free from guilt or wrongdoing
- indefensa
- Defenseless, unable to protect oneself
- criatura
- Creature, a living being especially a child
- Cielo
- Heaven, the sky or divine realm above
- concedido
- Granted, given or bestowed by a higher power
- debían
- They should, were obliged to do something
- criar
- To raise, bring up a child
- cuyo
- Whose, possessive relative pronoun
- destino
- Destiny, fate or future course of life
- futuro
- Future, time yet to come
- encaminar
- To guide, direct toward a path or goal
- felicidad
- Happiness, state of joy and contentment
- desgracia
- Misfortune, unhappiness, a state of disgrace
- según
- According to, depending on circumstances
- cumplieran
- Fulfilled, carried out duties or obligations
- deberes
- Duties, obligations one is responsible for
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