Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 6
Among these there was one which attracted my mother far above all the rest.
Entre estas había una que atrajo a mi madre por encima de todas las demás.
She appeared of a different stock.
Parecía ser de una estirpe diferente.
The four others were dark-eyed, hardy little vagrants; this child was thin and very fair.
Las otras cuatro eran vagabundas pequeñas y robustas de ojos oscuros; esta niña era delgada y muy rubia.
Her hair was the brightest living gold, and despite the poverty of her clothing, seemed to set a crown of distinction on her head.
Su cabello era del más vivo oro brillante y, a pesar de la pobreza de su ropa, parecía colocar una corona de distinción sobre su cabeza.
Her brow was clear and ample, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the moulding of her face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness that none could behold her without looking on her as of a distinct species, a being heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features.
Su frente era clara y amplia, sus ojos azules sin nubes, y sus labios y el modelado de su rostro tan expresivos de sensibilidad y dulzura que nadie podía contemplarla sin verla como de una especie distinta, un ser enviado del cielo, con un sello celestial en todos sus rasgos.
The peasant woman, perceiving that my mother fixed eyes of wonder and admiration on this lovely girl, eagerly communicated her history.
La campesina, al percibir que mi madre clavaba ojos de asombro y admiración en esta encantadora niña, le comunicó ansiosamente su historia.
She was not her child, but the daughter of a Milanese nobleman.
No era su hija, sino la hija de un noble milanés.
Her mother was a German and had died on giving her birth.
Su madre era alemana y había muerto al darla a luz.
The infant had been placed with these good people to nurse: they were better off then.
La criatura había sido confiada a estas buenas personas para que la criaran: en aquel entonces estaban en mejor situación.
They had not been long married, and their eldest child was but just born.
Llevaban poco tiempo casados y su hijo mayor acababa de nacer.
The father of their charge was one of those Italians nursed in the memory of the antique glory of Italy—one among the _schiavi ognor frementi,_ who exerted himself to obtain the liberty of his country.
El padre de su pupila era uno de esos italianos criados en el recuerdo de la antigua gloria de Italia, uno de los _schiavi ognor frementi_, que se esforzó por obtener la libertad de su país.
He became the victim of its weakness.
Se convirtió en víctima de su debilidad.
Whether he had died or still lingered in the dungeons of Austria was not known.
No se sabía si había muerto o si todavía languidecía en los calabozos de Austria.
Vocabulary
- Entre
- Among or between multiple things or people
- estas
- These (feminine plural demonstrative adjective)
- había
- There was/were (imperfect of haber)
- atrajo
- Attracted or drew someone's attention
- encima
- Above or on top of something
- demás
- The rest, the others, the remaining ones
- Parecía
- Seemed or appeared to be something
- estirpe
- Lineage, stock, or noble ancestry
- vagabundas
- Female vagabonds, wanderers, or drifters
- robustas
- Robust, sturdy, strong (feminine plural)
- oscuros
- Dark or obscure (masculine plural adjective)
- delgada
- Thin or slender (feminine adjective)
- rubia
- Blonde (feminine adjective for hair color)
- cabello
- Hair, especially the hair on one's head
- vivo
- Vivid, bright, alive (adjective)
- oro
- Gold (noun, metal or color)
- brillante
- Brilliant, shining, bright (adjective)
- pesar
- Despite or in spite of something
- pobreza
- Poverty, state of being poor
- parecía
- Seemed, appeared (imperfect of parecer)
- colocar
- To place or put something somewhere
- corona
- Crown worn on the head by royalty
- distinción
- Distinction, elegance, or notable difference
- frente
- Forehead or front of something
- clara
- Clear, light, bright (feminine adjective)
- amplia
- Wide, broad, ample (feminine adjective)
- azules
- Blue (plural adjective, often eyes)
- nubes
- Clouds (plural noun)
- labios
- Lips (plural noun, facial feature)
- modelado
- Modeling, shaping, or sculpted form
- rostro
- Face or countenance (formal/literary noun)
- expresivos
- Expressive (masculine plural adjective)
- sensibilidad
- Sensitivity, emotional responsiveness
- dulzura
- Sweetness, gentleness, tenderness
- nadie
- Nobody, no one (negative pronoun)
- contemplarla
- To contemplate or gaze at her
- especie
- Species, kind, or type of being
- distinta
- Distinct, different, separate (feminine adjective)
- enviado
- Envoy, messenger, or one sent from above
- cielo
- Sky or heaven (noun)
- sello
- Seal, stamp, or mark of origin
- celestial
- Celestial, heavenly, divine (adjective)
- rasgos
- Features, traits, or facial characteristics
- campesina
- Peasant woman, female country dweller
- percibir
- To perceive or notice something
- clavaba
- Fixed or fixed one's gaze intently (imperfect)
- asombro
- Astonishment, amazement, wonder
- admiración
- Admiration, feeling of great respect
- encantadora
- Charming, enchanting, delightful (feminine adjective)
- comunicó
- Communicated or conveyed information to someone
- ansiosamente
- Anxiously, eagerly, with great anxiety
- sino
- But rather, but instead (conjunction)
- noble
- Noble, of aristocratic birth or character
- milanés
- Milanese, from or relating to Milan
- alemana
- German (feminine adjective or noun)
- muerto
- Dead (past participle/adjective of morir)
- luz
- Light or childbirth (dar a luz = to give birth)
- criatura
- Creature or small child, infant
- confiada
- Entrusted or confided to someone's care
- criaran
- To raise or bring up (subjunctive of criar)
- aquel
- That (masculine singular demonstrative, remote)
- entonces
- Then, at that time (adverb)
- situación
- Situation, circumstance, position
- Llevaban
- They had been (carrying on for some time)
- casados
- Married (masculine plural past participle)
- mayor
- Older, eldest, greater (comparative adjective)
- acababa
- Had just (done something); imperfect of acabar
- nacer
- To be born, to come into existence
- pupila
- Ward, female pupil under guardianship
- italianos
- Italians (masculine plural noun/adjective)
- criados
- Raised, brought up; also servants (plural noun)
- recuerdo
- Memory, recollection, souvenir
- antigua
- Ancient, old, former (feminine adjective)
- gloria
- Glory, fame, splendor
- esforzó
- Strove, made an effort (preterite of esforzarse)
- obtener
- To obtain, get, or achieve something
- libertad
- Freedom, liberty (noun)
- convirtió
- Became or converted (preterite of convertirse)
- víctima
- Victim of an event or injustice
- debilidad
- Weakness, frailty, lack of strength
- sabía
- Knew (imperfect of saber)
- todavía
- Still, yet (adverb of time)
- languidecía
- Languished, grew weak (imperfect of languidecer)
- calabozos
- Dungeons, prison cells (plural noun)
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