Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 4
Clerval spent the last evening with us.
Clerval pasó la última tarde con nosotros.
He had endeavoured to persuade his father to permit him to accompany me and to become my fellow student, but in vain.
Había intentado persuadir a su padre para que le permitiera acompañarme y convertirse en mi compañero de estudios, pero en vano.
His father was a narrow-minded trader and saw idleness and ruin in the aspirations and ambition of his son.
Su padre era un comerciante de miras estrechas y veía ociosidad y ruina en las aspiraciones y ambiciones de su hijo.
Henry deeply felt the misfortune of being debarred from a liberal education.
Henry sintió profundamente la desgracia de verse privado de una educación liberal.
He said little, but when he spoke I read in his kindling eye and in his animated glance a restrained but firm resolve not to be chained to the miserable details of commerce.
Decía poco, pero cuando hablaba yo leía en su mirada encendida y en su expresión animada una determinación contenida pero firme de no verse encadenado a los miserables pormenores del comercio.
We sat late.
Nos quedamos hasta tarde.
We could not tear ourselves away from each other nor persuade ourselves to say the word "Farewell!"
No podíamos separarnos el uno del otro ni convencernos de pronunciar la palabra «¡Adiós!»
It was said, and we retired under the pretence of seeking repose, each fancying that the other was deceived;
Por fin se dijo, y nos retiramos con el pretexto de buscar reposo, creyendo cada uno que el otro había sido engañado;
but when at morning's dawn I descended to the carriage which was to convey me away, they were all there—my father again to bless me, Clerval to press my hand once more, my Elizabeth to renew her entreaties that I would write often and to bestow the last feminine attentions on her playmate and friend.
pero cuando al amanecer descendí hasta el carruaje que debía llevarme, estaban todos allí: mi padre, para bendecirme de nuevo; Clerval, para estrechar mi mano una vez más; mi Elizabeth, para renovar sus súplicas de que escribiera con frecuencia y para prodigar las últimas atenciones femeninas a su compañero de juegos y amigo.
I threw myself into the chaise that was to convey me away and indulged in the most melancholy reflections.
Me lancé al carruaje que debía llevarme y me abandoné a las más melancólicas reflexiones.
I, who had ever been surrounded by amiable companions, continually engaged in endeavouring to bestow mutual pleasure—I was now alone.
Yo, que siempre había estado rodeado de amables compañeros, continuamente empeñado en procurar un placer mutuo, me encontraba ahora solo.
In the university whither I was going I must form my own friends and be my own protector.
En la universidad adonde me dirigía tendría que ganarme mis propios amigos y ser mi propio protector.
Vocabulary
- pasó
- He/she spent or passed (time); third person preterite
- la
- Definite article feminine singular meaning 'the'
- última
- Last or final (feminine form of último)
- tarde
- Afternoon or evening; late part of day
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with'
- nosotros
- First person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'
- Había
- There had been; imperfect of haber used as auxiliary
- intentado
- Tried or attempted; past participle of intentar
- persuadir
- To persuade or convince someone of something
- a
- Preposition meaning 'to' or personal marker
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
- padre
- Father; male parent
- para
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to'
- que
- Conjunction meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who'
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning 'him,' 'her,' 'you'
- permitiera
- Would allow; imperfect subjunctive of permitir
- acompañarme
- To accompany me; infinitive with attached pronoun
- y
- Conjunction meaning 'and'
- convertirse
- To become or turn into something
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'
- mi
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my'
- compañero
- Companion, partner, or fellow student
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about'
- estudios
- Studies; academic work or learning
- pero
- Conjunction meaning 'but'
- vano
- In vain; without result or success
- Su
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their'
- era
- Was; third person singular imperfect of ser
- un
- Indefinite article masculine singular meaning 'a'
- comerciante
- Merchant or trader; person engaged in commerce
- miras
- Views, aims, or perspectives; outlook
- estrechas
- Narrow or limited (feminine plural of estrecho)
- veía
- Saw or viewed; third person imperfect of ver
- ociosidad
- Idleness; state of being unoccupied or lazy
- ruina
- Ruin; destruction or downfall of something
- las
- Definite article feminine plural meaning 'the'
- aspiraciones
- Aspirations; hopes or ambitions for the future
- ambiciones
- Ambitions; strong desires for success or achievement
- hijo
- Son; male offspring of a parent
- sintió
- Felt; third person singular preterite of sentir
- profundamente
- Deeply or profoundly; to a great degree
- desgracia
- Misfortune or disgrace; an unfortunate situation
- verse
- To find oneself; reflexive infinitive of ver
- privado
- Deprived or denied; past participle of privar
- una
- Indefinite article feminine singular meaning 'a'
- educación
- Education; process of learning and being taught
- liberal
- Liberal; broad, open-minded, or well-rounded education
- Decía
- He/she said or used to say; imperfect of decir
- poco
- Little or few; small amount of something
- cuando
- When; conjunction indicating time
- hablaba
- Was speaking; third person imperfect of hablar
- yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- leía
- Was reading; first/third person imperfect of leer
- mirada
- Gaze or look; the act of looking at something
- encendida
- Lit up, bright, or impassioned (feminine adjective)
- expresión
- Expression; look or appearance on someone's face
- animada
- Animated or lively; full of energy and enthusiasm
- determinación
- Determination; firm decision or resolve to act
- contenida
- Contained or restrained; held back (feminine adjective)
- firme
- Firm or steady; resolute and unwavering
- no
- Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
- encadenado
- Chained or bound; constrained by something
- los
- Definite article masculine plural meaning 'the'
- miserables
- Miserable or wretched; causing great suffering
- pormenores
- Details or particulars; minute specifics of something
- del
- Contraction of 'de' and 'el' meaning 'of the'
- comercio
- Commerce or trade; buying and selling of goods
- Nos
- Reflexive/object pronoun meaning 'us' or 'ourselves'
- quedamos
- We stayed or remained; first person plural preterite
- hasta
- Until or up to; preposition indicating limit
- No
- Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
- podíamos
- We could; first person plural imperfect of poder
- separarnos
- To separate ourselves; reflexive infinitive of separar
- el
- Definite article masculine singular meaning 'the'
- uno
- One; numeral or pronoun indicating a single entity
- otro
- Other or another; referring to a different one
- ni
- Nor or neither; negative conjunction linking clauses
- convencernos
- To convince ourselves; reflexive infinitive of convencer
- pronunciar
- To pronounce or utter; to say words aloud
- palabra
- Word; unit of spoken or written language
- Adiós
- Goodbye; farewell expression used at parting
- Por
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' or 'through'
- fin
- End or finally; conclusion of something
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with third person verbs
- dijo
- Said; third person singular preterite of decir
- retiramos
- We withdrew or retired; first person plural preterite
- pretexto
- Pretext or excuse; false reason given for action
- buscar
- To look for or seek something
- reposo
- Rest or repose; state of relaxation and calm
- creyendo
- Believing; present participle of creer
- cada
- Each or every; referring to individual members
- había
- Had; imperfect of haber used as auxiliary verb
- sido
- Been; past participle of ser used with haber
- engañado
- Deceived or fooled; past participle of engañar
- al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'el' meaning 'to the'
- amanecer
- Dawn or daybreak; the early morning light
- descendí
- I descended or went down; first person preterite
- carruaje
- Carriage; horse-drawn vehicle for transportation
- debía
- Was supposed to; imperfect of deber indicating obligation
- llevarme
- To take me; infinitive of llevar with pronoun
- estaban
- They were; third person plural imperfect of estar
- todos
- All or everyone; referring to a complete group
- allí
- There; indicating a place away from speaker
- bendecirme
- To bless me; infinitive of bendecir with pronoun
- nuevo
- New; something recently made or encountered again
- estrechar
- To squeeze or shake; to tighten a grip
- mano
- Hand; part of the body at the end of arm
- vez
- Time or occasion; instance of something happening
- más
- More; greater in quantity, degree, or number
- renovar
- To renew or repeat; to do something again
- sus
- Possessive adjective plural meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their'
- súplicas
- Pleas or entreaties; earnest requests for something
- escribiera
- That I write; imperfect subjunctive of escribir
- frecuencia
- Frequency; how often something occurs
- prodigar
- To lavish or shower; to give generously
- últimas
- Last or final (feminine plural of último)
- atenciones
- Attentions or kindnesses; caring acts toward someone
- femeninas
- Feminine; relating to women or female qualities
- juegos
- Games or plays; playful or entertaining activities
- amigo
- Friend; person one knows well and trusts
- Me
- Reflexive/object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'myself'
- lancé
- I threw myself; first person preterite of lanzar
- me
- Object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'myself'
- abandoné
- I gave myself over to; preterite of abandonar
- melancólicas
- Melancholic or sad; causing or feeling deep sadness
- reflexiones
- Reflections or thoughts; deep contemplative thinking
- Yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- siempre
- Always; at all times without exception
- estado
- Been; past participle of estar used with haber
- rodeado
- Surrounded; encircled by people or things
- amables
- Kind or friendly; pleasant and agreeable in manner
- compañeros
- Companions or peers; people one associates with
- continuamente
- Continuously; without stopping or interruption
- empeñado
- Determined or committed; engaged earnestly in something
- procurar
- To try to obtain or seek; to endeavor
- placer
- Pleasure; feeling of happiness or enjoyment
- mutuo
- Mutual; shared equally between two or more people
- encontraba
- Found oneself; third person imperfect of encontrar
- ahora
- Now; at the present moment or time
- solo
- Alone or only; without others' company
- En
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'
- universidad
- University; institution of higher education and research
- adonde
- Where or to which; indicating destination
- dirigía
- Was heading toward; imperfect of dirigir
- tendría
- Would have; conditional of tener
- ganarme
- To earn or win for myself; infinitive with pronoun
- mis
- Possessive adjective plural meaning 'my'
- propios
- Own; belonging to oneself (masculine plural)
- amigos
- Friends; people one knows well and trusts
- ser
- To be; infinitive indicating permanent characteristics
- propio
- Own; belonging to oneself (masculine singular)
- protector
- Protector; one who defends or guards another
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