Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 1
On my return, I found the following letter from my father:—
A mi regreso, encontré la siguiente carta de mi padre:—
"My dear Victor,
"Mi querido Víctor,
"You have probably waited impatiently for a letter to fix the date of your return to us; and I was at first tempted to write only a few lines, merely mentioning the day on which I should expect you.
"Probablemente has esperado con impaciencia una carta que fijara la fecha de tu regreso con nosotros; y al principio me sentí tentado a escribir solo unas pocas líneas, mencionando únicamente el día en que debería esperarte.
But that would be a cruel kindness, and I dare not do it.
Pero eso sería una bondad cruel, y no me atrevo a hacerlo.
What would be your surprise, my son, when you expected a happy and glad welcome, to behold, on the contrary, tears and wretchedness?
¿Cuál sería tu sorpresa, hijo mío, cuando esperabas un recibimiento feliz y alegre, al encontrar, por el contrario, lágrimas y desdicha?
And how, Victor, can I relate our misfortune?
¿Y cómo, Víctor, puedo relatarte nuestra desgracia?
Absence cannot have rendered you callous to our joys and griefs; and how shall I inflict pain on my long absent son?
La ausencia no puede haberte vuelto insensible a nuestras alegrías y penas; ¿y cómo he de infligir dolor a mi hijo, ausente por tanto tiempo?
I wish to prepare you for the woeful news, but I know it is impossible; even now your eye skims over the page to seek the words which are to convey to you the horrible tidings.
Quisiera prepararte para las dolorosas noticias, pero sé que es imposible; incluso ahora tus ojos recorren la página en busca de las palabras que han de transmitirte las terribles nuevas.
"William is dead!—that sweet child, whose smiles delighted and warmed my heart, who was so gentle, yet so gay!
"¡Guillermo ha muerto!—ese dulce niño, cuyas sonrisas deleitaban y calentaban mi corazón, que era tan gentil y tan alegre.
Victor, he is murdered!
¡Víctor, ha sido asesinado!
"I will not attempt to console you; but will simply relate the circumstances of the transaction.
"No intentaré consolarte; sino que simplemente relataré las circunstancias del suceso.
"Last Thursday (May 7th), I, my niece, and your two brothers, went to walk in Plainpalais.
"El jueves pasado (7 de mayo), yo, mi sobrina y tus dos hermanos fuimos a pasear a Plainpalais.
The evening was warm and serene, and we prolonged our walk farther than usual.
La tarde era cálida y serena, y prolongamos nuestro paseo más de lo habitual.
Vocabulary
- regreso
- Return or arrival back to a place.
- encontré
- Past tense of 'encontrar'; I found or came across.
- siguiente
- Adjective meaning next or following in sequence.
- carta
- A written letter sent to someone.
- padre
- Male parent; father.
- querido
- Adjective meaning dear or beloved, used affectionately.
- Probablemente
- Adverb meaning probably or most likely.
- esperado
- Past participle of 'esperar'; waited or hoped for.
- impaciencia
- Inability to wait calmly; restless eagerness or anxiety.
- fijara
- Past subjunctive of 'fijar'; to set or fix a date.
- fecha
- A specific calendar date or day.
- principio
- The beginning or start of something.
- sentí
- First-person past tense of 'sentir'; I felt.
- tentado
- Past participle of 'tentar'; tempted to do something.
- escribir
- Infinitive meaning to write something.
- solo
- Adverb meaning only or just; alone.
- pocas
- Adjective meaning few or not many.
- líneas
- Plural of línea; lines of text or writing.
- mencionando
- Present participle of 'mencionar'; mentioning or referring to.
- únicamente
- Adverb meaning solely, only, or exclusively.
- día
- A calendar day; a 24-hour period.
- debería
- Conditional of 'deber'; should or ought to.
- esperarte
- Infinitive plus pronoun; to wait for you.
- sería
- Conditional of 'ser'; would be.
- bondad
- Goodness or kindness shown toward others.
- cruel
- Adjective meaning causing pain or suffering deliberately.
- atrevo
- Present tense of 'atreverse'; I dare to do something.
- Cuál
- Interrogative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'what'.
- sorpresa
- An unexpected event or feeling of astonishment.
- hijo
- Son; a male child of a parent.
- mío
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'mine' or 'my own'.
- esperabas
- Second-person imperfect of 'esperar'; you were expecting.
- recibimiento
- A welcome or reception given upon arrival.
- feliz
- Adjective meaning happy or joyful.
- alegre
- Adjective meaning cheerful, merry, or lively.
- encontrar
- Infinitive meaning to find or encounter something.
- contrario
- Opposite or contrary; on the contrary.
- lágrimas
- Plural of lágrima; tears shed from the eyes.
- desdicha
- Misfortune, unhappiness, or great sorrow.
- relatarte
- Infinitive plus pronoun; to tell or recount to you.
- desgracia
- Misfortune, tragedy, or a calamitous event.
- ausencia
- The state of being away or absent from somewhere.
- vuelto
- Past participle of 'volver'; turned or become something.
- insensible
- Adjective meaning unfeeling, indifferent, or numb.
- alegrías
- Plural of alegría; joys or feelings of happiness.
- penas
- Plural of pena; sorrows, griefs, or hardships.
- infligir
- Infinitive meaning to inflict pain or suffering on someone.
- dolor
- Pain, ache, or emotional suffering.
- ausente
- Adjective meaning absent or away from a place.
- tanto
- Adjective or adverb meaning so much or so long.
- tiempo
- Time or weather; a period or duration.
- Quisiera
- Past subjunctive of 'querer'; I would like or wish.
- prepararte
- Infinitive plus pronoun; to prepare you for something.
- dolorosas
- Feminine plural adjective meaning painful or distressing.
- noticias
- Plural of noticia; news or pieces of information.
- imposible
- Adjective meaning not possible or unable to be done.
- incluso
- Adverb meaning even or including something unexpected.
- ojos
- Plural of ojo; eyes used for seeing.
- recorren
- Third-person plural present of 'recorrer'; scan or move across.
- página
- A page in a book or document.
- busca
- Third-person present of 'buscar'; searches or looks for.
- palabras
- Plural of palabra; words in a language.
- transmitirte
- Infinitive plus pronoun; to convey or deliver to you.
- terribles
- Plural adjective meaning terrible, dreadful, or horrifying.
- nuevas
- Feminine plural noun meaning news or tidings.
- muerto
- Past participle of 'morir'; dead or has died.
- dulce
- Adjective meaning sweet, gentle, or endearing.
- niño
- A young male child or boy.
- cuyas
- Feminine plural relative possessive pronoun meaning 'whose'.
- sonrisas
- Plural of sonrisa; smiles or expressions of happiness.
- deleitaban
- Imperfect of 'deleitar'; used to delight or charm.
- calentaban
- Imperfect of 'calentar'; used to warm or heat.
- corazón
- The heart; center of emotion and feeling.
- gentil
- Adjective meaning gentle, kind, or gracious.
- asesinado
- Past participle of 'asesinar'; murdered or killed deliberately.
- intentaré
- First-person future of 'intentar'; I will try or attempt.
- consolarte
- Infinitive plus pronoun; to comfort or console you.
- sino
- Conjunction meaning 'but rather' or 'instead'.
- simplemente
- Adverb meaning simply or in a straightforward manner.
- relataré
- First-person future of 'relatar'; I will narrate or recount.
- circunstancias
- Plural of circunstancia; circumstances or surrounding conditions.
- suceso
- An event, occurrence, or incident that takes place.
- jueves
- Thursday; the fifth day of the week.
- pasado
- Adjective or noun meaning last or past (time).
- mayo
- May; the fifth month of the year.
- sobrina
- A niece; the daughter of one's sibling.
- hermanos
- Plural of hermano; brothers or siblings.
- fuimos
- First-person plural preterite of 'ir'; we went.
- pasear
- Infinitive meaning to go for a walk or stroll.
- tarde
- Afternoon or evening; also means late.
- cálida
- Feminine adjective meaning warm or pleasant in temperature.
- serena
- Feminine adjective meaning serene, calm, or peaceful.
- prolongamos
- First-person plural preterite of 'prolongar'; we extended or prolonged.
- paseo
- A walk, stroll, or leisurely outing.
- habitual
- Adjective meaning usual, customary, or habitual.
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