Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 14
This was a strange tale, but it did not shake my faith; and I replied earnestly, "You are all mistaken; I know the murderer. Justine, poor, good Justine, is innocent."
Era una historia extraña, pero no sacudió mi fe; y respondí con fervor: «Todos están equivocados; yo conozco al asesino. Justine, la pobre y buena Justine, es inocente».
At that instant my father entered.
En ese instante entró mi padre.
I saw unhappiness deeply impressed on his countenance, but he endeavoured to welcome me cheerfully; and, after we had exchanged our mournful greeting, would have introduced some other topic than that of our disaster, had not Ernest exclaimed, "Good God, papa! Victor says that he knows who was the murderer of poor William."
Vi la infelicidad profundamente marcada en su semblante, pero se esforzó por recibirme con alegría; y, después de que intercambiamos nuestro sombrío saludo, habría introducido algún otro tema distinto al de nuestra desgracia, si Ernest no hubiera exclamado: «¡Santo Dios, papá! Víctor dice que sabe quién fue el asesino del pobre William».
"We do also, unfortunately," replied my father, "for indeed I had rather have been for ever ignorant than have discovered so much depravity and ungratitude in one I valued so highly."
«Nosotros también, por desgracia», respondió mi padre, «pues en verdad habría preferido permanecer ignorante para siempre antes que descubrir tanta depravación e ingratitud en alguien a quien tanto estimaba».
"My dear father, you are mistaken; Justine is innocent."
«Mi querido padre, está usted equivocado; Justine es inocente».
"If she is, God forbid that she should suffer as guilty. She is to be tried today, and I hope, I sincerely hope, that she will be acquitted."
«Si lo es, Dios no permita que sufra como culpable. Será juzgada hoy, y espero, sinceramente espero, que sea absuelta».
This speech calmed me.
Este discurso me calmó.
I was firmly convinced in my own mind that Justine, and indeed every human being, was guiltless of this murder.
Estaba firmemente convencido en mi fuero interno de que Justine, y en efecto todo ser humano, era inocente de este asesinato.
I had no fear, therefore, that any circumstantial evidence could be brought forward strong enough to convict her.
No tenía temor, por tanto, de que pudiera presentarse ninguna prueba circunstancial lo bastante sólida como para condenarla.
My tale was not one to announce publicly; its astounding horror would be looked upon as madness by the vulgar.
Mi historia no era para anunciarla públicamente; su asombroso horror sería considerado como locura por la gente común.
Vocabulary
- Era
- Past tense of 'to be'; it was/she was/he was
- una
- Indefinite article, feminine singular; a/an
- historia
- A story, history, or narrative account
- extraña
- Strange, odd, or unusual in character
- pero
- Conjunction meaning but, yet, or however
- no
- Negation word meaning no or not
- sacudió
- Shook or rattled something; past tense shake
- mi
- Possessive adjective meaning my
- fe
- Faith, belief, or trust in something
- y
- Conjunction meaning and, connecting words or clauses
- respondí
- I responded or replied; first person past tense
- con
- Preposition meaning with, alongside, or using
- fervor
- Intense enthusiasm, passion, or zeal
- Todos
- Pronoun/adjective meaning everyone or all people
- están
- Third person plural of estar; they are
- equivocados
- Mistaken or wrong; plural past participle adjective
- yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning I
- conozco
- I know a person or place; first person present
- al
- Contraction of a + el meaning to the
- asesino
- A murderer or killer; person who commits murder
- la
- Definite article, feminine singular; the
- pobre
- Poor, unfortunate, or pitiable person or thing
- buena
- Good, kind, or virtuous; feminine singular adjective
- es
- Third person singular of ser; is
- inocente
- Innocent, not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing
- En
- Preposition meaning in, at, or on
- ese
- Demonstrative adjective meaning that, nearby referent
- instante
- An instant or moment; a very brief period
- entró
- Entered or came in; third person past tense
- padre
- Father or priest; male parent
- Vi
- I saw; first person singular past tense ver
- infelicidad
- Unhappiness or misery; state of being unhappy
- profundamente
- Deeply or profoundly; adverb of degree
- marcada
- Marked, evident, or clearly visible; feminine past participle
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, their, your
- semblante
- Face, countenance, or facial expression of someone
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; himself, herself, themselves, yourself
- esforzó
- Made an effort or tried hard; past tense
- por
- Preposition meaning for, by, through, or because of
- recibirme
- To receive or greet me; infinitive with pronoun
- alegría
- Joy, happiness, or cheerfulness
- después
- After or afterwards; adverb indicating later time
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or about
- que
- Conjunction or relative pronoun meaning that or which
- intercambiamos
- We exchanged; first person plural past tense
- nuestro
- Possessive adjective meaning our
- sombrío
- Gloomy, dark, or somber in mood or tone
- saludo
- A greeting or salutation exchanged between people
- habría
- Would have; conditional of haber auxiliary verb
- introducido
- Introduced or brought up; past participle of introducir
- algún
- Some or any; indefinite adjective before masculine noun
- otro
- Another or other; different from the current one
- tema
- A topic, theme, or subject of discussion
- distinto
- Different, distinct, or unlike something else
- nuestra
- Our; feminine possessive adjective
- desgracia
- Misfortune, disgrace, or calamity that has occurred
- si
- Conditional conjunction meaning if
- hubiera
- Past subjunctive of haber; had (conditional sense)
- exclamado
- Exclaimed or cried out; past participle of exclamar
- Santo
- Holy or saint; used in exclamations or titles
- Dios
- God; the supreme divine being
- papá
- Dad or father; informal term for one's father
- dice
- Says or tells; third person singular present decir
- sabe
- Knows a fact; third person singular present saber
- quién
- Interrogative/relative pronoun meaning who
- fue
- Was or went; past tense of ser or ir
- el
- Definite article, masculine singular; the
- del
- Contraction of de + el meaning of the
- Nosotros
- We; first person plural subject pronoun
- también
- Also or too; adds agreement or inclusion
- respondió
- He/she responded or replied; third person past tense
- pues
- Well, then, or since; discourse filler conjunction
- verdad
- Truth or reality; factual state of something
- preferido
- Preferred or would have preferred; past participle
- permanecer
- To remain or stay in a state or place
- ignorante
- Ignorant or unaware; lacking knowledge about something
- para
- Preposition meaning for, in order to, or by
- siempre
- Always or forever; at all times
- antes
- Before or previously; earlier in time
- descubrir
- To discover or uncover something previously unknown
- tanta
- So much or so many; feminine intensifier adjective
- depravación
- Depravity, moral corruption, or wickedness
- e
- Variant of y meaning and, before i/hi sounds
- ingratitud
- Ingratitude or ungratefulness; lack of appreciation
- alguien
- Someone or somebody; an unspecified person
- a
- Preposition meaning to, at, or toward
- quien
- Relative pronoun meaning who or whom
- tanto
- So much or so greatly; intensifying adverb or adjective
- estimaba
- Esteemed or valued; past imperfect of estimar
- Mi
- Possessive adjective meaning my
- querido
- Dear or beloved; affectionate term of address
- está
- Is; third person singular present of estar
- usted
- Formal you; polite second person singular pronoun
- equivocado
- Mistaken or wrong about something; masculine singular
- Si
- If; conditional conjunction introducing a condition
- lo
- Direct object pronoun meaning it or him
- permita
- Allow or permit; subjunctive form of permitir
- sufra
- Suffer; present subjunctive of sufrir
- como
- As, like, or how; comparison or manner conjunction
- culpable
- Guilty or culpable; responsible for a wrongdoing
- Será
- Will be; third person singular future of ser
- juzgada
- Judged or tried; feminine past participle of juzgar
- hoy
- Today; the current day
- espero
- I hope or I wait; first person present esperar
- sinceramente
- Sincerely or genuinely; adverb expressing honest intent
- sea
- Be; present subjunctive of ser
- absuelta
- Acquitted or absolved; feminine past participle of absolver
- Este
- This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- discurso
- A speech, discourse, or extended verbal statement
- me
- Me; first person singular object or reflexive pronoun
- calmó
- Calmed or soothed; third person past tense calmar
- Estaba
- Was; first/third person singular imperfect of estar
- firmemente
- Firmly or steadfastly; with strong conviction
- convencido
- Convinced or certain; past participle of convencer
- fuero
- Inner forum; used in 'fuero interno' meaning inwardly
- interno
- Internal or inner; relating to inside or inward
- efecto
- Effect or result; outcome of a cause
- todo
- All, every, or everything; totality
- ser
- To be; infinitive expressing identity or essence
- humano
- Human; relating to mankind or a person
- era
- Was; imperfect past tense of ser
- este
- This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective
- asesinato
- Murder or assassination; the act of killing someone
- No
- No or not; negation word
- tenía
- Had or used to have; imperfect tense of tener
- temor
- Fear or dread; a feeling of apprehension
- pudiera
- Could or might; past subjunctive of poder
- presentarse
- To present itself or appear; reflexive infinitive
- ninguna
- No, none, or not any; feminine negative adjective
- prueba
- Proof, evidence, or test used in argumentation
- circunstancial
- Circumstantial; based on indirect or contextual evidence
- bastante
- Enough, quite, or fairly; sufficient in degree
- sólida
- Solid, firm, or strong; feminine singular adjective
- condenarla
- To condemn or convict her; infinitive with pronoun
- anunciarla
- To announce it or declare it publicly
- públicamente
- Publicly or openly; before others or in public
- asombroso
- Astonishing, amazing, or astounding in nature
- horror
- Horror or terror; intense fear or disgust
- sería
- Would be; conditional tense of ser
- considerado
- Considered or regarded; past participle of considerar
- locura
- Madness, insanity, or folly
- gente
- People or folk; a group of persons
- común
- Common, ordinary, or shared by many people
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