Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 12
"The old man had, in the meantime, been pensive, but on the appearance of his companions he assumed a more cheerful air, and they sat down to eat.
"El anciano había estado, mientras tanto, pensativo, pero ante la aparición de sus compañeros adoptó un semblante más alegre, y se sentaron a comer.
The meal was quickly dispatched.
La comida fue despachada rápidamente.
The young woman was again occupied in arranging the cottage, the old man walked before the cottage in the sun for a few minutes, leaning on the arm of the youth.
La joven estaba de nuevo ocupada en arreglar la cabaña, el anciano caminó frente a la cabaña bajo el sol durante unos minutos, apoyándose en el brazo del joven.
Nothing could exceed in beauty the contrast between these two excellent creatures.
Nada podía superar en belleza el contraste entre estas dos excelentes criaturas.
One was old, with silver hairs and a countenance beaming with benevolence and love; the younger was slight and graceful in his figure, and his features were moulded with the finest symmetry, yet his eyes and attitude expressed the utmost sadness and despondency.
Uno era anciano, con cabellos plateados y un semblante irradiando benevolencia y amor; el más joven era delgado y grácil en su figura, y sus rasgos estaban moldeados con la más fina simetría, pero sus ojos y actitud expresaban la mayor tristeza y abatimiento.
The old man returned to the cottage, and the youth, with tools different from those he had used in the morning, directed his steps across the fields.
El anciano regresó a la cabaña, y el joven, con herramientas distintas de las que había usado por la mañana, dirigió sus pasos a través de los campos.
"Night quickly shut in, but to my extreme wonder, I found that the cottagers had a means of prolonging light by the use of tapers, and was delighted to find that the setting of the sun did not put an end to the pleasure I experienced in watching my human neighbours.
"La noche cayó rápidamente, pero para mi extremo asombro, descubrí que los habitantes de la cabaña tenían un medio de prolongar la luz mediante el uso de velas, y me alegró descubrir que la puesta del sol no ponía fin al placer que experimentaba al observar a mis vecinos humanos.
In the evening the young girl and her companion were employed in various occupations which I did not understand; and the old man again took up the instrument which produced the divine sounds that had enchanted me in the morning.
Por la tarde, la joven y su compañero estaban ocupados en diversas tareas que yo no comprendía; y el anciano tomó de nuevo el instrumento que producía los sonidos divinos que me habían encantado por la mañana.
Vocabulary
- anciano
- Elderly man; an old person.
- había
- Past form of 'haber'; had (auxiliary verb).
- estado
- Past participle of 'estar'; been (a state).
- mientras
- Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'meanwhile'.
- tanto
- So much; used in 'mientras tanto' (meanwhile).
- pensativo
- Thoughtful, pensive, lost in thought.
- ante
- Preposition meaning 'before' or 'in the presence of'.
- aparición
- Appearance, arrival, or sudden manifestation of someone.
- compañeros
- Companions, partners, or fellow members of a group.
- adoptó
- Adopted or assumed (an expression or attitude).
- semblante
- Facial expression or countenance of a person.
- alegre
- Happy, cheerful, or in a joyful mood.
- sentaron
- They sat down; past tense of 'sentarse'.
- comida
- Food or a meal eaten during the day.
- fue
- Was or went; past tense of 'ser' or 'ir'.
- despachada
- Dispatched, finished, or dealt with quickly.
- rápidamente
- Quickly, rapidly, in a fast manner.
- joven
- Young person; adjective meaning young.
- nuevo
- New; also used in 'de nuevo' meaning again.
- ocupada
- Busy or occupied (feminine form of 'ocupado').
- arreglar
- To fix, arrange, or tidy up something.
- cabaña
- Cabin, hut, or small rustic dwelling.
- caminó
- He/she walked; past tense of 'caminar'.
- frente
- In front of; also means forehead or front.
- bajo
- Under; also an adjective meaning low or short.
- sol
- Sun; the star that provides light and warmth.
- durante
- During; preposition indicating a period of time.
- apoyándose
- Leaning on or supporting oneself against something.
- brazo
- Arm; the upper limb of the human body.
- Nada
- Nothing; used to express absence of something.
- podía
- Could; imperfect past tense of 'poder'.
- superar
- To surpass, exceed, or overcome something.
- belleza
- Beauty; the quality of being aesthetically pleasing.
- contraste
- Contrast; a striking difference between two things.
- entre
- Between or among; preposition indicating a position.
- excelentes
- Excellent; of outstanding quality or character.
- criaturas
- Creatures; living beings or individuals.
- cabellos
- Hair (plural); strands or locks of hair.
- plateados
- Silver-colored; having the color or sheen of silver.
- irradiando
- Radiating, emanating, or projecting outward from something.
- benevolencia
- Benevolence; goodwill and kindness toward others.
- amor
- Love; a deep affection or fondness for someone.
- delgado
- Thin, slender, or slim in build.
- grácil
- Graceful, slender, and elegant in form.
- figura
- Figure; the shape or form of a person's body.
- rasgos
- Features; the distinct characteristics of a face.
- moldeados
- Molded or shaped with precision and care.
- fina
- Fine, delicate, or refined in quality.
- simetría
- Symmetry; balanced and proportionate arrangement of features.
- ojos
- Eyes; the organs used for seeing.
- actitud
- Attitude or posture; one's bearing or demeanor.
- expresaban
- Expressed or conveyed (imperfect past tense).
- mayor
- Greater or older; comparative form of 'grande'.
- tristeza
- Sadness; a feeling of sorrow or unhappiness.
- abatimiento
- Dejection, despondency, or low spirits.
- regresó
- Returned; past tense of 'regresar'.
- herramientas
- Tools; instruments used to perform manual tasks.
- distintas
- Different, distinct, or various (feminine plural).
- mañana
- Morning; also means 'tomorrow'.
- dirigió
- Directed or headed toward; past tense of 'dirigir'.
- pasos
- Steps; footsteps taken while walking.
- través
- Through or across; used in 'a través de'.
- campos
- Fields; open areas of land in the countryside.
- noche
- Night; the period of darkness after sunset.
- cayó
- Fell; past tense of 'caer', night fell.
- extremo
- Extreme; a very high degree of something.
- asombro
- Astonishment, amazement, or great surprise.
- descubrí
- I discovered; past tense of 'descubrir'.
- habitantes
- Inhabitants; people who live in a particular place.
- medio
- Means or method; also means 'half' or 'middle'.
- prolongar
- To prolong or extend the duration of something.
- luz
- Light; illumination from the sun or artificial sources.
- mediante
- By means of; through the use of something.
- uso
- Use; the act of employing something for a purpose.
- velas
- Candles; wax sticks burned to provide light.
- alegró
- Pleased or made happy; past tense of 'alegrar'.
- descubrir
- To discover or find out something unknown.
- puesta
- Setting (of the sun); 'puesta del sol' means sunset.
- ponía
- Put or set; imperfect past tense of 'poner'.
- fin
- End or conclusion of something.
- placer
- Pleasure; a feeling of satisfaction or enjoyment.
- experimentaba
- Was experiencing; imperfect past tense of 'experimentar'.
- observar
- To observe or watch carefully.
- vecinos
- Neighbors; people who live nearby.
- humanos
- Humans; human beings or relating to humanity.
- tarde
- Afternoon or evening; also means 'late'.
- compañero
- Companion or partner; a fellow associate.
- ocupados
- Busy or occupied (masculine plural).
- diversas
- Various, diverse, or different (feminine plural).
- tareas
- Tasks or chores; work that needs to be done.
- comprendía
- Understood; imperfect past tense of 'comprender'.
- tomó
- Took or picked up; past tense of 'tomar'.
- instrumento
- Instrument; a musical or measuring device.
- producía
- Produced; imperfect past tense of 'producir'.
- sonidos
- Sounds; auditory sensations perceived by the ear.
- divinos
- Divine; heavenly or extraordinarily beautiful.
- habían
- Had; past perfect auxiliary form of 'haber'.
- encantado
- Enchanted or delighted; captivated by something wonderful.
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