Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 6
"These were the reflections of my hours of despondency and solitude; but when I contemplated the virtues of the cottagers, their amiable and benevolent dispositions, I persuaded myself that when they should become acquainted with my admiration of their virtues they would compassionate me and overlook my personal deformity.
«Estas eran las reflexiones de mis horas de abatimiento y soledad; pero cuando contemplaba las virtudes de los aldeanos, sus disposiciones amables y benévolas, me persuadía de que cuando llegaran a conocer mi admiración por sus virtudes, se compadecerían de mí y pasarían por alto mi deformidad física.
Could they turn from their door one, however monstrous, who solicited their compassion and friendship?
¿Podrían rechazar de su puerta a alguien, por monstruoso que fuera, que solicitara su compasión y amistad?
I resolved, at least, not to despair, but in every way to fit myself for an interview with them which would decide my fate.
Resolví, al menos, no desesperar, sino prepararme en todos los aspectos para un encuentro con ellos que decidiría mi destino.
I postponed this attempt for some months longer, for the importance attached to its success inspired me with a dread lest I should fail.
Pospuse este intento durante algunos meses más, pues la importancia que tenía su éxito me inspiraba un temor a fracasar.
Besides, I found that my understanding improved so much with every day's experience that I was unwilling to commence this undertaking until a few more months should have added to my sagacity.
Además, comprobé que mi entendimiento mejoraba tanto con la experiencia de cada día que no estaba dispuesto a emprender esta empresa hasta que unos meses más hubieran acrecentado mi sagacidad.
"Several changes, in the meantime, took place in the cottage.
«Mientras tanto, se produjeron varios cambios en la cabaña.
The presence of Safie diffused happiness among its inhabitants, and I also found that a greater degree of plenty reigned there.
La presencia de Safie difundía la felicidad entre sus habitantes, y también comprobé que reinaba allí un mayor grado de abundancia.
Felix and Agatha spent more time in amusement and conversation, and were assisted in their labours by servants.
Félix y Agatha pasaban más tiempo en entretenimientos y conversación, y eran ayudados en sus labores por criados.
They did not appear rich, but they were contented and happy; their feelings were serene and peaceful, while mine became every day more tumultuous.
No parecían ricos, pero estaban contentos y eran felices; sus sentimientos eran serenos y apacibles, mientras que los míos se volvían cada día más turbulentos.
Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was.
El aumento del conocimiento solo me revelaba con mayor claridad cuán desdichado paria era yo.
Vocabulary
- Estas
- These (feminine plural demonstrative pronoun)
- eran
- Were (third person plural imperfect of ser)
- las
- The (feminine plural definite article)
- reflexiones
- Reflections or thoughts pondered deeply over time
- de
- Of or from (common Spanish preposition)
- mis
- My (first person plural possessive adjective)
- horas
- Hours or times during the day
- abatimiento
- Dejection or low spirits; state of deep discouragement
- soledad
- Solitude or loneliness; state of being alone
- pero
- But (common Spanish adversative conjunction)
- cuando
- When (temporal conjunction or adverb)
- contemplaba
- Was contemplating or observing something attentively
- virtudes
- Virtues or moral qualities of a person
- los
- The (masculine plural definite article)
- aldeanos
- Villagers; people who live in a small village
- sus
- Their or his/her (third person possessive adjective)
- disposiciones
- Dispositions or natural inclinations of character
- amables
- Kind or friendly in manner toward others
- benévolas
- Benevolent; showing goodwill and kindness to others
- me
- Me (first person singular direct/indirect object pronoun)
- persuadía
- Was persuading oneself; convincing of something
- que
- That or which (subordinating conjunction or pronoun)
- llegaran
- Would arrive or come to (subjunctive of llegar)
- conocer
- To know or become acquainted with someone
- mi
- My (first person singular possessive adjective)
- admiración
- Admiration; feeling of wonder and high regard
- por
- For or by (common Spanish preposition)
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with third person verbs
- compadecerían
- Would feel pity or compassion for someone
- mí
- Me (stressed first person singular prepositional pronoun)
- pasarían
- Would pass over or overlook something willingly
- alto
- Over or past; also means high or tall
- deformidad
- Deformity; abnormal physical shape or appearance
- física
- Physical; relating to the body or appearance
- Podrían
- Could they (conditional of poder, third plural)
- rechazar
- To reject or turn away someone or something
- su
- Their or his/her (singular possessive adjective)
- puerta
- Door; entrance to a building or room
- alguien
- Someone or anybody (indefinite pronoun)
- monstruoso
- Monstrous; frightening or hideous in appearance
- fuera
- Were (imperfect subjunctive of ser/estar)
- solicitara
- Were to request or seek something earnestly
- compasión
- Compassion; sympathy felt for another's suffering
- amistad
- Friendship; a close and affectionate relationship
- Resolví
- I resolved or decided firmly to do something
- al
- To the (contraction of a + el)
- menos
- Less or at least (adverb of quantity)
- desesperar
- To despair or lose all hope completely
- sino
- But rather (conjunction correcting a negative statement)
- prepararme
- To prepare myself for something upcoming
- todos
- All or every (masculine plural adjective/pronoun)
- aspectos
- Aspects or respects; different sides of something
- para
- For or in order to (purpose preposition)
- encuentro
- Encounter or meeting between two parties
- con
- With (basic Spanish accompanying preposition)
- ellos
- They or them (third person plural pronoun)
- decidiría
- Would decide (conditional tense of decidir)
- destino
- Destiny or fate; one's predetermined life outcome
- Pospuse
- I postponed or delayed something to a later time
- este
- This (masculine singular demonstrative adjective)
- intento
- Attempt or try; an effort to do something
- durante
- During or for (a period of time preposition)
- algunos
- Some or a few (masculine plural indefinite adjective)
- meses
- Months (plural of mes)
- más
- More or further (comparative adverb)
- pues
- Because or since (causal conjunction or filler)
- importancia
- Importance; significance of something to one's goals
- tenía
- Had (third person singular imperfect of tener)
- éxito
- Success; achieving a desired result or outcome
- inspiraba
- Was inspiring or instilling a feeling in someone
- temor
- Fear or dread of something bad happening
- fracasar
- To fail or not succeed in an endeavor
- Además
- Furthermore or besides; adding additional information
- comprobé
- I verified or confirmed something to be true
- entendimiento
- Understanding or intelligence; mental comprehension ability
- mejoraba
- Was improving or getting better over time
- tanto
- So much or as much (adverb of degree)
- experiencia
- Experience; knowledge gained through practice or events
- cada
- Each or every (distributive adjective)
- día
- Day (basic unit of time)
- estaba
- Was (first/third person singular imperfect of estar)
- dispuesto
- Ready or willing to undertake something
- emprender
- To undertake or embark on a project or task
- esta
- This (feminine singular demonstrative adjective)
- empresa
- Undertaking or enterprise; a challenging endeavor
- hasta
- Until or up to (preposition of limit)
- unos
- Some or a few (masculine plural indefinite article)
- hubieran
- Had (past subjunctive of haber, third plural)
- acrecentado
- Increased or augmented over a period of time
- sagacidad
- Sagacity; keen mental discernment and good judgment
- Mientras
- While or meanwhile (temporal conjunction)
- produjeron
- Produced or caused (third plural preterite of producir)
- varios
- Several or various (masculine plural adjective)
- cambios
- Changes or alterations to a situation or place
- cabaña
- Cabin or hut; a small rustic dwelling
- presencia
- Presence; the state of being present somewhere
- difundía
- Was spreading or diffusing something throughout a place
- felicidad
- Happiness or joy; state of being content
- entre
- Among or between (preposition of position)
- habitantes
- Inhabitants; people who live in a place
- también
- Also or too (additive adverb)
- reinaba
- Reigned or prevailed; dominated a situation or place
- allí
- There; in or at that place
- mayor
- Greater or larger; comparative of grande
- grado
- Degree or extent of something
- abundancia
- Abundance; a plentiful supply of something
- pasaban
- Were spending or passing time doing something
- tiempo
- Time or weather (common Spanish noun)
- entretenimientos
- Entertainments or amusements enjoyed during leisure
- conversación
- Conversation; spoken exchange between two people
- ayudados
- Helped or assisted by someone (past participle)
- labores
- Labors or tasks; work or domestic chores
- criados
- Servants; people employed to do household work
- parecían
- Seemed or appeared (third plural imperfect of parecer)
- ricos
- Rich or wealthy (masculine plural adjective)
- contentos
- Content or satisfied (masculine plural adjective)
- felices
- Happy (masculine plural adjective)
- sentimientos
- Feelings or emotions experienced internally
- serenos
- Serene or calm (masculine plural adjective)
- apacibles
- Gentle or peaceful in nature or manner
- mientras
- While or whereas (temporal or contrastive conjunction)
- míos
- Mine (masculine plural possessive pronoun)
- volvían
- Were becoming or returning (imperfect of volver)
- turbulentos
- Turbulent or troubled (masculine plural adjective)
- aumento
- Increase or growth in amount or degree
- del
- Of the (contraction of de + el)
- conocimiento
- Knowledge or understanding gained through learning
- solo
- Only or alone; just one thing or person
- revelaba
- Was revealing or showing something previously unknown
- claridad
- Clarity or clearness; being easy to understand
- cuán
- How (exclamatory adverb expressing degree)
- desdichado
- Wretched or unfortunate; deeply unhappy person
- paria
- Pariah; social outcast rejected by society
- era
- Was (first/third person singular imperfect of ser)
- yo
- I (first person singular subject pronoun)
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