Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 9
My voice, although harsh, had nothing terrible in it; I thought, therefore, that if in the absence of his children I could gain the good will and mediation of the old De Lacey, I might by his means be tolerated by my younger protectors.
Mi voz, aunque áspera, no tenía nada de terrible; pensé, por tanto, que si en ausencia de sus hijos podía ganarme la buena voluntad y la mediación del viejo De Lacey, podría por su medio ser tolerado por mis jóvenes protectores.
"One day, when the sun shone on the red leaves that strewed the ground and diffused cheerfulness, although it denied warmth, Safie, Agatha, and Felix departed on a long country walk, and the old man, at his own desire, was left alone in the cottage.
«Un día, cuando el sol brillaba sobre las hojas rojas que cubrían el suelo y difundía alegría, aunque negaba el calor, Safie, Agatha y Félix partieron a dar un largo paseo por el campo, y el anciano, por deseo propio, se quedó solo en la cabaña.
When his children had departed, he took up his guitar and played several mournful but sweet airs, more sweet and mournful than I had ever heard him play before.
Cuando sus hijos se hubieron marchado, tomó su guitarra y tocó varias melodías tristes pero dulces, más dulces y tristes de lo que jamás le había oído tocar.
At first his countenance was illuminated with pleasure, but as he continued, thoughtfulness and sadness succeeded; at length, laying aside the instrument, he sat absorbed in reflection.
Al principio su semblante se iluminó de placer, pero a medida que continuaba, la melancolía y la tristeza se fueron apoderando de él; finalmente, dejando a un lado el instrumento, se quedó sentado absorto en sus reflexiones.
"My heart beat quick; this was the hour and moment of trial, which would decide my hopes or realise my fears.
«Mi corazón latía con fuerza; aquella era la hora y el momento de la prueba, que decidiría mis esperanzas o haría realidad mis temores.
The servants were gone to a neighbouring fair.
Los criados habían ido a una feria cercana.
All was silent in and around the cottage; it was an excellent opportunity; yet, when I proceeded to execute my plan, my limbs failed me and I sank to the ground.
Todo era silencio dentro y alrededor de la cabaña; era una oportunidad excelente; sin embargo, cuando me dispuse a ejecutar mi plan, las fuerzas me fallaron y caí al suelo.
Again I rose, and exerting all the firmness of which I was master, removed the planks which I had placed before my hovel to conceal my retreat.
Me levanté de nuevo y, haciendo acopio de toda la firmeza de que era capaz, retiré las tablas que había colocado delante de mi choza para ocultar mi refugio.
The fresh air revived me, and with renewed determination I approached the door of their cottage.
El aire fresco me reanimó y, con determinación renovada, me acerqué a la puerta de su cabaña.
"I knocked.
«Llamé a la puerta.
Vocabulary
- Mi
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my' in Spanish
- voz
- The sound produced when speaking or singing
- aunque
- Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'
- áspera
- Rough, harsh, or coarse in texture or sound
- tenía
- Past imperfect of 'tener'; meaning 'had' or 'used to have'
- nada
- Pronoun or adverb meaning 'nothing' or 'not at all'
- terrible
- Something that causes great fear or is very bad
- pensé
- Past tense of 'pensar'; meaning 'I thought'
- tanto
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'so much' or 'therefore'
- si
- Conjunction meaning 'if,' introducing a conditional clause
- ausencia
- The state of being away or not present somewhere
- hijos
- Children or sons of a person or family
- podía
- Past imperfect of 'poder'; meaning 'could' or 'was able to'
- ganarme
- To earn or win something for oneself
- voluntad
- The power of choice; goodwill or willingness toward someone
- mediación
- The act of mediating or intervening between two parties
- viejo
- Old man; adjective meaning old or elderly
- podría
- Conditional of 'poder'; meaning 'could' or 'would be able'
- medio
- Means or method used to achieve a goal
- ser
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to be' in a permanent sense
- tolerado
- Past participle of 'tolerar'; accepted or put up with
- jóvenes
- Young people; plural adjective meaning young
- protectores
- Those who protect or defend someone from harm
- día
- A period of twenty-four hours; daytime
- cuando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'
- sol
- The star at the center of our solar system; sun
- brillaba
- Past imperfect of 'brillar'; meaning 'was shining' or 'gleamed'
- sobre
- Preposition meaning 'on,' 'over,' or 'about'
- hojas
- Leaves of a tree or plant; also pages of paper
- rojas
- Adjective meaning 'red,' feminine plural form
- cubrían
- Past imperfect of 'cubrir'; meaning 'were covering'
- suelo
- The ground or floor beneath one's feet
- difundía
- Past imperfect of 'difundir'; spread or radiated something outward
- alegría
- A feeling of great happiness or joy
- negaba
- Past imperfect of 'negar'; meaning 'denied' or 'refused'
- calor
- Warmth or heat generated by a source
- partieron
- Past tense of 'partir'; meaning 'they departed' or 'left'
- dar
- Infinitive meaning 'to give' or 'to take' a walk
- largo
- Adjective meaning 'long' in distance or duration
- paseo
- A leisurely walk or stroll taken outdoors
- campo
- Open countryside or rural land outside a city
- anciano
- An elderly or very old person, typically a man
- deseo
- A strong feeling of wanting something; a wish
- propio
- Adjective meaning 'own,' belonging to oneself
- quedó
- Past tense of 'quedar'; meaning 'stayed' or 'remained'
- solo
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'alone' or 'only'
- cabaña
- A small rustic hut or cabin in a rural area
- Cuando
- Conjunction meaning 'when,' introducing a time clause
- hubieron
- Past perfect auxiliary; 'they had' used with past participle
- marchado
- Past participle of 'marchar'; meaning 'gone' or 'departed'
- tomó
- Past tense of 'tomar'; meaning 'took' or 'picked up'
- guitarra
- A stringed musical instrument played by plucking
- tocó
- Past tense of 'tocar'; meaning 'played' an instrument
- varias
- Adjective meaning 'several' or 'various,' feminine plural
- melodías
- Sequences of musical notes forming a recognizable tune
- tristes
- Adjective meaning 'sad' in plural form
- pero
- Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing a contrast
- dulces
- Adjective meaning 'sweet' or 'gentle,' plural form
- más
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'more' or 'most'
- jamás
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever,' stronger than 'nunca'
- había
- Past imperfect of 'haber'; auxiliary verb meaning 'had'
- oído
- Past participle of 'oír'; meaning 'heard'; also the ear
- tocar
- Infinitive meaning 'to play' an instrument or 'to touch'
- principio
- The beginning or start of something; a principle
- semblante
- A person's facial expression or appearance
- iluminó
- Past tense of 'iluminar'; meaning 'lit up' or 'brightened'
- placer
- A feeling of enjoyment, satisfaction, or delight
- medida
- Measure; 'a medida que' means 'as' indicating progression
- continuaba
- Past imperfect of 'continuar'; meaning 'was continuing' or 'kept on'
- melancolía
- A deep, prolonged sadness or pensive gloom
- tristeza
- The state of feeling sad or sorrowful
- fueron
- Past tense of 'ir' or 'ser'; meaning 'went' or 'were'
- apoderando
- Gerund of 'apoderarse'; taking hold or control of something
- finalmente
- Adverb meaning 'finally' or 'at last'
- dejando
- Gerund of 'dejar'; meaning 'leaving' or 'setting aside'
- lado
- Side of something; 'a un lado' means 'to one side'
- instrumento
- A tool or device; a musical instrument
- sentado
- Past participle of 'sentar'; meaning 'seated' or 'sitting'
- absorto
- Deeply absorbed or lost in thought
- reflexiones
- Thoughts or meditations considered carefully over time
- corazón
- The organ that pumps blood; also meaning heart emotionally
- latía
- Past imperfect of 'latir'; meaning 'was beating' as a heart
- fuerza
- Physical or mental strength, force, or power
- aquella
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' referring to something distant
- era
- Past imperfect of 'ser'; meaning 'was' or 'used to be'
- hora
- A unit of time equal to sixty minutes
- momento
- A very brief period of time; an important instant
- prueba
- A test or trial used to determine an outcome
- decidiría
- Conditional of 'decidir'; meaning 'would decide' an outcome
- esperanzas
- Plural of 'esperanza'; hopes or aspirations for the future
- haría
- Conditional of 'hacer'; meaning 'would make' or 'would do'
- realidad
- The state of things as they actually exist; reality
- temores
- Plural of 'temor'; fears or apprehensions about something
- criados
- Servants or domestic workers employed in a household
- habían
- Past perfect auxiliary; 'they had' used before past participle
- ido
- Past participle of 'ir'; meaning 'gone'
- feria
- A fair or market, often festive, held periodically
- cercana
- Adjective meaning 'nearby' or 'close' in distance
- Todo
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'everything' or 'all'
- silencio
- Complete absence of sound; quiet or stillness
- dentro
- Adverb meaning 'inside' or 'within' a place
- alrededor
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding'
- oportunidad
- A favorable moment or circumstance for doing something
- excelente
- Adjective meaning 'excellent' or 'very good'
- sin
- Preposition meaning 'without'
- embargo
- 'Sin embargo' means 'however' or 'nevertheless'
- dispuse
- Past tense of 'disponer'; meaning 'I prepared' or 'I set about'
- ejecutar
- Infinitive meaning 'to execute' or 'carry out' a plan
- plan
- A detailed scheme or method for achieving a goal
- fuerzas
- Plural of 'fuerza'; strengths or physical powers
- fallaron
- Past tense of 'fallar'; meaning 'they failed' or 'gave out'
- caí
- Past tense of 'caer'; meaning 'I fell' down
- levanté
- Past tense of 'levantar'; meaning 'I got up' or 'rose'
- nuevo
- Adjective meaning 'new'; 'de nuevo' means 'again'
- haciendo
- Gerund of 'hacer'; meaning 'doing' or 'making'
- acopio
- Gathering or stockpiling of resources; 'hacer acopio' means to muster
- firmeza
- Steadiness, resolve, or firmness of purpose
- capaz
- Adjective meaning 'capable' or 'able' to do something
- retiré
- Past tense of 'retirar'; meaning 'I removed' or 'withdrew'
- tablas
- Planks or boards made of wood
- colocado
- Past participle of 'colocar'; placed or positioned somewhere
- delante
- Adverb meaning 'in front' or 'before' something
- choza
- A small, simple hut or shack as shelter
- ocultar
- Infinitive meaning 'to hide' or 'to conceal' something
- refugio
- A place of shelter or protection from danger
- aire
- The invisible gaseous mixture surrounding the Earth
- fresco
- Adjective meaning 'fresh' or 'cool' referring to air or temperature
- reanimó
- Past tense of 'reanimar'; meaning 'revived' or 'reinvigorated'
- determinación
- Firm resolve or decision to do something
- renovada
- Adjective meaning 'renewed' or 'refreshed,' feminine form
- acerqué
- Past tense of 'acercarse'; meaning 'I approached' or 'drew near'
- puerta
- A door or gate providing entry to a building
- Llamé
- Past tense of 'llamar'; meaning 'I knocked' or 'I called'
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