Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 8
It is true, he seldom came to see me, for although he ardently desired to relieve the sufferings of every human creature, he did not wish to be present at the agonies and miserable ravings of a murderer.
Es cierto, rara vez venía a verme, pues aunque deseaba ardientemente aliviar los sufrimientos de todo ser humano, no deseaba estar presente ante las agonías y los miserables delirios de un asesino.
He came, therefore, sometimes to see that I was not neglected, but his visits were short and with long intervals.
Venía, por tanto, a veces a comprobar que no se me descuidaba, pero sus visitas eran breves y con largos intervalos.
One day, while I was gradually recovering, I was seated in a chair, my eyes half open and my cheeks livid like those in death.
Un día, mientras me recuperaba gradualmente, estaba sentado en una silla, con los ojos entreabiertos y las mejillas lívidas como las de un muerto.
I was overcome by gloom and misery and often reflected I had better seek death than desire to remain in a world which to me was replete with wretchedness.
Estaba dominado por la melancolía y la miseria, y con frecuencia reflexionaba que era mejor buscar la muerte que desear permanecer en un mundo que para mí estaba lleno de desdicha.
At one time I considered whether I should not declare myself guilty and suffer the penalty of the law, less innocent than poor Justine had been.
En un momento llegué a considerar si no debería declararme culpable y sufrir la pena de la ley, siendo yo menos inocente que la pobre Justine.
Such were my thoughts when the door of my apartment was opened and Mr. Kirwin entered.
Tales eran mis pensamientos cuando la puerta de mi habitación se abrió y entró el señor Kirwin.
His countenance expressed sympathy and compassion; he drew a chair close to mine and addressed me in French,
Su semblante expresaba simpatía y compasión; acercó una silla a la mía y se dirigió a mí en francés,
"I fear that this place is very shocking to you; can I do anything to make you more comfortable?"
«Me temo que este lugar le resulta muy penoso; ¿puedo hacer algo para que se encuentre más cómodo?»
"I thank you, but all that you mention is nothing to me; on the whole earth there is no comfort which I am capable of receiving."
«Le agradezco, pero todo lo que menciona no significa nada para mí; en toda la tierra no hay consuelo alguno que yo sea capaz de recibir.»
"I know that the sympathy of a stranger can be but of little relief to one borne down as you are by so strange a misfortune.
«Sé que la simpatía de un extraño puede ser de poco alivio para alguien abatido como usted por una desgracia tan extraña.
Vocabulary
- cierto
- Certain, true, or sure about something.
- rara
- Rare, strange, or unusual in occurrence.
- vez
- Time or instance; used in frequency expressions.
- venía
- Past imperfect of 'venir'; he/she used to come.
- verme
- Infinitive 'ver' plus me; to see me.
- pues
- Well, since, or because; a connective word.
- aunque
- Although, even though, or even if.
- deseaba
- Past imperfect; he/she desired or wished for something.
- ardientemente
- Ardently, fervently, or with great passionate intensity.
- aliviar
- To relieve, ease, or alleviate pain or suffering.
- sufrimientos
- Sufferings or hardships endured by a person.
- todo
- Every, all, or whole; referring to totality.
- ser
- To be; also used as noun meaning 'being'.
- humano
- Human; relating to human beings or humanity.
- estar
- To be; used for states, conditions, or locations.
- presente
- Present; being there or existing at a moment.
- ante
- Before, in front of, or in the face of.
- agonías
- Agonies; extreme physical or emotional suffering.
- miserables
- Miserable, wretched, or pitifully unhappy people or things.
- delirios
- Deliriums; states of mental confusion or wild excitement.
- asesino
- Assassin or murderer; one who kills another person.
- Venía
- Past imperfect of 'venir'; was coming or used to come.
- tanto
- So much, therefore, or as much; connective expression.
- veces
- Times or occasions; plural of 'vez'.
- comprobar
- To verify, check, or confirm that something is true.
- descuidaba
- Past imperfect; was neglecting or failing to care for.
- visitas
- Visits; occasions of going to see someone.
- eran
- Past imperfect of 'ser'; they were.
- breves
- Brief or short in duration or length.
- largos
- Long in length or duration; extended.
- intervalos
- Intervals; periods of time between events.
- día
- Day; a period of twenty-four hours.
- mientras
- While or meanwhile; temporal conjunction.
- recuperaba
- Past imperfect; was recovering or regaining health.
- gradualmente
- Gradually; slowly and in small incremental steps.
- estaba
- Past imperfect of 'estar'; was in a state.
- sentado
- Seated or sitting down in a position.
- silla
- Chair; a piece of furniture for sitting.
- ojos
- Eyes; the organs of sight on the face.
- entreabiertos
- Half-open or slightly ajar; partially opened eyes or doors.
- mejillas
- Cheeks; the fleshy parts of the face.
- lívidas
- Livid or pallid; having a pale or bluish complexion.
- muerto
- Dead; no longer alive; deceased person or thing.
- dominado
- Dominated or overcome by a feeling or force.
- melancolía
- Melancholy; a deep feeling of sadness or gloom.
- miseria
- Misery or wretchedness; extreme suffering or poverty.
- frecuencia
- Frequency; how often something occurs or repeats.
- reflexionaba
- Past imperfect; was reflecting or thinking deeply.
- era
- Past imperfect of 'ser'; was.
- mejor
- Better or best; comparative of 'bueno'.
- buscar
- To search for, seek, or look for something.
- muerte
- Death; the end of life or living.
- desear
- To wish, desire, or want something strongly.
- permanecer
- To remain, stay, or continue in a place.
- mundo
- World; the earth or a particular realm of existence.
- lleno
- Full of something; filled or complete.
- desdicha
- Misfortune or unhappiness; a state of great sorrow.
- momento
- Moment; a very brief period of time.
- llegué
- First person singular preterite of 'llegar'; I arrived.
- considerar
- To consider, think about, or reflect upon something carefully.
- si
- If; conditional conjunction used in hypothetical statements.
- debería
- Conditional of 'deber'; should or ought to.
- declararme
- To declare myself; to confess or proclaim oneself.
- culpable
- Guilty; responsible for a fault or wrongdoing.
- sufrir
- To suffer, endure, or experience pain or hardship.
- pena
- Penalty, sorrow, or punishment; pain or grief.
- ley
- Law; a rule or set of rules in society.
- siendo
- Gerund of 'ser'; being; while being something.
- menos
- Less or fewer; comparative of quantity or degree.
- inocente
- Innocent; not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.
- pobre
- Poor or unfortunate; lacking wealth or deserving pity.
- Tales
- Such; of that kind; referring to previously mentioned things.
- pensamientos
- Thoughts or ideas produced by the mind.
- cuando
- When; temporal conjunction linking two events.
- puerta
- Door; an entrance or exit of a room.
- habitación
- Room; a space within a building or dwelling.
- abrió
- Preterite of 'abrir'; opened a door or object.
- entró
- Preterite of 'entrar'; entered or came inside.
- señor
- Mister or sir; a respectful title for a man.
- semblante
- Face or expression; the appearance of one's countenance.
- expresaba
- Past imperfect; was expressing or showing an emotion.
- simpatía
- Sympathy or warmth; a feeling of care for others.
- compasión
- Compassion; deep sympathy for another's suffering or misfortune.
- acercó
- Preterite of 'acercarse'; approached or moved closer.
- mía
- Mine; first person feminine possessive pronoun.
- dirigió
- Preterite of 'dirigir'; addressed or directed towards someone.
- francés
- French; relating to France or the French language.
- temo
- First person present of 'temer'; I fear or dread.
- este
- This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
- lugar
- Place or location; a specific area or spot.
- resulta
- Results in or turns out to be something.
- penoso
- Painful, distressing, or causing hardship or discomfort.
- puedo
- First person present of 'poder'; I can or am able.
- hacer
- To do or make; a fundamental Spanish verb.
- algo
- Something or anything; an indefinite pronoun.
- encuentre
- Present subjunctive of 'encontrar'; find or encounter.
- más
- More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree.
- cómodo
- Comfortable; providing ease and physical comfort.
- agradezco
- First person present of 'agradecer'; I thank you.
- menciona
- Third person present of 'mencionar'; mentions or brings up.
- significa
- Third person present of 'significar'; means or signifies.
- nada
- Nothing; not anything at all.
- toda
- All or every; feminine singular form of 'todo'.
- tierra
- Earth, land, or ground; the world or soil.
- hay
- There is or there are; impersonal form of 'haber'.
- consuelo
- Consolation or comfort given in times of sadness.
- alguno
- Some, any, or none; indefinite adjective or pronoun.
- sea
- Present subjunctive of 'ser'; be or may be.
- capaz
- Capable or able; having the ability to do something.
- recibir
- To receive or accept something given to oneself.
- Sé
- First person present of 'saber'; I know a fact.
- extraño
- Strange, foreign, or unfamiliar; odd or unusual.
- puede
- Third person present of 'poder'; can or is able.
- poco
- Little or a small amount; not much.
- alivio
- Relief; a feeling of ease after pain or worry.
- alguien
- Someone or somebody; an indefinite personal pronoun.
- abatido
- Downcast, dejected, or overwhelmed by despair or misfortune.
- usted
- You; formal second person singular subject pronoun.
- desgracia
- Misfortune, disgrace, or bad luck; an unfortunate event.
- tan
- So or as; adverb used in comparisons of degree.
- extraña
- Strange or unusual; feminine form of 'extraño'.
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