Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 10
"
"
This address caused a considerable change in the physiognomy of my own auditor.
Este discurso causó un cambio considerable en la fisonomía de mi propio oyente.
He had heard my story with that half kind of belief that is given to a tale of spirits and supernatural events; but when he was called upon to act officially in consequence, the whole tide of his incredulity returned.
Había escuchado mi historia con esa media clase de creencia que se otorga a un relato de espíritus y sucesos sobrenaturales; pero cuando se le pidió que actuara oficialmente en consecuencia, toda la marea de su incredulidad regresó.
He, however, answered mildly, "I would willingly afford you every aid in your pursuit, but the creature of whom you speak appears to have powers which would put all my exertions to defiance.
Sin embargo, respondió con suavidad: «De buena gana os brindaría toda la ayuda posible en vuestra búsqueda, pero la criatura de la que habláis parece poseer poderes que pondrían a prueba todos mis esfuerzos.
Who can follow an animal which can traverse the sea of ice and inhabit caves and dens where no man would venture to intrude?
¿Quién puede seguir a un animal capaz de atravesar el mar de hielo y habitar cuevas y guaridas donde ningún hombre se atrevería a adentrarse?
Besides, some months have elapsed since the commission of his crimes, and no one can conjecture to what place he has wandered or what region he may now inhabit."
Además, han transcurrido algunos meses desde la comisión de sus crímenes, y nadie puede conjeturar a qué lugar ha vagado o qué región puede habitar ahora.»
"I do not doubt that he hovers near the spot which I inhabit, and if he has indeed taken refuge in the Alps, he may be hunted like the chamois and destroyed as a beast of prey.
«No dudo de que merodea cerca del lugar que yo habito, y si en verdad se ha refugiado en los Alpes, puede ser cazado como el rebeco y destruido como una bestia de presa.
But I perceive your thoughts; you do not credit my narrative and do not intend to pursue my enemy with the punishment which is his desert."
Pero percibo vuestros pensamientos; no dais crédito a mi relato y no tenéis intención de perseguir a mi enemigo con el castigo que merece.»
As I spoke, rage sparkled in my eyes; the magistrate was intimidated.
Mientras hablaba, la rabia brillaba en mis ojos; el magistrado se sintió intimidado.
"You are mistaken," said he.
«Estáis equivocado», dijo él.
"I will exert myself, and if it is in my power to seize the monster, be assured that he shall suffer punishment proportionate to his crimes.
«Me esforzaré, y si está en mi poder aprehender al monstruo, tened la seguridad de que sufrirá un castigo proporcional a sus crímenes.
Vocabulary
- Este
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this'
- discurso
- A formal speech or address given publicly
- causó
- Past tense of causar; caused or produced an effect
- cambio
- A change, shift, or alteration in something
- considerable
- Noteworthy or significant in size or degree
- fisonomía
- The features or expression of a person's face
- propio
- Adjective meaning 'own,' 'proper,' or 'very same'
- oyente
- A listener or someone who is hearing something
- Había
- Past perfect auxiliary verb meaning 'had'
- escuchado
- Past participle of escuchar; listened or heard attentively
- historia
- A story, narrative, or account of events
- media
- Half or partial; also can mean 'average'
- clase
- Class, type, or degree of something
- creencia
- A belief or conviction held by someone
- otorga
- To grant, bestow, or give something to someone
- relato
- A tale, account, or short narrative story
- espíritus
- Spirits or supernatural beings; plural of espíritu
- sucesos
- Events, occurrences, or happenings; plural of suceso
- sobrenaturales
- Supernatural; beyond natural or physical explanation
- pidió
- Past tense of pedir; asked or requested something formally
- actuara
- Subjunctive of actuar; to act or take official action
- oficialmente
- Officially; in an authorized or formal capacity
- consecuencia
- A consequence or result of a prior action
- marea
- A tide; the rising and falling of the sea
- incredulidad
- Disbelief or skepticism; refusal to believe something
- regresó
- Past tense of regresar; returned or came back
- embargo
- Used in 'sin embargo' meaning 'nevertheless' or 'however'
- respondió
- Past tense of responder; replied or answered
- suavidad
- Softness, gentleness, or mildness in manner or texture
- gana
- Desire or willingness; used in 'de buena gana' meaning gladly
- os
- Second person plural object pronoun meaning 'you all'
- brindaría
- Conditional of brindar; would offer or provide something
- ayuda
- Help or assistance given to someone in need
- posible
- Adjective meaning 'possible' or 'feasible'
- vuestra
- Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (plural, formal Spain)
- búsqueda
- A search or quest for something or someone
- criatura
- A creature, being, or living entity
- habláis
- Second person plural of hablar; 'you all speak or talk'
- parece
- Third person singular of parecer; 'seems' or 'appears'
- poseer
- To possess, have, or own something
- poderes
- Powers or abilities; plural of poder used as a noun
- pondrían
- Conditional of poner; 'would put' or 'would place'
- prueba
- A test, proof, or trial of something
- esfuerzos
- Efforts or attempts; plural of esfuerzo
- seguir
- To follow, continue, or pursue something or someone
- animal
- An animal or living creature that is not a plant
- capaz
- Capable or able to do something
- atravesar
- To cross, traverse, or go through something
- mar
- The sea or ocean
- hielo
- Ice; frozen water found in cold environments
- habitar
- To inhabit, live in, or dwell somewhere
- cuevas
- Caves or caverns; plural of cueva
- guaridas
- Dens or lairs where animals or criminals hide
- ningún
- Adjective meaning 'no' or 'not any' (masculine singular)
- hombre
- A man or human being
- atrevería
- Conditional of atreverse; would dare to do something
- adentrarse
- To go deep into or venture inside something
- Además
- Adverb meaning 'furthermore,' 'besides,' or 'in addition'
- transcurrido
- Past participle of transcurrir; elapsed or passed (time)
- algunos
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'some' or 'a few'
- meses
- Months; plural of mes
- desde
- Preposition meaning 'since,' 'from,' or 'after'
- comisión
- Commission or perpetration of an act or crime
- crímenes
- Crimes or serious offenses; plural of crimen
- nadie
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'nobody' or 'no one'
- conjeturar
- To conjecture or speculate without definite proof
- lugar
- A place, location, or spot
- vagado
- Past participle of vagar; wandered or roamed aimlessly
- región
- A region, area, or geographical zone
- dudo
- First person singular of dudar; 'I doubt' something
- merodea
- Third person singular of merodear; prowls or lurks nearby
- cerca
- Adverb meaning 'nearby' or 'close to'
- habito
- First person singular of habitar; 'I inhabit' or 'I live in'
- verdad
- Truth; something that is true or factual
- refugiado
- Taken refuge; past participle of refugiarse; hidden away
- ser
- To be; infinitive of the verb expressing identity or essence
- cazado
- Hunted; past participle of cazar; pursued like prey
- rebeco
- A chamois; a small agile mountain antelope
- destruido
- Destroyed; past participle of destruir; completely ruined
- bestia
- A beast or fierce, brutal animal
- presa
- Prey; an animal hunted or captured by a predator
- percibo
- First person singular of percibir; 'I perceive' or 'I sense'
- vuestros
- Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (plural, masculine, Spain)
- pensamientos
- Thoughts or ideas; plural of pensamiento
- dais
- Second person plural of dar; 'you all give' or 'grant'
- crédito
- Credit or belief; trust given to someone's words
- tenéis
- Second person plural of tener; 'you all have' or 'hold'
- intención
- An intention or purpose behind an action
- perseguir
- To pursue, chase, or prosecute someone
- enemigo
- An enemy or adversary opposed to someone
- castigo
- Punishment or penalty imposed for wrongdoing
- merece
- Third person singular of merecer; 'deserves' or 'merits'
- Mientras
- Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'as long as'
- hablaba
- Imperfect of hablar; 'was speaking' or 'used to speak'
- rabia
- Rage or fury; intense uncontrolled anger
- brillaba
- Imperfect of brillar; 'was shining' or 'was gleaming'
- ojos
- Eyes; plural of ojo
- magistrado
- A magistrate; a civil or judicial official with authority
- sintió
- Past tense of sentir; felt or experienced an emotion
- intimidado
- Intimidated; frightened or made to feel threatened
- Estáis
- Second person plural of estar; 'you all are' (temporary state)
- equivocado
- Mistaken or wrong; having made an error
- dijo
- Past tense of decir; 'said' or 'told'
- esforzaré
- Future of esforzarse; 'I will strive' or 'I will try hard'
- poder
- Power, ability, or the verb 'to be able to'
- aprehender
- To apprehend or capture someone, especially a criminal
- monstruo
- A monster; a frightening or unnatural creature
- tened
- Imperative plural of tener; 'have' or 'hold' (command form)
- seguridad
- Security, safety, or certainty about something
- sufrirá
- Future of sufrir; 'will suffer' a consequence or pain
- proporcional
- Proportional; corresponding in size or degree to something
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