Harrigan — Page 3
The gayest crowds cannot quite disturb the brooding peace which is like the promise of sleep and rest at sunset.
Le folle più allegre non riescono del tutto a turbare la pace meditativa che è come la promessa del sonno e del riposo al tramonto.
It was not pleasing to Harrigan.
Non piaceva ad Harrigan.
He frowned and drew a quick, impatient breath, muttering: "I'm not long for this joint. I gotta be moving."
Aggrottò le sopracciglia e trasse un respiro rapido e impaziente, borbottando: «Non mi trattengo a lungo in questo posto. Devo muovermi.»
He joined a crowd which eddied toward the center of Ivilei.
Si unì a una folla che si muoveva vorticosamente verso il centro di Ivilei.
In there it was better.
Lì dentro era meglio.
Negro soldiers, marines from the _Maryland_, Kanakas, Chinamen, Japanese, Portuguese, Americans; a score of nationalities and complexions rubbed shoulders as they wandered aimlessly among the many bright-painted cottages.
Soldati negri, marines del _Maryland_, Kanaka, cinesi, giapponesi, portoghesi, americani; una ventina di nazionalità e carnagioni si mescolavano mentre vagavano senza meta tra i numerosi cottage dai colori vivaci.
Yet even in that careless throng of pleasure-seekers no one rubbed shoulders with Harrigan.
Eppure anche in quella spensierata folla di cercatori di piacere nessuno si sfiorava con Harrigan.
The flame of his hair was like a red lamp which warned them away.
La fiamma dei suoi capelli era come una lampada rossa che li teneva lontani.
Or perhaps it was his eye, which seemed to linger for a cold, incurious instant on every face that approached.
O forse era il suo sguardo, che sembrava soffermarsi per un freddo e incurioso istante su ogni volto che si avvicinava.
He picked out the prettiest of the girls who sat at the windows chatting with all who passed.
Scelse la più bella delle ragazze che sedevano alle finestre chiacchierando con tutti i passanti.
He did not have to shoulder to win a way through the crowd of her admirers.
Non dovette farsi largo a spallate tra la folla dei suoi ammiratori.
She was a _hap haoli_, with the fine features of the Caucasian and the black of hair and eye which shows the islander.
Era una _hap haoli_, con i lineamenti raffinati del caucasico e il nero dei capelli e degli occhi che tradiva l'isolana.
A rounded elbow rested on the sill of the window; her chin was cupped in her hand.
Un gomito rotondo poggiava sul davanzale della finestra; il mento era sorretto dalla mano.
"Send these away," said Harrigan, and leaned an elbow beside hers.
«Mandali via», disse Harrigan, e appoggiò un gomito accanto al suo.
"Oh," she murmured; then: "And if I send them away?"
«Oh», mormorò lei; poi: «E se li mando via?»
"I'll reward you."
«Ti ricompenserò.»
"Reward?"
«Ricompensa?»
Vocabulary
- Le
- The (feminine plural article or pronoun)
- folle
- Mad, crazy, or crowd of people
- più
- More, most; plus or additional
- allegre
- Cheerful, happy, merry (feminine plural)
- non
- Not; negation particle in Italian
- riescono
- They manage to, succeed in doing
- del
- Of the; contraction of di + il
- tutto
- All, whole, everything entirely
- turbare
- To disturb, trouble, or upset
- la
- The (feminine singular article)
- pace
- Peace, tranquility, calm state of being
- che
- That, which, who; relative pronoun
- come
- As, like, how; comparison or question
- promessa
- Promise, pledge, or commitment made
- sonno
- Sleep, slumber; state of resting
- riposo
- Rest, repose, break from activity
- al
- At the, to the (contraction)
- tramonto
- Sunset, dusk, decline of daylight
- Non
- Not; negation particle in Italian
- piaceva
- He/she liked, pleased (imperfect tense)
- ad
- To, at (preposition before vowels)
- sopracciglia
- Eyebrows; facial features above eyes
- trasse
- He/she drew, pulled (past tense)
- un
- A, an (masculine singular article)
- respiro
- Breath, breathing; respiration or relief
- rapido
- Fast, quick, rapid in speed
- impaziente
- Impatient, eager, restless in manner
- mi
- Me, myself (direct or indirect object)
- trattengo
- I hold back, restrain, retain
- lungo
- Long, along, lengthwise in direction
- in
- In, at, into (preposition)
- questo
- This, this one (demonstrative)
- posto
- Place, spot, position, job
- Devo
- I must, I have to, I owe
- muovermi
- To move myself, to move or shift
- Si
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun or yes
- unì
- He/she joined, united (past tense)
- una
- A, an (feminine singular article)
- folla
- Crowd, throng of many people
- si
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun or yes
- muoveva
- It/she moved, was moving (imperfect)
- verso
- Toward, direction, verse in poetry
- il
- The (masculine singular article)
- centro
- Center, middle, downtown area
- di
- Of, from, by (preposition)
- Lì
- There, in that place
- dentro
- Inside, within, indoors in location
- era
- It/she was (imperfect of essere)
- meglio
- Better, best; improvement or preference
- Soldati
- Soldiers, military personnel serving
- marines
- Marines, naval soldiers; military personnel
- cinesi
- Chinese people or things; from China
- giapponesi
- Japanese people or things; from Japan
- portoghesi
- Portuguese people or things; from Portugal
- americani
- American people or things; from America
- ventina
- About twenty, roughly twenty of something
- nazionalità
- Nationality, national origin or citizenship
- mescolavano
- They mixed, were mingling together (imperfect)
- mentre
- While, meanwhile, during that time
- vagavano
- They wandered, roamed about (imperfect)
- senza
- Without, lacking, deprived of
- meta
- Goal, destination, aim or target
- tra
- Among, between, amid (preposition)
- numerosi
- Numerous, many, plentiful in quantity
- dai
- From the, by the (contraction)
- colori
- Colors, hues, shades of pigment
- vivaci
- Bright, vivid, lively in appearance
- Eppure
- Yet, however, nevertheless; but still
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