Heart of Darkness — Page 12

English → Spanish Full Text Level 9/10

And as I looked at the map of it in a shop-window, it fascinated me as a snake would a bird—a silly little bird.

Y cuando miré el mapa en el escaparate de una tienda, me fascinó como una serpiente fascinaría a un pájaro: un pajarillo tonto.

Then I remembered there was a big concern, a Company for trade on that river.

Entonces recordé que había una gran empresa, una Compañía para el comercio en ese río.

Dash it all! I thought to myself, they can't trade without using some kind of craft on that lot of fresh water—steamboats!

¡Al diablo con todo! Me dije a mí mismo que no podían comerciar sin utilizar algún tipo de embarcación en toda esa agua dulce: ¡vapores!

Why shouldn't I try to get charge of one?

¿Por qué no intentar hacerme cargo de uno?

I went on along Fleet Street, but could not shake off the idea.

Seguí caminando por Fleet Street, pero no podía quitarme la idea de la cabeza.

The snake had charmed me.

La serpiente me había hechizado.

"You understand it was a Continental concern, that Trading society; but I have a lot of relations living on the Continent, because it's cheap and not so nasty as it looks, they say.

"Comprenderéis que era una empresa continental, esa sociedad comercial; pero tengo muchos parientes viviendo en el Continente, porque es barato y no tan desagradable como parece, según dicen.

"I am sorry to own I began to worry them.

"Lamento reconocer que empecé a importunarlos.

This was already a fresh departure for me.

Esto ya era una nueva actitud para mí.

I was not used to get things that way, you know.

No estaba acostumbrado a conseguir las cosas de ese modo, ya lo sabéis.

I always went my own road and on my own legs where I had a mind to go.

Siempre seguí mi propio camino y con mis propias piernas hacia donde me proponía ir.

I wouldn't have believed it of myself; but, then—you see—I felt somehow I must get there by hook or by crook.

Nunca lo hubiera creído de mí mismo; pero, entonces, ya veis, sentía de algún modo que tenía que llegar allí como fuera.

So I worried them.

Así que los importuné.

The men said 'My dear fellow,' and did nothing.

Los hombres decían «Mi querido amigo» y no hacían nada.

Then—would you believe it?—I tried the women.

Entonces, ¿lo creeríais?, recurrí a las mujeres.

I, Charlie Marlow, set the women to work—to get a job.

Yo, Charlie Marlow, puse a las mujeres a trabajar para conseguir un empleo.

Heavens!

¡Dios mío!

Well, you see, the notion drove me.

Bueno, ya veis, la idea me dominaba.

I had an aunt, a dear enthusiastic soul.

Tenía una tía, una querida alma entusiasta.

She wrote: 'It will be delightful.

Ella escribió: «Será una delicia.

Vocabulary

cuando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'.
miré: Past tense of 'mirar'; I looked or I glanced.
mapa: A map showing geographic areas or routes.
escaparate: A shop window displaying goods for sale.
tienda: A store or shop where goods are sold.
fascinó: Past tense of 'fascinar'; it fascinated or captivated someone.
como: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'like', 'as', or 'how'.
serpiente: A snake; a long, legless reptile.
fascinaría: Conditional of 'fascinar'; would fascinate or captivate.
pájaro: A bird; a feathered, winged animal.
pajarillo: A little bird; diminutive form of 'pájaro'.
tonto: Foolish or silly; lacking good sense or intelligence.
Entonces: Adverb meaning 'then' or 'at that time'.
recordé: Past tense of 'recordar'; I remembered or recalled.
había: Imperfect of 'haber'; there was or there had been.
gran: Adjective meaning 'great' or 'large' before a noun.
empresa: A company or business enterprise engaged in commerce.
Compañía: A company or corporation; a business organization.
comercio: Trade or commerce; the buying and selling of goods.
ese: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular).
río: A river; a large natural stream of flowing water.
diablo: The devil; an evil supernatural being or demon.
todo: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'everything'.
dije: Past tense of 'decir'; I said or I told.
mí: Stressed pronoun meaning 'me' or 'myself' after prepositions.
mismo: Adjective meaning 'same' or 'myself' for emphasis.
podían: Imperfect of 'poder'; they were able to or could.
comerciar: To trade or do business; to engage in commerce.
sin: Preposition meaning 'without'.
utilizar: To use or utilize something for a purpose.
algún: Adjective meaning 'some' or 'any' (masculine singular).
tipo: A type, kind, or sort of something.
embarcación: A watercraft or vessel used for water travel.
toda: Adjective meaning 'all' or 'entire' (feminine singular).
esa: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (feminine singular).
agua: Water; the clear liquid essential for life.
dulce: Sweet; also used to describe fresh (non-salt) water.
vapores: Steam-powered ships or vessels; steamboats.
intentar: To try or attempt to do something.
hacerme: Reflexive infinitive meaning 'to make myself' or 'to get'.
cargo: Charge or responsibility; also freight or cargo.
uno: The number one; also an indefinite pronoun 'one'.
Seguí: Past tense of 'seguir'; I continued or I followed.
caminando: Gerund of 'caminar'; walking or strolling along.
pero: Conjunction meaning 'but'; introduces a contrasting idea.
podía: Imperfect of 'poder'; I was able to or I could.
quitarme: To remove from myself; to get rid of for oneself.
idea: An idea or thought; a concept in one's mind.
cabeza: The head; the uppermost part of the human body.
hechizado: Bewitched or enchanted; placed under a magical spell.
Comprenderéis: Future of 'comprender'; you (plural) will understand.
era: Imperfect of 'ser'; I/he/she was or it used to be.
continental: Relating to or from a continent, especially mainland Europe.
sociedad: A society, organization, or social group of people.
comercial: Adjective meaning commercial or related to trade.
tengo: Present tense of 'tener'; I have.
muchos: Adjective meaning 'many' or 'a lot of' (masculine plural).
parientes: Relatives or family members; people related by blood.
viviendo: Gerund of 'vivir'; living or residing somewhere.
Continente: A continent; a large landmass, often referring to Europe.
porque: Conjunction meaning 'because'; introduces a reason or cause.
barato: Adjective meaning cheap or inexpensive in price.
tan: Adverb meaning 'so' or 'as' in comparisons.
desagradable: Unpleasant or disagreeable; not nice or enjoyable.
parece: Present of 'parecer'; it seems or it appears.
según: Preposition meaning 'according to' or 'depending on'.
dicen: Present of 'decir'; they say or people say.
Lamento: I regret or I am sorry; expressing sorrow about something.
reconocer: To recognize, admit, or acknowledge something or someone.
empecé: Past tense of 'empezar'; I began or I started.
importunarlos: To bother or pester them; to make persistent requests.
Esto: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' (neuter, referring to idea).
ya: Adverb meaning 'already', 'now', or 'anymore'.
nueva: Adjective meaning 'new' (feminine singular).
actitud: An attitude or stance; one's approach or disposition.
estaba: Imperfect of 'estar'; I/he/she was (state or condition).
acostumbrado: Accustomed or used to something; habituated to a practice.
conseguir: To get, obtain, or achieve something desired.
cosas: Things or objects; matters or affairs in general.
modo: A manner, way, or mode of doing something.
sabéis: Present of 'saber'; you (plural) know a fact.
Siempre: Adverb meaning 'always' or 'at all times'.
seguí: Past tense of 'seguir'; I followed or I continued.
propio: Adjective meaning 'own' or 'one's own'.
camino: A road, path, or way; one's course or direction.
propias: Adjective meaning 'own' (feminine plural) for emphasis.
piernas: Legs; the lower limbs used for walking and standing.
hacia: Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of'.
donde: Relative adverb meaning 'where'; indicates a location.
proponía: Imperfect of 'proponer'; I intended or I was planning.
ir: Infinitive meaning 'to go'; basic verb of movement.
Nunca: Adverb meaning 'never'; at no time.
hubiera: Past subjunctive of 'haber'; used in hypothetical clauses.
creído: Past participle of 'creer'; believed or thought to be true.
entonces: Adverb meaning 'then', 'at that time', or 'so'.
veis: Present of 'ver'; you (plural) see or observe.
sentía: Imperfect of 'sentir'; I felt or I was feeling.
tenía: Imperfect of 'tener'; I had or I used to have.
llegar: To arrive or to reach a destination.
allí: Adverb meaning 'there'; at or in that place.
fuera: Subjunctive/past of 'ir' or 'ser'; also 'outside'.
Así: Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'.
importuné: Past tense of 'importunar'; I pestered or bothered them.
hombres: Men; adult male human beings.
decían: Imperfect of 'decir'; they were saying or they used to say.
querido: Dear or beloved; affectionate term of address.
amigo: A friend; a person with whom one has a bond.
hacían: Imperfect of 'hacer'; they were doing or they used to do.
nada: Nothing; not anything at all.
creeríais: Conditional of 'creer'; you (plural) would believe.
recurrí: Past tense of 'recurrir'; I turned to or I resorted to.
mujeres: Women; adult female human beings.
puse: Past tense of 'poner'; I put or I set about doing.
trabajar: To work; to perform labor or carry out a job.
empleo: Employment or a job; a position of paid work.
Dios: God; the supreme deity in monotheistic religions.
mío: Possessive pronoun meaning 'mine' (masculine singular).
Bueno: Adjective meaning 'good'; also an interjection 'well' or 'okay'.
dominaba: Imperfect of 'dominar'; she/I dominated or had mastery over.
Tenía: Imperfect of 'tener'; I/he/she had or used to have.
tía: An aunt; a parent's sister or a female relative.
querida: Dear or beloved (feminine); an affectionate descriptor.
alma: A soul; the spiritual or emotional essence of a person.
entusiasta: Enthusiastic; showing great eagerness or passionate interest.
escribió: Past tense of 'escribir'; she/he wrote a letter or text.
Será: Future of 'ser'; it will be or she will be.
delicia: A delight or pleasure; something causing great joy.

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