Heart of Darkness — Page 12

English → It 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.

E mentre guardavo la sua carta geografica nella vetrina di un negozio, mi affascinò come un serpente affascinerebbe un uccello—un piccolo e sciocco uccellino.

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

Poi ricordai che esisteva una grande impresa, una Compagnia per il commercio su quel fiume.

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

Diamine! pensai tra me e me, non possono commerciare senza usare qualche tipo di imbarcazione su tutta quella distesa d'acqua dolce—battelli a vapore!

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

Perché non dovrei cercare di ottenere il comando di uno di essi?

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

Continuai a camminare lungo Fleet Street, ma non riuscivo a scrollarmi quell'idea di dosso.

The snake had charmed me.

Il serpente mi aveva incantato.

"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.

"Capite, era un'impresa continentale, quella società commerciale; ma ho molti parenti che vivono sul Continente, perché è economico e non così sgradevole come sembra, dicono.

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

"Mi dispiace ammettere che cominciai a tormentarli.

This was already a fresh departure for me.

Era già una nuova strada per me.

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

Non ero abituato a ottenere le cose in quel modo, sapete.

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

Ho sempre percorso la mia strada con le mie proprie gambe, dove avevo intenzione di andare.

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

Non avrei mai creduto di essere capace di farlo; ma, vedete, sentivo in qualche modo che dovevo arrivarci a qualunque costo.

So I worried them.

Così li tormentai.

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

Gli uomini dicevano 'Mio caro amico,' e non facevano nulla.

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

Poi—ci credereste?—mi rivolsi alle donne.

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

Io, Charlie Marlow, misi le donne al lavoro—per trovare un impiego.

Heavens!

Cielo!

Well, you see, the notion drove me.

Ebbene, vedete, l'idea mi spingeva.

I had an aunt, a dear enthusiastic soul.

Avevo una zia, una cara anima entusiasta.

She wrote: 'It will be delightful.

Lei scrisse: 'Sarà delizioso.

Vocabulary

mentre: Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
guardavo: I was looking at or watching something.
carta: Paper, map, or card depending on context.
geografica: Adjective meaning 'geographical', relating to geography.
vetrina: Shop window or display case in a store.
negozio: A shop or store where goods are sold.
affascinò: It fascinated or captivated someone (past tense).
serpente: A snake or serpent, a reptile without limbs.
affascinerebbe: Would fascinate or enchant someone (conditional tense).
uccello: A bird, any feathered winged animal.
piccolo: Adjective meaning 'small', 'little', or 'young'.
sciocco: Foolish, silly, or stupid person or thing.
uccellino: A little bird; diminutive form of uccello.
Poi: Adverb meaning 'then', 'afterward', or 'later'.
ricordai: I remembered or recalled something (past tense).
esisteva: It existed or was in existence (imperfect tense).
impresa: A company, enterprise, or business venture.
Compagnia: Company or corporation, a group doing business together.
commercio: Trade or commerce, the buying and selling of goods.
fiume: A river, a large natural stream of water.
Diamine: Exclamation meaning 'darn!', 'gosh!', or 'the devil!'.
pensai: I thought or considered something (past tense).
tra: Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'within'.
possono: They can or are able to (third person plural).
commerciare: To trade or conduct commerce with others.
senza: Preposition meaning 'without', indicating absence of something.
usare: To use or make use of something.
qualche: Adjective meaning 'some' or 'any' (singular use).
tipo: Type, kind, or sort of something or someone.
imbarcazione: A boat or watercraft used for water transport.
distesa: An expanse or stretch of land or water.
acqua: Water, the liquid essential for life.
dolce: Sweet or fresh; used for water means 'freshwater'.
battelli: Boats or small vessels used on rivers or lakes.
vapore: Steam or vapor; battelli a vapore means steamboats.
dovrei: I should or ought to do something (conditional).
cercare: To look for, search, or try to obtain something.
ottenere: To obtain, get, or achieve something desired.
comando: Command or control; leadership of a vessel or group.
essi: Third-person plural pronoun meaning 'they' or 'them'.
Continuai: I continued doing something (past tense).
camminare: To walk or go on foot somewhere.
lungo: Preposition or adjective meaning 'along' or 'long'.
riuscivo: I managed or succeeded in doing something (imperfect).
scrollarmi: To shake off or rid myself of something unwanted.
idea: An idea, thought, or concept in one's mind.
dosso: Back or shoulders; 'di dosso' means 'off oneself'.
incantato: Enchanted, bewitched, or captivated by something magical.
Capite: 'Do you understand?' or 'you see?' addressing a group.
continentale: Adjective meaning 'continental', relating to a continent.
società: A society, company, or business organization.
commerciale: Adjective meaning 'commercial', relating to trade or business.
molti: Adjective meaning 'many' or 'a lot of' (masculine plural).
parenti: Relatives or family members; not 'parents' in Italian.
vivono: They live or reside somewhere (third person plural).
Continente: The Continent, referring to mainland Europe.
economico: Cheap, economical, or inexpensive; relating to economy.
così: Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
sgradevole: Unpleasant, disagreeable, or not nice to experience.
sembra: It seems or appears to be something (third person).
dicono: They say or tell (third person plural, present).
dispiace: It displeases or is sorry; used to express regret.
ammettere: To admit, acknowledge, or confess something honestly.
cominciai: I began or started doing something (past tense).
tormentarli: To torment or pester them persistently.
già: Adverb meaning 'already' or 'previously'.
strada: A road, street, or path for traveling.
abituato: Accustomed or used to something through habit.
cose: Things, objects, or matters of any kind.
modo: Way, manner, or method of doing something.
sapete: You (plural) know; used to address a group.
sempre: Adverb meaning 'always' or 'still'.
percorso: Traveled or covered a route; also means 'route'.
proprie: Own, one's very own (feminine plural adjective).
gambe: Legs, the limbs used for walking and standing.
dove: Adverb meaning 'where', indicating place or location.
intenzione: Intention or plan to do something specific.
andare: To go, to move toward a place or destination.
avrei: I would have (first person singular, conditional tense).
mai: Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever' depending on context.
creduto: Believed or thought something to be true (past participle).
essere: To be; the infinitive of the verb 'to be'.
capace: Capable or able to do something successfully.
farlo: To do it; contraction of 'fare' and 'lo'.
vedete: You (plural) see; used to address a group.
sentivo: I felt or sensed something (imperfect tense).
dovevo: I had to or must (imperfect tense, obligation).
arrivarci: To get there or reach that place.
qualunque: Any, whatever, or whichever; indicating no preference.
costo: Cost or price; 'a qualunque costo' means 'at any cost'.
Così: Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'therefore'.
tormentai: I tormented or pestered someone (past tense).
uomini: Men, the plural of uomo (man).
dicevano: They were saying or used to say (imperfect tense).
caro: Dear or expensive; used as a term of address.
amico: Friend or companion (masculine singular).
facevano: They were doing or making something (imperfect tense).
nulla: Nothing at all; complete absence of anything.
credereste: Would you believe it? (conditional, second person plural).
rivolsi: I turned to or addressed someone (past tense).
donne: Women, the plural of donna (woman).
misi: I put or placed something; also 'I set about' (past).
lavoro: Work, job, or labor; employment or task.
trovare: To find, locate, or discover something or someone.
impiego: Employment, job, or position in a workplace.
Cielo: Sky or heaven; also used as exclamation 'Good heavens!'.
Ebbene: Well then, so, or now then; a discourse marker.
spingeva: It was pushing or driving someone forward (imperfect).
zia: Aunt, a female relative who is a parent's sister.
cara: Dear or beloved (feminine); term of endearment.
anima: Soul or spirit; inner essence of a person.
entusiasta: Enthusiastic person or adjective meaning full of enthusiasm.
scrisse: She/he wrote something (third person singular, past).
Sarà: It will be (future tense, third person singular).
delizioso: Delightful, delicious, or wonderful in a pleasing way.

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