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Joseph II. and His Court: An Historical Novel — Page 1

English → Pt CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

THE CONFERENCE.

A CONFERÊNCIA.

In the council-chamber of the Empress Maria Theresa, the six lords, who composed her cabinet council, awaited the entrance of their imperial mistress to open the sitting.

Na câmara do conselho da Imperatriz Maria Teresa, os seis lordes, que compunham o seu conselho de gabinete, aguardavam a entrada de sua imperial senhora para abrir a sessão.

At this sitting, a great political question was to be discussed and its gravity seemed to be reflected in the faces of the lords, as, in low tones, they whispered together in the dim, spacious apartment, whose antiquated furniture of dark velvet tapestry corresponded well with the anxious looks of its occupants.

Nessa sessão, uma grande questão política seria discutida, e a sua gravidade parecia refletir-se nos rostos dos lordes, enquanto, em voz baixa, sussurravam entre si no aposento sombrio e espaçoso, cuja mobília antiquada de tapeçaria em veludo escuro correspondia bem aos semblantes ansiosos dos seus ocupantes.

In the centre of the room stood the Baron von Bartenstein and the Count von Uhlefeld, the two powerful statesmen who for thirteen years had been honored by the confidence of the empress.

No centro da sala encontravam-se o Barão von Bartenstein e o Conde von Uhlefeld, os dois poderosos estadistas que durante treze anos haviam sido honrados com a confiança da imperatriz.

Together they stood, their consequence acknowledged by all, while with proud and lofty mien, they whispered of state secrets.

Juntos estavam, sua importância reconhecida por todos, enquanto, com postura orgulhosa e altiva, sussurravam segredos de Estado.

Upon the fair, smooth face of Bartenstein appeared an expression of haughty triumph, which he was at no pains to conceal; and over the delicate mouth of Von Uhlefeld fluttered a smile of ineffable complacency.

No rosto claro e liso de Bartenstein aparecia uma expressão de arrogante triunfo, que ele não se esforçava em dissimular; e sobre os lábios delicados de Von Uhlefeld pairava um sorriso de inefável complacência.

"I feel perfectly secure," whispered Von Bartenstein. "The empress will certainly renew the treaties, and continue the policy which we have hitherto pursued with such brilliant results to Austria."

"Sinto-me perfeitamente seguro", sussurrou Von Bartenstein. "A imperatriz certamente renovará os tratados e continuará a política que até agora temos seguido com resultados tão brilhantes para a Áustria."

"The empress is wise," returned Uhlefeld. "She can reckon upon our stanch support, and so long as she pursues this policy, we will sustain her."

"A imperatriz é sábia", respondeu Uhlefeld. "Ela pode contar com o nosso firme apoio, e enquanto seguir esta política, nós a sustentaremos."

Vocabulary

CONFERÊNCIA
kon-feh-REN-see-ah — A formal meeting or conference for discussion
Na
nah — Contraction of 'em' and 'a', meaning 'in the'
câmara
KAH-mah-rah — A chamber or room used for official meetings
conselho
kon-SEL-yoo — A council or advisory body of officials
Imperatriz
im-peh-rah-TREES — An empress, female ruler of an empire
seis
saysh — The number six
lordes
LOR-desh — Lords, men of noble rank or high status
compunham
kom-POON-yowm — They composed or made up a group
gabinete
gah-bee-NEH-teh — A cabinet, the inner council of government ministers
aguardavam
ah-gwar-DAH-vowm — They were waiting or awaiting something
entrada
en-TRAH-dah — An entrance or the act of entering
imperial
im-peh-ree-AHL — Relating to an empire or empress
senhora
sen-YOR-ah — A lady or formal address for a woman
abrir
ah-BREER — To open something, such as a session or door
sessão
seh-SOWM — A session or formal meeting period
Nessa
NEH-sah — Contraction meaning 'in that', referring to a noun
questão
keh-STOWM — A question or issue of significant importance
política
poh-LEE-tee-kah — Related to politics or government affairs
discutida
dees-koo-TEE-dah — Discussed or debated among a group of people
gravidade
grah-vee-DAH-deh — Gravity or seriousness of a matter
parecia
pah-reh-SEE-ah — It seemed or appeared to be something
refletir-se
heh-fleh-TEER-seh — To reflect or be mirrored in something
rostos
HOSH-toosh — Faces or countenances of persons
enquanto
en-KWAN-too — While or whereas, indicating simultaneous actions
voz
vosh — Voice, the sound produced when speaking
baixa
BAI-shah — Low, referring to low volume or position
sussurravam
soo-soo-HAH-vowm — They were whispering softly to each other
entre
EN-treh — Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among'
aposento
ah-poh-ZEN-too — A room or chamber in a building
sombrio
som-BREE-oo — Gloomy, dark, or shadowy in atmosphere
espaçoso
esh-pah-SOH-zoo — Spacious or having plenty of room inside
cuja
KOO-zhah — Relative possessive pronoun meaning 'whose'
mobília
moh-BEE-lyah — Furniture or furnishings inside a room
antiquada
an-tee-KWAH-dah — Antiquated or old-fashioned in style
tapeçaria
tah-peh-sah-REE-ah — Tapestry, a woven textile used as wall decoration
veludo
veh-LOO-doo — Velvet, a soft luxurious fabric
escuro
esh-KOO-roo — Dark in color or lacking light
correspondia
koh-hesh-pon-DEE-ah — It corresponded or matched well with something
semblantes
sem-BLAN-tesh — Faces or expressions showing inner feelings
ansiosos
an-see-OH-zoosh — Anxious or worried about a situation
ocupantes
oh-koo-PAN-tesh — Occupants, people who occupy or inhabit a space
centro
SEN-troo — The center or middle of a space
sala
SAH-lah — A room, typically a living or meeting room
encontravam-se
en-kon-TRAH-vowm-seh — They were found or located in a place
Barão
bah-ROWM — A baron, a nobleman of lower noble rank
Conde
KON-deh — A count or earl, a European noble title
poderosos
poh-deh-ROH-zoosh — Powerful or influential people in a society
estadistas
esh-tah-DEES-tash — Statesmen, skilled and experienced political leaders
durante
doo-RAN-teh — Preposition meaning 'during' a period of time
treze
TREH-zeh — The number thirteen
haviam
ah-VEE-owm — They had, past perfect auxiliary verb form
honrados
on-RAH-doosh — Honored or distinguished with recognition
confiança
kon-fee-AN-sah — Trust or confidence placed in someone
imperatriz
im-peh-rah-TREES — An empress, the female ruler of an empire
Juntos
ZHOON-toosh — Together, in company with one another
importância
im-por-TAN-see-ah — Importance or significance of something
reconhecida
heh-kon-yeh-SEE-dah — Recognized or acknowledged by others
postura
posh-TOO-rah — Posture or bearing of a person
orgulhosa
or-gool-YOH-zah — Proud or displaying an air of self-importance
altiva
al-TEE-vah — Haughty or lofty in manner or attitude
segredos
seh-GREH-doosh — Secrets or confidential information
Estado
esh-TAH-doo — The State, referring to the government or nation
rosto
HOSH-too — A face or the front of the head
claro
KLAH-roo — Clear, bright, or light in appearance
liso
LEE-zoo — Smooth or flat without wrinkles or texture
aparecia
ah-pah-reh-SEE-ah — It appeared or showed a particular expression
expressão
esh-preh-SOWM — An expression shown on a person's face
arrogante
ah-hoh-GAN-teh — Arrogant or showing excessive pride
triunfo
tree-OON-foo — Triumph or a great victory achieved
esforçava
esh-for-SAH-vah — He was making an effort or trying
dissimular
dee-see-moo-LAR — To conceal or hide one's true feelings
sobre
SOH-breh — Preposition meaning 'on' or 'over'
lábios
LAH-bee-oosh — Lips, the fleshy parts of the mouth
delicados
deh-lee-KAH-doosh — Delicate or refined in form or manner
pairava
pai-RAH-vah — It hovered or lingered over something
sorriso
soh-HEE-zoo — A smile on a person's face
inefável
ee-neh-FAH-vel — Ineffable or too great to be expressed in words
complacência
kom-plah-SEN-see-ah — Complacency or self-satisfied contentment
Sinto-me
SEEN-too-meh — I feel, a reflexive expression of personal feeling
perfeitamente
per-fay-tah-MEN-teh — Perfectly or completely in an ideal manner
seguro
seh-GOO-roo — Safe or secure, free from danger or risk
sussurrou
soo-soo-HOO — He whispered softly in a quiet voice
certamente
ser-tah-MEN-teh — Certainly or without a doubt
renovará
heh-noh-vah-RAH — Will renew or restore something formally
tratados
trah-TAH-doosh — Treaties or formal agreements between nations
continuará
kon-tee-noo-ah-RAH — Will continue or keep going forward
até
ah-TEH — Preposition meaning 'until' or 'up to'
seguido
seh-GEE-doo — Followed or pursued a particular path
resultados
heh-zool-TAH-doosh — Results or outcomes of an action
tão
towm — So or such, used before adjectives for emphasis
brilhantes
bril-YAN-tesh — Brilliant or outstanding in quality
sábia
SAH-bee-ah — Wise or having great knowledge and judgment
respondeu
hesh-pon-DEW — He or she replied or answered a statement
contar
kon-TAR — To count on or rely upon something
firme
FEER-meh — Firm or steady, not wavering in support
apoio
ah-POY-oo — Support or backing given to someone
seguir
seh-GEER — To follow or continue along a path
sustentaremos
soosh-ten-tah-REH-moosh — We will sustain or uphold something firmly
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