Light O' the Morning: The Story of an Irish Girl — Page 6
She began to talk with animation and excitement.
Cominciò a parlare con animazione ed entusiasmo.
Nora knew exactly what she was going to say.
Nora sapeva esattamente quello che stava per dire.
She had heard the story so often; but, although she had heard it hundreds and thousands of times, she was never tired of listening to the history of a trim life of which she knew absolutely nothing.
Aveva sentito quella storia così spesso; ma, sebbene l'avesse sentita centinaia e migliaia di volte, non si stancava mai di ascoltare la storia di una vita ordinata di cui non sapeva assolutamente nulla.
The orderly, well-dressed servants, the punctual meals, the good and abundant food, the nice dresses, the parties, the solid education, the discipline so foreign to her own existence, all--all held their proper fascination.
I servitori ordinati e ben vestiti, i pasti puntuali, il cibo buono e abbondante, i bei vestiti, i ricevimenti, la solida istruzione, la disciplina così estranea alla sua stessa esistenza, tutto -- tutto esercitava il suo fascino peculiare.
But although she listened with delight to these stories of a bygone time, she never envied her mother those periods of prosperity.
Ma sebbene ascoltasse con piacere queste storie di un tempo passato, non invidiava mai alla madre quei periodi di prosperità.
Such a life would have been a prison to her; so she thought, although she never spoke her thought aloud.
Una tale vita sarebbe stata per lei una prigione; così pensava, sebbene non avesse mai espresso il suo pensiero ad alta voce.
Mrs. O'Shanaghgan began the old tale to-night, telling it with a little more _verve_ even than usual.
La signora O'Shanaghgan cominciò quella sera il vecchio racconto, narrandolo con un po' più di _verve_ persino del solito.
She ended at last with a sigh.
Alla fine concluse con un sospiro.
"Oh, the beautiful old times!" she said.
«Oh, i bei tempi andati!» disse.
"But you didn't know father then," answered Nora, a frown coming to her brows, and an angry feeling for a moment visiting her warm heart.
«Ma allora non conoscevi papà,» rispose Nora, con un'espressione corrucciata sul viso, e un sentimento di rabbia che per un momento visitò il suo cuore generoso.
"You didn't have father, nor Nora, nor Terry."
«Non avevi papà, né Nora, né Terry.»
"Of course not, darling, and you make up for much; but, Nora dear, although I love my husband and my children, I hate this country.
«Certo che no, cara, e voi compensate molto; ma, mia cara Nora, sebbene ami mio marito e i miei figli, odio questo paese.
I hate it!"
Lo odio!»
"Don't, mother," said Nora, with a look of pain.
«Non farlo, mamma,» disse Nora, con un'espressione di dolore.
She started to her feet.
Balzò in piedi.
Vocabulary
- Cominciò
- ko-min-CHOH — He/she began; third person singular past tense of 'cominciare'
- a
- ah — To; preposition indicating direction or purpose
- parlare
- par-LAH-reh — To speak; infinitive verb meaning to talk
- con
- kon — With; preposition expressing accompaniment or manner
- animazione
- ah-nee-mah-TSYOH-neh — Animation; lively enthusiasm or spirited energy in expression
- ed
- ed — And; variant of 'e' used before vowels
- entusiasmo
- en-too-ZYAZ-moh — Enthusiasm; strong excitement or eagerness about something
- sapeva
- sah-PEH-vah — She knew; imperfect tense of 'sapere', to know
- esattamente
- eh-zaht-tah-MEN-teh — Exactly; precisely or in an accurate manner
- quello
- KWEL-loh — That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned
- che
- keh — That/which; conjunction or relative pronoun connecting clauses
- stava
- STAH-vah — Was; imperfect tense of 'stare', indicating ongoing action
- per
- pehr — For/to; preposition indicating purpose or direction
- dire
- DEE-reh — To say; infinitive verb meaning to speak or tell
- Aveva
- ah-VEH-vah — She had; imperfect tense of 'avere', to have
- sentito
- sen-TEE-toh — Heard; past participle of 'sentire', to hear or feel
- quella
- KWEL-lah — That; feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- storia
- STOH-ryah — Story; a narrative account or tale of events
- così
- koh-ZEE — So/thus; adverb indicating manner or degree
- spesso
- SPES-soh — Often; frequently recurring or happening many times
- ma
- mah — But; conjunction expressing contrast or contradiction
- sebbene
- seb-BEH-neh — Although; conjunction introducing a concessive clause
- avesse
- ah-VES-seh — Had; subjunctive imperfect of 'avere', to have
- sentita
- sen-TEE-tah — Heard; feminine past participle of 'sentire'
- centinaia
- chen-tee-NAH-yah — Hundreds; plural noun meaning several hundred instances
- migliaia
- meel-YAH-yah — Thousands; plural noun meaning several thousand instances
- volte
- VOL-teh — Times; plural noun referring to repeated occasions or instances
- non
- non — Not; negation adverb used to negate verbs
- si
- see — Oneself; reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs
- stancava
- stan-KAH-vah — Was tiring; imperfect of 'stancarsi', to grow weary
- mai
- MAH-ee — Never/ever; adverb indicating negation of frequency
- ascoltare
- as-kol-TAH-reh — To listen; infinitive verb meaning to pay attention audibly
- vita
- VEE-tah — Life; noun referring to one's existence or way of living
- ordinata
- or-dee-NAH-tah — Orderly; adjective meaning well-organized or neatly arranged
- cui
- KWEE — Which/whom; relative pronoun used after prepositions
- assolutamente
- as-soh-loo-tah-MEN-teh — Absolutely; adverb meaning completely or without exception
- nulla
- NOOL-lah — Nothing; pronoun meaning not a single thing
- servitori
- ser-vee-TOH-ree — Servants; plural noun referring to domestic household workers
- ordinati
- or-dee-NAH-tee — Orderly; adjective describing neat, well-organized servants
- ben
- ben — Well; adverb modifying adjectives or past participles
- vestiti
- ves-TEE-tee — Dressed; past participle of 'vestire', to clothe someone
- pasti
- PAH-stee — Meals; plural noun referring to scheduled eating occasions
- puntuali
- poon-too-AH-lee — Punctual; adjective meaning on time or prompt
- cibo
- CHEE-boh — Food; noun referring to nourishment consumed by people
- buono
- BWOH-noh — Good; adjective expressing positive quality or approval
- abbondante
- ab-bon-DAN-teh — Abundant; adjective meaning plentiful or more than enough
- bei
- BEH-ee — Beautiful; masculine plural adjective meaning lovely or fine
- ricevimenti
- ree-cheh-vee-MEN-tee — Receptions; plural noun referring to formal social gatherings
- solida
- SOH-lee-dah — Solid; adjective meaning firm, stable, or reliable
- istruzione
- ees-troo-TSYOH-neh — Education; noun referring to formal learning or instruction
- disciplina
- dee-shee-PLEE-nah — Discipline; noun meaning orderly conduct or systematic training
- estranea
- es-TRAH-neh-ah — Foreign/alien; adjective meaning unfamiliar or external to oneself
- alla
- AL-lah — To the; feminine contraction of preposition 'a' and article 'la'
- sua
- SOO-ah — Her/his; feminine possessive adjective indicating belonging
- stessa
- STES-sah — Same/herself; feminine adjective emphasizing identity or sameness
- esistenza
- eh-zees-TEN-tsah — Existence; noun referring to the state of being alive
- tutto
- TOOT-toh — Everything/all; pronoun or adjective meaning the whole amount
- esercitava
- eh-zer-chee-TAH-vah — Was exercising; imperfect of 'esercitare', to exert or exercise
- suo
- SOO-oh — His/her/its; masculine possessive adjective indicating ownership
- fascino
- FAH-shee-noh — Charm/fascination; noun meaning an attractive or captivating quality
- peculiare
- peh-koo-LYAH-reh — Peculiar; adjective meaning distinctive, particular, or characteristic
- Ma
- mah — But; conjunction marking contrast or a shift in thought
- ascoltasse
- as-kol-TAS-seh — Listened; imperfect subjunctive of 'ascoltare', to listen
- piacere
- pyah-CHEH-reh — Pleasure; noun meaning enjoyment or feeling of satisfaction
- queste
- KWES-teh — These; feminine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- storie
- STOH-ryeh — Stories; plural noun referring to narratives or tales
- tempo
- TEM-poh — Time; noun referring to a period or era
- passato
- pas-SAH-toh — Past; noun or adjective referring to former times
- invidiava
- een-vee-DYAH-vah — Envied; imperfect of 'invidiare', to feel envy toward someone
- madre
- MAH-dreh — Mother; noun referring to one's female parent
- quei
- KWEH-ee — Those; masculine plural demonstrative adjective
- periodi
- peh-RYOH-dee — Periods; plural noun referring to spans of time or eras
- prosperità
- pros-peh-ree-TAH — Prosperity; noun meaning wealth, success, and thriving conditions
- Una
- OO-nah — A/one; feminine indefinite article or numeral
- tale
- TAH-leh — Such a; adjective meaning of that kind or sort
- sarebbe
- sah-REB-beh — Would be; conditional of 'essere', to be
- stata
- STAH-tah — Been; feminine past participle of 'essere', to be
- lei
- LEH-ee — She/her; third person singular feminine subject pronoun
- prigione
- pree-JOH-neh — Prison; noun meaning a place of confinement or imprisonment
- pensava
- pen-SAH-vah — Was thinking; imperfect of 'pensare', to think or reflect
- espresso
- es-PRES-soh — Expressed; past participle of 'esprimere', to express thoughts
- pensiero
- pen-SYEH-roh — Thought; noun referring to a mental idea or reflection
- alta
- AL-tah — High/loud; adjective meaning elevated or at great volume
- voce
- VOH-cheh — Voice; noun referring to sound produced by speaking
- La signora
- lah seen-YOH-rah — The lady/Mrs.; honorific title for a married woman
- cominciò
- ko-min-CHOH — Began; third person singular past tense of 'cominciare'
- sera
- SEH-rah — Evening; noun referring to the later part of the day
- vecchio
- VEK-kyoh — Old; adjective meaning aged or long-established
- racconto
- rah-KON-toh — Tale/account; noun referring to a short story or narrative
- narrandolo
- nar-RAN-doh-loh — Narrating it; gerund with pronoun, meaning telling the story
- po'
- poh — A little; shortened form of 'poco', meaning slightly
- più
- pyoo — More; adverb indicating greater degree or quantity
- verve
- VEHRV — Verve; lively enthusiasm and vigor in expression (loanword)
- persino
- per-ZEE-noh — Even; adverb meaning surprisingly including or exceeding expectations
- del
- del — Of the; masculine singular contraction of 'di' and 'il'
- solito
- SOH-lee-toh — Usual; adjective meaning customary or habitual behavior
- Alla fine
- AL-lah FEE-neh — In the end; phrase meaning finally or at the conclusion
- concluse
- kon-KLOO-zeh — Concluded; third person past tense of 'concludere'
- sospiro
- sos-PEE-roh — Sigh; noun meaning a long, audible breath expressing emotion
- tempi
- TEM-pee — Times; plural noun referring to past eras or periods
- andati
- an-DAH-tee — Gone; past participle of 'andare', meaning departed or past
- disse
- DIS-seh — Said; third person singular past tense of 'dire'
- allora
- al-LOH-rah — Then/at that time; adverb indicating a moment in time
- conoscevi
- ko-no-SHEH-vee — You knew; second person imperfect of 'conoscere', to know
- papà
- pah-PAH — Dad; informal noun referring to one's father
- rispose
- rees-POH-zeh — Replied; third person past tense of 'rispondere', to answer
- espressione
- es-pres-SYOH-neh — Expression; noun referring to a look or facial gesture
- corrucciata
- kor-roo-CHAH-tah — Frowning/sullen; adjective describing a displeased facial expression
- viso
- VEE-zoh — Face; noun referring to the front of the head
- sentimento
- sen-tee-MEN-toh — Feeling; noun referring to an emotion or inner sensation
- rabbia
- RAB-byah — Anger; noun meaning strong feeling of displeasure or fury
- momento
- moh-MEN-toh — Moment; noun referring to a brief point in time
- visitò
- vee-zee-TOH — Visited; third person singular past tense of 'visitare'
- cuore
- KWOH-reh — Heart; noun referring to the organ or seat of emotions
- generoso
- jeh-neh-ROH-zoh — Generous; adjective meaning giving or large-hearted
- Non
- non — Not; negation adverb used to negate verbs or phrases
- avevi
- ah-VEH-vee — You had; second person singular imperfect of 'avere'
- né
- neh — Neither/nor; conjunction linking two negative alternatives
- Certo
- CHER-toh — Certainly/of course; adverb or adjective meaning sure or true
- no
- noh — No; negation word used to deny or refuse something
- cara
- KAH-rah — Dear; feminine adjective used as a term of endearment
- voi
- voy — You (plural); second person plural subject pronoun
- compensate
- kom-pen-SAH-teh — Compensate; second person plural of 'compensare', to make up for
- molto
- MOL-toh — Much/very; adverb or adjective indicating great degree
- mia
- MEE-ah — My; feminine singular possessive adjective
- ami
- AH-mee — You love; second person singular present of 'amare'
- mio
- MEE-oh — My; masculine singular possessive adjective
- marito
- mah-REE-toh — Husband; noun referring to a married male partner
- miei
- MYEH-ee — My; masculine plural possessive adjective
- figli
- FEEL-yee — Children/sons; plural noun referring to one's offspring
- odio
- OH-dyoh — I hate; first person singular present of 'odiare', to hate
- questo
- KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- paese
- pah-EH-zeh — Country/village; noun meaning a nation or small settlement
- Lo
- loh — It/him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- farlo
- FAR-loh — To do it; infinitive 'fare' combined with object pronoun 'lo'
- mamma
- MAM-mah — Mom; informal noun referring to one's mother
- dolore
- doh-LOH-reh — Pain/sorrow; noun meaning physical or emotional suffering
- Balzò
- bal-TSOH — Leaped/jumped; third person past tense of 'balzare'
- in
- een — In; preposition indicating location or state
- piedi
- PYEH-dee — Feet; plural noun; 'in piedi' means standing upright
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