Middlemarch — Page 5
And how should Dorothea not marry?—a girl so handsome and with such prospects?
¿Y cómo no iba a casarse Dorotea? —una chica tan hermosa y con tan buenas perspectivas.
Nothing could hinder it but her love of extremes, and her insistence on regulating life according to notions which might cause a wary man to hesitate before he made her an offer, or even might lead her at last to refuse all offers.
Nada podría impedirlo salvo su afición a los extremos y su empeño en regular la vida según ideas que podrían llevar a un hombre prudente a vacilar antes de hacerle una propuesta, o incluso podrían llevarla al final a rechazar todas las ofertas.
A young lady of some birth and fortune, who knelt suddenly down on a brick floor by the side of a sick laborer and prayed fervidly as if she thought herself living in the time of the Apostles—who had strange whims of fasting like a Papist, and of sitting up at night to read old theological books!
¡Una joven de cierta alcurnia y fortuna, que se arrodillaba de repente en un suelo de ladrillo junto a un jornalero enfermo y rezaba con fervor como si creyera vivir en los tiempos de los Apóstoles, y que tenía extraños caprichos de ayunar como una papista y de trasnochar leyendo viejos libros de teología!
Such a wife might awaken you some fine morning with a new scheme for the application of her income which would interfere with political economy and the keeping of saddle-horses: a man would naturally think twice before he risked himself in such fellowship.
Semejante esposa podría despertarle a uno cualquier mañana con un nuevo plan para el empleo de sus rentas que vendría a interferir con la economía política y el mantenimiento de caballos de silla: un hombre pensaría dos veces, naturalmente, antes de arriesgarse en tal compañía.
Women were expected to have weak opinions; but the great safeguard of society and of domestic life was, that opinions were not acted on.
Se esperaba que las mujeres tuvieran opiniones débiles; pero la gran salvaguarda de la sociedad y de la vida doméstica era que las opiniones no se llevaran a la práctica.
Sane people did what their neighbors did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them.
La gente cuerda hacía lo que hacían sus vecinos, de modo que si había algún lunático suelto, uno podía reconocerlo y evitarlo.
The rural opinion about the new young ladies, even among the cottagers, was generally in favor of Celia, as being so amiable and innocent-looking, while Miss Brooke's large eyes seemed, like her religion, too unusual and striking.
La opinión rural sobre las nuevas señoritas, incluso entre los lugareños, se decantaba generalmente por Celia, por ser tan amable y de aspecto inocente, mientras que los grandes ojos de la señorita Brooke parecían, como su religión, demasiado insólitos y llamativos.
Poor Dorothea!
¡Pobre Dorotea!
Vocabulary
- iba
- Past imperfect of 'ir'; he/she was going.
- casarse
- Reflexive verb meaning to get married.
- chica
- Informal word meaning girl or young woman.
- tan
- Adverb meaning 'so' or 'as' in comparisons.
- hermosa
- Adjective meaning beautiful or lovely.
- perspectivas
- Noun meaning prospects or future opportunities.
- Nada
- Pronoun meaning nothing or not anything.
- podría
- Conditional form of 'poder'; could or would be able.
- impedirlo
- To prevent or stop it from happening.
- salvo
- Preposition or adjective meaning except or safe.
- afición
- Noun meaning fondness, hobby, or enthusiasm.
- extremos
- Noun or adjective meaning extremes or extreme measures.
- empeño
- Noun meaning determination, insistence, or pawning.
- regular
- Verb meaning to regulate or control; adjective meaning average.
- vida
- Noun meaning life or lifestyle.
- según
- Preposition meaning according to or depending on.
- podrían
- Conditional plural of 'poder'; they could or might.
- llevar
- Verb meaning to carry, take, or lead someone.
- prudente
- Adjective meaning prudent, wise, or cautious.
- vacilar
- Verb meaning to hesitate, waver, or vacillate.
- antes
- Adverb meaning before or previously.
- propuesta
- Noun meaning proposal or suggestion.
- incluso
- Adverb meaning even, including, or even so.
- final
- Noun or adjective meaning end or final.
- rechazar
- Verb meaning to reject, refuse, or turn down.
- ofertas
- Noun meaning offers, proposals, or deals.
- joven
- Noun or adjective meaning young person or young.
- cierta
- Adjective meaning certain, a certain, or sure.
- alcurnia
- Noun meaning noble lineage or high social ancestry.
- fortuna
- Noun meaning fortune, wealth, or luck.
- arrodillaba
- Past imperfect of 'arrodillarse'; was kneeling down.
- repente
- Used in 'de repente' meaning suddenly or all at once.
- suelo
- Noun meaning floor, ground, or soil.
- ladrillo
- Noun meaning brick or tile used in construction.
- junto
- Preposition or adjective meaning next to or together.
- jornalero
- Noun meaning day laborer or agricultural worker.
- enfermo
- Adjective or noun meaning sick, ill, or patient.
- rezaba
- Past imperfect of 'rezar'; was praying devoutly.
- fervor
- Noun meaning fervor, zeal, or intense devotion.
- creyera
- Past subjunctive of 'creer'; as if she believed.
- tiempos
- Noun meaning times, periods, or eras in history.
- Apóstoles
- Noun meaning the Apostles, followers of Jesus Christ.
- extraños
- Adjective meaning strange, odd, or foreign.
- caprichos
- Noun meaning whims, caprices, or sudden fancies.
- ayunar
- Verb meaning to fast or abstain from eating.
- papista
- Noun or adjective meaning papist, devoted to the Pope.
- trasnochar
- Verb meaning to stay up very late at night.
- leyendo
- Gerund of 'leer'; reading books or texts.
- viejos
- Adjective meaning old, aged, or ancient.
- teología
- Noun meaning theology or the study of religion.
- Semejante
- Adjective meaning such a, similar, or like that.
- esposa
- Noun meaning wife or spouse (female partner).
- despertarle
- To wake someone up; to awaken him or her.
- cualquier
- Adjective meaning any or whichever before a noun.
- mañana
- Noun or adverb meaning morning or tomorrow.
- plan
- Noun meaning plan, scheme, or project.
- empleo
- Noun meaning employment, use, or job.
- rentas
- Noun meaning rents, income, or revenues from property.
- vendría
- Conditional of 'venir'; would come or arrive.
- interferir
- Verb meaning to interfere or meddle in something.
- economía
- Noun meaning economy, economics, or financial management.
- política
- Noun or adjective meaning politics or policy.
- mantenimiento
- Noun meaning maintenance, upkeep, or support costs.
- caballos
- Noun meaning horses or horsepower.
- silla
- Noun meaning chair or saddle for riding.
- pensaría
- Conditional of 'pensar'; would think or consider.
- veces
- Noun meaning times or occasions (plural of vez).
- naturalmente
- Adverb meaning naturally or of course.
- arriesgarse
- Reflexive verb meaning to risk or take a chance.
- tal
- Adjective or adverb meaning such, such a, or so.
- compañía
- Noun meaning company, companionship, or business firm.
- esperaba
- Past imperfect of 'esperar'; expected, hoped, or waited.
- tuvieran
- Past subjunctive of 'tener'; that they would have.
- opiniones
- Noun meaning opinions or views (plural of opinión).
- débiles
- Adjective meaning weak or feeble (plural form).
- salvaguarda
- Noun meaning safeguard, protection, or guarantee.
- sociedad
- Noun meaning society, community, or social order.
- doméstica
- Adjective meaning domestic, household, or home-related.
- llevaran
- Past subjunctive of 'llevar'; that they would carry.
- práctica
- Noun meaning practice or practical application of something.
- gente
- Noun meaning people or folks in general.
- cuerda
- Adjective meaning sane or sensible; also rope.
- vecinos
- Noun meaning neighbors or nearby residents.
- modo
- Noun meaning way, manner, or mode.
- algún
- Adjective meaning some or any before a masculine noun.
- lunático
- Noun or adjective meaning lunatic, eccentric, or mad person.
- suelto
- Adjective meaning loose, free, or on the loose.
- reconocerlo
- To recognize or identify him or it.
- evitarlo
- To avoid or prevent it or him.
- opinión
- Noun meaning opinion or point of view.
- rural
- Adjective meaning rural, countryside, or non-urban.
- sobre
- Preposition meaning about, on top of, or over.
- señoritas
- Noun meaning young ladies or Miss (plural).
- entre
- Preposition meaning between, among, or in the middle.
- lugareños
- Noun meaning locals or villagers from a particular place.
- decantaba
- Past imperfect of 'decantarse'; leaned toward or favored.
- generalmente
- Adverb meaning generally or usually.
- amable
- Adjective meaning kind, friendly, or pleasant.
- aspecto
- Noun meaning appearance, aspect, or look.
- inocente
- Adjective meaning innocent, naive, or harmless.
- mientras
- Conjunction meaning while or whereas.
- ojos
- Noun meaning eyes (plural of ojo).
- señorita
- Noun meaning young lady or Miss.
- parecían
- Past imperfect of 'parecer'; seemed or appeared to be.
- religión
- Noun meaning religion or religious belief.
- demasiado
- Adverb or adjective meaning too much or too many.
- insólitos
- Adjective meaning unusual, uncommon, or rare (plural).
- llamativos
- Adjective meaning striking, showy, or attention-grabbing (plural).
- Pobre
- Adjective meaning poor, unfortunate, or pitiful.
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