Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 14

English → De Full Text Level 8/10

It had been arranged for the purpose, early in the morning; its rich slabs of marble, all scratched by the heels of law clerks, supported a cage of carpenter's work of considerable height, the upper surface of which, within view of the whole hall, was to serve as the theatre, and whose interior, masked by tapestries, was to take the place of dressing-rooms for the personages of the piece.

Es war früh am Morgen für diesen Zweck hergerichtet worden; seine reichen Marmorplatten, alle von den Absätzen der Gerichtsschreiber zerkratzt, trugen ein Zimmermannsgerippe von beträchtlicher Höhe, dessen obere Fläche, vom ganzen Saal aus sichtbar, als Bühne dienen sollte, und dessen Inneres, durch Wandteppiche verborgen, die Stelle der Ankleideräume für die Personen des Stückes einnehmen sollte.

A ladder, naively placed on the outside, was to serve as means of communication between the dressing-room and the stage, and lend its rude rungs to entrances as well as to exits.

Eine Leiter, naiv auf der Außenseite angebracht, sollte als Verbindungsmittel zwischen dem Ankleideraum und der Bühne dienen und ihre groben Sprossen sowohl für die Auftritte als auch für die Abgänge hergeben.

There was no personage, however unexpected, no sudden change, no theatrical effect, which was not obliged to mount that ladder.

Es gab keine Figur, wie unerwartet auch immer, keine plötzliche Verwandlung, keinen theatralischen Effekt, der nicht gezwungen war, jene Leiter zu ersteigen.

Innocent and venerable infancy of art and contrivances!

Unschuldige und ehrwürdige Kindheit der Kunst und der Kunstgriffe!

Four of the bailiff of the palace's sergeants, perfunctory guardians of all the pleasures of the people, on days of festival as well as on days of execution, stood at the four corners of the marble table.

Vier Sergeanten des Palastpropstes, gleichgültige Hüter aller Vergnügungen des Volkes, an Festtagen ebenso wie an Hinrichtungstagen, standen an den vier Ecken des Marmortisches.

The piece was only to begin with the twelfth stroke of the great palace clock sounding midday.

Das Stück sollte erst mit dem zwölften Schlag der großen Palastuhr beginnen, die den Mittag verkündete.

It was very late, no doubt, for a theatrical representation, but they had been obliged to fix the hour to suit the convenience of the ambassadors.

Es war zweifellos sehr spät für eine Theatervorstellung, aber man hatte gezwungenermaßen die Stunde nach der Bequemlichkeit der Botschafter festsetzen müssen.

Now, this whole multitude had been waiting since morning.

Nun hatte diese ganze Menge seit dem Morgen gewartet.

Vocabulary

war: Past tense of 'sein'; means 'was'.
früh: Early; occurring at the beginning of the day.
am: Contraction of 'an dem'; at the, on the.
Morgen: Morning; the early part of the day.
für: Preposition meaning 'for' in German.
diesen: Accusative form of 'dieser'; meaning 'this'.
Zweck: Purpose or aim of an action or plan.
hergerichtet: Prepared or set up for a specific use.
worden: Auxiliary past participle used in passive constructions.
seine: Possessive pronoun meaning 'his' or 'its'.
reichen: Rich, elaborate, or plentiful in quality or quantity.
Marmorplatten: Marble slabs used as flat surface coverings.
alle: All; referring to every member of a group.
von: Preposition meaning 'from' or 'by' in German.
den: Definite article in dative plural or accusative masculine.
Absätzen: Heels of shoes, or ledges; plural of Absatz.
Gerichtsschreiber: Court clerk who records legal proceedings in writing.
zerkratzt: Scratched or scored repeatedly on a surface.
trugen: Past tense plural of 'tragen'; they carried or bore.
Zimmermannsgerippe: Carpenter's framework; a wooden skeletal structure.
beträchtlicher: Considerable; of notable size or significance.
Höhe: Height; the vertical measurement of something.
dessen: Genitive pronoun meaning 'whose' or 'of which'.
obere: Upper; relating to the higher part of something.
Fläche: Surface or flat area of an object or space.
vom: Contraction of 'von dem'; from the.
ganzen: Entire; referring to the complete whole of something.
Saal: Hall or large room used for gatherings or events.
aus: Preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of'.
sichtbar: Visible; able to be seen from a vantage point.
als: Conjunction meaning 'as' or 'when' in German.
Bühne: Stage; platform where theatrical performances take place.
dienen: To serve a purpose or function for someone.
sollte: Past subjunctive of 'sollen'; was supposed to.
Inneres: Interior; the inside part of a structure or space.
durch: Preposition meaning 'through' or 'by means of'.
Wandteppiche: Wall tapestries used as decorative or concealing hangings.
verborgen: Hidden or concealed from sight or view.
Stelle: Place or position serving a particular function.
Ankleideräume: Dressing rooms used by performers before going onstage.
Personen: Persons or characters appearing in a theatrical piece.
Stückes: Genitive of 'Stück'; of the play or piece.
einnehmen: To occupy a position or take up a space.
Leiter: Ladder; a structure with rungs used for climbing.
naiv: Naive; simple or unsophisticated in design or approach.
auf: Preposition meaning 'on' or 'onto' in German.
Außenseite: Outer side or exterior surface of an object.
angebracht: Attached or fastened to a surface or structure.
Verbindungsmittel: Means of connection linking two places or things.
zwischen: Preposition meaning 'between' two objects or locations.
Ankleideraum: Dressing room; space for performers to change costumes.
ihre: Possessive pronoun meaning 'her', 'their', or 'its'.
groben: Coarse or rough; lacking fine detail or smoothness.
Sprossen: Rungs of a ladder; horizontal steps for climbing.
sowohl: Conjunction meaning 'both' in 'sowohl...als auch'.
Auftritte: Stage entrances; moments an actor appears on stage.
auch: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'also' or 'too'.
Abgänge: Stage exits; moments a performer leaves the stage.
hergeben: To provide or yield something for a purpose.
gab: Past tense of 'geben'; gave or there was.
keine: Negative article meaning 'no' or 'not any'.
Figur: Figure or character; a person in a theatrical piece.
wie: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'how' or 'as'.
unerwartet: Unexpected; occurring without prior warning or anticipation.
immer: Always; at all times or on every occasion.
plötzliche: Sudden; happening quickly and without prior warning.
Verwandlung: Transformation or change, especially in theatrical context.
keinen: Accusative masculine negative article meaning 'no' or 'not any'.
theatralischen: Theatrical; relating to dramatic effect on stage.
Effekt: Effect; a result or impression produced by something.
nicht: Negation adverb meaning 'not' in German.
gezwungen: Forced or compelled to do something against will.
jene: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'those'.
zu: Preposition or infinitive marker meaning 'to'.
ersteigen: To climb up or ascend something such as a ladder.
Unschuldige: Innocent; characterized by simplicity and absence of guile.
ehrwürdige: Venerable; deserving respect due to age or tradition.
Kindheit: Childhood; the early stage of a person's life.
Kunst: Art; creative human expression in various forms.
Kunstgriffe: Artistic tricks or clever devices used in performances.
Vier: The number four in German.
Sergeanten: Sergeants; military or law enforcement non-commissioned officers.
Palastpropstes: Genitive of palace provost; official overseeing palace order.
gleichgültige: Indifferent; showing lack of interest or concern.
Hüter: Guardians or keepers responsible for watching over something.
aller: Genitive plural of 'all'; of all people or things.
Vergnügungen: Pleasures or entertainments enjoyed by the public.
Volkes: Genitive of 'Volk'; of the people or populace.
an: Preposition meaning 'at', 'on', or 'to'.
Festtagen: Festival days; public holidays celebrated with festivities.
ebenso: Likewise; in the same manner or equally so.
Hinrichtungstagen: Execution days; days designated for carrying out executions.
standen: Past tense plural of 'stehen'; they stood at a position.
vier: The number four used attributively before a noun.
Ecken: Corners; the points where edges or walls meet.
Marmortisches: Genitive of marble table; of the marble table.
Stück: Play or piece; a theatrical work performed on stage.
erst: First or only; not until a specific moment.
mit: Preposition meaning 'with' or 'at' in German.
zwölften: Ordinal form of twelve; the twelfth in a sequence.
Schlag: Stroke or chime of a clock at a given hour.
großen: Adjective meaning large or great in size or importance.
Palastuhr: Palace clock; the large official clock in a palace.
beginnen: To begin or start an action or event.
Mittag: Noon; the middle of the day at twelve o'clock.
verkündete: Announced or proclaimed something officially or publicly.
zweifellos: Undoubtedly; without any doubt or uncertainty.
sehr: Very; used to intensify an adjective or adverb.
spät: Late; occurring after the expected or usual time.
Theatervorstellung: Theater performance; a show staged for an audience.
aber: Conjunction meaning 'but' indicating contrast or exception.
man: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one' or 'people' generally.
hatte: Past tense of 'haben'; had in past narrative.
gezwungenermaßen: Necessarily; being forced by circumstances to do something.
Stunde: Hour; a unit of time equal to sixty minutes.
nach: Preposition meaning 'after' or 'according to'.
Bequemlichkeit: Convenience or comfort; ease suited to one's preferences.
Botschafter: Ambassador; a diplomat representing a country abroad.
festsetzen: To set or fix a time or date officially.
müssen: Modal verb meaning 'must' or 'to have to'.
Nun: Now; at the present time or moment.
diese: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'these'.
ganze: Entire or whole; encompassing all parts of something.
Menge: Crowd or large quantity of people gathered together.
seit: Preposition meaning 'since' or 'for' a duration of time.
gewartet: Past participle of 'warten'; having waited for something.

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