Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 7
The waves of this crowd, augmented incessantly, dashed against the angles of the houses which projected here and there, like so many promontories, into the irregular basin of the place.
Las olas de esta multitud, aumentadas sin cesar, chocaban contra los ángulos de las casas que sobresalían aquí y allá, como tantos promontorios, en la irregular cuenca de la plaza.
In the centre of the lofty Gothic[1] façade of the palace, the grand staircase, incessantly ascended and descended by a double current, which, after parting on the intermediate landing-place, flowed in broad waves along its lateral slopes,—the grand staircase, I say, trickled incessantly into the place, like a cascade into a lake.
En el centro de la elevada fachada gótica del palacio, la gran escalinata, ascendida y descendida sin cesar por una doble corriente que, tras separarse en el rellano intermedio, fluía en amplias olas a lo largo de sus laderas laterales, —la gran escalinata, digo, goteaba sin cesar hacia la plaza, como una cascada en un lago.
The cries, the laughter, the trampling of those thousands of feet, produced a great noise and a great clamor.
Los gritos, las risas, el pisoteo de aquellos miles de pies, producían un gran ruido y un gran clamor.
From time to time, this noise and clamor redoubled; the current which drove the crowd towards the grand staircase flowed backwards, became troubled, formed whirlpools.
De vez en cuando, este ruido y clamor se redoblaban; la corriente que empujaba a la multitud hacia la gran escalinata fluía hacia atrás, se agitaba y formaba remolinos.
This was produced by the buffet of an archer, or the horse of one of the provost's sergeants, which kicked to restore order; an admirable tradition which the provostship has bequeathed to the constablery, the constablery to the _maréchaussée_, the _maréchaussée_ to our _gendarmeri_ of Paris.
Esto era provocado por el golpe de un arquero, o por el caballo de uno de los sargentos del preboste, que coceaba para restablecer el orden; una admirable tradición que la prebostía ha legado a la condestablía, la condestablía a la _maréchaussée_, la _maréchaussée_ a nuestra _gendarmería_ de París.
Thousands of good, calm, _bourgeois_ faces thronged the windows, the doors, the dormer windows, the roofs, gazing at the palace, gazing at the populace, and asking nothing more; for many Parisians content themselves with the spectacle of the spectators, and a wall behind which something is going on becomes at once, for us, a very curious thing indeed.
Miles de rostros apacibles y tranquilos de _burgueses_ se agolpaban en las ventanas, las puertas, los tragaluces, los tejados, contemplando el palacio, contemplando al populacho, sin pedir nada más; pues muchos parisinos se contentan con el espectáculo de los espectadores, y una pared detrás de la cual ocurre algo se convierte de inmediato, para nosotros, en algo verdaderamente curioso.
Vocabulary
- olas
- Waves of water or a crowd moving together.
- multitud
- A large crowd or great number of people.
- aumentadas
- Increased or grown larger in size or number.
- cesar
- To stop or cease an ongoing action.
- chocaban
- They were crashing or colliding against something.
- ángulos
- Corners or angles of a structure or shape.
- sobresalían
- They protruded or jutted out beyond a surface.
- tantos
- So many; referring to a large indefinite number.
- promontorios
- Promontories; high points of land jutting outward.
- irregular
- Not uniform or consistent in shape or pattern.
- cuenca
- A basin or hollow area resembling a bowl shape.
- plaza
- A public square or open space in a town.
- elevada
- Raised or elevated above the surrounding level.
- fachada
- The front exterior face of a building.
- gótica
- Relating to the Gothic architectural style.
- palacio
- A palace or large impressive official building.
- escalinata
- A broad exterior staircase of a grand building.
- ascendida
- Ascended or climbed upward by people moving up.
- descendida
- Descended or gone downward along a staircase.
- doble
- Double; consisting of two parts or streams.
- corriente
- A current or flow of people or water.
- tras
- Preposition meaning 'after' or 'behind'.
- separarse
- To separate or divide away from each other.
- rellano
- A landing or flat platform between staircase flights.
- intermedio
- Intermediate; situated between two points or levels.
- fluía
- It flowed or streamed in a continuous manner.
- amplias
- Wide or broad; having great extent or space.
- largo
- Long; also used in 'a lo largo de' meaning 'along'.
- laderas
- Slopes or sides of a hill, mountain, or staircase.
- laterales
- Lateral; situated on the sides rather than center.
- goteaba
- It dripped or trickled down in small drops.
- cascada
- A waterfall or cascade of falling water.
- lago
- A lake; a large body of standing water.
- gritos
- Shouts or screams made by people in a crowd.
- risas
- Laughter; the sound of people laughing together.
- pisoteo
- The sound or act of many feet stomping.
- miles
- Thousands; plural of 'mil', a large quantity.
- producían
- They produced or generated a sound or effect.
- ruido
- Noise or loud sound made by activity.
- clamor
- A loud continuous noise or outcry from a crowd.
- vez
- Time or occasion; used in 'de vez en cuando'.
- redoblaban
- They redoubled or intensified, increasing greatly in force.
- empujaba
- It pushed or shoved with force in a direction.
- atrás
- Adverb meaning 'back' or 'backward'.
- agitaba
- It agitated or stirred, causing restless movement.
- formaba
- It formed or created a particular shape or pattern.
- remolinos
- Whirlpools or eddies; circular swirling movements of crowd.
- provocado
- Provoked or caused by a specific action or event.
- golpe
- A blow, hit, or strike delivered with force.
- arquero
- An archer; a person who shoots with a bow.
- caballo
- A horse; a large domesticated riding animal.
- sargentos
- Sergeants; military or law enforcement non-commissioned officers.
- preboste
- A provost; a high-ranking official enforcing law.
- coceaba
- It kicked, as a horse striking out with hooves.
- restablecer
- To reestablish or restore something to its previous state.
- orden
- Order; the condition of organized arrangement or discipline.
- admirable
- Admirable; worthy of great respect and positive regard.
- tradición
- A tradition; a custom passed down through generations.
- legado
- Bequeathed or passed down as a legacy to successors.
- Miles
- Thousands; a very large number of people or things.
- rostros
- Faces; the front parts of people's heads.
- apacibles
- Calm, gentle, or placid in demeanor or expression.
- tranquilos
- Tranquil or peaceful; not agitated or disturbed.
- _burgueses_
- Bourgeois citizens; middle-class townspeople of a city.
- agolpaban
- They crowded or thronged together at a place.
- ventanas
- Windows; openings in a wall fitted with glass.
- tragaluces
- Skylights or small windows letting light into a room.
- tejados
- Rooftops or tiled roofs of buildings.
- contemplando
- Contemplating or gazing at something with attention.
- populacho
- The common rabble or lower-class crowd of people.
- pedir
- To ask for or request something from someone.
- pues
- Conjunction meaning 'since', 'because', or 'well'.
- parisinos
- Parisians; inhabitants or natives of the city Paris.
- contentan
- They content or satisfy themselves with something simple.
- espectáculo
- A spectacle or show; an impressive public display.
- espectadores
- Spectators or audience members watching an event.
- pared
- A wall; a vertical structure dividing or enclosing space.
- detrás
- Adverb meaning 'behind' or 'at the back of'.
- cual
- Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'who'.
- ocurre
- It occurs or happens; something takes place.
- convierte
- It converts or transforms something into another thing.
- inmediato
- Immediate; happening without delay or very close by.
- verdaderamente
- Truly or genuinely; in a real and sincere manner.
- curioso
- Curious or interesting; arousing interest or inquisitiveness.
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