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Pride and Prejudice — Page 15

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

I sometimes wish that the exigencies of the story had permitted Miss Austen to unite these personages, and thus at once achieve a notable mating and soothe poor Mrs. Bennet's anguish over the entail._

A veces deseo que las exigencias de la historia hubieran permitido a la señorita Austen unir a estos personajes, y así lograr de una vez un notable emparejamiento y calmar la angustia de la pobre señora Bennet por el mayorazgo.

_The Bingleys and the Gardiners and the Lucases, Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh, Jane, Wickham, and the rest, must pass without special comment, further than the remark that Charlotte Lucas (her egregious papa, though delightful, is just a little on the thither side of the line between comedy and farce) is a wonderfully clever study in drab of one kind, and that Wickham (though something of Miss Austen's hesitation of touch in dealing with young men appears) is a not much less notable sketch in drab of another.

Los Bingley y los Gardiner y los Lucas, la señorita Darcy y la señorita de Bourgh, Jane, Wickham y el resto, deben pasar sin comentario especial, más allá de la observación de que Charlotte Lucas (su egregio papá, aunque delicioso, está justo un poco del lado de allá de la línea entre la comedia y la farsa) es un estudio admirablemente ingenioso en lo apagado de un tipo, y que Wickham (aunque se aprecia algo de la vacilación de toque de la señorita Austen al tratar con hombres jóvenes) es un boceto no mucho menos notable en lo apagado de otro.

Only genius could have made Charlotte what she is, yet not disagreeable; Wickham what he is, without investing him either with a cheap Don Juanish attractiveness or a disgusting rascality.

Solo el genio podría haber hecho de Charlotte lo que es, y sin embargo no desagradable; de Wickham lo que es, sin dotarle ni de un barato atractivo donjuanesco ni de una repugnante picardía.

But the hero and the heroine are not tints to be dismissed._

Pero el héroe y la heroína no son matices que deban descartarse.

_Darcy has always seemed to me by far the best and most interesting of Miss Austen's heroes; the only possible competitor being Henry Tilney, whose part is so slight and simple that it hardly enters into comparison.

Darcy siempre me ha parecido con mucho el mejor y más interesante de los héroes de la señorita Austen; siendo el único posible competidor Henry Tilney, cuyo papel es tan leve y sencillo que apenas entra en comparación.

It has sometimes, I believe, been urged that his pride is unnatural at first in its expression and later in its yielding, while his falling in love at all is not extremely probable.

Se ha argumentado a veces, creo yo, que su orgullo es antinatural al principio en su expresión y más tarde en su rendición, mientras que el hecho de que se enamore en absoluto no es extremadamente probable.

Here again I cannot go with the objectors.

Aquí tampoco puedo estar de acuerdo con los objetores.

Vocabulary

veces
Times; used in 'a veces' meaning sometimes
deseo
Wish, desire, or longing for something
exigencias
Demands, requirements, or exacting expectations
historia
History or story; narrative of past events
hubieran
Past subjunctive of haber; had (in hypothetical clauses)
permitido
Allowed, permitted; past participle of permitir
señorita
Miss; title for an unmarried woman
unir
To unite, join, or bring together
personajes
Characters, figures, or personages in a story
así
Thus, so, in this way
lograr
To achieve, manage to do, or accomplish something
vez
Time, instance; used in phrases like 'una vez'
notable
Notable, remarkable, or noteworthy
emparejamiento
Pairing, matching, or coupling of two people
calmar
To calm, soothe, or ease anxiety or distress
angustia
Anguish, distress, or deep anxiety
pobre
Poor; evoking pity or lacking resources
señora
Mrs., madam; title for a married or older woman
mayorazgo
Entailed estate inherited by the eldest son
resto
Rest, remainder; what is left over
deben
Must, should; third person plural of deber
pasar
To pass, happen, or go by
sin
Without; preposition indicating absence
comentario
Comment, commentary, or remark on a topic
especial
Special, particular, or out of the ordinary
más
More; comparative adverb or adjective
allá
There, beyond; indicating a distant place or extent
observación
Observation, remark, or act of noticing something
egregio
Illustrious, distinguished, or eminent; often used ironically
papá
Dad, father; informal term for one's father
aunque
Although, even though; concessive conjunction
delicioso
Delicious, delightful; extremely pleasing or entertaining
justo
Just, exactly, or right on the border of something
poco
A little, few; small amount or degree
lado
Side; lateral part or edge of something
línea
Line; a boundary, row, or drawn mark
entre
Between, among; preposition indicating a middle position
comedia
Comedy; a humorous play or story
farsa
Farce; an absurd or broadly comic theatrical work
estudio
Study; careful analysis or examination of a subject
admirablemente
Admirably, in a wonderfully impressive manner
ingenioso
Ingenious, clever, or witty in design or expression
apagado
Subdued, dull, muted; lacking brightness or intensity
tipo
Type, kind, or sort; also informal word for guy
aprecia
One appreciates or notices; from apreciar
algo
Something, somewhat; indefinite pronoun or adverb
vacilación
Hesitation, wavering, or indecision
toque
Touch, hint, or slight trace of something
tratar
To treat, deal with, or handle a subject or person
hombres
Men; plural of hombre
jóvenes
Young people; plural of joven
boceto
Sketch, rough draft, or preliminary outline
mucho
Much, a lot; large quantity or degree
menos
Less, fewer; comparative of little
otro
Other, another; different or additional one
Solo
Only, alone, or just; sole or solitary
genio
Genius; exceptional natural talent or intelligence
podría
Could, might; conditional of poder
haber
To have; auxiliary verb used to form perfect tenses
hecho
Done, made; past participle of hacer
embargo
Sin embargo means nevertheless or however
desagradable
Unpleasant, disagreeable, or unlikeable
dotarle
To endow him with qualities or attributes
ni
Nor, neither; negative conjunction linking alternatives
barato
Cheap, inexpensive; low in cost or quality
atractivo
Attractive, appealing; having charm or good looks
donjuanesco
Don Juan-like; characteristic of a seductive womanizer
repugnante
Repugnant, repulsive, or deeply offensive
picardía
Roguishness, cunning mischief, or sly trickery
héroe
Hero; male protagonist or admired leading character
heroína
Heroine; female protagonist or admired leading character
matices
Nuances, shades, or subtle distinctions of meaning
deban
Should; present subjunctive of deber
descartarse
To be discarded, dismissed, or ruled out
siempre
Always, ever; at all times without exception
parecido
Seemed, appeared; past participle of parecer
mejor
Better, best; comparative or superlative of bueno
interesante
Interesting, engaging, or worthy of attention
héroes
Heroes; plural of héroe, leading male characters
siendo
Being; gerund of ser
único
Unique, only, sole; one of a kind
posible
Possible; capable of happening or existing
competidor
Competitor, rival; one who competes for the same goal
cuyo
Whose; relative possessive pronoun
papel
Role, part, or paper; character's function in a story
tan
So, as; adverb of degree used in comparisons
leve
Slight, light, or minor; of little weight or importance
sencillo
Simple, straightforward, or unassuming
apenas
Barely, hardly, scarcely; almost not at all
entra
Enters, comes into; third person singular of entrar
comparación
Comparison; act of examining similarities and differences
argumentado
Argued, contended; past participle of argumentar
creo
I believe, I think; first person singular of creer
orgullo
Pride; strong sense of self-worth or dignity
antinatural
Unnatural, contrary to nature or normal feeling
principio
Principle, beginning; fundamental rule or starting point
expresión
Expression; a word, phrase, or outward showing of feeling
tarde
Late; after the expected time; also afternoon
rendición
Surrender, yielding; act of giving in to something
mientras
While, whereas; simultaneous or contrasting conjunction
enamore
Falls in love; present subjunctive of enamorarse
absoluto
Absolute, complete, total; without qualification
extremadamente
Extremely, exceedingly; to a very great degree
probable
Probable, likely; having a good chance of occurring
Aquí
Here; indicating this place or current point
tampoco
Neither, nor either; negative agreement with another
puedo
I can; first person singular present of poder
estar
To be; expresses state, condition, or location
acuerdo
Agreement; en acuerdo means in agreement
objetores
Objectors; those who raise objections or disagree
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