Sense and Sensibility — Page 2
And what possible claim could the Miss Dashwoods, who were related to him only by half blood, which she considered as no relationship at all, have on his generosity to so large an amount.
E quale possibile diritto potevano avere le signorine Dashwood, che erano sue parenti solo per metà sangue, cosa che lei non considerava affatto una parentela, sulla sua generosità per una somma così ingente.
It was very well known that no affection was ever supposed to exist between the children of any man by different marriages; and why was he to ruin himself, and their poor little Harry, by giving away all his money to his half sisters?
Era notorio che non si supponeva esistesse alcun affetto tra i figli di un uomo avuti da matrimoni diversi; e perché avrebbe dovuto rovinare se stesso, e il loro povero piccolo Harry, dando tutto il suo denaro alle sue sorellastre?
"It was my father's last request to me," replied her husband, "that I should assist his widow and daughters."
«Era l'ultima richiesta di mio padre nei miei confronti,» rispose il marito, «che io aiutassi la sua vedova e le sue figlie.»
"He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say; ten to one but he was light-headed at the time.
«Non sapeva di cosa stesse parlando, oserei dire; quasi certamente aveva la testa confusa in quel momento.
Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from your own child."
Se fosse stato in pieno possesso delle sue facoltà, non avrebbe mai pensato a una cosa simile come supplicarti di dare via metà della tua fortuna a scapito del tuo stesso figlio.»
"He did not stipulate for any particular sum, my dear Fanny; he only requested me, in general terms, to assist them, and make their situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do.
«Non specificò alcuna somma particolare, mia cara Fanny; mi chiese soltanto, in termini generali, di assisterle, e di rendere la loro situazione più agiata di quanto fosse in suo potere fare.
Perhaps it would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself.
Forse sarebbe stato altrettanto bene se avesse lasciato tutto alla mia discrezione.
He could hardly suppose I should neglect them.
Difficilmente avrebbe potuto supporre che le avrei trascurate.
But as he required the promise, I could not do less than give it; at least I thought so at the time.
Ma poiché richiese la promessa, non potevo fare a meno di darla; almeno così pensavo in quel momento.
The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed.
La promessa, dunque, fu fatta, e deve essere mantenuta.
Vocabulary
- quale
- Pronoun or adjective meaning 'which' or 'what'.
- possibile
- Adjective meaning 'possible', able to happen.
- diritto
- Noun or adjective meaning 'right' or 'straight'.
- potevano
- Third person plural imperfect of 'potere', meaning 'they could'.
- avere
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to have'.
- signorine
- Plural noun meaning 'young ladies' or 'misses'.
- erano
- Third person plural imperfect of 'essere', meaning 'they were'.
- sue
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (plural).
- parenti
- Plural noun meaning 'relatives' or 'relations'.
- solo
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'only' or 'alone'.
- metà
- Noun meaning 'half', one of two equal parts.
- sangue
- Noun meaning 'blood', the fluid in living bodies.
- cosa
- Noun or pronoun meaning 'thing' or 'what'.
- considerava
- Third person singular imperfect meaning 'he/she considered'.
- affatto
- Adverb meaning 'at all', used in negative sentences.
- parentela
- Noun meaning 'kinship' or 'family relationship'.
- sua
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (singular).
- generosità
- Noun meaning 'generosity', willingness to give freely.
- somma
- Noun meaning 'sum' or 'amount' of money.
- così
- Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
- ingente
- Adjective meaning 'large', 'considerable', or 'substantial'.
- Era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'essere', meaning 'it was'.
- notorio
- Adjective meaning 'notorious' or 'widely known'.
- supponeva
- Third person singular imperfect meaning 'it was supposed'.
- esistesse
- Third person singular subjunctive of 'esistere', 'that there existed'.
- alcun
- Adjective meaning 'any' or 'some', often in negative contexts.
- affetto
- Noun meaning 'affection', warm emotional attachment to someone.
- tra
- Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'within'.
- figli
- Plural noun meaning 'children' or 'sons'.
- uomo
- Noun meaning 'man', an adult male human being.
- avuti
- Past participle of 'avere', meaning 'had' or 'gotten'.
- matrimoni
- Plural noun meaning 'marriages' or 'weddings'.
- diversi
- Adjective meaning 'different', 'various', or 'several'.
- perché
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'why' or 'because'.
- avrebbe
- Third person singular conditional of 'avere', meaning 'he/she would have'.
- dovuto
- Past participle of 'dovere', meaning 'had to' or 'owed'.
- rovinare
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to ruin' or 'to destroy'.
- stesso
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'same' or 'himself/itself'.
- loro
- Pronoun or adjective meaning 'their', 'them', or 'they'.
- povero
- Adjective meaning 'poor', lacking money or evoking pity.
- piccolo
- Adjective meaning 'small', 'little', or 'young'.
- dando
- Gerund of 'dare', meaning 'giving'.
- tutto
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'whole', or 'everything'.
- suo
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
- denaro
- Noun meaning 'money', currency used for transactions.
- sorellastre
- Plural noun meaning 'stepsisters' or 'half-sisters'.
- ultima
- Adjective meaning 'last' or 'final', the most recent.
- richiesta
- Noun meaning 'request' or 'demand', something asked for.
- mio
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine singular).
- padre
- Noun meaning 'father', a male parent.
- miei
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine plural).
- confronti
- Plural noun meaning 'regards' or 'respect', used in 'nei confronti di'.
- rispose
- Third person singular past of 'rispondere', meaning 'he/she replied'.
- marito
- Noun meaning 'husband', a married male partner.
- aiutassi
- First person singular subjunctive imperfect of 'aiutare', 'that I help'.
- vedova
- Noun meaning 'widow', a woman whose husband has died.
- figlie
- Plural noun meaning 'daughters' or 'children' (feminine).
- sapeva
- Third person singular imperfect of 'sapere', meaning 'he/she knew'.
- stesse
- Third person singular subjunctive imperfect of 'stare', meaning 'was'.
- parlando
- Gerund of 'parlare', meaning 'speaking' or 'talking'.
- oserei
- First person singular conditional of 'osare', meaning 'I would dare'.
- dire
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to say' or 'to tell'.
- quasi
- Adverb meaning 'almost', 'nearly', or 'practically'.
- certamente
- Adverb meaning 'certainly' or 'definitely', without doubt.
- aveva
- Third person singular imperfect of 'avere', meaning 'he/she had'.
- testa
- Noun meaning 'head', the upper part of the body.
- confusa
- Adjective meaning 'confused', mixed up or unclear in mind.
- quel
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular).
- momento
- Noun meaning 'moment', a very brief period of time.
- fosse
- Third person singular subjunctive imperfect of 'essere', 'had been'.
- stato
- Past participle of 'essere', meaning 'been'; also 'state'.
- pieno
- Adjective meaning 'full', completely filled or in complete possession.
- possesso
- Noun meaning 'possession', having or owning something fully.
- facoltà
- Noun meaning 'faculties', mental capacities or abilities.
- mai
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever', depending on context.
- pensato
- Past participle of 'pensare', meaning 'thought' or 'considered'.
- simile
- Adjective meaning 'similar', 'such', or 'like this'.
- come
- Adverb or conjunction meaning 'how', 'as', or 'like'.
- supplicarti
- Infinitive with clitic meaning 'to beg you' or 'to implore you'.
- dare
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to give'.
- via
- Adverb or noun meaning 'away' or 'road/street'.
- tua
- Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (feminine singular).
- fortuna
- Noun meaning 'fortune', wealth or luck.
- scapito
- Noun meaning 'detriment' or 'loss', used in 'a scapito di'.
- tuo
- Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (masculine singular).
- figlio
- Noun meaning 'son' or 'child'.
- specificò
- Third person singular past of 'specificare', meaning 'he/she specified'.
- alcuna
- Adjective meaning 'any' or 'some' (feminine), often negative.
- particolare
- Adjective or noun meaning 'particular', 'specific', or 'detail'.
- mia
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (feminine singular).
- cara
- Adjective meaning 'dear', expressing affection or high value.
- chiese
- Third person singular past of 'chiedere', meaning 'he/she asked'.
- soltanto
- Adverb meaning 'only' or 'just', nothing more than.
- termini
- Plural noun meaning 'terms' or 'expressions', general conditions.
- generali
- Adjective meaning 'general', not specific or detailed.
- assisterle
- Infinitive with clitic meaning 'to assist them' or 'to help them'.
- rendere
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to render', 'to make', or 'to return'.
- situazione
- Noun meaning 'situation', a set of circumstances at a time.
- più
- Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most', indicating greater degree.
- agiata
- Adjective meaning 'comfortable' or 'well-off', financially at ease.
- quanto
- Adverb or pronoun meaning 'how much', 'as much as'.
- potere
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to be able to' or 'can'.
- fare
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
- Forse
- Adverb meaning 'perhaps' or 'maybe', expressing uncertainty.
- sarebbe
- Third person singular conditional of 'essere', meaning 'it would be'.
- altrettanto
- Adverb meaning 'equally', 'just as much', or 'likewise'.
- bene
- Adverb or noun meaning 'well', 'good', or 'fine'.
- avesse
- Third person singular subjunctive imperfect of 'avere', 'had'.
- lasciato
- Past participle of 'lasciare', meaning 'left' or 'allowed'.
- discrezione
- Noun meaning 'discretion', prudent judgment in decision-making.
- Difficilmente
- Adverb meaning 'hardly' or 'with difficulty', unlikely to happen.
- potuto
- Past participle of 'potere', meaning 'been able to'.
- supporre
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to suppose' or 'to assume'.
- avrei
- First person singular conditional of 'avere', meaning 'I would have'.
- trascurate
- Past participle of 'trascurare', meaning 'neglected' (feminine plural).
- poiché
- Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because', giving a reason.
- richiese
- Third person singular past of 'richiedere', meaning 'required/asked'.
- promessa
- Noun meaning 'promise', a commitment to do something.
- potevo
- First person singular imperfect of 'potere', meaning 'I could'.
- meno
- Adverb meaning 'less' or 'fewer', indicating smaller degree.
- darla
- Infinitive with clitic meaning 'to give it', referring to promise.
- almeno
- Adverb meaning 'at least', indicating a minimum amount.
- pensavo
- First person singular imperfect of 'pensare', meaning 'I thought'.
- dunque
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'therefore', 'so', or 'then'.
- fu
- Third person singular past of 'essere', meaning 'it/he/she was'.
- fatta
- Past participle of 'fare', meaning 'made' or 'done' (feminine).
- deve
- Third person singular present of 'dovere', meaning 'must' or 'has to'.
- essere
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to be'.
- mantenuta
- Past participle of 'mantenere', meaning 'kept' or 'maintained'.
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