The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete — Page 13
In chronicling the latter meteoric career, Smollett had already observed the peculiarity of his countrymen which Thackeray was fond of harping on in the next century—"the maxim which universally prevails among the English people . . to overlook, . . on their return to the metropolis, all the connexions they may have chanced to acquire during their residence at any of the medical wells.
Al narrar esta última carrera meteórica, Smollett ya había observado la peculiaridad de sus compatriotas en la que Thackeray gustaba de insistir en el siglo siguiente: «la máxima que prevalece universalmente entre el pueblo inglés... de pasar por alto... a su regreso a la metrópoli, todas las relaciones que pudieran haber tenido ocasión de adquirir durante su estancia en cualquiera de los balnearios medicinales.
And this social disposition is so scrupulously maintained, that two persons who live in the most intimate correspondence at Bath or Tunbridge, shall, in four-and-twenty hours . . meet in St. James's Park, without betraying the least token of recognition."
Y esta disposición social se mantiene con tal escrupulosidad, que dos personas que viven en la más íntima relación en Bath o Tunbridge, podrán, en veinticuatro horas... encontrarse en St. James's Park, sin dar la menor señal de reconocimiento».
And good, too, is the way in which, as Dr. Fathom goes rapidly down the social hill, he makes excuses for his declining splendour.
Y también es notable la manera en que el doctor Fathom, al descender rápidamente por la cuesta social, busca excusas para su menguante esplendor.
His chariot was overturned "with a hideous crash" at such danger to himself, "that he did not believe he should ever hazard himself again in any sort of wheel carriage."
Su carruaje volcó «con un espantoso estruendo» con tal peligro para su persona, «que no creía volver a arriesgarse jamás en ningún tipo de carruaje de ruedas».
He turned off his men for maids, because "men servants are generally impudent, lazy, debauched, or dishonest."
Despidió a sus criados varones en favor de doncellas, porque «los criados hombres son en general insolentes, perezosos, libertinos o deshonestos».
To avoid the din of the street, he shifted his lodgings into a quiet, obscure court.
Para evitar el estruendo de la calle, trasladó su alojamiento a un patio tranquilo y apartado.
And so forth and so on, in the true Smollett vein.
Y así sucesivamente, en el más puro estilo de Smollett.
But, after all, such of the old sparks are struck only occasionally.
Pero, después de todo, tales destellos del viejo genio solo aparecen de vez en cuando.
Vocabulary
- narrar
- To narrate or tell a story
- última
- Last or final in a sequence
- carrera
- Career, race, or course of study
- meteórica
- Meteoric; rapid and spectacular in rise
- ya
- Already, now, or soon depending on context
- había
- Had; past perfect auxiliary form of 'haber'
- observado
- Observed or noticed something carefully
- peculiaridad
- Peculiarity; a distinctive or odd characteristic
- compatriotas
- Compatriots; people from the same country
- gustaba
- Used to like or enjoy something habitually
- insistir
- To insist or repeatedly emphasize a point
- siglo
- Century; a period of one hundred years
- siguiente
- Following or next in order or time
- máxima
- Maxim; a general truth or rule of conduct
- prevalece
- Prevails or is commonly accepted and widespread
- universalmente
- Universally; applying to all people everywhere
- pueblo
- People, town, or common folk as a group
- inglés
- English; relating to England or its language
- pasar
- To pass, happen, or spend time
- alto
- High, tall; also 'pasar por alto' means overlook
- regreso
- Return; the act of coming back somewhere
- metrópoli
- Metropolis; a large or capital city
- relaciones
- Relations or relationships between people or things
- pudieran
- Could or might have; subjunctive of 'poder'
- haber
- To have; auxiliary verb used in compound tenses
- tenido
- Had; past participle of 'tener'
- ocasión
- Occasion or opportunity to do something
- adquirir
- To acquire or obtain something
- durante
- During; throughout a period of time
- estancia
- Stay or sojourn in a place
- cualquiera
- Any or whichever; indefinite pronoun or adjective
- balnearios
- Spa resorts or medicinal bathing establishments
- medicinales
- Medicinal; having healing or therapeutic properties
- disposición
- Disposition, arrangement, or tendency to behave
- social
- Social; relating to society or social interactions
- mantiene
- Is maintained or upheld; third person singular
- tal
- Such or so much; used for emphasis
- escrupulosidad
- Scrupulousness; careful adherence to rules or principles
- viven
- Live or reside; third person plural of 'vivir'
- íntima
- Intimate; very close or personal in relationship
- relación
- Relationship or connection between people
- podrán
- Will be able to; future of 'poder'
- veinticuatro
- Twenty-four; the number 24 in Spanish
- encontrarse
- To encounter or meet each other somewhere
- sin
- Without; Spanish preposition indicating absence
- dar
- To give; common and versatile Spanish verb
- menor
- Least, slightest, or younger; comparative adjective
- señal
- Sign or signal indicating something to others
- reconocimiento
- Recognition; acknowledging someone one knows
- notable
- Notable or remarkable; worthy of attention
- manera
- Manner or way of doing something
- descender
- To descend or go down in position or status
- rápidamente
- Rapidly or quickly; speed adverb from 'rápido'
- cuesta
- Slope or hill; downward incline on a road
- busca
- Seeks or looks for; third person of 'buscar'
- excusas
- Excuses; reasons given to justify one's actions
- menguante
- Waning or declining; decreasing in size or importance
- esplendor
- Splendor; great brightness, magnificence, or glory
- carruaje
- Carriage; a horse-drawn vehicle for passengers
- volcó
- Overturned or capsized; past tense of 'volcar'
- espantoso
- Frightful or dreadful; causing fear or horror
- estruendo
- Loud crash or thunderous noise
- peligro
- Danger or risk of harm or injury
- creía
- Believed or thought; imperfect of 'creer'
- volver
- To return or do something again
- arriesgarse
- To risk or dare to do something dangerous
- jamás
- Never or ever; strong negation in Spanish
- ningún
- No or none; negative adjective before masculine nouns
- tipo
- Type, kind, or sort of something
- ruedas
- Wheels; circular components of vehicles
- Despidió
- Dismissed or fired; past tense of 'despedir'
- criados
- Male servants or domestic staff
- varones
- Males or men; adult male persons
- favor
- Favor; in favor of, preferring something else
- doncellas
- Maidens or female servants; young women attendants
- general
- Generally or in general; commonly or typically
- insolentes
- Insolent; disrespectfully rude or arrogant
- perezosos
- Lazy; unwilling to work or be active
- libertinos
- Libertines; people who act immorally without restraint
- deshonestos
- Dishonest; lacking honesty or integrity
- evitar
- To avoid or prevent something from happening
- calle
- Street; a road in a town or city
- trasladó
- Moved or transferred to a different location
- alojamiento
- Lodging or accommodation; a place to stay
- patio
- Courtyard; an open area within or beside a building
- tranquilo
- Quiet or calm; peaceful and undisturbed
- apartado
- Remote or secluded; set apart from main areas
- así
- Thus or so; in this manner or way
- sucesivamente
- Successively; one after another in sequence
- puro
- Pure; unmixed or in its most genuine form
- estilo
- Style; a distinctive manner or way of doing
- después
- After or afterwards; indicating a later time
- tales
- Such; plural demonstrative referring to mentioned things
- destellos
- Flashes or gleams; brief brilliant moments
- viejo
- Old; having lived or existed for a long time
- genio
- Genius; exceptional creative or intellectual ability
- solo
- Only or alone; without others or exclusively
- aparecen
- Appear; they show up or become visible
- vez
- Time or occasion; as in 'de vez en cuando'
- cuando
- When; Spanish temporal conjunction or adverb
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