← The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete — Page 12

English → Pt Preface Level 8/10

The clock struck twelve, the owl screeched from the ruined battlement, the door was opened by the sexton, who, by the light of a glimmering taper, conducted the despairing lover to a dreary aisle, and stamped upon the ground with his foot, saying, 'Here the young lady lies interred.'"

O relógio bateu doze horas, a coruja guinchou da ameia em ruínas, a porta foi aberta pelo sacristão, que, à luz de uma vela cintilante, conduziu o amante desesperado a uma nave sombria, e bateu no chão com o pé, dizendo: 'Aqui jaz sepultada a jovem senhora.'"

We have here such an amount of the usual romantic machinery of the "grave-yard" school of poets—that school of which Professor W. L. Phelps calls Young, in his Night Thoughts, the most "conspicuous exemplar"—that one is at first inclined to think Smollett poking fun at it.

Encontramos aqui tal quantidade dos habituais artifícios românticos da escola dos poetas do "cemitério"—aquela escola da qual o Professor W. L. Phelps chama Young, em seus Pensamentos Noturnos, de o mais "conspícuo exemplar"—que se fica inicialmente inclinado a pensar que Smollett estava a zombar disso.

The context, however, seems to prove that he was perfectly serious.

O contexto, porém, parece provar que ele estava perfeitamente sério.

It is interesting, then, as well as surprising, to find traces of the romantic spirit in his fiction over ten years before Walpole's Castle of Otranto.

É interessante, portanto, além de surpreendente, encontrar traços do espírito romântico em sua ficção mais de dez anos antes do Castelo de Otranto de Walpole.

It is also interesting to find so much melodramatic feeling in him, because it makes stronger the connection between him and his nineteenth-century disciple, Dickens.

É também interessante encontrar tanto sentimento melodramático nele, porque isso fortalece a ligação entre ele e seu discípulo do século XIX, Dickens.

From all that I have said, it must not be thought that the usual Smollett is always, or almost always, absent from Count Fathom.

De tudo o que disse, não se deve pensar que o Smollett habitual está sempre, ou quase sempre, ausente do Conde Fathom.

I have spoken of the dedication and of the opening chapters as what we might expect from his pen.

Falei da dedicatória e dos capítulos iniciais como algo que poderíamos esperar de sua pena.

There are, besides, true Smollett strokes in the scenes in the prison from which Melvil rescues Fathom, and there is a good deal of the satirical Smollett fun in the description of Fathom's ups and downs, first as the petted beau, and then as the fashionable doctor.

Há, além disso, verdadeiros traços de Smollett nas cenas na prisão da qual Melvil resgata Fathom, e há uma boa dose da diversão satírica de Smollett na descrição das altas e baixas de Fathom, primeiro como o mimado galã, e depois como o médico da moda.

Vocabulary

relógio
Clock or watch, a timekeeping device
bateu
Struck or hit; past tense of 'bater'
doze
The number twelve
horas
Hours; units of time, also used for o'clock
coruja
Owl, a nocturnal bird of prey
guinchou
Screeched or shrieked; past tense of 'guinchar'
ameia
Battlement or merlon, part of a castle parapet
ruínas
Ruins; remains of a destroyed or decayed structure
porta
Door or gate, an entryway to a building
aberta
Open or opened; feminine past participle of 'abrir'
sacristão
Sacristan; church official who maintains the building
luz
Light; illumination from a source
vela
Candle; a wax stick burned to produce light
cintilante
Glittering or flickering; shining with a trembling light
conduziu
Led or guided; past tense of 'conduzir'
amante
Lover; a person in a romantic relationship
desesperado
Desperate or hopeless; in a state of despair
nave
Nave; the central hall of a church
sombria
Gloomy or dark; dim and foreboding in atmosphere
chão
Floor or ground; the surface one walks on
Foot; the lower extremity of the leg
dizendo
Saying; present participle of 'dizer'
Aqui
Here; in this place or location
jaz
Lies; third person singular present of 'jazer' (to lie buried)
sepultada
Buried; interred in a grave or tomb
jovem
Young; a person of a young age
senhora
Lady or madam; a respectful term for a woman
Encontramos
We find or we found; first person plural of 'encontrar'
tal
Such; of that kind or degree
quantidade
Quantity or amount; a measurable number of things
habituais
Usual or habitual; commonly occurring or expected
artifícios
Devices or tricks; clever or artificial contrivances
românticos
Romantic; relating to the Romantic literary movement
escola
School; an institution for learning or a movement's style
poetas
Poets; writers who compose poetry
cemitério
Cemetery; a burial ground for the dead
aquela
That; demonstrative pronoun referring to a distant feminine noun
qual
Which or whom; used in relative clauses
Professor
Professor; a senior academic teacher at a university
chama
Calls or names; third person singular of 'chamar'
Pensamentos
Thoughts; mental reflections or ideas
Noturnos
Nocturnal; relating to or occurring at night
mais
More; to a greater degree or in addition
conspícuo
Conspicuous; clearly visible or standing out prominently
exemplar
Example or specimen; a representative instance of something
fica
Stays or is; third person singular of 'ficar'
inicialmente
Initially; at the beginning or first stage
inclinado
Inclined or disposed; having a tendency toward something
pensar
To think; to use one's mind to form ideas
zombar
To mock or ridicule; to make fun of something
disso
Of that; contraction of 'de' and 'isso'
contexto
Context; the circumstances surrounding an event or text
porém
However or but; a conjunction indicating contrast
parece
Seems or appears; third person singular of 'parecer'
provar
To prove or to taste; to demonstrate something is true
perfeitamente
Perfectly; in a complete or flawless manner
sério
Serious; earnest, sincere, not joking or trivial
interessante
Interesting; holding one's attention or curiosity
portanto
Therefore; as a consequence or logical conclusion
além
Beyond or furthermore; in addition to something
surpreendente
Surprising; causing wonder or astonishment unexpectedly
encontrar
To find or meet; to come across something or someone
traços
Traces or traits; distinguishing features or faint signs
espírito
Spirit; the nonmaterial essence or characteristic quality
romântico
Romantic; relating to romance or the Romantic movement
ficção
Fiction; literature describing imaginary events and people
dez
Ten; the number 10
anos
Years; units of time equal to twelve months
antes
Before; earlier in time or order
Castelo
Castle; a large medieval fortified building
também
Also or too; in addition to what was mentioned
tanto
So much or as much; indicating a large degree
sentimento
Feeling or sentiment; an emotional state or response
melodramático
Melodramatic; exaggeratedly emotional or theatrical in style
nele
In him or in it; contraction of 'em' and 'ele'
porque
Because; gives the reason for something stated
isso
That; neutral demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby
fortalece
Strengthens; third person singular of 'fortalecer'
ligação
Connection or link; a bond between people or things
entre
Between or among; in the middle of two or more
discípulo
Disciple or follower; one who follows a teacher's ideas
século
Century; a period of one hundred years
tudo
Everything or all; the totality of something
disse
Said; past tense of 'dizer'
deve
Should or must; third person singular of 'dever'
habitual
Habitual or usual; done regularly as a habit
sempre
Always; at all times without exception
quase
Almost or nearly; very close to but not quite
ausente
Absent; not present or missing from a place
Conde
Count; a nobleman of European aristocratic rank
Falei
I spoke; first person past tense of 'falar'
dedicatória
Dedication; an inscription dedicating a book to someone
capítulos
Chapters; main divisions of a book or document
iniciais
Initial; relating to the beginning or first parts
algo
Something; an unspecified thing or matter
poderíamos
We could; conditional first person plural of 'poder'
esperar
To expect or wait; to anticipate something
pena
Pity or shame; also a quill pen or feather
There is or there are; third person of 'haver'
verdadeiros
True or genuine; authentic, real, not false
cenas
Scenes; episodes or segments of a narrative or play
prisão
Prison; a place where people are confined as punishment
resgata
Rescues; third person singular of 'resgatar'
boa
Good; feminine adjective indicating quality or excellence
dose
Dose or portion; a measured amount of something
diversão
Fun or amusement; entertainment and enjoyment
satírica
Satirical; using humor to criticize or mock
descrição
Description; a written or spoken account of something
altas
High or tall; feminine plural of 'alto'
baixas
Low or short; feminine plural of 'baixo'
primeiro
First; ordinal number indicating the initial position
mimado
Spoiled or pampered; overindulged to the point of bad habits
galã
Heartthrob or leading man; a handsome romantic hero
depois
After or afterwards; later in time or sequence
médico
Doctor or physician; a licensed medical professional
moda
Fashion or trend; popular style at a given time
← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →