The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 1
A young painter, indulging a vein of pleasantry, sketched a kind of conversation piece, representing a bear, an owl, a monkey, and an ass;
Un joven pintor, dejándose llevar por una vena de jovialidad, esbozó una especie de cuadro de conversación, que representaba un oso, un búho, un mono y un asno;
and to render it more striking, humorous, and moral, distinguished every figure by some emblem of human life.
y para hacerlo más llamativo, humorístico y moral, distinguió cada figura con algún emblema de la vida humana.
Bruin was exhibited in the garb and attitude of an old, toothless, drunken soldier;
Bruin aparecía ataviado y en actitud de un viejo soldado desdentado y borracho;
the owl perched upon the handle of a coffee-pot, with spectacle on nose, seemed to contemplate a newspaper;
el búho, posado sobre el asa de una cafetera, con anteojos en la nariz, parecía contemplar un periódico;
and the ass, ornamented with a huge tie-wig (which, however, could not conceal his long ears), sat for his picture to the monkey, who appeared with the implements of painting.
y el asno, adornado con una enorme peluca atada (que, sin embargo, no podía ocultar sus largas orejas), posaba para su retrato ante el mono, que aparecía con los utensilios de pintura.
This whimsical group afforded some mirth, and met with general approbation, until some mischievous wag hinted that the whole—was a lampoon upon the friends of the performer;
Este caprichoso grupo provocó cierta hilaridad y obtuvo aprobación general, hasta que algún pícaro bromista insinuó que el conjunto era un libelo contra los amigos del autor;
an insinuation which was no sooner circulated than those very people who applauded it before began to be alarmed, and even to fancy themselves signified by the several figures of the piece.
una insinuación que no bien comenzó a circular hizo que aquellas mismas personas que antes lo habían aplaudido empezaran a alarmarse, e incluso a imaginarse representadas por las distintas figuras del cuadro.
Among others, a worthy personage in years, who had served in the army with reputation, being incensed at the supposed outrage, repaired to the lodging of the painter, and finding him at home, "Hark ye, Mr. Monkey," said he, "I have a good mind to convince you, that though the bear has lost his teeth, he retains his paws, and that he is not so drunk but he can perceive your impertinence."
Entre otros, un respetable personaje de edad, que había servido en el ejército con honra, indignado ante el supuesto ultraje, se dirigió a la morada del pintor, y encontrándolo en casa, le dijo: «Escúchame bien, señor Mono, tengo muy buenas ganas de convencerte de que, aunque el oso haya perdido los dientes, conserva sus garras, y de que no está tan borracho como para no percibir tu impertinencia».
"Sblood!
«¡Voto a Dios!
Vocabulary
- joven
- Young person or adjective meaning young
- pintor
- A person who paints; an artist or painter
- dejándose
- Allowing oneself; letting oneself be carried
- llevar
- To carry, take, or be led by something
- vena
- Vein; also a streak or impulse of feeling
- jovialidad
- Cheerfulness; a jolly or jovial disposition
- esbozó
- Sketched or outlined roughly; drafted a drawing
- especie
- A type, kind, or species of something
- cuadro
- A painting, picture, or framed artwork
- conversación
- A verbal exchange between two or more people
- representaba
- Depicted or represented something visually or symbolically
- oso
- A large omnivorous mammal; a bear
- búho
- A nocturnal bird of prey; an owl
- mono
- A primate mammal; a monkey or ape
- asno
- A donkey; also used to mean a fool
- llamativo
- Eye-catching, striking, or attention-grabbing in appearance
- humorístico
- Humorous; relating to or full of humor
- moral
- Relating to ethics or principles of right conduct
- distinguió
- Distinguished or differentiated one thing from another
- figura
- A figure, shape, or depicted character in art
- emblema
- A symbol or emblem representing an idea or quality
- vida
- Life; the condition of being alive
- aparecía
- Appeared; was shown or depicted in a scene
- ataviado
- Dressed up or adorned in a particular outfit
- actitud
- Attitude, posture, or physical stance of a person
- viejo
- Old; advanced in age or long-established
- soldado
- A person serving in a military army; soldier
- desdentado
- Toothless; lacking teeth due to age or loss
- borracho
- Drunk; a person who is intoxicated with alcohol
- posado
- Perched or posed; resting on a surface
- asa
- A handle on a pot, cup, or vessel
- cafetera
- A coffeepot or coffee maker used for brewing
- anteojos
- Eyeglasses or spectacles worn to aid vision
- nariz
- The nose; the facial organ used for smelling
- parecía
- Seemed or appeared to be a certain way
- contemplar
- To contemplate or gaze at something thoughtfully
- periódico
- A newspaper; a regularly published printed news journal
- adornado
- Decorated or adorned with ornamental features
- enorme
- Enormous; very large in size or amount
- peluca
- A wig worn on the head for disguise or fashion
- atada
- Tied or fastened; bound with a cord or ribbon
- embargo
- Used in 'sin embargo' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'
- ocultar
- To hide or conceal something from view
- orejas
- Ears; the organs of hearing on the head
- posaba
- Was posing or perching in a deliberate position
- retrato
- A portrait; a painted or drawn image of someone
- ante
- Before or in front of something or someone
- utensilios
- Utensils or tools used for a specific purpose
- pintura
- Paint or painting; the art of applying color
- caprichoso
- Capricious or whimsical; prone to sudden fancy
- grupo
- A group or collection of people or things
- provocó
- Provoked or triggered a reaction in someone
- hilaridad
- Hilarity; great amusement or boisterous laughter
- obtuvo
- Obtained or received something; achieved a result
- aprobación
- Approval or acceptance from others
- general
- General; widespread among most people or things
- pícaro
- A rogue or mischievous person; sly and cunning
- bromista
- A joker or prankster who plays tricks on others
- insinuó
- Insinuated or hinted at something indirectly
- conjunto
- A set, group, or ensemble of related things
- libelo
- A libel; a defamatory written statement about someone
- amigos
- Friends; people with whom one has a close bond
- autor
- An author or creator of a written or artistic work
- insinuación
- An insinuation; an indirect hint or subtle suggestion
- comenzó
- Began or started to do something
- circular
- To circulate or spread among people
- personas
- Persons; human beings or individual people
- aplaudido
- Applauded; clapped or praised enthusiastically
- empezaran
- Would begin; subjunctive form of 'empezar'
- alarmarse
- To become alarmed or frightened by something
- incluso
- Even; used to emphasize an extreme or additional case
- imaginarse
- To imagine oneself as being depicted or represented
- representadas
- Represented or depicted; portrayed in an image
- distintas
- Distinct or different; separate from one another
- figuras
- Figures or characters depicted in an artwork
- respetable
- Respectable; worthy of esteem or regard
- personaje
- A character or notable individual in a story
- edad
- Age; the length of time a person has lived
- servido
- Served; given service to a cause or institution
- ejército
- An army; a large organized military land force
- honra
- Honor; personal dignity and moral integrity
- indignado
- Indignant; feeling anger at perceived unfair treatment
- supuesto
- Supposed or alleged; assumed without proof
- ultraje
- An outrage; a gravely offensive insult or act
- dirigió
- Directed himself; went toward a place or person
- morada
- A dwelling or abode; a place where someone lives
- casa
- A house or home where someone resides
- Escúchame
- Listen to me; imperative form of escuchar with pronoun
- señor
- Mister or sir; a respectful title for a man
- Mono
- Monkey; used here as a name or title for someone
- ganas
- Desire or urge; used in 'tener ganas de' meaning want
- convencerte
- To convince you; to persuade someone of something
- aunque
- Although or even though; despite a given condition
- perdido
- Lost; no longer having possession of something
- dientes
- Teeth; the hard structures used for biting food
- conserva
- Keeps or preserves; still retains something
- garras
- Claws; sharp curved nails of an animal
- percibir
- To perceive or notice something through the senses
- impertinencia
- Impertinence; rude or disrespectful behavior
- Voto
- Vow or oath; used in exclamation 'Voto a Dios'
- Dios
- God; the supreme being in monotheistic religions
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