The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 2
sir, that toothless jaw is a d—ned scandalous libel—but don't you imagine me so chopfallen as not to be able to chew the cud of resentment."
señor, esa mandíbula desdentada es un libelo d—nadadamente escandaloso—pero no me imagine usted tan abatido como para no poder rumiar el rencor."
Here he was interrupted by the arrival of a learned physician, who, advancing to the culprit with fury in his aspect, exclaimed, "Suppose the augmentation of the ass's ears should prove the diminution of the baboon's—nay, seek not to prevaricate, for, by the beard of Aesculapius! there is not one hair in this periwig that will not stand up in judgment to convict thee of personal abuse.
Aquí fue interrumpido por la llegada de un sabio médico, quien, avanzando hacia el culpable con furia en su semblante, exclamó: «Supongamos que el aumento de las orejas del asno resulte ser la disminución de las del babuino—es más, no busquéis pretextos, pues, ¡por la barba de Esculapio! no hay un solo cabello en esta peluca que no se levante en juicio para condenaros por insulto personal.
Do but observe, captain, how this pitiful little fellow has copied the very curls—the colour, indeed, is different, but then the form and foretop are quite similar."
Observad tan solo, capitán, cómo este miserable sujeto ha copiado los propios rizos—el color, ciertamente, es diferente, pero la forma y el copete son muy similares.»
While he thus remonstrated in a strain of vociferation, a venerable senator entered, and waddling up to the delinquent, "Jackanapes!" cried he, "I will now let thee see I can read something else than a newspaper, and that without the help of spectacles: here is your own note of hand, sirrah, for money, which if I had not advanced, you yourself would have resembled an owl, in not daring to show your face by day, you ungrateful slanderous knave!
Mientras protestaba así en un tono de vociferación, entró un venerable senador y, contoneándose hasta llegar al delincuente, «¡Mequetrefe!» exclamó, «ahora te haré ver que sé leer algo más que un periódico, y eso sin necesidad de gafas: aquí está tu propio pagaré, bribón, por el dinero que si yo no hubiera adelantado, tú mismo habrías parecido un búho, al no atreverte a mostrar tu cara a la luz del día, ¡ingrato y calumnioso bellaco!
Vocabulary
- señor
- A man; sir; a title of respect for males.
- esa
- That (feminine singular demonstrative pronoun).
- mandíbula
- The jawbone; lower jaw of a person or animal.
- es
- Is; third person singular present of ser.
- un
- A; an; indefinite article (masculine singular).
- escandaloso
- Scandalous; shocking; causing outrage or public offense.
- pero
- But; however; a conjunction expressing contrast.
- no
- No; not; negation word.
- me
- Me; myself; first person singular object pronoun.
- imagine
- Imagine; suppose; first person singular present subjunctive.
- usted
- You; formal singular second person pronoun.
- tan
- So; as; such (used in comparisons).
- abatido
- Dejected; downhearted; feeling depressed or discouraged.
- como
- As; like; in the manner of; how.
- para
- For; in order to; preposition indicating purpose.
- poder
- Can; to be able; power; capacity to do.
- rumiar
- To ruminate; to chew cud; to ponder.
- el
- The; definite article (masculine singular).
- rencor
- Rancor; resentment; bitter ill will or hatred.
- Aquí
- Here; in this place; at this point.
- fue
- Was; third person singular preterite of ser.
- interrumpido
- Interrupted; stopped abruptly; past participle of interrumpir.
- por
- By; through; per; preposition indicating agent or means.
- la
- The; definite article (feminine singular).
- llegada
- Arrival; the act of arriving or reaching.
- de
- Of; from; preposition showing possession or origin.
- sabio
- Wise; learned; a wise or scholarly person.
- médico
- Doctor; physician; a medical professional.
- quien
- Who; whom; relative pronoun for persons.
- avanzando
- Advancing; moving forward; present participle of avanzar.
- hacia
- Toward; towards; in the direction of.
- culpable
- Guilty; culpable; responsible for wrongdoing.
- con
- With; accompanied by; preposition of accompaniment.
- furia
- Fury; rage; intense violent anger.
- en
- In; on; at; preposition indicating location.
- su
- His; her; its; your; possessive adjective.
- semblante
- Face; countenance; appearance or expression of face.
- exclamó
- Exclaimed; cried out; third person singular preterite.
- Supongamos
- Let us suppose; assume; first person plural subjunctive.
- que
- That; which; what; relative and subordinate conjunction.
- aumento
- Increase; growth; rise in quantity or size.
- orejas
- Ears; plural of oreja; external hearing organs.
- asno
- Donkey; ass; a stubborn or foolish person.
- resulte
- Results; turns out; third person singular subjunctive.
- ser
- To be; to exist; fundamental copulative verb.
- disminución
- Decrease; reduction; lessening in size or amount.
- más
- More; greater in quantity or degree.
- busquéis
- Search; look for; second person plural subjunctive.
- pretextos
- Pretexts; false reasons; excuses or misleading justifications.
- pues
- Well; then; since; therefore; conjunction.
- barba
- Beard; facial hair growing on chin.
- hay
- There is; there are; third person singular.
- solo
- Only; alone; sole; by oneself.
- cabello
- Hair; head hair; strands on scalp.
- esta
- This; this one (feminine singular demonstrative).
- se
- Oneself; himself; herself; reflexive pronoun.
- levante
- Raise; lift; third person singular subjunctive.
- juicio
- Trial; judgment; legal proceeding or verdict.
- insulto
- Insult; offensive remark; act of disrespect.
- personal
- Personal; relating to one individual person.
- Observad
- Observe; look; second person plural imperative.
- capitán
- Captain; military officer; commander of troops.
- cómo
- How; in what way; interrogative adverb.
- este
- This; this one (masculine singular demonstrative).
- miserable
- Miserable; wretched; deserving of contempt.
- sujeto
- Subject; individual; person or guy.
- ha
- Has; third person singular present perfect auxiliary.
- copiado
- Copied; imitated; past participle of copiar.
- los
- The; definite article (masculine plural).
- propios
- Own; his own; very own; peculiar.
- rizos
- Curls; locks; ringlets of hair.
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