The Count of Monte Cristo — Page 1
Chapter 1. Marseilles—The Arrival
Capítulo 1. Marsella—La llegada
On the 24th of February, 1815, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the _Pharaon_ from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.
El 24 de febrero de 1815, el vigía de Notre-Dame de la Garde señaló el velero de tres mástiles, el _Pharaon_, procedente de Esmirna, Trieste y Nápoles.
As usual, a pilot put off immediately, and rounding the Château d'If, got on board the vessel between Cape Morgiou and Rion island.
Como de costumbre, un práctico partió de inmediato y, rodeando el Château d'If, subió a bordo de la nave entre el cabo Morgiou y la isla de Rion.
Immediately, and according to custom, the ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean were covered with spectators; it is always an event at Marseilles for a ship to come into port, especially when this ship, like the _Pharaon_, has been built, rigged, and laden at the old Phocee docks, and belongs to an owner of the city.
De inmediato, y según la costumbre, las murallas del fuerte Saint-Jean se llenaron de espectadores; siempre es un acontecimiento en Marsella la llegada de un barco al puerto, especialmente cuando ese barco, como el _Pharaon_, ha sido construido, aparejado y cargado en los viejos muelles foceos, y pertenece a un armador de la ciudad.
The ship drew on and had safely passed the strait, which some volcanic shock has made between the Calasareigne and Jaros islands; had doubled Pomègue, and approached the harbor under topsails, jib, and spanker, but so slowly and sedately that the idlers, with that instinct which is the forerunner of evil, asked one another what misfortune could have happened on board.
El barco avanzaba y había pasado sin contratiempos el estrecho que alguna sacudida volcánica formó entre las islas de Calasareigne y Jaros; había doblado Pomègue y se aproximaba al puerto con las gavias, el foque y la cangreja, pero de manera tan lenta y sosegada que los ociosos, con ese instinto que presagia la desgracia, se preguntaban unos a otros qué infortunio podría haber ocurrido a bordo.
However, those experienced in navigation saw plainly that if any accident had occurred, it was not to the vessel herself, for she bore down with all the evidence of being skilfully handled, the anchor a-cockbill, the jib-boom guys already eased off, and standing by the side of the pilot, who was steering the _Pharaon_ towards the narrow entrance of the inner port, was a young man, who, with activity and vigilant eye, watched every motion of the ship, and repeated each direction of the pilot.
Sin embargo, quienes tenían experiencia en navegación veían claramente que si algún accidente había ocurrido, no era a la nave en sí, pues avanzaba con todas las señales de estar hábilmente gobernada, el ancla en posición de fondeo, los obenques del botalón ya aflojados, y junto al práctico que dirigía el _Pharaon_ hacia la estrecha entrada del puerto interior, se encontraba un joven que, con diligencia y mirada atenta, seguía cada movimiento del barco y repetía cada indicación del práctico.
Vocabulary
- Capítulo
- A division or section of a book or text.
- Marsella
- Marseille, a major port city in southern France.
- llegada
- The act of arriving at a destination.
- febrero
- The second month of the year.
- vigía
- A lookout who watches for approaching ships or danger.
- señaló
- Pointed out or indicated something to someone.
- velero
- A sailing vessel propelled primarily by wind and sails.
- mástiles
- Tall vertical poles on a ship that support sails.
- procedente
- Coming or originating from a particular place.
- Esmirna
- Smyrna, a historical port city now known as İzmir, Turkey.
- costumbre
- A habit or custom regularly practiced by someone.
- práctico
- A harbor pilot who guides ships into port.
- partió
- Departed or set off from a place immediately.
- inmediato
- Happening right away without delay; immediate.
- rodeando
- Going around or encircling a place or object.
- subió
- Climbed up or boarded a vessel or structure.
- bordo
- On board; the side or interior of a ship.
- nave
- A ship or large vessel used for sea travel.
- cabo
- A geographical cape or headland projecting into the sea.
- isla
- A piece of land completely surrounded by water.
- según
- According to or depending on a source or condition.
- murallas
- Thick defensive walls surrounding a fort or city.
- fuerte
- A military fortification or stronghold for defense.
- llenaron
- Became filled or crowded with people or things.
- espectadores
- People who watch or observe an event taking place.
- siempre
- At all times; always without exception.
- acontecimiento
- A notable event or occurrence that draws public attention.
- barco
- A general term for a boat or ship.
- puerto
- A harbor where ships dock and load cargo.
- especialmente
- In a special or particular manner; especially.
- construido
- Built or constructed; past participle of 'construir'.
- aparejado
- Rigged and equipped with sails and masts; ready.
- cargado
- Loaded with cargo or goods; heavily laden.
- viejos
- Old; referring to people or things of great age.
- muelles
- Docks or piers where ships load and unload cargo.
- pertenece
- Belongs to someone as property or possession.
- armador
- A shipowner who finances and manages a vessel's operations.
- ciudad
- A large urban settlement; a city or town.
- avanzaba
- Was moving forward or progressing toward a destination.
- pasado
- Passed through or gone by a place or time.
- contratiempos
- Setbacks or mishaps that cause delays or problems.
- estrecho
- A narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies.
- sacudida
- A shake or jolt caused by a natural phenomenon.
- volcánica
- Relating to or caused by volcanic activity underground.
- formó
- Formed or shaped something into existence over time.
- islas
- Plural of 'isla'; islands surrounded by water.
- doblado
- Rounded or turned around a cape or headland.
- aproximaba
- Was approaching or drawing near to a location.
- gavias
- Topsails on a sailing ship's upper masts.
- foque
- A triangular sail at the front of a ship.
- cangreja
- A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom on ships.
- manera
- The way or manner in which something is done.
- lenta
- Slow; moving or acting without speed or urgency.
- sosegada
- Calm and peaceful; proceeding quietly without disturbance.
- ociosos
- Idle people who are not engaged in productive activity.
- instinto
- A natural innate impulse or intuition guiding behavior.
- presagia
- Foretells or signals that something bad will happen.
- desgracia
- Misfortune or bad luck that causes suffering or trouble.
- preguntaban
- Were asking questions of one another repeatedly.
- infortunio
- Misfortune or bad luck; an unfortunate event or circumstance.
- ocurrido
- Happened or taken place; past participle of 'ocurrir'.
- embargo
- Used in 'sin embargo', meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'.
- quienes
- Relative pronoun meaning 'those who' or 'whoever'.
- experiencia
- Knowledge or skill gained through practice and observation.
- navegación
- The act or practice of sailing or navigating ships.
- veían
- Were seeing or could see something; imperfect of 'ver'.
- claramente
- In a clear and obvious manner; clearly.
- accidente
- An unexpected event causing harm or damage.
- pues
- Conjunction meaning 'well', 'then', or 'since'.
- señales
- Signs or signals that indicate a particular situation.
- hábilmente
- Skillfully and with great competence and expertise.
- gobernada
- Steered or controlled, especially referring to a ship.
- ancla
- A heavy object dropped to hold a ship in place.
- posición
- The location or placement of something in space.
- fondeo
- The act of anchoring a ship in a harbor.
- obenques
- Ropes or wires supporting a ship's masts sideways.
- botalón
- A spar projecting from the bow of a sailing ship.
- aflojados
- Loosened or slackened; released from tension or tightness.
- junto
- Together with or next to; near in proximity.
- dirigía
- Was directing or heading toward a particular destination.
- hacia
- Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of'.
- estrecha
- Narrow or confined; having little width or space.
- entrada
- An entrance or entry point into a place or space.
- interior
- The inside or inner part of a space or place.
- encontraba
- Was found or was located in a particular place.
- joven
- A young person or adjective meaning young.
- diligencia
- Care and effort applied attentively to one's work.
- mirada
- A look or gaze directed at something or someone.
- atenta
- Attentive and careful; paying close and focused attention.
- seguía
- Was following or continuing to track something closely.
- cada
- Each or every; referring to individual items in a group.
- movimiento
- A movement or motion of a person or object.
- repetía
- Was repeating or relaying an order or instruction.
- indicación
- An instruction or signal directing someone to do something.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →