The Count of Monte Cristo — Page 3
" Then turning to the crew, he said, "Bear a hand there, to take in sail!"
" Poi, rivolgendosi all'equipaggio, disse: "Datevi da fare, per ammainare le vele!"
All hands obeyed, and at once the eight or ten seamen who composed the crew, sprang to their respective stations at the spanker brails and outhaul, topsail sheets and halyards, the jib downhaul, and the topsail clewlines and buntlines.
Tutti obbedirono, e immediatamente gli otto o dieci marinai che componevano l'equipaggio balzarono ai loro rispettivi posti alle corde della randa e alla scotta, alle manovre delle vele di gabbia, alla drizza del fiocco, e alle carghe e alle matafioni della vela di gabbia.
The young sailor gave a look to see that his orders were promptly and accurately obeyed, and then turned again to the owner.
Il giovane marinaio diede un'occhiata per assicurarsi che i suoi ordini fossero eseguiti prontamente e con precisione, e poi si rivolse di nuovo all'armatore.
"And how did this misfortune occur?" inquired the latter, resuming the interrupted conversation.
"E come è avvenuta questa disgrazia?" chiese quest'ultimo, riprendendo la conversazione interrotta.
"Alas, sir, in the most unexpected manner.
"Ahimè, signore, nel modo più inaspettato.
After a long talk with the harbor-master, Captain Leclere left Naples greatly disturbed in mind.
Dopo una lunga conversazione con il capitano del porto, il capitano Leclere lasciò Napoli con l'animo molto turbato.
In twenty-four hours he was attacked by a fever, and died three days afterwards.
Nel giro di ventiquattro ore fu colpito dalla febbre, e morì tre giorni dopo.
We performed the usual burial service, and he is at his rest, sewn up in his hammock with a thirty-six-pound shot at his head and his heels, off El Giglio island.
Abbiamo eseguito il consueto rito funebre, ed egli riposa, cucito nella sua amaca con una palla da trentasei libbre alla testa e ai piedi, al largo dell'isola del Giglio.
We bring to his widow his sword and cross of honor.
Portiamo alla sua vedova la sua spada e la croce d'onore.
It was worth while, truly," added the young man with a melancholy smile, "to make war against the English for ten years, and to die in his bed at last, like everybody else."
Ne valeva davvero la pena," aggiunse il giovane con un sorriso malinconico, "fare guerra agli Inglesi per dieci anni, per poi morire nel proprio letto come tutti gli altri."
"Why, you see, Edmond," replied the owner, who appeared more comforted at every moment, "we are all mortal, and the old must make way for the young.
"Ebbene, vedi, Edmond," rispose l'armatore, che sembrava farsi sempre più consolato, "siamo tutti mortali, e i vecchi devono cedere il posto ai giovani.
Vocabulary
- Poi
- Then, afterward; indicates sequence of events.
- rivolgendosi
- Turning to, addressing someone directly.
- all'
- Contraction of 'a' and 'il/la'; to the.
- equipaggio
- Crew of a ship or aircraft.
- disse
- Said; past tense of 'dire'.
- da
- From, by, since; versatile preposition.
- fare
- To do, to make; common Italian verb.
- vele
- Sails of a ship; plural of 'vela'.
- Tutti
- Everyone, all; refers to a whole group.
- obbedirono
- They obeyed; past tense of 'obbedire'.
- immediatamente
- Immediately, without delay.
- otto
- Eight; the number 8.
- marinai
- Sailors; plural of 'marinaio'.
- componevano
- They composed, made up; imperfect of 'comporre'.
- balzarono
- They leaped, jumped; past tense of 'balzare'.
- rispettivi
- Respective, each one's own assigned position.
- posti
- Positions, posts, places assigned to someone.
- corde
- Ropes, cords; plural of 'corda'.
- manovre
- Maneuvers, rigging operations on a ship.
- vela
- Sail of a boat or ship.
- giovane
- Young; a young person.
- marinaio
- Sailor, seaman; person who works on ships.
- diede
- Gave; past tense of 'dare'.
- occhiata
- A glance, a quick look at something.
- assicurarsi
- To make sure, to ensure something is done.
- ordini
- Orders, commands; plural of 'ordine'.
- fossero
- Were; subjunctive imperfect of 'essere'.
- eseguiti
- Carried out, executed; past participle of 'eseguire'.
- prontamente
- Promptly, quickly, without hesitation.
- precisione
- Precision, accuracy, exactness.
- rivolse
- Turned to, addressed; past tense of 'rivolgere'.
- nuovo
- New; again (di nuovo); once more.
- avvenuta
- Happened, occurred; past participle of 'avvenire'.
- disgrazia
- Misfortune, disaster, unfortunate event.
- chiese
- Asked; past tense of 'chiedere'.
- ultimo
- Last, final; the latter of two mentioned.
- riprendendo
- Resuming, taking up again; gerund of 'riprendere'.
- conversazione
- Conversation, dialogue between people.
- interrotta
- Interrupted, broken off; past participle of 'interrompere'.
- Ahimè
- Alas; exclamation expressing sorrow or regret.
- signore
- Sir, mister, gentleman; polite form of address.
- inaspettato
- Unexpected, unforeseen, surprising.
- lunga
- Long; feminine form of 'lungo'.
- capitano
- Captain; commander of a ship or group.
- porto
- Port, harbor; place where ships dock.
- lasciò
- Left, departed from; past tense of 'lasciare'.
- Napoli
- Naples; major city in southern Italy.
- animo
- Spirit, mind, mood; state of someone's feelings.
- turbato
- Troubled, disturbed, unsettled in mind.
- giro
- Turn, round; nel giro di means within.
- ventiquattro
- Twenty-four; the number 24.
- colpito
- Struck, hit, affected; past participle of 'colpire'.
- febbre
- Fever; elevated body temperature due to illness.
- morì
- Died; past tense of 'morire'.
- Abbiamo
- We have; first person plural of 'avere'.
- eseguito
- Carried out, performed; past participle of 'eseguire'.
- consueto
- Customary, usual, habitual.
- rito
- Rite, ritual, ceremony performed on an occasion.
- funebre
- Funereal, relating to death or burial.
- riposa
- Rests; third person singular of 'riposare'.
- cucito
- Sewn; past participle of 'cucire'.
- amaca
- Hammock; hanging bed traditionally used by sailors.
- palla
- Ball, cannonball; spherical object.
- libbre
- Pounds; unit of weight, plural of 'libbra'.
- testa
- Head; upper part of a human body.
- piedi
- Feet; plural of 'piede'.
- largo
- Wide; al largo means offshore, out at sea.
- isola
- Island; land surrounded by water.
- Giglio
- Lily; also name of an Italian island.
- Portiamo
- We bring, we carry; first person plural of 'portare'.
- vedova
- Widow; woman whose husband has died.
- spada
- Sword; bladed weapon carried by soldiers.
- croce
- Cross; symbol of Christianity or decoration.
- onore
- Honor, dignity, respect given to someone.
- valeva
- Was worth; imperfect tense of 'valere'.
- davvero
- Really, truly, indeed; emphatic affirmation.
- pena
- Trouble, pain; vale la pena means worth it.
- aggiunse
- Added, said additionally; past tense of 'aggiungere'.
- sorriso
- Smile; expression of happiness or amusement.
- malinconico
- Melancholic, sad, tinged with sadness.
- guerra
- War, armed conflict between nations or groups.
- Inglesi
- English people; citizens or people from England.
- anni
- Years; plural of 'anno'.
- morire
- To die; to cease living.
- proprio
- Own, one's very own; proprio letto means own bed.
- letto
- Bed; furniture used for sleeping.
- altri
- Others; other people or things.
- Ebbene
- Well then; transitional expression in conversation.
- vedi
- You see; second person singular of 'vedere'.
- rispose
- Replied, answered; past tense of 'rispondere'.
- sembrava
- Seemed, appeared; imperfect of 'sembrare'.
- farsi
- To become, to make oneself; reflexive of 'fare'.
- consolato
- Consoled, comforted; past participle of 'consolare'.
- siamo
- We are; first person plural of 'essere'.
- mortali
- Mortals; beings subject to death.
- vecchi
- Old people, the elderly; plural of 'vecchio'.
- devono
- Must, have to; third person plural of 'dovere'.
- cedere
- To yield, give way, hand over to another.
- posto
- Place, position, spot; room for someone.
- giovani
- Young people; plural of 'giovane'.
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