The Great Gatsby — Page 14
She was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet.
Era una chica esbelta, de pecho pequeño, con un porte erguido que acentuaba echando los hombros hacia atrás como un joven cadete.
Her grey sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan, charming, discontented face.
Sus ojos grises, cansados por el sol, me devolvieron la mirada con cortés curiosidad recíproca desde un rostro pálido, encantador y descontento.
It occurred to me now that I had seen her, or a picture of her, somewhere before.
Se me ocurrió entonces que la había visto a ella, o una imagen de ella, en algún lugar antes.
"You live in West Egg," she remarked contemptuously. "I know somebody there."
—Vive usted en West Egg —observó con desdén—. Conozco a alguien allí.
"I don't know a single—"
—No conozco a nin—
"You must know Gatsby."
—Debe de conocer a Gatsby.
"Gatsby?" demanded Daisy. "What Gatsby?"
—¿Gatsby? —preguntó Daisy—. ¿Qué Gatsby?
Before I could reply that he was my neighbour dinner was announced; wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine, Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square.
Antes de que pudiera responder que era mi vecino, se anunció la cena; encajando su tenso brazo bajo el mío de manera imperiosa, Tom Buchanan me sacó de la habitación como si moviera una ficha a otro escaque.
Slenderly, languidly, their hands set lightly on their hips, the two young women preceded us out on to a rosy-coloured porch, open toward the sunset, where four candles flickered on the table in the diminished wind.
Esbeltas y lánguidas, con las manos posadas levemente sobre las caderas, las dos jóvenes nos precedieron hacia una terraza de color rosado, abierta hacia la puesta de sol, donde cuatro velas parpadeaban sobre la mesa en la brisa menguante.
"Why candles?" objected Daisy, frowning.
—¿Para qué velas? —protestó Daisy, frunciendo el ceño.
She snapped them out with her fingers.
Las apagó de un chasquido con los dedos.
"In two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year."
—En dos semanas será el día más largo del año.
She looked at us all radiantly.
Nos miró a todos con una sonrisa radiante.
"Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it."
—¿Esperan siempre el día más largo del año y luego se lo pierden? Yo siempre espero el día más largo del año y luego me lo pierdo.
"We ought to plan something," yawned Miss Baker, sitting down at the table as if she were getting into bed.
—Deberíamos planear algo —bostezó la señorita Baker, sentándose a la mesa como si se metiera en la cama.
"All right," said Daisy.
—Está bien —dijo Daisy.
Vocabulary
- Era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'ser'; she/he/it was
- una
- Indefinite article, feminine singular; a, an
- chica
- A young girl or young woman
- esbelta
- Slender, slim, and gracefully shaped in figure
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or about
- pecho
- The chest or breast area of the body
- pequeño
- Small or little in size or amount
- con
- Preposition meaning with or along with
- un
- Indefinite article, masculine singular; a, an
- porte
- Bearing, posture, or manner of carrying oneself
- erguido
- Upright, straight, or erect in posture
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning that, which, who
- acentuaba
- Imperfect tense; was accentuating or emphasizing something
- echando
- Present participle of echar; throwing or casting back
- los
- Definite article, masculine plural; the
- hombros
- Shoulders; the upper joints connecting arms to torso
- hacia
- Preposition meaning toward or in the direction of
- atrás
- Behind, back, or backward in direction
- como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning like, as, or how
- joven
- Young person; adjective meaning young in age
- cadete
- A military cadet or junior officer in training
- Sus
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, their, or your
- ojos
- Eyes; the organs of sight on a face
- grises
- Gray; plural adjective describing a gray color
- cansados
- Tired, weary, or fatigued in appearance or feeling
- por
- Preposition meaning by, for, through, or because of
- el
- Definite article, masculine singular; the
- sol
- The sun; the star at the center of our solar system
- me
- First person singular object pronoun; me, to me
- devolvieron
- Third person plural preterite of devolver; they returned
- la
- Definite article or pronoun, feminine singular; the, her
- mirada
- A look, gaze, or glance directed at someone
- cortés
- Polite, courteous, or well-mannered in behavior
- curiosidad
- Curiosity; desire to know or learn something new
- recíproca
- Mutual, reciprocal, or shared equally between two parties
- desde
- Preposition meaning from or since a point in time
- rostro
- Face; the front of a person's head
- pálido
- Pale, pallid, or lacking color in complexion
- encantador
- Charming, delightful, or enchanting in personality or appearance
- y
- Conjunction meaning and, connecting words or clauses
- descontento
- Discontented, dissatisfied, or unhappy with circumstances
- Se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or impersonal verbs
- ocurrió
- Third person singular preterite of ocurrir; it occurred, happened
- entonces
- Adverb meaning then, at that time, or therefore
- había
- Imperfect of haber; had, used in past perfect constructions
- visto
- Past participle of ver; seen or viewed before
- a
- Preposition meaning to, at, or personal direct object marker
- ella
- Third person singular feminine pronoun; she or her
- o
- Conjunction meaning or, presenting an alternative choice
- imagen
- An image, picture, or visual representation of something
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at a location
- algún
- Indefinite adjective meaning some or any before a noun
- lugar
- A place, location, or spot somewhere
- antes
- Adverb meaning before, previously, or earlier in time
- Vive
- Third person singular present of vivir; lives or resides
- usted
- Formal second person singular pronoun; you (formal)
- observó
- Third person singular preterite of observar; she/he observed, remarked
- desdén
- Disdain, scorn, or contemptuous indifference toward something
- Conozco
- First person singular present of conocer; I know someone
- alguien
- Indefinite pronoun meaning someone, somebody, or anyone
- allí
- Adverb meaning there, in that place over there
- No
- Adverb of negation meaning no or not
- conozco
- First person singular present of conocer; I know, I am acquainted
- nin
- Shortened colloquial form of ninguno; none, not any
- Debe
- Third person singular present of deber; must, should, ought to
- conocer
- To know or be acquainted with a person or place
- preguntó
- Third person singular preterite of preguntar; asked a question
- Qué
- Interrogative pronoun meaning what or which thing
- Antes
- Adverb meaning before or previously in time
- pudiera
- Imperfect subjunctive of poder; could, might be able to
- responder
- To respond, answer, or reply to something said
- era
- Imperfect of ser; was, used for descriptions in the past
- mi
- Possessive adjective first person singular; my
- vecino
- A neighbor; someone living nearby or next door
- se
- Reflexive or impersonal third person pronoun; himself, herself, itself
- anunció
- Third person singular preterite of anunciar; announced or declared
- cena
- Dinner; the evening meal eaten at day's end
- encajando
- Present participle of encajar; fitting or inserting something into place
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, its, or your
- tenso
- Tense, tight, or strained in physical or emotional state
- brazo
- Arm; the upper limb of the human body
- bajo
- Under, beneath; also adjective meaning low or short
- mío
- Possessive pronoun meaning mine; belonging to me
- manera
- Manner, way, or method of doing something
- imperiosa
- Imperious, commanding, or domineering in manner or attitude
- sacó
- Third person singular preterite of sacar; took out, removed
- habitación
- A room inside a building or dwelling space
- si
- Conjunction meaning if or whether in conditional sentences
- moviera
- Imperfect subjunctive of mover; were to move something
- ficha
- A token, chip, or game piece used in board games
- otro
- Adjective or pronoun meaning another or other
- escaque
- A square on a chessboard; one of sixty-four squares
- Esbeltas
- Plural feminine of esbelta; slender and gracefully shaped women
- lánguidas
- Languid, listless, or moving in a slow graceful manner
- las
- Definite article or pronoun, feminine plural; the, them
- manos
- Hands; the body parts at the end of arms
- posadas
- Placed, rested, or set lightly upon a surface
- levemente
- Lightly, gently, or slightly in a delicate manner
- sobre
- Preposition meaning on, over, upon, or about something
- caderas
- Hips; the sides of the body below the waist
- dos
- The number two; cardinal number preceding one and three
- jóvenes
- Young people; plural of joven, meaning youth or youngsters
- nos
- First person plural object pronoun; us or to us
- precedieron
- Third person plural preterite of preceder; they preceded or led
- terraza
- A terrace or outdoor patio connected to a building
- color
- Color or hue; the visual property of an object
- rosado
- Pink or rosy in color; a pale red hue
- abierta
- Open, unlocked, or not closed; feminine form of abierto
- puesta
- Set, placed; past participle of poner in feminine form
- donde
- Relative adverb meaning where, in the place that
- cuatro
- The number four; cardinal number between three and five
- velas
- Candles; wax sticks burned to provide light
- parpadeaban
- Imperfect of parpadear; they were flickering or blinking repeatedly
- mesa
- A table; a flat-surfaced piece of furniture
- brisa
- A breeze; a light and gentle wind
- menguante
- Waning, diminishing, or decreasing in strength or intensity
- Para
- Preposition meaning for, in order to, or toward a purpose
- qué
- Interrogative pronoun or adverb meaning what or why
- protestó
- Third person singular preterite of protestar; protested or objected
- frunciendo
- Present participle of fruncir; frowning or furrowing one's brow
- ceño
- The brow or frown; fruncir el ceño means to frown
- Las
- Definite article or pronoun, feminine plural; the, them
- apagó
- Third person singular preterite of apagar; turned off or extinguished
- chasquido
- A snap, click, or cracking sound made with fingers
- dedos
- Fingers or toes; the digits of the hand or foot
- En
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at a location
- semanas
- Weeks; periods of seven consecutive days each
- será
- Future tense of ser; will be in the future
- día
- Day; a period of twenty-four hours
- más
- Adverb or adjective meaning more or most
- largo
- Long in length or duration; adjective describing length
- del
- Contraction of de plus el; of the
- año
- Year; a period of twelve months or 365 days
- Nos
- First person plural object pronoun; us or to us
- miró
- Third person singular preterite of mirar; looked at or glanced
- todos
- Adjective or pronoun meaning all, everyone, or everybody
- sonrisa
- A smile; a facial expression showing pleasure or happiness
- radiante
- Radiant, beaming, or glowing with happiness or light
- Esperan
- Third person plural present of esperar; they wait or hope
- siempre
- Adverb meaning always or every time without exception
- luego
- Adverb meaning then, later, or afterward in sequence
- lo
- Masculine singular object pronoun or neuter pronoun; it, him
- pierden
- Third person plural present of perder; they lose or miss
- Yo
- First person singular subject pronoun; I
- espero
- First person singular present of esperar; I wait or hope
- pierdo
- First person singular present of perder; I lose something
- Deberíamos
- First person plural conditional of deber; we should or ought
- planear
- To plan, arrange, or organize something in advance
- algo
- Indefinite pronoun meaning something or anything
- bostezó
- Third person singular preterite of bostezar; yawned out of boredom
- señorita
- Miss; a title for an unmarried young woman
- sentándose
- Reflexive gerund of sentar; sitting oneself down in a seat
- metiera
- Imperfect subjunctive of meter; were to put or go into
- cama
- A bed; furniture used for sleeping or resting
- Está
- Third person singular present of estar; is, referring to state
- bien
- Well, fine, or okay; adverb indicating a positive state
- dijo
- Third person singular preterite of decir; said or told
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