The King in Yellow — Page 2
But I knew in my heart that all would come right, and that I should arrange their future as I expected to arrange that of my kind doctor, John Archer.
Pero sabía en mi corazón que todo se arreglaría, y que yo organizaría su futuro tal como esperaba organizar el de mi bondadoso médico, John Archer.
However, I should never have troubled myself about visiting them just then, had it not been, as I say, that the music of the tinkling hammer had for me this strong fascination.
Sin embargo, nunca me habría preocupado por visitarlos en ese momento, de no ser, como digo, porque la música del martillo tintineante ejercía sobre mí esta poderosa fascinación.
I would sit for hours, listening and listening, and when a stray sunbeam struck the inlaid steel, the sensation it gave me was almost too keen to endure.
Me sentaba durante horas, escuchando y escuchando, y cuando un rayo de sol errante golpeaba el acero incrustado, la sensación que me producía era casi demasiado intensa para soportarla.
My eyes would become fixed, dilating with a pleasure that stretched every nerve almost to breaking, until some movement of the old armourer cut off the ray of sunlight, then, still thrilling secretly, I leaned back and listened again to the sound of the polishing rag, swish! swish! rubbing rust from the rivets.
Mis ojos quedaban fijos, dilatándose con un placer que tensaba cada nervio casi hasta el límite, hasta que algún movimiento del viejo armero cortaba el rayo de sol; entonces, aún estremecido en secreto, me recostaba y escuchaba de nuevo el sonido del trapo pulidor, ¡fru! ¡fru!, frotando el óxido de los remaches.
Constance worked with the embroidery over her knees, now and then pausing to examine more closely the pattern in the coloured plate from the Metropolitan Museum.
Constance trabajaba con el bordado sobre las rodillas, deteniéndose de vez en cuando para examinar más de cerca el patrón de la lámina en color del Museo Metropolitano.
"Who is this for?" I asked.
"¿Para quién es esto?" pregunté.
Hawberk explained, that in addition to the treasures of armour in the Metropolitan Museum of which he had been appointed armourer, he also had charge of several collections belonging to rich amateurs.
Hawberk explicó que, además de los tesoros de armaduras del Museo Metropolitano del que había sido nombrado armero, también tenía a su cargo varias colecciones pertenecientes a ricos aficionados.
This was the missing greave of a famous suit which a client of his had traced to a little shop in Paris on the Quai d'Orsay.
Esta era la greba faltante de un famoso traje de armadura que uno de sus clientes había rastreado hasta una pequeña tienda en París en el Quai d'Orsay.
He, Hawberk, had negotiated for and secured the greave, and now the suit was complete.
Él, Hawberk, había negociado y conseguido la greba, y ahora el traje de armadura estaba completo.
Vocabulary
- Pero
- Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing contrast
- sabía
- Past tense of 'saber'; he/she/I knew something
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'
- mi
- First-person singular possessive adjective meaning 'my'
- corazón
- Noun meaning 'heart,' both literally and figuratively
- que
- Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who'
- todo
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'everything' or 'all'
- se
- Reflexive or impersonal pronoun used with verbs
- arreglaría
- Conditional of 'arreglar'; it would be fixed or resolved
- y
- Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses
- yo
- First-person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'
- organizaría
- Conditional of 'organizar'; I would organize or arrange
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
- futuro
- Noun or adjective meaning 'future' or 'upcoming'
- tal
- Adjective meaning 'such' or 'so,' as in 'tal como'
- como
- Conjunction or preposition meaning 'as' or 'like'
- esperaba
- Imperfect of 'esperar'; I/he/she was hoping or expecting
- organizar
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to organize' or 'to arrange'
- el
- Definite masculine singular article meaning 'the'
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or indicating possession
- bondadoso
- Adjective meaning 'kind,' 'good-natured,' or 'generous'
- médico
- Noun meaning 'doctor' or 'physician'
- Sin
- Preposition meaning 'without,' indicating absence
- embargo
- Used in 'sin embargo,' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'
- nunca
- Adverb meaning 'never,' expressing total negation
- me
- First-person singular reflexive or object pronoun, 'me'
- habría
- Conditional of 'haber'; used to form conditional perfect tense
- preocupado
- Past participle of 'preocupar'; worried or concerned about something
- por
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' 'through,' or 'because of'
- visitarlos
- Infinitive 'visitar' plus pronoun; to visit them
- ese
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (nearby)
- momento
- Noun meaning 'moment' or 'instant in time'
- no
- Negative adverb meaning 'no' or 'not'
- ser
- Infinitive meaning 'to be,' expressing permanent states
- digo
- Present tense of 'decir'; I say or I mean
- porque
- Conjunction meaning 'because,' introducing a reason
- la
- Definite feminine singular article meaning 'the'
- música
- Noun meaning 'music,' referring to sounds or melody
- del
- Contraction of 'de' and 'el,' meaning 'of the'
- martillo
- Noun meaning 'hammer,' a striking tool
- tintineante
- Adjective meaning 'tinkling' or 'clinking,' describing a sound
- ejercía
- Imperfect of 'ejercer'; it exerted or exercised influence
- sobre
- Preposition meaning 'over,' 'on,' or 'about'
- mí
- Prepositional pronoun meaning 'me' (after a preposition)
- esta
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine)
- poderosa
- Adjective meaning 'powerful' or 'mighty' (feminine form)
- fascinación
- Noun meaning 'fascination,' a strong compelling attraction
- Me
- First-person singular reflexive or object pronoun, 'me'
- sentaba
- Imperfect of 'sentarse'; I used to sit or would sit
- durante
- Preposition meaning 'during' or 'for' a period of time
- horas
- Plural noun meaning 'hours,' units of time
- escuchando
- Gerund of 'escuchar'; listening attentively to sounds
- cuando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when,' indicating time
- un
- Indefinite masculine singular article meaning 'a' or 'an'
- rayo
- Noun meaning 'ray' of light or 'bolt' of lightning
- sol
- Noun meaning 'sun,' the star at the center of our system
- errante
- Adjective meaning 'wandering' or 'straying,' moving randomly
- golpeaba
- Imperfect of 'golpear'; it was striking or hitting repeatedly
- acero
- Noun meaning 'steel,' a strong metal alloy
- incrustado
- Past participle meaning 'encrusted' or 'inlaid' with material
- sensación
- Noun meaning 'sensation' or 'feeling,' a sensory experience
- producía
- Imperfect of 'producir'; it was producing or generating
- era
- Imperfect of 'ser'; it was, describing a past state
- casi
- Adverb meaning 'almost' or 'nearly,' close to a limit
- demasiado
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'too much' or 'excessive'
- intensa
- Adjective meaning 'intense' or 'strong' (feminine form)
- para
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'by'
- soportarla
- Infinitive 'soportar' plus pronoun; to bear or endure it
- Mis
- First-person plural possessive adjective meaning 'my' (plural)
- ojos
- Plural noun meaning 'eyes,' the organs of sight
- quedaban
- Imperfect of 'quedar'; they remained or stayed fixed
- fijos
- Adjective meaning 'fixed' or 'stationary,' not moving
- dilatándose
- Reflexive gerund meaning 'dilating' or 'widening gradually'
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with,' indicating accompaniment or means
- placer
- Noun meaning 'pleasure' or 'delight,' a positive feeling
- tensaba
- Imperfect of 'tensar'; I was tensing or tightening repeatedly
- cada
- Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every,' referring to all members
- nervio
- Noun meaning 'nerve,' a fiber transmitting body signals
- hasta
- Preposition meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as'
- límite
- Noun meaning 'limit' or 'boundary,' the furthest extent
- algún
- Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'any' (masculine)
- movimiento
- Noun meaning 'movement' or 'motion,' a physical action
- viejo
- Adjective meaning 'old' or 'elderly,' advanced in age
- armero
- Noun meaning 'armorer,' a person who makes or repairs weapons
- cortaba
- Imperfect of 'cortar'; he was cutting or would cut
- entonces
- Adverb meaning 'then' or 'at that point in time'
- aún
- Adverb meaning 'still' or 'yet,' indicating continuation
- estremecido
- Past participle of 'estremecer'; shaken or trembling with sensation
- secreto
- Noun or adjective meaning 'secret,' hidden from others
- recostaba
- Imperfect of 'recostarse'; I leaned back or reclined
- escuchaba
- Imperfect of 'escuchar'; I was listening or used to listen
- nuevo
- Adjective meaning 'new'; 'de nuevo' means 'again'
- sonido
- Noun meaning 'sound,' an audible vibration or noise
- trapo
- Noun meaning 'rag' or 'cloth,' used for cleaning
- pulidor
- Noun meaning 'polisher,' a tool or cloth for polishing
- frotando
- Gerund of 'frotar'; rubbing or scrubbing a surface
- óxido
- Noun meaning 'rust' or 'oxide,' a corrosion product
- los
- Definite masculine plural article meaning 'the'
- remaches
- Plural noun meaning 'rivets,' metal fasteners in armor
- trabajaba
- Imperfect of 'trabajar'; she was working or used to work
- bordado
- Noun meaning 'embroidery,' decorative needlework on fabric
- rodillas
- Plural noun meaning 'knees,' joints of the legs
- deteniéndose
- Reflexive gerund meaning 'stopping' or 'pausing' oneself
- vez
- Noun meaning 'time' or 'occasion'; 'a veces' means 'sometimes'
- examinar
- Infinitive meaning 'to examine' or 'to inspect closely'
- más
- Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most,' indicating comparison
- cerca
- Adverb meaning 'near' or 'close,' indicating proximity
- patrón
- Noun meaning 'pattern' or 'boss,' depending on context
- lámina
- Noun meaning 'plate,' 'sheet,' or 'illustration' in a book
- color
- Noun meaning 'color,' a visual property of objects
- Museo
- Noun meaning 'museum,' a place housing cultural artifacts
- Metropolitano
- Adjective meaning 'Metropolitan,' relating to a major city
- Para
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' indicating purpose
- quién
- Interrogative pronoun meaning 'who,' asking about a person
- es
- Present tense of 'ser'; it/he/she is (permanent state)
- esto
- Neuter demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this (thing)'
- pregunté
- Preterite of 'preguntar'; I asked a question
- explicó
- Preterite of 'explicar'; he/she explained something clearly
- además
- Adverb meaning 'furthermore,' 'besides,' or 'in addition'
- tesoros
- Plural noun meaning 'treasures,' valuable or prized possessions
- armaduras
- Plural noun meaning 'suits of armor,' protective metal coverings
- había
- Imperfect of 'haber'; there was/were, or auxiliary 'had'
- sido
- Past participle of 'ser'; been, used in perfect tenses
- nombrado
- Past participle of 'nombrar'; appointed or named to a position
- también
- Adverb meaning 'also' or 'too,' adding information
- tenía
- Imperfect of 'tener'; he/she had or used to have
- a
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'by,' various uses
- cargo
- Noun meaning 'charge,' 'position,' or 'responsibility'
- varias
- Adjective meaning 'various' or 'several' (feminine plural)
- colecciones
- Plural noun meaning 'collections,' grouped sets of objects
- pertenecientes
- Participle meaning 'belonging to' or 'pertaining to'
- ricos
- Adjective meaning 'rich' or 'wealthy' (masculine plural)
- aficionados
- Noun meaning 'enthusiasts' or 'amateurs,' devoted hobbyists
- Esta
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine singular)
- faltante
- Adjective meaning 'missing' or 'lacking,' not present
- famoso
- Adjective meaning 'famous' or 'well-known,' widely recognized
- traje
- Noun meaning 'suit' or 'outfit'; also preterite of 'traer'
- uno
- Number or pronoun meaning 'one,' a single item
- clientes
- Plural noun meaning 'clients' or 'customers'
- rastreado
- Past participle of 'rastrear'; tracked down or traced
- una
- Indefinite feminine singular article meaning 'a' or 'an'
- pequeña
- Adjective meaning 'small' or 'little' (feminine form)
- tienda
- Noun meaning 'shop' or 'store,' a place of commerce
- negociado
- Past participle of 'negociar'; negotiated or dealt for something
- conseguido
- Past participle of 'conseguir'; obtained or managed to get
- ahora
- Adverb meaning 'now,' referring to the present moment
- estaba
- Imperfect of 'estar'; it/he/she was (temporary state)
- completo
- Adjective meaning 'complete,' 'whole,' or 'finished'
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →