The Picture of Dorian Gray — Page 11
It was reckless of me, but I asked Lady Brandon to introduce me to him.
Es war leichtsinnig von mir, aber ich bat Lady Brandon, mich ihm vorzustellen.
Perhaps it was not so reckless, after all.
Vielleicht war es doch nicht so leichtsinnig.
It was simply inevitable.
Es war schlicht und einfach unvermeidlich.
We would have spoken to each other without any introduction.
Wir hätten auch ohne Vorstellung miteinander gesprochen.
I am sure of that.
Dessen bin ich sicher.
Dorian told me so afterwards.
Dorian hat es mir hinterher gesagt.
He, too, felt that we were destined to know each other."
Auch er hatte das Gefühl, dass wir füreinander bestimmt waren, uns kennenzulernen."
"I know she goes in for giving a rapid _précis_ of all her guests.
„Ich weiß, dass sie dazu neigt, alle ihre Gäste kurz und bündig zu charakterisieren.
I remember her bringing me up to a truculent and red-faced old gentleman covered all over with orders and ribbons, and hissing into my ear, in a tragic whisper which must have been perfectly audible to everybody in the room, the most astounding details.
Ich erinnere mich, dass sie mich einmal zu einem streitsüchtigen, rotgesichtigen alten Herrn führte, der über und über mit Orden und Bändern bedeckt war, und mir mit einem tragischen Flüstern, das im ganzen Zimmer zu hören gewesen sein muss, die erstaunlichsten Einzelheiten ins Ohr zischte.
I simply fled.
Ich ergriff einfach die Flucht.
I like to find out people for myself.
Ich lerne Menschen lieber selbst kennen.
But Lady Brandon treats her guests exactly as an auctioneer treats his goods.
Aber Lady Brandon behandelt ihre Gäste genauso wie ein Auktionator seine Waren.
She either explains them entirely away, or tells one everything about them except what one wants to know."
Sie erklärt sie entweder vollständig weg oder erzählt einem alles über sie, außer dem, was man wissen möchte."
"My dear fellow, she tried to found a _salon_, and only succeeded in opening a restaurant.
„Mein lieber Freund, sie versuchte, einen Salon zu gründen, und schaffte es nur, ein Restaurant zu eröffnen.
How could I admire her?
Wie hätte ich sie bewundern können?
But tell me, what did she say about Mr. Dorian Gray?"
Aber sagen Sie mir, was hat sie über Mr. Dorian Gray gesagt?"
"Oh, something like, 'Charming boy—poor dear mother and I absolutely inseparable.
„Oh, so etwas wie: ‚Reizender Junge – arme liebe Mutter und ich absolut unzertrennlich.
Quite forget what he does—afraid he—doesn't do anything—oh, yes, plays the piano—or is it the violin, dear Mr. Gray?
Habe völlig vergessen, was er tut – fürchte, er – tut nichts – oh, ja, spielt Klavier – oder ist es die Geige, lieber Mr. Gray?
Vocabulary
- war
- Past tense of 'sein'; means 'was'
- leichtsinnig
- Reckless or careless in behavior or judgment
- von
- Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'
- mir
- Dative form of 'ich'; means 'me' or 'to me'
- aber
- Conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'
- bat
- Past tense of 'bitten'; means 'asked' or 'requested'
- mich
- Accusative form of 'ich'; means 'me'
- ihm
- Dative form of 'er'; means 'him' or 'to him'
- vorzustellen
- To introduce someone to another person formally
- Vielleicht
- Adverb meaning 'perhaps' or 'maybe'
- doch
- Particle expressing contrast or emphasis; 'after all'
- nicht
- Negation word meaning 'not'
- schlicht
- Simple, plain, or straightforward in manner
- einfach
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'simple' or 'simply'
- unvermeidlich
- Adjective meaning 'inevitable' or 'unavoidable'
- hätten
- Subjunctive II form of 'haben'; 'would have'
- ohne
- Preposition meaning 'without'
- Vorstellung
- Introduction, presentation, or mental idea or concept
- miteinander
- Adverb meaning 'with each other' or 'together'
- gesprochen
- Past participle of 'sprechen'; means 'spoken' or 'talked'
- Dessen
- Genitive pronoun meaning 'of that' or 'thereof'
- sicher
- Adjective meaning 'certain', 'safe', or 'sure'
- hinterher
- Adverb meaning 'afterwards' or 'after the fact'
- gesagt
- Past participle of 'sagen'; means 'said'
- hatte
- Past tense of 'haben'; means 'had'
- Gefühl
- Noun meaning 'feeling', 'sense', or 'emotion'
- dass
- Conjunction meaning 'that' introducing a subordinate clause
- füreinander
- Adverb meaning 'for each other' or 'for one another'
- bestimmt
- Adjective meaning 'destined', 'certain', or 'definite'
- uns
- Accusative or dative form of 'wir'; 'us'
- kennenzulernen
- To get to know someone; to meet and become acquainted
- weiß
- First person singular of 'wissen'; means 'know'
- dazu
- Adverb meaning 'to that', 'in addition', or 'for it'
- neigt
- Third person of 'neigen'; means 'tends' or 'inclines'
- alle
- Pronoun or adjective meaning 'all' or 'every'
- ihre
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'her', 'their', or 'your'
- Gäste
- Plural of 'Gast'; means 'guests'
- kurz
- Adjective meaning 'short' or 'brief'
- bündig
- Adjective meaning 'concise', 'terse', or 'succinct'
- charakterisieren
- To characterize or describe someone's qualities briefly
- erinnere
- First person of 'erinnern'; 'I remember' or 'recall'
- einmal
- Adverb meaning 'once' or 'one time'
- streitsüchtigen
- Adjective meaning 'quarrelsome' or 'argumentative'
- Herrn
- Dative or accusative of 'Herr'; 'gentleman' or 'Mr.'
- führte
- Past tense of 'führen'; means 'led' or 'guided'
- über
- Preposition meaning 'over', 'above', or 'about'
- Orden
- Noun meaning 'medals', 'orders', or 'decorations'
- Bändern
- Plural dative of 'Band'; means 'ribbons' or 'bands'
- bedeckt
- Past participle of 'bedecken'; means 'covered'
- tragischen
- Inflected form of 'tragisch'; means 'tragic'
- Flüstern
- Noun meaning 'whispering'; act of speaking very quietly
- ganzen
- Inflected form of 'ganz'; means 'whole' or 'entire'
- Zimmer
- Noun meaning 'room' in a house or building
- hören
- Verb meaning 'to hear' or 'to listen'
- gewesen
- Past participle of 'sein'; means 'been'
- sein
- Verb meaning 'to be' or possessive pronoun 'his'
- muss
- Modal verb meaning 'must' or 'have to'
- erstaunlichsten
- Superlative of 'erstaunlich'; means 'most astonishing'
- Einzelheiten
- Plural of 'Einzelheit'; means 'details' or 'particulars'
- Ohr
- Noun meaning 'ear'
- zischte
- Past tense of 'zischen'; means 'hissed' or 'whispered sharply'
- ergriff
- Past tense of 'ergreifen'; means 'seized' or 'took hold'
- Flucht
- Noun meaning 'flight', 'escape', or 'fleeing'
- lerne
- First person of 'lernen'; means 'I learn' or 'get to know'
- Menschen
- Plural of 'Mensch'; means 'people' or 'humans'
- lieber
- Comparative of 'gern'; means 'rather' or 'preferably'
- selbst
- Pronoun or adverb meaning 'myself', 'yourself', or 'even'
- kennen
- Verb meaning 'to know' a person or thing
- Aber
- Conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'
- behandelt
- Third person of 'behandeln'; means 'treats' or 'handles'
- genauso
- Adverb meaning 'just as' or 'exactly like'
- wie
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'how', 'as', or 'like'
- Auktionator
- Noun meaning 'auctioneer'; one who conducts auctions
- seine
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'his' or 'its'
- Waren
- Plural of 'Ware'; means 'goods', 'merchandise', or 'wares'
- erklärt
- Third person of 'erklären'; means 'explains' or 'declares'
- entweder
- Conjunction used in 'either...or' constructions
- vollständig
- Adjective meaning 'complete', 'fully', or 'entirely'
- weg
- Adverb meaning 'away' or 'gone'; also a noun for 'path'
- erzählt
- Third person of 'erzählen'; means 'tells' or 'narrates'
- alles
- Pronoun meaning 'everything' or 'all'
- außer
- Preposition meaning 'except', 'besides', or 'apart from'
- man
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one' or 'you' in general
- wissen
- Verb meaning 'to know' a fact or information
- möchte
- Subjunctive of 'mögen'; means 'would like'
- Freund
- Noun meaning 'friend' or 'boyfriend'
- versuchte
- Past tense of 'versuchen'; means 'tried' or 'attempted'
- Salon
- Noun meaning 'salon' or 'drawing room' for social gatherings
- gründen
- Verb meaning 'to found', 'establish', or 'set up'
- schaffte
- Past tense of 'schaffen'; means 'managed' or 'accomplished'
- nur
- Adverb meaning 'only' or 'just'
- Restaurant
- Noun meaning 'restaurant'; place for dining out
- eröffnen
- Verb meaning 'to open' or 'inaugurate' a place
- hätte
- Subjunctive II of 'haben'; means 'would have'
- bewundern
- Verb meaning 'to admire' someone or something
- können
- Modal verb meaning 'can' or 'to be able to'
- sagen
- Verb meaning 'to say' or 'to tell'
- etwas
- Pronoun or adverb meaning 'something' or 'somewhat'
- Reizender
- Adjective meaning 'charming' or 'delightful'; inflected form
- Junge
- Noun meaning 'boy' or 'young man'
- arme
- Inflected form of 'arm'; means 'poor' or 'unfortunate'
- liebe
- Adjective meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'; also 'love'
- Mutter
- Noun meaning 'mother'
- absolut
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'absolutely' or 'completely'
- unzertrennlich
- Adjective meaning 'inseparable'; always together
- völlig
- Adverb meaning 'completely' or 'totally'
- vergessen
- Verb meaning 'to forget' or past participle 'forgotten'
- tut
- Third person of 'tun'; means 'does' or 'acts'
- fürchte
- First person of 'fürchten'; means 'I fear' or 'I'm afraid'
- nichts
- Pronoun meaning 'nothing'
- spielt
- Third person of 'spielen'; means 'plays'
- Klavier
- Noun meaning 'piano'; a keyboard musical instrument
- Geige
- Noun meaning 'violin'; a bowed string instrument
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