The Picture of Dorian Gray — Page 7
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"Being natural is simply a pose, and the most irritating pose I know," cried Lord Henry, laughing; and the two young men went out into the garden together and ensconced themselves on a long bamboo seat that stood in the shade of a tall laurel bush.
"Essere naturale è semplicemente una posa, e la posa più irritante che conosca," esclamò Lord Henry, ridendo; e i due giovani uscirono insieme in giardino e si sistemarono su una lunga panchina di bambù che si trovava all'ombra di un alto cespuglio di alloro.
The sunlight slipped over the polished leaves.
La luce del sole scivolava sulle foglie lucide.
In the grass, white daisies were tremulous.
Nell'erba, le margherite bianche tremavano.
After a pause, Lord Henry pulled out his watch.
Dopo una pausa, Lord Henry tirò fuori il suo orologio.
"I am afraid I must be going, Basil," he murmured, "and before I go, I insist on your answering a question I put to you some time ago."
"Temo che debba andare, Basil," mormorò, "e prima di andare, insisto che tu risponda a una domanda che ti ho posto qualche tempo fa."
"What is that?" said the painter, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground.
"Quale?" disse il pittore, tenendo gli occhi fissi a terra.
"You know quite well."
"Lo sai benissimo."
"I do not, Harry."
"Non lo so, Harry."
"Well, I will tell you what it is.
"Bene, ti dirò di cosa si tratta.
I want you to explain to me why you won't exhibit Dorian Gray's picture.
Voglio che tu mi spieghi perché non vuoi esporre il ritratto di Dorian Gray.
I want the real reason."
Voglio il vero motivo."
"I told you the real reason."
"Ti ho detto il vero motivo."
"No, you did not.
"No, non l'hai fatto.
You said it was because there was too much of yourself in it.
Hai detto che era perché c'era troppo di te stesso in esso.
Now, that is childish."
Ora, questo è puerile."
"Harry," said Basil Hallward, looking him straight in the face, "every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.
"Harry," disse Basil Hallward, guardandolo dritto in faccia, "ogni ritratto dipinto con sentimento è un ritratto dell'artista, non del modello.
The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion.
Il modello è semplicemente il caso, l'occasione.
It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself.
Non è lui ad essere rivelato dal pittore; è piuttosto il pittore che, sulla tela colorata, rivela se stesso.
Vocabulary
- Essere
- EH-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian verb of existence
- naturale
- nah-too-RAH-leh — Natural; occurring in or relating to nature
- è
- EH — Is; third person singular of 'essere'
- semplicemente
- sem-plee-cheh-MEN-teh — Simply; in a simple or plain manner
- una
- OO-nah — A/an; feminine indefinite article in Italian
- posa
- POH-zah — Pose; an affected or artificial manner or attitude
- e
- EH — And; basic coordinating conjunction in Italian
- la
- LAH — The; feminine singular definite article in Italian
- più
- PYOO — More; most; used in comparisons and superlatives
- irritante
- eer-ree-TAN-teh — Irritating; causing annoyance or frustration
- che
- KEH — That/which/who; relative pronoun or conjunction
- conosca
- koh-NOHS-kah — Know; subjunctive form of 'conoscere'
- esclamò
- ehs-klah-MOH — Exclaimed; past tense of 'esclamare'
- ridendo
- ree-DEN-doh — Laughing; gerund form of 'ridere'
- i
- EE — The; masculine plural definite article in Italian
- due
- DOO-eh — Two; the number 2 in Italian
- giovani
- JOH-vah-nee — Young people; plural of 'giovane'
- uscirono
- oo-SHEE-roh-noh — They went out; past tense of 'uscire'
- insieme
- een-SYEH-meh — Together; in each other's company
- in
- EEN — In; preposition indicating location or state
- giardino
- jar-DEE-noh — Garden; an outdoor area for growing plants
- si
- SEE — Reflexive pronoun; themselves/oneself in Italian
- sistemarono
- sees-teh-mah-ROH-noh — They settled; arranged themselves comfortably somewhere
- su
- SOO — On/upon; preposition indicating position above
- lunga
- LOON-gah — Long; feminine adjective describing extended length
- panchina
- pan-KEE-nah — Bench; a long seat in a garden or park
- di
- DEE — Of/from; very common Italian preposition
- bambù
- bam-BOO — Bamboo; a fast-growing tropical woody plant
- trovava
- troh-VAH-vah — Was situated/found; imperfect tense of 'trovare'
- all'
- AHL — In the/at the; contraction of 'a' and 'la/lo'
- ombra
- OHM-brah — Shadow/shade; area protected from direct sunlight
- un
- OON — A/an; masculine indefinite article in Italian
- alto
- AHL-toh — Tall/high; describing great vertical height
- cespuglio
- cheh-SPOO-lyoh — Bush/shrub; a low densely branched woody plant
- alloro
- ahl-LOH-roh — Laurel; an evergreen Mediterranean shrub or tree
- La
- LAH — The; feminine singular definite article in Italian
- luce
- LOO-cheh — Light; natural or artificial illumination
- del
- DEL — Of the; masculine singular contracted preposition
- sole
- SOH-leh — Sun; the star at the center of our solar system
- scivolava
- shee-voh-LAH-vah — Was sliding/gliding; imperfect of 'scivolare'
- sulle
- SOOL-leh — On the; feminine plural contracted preposition
- foglie
- FOH-lyeh — Leaves; flat green parts of a plant
- lucide
- LOO-chee-deh — Shiny/glossy; having a smooth reflective surface
- Nell'
- NEL — In the; contraction of 'in' and 'la/lo'
- erba
- EHR-bah — Grass/herb; low green ground-covering plant
- le
- LEH — The; feminine plural definite article in Italian
- margherite
- mar-geh-REE-teh — Daisies; small white flowering plants with yellow centers
- bianche
- BYAN-keh — White; feminine plural adjective for the color white
- tremavano
- treh-MAH-vah-noh — Were trembling; shaking gently in the breeze
- Dopo
- DOH-poh — After; following in time or order
- pausa
- PAH-oo-zah — Pause; a temporary stop or moment of silence
- tirò
- tee-ROH — Pulled/drew; past tense of 'tirare'
- fuori
- FWOH-ree — Out/outside; away from the inside
- il
- EEL — The; masculine singular definite article in Italian
- suo
- SWOH — His/her/its; possessive adjective in Italian
- orologio
- oh-roh-LOH-joh — Watch/clock; a device for measuring time
- Temo
- TEH-moh — I fear; first person singular of 'temere'
- debba
- DEB-bah — Must/should; subjunctive form of 'dovere'
- andare
- an-DAH-reh — To go; fundamental Italian verb of movement
- mormorò
- mor-moh-ROH — Murmured; spoke softly or indistinctly
- prima
- PREE-mah — First/before; indicating priority or earlier time
- insisto
- een-SEES-toh — I insist; firmly demanding or persisting
- tu
- TOO — You; second person singular subject pronoun
- risponda
- ree-SPON-dah — Answer/reply; subjunctive form of 'rispondere'
- a
- AH — To/at; very common Italian preposition
- domanda
- doh-MAN-dah — Question; a request for information or answer
- ti
- TEE — You; second person singular object pronoun
- ho
- OH — I have; first person singular of 'avere'
- posto
- POH-stoh — Place/posed; past participle of 'porre'
- qualche
- KWAL-keh — Some/a few; indefinite adjective indicating small quantity
- tempo
- TEM-poh — Time; the indefinite continued progress of existence
- fa
- FAH — Ago; used with time expressions to indicate past
- Quale
- KWAH-leh — Which/what; interrogative pronoun or adjective
- disse
- DEES-seh — Said; past tense of 'dire'
- pittore
- peet-TOH-reh — Painter; an artist who creates paintings
- tenendo
- teh-NEN-doh — Holding/keeping; gerund form of 'tenere'
- gli
- LYEE — The/him; masculine plural article or indirect pronoun
- occhi
- OK-kee — Eyes; the organs of sight, plural of 'occhio'
- fissi
- FEES-see — Fixed/staring; firmly directed without movement
- terra
- TEHR-rah — Ground/earth; the surface of the land
- Lo
- LOH — It/him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- sai
- SAH-ee — You know; second person singular of 'sapere'
- benissimo
- beh-NEES-see-moh — Very well; superlative form of 'bene'
- Non
- NON — Not; basic Italian negation word
- lo
- LOH — It/him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- so
- SOH — I know; first person singular of 'sapere'
- Bene
- BEH-neh — Well/good; indicating something is satisfactory
- dirò
- dee-ROH — I will tell/say; future tense of 'dire'
- cosa
- KOH-zah — Thing/what; refers to an object or matter
- tratta
- TRAT-tah — Concerns/deals with; third person of 'trattare'
- Voglio
- VOH-lyoh — I want; first person singular of 'volere'
- mi
- MEE — Me/myself; first person singular object pronoun
- spieghi
- SPYEH-ghee — Explain; subjunctive form of 'spiegare'
- perché
- pehr-KEH — Why/because; asking for reason or giving explanation
- non
- NON — Not; basic Italian negation word
- vuoi
- VWOH-ee — You want; second person singular of 'volere'
- esporre
- ehs-POR-reh — To exhibit/expose; to display publicly
- ritratto
- ree-TRAT-toh — Portrait; a painting or drawing of a person
- vero
- VEH-roh — True/real; something that is genuine or correct
- motivo
- moh-TEE-voh — Reason/motive; the cause behind an action
- Ti
- TEE — You; second person singular object pronoun
- detto
- DET-toh — Told/said; past participle of 'dire'
- No
- NOH — No; basic Italian word of negation or refusal
- l'
- L — The/it; elided form of article or pronoun
- hai
- AH-ee — You have; second person singular of 'avere'
- fatto
- FAT-toh — Done/made; past participle of 'fare'
- Hai
- AH-ee — You have; second person singular of 'avere'
- era
- EH-rah — Was/there was; imperfect tense of 'essere'
- c'
- CH — There; elided form of 'ci' before vowel
- troppo
- TROP-poh — Too much/too; indicating excess quantity or degree
- te
- TEH — You; stressed second person singular pronoun
- stesso
- STES-soh — Same/self; emphasizing identity or sameness
- esso
- ES-soh — It; third person singular neuter pronoun
- Ora
- OH-rah — Now; at the present moment
- questo
- KWES-toh — This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective nearby
- puerile
- pweh-REE-leh — Childish; behaving in an immature or silly way
- guardandolo
- gwar-DAN-doh-loh — Looking at him; gerund of 'guardare' with pronoun
- dritto
- DREET-toh — Straight/directly; in a direct unwavering manner
- faccia
- FAT-chah — Face; the front part of the head
- ogni
- OH-nyee — Every/each; referring to all members of a group
- dipinto
- dee-PEEN-toh — Painting; a work of art made with paint
- con
- KON — With; indicating accompaniment or manner
- sentimento
- sen-tee-MEN-toh — Feeling/sentiment; an emotional response or attitude
- dell'
- DEL — Of the; contracted preposition before vowel
- artista
- ar-TEES-tah — Artist; a person who creates art professionally
- modello
- moh-DEL-loh — Model; a person who poses for an artist
- Il
- EEL — The; masculine singular definite article in Italian
- caso
- KAH-zoh — Case/chance; a particular situation or instance
- occasione
- ok-kah-ZYOH-neh — Occasion/opportunity; a suitable time for something
- lui
- LWEE — He/him; third person masculine singular pronoun
- ad
- AD — To/at; euphonic variant of 'a' before vowels
- essere
- EH-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian verb of existence
- rivelato
- ree-veh-LAH-toh — Revealed; past participle of 'rivelare'
- dal
- DAL — From the/by the; masculine singular contracted preposition
- piuttosto
- pyoot-TOH-stoh — Rather/instead; indicating preference or alternative
- sulla
- SOOL-lah — On the; feminine singular contracted preposition
- tela
- TEH-lah — Canvas; the fabric surface used for painting
- colorata
- koh-loh-RAH-tah — Colored; having been given color or painted
- rivela
- ree-VEH-lah — Reveals; third person singular of 'rivelare'
- se
- SEH — Himself/itself/if; reflexive pronoun or conjunction
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