The Scarlet Letter — Page 9
Another figure in the scene is the outward-bound sailor in quest of a protection; or the recently arrived one, pale and feeble, seeking a passport to the hospital.
Eine weitere Gestalt in der Szene ist der auslaufende Matrose, der einen Schutzbrief sucht; oder der kürzlich Angekommene, bleich und schwach, der einen Passierschein für das Krankenhaus begehrt.
Nor must we forget the captains of the rusty little schooners that bring firewood from the British provinces; a rough-looking set of tarpaulins, without the alertness of the Yankee aspect, but contributing an item of no slight importance to our decaying trade.
Auch dürfen wir die Kapitäne der rostigen kleinen Schoner nicht vergessen, die Brennholz aus den britischen Provinzen bringen; eine rau aussehende Gruppe von Teerjacken, ohne die Wachheit des yankeetypischen Erscheinungsbildes, die jedoch einen Beitrag von nicht geringer Bedeutung zu unserem verfallenden Handel leisten.
Cluster all these individuals together, as they sometimes were, with other miscellaneous ones to diversify the group, and, for the time being, it made the Custom-House a stirring scene.
Versammelt man all diese Personen, wie es bisweilen der Fall war, zusammen mit anderen verschiedenartigen, um die Gruppe zu bereichern, so machte dies das Zollhaus vorübergehend zu einer lebhaften Szene.
More frequently, however, on ascending the steps, you would discern—in the entry, if it were summer time, or in their appropriate rooms, if wintry or inclement weather—a row of venerable figures, sitting in old-fashioned chairs, which were tipped on their hind legs back against the wall.
Häufiger jedoch würde man beim Besteigen der Stufen — im Eingang, wenn es Sommer war, oder in ihren entsprechenden Zimmern, bei winterlichem oder unwirtlichem Wetter — eine Reihe ehrwürdiger Gestalten erblicken, die in altmodischen Stühlen saßen, welche auf ihren Hinterbeinen gegen die Wand gelehnt waren.
Oftentimes they were asleep, but occasionally might be heard talking together, in voices between speech and a snore, and with that lack of energy that distinguishes the occupants of almshouses, and all other human beings who depend for subsistence on charity, on monopolized labor, or anything else, but their own independent exertions.
Oftmals schliefen sie, doch bisweilen konnte man sie miteinander reden hören, mit Stimmen zwischen Sprache und Schnarchen, und mit jener Energielosigkeit, die die Bewohner von Armenhäusern auszeichnet, und alle anderen Menschen, die für ihren Lebensunterhalt auf Wohltätigkeit, auf monopolisierte Arbeit oder auf irgendetwas anderes angewiesen sind, nur nicht auf ihre eigenen unabhängigen Anstrengungen.
These old gentlemen—seated, like Matthew, at the receipt of customs, but not very liable to be summoned thence, like him, for apostolic errands—were Custom-House officers.
Diese alten Herren — wie Matthäus am Zoll sitzend, jedoch weit weniger geneigt, von dort wie er zu apostolischen Botengängen gerufen zu werden — waren Zollbeamte.
Vocabulary
- Eine
- Indefinite article; a or an in English.
- weitere
- Further, additional, or another in context.
- Gestalt
- Figure, character, or form of a person.
- in
- Preposition indicating location or position within.
- der
- Definite article; the in English.
- Szene
- Scene or stage setting in a narrative.
- ist
- Third person singular present of sein; to be.
- Matrose
- Sailor or crew member on a ship.
- einen
- Accusative form of indefinite article; a or an.
- sucht
- Seeks or searches for something or someone.
- oder
- Conjunction meaning or in English.
- kürzlich
- Recently or shortly before the present.
- bleich
- Pale in appearance or complexion.
- schwach
- Weak or lacking in physical strength.
- Passierschein
- Pass or permit allowing movement through areas.
- für
- Preposition meaning for or intended to.
- das
- Definite neuter article; the in English.
- Krankenhaus
- Hospital or medical treatment facility.
- Auch
- Also, too, or likewise in addition.
- dürfen
- Modal verb; may, can, or permitted to.
- wir
- First person plural pronoun; we in English.
- die
- Definite plural or feminine article; the.
- Kapitäne
- Plural of captain; ship commanders or leaders.
- rostigen
- Rusted or corroded by oxidation over time.
- kleinen
- Small in size or minor in importance.
- Schoner
- Schooner; sailing ship with multiple masts.
- nicht
- Negation word meaning not or no.
- vergessen
- Forget or fail to remember something.
- Brennholz
- Firewood or wood fuel for burning.
- aus
- Preposition meaning from or out of.
- den
- Definite plural accusative article; the in English.
- britischen
- Related to Britain or British in origin.
- Provinzen
- Provinces or administrative regions of territories.
- bringen
- Bring, carry, or transport something somewhere.
- eine
- Indefinite article; a or an in English.
- rau
- Rough, coarse, or having uneven surface.
- Gruppe
- Group or collection of related things.
- von
- Preposition meaning of or from something.
- ohne
- Preposition meaning without or lacking something.
- des
- Definite genitive article; of the in English.
- jedoch
- However, yet, or nevertheless in contrast.
- Beitrag
- Contribution or payment toward shared effort.
- geringer
- Lower, smaller, or of lesser importance.
- Bedeutung
- Meaning, significance, or importance of something.
- zu
- Preposition meaning to, towards, or at.
- unserem
- Possessive pronoun; our in English.
- Handel
- Trade or commerce involving exchange of goods.
- leisten
- Perform, accomplish, or achieve a task.
- Versammelt
- Assembled or gathered together in one place.
- man
- Impersonal pronoun; one or you in English.
- all
- All or every single one of something.
- diese
- Demonstrative pronoun; these or those persons.
- Personen
- Persons or individuals in group context.
- wie
- Conjunction meaning how or in what way.
- es
- Neuter pronoun; it in English.
- bisweilen
- Sometimes, occasionally, or at certain times.
- Fall
- Case, instance, or occasion of something.
- war
- Past tense of sein; was in English.
- zusammen
- Together or in combination with something.
- mit
- Preposition meaning with or accompanied by.
- anderen
- Others or different persons or things.
- um
- Preposition meaning around, about, or in order.
- bereichern
- Enrich or make more valuable or abundant.
- so
- So, thus, or in that manner.
- machte
- Past tense of machen; made or did.
- dies
- Demonstrative; this or that in neuter.
- Zollhaus
- Customs house or building for collecting tariffs.
- vorübergehend
- Temporary, passing, or lasting only briefly.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →