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.
Otra figura en la escena es el marinero que parte en busca de un salvoconducto; o el recién llegado, pálido y débil, buscando un pase para el hospital.
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.
Ni debemos olvidar a los capitanes de las pequeñas goletas oxidadas que traen leña de las provincias británicas; un grupo de marineros de aspecto tosco, sin la vivacidad del carácter yanqui, pero que contribuyen con un elemento de no poca importancia a nuestro comercio en decadencia.
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.
Reunidos todos estos individuos, como a veces ocurría, con otros diversos para diversificar el grupo, y, por el momento, hacían de la Aduana una escena animada.
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.
Con mayor frecuencia, sin embargo, al subir los escalones, se podía distinguir —en la entrada, si era época de verano, o en sus salas correspondientes, si el tiempo era invernal o inclemente— una hilera de venerables figuras, sentadas en sillas anticuadas, inclinadas sobre sus patas traseras contra la pared.
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.
Con frecuencia estaban dormidos, pero de vez en cuando se les podía oír conversar entre sí, con voces a medio camino entre el habla y el ronquido, y con esa falta de energía que distingue a los habitantes de los asilos de pobres, y a todos los demás seres humanos que dependen para su subsistencia de la caridad, del trabajo monopolizado, o de cualquier otra cosa, salvo de sus propios esfuerzos independientes.
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.
Estos ancianos caballeros —sentados, como Mateo, en el cobro de los impuestos, pero no muy propensos a ser convocados desde allí, como él, para encargos apostólicos— eran funcionarios de la Aduana.
Vocabulary
- Otra
- Another or other, used to indicate a different one
- figura
- A figure or notable person in a scene
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at
- la
- Definite article meaning the (feminine singular)
- escena
- A scene or setting where action takes place
- es
- Third person singular of to be (permanent states)
- el
- Definite article meaning the (masculine singular)
- marinero
- A sailor or seaman who works on ships
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning that or who
- parte
- A part, portion, or to depart from a place
- busca
- Searches for or looks for something
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or about
- un
- Indefinite article meaning a or an (masculine)
- salvoconducto
- An official safe-passage document or permit
- o
- Conjunction meaning or, presenting an alternative
- recién
- Recently or just, indicating something happened lately
- llegado
- Arrived; past participle of llegar, to arrive
- pálido
- Pale in color, especially describing a person's complexion
- y
- Conjunction meaning and, connecting words or clauses
- débil
- Weak or feeble, lacking strength or energy
- buscando
- Searching or looking for something currently
- pase
- A pass or permit granting entry or access
- para
- Preposition meaning for, toward, or in order to
- hospital
- A medical facility where patients receive care
- Ni
- Neither or not even, used in negative constructions
- debemos
- We must or should; first person plural of deber
- olvidar
- To forget someone or something entirely
- a
- Preposition meaning to or at, indicating direction
- los
- Definite article meaning the (masculine plural)
- capitanes
- Captains who command ships or other vessels
- las
- Definite article meaning the (feminine plural)
- pequeñas
- Small or little in size (feminine plural adjective)
- goletas
- Schooners; small two-masted sailing vessels
- oxidadas
- Rusted or corroded, covered with rust (feminine plural)
- traen
- They bring or carry something to a place
- leña
- Firewood gathered or cut for burning
- provincias
- Provinces or regions forming part of a country
- británicas
- British; relating to Great Britain (feminine plural)
- grupo
- A group or cluster of people or things
- marineros
- Sailors or seamen working aboard ships
- aspecto
- Appearance or aspect of a person or thing
- tosco
- Rough, coarse, or crude in manner or appearance
- sin
- Preposition meaning without, lacking something
- vivacidad
- Liveliness or vivacity; energetic and spirited quality
- del
- Contraction of de + el, meaning of the
- carácter
- Character or personality traits defining someone
- yanqui
- Yankee; informal term referring to Americans
- pero
- Conjunction meaning but, introducing a contrast
- contribuyen
- They contribute or add to something collectively
- con
- Preposition meaning with, indicating accompaniment
- elemento
- An element or component of a larger whole
- no
- Negation word meaning no or not
- poca
- Little or small amount of something (feminine)
- importancia
- Importance or significance of something
- nuestro
- Our; possessive adjective indicating belonging to us
- comercio
- Commerce or trade involving buying and selling
- decadencia
- Decadence or decline in quality or prosperity
- Reunidos
- Gathered or assembled together in one place
- todos
- All or every one of a group
- estos
- These; demonstrative adjective for nearby masculine things
- individuos
- Individuals or persons considered separately
- como
- As or like, used for comparisons or manner
- veces
- Times or occasions when something happens
- ocurría
- Was occurring or used to happen in the past
- otros
- Others or other ones (masculine plural)
- diversos
- Various or diverse, showing variety (masculine plural)
- diversificar
- To diversify or vary something to add range
- por
- Preposition meaning for, by, or through
- momento
- A moment or brief period of time
- hacían
- They were making or doing something (imperfect tense)
- Aduana
- Customs house where duties on goods are collected
- una
- Indefinite article meaning a or an (feminine)
- animada
- Lively, animated, or full of activity (feminine)
- Con
- Preposition meaning with, indicating accompaniment
- mayor
- Greater or larger in degree or size
- frecuencia
- Frequency; how often something occurs
- embargo
- Used in sin embargo meaning however or nevertheless
- al
- Contraction of a + el meaning to the
- subir
- To climb, go up, or ascend stairs or levels
- escalones
- Steps or stairs on a staircase
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with verbs for various constructions
- podía
- Could or was able to (imperfect of poder)
- distinguir
- To distinguish or tell apart different things
- entrada
- Entrance or entry point into a building
- si
- Conditional conjunction meaning if
- era
- Was; imperfect tense of ser describing past states
- época
- An era, epoch, or period of time
- verano
- Summer; the warmest season of the year
- sus
- Their or his/her/your possessive adjective (plural)
- salas
- Rooms or halls inside a building
- correspondientes
- Corresponding or respective to a particular category
- tiempo
- Time or weather depending on context
- invernal
- Wintry or relating to winter conditions
- inclemente
- Inclement or harsh, especially regarding bad weather
- hilera
- A row or line of people or objects
- venerables
- Venerable or worthy of deep respect (plural)
- figuras
- Figures or notable persons in a scene
- sentadas
- Seated or sitting down (feminine plural participle)
- sillas
- Chairs used for sitting in various settings
- anticuadas
- Old-fashioned or outdated (feminine plural adjective)
- inclinadas
- Tilted or leaning at an angle (feminine plural)
- sobre
- Preposition meaning on, above, or over something
- patas
- Legs of furniture or an animal's limbs
- traseras
- Rear or back parts of something (feminine plural)
- contra
- Preposition meaning against, in opposition to
- pared
- A wall of a room or building
- estaban
- They were; imperfect of estar for temporary states
- dormidos
- Asleep or sleeping (masculine plural past participle)
- vez
- Time or occasion as in de vez en cuando
- cuando
- When; temporal conjunction or adverb
- les
- Indirect object pronoun meaning to them or for them
- oír
- To hear or listen to sounds or speech
- conversar
- To converse or chat with one another
- entre
- Preposition meaning between or among
- sí
- Yes or reflexive pronoun meaning themselves
- voces
- Voices or spoken sounds from people
- medio
- Middle or half; midway between two states
- camino
- A path, road, or way to a destination
- habla
- Speech or spoken language; also speaks
- ronquido
- A snore or snoring sound during sleep
- esa
- That; demonstrative adjective (feminine singular)
- falta
- A lack or absence of something needed
- energía
- Energy or vigor needed for activity
- distingue
- Distinguishes or sets apart from others
- habitantes
- Inhabitants or residents of a place
- asilos
- Asylums or poorhouses sheltering the needy
- pobres
- Poor people lacking financial resources
- demás
- The rest or the others of a group
- seres
- Beings or living entities of any kind
- humanos
- Human beings or relating to humanity
- dependen
- They depend or rely on something or someone
- su
- His, her, their, or your possessive adjective
- subsistencia
- Subsistence or means of surviving and living
- caridad
- Charity or generosity given to those in need
- trabajo
- Work or labor performed to earn income
- monopolizado
- Monopolized or exclusively controlled by one party
- cualquier
- Any or whichever, indicating no specific preference
- otra
- Another or other (feminine singular adjective)
- cosa
- A thing or object of any kind
- salvo
- Except or save for; excluding something from a statement
- propios
- Own or one's own (masculine plural adjective)
- esfuerzos
- Efforts or attempts made to achieve something
- independientes
- Independent or self-reliant (plural adjective)
- Estos
- These; demonstrative adjective (masculine plural)
- ancianos
- Elderly men or old people in general
- caballeros
- Gentlemen or knights, respectful term for men
- sentados
- Seated or sitting (masculine plural past participle)
- cobro
- Collection of payment or fees owed
- impuestos
- Taxes or duties imposed by authorities
- muy
- Very; intensifier modifying adjectives and adverbs
- propensos
- Prone or inclined toward something (masculine plural)
- ser
- To be; infinitive expressing permanent states or identity
- convocados
- Summoned or called together for a purpose
- desde
- From or since, indicating a starting point
- allí
- There; indicating a place away from the speaker
- él
- He; third person masculine singular subject pronoun
- encargos
- Commissions, tasks, or errands assigned to someone
- apostólicos
- Apostolic; relating to the apostles or their mission
- eran
- They were; imperfect tense of ser (plural)
- funcionarios
- Officials or civil servants working for government
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