The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 5
His lynx eye immediately perceives the paper, recognises the handwriting of the address, observes the confusion of the personage addressed, and fathoms her secret.
Su ojo de lince percibe inmediatamente el papel, reconoce la letra de la dirección, observa la confusión de la persona a quien va dirigida, y adivina su secreto.
After some business transactions, hurried through in his ordinary manner, he produces a letter somewhat similar to the one in question, opens it, pretends to read it, and then places it in close juxtaposition to the other.
Después de algunas transacciones de negocios, despachadas a su manera habitual, saca una carta algo similar a la que nos ocupa, la abre, finge leerla, y luego la coloca en estrecha yuxtaposición con la otra.
Again he converses, for some fifteen minutes, upon the public affairs.
De nuevo conversa, durante unos quince minutos, sobre los asuntos públicos.
At length, in taking leave, he takes also from the table the letter to which he had no claim.
Por fin, al despedirse, toma también de la mesa la carta a la que no tenía ningún derecho.
Its rightful owner saw, but, of course, dared not call attention to the act, in the presence of the third personage who stood at her elbow.
Su legítima dueña lo vio, pero, naturalmente, no se atrevió a llamar la atención sobre el acto, en presencia del tercer personaje que estaba a su lado.
The minister decamped; leaving his own letter—one of no importance—upon the table."
El ministro se marchó; dejando su propia carta —una de ninguna importancia— sobre la mesa."
"Here, then," said Dupin to me, "you have precisely what you demand to make the ascendancy complete—the robber's knowledge of the loser's knowledge of the robber."
"Aquí tiene, entonces," me dijo Dupin, "exactamente lo que usted exige para hacer completo el dominio: el conocimiento del ladrón sobre el conocimiento que tiene la víctima del ladrón."
"Yes," replied the Prefect; "and the power thus attained has, for some months past, been wielded, for political purposes, to a very dangerous extent.
"Sí," respondió el Prefecto; "y el poder así obtenido ha sido ejercido, durante algunos meses, con fines políticos, en una medida muy peligrosa.
The personage robbed is more thoroughly convinced, every day, of the necessity of reclaiming her letter.
La persona robada está cada día más plenamente convencida de la necesidad de recuperar su carta.
But this, of course, cannot be done openly.
Pero esto, naturalmente, no puede hacerse abiertamente.
In fine, driven to despair, she has committed the matter to me."
En fin, llevada a la desesperación, me ha encomendado el asunto."
"Than whom," said Dupin, amid a perfect whirlwind of smoke, "no more sagacious agent could, I suppose, be desired, or even imagined.
"Que quien," dijo Dupin, en medio de un perfecto torbellino de humo, "ningún agente más sagaz podría, supongo, ser deseado, ni siquiera imaginado.
Vocabulary
- su
- his, her, your (formal)
- ojo
- eye; watchful attention
- de
- of, from
- percibe
- perceives, notices, detects
- inmediatamente
- immediately, at once, without delay
- el
- the (masculine singular article)
- papel
- paper; role, part in something
- reconoce
- recognizes, acknowledges, admits
- la
- the (feminine singular article)
- letra
- letter (alphabetic); handwriting
- dirección
- direction; address; management
- observa
- observes, watches, notices
- confusión
- confusion, disorder, mix-up
- persona
- person, individual human being
- quien
- who, whom, whoever
- va
- goes, is going
- dirigida
- directed, addressed, aimed at
- adivina
- guesses, divines, figures out
- secreto
- secret, hidden, confidential matter
- Después
- afterwards, later, then
- algunas
- some, a few (feminine plural)
- transacciones
- transactions, business dealings
- negocios
- business, commerce, affairs
- manera
- manner, way, fashion
- habitual
- habitual, customary, usual
- saca
- takes out, draws, pulls
- una
- a, an (feminine singular)
- carta
- letter (correspondence); card
- algo
- something, anything
- similar
- similar, alike, resembling
- que
- that, which, who
- nos
- us, to us, ourselves
- ocupa
- occupies, concerns, engages
- abre
- opens, unlocks
- finge
- feigns, pretends, simulates
- leerla
- to read it, read her
- luego
- then, next, afterwards
- coloca
- places, puts, positions
- en
- in, on, at
- estrecha
- narrow, close, tight
- con
- with, alongside
- otra
- other, another (feminine)
- De
- of, from
- nuevo
- again, anew, newly
- conversa
- converses, talks, chats
- durante
- during, throughout, for
- unos
- some, about, approximately
- quince
- fifteen (number)
- minutos
- minutes (unit of time)
- sobre
- on, about, over, concerning
- los
- the (masculine plural article)
- asuntos
- matters, affairs, subjects
- públicos
- public, open to all people
- Por
- by, for, per, through
- fin
- end, finally, at last
- al
- to the, at the
- despedirse
- to say goodbye, take leave
- toma
- takes, seizes, grabs
- también
- also, too, as well
- mesa
- table, desk
- tenía
- had, possessed (past tense)
- ningún
- no, not any, none
- derecho
- right, law, justice
- legítima
- legitimate, lawful, rightful
- dueña
- owner, mistress (feminine)
- lo
- it, him, the (neuter)
- vio
- saw, observed (past tense)
- pero
- but, yet, however
- naturalmente
- naturally, of course, obviously
- se
- himself, herself, oneself
- atrevió
- dared, ventured, was bold
- llamar
- to call, name, summon
- atención
- attention, care, consideration
- acto
- act, action, deed
- presencia
- presence, appearance, bearing
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