← The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 7

English → Spanish THE PURLOINED LETTER Level 8/10

So I did not abandon the search until I had become fully satisfied that the thief is a more astute man than myself.

Así que no abandoné la búsqueda hasta haberme convencido plenamente de que el ladrón es un hombre más astuto que yo.

I fancy that I have investigated every nook and corner of the premises in which it is possible that the paper can be concealed."

Creo que he investigado cada rincón y recoveco del local en el que es posible que el papel pueda estar oculto."

"But is it not possible," I suggested, "that although the letter may be in possession of the minister, as it unquestionably is, he may have concealed it elsewhere than upon his own premises?"

"¿Pero no es posible", sugerí, "que aunque la carta pueda estar en posesión del ministro, como indudablemente lo está, él la haya ocultado en otro lugar que no sea su propia residencia?"

"This is barely possible," said Dupin.

"Esto es apenas posible", dijo Dupin.

"The present peculiar condition of affairs at court, and especially of those intrigues in which D—— is known to be involved, would render the instant availability of the document—its susceptibility of being produced at a moment's notice—a point of nearly equal importance with its possession."

"La peculiar situación actual de los asuntos en la corte, y especialmente de aquellas intrigas en las que se sabe que D—— está involucrado, haría que la disponibilidad inmediata del documento—su posibilidad de ser presentado con un momento de aviso—fuera un punto de importancia casi igual a su posesión."

"Its susceptibility of being produced?" said I.

"¿Su posibilidad de ser presentado?" dije yo.

"That is to say, of being destroyed," said Dupin.

"Es decir, de ser destruido", dijo Dupin.

"True," I observed; "the paper is clearly then upon the premises.

"Cierto", observé; "el papel está claramente entonces en el local.

As for its being upon the person of the minister, we may consider that as out of the question."

En cuanto a que esté en la persona del ministro, podemos considerarlo descartado."

"Entirely," said the Prefect.

"Completamente", dijo el Prefecto.

"He has been twice waylaid, as if by footpads, and his person rigorously searched under my own inspection."

"Ha sido emboscado dos veces, como si fuera por salteadores de caminos, y su persona ha sido rigurosamente registrada bajo mi propia supervisión."

"You might have spared yourself this trouble," said Dupin.

"Podría haberse ahorrado esta molestia", dijo Dupin.

"D——, I presume, is not altogether a fool, and, if not, must have anticipated these waylayings, as a matter of course."

"D——, supongo, no es del todo un tonto, y, si no lo es, debe haber anticipado estas emboscadas, como es natural."

"Not altogether a fool," said G.

"No del todo un tonto", dijo G.

Vocabulary

Así
In this way; used to indicate manner or result
que
That; a common conjunction or relative pronoun
no
No; negation word used to deny or refuse
abandoné
I abandoned; past tense of abandonar
búsqueda
Search; the act of looking for something
hasta
Until; up to a point in time or space
haberme
Having myself; reflexive form of haber auxiliary
convencido
Convinced; past participle meaning fully persuaded
plenamente
Fully; completely or entirely without reservation
ladrón
Thief; a person who steals from others
hombre
Man; an adult male human being
más
More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
astuto
Cunning; cleverly skillful or shrewd in a crafty way
Creo
I believe; first-person present tense of creer
investigado
Investigated; past participle of investigar, to research
cada
Each; referring to every individual item separately
rincón
Corner; a secluded or hidden nook or angle
recoveco
Nook; a hidden recess or winding hidden space
local
Premises; a place or building used for activity
posible
Possible; capable of happening or being done
papel
Paper; material for writing or a document
pueda
Can, may; subjunctive form of poder
estar
To be; verb indicating state or temporary condition
oculto
Hidden; concealed from view or knowledge
Pero
But; conjunction introducing a contrasting idea
sugerí
I suggested; first-person past tense of sugerir
aunque
Although, even though; concessive conjunction
carta
Letter; a written message sent to someone
posesión
Possession; the state of having or owning something
ministro
Minister; a high-ranking government official
como
As, like; conjunction or adverb of comparison
indudablemente
Undoubtedly; without any doubt or question
haya
Has; present subjunctive form of haber
ocultado
Hidden; past participle of ocultar, to conceal
otro
Another, other; referring to a different one
lugar
Place; a specific location or spot
sea
Be; present subjunctive form of ser
propia
Own; belonging specifically to oneself
residencia
Residence; a place where someone lives or stays
Esto
This; neuter demonstrative pronoun for nearby thing
apenas
Hardly, scarcely; just barely or almost not
dijo
Said; third-person past tense of decir
peculiar
Peculiar; strange or distinctive in an unusual way
situación
Situation; the set of circumstances at a given moment
actual
Current; existing or happening at the present time
asuntos
Affairs, matters; issues or topics being dealt with
corte
Court; the royal or governmental assembly of power
especialmente
Especially; particularly or above all others
aquellas
Those; feminine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun
intrigas
Intrigues; secret plots or schemes for selfish purposes
sabe
Knows; third-person present of saber, to know
involucrado
Involved; engaged or implicated in something
haría
Would make; conditional form of hacer
disponibilidad
Availability; the quality of being ready or accessible
inmediata
Immediate; occurring without delay or interval
documento
Document; an official or important written paper
posibilidad
Possibility; a chance that something might happen
ser
To be; infinitive indicating identity or permanent state
presentado
Presented; past participle of presentar, to show
momento
Moment; a very brief period of time
aviso
Notice, warning; an alert or advance notification
fuera
Were, outside; subjunctive of ser/estar or preposition
punto
Point; a specific detail, dot, or matter of interest
importancia
Importance; the quality of being significant or valuable
casi
Almost; very nearly but not completely
igual
Equal; the same in value, amount, or degree
dije
I said; first-person preterite of decir
Es decir
That is to say; phrase clarifying or rephrasing an idea
destruido
Destroyed; past participle of destruir, to ruin
Cierto
Certain, true; expressing agreement or confirmation
observé
I observed; first-person preterite of observar
claramente
Clearly; in a clear, evident, or obvious manner
entonces
Then; at that time or as a consequence
En cuanto
As soon as; conjunction expressing immediate sequence
esté
Be; present subjunctive of estar indicating state
persona
Person; an individual human being
podemos
We can; first-person plural present of poder
considerarlo
To consider it; infinitive with direct object pronoun
descartado
Discarded, ruled out; eliminated from consideration
Completamente
Completely; totally or in every possible way
Prefecto
Prefect; a high-ranking administrative or police official
sido
Been; past participle of ser, used in perfect tenses
emboscado
Ambushed; attacked from a concealed position
veces
Times; instances or occurrences of something happening
si
If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
por
By, for; preposition indicating cause, means, or agent
salteadores
Highwaymen; robbers who attack travelers on roads
caminos
Roads, paths; routes used for travel or passage
rigurosamente
Rigorously; in a thorough, strict, and careful manner
registrada
Searched, registered; past participle of registrar
bajo
Under; preposition indicating position beneath or authority
supervisión
Supervision; the act of overseeing or managing others
Podría
Could; conditional form of poder, expressing possibility
haberse
To have (reflexive); perfect infinitive with se
ahorrado
Saved; past participle of ahorrar, to save or spare
molestia
Trouble, bother; an inconvenience or nuisance
supongo
I suppose; first-person present of suponer
todo
All, every; encompassing the whole amount or number
tonto
Fool; a silly or stupid person lacking good judgment
debe
Must, should; third-person present of deber
haber
To have; auxiliary infinitive used in perfect tenses
anticipado
Anticipated; expected or foreseen something in advance
emboscadas
Ambushes; surprise attacks from hidden positions
natural
Natural; existing in or caused by nature; expected
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