← The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 11

English → Spanish THE PURLOINED LETTER Level 8/10

"

"

Beyond doubt. We removed every carpet, and examined the boards with the microscope.

Sin ninguna duda. Levantamos todas las alfombras y examinamos las tablas del suelo con el microscopio.

"And the paper on the walls?"

"¿Y el papel de las paredes?"

"Yes."

"Sí."

"You looked into the cellars?"

"¿Inspeccionaron los sótanos?"

"We did."

"Así es."

"Then," I said, "you have been making a miscalculation, and the letter is not upon the premises, as you suppose."

"Entonces," dije, "han cometido un error de cálculo, y la carta no se encuentra en la residencia, como ustedes suponen."

"I fear you are right there," said the Prefect. "And now, Dupin, what would you advise me to do?"

"Me temo que tiene usted razón," dijo el Prefecto. "Y ahora, Dupin, ¿qué me aconsejaría hacer?"

"To make a thorough re-search of the premises."

"Llevar a cabo un nuevo y minucioso registro de la residencia."

"That is absolutely needless," replied G——. "I am not more sure that I breathe than I am that the letter is not at the Hotel."

"Eso es absolutamente innecesario," respondió G——. "Estoy tan seguro de que respiro como de que la carta no está en el Hotel."

"I have no better advice to give you," said Dupin. "You have, of course, an accurate description of the letter?"

"No tengo mejor consejo que darle," dijo Dupin. "Usted tiene, por supuesto, una descripción precisa de la carta, ¿verdad?"

"Oh yes!"—And here the Prefect, producing a memorandum-book, proceeded to read aloud a minute account of the internal, and especially of the external appearance of the missing document.

"¡Oh, sí!"—Y en ese momento el Prefecto, sacando un libro de memorandos, procedió a leer en voz alta una descripción minuciosa del interior y, especialmente, del aspecto exterior del documento desaparecido.

Soon after finishing the perusal of this description, he took his departure, more entirely depressed in spirits than I had ever known the good gentleman before.

Poco después de terminar la lectura de dicha descripción, se marchó, con el ánimo más decaído que nunca le había visto al buen caballero.

In about a month afterwards he paid us another visit, and found us occupied very nearly as before.

Aproximadamente un mes después nos hizo otra visita y nos encontró ocupados casi de la misma manera que antes.

He took a pipe and a chair and entered into some ordinary conversation.

Tomó una pipa y una silla y entabló una conversación ordinaria.

At length I said,—

Al cabo de un rato dije:—

"Well, but G——, what of the purloined letter? I presume you have at last made up your mind that there is no such thing as overreaching the Minister?

"Bien, pero G——, ¿qué hay de la carta robada? Supongo que por fin se ha convencido de que no hay manera de superar al Ministro en astucia.

Vocabulary

Sin
Without; preposition indicating absence of something.
ninguna
None, not any; feminine form of ningún.
duda
Doubt; uncertainty about something.
Levantamos
We lifted or raised something up.
todas
All; feminine plural form of todo.
alfombras
Rugs or carpets used as floor coverings.
examinamos
We examined or inspected something carefully.
tablas
Planks or boards, especially of wood flooring.
suelo
Floor or ground surface of a room.
microscopio
Microscope; instrument for magnifying tiny objects.
papel
Paper; also means role or wallpaper in context.
paredes
Walls; vertical interior surfaces of a room.
Inspeccionaron
They inspected or examined something thoroughly.
sótanos
Basements or cellars beneath a building.
Así
So, thus; indicating agreement or confirmation.
Entonces
Then, so; used to introduce a conclusion.
dije
I said; first person past tense of decir.
han
They have; auxiliary verb for perfect tense.
cometido
Committed; past participle of cometer.
error
Error or mistake made in reasoning or action.
cálculo
Calculation; estimate or mathematical computation.
carta
Letter; a written message or document.
encuentra
Is found; third person singular of encontrar.
residencia
Residence; place where someone officially lives.
suponen
They suppose or assume something to be true.
temo
I fear; first person singular of temer.
tiene
Has or holds; third person singular of tener.
razón
Reason; also means being right about something.
dijo
He/she said; past tense of decir.
Prefecto
Prefect; a high-ranking police or administrative official.
aconsejaría
Would advise; conditional tense of aconsejar.
Llevar
To carry out or to take something somewhere.
cabo
End; llevar a cabo means to carry out.
nuevo
New; another or fresh instance of something.
minucioso
Thorough, meticulous; paying great attention to detail.
registro
Search or inspection; thorough examination of a place.
absolutamente
Absolutely; completely or without any doubt.
innecesario
Unnecessary; not needed or required.
respondió
He/she responded or answered.
seguro
Sure, certain; confident about something.
respiro
Breath or respite; brief relief from pressure.
consejo
Advice or counsel given to someone.
darle
To give to him/her; combined verb and pronoun.
descripción
Description; detailed account of something's appearance.
precisa
Precise, exact; accurate in every detail.
momento
Moment; a brief point in time.
sacando
Taking out or pulling out something.
libro
Book; a written or printed work.
memorandos
Memoranda; notes or written records for reference.
procedió
He/she proceeded to do something next.
leer
To read; to look at and understand written text.
voz
Voice; the sound produced when speaking.
alta
High or loud; en voz alta means aloud.
minuciosa
Meticulous, detailed; feminine form of minucioso.
interior
Interior; the inside part of something.
especialmente
Especially; particularly or above all else.
aspecto
Aspect or appearance; look of something.
exterior
Exterior; the outside surface or appearance.
documento
Document; an official or important written paper.
desaparecido
Disappeared; no longer present or visible.
Poco
A little; small amount or short time.
terminar
To finish or end something completely.
lectura
Reading; the act of reading a text.
dicha
Said; feminine past participle used as demonstrative.
marchó
He/she left or departed from a place.
ánimo
Spirit, mood; emotional state or disposition.
decaído
Downcast, dejected; in low spirits.
nunca
Never; at no time.
caballero
Gentleman; a courteous and honorable man.
Aproximadamente
Approximately; roughly or about a certain amount.
mes
Month; one of twelve divisions of the year.
visita
Visit; an instance of going to see someone.
encontró
He/she found or encountered someone or something.
ocupados
Busy or occupied; engaged in an activity.
misma
Same; identical, feminine form of mismo.
manera
Manner or way; how something is done.
Tomó
He/she took something or sat down.
pipa
Pipe; a smoking pipe.
silla
Chair; a seat with a back and legs.
entabló
He/she started or initiated a conversation.
conversación
Conversation; an informal spoken exchange.
ordinaria
Ordinary; normal, unremarkable or common.
rato
A while; a short period of time.
robada
Stolen; taken illegally, feminine past participle.
Supongo
I suppose; I assume something to be true.
fin
End or finally; al fin means at last.
convencido
Convinced; persuaded that something is true.
superar
To surpass or overcome someone or something.
Ministro
Minister; a high-ranking government official.
astucia
Cunning or cleverness; shrewd skill in deception.
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