← The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 12

English → Spanish THE PURLOINED LETTER Level 8/10

"

"

"Confound him, say I—yes; I made the re-examination, however, as Dupin suggested—but it was all labor lost, as I knew it would be."

"¡Maldígale, digo yo! —sí; hice el nuevo examen, sin embargo, como Dupin sugirió —pero fue trabajo perdido, como yo sabía que sería."

"How much was the reward offered, did you say?" asked Dupin.

"¿Cuánto era la recompensa ofrecida, dijo usted?" preguntó Dupin.

"Why, a very great deal—a very liberal reward—I don't like to say how much, precisely; but one thing I will say, that I wouldn't mind giving my individual check for fifty thousand francs to any one who could obtain me that letter.

"Pues, muchísimo —una recompensa muy generosa —no me gusta decir cuánto, precisamente; pero una cosa diré, que no me importaría dar mi cheque personal por cincuenta mil francos a cualquiera que pudiera conseguirme esa carta.

The fact is, it is becoming of more and more importance every day; and the reward has been lately doubled.

El caso es que cada día adquiere mayor importancia; y la recompensa ha sido recientemente duplicada.

If it were trebled, however, I could do no more than I have done."

Si se triplicara, sin embargo, no podría hacer más de lo que he hecho."

"Why, yes," said Dupin, drawlingly, between the whiffs of his meerschaum, "I really—think, G——, you have not exerted yourself—to the utmost in this matter.

"Pues, sí," dijo Dupin, lentamente, entre las bocanadas de su pipa de espuma de mar, "realmente —creo, G——, que usted no se ha esforzado —al máximo en este asunto.

You might—do a little more, I think, eh?"

Podría —hacer un poco más, creo, ¿eh?"

"How?—in what way?"

"¿Cómo? —¿de qué manera?"

"Why—puff, puff—you might—puff, puff—employ counsel in the matter, eh?—puff, puff, puff.

"Pues —puf, puf —podría —puf, puf —contratar asesoramiento en el asunto, ¿eh? —puf, puf, puf.

Do you remember the story they tell of Abernethy?"

¿Recuerda usted la historia que cuentan de Abernethy?"

"No; hang Abernethy!"

"¡No; que se cuelgue Abernethy!"

"To be sure! hang him and welcome.

"¡Por supuesto! que se cuelgue y bienvenido sea.

But, once upon a time, a certain rich miser conceived the design of spunging upon this Abernethy for a medical opinion.

Pero, érase una vez, cierto avaro rico concibió el plan de sacarle una consulta médica a este Abernethy sin pagar.

Getting up, for this purpose, an ordinary conversation in a private company, he insinuated his case to the physician, as that of an imaginary individual.

Provocando, con este propósito, una conversación ordinaria en una reunión privada, le insinuó su caso al médico, como si fuera el de un individuo imaginario.

Vocabulary

Maldígale
Curse him/her (imperative form of maldecir)
digo
I say; first person present of decir
yo
First person singular subject pronoun: I
Yes; affirmative response word
hice
I did/made; preterite of hacer
nuevo
New; describing something recently made or acquired
examen
Exam or examination; a test or inspection
sin
Without; preposition indicating absence of something
embargo
Sin embargo: nevertheless, however; common contrast phrase
como
As, like; conjunction or preposition of comparison
sugirió
He/she suggested; preterite of sugerir
pero
But; coordinating conjunction showing contrast
fue
Was/went; preterite of ser or ir
trabajo
Work, job, or labor; noun or verb form
perdido
Lost; past participle of perder
sabía
He/she/I knew; imperfect of saber
sería
Would be; conditional tense of ser
Cuánto
How much; interrogative pronoun for quantity
era
Was; imperfect tense of ser
recompensa
Reward; compensation offered for a service
ofrecida
Offered; feminine past participle of ofrecer
dijo
He/she said; preterite of decir
usted
You; formal second person singular pronoun
preguntó
He/she asked; preterite of preguntar
Pues
Well, then; filler or discourse connector word
muchísimo
Very much, a great deal; superlative of mucho
generosa
Generous; describing someone giving or abundant
gusta
Pleases, likes; third person of gustar
decir
To say or tell; common infinitive verb
cuánto
How much; interrogative for quantity or amount
precisamente
Precisely, exactly; adverb emphasizing accuracy
cosa
Thing; a general noun for any object or matter
diré
I will say; future tense of decir
importaría
Would matter/mind; conditional of importar
dar
To give; basic infinitive verb of giving
cheque
Check; a written bank payment document
personal
Personal; relating to or belonging to oneself
por
For, by, through; versatile preposition in Spanish
cincuenta
Fifty; the number 50
mil
Thousand; the number 1000
francos
Francs; old French currency units
cualquiera
Anyone, whichever; indefinite pronoun or adjective
pudiera
Could; imperfect subjunctive of poder
conseguirme
Get for me; infinitive conseguir with me attached
carta
Letter; a written message or correspondence
caso
Case; a situation or matter under consideration
cada
Each, every; distributive adjective
día
Day; a 24-hour period of time
adquiere
Acquires, gains; third person present of adquirir
mayor
Greater, older, larger; comparative adjective
importancia
Importance; the quality of being significant
sido
Been; past participle of ser
recientemente
Recently; not long ago in time
duplicada
Doubled; feminine past participle of duplicar
Si
If; conditional conjunction in Spanish
triplicara
Were tripled; imperfect subjunctive of triplicar
podría
Could, would be able; conditional of poder
hacer
To do or make; essential infinitive verb
más
More; comparative adverb or adjective
lo
It, him; neuter or masculine object pronoun
hecho
Done, made; past participle of hacer
lentamente
Slowly; adverb describing a slow manner
entre
Between, among; preposition of position
bocanadas
Puffs; mouthfuls of smoke from a pipe
su
His, her, its, your; possessive adjective
pipa
Pipe; a smoking instrument
espuma
Foam, froth; bubbly surface on liquids
mar
Sea; large body of salt water
realmente
Really, truly; adverb emphasizing reality or truth
creo
I believe, I think; first person of creer
esforzado
Strived, made an effort; past participle of esforzarse
al
To the; contraction of a and el
máximo
Maximum; the greatest possible degree or amount
este
This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective
asunto
Matter, affair, issue; a subject being dealt with
Podría
Could; conditional form of poder
poco
A little, a bit; small quantity or degree
Cómo
How; interrogative adverb asking manner or way
qué
What; interrogative pronoun or adjective
manera
Manner, way; method or mode of doing something
contratar
To hire, contract; engage someone for a service
asesoramiento
Advice, consulting; professional guidance or counsel
Recuerda
Remember; second person singular imperative of recordar
historia
Story, history; a narrative or historical account
cuentan
They tell; third person plural present of contar
cuelgue
Hang up; subjunctive/imperative of colgar
Por
For, by; preposition with many uses in Spanish
supuesto
Por supuesto: of course; assumed or taken for granted
bienvenido
Welcome; greeting someone upon their arrival
sea
Be; present subjunctive of ser
érase
There was; archaic imperfect of ser used in tales
vez
Time, occasion; una vez means once
cierto
Certain, a certain; adjective indicating a specific one
avaro
Miser, greedy person; someone excessively stingy
rico
Rich, wealthy; having great financial resources
concibió
Conceived, devised; preterite of concebir
plan
Plan; a scheme or strategy for achieving something
sacarle
To get from him; extract or obtain something from someone
consulta
Consultation; a meeting for advice or information
médica
Medical; relating to medicine or a doctor
pagar
To pay; give money in exchange for goods/services
Provocando
Provoking, causing; gerund of provocar
propósito
Purpose, intention; a deliberate aim or goal
conversación
Conversation; spoken exchange between two or more people
ordinaria
Ordinary, common; nothing special or remarkable
reunión
Meeting, gathering; people coming together formally
privada
Private; not public, restricted to specific persons
le
Him, her, you; indirect object pronoun
insinuó
Hinted, insinuated; preterite of insinuar
médico
Doctor, physician; a medical professional
si
If; conditional conjunction without accent mark
fuera
Were; imperfect subjunctive of ser or ir
individuo
Individual, person; a single human being
imaginario
Imaginary; existing only in the mind, not real
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