← The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2

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

English → It 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.

Quindi non ho abbandonato le ricerche finché non mi sono convinto pienamente che il ladro è un uomo più astuto di me.

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

Credo di aver esaminato ogni angolo e recesso dei locali in cui è possibile che il documento sia nascosto.

"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?"

«Ma non è forse possibile», suggerii, «che sebbene la lettera sia in possesso del ministro, come è indubitabilmente, egli possa averla nascosta altrove che nei propri locali?»

"This is barely possible," said Dupin.

«È appena possibile», disse 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."

«L'attuale peculiare stato delle cose a corte, e specialmente di quelle intrighi in cui D—— è noto essere coinvolto, renderebbe la disponibilità immediata del documento — la sua possibilità di essere prodotto a un momento di preavviso — un punto di quasi uguale importanza rispetto al suo possesso.»

"Its susceptibility of being produced?" said I.

«La sua possibilità di essere prodotto?» dissi io.

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

«Vale a dire, di essere distrutto», disse Dupin.

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

«Esatto», osservai; «il documento si trova quindi chiaramente nei locali.

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

Quanto all'essere sulla persona del ministro, possiamo considerarlo fuori discussione.»

"Entirely," said the Prefect.

«Assolutamente», disse il Prefetto.

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

«È stato teso in agguato due volte, come se da briganti, e la sua persona è stata perquisita rigorosamente sotto la mia personale supervisione.»

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

«Avreste potuto risparmiarvi questo disturbo», disse Dupin.

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

«D——, presumo, non è del tutto uno sciocco, e, se così non fosse, deve aver previsto questi agguati, come cosa ovvia.»

"Not altogether a fool," said G.

«Non del tutto uno sciocco», disse G.

Vocabulary

Quindi
So, therefore; used to indicate logical consequence
non
Not; basic negation word in Italian
ho
I have; first person singular of avere
abbandonato
Abandoned, given up; past participle of abbandonare
le
The (feminine plural article) or her (pronoun)
ricerche
Searches, researches; plural of ricerca
finché
Until, as long as; conjunction indicating time limit
mi
Me, myself; first person singular reflexive pronoun
sono
I am or they are; form of essere
convinto
Convinced, persuaded; past participle of convincere
pienamente
Fully, completely; adverb derived from pieno
che
That, which, who; versatile conjunction or pronoun
il
The; masculine singular definite article
ladro
Thief; person who steals things from others
è
Is; third person singular present of essere
un
A, an; masculine singular indefinite article
uomo
Man; adult male human being
più
More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
astuto
Cunning, shrewd, clever; describing a crafty person
di
Of, from; very common Italian preposition
me
Me; first person singular stressed pronoun
Credo
I believe, I think; first person singular of credere
aver
To have; shortened infinitive form of avere
esaminato
Examined, inspected; past participle of esaminare
ogni
Every, each; adjective indicating all members of a group
angolo
Corner, angle; a point where two surfaces meet
recesso
Recess, hidden nook; a secluded or concealed space
locali
Premises, rooms; plural of locale, enclosed spaces
in
In, into; basic Italian preposition of location
cui
Which, whom; relative pronoun used after prepositions
possibile
Possible; able to exist or happen
documento
Document; official or important written paper
sia
May be; subjunctive form of essere
nascosto
Hidden, concealed; past participle of nascondere
Ma
But; conjunction indicating contrast or contradiction
forse
Perhaps, maybe; adverb expressing uncertainty
suggerii
I suggested; first person past remote of suggerire
sebbene
Although, even though; concessive conjunction
lettera
Letter; written message or character of the alphabet
possesso
Possession; the state of having or owning something
ministro
Minister; government official or cabinet member
come
How, as, like; conjunction or adverb of manner
indubitabilmente
Undoubtedly, without doubt; strong affirmative adverb
egli
He; third person masculine singular subject pronoun
possa
May, can; subjunctive form of potere
averla
To have it; infinitive avere combined with pronoun la
nascosta
Hidden (feminine); past participle of nascondere
altrove
Elsewhere, somewhere else; adverb of place
nei
In the (masculine plural); contraction of in + i
propri
Own (plural); adjective indicating personal possession
appena
Just, barely, as soon as; adverb of time or degree
disse
Said, told; third person past remote of dire
attuale
Current, present; referring to the present situation
peculiare
Peculiar, particular, special; distinctive or unusual
stato
State, condition; also past participle of essere
cose
Things; plural of cosa, general objects or matters
corte
Court; royal or legal court, or courtyard
specialmente
Especially, particularly; adverb emphasizing something
quelle
Those (feminine plural); demonstrative adjective or pronoun
intrighi
Intrigues, plots; secret schemes or conspiracies
noto
Known, noted; well-known or acknowledged fact
essere
To be; fundamental Italian verb of existence
coinvolto
Involved, implicated; past participle of coinvolgere
renderebbe
Would make, would render; conditional of rendere
disponibilità
Availability; the state of being ready or accessible
immediata
Immediate, instant; without delay, happening right away
sua
His, her, its (feminine); possessive adjective or pronoun
possibilità
Possibility; chance that something may happen
prodotto
Product, produced; also past participle of produrre
momento
Moment; a very brief period of time
preavviso
Notice, prior warning; advance notification given beforehand
punto
Point; a specific position, dot, or score
quasi
Almost, nearly; adverb indicating close approximation
uguale
Equal, same; identical in value or degree
importanza
Importance; the quality of being significant or valuable
rispetto
Respect; also regarding, with respect to (preposition)
al
To the (masculine singular); contraction of a + il
dissi
I said; first person past remote of dire
io
I; first person singular subject pronoun
Vale
Is worth, equals; third person singular of valere
dire
To say; infinitive of the verb meaning to speak
distrutto
Destroyed; past participle of distruggere
Esatto
Exact, correct; expressing agreement or confirmation
osservai
I observed, I remarked; first person past remote of osservare
si
Oneself; reflexive pronoun or impersonal construction
trova
Finds, is located; third person of trovare
chiaramente
Clearly, obviously; adverb derived from chiaro
Quanto
How much, as for; quantity or degree question word
sulla
On the (feminine singular); contraction of su + la
persona
Person; an individual human being
possiamo
We can; first person plural present of potere
considerarlo
To consider it; infinitive considerare with pronoun lo
fuori
Outside, out of; adverb or preposition of location
discussione
Discussion; conversation or debate about a topic
Assolutamente
Absolutely, completely; emphatic adverb of affirmation
Prefetto
Prefect; senior administrative or police official
teso
Set, laid (a trap); also tense, stretched
agguato
Ambush, trap; a surprise attack or snare
due
Two; the number 2
volte
Times; plural of volta, indicating repetition
se
If, whether; conditional conjunction
da
From, by, since; versatile Italian preposition
briganti
Bandits, brigands; plural of brigante, lawless robbers
stata
Been (feminine); past participle of essere
perquisita
Searched, inspected; past participle of perquisire
rigorosamente
Rigorously, strictly; in a thorough and strict manner
sotto
Under, beneath; preposition indicating position below
mia
My (feminine); first person singular possessive adjective
personale
Personal; relating to a specific individual
supervisione
Supervision; oversight and management of an activity
Avreste
You would have; second person plural conditional of avere
potuto
Been able to; past participle of potere
risparmiarvi
To spare yourselves; reflexive infinitive of risparmiare
questo
This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
disturbo
Trouble, bother; inconvenience or disturbance
presumo
I presume, I assume; first person singular of presumere
tutto
All, everything, whole; adjective or pronoun of totality
sciocco
Fool, silly person; someone who lacks good sense
così
So, thus, like this; adverb of manner or degree
fosse
Were; past subjunctive of essere
deve
Must, has to; third person singular of dovere
previsto
Foreseen, anticipated; past participle of prevedere
questi
These; masculine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun
agguati
Ambushes, traps; plural of agguato
cosa
Thing, what; noun or interrogative pronoun
ovvia
Obvious (feminine); something easy to see or understand
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