The Yellow Wallpaper — Page 14
I hate to see it sometimes, it creeps so slowly, and always comes in by one window or another.
A volte odio vederla, si insinua così lentamente, ed entra sempre da una finestra o dall'altra.
John was asleep and I hated to waken him, so I kept still and watched the moonlight on that undulating wallpaper till I felt creepy.
John dormiva e odiavo svegliarlo, così rimasi ferma e osservai il chiaro di luna su quella carta da parati ondulata finché non mi sentii a disagio.
The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out.
La tenue figura sul retro sembrava scuotere il disegno, proprio come se volesse uscire.
I got up softly and went to feel and see if the paper did move, and when I came back John was awake.
Mi alzai piano e andai a toccare e vedere se la carta si muovesse davvero, e quando tornai John era sveglio.
"What is it, little girl?" he said. "Don't go walking about like that—you'll get cold."
«Cosa c'è, piccola mia?» disse. «Non andare in giro così — ti verrà freddo.»
I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away.
Pensai che fosse un buon momento per parlare, così gli dissi che qui non stavo davvero migliorando, e che desideravo che mi portasse via.
"Why darling!" said he, "our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can't see how to leave before.
«Ma tesoro mia!» disse, «il nostro contratto d'affitto scadrà tra tre settimane, e non vedo come poter andarsene prima.
"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. Of course if you were in any danger I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know. You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better. I feel really much easier about you.
«I lavori di ristrutturazione a casa non sono finiti, e non posso assolutamente lasciare la città in questo momento. Certo, se fossi in pericolo potrei e lo farei, ma stai davvero meglio, cara, che tu lo veda o no. Sono un medico, cara, e lo so. Stai mettendo su peso e colore, il tuo appetito è migliorato. Mi sento davvero molto più tranquillo riguardo a te.
Vocabulary
- volte
- Times; instances or occasions
- odio
- Hatred; intense dislike or aversion
- vederla
- To see her; verb infinitive with pronoun
- si
- Himself, herself, oneself; reflexive pronoun
- insinua
- Insinuates; suggests subtly or hints
- così
- Thus; in this way or manner
- lentamente
- Slowly; at a slow pace or speed
- entra
- Enters; goes into a place
- sempre
- Always; at all times constantly
- da
- From; by or through; preposition
- una
- A, an; feminine singular article
- finestra
- Window; opening in wall for light
- altra
- Other; different or another one
- dormiva
- Was sleeping; past imperfect tense
- odiavo
- I hated; past tense of odio
- svegliarlo
- To wake him; infinitive with pronoun
- rimasi
- I remained; past tense of rimanere
- ferma
- Still; motionless or stationary
- osservai
- I observed; past tense of osservare
- il
- The; masculine singular definite article
- chiaro
- Clear; bright or evident
- di
- Of; expressing possession or relation
- luna
- Moon; Earth's natural satellite
- su
- On; upon or over something
- quella
- That; feminine singular demonstrative
- carta
- Paper; material for writing
- parati
- Wallpaper; decorative wall covering
- ondulata
- Wavy; having a wave-like pattern
- finché
- Until; up to the point that
- non
- Not; negation particle in Italian
- mi
- Me; direct object pronoun
- sentii
- I felt; past tense of sentire
- disagio
- Discomfort; unease or uneasiness
- La
- The; feminine singular definite article
- tenue
- Faint; delicate or barely perceptible
- figura
- Figure; shape or human form
- retro
- Back; rear side or surface
- sembrava
- Seemed; appeared to be something
- scuotere
- To shake; to move back and forth
- disegno
- Design; drawing or pattern
- proprio
- Own; very or exactly
- come
- Like; how or in what way
- se
- If; conditional conjunction
- volesse
- Wanted; past subjunctive of volere
- uscire
- To exit; to leave or go out
- Mi
- Me; reflexive pronoun
- alzai
- I got up; past tense of alzare
- piano
- Slowly; softly or quietly
- andai
- I went; past tense of andare
- toccare
- To touch; to make contact with
- vedere
- To see; to perceive with eyes
- muovesse
- Moved; past subjunctive of muovere
- davvero
- Really; truly or genuinely
- quando
- When; at what time
- tornai
- I returned; past tense of tornare
- era
- Was; past tense of essere
- sveglio
- Awake; not sleeping
- Cosa
- What; thing or object
- piccola
- Little; small or tiny
- mia
- My; feminine singular possessive
- disse
- Said; past tense of dire
- Non
- Not; negation at sentence start
- andare
- To go; to move or travel
- in
- In; inside or within
- giro
- Around; tour or circuit
- ti
- You; indirect object pronoun
- verrà
- Will come; future tense of venire
- freddo
- Cold; low temperature
- Pensai
- I thought; past tense of pensare
- che
- That; subordinating conjunction
- fosse
- Was; past subjunctive of essere
- un
- A, an; masculine singular article
- buon
- Good; favorable or pleasant
- momento
- Moment; brief period of time
- per
- For; in order to or purpose
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