Treasure Island — Page 12
I had always my eye open for seafaring men, with one leg or two, and I remember this one puzzled me.
Avevo sempre l'occhio aperto per gli uomini di mare, con una gamba o due, e ricordo che questo mi lasciò perplesso.
He was not sailorly, and yet he had a smack of the sea about him too.
Non aveva l'aria del marinaio, eppure aveva anche lui qualcosa del mare.
I asked him what was for his service, and he said he would take rum; but as I was going out of the room to fetch it, he sat down upon a table and motioned me to draw near.
Gli chiesi cosa desiderasse, e disse che avrebbe preso del rum; ma mentre stavo uscendo dalla stanza per andarlo a prendere, si sedette su un tavolo e mi fece cenno di avvicinarmi.
I paused where I was, with my napkin in my hand.
Mi fermai dov'ero, con il tovagliolo in mano.
"Come here, sonny," says he. "Come nearer here."
«Vieni qui, ragazzo,» disse. «Avvicinati di più.»
I took a step nearer.
Feci un passo avanti.
"Is this here table for my mate Bill?" he asked with a kind of leer.
«È questo tavolo per il mio compagno Bill?» chiese con una sorta di sogghigno.
I told him I did not know his mate Bill, and this was for a person who stayed in our house whom we called the captain.
Gli dissi che non conoscevo il suo compagno Bill, e che il tavolo era per una persona che alloggiava nella nostra locanda che chiamavamo il capitano.
"Well," said he, "my mate Bill would be called the captain, as like as not.
«Ebbene,» disse, «il mio compagno Bill potrebbe benissimo essere chiamato il capitano.
He has a cut on one cheek and a mighty pleasant way with him, particularly in drink, has my mate Bill.
Ha una cicatrice su una guancia e dei modi molto piacevoli, specialmente quando beve, il mio compagno Bill.
We'll put it, for argument like, that your captain has a cut on one cheek--and we'll put it, if you like, that that cheek's the right one.
Diciamo, tanto per fare un esempio, che il vostro capitano ha una cicatrice su una guancia — e diciamo, se volete, che quella guancia è la destra.
Ah, well! I told you.
Ah, bene! Ve l'avevo detto.
Now, is my mate Bill in this here house?"
Ora, il mio compagno Bill è in questa casa?»
I told him he was out walking.
Gli dissi che era uscito a passeggiare.
"Which way, sonny? Which way is he gone?
«Da che parte, ragazzo? Da che parte è andato?
Vocabulary
- Avevo
- I had; first person singular past imperfect of avere
- sempre
- Always; at all times, continuously
- l'
- The; elided definite article before vowel
- occhio
- Eye; the organ of sight
- aperto
- Open; not closed, attentive or watchful
- per
- For, through, by; multipurpose Italian preposition
- gli
- The (plural masculine); also indirect object pronoun him
- uomini
- Men; plural of uomo, adult male humans
- di
- Of, from; very common Italian preposition
- mare
- Sea; large body of salt water
- con
- With; indicating accompaniment or possession
- una
- A, one; feminine indefinite article or numeral
- gamba
- Leg; lower limb of the human body
- o
- Or; conjunction presenting an alternative choice
- due
- Two; the cardinal number after one
- e
- And; basic coordinating conjunction joining elements
- ricordo
- I remember; also noun meaning memory or souvenir
- che
- That, which, who; versatile conjunction or pronoun
- questo
- This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective, near speaker
- mi
- Me, myself; first person singular object pronoun
- lasciò
- Left, made; third person singular past remote of lasciare
- perplesso
- Perplexed, puzzled; confused and uncertain about something
- Non
- Not; primary Italian negation adverb
- aveva
- Had; third person singular past imperfect of avere
- aria
- Air, appearance, look; manner or outward impression
- del
- Of the; contracted masculine singular preposition article
- marinaio
- Sailor; person who works on a ship at sea
- eppure
- And yet, nevertheless; conjunction indicating contrast or surprise
- anche
- Also, too, even; additive or emphatic adverb
- lui
- He, him; third person masculine singular pronoun
- qualcosa
- Something; indefinite pronoun referring to unspecified thing
- Gli
- To him; indirect object pronoun third person masculine
- chiesi
- I asked; first person singular past remote of chiedere
- cosa
- What, thing; interrogative pronoun or common noun
- desiderasse
- Desired, wanted; third person past subjunctive of desiderare
- disse
- Said; third person singular past remote of dire
- avrebbe
- Would have; third person singular conditional of avere
- preso
- Taken; past participle of prendere, to take
- ma
- But; conjunction indicating contrast or opposition
- mentre
- While, whereas; temporal or contrastive conjunction
- stavo
- I was; first person singular past imperfect of stare
- uscendo
- Going out, leaving; present gerund of uscire
- dalla
- From the; feminine singular contracted preposition article
- stanza
- Room; enclosed space within a building
- andarlo
- To go to get it; infinitive andare plus clitic lo
- a
- To, at; fundamental Italian preposition of place or direction
- prendere
- To take, to get; common Italian infinitive verb
- si
- Himself, herself, reflexive; also impersonal pronoun
- sedette
- Sat down; third person singular past remote of sedersi
- su
- On, upon; preposition indicating position above a surface
- tavolo
- Table; flat-surfaced piece of furniture for dining
- fece
- Made, did; third person singular past remote of fare
- cenno
- Sign, gesture, nod; small movement conveying a message
- avvicinarmi
- To approach me; infinitive avvicinarsi with clitic mi
- Mi
- Me; first person singular direct or indirect object pronoun
- fermai
- I stopped; first person singular past remote of fermarsi
- dov'
- Where; elided form of dove before vowel
- ero
- I was; first person singular past imperfect of essere
- il
- The; masculine singular definite article
- tovagliolo
- Napkin; cloth used for wiping hands or mouth
- in
- In, into; common Italian preposition of location
- mano
- Hand; part of the body at the end of the arm
- Vieni
- Come; second person singular imperative of venire
- qui
- Here; adverb indicating this place or location
- ragazzo
- Boy, young man; informal address for a youth
- Avvicinati
- Come closer; reflexive imperative of avvicinarsi
- più
- More, closer; adverb of degree or quantity
- Feci
- I made, I did; first person singular past remote of fare
- passo
- Step; single movement of the foot while walking
- avanti
- Forward, ahead; adverb or exclamation meaning come in
- È
- Is; third person singular present indicative of essere
- mio
- My, mine; first person singular possessive adjective
- compagno
- Companion, mate, comrade; close associate or partner
- chiese
- Asked; third person singular past remote of chiedere
- sorta
- Sort, kind, type; a type or variety of something
- sogghigno
- Sneer, smirk; contemptuous or mocking half-smile
- dissi
- I said; first person singular past remote of dire
- non
- Not; Italian negation word placed before verb
- conoscevo
- I knew; first person singular past imperfect of conoscere
- suo
- His, her, its; third person singular possessive adjective
- era
- Was; third person singular past imperfect of essere
- persona
- Person; individual human being
- alloggiava
- Was staying, was lodging; past imperfect of alloggiare
- nella
- In the; feminine singular contracted preposition article
- nostra
- Our; first person plural feminine possessive adjective
- locanda
- Inn, tavern; small establishment offering lodging and food
- chiamavamo
- We called; first person plural past imperfect of chiamare
- capitano
- Captain; commander of a ship or military officer
- Ebbene
- Well then, so; discourse connector introducing a conclusion
- potrebbe
- Could, might; third person singular conditional of potere
- benissimo
- Very well, perfectly fine; superlative adverb of bene
- essere
- To be; fundamental Italian infinitive auxiliary verb
- chiamato
- Called, named; past participle of chiamare
- Ha
- Has, he has; third person singular present of avere
- cicatrice
- Scar; mark left on skin after a wound heals
- guancia
- Cheek; soft side of the face below the eye
- dei
- Of the; masculine plural contracted preposition article
- modi
- Manners, ways; style of behavior toward others
- molto
- Very, much; adverb or adjective of high degree
- piacevoli
- Pleasant, agreeable; adjective describing enjoyable qualities
- specialmente
- Especially, particularly; adverb emphasizing one item above others
- quando
- When; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb
- beve
- Drinks; third person singular present indicative of bere
- Diciamo
- Let's say, we say; first person plural present of dire
- tanto
- So much, so; adverb indicating large degree or quantity
- fare
- To do, to make; essential Italian infinitive verb
- esempio
- Example; instance used to illustrate or explain something
- vostro
- Your (plural); second person plural possessive adjective
- ha
- Has; third person singular present indicative of avere
- diciamo
- Let's say; hedging phrase meaning so to speak
- se
- If; conditional conjunction introducing hypothetical clause
- volete
- You want; second person plural present of volere
- quella
- That (feminine); demonstrative adjective or pronoun far away
- è
- Is; third person singular present indicative of essere
- la
- The (feminine); definite article or direct object pronoun
- destra
- Right; the right side or right hand
- bene
- Good, well; adverb or noun expressing approval
- Ve
- To you (plural); indirect object clitic pronoun
- avevo
- I had; first person singular past imperfect of avere
- detto
- Said, told; past participle of dire
- Ora
- Now; adverb indicating the present moment
- questa
- This (feminine); demonstrative adjective near the speaker
- casa
- House, home; building where people live
- uscito
- Gone out, left; past participle of uscire
- passeggiare
- To walk, to stroll; to take a leisurely walk
- Da
- From, since, by; versatile Italian preposition
- parte
- Part, side, direction; portion or area of something
- andato
- Gone; past participle of andare, to go
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