War and Peace — Page 7
Do you know I am dissatisfied with your younger son?
¿Sabe usted que estoy insatisfecha con su hijo menor?
Between ourselves" (and her face assumed its melancholy expression), "he was mentioned at Her Majesty's and you were pitied...."
Entre nosotros" (y su rostro adoptó su expresión melancólica), "se le mencionó en casa de Su Majestad y se le compadecieron...."
The prince answered nothing, but she looked at him significantly, awaiting a reply.
El príncipe no respondió nada, pero ella lo miró de manera significativa, esperando una respuesta.
He frowned.
Él frunció el ceño.
"What would you have me do?" he said at last.
"¿Qué quiere usted que haga?" dijo por fin.
"You know I did all a father could for their education, and they have both turned out fools.
"Usted sabe que hice todo lo que un padre podía hacer por su educación, y los dos han resultado ser unos necios.
Hippolyte is at least a quiet fool, but Anatole is an active one.
Hippolyte es al menos un necio tranquilo, pero Anatole es uno activo.
That is the only difference between them."
Esa es la única diferencia entre ellos."
He said this smiling in a way more natural and animated than usual, so that the wrinkles round his mouth very clearly revealed something unexpectedly coarse and unpleasant.
Dijo esto sonriendo de una manera más natural y animada que de costumbre, de modo que las arrugas alrededor de su boca revelaron con toda claridad algo inesperadamente grosero y desagradable.
"And why are children born to such men as you?
"¿Y por qué nacen hijos de hombres como usted?
If you were not a father there would be nothing I could reproach you with," said Anna Pávlovna, looking up pensively.
Si usted no fuera padre, no habría nada que pudiera reprocharle", dijo Anna Pávlovna, levantando la vista pensativamente.
"I am your faithful slave and to you alone I can confess that my children are the bane of my life.
"Soy su fiel esclavo y solo a usted puedo confesarle que mis hijos son la perdición de mi vida.
It is the cross I have to bear.
Es la cruz que debo cargar.
That is how I explain it to myself.
Así es como me lo explico a mí mismo.
It can't be helped!"
¡No hay remedio!"
He said no more, but expressed his resignation to cruel fate by a gesture.
No dijo nada más, sino que expresó su resignación ante el cruel destino con un gesto.
Anna Pávlovna meditated.
Anna Pávlovna meditó.
"Have you never thought of marrying your prodigal son Anatole?" she asked.
"¿No ha pensado nunca en casar a su hijo pródigo Anatole?" preguntó ella.
Vocabulary
- Sabe
- Third person singular present of 'saber'; knows.
- usted
- Formal second person singular pronoun; you (formal).
- que
- Conjunction or relative pronoun meaning that or which.
- estoy
- First person singular present of 'estar'; I am.
- insatisfecha
- Feminine adjective meaning dissatisfied or displeased.
- con
- Preposition meaning with.
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, your, or their.
- hijo
- Noun meaning son or child.
- menor
- Adjective meaning younger, lesser, or minor.
- Entre
- Preposition meaning between or among.
- nosotros
- First person plural pronoun meaning we or us.
- y
- Conjunction meaning and.
- rostro
- Noun meaning face or countenance.
- adoptó
- Third person singular preterite of 'adoptar'; adopted or took on.
- expresión
- Noun meaning expression or look on one's face.
- melancólica
- Feminine adjective meaning melancholic or sad.
- se
- Reflexive or impersonal pronoun used in various constructions.
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning to him, her, or you.
- mencionó
- Third person singular preterite of 'mencionar'; mentioned.
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at.
- casa
- Noun meaning house or home.
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or belonging to.
- Su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, your, or their.
- Majestad
- Noun meaning Majesty, a royal title of address.
- compadecieron
- Third person plural preterite of 'compadecer'; felt sorry for.
- El
- Masculine definite article meaning the.
- príncipe
- Noun meaning prince, a male member of royalty.
- no
- Adverb meaning no or not.
- respondió
- Third person singular preterite of 'responder'; responded or answered.
- nada
- Pronoun or adverb meaning nothing or not at all.
- pero
- Conjunction meaning but or however.
- ella
- Third person feminine singular pronoun meaning she.
- lo
- Direct object pronoun meaning him or it.
- miró
- Third person singular preterite of 'mirar'; looked at or watched.
- manera
- Noun meaning way, manner, or method.
- significativa
- Feminine adjective meaning meaningful or significant.
- esperando
- Gerund of 'esperar'; waiting or hoping for something.
- una
- Feminine indefinite article meaning a or an.
- respuesta
- Noun meaning answer or response.
- Él
- Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning he.
- frunció
- Third person singular preterite of 'fruncir'; furrowed or wrinkled.
- el
- Masculine definite article meaning the.
- ceño
- Noun meaning brow; 'fruncir el ceño' means to frown.
- Qué
- Interrogative pronoun meaning what.
- quiere
- Third person singular present of 'querer'; wants or wishes.
- haga
- First/third person singular present subjunctive of 'hacer'; do or make.
- dijo
- Third person singular preterite of 'decir'; said or told.
- por
- Preposition meaning for, by, through, or because of.
- fin
- Noun meaning end; 'por fin' means finally or at last.
- Usted
- Formal second person singular pronoun meaning you (formal).
- sabe
- Third person singular present of 'saber'; knows or is aware.
- hice
- First person singular preterite of 'hacer'; I did or made.
- todo
- Adjective or pronoun meaning all, everything, or every.
- un
- Masculine indefinite article meaning a or an.
- padre
- Noun meaning father or parent.
- podía
- Third person singular imperfect of 'poder'; could or was able to.
- hacer
- Infinitive verb meaning to do or to make.
- educación
- Noun meaning education, upbringing, or manners.
- los
- Masculine plural definite article or pronoun meaning the or them.
- dos
- Number meaning two.
- han
- Third person plural present of 'haber'; auxiliary have (plural).
- resultado
- Past participle of 'resultar'; turned out or proved to be.
- ser
- Infinitive verb meaning to be (permanent qualities).
- unos
- Masculine plural indefinite article meaning some or a few.
- necios
- Plural noun or adjective meaning fools or foolish people.
- es
- Third person singular present of 'ser'; is.
- al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'el' meaning to the or at the.
- menos
- Adverb meaning less or at least.
- necio
- Adjective or noun meaning foolish or a fool.
- tranquilo
- Adjective meaning calm, quiet, or peaceful.
- uno
- Pronoun or number meaning one or someone.
- activo
- Adjective meaning active, energetic, or lively.
- Esa
- Feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning that.
- la
- Feminine singular definite article or pronoun meaning the or her.
- única
- Feminine adjective meaning only or unique.
- diferencia
- Noun meaning difference or distinction between things.
- entre
- Preposition meaning between or among.
- ellos
- Third person masculine plural pronoun meaning they or them.
- Dijo
- Third person singular preterite of 'decir'; said or stated.
- esto
- Neuter demonstrative pronoun meaning this.
- sonriendo
- Gerund of 'sonreír'; smiling or grinning.
- más
- Adverb meaning more or most; comparative marker.
- natural
- Adjective meaning natural, normal, or unaffected.
- animada
- Feminine adjective meaning lively, animated, or cheerful.
- costumbre
- Noun meaning habit, custom, or usual practice.
- modo
- Noun meaning way, manner, or mode of doing something.
- las
- Feminine plural definite article meaning the.
- arrugas
- Noun meaning wrinkles or creases on skin or fabric.
- alrededor
- Adverb or preposition meaning around or surrounding.
- boca
- Noun meaning mouth.
- revelaron
- Third person plural preterite of 'revelar'; revealed or showed.
- toda
- Feminine adjective meaning all or entire.
- claridad
- Noun meaning clarity, clearness, or brightness.
- algo
- Pronoun or adverb meaning something or somewhat.
- inesperadamente
- Adverb meaning unexpectedly or suddenly.
- grosero
- Adjective meaning rude, crude, or coarse in manner.
- desagradable
- Adjective meaning unpleasant or disagreeable.
- Y
- Conjunction meaning and.
- qué
- Interrogative pronoun meaning what.
- nacen
- Third person plural present of 'nacer'; are born.
- hijos
- Plural noun meaning sons, children, or offspring.
- hombres
- Plural noun meaning men or human beings.
- como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning like, as, or how.
- Si
- Conjunction meaning if or whether.
- fuera
- Past subjunctive of 'ser' or 'ir'; were or went (hypothetical).
- habría
- Conditional of 'haber'; there would be or would have.
- pudiera
- Past subjunctive of 'poder'; could or might be able to.
- reprocharle
- Infinitive 'reprochar' with pronoun; to reproach or blame someone.
- levantando
- Gerund of 'levantar'; raising or lifting something.
- vista
- Noun meaning sight, gaze, or view.
- pensativamente
- Adverb meaning pensively or thoughtfully.
- Soy
- First person singular present of 'ser'; I am.
- fiel
- Adjective meaning faithful, loyal, or devoted.
- esclavo
- Noun meaning slave or one completely devoted to something.
- solo
- Adjective or adverb meaning alone, only, or just.
- a
- Preposition meaning to, at, or toward.
- puedo
- First person singular present of 'poder'; I can or am able to.
- confesarle
- Infinitive 'confesar' with pronoun; to confess or admit to someone.
- mis
- Plural possessive adjective meaning my.
- son
- Third person plural present of 'ser'; are.
- perdición
- Noun meaning ruin, perdition, or downfall.
- mi
- Singular possessive adjective meaning my.
- vida
- Noun meaning life.
- Es
- Third person singular present of 'ser'; is.
- cruz
- Noun meaning cross; metaphorically a burden one bears.
- debo
- First person singular present of 'deber'; I must or owe.
- cargar
- Infinitive meaning to carry, bear, or load something.
- Así
- Adverb meaning thus, so, or in this way.
- me
- First person singular reflexive or object pronoun meaning me or myself.
- explico
- First person singular present of 'explicar'; I explain or account for.
- mí
- Stressed first person singular pronoun meaning me or myself.
- mismo
- Adjective or pronoun meaning same or myself emphasizing identity.
- No
- Adverb meaning no or not.
- hay
- Impersonal form of 'haber'; there is or there are.
- remedio
- Noun meaning remedy, solution, or recourse.
- sino
- Conjunction meaning but rather or except.
- expresó
- Third person singular preterite of 'expresar'; expressed or showed.
- resignación
- Noun meaning resignation or acceptance of an unpleasant situation.
- ante
- Preposition meaning before, in front of, or faced with.
- cruel
- Adjective meaning cruel, harsh, or merciless.
- destino
- Noun meaning destiny, fate, or destination.
- gesto
- Noun meaning gesture or facial expression.
- meditó
- Third person singular preterite of 'meditar'; pondered or reflected.
- ha
- Third person singular present of 'haber'; auxiliary has.
- pensado
- Past participle of 'pensar'; thought or considered.
- nunca
- Adverb meaning never or not ever.
- casar
- Infinitive meaning to marry or to get someone married.
- pródigo
- Adjective or noun meaning prodigal, wasteful, or spendthrift.
- preguntó
- Third person singular preterite of 'preguntar'; asked or inquired.
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