War and Peace — Page 5
À propos," she added, becoming calm again, "I am expecting two very interesting men tonight, le Vicomte de Mortemart, who is connected with the Montmorencys through the Rohans, one of the best French families.
«À propos,» aggiunse, riacquistando la calma, «questa sera aspetto due uomini molto interessanti, le Vicomte de Mortemart, che è imparentato con i Montmorency attraverso i Rohan, una delle migliori famiglie francesi.
He is one of the genuine émigrés, the good ones.
È uno dei veri émigrés, di quelli buoni.
And also the Abbé Morio.
E poi l'Abbé Morio.
Do you know that profound thinker?
Conoscete quel profondo pensatore?
He has been received by the Emperor.
È stato ricevuto dall'Imperatore.
Had you heard?"
Lo sapevate?»
"I shall be delighted to meet them," said the prince.
«Sarò felicissimo di incontrarli,» disse il principe.
"But tell me," he added with studied carelessness as if it had only just occurred to him, though the question he was about to ask was the chief motive of his visit, "is it true that the Dowager Empress wants Baron Funke to be appointed first secretary at Vienna?
«Ma ditemi,» aggiunse con studiata noncuranza, come se il pensiero gli fosse appena venuto in mente, benché la domanda che stava per fare fosse il principale motivo della sua visita, «è vero che l'Imperatrice madre vuole che il barone Funke venga nominato primo segretario a Vienna?
The baron by all accounts is a poor creature."
Il barone, a quanto si dice, è un personaggio dappoco.»
Prince Vasíli wished to obtain this post for his son, but others were trying through the Dowager Empress Márya Fëdorovna to secure it for the baron.
Il principe Vasílij desiderava ottenere quel posto per suo figlio, ma altri cercavano di assicurarlo al barone per mezzo dell'Imperatrice madre Márja Fëdorovna.
Anna Pávlovna almost closed her eyes to indicate that neither she nor anyone else had a right to criticize what the Empress desired or was pleased with.
Anna Pávlovna socchiuse quasi gli occhi per indicare che né lei né chiunque altro aveva il diritto di criticare ciò che l'Imperatrice desiderava o gradiva.
"Baron Funke has been recommended to the Dowager Empress by her sister," was all she said, in a dry and mournful tone.
«Il barone Funke è stato raccomandato all'Imperatrice madre da sua sorella,» fu tutto ciò che disse, con tono secco e malinconico.
As she named the Empress, Anna Pávlovna's face suddenly assumed an expression of profound and sincere devotion and respect mingled with sadness, and this occurred every time she mentioned her illustrious patroness.
Nel pronunciare il nome dell'Imperatrice, il volto di Anna Pávlovna assunse improvvisamente un'espressione di profonda e sincera devozione e rispetto mista a tristezza, e ciò accadeva ogni volta che ella menzionava la sua illustre protettrice.
Vocabulary
- aggiunse
- He/she added, said in addition to previous speech.
- riacquistando
- Regaining or recovering something previously lost.
- calma
- Calmness, tranquility, composed state of mind.
- sera
- Evening, the time of day after afternoon.
- aspetto
- I expect or await; also means appearance or aspect.
- uomini
- Men, plural of uomo, adult male humans.
- interessanti
- Interesting, plural adjective describing engaging people or things.
- imparentato
- Related by family ties, connected through kinship.
- attraverso
- Through or by means of, indicating passage or connection.
- migliori
- Best or better, superlative/comparative plural adjective.
- famiglie
- Families, plural of famiglia, a group of relatives.
- francesi
- French, plural adjective referring to people or things from France.
- veri
- True or real, masculine plural adjective.
- buoni
- Good, masculine plural adjective indicating quality or character.
- poi
- Then or afterwards, indicating sequence or addition.
- Conoscete
- Do you know (formal plural), from conoscere.
- profondo
- Deep or profound, describing depth of thought or feeling.
- pensatore
- Thinker, a person who engages deeply in thought.
- ricevuto
- Received, past participle of ricevere, to receive.
- Imperatore
- Emperor, the supreme ruler of an empire.
- sapevate
- Did you know, second person plural imperfect of sapere.
- felicissimo
- Very happy or delighted, superlative form of felice.
- incontrarli
- To meet them, infinitive with clitic pronoun attached.
- disse
- He/she said, third person singular past of dire.
- principe
- Prince, a male member of a royal or noble family.
- ditemi
- Tell me, imperative of dire with clitic mi attached.
- studiata
- Studied or affected, deliberately cultivated manner or pose.
- noncuranza
- Nonchalance, affected indifference or casual disregard.
- pensiero
- Thought, an idea or notion in one's mind.
- appena
- Just or barely, indicating something recently or scarcely done.
- venuto
- Come, past participle of venire, to come.
- mente
- Mind, the seat of thought and consciousness.
- benché
- Although or even though, concessive conjunction.
- domanda
- Question or request, something asked of someone.
- fare
- To do or to make, common Italian infinitive verb.
- principale
- Main or principal, most important among several things.
- motivo
- Reason or motive, the cause behind an action.
- visita
- Visit, an act of going to see someone.
- vero
- True or right, also used as 'isn't it?'
- Imperatrice
- Empress, the female ruler or consort of an emperor.
- madre
- Mother, a female parent.
- vuole
- He/she wants, third person singular of volere.
- barone
- Baron, a title of nobility below viscount.
- nominato
- Appointed or nominated, named to an official position.
- primo
- First, indicating the highest or earliest position.
- segretario
- Secretary, an official administrative or diplomatic aide.
- quanto
- How much or as much as, indicating degree or quantity.
- personaggio
- Character or personage, a notable or fictional individual.
- dappoco
- Worthless or insignificant, a person of little value.
- desiderava
- Desired or wished, imperfect of desiderare.
- ottenere
- To obtain or get, to acquire something desired.
- posto
- Position or place, a job or specific location.
- figlio
- Son, a male child in relation to his parents.
- altri
- Others, masculine plural indefinite pronoun or adjective.
- cercavano
- They were trying or seeking, imperfect of cercare.
- assicurarlo
- To secure it, infinitive of assicurare with clitic.
- mezzo
- Means or half; here 'by means of'.
- socchiuse
- Half-closed, past tense of socchiudere, to partially close.
- quasi
- Almost or nearly, indicating something close but not complete.
- occhi
- Eyes, plural of occhio, the organs of sight.
- indicare
- To indicate or show, to point something out.
- né
- Neither or nor, negative correlative conjunction.
- chiunque
- Anyone or whoever, indefinite relative pronoun.
- diritto
- Right or entitlement; also straight or law.
- criticare
- To criticize, to express disapproval or judgment.
- ciò
- That or this, neuter demonstrative pronoun.
- gradiva
- Liked or appreciated, imperfect of gradire.
- raccomandato
- Recommended, past participle of raccomandare.
- sorella
- Sister, a female sibling.
- tutto
- All or everything, masculine singular totality adjective.
- tono
- Tone, the quality or manner of voice or expression.
- secco
- Dry or curt, describing a sharp, abrupt manner.
- malinconico
- Melancholic or sad, feeling or expressing deep sadness.
- pronunciare
- To pronounce or utter, to say a word aloud.
- nome
- Name, the word used to identify a person or thing.
- volto
- Face, a person's facial expression or appearance.
- assunse
- Assumed or took on, past tense of assumere.
- improvvisamente
- Suddenly, happening without warning or prior notice.
- espressione
- Expression, the look on a face conveying emotion.
- profonda
- Deep or profound, feminine adjective indicating depth.
- sincera
- Sincere, genuine and honest without pretense.
- devozione
- Devotion, deep dedication or religious reverence.
- rispetto
- Respect, esteem or consideration shown toward someone.
- mista
- Mixed, feminine adjective indicating a blend of things.
- tristezza
- Sadness, the state of feeling sorrowful or unhappy.
- accadeva
- It happened, imperfect of accadere, indicating habitual occurrence.
- ogni
- Every or each, invariable adjective of totality.
- volta
- Time or instance, as in 'every time'.
- ella
- She, archaic or literary third person feminine pronoun.
- menzionava
- Mentioned, imperfect of menzionare, to speak of someone.
- illustre
- Illustrious or distinguished, of great fame or reputation.
- protettrice
- Protectress or patroness, a female who offers protection.
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