War and Peace — Page 1
Anna Pávlovna's drawing room was gradually filling.
Il salotto di Anna Pávlovna si andava gradualmente riempiendo.
The highest Petersburg society was assembled there: people differing widely in age and character but alike in the social circle to which they belonged.
L'alta società di Pietroburgo vi era riunita: persone molto diverse per età e carattere, ma simili nel cerchio sociale a cui appartenevano.
Prince Vasíli's daughter, the beautiful Hélène, came to take her father to the ambassador's entertainment; she wore a ball dress and her badge as maid of honor.
La figlia del principe Vasíli, la bella Hélène, era venuta a prendere il padre per il ricevimento dell'ambasciatore; indossava un abito da ballo e il suo distintivo di damigella d'onore.
The youthful little Princess Bolkónskaya, known as la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg, * was also there.
La giovane e minuta principessa Bolkónskaya, nota come la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg, * era anch'essa presente.
She had been married during the previous winter, and being pregnant did not go to any large gatherings, but only to small receptions.
Si era sposata durante l'inverno precedente, e poiché era incinta non frequentava grandi riunioni, ma solo piccoli ricevimenti.
Prince Vasíli's son, Hippolyte, had come with Mortemart, whom he introduced.
Il figlio del principe Vasíli, Hippolyte, era venuto con Mortemart, che aveva presentato.
The Abbé Morio and many others had also come.
Erano arrivati anche l'abate Morio e molti altri.
* The most fascinating woman in Petersburg.
* La donna più affascinante di Pietroburgo.
To each new arrival Anna Pávlovna said, "You have not yet seen my aunt," or "You do not know my aunt?" and very gravely conducted him or her to a little old lady, wearing large bows of ribbon in her cap, who had come sailing in from another room as soon as the guests began to arrive; and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor to her aunt, Anna Pávlovna mentioned each one's name and then left them.
A ogni nuovo arrivato Anna Pávlovna diceva: «Non avete ancora visto mia zia» oppure «Non conoscete mia zia?» e con grande serietà lo conduceva da una vecchietta che portava grandi fiocchi di nastro sulla cuffia, la quale era entrata in scivolando da un'altra stanza non appena gli ospiti avevano cominciato ad arrivare; e volgendo lentamente gli occhi dal visitatore alla zia, Anna Pávlovna pronunciava il nome di ciascuno e poi li lasciava.
Each visitor performed the ceremony of greeting this old aunt whom not one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one of them cared about; Anna Pávlovna observed these greetings with mournful and solemn interest and silent approval.
Ogni visitatore compiva la cerimonia del saluto a questa vecchia zia che nessuno di loro conosceva, nessuno di loro voleva conoscere e di cui nessuno di loro si curava; Anna Pávlovna osservava questi saluti con malinconica e solenne attenzione e silenziosa approvazione.
Vocabulary
- salotto
- Living room or drawing room for guests
- andava
- Past continuous of andare: was going, progressing
- gradualmente
- Adverb meaning slowly and steadily, gradually
- riempiendo
- Gerund of riempire: filling up progressively
- alta
- Adjective meaning high, upper, or elevated
- società
- Society, social class, or group of people
- vi
- Pronoun or adverb meaning there or you
- riunita
- Past participle of riunire: gathered or assembled together
- diverse
- Adjective meaning different, varied, or various
- età
- Noun meaning age of a person or era
- carattere
- Noun meaning character, personality, or temperament
- simili
- Adjective meaning similar or alike in nature
- cerchio
- Circle or social circle, group of associates
- sociale
- Adjective meaning social, relating to society
- cui
- Relative pronoun meaning whom, which, or to whom
- appartenevano
- Imperfect of appartenere: they belonged to a group
- figlia
- Noun meaning daughter of someone
- principe
- Noun meaning prince or nobleman of high rank
- venuta
- Past participle of venire: having come or arrived
- prendere
- Infinitive meaning to take, get, or fetch
- ricevimento
- Reception or formal social gathering event
- ambasciatore
- Noun meaning ambassador or diplomatic representative
- indossava
- Imperfect of indossare: was wearing a garment
- abito
- Noun meaning dress, suit, or garment worn
- ballo
- Ball or formal dance event or party
- distintivo
- Adjective meaning distinctive, characteristic, or identifying
- damigella
- Young noblewoman, lady-in-waiting, or maid of honor
- onore
- Noun meaning honor, respect, or distinction
- minuta
- Adjective meaning petite, small-framed, or delicate
- principessa
- Noun meaning princess or noblewoman of high rank
- nota
- Adjective meaning known, noted, or well-known
- essa
- Third person feminine pronoun meaning she or it
- presente
- Adjective meaning present, in attendance, or here
- sposata
- Past participle of sposarsi: married or having wed
- durante
- Preposition meaning during or throughout a time period
- inverno
- Noun meaning winter, the cold season
- precedente
- Adjective meaning previous, preceding, or prior
- poiché
- Conjunction meaning since, because, or given that
- incinta
- Adjective meaning pregnant or expecting a baby
- frequentava
- Imperfect of frequentare: used to attend or visit regularly
- riunioni
- Plural of riunione: meetings or gatherings of people
- ricevimenti
- Plural of ricevimento: receptions or formal social gatherings
- figlio
- Noun meaning son or male child
- venuto
- Past participle of venire: having come or arrived
- presentato
- Past participle of presentare: introduced or presented someone
- abate
- Noun meaning abbot or Catholic ecclesiastical title
- affascinante
- Adjective meaning fascinating, charming, or captivating
- ogni
- Adjective meaning every or each individual one
- arrivato
- Past participle of arrivare: one who has arrived
- diceva
- Imperfect of dire: was saying or used to say
- ancora
- Adverb meaning still, yet, or again
- visto
- Past participle of vedere: seen or having seen
- zia
- Noun meaning aunt or female relative of parent
- oppure
- Conjunction meaning or else, alternatively, or otherwise
- conoscete
- Second person plural of conoscere: do you know someone
- serietà
- Noun meaning seriousness, gravity, or earnestness
- conduceva
- Imperfect of condurre: was leading or guiding someone
- vecchietta
- Diminutive of vecchia: a little old woman
- portava
- Imperfect of portare: was wearing or carrying something
- fiocchi
- Plural of fiocco: bows or ribbon decorations on clothing
- nastro
- Noun meaning ribbon or band of fabric
- cuffia
- Noun meaning cap or bonnet worn on head
- quale
- Relative pronoun meaning which or who
- entrata
- Past participle of entrare: having entered or come in
- scivolando
- Gerund of scivolare: gliding or slipping smoothly along
- stanza
- Noun meaning room within a building
- appena
- Adverb meaning as soon as, barely, or just
- ospiti
- Plural of ospite: guests or visitors at an event
- cominciato
- Past participle of cominciare: begun or started an action
- volgendo
- Gerund of volgere: turning slowly toward someone or something
- lentamente
- Adverb meaning slowly or in an unhurried manner
- occhi
- Plural of occhio: eyes of a person
- visitatore
- Noun meaning visitor or guest calling upon someone
- pronunciava
- Imperfect of pronunciare: was pronouncing or uttering a name
- ciascuno
- Pronoun meaning each one or every individual person
- poi
- Adverb meaning then, afterwards, or later
- lasciava
- Imperfect of lasciare: was leaving or letting go
- Ogni
- Adjective meaning every or each individual person or thing
- compiva
- Imperfect of compiere: was performing or carrying out a duty
- cerimonia
- Noun meaning ceremony or formal ritual procedure
- saluto
- Noun meaning greeting or salutation exchanged between people
- vecchia
- Noun or adjective meaning old woman or elderly female
- nessuno
- Pronoun meaning no one, nobody, or not anyone
- conosceva
- Imperfect of conoscere: knew or was acquainted with someone
- conoscere
- Infinitive meaning to know or to be acquainted with
- curava
- Imperfect of curare: cared about or paid attention to
- osservava
- Imperfect of osservare: was observing or watching carefully
- saluti
- Plural of saluto: greetings or formal salutations exchanged
- malinconica
- Adjective meaning melancholic, sad, or sorrowful in mood
- solenne
- Adjective meaning solemn, grave, or formal in manner
- attenzione
- Noun meaning attention or careful observation of something
- silenziosa
- Adjective meaning silent, quiet, or making no sound
- approvazione
- Noun meaning approval or expression of agreement or consent
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