Brother, you ask me if I have ever loved. Yes. My story is a strange and terrible one; and though I am sixty-six years of age, I scarcely dare even now to disturb the ashes of that memory.
though - aber; trotzdem, doch, allerdings, obwohl, obgleich
scarcely - knapp, kaum, wohl nicht, gerade erst
dare - sich getrauen, wagen, jemanden herausfordern
disturb - stören
ashes - Esche, Asche
From my earliest childhood I had felt a vocation to the priesthood, so that all my studies were directed with that idea in view. Up to the age of twenty-four my life had been only a prolonged novitiate. Having completed my course of theology I successively received all the minor orders, and my superiors judged me worthy, despite my youth, to pass the last awful degree. My ordination was fixed for Easter week.
childhood - Kindheit, Kindschaft, Kinderzeit, Anfangszeit
vocation - Berufung; Beruf
priesthood - Priesteramt; Priestertum, Priesterschaft, Priesterwürde
prolonged - langwierig; ausdehnen, verlängern, hinauszögern
novitiate - Noviziat
theology - Theologie
successively - nacheinander
minor - minderjährig; gering, geringfügig, klein, unbedeutend
superiors - Vorgesetzten; überlegen, höher, höherstehend, übergeordnet
judged - verurteilt; urteilen (nach), richten; Richter, Jurist
worthy - würdig
despite - trotz
youth - Jugend, Jugendlichkeit, Jugendzeit, Jugendlicher, Jugendliche
ordination - Ordination
I had never gone into the world. My world was confined by the walls of the college and the seminary. I knew in a vague sort of a way that there was something called Woman, but I never permitted my thoughts to dwell on such a subject, and I lived in a state of perfect innocence. Twice a year only I saw my infirm and aged mother, and in those visits were comprised my sole relations with the outer world.
confined - eingesperrt; beschränken, Begrenzung
seminary - Seminar, Priesterseminar
vague - vage; nebelhaft, schwach, unklar, undeutlich
permitted - erlaubt; zulassen, erlauben; Erlaubnis, Erlaubnisschein
thoughts - Gedanken; Gedanke
dwell - leben, verbleiben, wohnen, verweilen
innocence - Unschuld; Harmlosigkeit
infirm - schwach, schwächlich, kränklich, gebrechlich
comprised - enthalten; bestehen aus, beinhalten
sole - Seezunge, Sohle, einzig
relations - Beziehungen; Beziehung, Relation, Relation, Verwandter
I regretted nothing; I felt not the least hesitation at taking the last irrevocable step; I was filled with joy and impatience. Never did a betrothed lover count the slow hours with more feverish ardour; I slept only to dream that I was saying mass; I believed there could be nothing in the world more delightful than to be a priest; I would have refused to be a king or a poet in preference. My ambition could conceive of no loftier aim.
regretted - bedauert; bedauern, bereuen, leidtun, Reue, Bedauern
hesitation - Zögern
irrevocable - unwiderruflich
joy - Wonne (Freude, Vergnügen); Freude (über)
Impatience - Ungeduld
betrothed - Verlobter, Verlobte; (betroth); verloben; verloben
lover - Geliebte, Liebhaber, Liebhaberin
more feverish - fieberhaftere
ardour - Eifer; Begeisterung, Ăśberschwang, Hitze
mass - Masse; Messe (kirchlich), Gottesdienst, Menge
more delightful - entzückendere
priest - Priester, Priesterin, Pfarrer, Pfarrerin; (prey); Beute; lauern
refused - abgelehnt; Müll; abweisen, verweigern, abschlagen, ablehnen
poet - Dichter, Dichterin; i ormal
preference - Präferenz, Bevorzugung, Vorliebe; Einstellung
Ambition - Ehrgeiz, checkAmbition (5)
conceive of - sich etwas vorstellen
loftier - erhabener; hoch, qualifier
aim - zielen (auf); Ziel, Zweck; beabsichtigen
At last the great day came. I walked to the church with a step so light that I fancied myself sustained in air, or that I had wings upon my shoulders. I believed myself an angel, and wondered at the sombre and thoughtful faces of my companions, for there were several of us.
fancied - Lust gehabt; extravagant, originell
sustained - unterhalten, aufrechterhalten, versorgen, unterhalten
wings - Flügel, t+Schwinge, Flügel, Flügel, t+Gebäudeflügel, Flügel
upon - auf; mit
angel - Engel
wondered - gewundert; Wunder
sombre - dunkel, düster, finster, trübe, matt
thoughtful - nachdenklich, bedächtig, aufmerksam
Companions - Gefährten; Begleiter, Freund, Liebhaber, Kamerad, Gefährte
I had passed all the night in prayer, and was in a condition wellnigh bordering on ecstasy. The bishop, a venerable old man, seemed to me God the Father leaning over his Eternity, and I beheld Heaven through the vault of the temple.
prayer - Gebet; (the Lord's Prayer) Paternoster
wellnigh - fast
bordering - angrenzend; Grenze, Rand, Rand, Beet
ecstasy - Ekstase; Ecstasy, Teile, Pillen
bishop - Läufer (Schach), Bischof
venerable - ehrwürdig, geschätzt, respektabel, verehrenswert
leaning - (to lean) sich an etwas lehnen
eternity - Ewigkeit
beheld - gesehen; betrachten, sehen, schauen, anschauen, ansehen
Heaven - Der Himmel; Himmel, Firmament, Paradies
vault - Tresor; sich wölben, überwölben
Temple - Tempel, Schläfe, Bethaus, Synagoge
You well know the details of that ceremony-the benediction, the communion under both forms, the anointing of the palms of the hands with the Oil of Catechumens, and then the holy sacrifice offered in concert with the bishop.
ceremony - Zeremonie, feierliche Handlung, Ritual, Feier
benediction - Segensspruch; Segnung
communion - Kommunion
anointing - Salbung; ölen, schmieren, einreiben, ölen, salben
palms - Palmen; Palme, Schaufel (am Geweih)
Catechumens - Katechumenen; Katechumene
holy - heilig
sacrifice - opfern; Opfer
offered - angeboten; offerieren, anbieten, bieten, zeigen; Antrag
Ah, truly spake Job when he declared that the imprudent man is one who hath not made a covenant with his eyes! I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her-although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing-a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence. It seemed as though scales had suddenly fallen from my eyes.
truly - wirklich, wahrhaft, ehrlich, echt
declared - erklärt; bekanntmachen, bekanntgeben, deklarieren, ausrufen
imprudent - unvorsichtig; unklug, unbedacht
covenant - Pakt; Bund; Zusage
accidentally - zufällig, durch Zufall, aus Versehen, versehentlich
considerable - erheblich, beträchtlich, beachtlich
sanctuary - Zufluchtsort; Zuflucht, Herberge, Asyl
railing - Geländer; (rail); Geländer
extraordinary - außerordentlich, außergewöhnlich
beauty - Schönheit; Schöner, Schöne, Prachtstück
Attired - Angezogen; Anzug, Aufzug, Kleidung, Tracht, anziehen, bekleiden
Royal - königlich; Royal; Royalsegel
magnificence - Großartigkeit; Prächtigkeit, Pracht
scales - Waagen; Skala, Kesselsteine, Schuppe; ersteigen, erklettern
I felt like a blind man who unexpectedly recovers his sight. The bishop, so radiantly glorious but an instant before, suddenly vanished away, the tapers paled upon their golden candlesticks like stars in the dawn, and a vast darkness seemed to fill the whole church. The charming creature appeared in brief relief against the background of that darkness, like some angelic revelation. She seemed herself radiant, and radiating light rather than receiving it.
blind man - Blinde {m,f}
unexpectedly - unerwartet, unerwarteterweise
recovers - erholt sich; wiederfinden, sich erholen, beikommen
sight - Sehenswürdigkeit, Gesicht, Visier, erblicken, anvisieren
radiantly - strahlende
glorious - ruhmvoll, glorreich, herrlich, prachtvoll
instant - sofort; augenblicklich, tafelfertig, Moment
vanished - verschwunden; verschwinden, vergehen, sich verflüchtigen
tapers - Kegel; abdrehen (konisch), zuspitzen, spitz zulaufen
paled - blass; Kumpel, Kamerad
Golden - golden, goldgelb
candlesticks - Kerzenständer; Kerzenhalter
dawn - dämmern; Morgendämmerung, Morgengrauen
vast - riesig; beträchtlich, weit, ausgedehnt, enorm
darkness - Dunkelheit, Finsternis
charming - charmant; (charm); charmant
creature - Wesen, Lebewesen, Fabelwesen
brief - kurz; prägnant; kurze Zusammenfassung; briefen, instruieren
relief - Erleichterung, Befreiung, Linderung, Unterstützung
revelation - Enthüllung, Offenbarung, Erkenntnis
radiating - strahlen, ausstrahlen
I lowered my eyelids, firmly resolved not to again open them, that I might not be influenced by external objects, for distraction had gradually taken possession of me until I hardly knew what I was doing.
lowered - gesenkt; niedriger, niedrigerer
eyelids - Augenlider; Augenlid
firmly - sicher, fest
resolved - geklärt; auflösen, beschließen
influenced - beeinflusst; Einfluss, Beeinflussung, Einfluss, Beeinflusser
external - außen-, extern, äußerlich
Distraction - Ablenkung, Ablenkungsmanöver, Störung, Zerstreuung, Wahnsinn
gradually - nach und nach, allmählich, stufenweise, schrittweise
hardly - hart, rau, kaum
In another minute, nevertheless, I reopened my eyes, for through my eyelashes I still beheld her, all sparkling with prismatic colours, and surrounded with such a purple penumbra as one beholds in gazing at the sun.
nevertheless - nichtsdestoweniger, trotzdem, lauch wenn, dennoch
reopened - wiedereröffnet; wiedereröffnen
eyelashes - Wimpern; Wimper, Augenwimper
sparkling - glitzernd, funkelnd, prickelnd, sprudelnd; (sparkle); glitzernd
prismatic - prismatisch
surrounded - umgeben, umringen, umzingeln, umringen
penumbra - Halbschatten; Penumbra
beholds - anschaut; betrachten, sehen, schauen, anschauen, ansehen
gazing at - anstarrend
Oh, how beautiful she was! The greatest painters, who followed ideal beauty into heaven itself, and thence brought back to earth the true portrait of the Madonna, never in their delineations even approached that wildly beautiful reality which I saw before me. Neither the verses of the poet nor the palette of the artist could convey any conception of her. She was rather tall, with a form and bearing of a goddess. Her hair, of a soft blonde hue, was parted in the midst and flowed back over her temples in two rivers of rippling gold; she seemed a diademed queen. Her forehead, bluish-white in its transparency, extended its calm breadth above the arches of her eyebrows, which by a strange singularity were almost black, and admirably relieved the effect of sea-green eyes of unsustainable vivacity and brilliancy. What eyes! With a single flash they could have decided a man's destiny. They had a life, a limpidity, an ardour, a humid light which I have never seen in human eyes; they shot forth rays like arrows, which I could distinctly see enter my heart.
thence - von dort aus; daher
portrait - Portrait, Porträt, Hochformat
delineations - Abgrenzungen; Skizze
approached - angesprochen; sich nähern, nahekommen, ähnlich sein
wildly - wild
reality - Wirklichkeit, Realität, checkRealität
verses - Verse; Strophe
nor - weder noch, auch nicht
palette - Farbpalette
convey - vermitteln; befördern, transportieren, verfrachten, übermitteln
conception - Empfängnis; Vorstellung, Konzeption
goddess - Göttin, weibliche Gottheit, weiblicher Gott
hue - Farbe, Tönung, Geschrei, Farbton
midst - mittendrin; Mitten, Mitte, inmitten
flowed - geflossen; Wasserführung; ich flösse, ich/er/sie floss (floß
temples - Schläfen; Tempel, Schläfe, Bethaus, Synagoge
rippling - (ripple) sich kräuseln, Wellen schlagen
diademed - diademisiert; Diadem
forehead - Stirn
bluish - bläulich
transparency - Durchsichtigkeit, Transparenz
extended - erweitert; erweitern, ausdehnen, erweitern, ausdehnen, ausweiten
Calm - ruhig; windstill; Ruhe; Windstille; beruhigen, ruhig stellen
breadth - Weite; Breite
arches - Gewölbe; Bogen
eyebrows - Augenbrauen; Braue, Augenbraue
Singularity - Eigenheit; Singularität
admirably - bewundernswert
relieved - Erleichtert; erleichtern, lindern, entlasten, ablösen
unsustainable - unhaltbar
vivacity - Lebendigkeit
brilliancy - Brillanz; Scharfsinn, Glanz, Genialität
flash - Blitzlicht; aufleuchten, blitzen, aufflammen
destiny - das Schicksal; Los, Geschick, Schicksal
limpidity - Laschheit; Klarheit
humid - feucht
shot - Schuss; (to shoot up) aufschießen
forth - weiter; heraus, hervor
rays - Schimmer, Strahl; ausstrahlen
arrows - Pfeile; Richtungspfeil, Pfeil
distinctly - deutlich
I know not if the fire which illumined them came from heaven or from hell, but assuredly it came from one or the other. That woman was either an angel or a demon, perhaps both. Assuredly she never sprang from the flank of Eve, our common mother. Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks. There was a delicacy and pride in the regal outline of her nostrils bespeaking noble blood. Agate gleams played over the smooth lustrous skin of her half-bare shoulders, and strings of great blonde pearls-almost equal to her neck in beauty of colour-descended upon her bosom. From time to time she elevated her head with the undulating grace of a startled serpent or peacock, thereby imparting a quivering motion to the high lace ruff which surrounded it like a silver trellis-work.
illumined - erhellt; beleuchten
hell - Hölle
assuredly - Sicherlich
demon - Dämon, Teufel
flank - in der Flanke angreifen; flankieren; Flanke
eve - Vorabend
lustrous - glänzend
gleamed - schimmerte; Schimmer; durchschimmern, glänzen
ruddy - rot, rötlich, verdammt, verflixt
inflection - Flexion, Beugung, Biegung, Betonung, Wendepunkt
lips - Lippen; Lippe, Auslauf, Überlauf, Schnaupe, Ansatz
dimples - Delle, Beule, Grübchen
Satiny - Satiniert; seidig
adorable - bezaubernd
cheeks - Wangen; Backe, qualifierormal, Backe, Stirn, Mick, Pumpenmick
delicacy - Feinheit, Zartheit, Delikatesse, Leckerbissen, Köstlichkeit
pride - Hochmut; Stolz, Trotz, Dünkel, Machtbewusstsein, Rudel
regal - königlich
outline - skizzieren; Umriss, Kontur, Skizze, Skizzierung, Umrisszeichnung
nostrils - Nasenlöcher; Nasenloch
bespeaking - zu sprechen; besprechen, diskutieren, mitteilen, vorbestellen
noble - edel; Adeliger, Adliger, Adelige, Adlige
agate - Achat
gleams - schimmert; Schimmer; durchschimmern, glänzen
smooth - glatt; reibungslos, problemlos, glätten
bare - knapp, kahl, nackt, bloß; entblößen, abnehmen, freimachen
strings - Schnur, Zeichenkette, String, Saite, String, auffädeln
pearls - Perlen; Perle, Perl
Equal - Gleichberechtigt; gleich; gleichen; Gleichgestellter
descended - abstammen; absteigen, niedergehen, herunterkommen, herabsteigen
bosom - Busen, Brust, der Busenfreund (bosom buddy)
elevated - erhöht; gehoben; (elevate); erhöhen, anheben
undulating - wogen, schwingen, wellenförmig bewegen, wellen, ondulieren
grace - Tischgebet; Anmut, Grazie, Aufschub, Fristverlängerung
startled - erschrocken; aufschrecken, scheuen, erschrecken
serpent - Schlange, Serpent
peacock - Pfau
thereby - dabei; dadurch, damit, deswegen, darum
imparting - zu vermitteln; weitergeben, gewähren, mitteilen, vermitteln
quivering - zitternd; zittern
motion - Bewegung
lace - schnüren, Spitze (Gewebe)
ruff - zerzaust; Krause; Kampfläufer (Vogel)
trellis - Spalier stehen; Gatter, Schmuckgitter, Ziergitter
She wore a robe of orange-red velvet, and from her wide ermine-lined sleeves there peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent that, like the fingers of Aurora, they permitted the light to shine through them.
robe - Gewand; Robe
velvet - Samt
ermine - Hermelin; Hermelin
sleeves - Ärmel, Hülse, Schutzhülle, Tülle, Köcher, Hülle, Muffe
peeped - gepiepst; (peep hole) Schauloch; (to peep through) durchgucken
patrician - Patrizier
infinite - unendlich, endlos, unzählige
ideally - idealerweise
aurora - Polarlicht
shine through - durchleuchten
And gazing I felt opening within me gates that had until then remained closed; vents long obstructed became all clear, permitting glimpses of unfamiliar perspectives within; life suddenly made itself visible to me under a totally novel aspect. I felt as though I had just been born into a new world and a new order of things. A frightful anguish commenced to torture my heart as with red-hot pincers. Every successive minute seemed to me at once but a second and yet a century. Meanwhile the ceremony was proceeding, and with an effort of will sufficient to have uprooted a mountain, I strove to cry out that I would not be a priest, but I could not speak; my tongue seemed nailed to my palate, and I found it impossible to express my will by the least syllable of negation.
gazing - starrt; anstarren
within - in, innerhalb
remained - geblieben; Überrest (2), de
vents - Lüftungsschlitze; entlüften
obstructed - behindert; behindern, versperren
all clear - Entwarnung
permitting - zulassen, erlauben; Erlaubnis, Erlaubnisschein
glimpses - flüchtige Einblicke; Blick, Aufblitzen
unfamiliar - ungewohnt
perspectives - Perspektiven; Aussicht, Perspektive, Perspektive, Perspektive
visible - sichtbar
totally - total; vollständig, komplett, völlig, absolut
aspect - Aspekt, Aktionsart
frightful - schrecklich
anguish - Ängste; Pein, Angst, Qual
commenced - begonnen; anfangen, beginnen
torture - Folter; Tortur; foltern
successive - erfolgreich
Meanwhile - In der Zwischenzeit; währenddessen, inzwischen, derweil
proceeding - Wie geht es weiter; fortsetzend, verfahrend; (proceed); vorgehen
effort - Anstrengung, Aufwand
sufficient - genügend, ausreichend, hinreichend
uprooted - entwurzelt; entwurzeln
strove - angestrebt; erstreben, bestreben
tongue - Zunge, Lasche
nailed - festgenagelt; nageln (derb. koitieren); annageln, Nagel, nageln
palate - Gaumen
syllable - Silbe
negation - Verneinung, Negierung, Negation
Though fully awake, I felt like one under the influence of a nightmare, who vainly strives to shriek out the one word upon which life depends.
fully - vollständig; völlig
awake - munter, wach; erwachen, aufwachen
influence - Einfluss; Beeinflussung, Beeinflusser, beeinflussen
nightmare - Albtraum, Alptraum
vainly - vergeblich
strives - strebt; erstreben, bestreben
shriek - schreien; Kreischen
She seemed conscious of the martyrdom I was undergoing, and, as though to encourage me, she gave me a look replete with divinest promise. Her eyes were a poem; their every glance was a song.
conscious - bei Bewusstsein, wach, aufmerksam
martyrdom - Märtyrertum; Märtyrertod; Martyrium
undergoing - unterziehen; durchmachen
encourage - ermutigen, ermuntern, empfehlen
replete - satt
divinest - am göttlichsten; göttlich
poem - Gedicht; Dichtung
glance - blicken; Blick, Streifblick, Glanz, Steinkohle
She said to me:
"If thou wilt be mine, I shall make thee happier than God Himself in His paradise. The angels themselves will be jealous of thee. tear off that funeral shroud in which thou art about to wrap thyself. I am Beauty, I am Youth, I am Life. Come to me! Together we shall be Love. Can Jehovah offer thee aught in exchange? Our lives will flow on like a dream, in one eternal kiss.
thou - du
wilt - verwelken; welken
thee - dich, dir
paradise - das Paradies; Paradies, Himmel
angels - Engeln; Engel
jealous - eifersüchtig; eifrig, eifernd, neidisch
tear off - abreißen, wegreißen
funeral - Bestattung, Beerdigung, Begräbnis
shroud - Leichentuch, Totenhemd
wrap - einhüllen, einwickeln, wickeln, einpacken, hüllen
thyself - Sie selbst; selbst
Jehovah - Jehova
aught - etwas
Exchange - austauschen, umtauschen, tauschen
flow - Wasserführung; ich flösse, ich/er/sie floss (floß
eternal - ewig
kiss - küssen
"Fling forth the wine of that chalice, and thou art free. I will conduct thee to the Unknown Isles. Thou shalt sleep in my bosom upon a bed of massy gold under a silver pavilion, for I love thee and would take thee away from thy God, before whom so many noble hearts pour forth floods of love which never reach even the steps of His throne!"
fling - Seitensprung; Affäre (Liebesaffäre)
chalice - Kelch
conduct - Leitung, Führung, leiten, führen, sich verhalten, sich benehmen
unknown - unbekannt; Unbekannte; Unbekannter
Isles - Eiland
massy - massig
pavilion - Pavillon
thy - deine; dein
whom - wen; wem; dem, der, den, die
pour - schütten, einschenken, gießen
floods - Überschwemmungen; Flut, Flut, überschwemmen, überfluten
throne - Thron
These words seemed to float to my ears in a rhythm of infinite sweetness, for her look was actually sonorous, and the utterances of her eyes were re-echoed in the depths of my heart as though living lips had breathed them into my life. I felt myself willing to renounce God, and yet my tongue mechanically fulfilled all the formalities of the ceremony.
float - treiben, schwimmen, schweben, gleiten
rhythm - Rhythmus
sweetness - Süßigkeit; Süße
sonorous - klangvoll
echoed - widerhallt; Echo
depths - Untiefen; Tiefe
breathed - geatmet; atmen, einatmen, hauchen
renounce - sich distanzieren, sich verleugnen, verzichten;einer Sache abschwören
mechanically - mechanisch
fulfilled - erfüllt; erfüllen, ableisten, anfüllen, gerecht werden
formalities - Formalitäten; Formalie
The fair one gave me another look, so beseeching, so despairing that keen blades seemed to pierce my heart, and I felt my bosom transfixed by more swords than those of Our Lady of Sorrows.
beseeching - anflehend; (to beseech) ersuchen, anflehen
despairing - verzweifelt; verzweifeln, Verzweiflung
keen - eifrig, scharf
blades - Klingen; Klinge, Turbinenschaufel, Grashalm, Klinge, Blatt
pierce - lochen, durchbohren
transfixed - verblüfft; durchstechen, durchbohren
swords - Schwerter; Schwert
sorrows - Kummer, Traurigkeit, Trauer, Sorge, Kümmernis, Leiden
All was consummated; I had become a priest.
consummated - vollzogen; perfekt, vollkommen, vollendet, unübertrefflich
Never was deeper anguish painted on human face than upon hers. The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable. All the blood had abandoned her charming face, leaving it whiter than marble; her beautiful arms hung lifelessly on either side of her body as though their muscles had suddenly relaxed, and she sought the support of a pillar, for her yielding limbs almost betrayed her.
maiden - Jungfrau
affianced - verlobt; Verlobung; sich verloben
bending - beugend, biegend; (bend); beugen; biegen, durchbiegen, Kurve
cradle - Wiege; wiegen
threshold - Schwelle, Türschwelle
miser - Geizhals, Geizkragen, Geiziger, Geizige
substituted - ersetzt; ersetzen, auswechseln, Ersatz, Ersatzspieler
treasure - Schatz; schätzen
permits - Genehmigungen; zulassen, erlauben; Erlaubnis, Erlaubnisschein
manuscript - Handschrift, Manuskript, Handschrift, Manuskript
inconsolable - untröstlich
abandoned - im Stich lassen, preisgeben, verlassen, abbrechen
marble - Marmor; Murmel; marmorieren
hung - aufgehängt; hängen
lifelessly - leblos
muscles - Muskeln; Muskel
sought - gesucht; suchen
pillar - Pfeiler, Säule
yielding - nachgeben; (yield) hervorbringen, er/sie hat/hatte ergeben
limbs - Gliedmaßen; Schenkel (geol. Falte), Glied
betrayed - verraten, im Stich lassen, verraten, verraten, verraten
As for myself, I staggered toward the door of the church, livid as death, my forehead bathed with a sweat bloodier than that of Calvary; I felt as though I were being strangled; the vault seemed to have flattened down upon my shoulders, and it seemed to me that my head alone sustained the whole weight of the dome.
staggered - gestaffelt; Staffelung; abstufen, staffeln, wanken
toward - zu, in Richtung, nach, auf
livid - blau; blass vor Wut, wütend, fuchsteufelswild
sweat - schwitzen; Schweiß
bloodier - blutiger; blutig, blutbefleckt
strangled - erdrosselt; strangulieren, erwürgen
flattened - abgeflacht; plätten, flachmachen, planieren, plattmachen
dome - Kuppel
As I was about to cross the threshold a hand suddenly caught mine-a woman's hand! I had never till then touched the hand of any woman. It was cold as a serpent's skin, and yet its impress remained upon my wrist, burnt there as though branded by a glowing iron. It was she. "Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done?" she exclaimed in a low voice, and immediately disappeared in the crowd.
till then - bis dahin, bis nachher
impress - beeindrucken; prägen
wrist - Handgelenk
branded - gebrandmarkt; Brandzeichen
glowing - glühen, abstrahlen, leuchten, Glühen
iron - eisern; bügeln; in Eisen legen
exclaimed - ausgerufen; ausrufen
The aged bishop passed by. He cast a severe and scrutinizing look upon me. My face presented the wildest aspect imaginable; I blushed and turned pale alternately; dazzling lights flashed before my eyes. A companion took pity on me. He seized my arm and led me out. I could not possibly have found my way back to the seminary unassisted. At the corner of a street, while the young priest's attention was momentarily turned in another direction, a negro page, fantastically garbed, approached me, and without pausing on his way slipped into my hand a little pocket-book with gold-embroidered corners, at the same time giving me a sign to hide it.
cast - werfen; wegwerfen, hinwerfen, gießen, Cast, Besetzung, Ensemble
severe - schwerwiegend; streng
scrutinizing - gründlich prüfen, hinterfragen, gewissenhaft überprüfen
imaginable - vorstellbar
blushed - errötet; Schamröte; erröten, sich schämen
pale - Pfahl, blass; bleich (vor), blass (vor)
alternately - abwechselnd
dazzling - schillernd; blendend, grell, umwerfend, betörend
flashed - geflasht; aufleuchten, blitzen, aufflammen
companion - Begleiter, Freund, Liebhaber, Kamerad
pity - Mitleid; schade; bemitleiden, Mitleid haben mit
seized - beschlagnahmt; ergreifen, fassen, greifen, packen, ergreifen
led - geführt; LED; (lead) führen, anführen
Possibly - vielleicht, eventuell, möglicherweise, negated: unmöglich
unassisted - ohne fremde Hilfe
momentarily - Momentan
negro - schwarz; Neger
fantastically - fantastisch
garbed - bekleidet; Tracht, Gewand
pausing - pausierend; (pause); pausieren, innehalten, Pause
slipped - ausgerutscht; Versprecher; Rutschen (geradeaus); Lapsus
pocket-book - (pocket-book) Taschenbuch
embroidered - bestickt; sticken, ausschmücken
I concealed it in my sleeve, and there kept it until I found myself alone in my cell. Then I opened the clasp. There were only two leaves within, bearing the words, "Clarimonde. At the Concini Palace." So little acquainted was I at that time with the things of this world that I had never heard of Clarimonde, celebrated as she was, and I had no idea as to where the Concini Palace was situated. I hazarded a thousand conjectures, each more extravagant than the last; but, in truth, I cared little whether she were a great lady or a courtesan, so that I could but see her once more.
concealed - versteckt; verbergen, verheimlichen, verschleiern, verschweigen
sleeve - Ärmel; Hülse, Schutzhülle, Tülle, Köcher
cell - Zelle, Speicherzelle
clasp - Spange, Klammer, Schnalle, Griff, greifen
acquainted - kennengelernt; vertraut machen, in Kenntnis setzen
situated - gelegen; aufstellen, unterbringen
hazarded - riskiert; Zufall, Gefahr, Hindernis
conjectures - Vermutungen; Vermutung, Verdacht, Mutmaßung, Vermutung
truth - Wahrheit, Treue
whether - ob
courtesan - Hofdame; Kurtisane
My love, although the growth of a single hour, had taken imperishable root. I gave myself up to a thousand extravagancies. I kissed the place upon my hand which she had touched, and I repeated her name over and over again for hours in succession. I only needed to close my eyes in order to see her distinctly as though she were actually present; and I reiterated to myself the words she had uttered in my ear at the church porch: "Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done?" I comprehended at last the full horror of my situation, and the funereal and awful restraints of the state into which I had just entered became clearly revealed to me.
growth - Wachstum; Bewuchs, Vegetation, Bewucherung, Geschwulst
imperishable - unvergänglich, widerstandsfähig
root - wurzeln; Haupt, Wurzel, Nullstelle [math.]
kissed - geküsst; küssen
succession - Nachfolge; Abfolge; Thronfolge
reiterated - wiederholen; reiterieren
uttered - geäußert; äußerst
porch - Vorbau, Vordach, Veranda
comprehended - begriffen; umfassen, verstehen, begreifen, erfassen, einsehen
horror - Angst, Furcht, Horror, Grauen
funereal - Trauerspiel
restraints - Fesseln; Beschränkung, Zügelung, Einschränkung, Zwang
revealed - aufgedeckt; enthüllen, offenbaren
To be a priest!-that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one's own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one's self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.
chaste - keusch
observe - beobachten; beachten, halten, bemerken
distinction - Unterscheidung; Unterschied; Auszeichnung
sex - Alter, Geschlecht, Wohnort?, Geschlecht
forever - für immer, ewig, unaufhörlich, auf immer
crouching - hockend; sich ducken (vor), kriechen; kauern, hocken
chill - chillen; Mutlosigkeit, Frostgefühl
shadows - Schatten, beschatten, beschatten
cloister - Kreuzgang; Kloster; Klosterleben, Klausur
dying - (to die) sterben, umkommen; (dye) (to die) sterben, umkommen
corpses - Leichen; Leiche, Leichnam
soutane - Soutane, Sutane
garb - Gewandung; Tracht, Gewand
mourning - trauern; Trauer; Trauerkleidung
self - Selbst
Pall - übersättigen, schal werden, langweilen; Sargtuch, Bahrtuch
coffin - Sarg, einsargen
What could I do in order to see Clarimonde once more? I had no pretext to offer for desiring to leave the seminary, not knowing any person in the city. I would not even be able to remain there but a short time, and was only waiting my assignment to the curacy which I must thereafter occupy. I tried to remove the bars of the window; but it was at a fearful height from the ground, and I found that as I had no ladder it would be useless to think of escaping thus.
pretext - Vorwand, Deckmantel, fadenscheinige Begründung, Ausrede
desiring - begehren, begehren, Begehren
remain - Überrest (2); Überreste (3); sterbliche Überreste (3); bleiben
assignment - Auftrag; Zuweisung, Übertragung, Zuordnung, Aufgabe
curacy - Kuratie
thereafter - und danach
occupy - in Anspruch nehmen, belegen, bewohnen, besetzen, okkupieren
fearful - furchtbar; furchtsam, ängstlich, verängstigt
ladder - Leiter; Laufmasche
useless - nutzlos, unnützlich, wertlos
escaping - fliehen; entgehen, entgehen, ausweichen, davonkommen, Flucht
thus - also; auf diese Weise, so, demnach, folglich, dieses
And, furthermore, I could descend thence only by night in any event, and afterward how should I be able to find my way through the inextricable labyrinth of streets? All these difficulties, which to many would have appeared altogether insignificant, were gigantic to me, a poor seminarist who had fallen in love only the day before for the first time, without experience, without money, without attire.
descend - absteigen, niedergehen, herunterkommen, herabsteigen
by night - nachts
afterward - nachher
inextricable - unentwirrbar
labyrinth - Labyrinth
difficulties - Schwierigkeiten; Schwierigkeit
altogether - ganz und gar, ohne Ausnahme, ausnahmslos, insgesamt
insignificant - unbedeutend
gigantic - gigantisch, kolossal
seminarist - Seminarist
attire - Anzug, Aufzug, Kleidung, Tracht, anziehen
"Ah!" cried I to myself in my blindness, "were I not a priest I could have seen her every day; I might have been her lover, her spouse. Instead of being wrapped in this dismal shroud of mine I would have had garments of silk and velvet, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonoured by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed moustache; I would be a gallant.
blindness - Blindheit
spouse - Gatte, Gattin, Ehepartner, Ehepartnerin
wrapped - eingewickelt; einhüllen, einwickeln, wickeln, einpacken, hüllen
dismal - düster; unzureichend, unzulänglich, jämmerlich, kläglich
garments - Kleidungsstücke; Kleidungsstück
silk - Seide
chains - Kette, Kette, Kette, Kette, anketten, ketten
sword - Schwert; Schwertkämpfer, Schwertkämpferin
plumes - Federn; Schadstofffahne, Abwasserfahne
handsome - gut aussehend; hübsch, stattlich, gutaussehend, ansehnlich
cavaliers - Kavaliere; nachlässig, übermütig, hochmütig, Kavallerist
dishonoured - entehrt; Schande, schänden
tonsure - Tonsur
curls - Locken; Locke
waxed - gewachst; das Wachs
moustache - Schnurrbart, Oberlippenbart, Schnauzbart, Schnauzer
gallant - Galan (galanter Mann), galant, Verehrer
But one hour passed before an altar, a few hastily articulated words, had forever cut me off from the number of the living, and I had myself sealed down the stone of my own tomb; I had with my own hand bolted the gate of my prison!
altar - Altar
hastily - hastig
articulated - artikuliert; wortgewandt; artikulieren, deutlich aussprechen
sealed - versiegelt; versiegeln; Siegel, Stempel, Seehund
tomb - Grabmal, Gruft
bolted - verriegelt; Riegel, Ballen, Blitz, Bolzen; durchgehen (Pferd)
I went to the window. The sky was beautifully blue; the trees had donned their spring robes; nature seemed to be making parade of an ironical joy. The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs-it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gaiety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude. On the steps of the gate sat a young mother playing with her child. She kissed its little rosy mouth still impearled with drops of milk, and performed, in order to amuse it, a thousand divine little puerilities such as only mothers know how to invent.
beautifully - schön
robes - Gewänder; Robe
parade - stolzieren; Exerzierplatz, Korso, Aufzug
ironical - ironisch
beauties - Schönheiten; Schönheit, Schöner, Schönheit, Schöne, Prachtstück
sauntering - schlendernd; (saunter); erman: müßig umherschlendern; bummeln (to saunter about); erman: Umherschlendern; gemächliche Wanderung; Schlendergang
groves - Hainen; Hain, Gehölz
merry - fröhlich, heiter
youths - Jugend, Jugendlichkeit, Jugend, Jugendzeit, Jugendlicher
cheerily - fröhlich; froh
trolling - Trollen; (troll); Trollen
refrains - zurückhalten; Refrain, Kehrreim
animation - Belebung, Vitalisierung, Animation
gaiety - Fröhlichkeit; Frohsinn, Glücklichsein
Bitter - herb, rau, bitter
contrast - Kontrast; Gegensatz, Unterschied, gegenüberstellen
solitude - Einsamkeit, Alleinsein
rosy - rosig, rosenfarbig
amuse - amüsieren, vergnügen, belustigen, erheitern
divine - göttlich
puerilities - Kinderkrankheiten; Pürilität
The father standing at a little distance smiled gently upon the charming group, and with folded arms seemed to hug his joy to his heart. I could not endure that spectacle. I closed the window with violence, and flung myself on my bed, my heart filled with frightful hate and jealousy, and gnawed my fingers and my bed covers like a tiger that has passed ten days without food.
gently - sanft
folded - falten, zusammenlegen, verschränken (Arme); Falte, gefaltete
hug - Umarmung; umarmen
endure - ertragen, aushalten, dulden, von Bestand sein
spectacle - Spektakel, Schauspiel
violence - Gewalt, Gewalttaten, Gewalttätigkeiten
flung - geschleudert; Affäre (Liebesaffäre)
jealousy - Eifersucht, Missgunst, Neid
gnawed - abgenagt; nagen, kauen, knabbern, nagen, verfolgen, umtreiben
tiger - Tiger
I know not how long I remained in this condition, but at last, while writhing on the bed in a fit of spasmodic fury, I suddenly perceived the Abbé Sérapion, who was standing erect in the centre of the room, watching me attentively. Filled with shame of myself, I let my head fall upon my breast and covered my face with my hands.
writhing - sich winden; gekrümmt; (writhe); winden, krümmen
spasmodic - krampfhaft
fury - Wut; Furie
perceived - wahrgenommen; wahrnehmen
erect - aufrecht; stramm (Haltung), steif; errichten
attentively - aufmerksam zuhören; aufmerksam
shame - Schamgefühl; Scham, Schande
breast - Brust; -brust, Entenbrust
"Romuald, my friend, something very extraordinary is transpiring within you," observed Sérapion, after a few moments'silence; "your conduct is altogether inexplicable. You-always so quiet, so pious, so gentle-you to rage in your cell like a wild beast! Take heed, brother-do not listen to the suggestions of the devil.
transpiring - was passiert; sich ereignen, geschehen; schwitzen
observed - beobachtet; beobachten, beachten, halten, bemerken
silence - Stille, Schweigen, zum Schweigen bringen, Ruhe
inexplicable - unerklärlich
pious - fromm, pietätvoll, scheinheilig
gentle - liebenswürdig; einfühlsam, sanftmütig, gemächlich, sachte
rage - Wut, Zorn, Raserei, Rage, wüten
beast - Tier, Bestie, Unmensch, Biest
heed - beachtet; beherzigen, beachten
devil - dem Teufel; Teufel, Satan, Teufelin, reizen, ärgern
Fear not. Never allow yourself to become discouraged. The most watchful and steadfast souls are at moments liable to such temptation. Pray, fast, meditate, and the Evil Spirit will depart from you."
discouraged - entmutigt; entmutigen, abschrecken, abraten, abraten von
most watchful - wachsamste
steadfast - unerschütterlich; unentwegt, standhaft
souls - Seelen; Inbrunst, Seele, Gefühl, Herz
liable - haftbar; fehlbar
temptation - Versuchung, Verführung
Pray - Bitte bedenken Sie doch!; beten
meditate - meditieren
evil - böse; Sünde, übel, üblen, Ăśbel
spirit - Geist, Seele, Stimmung, Schnaps
depart - abreisen; verlassen, aufbrechen, abweichen
The words of the Abbé Sérapion restored me to myself, and I became a little more calm. "I came," he continued, "to tell you that you have been appointed to the curacy of C--. The priest who had charge of it has just died, and Monseigneur the Bishop has ordered me to have you installed there at once. Be ready, therefore, to start tomorrow."
restored - wiederhergestellt; wiederherstellen, restaurieren, restaurieren
appointed - ernannt; bestimmen, festlegen, ausstatten, ausrüsten, festlegen
charge - Gebühr; Entgelt; Ladung; Last; Rempeln; beauftragen, belasten
installed - installiert; installieren
therefore - deswegen, deshalb, darum, also (folglich), daher
To leave tomorrow without having been able to see her again, to add yet another barrier to the many already interposed between us, to lose forever all hope of being able to meet her, except, indeed, through a miracle! Even to write her, alas!
barrier - Sperre, Schranke
interposed - zwischengeschaltet; zwischenschalten, dazwischenstellen
indeed - tatsächlich; in der Tat, genau, allerdings, checkgewiss
miracle - ein Wunder; Wunder, Mirakel
Alas - leider [Gottes]; (ala) leider [Gottes]
would be impossible, for by whom could I despatch my letter? With my sacred character of priest, to whom could I dare unbosom myself, in whom could I confide? I became a prey to the bitterest anxiety.
despatch - Versenden; Tötung
sacred - heilig
unbosom - offenbaren
confide - anvertrauen; vertrauen; einweihen, ins Vertrauen ziehen
prey - Beute; lauern, auflauern
bitterest - am bittersten; herb, rau, bitter
anxiety - Ängste; Besorgnis, Angst, Sorge
Next morning Sérapion came to take me away. Two mules freighted with our miserable valises awaited us at the gate. He mounted one, and I the other as well as I knew how.
mules - Maultiere; Schlappen, Maultier
freighted - verfrachtet; verfrachten; Fracht, Frachtgut
miserable - unglücklich; elend, erbärmlich, jämmerlich, miserabel
valises - Wertgegenstände; kleiner Handkoffer
awaited - erwartet; erwarten, harren, warten
mounted - montiert; Reittier, Berg, Lafette (Waffe); einbauen, aufsteigen
As we passed along the streets of the city, I gazed attentively at all the windows and balconies in the hope of seeing Clarimonde, but it was yet early in the morning, and the city had hardly opened its eyes. Mine sought to penetrate the blinds and window-curtains of all the palaces before which we were passing. Sérapion doubtless attributed this curiosity to my admiration of the architecture, for he slackened the pace of his animal in order to give me time to look around me. At last we passed the city gates and commenced to mount the hill beyond. When we arrived at its summit I turned to take a last look at the place where Clarimonde dwelt. The shadow of a great cloud hung over all the city; the contrasting colours of its blue and red roofs were lost in the uniform half-tint, through which here and there floated upward, like white flakes of foam, the smoke of freshly kindled fires.
gazed - gestarrt; anstarren
balconies - Balkone; Balkon
penetrate - durchdringen; eindringen, penetrieren
blinds - Jalousien; blind, blind, unkritisch, ignorant, blind, Jalousie
curtains - Vorhänge; Vorhang, Vorhang
doubtless - zweifelsfrei, zweifellos
attributed - zugeschrieben; Eigenschaft, Merkmal
curiosity - Neugier, Neugierde, Kuriosität, Kuriosum
admiration - Bewunderung
slackened - erlahmt; entspannen
pace - Tempo, Stufe, Schritt
mount - Reittier, Berg, Lafette (Waffe); einbauen, aufsteigen
beyond - darüber hinaus; jenseits
summit - Gipfel
dwelt - wohnte; leben, verbleiben, wohnen, verweilen
shadow - Schatten; beschatten
hung over - überhängte
contrasting - kontrastierend; Kontrast, Kontrast, Gegensatz, Kontrast
tint - färben, tönen; Farbe, Farbton
floated - getrieben; treiben, schwimmen, schweben, schwimmen, treiben
upward - nach oben; ansteigend, aufwärts
flakes - Spinner; sich abschälen, abblättern; Fetzen, Flocke
foam - Schaum; Schaumgummi; schäumen
freshly - frisch
kindled - entfacht; anzünden
By a singular optical effect one edifice, which surpassed in height all the neighbouring buildings that were still dimly veiled by the vapours, towered up, fair and lustrous with the gilding of a solitary beam of sunlight-although actually more than a league away it seemed quite near. The smallest details of its architecture were plainly distinguishable-the turrets, the platform, the window-casements and even the swallow-tailed weather vanes.
singular - einzeln; einzigartig; ungewöhnlich; singularisch; singulär; Einzahl
optical - optisch
edifice - Bauwerk, Gebäude, Lehrgebäude, Gedankengebäude
surpassed - übertroffen; übersteigen, übertreffen, überschreiten
buildings - Bau, bildend, Erstellung, Gebäude
dimly - undeutlich; trübe
veiled - verschleiert; Vorhang, Schleier, verschleiern, verhüllen
vapours - Dämpfe; der Dampf
gilding - Vergolden; Blattgold; Vergoldung; (gild); Vergolden; Blattgold; Vergoldung
solitary - einsam, einzeln
beam - Balken; Breite; Pflugbaum, Grindel, Strahl, strahlen, beamen
sunlight - Sonnenlicht
League - Liga, Spielklasse, Bund
plainly - klar und deutlich; klar
distinguishable - unterscheidbar
turrets - Revolver; Tourelle, Türmchen
casements - Fensterflügel, Drehflügel
swallow - schlucken, verschlingen, anbeißen, einstecken
tailed - geschwänzt; Zipfel
vanes - Schaufeln; Flügel, Schaufel, Drehflügel, Fahne, Federfahne
"What is that place I see over there, all lighted up by the sun?" I asked Sérapion. He shaded his eyes with his hand, and having looked in the direction indicated, replied: "It is the ancient palace which the Prince Concini has given to the courtesan Clarimonde. Awful things are done there!"
see over - hinwegsehen, genau ansehen
lighted up - aufgeleuchtet
shaded - schattiert; Maifisch
indicated - angezeigt; anzeigen, anweisen, andeuten, anzeigen, andeuten
prince - Fürst; Prinz, Königssohn, Königsenkel, König
At that instant, I know not yet whether it was a reality or an illusion, I fancied I saw gliding along the terrace a shapely white figure, which gleamed for a moment in passing and as quickly vanished. It was Clarimonde.
illusion - Illusion, Wahnvorstellung, Sinnestäuschung
gliding - Segelfliegen; Segelflug
terrace - Dachterrasse; Häuserreihe; Häuserflucht; Stehtribüne; Stehplätze
shapely - wohlgeformt
Oh, did she know that at that very hour, all feverish and restless-from the height of the rugged road which separated me from her and which, alas!
feverish - fiebrig, febril, fieberhaft
restless - unruhig; ruhelos, rastlos, checkunruhig
rugged - robust, schroff; (rug); Teppich, Brücke
I could never more descend-I was directing my eyes upon the palace where she dwelt, and which a mocking beam of sunlight seemed to bring nigh to me, as though inviting me to enter therein as its lord? Undoubtedly she must have known it, for her soul was too sympathetically united with mine not to have felt its least emotional thrill, and that subtle sympathy it must have been which prompted her to climb-although clad only in her night-dress-to the summit of the terrace, amid the icy dews of the morning.
mocking - spöttisch; (moc) spöttisch
nigh - naht; nahe, nah bei, beinahe, nahezu
Therein - darin
Lord - Gebieter; Herr; herrschen
Undoubtedly - Zweifelsohne; zweifellos
soul - Inbrunst, Seele, Gefühl, Herz
sympathetically - wohlwollend
thrill - Aufregung; Nervenkitzel; erregen, erschauern, durchdringen
subtle - subtil, fast unmerklich, haarfein, dezent
sympathy - Mitleid, Mitgefühl, Empathie, Einfühlungsvermögen, Sympathie
prompted - veranlasst; Eingabeaufforderung, anleiten, antreiben
amid - inmitten; mitten unter
icy - eisig, Eis
dews - Tauwetter; tauen; Tau
The shadow gained the palace, and the scene became to the eye only a motionless ocean of roofs and gables, amid which one mountainous undulation was distinctly visible. Sérapion urged his mule forward, my own at once followed at the same gait, and a sharp angle in the road at last hid the city of S-- forever from my eyes, as I was destined never to return thither. At the close of a weary three-days'journey through dismal country fields, we caught sight of the cock upon the steeple of the church which I was to take charge of, peeping above the trees, and after having followed some winding roads fringed with thatched cottages and little gardens, we found ourselves in front of the façade, which certainly possessed few features of magnificence. A porch ornamented with some mouldings, and two or three pillars rudely hewn from sandstone; a tiled roof with counterforts of the same sandstone as the pillars, that was all.
Gained - Gewonnen; Gewinn, Zunahme, Verstärkung; erwerben, gewinnen
motionless - unbeweglich, reglos, bewegungslos
gables - Giebel, Gabel
mountainous - bergig, gebirgig
undulation - wellenförmig; Wellenbewegung, Wellenform
urged - gedrängt; Drang, drängen, mahnen, treiben, anspornen
mule - Schlappen, Maultier
gait - Gang, Gangart (eines Pferdes)
sharp - scharf; scharfsinning; spitz, -is, hoch, stechend
angle - Winkel; Angel
destined - bestimmt; bestimmen, vorbestimmen
thither - dorthin, dahin
weary - müde
journey through - Durchreise
cock - Vogelmännchen; Gockel, Hahn; erigierter Penis (vulg.), Pimmel
steeple - Kirchturm
peeping - spähen; (peep hole) Schauloch; (to peep through) durchgucken
winding - (wind) aufspulen, rollen, blasen, aufwickeln
fringed - ausgefranst; Franse, Saum, Einfassung, Rand, Peripherie
thatched - strohgedeckt; Dachstroh
cottages - Hütten; Cottage
façade - Fassade
possessed - besessen; besitzen, besitzen
ornamented - verziert; Verzierung, musikalische Verzierung
mouldings - Formteile; Zierleiste, Profil, schimmelnd, gießend
pillars - Pfeilern; Pfeiler, Säule
rudely - unhöflich; grob, unanständig
hewn - behauen; gehauen, gehoben; (hew) behauen; gehauen, gehoben
sandstone - Sandstein
tiled roof - Ziegeldach
counterforts - Gegenleistungen
To the left lay the cemetery, overgrown with high weeds, and having a great iron cross rising up in its centre; to the right stood the presbytery, under the shadow of the church. It was a house of the most extreme simplicity and frigid cleanliness. We entered the enclosure. A few chickens were picking up some oats scattered upon the ground; accustomed, seemingly, to the black habit of ecclesiastics, they showed no fear of our presence and scarcely troubled themselves to get out of our way. A hoarse, wheezy barking fell upon our ears, and we saw an aged dog running toward us.
lay - legen; richten (Tisch)
cemetery - Friedhof, Gottesacker, Totenacker
overgrown - überwuchert; überwuchern
weeds - Unkraut; (weed) aussondern
presbytery - Presbyterium
simplicity - Einfachheit
frigid - frigide; kalt
cleanliness - Sauberkeit, Reinlichkeit
enclosure - Anlage, Beilage, Beilegen, Beifügen, Hinzufügen, Gehege
oats - Hafer, Haber
scattered - verstreut; zerstreuen, zerstreuen, streuen, verstreuen
accustomed - Gewöhnt; gewöhnen, gewöhnen
seemingly - scheinbar; anscheinende
ecclesiastics - Kirchenmänner und -frauen; kirchlich, geistlich, Geistlicher
presence - Anwesenheit
hoarse - heiser
wheezy - keuchend; engbrüstig
barking - Bellen
It was my predecessor's dog. He had dull bleared eyes, grizzled hair, and every mark of the greatest age to which a dog can possibly attain. I patted him gently, and he proceeded at once to march along beside me with an air of satisfaction unspeakable.
predecessor - Vorgänger, Vorgängerin, Vorläufer
dull - stumpf; fad, langweilig, matt, blöd, blöde
bleared - gebleicht; trübe
grizzled - nörgeln
attain - erreichen, erlangen
patted - getätschelt; Pat
proceeded - fortgefahren; vorgehen
beside - daneben; neben
satisfaction - Befriedigung; Zufriedenheit; Satisfaktion, Genugtuung
unspeakable - unaussprechlich
A very old woman, who had been the housekeeper of the former curé, also came to meet us, and after having invited me into a little back parlour, asked whether I intended to retain her. I replied that I would take care of her, and the dog, and the chickens, and all the furniture her master had bequeathed her at his death. At this she became fairly transported with joy, and the Abbé Sérapion at once paid her the price which she asked for her little property.
housekeeper - Haushälterin; Hausfrau; (hired) Haushälterin; (hired) Haushälter
former - erstgenannt, ehem. ehemalig, frühere, früher
parlour - Wohnzimmer, Stube; Sprechzimmer
intended - beabsichtigt; gedacht; (intend); beabsichtigen, vorhaben
retain - beibehalten; behalten; festhalten
Master - Haupt.., Grund, Meister, führend, leitend; bewältigen, meistern
bequeathed - vererbt; hinterlassen, vererben, vermachen, aussetzen
fairly - gerecht
property - Eigentum, Besitz, Anwesen, Grundbesitz, Grundstück, Eigenschaft
For a whole year I fulfilled all the duties of my calling with the most scrupulous exactitude, praying and fasting, exhorting and lending ghostly aid to the sick, and bestowing alms even to the extent of frequently depriving myself of the very necessaries of life. But I felt a great aridness within me, and the sources of grace seemed closed against me.
fulfilled - erfüllt; erfüllen, einhalten, erfüllen, erfüllen
duties - Pflichten; Pflicht, Schicht, Arbeitszeit, Zoll, Einfuhrsteuer
scrupulous - skrupellos
exactitude - Exaktheit, Genauigkeit
praying - flehend, betend; (pray) flehend, betend
exhorting - Ermahnend; ermahnen, anhalten, bedrängen, verlangen, anspornen
ghostly - geisterhaft, spukhaft
aid - Hilfsmittel, Hilfe, Mithilfe; helfen, beispringen
bestowing - Verleihung; verstauen, einlagern, unterbringen, schenken
alms - Almosen
extent - Umfang, Ausdehnung, Ausmaß, Größe
frequently - häufig
depriving - Entbehren; berauben
necessaries of life - Lebensbedürfnisse
aridness - Trockenheit
I never found that happiness which should spring from the fulfilment of a holy mission; my thoughts were far away, and the words of Clarimonde were ever upon my lips like an involuntary refrain. Oh, brother, meditate well on this! Through having but once lifted my eyes to look upon a woman, through one fault apparently so venial, I have for years remained a victim to the most miserable agonies, and the happiness of my life has been destroyed forever.
Happiness - Glücklich sein; Glück, Glücklichkeit, Fröhlichkeit
spring from - herrühren von
fulfilment - Erfüllung
mission - Auftrag; Mission
involuntary - unabsichtlich, unwillkürlich, ungewollt, unfreiwillig
refrain - zurückhalten; Refrain, Kehrreim
fault - Fehler; Schuld; Fehler, Charakterschwäche, Verfehlung
apparently - offensichtlich, offenbar, scheinbar, anscheinend
venial - verzeihlich; lässlich
victim - Opfer
most miserable - jämmerlichste
agonies - Qualen; Agonie, Qual, Pein, Qual, Todeskampf, Freudenausbruch
I will not longer dwell upon those defeats, or on those inward victories invariably followed by yet more terrible falls, but will at once proceed to the facts of my story. One night my door-bell was long and violently rung. The aged housekeeper arose and opened to the stranger, and the figure of a man, whose complexion was deeply bronzed, and who was richly clad in a foreign costume, with a poniard at his girdle, appeared under the rays of Barbara's lantern. Her first impulse was one of terror, but the stranger reassured her, and stated that he desired to see me at once on matters relating to my holy calling. Barbara invited him upstairs, where I was on the point of retiring. The stranger told me that his mistress, a very noble lady, was lying at the point of death, and desired to see a priest. I replied that I was prepared to follow him, took with me the sacred articles necessary for extreme unction, and descended in all haste. Two horses black as the night itself stood without the gate, pawing the ground with impatience, and veiling their chests with long streams of smoky vapour exhaled from their nostrils. He held the stirrup and aided me to mount upon one; then, merely laying his hand upon the pummel of the saddle, he vaulted on the other, pressed the animal's sides with his knees, and loosened rein. The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion. We devoured the road. The ground flowed backward beneath us in a long streaked line of pale grey, and the black silhouettes of the trees seemed fleeing by us on either side like an army in rout. We passed through a forest so profoundly gloomy that I felt my flesh creep in the chill darkness with superstitious fear. The showers of bright sparks which flew from the stony road under the ironshod feet of our horses, remained glowing in our wake like a fiery trail; and had any one at that hour of the night beheld us both-my guide and myself-he must have taken us for two spectres riding upon nightmares. Witch-fires ever and anon flitted across the road before us, and the night-birds shrieked fearsomely in the depth of the woods beyond, where we beheld at intervals glow the phosphorescent eyes of wildcats. The manes of the horses became more and more dishevelled, the sweat streamed over their flanks, and their breath came through their nostrils hard and fast. But when he found them slacking pace, the guide reanimated them by uttering a strange, guttural, unearthly cry, and the gallop recommenced with fury. At last the whirlwind race ceased; a huge black mass pierced through with many bright points of light suddenly rose before us, the hoofs of our horses echoed louder upon a strong wooden drawbridge, and we rode under a great vaulted archway which darkly yawned between two enormous towers.
defeats - Niederlagen; vernichten, ablehnen, vereiteln
inward - innere; innen
invariably - ausnahmslos
more terrible - furchtbarere
proceed - fortfahren; vorgehen
bell - Klingel, Schelle, Glocke
violently - gewaltsam; gewalttätig
rung - geläutet, Sprosse, Stufe; (ring) geläutet, Sprosse, Stufe
arose - entstanden ist; sich erheben, aufstehen, entstehen, auftreten
complexion - Teint, Gesichtsfarbe
deeply - tief; zutiefst
bronzed - gebräunt; Bronze, Bronze, bronzen, bronzen
richly - reich; wohlhabend
costume - Kostüm, Tracht, kostümieren
poniard - Dolch
girdle - Gürtel, Hüfthalter
lantern - Laterne
impulse - Anstoß; Impuls, Triebkraft, Drang, innerer Antrieb, Kraftstoß
terror - Schrecken, Grauen, schreckliche Furcht, Terror
reassured - beruhigt; versichern, beruhigen
desired - gewünscht; begehren, begehren, Begehren
relating - in Bezug auf; sich beziehen, erzählen, berichten
retiring - in den Ruhestand gehen; pensionieren, zurücktreten
Mistress - Frau, Meisterin, Herrscherin, Mätresse, Liebhaberin, Domina
unction - Salbung
haste - Eile, Hast
pawing - betatschen; Tatze, Pfote, Pranke
veiling - Verschleierung; (veil) verschleiern
chests - Truhen; Kiste, Brustkasten, Brust, Koffer
streams - Bach, Strom, Datenstrom, strömen, streamen
smoky - verraucht, qualmend, rauchig
vapour - Wasserdampf; der Dampf
exhaled - ausgeatmet; ausatmen
stirrup - Steigbügel
aided - unterstützt; Hilfsmittel, Hilfe, Mithilfe; helfen, beispringen
merely - bloß, lediglich, nur, schier
laying - Auflegen, legend; (lay) Auflegen, legend
pummel - zu verprügeln; einschlagen
saddle - satteln; Sattel, Sattelfläche [math.]; Reitsattel
vaulted - gewölbt; sich wölben, überwölben
pressed - gedrückt; (pre) vor..
loosened - gelockert; lösen, lockern
rein - Zügel
bounded - begrenzt; Sprung
velocity - Geschwindigkeit; Frequenz, Häufigkeit, Umlaufgeschwindigkeit
arrow - Richtungspfeil, Pfeil
bridle - Zaumzeug, Zaum, aufzäumen, Zaumzeug anlegen, zügeln
swift - Mauersegler; schnell; Segler; Garnwinde
gallop - Galopp; galoppieren
devoured - verschlungen; verschlingen, fressen, schlingen
backward - zurück, nach hinten, rückwärts, zögerlich, gehemmt, rückständig
beneath - unter
streaked - gestreift; Schliere, Später Ginsterspanner, schlieren, flitzen
silhouettes - Silhouetten; Silhouette, Schattenriss
fleeing - fliehen, flüchten, fliehen, entfliehen, flüchten
rout - Routine; Rotte
profoundly - zutiefst; tief
gloomy - düster, finster, trübe, dunkel
flesh - Fleisch; Haut, Leib, Fruchtfleisch, Fleischfarbe, zunehmen
creep in - unterlaufen, einschleichen
superstitious - abergläubisch
sparks - Funken; Funke; aufkeimen lassen, entfachen
stony - steinig; steinern
ironshod - eisenbeschlagen
fiery - feurig, Feuer
trail - Pfad; folgen, verfolgen, nachstellen, nacheilen
spectres - Gespenster; Schreckgespenst, Gespenst
nightmares - Albträume; Albtraum, Alptraum, qualifier
witch - Zauberin [f}, Hexe
flitted - geflattert; gaukeln
shrieked - geschrien; Kreischen
fearsomely - furchterregend
depth - Tiefe
intervals - Intervalle; Abstand, Zwischenraum, Intervall
glow - glühen; abstrahlen; leuchten; Glühen
phosphorescent - phosphoreszierend
wildcats - Wildkatzen; Wildkatze
manes - Mähnen; Mähne, Mähne
dishevelled - zerzaust; in Unordnung bringen, herumschmeißen, verwirren
streamed - gestreamt; Bach, Strom, Datenstrom, strömen, streamen
flanks - Flanken; in der Flanke angreifen, flankieren, Flanke, Flanke
breath - Atmen, Atmung, Atemzug, Atem, Atempause
slacking - nachlässig; Schlupf, flau, schlaff
reanimated - wiederbelebt; neu beleben
uttering - auszusprechen; (utter) auszusprechen
guttural - guttural, kehlig
unearthly - unheimlich
recommenced - wiederaufgenommen; wieder beginnen
whirlwind - Wirbelwind, Wirbelsturm
ceased - eingestellt; aufhören, aufhören, einstellen
pierced - gepierct; lochen, durchbohren
hoofs - Hufe; Huf
Drawbridge - Zugbrücke
archway - Torbogen, Arkade, Bogengang
darkly - düster; dunkle, dunkel
yawned - gähnte; gähnen, Gähnen
Some great excitement evidently reigned in the castle. Servants with torches were crossing the courtyard in every direction, and above lights were ascending and descending from landing to landing. I obtained a confused glimpse of vast masses of architecture-columns, arcades, flights of steps, stairways-a royal voluptuousness and elfin magnificence of construction worthy of fairyland. A negro page-the same who had before brought me the tablet from Clarimonde, and whom I instantly recognized-approached to aid me in dismounting, and the major-domo, attired in black velvet with a gold chain about his neck, advanced to meet me, supporting himself upon an ivory cane. Large tears were falling from his eyes and streaming over his cheeks and white beard. "Too late!" he cried, sorrowfully shaking his venerable head. "Too late, sir priest! But if you have not been able to save the soul, come at least to watch by the poor body."
excitement - Aufregung, Begeisterung, Spannung, Erregung
evidently - offensichtlich
reigned - herrschte; Herrschaft, Regentschaft, Regentschaft, herrschen
servants - Diener, Dienerin, Lakai, Kammerdiener, Zofe, Bediensteter
torches - Fackeln; Fackel, anzünden
courtyard - Innenhof; Hof
ascending - aufsteigend; steigen, aufsteigen
descending from - hergestammt
obtained - erlangen, erhalten, bestehen
confused - verwirrt; verwirren, konfundieren, verwechseln, vermischen
Glimpse - Ein Blick; Blick; Aufblitzen, Aufleuchten, Schimmer, entdecken
masses - Massen; Messe (kirchlich), Gottesdienst, Menge
arcades - Spielhallen; Arkade, Laube, Spielhalle, Spielothek
stairways - Treppenhäuser; Treppe
voluptuousness - Üppigkeit
elfin - elfisch; Elfe
construction - Bau, Bauarbeit, Bauwerk, Bauwesen, Aufbau, Satzbau, Auslegung
fairyland - Märchenland
instantly - sofort; unmittelbar
dismounting - Aussteigen; abnehmen, absteigen
attired in - angetan
chain - Kette; anketten
advanced - fortgeschritten; erhöhen, erheben, befördern, vorrücken
ivory - Elfenbein, Elfenbeinfarbe, elfenbeinern, Elfenbein-
cane - Schilfrohr; Rohr; Rohrstock; Blindenstock, weisser Langstock
Tears - Tränen; zerreißen, ich/er/sie/es riss, riß
streaming - strömend; (stream); Bach; Strom; Datenstrom; strömen; streamen
beard - Bart; Alibifreundin
sorrowfully - bedauernd
He took my arm and conducted me to the death chamber. I wept not less bitterly than he, for I had learned that the dead one was none other than that Clarimonde whom I had so deeply and so wildly loved. A prie-dieu stood at the foot of the bed; a bluish flame flickering in a bronze patera filled all the room with a wan, deceptive light, here and there bringing out in the darkness at intervals some projection of furniture or cornice. In a chiselled urn upon the table there was a faded white rose, whose leaves-excepting one that still held-had all fallen, like odorous tears, to the foot of the vase. A broken black mask, a fan, and disguises of every variety, which were lying on the arm-chairs, bore witness that death had entered suddenly and unannounced into that sumptuous dwelling. Without daring to cast my eyes upon the bed, I knelt down and commenced to repeat the Psalms for the Dead, with exceeding fervour, thanking God that He had placed the tomb between me and the memory of this woman, so that I might thereafter be able to utter her name in my prayers as a name forever sanctified by death. But my fervour gradually weakened, and I fell insensibly into a reverie. That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fStid and cadaverous odours which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapour of Oriental perfume-I know not what amorous odour of woman-softly floated through the tepid air.
conducted - durchgeführt; Leitung, Führung, leiten, führen, sich verhalten
chamber - Raum, Schlafzimmer, Kammer
wept - geweint; weinen
bitterly - verbittert; bitterlich
flame - Flamme, poetic, anmachen
flickering - flimmern, flattern, flackern
bronze - Bronze; bronzen
wan - Großraumnetzwerk
deceptive - trügerisch
bringing out - herausbringendem
projection - Vorsprung; Projizieren, Projektion, Prognose, Vorhersage
cornice - Gesims, Sims, Kranzgesims, Kranz
chiselled - gemeißelt; schummeln, meißeln; Meißel, Stemmeisen, Beitel
urn - Urne
faded - verblasst; verfärben, Ausblendung; verblassen, nachlassen
odorous - riechend
vase - Vase
mask - Maske; abkleben (zum Schutz); abdecken, maskieren
disguises - Verkleidungen; Verkleidung, Tarnung, verstellen
witness - etw. miterleben;erleben, bezeugen, Zeuge sein bei; miterleben
unannounced - unangekündigt
sumptuous - üppig; prächtig, prunkvoll, prachtvoll, reichhaltig
dwelling - Wohnung, Behausung; (dwell); leben, verbleiben, wohnen
daring - gewagt; mutig; Wagemut, Kühnheit; (dare) gewagt; mutig; Wagemut
knelt - kniete; knien
Psalms - Psalmen; Psalm, Psalm
exceeding - überschreiten, hinausgehen über, übertreffen, übersteigen
fervour - Inbrunst; Glut; Eifer
utter - Äußerlich; äußerst
prayers - Gebete; (the Lord's Prayer) Paternoster
sanctified - geheiligt; heiligen
weakened - geschwächt; schwächen, abschwächen, schwächeln
reverie - Träumerei
semblance - Anschein
lieu - anstatt
cadaverous - leichenhaft
odours - Gerüche; Geruch
breathe - atmen; einatmen; hauchen
vigils - Mahnwachen; Wache, Nachtwache, Wache, Vigil, Nachtwache
languorous - träge
Oriental - orientalisch, Orientale, östlich
perfume - Duft; Parfüm, Duftstoff, Parfum, parfümieren
amorous - amourös
softly - sachte; leise
tepid - lauwarm
That pale light seemed rather a twilight gloom contrived for voluptuous pleasure, than a substitute for the yellow-flickering watch-tapers which shine by the side of corpses. I thought upon the strange destiny which enabled me to meet Clarimonde again at the very moment when she was lost to me forever, and a sigh of regretful anguish escaped from my breast. Then it seemed to me that some one behind me had also sighed, and I turned round to look. It was only an echo. But in that moment my eyes fell upon the bed of death which they had till then avoided. The red damask curtains, decorated with large flowers worked in embroidery, and looped up with gold bullion, permitted me to behold the fair dead, lying at full length, with hands joined upon her bosom. She was covered with a linen wrapping of dazzling whiteness, which formed a strong contrast with the gloomy purple of the hangings, and was of so fine a texture that it concealed nothing of her body's charming form, and allowed the eye to follow those beautiful outlines-undulating like the neck of a swan-which even death had not robbed of their supple grace. She seemed an alabaster statue executed by same skilful sculptor to place upon the tomb of a queen, or rather, perhaps, like a slumbering maiden over whom the silent snow had woven a spotless veil.
twilight - Dämmerung, Zwielicht, Halbdunkel
gloom - Finsternis; Düsternis, Dunkelheit, Trübnis, Schwermut
contrived - ausgeklügelt; ersinnen, entwerfen, bewerkstelligen
voluptuous - üppig
pleasure - Vergnügen; Freude, Spaß, Wollust
substitute - ersetzen; auswechseln; Ersatz; Ersatzspieler, Austauschspieler
shine - glänzen; schimmern, wienern; Schein; putzen (Schuhe)
enabled - aktiviert; berechtigen, befähigen, ermöglichen, anordnen
regretful - Bedauern
escaped - entkommen; entgehen, entgehen, ausweichen, davonkommen, Flucht
sighed - geseufzt; Seufzen, Seufzer, Säuseln (Wind); säuseln (Wind)
Echo - Echo, Widerhall, Tastaturecho, Bildschirmecho, widerhallen
damask - Damast, Damastgewebe
decorated - dekoriert; ausschmücken, dekorieren, renovieren, qualifier
embroidery - Stickerei, Sticken, Ausschmückung
looped - geschleift; Schlaufe, Schlaufe, Schleife, Endlosschleife
bullion - Goldbarren; Barren
behold - betrachten, sehen, schauen, anschauen
full length - in Lebensgröße
linen - Wäsche; Leinen; Heimtextilien
wrapping - verpacken; einpacken, einwickeln
whiteness - Weiße, Weißheit, Weißsein
hangings - Erhängen; (to hang) hängen, schweben
texture - Textur; texturieren
outlines - Umrisse; Umriss, Kontur, Umriss, Skizze, Skizzierung
swan - Schwan
robbed - ausgeraubt; rauben, berauben, Raubbau treiben, ausrauben
supple - geschmeidig
alabaster - Alabaster; alabastern
statue - Statue, Standbild
executed - ausgeführt; hinrichten, ausführen, durchführen, ausführen
skilful - gewandt, gekonnt, geschickt, erfahren
sculptor - Skulpteur, Bildhauer, Bildhauerin
slumbering - schlummernd; (slumber); Halbschlaf, Schlummer, Schläfchen
silent - still
woven - gewebt; gewoben; (weave) gewebt; gewoben
spotless - makellos; fleckenlos
veil - Vorhang; Schleier; verschleiern, verhüllen
I could no longer maintain my constrained attitude of prayer. The air of the alcove intoxicated me, that febrile perfume of half-faded roses penetrated my very brain, and I commenced to pace restlessly up and down the chamber, pausing at each turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud. Wild fancies came thronging to my brain.
maintain - unterhalten, warten, beibehalten, aufrechterhalten
constrained - gezwungen; behindern, einschränken, limitieren
attitude - Haltung; Einstellung, Attitüde, Orientierung, Ausrichtung
alcove - Nische; Alkoven; Alkov
intoxicated - berauscht; berauschen, vergiften, berauschen
febrile - febril, fieberig, fiebrig, fieberhaft
faded - verblasst; Mode, Trend, Modeerscheinung, Fimmel
roses - Rosen; Rosa
penetrated - durchdrungen; eindringen, penetrieren, penetrieren
restlessly - rastlose
contemplate - nachdenken; nachsinnen
graceful - anmutig, ansprechend, elegant, graziös
corpse - Leiche, Leichnam
fancies - Lust; extravagant, originell
thronging - drängend; Menschengewühl
I thought to myself that she might not, perhaps, be really dead; that she might only have feigned death for the purpose of bringing me to her castle, and then declaring her love. At one time I even thought I saw her foot move under the whiteness of the coverings, and slightly disarrange the long, straight folds of the winding sheet.
feigned death - totgestellt
declaring - bekanntmachen, bekanntgeben, deklarieren, ausrufen, aussagen
coverings - Abdeckungen; zudeckend
slightly - ein wenig, leicht
disarrange - verwirren
folds - falten, zusammenlegen, verschränken (Arme); Falte, gefaltete
And then I asked myself: "Is this indeed Clarimonde? What proof have I that it is she? Might not that black page have passed into the service of some other lady? Surely, I must be going mad to torture and afflict myself thus!" But my heart answered with a fierce throbbing: "It is she; it is she indeed!" I approached the bed again, and fixed my eyes with redoubled attention upon the object of my incertitude. Ah, must I confess it? That exquisite perfection of bodily form, although purified and made sacred by the shadow of death, affected me more voluptuously than it should have done, and that repose so closely resembled slumber that one might well have mistaken it for such. I forgot that I had come there to perform a funeral ceremony; I fancied myself a young bridegroom entering the chamber of the bride, who all modestly hides her fair face, and through coyness seeks to keep herself wholly veiled. Heartbroken with grief, yet wild with hope, shuddering at once with fear and pleasure, I bent over her and grasped the corner of the sheet. I lifted it back, holding my breath all the while through fear of waking her. My arteries throbbed with such violence that I felt them hiss through my temples, and the sweat poured from my forehead in streams, as though I had lifted a mighty slab of marble. There, indeed, lay Clarimonde, even as I had seen her at the church on the day of my ordination. She was not less charming than then. With her, death seemed but a last coquetry. The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and mental suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring-even after death-in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.
Proof - Beweise; Beweis; polierte Platte; aufgehen lassen
surely - bestimmt, sicherlich
going mad - überschnappend
afflict - plagen; bekümmern
fierce - wild, heftig, bedrohlich
throbbing - Pochen; klopfend; (throb); klopfen, schlagen, pochen, pulsieren
redoubled - verdoppelt; verdoppeln
incertitude - Ungewissheit
confess - gestehen, bekennen, verraten, beichten
exquisite - exquisit, köstlich, auserlesen
perfection - Vollkommenheit, Perfektion
bodily - körperlich, Körper
purified - gereinigt; reinigen, rein machen
voluptuously - lüstern
repose - ruhen
closely - dicht, eng, nah, nahe
resembled - ähnelte; ähneln, gleichen
slumber - Halbschlaf, Schlummer, Schläfchen, schlummern, dösen, träumen
funeral ceremony - Totenfeier (Beerdigung)
bridegroom - Bräutigam
modestly - bescheidene, züchtig, bescheiden
coyness - Schüchternheit; Scheuheit
seeks - sucht; suchen
wholly - ganz
Heartbroken - Gebrochenes Herz; Kummer, Herzeleid
grief - Kummer, Gram, Leid
shuddering - Schütteln; schaudernd; (shudder); Schauder; (wohliger) Schauder; schaudern; zittern
bent - verbogen; (to bend) sich niederbeugen, verbiegen
grasped - begriffen; greifen, erfassen, begreifen, verstehen, erfassen
arteries - Arterien; Arterie, Schlagader
throbbed - geklopft; klopfen, schlagen, pochen, klopfen, pulsieren, Pochen
hiss - Zischen, Fauchen, Knurren
poured - geschüttet; schütten, einschenken, gießen
mighty - gewaltig, mächtig
slab - Bramme; Schalbrett, Roheisenblock
coquetry - Koketterie
pallor - Blässe
carnation - Gartennelke, Nelke
relieving - Erleichternd; erleichtern, lindern, entlasten, ablösen
fringe - Fransen; Franse, Saum, Einfassung, Rand, Peripherie, Randgruppe
unspeakably - unaussprechlich
seductive - verführerisch
melancholy - Melancholie, Schwermut, Wehmut
chastity - Keuschheit
mental suffering - Seelenleiden
loose - verlassen, lose, locker
intertwined - miteinander verflochten; verflechten, verflechten
shining - glänzen; schimmern, wienern; Schein; putzen (Schuhe)
pillow - Kopfkissen, Kissen; Ruhekissen
nudity - Nacktheit
ringlets - Ringellocken; Haarlocke
purer - reiner; pur
diaphanous - durchsichtig
Host - Zeremonienmeister, Hausherr, Menge; Hostie; Gastgeber sein
counteract - entgegenwirken, bekämpfen
proven - bewiesen, checknachgewiesen; (prove); bewiesen
otherwise - sonst
alluring - verführerisch; verlocken
roundness - Rundheit
polish - Politur; polnisch; Polnisch
pearl - Perle
bracelets - Armbänder; Armband
I remained long in mute contemplation, and the more I gazed, the less could I persuade myself that life had really abandoned that beautiful body forever. I do not know whether it was an illusion or a reflection of the lamplight, but it seemed to me that the blood was again commencing to circulate under that lifeless pallor, although she remained all motionless. I laid my hand lightly on her arm; it was cold, but not colder than her hand on the day when it touched mine at the portals of the church. I resumed my position, bending my face above her, and bathing her cheeks with the warm dew of my tears. Ah, what bitter feelings of despair and helplessness, what agonies unutterable did I endure in that long watch! Vainly did I wish that I could have gathered all my life into one mass that I might give it all to her, and breathe into her chill remains the flame which devoured me. The night advanced, and feeling the moment of eternal separation approach, I could not deny myself the last sad sweet pleasure of imprinting a kiss upon the dead lips of her who had been my only love.... Oh, miracle! A faint breath mingled itself with my breath, and the mouth of Clarimonde responded to the passionate pressure of mine. Her eyes unclosed, and lighted up with something of their former brilliancy; she uttered a long sigh, and uncrossing her arms, passed them around my neck with a look of ineffable delight. "Ah, it is thou, Romuald;" she murmured in a voice languishingly sweet as the last vibrations of a harp. "What ailed thee, dearest? I waited so long for thee that I am dead; but we are now betrothed; I can see thee and visit thee. Adieu, Romuald, adieu! I love thee. That is all I wished to tell thee, and I give thee back the life which thy kiss for a moment recalled. We shall soon meet again."
mute - stumm; sprachlos; abdämpfen, dämpfen
contemplation - Kontemplation; Betrachtung; Meditation; Erwarten
persuade - überzeugen (zu);überzeugen (von);jdn. breitschlagen
reflection - Reflexion, Abbild, Reflektion, Abwägung
lamplight - Laternenlicht; Lampenlicht
commencing - anfangen, beginnen
circulate - umlaufen, kreisen, zirkulieren, kursieren
lifeless - leblos
laid - gelegt; richten (Tisch)
lightly - leichtfertig; leicht
portals - Portale; Portal
resumed - wiederaufgenommen; weiter; Lebenslauf; fortsetzen
dew - tauen; Tau
feelings - Gefühle; Gefühl, Eindruck
despair - verzweifeln; Verzweiflung
helplessness - Hilflosigkeit
unutterable - unaussprechlich
gathered - gesammelt; sammeln, versammeln
remains - bleibt; Überrest (2), de
separation - Trennung
approach - sich nähern, nahekommen, ähnlich sein
deny - verweigern, leugnen;gegen jdn. retten
imprinting - Prägung; aufdrückend
faint - leise, schwach, undeutlich, ohnmächtig werden
mingled - vermengt; vermischen, vermengen, untermischen
passionate - leidenschaftlich
pressure - Druck; unter Druck setzen
unclosed - unverschlossen; eröffnen, öffnen
sigh - Seufzen, Seufzer, Säuseln (Wind); säuseln (Wind)
uncrossing - Entkreuzen; geradelegen
ineffable - unaussprechlich
delight - Freude, Entzückung, Wohlgefallen, Lust
murmured - gemurmelt; Rauschen
languishingly - schmachtend
vibrations - Vibrationen; Vibration, Schwingung, Vibration, Schwingung
harp - Harfe; auf (etwas) herumreiten
ailed - erkrankt; plagen, kränkeln, kränklich sein
adieu - Adieu
recalled - zurückgerufen; zurückrufen, erinnern
meet again - wiedersehen
Her head fell back, but her arms yet encircled me, as though to retain me still. A furious whirlwind suddenly burst in that window, and entered the chamber. The last remaining leaf of the white rose for a moment palpitated at the extremity of the stalk like a butterfly's wing, then it detached itself and flew forth through the open casement, bearing with it the soul of Clarimonde.
encircled - eingekreist; umzingeln, einfassen
furious - wütend, erbost, furios
burst in - hereinplatzen;hereingeplatzt
remaining - Überrest (2), de
leaf - Blatt, Laubblatt, Platte
palpitated - geklopft; unregelmäßig schlagen, pochen, klopfen
extremity - Extremität, äußerstes Ende, Äußerste, Extremste
stalk - jdn. belauern;Stiel , Stengel
butterfly - Schmetterling
Wing - Flügel, Schwinge, Gebäudeflügel, Tragfläche, tTragflügel
detached - losgelöst; entfernen, ablösen, lösen, loslösen, abtrennen
casement - Fensterflügel, Drehflügel
The lamp was extinguished, and I fell insensible upon the bosom of the beautiful dead.
extinguished - ausgelöscht; löschen, auslöschen, auslöschen, abschalten
insensible - unempfindlich
When I came to myself again I was lying on the bed in my little room at the presbytery, and the old dog of the former curé was licking my hand which had been hanging down outside of the covers. Afterward I learned that I had lain thus for three days, giving no evidence of life beyond the faintest respiration.
little room - Stübchen
licking - lecken; Licken; (lick) lecken; Licken
hanging - (to hang) hängen, schweben; (hang) (to hang) hängen, schweben
faintest - am schwächsten; leise, schwach, undeutlich, ohnmächtig werden
respiration - Atmung; Veratmung
Barbara told me that the same coppery-complexioned man who came to seek me on the night of my departure from the presbytery, had brought me back the next morning in a close litter, and departed immediately afterward; but none knew of any castle in the neighbourhood answering to the description of that in which I had again found Clarimonde.
coppery - kupferfarben; kupferig
complexioned - Teint, Gesichtsfarbe
seek - suchen
departure - Abreise; Abfahrt
litter - Sänfte, Trage, Bahre, Wurf, Streu, Stroh, Abfall; (lit); Sänfte
departed - abgereist; verlassen, aufbrechen, verlassen, abweichen
neighbourhood - Viertel (Wohngegend), Nachbarschaft; Nähe, Stadtteil
One morning I found the Abbé Sérapion in my room. While he inquired after my health in hypocritically honeyed accents, he constantly kept his two great yellow lion-eyes fixed upon me, and plunged his look into my soul like a sounding lead. Suddenly he said, in a clear vibrant voice, which rang in my ears like the trumpets of the Last Judgment:
inquired - nachgefragt; erkundigen
hypocritically - heuchlerisch
honeyed - mit Honig; Honig
accents - Akzente; Dialekt, Akzent, Betonung; betonen, akzentuieren
constantly - ständig; regelmäßig; konstant
plunged - stürzte; eintauchen, tauchen
lead - führen, anführen, leiten;aus Blei;Aufmacher ;Anschlussdraht , Blei , Führung
vibrant - dynamisch, pulsierend, lebendig, lebhaft, lebenssprühend
trumpets - Trompeten; Trompete
judgment - Urteil; Urteilsvermögen; Beurteilung; Richtspruch
"The great courtesan Clarimonde died a few days ago, at the close of an orgie which lasted eight days and eight nights. It was something infernally splendid. The abominations of the banquets of Belshazzar and Cleopatra were re-enacted there. Good God, what age are we living in? The guests were served by swarthy slaves who spoke an unknown tongue, and who seemed to me to be veritable demons.
infernally - höllisch
splendid - glänzend; prächtig; hervorragend
abominations - Abscheulichkeiten; Greuel, Abscheu, Abscheulichkeit
banquets - Bankette; Festmahl
Belshazzar - Belsazar
Cleopatra - Kleopatra
enacted - verordnet; spielen, ausführen
swarthy - dunkelhäutig; dunkeln
slaves - Sklaven; Sklave, t+Sklavin, Sklave, t+Sklavin, Sklave
veritable - wahrhaftig
demons - Dämonen; Dämon, Teufel, Dämon
The livery of the very least among them would have served for the gala-dress of an emperor. There have always been very strange stories told of this Clarimonde, and all her lovers came to a violent or miserable end. They used to say that she was a ghoul, a female vampire; but I believe she was none other than Beelzebub himself."
livery - Tracht, Kleid
gala-dress - (gala-dress) Gala
Emperor - Der Kaiser; Kaiser, Imperator
lovers - Geliebte, Liebhaber, Liebhaberin
violent - heftig, gewaltig, brutal, gewalttätig, gewaltbereit, grell
ghoul - Leichenfledderer; Ghul
vampire - ein Vampir; Blutsauger, Vampir, Vampyr; qual emale
Beelzebub - Beelzebub
He ceased to speak and commenced to regard me more attentively than ever, as though to observe the effect of his words on me. I could not refrain from starting when I heard him utter the name of Clarimonde, and this news of her death, in addition to the pain it caused me by reason of its coincidence with the nocturnal scenes I had witnessed, filled me with an agony and terror which my face betrayed, despite my utmost endeavours to appear composed. Sérapion fixed an anxious and severe look upon me, and then observed: "My son, I must warn you that you are standing with foot raised upon the brink of an abyss; take heed lest you fall therein.
regard - schätzen, betrachten, berücksichtigen, achten; Aufmerksamkeit
Addition - Zufügung, Hinzufügung, Zusatz, Addition, Summant
coincidence - zufälliges Zusammentreffen, Koinzidenz, Zufall
nocturnal - nachtaktiv; nächtlich
witnessed - bezeugt; Zeugnis
agony - Qualen; Agonie, Qual, Pein, Todeskampf, Freudenausbruch
utmost - äußerst, höchst, Äußerstes, Möglichstes
endeavours - Bestrebungen; sich nach Kräften bemühen; Bestrebung
composed - komponiert; zusammenstellen, zusammensetzen, komponieren
anxious - ängstlich, besorgt
warn - warnen, mahnen
brink - Rande; Rand
abyss - Abgrund, Hölle
Satan's claws are long, and tombs are not always true to their trust. The tombstone of Clarimonde should be sealed down with a triple seal, for, if report be true, it is not the first time she has died. May God watch over you, Romuald!"
Satan - Satan, Teufel
claws - Krallen; zerkratzen; Kralle, Fang (Vogelkralle), Klaue
trust - Vertrauen, Hoffnung, Trust, anschreiben
tombstone - Grabstein, Grabmal, Leichenstein
triple - dreifach; verdreifachen
seal - versiegeln; Siegel, Stempel, Seehund
And with these words the Abbé walked slowly to the door. I did not see him again at that time, for he left for S-- almost immediately.
I became completely restored to health and resumed my accustomed duties. The memory of Clarimonde and the words of the old Abbé were constantly in my mind; nevertheless no extraordinary event had occurred to verify the funereal predictions of Sérapion, and I had commenced to believe that his fears and my own terrors were overexaggerated, when one night I had a strange dream. I had hardly fallen asleep when I heard my bed-curtains drawn apart, as their rings slided back upon the curtain rod with a sharp sound. I rose up quickly upon my elbow, and beheld the shadow of a woman standing erect before me.
occurred - aufgetreten; passieren, vorkommen, stattfinden, vorkommen
verify - belegen, beweisen, verifizieren, überprüfen, beglaubigen
predictions - Vorhersagen; Voraussage, Vorhersage, Prophezeiung
terrors - Schrecken, Grauen
fallen asleep - (fall asleep) ich/er/sie schlief ein, einschlafen
apart - auseinander; getrennt; beiseite; entzwei, in Stücke
rings - Ringe; Ring, Kreis
slided - gerutscht; glitt ab, abgeglitten
curtain - Vorhang
rod - Rute; Stange, Stock, Stab, Latte
elbow - Ellbogen; Rohrbogen; Ellbogenstoß; ellbögeln
I recognized Clarimonde immediately. She bore in her hand a little lamp, shaped like those which are placed in tombs, and its light lent her fingers a rosy transparency, which extended itself by lessening degrees even to the opaque and milky whiteness of her bare arm. Her only garment was the linen winding-sheet which had shrouded her when lying upon the bed of death. She sought to gather its folds over her bosom as though ashamed of being so scantily clad, but her little hand was not equal to the task. She was so white that the colour of the drapery blended with that of her flesh under the pallid rays of the lamp. Enveloped with this subtle tissue which betrayed all the contour of her body, she seemed rather the marble statue of some fair antique rather than a woman endowed with life. But dead or living, statue or woman, shadow or body, her beauty was still the same, only that the green light of her eyes was less brilliant, and her mouth, once so warmly crimson, was only tinted with a faint tender rosiness, like that of her cheeks. The little blue flowers which I had noticed entwined in her hair were withered and dry, and had lost nearly all their leaves, but this did not prevent her from being charming-so charming that notwithstanding the strange character of the adventure, and the unexplainable manner in which she had entered my room, I felt not even for a moment the least fear.
tombs - Gräber; Grabmal
lessening - abnehmen; verringern, vermindern, nachlassen, herabsetzen
opaque - matt, dunkel, undurchsichtig, undurchlässig, opak
Milky - milchig
garment - Kleidungsstück
shrouded - verhüllt; Leichentuch, Totenhemd
gather - sammeln, versammeln
ashamed - schämen
scantily - spärlich; knapp
drapery - Drapierung; Vorhang
blended - gemischt; Mischung, mischen, mixen, vermischen
pallid - fahl, bleich, blass
enveloped - umhüllt; einhüllen, umhüllen
tissue - Gewebe; Papier, Tuch, oilet paper
contour - Kontur; Höhenlinie, Höhenlinien, Isohypse, Niveaulinie
antique - antik; Antiquität
endowed - dotiert; ausstatten
warmly - herzlich
crimson - Karmesinrot; Purpur, Purpurrot, Karmesin, purpurn
tinted - gefärbt; färben, tönen; Farbe, Farbton
tender - zärtlich; empfindlich, Ausschreibung, Angebot, zart; andienen
rosiness - rosig
entwined - verflochten; umranken, umschlingen
withered - verwelkt; welken, verblühen, verdorren
notwithstanding - ungeachtet dessen
unexplainable - unerklärlich
She placed the lamp on the table and seated herself at the foot of my bed; then bending toward me, she said, in that voice at once silvery clear and yet velvety in its sweet softness, such as I never heard from any lips save hers:
silvery - silbrig, silberig, silberhell, silbern
velvety - samtig, samtweich, samtartig
softness - Weichheit
"I have kept thee long in waiting, dear Romuald, and it must have seemed to thee that I had forgotten thee. But I come from afar off, very far off, and from a land whence no other has ever yet returned. There is neither sun nor moon in that land whence I come: all is but space and shadow; there is neither road nor pathway: no earth for the foot, no air for the wing; and nevertheless behold me here, for Love is stronger than Death and must conquer him in the end. Oh what sad faces and fearful things I have seen on my way hither! What difficulty my soul, returned to earth through the power of will alone, has had in finding its body and reinstating itself therein! What terrible efforts I had to make ere I could lift the ponderous slab with which they had covered me! See, the palms of my poor hands are all bruised!
from afar - weiter
whence - woher; von daher
ere - hier
pathway - Weg; Bahn, Pfad
conquer - erobern
hither - her, hierher, hierhin
difficulty - Schwierigkeiten; Schwierigkeit
reinstating - Wiedereinsetzung; wieder einsetzen, wieder einstellen
efforts - Anstrengungen; Anstrengung, Aufwand
ponderous - schwerfällig
bruised - geprellt; Prellung, Bluterguss, blauer Fleck, Druckstelle
Kiss them, sweet love, that they may be healed!" She laid the cold palms of her hands upon my mouth, one after the other. I kissed them, indeed, many times, and she the while watched me with a smile of ineffable affection.
healed - geheilt; verheilen, abheilen, heilen
affection - Zuneigung; Rührung
I confess to my shame that I had entirely forgotten the advice of the Abbé Sérapion and the sacred office wherewith I had been invested. I had fallen without resistance, and at the first assault. I had not even made the least effort to repel the tempter. The fresh coolness of Clarimonde's skin penetrated my own, and I felt voluptuous tremors pass over my whole body. Poor child! in spite of all I saw afterward, I can hardly yet believe she was a demon; at least she had no appearance of being such, and never did Satan so skilfully conceal his claws and horns. She had drawn her feet up beneath her, and squatted down on the edge of the couch in an attitude full of negligent coquetry.
entirely - vollständig; ganz, total, entirely
wherewith - womit
invested - investiert; investieren; (Geld) anlegen (in)
resistance - Widerstand
assault - Anschlag, Überfall, Angriff, überfallen, angreifen
repel - zurückweisen, abweisen, abwehren, zurückdrängen, zurückwerfen
tempter - Verführer, Versucher
coolness - Kühle
tremors - Erschütterungen; Zittern
pass over - übertreten
spite - Bosheit; trotz
skilfully - gekonnt; geschickt
conceal - verbergen, verheimlichen, verschleiern, verschweigen
horns - Hörner; Horn
squatted - hockte; hocken, kauern; Achsdruckentlastung
edge - Rand; Seite, Kante, Vorsprung, Klinge, Schneide, schieben
couch - Liege
negligent - fahrlässig
From time to time she passed her little hand through my hair and twisted it into curls, as though trying how a new style of wearing it would become my face. I abandoned myself to her hands with the most guilty pleasure, while she accompanied her gentle play with the prettiest prattle. The most remarkable fact was that I felt no astonishment whatever at so extraordinary an adventure, and as in dreams one finds no difficulty in accepting the most fantastic events as simple facts, so all these circumstances seemed to me perfectly natural in themselves.
twisted - verdreht; Zwirn, Biegung, Wendung, Twist, verziehen, drehen
guilty - schuldig
accompanied - begleitet; begleiten, begleiten, begleiten, begleiten, geleiten
prattle - plappern; schwatzen; Geplapper
most remarkable - beachtenswerteste
astonishment - Staunen, Erstaunen, Verwunderung
whatever - Jacke wie Hose; was immer, was auch immer, egal, naja, nebbich
most fantastic - phantastischste
circumstances - Umstände; Umstand, Umstand
perfectly - perfekt, einwandfrei, vollkommen, durchaus
"I loved thee long ere I saw thee, dear Romuald, and sought thee everywhere. Thou wast my dream, and I first saw thee in the church at the fatal moment. I said at once, 'It is he!'I gave thee a look into which I threw all the love I ever had, all the love I now have, all the love I shall ever have for thee-a look that would have damned a cardinal or brought a king to his knees at my feet in view of all his court.
fatal - verhängnisvoll, fatal, tödlich
damned - verdammt, verflucht; (damn); verdammen, verfluchen, ächten
cardinal - grundsätzlich; kardinalrot; Grundzahl, Kardinalzahl, Kardinal
Court - Hof, Hofstaat, Gericht, Gerichtshof, Platz, werben
Thou remainedst unmoved, preferring thy God to me!
remainedst - geblieben
unmoved - ungerührt, unbewegt
"Ah, how jealous I am of that God whom thou didst love and still lovest more than me!
lovest - am liebsten
"Woe is me, unhappy one that I am! I can never have thy heart all to myself, I whom thou didst recall to life with a kiss-dead Clarimonde, who for thy sake bursts asunder the gates of the tomb, and comes to consecrate to thee a life which she has resumed only to make thee happy!"
woe - wehe; Weh, Jammer, Kummer, Leid
recall - zurückrufen; erinnern
sake - (for your sake) deinetwegen, euretwegen, Ihretwegen, dir zuliebe
bursts asunder - zerplatzt
consecrate - konsekrieren; weihen
All her words were accompanied with the most impassioned caresses, which bewildered my sense and my reason to such an extent, that I did not fear to utter a frightful blasphemy for the sake of consoling her, and to declare that I loved her as much as God.
caresses - Liebkosungen; Liebkosung, Umarmung, Streicheln
bewildered - verwirrt; verwirren, durcheinanderbringen
blasphemy - Blasphemie, Gotteslästerung
consoling - trösten (mit), vertrösten; Bedienungsfeld, Gerät, Tastatur
declare - bekanntmachen, bekanntgeben, deklarieren, ausrufen, aussagen
Her eyes rekindled and shone like chrysoprases. "In truth?-in very truth? as much as God!" she cried, flinging her beautiful arms around me. "Since it is so, thou wilt come with me; thou wilt follow me whithersoever I desire. Thou wilt cast away thy ugly black habit. Thou shalt be the proudest and most envied of cavaliers; thou shalt be my lover!
rekindled - neu entfacht; wiederentfachen, wiederentfachen
shone - leuchtete; schimmern, wienern; Schein; putzen (Schuhe)
chrysoprases - Chrysopras
flinging - Schleudern; Affäre (Liebesaffäre)
whithersoever - woher auch immer
desire - begehren; Begehren, Wunsch
ugly - hässlich
proudest - am stolzesten; stolz, stolz, stolz, derahlerisch
envied - beneidet; Neid, beneiden
To be the acknowledged lover of Clarimonde, who has refused even a Pope, that will be something to feel proud of! Ah, the fair, unspeakably happy existence, the beautiful golden life we shall live together! And when shall we depart, my fair sir?"
acknowledged - zur Kenntnis nehmen, erkennen, bekennen, anerkennen
pope - Papst
proud - stolz, prahlerisch
existence - Existenz, Dasein
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" I cried in my delirium.
delirium - Delirium, Fieberphantasie, Taumel
"Tomorrow, then, so let it be!" she answered. "In the meanwhile I shall have opportunity to change my toilet, for this is a little too light and in nowise suited for a voyage. I must also forthwith notify all my friends who believe me dead, and mourn for me as deeply as they are capable of doing. The money, the dresses, the carriages-all will be ready.
nowise - auf gar keinen Fall
Voyage - Die Reise; Reise
forthwith - sofort, unverzüglich
notify - mitteilen, benachrichtigen
mourn - trauern
capable - fähig
carriages - Kutschen; Kutsche, Gang, Haltung, Wagen, Frachtgeld
I shall call for thee at this same hour. Adieu, dear heart!" And she lightly touched my forehead with her lips. The lamp went out, the curtains closed again, and all became dark; a leaden, dreamless sleep fell on me and held me unconscious until the morning following.
leaden - bleiern
dreamless - traumlos
unconscious - bewusstlos; spontan, unbewusst, unterbewusst, Unbewusstes
I awoke later than usual, and the recollection of this singular adventure troubled me during the whole day. I finally persuaded myself that it was a mere vapour of my heated imagination.
awoke - erwacht; munter, wach; erwachen, aufwachen
recollection - Erinnern Sie sich; Erinnerung
persuaded - überredet; überreden, gewinnen, verführen, bestechen
mere - einfach; nur, schier, bloß
imagination - Phantasie; Vorstellungskraft, Imagination, Einbildungskraft
Nevertheless its sensations had been so vivid that it was difficult to persuade myself that they were not real, and it was not without some presentiment of what was going to happen that I got into bed at last, after having prayed God to drive far from me all thoughts of evil, and to protect the chastity of my slumber.
sensations - Empfindungen; Gefühl
vivid - lebendig, lebhaft, anschaulich
persuade - überreden, gewinnen, verführen, bestechen
presentiment - Vorahnung
prayed - gebetet; Bitte bedenken Sie doch!; beten
I soon fell into a deep sleep, and my dream was continued. The curtains again parted, and I beheld Clarimonde, not as on the former occasion, pale in her pale winding-sheet, with the violets of death upon her cheeks but gay, sprightly, jaunty, in a superb travelling dress of green velvet, trimmed with gold lace, and looped up on either side to allow a glimpse of satin petticoat. Her blond hair escaped in thick ringlets from beneath a broad black felt hat, decorated with white feathers whimsically twisted into various shapes.
deep sleep - Tiefschlaf
Occasion - Gelegenheit; Anlass
violets - Violett, Veilchen
gay - vergnügt, schwul, homosexuell, lustig, heiter
sprightly - rüstig; lebhaft
jaunty - flott; affektiert, prätentiös, übermütig, fröhlich
superb - großartig, superb
trimmed - zurechtgestutzt; kürzen, nachschneiden, schneiden, stutzen
satin - Satin, Satinstoff, Satintuch
petticoat - Petticoat; Unterrock
blond - blond, hell, blondhaarig, flachshaarig
broad - breit, deutliche, großräumig
felt hat - Filzhut
feathers - Federn; Feder, Vogelfeder, befiedern
whimsically - launisch
various - verschiedene
In one hand she held a little riding whip terminated by a golden whistle. She tapped me lightly with it, and exclaimed: "Well, my fine sleeper, is this the way you make your preparations? I thought I would find you up and dressed. Arise quickly, we have no time to lose."
riding whip - Reitpeitsche
terminated - abgebrochen; abbrechen, terminieren, entlassen
whistle - Pfeife, Trillerpfeife, Flöte, Pfeifen, Pfiff
tapped - angezapft; Wasserhahn; Schlacke abstechen
sleeper - Schwelle (Gleis), Schläfer
preparations - Vorbereitungen; Vorbereitung, Präparat
arise - sich erheben, aufstehen, entstehen, auftreten, erwachsen
I leaped out of bed at once.
leaped - gesprungen; hervorspringen, hüpfen, überspringen
"Come, dress yourself, and let us go," she continued, pointing to a little package she had brought with her. "The horses are becoming impatient of delay and champing their bits at the door. We ought to have been by this time at least ten leagues distant from here."
package - Paket; packen, einpacken
impatient - ungeduldig
delay - Verspätung, Verzögerung, Verzug
champing - mampfen; kauen
leagues - Ligen; Liga, Spielklasse, Bund
distant - weit entfernt; abgelegen, abstehend, distanziert, entfernt
I dressed myself hurriedly, and she handed me the articles of apparel herself one by one, bursting into laughter from time to time at my awkwardness, as she explained to me the use of a garment when I had made a mistake. She hurriedly arranged my hair, and this done, held up before me a little pocket mirror of Venetian crystal, rimmed with silver filigree-work, and playfully asked: "How dost find thyself now?
hurriedly - eilig, hastig, schleuning
apparel - Kleidung
bursting - platzen, zerplatzen, bersten, sprengen, Bersten
awkwardness - Unbeholfenheit, Umständlichkeit, Ungeschicklichkeit, Plumpheit
venetian - venezianisch; Venezianer, Venezianerin
crystal - Kristall; Kristallglas, Kristall (neuter, not masculine)
rimmed - umrandet; Felge, Rand, Radkranz
filigree - Filigran
playfully - spielerisch
Wilt engage me for thy valet de chambre?"
engage - engagieren; beschäftigen; anstellen; angreifen, anlegen
valet - Kammerdiener, Putzer, Leibdiener
I was no longer the same person, and I could not even recognize myself. I resembled my former self no more than a finished statue resembles a block of stone. My old face seemed but a coarse daub of the one reflected in the mirror. I was handsome, and my vanity was sensibly tickled by the metamorphosis. That elegant apparel, that richly embroidered vest had made of me a totally different personage, and I marvelled at the power of transformation owned by a few yards of cloth cut after a certain pattern.
resembles - ähnelt; ähneln, gleichen
block - Kloben, Block, Klotz, Trakt; absperren, blockieren
coarse - grob, grobkörnig, derb, primitiv
daub - schmieren; Lehmbewurf, Lehmverstrich, Strohlehm, Kleckserei
reflected - reflektiert; reflektieren, zurückspiegeln, spiegeln
vanity - Vergänglichkeit; Eitelkeit; Leere
sensibly - vernünftig
tickled - gekitzelt; Kitzeln
metamorphosis - Verwandlung, Metamorphose
personage - Persönlichkeit
marvelled - erstaunt; wundern
transformation - Transformation, Verwandlung, Umformung
yards - (der) Yard
cloth - Stoff, Tuch
The spirit of my costume penetrated my very skin, and within ten minutes more I had become something of a coxcomb.
coxcomb - Hahnenkamm
In order to feel more at ease in my new attire, I took several turns up and down the room. Clarimonde watched me with an air of maternal pleasure, and appeared well satisfied with her work. "Come, enough of this child's-play! Let us start, Romuald, dear. We have far to go, and we may not get there in time." She took my hand and led me forth. All the doors opened before her at a touch, and we passed by the dog without awaking him.
ease - Leichtigkeit, Mühelosigkeit, Behaglichkeit, Bequemlichkeit
turns up - (turn up) aufbinden, erscheinen, auftauchen
maternal - mütterlich
satisfied - befriedigen, zufriedenstellen
awaking - erwachen; weckend, erweckend; (awake) erwachen; weckend
At the gate we found Margheritone waiting, the same swarthy groom who had once before been my escort. He held the bridles of three horses, all black like those which bore us to the castle-one for me, one for him, one for Clarimonde. Those horses must have been Spanish genets born of mares fecundated by a zephyr, for they were fleet as the wind itself, and the moon, which had just risen at our departure to light us on our way, rolled over the sky like a wheel detached from her own chariot. We beheld her on the right leaping from tree to tree, and putting herself out of breath in the effort to keep up with us. Soon we came upon a level plain where, hard by a clump of trees, a carriage with four vigorous horses awaited us. We entered it, and the postilions urged their animals into a mad gallop. I had one arm around Clarimonde's waist, and one of her hands clasped in mine; her head leaned upon my shoulder, and I felt her bosom, half bare, lightly pressing against my arm. I had never known such intense happiness. In that hour I had forgotten everything, and I no more remembered having ever been a priest than I remembered what I had been doing in my mother's womb, so great was the fascination which the evil spirit exerted upon me.
groom - Bräutigam; Stallmeister, Stallknecht; loipen
escort - Eskorte, Geleit, Begleitperson, eskortieren
bridles - Zaumzeug
Spanish - spanisch; Spanisch; Spanier
genets - Genette
mares - Stuten; beschädigen, verunstalten
fecundated - befruchtet; befruchten
zephyr - Zephir
Fleet - Flotte; Fahrzeugpark
wind - aufspulen, rollen, blasen, aufwickeln, abspulen
rolled - gerollt; Rolle, Roulade, Walze, Semmel; drehen, wälzen, wickeln
chariot - Streitwagen; Triumphwagen
leaping - hervorspringen, hüpfen, überspringen
plain - unscheinbar, einfach, vollständige, ehrlich
clump - Klumpen; Büschel; Plumps
carriage - Kutsche; Gang, Haltung, Wagen, Frachtgeld, Fracht, Fuhrlohn
vigorous - kräftig, stark, energisch, lebhaft
postilions - Postillione; Postillion
mad - wahnsinnig, verrückt, toll, irre
waist - Taille; Rumpf
clasped - umklammert; Spange, Klammer, Schnalle, Griff, greifen
leaned - gelehnt; knapp, schlank, hager, mager
pressing - auf etwas drücken, zusammendrücken, nachdrücklich
intense - intensiv; hochgradig
womb - Gebärmutter; q
fascination - Faszination
exerted - ausgeübt wird; anstrengen, ausüben
From that night my nature seemed in some sort to have become halved, and there were two men within me, neither of whom knew the other. At one moment I believed myself a priest who dreamed nightly that he was a gentleman, at another that I was a gentleman who dreamed he was a priest. I could no longer distinguish the dream from the reality, nor could I discover where the reality began or where ended the dream. The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. I always retained with extreme vividness all the perceptions of my two lives. Only there was one absurd fact which I could not explain to myself-namely, that the consciousness of the same individuality existed in two men so opposite in character. It was an anomaly for which I could not account-whether I believed myself to be the curé of the little village of C--, or Il Signor Romualdo, the titled lover of Clarimonde.
halved - halbiert; halbieren, halbieren, hälften
nightly - jede Nacht; nächtlich
gentleman - Herr; Herr, meine Herren
distinguish - unterscheiden; erkennen; auszeichnen
libertine - Wüstling
railed - geschnallt; Gleis, Schiene, Reling, Geländer
loathed - verabscheut; verabscheuen, ablehnen, hassen
dissolute - ausschweifend; liederlich
retained - zurückgehalten; behalten, festhalten
vividness - Lebendigkeit
perceptions - Wahrnehmungen; Wahrnehmung
absurd - absurd
namely - und zwar, nämlich
consciousness - Bewusstsein, Gewahrsein, Erkenntnis, Bewusstheit
individuality - Individualität
anomaly - Anomalie
account - Rechnung, Bericht, Rechnung, Konto
Signor - Herr
Be that as it may, I lived, at least I believed that I lived, in Venice. I have never been able to discover rightly how much of illusion and how much of reality there was in this fantastic adventure. We dwelt in a great palace on the Canaleio, filled with frescoes and statues, and containing two Titians in the noblest style of the great master, which were hung in Clarimonde's chamber. It was a palace well worthy of a king. We had each our gondola, our barcarolli in family livery, our music hall, and our special poet. Clarimonde always lived upon a magnificent scale; there was something of Cleopatra in her nature. As for me, I had the retinue of a prince's son, and I was regarded with as much reverential respect as though I had been of the family of one of the twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists of the Most Serene Republic. I would not have turned aside to allow even the Doge to pass, and I do not believe that since Satan fell from heaven, any creature was ever prouder or more insolent than I. I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society-the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers. But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde. I loved her wildly. She would have excited satiety itself, and chained inconstancy.
Venice - Venedig
rightly - zurecht, zu Recht, richtig
frescoes - Fresken; Fresko
statues - Statuen; Statue, Standbild
Titians - Tizianer; Tizianrot
noblest - am edelsten; Adeliger, Adliger, Adelige, Adlige, Aristokrat
gondola - Gondel; Seilbahn
magnificent - großartig; prächtig; ausgezeichnet
scale - Maßstab; Skala, Kesselsteine, Schuppe; ersteigen, erklettern
retinue - Gefolge
regarded - betrachtet; schätzen, betrachten, berücksichtigen
reverential - ehrfürchtig
respect - Achtung, Respekt, respektieren
apostles - Apostel
Evangelists - Evangelisten; Evangelist, Evangelistin, Evangelist
serene - Gelassenheit; heiter
republic - der Republik; Republik, Teilrepublik
aside - beiseite, zur Seite
Doge - Dogen; flitzen; Doge
prouder - stolzer; stolz, stolz, stolz, derahlerisch
insolent - unverschämt; beleidigend, verletzend, anmaßend, überheblich
absolutely - absolut, durchaus, total, unbedingt
infernal - höllisch, infernalisch, Höllen-, checkinfernalisch
ruined - ruiniert; Ruine, Ruin, Ruin, ruinieren, auf die Knie zwingen
shrewd - klug, clever, gewitzt, schlau, listig
knaves - Buben; Knabe, Knappe, Junge, Boy, Knecht, Gauner, Schurke
parasites - Parasiten; Parasit, Schmarotzer, Parasit
hectoring - Einschüchterung; einschüchtern, mobben, schikanieren
swashbucklers - Säbelrassler; Haudegen, Draufgänger
dissipation - Ausschüttung; Zerstreuung, Zersplitterung, Zerteilung, Auflösung
faithful - treu
satiety - Sattheit, Sättigung, Befriedigung
chained - angekettet; Kette, Kette, Kette, Kette, anketten, ketten
inconstancy - Wankelmut; Unbeständigkeiten, Unbeständigkeit
To have Clarimonde was to have twenty mistresses; aye, to possess all women: so mobile, so varied of aspect, so fresh in new charms was she all in herself-a very chameleon of a woman, in sooth. She made you commit with her the infidelity you would have committed with another, by donning to perfection the character, the attraction, the style of beauty of the woman who appeared to please you. She returned my love a hundred-fold, and it was in vain that the young patricians and even the Ancients of the Council of Ten made her the most magnificent proposals. A Foscari even went so far as to offer to espouse her. She rejected all his overtures. Of gold she had enough. She wished no longer for anything but love-a love youthful, pure, evoked by herself, and which should be a first and last passion. I would have been perfectly happy but for a cursed nightmare which recurred every night, and in which I believed myself to be a poor village curé, practising mortification and penance for my excesses during the day. Reassured by my constant association with her, I never thought further of the strange manner in which I had become acquainted with Clarimonde. But the words of the Abbé Sérapion concerning her recurred often to my memory, and never ceased to cause me uneasiness.
mistresses - Mätressen; Frau, Meisterin, Herrscherin, Mätresse, Liebhaberin
Aye - gewiss, Ja-Stimme
possess - besitzen
varied - abwechslungsreich; variieren, verändern, sich ändern, de
charms - Reize; Talisman; Charme, Zauberformel, Lieblichkeit; bezaubern
chameleon - Chamäleon
sooth - beruhigen; Wahrheit
infidelity - Untreue
committed - verpflichtet; einweisen, einliefern, begehen, verbrechen
Attraction - Anziehung, Anziehungskraft, Reiz, Liebreiz, Attraktion
fold - falten, zusammenlegen, verschränken (Arme); Falte, gefaltete
vain - eitel; unnützlich
patricians - Patrizier, Patrizier
Council - Rat
proposals - Vorschläge; Vorschlag, Heiratsantrag
espouse - verfechten; heiraten, ehelichen, sich vermählen mit
rejected - abgelehnt; verwerfen, ablehnen, zurückweisen
overtures - Ouvertüren; Angebot
youthful - jugendlich, jung
pure - bloß, rein
evoked - evoziert; hervorrufen
passion - Leidenschaft, Passion
perfectly happy - wunschlos
cursed - verflucht, verfluchte; (curs) verflucht, verfluchte
recurred - wieder aufgetreten; wiederkehren
mortification - Kasteiung; Kränkung, Demütigung
penance - Buße, Bußleistung, Bußübung, Bußwerk
excesses - Exzesse; Überfluss, Überschuss, Übermaß
constant - beständig, konstant, regelmäßig, stetig
Association - Assoziation, Verknüpfung, Zuordnung, Vereinigung
concerning - Was bedeutet das; Sorge, Anliegen
uneasiness - Unbehagen
For some time the health of Clarimonde had not been so good as usual; her complexion grew paler day by day. The physicians who were summoned could not comprehend the nature of her malady and knew not how to treat it. They all prescribed some insignificant remedies, and never called a second time. Her paleness, nevertheless, visibly increased, and she became colder and colder, until she seemed almost as white and dead as upon that memorable night in the unknown castle.
paler - blasser; Kumpel, Kamerad
physicians - Ärzten; Arzt, Ärztin, Mediziner, Medizinerin, Doktor, Doktorin
summoned - vorgeladen; auffordern, vorladen
comprehend - umfassen; verstehen, begreifen, erfassen, einsehen
malady - Krankheit, Übel
treat - behandeln; bewirten, einladen, heilen, kurieren
prescribed - verschrieben; verschreiben, verordnen, vorschreiben, verordnen
remedies - Gegenmittel
paleness - Blässe, Blassheit, Bleichheit, Farblosigkeit
visibly - sichtbar
memorable - erinnerungswürdig; denkwürdig, merkwürdig, einprägsam
I grieved with anguish unspeakable to behold her thus slowly perishing; and she, touched by my agony, smiled upon me sweetly and sadly with the fateful smile of those who feel that they must die.
grieved - getrauert; weh tun, kränken, bekümmern; sich grämen (über)
perishing - untergehen; verderben, schlecht werden, umkommen
sweetly - süß
fateful - schicksalhaft
One morning I was seated at her bedside, after breakfasting from a little table placed close at hand, so that I might not be obliged to leave her for a single instant. In the act of cutting some fruit I accidentally inflicted rather a deep gash on my finger. The blood immediately gushed forth in a little purple jet, and a few drops spurted upon Clarimonde. Her eyes flashed, her face suddenly assumed an expression of savage and ferocious joy such as I had never before observed in her. She leaped out of her bed with animal agility-the agility, as it were, of an ape or a cat-and sprang upon my wound, which she commenced to suck with an air of unutterable pleasure. She swallowed the blood in little mouthfuls, slowly and carefully, like a connoisseur tasting a wine from Xeres or Syracuse.
bedside - am Krankenbett; Krankenbett
be obliged - müssen
inflicted - auferlegt; zufügen, de
gash - tiefer Schnitt, tiefer Riss, klaffende Wunde; einschneiden
gushed - sprudelte; Schwall, Flut, strömen, herausquellen, schwärmen
jet - Düsenflugzeug, Strahl, Düse; ausstoßen
spurted - gespritzt; herausspritzen (aus)
assumed - angenommen; annehmen, voraussetzen, vermuten, unterstellen
savage - Wilde; wild, wüst, unbebaut, unbändig, rasend
ferocious - wild, brutal, grausam
agility - Beweglichkeit, Agilität, Wendigkeit
ape - nachäffen, Affe
wound - anschießen, verwunden
suck - ätzend; saugen; lutschen; mies sein, zum Kotzen sein
swallowed - verschluckt; schlucken, verschlingen, anbeißen, einstecken
mouthfuls - Bissen; mundvoll
connoisseur - Kenner, Kennerin
Syracuse - Syrakus, Syrakus
Gradually her eyelids half closed, and the pupils of her green eyes became oblong instead of round. From time to time she paused in order to kiss my hand, then she would recommence to press her lips to the lips of the wound in order to coax forth a few more ruddy drops. When she found that the blood would no longer come, she arose with eyes liquid and brilliant, rosier than a May dawn; her face full and fresh, her hand warm and moist-in fine, more beautiful than ever, and in the most perfect health.
pupils - Schulkind, Pupille, Schüler
oblong - länglich, lang, quer, breit, rechteckig
paused - innegehalten; pausieren, innehalten, pausieren, Pause
recommence - wiederaufnehmen; wieder beginnen
press - Presse (Maschine), Presse (Zeitung); drängen, drücken
coax - schmeicheln, gut zureden; Koaxialkabel
liquid - Flüssigkeit; Fließlaut, Liquida, Liquid, disponibel
rosier - rosiger; (rosy) rosiger
moist - feucht
most perfect - einwandfreiste
"I shall not die! I shall not die!" she cried, clinging to my neck, half mad with joy. "I can love thee yet for a long time. My life is thine, and all that is of me comes from thee. A few drops of thy rich and noble blood, more precious and more potent than all the elixirs of the earth, have given me back life."
clinging - anhaftend; anschmiegen
thine - deines; dein; deiner, der deine
more precious - kostbarere
more potent - potentere
elixirs - Elixiere; Elixier
This scene long haunted my memory, and inspired me with strange doubts in regard to Clarimonde; and the same evening, when slumber had transported me to my presbytery, I beheld the Abbé Sérapion, graver and more anxious of aspect than ever. He gazed attentively at me, and sorrowfully exclaimed: "Not content with losing your soul, you now desire also to lose your body. Wretched young man, into how terrible a plight have you fallen!" The tone in which he uttered these words powerfully affected me, but in spite of its vividness even that impression was soon dissipated, and a thousand other cares erased it from my mind. At last one evening, while looking into a mirror whose traitorous position she had not taken into account, I saw Clarimonde in the act of emptying a powder into the cup of spiced wine which she had long been in the habit of preparing after our repasts.
haunted - spuken, verfolgen, Treffpunkt
inspired - inspiriert; inspirieren, inspirieren, beatmen, einhauchen
doubts - bezweifeln, zweifeln, Zweifel
graver - Stichel; ernster; (grav) Stichel; ernster
content - Inhalt; (to be content with) sich mit etwas begnügen
wretched - unglücklich; sehr schlecht, miserabel, wertlos
plight - Notlage; sich verloben; Misere, schlimmer Zustand, Verlobung
tone - Farbton, Klang, Umgangston, Ton
powerfully - kraftvoll
impression - Abdruck; Eindruck, Impression, Werbeeinblendung
dissipated - verpufft; zerstreuen, zerteilen, verscheuchen, lösen, abbauen
erased - ausgelöscht; auslöschen, ausradieren, löschen
traitorous - verräterisch
powder - Puder, g; (''otherwise:'') Pulver, Puder
spiced - gewürzt; würzen; Gewürz
repasts - Mahlzeiten; Mahl, Mahlzeit
I took the cup, feigned to carry it to my lips, and then placed it on the nearest article of furniture as though intending to finish it at my leisure. Taking advantage of a moment when the fair one's back was turned, I threw the contents under the table, after which I retired to my chamber and went to bed, fully resolved not to sleep, but to watch and discover what should come of all this mystery. I did not have to wait long. Clarimonde entered in her night-dress, and having removed her apparel, crept into bed and lay down beside me. When she felt assured that I was asleep, she bared my arm, and drawing a gold pin from her hair, commenced to murmur in a low voice:
feigned - vorgetäuscht; vorgeben, vortäuschen, vormachen, fingieren
intending - beabsichtigen, vorhaben, intendieren
leisure - Muße; Freizeit
Contents - Inhalt; (to be content with) sich mit etwas begnügen
retired - im Ruhestand; pensionieren, zurücktreten, sich zurückziehen
mystery - Geheimnis, Rätsel
crept - gekrochen; kriechen, schleichen, schleichen, kriechen, Kriechen
assured - gesichert; beteuerte, versicherte, versichert
pin - Zapfen, Bolzen, Schraubendrehereinsatz; feststecken, anheften
murmur - Rauschen, Murmeln, Gemurmel, Raunen, Herzgeräusch
"One drop, only one drop! One ruby at the end of my needle.... Since thou lovest me yet, I must not die!... Ah, poor love! His beautiful blood, so brightly purple, I must drink it. Sleep, my only treasure! Sleep, my god, my child! I will do thee no harm; I will only take of thy life what I must to keep my own from being forever extinguished. But that I love thee so much, I could well resolve to have other lovers whose veins I could drain; but since I have known thee all other men have become hateful to me.... Ah, the beautiful arm! How round it is!
ruby - Stein (einer Uhr), rubinrot, Rubin
needle - Nadel; hänseln
brightly - leuchtend; strahlend, hell
harm - Schaden
resolve - auflösen, beschließen
veins - Venen; Vene, Ader, Geäder
drain - Abfluss; entwässern, abfließen lassen, ablassen, trocknen
hateful - hasserfüllt
How white it is! How shall I ever dare to prick this pretty blue vein!" And while thus murmuring to herself she wept, and I felt her tears raining on my arm as she clasped it with her hands. At last she took the resolve, slightly punctured me with her pin, and commenced to suck up the blood which oozed from the place. Although she swallowed only a few drops, the fear of weakening me soon seized her, and she carefully tied a little band around my arm, afterward rubbing the wound with an unguent which immediately cicatrized it.
prick - Arschloch; spitzer Gegenstand, Stich
vein - Vene, Ader, Geäder, Goldader
murmuring - murmelnd, raunend; (murmur); Rauschen, Murmeln, Gemurmel
punctured - durchstochen; Einstich, Reifenpanne, durchstechen, punktieren
oozed - gesickert; sickern, strotzen vor/von; Schlamm
weakening - Schwächung; schwächen, abschwächen, schwächeln
rubbing - Reiben, Polieren; (rub); reiben, abreiben, sich abreiben
unguent - Salbe
cicatrized - vernarbt; vernarben
Further doubts were impossible. The Abbé Sérapion was right. Notwithstanding this positive knowledge, however, I could not cease to love Clarimonde, and I would gladly of my own accord have given her all the blood she required to sustain her factitious life. Moreover, I felt but little fear of her. The woman seemed to plead with me for the vampire, and what I had already heard and seen sufficed to reassure me completely. In those days I had plenteous veins, which would not have been so easily exhausted as at present; and I would not have thought of bargaining for my blood, drop by drop. I would rather have opened myself the veins of my arm and said to her: "Drink, and may my love infiltrate itself throughout thy body together with my blood!
cease - aufhören, einstellen
gladly - gerne; gern
accord - Vereinbarung; Übereinstimmung, Einvernehmen, Übereinkommen
required - erforderlich; erfordern, brauchen, benötigen
sustain - unterstützen; unterhalten, aufrechterhalten, versorgen
factitious - Erfunden
Moreover - außerdem, überdies, des Weiteren, obendrein
plead - plädieren, bekennen, (dringend) bitten, anflehen, beschwören
sufficed - genügte; ausreichen, genügen, genug sein, reichen
reassure - versichern, beruhigen
plenteous - reichlich, voll
exhausted - erschöpft; erschöpfen, dezimieren, erschöpfen, Auspuff, Abgas
bargaining - verhandeln; Angebot
infiltrate - infiltrieren; Infiltrat
throughout - durchgehend; überall
I carefully avoided ever making the least reference to the narcotic drink she had prepared for me, or to the incident of the pin, and we lived in the most perfect harmony.
reference - Referenz; Quelle; referenzieren; sich beziehen
narcotic - Rauschgift; narkotisierend, Betäubungsmittel, narkotisch
incident - Vorfall, Begebenheit, Ereignis, Geschehnis
harmony - Harmonie, Einklang, Wohlklang, Harmonielehre
Yet my priestly scruples commenced to torment me more than ever, and I was at a loss to imagine what new penance I could invent in order to mortify and subdue my flesh. Although these visions were involuntary, and though I did not actually participate in anything relating to them, I could not dare to touch the body of Christ with hands so impure and a mind defiled by such debauches whether real or imaginary. In the effort to avoid falling under the influence of these wearisome hallucinations, I strove to prevent myself from being overcome by sleep. I held my eyelids open with my fingers, and stood for hours together leaning upright against the wall, fighting sleep with all my might; but the dust of drowsiness invariably gathered upon my eyes at last, and finding all resistance useless, I would have to let my arms fall in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores. Sérapion addressed me with the most vehement exhortations, severely reproaching me for my softness and want of fervour. Finally, one day when I was more wretched than usual, he said to me: "There is but one way by which you can obtain relief from this continual torment, and though it is an extreme measure it must be made use of; violent diseases require violent remedies. I know where Clarimonde is buried.
priestly - priesterlich
scruples - Skrupel
torment - Qualen; Qual; quälen, peinigen
Loss - Verlust, Ausfall; Kursverlust
mortify - kränken, demütigen;jdn. beschämen
subdue - unter Kontrolle bringen, unterwerfen
visions - Visionen; Sicht, Sehvermögen
participate - teilnehmen (an)
Christ - Christus, Herrgott
impure - unrein
defiled - verunreinigt; defilieren
debauches - Ausschweifungen; Ausschweifung
imaginary - eingebildet, imaginär
wearisome - ermüdend, langweilig, lästig
hallucinations - Halluzinationen; Halluzination, Wahnvorstellung
overcome - überwunden; überwinden
for hours together - stundenlang
upright - aufrecht; hochkant
dust - Staub; entstauben, abstauben, ein Sandbad nehmen, sandbaden
drowsiness - Schläfrigkeit
weariness - Müdigkeit
current - Strömung; Strom; gegenwärtig, aktuell, zeitnah
perfidious - Perfide
shores - Ufern; Ufer, Stützbalken, Küste, Strebe
exhortations - Ermahnungen; Ermahnung
severely - ernsthaft
reproaching - Vorwürfe; Vorwurf, Schande, vorwerfen
obtain - erlangen, erhalten, bestehen
continual - fortlaufend
measure - Maß; Messung, Maßstab, Takt, Maßnahme, messen, abmessen
require - erfordern; brauchen, benötigen
buried - vergraben, verbergen, begraben
It is necessary that we shall disinter her remains, and that you shall behold in how pitiable a state the object of your love is. Then you will no longer be tempted to lose your soul for the sake of an unclean corpse devoured by worms, and ready to crumble into dust. That will assuredly restore you to yourself." For my part, I was so tired of this double life that I at once consented, desiring to ascertain beyond a doubt whether a priest or a gentleman had been the victim of delusion. I had become fully resolved either to kill one of the two men within me for the benefit of the other, or else to kill both, for so terrible an existence could not last long and be endured. The Abbé Sérapion provided himself with a mattock, a lever, and a lantern, and at midnight we wended our way to the cemetery of --, the location and place of which were perfectly familiar to him. After having directed the rays of the dark lantern upon the inscriptions of several tombs, we came at last upon a great slab, half concealed by huge weeds and devoured by mosses and parasitic plants, whereupon we deciphered the opening lines of the epitaph:
disinter - ausgraben; exhumieren
pitiable - bedauerlich, bedauernswert, erbärmlich, kläglich
be tempted - in Versuchung kommen, in Versuchung sein
unclean - unrein, gemein
worms - Wurm, elender Wurm
crumble - bröckeln, zerbröckeln, krümeln, zerkrümeln, Crumble
restore - wiederherstellen, restaurieren
consented - zugestimmt; zustimmen, einwilligen, Zustimmung, Konsens
ascertain - festzustellen; feststellen
doubt - bezweifeln, Zweifel
delusion - Täuschung, Irreführung, Wahn, Wahnvorstellung
endured - ertragen, aushalten, dulden, von Bestand sein
mattock - Mattock, Hacke
lever - Montiereisen (Reifen); Hebel
wended - wendete; folgen, verfolgen
location - Standort; Lage, Ort, Platz, Ortsbestimmung, Ortsermittlung
familiar - vertraut; bekannt
inscriptions - Inschriften; Inschrift, Aufschrift, Münzaufschrift, Widmung
mosses - Moos
parasitic - schmarotzend
deciphered - dechiffriert; dechiffrieren, entschlüsseln, entziffern
epitaph - Grabinschrift; q
Here lies Clarimonde
Who was famed in her life-time
famed - Ruhm, Berühmtheit, Bekanntheit
As the fairest of women.[1]
"It is here without a doubt," muttered Sérapion, and placing his lantern on the ground, he forced the point of the lever under the edge of the stone and commenced to raise it. The stone yielded, and he proceeded to work with the mattock. Darker and more silent than the night itself, I stood by and watched him do it, while he, bending over his dismal toil, streamed with sweat, panted, and his hard-coming breath seemed to have the harsh tone of a death rattle. It was a weird scene, and had any persons from without beheld us, they would assuredly have taken us rather for profane wretches and shroud-stealers than for priests of God. There was something grim and fierce in Sérapion's zeal which lent him the air of a demon rather than of an apostle or an angel, and his great aquiline face, with all its stern features brought out in strong relief by the lantern-light, had something fearsome in it which enhanced the unpleasant fancy. I felt an icy sweat come out upon my forehead in huge beads, and my hair stood up with a hideous fear. Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Sérapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.
muttered - gemurmelt; murmeln
forced - gezwungen; zwingen, forcieren, erzwingen; Stärke, Macht
yielded - nachgegeben; hervorbringen, er/sie hat/hatte ergeben, weichen
more silent - wortkargere
toil - Mühe; schuften, sich plagen, sich quälen, roboten
panted - keuchte; keuchen, hecheln, schnaufen (i. S. v. keuchen)
harsh - rau, harsch, unwirsch, scharf
rattle - klappern, rasseln, erschüteln, knattern
weird - geheimnisvoll, unheimlich, übernatürlich, seltsam, komisch
profane - weltlich; profan
wretches - Schufte; das Wesen
stealers - Diebe; (steal) klauen, abwerben (Kunden)
priests - Priester, Priesterin, Pfarrer, Pfarrerin, Pastor, Pastorin
grim - makaber, grimmig
zeal - Eifer, Begeisterung
apostle - Apostel
stern - ernst, Heck
fearsome - fürchterlich, furchterregend
enhanced - verbessert; erhöhen, vergrößern, verbessern
unpleasant - unangenehm
fancy - schick; extravagant, originell
beads - Perlen; Perle, Tropfen
hideous - scheußlich; abscheulich
austere - Streng; schlicht, genügsam
abominable - verabscheuungswürdig, verhasst, abscheulich, riesig, monströs
sacrilege - Sakrileg
triangle - Dreieck; Triangel
issue from - herrühren (von), entspringen
heavily - schwerlich, stark
rolling - rollend, Walzen; (roll) rollend, Walzen
cinders - Asche, Schlacke, Zunder, verkohlen, verschwelen, einäschern
The owls which had been nestling in the cypress-trees, startled by the gleam of the lantern, flew against it from time to time, striking their dusty wings against its panes, and uttering plaintive cries of lamentation; wild foxes yelped in the far darkness, and a thousand sinister noises detached themselves from the silence. At last Sérapion's mattock struck the coffin itself, making its planks re-echo with a deep sonorous sound, with that terrible sound nothingness utters when stricken. He wrenched apart and tore up the lid, and I beheld Clarimonde, pallid as a figure of marble, with hands joined; her white winding-sheet made but one fold from her head to her feet. A little crimson drop sparkled like a speck of dew at one corner of her colourless mouth. Sérapion, at this spectacle, burst into fury: "Ah, thou art here, demon! Impure courtesan! Drinker of blood and gold!" And he flung holy water upon the corpse and the coffin, over which he traced the sign of the cross with his sprinkler. Poor Clarimonde had no sooner been touched by the blessed spray than her beautiful body crumbled into dust, and became only a shapeless and frightful mass of cinders and half-calcined bones.
owls - Eule, Uhu, Eulenvogel
nestling - kuschelnd, Nesthäkchen
cypress - Zypresse
gleam - Schimmer; durchschimmern, glänzen
striking - auffällig; (strike); streichen; schlagen; prägen; streiken; scheinen; die Fahne streichen; Strike; Streik; Schlag
dusty - staubig
panes - Scheiben; Scheibe, Fensterscheibe
plaintive - traurig, wehleidig, klagend, Klage
lamentation - Wehklagen; Wehklage, Klage
foxes - Füchse; Fuchs, qualifier
yelped - gekläfft; yelp
sinister - unheimlich
struck - angeschlagen; streichen, schlagen, prägen, streiken, scheinen
planks - Bretter; Planke, Schwerpunkt
nothingness - Nichtigkeit; Nichtvorhandensein, Nichts, Leere
utters - äußerst
stricken - angeschlagen; ergriffen, heimgesucht, betroffen
wrenched - verrenkt; reißen
tore up - zerfetzte
lid - Deckel
sparkled - funkelte; funkeln
speck - Fleckchen
colourless - farblos
burst - geplatzt; platzen, zerplatzen, bersten, sprengen, Bersten
Drinker - Trinker, Trinkerin, Gewohnheitstrinker
holy water - Weihwasser
traced - zurückverfolgt; Zeichen, Spur
sprinkler - Sprinkler, Sprinkleranlage, Feuerlöschanlage
blessed - gesegnet; selig; (bless); gesegnet; selig
spray - Sprühwasser, Gischt; bestäuben (bestäubt), sprühen, spritzen
crumbled - zerkrümelt; bröckeln, zerbröckeln, krümeln, zerkrümeln, Crumble
shapeless - unförmig; formlos
calcined - kalziniert; calcinieren, kalzinieren, ausglühen, brennen
"Behold your mistress, my Lord Romuald!" cried the inexorable priest, as he pointed to these sad remains. "Will you be easily tempted after this to promenade on the Lido or at Fusina with your beauty?" I covered my face with my hands, a vast ruin had taken place within me. I returned to my presbytery, and the noble Lord Romuald, the lover of Clarimonde, separated himself from the poor priest with whom he had kept such strange company so long. But once only, the following night, I saw Clarimonde.
inexorable - unaufhaltsam
tempted - in Versuchung; in Versuchung führen, versuchen, locken
promenade - Promenade; spazieren gehen
Lido - Freibad, Badi
ruin - Ruine, Ruin, Ruin, ruinieren, auf die Knie zwingen, vernichten
She said to me, as she had said the first time at the portals of the church: "Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done? Wherefore have hearkened to that imbecile priest? Wert thou not happy? And what harm had I ever done thee that thou shouldst violate my poor tomb, and lay bare the miseries of my nothingness? All communication between our souls and our bodies is henceforth forever broken. Adieu! Thou will yet regret me!" She vanished in air as smoke, and I never saw her more.
wherefore - Weshalb; warum, weswegen, wofür
hearkened - gehorcht; horchen, hören, lauschen
imbecile - Schwachkopf; Schwachsinnige, geistesschwach
shouldst - sollen
violate - verletzen, brechen, überschreiten, mißachten
miseries - Misere, Elend
communication - Kommunikation, Informationsaustausch, Mitteilung
regret - bedauern, bereuen, leidtun, Reue, Bedauern
Alas! she spoke truly indeed. I have regretted her more than once, and I regret her still. My soul's peace has been very dearly bought. The love of God was not too much to replace such a love as hers. And this, brother, is the story of my youth. Never gaze upon a woman, and walk abroad only with eyes ever fixed upon the ground; for however chaste and watchful one may be, the error of a single moment is enough to make one lose eternity.
Dearly - Liebevoll; teuer
gaze - Blicken; anstarren
watchful - wachsam
[1]
Ici git Clarimonde
git - Einguss
Qui fut de son vivant
La plus belle du monde.
la - US-Bundesstaat
plus - plus; positiv
belle - Schönheit, Schöne
The broken beauty of the lines is unavoidably lost in the translation.
unavoidably - Unvermeidlich
translation - Übersetzung, Übersetzen, Translation
