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.
strange - extrano; extrano, raro, anormal, desconocido
though - ero..; no obstante, de todas formas, de todas maneras
scarcely - apenas, difícilmente
dare - te atreves; atraverse, osar
disturb - perturbar, molestar
ashes - cenizas; ceniza
memory - memoria, recuerdo
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 - infancia, ninez
vocation - vocación, profesión
priesthood - sacerdocio
directed - dirigido; directo, dirigir
view - vista, reproducción, visualización, visitas, visión, mirada, ver
prolonged - prolongado; prolongar
theology - teología
successively - sucesivamente
received - recibido; recibir
minor - menor, menor, menor de edad
superiors - superiores; superior, superior
judged - juzgado; juzgar
worthy - Digno
despite - pesar de..; a pesar de, pese a, no obstante, maguer
youth - jóvenes; juventud, adolescencia, mocedad, anos mozos, joven
pass - pasar(por), dejar atrás
Last - el último; último
awful - asqueroso; horrible, terrible, atroz
degree - título, diploma, grado
ordination - ordenación
fixed - arreglado; arreglar, reparar, componer, fijar, pregar, preparar
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.
gone into - dedicarse a; explicar; encontrarse; chocar contra
confined - confinado; confinar, encorsetar, confín, raya
seminary - seminario
vague - vago, impreciso
sort - cómo; clase, tipo, género
permitted - permitido; permitir
thoughts - pensamientos; pensamiento
dwell - habitar, morar
such - cómo; así, tal, semejante, tan, qué
state - el estado
innocence - inocencia
infirm - enfermo; enfermizo, endeble, inseguro
those - esos, esas, aquéllos, aquellas
comprised - comprendido; comprender
sole - suela; planta
relations - relación, pariente
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 - te arrepientes; lamentar, pena, pesar, arrepentimiento
hesitation - hesitación, vacilación, dudas, titubeo
king - rey
irrevocable - irrevocable
step - paso
joy - alegría, júbilo
Impatience - impaciencia
betrothed - comprometida, comprometido; (betroth); prometer (en matrimonio)
lover - amante
count - contar; conde
more feverish - más febril
ardour - ardor
dream - sueno; sueno, ensueno, sonar
mass - montón, masa
more delightful - más encantador
priest - sacerdote, cura, padre, párroco; (prey); botín, presa
refused - rechazado; negarse (a)
poet - poeta, poetisa
preference - Preferencia
Ambition - ambición
conceive of - concebir
loftier - más alto; majestuoso
aim - apuntar
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.
great day - un gran día
church - iglesia, servicio religioso, culto, misa
fancied - te apetece; capricho, antojo
myself - yo mismo; me
sustained - sostenido; sostener, sustentar
wings - alas; ala, sección, parte, flanco, alero
upon - sobre, en, tras
angel - ángel
wondered - se preguntaba; maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro, pasmo
sombre - sombrío, grave
thoughtful - pensativo; detallista, minucioso, meticuloso, cortés
Companions - companeros; companero, companera
several - varios, varias
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.
passed - pasó; pasar(por), dejar atrás
prayer - Oración
condition - stado; condición, situación, acondicionar
wellnigh - Casi
bordering - limítrofe; frontera, borde, cenefa, orla, parterre
ecstasy - éxtasis
bishop - obispo
venerable - venerable
seemed - parecía; parecer
God - endiosar, idolatrar, deificar
leaning - Inclinado; (lean) Inclinado
eternity - la eternidad; eternidad
beheld - ontemplado; contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
Heaven - el cielo; cielo, firmamento, paraíso
vault - bóveda; sótano; bodega
Temple - templo
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 - ceremonia
communion - comunión
anointing - unción; ungir
palms - palmeras; palma
oil - aceite; petróleo
Catechumens - catecúmenos; catecúmeno, catecúmena
holy - santo, sagrado
sacrifice - sacrificar, sacrificio
offered - ofrecido; ofrecer
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 - de verdad; verdaderamente, realmente
declared - declarado; explicar, aclarar, declarar
imprudent - imprudente
covenant - convenio, acuerdo, pacto, contrato
accidentally - accidentalmente
lifted - levantado; levantar, alzar
touched - tocado; tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
although - unque..; aunque, a pesar de
actually - realmente
considerable - considerable
distance - distancia, lejanía, distanciarse, alejarse
further - más allá; fomentar, asistir, exhortar, desarrollar
sanctuary - santuario; sanctuario
railing - barandilla; (rail); barandilla
extraordinary - extraordinario, descomunal
beauty - belleza, hermosura, preciosidad, preciosura
Attired - vestido; atuendo, atavío, ataviar
Royal - real
magnificence - magnificencia
scales - escalas; escala
suddenly - de repente, repentinamente, de pronto, súbitamente
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 - un hombre ciego
unexpectedly - inesperadamente, inopinadamente
recovers - se recupera; recuperarse
sight - vista, lugar de interés, espectáculo, panorama, visor, mira, ver
radiantly - radiantemente
glorious - glorioso
instant - instantáneo, inmediato
vanished - desaparecido; desvanecerse, desaparecer, anularse
tapers - galletas; cerilla
paled - pálido; amigo, colega
candlesticks - velas; candelero, candelabro
dawn - amanecer, alba, amanecer, aurora, madrugada
vast - vasta; vasto, enorme
darkness - oscuridad, tinieblas
charming - encantador; (charm); encantador
creature - criatura
appeared - apareció; aparecer, comparecer
brief - breve, corto, conciso, sucinto, escueto, resumen, poner al tanto
relief - alivio
against - contra, cerca de, frente, en contra, enfrente, en pugna
background - Fondo
revelation - revelación, develamiento
radiating - irradiando; irradiar
receiving - recibir
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 - bajado; oscurecerse, encapotarse
eyelids - párpados; párpado
firmly - con firmeza; firmemente
resolved - resuelto; tomar la decisión de, resolver
influenced - influenciado; influencia, influir, influenciar
external - externa; externo
Distraction - distracción, locura
gradually - gradualmente, poco a poco, paulatinamente
possession - posesión, posesión natural, tenencia, posesión civil, posesiones
hardly - apenas, a duras penas
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 - a pesar de todo; sin embargo, a pesar de esto, con todo
reopened - reabierto; reabrir, reabrirse
eyelashes - pestanas; pestana, abénula
sparkling - chispeante; centelleante, gaseoso, efervescente
prismatic - prismático
surrounded - rodeado; circundar, envolver, cercar, rodear
penumbra - penumbra
beholds - contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
gazing at - mirando
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.
painters - Pintor
Ideal - ideal, ideal
itself - en sí; se, solo, a si mismo, por si mismo, sí mismo
thence - desde ahí
brought back - traído de vuelta
earth - tierra, suelo, terreno, madriguera, aterrar
portrait - retrato
approached - se acercó; acercarse, aproximarse
wildly - alocadamente, salvajemente
reality - realidad
neither - ninguno de los dos; ninguno, ningún, ni X ni Y, tampoco
verses - versos; estrofa
palette - paleta, gama de colores
convey - transmitir; transportar, trasladar, comunicar, expresar
conception - concepción
bearing - Rodamiento; (bear) Rodamiento
goddess - diosa
soft - suave; blando
hue - color; matiz
midst - en medio; centro
flowed - fluyó; fluir
temples - templos; templo
rippling - ndulación; (ripple) ndulación
gold - oro
diademed - diadema
Queen - reina, loca, reinona, gata, coronar
forehead - la frente; frente
bluish - azulado
transparency - transparencia
extended - extendido; extender, ampliar
Calm - calmado, sosiego, calma
arches - arcos; bóveda
eyebrows - cejas; ceja
Singularity - singularidad
almost - casi, por poco
admirably - admirablemente
relieved - aliviado; aliviar, relevar
effect - efecto, efectos, efectos especiales, vigencia, vigor
vivacity - vivacidad
single - solo, único, soltero, sencillo, soltero, soltera
flash - destello
destiny - destino, sino
humid - húmedo
human - humano
shot - tiro, disparo; (shoot) tiro, disparo
forth - adelante
rays - rayos; rayo
arrows - flechas; flecha
distinctly - laramente; distintamente
enter - entrar
heart - corazón
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 - iluminar
hell - infierno
assuredly - seguro
either - cada, tampoco, o , o, ya sea...o
demon - demonio
Perhaps - acaso, quizá, quizás, tal vez
flank - costado, flanco
eve - víspera, vigilia
lustrous - brillante; lustroso
gleamed - brillaba; relucir, brillar, destellar
ruddy - rubicundo
smile - sonrisa, sonreír
inflection - flexión, inflexión, punto de inflexión
lips - labios; labio, labro
dimples - hoyuelo, camanance, formar hoyuelos
Satiny - Satinado
rose - Rosa; (rise); Rosa
adorable - adorable, encantador
cheeks - mejilla, cacha, cachete, nalga, glúteo, descoco
delicacy - una delicia; fineza, delicadeza, fragilidad, exquisitez
pride - orgullo, soberbia, cachondez, toriondez, verriondez, manada
regal - regio, real
outline - contorno, esbozo, resumen, delinear, resumir
nostrils - fosas nasales; narina, fosa nasal
noble - noble
blood - ensangrentar
agate - Agata
gleams - brillos; relucir, brillar, destellar
smooth - liso, sofisticado, constante, tranquilo, apacible, suave, alisar
skin - piel, máscara, despellejar, desollar
bare - desnudo, descubierto
strings - cuerdas; cordel, mecate, usic, cadena, cuerda, enhebrar
pearls - perlas; perla, parisienne
Equal - igual, igualar, equivaler
neck - cuello
descended - descendió; descender, bajar
bosom - seno, pechera, busto
undulating - ondulante; ondear, ondular, ondulado
grace - gracias, benedícite, gracia, donaire, merced
startled - sorprendido; sobresaltarse, alarmarse, espantarse, evitar
serpent - serpiente
peacock - pavo real, pavorreal
thereby - así, de ese modo
imparting - impartir
quivering - tiembla; estremecer(se)
motion - movimiento, moción
lace - encaje; cordón
ruff - Rufo
silver - plata
trellis - enrejado, espaldar
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 - túnica; bata, hábito, toga
velvet - terciopelo
wide - ancho, amplio, lateral
ermine - armino; armino
sleeves - mangas; manga, funda, enfundar
peeped - spiado; espiar
patrician - patricio
infinite - infinito
ideally - lo ideal; idealmente
transparent - transparente
fingers - dedos; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
aurora - aurora
shine through - Brillar a través de; notarse, lucir
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 - mirando; observar, mirar fijamente
within - dentro de, adentro
gates - puertas; puerta; verja
remained - se quedó; resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer
vents - ventilaciones; respiradero; rejilla de ventilación
obstructed - obstruido; entorpecer, estorbar, atorar, obstruir
all clear - Todo está claro
permitting - permiso; permitir
glimpses - atisbos; atisbo, entrever, atisbar, vislumbrar, ojear
perspectives - perspectivas; perspectiva
visible - visible
totally - totalmente
novel - novela
aspect - aspecto
frightful - aterrador; temible
anguish - angustia
commenced - comenzado; comenzar, empezar, iniciar, principiar
torture - tortura, suplicio, torturar
pincers - Pinza
successive - sucesivo
Meanwhile - y mientras tanto; mientras tanto, entretanto, a todo esto
effort - esfuerzo
sufficient - suficiente
uprooted - desarraigado; desarraigar, arrancar
strove - se esforzó; esforzarse
cry - llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
tongue - lengua, tsinhueso, lengüeta
nailed - clavado; una
palate - paladar
impossible - imposible, insoportable, imposible
express - expresar
syllable - sílaba
negation - negación
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 - totalmente; completamente, a fondo
awake - despierto; despertar(se)
influence - influencia, influir, influenciar
nightmare - pesadilla, mal sueno, tormento, suplicio
vainly - en vano; vanamente
strives - se esfuerza; esforzarse
shriek - gritar; alarido, chillido, chillar
depends - depender, confiar, atender
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 - consciente
martyrdom - martirio
undergoing - saliendo; experimentar, sufrir, soportar, padecer
encourage - animar, alentar, estimular, promover, recomendar
replete - repleto
divinest - divinest; divino
promise - promesa, prometer
poem - poema, poesía, oda
glance - mirada; ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar, pispear, vistazo
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 - tú; vos
wilt - te marchitas; marchitarse
mine - (el) mío, (la) mía, (los) míos, (las) mías
shall - sí; panish: ''shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense''
thee - tú; vos (en Espana)
paradise - el paraíso; paraíso
angels - ángeles; ángel
themselves - se, ellos mismos, ellas mismas
jealous - celoso, encelado, envidioso, checkenvidioso
tear off - arrancar, salir disparado
funeral - funeral
shroud - mortaja
wrap - envolver; enrollar
thyself - Tú mismo
Jehovah - Jehová
aught - Algo
Exchange - intercambio; cambiar
flow - flujo; fluir
eternal - eterno, eternal
kiss - besar
"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 - una aventura; arrojar, lanzar
chalice - cáliz
conduct - conducción, conducta, guiar, dirigir, manejar, conducir
unknown - ignoto, desconocido, incógnita, desconocido
Isles - islas; isla
shalt - halt; panish: ''shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense''
pavilion - pabellón, pavillón
thy - tu; vuestro, vuestra, vuestros, vuestras
whom - a quién; quién, quiénes, cuyo, quien
hearts - corazones; corazón
pour - verter, derramar; chorrear; manar, salir
floods - inundaciones; inundación; avenida, riada, diluvio, inundar
reach - llegar (a)
steps - pasos; paso
throne - trono
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 - flotador; flotar, carroza
rhythm - ritmo
sweetness - dulzura, dulzor, melosidad, dulcedumbre, agradabilidad
actually - de verdad; en realidad, de hecho, realmente, de veras
utterances - Expresión
echoed - resonó; eco, repercutir, repetir, hacer eco
depths - profundidades; profundidad
breathed - respiró; respirar
renounce - Renunciar
mechanically - mecánicamente, maquinalmente
fulfilled - cumplido; cumplir
formalities - ormalidades; formalidad
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.
fair - justo; rubio, claro, blanco
beseeching - suplicando; (beseech); rogar, implorar, suplicar
despairing - desesperado; desesperar, desesperanzar, desesperación
keen - con ganas; entusiasta
blades - cuchillas; cuchilla, hoja, cuchillo (said of a dagger), espada
pierce - perforar; atravesar, traspasar
swords - espadas; espada, gladio
lady - senora; ama, senora, dama, bano de damas
sorrows - enas; tristeza, aflicción, infelicidad, pesar
All was consummated; I had become a priest.
consummated - panish: t-needed
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.
deeper - más profundo; profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
maiden - doncella
affianced - afiance
dead - muerto
side - lado
empty - vacío, vaciar
cradle - cuna, brezo, brezar, brizar
seated - sentado; asiento, seato, sede
threshold - umbral, entrada, límite
Gate - puerta; verja
miser - miserable; tacano, rata, pesetero, tacano
stone - piedra, roca, gema, piedra preciosa, hueso, cálculo, lapidar
substituted - sustituido; sustituir, substituir, sustituto, substituto
stolen - robado; robar, hurtar, robo
treasure - tesoro, atesorar
permits - permisos; permitir
manuscript - manuscrito, manuscrito
inconsolable - inconsolable, desconsolado
abandoned - abandonado; abandonar, dejar
marble - mármol, canica, balita
hung - colgado; colgar
muscles - músculos; músculo
sought - buscado; buscar
support - apoyo; aguantar, sostener
pillar - pilar
yielding - Ceder; (yield) Ceder
limbs - miembros; miembro
betrayed - traicionado; traicionar, entregar, vender, delatar, demostrar
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 - escalonada; tambalearse
toward - hacia, sobre, para
livid - lívido
Death - muerte, la muerte, el arcano de la muerte
sweat - sudor
bloodier - Sangriento
Calvary - Calvario
strangled - estrangulado; estrangular
flattened - aplanado; aplanar, achatar, aplanarse, achatarse
alone - solo, a solas
weight - peso, pesa, pesar, ponderar
dome - cúpula, domo
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.
Cross - cruz, aspa, sotuer, santiguamiento, senal de la cruz, cruce
caught - atrapado; pega, traba, truco, cuestión
till then - hasta entonces
impress - impresionar, impresión, impresión
wrist - muneca; muneca
burnt - quemado; (burn); quemado
branded - de marca; tizón, marca, tildar, tachar
glowing - resplandeciente; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
iron - hierro; férreo, planchar
unhappy - infeliz
exclaimed - exclamó; exclamar
voice - voz
immediately - inmediatamente, de inmediato, ya, sin demora
disappeared - desapareció; desaparecer
crowd - gente; multitud, muchedumbre
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 - moldear, elenco, castear, sondar, sondear, lanzar, lanzamiento
severe - severo, grave, austero
scrutinizing - escrutinando; escrutar, examinar, escudrinar
wildest - más salvaje; salvaje, bravío
imaginable - imaginable, concebible
blushed - se sonrojó; sonrojo, rubor
pale - pálido
alternately - alternativamente, por turno
flashed - flasheado; destello
companion - companero; companero, companera
pity - compasión, piedad, lástima, pena, tener lástima
seized - incautado; agarrar, apoderarse de, apresar, aferrar, tomar
led - llevado; led; (lead) llevado; led
Possibly - es posible; posiblemente
unassisted - sin ayuda; desasistido
attention - atención
turned in - entregado, devuelto
direction - dirección
negro - negro, negra
fantastically - fantásticamente
garbed - Atuendo
pausing - Pausa; (pause); receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir
slipped - se resbaló; resbalar
pocket-book - (pocket-book) libro de bolsillo
embroidered - bordado; bordar
corners - esquinas; ángulo, checkrincón, esquina, acorralar, girar, virar
sign - signo; senal
hide - esconderse; esconder(se), ocultar
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 - ocultos; esconder, ocultar
sleeve - manga, funda, enfundar
cell - célula; celda
clasp - cierre; broche, manija, corchete, hebilla, agarrar
Palace - palacio
acquainted - conocido; dar a conocer, familiarizar
celebrated - celebrado; honrar, loar, alabar, celebrar, festejar
situated - situado; situar
hazarded - arriesgado; riesgo, peligro, arriesgar, peligrar, aventurar
conjectures - onjeturas; conjetura, suposición, especulación, teoría
extravagant - extravagante
in truth - en verdad
whether - si, si , o, ya sea
courtesan - cortés; cortesana
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 - crecimiento
root - raíz
extravagancies - Extravagancia
kissed - besado; besar
succession - sucesión
reiterated - reiterado; reiterar
uttered - ronunciado; absoluto, total
porch - pórtico, porche
comprehended - comprendido; comprender
horror - horror
funereal - funerario, fúnebre, funeral
restraints - restricciones; restricción, limitación, reserva, moderación
state - Estado, declarar, indicar
entered - entró; entrar
Clearly - está claro; claramente, por lo claro
revealed - revelado; revelar, propalar
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 - casta; casto
observe - observar, seguir, tomar en cuenta
distinction - distinción
sex - sexo
forever - para siempre, por siempre, constantemente, sin cesar, eternidad
crouching - agacharse, ponerse/estar en cuclillas
chill - relajarme; frío
shadows - sombras; sombra
cloister - claustro
none - ninguna; ninguno
dying - Muriendo; (dye) Muriendo
corpses - cadáveres; cuerpo, cadáver
bear - oso; aguantar, soportar
soutane - sotana
garb - Atuendo
mourning - duelo, luto; (mourn); lamentar, estar de luto
self - yo; uno mismo
Pall - pano mortuorio; cortina, manto
coffin - ataúd, féretro, cajón
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 - pretexto
desiring - deseando; desear, deseo, gana
remain - resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer, continuar
assignment - asignación, panish: t-needed
thereafter - después; tras lo cual, tras lo que
occupy - ocupar
remove - quitar, remover, detraer
bars - bares; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
fearful - miedoso, temeroso, terrible, checkespantoso, checktremendo
height - altura, estatura, cumbre, cima
ground - uelo; (grind) uelo
ladder - escalera, escalafón, carrera
useless - inútil, negado
escaping - escapando; escapar, liberarse, fugarse, eludir
thus - así
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 - descender, bajar
by night - de noche
afterward - después
inextricable - inextricable
labyrinth - laberinto, dédalo
difficulties - dificultades; dificultad
altogether - todos juntos; totalmente, completamente, en general, en suma
insignificant - insignificante, oscuro, desestimable
gigantic - gigante, gigantesco
seminarist - Seminarista
Experience - experiencia, vivencia, experimentar, vivir
attire - atuendo, atavío, ataviar
"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.
cried - lloró; llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
blindness - ceguera
spouse - cónyuge, consorte
instead - en su lugar; en vez de, en lugar de
wrapped - envuelto; enrollar
dismal - lúgubre; mísero, miserable, triste, deprimente
garments - prendas de vestir; prenda, prenda de vestir
silk - seda
chains - cadenas; cadena, encadenar
sword - espada, gladio
plumes - plumas; pluma
handsome - apuesto, guapo, de buen parecer, lindo
cavaliers - cavaliers; caballero
dishonoured - deshonrado; deshonrar
tonsure - tontura; tonsurar, tonsura
waving - Saludando; (wave) Saludando
curls - rizos; rizo, bucle, flexión
waxed - encerado; cera
moustache - bigote, mostacho
gallant - galante; gallardo, intrépido
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 - apresuradamente; de prisa, atropelladamente
articulated - rticulado; articular
sealed - sellado; sello
tomb - tumba
bolted - atornillado; pestillo
prison - cárcel, prisión, penitenciaría, chirona
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.
sky - cielo
beautifully - bonito; bellamente
robes - togas; bata, hábito, toga
nature - naturaleza, natura
parade - desfile
beauties - bellezas; belleza, hermosura, preciosidad, preciosura
sauntering - Paseando; (saunter); pasear, paseo
couples - parejas; pareja, par, un par de, unos, par de fuerzas, acoplar
groves - arboledas; arboleda
merry - contento; alegre
youths - jóvenes; juventud, adolescencia, mocedad, anos mozos, joven
cheerily - Alegremente
trolling - trollaje, troleo, troleada, pesca al curricán
refrains - estribillos; estribillo
animation - vivificación, animación, animación
gaiety - felicidad, alegría
Bitter - amargo
contrast with - contrastar con
solitude - soledad, solitud
rosy - Rosa
drops - gotas; gota
performed - realizado; hacer, realizar, efectuar, ejecutar
amuse - entretener, distraer, divertir
divine - divino
puerilities - Puerilidad
invent - inventar
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.
smiled - sonrió; sonrisa, sonreír
gently - suavemente; mansamente, suave
folded - doblado; doblar, plegar
hug - abrazo, abrazar
endure - soportar; aguantar, perdurar, tolerar, consentir, condescender
spectacle - espectáculo, papelón
violence - violencia
flung - arrojado; arrojar, lanzar
jealousy - celo, celos, envidia
gnawed - roído; roer
covers - cubiertas; tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
tiger - tigre; tigresa
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.
fit - sano, en forma
spasmodic - espasmódico
fury - furia
perceived - percibido; percibir, entender
erect - erecto, erguido
attentively - con atención; atentamente
shame - vergüenza, pena
breast - pecho, seno, teta, corazón, pechuga
covered - cubierto; tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
"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.
observed - observado; observar, seguir, tomar en cuenta
silence - silencio, silenciar, hacer callar
inexplicable - inexplicable
pious - piadoso
gentle - tierno, suave, tranquilo, medido, gradual, amable
rage - furia; rabia, furor
wild - salvaje, bravío
beast - bestia, animal, salvaje
heed - importar, prestar atención, poner atención, tener en cuenta
suggestions - sugerencias; sugerencia, propuesta, sugestión
devil - demonio; diablo
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."
fear - miedo, temor
allow - dejar, permitir, conceder
discouraged - desanimado; descorazonar, acobardar, desalentar, persuadir
most watchful - el más atento
steadfast - firmes; firme
souls - almas; alma, espíritu
liable - responsable
temptation - tentación
Pray - rezar, orar
meditate - meditar
evil - malo, malvado
spirit - espíritu, alma, onda, alcohol, bebida espirituosa
depart - irse, salir, partir, panish:
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 - restaurado; restablecer, restaurar
continued - continuamos; continuar, seguir
appointed - nombrado; equipar, determinar, fijar, designar, nombrar
charge - cargo, acusación, encargo, figura, acusar, cobrar, cargar
installed - instalado; instalar
therefore - por qué; por eso, por consiguiente, por lo tanto, por ende
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 - barrera, límite
interposed - interpuesto; interponer, intercalar, mediar, interrumpir
Except - exceptuar, excepto, salvo, exceptuando, menos, salvo que
indeed - de verdad; de hecho, realmente, efectivamente, verdaderamente
miracle - milagro
Alas - !ay!; (ala) !ay!
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 - despachar
sacred - sagrado
character - personaje, característica, carácter
unbosom - desahogarse, confesar
confide - confiar
prey - botín, presa
bitterest - más amargo; amargo
anxiety - zozobra, ansiedad, inquietud
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 - mulas; mula
freighted - cargado; carga, mercancías
miserable - miserable
valises - valijas; bolsa de viaje
awaited - esperado; esperar, aguantar
mounted - montado; montar
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.
along - a lo largo, a lo largo de, por
gazed - mirada; observar, mirar fijamente
balconies - alcones; balcón, palco
penetrate - penetrar
blinds - persianas; ciego, invidente, celosía, persiana, ciega, ciego
curtains - cortinas; cortina, telón
palaces - palacios; palacio
passing - pasando; pasajero, excelente, superficial, somero
doubtless - indudable, sin duda, indudablemente
attributed - atribuido; atributo, atribuir
curiosity - curiosidad
admiration - admiración
architecture - arquitectura
slackened - flojado; aflojar
pace - paso
mount - montar
Hill - cerro, loma, colina, collado
beyond - más allá de
summit - cumbre, cima, cúspide; punto álgido
dwelt - habitó; habitar, morar
shadow - sombra
cloud - nube; nublar
hung over - resaca
contrasting - contraste, contrastar
roofs - echos; techo
uniform - uniforme, uniforme
tint - tinte, matiz
floated - flotó; flotar, carroza
upward - hacia arriba
flakes - escamas; copo
foam - espuma, espumar
smoke - fumar; humo
kindled - encendido; encender
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 - singular, único, singular
edifice - edificio
surpassed - superado; sobrepasar, superar, aventajar
buildings - Edificio
dimly - tenuemente
veiled - velado; velo, velar
vapours - vapores; vapor
towered - torreado; torre
solitary - solitario
beam - rayo; viga, timón, radio
sunlight - la luz del sol; luz del sol
League - liga
distinguishable - se puede distinguir; distinguible
turrets - torretas; torreta
platform - programa, andén, plataforma, zapatos de plataforma
swallow - tragar, engullir
tailed - con cola; cola
vanes - paletas; aspa, vexilo
"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 - Ver
lighted up - Iluminado
shaded - sombreado; alosa, sábalo
looked in - mirar dentro; buscar en
indicated - indicado; indicar, senalizar, panish: t-needed
replied - respondió; responder, repetir, respuesta
ancient - antiguo
prince - príncipe, conde, príncipe
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 - ilusión
terrace - terraza, terrado, bancal, azotea, terraplenar, aterrazar
shapely - guapo; torneado, curvilíneo, exuberante
figure - figura, cifra, ocurrírsele
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 - fiebre; febril
restless - inquieto
rugged - robusto; escabroso, accidentado; (rug); tapete, alfombra
separated - separados; separado, separar, disgregar
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.
directing - dirigiendo; directo, dirigir
mocking - burlándose; burlón; (moc) burlándose; burlón
nigh - cerca, cabe, cercano
inviting - invitando; invitar
Therein - En eso
Lord - senor; castellano, senor
Undoubtedly - sin duda
soul - alma, espíritu
United - unidos; unir, aunar, juntar, combinar
emotional - emocional, emotivo
thrill - emoción; excitar; emocionar, conmover
subtle - sutil
sympathy - simpatía; compasión, empatía, compasión
prompted - impulsado; rápido, pronto, puntual, pie, entrada, senal
clad - vestido; (clothe); vestir
amid - en medio de, entre
icy - helado, hielo
dews - rocío
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 - ganado; ganar, adquirir, obtener, conseguir
scene - escena, escenario
motionless - inmóvil, inerte, quieto, en reposo
Ocean - océano
gables - gabletes; aguilón
mountainous - montanoso; montanoso
urged - te urge; impulso, impulsar, urgir, aguijonear, apresurar
mule - mula
forward - hacia adelante; hacia delante
gait - caminar; andar
sharp - agudo, afilado, filoso, listo, sostenido, agrio, certero
angle - ángulo; anglo
hid - Se escondió; (hide) Se escondió
thither - por allí, hacia allá
weary - cansado, cansino, cansar
journey through - viaje a través de
fields - campos; campo, agro, cancha, terreno
cock - polla; gallo, macho
steeple - campanario
peeping - espiando; espiar
winding - Devanado; (wind) Devanado
fringed - con flecos; orla, extremista, radical, periferia, marginal
thatched - con paja; paja
cottages - cabanas; chalet
façade - Fachada
Certainly - seguro; ciertamente, sin duda, a todas luces, por supuesto
possessed - poseído; poseer
features - aracterísticas; característica, atracción, atractivo, reportaje
ornamented - ornamentado; ornamento, ornamento musical
mouldings - Moldeo
pillars - pilares; pilar
rudely - groseramente
hewn - Tallado; (hew) Tallado
sandstone - arenisca
tiled roof - tejado
counterforts - contrafuertes
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 - poner, colocar
cemetery - cementerio
overgrown - crecer en exceso
weeds - Maleza; (weed) Maleza
rising - subiendo; rebelión, levantamiento, alzamiento, ascensión
extreme - extremo
simplicity - simplicidad, sencillez, llano
frigid - frígida; frígido, frío
cleanliness - limpieza
enclosure - encierro, cercamiento, recinto, reparto, clausura
picking - Recogiendo; (pic) Recogiendo
oats - avena
scattered - dispersión; dispersar, esparcir, desviar
accustomed - acostumbrado; acostumbrarse, habituar
seemingly - Parece
habit - hábito, costumbre
No fear - sin miedo
presence - presencia
troubled - con problemas; marrón, berenjenal, dificultad, problema
hoarse - ronco
barking - ladrando; ladrido
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 - predecesor, antecesor
dull - sordo; romo, desafilado, embotado, aburrido, soso
bleared - claro
mark - Marcos, Evangelio según San Marcos
attain - lograr, conseguir
patted - palmaditas; palmadita, caricia
proceeded - procedió; continuar, proceder
beside - al lado de, cabe
satisfaction - satisfacción, satisfacción
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 - ama de llaves, ama de casa
former - antiguo, anterior
curé - Cura
invited - invitado; invitar
parlour - salón
intended - pretendías; planeado; (intend); pretender, planear, intencionar
retain - retener, detentar
care - te importa; cuidado
furniture - muebles; mobiliario
Master - maestro; senor, dueno; senora, duena
bequeathed - egado; heredar, legar, dejar, ceder, transmitir
fairly - justamente; francamente, abiertamente, bastante
transported - transportado; transportar, exiliar, transporte, deportado
property - propiedad, posesión, inmueble, bien
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 - cumplido; cumplir, realizar, satisfacer
duties - deberes; deber, obligación, cometido, menester, arancel
exactitude - exactitud
praying - Rezando; (pray) Rezando
exhorting - exhortando; exhortar
lending - Prestamos; (lend) Prestamos
ghostly - fantasmal
aid - ayuda, auxilio
bestowing - otorgar; guardar, estibar, depositar, alojar, acordar, conceder
alms - limosna, caridad
extent - en qué medida; extensión
frequently - con frecuencia; frecuentemente
depriving - privando; desproveer, privar
necessaries of life - necesidades de la vida
aridness - Aridez
sources - fuentes; fuente, fontana, origen
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 - la felicidad; felicidad
spring from - surgir de
fulfilment - realización; satisfacción
mission - misión
involuntary - involuntario
refrain - estribillo
fault - defecto, falla, culpa, falta
apparently - evidentemente, obviamente, por lo visto, aparentemente
venial - venial
victim - víctima, sacrificio
most miserable - el más miserable
agonies - agonías; agonía, angustia
destroyed - destruido; destruir, romper, destrozar, sacrificar
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 - derrotas; vencer, derrotar
inward - hacia dentro; interior, adentro
victories - Victoria
invariably - invariablemente
more terrible - más terrible
proceed - continuar, proceder
bell - campana
violently - violentamente
rung - picado; escalón; (ring) picado; escalón
arose - surgió; surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
Stranger - Extrano; (strang) Extrano
whose - de quién; quién, quien, cuyo, cuya, cuyas
complexion - tez
deeply - profundamente; a fondo
bronzed - bronce, broncíneo, broncínea, éneo, bronceado, tostado, pavonar
foreign - extrano, extranjero, forastero, foráneo, exterior
costume - traje, disfraz
poniard - punal
girdle - faja; cinto
lantern - farol, linterna
impulse - impulso, capricho
terror - terror
reassured - tranquilizado; tranquilizar, reasegurar
stated - declarado; Estado, declarar, indicar
desired - deseado; desear, deseo, gana
matters - importa; materia, asunto, cuestión, tema
relating - relacionando; identificarse (con)
retiring - retirarse, jubilarse
Mistress - senora; duena, maestra, querida, amante, barragana, manceba, ama
lying - Mentir; (lie) Mentir
necessary - es necesario; necesario, menester
unction - unción
haste - prisa, premura
pawing - manoseo; pata, garra (gato), zarpa (león)
veiling - velado; (veil); velo, velar
chests - pechos; pecho
streams - corrientes; corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir, recibir flujo
vapour - vapor
exhaled - exhalado; espirar, exhalar
held - sostenida; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
stirrup - estribo
aided - ayudado; ayuda, auxilio
merely - simplemente; meramente, puramente, solamente, sólo
laying - colocación; (lay) colocación
pummel - golpear
saddle - silla de montar; (bici) sillín, silla (de montar)
vaulted - bóveda; sótano; bodega
pressed - presionado; apretar, presionar
sides - lados; lado
loosened - aflojado; aflojar, soltar
rein - rena; rienda
bounded - atado
velocity - velocidad
arrow - flecha
bridle - brida
swift - rápido, veloz, célere, pronto
gallop - galope, galopar
devoured - evorado; devorar, jambar
backward - hacia atrás; atrasado, rezagado, subdesarrollado
beneath - por debajo; bajo
streaked - con rayas; raya, trazo, sarta, racha, ristra
silhouettes - siluetas; silueta
fleeing - huyendo; huir, desvanecerse, checkfugarse
army - ejército, multitud
rout - rutina; derrotar
passed through - pasar por, atravesar
forest - bosque, floresta, selva, foresta, forestar; (fore); bosque
profoundly - profundamente
gloomy - lúgubre; lóbrego, sombrío
flesh - carne, pellejo, descarnar
creep in - Entrar a hurtadillas
superstitious - supersticioso
bright - luminoso, resplandeciente, brillante
sparks - chispas; chispa
trail - seguir, arrastrar, rastro, pista, sendero
Guide - guía; guiar, dirigir
spectres - espectros; espectro, fantasma
nightmares - pesadillas; pesadilla, mal sueno, tormento, suplicio
witch - bruja
anon - anónimo
flitted - evoloteó; revolotear
shrieked - chilló; alarido, chillido, chillar
depth - profundidad
woods - bosques; madera
intervals - intervalos; intervalo
glow - resplandor; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
phosphorescent - fosforescente
wildcats - gatos salvajes; gato montés, gato salvaje, gato silvestre
manes - manos; crin, melena
dishevelled - desgrenado; desordenar
streamed - en streaming; corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir, recibir flujo
flanks - flancos; costado, flanco
breath - respiración, aliento, respiro
slacking - vago; flojo
reanimated - reanimar
uttering - proferir; (utter) proferir
unearthly - terrenal; sobrenatural, de otro mundo
recommenced - reanudado; recomenzar
whirlwind - torbellino, tromba
race - carrera
ceased - esado; cesar, parar, terminar
huge - enorme, grandote
pierced - perforado; atravesar, traspasar
hoofs - cascos; pezuna, casco
louder - más fuerte; alto
wooden - de madera, acartonado
Drawbridge - puente levadizo
archway - arco
darkly - oscuramente
yawned - bostezó; bostezar, abrirse, bostezo
enormous - enorme, ingente
towers - torres; torre
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 - emoción; entusiasmo
evidently - evidentemente
reigned - reinado, reinar
castle - castillo, castro, enrocar
servants - sirvientes; sirviente, criado, mozo, doméstico
torches - linternas; antorcha, incendiar
Crossing - cruzando; cruce, crucero, edestrian; (cross); cruz, aspa
courtyard - patio
ascending - ascendente; subir, ascender
descending from - descendiendo de
obtained - obtenido; obtener, coger
confused - confundido; confundir, confundirse, mezclar
Glimpse - un vistazo; atisbo, entrever, atisbar, vislumbrar, ojear
masses - masas; montón, masa
columns - columnas; columna
arcades - rcadas; arcada, galería, galería comercial, sala de juegos
stairways - escaleras; escalera
elfin - Elfo
construction - construcción
tablet - tableta; placa
instantly - al instante, al hilo, al tiro, instantáneamente
recognized - reconocido; reconocer
dismounting - desmontaje; desmontar
Major - mayor, comandante, mayor, mayor de edad, asignatura principal
attired in - vestido, arropado
chain - cadena, encadenar
advanced - avanzado; avanzar, progresar, avance, progreso, adelanto, avance
supporting - apoyando; (support) apoyando
ivory - marfil, ebúrneo
cane - canón; cana, bastón, bastón blanco
Tears - lágrimas; lágrima
streaming - treaming; (stream); corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir
beard - barba, jotera, pantalla, barbar, provocar, mortificar
sorrowfully - con tristeza
shaking - Temblando; (shake); agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida
save - salvar, rescatar, redimir, parar, ahorrar, guardar, reservar
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 - conducido; conducción, conducta, guiar, dirigir, manejar
chamber - cámara, recámara, compartimento
wept - lloró; llorar
bitterly - con amargura; amargamente
flame - flama, llama
flickering - parpadeo; vacilar
bronze - bronce, broncíneo, broncínea, éneo, bronceado, tostado, pavonar
wan - pálido, macilento; débil
deceptive - enganoso; enganoso, enganador
bringing out - sacar; lanzar
projection - protuberancia, proyección
cornice - cornisa
chiselled - incelado; cincel
urn - una urna; urna
faded - desvanecido; apagarse, debilitarse; destenir
excepting - exceptuar, excepto, salvo, exceptuando, menos, salvo que
odorous - oloroso; odorífero
vase - un jarrón; jarrón, florero, vasija
mask - máscara, careta, mascarilla
fan - abanico
disguises - disfraces; disfraz, pantalla, tapadera, disfrazar
variety - variedad
bore - perforar; (bear) perforar
witness - Testigo
sumptuous - suntuoso
dwelling - vivienda; (dwell); habitar, morar
daring - atrevido, audaz, osado; (dare); atrevido, audaz, osado
knelt - de rodillas; arrodillarse
Psalms - salmos; salmo
exceeding - excediéndose; sobrepasar, pasarse, exceder
fervour - fervor
utter - totalmente; absoluto, total
prayers - Oración
sanctified - santificado; santificar
weakened - ebilitado; debilitar, languir, debilitarse, languecer
reverie - ensonación; ensueno
lieu - Mentira
cadaverous - cadáver; cadavérico
odours - olores; olor
breathe - respirar
vigils - vigilias; vigilia, víspera
languorous - lánguida; lánguido
perfume - aroma, perfume, perfumar
amorous - amoroso, carinoso, enamorado
softly - suavemente, inaudiblemente, silenciosamente
tepid - tibio, templado, flojo, blandengue
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 - crepúsculo, penumbra
gloom - pesimismo; penumbra, melancolía
contrived - ingenioso; idear, improvisar
voluptuous - voluptuosa; voluptuoso, sensual
pleasure - placer, voluptuosidad, gustar
substitute - sustituir, substituir, sustituto, substituto, suplente
shine - brillar
enabled - habilitado; habilitar, posibilitar, activar
escaped - se escapó; escapar, liberarse, fugarse, eludir
sighed - suspiró; suspirar
round - ronda; redondo
Echo - eco, repercutir, repetir, hacer eco
avoided - evitado; evitar, esquivar
damask - damasco, adamascar
decorated - decorado; decorar
embroidery - bordado
looped - en bucle; lazo, lazada, gaza, recodo
bullion - lingotes; tejo, tejón
behold - contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
full length - largometraje; edición completa
linen - lino, linge, ropa blanca, linocros
wrapping - Envolver; (wrap) Envolver
whiteness - blancura, albor, albura
contrast - contraste, contrastar
hangings - Colgando
texture - textura, textura
allowed - permitido; dejar, permitir, conceder
outlines - contornos; contorno, esbozo, resumen, delinear, resumir
swan - cisne
robbed - robado; robar
supple - flexible
alabaster - alabastro
statue - una estatua; estatua
executed - ejecutado; ejecutar, ajusticiar, arrancar
skilful - Hábil
sculptor - escultor, escultora
slumbering - dormir; (slumber); adormecimiento, adormilamiento, adormecer
silent - silencioso, callar, checkcallado
woven - tejido; (weave); tejido
spotless - impecable, sin manchas
veil - velo, velar
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 - mantener, sostener
constrained - limitado; constrenir, limitar, restringir, obligar
attitude - postura, actitud
alcove - lcoba; hornacina, hueco, nicho
intoxicated - intoxicado; intoxicar, emborrachar
febrile - febril
faded - desvanecido; moda, moda pasajera
roses - rosas; Rosa
penetrated - penetrado; penetrar
brain - cerebro, seso, sesudez
restlessly - Inquieta
contemplate - contemplar
graceful - gracia; grácil, gracioso
corpse - cuerpo, cadáver
fancies - ganas; capricho, antojo
thronging - abarrotado; muchedumbre, gentío, caterva, multitud, montón
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 - Muerte fingida
purpose - propósito, fin; razón
declaring - declarando; explicar, aclarar, declarar
coverings - Cubriendo
slightly - un poco; levemente, ligeramente
disarrange - desarreglar; desordenar
straight - recto, liso, franco, directo, puro, convencional, hetero
folds - liegues; doblar, plegar
sheet - hoja, folio, pliego, lámina, capa, escota
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 - pruebas; prueba
service - servicio
surely - seguro; seguramente, checksin duda
going mad - volverse loco
afflict - afligir
fierce - fiero, feroz, enconado
throbbing - palpitaciones; (throb); palpitar
redoubled - redoblado; redoblar
incertitude - Incertidumbre
confess - confesar, panish: t-needed
exquisite - exquisito, bonísimo
perfection - perfección
bodily - corporal, corpóreo, corporalmente
purified - purificado; purificar
affected - afectados; afectar
voluptuously - voluptuosamente
repose - reposo
closely - de cerca; cercanamente
resembled - se parecía; asemejar
slumber - sueno; adormecimiento, adormilamiento, adormecer, adormilar
perform - actuar; hacer, realizar, efectuar, ejecutar
funeral ceremony - ceremonia fúnebre
bridegroom - novio
entering - Entrando; (enter); entrar
modestly - con modestia; modestamente
hides - se esconde; esconder(se), ocultar
seeks - buscar
wholly - Por completo
Heartbroken - con el corazón roto; desamor, corazón roto, corazón destrozado
grief - duelo; pesar, pesadumbre, dolor, sufrimiento
shuddering - Temblores; (shudder); escalofrío
bent - Doblado; (bend); doblar, curvar, doblarse, agacharse
grasped - comprendido; agarrar, asir, comprender, asimiento, comprensión
corner - ángulo, checkrincón, esquina, acorralar, girar, virar, maniobrar
arteries - rterias; arteria
throbbed - palpitaba; palpitar
hiss - siseo, sisear
poured - vertido; verter, derramar; chorrear; manar, salir
mighty - poderoso
slab - losa
coquetry - coquetería
pallor - palidez
brilliant - brillante, perla
carnation - clavel, carnalización
relieving - alivio; aliviar, relevar
fringe - flecos; orla, extremista, radical, periferia, marginal, orlar
lent - Prestado; (lend) Prestado
unspeakably - ndeciblemente
seductive - seductora; seductor
melancholy - melancolía
chastity - castidad
mental suffering - sufrimiento mental
loose - suelto; flojo
intertwined - entrelazados; entretejer, entrelazar, entretejerse, entrelazarse
shining - brillante; brillar
pillow - almohada
nudity - desnudez
thick - gruesa; grueso, espeso
ringlets - irabuzón
purer - más puro; puro
diaphanous - défano; diáfano
Host - anfitrión; anfitriona
crossed - cruz, aspa, sotuer, santiguamiento, senal de la cruz, cruce
rest - descansar; descanso, reposo
served - servido; servicio, servir, desempenar, fungir, operar, cernir
proven - probado, demostrado, comprobado; (prove); probado, demostrado
otherwise - o no; de otro
alluring - atractivo; Attactivo, Encanto
roundness - redondez
polish - pulir; polaco, polonés, polaco
pearl - perla, parisienne
bracelets - pulseras; brazalete, pulsera
removed - eliminado; quitar, remover, detraer
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 - silencio; mudo
contemplation - contemplación
persuade - persuadir
reflection - reflexión, reflejo
lamplight - Lámpara
commencing - comenzando; comenzar, empezar, iniciar, principiar
circulate - circular
lifeless - exánime, sin vida, inánime
laid - tirado; poner, colocar
lightly - a la ligera; ligeramente
portals - ortales; portal, portada, vena porta
resumed - se reanuda; reanudar
position - posición, puesto, postura
dew - rocío
feelings - Sentimientos
despair - desesperar, desesperanzar, desesperación, desesperanza
gathered - reunidos; juntar, recoger, recolectar, acumular, reunir
remains - resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer, continuar
separation - separación
approach - enfoque; acercarse, aproximarse
deny - Negar
sweet - dulcemente, dulce, caramelo, chuche, confite
imprinting - impresión; (imprint) impresión
faint - desmayarse; débil, tenue
mingled - mezclados; mezclar
responded - respondió; responder
passionate - apasionado
pressure - presión, presionar
unclosed - Descubrir
sigh - suspiro; suspirar
uncrossing - descruzar
ineffable - inefable
delight - disfrutar; deleite, regocijo, delicia, placer
murmured - murmuró; soplo, murmurar
languishingly - Languideciendo
vibrations - vibraciones; vibración
harp - arpa, harpa
ailed - enfermo; sufrir una dolencia
long for - Anhelar, desear, esperar
adieu - adiós
wished - deseaba; deseo, gana, desear
recalled - recordado; recordar, evocar, retirada
meet again - volver a reunirse, volver a verse
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 - rodeado; rodear
furious - furioso
burst in - Irrumpir
remaining - quedan; resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer
leaf - hoja, tablero
palpitated - palpitado; palpitar
extremity - extremidad
stalk - tallo; palanca; acechar, acosar
butterfly - mariposa
Wing - ala, sección, parte, flanco, alero
detached - desprendido; desacoplar
The lamp was extinguished, and I fell insensible upon the bosom of the beautiful dead.
extinguished - extinguido; extinguir, apagar
insensible - insensible
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 - habitación pequena
hanging - Colgando; (hang) Colgando
lain - lain; mentira
evidence - pruebas; prueba, prueba, evidencia, evidenciar
faintest - más débil; débil, tenue
respiration - respiración
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.
complexioned - tez
seek - buscar
departure - salida, partida
litter - litera, artolas, camada, cama, lecho, detritus, basura
departed - se ha ido; irse, salir, partir, panish:
in the neighbourhood - en el barrio/vecindario
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 - preguntó; investigar, informarse
hypocritically - hipócritamente
honeyed - miel, dulzura, carino, tesoro, cielo
accents - acentos; acento, pronunciación
constantly - constantemente
plunged - se hundió; lanzarse, zambullirse, tirarse de cabeza
lead - llevar; liderar; guiar, dirigir; provocar; encabezar; principal; plomo
clear - está claro; transparente, claro, despejado, libre
vibrant - vibrante
trumpets - trompetas; trompeta, barrito, berrido, trompetear
judgment - juicio
"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.
lasted - duró; último
infernally - infernalmente
splendid - espléndido
abominations - bominaciones; abominación, repugnancia, aborrecimiento, maldad
banquets - banquetes; comida festiva, banquete, convite
Belshazzar - Belsasar
Cleopatra - Cleopatra
enacted - romulgado; promulgar, interpretar, hacer efecto, actuar
guests - invitados; huésped, visita, visitante, convidado
swarthy - Moreno
slaves - esclavos; esclavo, esclava, checkesclava
an unknown - un desconocido
veritable - Verdadero
demons - demonios; demonio
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 - Librea
among - entre
gala-dress - (gala-dress) vestido de gala
Emperor - emperador
lovers - amante
violent - violento
ghoul - fantasma; gul
female - mujer; femenino, hembra, hembra
vampire - vampiro
Beelzebub - Belcebú
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 - respecto a; considerar
refrain from - abstenerse de
Addition - agregación; adición, anadidura, suma
pain - dolor
caused - causado; causa, causar
coincidence - coincidencia, casualidad
nocturnal - nocturno, noctámbulo, trasnochador
scenes - escenas; escena, escenario
witnessed - testigos; testimonio, testigo, prueba, testificar, probar
agony - agonía, angustia
utmost - extremo, descollante, extremado, sobresaliente, sumo, máximo
endeavours - esfuerzos; esforzarse
appear - aparecer, comparecer
composed - compuesto; componer, constituir, conformar, constar
anxious - ansioso, inquieto, deseoso
warn - alertar, avisar, advertir
raised - levantado; levantar
brink - al borde; borde
abyss - abismo, sima
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 - Satanás, Satán
claws - garras; garra
trust - confiar; confianza, crédito, fiar, consorcio, trust
tombstone - lápida
triple - triple, triple, triplicar
seal - sello
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.
slowly - lentamente, despacio
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.
completely - completamente, totalmente, rematadamente, de todo punto
mind - mente, concentración, opinión, juicio, propósito, voluntad
occurred - ocurrió; ocurrir, acaecer, presentar
verify - verificar, constatar
predictions - predicciones; predicción
fears - miedos; miedo, temor
terrors - terrores; terror
overexaggerated - Exagerar
fallen asleep - se ha quedado dormido
apart - aparte, separadamente
rings - anillos; anillo
slided - Se deslizó
curtain - cortina, telón
rod - barra, rodillo, cana, vara, bastón, verga, barra
elbow - codo, codazo, panish: t-needed
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.
shaped - con forma; forma, estado, modelar, formar
tombs - tumbas; tumba
lessening - disminuyendo; menoscabar, disminuir, reducir, aminorar
degrees - grados; título, diploma, grado
opaque - opaco
Milky - lechoso
garment - prenda, prenda de vestir
shrouded - encubierto; mortaja
gather - reunirnos; juntar, recoger, recolectar, acumular, reunir
ashamed - avergonzado, abochornado, apenado
scantily - con poca ropa
task - tarea
drapery - cortinas; cortina
blended - mezclado; mezcla, mezclar, combinar
pallid - pálido
enveloped - envuelto; envolver
tissue - tejido, panuelo, panuelo de papel, clínex
contour - contorno
antique - antigüedades; antiguo, antigüedad
endowed - dotar, costear, financiar, ser bendecido, ser dotado
warmly - calurosamente
crimson - carmín, carmesí
tinted - tintado; tinte, matiz
tender - tierno
rosiness - Sonrosidad
noticed - te has dado cuenta; comunicación, notificación, darse cuenta
withered - se marchitó; marchitar(se)
dry - seco, secarse, enjugar
nearly - casi
prevent - impedir, prevenir
notwithstanding - a pesar de todo; no obstante
adventure - aventura
unexplainable - inexplicable
manner - de qué manera; manera, modo, forma, actitud
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 - plateado, argénteo, argentino
velvety - aterciopelado
softness - suavidad, molicie
"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 - desde lejos
whence - de dónde; de donde, desde donde, de ahí
ere - Aquí
moon - Luna
pathway - camino; via, ruta
conquer - conquistar, debelar
hither - aquí, acá, citerior
difficulty - dificultad
power - poder, potencia, corriente, electricidad, potenciar
efforts - esfuerzos; esfuerzo
lift - levantar, alzar
ponderous - pesado, torpe, beocio, grosero
bruised - herido; magullar, contusionar, mazar, machacar, macarse
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 - curado; curar
affection - afecto, carino, apego
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.
invested - invertido; invertir
resistance - resistencia
assault - asalto, acometimiento, agresión, ataque, asaltar
repel - repeler
fresh - fresco
coolness - guay; frescura
tremors - temblores; temblor, terremoto
pass over - pasar por encima
spite - rencor
appearance - aparición, apariencia, hechura, estampa, aire
skilfully - con habilidad
conceal - esconder, ocultar
horns - cuernos; cuerno
squatted - sentarse en cuclillas
edge - orilla, borde, lado, arista, ventaja, filo
couch - un sofá; sofá, canapé
negligent - negligente
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 - retorcido; torcer, sacar punta a, torcerse
guilty - culpable
accompanied - acompanado; acompanar
prattle - parloteo; parlotear
most remarkable - el más notable
astonishment - asombro, estupefacción, sorpresa, extraneza
whatever - qué; cualquier, lo que sea que, cualquier cosa que, no importa
dreams - suenos; sueno, ensueno, sonar
accepting - aceptando; aceptar
most fantastic - el más fantástico
simple - simple, sencillo, simple
circumstances - circunstancias; circunstancia
perfectly - perfectamente
"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.
everywhere - en todas partes; todos lados, todo lugar, por todas partes
fatal - fatal
threw - tiró; lanzar, tirar
damned - maldito; (damn); maldecir, condenar, reprobar, maldito, puto
cardinal - cardinal, número cardinal, cardenal
Court - patio, callejón, corte, tribunal, juzgado
Thou remainedst unmoved, preferring thy God to me!
remainedst - Se quedó
unmoved - insensible, impasible
"Ah, how jealous I am of that God whom thou didst love and still lovest more than me!
lovest - te gusta
"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 - pena, infortunio, ay
recall - recordar, evocar, retirada
sake - por, por motivo de; por el bien de
bursts asunder - Reventar en pedazos; romper con
consecrate - consagrar
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.
impassioned - pasión
caresses - caricias; caricia, carantona, acariciar
bewildered - perplejo; confundir, desconcertar
sense - sentido, sensación, significado, acepción, significación, sentir
blasphemy - blasfemia
consoling - consolador; consolar
declare - explicar, aclarar, declarar
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!
shone - brilló; brillar
chrysoprases - crisoprasas; crisoprasa
truth - verdad
flinging - lanzamiento; arrojar, lanzar
Since - desde cuándo; desde entonces, desde que, ya que, dado que
whithersoever - dónde
desire - desear, deseo, gana
ugly - feo, callo
proudest - más orgulloso; orgulloso
envied - envidiado; envidia, pelusa, envidiar
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 - reconocido; reconocer, acusar recibo
pope - Papa
proud - orgulloso
existence - existencia
live together - vivir juntos
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" I cried in my delirium.
delirium - delirio
"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.
opportunity - oportunidad
nowise - nada; de ninguna manera, de ningún modo, en absoluto
suited - adecuado; traje, terno, palo, convenir
Voyage - viaje
forthwith - inmediatamente
notify - notificar
mourn - lamentar, estar de luto
capable - capaz
carriages - carrozas; coche, carruaje
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 - plúmbeo, plomizo, cubierto, nublado
dreamless - Sin suenos
unconscious - inconsciente, subconsciente, subconsciencia
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 - despertó; despertar(se)
usual - lo de siempre; usual, habitual
recollection - Recuerdo
finally - por fin, finalmente, por fin
persuaded - persuadido; persuadir
mere - simple, mero
heated - calentado; calor; temperatura
imagination - imaginación, magín
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 - sensaciones; sensación
vivid - vívida; vívido, vivo
persuade - persuadir
prayed - rezó; rezar, orar
protect - proteger, defensar
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 - un sueno profundo
Occasion - ocasión, ocasionar
violets - violetas; violeta
gay - gay, homosexual
sprightly - veloz
jaunty - alegre, animado, desenvuelto
superb - excelente; excepcional
trimmed - recortado; recortar, orlar, ribetear
satin - raso, satén
petticoat - enaguas
blond - rubio, macho, rubio, canche
broad - amplio; ancho
felt hat - un sombrero de fieltro
feathers - plumas; pluma
various - varios, diversos, diferentes, distintos
shapes - formas; forma, estado, modelar, formar
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 - Látigo de montar
terminated - terminado; terminar, acabar
whistle - silbar; silbato, pito, chifle, pitido
tapped - intervenido; golpecito, palmadita
sleeper - Dormir
preparations - preparativos; preparación
arise - surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
I leaped out of bed at once.
leaped - saltó; saltar, brincar
"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 - paquete, embalaje, bulto, empacar, empaquetar
impatient - impaciente
delay - retraso; aplazar, retrasar
champing - champando; mascar, masticar
bits - bits; pedacito
leagues - ligas; liga
distant - distante, a distancia, hurano, remoto
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?
apparel - atavío, ropa
bursting - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
laughter - risas; risa, risa
awkwardness - incomodidad; torpeza
arranged - arreglado; disponer, poner en orden, arreglar
Pocket - bolsillo, bolsa, tronera, embolsar
mirror - espejo
venetian - veneciano, veneciano, veneciana, véneto
crystal - cristal
rimmed - con borde; (rueda) llanta; borde, canto
filigree - filigrana, afiligranar
playfully - Juguetonamente
Wilt engage me for thy valet de chambre?"
engage - participar; atraer, trabar conversación con, trabar batalla
valet - vale; edecán, mánager, aparcacoches
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.
recognize - reconoces; reconocer
resembles - se parece; asemejar
block - bloque
coarse - grosero; tosco, rústico, rudo, bruto
daub - pintarrajo, brochazo, manchar, untar, embadurnar
reflected - reflejado; reflejar, recapacitar, reflexionar, cavilar
vanity - vanidad
sensibly - con sensatez; prudentemente
tickled - cosquilla, hacer cosquillas, cosquillear
metamorphosis - metamorfosis
elegant - elegante, chic
personage - personaje
transformation - transformación
cloth - tela, pedazo de tela, trozo de tela, trapo, pano, facha
Certain - seguro; cierto, cierto, cierta
pattern - molde, patrón, modelo, diseno, estampado
The spirit of my costume penetrated my very skin, and within ten minutes more I had become something of a coxcomb.
coxcomb - cresta, lechuguino
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.
at ease - a gusto
turns up - aparece
maternal - maternal, materno
satisfied - satisfecho; satisfacer
touch - tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
awaking - Despertando; (awake) Despertando
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 - novio; mozo de cuadra
escort - acompanante; escolta, acompanante, escoltar
bridles - bridas; brida
Spanish - espanol; espanol, castellano, espanol, castellano, hispano
mares - yeguas; estropear, echar a perder
fecundated - fecundado; fecundar
zephyr - céfiro
Fleet - flota
wind - viento, aire
risen - resucitado; aumentar; subir
rolled - rodando; rollo
wheel - rueda, pez gordo, llanta, rodar, circunvolar, volar en círculos
chariot - carroza; quadriga, biga, carro
leaping - saltando; saltar, brincar
level - nivelado, al ras, nivel, niveles, llano, piso
plain - plano; sencillo; liso; sin ornamentos; llano (persona)
clump - montón; grumo, matorral, mechón, plop, amontonar, marchar
carriage - coche, carruaje
vigorous - vigoroso
postilions - postillas; postillón
mad - loco, trastornado, zumbado, enfadado, enojado
waist - cintura
clasped - agarrado; broche, manija, corchete, hebilla, agarrar
leaned - apoyado; inclinarse
pressing - presionando; apremiante
intense - intenso
womb - útero, matriz, cuna
fascination - fascinación
exerted - jercido; esforzar, ejercer, aplicar
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 - demediar, dimidiar, reducir a la mitad
One moment - Un momento
dreamed - sonado; sueno, ensueno, sonar
nightly - Cada noche
gentleman - caballero, senores
distinguish - distinguir
discover - descubrir, destapar
libertine - libertino
railed - aile
loathed - odiado; detestar, repugnar, odiar
dissolute - disoluto, perdulario
habits - hábitos; hábito, costumbre
retained - retenido; retener, detentar
vividness - vivacidad; nitidez
perceptions - percepciones; percepción
absurd - absurdo, absurdo
namely - específicamente, a saber, nombradamente
consciousness - conciencia
individuality - individualidad
existed - existió; existir
anomaly - anomalía
account - cuenta
Signor - Senor
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 - Venecia
rightly - verdad
frescoes - frescos; fresco
statues - estatuas; estatua
containing - conteniendo; contener, dominar
Titians - titianos; castano cobrizo
noblest - el más noble; noble
gondola - góndola, teleférico
hall - pasillo, salón, vestibulo
magnificent - magnífico, macanudo
scale - escala
retinue - comitiva; servidumbre, séquito
regarded - considerado; considerar
reverential - reverencial
respect - respeto, respetar
apostles - apóstoles; apóstol
Evangelists - evangelistas; evangelista
serene - sereno
republic - república
aside - aparte, a un lado, aparte
Doge - Dux
prouder - más orgulloso; orgulloso
insolent - insolente
luck - suerte
absolutely - totalmente, absolutamente
infernal - infernal
Society - sociedad, comunidad
ruined - arruinado; ruina, desbaratar, arruinar, estropear, dar al traste
shrewd - perspicaz, astuto
knaves - bribones; paje, mozo, bellaco, villano, sota
parasites - parásitos; parásito
hectoring - insultando; intimidar, tiranizar
dissipation - disipación
faithful - fieles; fiel, leal
satiety - saciedad
chained - Cadena
inconstancy - inconstancia
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 - amantes; duena, maestra, querida, amante, barragana, manceba
Aye - Sí
possess - poseer
mobile - móvil, celular, movible, móvil
varied - variada; variar
charms - encantos; encanto
chameleon - camaleón
sooth - calmar; verdad
infidelity - infidelidad
committed - comprometido; encomendar, cometer
Attraction - atracción
fold - doblar, plegar
in vain - en vano
patricians - patricios; patricio
ancients - los antiguos; antiguo
Council - consejo; concejo
proposals - propuestas; propuesta
rejected - rechazado; rechazar, desestimar, artículo defectuoso, marginado
overtures - ofertas; obertura
youthful - juvenil, joven
pure - pura; puro
evoked - evocada; evocar, rememorar
passion - pasión
perfectly happy - perfectamente feliz
cursed - Maldito; (curs) Maldito
mortification - Mortificación
penance - penitencia, penitencia
excesses - excesos; exceso, deducible, franquicia, excesivo
constant - constante, perseverante, firme, constante
Association - asociación
concerning - preocupante; preocupación, referirse a, ataner, concernir
cause - por qué; causa, causar
uneasiness - inquietud; desazón
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 - más pálido; amigo, colega
physicians - médicos; médico, médica, facultativo
summoned - convocado; convocar
comprehend - comprender
malady - malestar; mal
treat - tratar, negociar, rogar, invitar, convidar, sorpresa
prescribed - prescrito; prescribir, recetar, ordenar
remedies - remedios; remedio, recurso, remediar
paleness - pálido; palidez
visibly - visiblemente, a ojos vistas
increased - aumentado; aumentar, acrecentar, incrementar, subir
memorable - memorable, inolvidable
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 - penado; afligirse, acongojarse
perishing - pereciendo; perecer
sweetly - dulcemente, abemoladamente
sadly - tristemente, con alma en pena, luctuosamente
fateful - atídico; funesto
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 - al lado de la cama
be obliged - estar obligado
act - acto, ley, acción, hecho, actuar
inflicted - nfligido; infligir
deep - profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
gash - raja, hendidura, corte
finger - dedo; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
gushed - con efusión; manar, salir a borbotones, brotar, hacer efusión
jet - azabache
spurted - salió a chorros; salir a chorro, chorrear
assumed - asumido; suponer, dar por sentado, asumir
expression - expresión, frase hecha
savage - salvaje
ferocious - feroz
agility - agilidad
ape - simio; mono
wound - Herida
suck - chupar, sorber, ser un asco, dar asco, apestar
swallowed - tragado; tragar, engullir
mouthfuls - Un bocado
carefully - con cuidado; cuidadosamente, a conciencia, minuciosamente
connoisseur - conocedor; connaisseur; connoisseur
tasting - Degustación; (taste); gusto, gusto, gustos, muestra, gustar
Syracuse - Siracusa
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 - alumnos; alumno
oblong - olongo; oblongo
paused - receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir, suspender
recommence - reanudar; recomenzar
press - prensa; apretar, presionar
coax - coaxial; engatusar
liquid - líquido, líquida
rosier - Más rosado; (rosy) Más rosado
moist - húmedo
more beautiful - más hermoso
most perfect - el más perfecto
"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 to - aferrarse a
thine - tu, tuyo, tuya, el tuyo, la tuya
more precious - más precioso
more potent - más potente
elixirs - elixires; elixir
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 - hechizado; frecuentar, espantar, desasosegar, inquietar
inspired - inspirado; inspirar, infundir
doubts - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
content with - contento con
plight - drama, situación grave
tone - tono
powerfully - con fuerza; poderosamente
impression - impresión
erased - borrado; borrar, borrarse
traitorous - traicionero, traidor
emptying - Vaciado; (empty); vacío, vaciar
powder - polvo, reducir a polvo, pulverizar, triturar, espolvorear
spiced - con especias; especia
repasts - un banquete
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 - fingido; fingir, inventar, aparentar, imaginar
intending - con intención; pretender, planear, intencionar, intentar
leisure - ocio, tiempo libre
advantage - ventaja, beneficio, provecho
Contents - ontenido; satisfecho
retired - jubilado; retirarse, jubilarse
mystery - misterio, arcano
crept - se arrastró; reptar, hormigueo, fatiga
assured - asegurado; (assure); asegurar
asleep - dormido
bared - desnudo; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
pin - alfiler
murmur - murmullo; soplo, murmurar
low - bajo
"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!
drop - dejar caer; gota
ruby - rubí
needle - aguja, acícula
harm - dano; dano, danar
resolve - tomar la decisión de, resolver
veins - venas; vena
drain - desagüe, drenaje, aliviadero, tubo abierto, sangría, drenar
hateful - odioso, detestable
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 - idiota; pinchar, perforar
vein - vena
murmuring - murmullos; (murmur); soplo, murmurar
punctured - pinchado; pinchazo, perforar
oozed - rezumaba; manar, rezumar
weakening - ebilitamiento; debilitar, languir, debilitarse, languecer
tied - atado; amarrar, atar
rubbing - Frotar; (rub); frotación, frotamiento, frote, frotar
unguent - Ungüento
cicatrized - cicatrizado; cicatrizar
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!
knowledge - conocimiento, conocimientos, sabiduría, checkconocimiento
cease - cesar, parar, terminar
gladly - con gusto; de buena gana
accord - acuerdo, convenio, acordar, conceder, conferir
required - es necesario; requerir, necesitar
sustain - sostener, sustentar
Moreover - además, adicionalmente, otrosí
plead - suplicar; rogar
sufficed - suficiente; bastar, alcanzar
reassure - tranquilizar, reasegurar
plenteous - bundante
easily - fácilmente
exhausted - exhausto; agotar, cansar, tubo de escape, gas de escape
bargaining - negociación; trato, ganga, bicoca, chollo, regatear
drop by drop - Gota a gota
infiltrate - infiltrarse
throughout - en todo; a lo largo de, durante, de arriba abajo
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 - referencia, referencia, referenciar
narcotic - narcótico, estupefaciente
incident - incidente
harmony - armonía, armonía
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.
scruples - escrúpulos; escrúpulo, vacilar, escrupulizar
torment - tormento, atormentar
Loss - pérdida
mortify - mortificar; humillar
subdue - someter, doblegar, domenar, debelar
visions - visiones; vista, visión
participate - participar
Christ - Cristo, Jesucristo, Cristo
impure - impuro
defiled - rofanar
debauches - delincuentes; corrupción
imaginary - imaginario
avoid - evitar, esquivar
hallucinations - alucinaciones; alucinación, ilusión
overcome - vencer, superar
stood for - significar; apoyar; soportar, estar con
for hours together - durante horas juntos
upright - derecho; vertical, recto, erguido, honrado, verticalmente
fighting - luchando; lucha, guerra; (fight) luchando; lucha, guerra
dust - polvo, desempolvar, limpiar el polvo, espolvorear
drowsiness - sonolencia, somnolencia, sopor, duermevela
current - corriente, actual
perfidious - pérfido
shores - ostas; costa, playa
vehement - vehemente
exhortations - exhortaciones; exhortación
severely - gravemente; severamente
reproaching - reproches; reproche, vergüenza, reprochar, avergonzar
obtain - obtener, coger
measure - medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
diseases - nfermedades; enfermedad, dolencia
require - necesitas; requerir, necesitar
buried - enterrado; enterrar
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 - desenterrar
pitiable - lamentable; lastimero, lastimoso
be tempted - sentirse tentado
worms - lombrices; gusano, lombriz, alimana, rata
crumble - desmigajarse, desmoronarse, desmenuzarse, crumble
restore - restablecer, restaurar
double - doble, doblado, bicapa, encorvado, doble, sosias, duplicar
consented - consintió; consentir, consentimiento, venia, anuencia
ascertain - averiguar, determinar, establecer, definir
doubt - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
delusion - engano, ilusión, delirio, idea delirante
kill - matar, asesinar
benefit - beneficio, ventaja, prestación, beneficiar
endured - oportado; aguantar, perdurar, tolerar, consentir, condescender
provided - proporcionado; proveer
mattock - matón; zapapico
lever - palanca
location - ubicación, lugar, posición
familiar - te suena; familiar, espíritu familiar
inscriptions - inscripciones; inscripción, dedicatoria
mosses - usgos; musgo
parasitic - parásitos; parasítico, parasitario, parásito
deciphered - descifrado; descifrar, decodificar, interpretar, resolver
epitaph - epitafio
Here lies Clarimonde
lies - mentiras; mentira
Who was famed in her life-time
famed - famoso; fama
As the fairest of women.[1]
fairest - más justo; rubio, claro, blanco
"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 - murmuró; hablar entre dientes, murmurar
forced - forzado; fuerza
raise - subir; levantar
yielded - cedido; ceder
more silent - más silencioso
stood by - estar preparado; apoyar a alguien; mantenerse firme en; en espera; estar junto a
toil - esfuerzo, labrar, trabajar
panted - jadeaba; jadear, resollar
harsh - áspero, duro, severo, despotricar
rattle - sonajero; hacer sonar, hacer vibrar
weird - raro
profane - sacrílego, profano, blasfemo, profanar
wretches - desgraciados; desgraciado, miserable
stealers - Robador
priests - sacerdotes; sacerdote, cura, padre, párroco
grim - asqueroso; horrible, horroroso, macabro, nefasto
zeal - ahínco, fervor, celo, entusiasmo
apostle - apóstol
stern - severo, austero, serio
brought out - sacar; lanzar
fearsome - temible
enhanced - mejorado; aumentar, realzar
unpleasant - desagradable, desapacible
fancy - te apetece; capricho, antojo
beads - perlas; cuenta, gota
hideous - horrible, odioso, chocante, atemorizante
austere - austeridad; severo, austero
abominable - abominable, aborrecible
sacrilege - sacrilegio
triangle - triángulo
issue from - de dónde viene el problema
entrails - Trail
clouds - nubes; nublar
heavily - pesadamente
rolling - rodando; rolar; (roll) rodando; rolar
reduce - reducir, mermar, checkreducir, checkdisminuir, checkrebajar
cinders - cenizas; ceniza, escoria, incinerar
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 - búhos; búho, lechuza, tecolote
nestling - Nido; (nestle); acomodarse, acurrucarse
cypress - ciprés
gleam - resplandor; relucir, brillar, destellar
striking - sorprendente; llamativo, imponente
dusty - polvoriento
panes - paneles; cristal, vidrio
plaintive - planidera; morrinoso, melancólico, triste, nostálgico
cries - llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
lamentation - lamentación
foxes - zorros; zorro, zorra, raposo, traposa
yelped - gritó; ganir
sinister - siniestro, izquierdo
noises - ruidos; ruido, estrépito
struck - golpeado; tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar
planks - placas; tablón, artículo, entablar
nothingness - la nada; nada
utters - los pronuncia; absoluto, total
wrenched - desgarrado; arrancar
tore up - romper en pedazos; llenarse los ojos de lágrimas
lid - tapa
sparkled - brillaba; centelleo, destello
speck - mancha; manchita
colourless - incoloro
burst - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
Drinker - bebedor, bebedora
holy water - agua bendita
traced - rastreado; rastro, huella, vestigio, indicio
sprinkler - aspersor, rociador, rociador automático
blessed - bendecido; bendito; (bless) bendecido; bendito
spray - pulverizador; rociada, pulverización
crumbled - se desmoronó; desmigajarse, desmoronarse, desmenuzarse, crumble
calcined - calcinado; calcinar
bones - huesos; hueso
"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 - inexorable
tempted - tentado; tentar
promenade - paseo, pasear
ruin - ruina, desbaratar, arruinar, estropear, dar al traste
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 - por qué
imbecile - imbécil
shouldst - Deberías
violate - violar, vulnerar
miseries - iserias; miseria, sinvivir, desgracia, desdicha, infortunio
communication - comunicación, comunicado
regret - lamentar, pena, pesar, arrepentimiento
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.
peace - paz, sosiego
Dearly - Querido
replace - reemplazar, sustituir
gaze - mirada; observar, mirar fijamente
abroad - en el extranjero, en el exterior
watchful - vigilante; atento, avizor
error - error, yerro, checkyerro, panish: t-needed
[1]
Ici git Clarimonde
Qui fut de son vivant
fut - Futuro
La plus belle du monde.
plus - lus; más, positivo
monde - onde
The broken beauty of the lines is unavoidably lost in the translation.
unavoidably - inevitablemente, ineludiblemente
translation - traducción, transmisión, traslación