Jane - Giovanna
Charlotte - Carlotta
PREFACE
preface - prefazione, proemio, introduzione
A preface to the first edition of "Jane Eyre" being unnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few words both of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark.
edition - edizione
unnecessary - superfluo, eccessivo, inutile
none - nessuno, niente
demands - domanda, richiesta, rivendicazione, bisogno, necessita
acknowledgment - riconoscimento
miscellaneous - miscellaneo, eterogeneo
remark - osservazione, commento
My thanks are due in three quarters.
due - dovuto
To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined to a plain tale with few pretensions.
public - pubblico
indulgent - indulgente
inclined - inclinare
plain - semplice
Tale - storia, resoconto
pretensions - pretesa
To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage has opened to an obscure aspirant.
press - premere, pigiare
fair - biondo, chiaro
field - campo, ambito
honest - onesto
suffrage - suffragio
obscure - oscuro, nascosto, oscurato, confuso, poco chiaro, vago
aspirant - aspirante
To my Publishers, for the aid their tact, their energy, their practical sense and frank liberality have afforded an unknown and unrecommended Author.
publishers - editore
aid - aiuto
tact - tatto
energy - energia, forza
practical - pratico, concreto, reale, funzionale
sense - senso, coscienza, sensazione, significato, tocco
frank - franco
liberality - liberalita
afforded - permettersi
an unknown - uno sconosciuto
unrecommended - non raccomandato
author - autore, autrice, creare
The Press and the Public are but vague personifications for me, and I must thank them in vague terms; but my Publishers are definite: so are certain generous critics who have encouraged me as only large-hearted and high-minded men know how to encourage a struggling stranger; to them, i.e., to my Publishers and the select Reviewers, I say cordially, Gentlemen, I thank you from my heart.
vague - vago
personifications - personificazione
terms - periodo, durata, mandato
definite - definito
Certain - certo, sicuro, tale, determinato
generous - magnanimo, generoso, abbondante
critics - critico, polemista, avversario, oppositore, concorrente
encouraged - incoraggiare, raccomandare, esortare, favorire
hearted - cuore
minded - mente
struggling - in difficolta, (struggle), lotta, lottare
Stranger - Straniero
select - scegliere, selezionare
reviewers - recensore
cordially - cordialmente
gentlemen - gentiluomo, galantuomo, signore, signor
Having thus acknowledged what I owe those who have aided and approved me, I turn to another class; a small one, so far as I know, but not, therefore, to be overlooked.
thus - cosi
acknowledged - riconoscere, ammettere, confermare
owe - dovere, essere in debito, essere debitore di
those - quelle, quei, quegli
aided - aiuto
approved - approvare
therefore - dunque, quindi, percio, pertanto
overlooked - dare su
I mean the timorous or carping few who doubt the tendency of such books as "Jane Eyre:" in whose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect in each protest against bigotry-that parent of crime-an insult to piety, that regent of God on earth. I would suggest to such doubters certain obvious distinctions; I would remind them of certain simple truths.
timorous - timido
carping - carpire
tendency - tendenza
such - tale
whose - talian: di chi, cui
whatever - qualunque, qualsiasi, qualsivoglia, come vuoi
unusual - insolito, particolare, inusuale
detect - scoprire
protest - protestare, protesta
against - contrario, contro, in cambio di
bigotry - bigottismo
crime - crimine, delitto, reato, criminalita
insult - offendere, insultare, insulto, offesa, oltraggio
piety - pieta
Regent - reggente
God - Dio
earth - terra, massa, tana, mettere a terra, tcollegare a terra
suggest - proporre, suggerire
doubters - dubitatore
obvious - ovvio, evidente
distinctions - distinzione
remind - ricordare
simple - semplice, mero
truths - verita, veritate
Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.
conventionality - convenzionalita
morality - moralita
self - stesso
righteousness - rettitudine
religion - religione
attack - attacco, assalire, attaccare
assail - assalire
Last - ultimo
pluck - pizzicare, spennare, spennacchiare, spiumare, corata, coratella
mask - maschera
Pharisee - fariseo
lift - alzare, sollevare
impious - empio
crown - corona
thorns - spina, aculeo
These things and deeds are diametrically opposed: they are as distinct as is vice from virtue. Men too often confound them: they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken for truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeeming creed of Christ.
deeds - fatto, gesto, gesta, prodezza, impresa
diametrically - diametralmente
opposed - opporre, obiettare, essere contrari, esibire
distinct - chiaro, distinto, diverso
vice - morsa, morsetto
virtue - virtu, merito
confounded - confondere
appearance - apparizione, comparsa, visione, apparenza, aspetto
be mistaken - sbagliarsi
truth - verita, veritate
narrow - stretto
human - umano
doctrines - dottrina
tend - badare a, custodire
elate - feliz
magnify - ingrandire, amplificare, ingigantire
substituted - sostituire, sostituto, rimpiazzo
redeeming - redimere, riacquistare
creed - credo
Christ - Cristo, porco Dio, porcodio
There is-I repeat it-a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them.
mark - Marco
broadly - in modo ampio
Clearly - chiaramente, certamente, evidentemente
separation - separazione
The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it has been accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to make external show pass for sterling worth-to let white-washed walls vouch for clean shrines.
dissevered - issever
accustomed - assuefarsi, abituarsi, adattarsi, familiarizzare
blend - miscela, combinazione, mix, amalgama, mescolare
Convenient - conveniente, comodo
external - esterno
pass for - passare per
sterling - sterlina, oro sterlina, argento sterlina
worth - valore
vouch for - garantire
shrines - reliquiario, santuario, edicola
It may hate him who dares to scrutinise and expose-to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it-to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as it will, it is indebted to him.
dares - osare
scrutinise - scrutinare
expose - esporre, evidenziare, rivelare, mettere in luce
gilding - doratura
metal - metallo
penetrate - penetrare
sepulchre - sepolcro
reveal - rivelare, gettare la maschera, uscire allo scoperto
charnel - ossario
relics - ricordo, avanzo, cimelio, reliquia
indebted - indebitato
Ahab did not like Micaiah, because he never prophesied good concerning him, but evil; probably he liked the sycophant son of Chenaannah better; yet might Ahab have escaped a bloody death, had he but stopped his ears to flattery, and opened them to faithful counsel.
Ahab - Achab
prophesied - profetizzare
concerning - interesse, preoccupazione, impresa, interessare
evil - cattivo, maligno
sycophant - ruffiano, delatore, leccaculo, adulatore
escaped - scappare, fuggire, darsela a gambe, evitare, eludere
bloody - sanguinosa
Death - morte, dipartita, decesso, morire, la morte
flattery - salamelecchi, adulazione, piaggeria, sviolinata
faithful - fedele, ligio, affidabile
counsel - consiglio, avvocato
There is a man in our own days whose words are not framed to tickle delicate ears: who, to my thinking, comes before the great ones of society, much as the son of Imlah came before the throned Kings of Judah and Israel; and who speaks truth as deep, with a power as prophet-like and as vital-a mien as dauntless and as daring. Is the satirist of "Vanity Fair" admired in high places?
framed - incorniciare, incastrare, impalcatura, incastellatura, armatura
tickle - solleticare, titillare
delicate - delicato (1, 2)
Society - societa, associazione
throned - trono
Kings - re
Israel - Israele
deep - profondo, spesso, esteso, profondo (1, 2)
power - potere, influenza, potenza, forza, elettricita, corrente
prophet - profeta, vate, divinatore, aedo
vital - vitale, fondamentale
mien - cera, atteggiamento, postura, mimica
dauntless - senza paura
daring - audace
satirist - satirico, satirica, satiro
Vanity Fair - Vanity Fair
admired - ammirare
I cannot tell; but I think if some of those amongst whom he hurls the Greek fire of his sarcasm, and over whom he flashes the levin-brand of his denunciation, were to take his warnings in time-they or their seed might yet escape a fatal Rimoth-Gilead.
amongst - tra, in mezzo a
whom - chi, cui
hurls - lanciare, tirare, slanciare, vomitare, rimettere
Greek - greco, greca
sarcasm - sarcasmo
flashes - lampo
brand - tizzone, marchio a fuoco, marca
denunciation - denuncia
warnings - avvertimento, monito
seed - seme
escape - scappare, fuggire, darsela a gambe, evitare, eludere
fatal - fatale
Why have I alluded to this man?
alluded - alludere
I have alluded to him, Reader, because I think I see in him an intellect profounder and more unique than his contemporaries have yet recognised; because I regard him as the first social regenerator of the day-as the very master of that working corps who would restore to rectitude the warped system of things; because I think no commentator on his writings has yet found the comparison that suits him, the terms which rightly characterise his talent. They say he is like Fielding: they talk of his wit, humour, comic powers. He resembles Fielding as an eagle does a vulture: Fielding could stoop on carrion, but Thackeray never does. His wit is bright, his humour attractive, but both bear the same relation to his serious genius that the mere lambent sheet-lightning playing under the edge of the summer-cloud does to the electric death-spark hid in its womb. Finally, I have alluded to Mr. Thackeray, because to him-if he will accept the tribute of a total stranger-I have dedicated this second edition of "Jane Eyre."
intellect - intelletto
profounder - profondo
unique - unico, peculiare, speciale, singolare
contemporaries - contemporaneo, coetaneo, coevo
recognised - riconoscere
regard - considerare
social - sociale, socievole, estroverso, mondano
regenerator - rigeneratore
Master - padrone
corps - corpo
restore - ristabilire, restaurare, riportare, rimettere
rectitude - rettitudine, dirittura
warped - curvare, deformare
system - sistema
commentator - commentatore
writings - scritti
comparison - paragone, confronto, comparazione
suits - vestito, abito, seme, colore, soddisfare, adattarsi
rightly - giustamente
characterise - caratterizzare
talent - talento, talenti
Fielding - fielding
wit - spirito
humour - humour, umorismo, umore, accontentare, assecondare
comic - comico, fumetto, striscia, giornaletto, giornalino
powers - potere, influenza, potenza, forza, elettricita, corrente
resembles - rassomigliare, arieggiare
eagle - aquila, moneta di dieci dollaro
vulture - avvoltoio
stoop - chinarsi, abbassarsi
carrion - carogna
bright - luminoso, brillante
attractive - attrattivo, attraente, procace, stuzzicante, allettante
bear - sopportare
relation - relazione, parente
serious - serio, grave, critico
genius - genio
mere - semplice, solo
lambent - brush#Verb
sheet-lightning - (sheet-lightning) fulmino che illumina tutto il cielo
edge - orlo, bordo, lato, vantaggio, lama, filo, arco
cloud - annuvolarsi, oscurare, annebbiare
Electric - elettrico, elettronico
spark - scintilla
hid - nascosto
womb - utero, grembo, seno
finally - finalmente, alla fine, per concludere, infine, definitivamente
Mr - Signor
Accept - accettare, ammettere
tribute - omaggio, tributo
Total - totale, somma, intero
dedicated - consacrare, destinare, dedicarsi, dedicare, inaugurare
CURRER BELL.
bell - campana
December 21st, 1847.
NOTE TO THE THIRD EDITION
third - terzo, terza, atterzare
I avail myself of the opportunity which a third edition of "Jane Eyre" affords me, of again addressing a word to the Public, to explain that my claim to the title of novelist rests on this one work alone. If, therefore, the authorship of other works of fiction has been attributed to me, an honour is awarded where it is not merited; and consequently, denied where it is justly due.
avail - (2) inutile
myself - mi
opportunity - occasione, opportunita, possibilita, chance
affords - permettersi
claim - reclamo, rivendicazione, diritto, dichiarazione, affermazione
novelist - romanziere, romanziera
rests - riposo
alone - da solo, soltanto
authorship - paternita
fiction - finzione
attributed - attributo, caratteristica, attribuire
honour - onore
awarded - sentenza, premio, trofeo, medaglia, onorificenza
merited - merito, merto, meritare
consequently - di conseguenza
denied - negare
justly - giustamente
This explanation will serve to rectify mistakes which may already have been made, and to prevent future errors.
explanation - spiegazione, esplicazione, chiarificazione, esegesi
serve - servizio, servire, essere in forza, operare, lavorare per
rectify - sanare, rimediare, regolarizzare, distillare, rettificare
prevent - impedire, prevenire
errors - errore, sbaglio, vizio, mostrare un errore, mostrare errori
CURRER BELL.
April 13th, 1848.
There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question.
possibility - possibilita, opportunita
wandering - vagabondaggio, (wander), errare, vagare, girovagare, passeggiare
indeed - infatti, davvero, realmente, effettivamente, gia
leafless - afillo
shrubbery - arbusti
Since - da allora, a partire da, da quando, poiché, giacché, dacché
Mrs - Signor
reed - canna, cannuccia
dined - cenare
wind - vento
clouds - annuvolarsi, oscurare, annebbiare
sombre - scuro
penetrating - penetrare
further - ulteriore, ulteriormente
I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.
Glad - contento, felice
especially - specialmente, soprattutto, specie, appositamente
chilly - freddo
dreadful - terribile
raw - crudo, grezzo, non raffinatato, naturale, aperta, vergine
twilight - crepuscolo, penombra
nipped - pizzicare, pungere, mordere
fingers - dito
toes - dito del piede, dito, dito della zampa, punta
heart - cuore
saddened - intristire, rattristare, rattristire
chidings - di rimproverare
humbled - umile
consciousness - conoscenza, coscienza
physical - fisico
inferiority - inferiorita
The said Eliza, John, and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing-room: she lay reclined on a sofa by the fireside, and with her darlings about her (for the time neither quarrelling nor crying) looked perfectly happy.
clustered - gruppo, grappolo
round - rotondo, tondo
mama - mamma
lay - posare
reclined - giacere, appoggiarsi
sofa - divano, sofa
by the fireside - accanto al caminetto
darlings - tesoro, amore
neither - nessuno, né X né Y, neanche, nemmeno, neppure, manco
quarrelling - litigare
nor - neanche, nemmeno
crying - piangere, (cry), gridare, urlare, pianto, urlo, verso
perfectly happy - perfettamente felice
Me, she had dispensed from joining the group; saying, "She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance; but that until she heard from Bessie, and could discover by her own observation, that I was endeavouring in good earnest to acquire a more sociable and childlike disposition, a more attractive and sprightly manner-something lighter, franker, more natural, as it were-she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy, little children."
dispensed - dispensare
regretted - rimpiangere, rammaricarsi, pentirsi, rammarico, rimpianto
necessity - necessita, bisogno
distance - distanza
discover - scoprire, trovare
observation - osservazione
endeavouring - tentare
earnest - serio
acquire - acquisire
more sociable - piu socievole
childlike - infantile
disposition - carattere
more attractive - piu attraente
sprightly - arzillo
manner - maniera, modo
more natural - piu naturale
exclude - escludere
privileges - privilegio, prerogativa
intended - previsto, disciplinato, (intend), intendere, avere in animo
contented - contento, soddisfatto
"What does Bessie say I have done?" I asked.
"Jane, I don't like cavillers or questioners; besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner. Be seated somewhere; and until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent."
questioners - interrogante
besides - accanto, vicino
truly - accuratamente, veramente, molto
forbidding - proibire, (forbid), vietare, negare, smentire
taking up - occupare, assumere, prendere
elders - piu vecchio/anziano*, maggiore
seated - posto, seduta, sedile, scranno
somewhere - da qualche parte, in qualche luogo, in qualche parte
pleasantly - dilettosamente
remain - stare, restare, rimanere
silent - silenzioso, muto, silente, tranquillo, silenzio
A breakfast-room adjoined the drawing-room, I slipped in there. It contained a bookcase: I soon possessed myself of a volume, taking care that it should be one stored with pictures. I mounted into the window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat cross-legged, like a Turk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement.
adjoined - essere vicino a, essere vicina a
slipped - scivolare
contained - contenere
bookcase - libreria
possessed - possiede
volume - volume
care - cura, attenzione
stored - magazzino, deposito, scorta, immagazzinare, registrare
mounted - montare, salire
seat - posto, seduta, sedile, scranno
gathering - raccolta, (gather), cogliere, collezionare, radunarsi
Cross - croce, segno della croce, incrocio, cross, diagonale, irritato
Turk - turco, turca
curtain - tenda, tappezzeria, drappo, drappeggio
nearly - quasi, praticamente, circa
shrined - reliquiario, santuario, edicola
double - doppio, doppia, sosia, doppione, doppiare
retirement - pensionamento
Folds of scarlet drapery shut in my view to the right hand; to the left were the clear panes of glass, protecting, but not separating me from the drear November day. At intervals, while turning over the leaves of my book, I studied the aspect of that winter afternoon.
folds - piegare
scarlet - scarlatto
drapery - tenda
shut - chiudere
view - vista, veduta, visualizzazione, visione, opinione
clear - trasparente, limpido, pulito, chiaro, nitido
panes - vetro
protecting - proteggere
separating - separato, separata, separare, dividere
intervals - intervallo
turning over - girare
aspect - aspetto
Afar, it offered a pale blank of mist and cloud; near a scene of wet lawn and storm-beat shrub, with ceaseless rain sweeping away wildly before a long and lamentable blast.
afar - afar
offered - offrire
pale - pallido
blank - intonso, in bianco, vuoto, intatto, vergine, cartuccia a salve
mist - nebbia, foschia
scene - scena
wet - bagnato, impregnato, piovoso, uggioso, bagnare
lawn - prato
storm - tempesta, bufera
beat - colpire, percuotere
shrub - arbusto
ceaseless - incessante
sweeping away - spazzare via
wildly - selvaggiamente
lamentable - lamentabile
blast - ventata
I returned to my book-Bewick's History of British Birds: the letterpress thereof I cared little for, generally speaking; and yet there were certain introductory pages that, child as I was, I could not pass quite as a blank.
British - britannici, britannico
letterpress - stampa tipografica
thereof - ne
generally speaking - in generale
introductory - introduttivo
pass - passare
They were those which treat of the haunts of sea-fowl; of "the solitary rocks and promontories" by them only inhabited; of the coast of Norway, studded with isles from its southern extremity, the Lindeness, or Naze, to the North Cape-
treat - trattare, trattenimento, festeggiamento, sorpresa
haunts - infestare, tormentare, ritrovo
fowl - volatile
solitary - solitario
rocks - roccia
promontories - promontorio
inhabited - abitare
coast - costa
Norway - Norvegia
studded - scuderia
Isles - isola
southern - meridionale
extremity - estremita
Cape - cappa
"Where the Northern Ocean, in vast whirls,
Northern - settentrionale, nordico, boreale
Ocean - oceano
vast - ampio, vasto, esteso, grande
whirls - turbinare, piroettare, roteare
Boils round the naked, melancholy isles
boils - bollire
naked - nudo
melancholy - malinconia
Of farthest Thule; and the Atlantic surge
Atlantic - Atlantico
surge - agirarsi, sollevarsi
Pours in among the stormy Hebrides."
pours - versare, riversarsi
among - tra, fra, in mezzo a
stormy - tempestoso
Hebrides - Ebridi
Nor could I pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores of Lapland, Siberia, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland, with "the vast sweep of the Arctic Zone, and those forlorn regions of dreary space,-that reservoir of frost and snow, where firm fields of ice, the accumulation of centuries of winters, glazed in Alpine heights above heights, surround the pole, and concentre the multiplied rigours of extreme cold." Of these death-white realms I formed an idea of my own: shadowy, like all the half-comprehended notions that float dim through children's brains, but strangely impressive. The words in these introductory pages connected themselves with the succeeding vignettes, and gave significance to the rock standing up alone in a sea of billow and spray; to the broken boat stranded on a desolate coast; to the cold and ghastly moon glancing through bars of cloud at a wreck just sinking.
unnoticed - inosservato
suggestion - suggestione, suggerimento, proposta
bleak - desolato
shores - spiaggia
Lapland - Lapponia
Siberia - Siberia
Nova - nova
Iceland - Islanda
Greenland - Groenlandia
sweep - spazzare, scopare, ramazzare, setacciare, spazzata
Arctic Zone - Zona Artica
forlorn - abbandonato, negletto, derelitto, dimenticato, miserevole
regions - regione
dreary - melanconico, malinconico
reservoir - invaso
frost - brina, gelata, gelo, checkgalaverna, checkgelo, brinare
firm - fermo, sicuro
fields - campo, ambito
accumulation - accumulazione, accumulo
glazed - gelicidio, velatura
Alpine - alpestre, alpino
heights - altezza, apice, culmine, vetta, cima
surround - circondare, accerchiare, assediare
pole - polo
concentre - concentrarsi
multiplied - moltiplicare
rigours - rigore
extreme - estremo, profondo
realms - reame, regno, dominio, sfera
shadowy - ombroso
comprehended - comprendere, capire
notions - nozione, concetto, opinione, inclinazione, intenzione
float - galleggiare, appianatoia, frattazzo, pialletto, carro allegorico
dim - fioco, incerto
brains - cervello, or when used as food
strangely - stranamente
impressive - impressionante, spettacolare, notevole, eccitante
connected - connettere, connettersi, cablare, collegare
themselves - essi stessi
succeeding - succedere, riuscire
vignettes - vignetta
significance - significanza, significativita, importanza
Rock - roccia
billow - maroso
spray - spray, spruzzo, (getto vaporizzato)
stranded - arenato
desolate - desolato, deserto, abbandonato, nero
ghastly - terrificante, spaventoso, agghiacciante, terribile, pessimo
moon - Luna
glancing - radente, (glance), dare un'occhiata, sbirciare, occhieggiare
bars - barra, tavoletta, sbarra
wreck - relitto, rottame, carcassa, carretta
sinking - affondamento, naufragio, (sink), affondare
I cannot tell what sentiment haunted the quite solitary churchyard, with its inscribed headstone; its gate, its two trees, its low horizon, girdled by a broken wall, and its newly-risen crescent, attesting the hour of eventide.
sentiment - sentimento
haunted - infestare, tormentare, ritrovo
churchyard - cimitero
inscribed - scrivere, incidere
headstone - lapide
Gate - cancello, portone
low - basso
horizon - orizzonte
girdled - cintura
newly - di recente
risen - aumentare, alzarsi, crescere
Crescent - crescente, falce, mezzaluna, cornetto
attesting - attestare
The two ships becalmed on a torpid sea, I believed to be marine phantoms.
ships - nave
torpid - torpido
marine - marino, marittimo
phantoms - fantasma, spettro, immaginario, immaginaria, irreale
The fiend pinning down the thief's pack behind him, I passed over quickly: it was an object of terror.
fiend - demonio
pinning - appuntare
thief - ladro, ladra, ladruncolo, borsaiolo
pack - fagotto, sacca
passed over - passare davanti, lasciare qualcosa, ignorare
terror - terrore
So was the black horned thing seated aloof on a rock, surveying a distant crowd surrounding a gallows.
horned - corno, clacson
aloof - con distacco, distaccato
surveying - rilievo, (survey), sondaggio, inchiesta, indagine, ricognizione
distant - distante, remoto
crowd - folla
surrounding - periferia, circostante, (surround), circondare, accerchiare
gallows - forca
Each picture told a story; mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings, yet ever profoundly interesting: as interesting as the tales Bessie sometimes narrated on winter evenings, when she chanced to be in good humour; and when, having brought her ironing-table to the nursery hearth, she allowed us to sit about it, and while she got up Mrs.
mysterious - misterioso, ignoto
undeveloped - poco sviluppato, sottosviluppato
imperfect - imperfetto, imperfetta
feelings - sentimenti
profoundly - profondamente
tales - storia, resoconto
Narrated - raccontare, narrare
chanced - caso
ironing - stirare
nursery - sala dei bambini, vivaio
hearth - focolare, letto della fornace, focolare domestico
allowed - lasciare, permettere, concedere, consentire
Reed's lace frills, and crimped her nightcap borders, fed our eager attention with passages of love and adventure taken from old fairy tales and other ballads; or (as at a later period I discovered) from the pages of Pamela, and Henry, Earl of Moreland.
lace - laccio, stringa
frills - volant, (merletto di rifinitura)
crimped - crimpare
nightcap - berretto frigio, berretto da notte, papalina
borders - confine, frontiera, orlo
fed - alimentato
eager - desideroso
attention - attenzione, allerta, sull'attenti
passages - passaggio
adventure - avventura
fairy tales - favole/fiabe
ballads - ballata
discovered - scoprire, trovare
earl - conte
With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy: happy at least in my way. I feared nothing but interruption, and that came too soon. The breakfast-room door opened.
feared - temere
interruption - interruzione
"Boh! Madam Mope!" cried the voice of John Reed; then he paused: he found the room apparently empty.
madam - signora, padrona di casa, madama
Mope - piangersi addosso
cried - piangere, gridare, urlare, pianto, urlo, verso
voice - voce
paused - mettere in pausa, pausa
apparently - chiaramente, evidentemente, apparentemente, sembra che
empty - vuoto, vuotare, svuotare
"Where the dickens is she!" he continued. "Lizzy! Georgy! (calling to his sisters) Joan is not here: tell mama she is run out into the rain-bad animal!"
dickens - Transliterations of the surname
continued - continuare
"It is well I drew the curtain," thought I; and I wished fervently he might not discover my hiding-place: nor would John Reed have found it out himself; he was not quick either of vision or conception; but Eliza just put her head in at the door, and said at once-
wished - desiderio, voglia, volere, desiderare, augurare
fervently - ferventemente, fervorosamente
hiding - nascondersi
either - ciascuno, entrambi, ogni, neanche, nemmeno
vision - vista, acutezza visiva, visione, allucinazione, miraggio
conception - concezione, concepimento, concetto
"She is in the window-seat, to be sure, Jack."
Jack - Gianni, Giacomo, Giacobbe, Jacopo, Iago
And I came out immediately, for I trembled at the idea of being dragged forth by the said Jack.
immediately - immediatamente, subito, su due piedi
trembled - tremare, tremolare, tremore
dragged - trascinare, tirare
forth - avanti
"What do you want?" I asked, with awkward diffidence.
awkward - maldestro, impacciato, goffo, imbarazzato, poco opportuno
diffidence - diffidenza
"Say, 'What do you want, Master Reed?'" was the answer. "I want you to come here;" and seating himself in an arm-chair, he intimated by a gesture that I was to approach and stand before him.
seating - posti a sedere, (seat), posto, seduta, sedile, scranno
arm-chair - (arm-chair) poltrona
intimated - stretto, intimo, privato, proprio, personale
gesture - gesto
approach - avvicinarsi
John Reed was a schoolboy of fourteen years old; four years older than I, for I was but ten: large and stout for his age, with a dingy and unwholesome skin; thick lineaments in a spacious visage, heavy limbs and large extremities. He gorged himself habitually at table, which made him bilious, and gave him a dim and bleared eye and flabby cheeks.
schoolboy - alunno, scolaro
stout - solido
dingy - sporco
unwholesome - malsano, insalubre, sfavorevole, corrotto
skin - pelle, interfaccia, scuoiare
thick - spesso, pesante, folto, tonto
lineaments - lineamenti
spacious - spazioso
visage - countenance, appearance, face
heavy - pesante
limbs - membro, arto
extremities - estremita
gorged - gola
habitually - abitualmente
bilious - bilioso
bleared - sbiancare
flabby cheeks - guance flaccide
He ought now to have been at school; but his mama had taken him home for a month or two, "on account of his delicate health." Mr.
on account - in conto
Miles, the master, affirmed that he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him from home; but the mother's heart turned from an opinion so harsh, and inclined rather to the more refined idea that John's sallowness was owing to over-application and, perhaps, to pining after home.
affirmed - affermare
sweetmeats - carne dolce
mother's heart - cuore di madre
harsh - grossolano, ruvido, rude, aspro (taste), accidentato
Rather - rato
more refined - piu raffinato
sallowness - salud
owing to - a causa di
application - applicazione, impiego, applicativo, programma, candidatura
Perhaps - forse
pining - spillo, spilla, molletta
John had not much affection for his mother and sisters, and an antipathy to me. He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh in my bones shrank when he came near.
affection - affetto
antipathy - antipatia
bullied - bullo, spaccone, smargiasso, prepotente
punished - punire, castigare
continually - continuamente
nerve - nervo, nervatura, coraggio, faccia tosta, sfacciataggine
feared - paura
morsel - boccone
flesh - carne
bones - osso, lisca, spina
shrank - restringersi, ritirarsi, strizzacervelli, psichiatra
There were moments when I was bewildered by the terror he inspired, because I had no appeal whatever against either his menaces or his inflictions; the servants did not like to offend their young master by taking my part against him, and Mrs.
bewildered - confondere, disorientare, sconcertare
inspired - ispirare
appeal - fare appello, ricorrere
menaces - minaccia
inflictions - imposizione, irrogazione, inflizione
servants - servo, servitore, domestico, famiglio
offend - offendere
Reed was blind and deaf on the subject: she never saw him strike or heard him abuse me, though he did both now and then in her very presence, more frequently, however, behind her back.
blind - cieco, orbo, tenda, accecare, ciecamente
deaf - sordo, i sordo
strike - cancellare, colpire, coniare, scioperare, sembrare, arrendersi, sciopero
abuse - abusare
though - comunque, nonostante, in ogni caso, ad ogni modo, anche se
presence - presenza
frequently - frequentemente, spesso, continuamente
Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair: he spent some three minutes in thrusting out his tongue at me as far as he could without damaging the roots: I knew he would soon strike, and while dreading the blow, I mused on the disgusting and ugly appearance of him who would presently deal it.
obedient - ubbidiente
thrusting - spinta, (thrust), stoccata
tongue - lingua, linguetta
damaging - danno, danneggiare, rovinare, macchiare
roots - radice
dreading - temere, timore
blow - colpo
mused - Musa
disgusting - disgustare, ripugnare, nauseare, stomacare
ugly - brutto, sgradevole
Presently - Attualmente
deal - accordo
I wonder if he read that notion in my face; for, all at once, without speaking, he struck suddenly and strongly. I tottered, and on regaining my equilibrium retired back a step or two from his chair.
wonder - meraviglia, domandarsi, chiedersi
notion - nozione, concetto, opinione, inclinazione, intenzione
struck - cancellare, colpire, coniare, scioperare, sembrare, arrendersi, sciopero
suddenly - all'improvviso, improvvisamente
strongly - fortemente, fermamente, ampiamente
tottered - barcollare
Regaining - riprendere, riappropriarsi, recuperare, riguadagnare
equilibrium - equilibrio, quiete
retired - (andare in pensione)
step - passo
"That is for your impudence in answering mama awhile since," said he, "and for your sneaking way of getting behind curtains, and for the look you had in your eyes two minutes since, you rat!"
impudence - impudenza, sfrontatezza
awhile - per un po'
sneaking - imbroglione, lestofante, furfante, intrufolarsi, sgusciare
curtains - tenda, tappezzeria, drappo, drappeggio
rat - ratto
Accustomed to John Reed's abuse, I never had an idea of replying to it; my care was how to endure the blow which would certainly follow the insult.
replying - rispondere, replicare, ripetere, risposta, replica
endure - durare, restare, resistere, perdurare, tollerare
Certainly - certamente, senza dubbio, non ci piove, evidentemente
"What were you doing behind the curtain?" he asked.
"I was reading."
"Show the book."
I returned to the window and fetched it thence.
fetched - andare a prendere, portare
thence - di la
"You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen's children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mama's expense. Now, I'll teach you to rummage my bookshelves: for they are mine; all the house belongs to me, or will do in a few years.
dependent - dipendente
beg - elemosinare, chiedere l'elemosina
expense - spesa
rummage - frugare, rovistare, rivoltare, scuriosare, buttare all'aria
bookshelves - libreria
mine - mio, mia, mie, miei
belongs - appartenere a
Go and stand by the door, out of the way of the mirror and the windows."
mirror - specchio, copia speculare
I did so, not at first aware what was his intention; but when I saw him lift and poise the book and stand in act to hurl it, I instinctively started aside with a cry of alarm: not soon enough, however; the volume was flung, it hit me, and I fell, striking my head against the door and cutting it. The cut bled, the pain was sharp: my terror had passed its climax; other feelings succeeded.
aware - all'erta, consapevole, conscio, checkconsapevole
intention - intenzione, intento
poise - stato di grazia, poise
act - atto, legge, numero, scena, messinscena, agire, recitare, fare
hurl - lanciare, tirare, slanciare, vomitare, rimettere
instinctively - istintivamente
aside - a parte, in disparte
cry - piangere, gridare, urlare, pianto, urlo, verso
alarm - allarme
flung - lanciare
hit - colpire, battere
striking - impressionante, sconcertante
bled - sanguinare
pain - dolore
sharp - affilato, aguzzo, intelligente, acuto, appuntito, diesis, acre
passed - passare
climax - eccitamento, orgasmo
succeeded - succedere, riuscire
"Wicked and cruel boy!" I said. "You are like a murderer-you are like a slave-driver-you are like the Roman emperors!"
wicked - cattivo
cruel - crudele
murderer - assassino, assassina
slave - schiavo, schiava, sgobbare
Roman - romano, romana
emperors - imperatore
I had read Goldsmith's History of Rome, and had formed my opinion of Nero, Caligula, etc. Also I had drawn parallels in silence, which I never thought thus to have declared aloud.
goldsmith - orafo, orafa, orefice
Rome - Roma, impero romano
etc - ecc
parallels - parallelo, parallelamente, omologo
silence - silenzio, silenziare, azzittire, mettere a tacere
declared - dichiarare
aloud - a voce alta, ad alta voce
"What! what!" he cried. "Did she say that to me? Did you hear her, Eliza and Georgiana? Won't I tell mama? but first-"
He ran headlong at me: I felt him grasp my hair and my shoulder: he had closed with a desperate thing. I really saw in him a tyrant, a murderer. I felt a drop or two of blood from my head trickle down my neck, and was sensible of somewhat pungent suffering: these sensations for the time predominated over fear, and I received him in frantic sort.
headlong - a capofitto
grasp - afferrare, avvinghiare, avvinghiarsi, agguantare
desperate - disperato
tyrant - tiranno
drop - goccia
blood - sangue
trickle - gocciolio, sgocciolio, gocciolare, sgocciolare
neck - collo
sensible - percepibile, apprezzabile, sensibile, razionale, giudizioso
somewhat - in qualche modo
pungent - pungente, acre, salace, tagliente
suffering - sofferenza, (suffer), soffrire, penare, patire, aggravarsi
sensations - sensazione, senso, impressione
predominated - predominare (all)
fear - paura
received - ricevere
frantic - frenetico, esagitato
sort - sorta, tipo
I don't very well know what I did with my hands, but he called me "Rat! Rat!" and bellowed out aloud. Aid was near him: Eliza and Georgiana had run for Mrs. Reed, who was gone upstairs: she now came upon the scene, followed by Bessie and her maid Abbot. We were parted: I heard the words-
bellowed - ruggito, muggire, ruggire
upon - su, a
maid - signorina, cameriera
Abbot - abate
"Dear! dear! What a fury to fly at Master John!"
fury - furia, furore
"Did ever anybody see such a picture of passion!"
Anybody - qualcuno
passion - passione
Then Mrs. Reed subjoined-
subjoined - congiungere
"Take her away to the red-room, and lock her in there." Four hands were immediately laid upon me, and I was borne upstairs.
lock - serratura
laid - posare
borne - sopportare
I resisted all the way: a new thing for me, and a circumstance which greatly strengthened the bad opinion Bessie and Miss Abbot were disposed to entertain of me.
resisted - resistere
circumstance - circostanza, dettaglio, caso, circonlocuzione, situazione
greatly - molto, grandemente, assai, oltremodo
strengthened - rinforzare, rafforzare, corroborare, animare, intensificare
disposed - eliminare, disporre, mettere, depositare, distribuire
entertain - intrattenere
The fact is, I was a trifle beside myself; or rather out of myself, as the French would say: I was conscious that a moment's mutiny had already rendered me liable to strange penalties, and, like any other rebel slave, I felt resolved, in my desperation, to go all lengths.
trifle - zuppa inglese, un tantino, un po', bagattella, briciola
beside - accanto, vicino
Rather - preferibilmente, piuttosto, abbastanza, meglio
French - francese
conscious - cosciente, conscio, consapevole
mutiny - ammutinamento
rendered - rendere
liable - responsabile, punibile, passibile
strange - strano, anormale
penalties - penalita
rebel - ribelle
resolved - decidere
desperation - disperazione
lengths - lunghezza
"Hold her arms, Miss Abbot: she's like a mad cat."
hold - tenere
mad - pazzo, folle, matto, insano
"For shame! for shame!" cried the lady's-maid. "What shocking conduct, Miss Eyre, to strike a young gentleman, your benefactress's son! Your young master."
shame - vergogna
lady - signora, dama, lady
shocking - shock, choc
conduct - conduzione, comportamento, condotta, condurre, comportarsi
gentleman - gentiluomo, galantuomo, signore, signor
benefactress - benefattrice
"Master! How is he my master? Am I a servant?"
servant - servo, servitore, domestico, famiglio
"No; you are less than a servant, for you do nothing for your keep. There, sit down, and think over your wickedness."
think over - riflettere
wickedness - cattiveria
They had got me by this time into the apartment indicated by Mrs. Reed, and had thrust me upon a stool: my impulse was to rise from it like a spring; their two pair of hands arrested me instantly.
indicated - indicare, mostrare
thrust - stoccata, spinta
stool - sgabello
impulse - impulso, aire, slancio, abbrivo
rise - aumentare, alzarsi, crescere
arrested - arresto, arrestare
instantly - istantaneamente
"If you don't sit still, you must be tied down," said Bessie. "Miss Abbot, lend me your garters; she would break mine directly."
be tied - essere legato
lend - prestare
garters - giarrettiera, giarrettella
directly - direttamente
Miss Abbot turned to divest a stout leg of the necessary ligature. This preparation for bonds, and the additional ignominy it inferred, took a little of the excitement out of me.
divest - spogliare, disinvestire
necessary - necessario
ligature - legatura, logotipo
preparation - preparazione
Bonds - legame
additional - addizionale
ignominy - ignominia, infamia
inferred - inferire, dedurre, concludere, infliggere, implicare
excitement - eccitamento, orgasmo, fregola
"Don't take them off," I cried; "I will not stir."
stir - rimescolare
In guarantee whereof, I attached myself to my seat by my hands.
guarantee - garanzia, garante, garantire, assicurare
whereof - di che cosa
attached - legare
"Mind you don't," said Bessie; and when she had ascertained that I was really subsiding, she loosened her hold of me; then she and Miss Abbot stood with folded arms, looking darkly and doubtfully on my face, as incredulous of my sanity.
Mind you - nota, si prega di notare
ascertained - accertare, appurare, stabilire, constatare
subsiding - sprofondare, abbassare, abbassarsi, scendere
loosened - allentare
folded - piegare
darkly - oscuramente
doubtfully - dubbiosamente
incredulous - incredulo
sanity - sanita
"She never did so before," at last said Bessie, turning to the Abigail.
Abigail - , Abigail, Abigaille
"But it was always in her," was the reply. "I've told Missis often my opinion about the child, and Missis agreed with me. She's an underhand little thing: I never saw a girl of her age with so much cover."
reply - rispondere, replicare, ripetere, risposta, replica
missis - signorina
underhand - subdolo, sfuggente, viscido, subdolamente, sottobanco
cover - copertura, copertina, copriletto
Bessie answered not; but ere long, addressing me, she said-"You ought to be aware, Miss, that you are under obligations to Mrs. Reed: she keeps you: if she were to turn you off, you would have to go to the poorhouse."
ere - qui
obligations - vincolo, obbligo, dovere, obbligazione
poorhouse - casa dei poveri
I had nothing to say to these words: they were not new to me: my very first recollections of existence included hints of the same kind. This reproach of my dependence had become a vague sing-song in my ear: very painful and crushing, but only half intelligible. Miss Abbot joined in-
recollections - ricordo
existence - esistenza
hints - accenno, allusione, indizio, aiuto
reproach - rimbrotto, rimprovero, appunto, richiamo
dependence - dipendenza
painful - doloroso
crushing - ressa, calca, cotta, schiacciare, pigiare, frantumare
intelligible - intelligibile
"And you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none: it is your place to be humble, and to try to make yourself agreeable to them."
equality - parita, uguaglianza, eguaglianza, egualita, ugualita
kindly - gentilmente
allows - lasciare, permettere, concedere, consentire
humble - umile
agreeable - gradevole
"What we tell you is for your good," added Bessie, in no harsh voice, "you should try to be useful and pleasant, then, perhaps, you would have a home here; but if you become passionate and rude, Missis will send you away, I am sure."
pleasant - piacevole, gradito, gradevole
passionate - appassionato
rude - rude, maleducato, oscena, offensivo
"Besides," said Miss Abbot, "God will punish her: He might strike her dead in the midst of her tantrums, and then where would she go? Come, Bessie, we will leave her: I wouldn't have her heart for anything. Say your prayers, Miss Eyre, when you are by yourself; for if you don't repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away."
punish - punire, castigare
dead - morto
midst - in mezzo a*
tantrums - bizza, capriccio
prayers - preghiera
repent - pentirsi
permitted - permettere
chimney - camino, ciminiera, fumaiolo, bulbo
fetch - andare a prendere, portare
They went, shutting the door, and locking it behind them.
shutting - chiudere
locking - serratura
The red-room was a square chamber, very seldom slept in, I might say never, indeed, unless when a chance influx of visitors at Gateshead Hall rendered it necessary to turn to account all the accommodation it contained: yet it was one of the largest and stateliest chambers in the mansion.
square - quadrato, squadra, piazza, sagrato, casella, convenzionale
seldom - raramente, di rado
Unless - a meno che, se non
chance - caso
influx - afflusso
hall - corridoio, sala
turn to account - rendere conto
accommodation - alloggio, sistemazione
stateliest - prestante
chambers - camera, camera da letto
mansion - reggia, dimora, palazzo, villa
A bed supported on massive pillars of mahogany, hung with curtains of deep red damask, stood out like a tabernacle in the centre; the two large windows, with their blinds always drawn down, were half shrouded in festoons and falls of similar drapery; the carpet was red; the table at the foot of the bed was covered with a crimson cloth; the walls were a soft fawn colour with a blush of pink in it; the wardrobe, the toilet-table, the chairs were of darkly polished old mahogany. Out of these deep surrounding shades rose high, and glared white, the piled-up mattresses and pillows of the bed, spread with a snowy Marseilles counterpane. Scarcely less prominent was an ample cushioned easy-chair near the head of the bed, also white, with a footstool before it; and looking, as I thought, like a pale throne.
supported - sostenere
massive - massiccio, imponente, enorme, massivo, voluminoso
pillars - pilastro
mahogany - mogano
hung - appendere, attaccare
damask - damasco, damascare
tabernacle - tabernacolo
blinds - cieco, orbo, tenda, accecare, ciecamente
shrouded - sindone, (lenzuolo funebre)
festoons - ghirlanda, festone, inghirlandare
carpet - tappeto, moquette, coprire
covered - coperto, coperchio, copertura, nascondiglio, copertina, coperta
crimson - cremisi, granata
cloth - stoffa, tessuto, tela, panno, straccio
soft - morbido
Fawn - daino, cerbiatto
blush - rossore
wardrobe - armadio, guardaroba
toilet-table - (toilet-table) tavolo da bagno
polished - polacco
shades - ombra, persiana, tonalita, gradazione, nuance, varieta
rose - Rosa
glared - bagliore, lampo, frecciata
piled-up - (piled-up) accumulare
mattresses - materasso
pillows - guanciale, cuscino, testiera
spread - spartire, allargare, spargere, diffondere, sparpagliare
snowy - innevato
Marseilles - Marsiglia
counterpane - copriletto
scarcely - a malapena
prominent - ordine del giorno
ample - ampio, abbondante
cushioned - cuscino, sponda, ammortizzare, attutire
footstool - sgabello, poggiapiedi
throne - trono
This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire; it was silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchen; solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered. The house-maid alone came here on Saturdays, to wipe from the mirrors and the furniture a week's quiet dust: and Mrs.
chill - freddo
remote - remoto
solemn - solenne
entered - entrare, immettere, digitare
on Saturdays - il sabato
wipe - spolverare, strofinare
mirrors - specchio, copia speculare
furniture - mobilio
dust - polvere, spolverare
Reed herself, at far intervals, visited it to review the contents of a certain secret drawer in the wardrobe, where were stored divers parchments, her jewel-casket, and a miniature of her deceased husband; and in those last words lies the secret of the red-room-the spell which kept it so lonely in spite of its grandeur.
review - revisione, rivisitazione, recensione, critica, riesame, rivista
Contents - contento, soddisfatto
secret - segreto
drawer - cassetto
divers - tuffatore, tuffatrice, tuffista, palombaro
parchments - pergamena, membrana, cartapecora, vello
jewel - gemma, gioiello
casket - scrigno, cofanetto, urna
miniature - miniatura
deceased - decesso, morire
lies - bugia
lonely - solo, solitario, malinconico, desolato, isolato
spite - dispetto, rancore
grandeur - grandiosita
Mr. Reed had been dead nine years: it was in this chamber he breathed his last; here he lay in state; hence his coffin was borne by the undertaker's men; and, since that day, a sense of dreary consecration had guarded it from frequent intrusion.
chamber - camera, camera da letto
breathed - respirare
lay in - accumulare
state - Stato
hence - da qui, percio, dunque, quindi, da cio
coffin - bara, cassa da morto, feretro
undertaker - impresario di pompe funebri
consecration - talian: t-needed
guarded - guardia, piantone, custode, elsa
frequent - frequente
intrusion - intrusione
My seat, to which Bessie and the bitter Miss Abbot had left me riveted, was a low ottoman near the marble chimney-piece; the bed rose before me; to my right hand there was the high, dark wardrobe, with subdued, broken reflections varying the gloss of its panels; to my left were the muffled windows; a great looking-glass between them repeated the vacant majesty of the bed and room.
Bitter - amaro, aspro
riveted - rivetto, ribattino, chiodare
ottoman - pouf
marble - marmo, biglia, pallina
subdued - sottomettere, soggiogare
reflections - riflessione, riflesso, riverbero
varying - variare
gloss - lucentezza, brillante
panels - pannello, sportello, anta, organo, giuria, vignetta
muffled - coprire, attenuare
vacant - vacante
Majesty - maesta
I was not quite sure whether they had locked the door; and when I dared move, I got up and went to see. Alas! yes: no jail was ever more secure. Returning, I had to cross before the looking-glass; my fascinated glance involuntarily explored the depth it revealed.
whether - se, indipendentemente, sia che, che, no, checkse
locked - serratura
dared - osare
Alas - ahime!, ohime!
jail - carcere, prigione, gattabuia, galera, isolamento
secure - sicuro, protetto, segreto, stabile, affidabile, garantire
fascinated - affascinare
glance - dare un'occhiata, sbirciare, occhieggiare, radere, rasentare
involuntarily - involontariamente
explored - esplorare, investigare, indagare, analizzare
depth - profondita
revealed - rivelare, gettare la maschera, uscire allo scoperto
All looked colder and darker in that visionary hollow than in reality: and the strange little figure there gazing at me, with a white face and arms specking the gloom, and glittering eyes of fear moving where all else was still, had the effect of a real spirit: I thought it like one of the tiny phantoms, half fairy, half imp, Bessie's evening stories represented as coming out of lone, ferny dells in moors, and appearing before the eyes of belated travellers. I returned to my stool.
visionary - visionario, lungimirante, illusorio, immaginario, chiaroveggente
hollow - vuoto, cavo
reality - realta
figure - figura, fisico, personaggio, cifra, forma, calcolare, risolvere
gazing at - guardare
specking - macchia
gloom - oscurita, tenebre, buio
glittering - scintillante, (glitter), glitter, brillantini
effect - effetto, effettuare
spirit - spirito
tiny - minuscolo, piccolo, piccino, minuto
fairy - fata, foletto, foletta, folletto
imp - diavoletto
represented - rappresentare
Lone - solo
moors - landa, brughiera
appearing - apparire
belated - in ritardo
travellers - viaggiatore, viaggiatrice, viandante, girovago
Superstition was with me at that moment; but it was not yet her hour for complete victory: my blood was still warm; the mood of the revolted slave was still bracing me with its bitter vigour; I had to stem a rapid rush of retrospective thought before I quailed to the dismal present.
superstition - superstizione
victory - vittoria
mood - umore
revolted - rivolta
bracing - rinforzo, (brace), braccia, abbraccio, aggancio, grappa, uncino
vigour - vigore
stem - gambo, stelo
rapid - rapido, deciso, rapida, cataratta
rush - precipitarsi, portare d'urgenza
retrospective - retrospettivo, retrospettiva
quailed - tremare
dismal - lugubre, triste
All John Reed's violent tyrannies, all his sisters'proud indifference, all his mother's aversion, all the servants'partiality, turned up in my disturbed mind like a dark deposit in a turbid well. Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned? Why could I never please? Why was it useless to try to win any one's favour?
violent - violento
tyrannies - tirannide, tirannia
proud - orgoglioso, fiero
indifference - indifferenza
aversion - avversione
partiality - predilezione
disturbed - disturbare
mind - mente
deposit - deposito, caparra, acconto, sedimento
turbid - torbido
browbeaten - intimidire
accused - accusare
for ever - per sempre
condemned - condannare
useless - inutile, buono a nulla, negato
favour - favore
Eliza, who was headstrong and selfish, was respected. Georgiana, who had a spoiled temper, a very acrid spite, a captious and insolent carriage, was universally indulged. Her beauty, her pink cheeks and golden curls, seemed to give delight to all who looked at her, and to purchase indemnity for every fault.
headstrong - determinato
Selfish - egoista, egoistico
respected - rispetto, riguardo, materia, rispettare
spoiled - rovinare, viziare, andare a male, bottino
temper - carattere, temperamento
acrid - acre
captious - capzioso, tortuoso, ambiguo, ingannevole
insolent - insolente
carriage - carrozza, portamento, postura, carrello
universally - universalmente
indulged - assecondare, viziare
beauty - bellezza
cheeks - guancia, gota, chiappa, faccia tosta, sfrontatezza, impudenza
Golden - Dorato
curls - riccio, ricciolo, boccolo, arricciamento, rotazione, spirale
seemed - sembrare, parere, apparire
delight - delizia, piacere, deliziare
purchase - compra, acquisto, compravendita, acquisizione, comprare
indemnity - indennita
fault - colpa, imperfezione, sbaglio, biasimo, fessura, crepa
John no one thwarted, much less punished; though he twisted the necks of the pigeons, killed the little pea-chicks, set the dogs at the sheep, stripped the hothouse vines of their fruit, and broke the buds off the choicest plants in the conservatory: he called his mother "old girl," too; sometimes reviled her for her dark skin, similar to his own; bluntly disregarded her wishes; not unfrequently tore and spoiled her silk attire; and he was still "her own darling." I dared commit no fault: I strove to fulfil every duty; and I was termed naughty and tiresome, sullen and sneaking, from morning to noon, and from noon to night.
thwarted - sventare, bloccare, arcaccia
twisted - torsione, contorsione, distorsione, filamento, filo, scorza
necks - collo
pigeons - piccione
killed - uccidere
pea - pisello
chicks - pulcino, uccellino
set - Seth
stripped - togliere
hothouse - serra
vines - vite, vitigno, rampicante
buds - gemma, bocciolo
choicest - scelta, ottimo, ottima, di prima scelta
conservatory - serra
reviled - insultare, vituperare
bluntly - senza mezzi termini
disregarded - ignorare, non considerare
wishes - desiderio, voglia, volere, desiderare, augurare
unfrequently - raramente
tore - strappare
silk - seta
attire - abbigliamento, palco, indossare, portare
darling - tesoro, amore
commit - affidare, impegnarsi, arrestare, imprigionare, ricoverare
strove - sforzarsi
fulfil - adempiere, mantenere
Duty - dovere, obbligo, servizio, attivita, tassa, dazio
termed - periodo, durata, mandato
naughty - birichino, furbetto, malizioso, provocante, osceno
tiresome - fastidioso, noioso
sullen - afflitto, astioso, tetro, cupo, disarmante, lento
noon - mezzogiorno
My head still ached and bled with the blow and fall I had received: no one had reproved John for wantonly striking me; and because I had turned against him to avert farther irrational violence, I was loaded with general opprobrium.
ached - dolore
reproved - rimproverare
wantonly - volutamente
avert - distogliere, evitare
irrational - irrazionale
violence - violenza
loaded - carico
general - generale
opprobrium - obbrobrio
"Unjust!-unjust!" said my reason, forced by the agonising stimulus into precocious though transitory power: and Resolve, equally wrought up, instigated some strange expedient to achieve escape from insupportable oppression-as running away, or, if that could not be effected, never eating or drinking more, and letting myself die.
unjust - ingiusto
forced - forza
agonising - agonizzare
stimulus - stimolo
precocious - precoce
transitory - transitorio
resolve - decidere
equally - altrettanto, parimenti
instigated - istigare
expedient - conveniente, opportuno, espediente, escamotage, ripiego
achieve - realizzare, ottenere
insupportable - insopportabile
oppression - oppressione
running away - scappare
effected - effetto, effettuare
What a consternation of soul was mine that dreary afternoon! How all my brain was in tumult, and all my heart in insurrection! Yet in what darkness, what dense ignorance, was the mental battle fought! I could not answer the ceaseless inward question-why I thus suffered; now, at the distance of-I will not say how many years, I see it clearly.
consternation - costernazione
soul - anima, spirito
brain - cervello, or when used as food
tumult - tumulto
insurrection - insurrezione
darkness - buio, oscurita, tenebre, scuro
dense - denso, pastoso, checkdenso
ignorance - ignoranza
mental - mentale
battle - battaglia
fought - lottare, battersi
inward - intimo
suffered - soffrire, penare, patire, aggravarsi, subire, lasciare
I was a discord in Gateshead Hall: I was like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children, or her chosen vassalage. If they did not love me, in fact, as little did I love them.
discord - disaccordo, discordia
harmony - armonia
vassalage - vassallaggio
They were not bound to regard with affection a thing that could not sympathise with one amongst them; a heterogeneous thing, opposed to them in temperament, in capacity, in propensities; a useless thing, incapable of serving their interest, or adding to their pleasure; a noxious thing, cherishing the germs of indignation at their treatment, of contempt of their judgment.
bound - vincolato, (bind), legare, connettere, rilegare
sympathise - simpatizzare
heterogeneous - eterogeneo
opposed - opposti
temperament - temperamento, carattere
capacity - tenuta, resistenza, capacita, capienza
propensities - propensione, tendenza, inclinazione
incapable - incapace di
serving - servizio, porzione, (serve), servire, essere in forza
pleasure - piacere, piacimento, goduria, volutta, preferenza, scelta
noxious - insalubre, nocivo, malsano
cherishing - custodire, curare, apprezzare
germs - germe, microbo
indignation - indignazione
treatment - trattamento, cura
contempt - disprezzo
judgment - giudizio, sentenza, verdetto, pronuncia
I know that had I been a sanguine, brilliant, careless, exacting, handsome, romping child-though equally dependent and friendless-Mrs. Reed would have endured my presence more complacently; her children would have entertained for me more of the cordiality of fellow-feeling; the servants would have been less prone to make me the scapegoat of the nursery.
Sanguine - sanguigno, ottimista, confidente, sanguigna
brilliant - brillante, splendente, luccicante, sgargiante
careless - inaccurato, negligente, negletto, superficiale
exacting - esatto, giusto, preciso, attento
handsome - bello
romping - spassarsela, ruzzare, scorrazzare, scorrazzata
friendless - senza amici
endured - durare, restare, resistere, perdurare, tollerare
complacently - con compiacimento
entertained - divertire
cordiality - cordialita
fellow - uomo, tipo
prone - prono, prostrato, inchinato, reclino, pendente
scapegoat - capro espiatorio, capro emissario, fare da capro espiatorio
Daylight began to forsake the red-room; it was past four o'clock, and the beclouded afternoon was tending to drear twilight. I heard the rain still beating continuously on the staircase window, and the wind howling in the grove behind the hall; I grew by degrees cold as a stone, and then my courage sank.
daylight - luce del giorno
forsake - abbandonare, rinunciare
beclouded - annebbiare, annuvolare
tending - badare a, custodire
beating - bastonatura, bastonata, smacco, sconfitta, sonora sconfitta
continuously - continuamente, costantemente
staircase - scalinata, tromba delle scale
howling - ululare, (howl), ululato, uggiolio, latrato, guaito
grove - boschetto, piantagione
by degrees - gradualmente
stone - pietra, roccia, sasso, tsassolino, gemma
courage - coraggio
sank - affondare
My habitual mood of humiliation, self-doubt, forlorn depression, fell damp on the embers of my decaying ire. All said I was wicked, and perhaps I might be so; what thought had I been but just conceiving of starving myself to death? That certainly was a crime: and was I fit to die? Or was the vault under the chancel of Gateshead Church an inviting bourne? In such vault I had been told did Mr.
habitual - ricorrente, ripetitivo, solito, persistente, usuale, abituale
humiliation - umiliazione, smacco
doubt - dubitare, dubbio, perplessita
depression - depressione
damp - umido, bagnato, madido, umidita, grisu, smorzare, soffocare
embers - braci, splendore, favilla
decaying - imputridire
conceiving - concepire, sviluppare, ideare
Starving - Morire di fame, (starve)
fit - in forma*
vault - volta
chancel - presbiterio
church - chiesa, funzione, messa
inviting - invitare
Reed lie buried; and led by this thought to recall his idea, I dwelt on it with gathering dread. I could not remember him; but I knew that he was my own uncle-my mother's brother-that he had taken me when a parentless infant to his house; and that in his last moments he had required a promise of Mrs. Reed that she would rear and maintain me as one of her own children. Mrs.
lie - bugia
buried - seppellire
led - LED
recall - ritirare, revocare, richiamare, rammentare, ricordare
dwelt - abitare, checkdimorare
dread - temere, timore
parentless - senza genitori
infant - bambino, bambina, infante, minorenne, minore
required - esigere, prevedere, richiedere, necessitare, domandare
promise - promessa, giuramento, voto, promettere, giurare
rear - retro, retrovia
maintain - mantenere
Reed probably considered she had kept this promise; and so she had, I dare say, as well as her nature would permit her; but how could she really like an interloper not of her race, and unconnected with her, after her husband's death, by any tie?
considered - considerare, pensare, osservare, prendere, prestare attenzione
dare - osare
nature - natura
permit - permettere
interloper - intruso
race - corsa, gara
unconnected - estraneo, checkindipendente
tie - legare, attaccare
It must have been most irksome to find herself bound by a hard-wrung pledge to stand in the stead of a parent to a strange child she could not love, and to see an uncongenial alien permanently intruded on her own family group.
irksome - fastidioso
wrung - strizzare
pledge - promettere, impegnarsi, promessa solenne, pegno
stead - stufo
uncongenial - non accogliente
alien - straniero, forestiero, extraterrestre f, alieno, extraterrestre
permanently - in modo permanente
intruded - irrompere
A singular notion dawned upon me. I doubted not-never doubted-that if Mr.
singular - singolare
dawned - spuntare, albeggiare, alba, aurora, albori
doubted - dubitare, dubbio, perplessita
Reed had been alive he would have treated me kindly; and now, as I sat looking at the white bed and overshadowed walls-occasionally also turning a fascinated eye towards the dimly gleaning mirror-I began to recall what I had heard of dead men, troubled in their graves by the violation of their last wishes, revisiting the earth to punish the perjured and avenge the oppressed; and I thought Mr.
alive - vivo, attivo, animato
treated - trattare, trattenimento, festeggiamento, sorpresa
overshadowed - offuscare, mettere in ombra
Occasionally - occasionalmente, saltuariamente, talvolta
towards - verso, incontro, per, presso
dimly - in modo debole
gleaning - spigolatura
troubled - guaio, problema, impiccio, tumulto
graves - tomba
violation - violazione
revisiting - rivisitare
perjured - spergiurare
avenge - vendicare
oppressed - opprimere
Reed's spirit, harassed by the wrongs of his sister's child, might quit its abode-whether in the church vault or in the unknown world of the departed-and rise before me in this chamber. I wiped my tears and hushed my sobs, fearful lest any sign of violent grief might waken a preternatural voice to comfort me, or elicit from the gloom some haloed face, bending over me with strange pity.
harassed - importunare, infastidire, molestare, tormentare
quit - abbandonare, lasciare
abode - residenza, (abide), sopportare, tollerare, dimorare, risiedere
unknown - ignoto, sconosciuto, carneade
departed - partire, andar via, allontanarsi, dipartire, deviare
wiped - spolverare, strofinare
Tears - lacrima
hushed - zitto!, silenzio!
sobs - singhiozzare
fearful - impaurito, spaventato, pavido
sign - segno
grief - dolore, pena, sofferenza
waken - svegliarsi
preternatural - surreale, innaturale, paranormale
comfort - agio, comodita, benessere
elicit - provocare, suscitare
haloed - nimbo, alone, aureola, aura, aureolare
bending - piegare, (bend), curvare, piegarsi, curvarsi
pity - pieta, peccato, compatire
This idea, consolatory in theory, I felt would be terrible if realised: with all my might I endeavoured to stifle it-I endeavoured to be firm. Shaking my hair from my eyes, I lifted my head and tried to look boldly round the dark room; at this moment a light gleamed on the wall. Was it, I asked myself, a ray from the moon penetrating some aperture in the blind?
consolatory - consolatorio
theory - teoria
realised - rendersi conto
endeavoured - tentare
stifle - soffocare
shaking - scuotere, (shake), agitare, scuotere la testa
lifted - alzare, sollevare
boldly - arditamente, coraggiosamente, valentemente, audacemente
dark room - camera oscura
gleamed - brillare
ray - raggio
aperture - apertura
No; moonlight was still, and this stirred; while I gazed, it glided up to the ceiling and quivered over my head.
moonlight - chiaro di luna, lavorare in nero
stirred - rimescolare
gazed - fissare, guardare, puntare gli occhi, volgere lo sguardo
glided - scivolare, slittare, scorrere, muoversi con fluidita, planare
ceiling - soffitto
quivered - tremare, tremolare
I can now conjecture readily that this streak of light was, in all likelihood, a gleam from a lantern carried by some one across the lawn: but then, prepared as my mind was for horror, shaken as my nerves were by agitation, I thought the swift darting beam was a herald of some coming vision from another world.
conjecture - congettura, congetturare
readily - prontamente
streak - striatura, striscia
likelihood - verosimiglianza, verisimiglianza
gleam - brillare
lantern - lanterna
horror - orrore
shaken - scuotere, agitare, scuotere la testa, scioccare, atterrire
nerves - nervo, nervatura, coraggio, faccia tosta, sfacciataggine
agitation - agitazione
swift - rapido, veloce, pronto, agile
darting - dardo
beam - trave, asse, architrave, traversa, braccio, corno principale
Herald - araldo, messaggero
My heart beat thick, my head grew hot; a sound filled my ears, which I deemed the rushing of wings; something seemed near me; I was oppressed, suffocated: endurance broke down; I rushed to the door and shook the lock in desperate effort. Steps came running along the outer passage; the key turned, Bessie and Abbot entered.
beat - battere
deemed - considerare, valutare, credere, ritenere
rushing - correre
wings - ala, squadra, parafango
suffocated - soffocare
endurance - resistenza, sopportazione, durata, autonomia
broke down - si e rotto
rushed - precipitarsi, portare d'urgenza
shook - scossa, (shake), scuotere, agitare, scuotere la testa
effort - sforzo
steps - passo
along - lungo
passage - passaggio
"Miss Eyre, are you ill?" said Bessie.
ill - malato
"What a dreadful noise! it went quite through me!" exclaimed Abbot.
noise - rumore, strepito
exclaimed - esclamare
"Take me out! Let me go into the nursery!" was my cry.
"What for? Are you hurt? Have you seen something?" again demanded Bessie.
hurt - dolere, fare male, ferire, ferito
demanded - domanda, richiesta, rivendicazione, bisogno, necessita
"Oh! I saw a light, and I thought a ghost would come." I had now got hold of Bessie's hand, and she did not snatch it from me.
ghost - fantasma, spettro, spirito, larva
snatch - agguantare, scippare, strappare
"She has screamed out on purpose," declared Abbot, in some disgust. "And what a scream! If she had been in great pain one would have excused it, but she only wanted to bring us all here: I know her naughty tricks."
screamed - urlo, grido, gridare, sbraitare, urlare
on purpose - di proposito
disgust - disgustare, ripugnare, nauseare, stomacare
excused - scusare, perdonare, scusarsi, giustificarsi, scusa, pretesto
tricks - trucco, imbrogliare
"What is all this?" demanded another voice peremptorily; and Mrs. Reed came along the corridor, her cap flying wide, her gown rustling stormily. "Abbot and Bessie, I believe I gave orders that Jane Eyre should be left in the red-room till I came to her myself."
peremptorily - perentoriamente
corridor - corridoio, corridoio aereo
cap - berretto
wide - largo, ampio, vasto, laterale
gown - tunica, toga
rustling - fruscio, (rustle), crepitare
stormily - tempestosamente
"Miss Jane screamed so loud, ma'am," pleaded Bessie.
loud - forte, alto
pleaded - dichiararsi (lcolpevole o lnoncolpevole)
"Let her go," was the only answer. "Loose Bessie's hand, child: you cannot succeed in getting out by these means, be assured. I abhor artifice, particularly in children; it is my duty to show you that tricks will not answer: you will now stay here an hour longer, and it is only on condition of perfect submission and stillness that I shall liberate you then."
loose - largo
Succeed - succedere, riuscire
assured - assicurato, (assure), assicurare, garantire
abhor - aborrire, abominare
artifice - artificio
particularly - in particolare, estremamente
on condition - a condizione
submission - sottomissione
stillness - immobilita
shall - talian: 'shall' followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense', talian: ('indicating determination') 'shall' followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense, which can be emphasised using ", si c
liberate - liberare
"O aunt! have pity! Forgive me! I cannot endure it-let me be punished some other way! I shall be killed if-"
forgive - perdonare
"Silence! This violence is all most repulsive:" and so, no doubt, she felt it. I was a precocious actress in her eyes; she sincerely looked on me as a compound of virulent passions, mean spirit, and dangerous duplicity.
repulsive - ripugnante
sincerely - sinceramente, in fede, con sincerita
compound - composto
virulent - virulento
passions - passione
duplicity - doppiezza
Bessie and Abbot having retreated, Mrs. Reed, impatient of my now frantic anguish and wild sobs, abruptly thrust me back and locked me in, without farther parley. I heard her sweeping away; and soon after she was gone, I suppose I had a species of fit: unconsciousness closed the scene.
retreated - ritirarsi
impatient - impaziente
anguish - angoscia
wild - selvaggio, selvatico
abruptly - improvvisamente
parley - conference, especially one between enemies, discuss
sweeping - spazzata, scopata, (sweep), spazzare, scopare, ramazzare
suppose - supporre, immaginare
species - specie
unconsciousness - incoscienza
The next thing I remember is, waking up with a feeling as if I had had a frightful nightmare, and seeing before me a terrible red glare, crossed with thick black bars. I heard voices, too, speaking with a hollow sound, and as if muffled by a rush of wind or water: agitation, uncertainty, and an all-predominating sense of terror confused my faculties.
waking up - svegliarsi
frightful - spaventoso
nightmare - incubo, brutto sogno
glare - bagliore, lampo, frecciata
crossed - croce, segno della croce, incrocio, cross, diagonale, irritato
voices - voce
uncertainty - incertezza
predominating - predominare (all)
confused - confondere
faculties - facolta
Ere long, I became aware that some one was handling me; lifting me up and supporting me in a sitting posture, and that more tenderly than I had ever been raised or upheld before. I rested my head against a pillow or an arm, and felt easy.
handling - manipolazione
lifting - alzare, sollevare
supporting - supporto
posture - postura, atteggiamento, atteggiarsi
tenderly - teneramente
raised - alzare, innalzare
upheld - talian: difendere ('a right'), sostenere ('a principle')
rested - riposo
pillow - guanciale, cuscino, testiera
In five minutes more the cloud of bewilderment dissolved: I knew quite well that I was in my own bed, and that the red glare was the nursery fire. It was night: a candle burnt on the table; Bessie stood at the bed-foot with a basin in her hand, and a gentleman sat in a chair near my pillow, leaning over me.
bewilderment - confusione, perplessita, disorientamento
Dissolved - dissolvere, dissolversi, dissolvenza
candle - candela
burnt - bruciato, arso
basin - lavandino, lavabo, bacinella, lavacro
leaning - appoggiarsi
I felt an inexpressible relief, a soothing conviction of protection and security, when I knew that there was a stranger in the room, an individual not belonging to Gateshead, and not related to Mrs. Reed. Turning from Bessie (though her presence was far less obnoxious to me than that of Abbot, for instance, would have been), I scrutinised the face of the gentleman: I knew him; it was Mr.
inexpressible - inesprimibile
relief - sollievo
soothing - calmante
conviction - convinzione, condanna, colpevolezza
protection - protezione
Security - sicurezza, cartevalori
individual - individuo, soggetto, singolo, specifico, individuale, personale
belonging - appartenenza
related - riferire
obnoxious - odioso, detestabile, ripugnante
instance - volta
scrutinised - scrutinare
Lloyd, an apothecary, sometimes called in by Mrs. Reed when the servants were ailing: for herself and the children she employed a physician.
apothecary - speziale
ailing - malato, sofferente
employed - impiegare, ingaggiare
physician - medico, dottore, dottoressa, dottore in medicina
"Well, who am I?" he asked.
I pronounced his name, offering him at the same time my hand: he took it, smiling and saying, "We shall do very well by-and-by." Then he laid me down, and addressing Bessie, charged her to be very careful that I was not disturbed during the night.
pronounced - dichiarare, emettere, pronunziare, pronunciare
offering - offerta
smiling - sorridere, (smile), sorriso
by-and-by - (by-and-by) a poco a poco
charged - costo, prezzo, carico, accusa, imputazione, carica, incarico
careful - prudente, cauto, to be careful
Having given some further directions, and intimates that he should call again the next day, he departed; to my grief: I felt so sheltered and befriended while he sat in the chair near my pillow; and as he closed the door after him, all the room darkened and my heart again sank: inexpressible sadness weighed it down.
directions - direzione, senso di marcia, regia, conduzione
intimates - stretto, intimo, privato, proprio, personale
sheltered - rifugio, riparo, dare rifugio, rifugiarsi, ripararsi
befriended - trattare da amico
darkened - imbrunire
sadness - tristezza
weighed - pesare
"Do you feel as if you should sleep, Miss?" asked Bessie, rather softly.
softly - delicatamente, sottovoce
Scarcely dared I answer her; for I feared the next sentence might be rough. "I will try."
rough - ruvido, rugoso, scabro, approssimato, mosso, difficile, rude
"Would you like to drink, or could you eat anything?"
"No, thank you, Bessie."
"Then I think I shall go to bed, for it is past twelve o'clock; but you may call me if you want anything in the night."
Wonderful civility this! It emboldened me to ask a question.
civility - civilta
emboldened - incoraggiare
"Bessie, what is the matter with me? Am I ill?"
matter - materia, problema, argomento, questione, faccenda, causa
"You fell sick, I suppose, in the red-room with crying; you'll be better soon, no doubt."
Bessie went into the housemaid's apartment, which was near. I heard her say-
housemaid - domestica
"Sarah, come and sleep with me in the nursery; I daren't for my life be alone with that poor child to-night: she might die; it's such a strange thing she should have that fit: I wonder if she saw anything. Missis was rather too hard."
Sarah came back with her; they both went to bed; they were whispering together for half-an-hour before they fell asleep. I caught scraps of their conversation, from which I was able only too distinctly to infer the main subject discussed.
whispering - bisbigliare, (whisper), sussurro, sussurrare
asleep - addormentato
caught - presa, conquista, fermaglio, fermaglio di sicurezza, trappola
scraps - pezzetto
distinctly - distintamente
infer - inferire, dedurre, concludere, infliggere, implicare
main subject - soggetto principale
"Something passed her, all dressed in white, and vanished"-"A great black dog behind him"-"Three loud raps on the chamber door"-"A light in the churchyard just over his grave," etc., etc.
vanished - sparire, svanire
raps - colpo, colpetto
grave - tomba
At last both slept: the fire and the candle went out. For me, the watches of that long night passed in ghastly wakefulness; strained by dread: such dread as children only can feel.
wakefulness - veglia
strained - sforzare, sforzarsi, tirare
No severe or prolonged bodily illness followed this incident of the red-room; it only gave my nerves a shock of which I feel the reverberation to this day. Yes, Mrs. Reed, to you I owe some fearful pangs of mental suffering, but I ought to forgive you, for you knew not what you did: while rending my heart-strings, you thought you were only uprooting my bad propensities.
severe - rigido, duro, grave, severo
prolonged - prologo
bodily - corporale, corporeo, corporalmente
illness - malattia
incident - imprevisto, inconveniente, incidente
shock - shock, choc
reverberation - riverbero
pangs - dolore, fitta, pena morso
mental suffering - sofferenza mentale
rending - spaccare
strings - spago, stringa, laccetto, legaccio, corda
uprooting - sradicamento
Next day, by noon, I was up and dressed, and sat wrapped in a shawl by the nursery hearth. I felt physically weak and broken down: but my worse ailment was an unutterable wretchedness of mind: a wretchedness which kept drawing from me silent tears; no sooner had I wiped one salt drop from my cheek than another followed.
wrapped - avvolgere
shawl - scialle
physically - fisicamente
weak - debole
ailment - disturbo, indisposizione, affezione, male
unutterable - impronunciabile, improferibile, indicibile, inenarrabile
wretchedness - miseria
cheek - guancia, gota, chiappa, faccia tosta, sfrontatezza, impudenza
Yet, I thought, I ought to have been happy, for none of the Reeds were there, they were all gone out in the carriage with their mama. Abbot, too, was sewing in another room, and Bessie, as she moved hither and thither, putting away toys and arranging drawers, addressed to me every now and then a word of unwonted kindness.
reeds - canna, cannuccia
gone out - uscire
sewing - cucire
thither - li
putting away - mettere via
toys - giocattolo, balocco, giocare, trastullarsi, baloccarsi
arranging - disporre, ordinare, preparare, arrangiare
drawers - cassetto
unwonted - insolito
kindness - bonta, gentilezza, cortesia, garbo
This state of things should have been to me a paradise of peace, accustomed as I was to a life of ceaseless reprimand and thankless fagging; but, in fact, my racked nerves were now in such a state that no calm could soothe, and no pleasure excite them agreeably.
state - stato, dichiarare, statuire, esporre, indicare
paradise - paradiso
peace - pace, armonia
reprimand - rimprovevare
thankless - ingrato
fagging - frottole
racked - scaffale
Calm - calmo
soothe - calmare, placare, lenire, alleviare, mitigare
excite - stimolare, eccitare, riaccendere, provocare
agreeably - gradevolmente
Bessie had been down into the kitchen, and she brought up with her a tart on a certain brightly painted china plate, whose bird of paradise, nestling in a wreath of convolvuli and rosebuds, had been wont to stir in me a most enthusiastic sense of admiration; and which plate I had often petitioned to be allowed to take in my hand in order to examine it more closely, but had always hitherto been deemed unworthy of such a privilege. This precious vessel was now placed on my knee, and I was cordially invited to eat the circlet of delicate pastry upon it. Vain favour! coming, like most other favours long deferred and often wished for, too late! I could not eat the tart; and the plumage of the bird, the tints of the flowers, seemed strangely faded: I put both plate and tart away. Bessie asked if I would have a book: the word book acted as a transient stimulus, and I begged her to fetch Gulliver's Travels from the library. This book I had again and again perused with delight. I considered it a narrative of facts, and discovered in it a vein of interest deeper than what I found in fairy tales: for as to the elves, having sought them in vain among foxglove leaves and bells, under mushrooms and beneath the ground-ivy mantling old wall-nooks, I had at length made up my mind to the sad truth, that they were all gone out of England to some savage country where the woods were wilder and thicker, and the population more scant; whereas, Lilliput and Brobdignag being, in my creed, solid parts of the earth's surface, I doubted not that I might one day, by taking a long voyage, see with my own eyes the little fields, houses, and trees, the diminutive people, the tiny cows, sheep, and birds of the one realm; and the corn-fields forest-high, the mighty mastiffs, the monster cats, the tower-like men and women, of the other. Yet, when this cherished volume was now placed in my hand-when I turned over its leaves, and sought in its marvellous pictures the charm I had, till now, never failed to find-all was eerie and dreary; the giants were gaunt goblins, the pigmies malevolent and fearful imps, Gulliver a most desolate wanderer in most dread and dangerous regions. I closed the book, which I dared no longer peruse, and put it on the table, beside the untasted tart.
tart - acerbo, agro
brightly - vivacemente, brillantemente
China - porcellana
plate - piatto
nestling - nidiaceo, (nestle), accomodarsi, talian: t-needed
wreath - spirale, voluta, ghirlanda, corona
convolvuli - ordine del giorno
rosebuds - bocciolo di rosa
wont - Non e vero
enthusiastic - entusiasta
admiration - ammirazione
petitioned - petizione
examine - esaminare
closely - strettamente, da vicino, a stretto contatto
hitherto - fin qui, fino a qui, fino ad ora, fino allora
unworthy - non degno, indegno, immeritevole
privilege - privilegio, prerogativa
precious - prezioso, adorato, unico
vessel - vascello, imbarcazione, bastimento, nave
invited - invitare
circlet - cerchiello, rotella
pastry - pasticceria, paste, impasto
favours - favore
deferred - rimandare
plumage - piumaggio, piume
tints - tinta, sfumatura
faded - affievolirsi
acted - atto, legge, numero, scena, messinscena, agire, recitare, fare
transient - transitorio, transiente
begged - elemosinare, chiedere l'elemosina
perused - leggere accuratamente
narrative - descrizione
vein - vena, venatura
deeper - profondo, spesso, esteso, profondo (1, 2)
elves - elfo
sought - cercare, ricercare
in vain - invano
foxglove - digitale
bells - campana
mushrooms - fungo
beneath - sotto
ground - terra
ivy - edera
mantling - svolazzi, lambrecchini, (mantle), mantello, reticella
nooks - angolo, nicchia, recesso
at length - a lungo
savage - selvaggio, primitivo, brutale, crudele, feroce, impietoso
woods - legno
wilder - selvaggio
thicker - spesso, pesante, folto, tonto
population - popolazione
scant - scarso, esiguo
whereas - laddove, mentre
solid - solido, massiccio, compatto, continuo, unito, tinta unita
earth's surface - superficie terrestre
Voyage - viaggio
diminutive - minuscolo, diminutivo
realm - reame, regno, dominio, sfera
corn - grano
forest - bosco, selva, foresta
mighty - potente, possente
mastiffs - mastino
monster - mostro
tower - torre
cherished - custodire, curare, apprezzare
turned over - girato, messo in moto
marvellous - meraviglioso
charm - fascino
till now - fino ad ora
failed - fallire, non riuscire
eerie - misterioso, strano, agghiacciante, spaventevole
giants - gigante, colosso
gaunt - smagrito, allampanato, emaciato, macilento
goblins - folletto, goblin
pigmies - Cerdo
malevolent - malintenzionato
imps - diavoletto
wanderer - vagabondo, girovago, vagante, errante
untasted - non assaggiato
Bessie had now finished dusting and tidying the room, and having washed her hands, she opened a certain little drawer, full of splendid shreds of silk and satin, and began making a new bonnet for Georgiana's doll. Meantime she sang: her song was-
dusting - spolverata, (dust), polvere, spolverare
tidying - ordinato
splendid - splendido
shreds - brandello
satin - satin
bonnet - cuffia, cofano
doll - bambola
meantime - frattempo, attesa
"In the days when we went gipsying,
gipsying - zingaro
A long time ago."
I had often heard the song before, and always with lively delight; for Bessie had a sweet voice,-at least, I thought so. But now, though her voice was still sweet, I found in its melody an indescribable sadness. Sometimes, preoccupied with her work, she sang the refrain very low, very lingeringly; "A long time ago" came out like the saddest cadence of a funeral hymn.
lively - vivace
sweet - dolcemente, dolcetto, caramella
melody - melodia
indescribable - indescrivibile
preoccupied - impensierire
refrain - refrain, ritornello
lingeringly - con calma
cadence - cadenza, ritmo, passo, andamento
funeral - funerale
hymn - inno
She passed into another ballad, this time a really doleful one.
ballad - ballata
doleful - addolorato
"My feet they are sore, and my limbs they are weary;
sore - dolente, doloroso
weary - annoiato, tediato, spossato, stanco, annoiare, annoiarsi
Long is the way, and the mountains are wild;
Soon will the twilight close moonless and dreary
moonless - illune
Over the path of the poor orphan child.
path - sentiero
orphan - orfano, orfana
Why did they send me so far and so lonely,
Up where the moors spread and grey rocks are piled?
piled - pila, mucchio
Men are hard-hearted, and kind angels only
angels - angelo
Watch o'er the steps of a poor orphan child.
er - ehm
Yet distant and soft the night breeze is blowing,
breeze - brezza
blowing - colpo
Clouds there are none, and clear stars beam mild,
mild - delicato, delicata, mite, lene, lieve
God, in His mercy, protection is showing,
mercy - misericordia, pieta, compassione, benevolenza
Comfort and hope to the poor orphan child.
Ev'n should I fall o'er the broken bridge passing,
Bridge - ponte
passing - talian: t-needed
Or stray in the marshes, by false lights beguiled,
stray - allontanarsi, smarrirsi
marshes - palude
beguiled - ingannare, turlupinare, incantare, distogliere, sedurre
Still will my Father, with promise and blessing,
blessing - benedizione
Take to His bosom the poor orphan child.
bosom - seno, intimita, intimo
There is a thought that for strength should avail me,
strength - forza, vigore, energia, intensita, efficacia
Though both of shelter and kindred despoiled;
shelter - rifugio, riparo, dare rifugio, rifugiarsi, ripararsi
kindred - affine
despoiled - depredare
Heaven is a home, and a rest will not fail me;
Heaven - cielo, paradiso
rest - riposo
fail - fallire
God is a friend to the poor orphan child."
"Come, Miss Jane, don't cry," said Bessie as she finished. She might as well have said to the fire, "don't burn!" but how could she divine the morbid suffering to which I was a prey? In the course of the morning Mr. Lloyd came again.
don't cry - non piangere
burn - bruciare
divine - divino
morbid - morboso, raccapricciante
prey - preda, squartamento
"What, already up!" said he, as he entered the nursery. "Well, nurse, how is she?"
Bessie answered that I was doing very well.
"Then she ought to look more cheerful. Come here, Miss Jane: your name is Jane, is it not?"
more cheerful - piu allegro
"Yes, sir, Jane Eyre."
"Well, you have been crying, Miss Jane Eyre; can you tell me what about? Have you any pain?"
"No, sir."
"Oh! I daresay she is crying because she could not go out with Missis in the carriage," interposed Bessie.
daresay - osare
interposed - interporsi
"Surely not! why, she is too old for such pettishness."
surely - sicuramente, checkcertamente
pettishness - meschinita
I thought so too; and my self-esteem being wounded by the false charge, I answered promptly, "I never cried for such a thing in my life: I hate going out in the carriage. I cry because I am miserable."
esteem - stima
wounded - ferita
charge - costo, prezzo, carico, accusa, imputazione, carica, incarico
promptly - prontamente
miserable - infelice
"Oh fie, Miss!" said Bessie.
Fie - vergogna
The good apothecary appeared a little puzzled. I was standing before him; he fixed his eyes on me very steadily: his eyes were small and grey; not very bright, but I dare say I should think them shrewd now: he had a hard-featured yet good-natured looking face. Having considered me at leisure, he said-
appeared - apparire
puzzled - mistero, rompicapo, indovinello, rendere perplesso
fixed - aggiustare, riparare, mettere una pezza, sistemare, preparare
steadily - costantemente
shrewd - perspicace, sagace, scaltro, astuto
featured - caratteristica, prestazione, peculiarita, proprieta
good-natured - (good-natured) di buon carattere
leisure - svago, agio, ozio, tempo libero
"What made you ill yesterday?"
"She had a fall," said Bessie, again putting in her word.
putting in - mettere dentro
"Fall! why, that is like a baby again! Can't she manage to walk at her age? She must be eight or nine years old."
manage - dirigere, managgiare, riuscire, arrangiarsi, maneggiare
"I was knocked down," was the blunt explanation, jerked out of me by another pang of mortified pride; "but that did not make me ill," I added; while Mr. Lloyd helped himself to a pinch of snuff.
knocked down - abbattuto
blunt - smussato
jerked - scossa, sobbalzo
pang - dolore, fitta, pena morso
mortified - mortificare
pride - superbia, orgoglio, essere orgoglioso
pinch - pizzicare, acciuffare, pizzico
snuff - tabacco da fiuto
As he was returning the box to his waistcoat pocket, a loud bell rang for the servants'dinner; he knew what it was. "That's for you, nurse," said he; "you can go down; I'll give Miss Jane a lecture till you come back."
waistcoat - panciotto, gile, corpetto
Pocket - tasca, buca, sacca, intascare, imbucare, tascabile
rang - ordine del giorno
lecture - conferenza, lezione, insegnare, sgridare, richiamare
Bessie would rather have stayed, but she was obliged to go, because punctuality at meals was rigidly enforced at Gateshead Hall.
obliged - obbligare, forzare, costringere, fare un favore, indebitarsi
punctuality - puntualita
rigidly - rigidamente
enforced - applicare, rispettare, fare rispettare, far valere, rafforzare
"The fall did not make you ill; what did, then?" pursued Mr. Lloyd when Bessie was gone.
pursued - perseguire, perseguitare, tormentare, inseguire, cercare
"I was shut up in a room where there is a ghost till after dark."
I saw Mr. Lloyd smile and frown at the same time.
smile - sorriso, sorridere
frown - accigliarsi, aggrottare le ciglia/sopracciglia
"Ghost! What, you are a baby after all! You are afraid of ghosts?"
ghosts - fantasma, spettro, spirito, larva
"Of Mr. Reed's ghost I am: he died in that room, and was laid out there. Neither Bessie nor any one else will go into it at night, if they can help it; and it was cruel to shut me up alone without a candle,-so cruel that I think I shall never forget it."
"Nonsense! And is it that makes you so miserable? Are you afraid now in daylight?"
nonsense - sciocchezza, senza senso, priva di significato, ridicolaggine
"No: but night will come again before long: and besides,-I am unhappy,-very unhappy, for other things."
unhappy - triste, rattristato, mogio, abbacchiato
"What other things? Can you tell me some of them?"
How much I wished to reply fully to this question! How difficult it was to frame any answer! Children can feel, but they cannot analyse their feelings; and if the analysis is partially effected in thought, they know not how to express the result of the process in words.
fully - pienamente, completamente, appieno, ampiamente
frame - incorniciare, incastrare, impalcatura, incastellatura, armatura
analyse - analizzare
analysis - analisi
partially - parzialmente
express - esprimere
process - processo, metodo
Fearful, however, of losing this first and only opportunity of relieving my grief by imparting it, I, after a disturbed pause, contrived to frame a meagre, though, as far as it went, true response.
relieving - risollevare, risollevarsi, lenire, alleviare, mitigare
imparting - impartire
pause - mettere in pausa, pausa
contrived - combinare, programmare, intrigare, complottare
meagre - misero
response - responso, risposta
"For one thing, I have no father or mother, brothers or sisters."
"You have a kind aunt and cousins."
Again I paused; then bunglingly enounced-
bunglingly - in modo pasticciato
enounced - annunciare
"But John Reed knocked me down, and my aunt shut me up in the red-room."
knocked - colpo, botta, botto, autocombustione, bussare
Mr. Lloyd a second time produced his snuff-box.
produced - produrre, realizzare, fornire, prodotto, prodotti
"Don't you think Gateshead Hall a very beautiful house?" asked he. "Are you not very thankful to have such a fine place to live at?"
thankful - riconoscente, grato
"It is not my house, sir; and Abbot says I have less right to be here than a servant."
"Pooh! you can't be silly enough to wish to leave such a splendid place?"
Pooh - short for Winnie the Pooh
silly - sciocco
wish - desiderio, voglia, volere, desiderare, augurare
"If I had anywhere else to go, I should be glad to leave it; but I can never get away from Gateshead till I am a woman."
anywhere - ovunque, dappertutto, dovunque
be glad - essere contento
"Perhaps you may-who knows? Have you any relations besides Mrs. Reed?"
relations - relazione, parente
"I think not, sir."
"None belonging to your father?"
"I don't know. I asked Aunt Reed once, and she said possibly I might have some poor, low relations called Eyre, but she knew nothing about them."
Possibly - possibilmente
"If you had such, would you like to go to them?"
I reflected. Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more so to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty; they think of the word only as connected with ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manners, and debasing vices: poverty for me was synonymous with degradation.
reflected - riflettere, essere riflesso, seguire, evidenziare, riportare
poverty - poverta
grim - macabro
industrious - industrioso, laborioso
respectable - rispettabile
ragged - stracciato
scanty - scarso
fireless - senza fuoco
grates - griglia
manners - maniera, modo
debasing - avvilire
vices - morsa, morsetto
synonymous - sinonimo
degradation - abiezione
"No; I should not like to belong to poor people," was my reply.
belong - appartenere a
"Not even if they were kind to you?"
I shook my head: I could not see how poor people had the means of being kind; and then to learn to speak like them, to adopt their manners, to be uneducated, to grow up like one of the poor women I saw sometimes nursing their children or washing their clothes at the cottage doors of the village of Gateshead: no, I was not heroic enough to purchase liberty at the price of caste.
adopt - adottare
uneducated - incolto
cottage - casolare, rustico
heroic - eroico
liberty - liberta
caste - casta
"But are your relatives so very poor? Are they working people?"
relatives - relativo, parente, congiunto, congiunta, familiare
"I cannot tell; Aunt Reed says if I have any, they must be a beggarly set: I should not like to go a begging."
beggarly - mendicante
begging - mendicare
"Would you like to go to school?"
Again I reflected: I scarcely knew what school was: Bessie sometimes spoke of it as a place where young ladies sat in the stocks, wore backboards, and were expected to be exceedingly genteel and precise: John Reed hated his school, and abused his master; but John Reed's tastes were no rule for mine, and if Bessie's accounts of school-discipline (gathered from the young ladies of a family where she had lived before coming to Gateshead) were somewhat appalling, her details of certain accomplishments attained by these same young ladies were, I thought, equally attractive. She boasted of beautiful paintings of landscapes and flowers by them executed; of songs they could sing and pieces they could play, of purses they could net, of French books they could translate; till my spirit was moved to emulation as I listened. Besides, school would be a complete change: it implied a long journey, an entire separation from Gateshead, an entrance into a new life.
ladies - signora, dama, lady
stocks - stock, merce
backboards - tabellone
expected - aspettarsi, pensare
exceedingly - eccessivamente
genteel - manieroso
precise - preciso, esatto, accurato
abused - abusare
tastes - gusto, sapore, inclinazione, gustare, assaggiare
accounts - conto
discipline - disciplina
gathered - cogliere, collezionare, radunarsi, raccogliere, bottinare
appalling - terribile, orrendo, pessimo, spaventoso
accomplishments - realizzazione, attuazione, completamento, concretizzazione
attained - raggiungere, ottenere, attenere
boasted - vantarsi
paintings - dipinto, pittura, quadro, verniciatura
landscapes - paesaggio, panorama, orizzontale, scenario
executed - giustiziare, lanciare
purses - borse
net - rete
translate - tradurre, trasferire, riversare
emulation - emulazione
implied - implicare
entire - intero, intera
entrance - entrata
"I should indeed like to go to school," was the audible conclusion of my musings.
audible - udibile
conclusion - conclusione
musings - pensieroso
"Well, well! who knows what may happen?" said Mr. Lloyd, as he got up. "The child ought to have change of air and scene," he added, speaking to himself; "nerves not in a good state."
change of air - cambiamento d'aria
Bessie now returned; at the same moment the carriage was heard rolling up the gravel-walk.
rolling up - arrotolare
gravel-walk - (gravel-walk) passeggiata su ghiaia
"Is that your mistress, nurse?" asked Mr. Lloyd. "I should like to speak to her before I go."
Mistress - signora, padrona, maestra, amante, dominatrice
Bessie invited him to walk into the breakfast-room, and led the way out. In the interview which followed between him and Mrs.
Reed, I presume, from after-occurrences, that the apothecary ventured to recommend my being sent to school; and the recommendation was no doubt readily enough adopted; for as Abbot said, in discussing the subject with Bessie when both sat sewing in the nursery one night, after I was in bed, and, as they thought, asleep, "Missis was, she dared say, glad enough to get rid of such a tiresome, ill-conditioned child, who always looked as if she were watching everybody, and scheming plots underhand." Abbot, I think, gave me credit for being a sort of infantine Guy Fawkes.
presume - presumere
occurrences - occorrenza
ventured - avventura, azzardo, impresa, avventurarsi, azzardare, osare
recommendation - suggerimento, consiglio, proposta
adopted - adottare
rid - sbarazzare
conditioned - condizione, influenzare, condizionare
scheming - intrallazzare, (scheme), schema, piano, progetto, programma
plots - trama, ordito, schema, canovaccio
credit - avvalorare, convalidare, corroborare, accreditare
infantine - infantile
guy - tipo
On that same occasion I learned, for the first time, from Miss Abbot's communications to Bessie, that my father had been a poor clergyman; that my mother had married him against the wishes of her friends, who considered the match beneath her; that my grandfather Reed was so irritated at her disobedience, he cut her off without a shilling; that after my mother and father had been married a year, the latter caught the typhus fever while visiting among the poor of a large manufacturing town where his curacy was situated, and where that disease was then prevalent: that my mother took the infection from him, and both died within a month of each other.
Occasion - occasione, occasionare
communications - comunicazione, avviso, trasmissione, collegamento, comunione
clergyman - chierico, prete, sacerdote, ecclesiastico
match - fiammifero
irritated - irritare
disobedience - disobbedienza
shilling - scellino, (shill), uomo di paglia, prestanome, compare
latter - secondo, quest'ultimo
typhus - tifo
fever - febbre
manufacturing - produzione, fabbricazione
curacy - curia
situated - situare
disease - malattia, malanno, disturbo, morbo
prevalent - prevalente
infection - infezione
within - dentro, all'interno
Bessie, when she heard this narrative, sighed and said, "Poor Miss Jane is to be pitied, too, Abbot."
sighed - sospirare
pitied - pieta, peccato, compatire
"Yes," responded Abbot; "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that."
responded - rispondere, corrispondere, dare riscontro
compassionate - compassionevole
forlornness - fortezza
toad - rospo
"Not a great deal, to be sure," agreed Bessie: "at any rate, a beauty like Miss Georgiana would be more moving in the same condition."
rate - tasso, percentuale
condition - condizione, influenzare, condizionare
"Yes, I doat on Miss Georgiana!" cried the fervent Abbot. "Little darling!-with her long curls and her blue eyes, and such a sweet colour as she has; just as if she were painted!-Bessie, I could fancy a Welsh rabbit for supper."
fervent - fervente
fancy - capriccio
Welsh - gallese
rabbit - coniglio
supper - cena
"So could I-with a roast onion. Come, we'll go down." They went.
roast - arrostire, arrosto, arrosti, al forno
From my discourse with Mr. Lloyd, and from the above reported conference between Bessie and Abbot, I gathered enough of hope to suffice as a motive for wishing to get well: a change seemed near,-I desired and waited it in silence. It tarried, however: days and weeks passed: I had regained my normal state of health, but no new allusion was made to the subject over which I brooded. Mrs.
discourse - discorso, discussione
conference - conferenza
suffice - bastare, essere sufficiente, soddisfare, fornire
motive - motivo
wishing - desiderare, (wish), desiderio, voglia, volere
desired - desiderare, volere, desiderio, voglia
tarried - tare
regained - riprendere, riappropriarsi, recuperare, riguadagnare
normal - normale
state of health - stato di salute
allusion - allusione
brooded - nidiata, prole, schiusa, covata, checknidiata, covare, allevare
Reed surveyed me at times with a severe eye, but seldom addressed me: since my illness, she had drawn a more marked line of separation than ever between me and her own children; appointing me a small closet to sleep in by myself, condemning me to take my meals alone, and pass all my time in the nursery, while my cousins were constantly in the drawing-room.
surveyed - sondaggio, inchiesta, indagine, ricognizione
marked - Marco
appointing - fissare, costituire, nominare, designare, assegnare
closet - armadio, ripostiglio
condemning - condannare
constantly - ininterrottamente, costantemente, continuamente, senza sosta
Not a hint, however, did she drop about sending me to school: still I felt an instinctive certainty that she would not long endure me under the same roof with her; for her glance, now more than ever, when turned on me, expressed an insuperable and rooted aversion.
hint - accenno, allusione, indizio, aiuto
instinctive - istintivo
certainty - certezza
roof - tetto
expressed - esprimere
insuperable - insuperabile
rooted - radice
Eliza and Georgiana, evidently acting according to orders, spoke to me as little as possible: John thrust his tongue in his cheek whenever he saw me, and once attempted chastisement; but as I instantly turned against him, roused by the same sentiment of deep ire and desperate revolt which had stirred my corruption before, he thought it better to desist, and ran from me tittering execrations, and vowing I had burst his nose. I had indeed levelled at that prominent feature as hard a blow as my knuckles could inflict; and when I saw that either that or my look daunted him, I had the greatest inclination to follow up my advantage to purpose; but he was already with his mama. I heard him in a blubbering tone commence the tale of how "that nasty Jane Eyre" had flown at him like a mad cat: he was stopped rather harshly-
evidently - evidentemente
acting - recitare, (act), atto, legge, numero, scena, messinscena, agire
according - accordo
whenever - ogni volta che
attempted - tentare, cercare, provare, attentare, tentativo
chastisement - castigo
roused - svegliare
revolt - rivolta
corruption - corruzione
desist - desistere
tittering - titubare
execrations - esecrazione
vowing - voto, giurare, votare
burst - scoppiare, esplodere, strappare, separare, scoppio, esplosione
levelled - piano, orizzontale, livellato, costante, uniforme, a posto
feature - caratteristica
knuckles - nocca, giuntura
inflict - infliggere, comminare
daunted - scoraggiare, intimidire
inclination - inclinazione, dislivello
advantage - vantaggio, beneficio
purpose - scopo
blubbering - adipe, pannicolo
tone - tono
commence - cominciare
nasty - sporco, sozzo, zozzo, lurido
harshly - aspramente, severamente, duramente
"Don't talk to me about her, John: I told you not to go near her; she is not worthy of notice; I do not choose that either you or your sisters should associate with her."
worthy - degno
notice - percezione, notifica, avviso, comunicazione, preavviso, notare
associate with - associarsi
Here, leaning over the banister, I cried out suddenly, and without at all deliberating on my words-
banister - ringhiera
deliberating - premeditato, intenzionale, voluto
"They are not fit to associate with me."
associate - associare
Mrs. Reed was rather a stout woman; but, on hearing this strange and audacious declaration, she ran nimbly up the stair, swept me like a whirlwind into the nursery, and crushing me down on the edge of my crib, dared me in an emphatic voice to rise from that place, or utter one syllable during the remainder of the day.
audacious - audace, azzardato, avventato
declaration - dichiarazione, asserzione, voto, conferma
nimbly - agilmente
stair - scalino, scala
swept - spazzare, scopare, ramazzare, setacciare, spazzata
whirlwind - turbine
crib - culla, lettino a sponde alte, greppia, mangiatoia
emphatic - enfatico
utter - completo, totale
syllable - sillaba
remainder - rimanenza, avanzo, restante, residuo
"What would Uncle Reed say to you, if he were alive?" was my scarcely voluntary demand. I say scarcely voluntary, for it seemed as if my tongue pronounced words without my will consenting to their utterance: something spoke out of me over which I had no control.
voluntary - spontaneo, volontario, di propria iniziativa, intenzionale
demand - domanda, richiesta, rivendicazione, bisogno, necessita
consenting - consentire, consenso
utterance - pronunciamento
control - controllare, influenzare, dirigere, controllo, comando
"What?" said Mrs. Reed under her breath: her usually cold composed grey eye became troubled with a look like fear; she took her hand from my arm, and gazed at me as if she really did not know whether I were child or fiend. I was now in for it.
breath - respiro, lena, alito, fiato
composed - showing composure
gazed at - guardato
"My Uncle Reed is in heaven, and can see all you do and think; and so can papa and mama: they know how you shut me up all day long, and how you wish me dead."
papa - Padova
Mrs. Reed soon rallied her spirits: she shook me most soundly, she boxed both my ears, and then left me without a word. Bessie supplied the hiatus by a homily of an hour's length, in which she proved beyond a doubt that I was the most wicked and abandoned child ever reared under a roof. I half believed her; for I felt indeed only bad feelings surging in my breast.
rallied - riunire, riorganizzare
spirits - spirito
soundly - in modo sano e semplice
supplied - fornire
hiatus - iato, buco, lacuna, pausa
homily - omelia
Length - lunghezza
proved - provare, dimostrare
beyond - oltre, (al) di la di, dall'altra parte di, piu di, dopo
abandoned - abbandonare
reared - retro, retrovia
surging - in aumento
breast - mammella, poppa, petto, seno
November, December, and half of January passed away. Christmas and the New Year had been celebrated at Gateshead with the usual festive cheer; presents had been interchanged, dinners and evening parties given.
Christmas - Natale
celebrated - celebrare, festeggiare
usual - solito, usuale, consueto, abituale
festive - festivo, festiva
cheer - urra, acclamazione
interchanged - svincolo, interscambio
From every enjoyment I was, of course, excluded: my share of the gaiety consisted in witnessing the daily apparelling of Eliza and Georgiana, and seeing them descend to the drawing-room, dressed out in thin muslin frocks and scarlet sashes, with hair elaborately ringletted; and afterwards, in listening to the sound of the piano or the harp played below, to the passing to and fro of the butler and footman, to the jingling of glass and china as refreshments were handed, to the broken hum of conversation as the drawing-room door opened and closed. When tired of this occupation, I would retire from the stairhead to the solitary and silent nursery: there, though somewhat sad, I was not miserable. To speak truth, I had not the least wish to go into company, for in company I was very rarely noticed; and if Bessie had but been kind and companionable, I should have deemed it a treat to spend the evenings quietly with her, instead of passing them under the formidable eye of Mrs. Reed, in a room full of ladies and gentlemen. But Bessie, as soon as she had dressed her young ladies, used to take herself off to the lively regions of the kitchen and housekeeper's room, generally bearing the candle along with her. I then sat with my doll on my knee till the fire got low, glancing round occasionally to make sure that nothing worse than myself haunted the shadowy room; and when the embers sank to a dull red, I undressed hastily, tugging at knots and strings as I best might, and sought shelter from cold and darkness in my crib. To this crib I always took my doll; human beings must love something, and, in the dearth of worthier objects of affection, I contrived to find a pleasure in loving and cherishing a faded graven image, shabby as a miniature scarecrow. It puzzles me now to remember with what absurd sincerity I doated on this little toy, half fancying it alive and capable of sensation. I could not sleep unless it was folded in my night-gown; and when it lay there safe and warm, I was comparatively happy, believing it to be happy likewise.
enjoyment - divertimento
excluded - escludere
gaiety - gaiezza
consisted - consistere di
witnessing - testimonianza, testimone, prova, testimoniare, constatare, essere testimone
daily - quotidiano, giornaliero
apparelling - abbigliamento, (apparel)
descend - scendere
muslin - mussola
frocks - abito, vestito
sashes - sciarpa, fascia
elaborately - in modo elaborato
ringletted - anellato
afterwards - dopo
harp - arpa
butler - costituente, maggiordomo
footman - valletto
jingling - tintinnio, sonaglio, motivetto
refreshments - rinfrescarsi
Hum - ronzio, canticchiare, canterellare, mormorare, brontolare
occupation - occupazione
retire - (andare in pensione)
stairhead - testa delle scale
rarely - raramente
noticed - percezione, notifica, avviso, comunicazione, preavviso, notare
companionable - di compagnia
treat to - offrire, dare (qualcosa da mangiare)
quietly - in silenzio
instead - in luogo di, invece, al posto di
formidable - spaventoso
housekeeper - governante, casalinga
generally - in genere, generalmente, di solito, in generale, a grandi linee
bearing - cuscinetto
dull - spuntato, smussato, noioso, soporifero, tedioso
undressed - svestirsi
hastily - frettolosamente, precipitatamente
tugging - strattoni, (tug), trascinare, tirare, rimorchiare, strattone
knots - nodo
beings - essere, creatura, esistenza
dearth - carestia, scarsita, carenza
worthier - degno
faded - moda, andazzo, tendenza
graven image - idolo
shabby - logoro, meschino
Scarecrow - spauracchio, spilungone, spilungona
puzzles - mistero, rompicapo, indovinello, rendere perplesso
absurd - assurdo
sincerity - sincerita
toy - giocattolo, balocco, giocare, trastullarsi, baloccarsi
fancying - capriccio
capable - capace
sensation - sensazione, senso, impressione
safe - sicuro, protetto, cassaforte
comparatively - relativamente
likewise - ugualmente, similarmente, altrettanto, idem
Long did the hours seem while I waited the departure of the company, and listened for the sound of Bessie's step on the stairs: sometimes she would come up in the interval to seek her thimble or her scissors, or perhaps to bring me something by way of supper-a bun or a cheese-cake-then she would sit on the bed while I ate it, and when I had finished, she would tuck the clothes round me, and twice she kissed me, and said, "Good night, Miss Jane." When thus gentle, Bessie seemed to me the best, prettiest, kindest being in the world; and I wished most intensely that she would always be so pleasant and amiable, and never push me about, or scold, or task me unreasonably, as she was too often wont to do. Bessie Lee must, I think, have been a girl of good natural capacity, for she was smart in all she did, and had a remarkable knack of narrative; so, at least, I judge from the impression made on me by her nursery tales. She was pretty too, if my recollections of her face and person are correct. I remember her as a slim young woman, with black hair, dark eyes, very nice features, and good, clear complexion; but she had a capricious and hasty temper, and indifferent ideas of principle or justice: still, such as she was, I preferred her to any one else at Gateshead Hall.
Seem - sembrare, parere, apparire
departure - partenza, deviazione, punto di svolta, dipartenza, dipartita
stairs - scalino, scala
interval - intervallo
seek - cercare, ricercare
thimble - ditale, redancia
scissors - forbici
bun - panino dolce, ciambella
tuck - piega
kissed - baciare
gentle - gentile
intensely - intensamente
amiable - amabile, affabile, affettuoso
push - spingere
scold - bisbetica, brontolona, megera, linguaccia
task - compito
unreasonably - irragionevolmente
Lee - riparo, sottovento
smart - elegante
remarkable - notevole, degno di nota, rimarchevole, ragguardevole
knack - pallino
judge - giudicare
impression - depressione, impronta, impressione, opinione, imitazione
slim - snello, magro, affusolato, dimagrire
features - caratteristica, prestazione, peculiarita, proprieta
complexion - carnagione
capricious - capriccioso
hasty - affrettato, frettoloso, precipitoso
indifferent - indifferente
principle - principio, regola, valore
justice - giustizia
It was the fifteenth of January, about nine o'clock in the morning: Bessie was gone down to breakfast; my cousins had not yet been summoned to their mama; Eliza was putting on her bonnet and warm garden-coat to go and feed her poultry, an occupation of which she was fond: and not less so of selling the eggs to the housekeeper and hoarding up the money she thus obtained.
Fifteenth - quindicesimo, ('before the noun'), ('in names of monarchs and popes') quindicesimo ('after the name')
summoned - convocare
putting on - indossare
feed - dar da mangiare, nutrire, (fee), tassa, tariffa, quota, onorario
poultry - pollame
fond - tenero
hoarding - palizzata
obtained - ottenere, riuscire, avere, stabilirsi
She had a turn for traffic, and a marked propensity for saving; shown not only in the vending of eggs and chickens, but also in driving hard bargains with the gardener about flower-roots, seeds, and slips of plants; that functionary having orders from Mrs.
propensity - propensione, tendenza, inclinazione
saving - salvare, (save), soccorrere, redimere, immagazzinare
vending - vendere
bargains - trattativa, accordo, mercanteggiamento, mercanteggiare, trattare
gardener - giardiniere, giardiniera
seeds - seme
slips - scivolare
functionary - funzionario
Reed to buy of his young lady all the products of her parterre she wished to sell: and Eliza would have sold the hair off her head if she could have made a handsome profit thereby.
his young lady - la sua ragazza
handsome profit - un bel guadagno
thereby - in tal modo, percio, pertanto
As to her money, she first secreted it in odd corners, wrapped in a rag or an old curl-paper; but some of these hoards having been discovered by the housemaid, Eliza, fearful of one day losing her valued treasure, consented to intrust it to her mother, at a usurious rate of interest-fifty or sixty per cent.
secreted - segreto
odd - spaiato, strano, strambo, dispari, caffo, occasionale
corners - angolo, sporgenza, angolo sporgente, pietra d'angolo
rag - straccio
curl - riccio, ricciolo, boccolo, arricciamento, rotazione, spirale
per - per, a
hoards - scorta
valued - valore, valutare, stimare, apprezzare, valorizzare
treasure - tesoro, apprezzare
consented - consentire, consenso
usurious - usurari
; which interest she exacted every quarter, keeping her accounts in a little book with anxious accuracy.
exacted - esatto, giusto, preciso, attento
anxious - ansioso, preoccupante, bramoso, impaziente
accuracy - esattezza, precisione, accuratezza, acribia
Georgiana sat on a high stool, dressing her hair at the glass, and interweaving her curls with artificial flowers and faded feathers, of which she had found a store in a drawer in the attic.
interweaving - intrecciare
artificial - artificiale, artificioso, artefatto, falso
feathers - piuma, penna, barbetta
store - magazzino, deposito, scorta, immagazzinare, registrare
attic - soffitta, solaio
I was making my bed, having received strict orders from Bessie to get it arranged before she returned (for Bessie now frequently employed me as a sort of under-nurserymaid, to tidy the room, dust the chairs, &c.).
strict - stretto, particolare, esatto, austero
arranged - disporre, ordinare, preparare, arrangiare
employed - dipendente
nurserymaid - infermiera
tidy - ordinato
Having spread the quilt and folded my night-dress, I went to the window-seat to put in order some picture-books and doll's house furniture scattered there; an abrupt command from Georgiana to let her playthings alone (for the tiny chairs and mirrors, the fairy plates and cups, were her property) stopped my proceedings; and then, for lack of other occupation, I fell to breathing on the frost-flowers with which the window was fretted, and thus clearing a space in the glass through which I might look out on the grounds, where all was still and petrified under the influence of a hard frost.
quilt - trapunta, imbottire, trapuntare
put in order - mettere in ordine
scattered - disperdere, disperdersi, sparpagliare, cospargere, deflettere
abrupt - brusco, improvviso, inaspettato, discontinuo, discontinua
Command - comando, ordine, padronanza, maestria, perizia, ordinare
playthings - giocattolo, balocco
plates - piatto
property - proprieta, beni, possesso, beni immobili
proceedings - procedimento
lack - mancare di
breathing on - respirare
fretted - affliggersi
clearing - schiarimento, radura, spiazzo, compensazione, resettaggio
grounds - terra
Petrified - pietrificare
influence - influenza, ascendente, influenzare, influire
From this window were visible the porter's lodge and the carriage-road, and just as I had dissolved so much of the silver-white foliage veiling the panes as left room to look out, I saw the gates thrown open and a carriage roll through.
visible - visibile
porter - facchino
Lodge - casino, guardiola, portineria, loggia, alloggiare
silver - argento
foliage - fogliame
veiling - velatura, (veil), velo
gates - cancello, portone
thrown - gettare, lanciare
roll - rotolo
I watched it ascending the drive with indifference; carriages often came to Gateshead, but none ever brought visitors in whom I was interested; it stopped in front of the house, the door-bell rang loudly, the new-comer was admitted.
ascending - salire, riuscire
carriages - carrozza, portamento, postura, carrello
loudly - a voce alta, forte
comer - in a race, in some contest, who arrives
admitted - far entrare, ammettere, riconoscere, ricoverare
All this being nothing to me, my vacant attention soon found livelier attraction in the spectacle of a little hungry robin, which came and chirruped on the twigs of the leafless cherry-tree nailed against the wall near the casement.
livelier - vivace
Attraction - attrazione, attrattiva
spectacle - spettacolo
robin - pettirosso
chirruped - cinguettio
twigs - ramoscello, rametto
cherry-tree - (cherry-tree) ciliegio
nailed - unghia
casement - battente, anta, persiana
The remains of my breakfast of bread and milk stood on the table, and having crumbled a morsel of roll, I was tugging at the sash to put out the crumbs on the window-sill, when Bessie came running upstairs into the nursery.
remains - stare, restare, rimanere
crumbled - sgretolarsi, crollare, ridursi, sbriciolare, sbriciolarsi
sash - sciarpa, fascia
crumbs - briciole, (crumb), briciola, mollica, impasto, impanare
sill - davanzale, soglia
"Miss Jane, take off your pinafore; what are you doing there? Have you washed your hands and face this morning?" I gave another tug before I answered, for I wanted the bird to be secure of its bread: the sash yielded; I scattered the crumbs, some on the stone sill, some on the cherry-tree bough, then, closing the window, I replied-
pinafore - scamiciato, grembiule, salopette
tug - trascinare, tirare, rimorchiare, strattone
yielded - cedere
cherry - ciliegia, ciliegio
bough - ramo
replied - rispondere, replicare, ripetere, risposta, replica
"No, Bessie; I have only just finished dusting."
only just - solo ora
"Troublesome, careless child! and what are you doing now? You look quite red, as if you had been about some mischief: what were you opening the window for?"
troublesome - fastidioso
mischief - vessatorio, indisponente, danno, malanno, birboneria
I was spared the trouble of answering, for Bessie seemed in too great a hurry to listen to explanations; she hauled me to the washstand, inflicted a merciless, but happily brief scrub on my face and hands with soap, water, and a coarse towel; disciplined my head with a bristly brush, denuded me of my pinafore, and then hurrying me to the top of the stairs, bid me go down directly, as I was wanted in the breakfast-room.
spared - asta
trouble - guaio, problema, impiccio, tumulto
explanations - spiegazione, esplicazione, chiarificazione, esegesi
hauled - tirare
washstand - porta catino, porta bacinella
inflicted - infliggere, comminare
merciless - spietato, crudele
Happily - fortunatamente, felicemente, volentieri
brief - breve
scrub - lavare (fregando)
soap - sapone
coarse - grossolano, grezzo, rude, rozzo
towel - asciugamano
disciplined - disciplina
bristly - irto
brush - spazzola, pennello, incontro, scontro, spazzolare, spazzolarsi
denuded - denudarsi
hurrying - affrettarsi, (hurry), fretta, premura, furia
top - cima, sommita, coperchio, cappuccio, parte superiore, top
bid - offrire, fare un'offerta
I would have asked who wanted me: I would have demanded if Mrs. Reed was there; but Bessie was already gone, and had closed the nursery-door upon me. I slowly descended. For nearly three months, I had never been called to Mrs. Reed's presence; restricted so long to the nursery, the breakfast, dining, and drawing-rooms were become for me awful regions, on which it dismayed me to intrude.
slowly - lentamente, piano, a rilento
descended - scendere
restricted - restringere, limitare
dining - chiasso, frastuono
awful - pessimo, terribile, orribile, impressionante, tremendamente
dismayed - abbattere, abbattersi, mortificare, mortificarsi, scoraggiare
intrude - irrompere
I now stood in the empty hall; before me was the breakfast-room door, and I stopped, intimidated and trembling. What a miserable little poltroon had fear, engendered of unjust punishment, made of me in those days!
intimidated - intimidire
trembling - tremare, (tremble), tremolare, tremore
poltroon - vigliacco
engendered - generare
punishment - punizione, pena, castigo
I feared to return to the nursery, and feared to go forward to the parlour; ten minutes I stood in agitated hesitation; the vehement ringing of the breakfast-room bell decided me; I must enter.
forward - avanti, in avanti
parlour - salotto
agitated - agitare, scuotere, sbattere, turbare
hesitation - esitazione
vehement - ordine del giorno
ringing - riecheggiamento, risuonamento, riecheggiare, risonanza
enter - entrare, immettere, digitare
"Who could want me?" I asked inwardly, as with both hands I turned the stiff door-handle, which, for a second or two, resisted my efforts. "What should I see besides Aunt Reed in the apartment?-a man or a woman?" The handle turned, the door unclosed, and passing through and curtseying low, I looked up at-a black pillar!
inwardly - interiormente
stiff - rigido, inflessibile, duro, severo
handle - manico, maniglia
efforts - sforzo
unclosed - chiudere
passing through - passare
curtseying - riverenza, inchino, fare la riverenza, fare l'inchino
pillar - pilastro
-such, at least, appeared to me, at first sight, the straight, narrow, sable-clad shape standing erect on the rug: the grim face at the top was like a carved mask, placed above the shaft by way of capital.
sight - vista, spettacolo, mirino, vedere, avvistare, mirare
straight - dritto, retto, diretto, liscio, puro, in linea, convenzionale
sable - zibellina, nero
clad - vestito, (clothe), vestire
shape - condizione, stato, forma, sagoma
erect - eretto
rug - tappeto, tappetino, scendiletto
carved - tagliare, trinciare, scalcare, intagliare, scolpire
shaft - lancia, raggio, asta, prolunga, rachide, pozzo, condotto
Mrs. Reed occupied her usual seat by the fireside; she made a signal to me to approach; I did so, and she introduced me to the stony stranger with the words: "This is the little girl respecting whom I applied to you."
occupied - occupare
fireside - fuoco
signal - segnale, campo, segnalare, indicare
stony - sassoso
respecting - rispetto, riguardo, materia, rispettare
applied - applicare
He, for it was a man, turned his head slowly towards where I stood, and having examined me with the two inquisitive-looking grey eyes which twinkled under a pair of bushy brows, said solemnly, and in a bass voice, "Her size is small: what is her age?"
examined - esaminare
inquisitive - curioso, indiscreto
twinkled - scintillare
bushy - cespuglioso
brows - sopracciglia, (brow), ciglio, orlo, cima, passerella da sbarco
solemnly - solennemente
bass voice - voce di basso
size - dimensioni
"Ten years."
"So much?" was the doubtful answer; and he prolonged his scrutiny for some minutes. Presently he addressed me-"Your name, little girl?"
doubtful - dubbio, discutibile, incerto, improbabile, sospetto
prolonged - prolungare
scrutiny - scrutinio, valutazione, esame minuzioso
"Jane Eyre, sir."
In uttering these words I looked up: he seemed to me a tall gentleman; but then I was very little; his features were large, and they and all the lines of his frame were equally harsh and prim.
uttering - pronunciare
prim - cerimonioso
"Well, Jane Eyre, and are you a good child?"
Impossible to reply to this in the affirmative: my little world held a contrary opinion: I was silent. Mrs. Reed answered for me by an expressive shake of the head, adding soon, "Perhaps the less said on that subject the better, Mr. Brocklehurst."
impossible - impossibile, insopportabile, impossibile (2)
affirmative - affermativo
held - tenere
contrary - contrario, opposto
expressive - espressivo
shake - scuotere, agitare, scuotere la testa, scioccare, atterrire
"Sorry indeed to hear it! she and I must have some talk;" and bending from the perpendicular, he installed his person in the arm-chair opposite Mrs. Reed's. "Come here," he said.
perpendicular - perpendicolare
installed - installare
I stepped across the rug; he placed me square and straight before him. What a face he had, now that it was almost on a level with mine! what a great nose! and what a mouth! and what large prominent teeth!
stepped - steppa
almost - quasi
level - piano, orizzontale, livellato, costante, uniforme, a posto
"No sight so sad as that of a naughty child," he began, "especially a naughty little girl. Do you know where the wicked go after death?"
"They go to hell," was my ready and orthodox answer.
hell - inferno
orthodox - ortodosso
"And what is hell? Can you tell me that?"
"A pit full of fire."
pit - buca, fossa
"And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there for ever?"
burning - bruciare
"No, sir."
"What must you do to avoid it?"
avoid - schivare, evitare
I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come, was objectionable: "I must keep in good health, and not die."
deliberated - premeditato, intenzionale, voluto
objectionable - discutibile
"How can you keep in good health? Children younger than you die daily. I buried a little child of five years old only a day or two since,-a good little child, whose soul is now in heaven. It is to be feared the same could not be said of you were you to be called hence."
Not being in a condition to remove his doubt, I only cast my eyes down on the two large feet planted on the rug, and sighed, wishing myself far enough away.
remove - rimuovere, asportare, levare, togliere
cast - gettare, posare, lanciare, addizionare, sommare, calcolare
"I hope that sigh is from the heart, and that you repent of ever having been the occasion of discomfort to your excellent benefactress."
sigh - sospirare
discomfort - disagio
excellent - eccellente, eccezionale
"Benefactress! benefactress!" said I inwardly: "they all call Mrs. Reed my benefactress; if so, a benefactress is a disagreeable thing."
disagreeable - sconveniente, antipatico, sgradevole
"Do you say your prayers night and morning?" continued my interrogator.
interrogator - interrogatore
"Yes, sir."
"Do you read your Bible?"
Bible - La Bibbia
"Sometimes."
"With pleasure? Are you fond of it?"
"I like Revelations, and the book of Daniel, and Genesis and Samuel, and a little bit of Exodus, and some parts of Kings and Chronicles, and Job and Jonah."
revelations - rivelazione
Daniel - Daniele
Genesis - genesi
bit - morso
Exodus - Esodo
Chronicles - cronaca, notizia
Jonah - Giona
"And the Psalms? I hope you like them?"
Psalms - salmo
"No, sir."
"No? oh, shocking! I have a little boy, younger than you, who knows six Psalms by heart: and when you ask him which he would rather have, a gingerbread-nut to eat or a verse of a Psalm to learn, he says: 'Oh! the verse of a Psalm! angels sing Psalms;'says he, 'I wish to be a little angel here below;'he then gets two nuts in recompense for his infant piety."
gingerbread - pan di zenzero, pan di spezie, stile gingerbread
verse - verso, strofa
psalm - salmo
angel - angelo
nuts - noce, nocciola, nocciolina
recompense - ricompensa, compenso
"Psalms are not interesting," I remarked.
remarked - osservazione, commento
"That proves you have a wicked heart; and you must pray to God to change it: to give you a new and clean one: to take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
proves - provare, dimostrare
pray to - pregare
I was about to propound a question, touching the manner in which that operation of changing my heart was to be performed, when Mrs. Reed interposed, telling me to sit down; she then proceeded to carry on the conversation herself.
propound - proporre
touching - toccare, (touch), commuovere, tocco, tatto
operation - operazione, esercizio, gestione
be performed - essere eseguito
proceeded - procedere
"Mr. Brocklehurst, I believe I intimated in the letter which I wrote to you three weeks ago, that this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish: should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit.
character - personaggio, carattere, caratteristica
admit - far entrare, ammettere, riconoscere, ricoverare
Superintendent - soprintendente, sovrintendente
requested - chiedere, richiesta, talian: t-needed
guard - guardia, piantone, custode, elsa
deceit - falsita, mendacita, inganno, trucco, malafede
I mention this in your hearing, Jane, that you may not attempt to impose on Mr. Brocklehurst."
mention - cenno, accenno, menzione, menzionare
attempt - tentare, cercare, provare, attentare, tentativo
impose - imporre, abusare
Well might I dread, well might I dislike Mrs. Reed; for it was her nature to wound me cruelly; never was I happy in her presence; however carefully I obeyed, however strenuously I strove to please her, my efforts were still repulsed and repaid by such sentences as the above.
dislike - antipatia, avversione, non piacersi
wound - ferita
cruelly - crudelmente
carefully - minuziosamente, accuratamente, meticolosamente, puntigliosamente
obeyed - obbedire, ubbidire, assolvere, conformarsi
strenuously - strenuamente
repulsed - respingere
repaid - ripagare, restituire
Now, uttered before a stranger, the accusation cut me to the heart; I dimly perceived that she was already obliterating hope from the new phase of existence which she destined me to enter; I felt, though I could not have expressed the feeling, that she was sowing aversion and unkindness along my future path; I saw myself transformed under Mr.
uttered - completo, totale
accusation - accusa
perceived - percepire
obliterating - obliterare, annullare, spazzare
phase - fase
destined - destino
sowing - semina
unkindness - scortesia
transformed - trasformare, modificare, trasformarsi, trasformata
Brocklehurst's eye into an artful, noxious child, and what could I do to remedy the injury?
artful - abile, astuto
remedy - rimedio, azione giudiziaria, medicamento, rimediare
injury - ferita, danno, lesione
"Nothing, indeed," thought I, as I struggled to repress a sob, and hastily wiped away some tears, the impotent evidences of my anguish.
struggled - lotta, lottare
repress - reprimere
sob - singhiozzare
impotent - debole, impotente
evidences - prova, evidenza
"Deceit is, indeed, a sad fault in a child," said Mr. Brocklehurst; "it is akin to falsehood, and all liars will have their portion in the lake burning with fire and brimstone; she shall, however, be watched, Mrs. Reed. I will speak to Miss Temple and the teachers."
akin - consanguineo, affine
falsehood - menzogna, falsita, menzognero
liars - bugiardo, bugiarda, mentitore, mentitrice
portion - porzione
lake - lago
Brimstone - cedronella, zolfo
Temple - tempio
"I should wish her to be brought up in a manner suiting her prospects," continued my benefactress; "to be made useful, to be kept humble: as for the vacations, she will, with your permission, spend them always at Lowood."
suiting - abbigliamento, (suit), vestito, abito, seme, colore, soddisfare
prospects - prospettiva, lungimiranza, possibilita, eventualita
permission - permesso
"Your decisions are perfectly judicious, madam," returned Mr. Brocklehurst. "Humility is a Christian grace, and one peculiarly appropriate to the pupils of Lowood; I, therefore, direct that especial care shall be bestowed on its cultivation amongst them. I have studied how best to mortify in them the worldly sentiment of pride; and, only the other day, I had a pleasing proof of my success.
decisions - decisione
perfectly - perfettamente, propriamente, totalmente
judicious - giudizioso
humility - umilta
Christian - cristiano, cristiana
grace - benedicite, ringraziamento, grazia, eleganza, garbo
peculiarly - in modo particolare
appropriate - apposito, appropriato
pupils - alunno, scolaro
Direct - diretto
especial - speciale
bestowed - depositare, immagazzinare, collocare, alloggiare, donare, gloss
cultivation - coltura
mortify - mortificare
worldly - mondano
Proof - prova
My second daughter, Augusta, went with her mama to visit the school, and on her return she exclaimed: 'Oh, dear papa, how quiet and plain all the girls at Lowood look, with their hair combed behind their ears, and their long pinafores, and those little holland pockets outside their frocks-they are almost like poor people's children!
Augusta - female given name, capital city of Maine
combed - pettine
pinafores - scamiciato, grembiule, salopette
Holland - Olanda
pockets - tasca, buca, sacca, intascare, imbucare, tascabile
and,'said she, 'they looked at my dress and mama's, as if they had never seen a silk gown before.'"
"This is the state of things I quite approve," returned Mrs. Reed; "had I sought all England over, I could scarcely have found a system more exactly fitting a child like Jane Eyre. Consistency, my Dear Mr. Brocklehurst; I advocate consistency in all things."
approve - approvare
exactly - esattamente, appunto
fitting - montaggio
consistency - coerenza, costanza, consistenza
Dear Mr - Caro signor
advocate - avvocato, avvocata, sostenitore, sostenitrice, raccomandare
"Consistency, madam, is the first of Christian duties; and it has been observed in every arrangement connected with the establishment of Lowood: plain fare, simple attire, unsophisticated accommodations, hardy and active habits; such is the order of the day in the house and its inhabitants."
duties - dovere, obbligo, servizio, attivita, tassa, dazio
observed - osservare
arrangement - arrangiamento, sistemazione, incontro, composizione
establishment - istituzione, fondazione, creazione, insediamento, instaurazione
plain fare - tariffa semplice
unsophisticated - non sofisticato
accommodations - alloggio, sistemazione
hardy - resistente, robusto
active - attivo
habits - abitudine
inhabitants - abitante
"Quite right, sir. I may then depend upon this child being received as a pupil at Lowood, and there being trained in conformity to her position and prospects?"
Depend - dipendere, fare affidamento
pupil - alunno, scolaro
conformity - conformita
position - posizione, posto, lavoro, piazzare, posizionare
"Madam, you may: she shall be placed in that nursery of chosen plants, and I trust she will show herself grateful for the inestimable privilege of her election."
trust - fiducia, confidenza, speranza, credito, affidabilita, trust
grateful - grato
inestimable - inestimabile
election - elezione
"I will send her, then, as soon as possible, Mr. Brocklehurst; for, I assure you, I feel anxious to be relieved of a responsibility that was becoming too irksome."
assure - assicurare, garantire
relieved - risollevare, risollevarsi, lenire, alleviare, mitigare
responsibility - responsabilita
"No doubt, no doubt, madam; and now I wish you good morning. I shall return to Brocklehurst Hall in the course of a week or two: my good friend, the Archdeacon, will not permit me to leave him sooner. I shall send Miss Temple notice that she is to expect a new girl, so that there will be no difficulty about receiving her. Good-bye."
Archdeacon - arcidiacono
expect - aspettarsi, pensare
difficulty - difficolta
receiving - ricevere
Good-bye - (Good-bye) arrivederci
"Good-bye, Mr. Brocklehurst; remember me to Mrs. and Miss Brocklehurst, and to Augusta and Theodore, and Master Broughton Brocklehurst."
"I will, madam. Little girl, here is a book entitled the 'Child's Guide,'read it with prayer, especially that part containing 'An account of the awfully sudden death of Martha G---, a naughty child addicted to falsehood and deceit.'"
entitled - intitolare
Guide - guidare
prayer - preghiera
containing - contenere
account - conto
awfully - terribilmente
sudden death - morte improvvisa
addicted - dipendente
With these words Mr. Brocklehurst put into my hand a thin pamphlet sewn in a cover, and having rung for his carriage, he departed.
pamphlet - opuscolo
sewn - cucire
cover - coperto, coperchio, copertura, nascondiglio, copertina, coperta
rung - piolo, gradino
Mrs. Reed and I were left alone: some minutes passed in silence; she was sewing, I was watching her. Mrs.
Reed might be at that time some six or seven and thirty; she was a woman of robust frame, square-shouldered and strong-limbed, not tall, and, though stout, not obese: she had a somewhat large face, the under jaw being much developed and very solid; her brow was low, her chin large and prominent, mouth and nose sufficiently regular; under her light eyebrows glimmered an eye devoid of ruth; her skin was dark and opaque, her hair nearly flaxen; her constitution was sound as a bell-illness never came near her; she was an exact, clever manager; her household and tenantry were thoroughly under her control; her children only at times defied her authority and laughed it to scorn; she dressed well, and had a presence and port calculated to set off handsome attire.
robust - robusto
shouldered - spalla
limbed - membro, arto
obese - obeso
jaw - mascella, mandibola
developed - sviluppare, accrescere, avanzare, approfondire, creare
chin - mento
sufficiently - sufficientemente
regular - regolare, periodico, abituale, usuale, cliente
eyebrows - sopracciglio
glimmered - barlume, filo
devoid - privo, senza
ruth - Rut
opaque - opaco, opaca, offuscato, arcano, oscuro
flaxen - lino
constitution - costituzione
exact - esatto, giusto, preciso, attento
clever - furbo, astuto, sveglio, scaltro
manager - direttore, capo, responsabile, gestore
household - famiglia, nucleo familiare, domestico, casalinghi
tenantry - tenantato
thoroughly - completamente, totalmente, assolutamente
defied - sfidare, abiurare
authority - autorita
scorn - disprezzare, disdegnare, disprezzo
port - porto
calculated - calcolare
Sitting on a low stool, a few yards from her arm-chair, I examined her figure; I perused her features. In my hand I held the tract containing the sudden death of the Liar, to which narrative my attention had been pointed as to an appropriate warning. What had just passed; what Mrs. Reed had said concerning me to Mr.
yards - iarda
tract - tratto, estensione
sudden - improvviso, improvvisa
liar - bugiardo, bugiarda, mentitore, mentitrice
warning - avvertimento, monito, (warn), avvertire, avvisare
Brocklehurst; the whole tenor of their conversation, was recent, raw, and stinging in my mind; I had felt every word as acutely as I had heard it plainly, and a passion of resentment fomented now within me.
tenor - tenore
recent - recente
stinging - pungente
acutely - profondamente, intensamente, acutamente, fortemente
plainly - a chiare note
resentment - risentimento
fomented - fomentare
Mrs. Reed looked up from her work; her eye settled on mine, her fingers at the same time suspended their nimble movements.
settled - sistemarsi, mettersi
suspended - appendere, sospendere
nimble - agile, leggero, svelto, intelligente, versatile
movements - movimento
"Go out of the room; return to the nursery," was her mandate. My look or something else must have struck her as offensive, for she spoke with extreme though suppressed irritation. I got up, I went to the door; I came back again; I walked to the window, across the room, then close up to her.
mandate - mandato
offensive - offensivo, offensiva
suppressed - sopprimere
irritation - irritazione
close up - chiudere, ricucire
Speak I must: I had been trodden on severely, and must turn: but how? What strength had I to dart retaliation at my antagonist? I gathered my energies and launched them in this blunt sentence-
trodden - calpestare, pestare
severely - severamente
dart - dardo
retaliation - rappresaglia, ritorsione
antagonist - antagonista, oppositore, avversario, concorrente
energies - energia, forza
launched - lanciare, mettere in acqua*
"I am not deceitful: if I were, I should say I loved you; but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except John Reed; and this book about the liar, you may give to your girl, Georgiana, for it is she who tells lies, and not I."
deceitful - bugiardo
declare - dichiarare
Except - salvo, tranne, eccetto, fatto salvo
Mrs. Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive: her eye of ice continued to dwell freezingly on mine.
lay on - sdraiarsi, fornire
inactive - inattivo
dwell - abitare, checkdimorare
freezingly - gelidamente
"What more have you to say?" she asked, rather in the tone in which a person might address an opponent of adult age than such as is ordinarily used to a child.
opponent - oppositore, oppositrice
That eye of hers, that voice stirred every antipathy I had. Shaking from head to foot, thrilled with ungovernable excitement, I continued-
thrilled - eccitare, elettrizzare
ungovernable - ingovernabile
"I am glad you are no relation of mine: I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to see you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty."
liked you - piacere a qualcuno
cruelty - crudelta
"How dare you affirm that, Jane Eyre?"
affirm - affermare
"How dare I, Mrs. Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you have no pity.
do without - fare a meno
I shall remember how you thrust me back-roughly and violently thrust me back-into the red-room, and locked me up there, to my dying day; though I was in agony; though I cried out, while suffocating with distress, 'Have mercy! Have mercy, Aunt Reed!' And that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck me-knocked me down for nothing.
roughly - aprprossimativamente, a grosso modo
violently - violentemente
dying - morire
agony - dolore, agonia, parossismo
suffocating - soffocante
distress - angoscia, pena, miseria, sconforto, pericolo
suffer - soffrire, penare, patire, aggravarsi, subire, lasciare
I will tell anybody who asks me questions, this exact tale. People think you a good woman, but you are bad, hard-hearted. You are deceitful!"
How dare I, Mrs. Reed? How dare I? Because it is the
truth
Ere I had finished this reply, my soul began to expand, to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, of triumph, I ever felt. It seemed as if an invisible bond had burst, and that I had struggled out into unhoped-for liberty. Not without cause was this sentiment: Mrs.
expand - estendere, espandere, dettagliare, dilungare, sviluppare
exult - esultare
Strangest - strano
freedom - liberta
triumph - trionfo
invisible - invisibile, dietro le quinte
bond - legame
unhoped - insperato
cause - causa, provocare, causare, produrre, ottenere
Reed looked frightened; her work had slipped from her knee; she was lifting up her hands, rocking herself to and fro, and even twisting her face as if she would cry.
frightened - spaurire, spaventare
Rocking - Dondolo
twisting - torsione, (twist), contorsione, distorsione
"Jane, you are under a mistake: what is the matter with you? Why do you tremble so violently? Would you like to drink some water?"
tremble - tremare, tremolare, tremore
"No, Mrs. Reed."
"Is there anything else you wish for, Jane? I assure you, I desire to be your friend."
wish for - desiderare, augurare
desire - desiderare, volere, desiderio, voglia
"Not you. You told Mr. Brocklehurst I had a bad character, a deceitful disposition; and I'll let everybody at Lowood know what you are, and what you have done."
"Jane, you don't understand these things: children must be corrected for their faults."
faults - colpa, imperfezione, sbaglio, biasimo, fessura, crepa
"Deceit is not my fault!" I cried out in a savage, high voice.
"But you are passionate, Jane, that you must allow: and now return to the nursery-there's a dear-and lie down a little."
allow - lasciare, permettere, concedere, consentire
"I am not your dear; I cannot lie down: send me to school soon, Mrs. Reed, for I hate to live here."
"I will indeed send her to school soon," murmured Mrs. Reed sotto voce; and gathering up her work, she abruptly quitted the apartment.
murmured - mormorio, brusio, sussurro, mormorare
sotto - ordine del giorno
voce - ordine del giorno
quitted - abbandonare, lasciare
I was left there alone-winner of the field. It was the hardest battle I had fought, and the first victory I had gained: I stood awhile on the rug, where Mr. Brocklehurst had stood, and I enjoyed my conqueror's solitude. First, I smiled to myself and felt elate; but this fierce pleasure subsided in me as fast as did the accelerated throb of my pulses.
winner - vincitore, vincitrice
Gained - acquistare, conseguire
Conqueror - conquistatore
solitude - solitudine
smiled - sorriso, sorridere
fierce - feroce, risoluto
subsided - sprofondare, abbassare, abbassarsi, scendere
accelerated - accelerare, affrettare
throb - battere, picchiare, pulsare, battito, palpito, pulsazione
pulses - polso
A child cannot quarrel with its elders, as I had done; cannot give its furious feelings uncontrolled play, as I had given mine, without experiencing afterwards the pang of remorse and the chill of reaction. A ridge of lighted heath, alive, glancing, devouring, would have been a meet emblem of my mind when I accused and menaced Mrs.
quarrel - lite, litigio
furious - furioso, checkarrabbiato
uncontrolled - sfrenato, incontrollato
experiencing - esperienza, esperire
remorse - rimorso
reaction - reazione
ridge - cresta, crinale, costone, colmo, catena, dorsale
Heath - brughiera, landa, erica
devouring - divorare, trangugiare, ingurgitare, ingozzarsi
emblem - emblema, raffigurazione, simbolo
menaced - minaccia
Reed: the same ridge, black and blasted after the flames are dead, would have represented as meetly my subsequent condition, when half-an-hour's silence and reflection had shown me the madness of my conduct, and the dreariness of my hated and hating position.
blasted - ventata
flames - fiamma, flame, fiammeggiare, infiammare
meetly - ordine del giorno
subsequent - successivo, checkulteriore, checksusseguente
reflection - riflessione, riflesso, riverbero
madness - pazzia, follia, checkpazzia, insanita
dreariness - squallore
Something of vengeance I had tasted for the first time; as aromatic wine it seemed, on swallowing, warm and racy: its after-flavour, metallic and corroding, gave me a sensation as if I had been poisoned. Willingly would I now have gone and asked Mrs.
vengeance - vendetta, rivalsa, rappresaglia, ritorsione
tasted - gusto, sapore, inclinazione, gustare, assaggiare
aromatic - aromatico, benzenico, pianta aromatica, gusti
swallowing - inghiottire, ingoiare
racy - vivace
flavour - sapore
metallic - metallico
corroding - corrodere
poisoned - veleno, avvelenare, intossicare
willingly - volentieri, con piacere, di buongrado, di buon grado
Reed's pardon; but I knew, partly from experience and partly from instinct, that was the way to make her repulse me with double scorn, thereby re-exciting every turbulent impulse of my nature.
Pardon - perdono, grazia, come
partly - in parte
from experience - dall'esperienza
instinct - istinto
repulse - respingere
turbulent - ordine del giorno
I would fain exercise some better faculty than that of fierce speaking; fain find nourishment for some less fiendish feeling than that of sombre indignation. I took a book-some Arabian tales; I sat down and endeavoured to read. I could make no sense of the subject; my own thoughts swam always between me and the page I had usually found fascinating.
fain - desiderare
faculty - facolta
nourishment - nutrimento
fiendish - diabolico, demoniaco
Arabian - Arabo
thoughts - idea, pensata, pensiero
fascinating - affascinare
I opened the glass-door in the breakfast-room: the shrubbery was quite still: the black frost reigned, unbroken by sun or breeze, through the grounds.
reigned - regno, regnare
unbroken - ininterrotto
I covered my head and arms with the skirt of my frock, and went out to walk in a part of the plantation which was quite sequestrated; but I found no pleasure in the silent trees, the falling fir-cones, the congealed relics of autumn, russet leaves, swept by past winds in heaps, and now stiffened together.
frock - abito, vestito
plantation - piantagione
sequestrated - sequestrare
fir - abete
cones - cono, pigna, strobilo
congealed - congelare, coagulare
russet - ruggine
winds - vento
in heaps - in mucchi
stiffened - irrigidire
I leaned against a gate, and looked into an empty field where no sheep were feeding, where the short grass was nipped and blanched. It was a very grey day; a most opaque sky, "onding on snaw," canopied all; thence flakes felt it intervals, which settled on the hard path and on the hoary lea without melting.
leaned - pendere
feeding - alimentazione
grass - erba, tgraminacea, prato, spia, delatore, pentito
blanched - Palidecer
sky - cielo
onding - l'unione
canopied - baldacchino, calotta, tettuccio
flakes - fiocco
hoary - canuto
melting - scioglimento, (melt), sciogliere, fondere
I stood, a wretched child enough, whispering to myself over and over again, "What shall I do?-what shall I do?"
wretched - misero
All at once I heard a clear voice call, "Miss Jane! where are you? Come to lunch!"
It was Bessie, I knew well enough; but I did not stir; her light step came tripping down the path.
"You naughty little thing!" she said. "Why don't you come when you are called?"
Bessie's presence, compared with the thoughts over which I had been brooding, seemed cheerful; even though, as usual, she was somewhat cross. The fact is, after my conflict with and victory over Mrs. Reed, I was not disposed to care much for the nursemaid's transitory anger; and I was disposed to bask in her youthful lightness of heart. I just put my two arms round her and said, "Come, Bessie!
brooding - malinconico, meditabondo, cupo, (brood), nidiata, prole
cheerful - allegro, felice, gioioso, luminoso
conflict - conflitto, incompatibilita, interferire, sovrapporsi
nursemaid - bambinaia, babysitter, tata
anger - ira, rabbia, collera
bask - crogiolarsi
youthful - giovanile
lightness - leggerezza
don't scold."
The action was more frank and fearless than any I was habituated to indulge in: somehow it pleased her.
fearless - senza paura
habituated - assuefazione
indulge - assecondare, viziare
somehow - in qualche modo
"You are a strange child, Miss Jane," she said, as she looked down at me; "a little roving, solitary thing: and you are going to school, I suppose?"
roving - wandering
I nodded.
nodded - annuire, accennare, scuotere, addormentarsi, appisolarsi
"And won't you be sorry to leave poor Bessie?"
be sorry - essere dispiaciuto
"What does Bessie care for me? She is always scolding me."
scolding - rimproveri, (scold), bisbetica, brontolona, megera, linguaccia
"Because you're such a queer, frightened, shy little thing. You should be bolder."
queer - strano, bizzarro
Shy - timido, schivo, meno, adombrarsi, gettare, scagliare
bolder - ardito, coraggioso
"What! to get more knocks?"
knocks - colpo, botta, botto, autocombustione, bussare
"Nonsense! But you are rather put upon, that's certain. My mother said, when she came to see me last week, that she would not like a little one of her own to be in your place.-Now, come in, and I've some good news for you."
little one - piccolo
ve - ordine del giorno
"I don't think you have, Bessie."
"Child! what do you mean? What sorrowful eyes you fix on me! Well, but Missis and the young ladies and Master John are going out to tea this afternoon, and you shall have tea with me. I'll ask cook to bake you a little cake, and then you shall help me to look over your drawers; for I am soon to pack your trunk.
sorrowful - dolorosa
Fix - aggiustare, riparare, mettere una pezza, sistemare, preparare
have tea - bere il te
bake - cuocere, cuocersi, infornare
look over - inspezionare qualcosa, guardare attraverso qualcosa
trunk - tronco, baule, cofano, proboscide, bagagliaio
Missis intends you to leave Gateshead in a day or two, and you shall choose what toys you like to take with you."
intends - intendere, avere in animo
"Bessie, you must promise not to scold me any more till I go."
"Well, I will; but mind you are a very good girl, and don't be afraid of me. Don't start when I chance to speak rather sharply; it's so provoking."
sharply - in modo acuto
provoking - provocare, generare
"I don't think I shall ever be afraid of you again, Bessie, because I have got used to you, and I shall soon have another set of people to dread."
"If you dread them they'll dislike you."
"As you do, Bessie?"
"I don't dislike you, Miss; I believe I am fonder of you than of all the others."
fonder - tenero
"You don't show it."
"You little sharp thing! you've got quite a new way of talking. What makes you so venturesome and hardy?"
venturesome - avventuroso
"Why, I shall soon be away from you, and besides"-I was going to say something about what had passed between me and Mrs. Reed, but on second thoughts I considered it better to remain silent on that head.
be away - essere via
"And so you're glad to leave me?"
"Not at all, Bessie; indeed, just now I'm rather sorry."
"Just now! and rather! How coolly my little lady says it! I dare say now if I were to ask you for a kiss you wouldn't give it me: you'd say you'd rather not."
coolly - freddamente
kiss - baciare
"I'll kiss you and welcome: bend your head down." Bessie stooped; we mutually embraced, and I followed her into the house quite comforted. That afternoon lapsed in peace and harmony; and in the evening Bessie told me some of her most enchanting stories, and sang me some of her sweetest songs. Even for me life had its gleams of sunshine.
bend - curvare, piegare, piegarsi, curvarsi, ammanigliare, curva, nodo
stooped - chinarsi, abbassarsi
mutually - vicendevolmente
embraced - abbracciare, aderire, inglobare, abbraccio
comforted - agio, comodita, benessere
lapsed - giri
enchanting - incantare
sweetest - dolcemente, dolcetto, caramella
gleams - brillare
sunshine - luce del sole
Five o'clock had hardly struck on the morning of the 19th of January, when Bessie brought a candle into my closet and found me already up and nearly dressed. I had risen half-an-hour before her entrance, and had washed my face, and put on my clothes by the light of a half-moon just setting, whose rays streamed through the narrow window near my crib.
hardly - aspramente, appena, quasi, checkmica
half-moon - (half-moon) mezza luna
setting - contesto, circostanza, impostazioni, calante, (set), Seth
rays - raggio
streamed - corrente, ruscello, rivo, flusso, semestre
I was to leave Gateshead that day by a coach which passed the lodge gates at six a.m. Bessie was the only person yet risen; she had lit a fire in the nursery, where she now proceeded to make my breakfast. Few children can eat when excited with the thoughts of a journey; nor could I.
coach - carrozza, vettura, diligenza, cocchio, carrozza ferroviaria
Bessie, having pressed me in vain to take a few spoonfuls of the boiled milk and bread she had prepared for me, wrapped up some biscuits in a paper and put them into my bag; then she helped me on with my pelisse and bonnet, and wrapping herself in a shawl, she and I left the nursery. As we passed Mrs. Reed's bedroom, she said, "Will you go in and bid Missis good-bye?"
pressed - premere, pigiare
vain - vanitoso, vanesio, vano
spoonfuls - cucchiaiata, cucchiaio
boiled - bollire
wrapped up - avvolto
biscuits - biscotto, biscottino
wrapping - avvolgimento
"No, Bessie: she came to my crib last night when you were gone down to supper, and said I need not disturb her in the morning, or my cousins either; and she told me to remember that she had always been my best friend, and to speak of her and be grateful to her accordingly."
disturb - disturbare
accordingly - conseguentemente, di conseguenza, in conformita a
"What did you say, Miss?"
"Nothing: I covered my face with the bedclothes, and turned from her to the wall."
bedclothes - biancheria da letto
"That was wrong, Miss Jane."
"It was quite right, Bessie. Your Missis has not been my friend: she has been my foe."
foe - nemico
"O Miss Jane! don't say so!"
"Good-bye to Gateshead!" cried I, as we passed through the hall and went out at the front door.
passed through - passare
The moon was set, and it was very dark; Bessie carried a lantern, whose light glanced on wet steps and gravel road sodden by a recent thaw. Raw and chill was the winter morning: my teeth chattered as I hastened down the drive.
glanced - dare un'occhiata, sbirciare, occhieggiare, radere, rasentare
gravel - ghiaia, calcolo, agghiaiare
sodden - fradicio, (seethe), bollire, ribollire, schiumare, fervere
thaw - fondere
chattered - ciarlare
hastened - affrettarsi, sbrigarsi, affrettare, anticipare
There was a light in the porter's lodge: when we reached it, we found the porter's wife just kindling her fire: my trunk, which had been carried down the evening before, stood corded at the door.
reached - arrivare a, raggiungere
kindling - esca, accelerante
corded - cordone
It wanted but a few minutes of six, and shortly after that hour had struck, the distant roll of wheels announced the coming coach; I went to the door and watched its lamps approach rapidly through the gloom.
shortly - subito, tra poco, in breve
wheels - ruota, timone, ruota del timone, pezzo grosso, cerchio
announced - annunciare, segnalare, pronunciare
rapidly - rapidamente
"Is she going by herself?" asked the porter's wife.
going by - passare
"Yes."
"And how far is it?"
"Fifty miles."
"What a long way! I wonder Mrs. Reed is not afraid to trust her so far alone."
The coach drew up; there it was at the gates with its four horses and its top laden with passengers: the guard and coachman loudly urged haste; my trunk was hoisted up; I was taken from Bessie's neck, to which I clung with kisses.
laden - carico
passengers - passeggero
coachman - cocchiere
urged - pulsione, incoraggiare, fare pressione, invitare, esortare
haste - fretta
hoisted - elevare, alzare, issare, innalzare
clung - aggrapparsi, aderire
kisses - baciare
"Be sure and take good care of her," cried she to the guard, as he lifted me into the inside.
inside - interno, dentro, dall'interno, checkriservato
"Ay, ay!" was the answer: the door was slapped to, a voice exclaimed "All right," and on we drove. Thus was I severed from Bessie and Gateshead; thus whirled away to unknown, and, as I then deemed, remote and mysterious regions.
Ay - Sí
slapped - schiaffo, ceffone, sberla, schiaffeggiare, colpire
severed - recidere, troncare, tagliare, separare, distaccare
whirled - turbinare, piroettare, roteare
I remember but little of the journey; I only know that the day seemed to me of a preternatural length, and that we appeared to travel over hundreds of miles of road. We passed through several towns, and in one, a very large one, the coach stopped; the horses were taken out, and the passengers alighted to dine.
several - diversi, vari
alighted - scendere
dine - cenare
I was carried into an inn, where the guard wanted me to have some dinner; but, as I had no appetite, he left me in an immense room with a fireplace at each end, a chandelier pendent from the ceiling, and a little red gallery high up against the wall filled with musical instruments.
Inn - osteria, locanda
appetite - appetito
immense - immenso
fireplace - camino, caminetto, focolare
chandelier - candelabro, lampadario
pendent - ciondolo
gallery - galleria, palchetto, balconata, loggia
musical - musicale
instruments - strumento
Here I walked about for a long time, feeling very strange, and mortally apprehensive of some one coming in and kidnapping me; for I believed in kidnappers, their exploits having frequently figured in Bessie's fireside chronicles.
mortally - mortalmente
apprehensive - apprensivo
kidnapping - sequestro, (kidnap), rapire, sequestrare, rapimento
kidnappers - rapitore
exploits - gesto eroico, gesta eroiche, gesta, prodezza, impresa
figured - figura, fisico, personaggio, cifra, forma, calcolare, risolvere
At last the guard returned; once more I was stowed away in the coach, my protector mounted his own seat, sounded his hollow horn, and away we rattled over the "stony street" of L-.
stowed away - stivato
protector - protettore, protettrice
horn - corno, clacson
rattled - far tintinnare/sbatacchiare
The afternoon came on wet and somewhat misty: as it waned into dusk, I began to feel that we were getting very far indeed from Gateshead: we ceased to pass through towns; the country changed; great grey hills heaved up round the horizon: as twilight deepened, we descended a valley, dark with wood, and long after night had overclouded the prospect, I heard a wild wind rushing amongst trees.
misty - con foschia, nebbioso, velato
waned - pallido
dusk - crepuscolo, tramonto, tramontare, crepuscolare
ceased - cessare, arrestare, smettere, interrompere
pass through - passare attraverso
hills - collina, colle
heaved - sollevamento
deepened - approfondire, intensificare
Valley - valle
wood - legno
prospect - prospettiva, lungimiranza, possibilita, eventualita
Lulled by the sound, I at last dropped asleep; I had not long slumbered when the sudden cessation of motion awoke me; the coach-door was open, and a person like a servant was standing at it: I saw her face and dress by the light of the lamps.
lulled - quiete, pausa, calma, intervallo
dropped - goccia
slumbered - sonnolenza, dormiveglia, appisolarsi, assopirsi, appalugarsi
cessation - cessazione
motion - movimento, mozione, mozioni
awoke - svegliarsi
"Is there a little girl called Jane Eyre here?" she asked. I answered "Yes," and was then lifted out; my trunk was handed down, and the coach instantly drove away.
drove away - allontanarsi, andare via
I was stiff with long sitting, and bewildered with the noise and motion of the coach: Gathering my faculties, I looked about me. Rain, wind, and darkness filled the air; nevertheless, I dimly discerned a wall before me and a door open in it; through this door I passed with my new guide: she shut and locked it behind her.
nevertheless - nondimeno, tuttavia, eppure, nonostante
discerned - percepire
There was now visible a house or houses-for the building spread far-with many windows, and lights burning in some; we went up a broad pebbly path, splashing wet, and were admitted at a door; then the servant led me through a passage into a room with a fire, where she left me alone.
broad - largo
pebbly - ghiaioso
splashing - schizzi, (splash), schizzo, tonfo, sciacquio
I stood and warmed my numbed fingers over the blaze, then I looked round; there was no candle, but the uncertain light from the hearth showed, by intervals, papered walls, carpet, curtains, shining mahogany furniture: it was a parlour, not so spacious or splendid as the drawing-room at Gateshead, but comfortable enough.
numbed - intorpidito
blaze - incendio
uncertain - incerto
shining - brillare, far luce con
comfortable - comodo, confortevole
I was puzzling to make out the subject of a picture on the wall, when the door opened, and an individual carrying a light entered; another followed close behind.
puzzling - misterioso, enigmatico, (puzzle), mistero, rompicapo
The first was a tall lady with dark hair, dark eyes, and a pale and large forehead; her figure was partly enveloped in a shawl, her countenance was grave, her bearing erect.
forehead - fronte
enveloped - circondare, avviluppare
countenance - sembianza, apparenza, espressione
"The child is very young to be sent alone," said she, putting her candle down on the table. She considered me attentively for a minute or two, then further added-
attentively - attentamente
"She had better be put to bed soon; she looks tired: are you tired?" she asked, placing her hand on my shoulder.
put to bed - mettere a letto
"A little, ma'am."
"And hungry too, no doubt: let her have some supper before she goes to bed, Miss Miller. Is this the first time you have left your parents to come to school, my little girl?"
miller - Molinaro
I explained to her that I had no parents. She inquired how long they had been dead: then how old I was, what was my name, whether I could read, write, and sew a little: then she touched my cheek gently with her forefinger, and saying, "She hoped I should be a good child," dismissed me along with Miss Miller.
inquired - domandare, chiedere
sew - cucire
touched - commosso
gently - soavemente, dolcemente, blandamente, delicatamente
forefinger - indice, dito indice
dismissed - licenziare, congedare, mandare via, dimettere, rompere le righe
The lady I had left might be about twenty-nine; the one who went with me appeared some years younger: the first impressed me by her voice, look, and air.
impressed - impressionare, imprimere, confiscare, requisire
Miss Miller was more ordinary; ruddy in complexion, though of a careworn countenance; hurried in gait and action, like one who had always a multiplicity of tasks on hand: she looked, indeed, what I afterwards found she really was, an under-teacher.
more ordinary - piu ordinario
ruddy - rubicondo
careworn - consumato dalla cura
hurried - fretta, premura, furia, affrettarsi, precipitarsi
gait - andatura, passo
multiplicity - molteplicita
tasks - compito
Led by her, I passed from compartment to compartment, from passage to passage, of a large and irregular building; till, emerging from the total and somewhat dreary silence pervading that portion of the house we had traversed, we came upon the hum of many voices, and presently entered a wide, long room, with great deal tables, two at each end, on each of which burnt a pair of candles, and seated all round on benches, a congregation of girls of every age, from nine or ten to twenty. Seen by the dim light of the dips, their number to me appeared countless, though not in reality exceeding eighty; they were uniformly dressed in brown stuff frocks of quaint fashion, and long holland pinafores. It was the hour of study; they were engaged in conning over their to-morrow's task, and the hum I had heard was the combined result of their whispered repetitions.
compartment - terrazza, zoccolo
irregular - irregolare
emerging - emergere, venire fuori, venire alla luce
pervading - pervadere
traversed - traversare
candles - candela
benches - panchina
congregation - assemblea, congregazione, raduno
dim light - luce fioca
dips - intingere
countless - innumerevole, incalcolabile, innumerabile
exceeding - superare, eccedere
uniformly - uniformemente
stuff - cose, roba, tessuto, stoffa, roba (1), checkcose (2), farcire
quaint - originale, curioso
fashion - moda, voga, stile, maniera, modo, tendenza, fabbricare
engaged - attirare, convergere, ingaggiare, intavolare, irretire
conning - imbrogliare
morrow - domani
combined - combinare, mischiare, abbinare, unire, kombinat, combinat
whispered - sussurro, sussurrare
repetitions - ripetizione
Miss Miller signed to me to sit on a bench near the door, then walking up to the top of the long room she cried out-
signed - segno
Bench - panchina
"Monitors, collect the lesson-books and put them away!"
Monitors - monitor, monitorare, supervisionare, guardare
collect - riunirsi
Four tall girls arose from different tables, and going round, gathered the books and removed them. Miss Miller again gave the word of command-
arose from - e nata da
going round - fermarsi, girare, circolare
removed - rimuovere, asportare, levare, togliere
"Monitors, fetch the supper-trays!"
trays - vassoio
The tall girls went out and returned presently, each bearing a tray, with portions of something, I knew not what, arranged thereon, and a pitcher of water and mug in the middle of each tray. The portions were handed round; those who liked took a draught of the water, the mug being common to all.
tray - vassoio
portions - porzione
thereon - su di esso
Pitcher - Brocca
mug - tazza
Middle - mezzo, centro, cintura, checkmeta, medio, mezzano, centrale
handed round - distribuito, consegnato
draught - pedina
When it came to my turn, I drank, for I was thirsty, but did not touch the food, excitement and fatigue rendering me incapable of eating: I now saw, however, that it was a thin oaten cake shared into fragments.
touch - toccare, commuovere, tocco, tatto
fatigue - stanchezza, affaticamento, corvé, usura
rendering - present participle of render
fragments - frammento, frammentare
The meal over, prayers were read by Miss Miller, and the classes filed off, two and two, upstairs. Overpowered by this time with weariness, I scarcely noticed what sort of a place the bedroom was, except that, like the schoolroom, I saw it was very long.
filed off - limato
overpowered - sopraffare, soverchiare
weariness - stanchezza
schoolroom - aula scolastica
To-night I was to be Miss Miller's bed-fellow; she helped me to undress: when laid down I glanced at the long rows of beds, each of which was quickly filled with two occupants; in ten minutes the single light was extinguished, and amidst silence and complete darkness I fell asleep.
undress - svestirsi
laid down - sdraiarsi
rows - fila
occupants - occupante
single - singolo, solo, intero, unico, single
extinguished - estinguere
amidst - in mezzo
The night passed rapidly. I was too tired even to dream; I only once awoke to hear the wind rave in furious gusts, and the rain fall in torrents, and to be sensible that Miss Miller had taken her place by my side. When I again unclosed my eyes, a loud bell was ringing; the girls were up and dressing; day had not yet begun to dawn, and a rushlight or two burned in the room.
dream - sogno, sognare
rave - delirare
gusts - raffica
torrents - torrente
side - lato
dawn - spuntare, albeggiare, alba, aurora, albori
burned - bruciare
I too rose reluctantly; it was bitter cold, and I dressed as well as I could for shivering, and washed when there was a basin at liberty, which did not occur soon, as there was but one basin to six girls, on the stands down the middle of the room.
reluctantly - svogliatamente, di malavoglia, malvolentieri
shivering - rabbrividire
occur - verificarsi, sovvenire, venire in mente
Again the bell rang: all formed in file, two and two, and in that order descended the stairs and entered the cold and dimly lit schoolroom: here prayers were read by Miss Miller; afterwards she called out-
file - fila
"Form classes!"
A great tumult succeeded for some minutes, during which Miss Miller repeatedly exclaimed, "Silence!" and "Order!" When it subsided, I saw them all drawn up in four semicircles, before four chairs, placed at the four tables; all held books in their hands, and a great book, like a Bible, lay on each table, before the vacant seat.
repeatedly - ripetutamente
semicircles - semicerchio
A pause of some seconds succeeded, filled up by the low, vague hum of numbers; Miss Miller walked from class to class, hushing this indefinite sound.
filled up - riempito
hushing - zitto!, silenzio!
indefinite - indefinito
A distant bell tinkled: immediately three ladies entered the room, each walked to a table and took her seat. Miss Miller assumed the fourth vacant chair, which was that nearest the door, and around which the smallest of the children were assembled: to this inferior class I was called, and placed at the bottom of it.
tinkled - tintinnare, scampanellare
assumed - presupporre, ritenere, assumere
assembled - assemblare, montare, mettere insieme, riunire, riunirsi, adunare
inferior - inferiore, di basso rango
bottom - fondo, parte inferiore, sedere, passivo
Business now began, the day's Collect was repeated, then certain texts of Scripture were said, and to these succeeded a protracted reading of chapters in the Bible, which lasted an hour. By the time that exercise was terminated, day had fully dawned.
Scripture - scrittura
protracted - protrarre
chapters - capitolo
lasted - ultimo
terminated - cessare, terminare
The indefatigable bell now sounded for the fourth time: the classes were marshalled and marched into another room to breakfast: how glad I was to behold a prospect of getting something to eat! I was now nearly sick from inanition, having taken so little the day before.
indefatigable - infaticabile
marshalled - maresciallo
behold - guardare, ecco
inanition - inanizione
The refectory was a great, low-ceiled, gloomy room; on two long tables smoked basins of something hot, which, however, to my dismay, sent forth an odour far from inviting. I saw a universal manifestation of discontent when the fumes of the repast met the nostrils of those destined to swallow it; from the van of the procession, the tall girls of the first class, rose the whispered words-
refectory - refettorio, mensa
ceiled - soffitto
gloomy - tetro, uggioso, cupo, lugubre
smoked - fumo
basins - lavandino, lavabo, bacinella, lavacro
dismay - abbattere, abbattersi, mortificare, mortificarsi, scoraggiare
odour - odore
universal - universale
manifestation - manifestazione
discontent - malcontento, scontentezza
fumes - fumo, rodersi il fegato, mangiarsi il fegato
repast - un pasto
nostrils - narice
swallow - inghiottire, ingoiare
van - furgone
procession - corteo
first class - prima classe
"Disgusting! The porridge is burnt again!"
porridge - farinata d'avena
"Silence!" ejaculated a voice; not that of Miss Miller, but one of the upper teachers, a little and dark personage, smartly dressed, but of somewhat morose aspect, who installed herself at the top of one table, while a more buxom lady presided at the other.
ejaculated - eiaculare
personage - personaggio
smartly - in modo intelligente
morose - cupo, imbronciato
installed - rata
buxom - formosa, prosperosa, tettona
presided - presiedere
I looked in vain for her I had first seen the night before; she was not visible: Miss Miller occupied the foot of the table where I sat, and a strange, foreign-looking, elderly lady, the French teacher, as I afterwards found, took the corresponding seat at the other board. A long grace was said and a hymn sung; then a servant brought in some tea for the teachers, and the meal began.
looked in - guardato dentro
foreign - estraneo, estranea, straniero, straniera
elderly - anziano, anziana, anziani, anziane
French teacher - Insegnante di francese
corresponding - corrispondere
board - asse
Ravenous, and now very faint, I devoured a spoonful or two of my portion without thinking of its taste; but the first edge of hunger blunted, I perceived I had got in hand a nauseous mess; burnt porridge is almost as bad as rotten potatoes; famine itself soon sickens over it.
ravenous - famelico, affamato, vorace
faint - debole
devoured - divorare, trangugiare, ingurgitare, ingozzarsi
spoonful - cucchiaiata, cucchiaio
taste - gusto, sapore, inclinazione, gustare, assaggiare
hunger - fame
blunted - smussato
nauseous - nausea
mess - confusione, disordine
rotten - marcito, marcio, malvagio
famine - carestia
itself - sé, se stesso, sé stesso
sickens - ammalarsi
The spoons were moved slowly: I saw each girl taste her food and try to swallow it; but in most cases the effort was soon relinquished. Breakfast was over, and none had breakfasted. Thanks being returned for what we had not got, and a second hymn chanted, the refectory was evacuated for the schoolroom.
spoons - cucchiaio
cases - caso
relinquished - abbandonare, rinunciare, rilasciare, lasciare andare, liberare
chanted - salmodiare, salmodia
evacuated - evacuare
I was one of the last to go out, and in passing the tables, I saw one teacher take a basin of the porridge and taste it; she looked at the others; all their countenances expressed displeasure, and one of them, the stout one, whispered-
countenances - sembianza, apparenza, espressione
displeasure - scontentezza
"Abominable stuff! How shameful!"
abominable - abominabile, detestabile, efferato, odioso
shameful - vergognoso
A quarter of an hour passed before lessons again began, during which the schoolroom was in a glorious tumult; for that space of time it seemed to be permitted to talk loud and more freely, and they used their privilege. The whole conversation ran on the breakfast, which one and all abused roundly. Poor things! it was the sole consolation they had.
glorious - glorioso
space of time - spazio di tempo
freely - liberamente
roundly - in modo circolare
sole - (pianta del piede)
consolation - consolazione
Miss Miller was now the only teacher in the room: a group of great girls standing about her spoke with serious and sullen gestures. I heard the name of Mr. Brocklehurst pronounced by some lips; at which Miss Miller shook her head disapprovingly; but she made no great effort to check the general wrath; doubtless she shared in it.
standing about - rimanere, stare da qualche parte
gestures - gesto
lips - labbro, beccuccio
disapprovingly - con disapprovazione
wrath - furore, collera, ira
doubtless - senza dubbio
A clock in the schoolroom struck nine; Miss Miller left her circle, and standing in the middle of the room, cried-
circle - cerchio, disco, sfera, curva, circolo, gruppo, cenacolo
"Silence! To your seats!"
seats - posto, seduta, sedile, scranno
Discipline prevailed: in five minutes the confused throng was resolved into order, and comparative silence quelled the Babel clamour of tongues. The upper teachers now punctually resumed their posts: but still, all seemed to wait.
prevailed - prevalere, predominare, persuadere
throng - calca, ressa, folla, turba
comparative - comparativo
quelled - reprimere, soffocare
babel - babele
clamour - clamore
tongues - lingua, linguetta
punctually - puntualmente
resumed - riprendere
Ranged on benches down the sides of the room, the eighty girls sat motionless and erect; a quaint assemblage they appeared, all with plain locks combed from their faces, not a curl visible; in brown dresses, made high and surrounded by a narrow tucker about the throat, with little pockets of holland (shaped something like a Highlander's purse) tied in front of their frocks, and destined to serve the purpose of a work-bag: all, too, wearing woollen stockings and country-made shoes, fastened with brass buckles. Above twenty of those clad in this costume were full-grown girls, or rather young women; it suited them ill, and gave an air of oddity even to the prettiest.
ranged - catena, fornello, stufa a legna, piano cottura, varieta, gamma
sides - lato
motionless - immobile, immoto, inerte
assemblage - assemblaggio
locks - serratura
surrounded - circondare, accerchiare, assediare
throat - gola
shaped - condizione, stato, forma, sagoma
purse - portafoglio, borsa, borsellino, borsetta
tied - legare, attaccare
serve the purpose - servire allo scopo
woollen - lana
stockings - calzettone
fastened - chiudere, fissare, attaccare
brass - ottone, di ottone
buckles - fibbia, fermaglio
costume - costume
suited - talian: t-needed
oddity - stranezza
I was still looking at them, and also at intervals examining the teachers-none of whom precisely pleased me; for the stout one was a little coarse, the dark one not a little fierce, the foreigner harsh and grotesque, and Miss Miller, poor thing!
examining - esaminare
precisely - precisamente, esattamente
foreigner - straniero, straniera, (foreign), estraneo, estranea
grotesque - grottesco
looked purple, weather-beaten, and over-worked-when, as my eye wandered from face to face, the whole school rose simultaneously, as if moved by a common spring.
beaten - colpire, percuotere
wandered - errare, vagare, girovagare, passeggiare
simultaneously - simultaneamente, allo stesso tempo
What was the matter? I had heard no order given: I was puzzled. Ere I had gathered my wits, the classes were again seated: but as all eyes were now turned to one point, mine followed the general direction, and encountered the personage who had received me last night.
wits - spirito
direction - direzione, senso di marcia, regia, conduzione
encountered - incontrare, imbattersi in
She stood at the bottom of the long room, on the hearth; for there was a fire at each end; she surveyed the two rows of girls silently and gravely. Miss Miller approaching, seemed to ask her a question, and having received her answer, went back to her place, and said aloud-
fire at - sparare a
silently - silenziosamente
gravely - gravemente
approaching - avvicinarsi
"Monitor of the first class, fetch the globes!"
monitor - monitor, monitorare, supervisionare, guardare
globes - globo
While the direction was being executed, the lady consulted moved slowly up the room. I suppose I have a considerable organ of veneration, for I retain yet the sense of admiring awe with which my eyes traced her steps.
consulted - consultarsi, consultare
considerable - considerabile
organ - organo
veneration - venerazione
retain - conservare, mantenere
admiring - ammirare
awe - timore
traced - traccia
Seen now, in broad daylight, she looked tall, fair, and shapely; brown eyes with a benignant light in their irids, and a fine pencilling of long lashes round, relieved the whiteness of her large front; on each of her temples her hair, of a very dark brown, was clustered in round curls, according to the fashion of those times, when neither smooth bands nor long ringlets were in vogue; her dress, also in the mode of the day, was of purple cloth, relieved by a sort of Spanish trimming of black velvet; a gold watch (watches were not so common then as now) shone at her girdle. Let the reader add, to complete the picture, refined features; a complexion, if pale, clear; and a stately air and carriage, and he will have, at least, as clearly as words can give it, a correct idea of the exterior of Miss Temple-Maria Temple, as I afterwards saw the name written in a prayer-book intrusted to me to carry to church.
shapely - formoso, tornito, prosperoso, polputo
benignant - benigno
lashes - ciglio
whiteness - bianchezza, biancore
temples - tempio
dark brown - marrone scuro
smooth - liscio, mellifluo, facile, dolce, soffice, blando
ringlets - ricciolo
vogue - moda
mode - modo, maniera
Spanish - spagnolo, castigliano
trimming - rifilatura, (trim), tagliare, accorciare, decorare, bordare
velvet - velluto
gold - oro, d'oro
shone - brillare, far luce con
girdle - cintura
refined - raffinare, decontaminare, decantare, purificare
stately - prestante
exterior - talian: t-needed
The superintendent of Lowood (for such was this lady) having taken her seat before a pair of globes placed on one of the tables, summoned the first class round her, and commenced giving a lesson on geography; the lower classes were called by the teachers: repetitions in history, grammar, &c.
commenced - cominciare
lower classes - classi inferiori
Grammar - grammatica
, went on for an hour; writing and arithmetic succeeded, and music lessons were given by Miss Temple to some of the elder girls. The duration of each lesson was measured by the clock, which at last struck twelve. The superintendent rose-
Arithmetic - aritmetica, aritmetico
duration - durata
measured - misurazione, misura, righello, regolo, funzione di misura
"I have a word to address to the pupils," said she.
address to - indirizzo per
The tumult of cessation from lessons was already breaking forth, but it sank at her voice. She went on-
"You had this morning a breakfast which you could not eat; you must be hungry:-I have ordered that a lunch of bread and cheese shall be served to all."
served - servizio, servire, essere in forza, operare, lavorare per
The teachers looked at her with a sort of surprise.
surprise - sorpresa, stupire, sorprendere, meravigliare
"It is to be done on my responsibility," she added, in an explanatory tone to them, and immediately afterwards left the room.
explanatory - esplicativo
The bread and cheese was presently brought in and distributed, to the high delight and refreshment of the whole school. The order was now given "To the garden!" Each put on a coarse straw bonnet, with strings of coloured calico, and a cloak of grey frieze. I was similarly equipped, and, following the stream, I made my way into the open air.
distributed - distribuire, suddividere, ripartire
refreshment - rinfrescarsi
straw - festuca, pagliuzza, paglia
calico - calico
cloak - tabarro, ammantare
frieze - fregio
similarly - similarmente, similmente
equipped - equipaggiare
stream - corrente, ruscello, rivo, flusso, semestre
open air - all'aria aperta
The garden was a wide inclosure, surrounded with walls so high as to exclude every glimpse of prospect; a covered verandah ran down one side, and broad walks bordered a middle space divided into scores of little beds: these beds were assigned as gardens for the pupils to cultivate, and each bed had an owner.
inclosure - chiusura
Glimpse - occhiata, scorcio, intravedere
verandah - veranda
ran down - leggere, scaricare, esaurire
bordered - confine, frontiera, orlo
divided - dividere, spartire, spartirsi
scores - punteggio, risultato, ventina, 20 libbre, spartito, dovuto
assigned - assegnare, accantonare, categorizzare, attribuire
cultivate - coltivare
When full of flowers they would doubtless look pretty; but now, at the latter end of January, all was wintry blight and brown decay. I shuddered as I stood and looked round me: it was an inclement day for outdoor exercise; not positively rainy, but darkened by a drizzling yellow fog; all under foot was still soaking wet with the floods of yesterday.
wintry - invernale
blight - rovina, rovinare
decay - imputridire
shuddered - brivido, sussulto, tremolio, tremare
inclement - inclemente
outdoor - all'aperto
positively - positivamente
rainy - piovoso, pluviale
drizzling - piovigginare, pioggerella, pioviggine
Fog - nebbia
soaking - zuppo, fradicio, bagnato fradicio, (soak), inzupparsi
floods - inondazione, alluvione
The stronger among the girls ran about and engaged in active games, but sundry pale and thin ones herded together for shelter and warmth in the verandah; and amongst these, as the dense mist penetrated to their shivering frames, I heard frequently the sound of a hollow cough.
sundry - vari
herded - mandria, branco
warmth - calore
penetrated - penetrare
frames - incorniciare, incastrare, impalcatura, incastellatura, armatura
cough - tossire, tosse, colpo di tosse
as yet I had spoken to no one, nor did anybody seem to take notice of me; I stood lonely enough: but to that feeling of isolation I was accustomed; it did not oppress me much.
as yet - ancora
isolation - isolamento
oppress - opprimere
I leant against a pillar of the verandah, drew my grey mantle close about me, and, trying to forget the cold which nipped me without, and the unsatisfied hunger which gnawed me within, delivered myself up to the employment of watching and thinking.
leant - pendere
mantle - mantello, reticella
unsatisfied - insoddisfatto
gnawed - rodere, rosicchiare, mordicchiare, rosicare
delivered - consegnare
employment - impiego, assunzione, occupazione
My reflections were too undefined and fragmentary to merit record: I hardly yet knew where I was; Gateshead and my past life seemed floated away to an immeasurable distance; the present was vague and strange, and of the future I could form no conjecture.
undefined - indefinito
fragmentary - frammentario
merit - merito, merto, meritare
record - documento, verbale
past life - vita passata
floated - galleggiare, appianatoia, frattazzo, pialletto, carro allegorico
immeasurable - enorme, immenso, incommensurabile
I looked round the convent-like garden, and then up at the house-a large building, half of which seemed grey and old, the other half quite new. The new part, containing the schoolroom and dormitory, was lit by mullioned and latticed windows, which gave it a church-like aspect; a stone tablet over the door bore this inscription:-
convent - convento
dormitory - camerata, dormitorio
mullioned - montante, colonnina
latticed - grata, graticcio, cannicciata, traliccio
tablet - compressa, pasticca, pastiglia
bore - forare, perforare
inscription - inscrizione, motto
"Lowood Institution.-This portion was rebuilt A.D. ---, by Naomi Brocklehurst, of Brocklehurst Hall, in this county." "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."-St. Matt. v. 16.
Institution - istituzione
rebuilt - ricostruire
county - contea, contado
shine - brillare, far luce con
glorify - glorificare
I read these words over and over again: I felt that an explanation belonged to them, and was unable fully to penetrate their import. I was still pondering the signification of "Institution," and endeavouring to make out a connection between the first words and the verse of Scripture, when the sound of a cough close behind me made me turn my head.
belonged - appartenere a
unable - incapace
import - importare
pondering - ponderare
signification - significato
connection - connessione, coincidenza
I saw a girl sitting on a stone bench near; she was bent over a book, on the perusal of which she seemed intent: from where I stood I could see the title-it was "Rasselas;" a name that struck me as strange, and consequently attractive. In turning a leaf she happened to look up, and I said to her directly-
bent - piegato, (bend), curvare, piegare, piegarsi, curvarsi
perusal - lettura attenta
intent - intento
leaf - foglia, foglio, prolunga
"Is your book interesting?" I had already formed the intention of asking her to lend it to me some day.
some day - un giorno
"I like it," she answered, after a pause of a second or two, during which she examined me.
"What is it about?" I continued. I hardly know where I found the hardihood thus to open a conversation with a stranger; the step was contrary to my nature and habits: but I think her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere; for I too liked reading, though of a frivolous and childish kind; I could not digest or comprehend the serious or substantial.
hardihood - la robustezza
touched - toccare, commuovere, tocco, tatto
chord - accordo, corda
sympathy - compassione, empatia
frivolous - frivolo
childish - infantile, bambinesco, puerile
digest - digerire
comprehend - comprendere, capire
substantial - sostanziale, consistente, sostanzioso, forte, considerevole
"You may look at it," replied the girl, offering me the book.
I did so; a brief examination convinced me that the contents were less taking than the title: "Rasselas" looked dull to my trifling taste; I saw nothing about fairies, nothing about genii; no bright variety seemed spread over the closely-printed pages.
examination - esame, visita
Convinced - convincere
trifling - insignificante, (trifle), zuppa inglese, un tantino, un po'
fairies - fata, foletto, foletta, folletto
genii - genio
variety - varieta
printed - stampare, scrivere in stampatello, impronta, stampa
I returned it to her; she received it quietly, and without saying anything she was about to relapse into her former studious mood: again I ventured to disturb her-
relapse - ricadere, recidivare, ricaduta, recidiva
former - precedente, passato
studious - studioso
"Can you tell me what the writing on that stone over the door means? What is Lowood Institution?"
"This house where you are come to live."
"And why do they call it Institution? Is it in any way different from other schools?"
"It is partly a charity-school: you and I, and all the rest of us, are charity-children. I suppose you are an orphan: are not either your father or your mother dead?"
charity - carita, amore, altruismo, ente di beneficenza
"Both died before I can remember."
"Well, all the girls here have lost either one or both parents, and this is called an institution for educating orphans."
educating - istruire, educare
Orphans - orfano, orfana
"Do we pay no money? Do they keep us for nothing?"
"We pay, or our friends pay, fifteen pounds a year for each."
"Then why do they call us charity-children?"
"Because fifteen pounds is not enough for board and teaching, and the deficiency is supplied by subscription."
deficiency - deficienza
subscription - abbonamento
"Who subscribes?"
subscribes - abbonarsi
"Different benevolent-minded ladies and gentlemen in this neighbourhood and in London."
benevolent - benevolo
neighbourhood - quartiere
"Who was Naomi Brocklehurst?"
"The lady who built the new part of this house as that tablet records, and whose son overlooks and directs everything here."
records - documento, verbale
overlooks - dare su
directs - diretto
"Why?"
"Because he is treasurer and manager of the establishment."
treasurer - tesoriere
"Then this house does not belong to that tall lady who wears a watch, and who said we were to have some bread and cheese?"
"To Miss Temple? Oh, no! I wish it did: she has to answer to Mr. Brocklehurst for all she does. Mr. Brocklehurst buys all our food and all our clothes."
"Does he live here?"
"No-two miles off, at a large hall."
"Is he a good man?"
"He is a clergyman, and is said to do a great deal of good."
"Did you say that tall lady was called Miss Temple?"
"Yes."
"And what are the other teachers called?"
"The one with red cheeks is called Miss Smith; she attends to the work, and cuts out-for we make our own clothes, our frocks, and pelisses, and everything; the little one with black hair is Miss Scatcherd; she teaches history and grammar, and hears the second class repetitions; and the one who wears a shawl, and has a pocket-handkerchief tied to her side with a yellow ribband, is Madame Pierrot: she comes from Lisle, in France, and teaches French."
Smith - Ferraro, Ferrari, Ferrero, Ferreri
attends - assistere a, seguire
second class - seconda classe
handkerchief - fazzoletto
side with - stare dalla parte di qualcuno
ribband - nastro
Madame - Senora
Pierrot - Pedrolino
France - Francia
"Do you like the teachers?"
"Well enough."
"Do you like the little black one, and the Madame ---?-I cannot pronounce her name as you do."
pronounce - dichiarare, emettere, pronunziare, pronunciare
"Miss Scatcherd is hasty-you must take care not to offend her; Madame Pierrot is not a bad sort of person."
"But Miss Temple is the best-isn't she?"
"Miss Temple is very good and very clever; she is above the rest, because she knows far more than they do."
"Have you been long here?"
"Two years."
"Are you an orphan?"
"My mother is dead."
"Are you happy here?"
"You ask rather too many questions. I have given you answers enough for the present: now I want to read."
But at that moment the summons sounded for dinner; all re-entered the house. The odour which now filled the refectory was scarcely more appetising than that which had regaled our nostrils at breakfast: the dinner was served in two huge tin-plated vessels, whence rose a strong steam redolent of rancid fat.
summons - convocazione
appetising - appetito
regaled - dilettare
huge - enorme, gigante
tin - stagno, lattina, barattolo, gamella
plated - piatto
vessels - vascello, imbarcazione, bastimento, nave
whence - onde, donde, da dove
steam - vapore
redolent - profumato
rancid - rancido
I found the mess to consist of indifferent potatoes and strange shreds of rusty meat, mixed and cooked together. Of this preparation a tolerably abundant plateful was apportioned to each pupil. I ate what I could, and wondered within myself whether every day's fare would be like this.
consist - consistere di
rusty - arrugginito
mixed - mescolare, mischiare
tolerably - in modo tollerabile
abundant - abbondante
plateful - piatto
apportioned - ripartire, distribuire
wondered - meraviglia, domandarsi, chiedersi
fare - biglietto
After dinner, we immediately adjourned to the schoolroom: lessons recommenced, and were continued till five o'clock.
adjourned - aggiornare
recommenced - ricominciare
The only marked event of the afternoon was, that I saw the girl with whom I had conversed in the verandah dismissed in disgrace by Miss Scatcherd from a history class, and sent to stand in the middle of the large schoolroom. The punishment seemed to me in a high degree ignominious, especially for so great a girl-she looked thirteen or upwards.
conversed - conversare
disgrace - vergogna, infamia, ignominia, disonorare
degree - laurea, grado
ignominious - ignominioso
upwards - verso l'alto
I expected she would show signs of great distress and shame; but to my surprise she neither wept nor blushed: composed, though grave, she stood, the central mark of all eyes. "How can she bear it so quietly-so firmly?" I asked of myself. "Were I in her place, it seems to me I should wish the earth to open and swallow me up.
signs - segno
my surprise - la mia sorpresa
wept - piangere
blushed - rossore
composed - comporre
central - centrale, fondamentale
she bear - lei sopporta, mamma orso
firmly - fermamente, decisamente, sicuramente, saldamente
Seems - sembrare, parere, apparire
She looks as if she were thinking of something beyond her punishment-beyond her situation: of something not round her nor before her. I have heard of day-dreams-is she in a day-dream now? Her eyes are fixed on the floor, but I am sure they do not see it-her sight seems turned in, gone down into her heart: she is looking at what she can remember, I believe; not at what is really present.
dreams - sogno, sognare
turned in - consegnato
I wonder what sort of a girl she is-whether good or naughty."
Soon after five p.m. we had another meal, consisting of a small mug of coffee, and half-a-slice of brown bread. I devoured my bread and drank my coffee with relish; but I should have been glad of as much more-I was still hungry. Half-an-hour's recreation succeeded, then study; then the glass of water and the piece of oat-cake, prayers, and bed. Such was my first day at Lowood.
consisting - consistere di
slice - fetta, trancio, affettare, svirgolare
brown bread - pane integrale
relish - gusto, condimento
been glad - essere felice
recreation - svago, passatempo
oat - avena
The next day commenced as before, getting up and dressing by rushlight; but this morning we were obliged to dispense with the ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen.
as before - come prima
getting up - alzarsi
dispense with - rinunciare
ceremony - cerimonia
pitchers - lanciatore
frozen - gelare
A change had taken place in the weather the preceding evening, and a keen north-east wind, whistling through the crevices of our bedroom windows all night long, had made us shiver in our beds, and turned the contents of the ewers to ice.
preceding - precedere
keen - appassionato, desideroso
whistling - fischiare, (whistle), fischietto, fischio, checkfischio
crevices - fessura, fenditura, crepa
shiver - rabbrividire, tremare
ewers - brocca, caraffa, lancella
Before the long hour and a half of prayers and Bible-reading was over, I felt ready to perish with cold. Breakfast-time came at last, and this morning the porridge was not burnt; the quality was eatable, the quantity small. How small my portion seemed! I wished it had been doubled.
perish - perire
quality - qualita
eatable - mangiabile
quantity - grandezza, quantita, numero
doubled - doppio, doppia, sosia, doppione, doppiare
In the course of the day I was enrolled a member of the fourth class, and regular tasks and occupations were assigned me: hitherto, I had only been a spectator of the proceedings at Lowood; I was now to become an actor therein.
enrolled - iscriversi, reclutare
occupations - occupazione
spectator - spettatore
Therein - In questo caso
At first, being little accustomed to learn by heart, the lessons appeared to me both long and difficult; the frequent change from task to task, too, bewildered me; and I was glad when, about three o'clock in the afternoon, Miss Smith put into my hands a border of muslin two yards long, together with needle, thimble, &c.
learn by heart - imparare a memoria
border - confine, frontiera, orlo
needle - ago, lancetta, puntina, punzonare, punzecchiare
, and sent me to sit in a quiet corner of the schoolroom, with directions to hem the same.
corner - angolo, sporgenza, angolo sporgente, pietra d'angolo
hem - orlo
At that hour most of the others were sewing likewise; but one class still stood round Miss Scatcherd's chair reading, and as all was quiet, the subject of their lessons could be heard, together with the manner in which each girl acquitted herself, and the animadversions or commendations of Miss Scatcherd on the performance.
acquitted - assolvere
animadversions - animavversione
commendations - elogio, encomio
performance - esecuzione, prestazione, rendimento, esibizione
It was English history: among the readers I observed my acquaintance of the verandah: at the commencement of the lesson, her place had been at the top of the class, but for some error of pronunciation, or some inattention to stops, she was suddenly sent to the very bottom.
acquaintance - conoscenza
commencement - inizio
error - errore, sbaglio, vizio, mostrare un errore, mostrare errori
pronunciation - pronuncia, pronunzia
inattention - inattenzione, scortesia
Even in that obscure position, Miss Scatcherd continued to make her an object of constant notice: she was continually addressing to her such phrases as the following:-
constant - costante, continuo
"Burns" (such it seems was her name: the girls here were all called by their surnames, as boys are elsewhere), "Burns, you are standing on the side of your shoe; turn your toes out immediately." "Burns, you poke your chin most unpleasantly; draw it in." "Burns, I insist on your holding your head up; I will not have you before me in that attitude," &c. &c.
burns - bruciare
surnames - cognome
elsewhere - altrove
poke - cacciare, dare un colpetto
unpleasantly - sgradevolmente
insist - insistere
holding - possesso
attitude - atteggiamento, postura, comportamento, approccio
A chapter having been read through twice, the books were closed and the girls examined. The lesson had comprised part of the reign of Charles I.
read through - leggere qualcosa dall'inizio alla fine
comprised - consistere, comprendere, includere
reign - regno, regnare
Charles - Carlo
, and there were sundry questions about tonnage and poundage and ship-money, which most of them appeared unable to answer; still, every little difficulty was solved instantly when it reached Burns: her memory seemed to have retained the substance of the whole lesson, and she was ready with answers on every point.
tonnage - tonnellaggio
poundage - peso
ship - nave
solved - risolvere
memory - memoria, ricordo
retained - conservare, mantenere
substance - sostanza
I kept expecting that Miss Scatcherd would praise her attention; but, instead of that, she suddenly cried out-
expecting - in attesa, (expect), aspettarsi, pensare
Praise - elogio, lode, complimento, adorazione, gloria
"You dirty, disagreeable girl! you have never cleaned your nails this morning!"
nails - unghia
Burns made no answer: I wondered at her silence. "Why," thought I, "does she not explain that she could neither clean her nails nor wash her face, as the water was frozen?"
My attention was now called off by Miss Smith desiring me to hold a skein of thread: while she was winding it, she talked to me from time to time, asking whether I had ever been at school before, whether I could mark, stitch, knit, &c.; till she dismissed me, I could not pursue my observations on Miss Scatcherd's movements.
called off - annullato
desiring - desiderare, volere, desiderio, voglia
skein - matassa, stormo
thread - filo, refe, filo conduttore, forum
winding - avvolgimento
stitch - punto, maglia
knit - lavorare a maglia, sferruzzare, legare, saldarsi, compattare
pursue - perseguire, perseguitare, tormentare, inseguire, cercare
observations - osservazione
When I returned to my seat, that lady was just delivering an order of which I did not catch the import; but Burns immediately left the class, and going into the small inner room where the books were kept, returned in half a minute, carrying in her hand a bundle of twigs tied together at one end.
delivering - consegnare
catch - presa, conquista, fermaglio, fermaglio di sicurezza, trappola
bundle - insieme, fascina, fascio, pacchetto, fagotto
This ominous tool she presented to Miss Scatcherd with a respectful curtesy; then she quietly, and without being told, unloosed her pinafore, and the teacher instantly and sharply inflicted on her neck a dozen strokes with the bunch of twigs.
ominous - predittivo, malaugurante, infausto, nefasto
tool - arnese, strumento, utensile, mezzo, attrezzo
respectful - rispettoso
curtesy - cortesia
unloosed - sciogliere
dozen - dozzina, centinaio
strokes - colpo
bunch - ciuffo, graspo, mucchio, grappolo, comitiva, ammucchiare
Not a tear rose to Burns'eye; and, while I paused from my sewing, because my fingers quivered at this spectacle with a sentiment of unavailing and impotent anger, not a feature of her pensive face altered its ordinary expression.
tear - lacrima
unavailing - inefficace, infruttuoso, futile
feature - caratteristica, prestazione, peculiarita, proprieta
pensive - pensieroso, contemplativo, estraniato, pensoso
altered - modificare, cambiare
ordinary - pezza, ordinario, ordinaria
expression - espressione
"Hardened girl!" exclaimed Miss Scatcherd; "nothing can correct you of your slatternly habits: carry the rod away."
hardened - indurire
slatternly - svergognato
rod - palo, pertica, stecca, bastone, canna
Burns obeyed: I looked at her narrowly as she emerged from the book-closet; she was just putting back her handkerchief into her pocket, and the trace of a tear glistened on her thin cheek.
narrowly - da vicino, per un pelo, di misura
emerged - emergere, venire fuori, venire alla luce
putting back - tornare indietro
trace - traccia
glistened - luccicante
The play-hour in the evening I thought the pleasantest fraction of the day at Lowood: the bit of bread, the draught of coffee swallowed at five o'clock had revived vitality, if it had not satisfied hunger: the long restraint of the day was slackened; the schoolroom felt warmer than in the morning-its fires being allowed to burn a little more brightly, to supply, in some measure, the place of candles, not yet introduced: the ruddy gloaming, the licensed uproar, the confusion of many voices gave one a welcome sense of liberty.
pleasantest - piacevole, gradito, gradevole
fraction - frazione
swallowed - inghiottire, ingoiare
revived - rinascere, resuscitare, rivivere, rinnovare
vitality - vitalita
satisfied - soddisfare, accontentare, saziare
restraint - limitazione, ritegno, contegno, remora
slackened - allentare
supply - fornire
measure - misurazione, misura, righello, regolo, funzione di misura
gloaming - imbrunire
licensed - licenza, permesso
uproar - baraonda, clamore, fragore, baccano
confusion - confusione, disordine, disorientamento, sbandamento
On the evening of the day on which I had seen Miss Scatcherd flog her pupil, Burns, I wandered as usual among the forms and tables and laughing groups without a companion, yet not feeling lonely: when I passed the windows, I now and then lifted a blind, and looked out; it snowed fast, a drift was already forming against the lower panes; putting my ear close to the window, I could distinguish from the gleeful tumult within, the disconsolate moan of the wind outside.
flog - frustare, fustigare
companion - amico, compagno
drift - deriva, direzione, verso, tendenza, indirizzo
lower - oscurarsi
distinguish - distinguere, discernere, distinguersi
gleeful - allegro
disconsolate - sconsolato
moan - gemito, lamentarsi, gemere
Probably, if I had lately left a good home and kind parents, this would have been the hour when I should most keenly have regretted the separation; that wind would then have saddened my heart; this obscure chaos would have disturbed my peace!
lately - Ultimamente
keenly - con entusiasmo
chaos - caos
as it was, I derived from both a strange excitement, and reckless and feverish, I wished the wind to howl more wildly, the gloom to deepen to darkness, and the confusion to rise to clamour.
derived - derivare
reckless - avventato, spericolato
feverish - febbricoso
howl - ululato, uggiolio, latrato, guaito, ululare, gannire
deepen - approfondire, intensificare
jumping over forms, and creeping under tables, I made my way to one of the fire-places; there, kneeling by the high wire fender, I found Burns, absorbed, silent, abstracted from all round her by the companionship of a book, which she read by the dim glare of the embers.
jumping over - saltare
creeping - abbarbicarsi, insinuarsi, strisciare, scorrimento, spostamento
kneeling - in ginocchio, (kneel), inginocchiarsi
high wire - corda tesa
Fender - parafango, parabordo
absorbed - assorbire, incorporare, includere, assorbere, assorto
abstracted - estratto, sunto, compendio, riassunto, astrazione, astratto
companionship - compagnia
"Is it still 'Rasselas'?" I asked, coming behind her.
"Yes," she said, "and I have just finished it."
And in five minutes more she shut it up. I was glad of this. "Now," thought I, "I can perhaps get her to talk." I sat down by her on the floor.
"What is your name besides Burns?"
"Helen."
Helen - Elena
"Do you come a long way from here?"
"I come from a place farther north, quite on the borders of Scotland."
Scotland - Scozia
"Will you ever go back?"
"I hope so; but nobody can be sure of the future."
"You must wish to leave Lowood?"
"No! why should I? I was sent to Lowood to get an education; and it would be of no use going away until I have attained that object."
education - istruzione, educazione, formazione
going away - andare via
"But that teacher, Miss Scatcherd, is so cruel to you?"
"Cruel? Not at all! She is severe: she dislikes my faults."
dislikes - antipatia, avversione, non piacersi
"And if I were in your place I should dislike her; I should resist her. If she struck me with that rod, I should get it from her hand; I should break it under her nose."
resist - resistere
"Probably you would do nothing of the sort: but if you did, Mr. Brocklehurst would expel you from the school; that would be a great grief to your relations. It is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you; and besides, the Bible bids us return good for evil."
expel - espellere
patiently - pazientemente
consequences - conseguenza
extend - ampliare
bids - offrire, fare un'offerta
"But then it seems disgraceful to be flogged, and to be sent to stand in the middle of a room full of people; and you are such a great girl: I am far younger than you, and I could not bear it."
disgraceful - vergognoso, disonorevole, deprecabile, obbrobrioso
flogged - frustare, fustigare
"Yet it would be your duty to bear it, if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to be required to bear."
fate - fato, sorte, destino
I heard her with wonder: I could not comprehend this doctrine of endurance; and still less could I understand or sympathise with the forbearance she expressed for her chastiser. Still I felt that Helen Burns considered things by a light invisible to my eyes. I suspected she might be right and I wrong; but I would not ponder the matter deeply; like Felix, I put it off to a more convenient season.
doctrine - dottrina
forbearance - pazienza, tolleranza, sopportazione
chastiser - castigatore
suspected - sospettare
ponder - ponderare
deeply - in profondita, estremamente, profondamente, intensamente
more convenient - piu conveniente
season - stagione
"You say you have faults, Helen: what are they? To me you seem very good."
"Then learn from me, not to judge by appearances: I am, as Miss Scatcherd said, slatternly; I seldom put, and never keep, things, in order; I am careless; I forget rules; I read when I should learn my lessons; I have no method; and sometimes I say, like you, I cannot bear to be subjected to systematic arrangements.
appearances - apparizione, comparsa, visione, apparenza, aspetto
method - metodo
systematic - sistematico
arrangements - arrangiamento, sistemazione, incontro, composizione
This is all very provoking to Miss Scatcherd, who is naturally neat, punctual, and particular."
naturally - naturalmente
neat - preciso, ordinato
punctual - puntuale
particular - specifico, proprio, particolare, speciale, minuzioso
"And cross and cruel," I added; but Helen Burns would not admit my addition: she kept silence.
Addition - addizione, aggiunta
"Is Miss Temple as severe to you as Miss Scatcherd?"
At the utterance of Miss Temple's name, a soft smile flitted over her grave face.
flitted - svolazzare
"Miss Temple is full of goodness; it pains her to be severe to any one, even the worst in the school: she sees my errors, and tells me of them gently; and, if I do anything worthy of praise, she gives me my meed liberally.
goodness - bonta
pains - dolore
liberally - liberalmente
One strong proof of my wretchedly defective nature is, that even her expostulations, so mild, so rational, have not influence to cure me of my faults; and even her praise, though I value it most highly, cannot stimulate me to continued care and foresight."
wretchedly - miseramente
defective - difettoso, difettivo
expostulations - espediente
rational - razionale
cure - curare, guarire
value - valore, valutare, stimare, apprezzare, valorizzare
highly - altamente
stimulate - stimolare
foresight - lungimiranza, preveggenza, avvedimento
"That is curious," said I, "it is so easy to be careful."
Curious - curioso
"For you I have no doubt it is. I observed you in your class this morning, and saw you were closely attentive: your thoughts never seemed to wander while Miss Miller explained the lesson and questioned you.
attentive - attento
wander - errare, vagare, girovagare, passeggiare
Now, mine continually rove away; when I should be listening to Miss Scatcherd, and collecting all she says with assiduity, often I lose the very sound of her voice; I fall into a sort of dream.
rove - vagare, vagabondare
collecting - collezionismo
assiduity - assiduita
Sometimes I think I am in Northumberland, and that the noises I hear round me are the bubbling of a little brook which runs through Deepden, near our house;-then, when it comes to my turn to reply, I have to be awakened; and having heard nothing of what was read for listening to the visionary brook, I have no answer ready."
noises - rumore, strepito
bubbling - bolla
brook - ruscello
awakened - svegliare, svegliarsi
"Yet how well you replied this afternoon."
"It was mere chance; the subject on which we had been reading had interested me. This afternoon, instead of dreaming of Deepden, I was wondering how a man who wished to do right could act so unjustly and unwisely as Charles the First sometimes did; and I thought What a pity it was that, with his integrity and conscientiousness, he could see no farther than the prerogatives of the crown.
dreaming - sognare, (dream), sogno
wondering - chiedersi, (wonder), meraviglia, domandarsi
unjustly - ingiustamente
unwisely - incautamente
What a pity - Che peccato
integrity - integrita
conscientiousness - coscienziosita
prerogatives - privilegio, prerogativa, appannaggio, diritto
If he had but been able to look to a distance, and see how what they call the spirit of the age was tending! Still, I like Charles-I respect him-I pity him, poor murdered king! Yes, his enemies were the worst: they shed blood they had no right to shed. How dared they kill him!"
respect - rispetto, riguardo, materia, rispettare
murdered - assassinio, omicidio, uccisione, assassinare, massacrare
king - re
enemies - nemico, nemica
shed blood - versare sangue
kill - uccidere
Helen was talking to herself now: she had forgotten I could not very well understand her-that I was ignorant, or nearly so, of the subject she discussed. I recalled her to my level.
ignorant - ignorante
recalled - ritirare, revocare, richiamare, rammentare, ricordare
"And when Miss Temple teaches you, do your thoughts wander then?"
"No, certainly, not often; because Miss Temple has generally something to say which is newer than my own reflections; her language is singularly agreeable to me, and the information she communicates is often just what I wished to gain."
singularly - singolarmente
communicates - comunicare, informare, trasmettere, essere collegato
gain - acquistare, conseguire
"Well, then, with Miss Temple you are good?"
"Yes, in a passive way: I make no effort; I follow as inclination guides me. There is no merit in such goodness."
passive - passivo
guides - guidare
"A great deal: you are good to those who are good to you. It is all I ever desire to be. If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse.
alter - modificare, cambiare
When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should-so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again."
strike back - contrattaccare, colpire
"You will change your mind, I hope, when you grow older: as yet you are but a little untaught girl."
untaught - non insegnare
"But I feel this, Helen; I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me; I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved."
persist - persistere
disliking - antipatia, avversione, non piacersi
resist - resistere
punish me - punire qualcuno
submit - presentare, sottoporre
deserved - meritare, meritarsi
"Heathens and savage tribes hold that doctrine, but Christians and civilised nations disown it."
Heathens - pagano, pagana
tribes - tribu
Christians - cristiano, cristiana
civilised - incivilire, civilizzare, ingentilire, checkcivilizzare
nations - nazione
disown - disconoscere
"How? I don't understand."
I don't understand - Non capisco
"It is not violence that best overcomes hate-nor vengeance that most certainly heals injury."
overcomes - superare, sconfiggere
heals - guarire
"What then?"
"Read the New Testament, and observe what Christ says, and how He acts; make His word your rule, and His conduct your example."
New Testament - Nuovo Testamento
observe - osservare
acts - atto, legge, numero, scena, messinscena, agire, recitare, fare
"What does He say?"
"Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you."
bless - benedire
curse - maledire
do good - fare del bene
despitefully - malgrado
"Then I should love Mrs. Reed, which I cannot do; I should bless her son John, which is impossible."
In her turn, Helen Burns asked me to explain, and I proceeded forthwith to pour out, in my own way, the tale of my sufferings and resentments. Bitter and truculent when excited, I spoke as I felt, without reserve or softening.
forthwith - all'istante, immediatamente, su due piedi, tempestivamente
pour out - versare
sufferings - sofferenza
resentments - risentimento
truculent - truculento
reserve - riserva, riservare
softening - ammorbidimento, (soften), ammorbidire, addolcire
Helen heard me patiently to the end: I expected she would then make a remark, but she said nothing.
"Well," I asked impatiently, "is not Mrs. Reed a hard-hearted, bad woman?"
impatiently - con impazienza
"She has been unkind to you, no doubt; because you see, she dislikes your cast of character, as Miss Scatcherd does mine; but how minutely you remember all she has done and said to you! What a singularly deep impression her injustice seems to have made on your heart! No ill-usage so brands its record on my feelings.
unkind - crudele, scortese
minutely - minuziosamente
injustice - ingiustizia
usage - uso, checkutilizzo
brands - tizzone, marchio a fuoco, marca
Would you not be happier if you tried to forget her severity, together with the passionate emotions it excited? Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.
severity - severita, gravita, serieta
emotions - emozione
Appears - apparire
animosity - picca, ripicca, acrimonia
registering - registrare
We are, and must be, one and all, burdened with faults in this world: but the time will soon come when, I trust, we shall put them off in putting off our corruptible bodies; when debasement and sin will fall from us with this cumbrous frame of flesh, and only the spark of the spirit will remain,-the impalpable principle of light and thought, pure as when it left the Creator to inspire the creature: whence it came it will return; perhaps again to be communicated to some being higher than man-perhaps to pass through gradations of glory, from the pale human soul to brighten to the seraph! Surely it will never, on the contrary, be suffered to degenerate from man to fiend? No; I cannot believe that: I hold another creed: which no one ever taught me, and which I seldom mention; but in which I delight, and to which I cling: for it extends hope to all: it makes Eternity a rest-a mighty home, not a terror and an abyss. Besides, with this creed, I can so clearly distinguish between the criminal and his crime; I can so sincerely forgive the first while I abhor the last: with this creed revenge never worries my heart, degradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushes me too low: I live in calm, looking to the end."
burdened - fardello, carico
putting off - rimandare
corruptible - corruttibile, corrompibile
debasement - svilimento
sin - peccato
cumbrous - umido
impalpable - impalpabile
pure - puro
creator - creatore, inventore, ideatore
inspire - ispirare
creature - creatura
communicated - comunicare, informare, trasmettere, essere collegato
gradations - gradazione
glory - gloria
the pale - pallido, limite, confine
human soul - anima umana
brighten - illuminare
seraph - serafino
degenerate - snaturato, scellerato, degenerato, degenerare
cling - aggrapparsi, aderire
extends - ampliare
eternity - eternita
abyss - abisso
criminal - criminale, delittuoso
revenge - vendetta, rivincita, rivalsa, ritorsione, vendicarsi
worries - preoccuparsi, disturbare, preoccupare, preoccupazione
disgusts - disgustare, ripugnare, nauseare, stomacare
crushes - ressa, calca, cotta, schiacciare, pigiare, frantumare
Helen's head, always drooping, sank a little lower as she finished this sentence. I saw by her look she wished no longer to talk to me, but rather to converse with her own thoughts. She was not allowed much time for meditation: a monitor, a great rough girl, presently came up, exclaiming in a strong Cumberland accent-
drooping - pendere
converse - conversare
meditation - meditazione
exclaiming - esclamare
accent - accento
"Helen Burns, if you don't go and put your drawer in order, and fold up your work this minute, I'll tell Miss Scatcherd to come and look at it!"
fold up - ripiegare
this minute - questo minuto
Helen sighed as her reverie fled, and getting up, obeyed the monitor without reply as without delay.
reverie - fantasticheria
fled - fuggire
delay - ritardare
My first quarter at Lowood seemed an age; and not the golden age either; it comprised an irksome struggle with difficulties in habituating myself to new rules and unwonted tasks. The fear of failure in these points harassed me worse than the physical hardships of my lot; though these were no trifles.
Struggle - lotta, lottare
difficulties - difficolta
habituating - assuefazione
failure - fallimento, insuccesso, avaria, fiasco, disfunzione
hardships - avversita, difficolta
trifles - zuppa inglese, un tantino, un po', bagattella, briciola
During January, February, and part of March, the deep snows, and, after their melting, the almost impassable roads, prevented our stirring beyond the garden walls, except to go to church; but within these limits we had to pass an hour every day in the open air.
impassable - impraticabile
prevented - impedire, prevenire
stirring - mescolando
limits - limite
Our clothing was insufficient to protect us from the severe cold: we had no boots, the snow got into our shoes and melted there: our ungloved hands became numbed and covered with chilblains, as were our feet: I remember well the distracting irritation I endured from this cause every evening, when my feet inflamed; and the torture of thrusting the swelled, raw, and stiff toes into my shoes in the morning. Then the scanty supply of food was distressing: with the keen appetites of growing children, we had scarcely sufficient to keep alive a delicate invalid. From this deficiency of nourishment resulted an abuse, which pressed hardly on the younger pupils: whenever the famished great girls had an opportunity, they would coax or menace the little ones out of their portion. many a time I have shared between two claimants the precious morsel of brown bread distributed at tea-time; and after relinquishing to a third half the contents of my mug of coffee, I have swallowed the remainder with an accompaniment of secret tears, forced from me by the exigency of hunger.
clothing - abbigliamento, vestiti, (cloth), stoffa, tessuto, tela, panno
insufficient - insufficiente
protect - proteggere
melted - sciogliere, fondere
chilblains - gelone
distracting - distrarre
every evening - ogni sera
inflamed - incendiare
torture - torturare
swelled - gonfiare, gonfiarsi, aumentare
distressing - angoscia, pena, miseria, sconforto, pericolo
appetites - appetito
keep alive - mantenere in vita
invalid - non valido*
famished - fame
coax - persuadere
menace - minaccia
many a - molti a
claimants - pretendente, richiedente, rivendicatore, istante, richieditore
relinquishing - abbandonare, rinunciare, rilasciare, lasciare andare, liberare
accompaniment - accompagnamento
exigency - necessita
Sundays were dreary days in that wintry season. We had to walk two miles to Brocklebridge Church, where our patron officiated. We set out cold, we arrived at church colder: during the morning service we became almost paralysed.
patron - patrono, mecenate, cliente, proprietario
officiated - ufficiare, celebrare
morning service - servizio mattutino
paralysed - paralizzare
It was too far to return to dinner, and an allowance of cold meat and bread, in the same penurious proportion observed in our ordinary meals, was served round between the services.
allowance - permesso, concessione, delibera, razione, attenuante, sgravio
cold meat - carne fredda
penurious - penoso
proportion - proporzione
services - servizio, di servizio
At the close of the afternoon service we returned by an exposed and hilly road, where the bitter winter wind, blowing over a range of snowy summits to the north, almost flayed the skin from our faces.
service - servizio, di servizio
exposed - esporre, evidenziare, rivelare, mettere in luce
hilly - collinoso
range - catena, fornello, stufa a legna, piano cottura, varieta, gamma
summits - sommita, apice
flayed - scuoiatura
I can remember Miss Temple walking lightly and rapidly along our drooping line, her plaid cloak, which the frosty wind fluttered, gathered close about her, and encouraging us, by precept and example, to keep up our spirits, and march forward, as she said, "like stalwart soldiers." The other teachers, poor things, were generally themselves too much dejected to attempt the task of cheering others.
lightly - alla leggera, superficialmente, in maniera superficiale
plaid - A cuadros
frosty - gelido, ghiacciato, gelato, coperto di ghiaccio
fluttered - garrire, sventolare, svolazzare, ondeggiare, sbattere le ali
encouraging - incoraggiare, raccomandare, esortare, favorire
precept - precetto
stalwart - robusto, convinto, fedele, fedelissimo, sostenitore fedele
soldiers - soldato
dejected - rifiutare
cheering - urra, acclamazione
How we longed for the light and heat of a blazing fire when we got back! But, to the little ones at least, this was denied: each hearth in the schoolroom was immediately surrounded by a double row of great girls, and behind them the younger children crouched in groups, wrapping their starved arms in their pinafores.
longed for - desiderare qualcosa, volere qualcosa
heat - calore
blazing - incendio
Row - fila
crouched - accucciarsi
in groups - in gruppi
starved - morire di fame
A little solace came at tea-time, in the shape of a double ration of bread-a whole, instead of a half, slice-with the delicious addition of a thin scrape of butter: it was the hebdomadal treat to which we all looked forward from Sabbath to Sabbath. I generally contrived to reserve a moiety of this bounteous repast for myself; but the remainder I was invariably obliged to part with.
solace - consolazione, conforto
ration - annonario, razione
scrape - grattare, graffiare, checkraschiare, sbucciarsi, graffio
hebdomadal - ordine del giorno
Sabbath - sabba
moiety - share or portion
bounteous - generoso
invariably - invariabilmente
The Sunday evening was spent in repeating, by heart, the Church Catechism, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of St. Matthew; and in listening to a long sermon, read by Miss Miller, whose irrepressible yawns attested her weariness.
by heart - a memoria
catechism - catechismo
sixth - sesto ('before the noun'), ('in names of monarchs and popes') sesto g, sesta g ('after the name') ('abbreviation' VI), sesto
seventh - settimo ('before the noun'), ('in names of monarchs and popes') settimo g, settima g ('after the name') ('abbreviation' VII), settimo
Matthew - Matteo, Mattia
sermon - sermone, predica
irrepressible - insopprimibile
yawns - sbadigliare, sbadiglio
attested - attestare
A frequent interlude of these performances was the enactment of the part of Eutychus by some half-dozen of little girls, who, overpowered with sleep, would fall down, if not out of the third loft, yet off the fourth form, and be taken up half dead. The remedy was, to thrust them forward into the centre of the schoolroom, and oblige them to stand there till the sermon was finished.
interlude - interludio
performances - esecuzione, prestazione, rendimento, esibizione
enactment - promulgazione
fall down - cadere
loft - attico, soffitta, solaio, catapultare
taken up - occupato
oblige - obbligare, forzare, costringere, fare un favore, indebitarsi
stand there - stare li
Sometimes their feet failed them, and they sank together in a heap; they were then propped up with the monitors'high stools.
heap - folla, massa, moltitudine, pila, cumulo
propped - sostegno
stools - sgabello
I have not yet alluded to the visits of Mr. Brocklehurst; and indeed that gentleman was from home during the greater part of the first month after my arrival; perhaps prolonging his stay with his friend the archdeacon: his absence was a relief to me. I need not say that I had my own reasons for dreading his coming: but come he did at last.
arrival - arrivo
prolonging - prolungare
absence - assenza, mancanza, difetto, invito aperto, ferro libero
One afternoon (I had then been three weeks at Lowood), as I was sitting with a slate in my hand, puzzling over a sum in long division, my eyes, raised in abstraction to the window, caught sight of a figure just passing: I recognised almost instinctively that gaunt outline; and when, two minutes after, all the school, teachers included, rose en masse, it was not necessary for me to look up in order to ascertain whose entrance they thus greeted. A long stride measured the schoolroom, and presently beside Miss Temple, who herself had risen, stood the same black column which had frowned on me so ominously from the hearthrug of Gateshead. I now glanced sideways at this piece of architecture. Yes, I was right: it was Mr. Brocklehurst, buttoned up in a surtout, and looking longer, narrower, and more rigid than ever.
slate - ardesia, di ardesia
sum - somma
Division - divisione, parte, filo, divario, frattura, differenziazione
abstraction - astrazione
outline - contorno, sagoma, descrizione, sunto, bozza, contornare
masse - massa
ascertain - accertare, appurare, stabilire, constatare
greeted - salutare
stride - (camminare a grandi passi)
column - colonna, rubrica, cronaca
frowned - accigliarsi, aggrottare le ciglia/sopracciglia
ominously - minacciosamente
Hearthrug - Copriletto
sideways - laterale
architecture - architettura
buttoned up - abbottonato
narrower - stretto
rigid - rigido
I had my own reasons for being dismayed at this apparition; too well I remembered the perfidious hints given by Mrs. Reed about my disposition, &c.; the promise pledged by Mr. Brocklehurst to apprise Miss Temple and the teachers of my vicious nature.
apparition - apparizione
perfidious - perfido
pledged - promettere, impegnarsi, promessa solenne, pegno
apprise - apprendere
vicious - violento, aggressivo
All along I had been dreading the fulfilment of this promise,-I had been looking out daily for the "Coming Man," whose information respecting my past life and conversation was to brand me as a bad child for ever: now there he was.
fulfilment - realizzazione
He stood at Miss Temple's side; he was speaking low in her ear: I did not doubt he was making disclosures of my villainy; and I watched her eye with painful anxiety, expecting every moment to see its dark orb turn on me a glance of repugnance and contempt.
disclosures - rivelazione, divulgazione, esternazione, diffusione
villainy - malvagita
anxiety - ansia, ansieta, bramosia
orb - orbita
repugnance - ripugnanza
I listened too; and as I happened to be seated quite at the top of the room, I caught most of what he said: its import relieved me from immediate apprehension.
immediate - immediato, prossimo, stretto, diretto
apprehension - apprensione
"I suppose, Miss Temple, the thread I bought at Lowton will do; it struck me that it would be just of the quality for the calico chemises, and I sorted the needles to match.
sorted - sorta, tipo
needles - ago, lancetta, puntina, punzonare, punzecchiare
You may tell Miss Smith that I forgot to make a memorandum of the darning needles, but she shall have some papers sent in next week; and she is not, on any account, to give out more than one at a time to each pupil: if they have more, they are apt to be careless and lose them. And, O ma'am! I wish the woollen stockings were better looked to!
memorandum - nota
darning needles - aghi da rammendo
sent in - inviato
give out - rifiutarsi di obbedire, esaurirsi, spendere
apt - soggetto a, capace
-when I was here last, I went into the kitchen-garden and examined the clothes drying on the line; there was a quantity of black hose in a very bad state of repair: from the size of the holes in them I was sure they had not been well mended from time to time."
kitchen-garden - (kitchen-garden) orto
drying - asciugatura, (dry), secco, asciutto, asciugarsi, trinsecchire
hose - manichetta
repair - riparare
holes - buco
mended - riparare, rammendare
He paused.
"Your directions shall be attended to, sir," said Miss Temple.
attended - assistere a, seguire
"And, ma'am," he continued, "the laundress tells me some of the girls have two clean tuckers in the week: it is too much; the rules limit them to one."
laundress - lavandaia
limit - limite
"I think I can explain that circumstance, sir. Agnes and Catherine Johnstone were invited to take tea with some friends at Lowton last Thursday, and I gave them leave to put on clean tuckers for the occasion."
Catherine - Caterina
Mr. Brocklehurst nodded.
"Well, for once it may pass; but please not to let the circumstance occur too often. And there is another thing which surprised me; I find, in settling accounts with the housekeeper, that a lunch, consisting of bread and cheese, has twice been served out to the girls during the past fortnight. How is this? I looked over the regulations, and I find no such meal as lunch mentioned.
surprised - sorpresa, stupire, sorprendere, meravigliare
settling - assestarsi
fortnight - (periodo di) due settimana
regulations - regola, regolamento, regolazione
mentioned - cenno, accenno, menzione, menzionare
Who introduced this innovation? and by what authority?"
innovation - innovazione
"I must be responsible for the circumstance, sir," replied Miss Temple: "the breakfast was so ill prepared that the pupils could not possibly eat it; and I dared not allow them to remain fasting till dinner-time."
responsible - responsabile, di responsabile, di responsabilita, colpevole
"Madam, allow me an instant. You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls is, not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardy, patient, self-denying.
instant - immediato
bringing up - sollevare
accustom - assuefarsi, abituarsi, adattarsi, familiarizzare
luxury - lusso
indulgence - vizio, indulgenza
render - rendere
patient - paziente
denying - negare
Should any little accidental disappointment of the appetite occur, such as the spoiling of a meal, the under or the over dressing of a dish, the incident ought not to be neutralised by replacing with something more delicate the comfort lost, thus pampering the body and obviating the aim of this institution; it ought to be improved to the spiritual edification of the pupils, by encouraging them to evince fortitude under temporary privation. A brief address on those occasions would not be mistimed, wherein a judicious instructor would take the opportunity of referring to the sufferings of the primitive Christians; to the torments of martyrs; to the exhortations of our blessed Lord Himself, calling upon His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him; to His warnings that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; to His divine consolations, "If ye suffer hunger or thirst for my sake, happy are ye." Oh, madam, when you put bread and cheese, instead of burnt porridge, into these children's mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls!"
accidental - accidentale
disappointment - delusione, disappunto
spoiling - rovinare, viziare, andare a male, bottino
neutralised - neutralizzare
replacing - sostituire, rimpiazzare, riporre
more delicate - piu delicato
pampering - coccolare
obviating - ovviare, evitare, prevenire
aim - puntare
spiritual - spirituale, spiritual
edification - edificazione
evince - evincere, dimostrare, manifestare
fortitude - coraggio
temporary - temporaneo
privation - privazione
occasions - occasione, occasionare
mistimed - mistificare
wherein - dove
instructor - istruttore, insegnante
referring - fare riferimento
primitive - primitivo
torments - cruccio, tormento, tarlo, tormentare, martoriare
martyrs - martire
exhortations - esortazione
blessed - beato, benedetto, checkbenedetto
Lord - castellano, signore, nobile, nobiluomo, nobildonna, dominare
disciples - discepolo
proceedeth - procede
consolations - consolazione
ye - voi
thirst - sete, avidita, avere sete
for my sake - per il mio bene
vile - abietto, basso, ignobile
starve - morire di fame
immortal - immortale, indimenticabile
souls - anima, spirito
Mr. Brocklehurst again paused-perhaps overcome by his feelings.
overcome - superare, sconfiggere
Miss Temple had looked down when he first began to speak to her; but she now gazed straight before her, and her face, naturally pale as marble, appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that material; especially her mouth, closed as if it would have required a sculptor's chisel to open it, and her brow settled gradually into petrified severity.
assuming - assumendo
coldness - freddezza, freddo
fixity - fissita
material - materiale
sculptor - scultore, scultrice
chisel - cesello
brow - ciglio, orlo, cima, passerella da sbarco
gradually - gradualmente
Meantime, Mr. Brocklehurst, standing on the hearth with his hands behind his back, majestically surveyed the whole school. Suddenly his eye gave a blink, as if it had met something that either dazzled or shocked its pupil; turning, he said in more rapid accents than he had hitherto used-
majestically - maestosamente
blink - sbattere le ciglia, ammiccare, lampeggiare, segnalare
dazzled - abbagliare, abbacinare, impressionare
shocked - shock, choc
accents - accento
"Miss Temple, Miss Temple, what-what is that girl with curled hair? Red hair, ma'am, curled-curled all over?" And extending his cane he pointed to the awful object, his hand shaking as he did so.
curled - riccio, ricciolo, boccolo, arricciamento, rotazione, spirale
extending - ampliare
cane - canna, canna di bambu, canna da zucchero, giunco, bastone
"It is Julia Severn," replied Miss Temple, very quietly.
"Julia Severn, ma'am! And why has she, or any other, curled hair? Why, in defiance of every precept and principle of this house, does she conform to the world so openly-here in an evangelical, charitable establishment-as to wear her hair one mass of curls?"
defiance - sfida
conform - essere conforme
openly - apertamente, in modo aperto
evangelical - evangelico
charitable - caritatevole, solidale, generoso, benefico
mass - massa
"Julia's hair curls naturally," returned Miss Temple, still more quietly.
"Naturally! Yes, but we are not to conform to nature; I wish these girls to be the children of Grace: and why that abundance? I have again and again intimated that I desire the hair to be arranged closely, modestly, plainly.
abundance - abbondanza, cuccagna
modestly - modestamente
Miss Temple, that girl's hair must be cut off entirely; I will send a barber to-morrow: and I see others who have far too much of the excrescence-that tall girl, tell her to turn round. Tell all the first form to rise up and direct their faces to the wall."
entirely - completamente
barber - barbiere, parrucchiere
excrescence - escrescenza
turn round - girare
rise up - ribellarsi
Miss Temple passed her handkerchief over her lips, as if to smooth away the involuntary smile that curled them; she gave the order, however, and when the first class could take in what was required of them, they obeyed. Leaning a little back on my bench, I could see the looks and grimaces with which they commented on this manoeuvre: it was a pity Mr.
involuntary - involontario
grimaces - smorfia
commented - commento
manoeuvre - manovra
Brocklehurst could not see them too; he would perhaps have felt that, whatever he might do with the outside of the cup and platter, the inside was further beyond his interference than he imagined.
platter - piatto (ovale)
interference - intromissione
He scrutinised the reverse of these living medals some five minutes, then pronounced sentence. These words fell like the knell of doom-
the reverse - inverso, opposto
medals - medaglia
knell - rintocco
doom - sentenza, giudizio, decisione, penalita
"All those top-knots must be cut off."
Miss Temple seemed to remonstrate.
remonstrate - rimostrare
"Madam," he pursued, "I have a Master to serve whose kingdom is not of this world: my mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh; to teach them to clothe themselves with shame-facedness and sobriety, not with braided hair and costly apparel; and each of the young persons before us has a string of hair twisted in plaits which vanity itself might have woven; these, I repeat, must be cut off; think of the time wasted, of-"
Kingdom - regno, reame
mission - missione
mortify - mortificare
lusts - libido, libidine, lussuria
clothe - vestire
facedness - faccia a faccia
sobriety - sobrieta
braided - intrecciare
costly - costoso, caro, dispendioso
apparel - abbigliamento
string - spago, stringa, laccetto, legaccio, corda
plaits - piega, pieghettatura, plissettatura
vanity - vanita
woven - tessuto, intessuto
wasted - sprecare
Mr. Brocklehurst was here interrupted: three other visitors, ladies, now entered the room. They ought to have come a little sooner to have heard his lecture on dress, for they were splendidly attired in velvet, silk, and furs.
interrupted - interrompere, celare, ricoprire, tagliare
lecture on - lezione su
splendidly - splendidamente
attired in - vestire
furs - pelo, pelliccia
The two younger of the trio (fine girls of sixteen and seventeen) had grey beaver hats, then in fashion, shaded with ostrich plumes, and from under the brim of this graceful head-dress fell a profusion of light tresses, elaborately curled; the elder lady was enveloped in a costly velvet shawl, trimmed with ermine, and she wore a false front of French curls.
trio - trio
beaver - castoro
shaded - ombra, persiana, tonalita, gradazione, nuance, varieta
ostrich - struzzo
plumes - piuma
brim - orlo
graceful - elegante, aggraziato, leggiadro, bello
profusion - profusione
enveloped - busta
trimmed - tagliare, accorciare, decorare, bordare, orientare
ermine - ermellino, armellino
These ladies were deferentially received by Miss Temple, as Mrs. and the Misses Brocklehurst, and conducted to seats of honour at the top of the room. It seems they had come in the carriage with their reverend relative, and had been conducting a rummaging scrutiny of the room upstairs, while he transacted business with the housekeeper, questioned the laundress, and lectured the superintendent.
deferentially - in modo deferente
conducted - conduzione, comportamento, condotta, condurre, comportarsi
Reverend - reverendo, reverenda
relative - relativo, parente, congiunto, congiunta, familiare
conducting - conduzione, comportamento, condotta, condurre, comportarsi
rummaging - frugare, rovistare, rivoltare, scuriosare, buttare all'aria
transacted - trattare
lectured - conferenza, lezione, insegnare, sgridare, richiamare
They now proceeded to address divers remarks and reproofs to Miss Smith, who was charged with the care of the linen and the inspection of the dormitories: but I had no time to listen to what they said; other matters called off and enchanted my attention.
remarks - osservazione, commento
reproofs - rimprovero
linen - lino
inspection - ispezione, controllo, esame, analisi
dormitories - camerata, dormitorio
matters - materia, problema, argomento, questione, faccenda, causa
enchanted - incantare
Hitherto, while gathering up the discourse of Mr. Brocklehurst and Miss Temple, I had not, at the same time, neglected precautions to secure my personal safety; which I thought would be effected, if I could only elude observation.
neglected - mancare, negligere, omettere, ignorare, tralasciare, negligenza
precautions - precauzione
safety - sicurezza
elude - eludere
To this end, I had sat well back on the form, and while seeming to be busy with my sum, had held my slate in such a manner as to conceal my face: I might have escaped notice, had not my treacherous slate somehow happened to slip from my hand, and falling with an obtrusive crash, directly drawn every eye upon me; I knew it was all over now, and, as I stooped to pick up the two fragments of slate, I rallied my forces for the worst. It came.
seeming - sembrare, (seem), parere, apparire
be busy - essere occupato
conceal - nascondere, celare
treacherous - traditore, sleale, infido
slip - scivolare
obtrusive - importuno
crash - frastuono
pick - piccone, stuzzicadenti, scelta, barriera, prendere, raccogliere, scegliere
forces - forza
"A careless girl!" said Mr. Brocklehurst, and immediately after-"It is the new pupil, I perceive." And before I could draw breath, "I must not forget I have a word to say respecting her." Then aloud: how loud it seemed to me! "Let the child who broke her slate come forward!"
perceive - percepire
come forward - offrire aiuto, offrirsi volontario
Of my own accord I could not have stirred; I was paralysed: but the two great girls who sit on each side of me, set me on my legs and pushed me towards the dread judge, and then Miss Temple gently assisted me to his very feet, and I caught her whispered counsel-
accord - accordo
pushed - spingere
assisted - assistere, aiutare, assistenza, aiuto, assist
"Don't be afraid, Jane, I saw it was an accident; you shall not be punished."
accident - incidente, accidente
The kind whisper went to my heart like a dagger.
whisper - sussurro, sussurrare
dagger - pugnale
"Another minute, and she will despise me for a hypocrite," thought I; and an impulse of fury against Reed, Brocklehurst, and Co. bounded in my pulses at the conviction. I was no Helen Burns.
despise - disprezzare
hypocrite - ipocrita, collotorto
bounded - vincolato
pulses - o
"Fetch that stool," said Mr. Brocklehurst, pointing to a very high one from which a monitor had just risen: it was brought.
"Place the child upon it."
And I was placed there, by whom I don't know: I was in no condition to note particulars; I was only aware that they had hoisted me up to the height of Mr. Brocklehurst's nose, that he was within a yard of me, and that a spread of shot orange and purple silk pelisses and a cloud of silvery plumage extended and waved below me.
particulars - specifico, proprio, particolare, speciale, minuzioso
height - altezza, apice, culmine, vetta, cima
Yard - iarda
shot - colpo
silvery - argenteo, argentato, argentino
extended - ampliare
waved - onda
Mr. Brocklehurst hemmed.
hemmed - orlo
"Ladies," said he, turning to his family, "Miss Temple, teachers, and children, you all see this girl?"
Of course they did; for I felt their eyes directed like burning-glasses against my scorched skin.
directed - diretto
scorched - bruciacchiatura, strinatura, bruciatura, scottatura
"You see she is yet young; you observe she possesses the ordinary form of childhood; God has graciously given her the shape that He has given to all of us; no signal deformity points her out as a marked character. Who would think that the Evil One had already found a servant and agent in her? Yet such, I grieve to say, is the case."
possesses - possedere, avere
childhood - infanzia
graciously - gentilmente
deformity - deformita
agent - agente
grieve - affliggersi, rattristarsi
case - caso
A pause-in which I began to steady the palsy of my nerves, and to feel that the Rubicon was passed; and that the trial, no longer to be shirked, must be firmly sustained.
steady - fermo, saldo, fidato, sicuro, costante
palsy - paralisi
Rubicon - Rubicone
trial - processo
shirked - evitare
sustained - sostenere
"My dear children," pursued the black marble clergyman, with pathos, "this is a sad, a melancholy occasion; for it becomes my duty to warn you, that this girl, who might be one of God's own lambs, is a little castaway: not a member of the true flock, but evidently an interloper and an alien.
pathos - the quality or property of anything which touches the feelings or excites emotions
warn - avvertire, avvisare
lambs - agnello, q ewborn
castaway - naufrago
flock - gregge, stormo
You must be on your guard against her; you must shun her example; if necessary, avoid her company, exclude her from your sports, and shut her out from your converse.
shun - evitare, detestare, schivare, eludere, stigmatizzare
Teachers, you must watch her: keep your eyes on her movements, weigh well her words, scrutinise her actions, punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such salvation be possible, for (my tongue falters while I tell it) this girl, this child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut-this girl is-a liar!"
weigh - pesare
save - salvare, soccorrere, redimere, immagazzinare, risparmiare
Salvation - salvezza
falters - inciampare
native of - nativo di
heathen - pagano, pagana
Brahma - Hindu god of creation
kneels - inginocchiarsi
Juggernaut - macchina da guerra
Now came a pause of ten minutes, during which I, by this time in perfect possession of my wits, observed all the female Brocklehursts produce their pocket-handkerchiefs and apply them to their optics, while the elderly lady swayed herself to and fro, and the two younger ones whispered, "How shocking!" Mr. Brocklehurst resumed.
possession - possesso
female - femminile, femmina
produce - produrre, realizzare, fornire, prodotto, prodotti
handkerchiefs - fazzoletto
apply - applicare
optics - ottica
swayed - ondeggiamento, fluttuazione, dondolio, oscillazione
"This I learned from her benefactress; from the pious and charitable lady who adopted her in her orphan state, reared her as her own daughter, and whose kindness, whose generosity the unhappy girl repaid by an ingratitude so bad, so dreadful, that at last her excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from her own young ones, fearful lest her vicious example should contaminate their purity: she has sent her here to be healed, even as the Jews of old sent their diseased to the troubled pool of Bethesda; and, teachers, superintendent, I beg of you not to allow the waters to stagnate round her."
pious - pio
generosity - generosita, bonta, abnegazione, magnanimita, abbondanza
ingratitude - ingratitudine
patroness - patronessa
separate - separato, separata, separare, dividere
contaminate - contaminare
purity - purezza
healed - guarire
Jews - giudeo, giudea, ebreo, ebrea
diseased - malattia, malanno, disturbo, morbo
stagnate - ristagnare, fermare
With this sublime conclusion, Mr. Brocklehurst adjusted the top button of his surtout, muttered something to his family, who rose, bowed to Miss Temple, and then all the great people sailed in state from the room. Turning at the door, my judge said-
adjusted - adattare, adeguare, regolare
button - bottone
muttered - mormorare
bowed - inchinarsi, chinare il capo
Sailed - vela
"Let her stand half-an-hour longer on that stool, and let no one speak to her during the remainder of the day."
There was I, then, mounted aloft; I, who had said I could not bear the shame of standing on my natural feet in the middle of the room, was now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy. What my sensations were no language can describe; but just as they all rose, stifling my breath and constricting my throat, a girl came up and passed me: in passing, she lifted her eyes.
aloft - sopra, all`apice
exposed - esposizioni
general view - visione generale
pedestal - piedistallo
infamy - infamia
stifling - soffocante
constricting - comprimere
What a strange light inspired them! What an extraordinary sensation that ray sent through me! How the new feeling bore me up! It was as if a martyr, a hero, had passed a slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit. I mastered the rising hysteria, lifted up my head, and took a firm stand on the stool.
extraordinary - straordinario, straordinaria, eccezionale, fantastico
martyr - martire
hero - eroe, eroina, protagonista
victim - vittima
imparted - impartire
Transit - transizione, traversata, attraversamento, spostamento, movimento
mastered - padrone
rising - in aumento
hysteria - isteria
Helen Burns asked some slight question about her work of Miss Smith, was chidden for the triviality of the inquiry, returned to her place, and smiled at me as she again went by. What a smile!
Slight - insignificante, leggero, debole, lieve, disprezzare, sminuire
chidden - ordine del giorno
triviality - banalita
inquiry - inchiesta, indagine
I remember it now, and I know that it was the effluence of fine intellect, of true courage; it lit up her marked lineaments, her thin face, her sunken grey eye, like a reflection from the aspect of an angel.
effluence - effluvio
sunken - affondato, (sink), affondare
Yet at that moment Helen Burns wore on her arm "the untidy badge;" scarcely an hour ago I had heard her condemned by Miss Scatcherd to a dinner of bread and water on the morrow because she had blotted an exercise in copying it out. Such is the imperfect nature of man!
wore on - indossava
untidy - disordinato
badge - distintivo, insegna, targhetta, cartellino, emblema
blotted - macchia, macchiare, assorbire
copying - copia, replica, copiare, imitare, ricevere
such spots are there on the disc of the clearest planet; and eyes like Miss Scatcherd's can only see those minute defects, and are blind to the full brightness of the orb.
spots - macchia, brufolo, foruncolo, zona, area, pubblicita, individuare
disc - disco
clearest - trasparente, limpido, pulito, chiaro, nitido
planet - pianeta
defects - difetto, defezionare, disertare
brightness - luminosita
Ere the half-hour ended, five o'clock struck; school was dismissed, and all were gone into the refectory to tea. I now ventured to descend: it was deep dusk; I retired into a corner and sat down on the floor. The spell by which I had been so far supported began to dissolve; reaction took place, and soon, so overwhelming was the grief that seized me, I sank prostrate with my face to the ground.
gone into - occuparsi di qualcosa
dissolve - dissolvere, dissolversi, dissolvenza
overwhelming - sommergere, schiacciare, dominare, travolgere, sopraffare
seized - prendere, afferrare, approfittare, sfruttare
prostrate - prostrato
Now I wept: Helen Burns was not here; nothing sustained me; left to myself I abandoned myself, and my tears watered the boards. I had meant to be so good, and to do so much at Lowood: to make so many friends, to earn respect and win affection.
boards - asse
earn - guadagnare
Already I had made visible progress: that very morning I had reached the head of my class; Miss Miller had praised me warmly; Miss Temple had smiled approbation; she had promised to teach me drawing, and to let me learn French, if I continued to make similar improvement two months longer: and then I was well received by my fellow-pupils; treated as an equal by those of my own age, and not molested by any; now, here I lay again crushed and trodden on; and could I ever rise more?
progress - progresso
Praised - elogio, lode, complimento, adorazione, gloria
warmly - con calore
approbation - approvazione
promised - promessa, giuramento, voto, promettere, giurare
improvement - miglioramento, salto di qualita
Equal - uguale, pari, eguagliare
molested - infastidire, molestare
crushed - ressa, calca, cotta, schiacciare, pigiare, frantumare
"Never," I thought; and ardently I wished to die. While sobbing out this wish in broken accents, some one approached: I started up-again Helen Burns was near me; the fading fires just showed her coming up the long, vacant room; she brought my coffee and bread.
ardently - ardentemente
sobbing - singhiozzare
approached - avvicinarsi
fading - svanire, (fad), moda, andazzo, tendenza
"Come, eat something," she said; but I put both away from me, feeling as if a drop or a crumb would have choked me in my present condition. Helen regarded me, probably with surprise: I could not now abate my agitation, though I tried hard; I continued to weep aloud.
crumb - briciola, mollica, impasto, impanare
choked - soffocare
regarded - considerare
abate - diminuire
weep - piangere
She sat down on the ground near me, embraced her knees with her arms, and rested her head upon them; in that attitude she remained silent as an Indian. I was the first who spoke-
remained - stare, restare, rimanere
Indian - indiano
"Helen, why do you stay with a girl whom everybody believes to be a liar?"
"Everybody, Jane? Why, there are only eighty people who have heard you called so, and the world contains hundreds of millions."
contains - contenere
"But what have I to do with millions? The eighty, I know, despise me."
"Jane, you are mistaken: probably not one in the school either despises or dislikes you: many, I am sure, pity you much."
despises - disprezzare
"How can they pity me after what Mr. Brocklehurst has said?"
after what - dopo cosa
"Mr. Brocklehurst is not a god: nor is he even a great and admired man: he is little liked here; he never took steps to make himself liked. Had he treated you as an especial favourite, you would have found enemies, declared or covert, all around you; as it is, the greater number would offer you sympathy if they dared.
covert - sotto copertura
Teachers and pupils may look coldly on you for a day or two, but friendly feelings are concealed in their hearts; and if you persevere in doing well, these feelings will ere long appear so much the more evidently for their temporary suppression. Besides, Jane"-she paused.
coldly - freddamente
concealed - nascondere, celare
hearts - cuore
persevere - perseverare
appear - apparire
suppression - soppressione
"Well, Helen?" said I, putting my hand into hers: she chafed my fingers gently to warm them, and went on-
chafed - surriscaldamento, abrasione, escoriazione, irritazione, collera
"If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends."
conscience - coscienza
absolved - assolvere
guilt - colpa, colpevolezza
"No; I know I should think well of myself; but that is not enough: if others don't love me I would rather die than live-I cannot bear to be solitary and hated, Helen.
look here; to gain some real affection from you, or Miss Temple, or any other whom I truly love, I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm broken, or to let a bull toss me, or to stand behind a kicking horse, and let it dash its hoof at my chest-"
look here - guardare qui
submit - sottomettersi, sottomettere, sottoporre, presentare, inviare
bone - osso, lisca, spina
Bull - maschio (dei grandi mammiferi), toro
toss - tiro, lancio, testa o croce, lancio moneta
kicking - calciare, prendere a calci
Dash - lineetta, linea, scatto, spruzzo, pizzico, goccio, saltare
hoof - zoccolo, zampa
chest - petto
"Hush, Jane! you think too much of the love of human beings; you are too impulsive, too vehement; the sovereign hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than creatures feeble as you.
Hush - zitto!, silenzio!
impulsive - impulsivo
sovereign - sovrano, eccezionale, supremo
provided - soddisfare, prevedere, supporre, provvedere, fornire, erogare
resources - risorsa
feeble - debole, fiacco, flebile, fievole
creatures - creatura
Besides this earth, and besides the race of men, there is an invisible world and a kingdom of spirits: that world is round us, for it is everywhere; and those spirits watch us, for they are commissioned to guard us; and if we were dying in pain and shame, if scorn smote us on all sides, and hatred crushed us, angels see our tortures, recognise our innocence (if innocent we be: as I know you are of this charge which Mr. Brocklehurst has weakly and pompously repeated at second-hand from Mrs. Reed; for I read a sincere nature in your ardent eyes and on your clear front), and God waits only the separation of spirit from flesh to crown us with a full reward. Why, then, should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is so soon over, and death is so certain an entrance to happiness-to glory?"
everywhere - ovunque, dappertutto
commissioned - missione, incarico, mandato, commissione, incaricare
smote - colpire, fulminare, annientare, annichilire, impressionare
all sides - tutti i lati
hatred - odio, risentimento
tortures - torturare
recognise - riconoscere
innocence - innocenza
innocent - innocente
weakly - debolmente
pompously - pomposamente
second-hand - (second-hand) di seconda mano
sincere - sincero, fervido, zelante, assiduo
ardent - fervente
Reward - ricompensa
sink - affondare
overwhelmed - sommergere, schiacciare, dominare, travolgere, sopraffare
Happiness - felicita, gioia, allegria
I was silent; Helen had calmed me; but in the tranquillity she imparted there was an alloy of inexpressible sadness. I felt the impression of woe as she spoke, but I could not tell whence it came; and when, having done speaking, she breathed a little fast and coughed a short cough, I momentarily forgot my own sorrows to yield to a vague concern for her.
calmed - calmo
tranquillity - tranquillita
alloy - lega
woe - dolore, disgrazia, guaio
breathed - respiro, lena, alito, fiato
coughed - tossire, tosse, colpo di tosse
momentarily - momentaneamente
sorrows - tristezza, dolore, pena, afflizione
yield - cedere
concern - interesse, preoccupazione, impresa, interessare
Resting my head on Helen's shoulder, I put my arms round her waist; she drew me to her, and we reposed in silence. We had not sat long thus, when another person came in. Some heavy clouds, swept from the sky by a rising wind, had left the moon bare; and her light, streaming in through a window near, shone full both on us and on the approaching figure, which we at once recognised as Miss Temple.
resting - riposare
waist - vita, cintura, cintola
reposed - repository
bare - nudo
streaming - treaming, (stream), corrente, ruscello, rivo, flusso
"I came on purpose to find you, Jane Eyre," said she; "I want you in my room; and as Helen Burns is with you, she may come too."
We went; following the superintendent's guidance, we had to thread some intricate passages, and mount a staircase before we reached her apartment; it contained a good fire, and looked cheerful. Miss Temple told Helen Burns to be seated in a low arm-chair on one side of the hearth, and herself taking another, she called me to her side.
guidance - guida, direzione, orientamento, consiglio, suggerimento
intricate - intricato
mount - montare, salire
"Is it all over?" she asked, looking down at my face. "Have you cried your grief away?"
"I am afraid I never shall do that."
"Why?"
"Because I have been wrongly accused; and you, ma'am, and everybody else, will now think me wicked."
wrongly - a torto, ingiustamente, erroneamente
"We shall think you what you prove yourself to be, my child. Continue to act as a good girl, and you will satisfy us."
Prove - provare, dimostrare
continue - continuare
satisfy - soddisfare, accontentare, saziare
"Shall I, Miss Temple?"
"You will," said she, passing her arm round me. "And now tell me who is the lady whom Mr. Brocklehurst called your benefactress?"
"Mrs. Reed, my uncle's wife. My uncle is dead, and he left me to her care."
"Did she not, then, adopt you of her own accord?"
"No, ma'am; she was sorry to have to do it: but my uncle, as I have often heard the servants say, got her to promise before he died that she would always keep me."
"Well now, Jane, you know, or at least I will tell you, that when a criminal is accused, he is always allowed to speak in his own defence. You have been charged with falsehood; defend yourself to me as well as you can. Say whatever your memory suggests is true; but add nothing and exaggerate nothing."
defence - difesa
defend - difendere, proteggere
suggests - proporre, suggerire
exaggerate - esagerare
I resolved, in the depth of my heart, that I would be most moderate-most correct; and, having reflected a few minutes in order to arrange coherently what I had to say, I told her all the story of my sad childhood.
moderate - moderato, modesto, moderare
arrange - organizzare
coherently - coerentemente
Exhausted by emotion, my language was more subdued than it generally was when it developed that sad theme; and mindful of Helen's warnings against the indulgence of resentment, I infused into the narrative far less of gall and wormwood than ordinary. Thus restrained and simplified, it sounded more credible: I felt as I went on that Miss Temple fully believed me.
exhausted - esaurire
emotion - emozione
developed - svilupparsi
theme - tema
mindful - attento a, consapevole di
infused - infondere
gall - bile, fiele
wormwood - assenzio
restrained - contenere, frenare
simplified - semplificare
credible - credibile
In the course of the tale I had mentioned Mr. Lloyd as having come to see me after the fit: for I never forgot the, to me, frightful episode of the red-room: in detailing which, my excitement was sure, in some degree, to break bounds; for nothing could soften in my recollection the spasm of agony which clutched my heart when Mrs.
episode - episodio
in some degree - in qualche misura
bounds - vincolato
soften - ammorbidire, addolcire, rendere arrendevole, rendere malleabile
recollection - ricordo
spasm - spasmo
clutched - afferrare
Reed spurned my wild supplication for pardon, and locked me a second time in the dark and haunted chamber.
spurned - calcio
supplication - supplica
I had finished: Miss Temple regarded me a few minutes in silence; she then said-
"I know something of Mr. Lloyd; I shall write to him; if his reply agrees with your statement, you shall be publicly cleared from every imputation; to me, Jane, you are clear now."
publicly - pubblicamente
cleared - trasparente, limpido, pulito, chiaro, nitido
imputation - imputazione
She kissed me, and still keeping me at her side (where I was well contented to stand, for I derived a child's pleasure from the contemplation of her face, her dress, her one or two ornaments, her white forehead, her clustered and shining curls, and beaming dark eyes), she proceeded to address Helen Burns.
contemplation - contemplazione
ornaments - ornamento, ornamenti
shining - stinco
beaming - raggiante, (beam), trave, asse, architrave, traversa, braccio
"How are you to-night, Helen? Have you coughed much to-day?"
"Not quite so much, I think, ma'am."
quite so - proprio cosi
"And the pain in your chest?"
"It is a little better."
Miss Temple got up, took her hand and examined her pulse; then she returned to her own seat: as she resumed it, I heard her sigh low. She was pensive a few minutes, then rousing herself, she said cheerfully-
pulse - polso
rousing - svegliare
cheerfully - allegramente
"But you two are my visitors to-night; I must treat you as such." She rang her bell.
"Barbara," she said to the servant who answered it, "I have not yet had tea; bring the tray and place cups for these two young ladies."
And a tray was soon brought. How pretty, to my eyes, did the china cups and bright teapot look, placed on the little round table near the fire! How fragrant was the steam of the beverage, and the scent of the toast! of which, however, I, to my dismay (for I was beginning to be hungry) discerned only a very small portion: Miss Temple discerned it too.
teapot - teiera
fragrant - profumato
Steam - vapore
beverage - bevanda
scent - odore (1, 2), checkprofumo (3), fiutare
toast - tostare, abbrustolire
"Barbara," said she, "can you not bring a little more bread and butter? There is not enough for three."
Barbara went out: she returned soon-
"Madam, Mrs. Harden says she has sent up the usual quantity."
harden - indurire
Mrs. Harden, be it observed, was the housekeeper: a woman after Mr. Brocklehurst's own heart, made up of equal parts of whalebone and iron.
whalebone - fanone
iron - ferreo, ferroso, ferrico, inflessibile, stirare
"Oh, very well!" returned Miss Temple; "we must make it do, Barbara, I suppose." And as the girl withdrew she added, smiling, "Fortunately, I have it in my power to supply deficiencies for this once."
withdrew - ritirare, ritirarsi
fortunately - fortunatamente, per fortuna
deficiencies - deficienza
this once - questa volta
Having invited Helen and me to approach the table, and placed before each of us a cup of tea with one delicious but thin morsel of toast, she got up, unlocked a drawer, and taking from it a parcel wrapped in paper, disclosed presently to our eyes a good-sized seed-cake.
unlocked - aprire, sbloccare, desbloquear
taking from - prendere da
parcel - pacchetto, plico, lotto, parcella, impacchettare
disclosed - scoprire, divulgare, rivelare, svelare, scoperchiare, far noto
sized - dimensioni
"I meant to give each of you some of this to take with you," said she, "but as there is so little toast, you must have it now," and she proceeded to cut slices with a generous hand.
slices - fetta, trancio, affettare, svirgolare
We feasted that evening as on nectar and ambrosia; and not the least delight of the entertainment was the smile of gratification with which our hostess regarded us, as we satisfied our famished appetites on the delicate fare she liberally supplied.
feasted - banchetto
nectar - nettare
ambrosia - ambrosia
entertainment - divertimento, intrattenimento
gratification - gratificazione
hostess - female host, female innkeeper, stewardess
Tea over and the tray removed, she again summoned us to the fire; we sat one on each side of her, and now a conversation followed between her and Helen, which it was indeed a privilege to be admitted to hear.
Miss Temple had always something of serenity in her air, of state in her mien, of refined propriety in her language, which precluded deviation into the ardent, the excited, the eager: something which chastened the pleasure of those who looked on her and listened to her, by a controlling sense of awe; and such was my feeling now: but as to Helen Burns, I was struck with wonder.
serenity - serenita
propriety - correttezza
precluded - precludere
deviation - scarto, deviazione
chastened - castigare
controlling - controllare
The refreshing meal, the brilliant fire, the presence and kindness of her beloved instructress, or, perhaps, more than all these, something in her own unique mind, had roused her powers within her.
refreshing - rinfrescare
beloved - amato, carissimo, squisito
instructress - istruttrice
They woke, they kindled: first, they glowed in the bright tint of her cheek, which till this hour I had never seen but pale and bloodless; then they shone in the liquid lustre of her eyes, which had suddenly acquired a beauty more singular than that of Miss Temple's-a beauty neither of fine colour nor long eyelash, nor pencilled brow, but of meaning, of movement, of radiance.
kindled - accendere, accendersi, infiammare, infiammarsi
glowed - brillare, alone, luminescenza, luccichio, calore
tint - tinta, sfumatura
bloodless - esanime
liquid - liquido, liquida
lustre - lucentezza
acquired - acquisire
eyelash - ciglio
movement - movimento
radiance - radianza
Then her soul sat on her lips, and language flowed, from what source I cannot tell. Has a girl of fourteen a heart large enough, vigorous enough, to hold the swelling spring of pure, full, fervid eloquence?
flowed - fluire
source - fonte, sorgente, informatore, source
vigorous - vigoroso
swelling - gonfiore, gnocco
fervid - fervido
eloquence - eloquenza
Such was the characteristic of Helen's discourse on that, to me, memorable evening; her spirit seemed hastening to live within a very brief span as much as many live during a protracted existence.
characteristic - caratteristico, caratteristica
memorable - memorabile
hastening to - affrettarsi
span - luce, campata
They conversed of things I had never heard of; of nations and times past; of countries far away; of secrets of nature discovered or guessed at: they spoke of books: how many they had read! What stores of knowledge they possessed!
secrets - segreto
stores of knowledge - bagagli di conoscenze
possessed - possedere, avere
Then they seemed so familiar with French names and French authors: but my amazement reached its climax when Miss Temple asked Helen if she sometimes snatched a moment to recall the Latin her father had taught her, and taking a book from a shelf, bade her read and construe a page of Virgil; and Helen obeyed, my organ of veneration expanding at every sounding line.
familiar - familiare, spirito famigliare, famiglio
authors - autore, autrice, creare
amazement - stupore
snatched - agguantare, scippare, strappare
Latin - Latino
shelf - scaffale, mensola, ripiano, palchetto, asse
construe - interpretare
Virgil - Virgilio
expanding - estendere, espandere, dettagliare, dilungare, sviluppare
She had scarcely finished ere the bell announced bedtime! no delay could be admitted; Miss Temple embraced us both, saying, as she drew us to her heart-
bedtime - a letto
"God Bless you, my children!"
Bless you - Salute!
Helen she held a little longer than me: she let her go more reluctantly; it was Helen her eye followed to the door; it was for her she a second time breathed a sad sigh; for her she wiped a tear from her cheek.
On reaching the bedroom, we heard the voice of Miss Scatcherd: she was examining drawers; she had just pulled out Helen Burns's, and when we entered Helen was greeted with a sharp reprimand, and told that to-morrow she should have half-a-dozen of untidily folded articles pinned to her shoulder.
reaching - arrivare a, raggiungere
pulled - tirare
reprimand - reprimenda, ammonimento, appunto, lavacapo
untidily - disordinatamente
pinned - spillo, spilla, molletta
"My things were indeed in shameful disorder," murmured Helen to me, in a low voice: "I intended to have arranged them, but I forgot."
disorder - disordine, disturbo
Next morning, Miss Scatcherd wrote in conspicuous characters on a piece of pasteboard the word "Slattern," and bound it like a phylactery round Helen's large, mild, intelligent, and benign-looking forehead. She wore it till evening, patient, unresentful, regarding it as a deserved punishment.
conspicuous - evidente, lampante, notevole, vistoso
characters - personaggio, carattere, caratteristica
pasteboard - cartoncino
Slattern - sciattona
phylactery - filatterio, amuleto
intelligent - intelligente
benign - benigno
unresentful - senza risentimento
regarding - considerare
The moment Miss Scatcherd withdrew after afternoon school, I ran to Helen, tore it off, and thrust it into the fire: the fury of which she was incapable had been burning in my soul all day, and tears, hot and large, had continually been scalding my cheek; for the spectacle of her sad resignation gave me an intolerable pain at the heart.
scalding - scottatura
resignation - dimissioni, uscita, fuoriuscita, rassegnazione
intolerable - intollerabile, insopportabile
About a week subsequently to the incidents above narrated, Miss Temple, who had written to Mr. Lloyd, received his answer: it appeared that what he said went to corroborate my account.
Incidents - imprevisto, inconveniente, incidente
corroborate - confermare
Miss Temple, having assembled the whole school, announced that inquiry had been made into the charges alleged against Jane Eyre, and that she was most happy to be able to pronounce her completely cleared from every imputation. The teachers then shook hands with me and kissed me, and a murmur of pleasure ran through the ranks of my companions.
charges - costo, prezzo, carico, accusa, imputazione, carica, incarico
alleged - dichiarare, asserire
completely - completamente, interamente, del tutto, totalmente
murmur - mormorio, brusio, sussurro, mormorare
ranks - grado, rango
Companions - amico, compagno
Thus relieved of a grievous load, I from that hour set to work afresh, resolved to pioneer my way through every difficulty: I toiled hard, and my success was proportionate to my efforts; my memory, not naturally tenacious, improved with practice; exercise sharpened my wits; in a few weeks I was promoted to a higher class; in less than two months I was allowed to commence French and drawing.
grievous - grave
load - carico
afresh - di nuovo, daccapo
Pioneer - pioniere, pioniera, aprire la strada
toiled - lavoro, fatica, disputa, tenzone, litigio
proportionate - proporzionato
tenacious - tenace
sharpened - arrotare, affilare, molare, affinare
promoted - promuovere, sostenere, pubblicizzare, diffondere
I learned the first two tenses of the verb Etre, and sketched my first cottage (whose walls, by-the-bye, outrivalled in slope those of the leaning tower of Pisa), on the same day.
tenses - tempo
verb - verbo
sketched - abbozzare, schizzare, delineare, sunteggiare, sintetizzare
outrivalled - superare
slope - pendio, pendenza, inclinazione, muso giallo, digradare, loor
Pisa - Pisa
That night, on going to bed, I forgot to prepare in imagination the Barmecide supper of hot roast potatoes, or white bread and new milk, with which I was wont to amuse my inward cravings: I feasted instead on the spectacle of ideal drawings, which I saw in the dark; all the work of my own hands: freely pencilled houses and trees, picturesque rocks and ruins, Cuyp-like groups of cattle, sweet paintings of butterflies hovering over unblown roses, of birds picking at ripe cherries, of wren's nests enclosing pearl-like eggs, wreathed about with young ivy sprays. I examined, too, in thought, the possibility of my ever being able to translate currently a certain little French story which Madame Pierrot had that day shown me; nor was that problem solved to my satisfaction ere I fell sweetly asleep.
imagination - immaginazione
roast potatoes - patate arrosto
amuse - svagare
cravings - desiderio
Ideal - ideale
drawings - disegno
picturesque - pittoresco
ruins - rovina, rovinare
cattle - bovini, bestiame
butterflies - farfalla
hovering - librarsi, volteggiare, aggirarsi, attardarsi, gironzolare
unblown - non soffiato
roses - Rosa
picking - scegliere
ripe - maturo
cherries - ciliegia, ciliegio
Wren - scricciolo
nests - nido
enclosing - cintare
pearl - perla, tesoro, parigina, occhio di mosca
wreathed - coprire
sprays - spray, spruzzo, (getto vaporizzato)
currently - attualmente, ora
satisfaction - soddisfazione
sweetly - dolcemente, carezzevolmente, soavemente
Well has Solomon said-"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."
Solomon - Salomone
herbs - erba aromatica, erba, erba medicinale
stalled - stalla, scuderia
ox - bue
therewith - con questo
I would not now have exchanged Lowood with all its privations for Gateshead and its daily luxuries.
exchanged - cambiare
privations - privazione
luxuries - lusso
But the privations, or rather the hardships, of Lowood lessened. Spring drew on: she was indeed already come; the frosts of winter had ceased; its snows were melted, its cutting winds ameliorated.
lessened - diminuire
frosts - brina, gelata, gelo, checkgalaverna, checkgelo, brinare
ameliorated - migliorare
My wretched feet, flayed and swollen to lameness by the sharp air of January, began to heal and subside under the gentler breathings of April; the nights and mornings no longer by their Canadian temperature froze the very blood in our veins; we could now endure the play-hour passed in the garden: sometimes on a sunny day it began even to be pleasant and genial, and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps. Flowers peeped out amongst the leaves; snow-drops, crocuses, purple auriculas, and golden-eyed pansies. On Thursday afternoons (half-holidays) we now took walks, and found still sweeter flowers opening by the wayside, under the hedges.
swollen - gonfiare, gonfiarsi, aumentare
lameness - zoppia
heal - guarire
subside - sprofondare, abbassare, abbassarsi, scendere
gentler - gentile
breathings - respirazione
Canadian - Canadese
temperature - temperatura, febbre
froze - gelare
veins - vena, venatura
sunny - soleggiato, soleggiata
genial - cordiale
greenness - verde
freshening - rinfrescare
suggested - proporre, suggerire
brighter - luminoso, brillante
traces - traccia
peeped - sbirciatina
drops - goccia
Crocuses - croco
auriculas - aurícula
pansies - pansé, mammoletta, femminuccia, coniglio, merlo
sweeter - dolcemente, dolcetto, caramella
wayside - strada
hedges - siepe
I discovered, too, that a great pleasure, an enjoyment which the horizon only bounded, lay all outside the high and spike-guarded walls of our garden: this pleasure consisted in prospect of noble summits girdling a great hill-hollow, rich in verdure and shadow; in a bright beck, full of dark stones and sparkling eddies.
spike - chiodo, lancia, punta, spuntone
noble - nobile, aristocratico, splendido
girdling - incorniciare
Hill - collina, colle
verdure - vegetazione
shadow - ombra, pedinare
beck - agli ordini di qualcuno
stones - pietra, roccia, sasso, tsassolino, gemma
sparkling - scintillante, brillante, frizzante, gassato
eddies - gorgo, mulinello
How different had this scene looked when I viewed it laid out beneath the iron sky of winter, stiffened in frost, shrouded with snow!-when mists as chill as death wandered to the impulse of east winds along those purple peaks, and rolled down "ing" and holm till they blended with the frozen fog of the beck!
viewed - vista, veduta, visualizzazione, visione, opinione
mists - nebbia, foschia
peaks - picco
rolled - rotolo
blended - misto, ibrido
That beck itself was then a torrent, turbid and curbless: it tore asunder the wood, and sent a raving sound through the air, often thickened with wild rain or whirling sleet; and for the forest on its banks, that showed only ranks of skeletons.
torrent - torrente
curbless - senza cordoli
asunder - in pezzi
raving - farneticare
thickened - addensare
whirling - vorticoso, (whirl), turbinare, piroettare, roteare
sleet - gragnola, pioggia mista a neve, acquaneve, vetrone
skeletons - scheletro
April advanced to May: a bright serene May it was; days of blue sky, placid sunshine, and soft western or southern gales filled up its duration.
advanced - avanzare, progredire, anticipare, migliorare, avvicinarsi
serene - sereno
placid - placido
Western - occidentale, western
gales - burrasca
And now vegetation matured with vigour; Lowood shook loose its tresses; it became all green, all flowery; its great elm, ash, and oak skeletons were restored to majestic life; woodland plants sprang up profusely in its recesses; unnumbered varieties of moss filled its hollows, and it made a strange ground-sunshine out of the wealth of its wild primrose plants: I have seen their pale gold gleam in overshadowed spots like scatterings of the sweetest lustre. All this I enjoyed often and fully, free, unwatched, and almost alone: for this unwonted liberty and pleasure there was a cause, to which it now becomes my task to advert.
vegetation - vegetazione
matured - maturo
flowery - floreale
elm - olmo
ash - cenere
oak - quercia
restored - ristabilire, restaurare, riportare, rimettere
majestic - maestoso
woodland - boschereccio
sprang up - sorgere,crescere, rimbalzare
profusely - abbondantemente
recesses - incavo, pausa, ferie, ricreazione
unnumbered - innumerevole
varieties - varieta
moss - muschio
hollows - vuoto, cavo
wealth - ricchezza, patrimonio, abbondanza
Primrose - primula
scatterings - dispersione
unwatched - non guardato
advert - annuncio
Have I not described a pleasant site for a dwelling, when I speak of it as bosomed in hill and wood, and rising from the verge of a stream? Assuredly, pleasant enough: but whether healthy or not is another question.
site - area, posto
dwelling - abitazione, (dwell), abitare, checkdimorare
bosomed - seno, intimita, intimo
verge - orlo
assuredly - sicuramente
That forest-dell, where Lowood lay, was the cradle of fog and fog-bred pestilence; which, quickening with the quickening spring, crept into the Orphan Asylum, breathed typhus through its crowded schoolroom and dormitory, and, ere May arrived, transformed the seminary into an hospital.
cradle - culla, cullare
bred - allevato, (breed), allevare, riprodursi, razza
pestilence - pestilenza
quickening - accelerazione
crept - abbarbicarsi, insinuarsi, strisciare, scorrimento, spostamento
asylum - asilo, manicomio
crowded - folla
seminary - seminario
Semi-starvation and neglected colds had predisposed most of the pupils to receive infection: forty-five out of the eighty girls lay ill at one time. Classes were broken up, rules relaxed.
starvation - fame
predisposed - predisporre
receive - ricevere
broken up - rotto in pezzi, strappato
The few who continued well were allowed almost unlimited license; because the medical attendant insisted on the necessity of frequent exercise to keep them in health: and had it been otherwise, no one had leisure to watch or restrain them. Miss Temple's whole attention was absorbed by the patients: she lived in the sick-room, never quitting it except to snatch a few hours'rest at night.
unlimited - illimitato
license - licenza, permesso
medical - medico
attendant - assistente
insisted - insistere
otherwise - altrimenti, differentemente, in altre circostanze, tuttavia
restrain - contenere, frenare
patients - paziente
sick-room - (sick-room) stanza dei malati
quitting - abbandonare, lasciare
The teachers were fully occupied with packing up and making other necessary preparations for the departure of those girls who were fortunate enough to have friends and relations able and willing to remove them from the seat of contagion. Many, already smitten, went home only to die: some died at the school, and were buried quietly and quickly, the nature of the malady forbidding delay.
fully occupied - completamente occupato
occupied with - occupato
packing up - fare i bagagli
preparations - preparazione
fortunate - fortunato
contagion - talian: t-needed
smitten - colpire, fulminare, annientare, annichilire, impressionare
malady - malattia
While disease had thus become an inhabitant of Lowood, and death its frequent visitor; while there was gloom and fear within its walls; while its rooms and passages steamed with hospital smells, the drug and the pastille striving vainly to overcome the effluvia of mortality, that bright May shone unclouded over the bold hills and beautiful woodland out of doors.
inhabitant - abitante
steamed - vapore
smells - odore, olfatto, odorato, sentire l'odore, fiutare, odorare
drug - medicinale
pastille - pastiglia, pasticca
striving - sforzarsi
vainly - vanamente
effluvia - effluvio
mortality - mortalita
unclouded - not cloudy, clear
bold - ardito, coraggioso
out of doors - spazio aperto
Its garden, too, glowed with flowers: hollyhocks had sprung up tall as trees, lilies had opened, tulips and roses were in bloom; the borders of the little beds were gay with pink thrift and crimson double daisies; the sweetbriars gave out, morning and evening, their scent of spice and apples; and these fragrant treasures were all useless for most of the inmates of Lowood, except to furnish now and then a handful of herbs and blossoms to put in a coffin.
hollyhocks - malvarosa, malvone
lilies - giglio
tulips - tulipano
bloom - fiore
gay - gay, omosessuale
thrift - parsimonia, frugalita, risparmio, economia
daisies - pratolina, margheritina, margherita
gave out - rifiutarsi di obbedire, esaurirsi, spendere
spice - spezia
treasures - tesoro, apprezzare
inmates - internato, detenuto, prigioniero, convitto, interno
furnish - fornire
handful - manciata, pugno, manipolo, gruppetto
blossoms - bocciuolo, fiorire
But I, and the rest who continued well, enjoyed fully the beauties of the scene and season; they let us ramble in the wood, like gipsies, from morning till night; we did what we liked, went where we liked: we lived better too. Mr.
beauties - bellezza
ramble - vagare
gipsies - Zingaro
Brocklehurst and his family never came near Lowood now: household matters were not scrutinised into; the cross housekeeper was gone, driven away by the fear of infection; her successor, who had been matron at the Lowton Dispensary, unused to the ways of her new abode, provided with comparative liberality.
driven away - allontanato
successor - successore, succeditrice, erede
Matron - (direttrice dei servizi d'infermeria)
Dispensary - Dispensario
unused - inusato
provided with - dotato, fornito
Besides, there were fewer to feed; the sick could eat little; our breakfast-basins were better filled; when there was no time to prepare a regular dinner, which often happened, she would give us a large piece of cold pie, or a thick slice of bread and cheese, and this we carried away with us to the wood, where we each chose the spot we liked best, and dined sumptuously.
pie - torta
slice of bread - fetta di pane
carried away - rapire
spot - macchia, brufolo, foruncolo, zona, area, pubblicita, individuare
dined - chiasso, frastuono
sumptuously - sontuosamente
My favourite seat was a smooth and broad stone, rising white and dry from the very middle of the beck, and only to be got at by wading through the water; a feat I accomplished barefoot.
dry - secco, asciutto, asciugarsi, trinsecchire, tessiccare
wading - guadare
feat - impresa
accomplished - compiere, realizzare, completare, trascorrere, concretizzare
barefoot - scalzo, a piedi nudi
The stone was just broad enough to accommodate, comfortably, another girl and me, at that time my chosen comrade-one Mary Ann Wilson; a shrewd, observant personage, whose society I took pleasure in, partly because she was witty and original, and partly because she had a manner which set me at my ease.
accommodate - alloggiare, accogliere
comfortably - comodamente
comrade - compagno, compagna, checkcamerata
Mary - Maria, Madonna
observant - osservante
witty - arguto, faceto, ingegnoso, fine, convincente
original - primitivo, originale, primo, inedito, originario
ease - facilita, riposo, attenuare
Some years older than I, she knew more of the world, and could tell me many things I liked to hear: with her my curiosity found gratification: to my faults also she gave ample indulgence, never imposing curb or rein on anything I said.
curiosity - curiosita
imposing - imporre, abusare
curb - frenare, tenere a freno
rein - redine, briglia
She had a turn for narrative, I for analysis; she liked to inform, I to question; so we got on swimmingly together, deriving much entertainment, if not much improvement, from our mutual intercourse.
inform - informare
swimmingly - dolcemente
deriving - derivare
mutual - mutuo, vicendevole, reciproco
intercourse - rapporto sessuale
And where, meantime, was Helen Burns? Why did I not spend these sweet days of liberty with her? Had I forgotten her? or was I so worthless as to have grown tired of her pure society?
worthless - inutile, insignificante, senza valore
Surely the Mary Ann Wilson I have mentioned was inferior to my first acquaintance: she could only tell me amusing stories, and reciprocate any racy and pungent gossip I chose to indulge in; while, if I have spoken truth of Helen, she was qualified to give those who enjoyed the privilege of her converse a taste of far higher things.
amusing - svagare
reciprocate - reciprocare
gossip - pettegolo, pettegola, chiacchierone, chiacchierona
indulge in - indulgere in
qualified - qualificare, abilitare
True, reader; and I knew and felt this: and though I am a defective being, with many faults and few redeeming points, yet I never tired of Helen Burns; nor ever ceased to cherish for her a sentiment of attachment, as strong, tender, and respectful as any that ever animated my heart.
cherish - custodire, curare, apprezzare
attachment - legame, allegato
tender - tenero
animated - animare, ravvivare
How could it be otherwise, when Helen, at all times and under all circumstances, evinced for me a quiet and faithful friendship, which ill-humour never soured, nor irritation never troubled? But Helen was ill at present: for some weeks she had been removed from my sight to I knew not what room upstairs.
circumstances - circostanza, dettaglio, caso, circonlocuzione, situazione
evinced - evincere, dimostrare, manifestare
friendship - amicizia
soured - agro, inasprire, deteriorarsi, degenerare
She was not, I was told, in the hospital portion of the house with the fever patients; for her complaint was consumption, not typhus: and by consumption I, in my ignorance, understood something mild, which time and care would be sure to alleviate.
complaint - reclamo, lamentela, rimostranza, denuncia, disturbo
consumption - consumo, consunzione, deperimento
alleviate - alleviare
I was confirmed in this idea by the fact of her once or twice coming downstairs on very warm sunny afternoons, and being taken by Miss Temple into the garden; but, on these occasions, I was not allowed to go and speak to her; I only saw her from the schoolroom window, and then not distinctly; for she was much wrapped up, and sat at a distance under the verandah.
confirmed - cresimare, confermare, confermare (1), checkcresimare (2)
One evening, in the beginning of June, I had stayed out very late with Mary Ann in the wood; we had, as usual, separated ourselves from the others, and had wandered far; so far that we lost our way, and had to ask it at a lonely cottage, where a man and woman lived, who looked after a herd of half-wild swine that fed on the mast in the wood.
separated - separato, separata, separare, dividere
ourselves - noi stessi
looked after - in custodia
herd - mandria, branco
swine - porco
mast - albero
When we got back, it was after moonrise: a pony, which we knew to be the surgeon's, was standing at the garden door. Mary Ann remarked that she supposed some one must be very ill, as Mr. Bates had been sent for at that time of the evening.
moonrise - sorgere della luna
surgeon - chirurgo
supposed - supporre, immaginare
She went into the house; I stayed behind a few minutes to plant in my garden a handful of roots I had dug up in the forest, and which I feared would wither if I left them till the morning.
dug up - scavato
wither - seccarsi, far appassire
This done, I lingered yet a little longer: the flowers smelt so sweet as the dew fell; it was such a pleasant evening, so serene, so warm; the still glowing west promised so fairly another fine day on the morrow; the moon rose with such majesty in the grave east. I was noting these things and enjoying them as a child might, when it entered my mind as it had never done before:-
lingered - indugiare, sostare, trattenersi, attardarsi
smelt - fondere, (separare dalle scorie), (smell), odore, olfatto
dew - rugiada
glowing - brillare, alone, luminescenza, luccichio, calore
fairly - in modo equo
"How sad to be lying now on a sick bed, and to be in danger of dying! This world is pleasant-it would be dreary to be called from it, and to have to go who knows where?"
lying - mentire
sick bed - letto di malattia
danger - pericolo
And then my mind made its first earnest effort to comprehend what had been infused into it concerning heaven and hell; and for the first time it recoiled, baffled; and for the first time glancing behind, on each side, and before it, it saw all round an unfathomed gulf: it felt the one point where it stood-the present; all the rest was formless cloud and vacant depth; and it shuddered at the thought of tottering, and plunging amid that chaos. While pondering this new idea, I heard the front door open; Mr. Bates came out, and with him was a nurse. After she had seen him mount his horse and depart, she was about to close the door, but I ran up to her.
recoiled - rinculo, ritrarsi, rinculare
baffled - sconcertare
unfathomed - insondato
Gulf - golfo
formless - senza forma
Tottering - Sballottati, (totter), barcollare
plunging - immergersi
amid - in mezzo a, tra
depart - partire, andar via, allontanarsi, dipartire, deviare
ran up - correre, aumentare un debito
"How is Helen Burns?"
"Very poorly," was the answer.
poorly - in modo inadeguato
"Is it her Mr. Bates has been to see?"
"Yes."
"And what does he say about her?"
"He says she'll not be here long."
This phrase, uttered in my hearing yesterday, would have only conveyed the notion that she was about to be removed to Northumberland, to her own home. I should not have suspected that it meant she was dying; but I knew instantly now!
conveyed - trasportare, condurre, comunicare, esprimere, trasferire
It opened clear on my comprehension that Helen Burns was numbering her last days in this world, and that she was going to be taken to the region of spirits, if such region there were. I experienced a shock of horror, then a strong thrill of grief, then a desire-a necessity to see her; and I asked in what room she lay.
comprehension - comprensione
region - regione
experienced - esperienza, esperire
thrill - eccitare, elettrizzare
"She is in Miss Temple's room," said the nurse.
"May I go up and speak to her?"
"Oh no, child! It is not likely; and now it is time for you to come in; you'll catch the fever if you stop out when the dew is falling."
Likely - E probabile
The nurse closed the front door; I went in by the side entrance which led to the schoolroom: I was just in time; it was nine o'clock, and Miss Miller was calling the pupils to go to bed.
side entrance - ingresso laterale
It might be two hours later, probably near eleven, when I-not having been able to fall asleep, and deeming, from the perfect silence of the dormitory, that my companions were all wrapt in profound repose-rose softly, put on my frock over my night-dress, and, without shoes, crept from the apartment, and set off in quest of Miss Temple's room.
fall asleep - addormentarsi
deeming - considerare, valutare, credere, ritenere
wrapt - avvolgere
profound - profondo
repose - riposo
quest - ricerca
It was quite at the other end of the house; but I knew my way; and the light of the unclouded summer moon, entering here and there at passage windows, enabled me to find it without difficulty. An odour of camphor and burnt vinegar warned me when I came near the fever room: and I passed its door quickly, fearful lest the nurse who sat up all night should hear me.
entering - entrare, (enter), immettere, digitare
enabled - permettere, attivare, abilitare
camphor - canfora
vinegar - aceto
warned - avvertire, avvisare
I dreaded being discovered and sent back; for I must see Helen,-I must embrace her before she died,-I must give her one last kiss, exchange with her one last word.
dreaded - temere, timore
sent back - rimandato indietro
Embrace - abbracciare, aderire, inglobare, abbraccio
Exchange - cambiare
Having descended a staircase, traversed a portion of the house below, and succeeded in opening and shutting, without noise, two doors, I reached another flight of steps; these I mounted, and then just opposite to me was Miss Temple's room. A light shone through the keyhole and from under the door; a profound stillness pervaded the vicinity.
opposite to - opposto
shone through - trasparire, brillare
keyhole - toppa, buco della serratura
pervaded - pervadere
vicinity - vicinanza, dintorni, intorno
coming near, I found the door slightly ajar; probably to admit some fresh air into the close abode of sickness. Indisposed to hesitate, and full of impatient impulses-soul and senses quivering with keen throes-I put it back and looked in. My eye sought Helen, and feared to find death.
coming near - avvicinarsi
slightly - leggermente
ajar - socchiuso
fresh - fresco
sickness - malattia
indisposed - indisporre
hesitate - esitare, titubare
impulses - impulso, aire, slancio, abbrivo
senses - senso, coscienza, sensazione, significato, tocco
quivering - tremare, tremolare
throes - tirar
Close by Miss Temple's bed, and half covered with its white curtains, there stood a little crib. I saw the outline of a form under the clothes, but the face was hid by the hangings: the nurse I had spoken to in the garden sat in an easy-chair asleep; an unsnuffed candle burnt dimly on the table.
hangings - appeso
unsnuffed - non soffocata
Miss Temple was not to be seen: I knew afterwards that she had been called to a delirious patient in the fever-room. I advanced; then paused by the crib side: my hand was on the curtain, but I preferred speaking before I withdrew it. I still recoiled at the dread of seeing a corpse.
delirious - delirante
corpse - cadavere, corpo
"Helen!" I whispered softly, "are you awake?"
awake - svegliarsi
She stirred herself, put back the curtain, and I saw her face, pale, wasted, but quite composed: she looked so little changed that my fear was instantly dissipated.
put back - tornare indietro
wasted - spreco
dissipated - dissipare
"Can it be you, Jane?" she asked, in her own gentle voice.
"Oh!" I thought, "she is not going to die; they are mistaken: she could not speak and look so calmly if she were."
calmly - con calma
I got on to her crib and kissed her: her forehead was cold, and her cheek both cold and thin, and so were her hand and wrist; but she smiled as of old.
wrist - polso
"Why are you come here, Jane? It is past eleven o'clock: I heard it strike some minutes since."
"I came to see you, Helen: I heard you were very ill, and I could not sleep till I had spoken to you."
"You came to bid me good-bye, then: you are just in time probably."
"Are you going somewhere, Helen? Are you going home?"
"Yes; to my long home-my last home."
"No, no, Helen!" I stopped, distressed. While I tried to devour my tears, a fit of coughing seized Helen; it did not, however, wake the nurse; when it was over, she lay some minutes exhausted; then she whispered-
distressed - angoscia, pena, miseria, sconforto, pericolo
devour - divorare, trangugiare, ingurgitare, ingozzarsi
fit of coughing - un attacco di tosse
"Jane, your little feet are bare; lie down and cover yourself with my quilt."
I did so: she put her arm over me, and I nestled close to her. After a long silence, she resumed, still whispering-
nestled - accomodarsi, talian: t-needed
"I am very happy, Jane; and when you hear that I am dead, you must be sure and not grieve: there is nothing to grieve about. We all must die one day, and the illness which is removing me is not painful; it is gentle and gradual: my mind is at rest. I leave no one to regret me much: I have only a father; and he is lately married, and will not miss me.
removing - rimuovere, asportare, levare, togliere
gradual - graduale
regret - rimpiangere, rammaricarsi, pentirsi, rammarico, rimpianto
By dying young, I shall escape great sufferings. I had not qualities or talents to make my way very well in the world: I should have been continually at fault."
qualities - qualita
talents - talento, talenti
"But where are you going to, Helen? Can you see? Do you know?"
"I believe; I have faith: I am going to God."
Faith - fede, fiducia
"Where is God? What is God?"
"My Maker and yours, who will never destroy what He created. I rely implicitly on His power, and confide wholly in His goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to Him, reveal Him to me."
Maker - fattore, facitore
destroy - distruggere, annichilare, checkabbattere (4)
rely - fare affidamento, basarsi
implicitly - implicitamente
confide - confidarsi
wholly - del tutto
count - conte
eventful - movimentato
"You are sure, then, Helen, that there is such a place as heaven, and that our souls can get to it when we die?"
"I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is good; I can resign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend: I love Him; I believe He loves me."
resign - dimettersi
misgiving - apprensione
"And shall I see you again, Helen, when I die?"
"You will come to the same region of happiness: be received by the same mighty, universal Parent, no doubt, dear Jane."
Again I questioned, but this time only in thought. "Where is that region? Does it exist?" And I clasped my arms closer round Helen; she seemed dearer to me than ever; I felt as if I could not let her go; I lay with my face hidden on her neck. Presently she said, in the sweetest tone-
exist - esistere
clasped - fibbia, gancio, fermaglio, stringere, serrare
hidden - nascondere, nascondersi
"How comfortable I am! That last fit of coughing has tired me a little; I feel as if I could sleep: but don't leave me, Jane; I like to have you near me."
coughing - tosse, (cough), tossire, colpo di tosse
"I'll stay with you, dear Helen: no one shall take me away."
"Are you warm, darling?"
"Yes."
"Good-night, Jane."
"Good-night, Helen."
She kissed me, and I her, and we both soon slumbered.
When I awoke it was day: an unusual movement roused me; I looked up; I was in somebody's arms; the nurse held me; she was carrying me through the passage back to the dormitory.
I was not reprimanded for leaving my bed; people had something else to think about; no explanation was afforded then to my many questions; but a day or two afterwards I learned that Miss Temple, on returning to her own room at dawn, had found me laid in the little crib; my face against Helen Burns's shoulder, my arms round her neck. I was asleep, and Helen was-dead.
reprimanded - reprimenda, ammonimento, appunto, lavacapo
laid in - accumulare
Her grave is in Brocklebridge churchyard: for fifteen years after her death it was only covered by a grassy mound; but now a grey marble tablet marks the spot, inscribed with her name, and the word "Resurgam."
grassy - erboso, erbale
mound - terrapieno, tumulo, cumulo, monticello
marks - Marco
Hitherto I have recorded in detail the events of my insignificant existence: to the first ten years of my life I have given almost as many chapters. But this is not to be a regular autobiography.
recorded in - registrato in
insignificant - insignificante, irrilevante, nullo
autobiography - autobiografia
I am only bound to invoke Memory where I know her responses will possess some degree of interest; therefore I now pass a space of eight years almost in silence: a few lines only are necessary to keep up the links of connection.
invoke - chiedere, invocare, appellarsi, richiedere, richiamare
responses - responso, risposta
possess - possedere, avere
links - anello, maglia
When the typhus fever had fulfilled its mission of devastation at Lowood, it gradually disappeared from thence; but not till its virulence and the number of its victims had drawn public attention on the school. Inquiry was made into the origin of the scourge, and by degrees various facts came out which excited public indignation in a high degree.
fulfilled - completare, soddisfare
devastation - devastazione
disappeared - sparire, scomparire
not till - non fino a quando
virulence - virulenza
victims - vittima
origin - origine, origini
scourge - piaga, flagello, flagellare
degrees - laurea, grado
various - vario
The unhealthy nature of the site; the quantity and quality of the children's food; the brackish, fetid water used in its preparation; the pupils'wretched clothing and accommodations-all these things were discovered, and the discovery produced a result mortifying to Mr. Brocklehurst, but beneficial to the institution.
unhealthy - malsano, insalubre
brackish - salmastra, salmastro
fetid - fetido
discovery - scoperta
mortifying - mortificare
beneficial - benefico
Several wealthy and benevolent individuals in the county subscribed largely for the erection of a more convenient building in a better situation; new regulations were made; improvements in diet and clothing introduced; the funds of the school were intrusted to the management of a committee. Mr.
wealthy - benestante, abbiente, agiato, facoltoso
individuals - individuo, soggetto, singolo, specifico, individuale, personale
subscribed - abbonarsi
largely - largamente, estesamente, in gran parte, per la maggior parte
erection - erezione
improvements - miglioramento, salto di qualita
funds - fondo, finanziare
management - gestione
committee - comitato, commissione
Brocklehurst, who, from his wealth and family connections, could not be overlooked, still retained the post of treasurer; but he was aided in the discharge of his duties by gentlemen of rather more enlarged and sympathising minds: his office of inspector, too, was shared by those who knew how to combine reason with strictness, comfort with economy, compassion with uprightness.
connections - connessione, coincidenza
aided - assistente
discharge - secrezione, emissione, discarico, scarica, dimissioni, congedo
enlarged - allargare
sympathising - simpatizzare
minds - mente
inspector - ispettore, controllore, ispettore di polizia
combine - combinare, mischiare, abbinare, unire, kombinat, combinat
strictness - rigore
economy - economia, risparmio
compassion - compassione
uprightness - rettitudine
The school, thus improved, became in time a truly useful and noble institution. I remained an inmate of its walls, after its regeneration, for eight years: six as pupil, and two as teacher; and in both capacities I bear my testimony to its value and importance.
inmate - internato, detenuto, prigioniero, convitto, interno
regeneration - rigenerazione
capacities - tenuta, resistenza, capacita, capienza
testimony - testimonianza
importance - importanza
During these eight years my life was uniform: but not unhappy, because it was not inactive. I had the means of an excellent education placed within my reach; a fondness for some of my studies, and a desire to excel in all, together with a great delight in pleasing my teachers, especially such as I loved, urged me on: I availed myself fully of the advantages offered me.
uniform - Udine
reach - arrivare a, raggiungere
fondness - affezione
excel in - eccellere, distinguersi
delight in - gustare
availed - (2) inutile
advantages - vantaggio, beneficio
In time I rose to be the first girl of the first class; then I was invested with the office of teacher; which I discharged with zeal for two years: but at the end of that time I altered.
invested - investire
discharged - secrezione, emissione, discarico, scarica, dimissioni, congedo
zeal - zelo
Miss Temple, through all changes, had thus far continued superintendent of the seminary: to her instruction I owed the best part of my acquirements; her friendship and society had been my continual solace; she had stood me in the stead of mother, governess, and, latterly, companion.
instruction - istruzione, addestramento, insegnamento, tirocinio, bugiardino
owed - dovere, essere in debito, essere debitore di
acquirements - acquisizione
continual - continuo
governess - governante, istitutrice
latterly - ultimamente
At this period she married, removed with her husband (a clergyman, an excellent man, almost worthy of such a wife) to a distant county, and consequently was lost to me.
From the day she left I was no longer the same: with her was gone every settled feeling, every association that had made Lowood in some degree a home to me. I had imbibed from her something of her nature and much of her habits: more harmonious thoughts: what seemed better regulated feelings had become the inmates of my mind.
Association - associazione
imbibed - assorbire
more harmonious - piu armonioso
regulated - regolare, registrare, tarare
I had given in allegiance to duty and order; I was quiet; I believed I was content: to the eyes of others, usually even to my own, I appeared a disciplined and subdued character.
given in - arrendersi
allegiance - fedelta, lealta
content - contento, soddisfatto
But destiny, in the shape of the Rev. Mr. Nasmyth, came between me and Miss Temple: I saw her in her travelling dress step into a post-chaise, shortly after the marriage ceremony; I watched the chaise mount the hill and disappear beyond its brow; and then retired to my own room, and there spent in solitude the greatest part of the half-holiday granted in honour of the occasion.
destiny - destino
Rev - accelerare
marriage ceremony - cerimonia di matrimonio
disappear - sparire, scomparire
granted - permettere, concedere, conferire, ammettere, garantire
I walked about the chamber most of the time.
I imagined myself only to be regretting my loss, and thinking how to repair it; but when my reflections were concluded, and I looked up and found that the afternoon was gone, and evening far advanced, another discovery dawned on me, namely, that in the interval I had undergone a transforming process; that my mind had put off all it had borrowed of Miss Temple-or rather that she had taken with her the serene atmosphere I had been breathing in her vicinity-and that now I was left in my natural element, and beginning to feel the stirring of old emotions. It did not seem as if a prop were withdrawn, but rather as if a motive were gone: it was not the power to be tranquil which had failed me, but the reason for tranquillity was no more. My world had for some years been in Lowood: my experience had been of its rules and systems; now I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had courage to go forth into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst its perils.
regretting - rimpiangere, rammaricarsi, pentirsi, rammarico, rimpianto
Loss - perdita
concluded - finire, concludere
namely - cioe, ovvero, ovverosia
undergone - soffrire, sottoporsi
transforming - trasformando, (transform), trasformare, modificare
put off - rimandare
borrowed - prendere in prestito
atmosphere - atmosfera
breathing - respirazione, (breath), respiro, lena, alito, fiato
element - elemento, elementi, ambiente
stirring of - agitare
prop - sostegno
withdrawn - ritirare, ritirarsi
tranquil - tranquillo, sereno, calmo, pacifico
Experience - esperienza, esperire
systems - sistema
varied - variare
fears - paura
excitements - eccitamento, orgasmo, fregola
awaited - aspettare, attendere, servire
expanse - distesa
knowledge - conoscenza, sapere
perils - periglio, pericolo
I went to my window, opened it, and looked out. There were the two wings of the building; there was the garden; there were the skirts of Lowood; there was the hilly horizon. My eye passed all other objects to rest on those most remote, the blue peaks; it was those I longed to surmount; all within their boundary of rock and heath seemed prison-ground, exile limits.
objects to - obiettare
surmount - sormontare, superare
boundary - confine, limite
prison - prigione, carcere, fresco
exile - esilio, esiliato, esule, esiliare
I traced the white road winding round the base of one mountain, and vanishing in a gorge between two; how I longed to follow it farther! I recalled the time when I had travelled that very road in a coach; I remembered descending that hill at twilight; an age seemed to have elapsed since the day which brought me first to Lowood, and I had never quitted it since.
vanishing - svanire, (vanish), sparire
gorge - gola
descending - scendere
elapsed - trascorrere
My vacations had all been spent at school: Mrs. Reed had never sent for me to Gateshead; neither she nor any of her family had ever been to visit me. I had had no communication by letter or message with the outer world: school-rules, school-duties, school-habits and notions, and voices, and faces, and phrases, and costumes, and preferences, and antipathies-such was what I knew of existence.
communication - comunicazione, avviso, trasmissione, collegamento, comunione
costumes - costume
preferences - preferenza
Antipathies - antipatia
And now I felt that it was not enough; I tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon. I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing.
gasped - restare senza fiato, restare a bocca aperta
faintly - debolmente, tenuemente, fiocamente, fievolmente
I abandoned it and framed a humbler supplication; for change, stimulus: that petition, too, seemed swept off into vague space: "Then," I cried, half desperate, "grant me at least a new servitude!"
humbler - piu umile
petition - petizione
Grant - permettere, concedere, conferire, ammettere, garantire
servitude - servitu
Here a bell, ringing the hour of supper, called me downstairs.
I was not free to resume the interrupted chain of my reflections till bedtime: even then a teacher who occupied the same room with me kept me from the subject to which I longed to recur, by a prolonged effusion of small talk. How I wished sleep would silence her.
resume - riprendere
chain - catena, incatenare, concatenare
recur - ripresentarsi, ripetersi
effusion - effusione, spargimento, travaso, effusioni
small talk - chiacchiere
It seemed as if, could I but go back to the idea which had last entered my mind as I stood at the window, some inventive suggestion would rise for my relief.
inventive - inventivo
Miss Gryce snored at last; she was a heavy Welshwoman, and till now her habitual nasal strains had never been regarded by me in any other light than as a nuisance; to-night I hailed the first deep notes with satisfaction; I was debarrassed of interruption; my half-effaced thought instantly revived.
snored - russare, ronfare
Welshwoman - Gallese
nasal - nasale
strains - sforzare, sforzarsi, tirare
nuisance - seccatura
hailed - grandine
effaced - cancellare
"A new servitude! There is something in that," I soliloquised (mentally, be it understood; I did not talk aloud), "I know there is, because it does not sound too sweet; it is not like such words as Liberty, Excitement, Enjoyment: delightful sounds truly; but no more than sounds for me; and so hollow and fleeting that it is mere waste of time to listen to them. But Servitude!
soliloquised - soliloquio
mentally - mentalmente
delightful - delizioso
fleeting - flotta
waste - sprecare
That must be matter of fact. Any one may serve: I have served here eight years; now all I want is to serve elsewhere. Can I not get so much of my own will? Is not the thing feasible? Yes-yes-the end is not so difficult; if I had only a brain active enough to ferret out the means of attaining it."
feasible - fattibile, realizzabile, eseguibile, futuribile
ferret - furetto
attaining - raggiungere, ottenere, attenere
I sat up in bed by way of arousing this said brain: it was a chilly night; I covered my shoulders with a shawl, and then I proceeded to think again with all my might.
arousing - eccitare, provocare, stimolare, suscitare
shoulders - spalla
"What do I want? A new place, in a new house, amongst new faces, under new circumstances: I want this because it is of no use wanting anything better. How do people do to get a new place? They apply to friends, I suppose: I have no friends. There are many others who have no friends, who must look about for themselves and be their own helpers; and what is their resource?"
helpers - aiutante, assistente, supporto, apprendista
resource - risorsa
I could not tell: nothing answered me; I then ordered my brain to find a response, and quickly. It worked and worked faster: I felt the pulses throb in my head and temples; but for nearly an hour it worked in chaos; and no result came of its efforts.
Feverish with vain labour, I got up and took a turn in the room; undrew the curtain, noted a star or two, shivered with cold, and again crept to bed.
labour - lavoro, lavoratori, lavoranti, parto, travaglio, doglie
turn in - consegnare
undrew - Disegnare
shivered - rabbrividire, tremare
A kind fairy, in my absence, had surely dropped the required suggestion on my pillow; for as I lay down, it came quietly and naturally to my mind.-"Those who want situations advertise; you must advertise in the ---shire Herald."
advertise - annunciare, promuovere, divulgare, pubblicizzare
shire - contea
"How? I know nothing about advertising."
advertising - pubblicita, (advertise), annunciare, promuovere, divulgare
Replies rose smooth and prompt now:-
replies - rispondere, replicare, ripetere, risposta, replica
prompt - pronto, disponibile, puntuale, promemoria, segnale, avvertimento
"You must enclose the advertisement and the money to pay for it under a cover directed to the editor of the Herald; you must put it, the first opportunity you have, into the post at Lowton; answers must be addressed to J.E., at the post-office there; you can go and inquire in about a week after you send your letter, if any are come, and act accordingly."
enclose - cintare
advertisement - annuncio, pubblicita, raccomandazione
editor - redattore, curatore, curatrice, redattrice
inquire - domandare, chiedere
This scheme I went over twice, thrice; it was then digested in my mind; I had it in a clear practical form: I felt satisfied, and fell asleep.
scheme - schema, piano, progetto, programma, macchinazione
thrice - tre volta
digested - digerire
With earliest day, I was up: I had my advertisement written, enclosed, and directed before the bell rang to rouse the school; it ran thus:-
enclosed - cintare
rouse - svegliare
"A young lady accustomed to tuition" (had I not been a teacher two years?) "is desirous of meeting with a situation in a private family where the children are under fourteen" (I thought that as I was barely eighteen, it would not do to undertake the guidance of pupils nearer my own age).
tuition - retta
desirous - desideroso
private - personale, riservato, privato, privata
barely - appena, malapena
undertake - intraprendere, impegnarsi, dedicarsi
"She is qualified to teach the usual branches of a good English education, together with French, Drawing, and Music" (in those days, reader, this now narrow catalogue of accomplishments, would have been held tolerably comprehensive). "Address, J.E., Post-office, Lowton, ---shire."
branches - ramo, filiale, succursale, branca, settore
catalogue - catalogo, cataloghi, catalogare, mettere in catalogo
comprehensive - esaustivo, completo, complessivo
This document remained locked in my drawer all day: after tea, I asked leave of the new superintendent to go to Lowton, in order to perform some small commissions for myself and one or two of my fellow-teachers; permission was readily granted; I went.
document - documento, carta
perform - eseguire, comportarsi con correttezza, adempiere, recitare
commissions - missione, incarico, mandato, commissione, incaricare
It was a walk of two miles, and the evening was wet, but the days were still long; I visited a shop or two, slipped the letter into the post-office, and came back through heavy rain, with streaming garments, but with a relieved heart.
heavy rain - pioggia battente
garments - vestito, indumento, capo, abito
The succeeding week seemed long: it came to an end at last, however, like all sublunary things, and once more, towards the close of a pleasant autumn day, I found myself afoot on the road to Lowton.
sublunary - sublunare
afoot - in piedi
A picturesque track it was, by the way; lying along the side of the beck and through the sweetest curves of the dale: but that day I thought more of the letters, that might or might not be awaiting me at the little burgh whither I was bound, than of the charms of lea and water.
track - traccia, scia, tracciamento, sentiero, impronta, mulattiera
curves - curva, curvare
awaiting - aspettare, attendere, servire
whither - dove
charms - fascino
My ostensible errand on this occasion was to get measured for a pair of shoes; so I discharged that business first, and when it was done, I stepped across the clean and quiet little street from the shoemaker's to the post-office: it was kept by an old dame, who wore horn spectacles on her nose, and black mittens on her hands.
ostensible - apparente
errand - commissione, ambasciata, incombenza, incarico
stepped - passo
Shoemaker - calzolaio
Dame - dama
spectacles - spettacolo
mittens - muffola, guanto a manopola, mezzoguanto
"Are there any letters for J.E.?" I asked.
She peered at me over her spectacles, and then she opened a drawer and fumbled among its contents for a long time, so long that my hopes began to falter. At last, having held a document before her glasses for nearly five minutes, she presented it across the counter, accompanying the act by another inquisitive and mistrustful glance-it was for J.E.
peered - Pari
fumbled - armeggiare, frugare
falter - inciampare
across the counter - attraverso il bancone
accompanying - accompagnare
mistrustful - diffidente
"Is there only one?" I demanded.
"There are no more," said she; and I put it in my pocket and turned my face homeward: I could not open it then; rules obliged me to be back by eight, and it was already half-past seven.
homeward - verso casa
Various duties awaited me on my arrival. I had to sit with the girls during their hour of study; then it was my turn to read prayers; to see them to bed: afterwards I supped with the other teachers.
supped - Qué pasa
Even when we finally retired for the night, the inevitable Miss Gryce was still my companion: we had only a short end of candle in our candlestick, and I dreaded lest she should talk till it was all burnt out; fortunately, however, the heavy supper she had eaten produced a soporific effect: she was already snoring before I had finished undressing.
inevitable - inevitabile
candlestick - candelabro, candeliere
burnt out - spento
soporific - sonnifero, soporifero, addormentativo, addormentatore
snoring - russare, (snore), ronfare
undressing - spogliarsi, (undress), svestirsi
There still remained an inch of candle: I now took out my letter; the seal was an initial F.; I broke it; the contents were brief.
inch - pollice
seal - sigillo
initial - iniziale
"If J.E., who advertised in the ---shire Herald of last Thursday, possesses the acquirements mentioned, and if she is in a position to give satisfactory references as to character and competency, a situation can be offered her where there is but one pupil, a little girl, under ten years of age; and where the salary is thirty pounds per annum. J.E.
advertised - annunciare, promuovere, divulgare, pubblicizzare
possesses - possiede
satisfactory - soddisfacente
references - riferimento
competency - competenza
salary - stipendio, salario
per annum - all'anno
is requested to send references, name, address, and all particulars to the direction:-
"Mrs. Fairfax, Thornfield, near Millcote, ---shire."
I examined the document long: the writing was old-fashioned and rather uncertain, like that of an elderly lady. This circumstance was satisfactory: a private fear had haunted me, that in thus acting for myself, and by my own guidance, I ran the risk of getting into some scrape; and, above all things, I wished the result of my endeavours to be respectable, proper, en rčgle.
old-fashioned - (old-fashioned) vecchio stile
Risk - rischio, rischiare
endeavours - tentare
proper - adatto, appropriato, decente, proprio, checkproprio
rčgle - regle
I now felt that an elderly lady was no bad ingredient in the business I had on hand. Mrs. Fairfax! I saw her in a black gown and widow's cap; frigid, perhaps, but not uncivil: a model of elderly English respectability. Thornfield! that, doubtless, was the name of her house: a neat orderly spot, I was sure; though I failed in my efforts to conceive a correct plan of the premises.
ingredient - ingrediente
widow - vedova, vedovare
frigid - gelido
uncivil - maleducato, scortese
respectability - rispettabilita, perbenismo
orderly - ordinato, metodico, sistematico, attendente
conceive - concepire, sviluppare, ideare
premises - premessa, locale, posto
Millcote, ---shire; I brushed up my recollections of the map of England, yes, I saw it; both the shire and the town. ---shire was seventy miles nearer London than the remote county where I now resided: that was a recommendation to me.
brushed - spazzola, pennello, incontro, scontro, spazzolare, spazzolarsi
resided - residuo
I longed to go where there was life and movement: Millcote was a large manufacturing town on the banks of the A-; a busy place enough, doubtless: so much the better; it would be a complete change at least. Not that my fancy was much captivated by the idea of long chimneys and clouds of smoke-"but," I argued, "Thornfield will, probably, be a good way from the town."
captivated - catturare, attirare l'attenzione, attrarre, accattivare
chimneys - camino, ciminiera, fumaiolo, bulbo
smoke - fumo
argued - discutere, dibattere, contestare, litigare, argomentare
Here the socket of the candle dropped, and the wick went out.
socket - presa
wick - stoppino
Next day new steps were to be taken; my plans could no longer be confined to my own breast; I must impart them in order to achieve their success.
confined - limitare
impart - impartire
Having sought and obtained an audience of the superintendent during the noontide recreation, I told her I had a prospect of getting a new situation where the salary would be double what I now received (for at Lowood I only got Ł15 per annum); and requested she would break the matter for me to Mr.
audience - pubblico, uditorio, udienza
noontide - meriggio
annum - ordine del giorno
Brocklehurst, or some of the committee, and ascertain whether they would permit me to mention them as references. She obligingly consented to act as mediatrix in the matter. The next day she laid the affair before Mr. Brocklehurst, who said that Mrs. Reed must be written to, as she was my natural guardian.
obligingly - con gentilezza
mediatrix - mediatrice
affair - affare
guardian - guardiano, custode, tutore, tutrice
A note was accordingly addressed to that lady, who returned for answer, that "I might do as I pleased: she had long relinquished all interference in my affairs.
affairs - affare
" This note went the round of the committee, and at last, after what appeared to me most tedious delay, formal leave was given me to better my condition if I could; and an assurance added, that as I had always conducted myself well, both as teacher and pupil, at Lowood, a testimonial of character and capacity, signed by the inspectors of that institution, should forthwith be furnished me.
tedious - noioso, tedioso, fastidioso, palloso
formal - formale
assurance - garanzia
testimonial - written recommendation, tribute of someone's service
inspectors - ispettore, controllore, ispettore di polizia
furnished - fornire
This testimonial I accordingly received in about a month, forwarded a copy of it to Mrs. Fairfax, and got that lady's reply, stating that she was satisfied, and fixing that day fortnight as the period for my assuming the post of governess in her house.
forwarded - avanti, in avanti
copy - copia, replica, copiare, imitare, ricevere
stating - stato, dichiarare, statuire, esporre, indicare
fixing - fissaggio, (fix), aggiustare, riparare, mettere una pezza
I now busied myself in preparations: the fortnight passed rapidly. I had not a very large wardrobe, though it was adequate to my wants; and the last day sufficed to pack my trunk,-the same I had brought with me eight years ago from Gateshead.
adequate - adeguato
sufficed - bastare, essere sufficiente, soddisfare, fornire
The box was corded, the card nailed on. In half-an-hour the carrier was to call for it to take it to Lowton, whither I myself was to repair at an early hour the next morning to meet the coach.
nailed on - inchiodato
carrier - vettore
at an early hour - a un'ora precoce
I had brushed my black stuff travelling-dress, prepared my bonnet, gloves, and muff; sought in all my drawers to see that no article was left behind; and now having nothing more to do, I sat down and tried to rest. I could not; though I had been on foot all day, I could not now repose an instant; I was too much excited.
gloves - guanto
muff - muffa
A phase of my life was closing to-night, a new one opening to-morrow: impossible to slumber in the interval; I must watch feverishly while the change was being accomplished.
slumber - sonnolenza, dormiveglia, appisolarsi, assopirsi, appalugarsi
feverishly - febbrilmente
"Miss," said a servant who met me in the lobby, where I was wandering like a troubled spirit, "a person below wishes to see you."
lobby - ingresso, hall
"The carrier, no doubt," I thought, and ran downstairs without inquiry. I was passing the back-parlour or teachers'sitting-room, the door of which was half open, to go to the kitchen, when some one ran out-
sitting-room - (sitting-room) salotto
half open - aperto a meta
"It's her, I am sure!-I could have told her anywhere!" cried the individual who stopped my progress and took my hand.
I looked: I saw a woman attired like a well-dressed servant, matronly, yet still young; very good-looking, with black hair and eyes, and lively complexion.
Attired - abbigliamento, palco, indossare, portare
matronly - matronale
"Well, who is it?" she asked, in a voice and with a smile I half recognised; "you've not quite forgotten me, I think, Miss Jane?"
In another second I was embracing and kissing her rapturously: "Bessie! Bessie! Bessie!" that was all I said; whereat she half laughed, half cried, and we both went into the parlour. By the fire stood a little fellow of three years old, in plaid frock and trousers.
embracing - abbracciare, aderire, inglobare, abbraccio
kissing - baciare
rapturously - estasiato
whereat - Perché
"That is my little boy," said Bessie directly.
"Then you are married, Bessie?"
"Yes; nearly five years since to Robert Leaven, the coachman; and I've a little girl besides Bobby there, that I've christened Jane."
Robert - Roberto
Leaven - lievito, lievitare
christened - battezzare, inaugurare
"And you don't live at Gateshead?"
"I live at the lodge: the old porter has left."
"Well, and how do they all get on? Tell me everything about them, Bessie: but sit down first; and, Bobby, come and sit on my knee, will you?" but Bobby preferred sidling over to his mother.
sidling - (camminare furtivamente)
"You're not grown so very tall, Miss Jane, nor so very stout," continued Mrs. Leaven. "I dare say they've not kept you too well at school: Miss Reed is the head and shoulders taller than you are; and Miss Georgiana would make two of you in breadth."
breadth - larghezza
"Georgiana is handsome, I suppose, Bessie?"
"Very. She went up to London last winter with her mama, and there everybody admired her, and a young lord fell in love with her: but his relations were against the match; and-what do you think?-he and Miss Georgiana made it up to run away; but they were found out and stopped.
It was Miss Reed that found them out: I believe she was envious; and now she and her sister lead a cat and dog life together; they are always quarrelling-"
envious - invidioso
lead - piombo
"Well, and what of John Reed?"
"Oh, he is not doing so well as his mama could wish. He went to college, and he got-plucked, I think they call it: and then his uncles wanted him to be a barrister, and study the law: but he is such a dissipated young man, they will never make much of him, I think."
plucked - pizzicare, spennare, spennacchiare, spiumare, corata, coratella
barrister - avvocato
law - legge
"What does he look like?"
"He is very tall: some people call him a fine-looking young man; but he has such thick lips."
thick lips - labbra spesse
"And Mrs. Reed?"
"Missis looks stout and well enough in the face, but I think she's not quite easy in her mind: Mr. John's conduct does not please her-he spends a deal of money."
"Did she send you here, Bessie?"
"No, indeed: but I have long wanted to see you, and when I heard that there had been a letter from you, and that you were going to another part of the country, I thought I'd just set off, and get a look at you before you were quite out of my reach."
"I am afraid you are disappointed in me, Bessie." I said this laughing: I perceived that Bessie's glance, though it expressed regard, did in no shape denote admiration.
disappointed - deludere, dispiacere, contrariare
denote - indicare, rivelare, significare
"No, Miss Jane, not exactly: you are genteel enough; you look like a lady, and it is as much as ever I expected of you: you were no beauty as a child."
I smiled at Bessie's frank answer: I felt that it was correct, but I confess I was not quite indifferent to its import: at eighteen most people wish to please, and the conviction that they have not an exterior likely to second that desire brings anything but gratification.
confess - confessare
"I dare say you are clever, though," continued Bessie, by way of solace. "What can you do? Can you play on the piano?"
"A little."
There was one in the room; Bessie went and opened it, and then asked me to sit down and give her a tune: I played a waltz or two, and she was charmed.
tune - melodia, composizione, regolazione, messa a punto, accordare
waltz - valzer
charmed - fascino
"The Miss Reeds could not play as well!" said she exultingly. "I always said you would surpass them in learning: and can you draw?"
exultingly - esultando
surpass - sorpassare
"That is one of my paintings over the chimney-piece." It was a landscape in water colours, of which I had made a present to the superintendent, in acknowledgment of her obliging mediation with the committee on my behalf, and which she had framed and glazed.
landscape - paesaggio, panorama, orizzontale, scenario
obliging - obbligare, forzare, costringere, fare un favore, indebitarsi
mediation - mediazione
behalf - a vantaggio di
"Well, that is beautiful, Miss Jane! It is as fine a picture as any Miss Reed's drawing-master could paint, let alone the young ladies themselves, who could not come near it: and have you learnt French?"
come near - avvicinarsi
"Yes, Bessie, I can both read it and speak it."
"And you can work on muslin and canvas?"
canvas - tela
"I can."
"Oh, you are quite a lady, Miss Jane! I knew you would be: you will get on whether your relations notice you or not. There was something I wanted to ask you. Have you ever heard anything from your father's kinsfolk, the Eyres?"
kinsfolk - parenti
"Never in my life."
"Well, you know Missis always said they were poor and quite despicable: and they may be poor; but I believe they are as much gentry as the Reeds are; for one day, nearly seven years ago, a Mr.
despicable - spregevole, abietto, disprezzabile
Eyre came to Gateshead and wanted to see you; Missis said you were at school fifty miles off; he seemed so much disappointed, for he could not stay: he was going on a voyage to a foreign country, and the ship was to sail from London in a day or two. He looked quite a gentleman, and I believe he was your father's brother."
sail - vela
"What foreign country was he going to, Bessie?"
"An island thousands of miles off, where they make wine-the butler did tell me-"
"Madeira?" I suggested.
Madeira - island and autonomous region, wine
"Yes, that is it-that is the very word."
"So he went?"
"Yes; he did not stay many minutes in the house: Missis was very high with him; she called him afterwards a 'sneaking tradesman.' My Robert believes he was a wine-merchant."
tradesman - commerciante
merchant - mercante, mercantessa, commerciante, negoziante
"Very likely," I returned; "or perhaps clerk or agent to a wine-merchant."
clerk - impiegato
Bessie and I conversed about old times an hour longer, and then she was obliged to leave me: I saw her again for a few minutes the next morning at Lowton, while I was waiting for the coach.
We parted finally at the door of the Brocklehurst Arms there: each went her separate way; she set off for the brow of Lowood Fell to meet the conveyance which was to take her back to Gateshead, I mounted the vehicle which was to bear me to new duties and a new life in the unknown environs of Millcote.
Conveyance - Trasporto
vehicle - veicolo, mezzo
environs - ambiente
A new chapter in a novel is something like a new scene in a play; and when I draw up the curtain this time, reader, you must fancy you see a room in the George Inn at Millcote, with such large figured papering on the walls as inn rooms have; such a carpet, such furniture, such ornaments on the mantelpiece, such prints, including a portrait of George the Third, and another of the Prince of Wales, and a representation of the death of Wolfe. All this is visible to you by the light of an oil lamp hanging from the ceiling, and by that of an excellent fire, near which I sit in my cloak and bonnet; my muff and umbrella lie on the table, and I am warming away the numbness and chill contracted by sixteen hours'exposure to the rawness of an October day: I left Lowton at four o'clock a.m., and the Millcote town clock is now just striking eight.
novel - romanzo
draw up - redigere
George - Giorgio, Iorio
mantelpiece - (mensola di caminetto)
prints - stampare, scrivere in stampatello, impronta, stampa
portrait - ritratto
prince - principe
Wales - Galles
representation - rappresentanza
oil - olio
hanging - appeso
numbness - intorpidimento
contracted - contrarre
exposure - espozione, assideramento, posa, smascheramento
rawness - crudezza
Reader, though I look comfortably accommodated, I am not very tranquil in my mind. I thought when the coach stopped here there would be some one to meet me; I looked anxiously round as I descended the wooden steps the "boots" placed for my convenience, expecting to hear my name pronounced, and to see some description of carriage waiting to convey me to Thornfield.
accommodated - alloggiare, accogliere
anxiously - ansiosamente
wooden - di legno, ligneo
convenience - conveniente, comodita, a tempo debito, bagno pubblico
convey - trasportare, condurre, comunicare, esprimere, trasferire
Nothing of the sort was visible; and when I asked a waiter if any one had been to inquire after a Miss Eyre, I was answered in the negative: so I had no resource but to request to be shown into a private room: and here I am waiting, while all sorts of doubts and fears are troubling my thoughts.
inquire after - informarsi sulle condizioni di un'altra persona
request - chiedere, richiesta, talian: t-needed
sorts - sorta, tipo
doubts - dubitare, dubbio, perplessita
troubling - preoccupante, (trouble), guaio, problema, impiccio, tumulto
It is a very strange sensation to inexperienced youth to feel itself quite alone in the world, cut adrift from every connection, uncertain whether the port to which it is bound can be reached, and prevented by many impediments from returning to that it has quitted.
inexperienced - imperito, inesperto, sprovveduto, incompetente
youth - gioventu, giovinezza, giovane, giovanotto, ragazzo
adrift - alla deriva
impediments - impedimento
The charm of adventure sweetens that sensation, the glow of pride warms it; but then the throb of fear disturbs it; and fear with me became predominant when half-an-hour elapsed and still I was alone. I bethought myself to ring the bell.
sweetens - addolcire, zuccherare
glow - brillare, alone, luminescenza, luccichio, calore
disturbs - disturbare
predominant - predominante, significativo, predominante (all)
bethought - pensare
ring - anello
"Is there a place in this neighbourhood called Thornfield?" I asked of the waiter who answered the summons.
"Thornfield? I don't know, ma'am; I'll inquire at the bar." He vanished, but reappeared instantly-
bar - barra, tavoletta, sbarra
reappeared - riapparire
"Is your name Eyre, Miss?"
"Yes."
"Person here waiting for you."
I jumped up, took my muff and umbrella, and hastened into the inn-passage: a man was standing by the open door, and in the lamp-lit street I dimly saw a one-horse conveyance.
jumped up - saltare su
standing by - in attesa
"This will be your luggage, I suppose?" said the man rather abruptly when he saw me, pointing to my trunk in the passage.
luggage - bagagli
"Yes." He hoisted it on to the vehicle, which was a sort of car, and then I got in; before he shut me up, I asked him how far it was to Thornfield.
"A matter of six miles."
"How long shall we be before we get there?"
"Happen an hour and a half."
He fastened the car door, climbed to his own seat outside, and we set off. Our progress was leisurely, and gave me ample time to reflect; I was content to be at length so near the end of my journey; and as I leaned back in the comfortable though not elegant conveyance, I meditated much at my ease.
car door - portiera della macchina
leisurely - con calma
reflect - riflettere, essere riflesso, seguire, evidenziare, riportare
elegant - ordine del giorno
meditated - meditare, filosofare, riflettere
"I suppose," thought I, "judging from the plainness of the servant and carriage, Mrs. Fairfax is not a very dashing person: so much the better; I never lived amongst fine people but once, and I was very miserable with them.
judging - giudicare
plainness - semplicita
dashing - lineetta, linea, scatto, spruzzo, pizzico, goccio, saltare
I wonder if she lives alone except this little girl; if so, and if she is in any degree amiable, I shall surely be able to get on with her; I will do my best; it is a pity that doing one's best does not always answer. At Lowood, indeed, I took that resolution, kept it, and succeeded in pleasing; but with Mrs. Reed, I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. I pray God Mrs.
resolution - determinazione, risolutezza, promessa, definizione, risoluzione
Pray - pregare
Fairfax may not turn out a second Mrs. Reed; but if she does, I am not bound to stay with her! let the worst come to the worst, I can advertise again. How far are we on our road now, I wonder?"
I let down the window and looked out; Millcote was behind us; judging by the number of its lights, it seemed a place of considerable magnitude, much larger than Lowton. We were now, as far as I could see, on a sort of common; but there were houses scattered all over the district; I felt we were in a different region to Lowood, more populous, less picturesque; more stirring, less romantic.
let down - sgonfiare
magnitude - vastita, magnitudine, module, magnitudo
district - distretto
populous - popoloso, popolosa
romantic - romantico
The roads were heavy, the night misty; my conductor let his horse walk all the way, and the hour and a half extended, I verily believe, to two hours; at last he turned in his seat and said-
conductor - direttore d'orchestra, conducente
verily - veramente, davvero, certamente
"You're noan so far fro'Thornfield now."
Again I looked out: we were passing a church; I saw its low broad tower against the sky, and its bell was tolling a quarter; I saw a narrow galaxy of lights too, on a hillside, marking a village or hamlet. About ten minutes after, the driver got down and opened a pair of gates: we passed through, and they clashed to behind us.
tolling - suonare
galaxy - galassia
hillside - collina
marking - marcatura, (mark), Marco
hamlet - casale, localita, villaggio, frazione
clashed - scontro, schermaglia, baruffa, zuffa, cozzare
We now slowly ascended a drive, and came upon the long front of a house: candlelight gleamed from one curtained bow-window; all the rest were dark. The car stopped at the front door; it was opened by a maid-servant; I alighted and went in.
ascended - salire, riuscire
candlelight - a lume di candela
curtained - tenda, tappezzeria, drappo, drappeggio
bow - inchinarsi, chinare il capo
"Will you walk this way, ma'am?" said the girl; and I followed her across a square hall with high doors all round: she ushered me into a room whose double illumination of fire and candle at first dazzled me, contrasting as it did with the darkness to which my eyes had been for two hours inured; when I could see, however, a cosy and agreeable picture presented itself to my view.
ushered - maschera, cerimoniere, usciere, messo, accompagnare, guidare
illumination - illuminazione
contrasting - contrasto, diversita
Inured - assuefare, abituare, acclimare, acclimatare
cosy - accogliente
A snug small room; a round table by a cheerful fire; an arm-chair high-backed and old-fashioned, wherein sat the neatest imaginable little elderly lady, in widow's cap, black silk gown, and snowy muslin apron; exactly like what I had fancied Mrs. Fairfax, only less stately and milder looking.
snug - confortevole
small room - una stanza piccola
fashioned - moda, voga, stile, maniera, modo, tendenza, fabbricare
neatest - preciso, ordinato
imaginable - immaginabile
apron - grembiule, piazzale
fancied - capriccio
milder - delicato, delicata, mite, lene, lieve
She was occupied in knitting; a large cat sat demurely at her feet; nothing in short was wanting to complete the beau-ideal of domestic comfort. A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived; there was no grandeur to overwhelm, no stateliness to embarrass; and then, as I entered, the old lady got up and promptly and kindly came forward to meet me.
knitting - lavoro a maglia, lavorazione a maglia
demurely - pudicamente
Beau - dandy
domestic - domestico
reassuring - rassicurare, tranquillizzare
introduction - introduzione
conceived - concepire, sviluppare, ideare
overwhelm - sommergere, schiacciare, dominare, travolgere, sopraffare
stateliness - statalita
embarrass - imbarazzare, mettere in imbarazzo
"How do you do, my dear? I am afraid you have had a tedious ride; John drives so slowly; you must be cold, come to the fire."
be cold - essere freddo
"Mrs. Fairfax, I suppose?" said I.
"Yes, you are right: do sit down."
She conducted me to her own chair, and then began to remove my shawl and untie my bonnet-strings; I begged she would not give herself so much trouble.
Untie - disfare, sciogliere, slegare, sciogliersi
"Oh, it is no trouble; I dare say your own hands are almost numbed with cold. Leah, make a little hot negus and cut a sandwich or two: here are the keys of the storeroom."
storeroom - magazzino
And she produced from her pocket a most housewifely bunch of keys, and delivered them to the servant.
housewifely - casalinga
bunch of keys - mazzo di chiavi
"Now, then, draw nearer to the fire," she continued. "You've brought your luggage with you, haven't you, my dear?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'll see it carried into your room," she said, and bustled out.
bustled - viavai, andirivieni, sottana, affaccendarsi, pullulare
"She treats me like a visitor," thought I. "I little expected such a reception; I anticipated only coldness and stiffness: this is not like what I have heard of the treatment of governesses; but I must not exult too soon."
treats - trattare, trattenimento, festeggiamento, sorpresa
reception - ricevimento, ricezione, accoglienza, reception
anticipated - anticipare, prevedere
stiffness - rigidezza, rigidita, inflessibilita
governesses - governante, istitutrice
She returned; with her own hands cleared her knitting apparatus and a book or two from the table, to make room for the tray which Leah now brought, and then herself handed me the refreshments.
apparatus - impianto, attrezzatura, apparecchio, sistema
I felt rather confused at being the object of more attention than I had ever before received, and, that too, shown by my employer and superior; but as she did not herself seem to consider she was doing anything out of her place, I thought it better to take her civilities quietly.
employer - datore di lavoro
superior - superiore, sovraordinato
Consider - considerare, pensare, osservare, prendere, prestare attenzione
civilities - civilta
"Shall I have the pleasure of seeing Miss Fairfax to-night?" I asked, when I had partaken of what she offered me.
partaken - partecipare
"What did you say, my dear? I am a little deaf," returned the good lady, approaching her ear to my mouth.
I repeated the question more distinctly.
"Miss Fairfax? Oh, you mean Miss Varens! Varens is the name of your future pupil."
"Indeed! Then she is not your daughter?"
"No,-I have no family."
I should have followed up my first inquiry, by asking in what way Miss Varens was connected with her; but I recollected it was not polite to ask too many questions: besides, I was sure to hear in time.
recollected - ricordarsi
polite to - gentile
"I am so glad," she continued, as she sat down opposite to me, and took the cat on her knee; "I am so glad you are come; it will be quite pleasant living here now with a companion.
To be sure it is pleasant at any time; for Thornfield is a fine old hall, rather neglected of late years perhaps, but still it is a respectable place; yet you know in winter-time one feels dreary quite alone in the best quarters.
I say alone-Leah is a nice girl to be sure, and John and his wife are very decent people; but then you see they are only servants, and one can't converse with them on terms of equality: one must keep them at due distance, for fear of losing one's authority.
decent - perbene, presentabile
I'm sure last winter (it was a very severe one, if you recollect, and when it did not snow, it rained and blew), not a creature but the butcher and postman came to the house, from November till February; and I really got quite melancholy with sitting night after night alone; I had Leah in to read to me sometimes; but I don't think the poor girl liked the task much: she felt it confining.
recollect - ricordarsi
blew - colpo
butcher - macellaio, (butch), maschiaccio
postman - postino
confining - limitare
In spring and summer one got on better: sunshine and long days make such a difference; and then, just at the commencement of this autumn, little Adela Varens came and her nurse: a child makes a house alive all at once; and now you are here I shall be quite gay."
My heart really warmed to the worthy lady as I heard her talk; and I drew my chair a little nearer to her, and expressed my sincere wish that she might find my company as agreeable as she anticipated.
"But I'll not keep you sitting up late to-night," said she; "it is on the stroke of twelve now, and you have been travelling all day: you must feel tired. If you have got your feet well warmed, I'll show you your bedroom.
sitting up - sedersi
stroke - colpo
I've had the room next to mine prepared for you; it is only a small apartment, but I thought you would like it better than one of the large front chambers: to be sure they have finer furniture, but they are so dreary and solitary, I never sleep in them myself."
I thanked her for her considerate choice, and as I really felt fatigued with my long journey, expressed my readiness to retire. She took her candle, and I followed her from the room. First she went to see if the hall-door was fastened; having taken the key from the lock, she led the way upstairs.
considerate - amichevole, cordiale, disponibile
choice - scelta, ottimo, ottima, di prima scelta
fatigued - stanchezza, affaticamento, corvé, usura
readiness - prontezza
The steps and banisters were of oak; the staircase window was high and latticed; both it and the long gallery into which the bedroom doors opened looked as if they belonged to a church rather than a house.
banisters - ringhiera
A very chill and vault-like air pervaded the stairs and gallery, suggesting cheerless ideas of space and solitude; and I was glad, when finally ushered into my chamber, to find it of small dimensions, and furnished in ordinary, modern style.
suggesting - proporre, suggerire
cheerless - senza allegria
dimensions - aspetto, dimensione
When Mrs. Fairfax had bidden me a kind good-night, and I had fastened my door, gazed leisurely round, and in some measure effaced the eerie impression made by that wide hall, that dark and spacious staircase, and that long, cold gallery, by the livelier aspect of my little room, I remembered that, after a day of bodily fatigue and mental anxiety, I was now at last in safe haven.
bidden - offrire, fare un'offerta
little room - una piccola stanza
The impulse of gratitude swelled my heart, and I knelt down at the bedside, and offered up thanks where thanks were due; not forgetting, ere I rose, to implore aid on my further path, and the power of meriting the kindness which seemed so frankly offered me before it was earned. My couch had no thorns in it that night; my solitary room no fears.
gratitude - gratitudine, riconoscenza
knelt - inginocchiarsi
bedside - letto
implore - implorare
meriting - merito, merto, meritare
frankly - francamente
earned - guadagnare
couch - divano
At once weary and content, I slept soon and soundly: when I awoke it was broad day.
The chamber looked such a bright little place to me as the sun shone in between the gay blue chintz window curtains, showing papered walls and a carpeted floor, so unlike the bare planks and stained plaster of Lowood, that my spirits rose at the view.
little place - piccolo posto
carpeted floor - pavimento in moquette
unlike - diverso
planks - tavola, asse
stained - macchia, chiazza, patacca, macchiare, intaccare, mordenzare
plaster - gesso, unguento, intonaco, calco
Externals have a great effect on the young: I thought that a fairer era of life was beginning for me, one that was to have its flowers and pleasures, as well as its thorns and toils. My faculties, roused by the change of scene, the new field offered to hope, seemed all astir.
externals - esterno
fairer - biondo, chiaro
era - era, epoca
pleasures - piacere, piacimento, goduria, volutta, preferenza, scelta
toils - lavoro, fatica, disputa, tenzone, litigio
change of scene - cambio di scena
astir - sveglia
I cannot precisely define what they expected, but it was something pleasant: not perhaps that day or that month, but at an indefinite future period.
define - definire, determinare, descrivere
I rose; I dressed myself with care: obliged to be plain-for I had no article of attire that was not made with extreme simplicity-I was still by nature solicitous to be neat. It was not my habit to be disregardful of appearance or careless of the impression I made: on the contrary, I ever wished to look as well as I could, and to please as much as my want of beauty would permit.
simplicity - semplicita
by nature - dalla natura
solicitous - sollecito
habit - abitudine
disregardful - noncurante
I sometimes regretted that I was not handsomer; I sometimes wished to have rosy cheeks, a straight nose, and small cherry mouth; I desired to be tall, stately, and finely developed in figure; I felt it a misfortune that I was so little, so pale, and had features so irregular and so marked. And why had I these aspirations and these regrets?
handsomer - bello
rosy - roseo
finely - finemente
misfortune - malasorte, disgrazia
aspirations - aspirazione
regrets - rimpiangere, rammaricarsi, pentirsi, rammarico, rimpianto
It would be difficult to say: I could not then distinctly say it to myself; yet I had a reason, and a logical, natural reason too. However, when I had brushed my hair very smooth, and put on my black frock-which, Quakerlike as it was, at least had the merit of fitting to a nicety-and adjusted my clean white tucker, I thought I should do respectably enough to appear before Mrs.
logical - logico
nicety - accuratezza, precisione
respectably - rispettabilmente
Fairfax, and that my new pupil would not at least recoil from me with antipathy. Having opened my chamber window, and seen that I left all things straight and neat on the toilet table, I ventured forth.
recoil - rinculo, ritrarsi, rinculare
Traversing the long and matted gallery, I descended the slippery steps of oak; then I gained the hall: I halted there a minute; I looked at some pictures on the walls (one, I remember, represented a grim man in a cuirass, and one a lady with powdered hair and a pearl necklace), at a bronze lamp pendent from the ceiling, at a great clock whose case was of oak curiously carved, and ebon black with time and rubbing. Everything appeared very stately and imposing to me; but then I was so little accustomed to grandeur. The hall-door, which was half of glass, stood open; I stepped over the threshold. It was a fine autumn morning; the early sun shone serenely on embrowned groves and still green fields; advancing on to the lawn, I looked up and surveyed the front of the mansion. It was three storeys high, of proportions not vast, though considerable: a gentleman's manor-house, not a nobleman's seat: battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look. Its grey front stood out well from the background of a rookery, whose cawing tenants were now on the wing: they flew over the lawn and grounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separated by a sunk fence, and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty, and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion's designation. Farther off were hills: not so lofty as those round Lowood, nor so craggy, nor so like barriers of separation from the living world; but yet quiet and lonely hills enough, and seeming to embrace Thornfield with a seclusion I had not expected to find existent so near the stirring locality of Millcote. A little hamlet, whose roofs were blent with trees, straggled up the side of one of these hills; the church of the district stood nearer Thornfield: its old tower-top looked over a knoll between the house and gates.
traversing - attraversare, (traverse), traversare
matted - opaco
slippery - scivoloso, sdrucciolevole
halted - fermare, fermarsi
cuirass - corazza
powdered - polvere
necklace - collana, girocollo
bronze - bronzo, bronzeo, abbronzato
curiously - curiosamente
ebon - ebano
rubbing - strofinare, (rub), strofinamento, fregare
stood open - stare aperto
threshold - soglia, soglia di casa, entrata, uscio
serenely - serenamente
embrowned - imbrunire
groves - boschetto, piantagione
advancing - avanzare, progredire, anticipare, migliorare, avvicinarsi
storeys - piano
proportions - proporzione
Manor - tenuta, signoria
nobleman - nobiluomo, nobile
battlements - talian: t-needed
background - sfondo
Rookery - colonia, zona di nidificazione
cawing - gracchiare, (caw), gracchio
tenants - affittuario, inquilino
flew over - sorvolare
alight - scendere
meadow - prato
sunk - affondato, (sink), affondare
fence - recinto, steccato, palizzata, cinta
array - abbigliamento, agghindamento, schieramento, combinato, gamma
thorn - spina, aculeo
knotty - nodoso
oaks - quercia
etymology - etimologia
designation - indicazione, designazione, appellativo, utilizzo
lofty - maestoso, alto, nobile
craggy - scosceso
barriers - barriera, limite
seclusion - isolamento
existent - esistente
locality - localita
roofs - tetto
blent - miscela, combinazione, mix, amalgama, mescolare
straggled - distaccarsi, disperdersi, girovagare, sparpagliarsi
knoll - collinetta
I was yet enjoying the calm prospect and pleasant fresh air, yet listening with delight to the cawing of the rooks, yet surveying the wide, hoary front of the hall, and thinking what a great place it was for one lonely little dame like Mrs. Fairfax to inhabit, when that lady appeared at the door.
rooks - cornacchia
inhabit - abitare
"What! out already?" said she. "I see you are an early riser." I went up to her, and was received with an affable kiss and shake of the hand.
early riser - mattiniero
affable - affabile, bonario, amabile
"How do you like Thornfield?" she asked. I told her I liked it very much.
"Yes," she said, "it is a pretty place; but I fear it will be getting out of order, unless Mr. Rochester should take it into his head to come and reside here permanently; or, at least, visit it rather oftener: great houses and fine grounds require the presence of the proprietor."
reside - risiedere
require - esigere, prevedere, richiedere, necessitare, domandare
Proprietor - proprietario
"Mr. Rochester!" I exclaimed. "Who is he?"
"The owner of Thornfield," she responded quietly. "Did you not know he was called Rochester?"
Of course I did not-I had never heard of him before; but the old lady seemed to regard his existence as a universally understood fact, with which everybody must be acquainted by instinct.
acquainted - familiarizzarsi
"I thought," I continued, "Thornfield belonged to you."
"To me? Bless you, child; what an idea! To me! I am only the housekeeper-the manager. To be sure I am distantly related to the Rochesters by the mother's side, or at least my husband was; he was a clergyman, incumbent of Hay-that little village yonder on the hill-and that church near the gates was his. The present Mr.
distantly - distante
incumbent - obbligatorio, imminente, incalzante, predominante, titolare
Hay - fieno
yonder - laggiu
Rochester's mother was a Fairfax, and second cousin to my husband: but I never presume on the connection-in fact, it is nothing to me; I consider myself quite in the light of an ordinary housekeeper: my employer is always civil, and I expect nothing more."
civil - civile
"And the little girl-my pupil!"
"She is Mr. Rochester's ward; he commissioned me to find a governess for her. He intended to have her brought up in ---shire, I believe. Here she comes, with her 'bonne,'as she calls her nurse." The enigma then was explained: this affable and kind little widow was no great dame; but a dependant like myself.
ward - corsia, reparto
enigma - enigma, indovinello
dependant - dipendente
I did not like her the worse for that; on the contrary, I felt better pleased than ever. The equality between her and me was real; not the mere result of condescension on her part: so much the better-my position was all the freer.
condescension - condiscendenza
As I was meditating on this discovery, a little girl, followed by her attendant, came running up the lawn. I looked at my pupil, who did not at first appear to notice me: she was quite a child, perhaps seven or eight years old, slightly built, with a pale, small-featured face, and a redundancy of hair falling in curls to her waist.
meditating - meditare, filosofare, riflettere
running up - correre, aumentare un debito
redundancy - ridondanza, copiosita, eccessivita
"Good morning, Miss Adela," said Mrs. Fairfax. "Come and speak to the lady who is to teach you, and to make you a clever woman some day." She approached.
"C'est lŕ ma gouverante!" said she, pointing to me, and addressing her nurse; who answered-
est - Eastern Standard Time, English subtitles
lŕ - la
"Mais oui, certainement."
oui - ordine del giorno
certainement - ordine del giorno
"Are they foreigners?" I inquired, amazed at hearing the French language.
foreigners - straniero, straniera
amazed - sorprendere
"The nurse is a foreigner, and Adela was born on the Continent; and, I believe, never left it till within six months ago. When she first came here she could speak no English; now she can make shift to talk it a little: I don't understand her, she mixes it so with French; but you will make out her meaning very well, I dare say."
Continent - continente
shift - cambio, turno, mutamento, spostamento, scambiare, permutare
mixes - mescolare, mischiare
Fortunately I had had the advantage of being taught French by a French lady; and as I had always made a point of conversing with Madame Pierrot as often as I could, and had besides, during the last seven years, learnt a portion of French by heart daily-applying myself to take pains with my accent, and imitating as closely as possible the pronunciation of my teacher, I had acquired a certain degree of readiness and correctness in the language, and was not likely to be much at a loss with Mademoiselle Adela. She came and shook hand with me when she heard that I was her governess; and as I led her in to breakfast, I addressed some phrases to her in her own tongue: she replied briefly at first, but after we were seated at the table, and she had examined me some ten minutes with her large hazel eyes, she suddenly commenced chattering fluently.
conversing - conversare
applying - applicare
imitating - imitare
correctness - correttezza
Mademoiselle - courtesy title for an unmarried woman in France or a French-speaking country
briefly - concisamente, brevemente
hazel - nocciolo, legno di nocciolo, nocciola
chattering - chiacchierare
fluently - correntemente
"Ah!" cried she, in French, "you speak my language as well as Mr. Rochester does: I can talk to you as I can to him, and so can Sophie. She will be glad: nobody here understands her: Madame Fairfax is all English. Sophie is my nurse; she came with me over the sea in a great ship with a chimney that smoked-how it did smoke!-and I was sick, and so was Sophie, and so was Mr. Rochester. Mr.
Rochester lay down on a sofa in a pretty room called the salon, and Sophie and I had little beds in another place. I nearly fell out of mine; it was like a shelf. And Mademoiselle-what is your name?"
salon - salone, sala, salotto, galleria
another place - un altro luogo
fell out - cadere
"Eyre-Jane Eyre."
"Aire? Bah! I cannot say it. Well, our ship stopped in the morning, before it was quite daylight, at a great city-a huge city, with very dark houses and all smoky; not at all like the pretty clean town I came from; and Mr.
smoky - fumoso
Rochester carried me in his arms over a plank to the land, and Sophie came after, and we all got into a coach, which took us to a beautiful large house, larger than this and finer, called an hotel.
plank - tavola, asse
We stayed there nearly a week: I and Sophie used to walk every day in a great green place full of trees, called the Park; and there were many children there besides me, and a pond with beautiful birds in it, that I fed with crumbs."
pond - stagno
"Can you understand her when she runs on so fast?" asked Mrs. Fairfax.
I understood her very well, for I had been accustomed to the fluent tongue of Madame Pierrot.
fluent - fluido
"I wish," continued the good lady, "you would ask her a question or two about her parents: I wonder if she remembers them?"
"Adčle," I inquired, "with whom did you live when you were in that pretty clean town you spoke of?"
"I lived long ago with mama; but she is gone to the Holy Virgin. Mama used to teach me to dance and sing, and to say verses. A great many gentlemen and ladies came to see mama, and I used to dance before them, or to sit on their knees and sing to them: I liked it. Shall I let you hear me sing now?"
holy - sacro, santo, immacolato
Virgin - vergine
verses - verso, strofa
She had finished her breakfast, so I permitted her to give a specimen of her accomplishments. descending from her chair, she came and placed herself on my knee; then, folding her little hands demurely before her, shaking back her curls and lifting her eyes to the ceiling, she commenced singing a song from some opera.
specimen - campione, esemplare
descending from - derivare da
folding - piegare
It was the strain of a forsaken lady, who, after bewailing the perfidy of her lover, calls pride to her aid; desires her attendant to deck her in her brightest jewels and richest robes, and resolves to meet the false one that night at a ball, and prove to him, by the gaiety of her demeanour, how little his desertion has affected her.
strain - sforzare, sforzarsi, tirare
forsaken - abbandonare, rinunciare
bewailing - lamento
perfidy - perfidia
lover - amante
desires - desiderare, volere, desiderio, voglia
deck - ponte (di una nave), insieme (matematico), mazzo (di carte)
brightest - luminoso, brillante
jewels - gemma, gioiello
robes - veste, abito
Resolves - decidere
demeanour - comportamento
desertion - diserzione
affected - avere effetto su
The subject seemed strangely chosen for an infant singer; but I suppose the point of the exhibition lay in hearing the notes of love and jealousy warbled with the lisp of childhood; and in very bad taste that point was: at least I thought so.
exhibition - mostra, esposizione
jealousy - gelosia
warbled - gorgheggiare, trillare
lisp - zeppola, lisca, esse moscia, pronuncia blesa
Adčle sang the canzonette tunefully enough, and with the naďveté of her age. This achieved, she jumped from my knee and said, "Now, Mademoiselle, I will repeat you some poetry."
canzonette - ordine del giorno
tunefully - in modo armonioso
naďveté - ingenuita
achieved - realizzare, ottenere
jumped - saltare, far saltare
poetry - poesia
Assuming an attitude, she began, "La Ligue des Rats: fable de La Fontaine." She then declaimed the little piece with an attention to punctuation and emphasis, a flexibility of voice and an appropriateness of gesture, very unusual indeed at her age, and which proved she had been carefully trained.
rats - ratto
fable - fiaba
declaimed - declamare
punctuation - punteggiatura, interpunzione
emphasis - enfasi, risalto
flexibility - flessibilita
appropriateness - adeguatezza
"Was it your mama who taught you that piece?" I asked.
"Yes, and she just used to say it in this way: 'Qu'avez vous donc? lui dit un de ces rats; parlez!' She made me lift my hand-so-to remind me to raise my voice at the question. Now shall I dance for you?"
avez - ordine del giorno
vous - ordine del giorno
donc - ordine del giorno
un - ONU
de - ordine del giorno
parlez - ordine del giorno
raise - alzare, innalzare
"No, that will do: but after your mama went to the Holy Virgin, as you say, with whom did you live then?"
"With Madame Frédéric and her husband: she took care of me, but she is nothing related to me. I think she is poor, for she had not so fine a house as mama. I was not long there. Mr. Rochester asked me if I would like to go and live with him in England, and I said yes; for I knew Mr.
took care - prendersi cura
Rochester before I knew Madame Frédéric, and he was always kind to me and gave me pretty dresses and toys: but you see he has not kept his word, for he has brought me to England, and now he is gone back again himself, and I never see him."
gone back - e tornato indietro
After breakfast, Adčle and I withdrew to the library, which room, it appears, Mr. Rochester had directed should be used as the schoolroom. Most of the books were locked up behind glass doors; but there was one bookcase left open containing everything that could be needed in the way of elementary works, and several volumes of light literature, poetry, biography, travels, a few romances, &c.
left open - lasciare aperto
elementary - elementare
volumes - volume
literature - letteratura
biography - biografia
romances - storia d'amore, romanticheria, idillio, poesia
I suppose he had considered that these were all the governess would require for her private perusal; and, indeed, they contented me amply for the present; compared with the scanty pickings I had now and then been able to glean at Lowood, they seemed to offer an abundant harvest of entertainment and information.
amply - ampiamente
pickings - scegliere
glean - spigolare
harvest - stagione della mietitura, mietitura, messe, raccolto, frutto
In this room, too, there was a cabinet piano, quite new and of superior tone; also an easel for painting and a pair of globes.
cabinet - armadio, guardaroba, pensile, contenitore, consiglio, gabinetto
easel - cavalletto, treppiedi
I found my pupil sufficiently docile, though disinclined to apply: she had not been used to regular occupation of any kind. I felt it would be injudicious to confine her too much at first; so, when I had talked to her a great deal, and got her to learn a little, and when the morning had advanced to noon, I allowed her to return to her nurse.
docile - docile, mansueto, obbediente
disinclined - disincentivare
regular occupation - occupazione regolare
injudicious - ingiustificato
confine - limitare
I then proposed to occupy myself till dinner-time in drawing some little sketches for her use.
proposed - proporre, proporre il matrimonio
occupy - occupare
sketches - abbozzare, schizzare, delineare, sunteggiare, sintetizzare
As I was going upstairs to fetch my portfolio and pencils, Mrs. Fairfax called to me: "Your morning school-hours are over now, I suppose," said she. She was in a room the folding-doors of which stood open: I went in when she addressed me.
portfolio - cartella, portfolio, portafoglio
folding-doors - (folding-doors) porte a soffietto
It was a large, stately apartment, with purple chairs and curtains, a Turkey carpet, walnut-panelled walls, one vast window rich in slanted glass, and a lofty ceiling, nobly moulded. Mrs. Fairfax was dusting some vases of fine purple spar, which stood on a sideboard.
turkey - tacchino, tacchina
walnut - noce
panelled - pannello, sportello, anta, organo, giuria, vignetta
slanted - pendenza, inclinazione, pendio, tendenza, angolatura
nobly - nobilmente
moulded - terriccio
vases - vaso
spar - asta
sideboard - credenza
"What a beautiful room!" I exclaimed, as I looked round; for I had never before seen any half so imposing.
"Yes; this is the dining-room. I have just opened the window, to let in a little air and sunshine; for everything gets so damp in apartments that are seldom inhabited; the drawing-room yonder feels like a vault."
dining - cenare
let in - far entrare qualcuno
She pointed to a wide arch corresponding to the window, and hung like it with a Tyrian-dyed curtain, now looped up. Mounting to it by two broad steps, and looking through, I thought I caught a glimpse of a fairy place, so bright to my novice-eyes appeared the view beyond.
arch - arco, arcata
dyed - tingere, colorare
looped - passante, riccio, anello, blocco iterativo, checkiterazione
mounting - montaggio
looking through - guardare attraverso
novice - principiante
Yet it was merely a very pretty drawing-room, and within it a boudoir, both spread with white carpets, on which seemed laid brilliant garlands of flowers; both ceiled with snowy mouldings of white grapes and vine-leaves, beneath which glowed in rich contrast crimson couches and ottomans; while the ornaments on the pale Parian mantelpiece were of sparkling Bohemian glass, ruby red; and between the windows large mirrors repeated the general blending of snow and fire.
merely - soltanto, solamente, meramente, semplicemente
carpets - tappeto, moquette, coprire
garlands - ghirlanda
mouldings - stampaggio
grapes - uva, chicco d'uva
vine - vite, vitigno, rampicante
contrast - contrasto, diversita
couches - divano
ottomans - Ottomano
Bohemian - Bohemien
ruby - rubino, di rubini
blending - miscelazione, (blend), miscela, combinazione, mix, amalgama
"In what order you keep these rooms, Mrs. Fairfax!" said I. "No dust, no canvas coverings: except that the air feels chilly, one would think they were inhabited daily."
coverings - copertura
"Why, Miss Eyre, though Mr. Rochester's visits here are rare, they are always sudden and unexpected; and as I observed that it put him out to find everything swathed up, and to have a bustle of arrangement on his arrival, I thought it best to keep the rooms in readiness."
rare - raro
unexpected - inaspettato, insperato, inatteso, improvviso
swathed - avvolgere
bustle - viavai, andirivieni, sottana, affaccendarsi, pullulare
"Is Mr. Rochester an exacting, fastidious sort of man?"
fastidious - pignolo, meticoloso, precisino
"Not particularly so; but he has a gentleman's tastes and habits, and he expects to have things managed in conformity to them."
expects - aspettarsi, pensare
managed - dirigere, managgiare, riuscire, arrangiarsi, maneggiare
"Do you like him? Is he generally liked?"
"Oh, yes; the family have always been respected here. Almost all the land in this neighbourhood, as far as you can see, has belonged to the Rochesters time out of mind."
time out - time out
"Well, but, leaving his land out of the question, do you like him? Is he liked for himself?"
"I have no cause to do otherwise than like him; and I believe he is considered a just and liberal landlord by his tenants: but he has never lived much amongst them."
liberal - liberale
landlord - proprietario
"But has he no peculiarities? What, in short, is his character?"
peculiarities - peculiarita
"Oh! his character is unimpeachable, I suppose. He is rather peculiar, perhaps: he has travelled a great deal, and seen a great deal of the world, I should think. I dare say he is clever, but I never had much conversation with him."
unimpeachable - ineccepibile
peculiar - strano, peculiare, particolare
"In what way is he peculiar?"
"I don't know-it is not easy to describe-nothing striking, but you feel it when he speaks to you; you cannot be always sure whether he is in jest or earnest, whether he is pleased or the contrary; you don't thoroughly understand him, in short-at least, I don't: but it is of no consequence, he is a very good master."
jest - burla, scherzo
consequence - conseguenza
This was all the account I got from Mrs. Fairfax of her employer and mine. There are people who seem to have no notion of sketching a character, or observing and describing salient points, either in persons or things: the good lady evidently belonged to this class; my queries puzzled, but did not draw her out. Mr. Rochester was Mr.
sketching - abbozzare, schizzare, delineare, sunteggiare, sintetizzare
observing - osservare
salient - saliente, rilevante, degno di nota, pertinente
queries - interrogativo, domanda, quesito, richiesta, query, chiedere
Rochester in her eyes; a gentleman, a landed proprietor-nothing more: she inquired and searched no further, and evidently wondered at my wish to gain a more definite notion of his identity.
searched - ricerca, cercare, buscare
identity - identita
When we left the dining-room, she proposed to show me over the rest of the house; and I followed her upstairs and downstairs, admiring as I went; for all was well arranged and handsome. The large front chambers I thought especially grand: and some of the third-storey rooms, though dark and low, were interesting from their air of antiquity.
grand - grandioso
storey - piano
antiquity - antichita
The furniture once appropriated to the lower apartments had from time to time been removed here, as fashions changed: and the imperfect light entering by their narrow casement showed bedsteads of a hundred years old; chests in oak or walnut, looking, with their strange carvings of palm branches and cherubs'heads, like types of the Hebrew ark; rows of venerable chairs, high-backed and narrow; stools still more antiquated, on whose cushioned tops were yet apparent traces of half-effaced embroideries, wrought by fingers that for two generations had been coffin-dust. All these relics gave to the third storey of Thornfield Hall the aspect of a home of the past: a shrine of memory. I liked the hush, the gloom, the quaintness of these retreats in the day; but I by no means coveted a night's repose on one of those wide and heavy beds: shut in, some of them, with doors of oak; shaded, others, with wrought old English hangings crusted with thick work, portraying effigies of strange flowers, and stranger birds, and strangest human beings,-all which would have looked strange, indeed, by the pallid gleam of moonlight.
appropriated - apposito, appropriato
fashions - moda, voga, stile, maniera, modo, tendenza, fabbricare
bedsteads - sponda, telaio
chests - petto
carvings - intaglio
palm - palma, palmo
Cherubs - cherubino
Hebrew - ebraico, ebreo, ebrea
ark - arca
venerable - venerabile, venerando, onorevole, rispettabile, sacro
antiquated - antiquato
tops - cima, sommita, coperchio, cappuccio, parte superiore, top
apparent - apparente, visibile, evidente, chiaro
embroideries - ricamo
generations - generazione
shrine - reliquiario, santuario, edicola
quaintness - pittoreschi
retreats - ritirarsi
coveted - concupire, bramare
shaded - agone, alosa
crusted - crosta
portraying - ritrarre, dipingere
effigies - effigie
Strangest - strano, anormale
pallid - pallido
"Do the servants sleep in these rooms?" I asked.
"No; they occupy a range of smaller apartments to the back; no one ever sleeps here: one would almost say that, if there were a ghost at Thornfield Hall, this would be its haunt."
haunt - infestare, tormentare, ritrovo
"So I think: you have no ghost, then?"
"None that I ever heard of," returned Mrs. Fairfax, smiling.
"Nor any traditions of one? no legends or ghost stories?"
traditions - tradizione
legends - legenda, leggenda, favola, epopea
ghost stories - storie di fantasmi
"I believe not. And yet it is said the Rochesters have been rather a violent than a quiet race in their time: perhaps, though, that is the reason they rest tranquilly in their graves now."
tranquilly - tranquillamente
"Yes-'after life's fitful fever they sleep well,'" I muttered. "Where are you going now, Mrs. Fairfax?" for she was moving away.
fitful - a singhiozzo, irregolare, rapsodico, sporadico
moving away - allontanarsi
"On to the leads; will you come and see the view from thence?" I followed still, up a very narrow staircase to the attics, and thence by a ladder and through a trap-door to the roof of the hall. I was now on a level with the crow colony, and could see into their nests.
leads - condurre, portare
attics - soffitta, solaio
ladder - scala, smagliatura
trap-door - (trap-door) botola
crow - corvo
colony - colonia
Leaning over the battlements and looking far down, I surveyed the grounds laid out like a map: the bright and velvet lawn closely girdling the grey base of the mansion; the field, wide as a park, dotted with its ancient timber; the wood, dun and sere, divided by a path visibly overgrown, greener with moss than the trees were with foliage; the church at the gates, the road, the tranquil hills, all reposing in the autumn day's sun; the horizon bounded by a propitious sky, azure, marbled with pearly white. No feature in the scene was extraordinary, but all was pleasing. When I turned from it and repassed the trap-door, I could scarcely see my way down the ladder; the attic seemed black as a vault compared with that arch of blue air to which I had been looking up, and to that sunlit scene of grove, pasture, and green hill, of which the hall was the centre, and over which I had been gazing with delight.
dotted - punto
ancient - antico
timber - legname
visibly - visibilmente
overgrown - crescere eccessivamente
reposing - riposo
Propitious - propizio
Azure - azzurro
marbled - marmo, biglia, pallina
pearly - perlaceo
repassed - ripassare
trap - trappola
sunlit - illuminato dal sole
pasture - pastura, pascolo, pascolare
gazing - fissare, guardare, puntare gli occhi, volgere lo sguardo
Mrs. Fairfax stayed behind a moment to fasten the trap-door; I, by drift of groping, found the outlet from the attic, and proceeded to descend the narrow garret staircase.
fasten - chiudere, fissare, attaccare
groping - tastare, palpeggiare, palpare
outlet - sbocco
garret - soffitta, solaio
I lingered in the long passage to which this led, separating the front and back rooms of the third storey: narrow, low, and dim, with only one little window at the far end, and looking, with its two rows of small black doors all shut, like a corridor in some Bluebeard's castle.
Bluebeard - talian: t-needed
castle - castello
While I paced softly on, the last sound I expected to hear in so still a region, a laugh, struck my ear. It was a curious laugh; distinct, formal, mirthless. I stopped: the sound ceased, only for an instant; it began again, louder: for at first, though distinct, it was very low.
paced - passo
mirthless - senza gioia
louder - forte, alto
It passed off in a clamorous peal that seemed to wake an echo in every lonely chamber; though it originated but in one, and I could have pointed out the door whence the accents issued.
clamorous - clamoroso
peal - suono (di campane)
Echo - eco
originated - originare, dare origine, avere origine
issued - emissione, fuoriuscita, esito, questione, problematica
"Mrs. Fairfax!" I called out: for I now heard her descending the great stairs. "Did you hear that loud laugh? Who is it?"
"Some of the servants, very likely," she answered: "perhaps Grace Poole."
"Did you hear it?" I again inquired.
"Yes, plainly: I often hear her: she sews in one of these rooms. Sometimes Leah is with her; they are frequently noisy together."
sews - cucire
noisy - rumoroso, chiassoso
The laugh was repeated in its low, syllabic tone, and terminated in an odd murmur.
syllabic - sillabico
"Grace!" exclaimed Mrs. Fairfax.
I really did not expect any Grace to answer; for the laugh was as tragic, as preternatural a laugh as any I ever heard; and, but that it was high noon, and that no circumstance of ghostliness accompanied the curious cachinnation; but that neither scene nor season favoured fear, I should have been superstitiously afraid.
tragic - tragico
ghostliness - fantasmagoria
accompanied - accompagnare
cachinnation - cachinatura
favoured - favore
superstitiously - superstiziosamente
However, the event showed me I was a fool for entertaining a sense even of surprise.
fool - stolto, buffone, giullare, pagliaccio, buffone di corte, matto
entertaining - divertente, (entertain), divertire
The door nearest me opened, and a servant came out,-a woman of between thirty and forty; a set, square-made figure, red-haired, and with a hard, plain face: any apparition less romantic or less ghostly could scarcely be conceived.
haired - capelli
ghostly - spettrale, fantasmatico, spiritico
"Too much noise, Grace," said Mrs. Fairfax. "Remember directions!" Grace curtseyed silently and went in.
curtseyed - riverenza, inchino, fare la riverenza, fare l'inchino
"She is a person we have to sew and assist Leah in her housemaid's work," continued the widow; "not altogether unobjectionable in some points, but she does well enough. By-the-bye, how have you got on with your new pupil this morning?"
assist - assistere, aiutare, assistenza, aiuto, assist
altogether - del tutto, nel complesso
unobjectionable - inoppugnabile
The conversation, thus turned on Adčle, continued till we reached the light and cheerful region below. Adčle came running to meet us in the hall, exclaiming-
running to meet - correre per incontrarsi
"Mesdames, vous ętes servies!" adding, "J'ai bien faim, moi!"
Mesdames - Senora
ętes - etes
servies - servizi
bien - ordine del giorno
faim - ordine del giorno
We found dinner ready, and waiting for us in Mrs. Fairfax's room.
The promise of a smooth career, which my first calm introduction to Thornfield Hall seemed to pledge, was not belied on a longer acquaintance with the place and its inmates. Mrs. Fairfax turned out to be what she appeared, a placid-tempered, kind-natured woman, of competent education and average intelligence.
belied - smentire
tempered - carattere, temperamento
natured - natura
competent - competente
average - media
intelligence - intelligenza
My pupil was a lively child, who had been spoilt and indulged, and therefore was sometimes wayward; but as she was committed entirely to my care, and no injudicious interference from any quarter ever thwarted my plans for her improvement, she soon forgot her little freaks, and became obedient and teachable.
spoilt - guastato, viziato, (spoil), rovinare, viziare, andare a male, bottino
wayward - contrario, ribelle, ostinato, disobbediente
committed - affidare, impegnarsi, arrestare, imprigionare, ricoverare
freaks - fenomeno, capriccio
teachable - insegnabile
She had no great talents, no marked traits of character, no peculiar development of feeling or taste which raised her one inch above the ordinary level of childhood; but neither had she any deficiency or vice which sunk her below it.
traits - caratteristica, tratto
development - sviluppo, potenziamento
She made reasonable progress, entertained for me a vivacious, though perhaps not very profound, affection; and by her simplicity, gay prattle, and efforts to please, inspired me, in return, with a degree of attachment sufficient to make us both content in each other's society.
reasonable - ragionevole, moderato
vivacious - vivace
prattle - blaterare, parlare a vanvera
sufficient - appropriato, sufficiente, idoneo, adeguato, congruo
This, par parenthčse, will be thought cool language by persons who entertain solemn doctrines about the angelic nature of children, and the duty of those charged with their education to conceive for them an idolatrous devotion: but I am not writing to flatter parental egotism, to echo cant, or prop up humbug; I am merely telling the truth.
parenthčse - parenthese
entertain - divertire
idolatrous - idolatrico
devotion - devozione
parental - parentale
egotism - egoismo
cant - linguaggio ipocrita
prop up - sostenere
humbug - imbroglio
I felt a conscientious solicitude for Adčle's welfare and progress, and a quiet liking for her little self: just as I cherished towards Mrs. Fairfax a thankfulness for her kindness, and a pleasure in her society proportionate to the tranquil regard she had for me, and the moderation of her mind and character.
conscientious - coscienzioso
solicitude - sollecitudine
welfare - benessere, bene
thankfulness - gratitudine
moderation - moderazione
Anybody may blame me who likes, when I add further, that, now and then, when I took a walk by myself in the grounds; when I went down to the gates and looked through them along the road; or when, while Adčle played with her nurse, and Mrs.
blame - incolpare
looked through - guardato attraverso
Fairfax made jellies in the storeroom, I climbed the three staircases, raised the trap-door of the attic, and having reached the leads, looked out afar over sequestered field and hill, and along dim sky-line-that then I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen-that then I desired more of practical experience than I possessed; more of intercourse with my kind, of acquaintance with variety of character, than was here within my reach. I valued what was good in Mrs. Fairfax, and what was good in Adčle; but I believed in the existence of other and more vivid kinds of goodness, and what I believed in I wished to behold.
jellies - gelatina
staircases - scalinata, tromba delle scale
sequestered - sequestro
overpass - cavalcavia, viadotto, sovrappasso
practical experience - esperienza pratica
vivid - chiaro, limpido
Who blames me? Many, no doubt; and I shall be called discontented. I could not help it: the restlessness was in my nature; it agitated me to pain sometimes.
blames - incolpare
discontented - malcontento, scontentezza
restlessness - irrequietudine, esagitazione, smania, irrequietezza
Then my sole relief was to walk along the corridor of the third storey, backwards and forwards, safe in the silence and solitude of the spot, and allow my mind's eye to dwell on whatever bright visions rose before it-and, certainly, they were many and glowing; to let my heart be heaved by the exultant movement, which, while it swelled it in trouble, expanded it with life; and, best of all, to open my inward ear to a tale that was never ended-a tale my imagination created, and narrated continuously; quickened with all of incident, life, fire, feeling, that I desired and had not in my actual existence.
backwards - indietro, retromarcia, riluttante, antiquato, fuori moda
forwards - avanti, in avanti
visions - vista, acutezza visiva, visione, allucinazione, miraggio
exultant - esultante
expanded - estendere, espandere, dettagliare, dilungare, sviluppare
quickened - accelerare
actual - reale, effettivo, concreto, esistente, attuale, corrente
It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth.
be satisfied - essere soddisfatto
rebellions - ribellione
political - politico
ferment - fermentare
masses - massa
Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.
absolute - assoluto
stagnation - stagnazione, ristagno
more privileged - piu priviegiato
puddings - sanguinaccio, budino
embroidering - ricamare, abbellire, indorare
thoughtless - sconsiderato
condemn - condannare
custom - usanza, costume, uso, personalizzato, fatto ad hoc
sex - sesso
When thus alone, I not unfrequently heard Grace Poole's laugh: the same peal, the same low, slow ha! ha! which, when first heard, had thrilled me: I heard, too, her eccentric murmurs; stranger than her laugh. There were days when she was quite silent; but there were others when I could not account for the sounds she made.
ha - Ja
eccentric - eccentrico
murmurs - mormorio, brusio, sussurro, mormorare
Sometimes I saw her: she would come out of her room with a basin, or a plate, or a tray in her hand, go down to the kitchen and shortly return, generally (oh, romantic reader, forgive me for telling the plain truth!) bearing a pot of porter.
pot - pentola, vaso
Her appearance always acted as a damper to the curiosity raised by her oral oddities: hard-featured and staid, she had no point to which interest could attach. I made some attempts to draw her into conversation, but she seemed a person of few words: a monosyllabic reply usually cut short every effort of that sort.
damper - smorzatore, farfalla, (damp), umido, bagnato, madido, umidita
oral - orale
oddities - stranezza
attach - legare
attempts - tentare, cercare, provare, attentare, tentativo
monosyllabic - monosillabico
cut short - interrompere
The other members of the household, viz.
viz - ordine del giorno
, John and his wife, Leah the housemaid, and Sophie the French nurse, were decent people; but in no respect remarkable; with Sophie I used to talk French, and sometimes I asked her questions about her native country; but she was not of a descriptive or narrative turn, and generally gave such vapid and confused answers as were calculated rather to check than encourage inquiry.
native country - paese d'origine
descriptive - descrittivo
vapid - insulso, scialbo, banale, insignificante, insipido, scipito
encourage - incoraggiare, raccomandare, esortare, favorire
October, November, December passed away. One afternoon in January, Mrs. Fairfax had begged a holiday for Adčle, because she had a cold; and, as Adčle seconded the request with an ardour that reminded me how precious occasional holidays had been to me in my own childhood, I accorded it, deeming that I did well in showing pliability on the point.
ardour - ardore, fervore
reminded - ricordare
occasional - occasionale
accorded - accordo
pliability - duttilita
It was a fine, calm day, though very cold; I was tired of sitting still in the library through a whole long morning: Mrs. Fairfax had just written a letter which was waiting to be posted, so I put on my bonnet and cloak and volunteered to carry it to Hay; the distance, two miles, would be a pleasant winter afternoon walk. Having seen Adčle comfortably seated in her little chair by Mrs.
volunteered - volontario, volontaria, offrirsi, offrirsi volontario
Fairfax's parlour fireside, and given her her best wax doll (which I usually kept enveloped in silver paper in a drawer) to play with, and a story-book for change of amusement; and having replied to her "Revenez bientôt, ma bonne amie, ma chčre Mdlle. Jeannette," with a kiss I set out.
wax - cerume
silver paper - carta stagnola
amusement - divertimento, intrattenimento, festeggiamento
bientôt - ordine del giorno
chčre - chere
The ground was hard, the air was still, my road was lonely; I walked fast till I got warm, and then I walked slowly to enjoy and analyse the species of pleasure brooding for me in the hour and situation. It was three o'clock; the church bell tolled as I passed under the belfry: the charm of the hour lay in its approaching dimness, in the low-gliding and pale-beaming sun.
church bell - campana della chiesa
tolled - suonare
belfry - campanile
dimness - oscurita
gliding - planare, (glide), scivolare, slittare, scorrere
I was a mile from Thornfield, in a lane noted for wild roses in summer, for nuts and blackberries in autumn, and even now possessing a few coral treasures in hips and haws, but whose best winter delight lay in its utter solitude and leafless repose.
lane - passaggio, corsia
blackberries - rovo, mora, mora di rovo
possessing - possedere, avere
coral - corallo, corallino, corallina
hips - anca
If a breath of air stirred, it made no sound here; for there was not a holly, not an evergreen to rustle, and the stripped hawthorn and hazel bushes were as still as the white, worn stones which causewayed the middle of the path.
holly - agrifoglio
evergreen - sempreverde
rustle - crepitare
hawthorn - biancospino
hazel bushes - cespugli di nocciolo
causewayed - strada rialzata, selciato, lastricato
Far and wide, on each side, there were only fields, where no cattle now browsed; and the little brown birds, which stirred occasionally in the hedge, looked like single russet leaves that had forgotten to drop.
browsed - sopracciglia
hedge - siepe
This lane inclined up-hill all the way to Hay; having reached the middle, I sat down on a stile which led thence into a field. Gathering my mantle about me, and sheltering my hands in my muff, I did not feel the cold, though it froze keenly; as was attested by a sheet of ice covering the causeway, where a little brooklet, now congealed, had overflowed after a rapid thaw some days since.
stile - scaletta
sheltering - riparo, (shelter), rifugio, dare rifugio, rifugiarsi
sheet of ice - lastra di ghiaccio
covering - copertura, (cover), coperto, coperchio, nascondiglio
causeway - strada rialzata, selciato, lastricato
brooklet - ruscello
overflowed - straripamento, eccesso, eccedenza, sfogo, uscita, overflow
From my seat I could look down on Thornfield: the grey and battlemented hall was the principal object in the vale below me; its woods and dark rookery rose against the west. I lingered till the sun went down amongst the trees, and sank crimson and clear behind them. I then turned eastward.
look down - guardare in basso
battlemented - merlata
principal - principale, capitale, preside, talian: t-needed
vale - valle
eastward - verso est
On the hill-top above me sat the rising moon; pale yet as a cloud, but brightening momentarily, she looked over Hay, which, half lost in trees, sent up a blue smoke from its few chimneys: it was yet a mile distant, but in the absolute hush I could hear plainly its thin murmurs of life.
hill-top - (hill-top) cima della collina
brightening - illuminare
My ear, too, felt the flow of currents; in what dales and depths I could not tell: but there were many hills beyond Hay, and doubtless many becks threading their passes. That evening calm betrayed alike the tinkle of the nearest streams, the sough of the most remote.
flow - fluire
currents - corrente, attuale, odierno
depths - profondita
becks - agli ordini di qualcuno
threading - filo, refe, filo conduttore, forum
passes - passare
betrayed - consegnare, tradire, rivelare
alike - simile, similmente, ugualmente
tinkle - tintinnare, scampanellare
streams - corrente, ruscello, rivo, flusso, semestre
A rude noise broke on these fine ripplings and whisperings, at once so far away and so clear: a positive tramp, tramp, a metallic clatter, which effaced the soft wave-wanderings; as, in a picture, the solid mass of a crag, or the rough boles of a great oak, drawn in dark and strong on the foreground, efface the aërial distance of azure hill, sunny horizon, and blended clouds where tint melts into tint.
ripplings - increspatura
whisperings - bisbigliare
tramp - vagabondo, barbone, puttana, sgualdrina
clatter - lo sbattere
wave - onda
wanderings - vagabondaggio
crag - picco, spuntone
boles - tronco
foreground - primo piano
efface - cancellare
aërial - ordine del giorno
blended - miscela, combinazione, mix, amalgama, mescolare
melts - sciogliere, fondere
The din was on the causeway: a horse was coming; the windings of the lane yet hid it, but it approached. I was just leaving the stile; yet, as the path was narrow, I sat still to let it go by.
windings - avvolgimento
In those days I was young, and all sorts of fancies bright and dark tenanted my mind: the memories of nursery stories were there amongst other rubbish; and when they recurred, maturing youth added to them a vigour and vividness beyond what childhood could give.
fancies - capriccio
tenanted - affittuario, inquilino
memories - memoria, ricordo
rubbish - corbelleria, cretinata, assurdita, porcherie, schifezza
recurred - ripresentarsi, ripetersi
maturing - maturo
vividness - vivacita
As this horse approached, and as I watched for it to appear through the dusk, I remembered certain of Bessie's tales, wherein figured a North-of-England spirit called a "Gytrash," which, in the form of horse, mule, or large dog, haunted solitary ways, and sometimes came upon belated travellers, as this horse was now coming upon me.
mule - mulo
It was very near, but not yet in sight; when, in addition to the tramp, tramp, I heard a rush under the hedge, and close down by the hazel stems glided a great dog, whose black and white colour made him a distinct object against the trees.
stems - gambo, stelo
It was exactly one form of Bessie's Gytrash-a lion-like creature with long hair and a huge head: it passed me, however, quietly enough; not staying to look up, with strange pretercanine eyes, in my face, as I half expected it would. The horse followed,-a tall steed, and on its back a rider. The man, the human being, broke the spell at once.
pretercanine - pretercanina
steed - destriero
rider - cavaliere
Nothing ever rode the Gytrash: it was always alone; and goblins, to my notions, though they might tenant the dumb carcasses of beasts, could scarce covet shelter in the commonplace human form. No Gytrash was this,-only a traveller taking the short cut to Millcote. He passed, and I went on; a few steps, and I turned: a sliding sound and an exclamation of "What the deuce is to do now?
tenant - affittuario, inquilino
dumb - muto
carcasses - carcassa
beasts - bestia, belva
scarce - scarso
covet - concupire, bramare
commonplace - ordinario, banale, luogo comune, fatto normale
sliding - scivolare
exclamation - esclamazione
What the deuce - Ma che diamine
" and a clattering tumble, arrested my attention. Man and horse were down; they had slipped on the sheet of ice which glazed the causeway. The dog came bounding back, and seeing his master in a predicament, and hearing the horse groan, barked till the evening hills echoed the sound, which was deep in proportion to his magnitude.
clattering - lo sbattere
tumble - caduta, tombola, cadere, precipitare, rovinare
sheet - foglio, talian: teglia da forno g, talian: foglio g, ('of metal also') lamiera g, ('of ice, stone, marble') lastra g, scotta
bounding - vincolato
predicament - situazione difficile
groan - gemito, gemere
barked - abbaio, latrato
echoed - eco
He snuffed round the prostrate group, and then he ran up to me; it was all he could do,-there was no other help at hand to summon. I obeyed him, and walked down to the traveller, by this time struggling himself free of his steed. His efforts were so vigorous, I thought he could not be much hurt; but I asked him the question-
snuffed - tabacco da fiuto
summon - convocare
"Are you injured, sir?"
injured - ferire
I think he was swearing, but am not certain; however, he was pronouncing some formula which prevented him from replying to me directly.
swearing - giuramento
pronouncing - dichiarare, emettere, pronunziare, pronunciare
formula - formula, latte artificiale, formula per lattanti
"Can I do anything?" I asked again.
"You must just stand on one side," he answered as he rose, first to his knees, and then to his feet. I did; whereupon began a heaving, stamping, clattering process, accompanied by a barking and baying which removed me effectually some yards'distance; but I would not be driven quite away till I saw the event.
heaving - ansimare, (heave), sollevamento
stamping - timbratura, (stamp), conio, bollo, battere i piedi, pestare i piedi, stampare, timbrare, affrancare
barking - abbaio, latrato
baying - baia
effectually - efficacemente
This was finally fortunate; the horse was re-established, and the dog was silenced with a "Down, Pilot!" The traveller now, stooping, felt his foot and leg, as if trying whether they were sound; apparently something ailed them, for he halted to the stile whence I had just risen, and sat down.
established - stabilire, confermare, instaurare, fondare, istituire
silenced - silenzio, silenziare, azzittire, mettere a tacere
pilot - pilota
stooping - chinarsi, abbassarsi
ailed - essere sofferente, sentir dolore
I was in the mood for being useful, or at least officious, I think, for I now drew near him again.
officious - invadente
"If you are hurt, and want help, sir, I can fetch some one either from Thornfield Hall or from Hay."
"Thank you: I shall do: I have no broken bones,-only a sprain;" and again he stood up and tried his foot, but the result extorted an involuntary "Ugh!"
sprain - slogare, slogatura, contorsione
extorted - estorcere, carpire, spillare
Ugh - che schifo
Something of daylight still lingered, and the moon was waxing bright: I could see him plainly. His figure was enveloped in a riding cloak, fur collared and steel clasped; its details were not apparent, but I traced the general points of middle height and considerable breadth of chest.
waxing - ceretta
fur - pelo, pelliccia
collared - bavero, bavera, collo, colletto, collare
steel - acciaio, d'acciaio
He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow; his eyes and gathered eyebrows looked ireful and thwarted just now; he was past youth, but had not reached middle-age; perhaps he might be thirty-five. I felt No fear of him, and but little shyness.
stern - severo
ireful - irascibile
No fear - Nessuna paura
shyness - timidezza
Had he been a handsome, heroic-looking young gentleman, I should not have dared to stand thus questioning him against his will, and offering my services unasked. I had hardly ever seen a handsome youth; never in my life spoken to one.
unasked - non chiesto
hardly ever - quasi mai
I had a theoretical reverence and homage for beauty, elegance, gallantry, fascination; but had I met those qualities incarnate in masculine shape, I should have known instinctively that they neither had nor could have sympathy with anything in me, and should have shunned them as one would fire, lightning, or anything else that is bright but antipathetic.
theoretical - teorico
reverence - riverenza, venerazione
homage - omaggio
elegance - eleganza
gallantry - galanteria
fascination - fascinazione, fascino, passione
incarnate - incarnato
masculine - mascolino, maschile, masculino
shunned - evitare, detestare, schivare, eludere, stigmatizzare
lightning - fulmine, folgore, saetta, lampo
antipathetic - antipatico
If even this stranger had smiled and been good-humoured to me when I addressed him; if he had put off my offer of assistance gaily and with thanks, I should have gone on my way and not felt any vocation to renew inquiries: but the frown, the roughness of the traveller, set me at my ease: I retained my station when he waved to me to go, and announced-
good-humoured - (good-humoured) di buon umore
assistance - assistenza
gaily - allegramente
vocation - vocazione
renew - rinnovare
inquiries - inchiesta, indagine
roughness - ruvidita
"I cannot think of leaving you, sir, at so late an hour, in this solitary lane, till I see you are fit to mount your horse."
He looked at me when I said this; he had hardly turned his eyes in my direction before.
"I should think you ought to be at home yourself," said he, "if you have a home in this neighbourhood: where do you come from?"
"From just below; and I am not at all afraid of being out late when it is moonlight: I will run over to Hay for you with pleasure, if you wish it: indeed, I am going there to post a letter."
run over - traboccare, versare, ripetere
going there - andare li
"You live just below-do you mean at that house with the battlements?" pointing to Thornfield Hall, on which the moon cast a hoary gleam, bringing it out distinct and pale from the woods that, by contrast with the western sky, now seemed one mass of shadow.
contrast with - in contrasto con
"Yes, sir."
"Whose house is it?"
"Mr. Rochester's."
"Do you know Mr. Rochester?"
"No, I have never seen him."
"He is not resident, then?"
resident - residente
"No."
"Can you tell me where he is?"
"I cannot."
"You are not a servant at the hall, of course. You are-" He stopped, ran his eye over my dress, which, as usual, was quite simple: a black merino cloak, a black beaver bonnet; neither of them half fine enough for a lady's-maid. He seemed puzzled to decide what I was; I helped him.
merino - sheep
"I am the governess."
"Ah, the governess!" he repeated; "deuce take me, if I had not forgotten! The governess!" and again my raiment underwent scrutiny. In two minutes he rose from the stile: his face expressed pain when he tried to move.
deuce - Dos
raiment - abbigliamento
underwent - soffrire, sottoporsi
"I cannot commission you to fetch help," he said; "but you may help me a little yourself, if you will be so kind."
commission - missione, incarico, mandato, commissione, incaricare
"Yes, sir."
"You have not an umbrella that I can use as a stick?"
stick - mettere, infilare
"No."
"Try to get hold of my horse's bridle and lead him to me: you are not afraid?"
bridle - briglia, imbrigliare
lead - condurre, portare
I should have been afraid to touch a horse when alone, but when told to do it, I was disposed to obey. I put down my muff on the stile, and went up to the tall steed; I endeavoured to catch the bridle, but it was a spirited thing, and would not let me come near its head; I made effort on effort, though in vain: meantime, I was mortally afraid of its trampling fore-feet.
obey - obbedire, ubbidire, assolvere, conformarsi
spirited - spirito
trampling - calpestare, (trample), offendere, urtare
fore - former, occurring earlier, forward, at or toward the front
The traveller waited and watched for some time, and at last he laughed.
I was mortally afraid of its trampling forefeet
forefeet - avampiede
"I see," he said, "the mountain will never be brought to Mahomet, so all you can do is to aid Mahomet to go to the mountain; I must beg of you to come here."
I came. "Excuse me," he continued: "necessity compels me to make you useful." He laid a heavy hand on my shoulder, and leaning on me with some stress, limped to his horse. Having once caught the bridle, he mastered it directly and sprang to his saddle; grimacing grimly as he made the effort, for it wrenched his sprain.
Excuse - scusare, perdonare, scusarsi, giustificarsi, scusa, pretesto
compels - forzare, costringere, obbligare
stress - tensione, stress, pressione, enfasi, stressare, accentuare
limped - moscio, molle
saddle - sella
grimacing - smorfia
grimly - cupamente
wrenched - strappare
"Now," said he, releasing his under lip from a hard bite, "just hand me my whip; it lies there under the hedge."
releasing - liberare, rilasciare
lip - labbro, beccuccio
bite - mordere, morsicare, abboccare, pungere, morso, puntura
whip - frusta, nerbo, sferza, sferzare, flagellare
I sought it and found it.
"Thank you; now Make haste with the letter to Hay, and return as fast as you can."
Make haste - Affrettarsi
A touch of a spurred heel made his horse first start and rear, and then bound away; the dog rushed in his traces; all three vanished,
spurred - sperone, sprone
heel - calcagno, tallone
"Like heath that, in the wilderness,
wilderness - natura
The wild wind whirls away."
I took up my muff and walked on. The incident had occurred and was gone for me: it was an incident of no moment, no romance, no interest in a sense; yet it marked with change one single hour of a monotonous life.
occurred - verificarsi, sovvenire, venire in mente
romance - storia d'amore, romanticheria, idillio, poesia
monotonous - monocorde, monotono
My help had been needed and claimed; I had given it: I was pleased to have done something; trivial, transitory though the deed was, it was yet an active thing, and I was weary of an existence all passive.
claimed - reclamo, rivendicazione, diritto, dichiarazione, affermazione
trivial - insignificante, trascurabile, banale, ordinario
deed - fatto, gesto, gesta, prodezza, impresa
The new face, too, was like a new picture introduced to the gallery of memory; and it was dissimilar to all the others hanging there: firstly, because it was masculine; and, secondly, because it was dark, strong, and stern. I had it still before me when I entered Hay, and slipped the letter into the post-office; I saw it as I walked fast down-hill all the way home.
dissimilar - dissimile, diverso
Firstly - dapprima, in primo luogo
secondly - secondamente
When I came to the stile, I stopped a minute, looked round and listened, with an idea that a horse's hoofs might ring on the causeway again, and that a rider in a cloak, and a Gytrash-like Newfoundland dog, might be again apparent: I saw only the hedge and a pollard willow before me, rising up still and straight to meet the moonbeams; I heard only the faintest waft of wind roaming fitful among the trees round Thornfield, a mile distant; and when I glanced down in the direction of the murmur, my eye, traversing the hall-front, caught a light kindling in a window: it reminded me that I was late, and I hurried on.
hoofs - zoccolo, zampa
Newfoundland - Terranova, cane di Terranova
pollard - prune
willow - salice, salcio
moonbeams - raggio di luna
faintest - debole
waft - to float easily and gently on the air
roaming - vagare, girovagare
I did not like re-entering Thornfield. To pass its threshold was to return to stagnation; to cross the silent hall, to ascend the darksome staircase, to seek my own lonely little room, and then to meet tranquil Mrs.
ascend - salire, riuscire
darksome - scuro
Fairfax, and spend the long winter evening with her, and her only, was to quell wholly the faint excitement wakened by my walk,-to slip again over my faculties the viewless fetters of an uniform and too still existence; of an existence whose very privileges of security and ease I was becoming incapable of appreciating.
quell - reprimere, soffocare
wakened - svegliarsi
viewless - senza vista
fetters - ferri, ceppi, ostacoli, incatenare, ostacolare
appreciating - apprezzare, essere riconoscente, capire, rendersi conto
What good it would have done me at that time to have been tossed in the storms of an uncertain struggling life, and to have been taught by rough and bitter experience to long for the calm amidst which I now repined!
tossed - tiro, lancio, testa o croce, lancio moneta
storms - tempesta, bufera
long for - desiderare qualcosa, volere qualcosa
repined - ripicca
Yes, just as much good as it would do a man tired of sitting still in a "too easy chair" to take a long walk: and just as natural was the wish to stir, under my circumstances, as it would be under his.
I lingered at the gates; I lingered on the lawn; I paced backwards and forwards on the pavement; the shutters of the glass door were closed; I could not see into the interior; and both my eyes and spirit seemed drawn from the gloomy house-from the grey-hollow filled with rayless cells, as it appeared to me-to that sky expanded before me,-a blue sea absolved from taint of cloud; the moon ascending it in solemn march; her orb seeming to look up as she left the hill-tops, from behind which she had come, far and farther below her, and aspired to the zenith, midnight dark in its fathomless depth and measureless distance; and for those trembling stars that followed her course; they made my heart tremble, my veins glow when I viewed them. Little things recall us to earth; the clock struck in the hall; that sufficed; I turned from moon and stars, opened a side-door, and went in.
pavement - pavimentazione stradale, pavimentazione, manto, manto stradale
shutters - anta, battente, persiana, scuro, otturatore
interior - interiore, interno
rayless - senza raggi
cells - cella
taint - guastare, contaminare
aspired - aspirare
zenith - zenit, culmine, apice
fathomless - insondabile
measureless - senza misura
side-door - (side-door) porta laterale
The hall was not dark, nor yet was it lit, only by the high-hung bronze lamp; a warm glow suffused both it and the lower steps of the oak staircase.
suffused - soffondere
This ruddy shine issued from the great dining-room, whose two-leaved door stood open, and showed a genial fire in the grate, glancing on marble hearth and brass fire-irons, and revealing purple draperies and polished furniture, in the most pleasant radiance.
leaved - foglie
grate - griglia
irons - ferreo, ferroso, ferrico, inflessibile, stirare
revealing - rivelando, (reveal), rivelare, gettare la maschera
draperies - tenda
most pleasant - piu piacevole
It revealed, too, a group near the mantelpiece: I had scarcely caught it, and scarcely become aware of a cheerful mingling of voices, amongst which I seemed to distinguish the tones of Adčle, when the door closed.
mingling - mescolarsi, (mingle), mescolare, rimestare, rigirare
tones - tono
I hastened to Mrs. Fairfax's room; there was a fire there too, but no candle, and no Mrs. Fairfax. Instead, all alone, sitting upright on the rug, and gazing with gravity at the blaze, I beheld a great black and white long-haired dog, just like the Gytrash of the lane. It was so like it that I went forward and said-"Pilot" and the thing got up and came to me and snuffed me.
hastened to - affrettarsi
all alone - tutto solo
upright - eretto, in verticale, dritto, in piedi, integro
gravity - gravita
beheld - guardare, ecco
I caressed him, and he wagged his great tail; but he looked an eerie creature to be alone with, and I could not tell whence he had come. I rang the bell, for I wanted a candle; and I wanted, too, to get an account of this visitant. Leah entered.
caressed - accarezzare
wagged - scodinzolare, marinare la scuola, scodinzolio
tail - coda
visitant - visitatore
"What dog is this?"
"He came with master."
"With whom?"
"With master-Mr. Rochester-he is just arrived."
"Indeed! and is Mrs. Fairfax with him?"
"Yes, and Miss Adčle; they are in the dining-room, and John is gone for a surgeon; for master has had an accident; his horse fell and his ankle is sprained."
ankle - caviglia
sprained - slogare, slogatura, contorsione
"Did the horse fall in Hay Lane?"
"Yes, coming down-hill; it slipped on some ice."
"Ah! Bring me a candle will you Leah?"
Leah brought it; she entered, followed by Mrs. Fairfax, who repeated the news; adding that Mr. Carter the surgeon was come, and was now with Mr. Rochester: then she hurried out to give orders about tea, and I went upstairs to take off my things.
Carter - person who transports a load on an animal-drawn cart
Mr. Rochester, it seems, by the surgeon's orders, went to bed early that night; nor did he rise soon next morning. When he did come down, it was to attend to business: his agent and some of his tenants were arrived, and waiting to speak with him.
attend to - partecipare
Adčle and I had now to vacate the library: it would be in daily requisition as a reception-room for callers. A fire was lit in an apartment upstairs, and there I carried our books, and arranged it for the future schoolroom.
vacate - liberare
requisition - requisire
reception-room - (reception-room) sala ricevimenti
callers - chiamante
I discerned in the course of the morning that Thornfield Hall was a changed place: no longer silent as a church, it echoed every hour or two to a knock at the door, or a clang of the bell; steps, too, often traversed the hall, and new voices spoke in different keys below; a rill from the outer world was flowing through it; it had a master: for my part, I liked it better.
knock at - bussare
clang - risuonare con fragore
rill - very small brook
flowing through - fluire
Adčle was not easy to teach that day; she could not apply: she kept running to the door and looking over the banisters to see if she could get a glimpse of Mr.
Rochester; then she coined pretexts to go downstairs, in order, as I shrewdly suspected, to visit the library, where I knew she was not wanted; then, when I got a little angry, and made her sit still, she continued to talk incessantly of her "ami, Monsieur Edouard Fairfax de Rochester," as she dubbed him (I had not before heard his prenomens), and to conjecture what presents he had brought her: for it appears he had intimated the night before, that when his luggage came from Millcote, there would be found amongst it a little box in whose contents she had an interest.
coined - moneta, gettone, coniare, monetare, battere moneta
pretexts - pretesto, scusante
go downstairs - scendere
shrewdly - scaltramente, astutamente
incessantly - incessantemente
monsieur - Senor
dubbed - doppiare
not before - non prima
"Et cela doit signifier," said she, "qu'il y aura lŕ dedans un cadeau pour moi, et peut-ętre pour vous aussi, mademoiselle. Monsieur a parlé de vous: il m'a demandé le nom de ma gouvernante, et si elle n'était pas une petite personne, assez mince et un peu pâle. J'ai dit qu'oui: car c'est vrai, n'est-ce pas, mademoiselle?"
doit - farlo
signifier - significante
aura - aura
dedans - ordine del giorno
pour - versare, riversarsi
peut - ordine del giorno
ętre - etre
aussi - ordine del giorno
parlé - ordine del giorno
demandé - ordine del giorno
gouvernante - gobernante
était - ordine del giorno
une - non e cosi
petite - piccola
personne - ordine del giorno
assez - ordine del giorno
mince - macinato, tritare, macinare, moderare
pâle - ordine del giorno
I and my pupil dined as usual in Mrs. Fairfax's parlour; the afternoon was wild and snowy, and we passed it in the schoolroom. At dark I allowed Adčle to put away books and work, and to run downstairs; for, from the comparative silence below, and from the cessation of appeals to the door-bell, I conjectured that Mr. Rochester was now at liberty.
put away - mettere via
appeals - fare appello, ricorrere
conjectured - congettura, congetturare
Left alone, I walked to the window; but nothing was to be seen thence: twilight and snowflakes together thickened the air, and hid the very shrubs on the lawn. I let down the curtain and went back to the fireside.
snowflakes - fiocco di neve
shrubs - arbusto
In the clear embers I was tracing a view, not unlike a picture I remembered to have seen of the castle of Heidelberg, on the Rhine, when Mrs. Fairfax came in, breaking up by her entrance the fiery mosaic I had been piercing together, and scattering too some heavy unwelcome thoughts that were beginning to throng on my solitude.
tracing - tracciare
on the Rhine - sul Reno
breaking up - rompere
fiery - ardente, incandescente, bruciante, infiammabile, infocato
mosaic - mosaico, talian: t-needed
piercing - foro, piercing, pungente, penetrante
scattering - dispersione, (scatter), disperdere, disperdersi, sparpagliare
unwelcome - importuno
"Mr. Rochester would be glad if you and your pupil would take tea with him in the drawing-room this evening," said she: "he has been so much engaged all day that he could not ask to see you before."
"When is his tea-time?" I inquired.
"Oh, at six o'clock: he keeps early hours in the country. You had better change your frock now; I will go with you and fasten it. Here is a candle."
"Is it necessary to change my frock?"
"Yes, you had better: I always dress for the evening when Mr. Rochester is here."
This additional ceremony seemed somewhat stately; however, I repaired to my room, and, with Mrs. Fairfax's aid, replaced my black stuff dress by one of black silk; the best and the only additional one I had, except one of light grey, which, in my Lowood notions of the toilette, I thought too fine to be worn, except on first-rate occasions.
repaired - riparare
replaced - sostituire, rimpiazzare, riporre
toilette - oilette
first-rate - (first-rate) di primo livello
"You want a brooch," said Mrs. Fairfax. I had a single little pearl ornament which Miss Temple gave me as a parting keepsake: I put it on, and then we went downstairs. Unused as I was to strangers, it was rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr. Rochester's presence. I let Mrs.
brooch - spilla
ornament - ornamento, ornamenti
keepsake - ricordo, memoria, memento
went downstairs - scendere
strangers - estraneo
formally - formalmente, ufficialmente, rigorosamente
Fairfax precede me into the dining-room, and kept in her shade as we crossed that apartment; and, passing the arch, whose curtain was now dropped, entered the elegant recess beyond.
precede - precedere
shade - ombra, persiana, tonalita, gradazione, nuance, varieta
recess - incavo, pausa, ferie, ricreazione
Two wax candles stood lighted on the table, and two on the mantelpiece; basking in the light and heat of a superb fire, lay Pilot-Adčle knelt near him. Half reclined on a couch appeared Mr. Rochester, his foot supported by the cushion; he was looking at Adčle and the dog: the fire shone full on his face.
basking - crogiolarsi
superb - superbo, magnifico
cushion - cuscino, sponda, ammortizzare, attutire
I knew my traveller with his broad and jetty eyebrows; his square forehead, made squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair. I recognised his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought, choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw-yes, all three were very grim, and no mistake.
jetty - pontile
squarer - piu squadrata, (square), quadrato, squadra, piazza, sagrato
horizontal - orizzontale
decisive - decisivo, determinante, sostanziale, deciso
more remarkable - piu notevole
denoting - indicare, rivelare, significare
choler - coler
His shape, now divested of cloak, I perceived harmonised in squareness with his physiognomy: I suppose it was a good figure in the athletic sense of the term-broad chested and thin flanked, though neither tall nor graceful.
divested - spogliare, disinvestire
harmonised - armonizzare
squareness - quadratura
physiognomy - fisionomia
athletic - atletico, sportivo
term - periodo, durata, mandato
chested - petto
flanked - aggirare il fianco, proteggere il fianco, fiancheggiare, affiancare, soccoscio
Mr. Rochester must have been aware of the entrance of Mrs. Fairfax and myself; but it appeared he was not in the mood to notice us, for he never lifted his head as we approached.
"Here is Miss Eyre, sir," said Mrs. Fairfax, in her quiet way. He bowed, still not taking his eyes from the group of the dog and child.
"Let Miss Eyre be seated," said he: and there was something in the forced stiff bow, in the impatient yet formal tone, which seemed further to express, "What the deuce is it to me whether Miss Eyre be there or not? At this moment I am not disposed to accost her."
accost - affrontare, aggredire, inveire, molestare, accostare, salutare
I sat down quite disembarrassed. A reception of finished politeness would probably have confused me: I could not have returned or repaid it by answering grace and elegance on my part; but harsh caprice laid me under no obligation; on the contrary, a decent quiescence, under the freak of manner, gave me the advantage.
disembarrassed - disimparare
politeness - cortesia
caprice - capriccio
obligation - vincolo, obbligo, dovere, obbligazione
quiescence - quiescenza
freak - fenomeno, capriccio
Besides, the eccentricity of the proceeding was piquant: I felt interested to see how he would go on.
eccentricity - eccentricita
proceeding - procedimento, (proceed), procedere
piquant - piccante, vespigno
He went on as a statue would, that is, he neither spoke nor moved. Mrs. Fairfax seemed to think it necessary that some one should be amiable, and she began to talk.
statue - statua
Kindly, as usual-and, as usual, rather trite-she condoled with him on the pressure of business he had had all day; on the annoyance it must have been to him with that painful sprain: then she commended his patience and perseverance in going through with it.
trite - trito
condoled - condolersi
pressure - pressione, spinta, impellenza, urgenza, tensione
annoyance - seccatura, scocciatura, fastidio, disappunto, irritazione
commended - encomiare, elogiare, lodare, affidare, raccomandare
patience - pazienza
perseverance - perseveranza
"Madam, I should like some tea," was the sole rejoinder she got. She hastened to ring the bell; and when the tray came, she proceeded to arrange the cups, spoons, &c., with assiduous celerity. I and Adčle went to the table; but the master did not leave his couch.
rejoinder - replica
arrange - disporre, ordinare, preparare, arrangiare
assiduous - assiduo
celerity - celerita
"Will you hand Mr. Rochester's cup?" said Mrs. Fairfax to me; "Adčle might perhaps spill it."
spill - rovesciare, versare
I did as requested. As he took the cup from my hand, Adčle, thinking the moment propitious for making a request in my favour, cried out-
as requested - come richiesto
"N'est-ce pas, monsieur, qu'il y a un cadeau pour Mademoiselle Eyre dans votre petit coffre?"
ce -
votre - ordine del giorno
coffre - ordine del giorno
"Who talks of cadeaux?" said he gruffly. "Did you expect a present, Miss Eyre? Are you fond of presents?" and he searched my face with eyes that I saw were dark, irate, and piercing.
gruffly - in modo burbero
irate - irato
"I hardly know, sir; I have little experience of them: they are generally thought pleasant things."
"Generally thought? But what do you think?"
"I should be obliged to take time, sir, before I could give you an answer worthy of your acceptance: a present has many faces to it, has it not? and one should consider all, before pronouncing an opinion as to its nature."
be obliged - essere obbligato
acceptance - accettazione
"Miss Eyre, you are not so unsophisticated as Adčle: she demands a 'cadeau,'clamorously, the moment she sees me: you beat about the bush."
clamorously - clamorosamente
bush - cespuglio
"Because I have less confidence in my deserts than Adčle has: she can prefer the claim of old acquaintance, and the right too of custom; for she says you have always been in the habit of giving her playthings; but if I had to make out a case I should be puzzled, since I am a stranger, and have done nothing to entitle me to an acknowledgment."
confidence - fiducia, autostima, certezza, sicurezza di sé, confidenza
deserts - abbandonare
entitle - intitolare
"Oh, don't fall back on over-modesty! I have examined Adčle, and find you have taken great pains with her: she is not bright, she has no talents; yet in a short time she has made much improvement."
fall back - ripiegare
modesty - modestia
"Sir, you have now given me my 'cadeau;'I am obliged to you: it is the meed teachers most covet-praise of their pupils'progress."
"Humph!" said Mr. Rochester, and he took his tea in silence.
Humph - used to express doubt or disapproval
"Come to the fire," said the master, when the tray was taken away, and Mrs. Fairfax had settled into a corner with her knitting; while Adčle was leading me by the hand round the room, showing me the beautiful books and ornaments on the consoles and chiffonničres. We obeyed, as in duty bound; Adčle wanted to take a seat on my knee, but she was ordered to amuse herself with Pilot.
leading - che conduce
hand round - giro di mano
consoles - console
chiffonničres - chiffonnieres
as in duty bound - come se fosse un dovere
"You have been resident in my house three months?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you came from-?"
"From Lowood school, in ---shire."
"Ah! a charitable concern. How long were you there?"
"Eight years."
"Eight years! you must be tenacious of life. I thought half the time in such a place would have done up any constitution! No wonder you have rather the look of another world. I marvelled where you had got that sort of face. When you came on me in Hay Lane last night, I thought unaccountably of fairy tales, and had half a mind to demand whether you had bewitched my horse: I am not sure yet.
done up - fatto
marvelled - stupirsi, meravigliarsi
unaccountably - in modo inspiegabile
bewitched - stregare
Who are your parents?"
"I have none."
"Nor ever had, I suppose: do you remember them?"
"No."
"I thought not. And so you were waiting for your people when you sat on that stile?"
"For whom, sir?"
"For the men in green: it was a proper moonlight evening for them. Did I break through one of your rings, that you spread that damned ice on the causeway?"
break through - sfondare
rings - anello
damned - dannato, (damn), dannare, bollare, condannare, maledire, maledetto
I shook my head. "The men in green all forsook England a hundred years ago," said I, speaking as seriously as he had done. "And not even in Hay Lane, or the fields about it, could you find a trace of them. I don't think either summer or harvest, or winter moon, will ever shine on their revels more."
forsook - abbandonare, rinunciare
seriously - seriamente, gravemente
revels - divertirsi
Mrs. Fairfax had dropped her knitting, and, with raised eyebrows, seemed wondering what sort of talk this was.
"Well," resumed Mr. Rochester, "if you disown parents, you must have some sort of kinsfolk: uncles and aunts?"
"No; none that I ever saw."
"And your home?"
"I have none."
"Where do your brothers and sisters live?"
"I have no brothers or sisters."
"Who recommended you to come here?"
recommended - raccomandare, consigliare
"I advertised, and Mrs. Fairfax answered my advertisement."
"Yes," said the good lady, who now knew what ground we were upon, "and I am daily thankful for the choice Providence led me to make. Miss Eyre has been an invaluable companion to me, and a kind and careful teacher to Adčle."
Providence - Provvidenza
invaluable - prezioso, senza prezzo, impareggiabile, enorme
"Don't trouble yourself to give her a character," returned Mr. Rochester: "eulogiums will not bias me; I shall judge for myself. She began by felling my horse."
eulogiums - elogio
bias - pregiudizio, predisposizione, inclinazione, tendenza
felling - e caduto
"Sir?" said Mrs. Fairfax.
"I have to thank her for this sprain."
The widow looked bewildered.
"Miss Eyre, have you ever lived in a town?"
"No, sir."
"Have you seen much society?"
"None but the pupils and teachers of Lowood, and now the inmates of Thornfield."
"Have you read much?"
"Only such books as came in my way; and they have not been numerous or very learned."
numerous - numeroso
"You have lived the life of a nun: no doubt you are well drilled in religious forms;-Brocklehurst, who I understand directs Lowood, is a parson, is he not?"
nun - suora, monaca
drilled - trapanare, perforare
religious - religioso
parson - parroco, pastore
"Yes, sir."
"And you girls probably worshipped him, as a convent full of religieuses would worship their director."
worshipped - adorazione, venerazione, culto
religieuses - eligieuse
director - direttore, regista, capo
"Oh, no."
"You are very cool! No! What! a novice not worship her priest! That sounds blasphemous."
worship - adorazione, venerazione, culto
priest - prete, sacerdote, mazza, (prey), preda, squartamento
blasphemous - blasfemo
"I disliked Mr. Brocklehurst; and I was not alone in the feeling. He is a harsh man; at once pompous and meddling; he cut off our hair; and for economy's sake bought us bad needles and thread, with which we could hardly sew."
disliked - antipatia, avversione, non piacersi
pompous - pomposo
meddling - immischiarsi
sake - (per amore di)
"That was very false economy," remarked Mrs. Fairfax, who now again caught the drift of the dialogue.
"And was that the head and front of his offending?" demanded Mr. Rochester.
offending - offendere
"He starved us when he had the sole superintendence of the provision department, before the committee was appointed; and he bored us with long lectures once a week, and with evening readings from books of his own inditing, about sudden deaths and judgments, which made us afraid to go to bed."
superintendence - sovrintendenza
provision - fornitura, disposizione, clausola, norma
department - dipartimento, q
appointed - fissare, costituire, nominare, designare, assegnare
lectures - conferenza, lezione, insegnare, sgridare, richiamare
readings - lettura, interpretare, interpretazione
deaths - morte, dipartita, decesso, morire, la morte
judgments - giudizio, sentenza, verdetto, pronuncia
"What age were you when you went to Lowood?"
"About ten."
"And you stayed there eight years: you are now, then, eighteen?"
I assented.
assented - assentire, assenso
"Arithmetic, you see, is useful; without its aid, I should hardly have been able to guess your age. It is a point difficult to fix where the features and countenance are so much at variance as in your case. And now what did you learn at Lowood? Can you play?"
variance - varianza
"A little."
"Of course: that is the established answer. Go into the library-I mean, if you please.-(Excuse my tone of command; I am used to say, 'Do this,'and it is done: I cannot alter my customary habits for one new inmate.)-Go, then, into the library; take a candle with you; leave the door open; sit down to the piano, and play a tune."
customary - consueto
I departed, obeying his directions.
obeying - obbedire, ubbidire, assolvere, conformarsi
"Enough!" he called out in a few minutes. "You play a little, I see; like any other English school-girl; perhaps rather better than some, but not well."
I closed the piano and returned. Mr. Rochester continued-"Adčle showed me some sketches this morning, which she said were yours. I don't know whether they were entirely of your doing; probably a master aided you?"
"No, indeed!" I interjected.
interjected - interloquire
"Ah! that pricks pride. Well, fetch me your portfolio, if you can vouch for its contents being original; but don't pass your word unless you are certain: I can recognise patchwork."
pricks - pungere, forare
vouch - garantire
patchwork - a work composed of many different colors and shapes
"Then I will say nothing, and you shall judge for yourself, sir."
I brought the portfolio from the library.
"Approach the table," said he; and I wheeled it to his couch. Adčle and Mrs. Fairfax drew near to see the pictures.
wheeled - ruota, timone, ruota del timone, pezzo grosso, cerchio
"No crowding," said Mr. Rochester: "take the drawings from my hand as I finish with them; but Don't push your faces up to mine."
crowding - folla
Don't push - Non spingere
He deliberately scrutinised each sketch and painting. Three he laid aside; the others, when he had examined them, he swept from him.
deliberately - intenzionalmente, deliberatamente, per partito preso
sketch - abbozzare, schizzare, delineare, sunteggiare, sintetizzare
"Take them off to the other table, Mrs. Fairfax," said he, "and look at them with Adčle;-you" (glancing at me) "resume your seat, and answer my questions. I perceive those pictures were done by one hand: was that hand yours?"
"Yes."
"And when did you find time to do them? They have taken much time, and some thought."
"I did them in the last two vacations I spent at Lowood, when I had no other occupation."
"Where did you get your copies?"
copies - copia, replica, copiare, imitare, ricevere
"Out of my head."
"That head I see now on your shoulders?"
"Yes, sir."
"Has it other furniture of the same kind within?"
"I should think it may have: I should hope-better."
He spread the pictures before him, and again surveyed them alternately.
alternately - alternatamente
While he is so occupied, I will tell you, reader, what they are: and first, I must premise that they are nothing wonderful. The subjects had, indeed, risen vividly on my mind. As I saw them with the spiritual eye, before I attempted to embody them, they were striking; but my hand would not second my fancy, and in each case it had wrought out but a pale portrait of the thing I had conceived.
premise - premessa, locale, posto
vividly - chiaramente, limpidamente
embody - incarnare
These pictures were in water-colours. The first represented clouds low and livid, rolling over a swollen sea: all the distance was in eclipse; so, too, was the foreground; or rather, the nearest billows, for there was no land.
livid - furibondo, furibonda
rolling - rotolamento
eclipse - eclisse, eclissi, eclissare
billows - maroso
One gleam of light lifted into relief a half-submerged mast, on which sat a cormorant, dark and large, with wings flecked with foam; its beak held a gold bracelet set with gems, that I had touched with as brilliant tints as my palette could yield, and as glittering distinctness as my pencil could impart.
submerged - sommergere
cormorant - cormorano, divoratore, ghiottone, mangione
flecked - puntino, macchiolina
foam - schiuma, gomma piuma
beak - becco
bracelet - braccialetto
gems - gemma, pietra preziosa, perla, chicca
palette - tavolozza, gamma di colori
distinctness - distinzione
Sinking below the bird and mast, a drowned corpse glanced through the green water; a fair arm was the only limb clearly visible, whence the bracelet had been washed or torn.
drowned - affogare, annegare, sommergere, coprire
limb - membro, arto
torn - lacrima
The second picture contained for foreground only the dim peak of a hill, with grass and some leaves slanting as if by a breeze. Beyond and above spread an expanse of sky, dark blue as at twilight: rising into the sky was a woman's shape to the bust, portrayed in tints as dusk and soft as I could combine.
Peak - picco
slanting - pendenza, inclinazione, pendio, tendenza, angolatura
dark blue - blu scuro
bust - seno
portrayed - ritrarre, dipingere
The dim forehead was crowned with a star; the lineaments below were seen as through the suffusion of vapour; the eyes shone dark and wild; the hair streamed shadowy, like a beamless cloud torn by storm or by electric travail. On the neck lay a pale reflection like moonlight; the same faint lustre touched the train of thin clouds from which rose and bowed this vision of the evening star.
crowned - corona
suffusion - soffusione
vapour - vapore
beamless - senza raggi
travail - lavoro
evening star - stella della sera
The third showed the pinnacle of an iceberg piercing a polar winter sky: a muster of northern lights reared their dim lances, close serried, along the horizon. Throwing these into distance, rose, in the foreground, a head,-a colossal head, inclined towards the iceberg, and resting against it.
pinnacle - pinnacolo, cima, picco, somma
iceberg - iceberg
polar - polare
northern lights - aurora boreale
lances - lancia, infilzare, incidere
throwing - lanciare
colossal - colossale
Two thin hands, joined under the forehead, and supporting it, drew up before the lower features a sable veil, a brow quite bloodless, white as bone, and an eye hollow and fixed, blank of meaning but for the glassiness of despair, alone were visible.
veil - velo
glassiness - vetreria
despair - disperazione
Above the temples, amidst wreathed turban folds of black drapery, vague in its character and consistency as cloud, gleamed a ring of white flame, gemmed with sparkles of a more lurid tinge. This pale crescent was "the likeness of a kingly crown;" what it diademed was "the shape which shape had none."
wreathed - spirale, voluta, ghirlanda, corona
turban - turbante
flame - fiamma, flame, fiammeggiare, infiammare
gemmed - gemma, pietra preziosa, perla, chicca
sparkles - scintillio, luccichio
lurid - livido
tinge - sfumatura
likeness - somiglianza
kingly - regale
diademed - diadema, corona
"Were you happy when you painted these pictures?" asked Mr. Rochester presently.
"I was absorbed, sir: yes, and I was happy. To paint them, in short, was to enjoy one of the keenest pleasures I have ever known."
keenest - appassionato, desideroso
"That is not saying much. Your pleasures, by your own account, have been few; but I daresay you did exist in a kind of artist's dreamland while you blent and arranged these strange tints. Did you sit at them long each day?"
dreamland - il paese dei sogni
"I had nothing else to do, because it was the vacation, and I sat at them from morning till noon, and from noon till night: the length of the midsummer days favoured my inclination to apply."
midsummer - mezza estate, solstizio d'estate, di mezza estate
"And you felt self-satisfied with the result of your ardent labours?"
labours - lavoro, lavoratori, lavoranti, parto, travaglio, doglie
"Far from it. I was tormented by the contrast between my idea and my handiwork: in each case I had imagined something which I was quite powerless to realise."
tormented - cruccio, tormento, tarlo, tormentare, martoriare
handiwork - lavoro manuale
powerless - impotente
realise - rendersi conto
"Not quite: you have secured the shadow of your thought; but no more, probably. You had not enough of the artist's skill and science to give it full being: yet the drawings are, for a school-girl, peculiar. As to the thoughts, they are elfish. These eyes in the Evening Star you must have seen in a dream. How could you make them look so clear, and yet not at all brilliant?
secured - sicuro, protetto, segreto, stabile, affidabile, garantire
elfish - elfo
for the planet above quells their rays. And what meaning is that in their solemn depth? And who taught you to paint wind? There is a high gale in that sky, and on this hill-top. Where did you see Latmos? For that is Latmos. There! put the drawings away!"
quells - reprimere, soffocare
gale - burrasca
I had scarce tied the strings of the portfolio, when, looking at his watch, he said abruptly-
"It is nine o'clock: what are you about, Miss Eyre, to let Adčle sit up so long? Take her to bed."
sit up - sedersi
Adčle went to kiss him before quitting the room: he endured the caress, but scarcely seemed to relish it more than Pilot would have done, nor so much.
caress - accarezzare
"I wish you all good-night, now," said he, making a movement of the hand towards the door, in token that he was tired of our company, and wished to dismiss us. Mrs. Fairfax folded up her knitting: I took my portfolio: we curtseyed to him, received a frigid bow in return, and so withdrew.
token - simbolo, segno, gettone
dismiss - licenziare
folded up - piegati
"You said Mr. Rochester was not strikingly peculiar, Mrs. Fairfax," I observed, when I rejoined her in her room, after putting Adčle to bed.
strikingly - in modo eclatante
rejoined - ricongiungersi
"Well, is he?"
"I think so: he is very changeful and abrupt."
changeful - mutevole
"True: no doubt he may appear so to a stranger, but I am so accustomed to his manner, I never think of it; and then, if he has peculiarities of temper, allowance should be made."
"Why?"
"Partly because it is his nature-and we can none of us help our nature; and partly because he has painful thoughts, no doubt, to harass him, and make his spirits unequal."
harass - importunare, infastidire, molestare, tormentare
unequal - diseguale, impari
"What about?"
"Family troubles, for one thing."
troubles - guaio, problema, impiccio, tumulto
"But he has no family."
"Not now, but he has had-or, at least, relatives. He lost his elder brother a few years since."
"His elder brother?"
"Yes. The present Mr. Rochester has not been very long in possession of the property; only about nine years."
"Nine years is a tolerable time. Was he so very fond of his brother as to be still inconsolable for his loss?"
tolerable - tollerabile
inconsolable - inconsolabile
"Why, no-perhaps not. I believe there were some misunderstandings between them. Mr. Rowland Rochester was not quite just to Mr. Edward; and perhaps he prejudiced his father against him. The old gentleman was fond of money, and anxious to keep the family estate together. He did not like to diminish the property by division, and yet he was anxious that Mr.
misunderstandings - fraintendimento, qui pro quo, quiproquo
Edward - Edoardo, Eduardo
prejudiced - pregiudizio
estate - asse ereditario, beni, proprieta, tenuta, possedimento
diminish - diminuire, ridurre
Edward should have wealth, too, to keep up the consequence of the name; and, soon after he was of age, some steps were taken that were not quite fair, and made a great deal of mischief. Old Mr. Rochester and Mr. Rowland combined to bring Mr.
Edward into what he considered a painful position, for the sake of making his fortune: what the precise nature of that position was I never clearly knew, but his spirit could not brook what he had to suffer in it. He is not very forgiving: he broke with his family, and now for many years he has led an unsettled kind of life.
Fortune - sorte, destino, fortuna, dote
forgiving - perdonare
unsettled - turbare
I don't think he has ever been resident at Thornfield for a fortnight together, since the death of his brother without a will left him master of the estate; and, indeed, no wonder he shuns the old place."
shuns - evitare, detestare, schivare, eludere, stigmatizzare
"Why should he shun it?"
"Perhaps he thinks it gloomy."
The answer was evasive. I should have liked something clearer; but Mrs. Fairfax either could not, or would not, give me more explicit information of the origin and nature of Mr. Rochester's trials. She averred they were a mystery to herself, and that what she knew was chiefly from conjecture. It was evident, indeed, that she wished me to drop the subject, which I did accordingly.
evasive - evasivo
clearer - piu chiaro, (clear), trasparente, limpido, pulito, chiaro
more explicit - piu esplicito
trials - processo
averred - Qué
mystery - mistero, arcano, enigma
chiefly - principalmente
evident - evidente
For several subsequent days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the mornings he seemed much engaged with business, and, in the afternoon, gentlemen from Millcote or the neighbourhood called, and sometimes stayed to dine with him.
When his sprain was well enough to admit of horse exercise, he rode out a good deal; probably to return these visits, as he generally did not come back till late at night.
admit of - ammettere
During this interval, even Adčle was seldom sent for to his presence, and all my acquaintance with him was confined to an occasional rencontre in the hall, on the stairs, or in the gallery, when he would sometimes pass me haughtily and coldly, just acknowledging my presence by a distant nod or a cool glance, and sometimes bow and smile with gentlemanlike affability.
rencontre - encontre
haughtily - altezzosamente, sprezzantemente
acknowledging - riconoscere, ammettere, confermare
nod - annuire, accennare, scuotere, addormentarsi, appisolarsi
gentlemanlike - ordine del giorno
affability - affabilita
His changes of mood did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with their alternation; the ebb and flow depended on causes quite disconnected with me.
alternation - alternanza
Ebb - riflusso
depended on - dipende da
causes - causa, provocare, causare, produrre, ottenere
disconnected - disconnettere
One day he had had company to dinner, and had sent for my portfolio; in order, doubtless, to exhibit its contents: the gentlemen went away early, to attend a public meeting at Millcote, as Mrs. Fairfax informed me; but the night being wet and inclement, Mr. Rochester did not accompany them. Soon after they were gone he rang the bell: a message came that I and Adčle were to go downstairs.
exhibit - mostrare, dimostrare, esposizione
went away - andare via
attend - assistere a, seguire
public meeting - incontro pubblico
informed - informare
accompany - accompagnare
I brushed Adčle's hair and made her neat, and having ascertained that I was myself in my usual Quaker trim, where there was nothing to retouch-all being too close and plain, braided locks included, to admit of disarrangement-we descended, Adčle wondering whether the petit coffre was at length come; for, owing to some mistake, its arrival had hitherto been delayed.
Quaker - Quacchero
trim - tagliare, accorciare, decorare, bordare, orientare
retouch - ritoccare
disarrangement - disordine
owing - dovere, essere in debito, essere debitore di
delayed - ritardare
She was gratified: there it stood, a little carton, on the table when we entered the dining-room. She appeared to know it by instinct.
gratified - gratificare
Carton - stecca
"Ma boite! ma boite!" exclaimed she, running towards it.
"Yes, there is your 'boite'at last: take it into a corner, you genuine daughter of Paris, and amuse yourself with disembowelling it," said the deep and rather sarcastic voice of Mr. Rochester, proceeding from the depths of an immense easy-chair at the fireside.
genuine - genuino
disembowelling - sventramento, (disembowel), sviscerare, sbudellare, sventrare
sarcastic - sarcastico
"And mind," he continued, "Don't bother me with any details of the anatomical process, or any notice of the condition of the entrails: let your operation be conducted in silence: tiens-toi tranquille, enfant; comprends-tu?"
Don't bother me - non disturbarmi
anatomical - anatomico
entrails - sciabola
tiens - ordine del giorno
toi - ordine del giorno
tranquille - ordine del giorno
enfant - Nino
comprends - ordine del giorno
Adčle seemed scarcely to need the warning-she had already retired to a sofa with her treasure, and was busy untying the cord which secured the lid. Having removed this impediment, and lifted certain silvery envelopes of tissue paper, she merely exclaimed-
untying - disfare, sciogliere, slegare, sciogliersi
cord - cordone
lid - coperchio, tappo
impediment - impedimento
envelopes - busta
tissue paper - carta velina
"Oh ciel! Que c'est beau!" and then remained absorbed in ecstatic contemplation.
que - ordine del giorno
absorbed in - assorbito in
ecstatic - estatico
"Is Miss Eyre there?" now demanded the master, half rising from his seat to look round to the door, near which I still stood.
look round - guardarsi intorno
"Ah! well, come forward; be seated here." He drew a chair near his own. "I am not fond of the prattle of children," he continued; "for, old bachelor as I am, I have no pleasant associations connected with their lisp. It would be intolerable to me to pass a whole evening tęte-ŕ-tęte with a brat.
bachelor - scapolo, celibe, zito, zitello, baccelliere
associations - associazione
tęte - tete
ŕ - a
brat - monello
Don't draw that chair farther off, Miss Eyre; sit down exactly where I placed it-if you please, that is. Confound these civilities! I continually forget them. Nor do I particularly affect simple-minded old ladies. By-the-bye, I must have mine in mind; it won't do to neglect her; she is a Fairfax, or wed to one; and blood is said to be thicker than water."
Confound - confondere
affect - avere effetto su
neglect - mancare, negligere, omettere, ignorare, tralasciare, negligenza
wed - sposare, sposarsi
He rang, and despatched an invitation to Mrs. Fairfax, who soon arrived, knitting-basket in hand.
despatched - spedizione
invitation - invito
basket - cestino, cesto, canestro, cesta
"Good evening, madam; I sent to you for a charitable purpose. I have forbidden Adčle to talk to me about her presents, and she is bursting with repletion: have the goodness to serve her as auditress and interlocutrice; it will be one of the most benevolent acts you ever performed."
forbidden - proibire, vietare, negare, smentire
bursting - scoppiare, esplodere, strappare, separare, scoppio, esplosione
repletion - esaurimento
auditress - revisore dei conti
performed - eseguire, comportarsi con correttezza, adempiere, recitare
Adčle, indeed, no sooner saw Mrs. Fairfax, than she summoned her to her sofa, and there quickly filled her lap with the porcelain, the ivory, the waxen contents of her "boite;" pouring out, meantime, explanations and raptures in such broken English as she was mistress of.
lap - leccare
porcelain - porcellana
ivory - avorio, eburneo
waxen - cera
pouring out - versare
raptures - rapimento, estasi
"Now I have performed the part of a good host," pursued Mr. Rochester, "put my guests into the way of amusing each other, I ought to be at liberty to attend to my own pleasure. Miss Eyre, draw your chair still a little farther forward: you are yet too far back; I cannot see you without disturbing my position in this comfortable chair, which I have no mind to do."
Host - (padrone di casa)
guests - ospite, invitato, convitato, cliente
amusing - divertente, esilarante, ilare
disturbing - disturbare
I did as I was bid, though I would much rather have remained somewhat in the shade; but Mr. Rochester had such a direct way of giving orders, it seemed a matter of course to obey him promptly.
We were, as I have said, in the dining-room: the lustre, which had been lit for dinner, filled the room with a festal breadth of light; the large fire was all red and clear; the purple curtains hung rich and ample before the lofty window and loftier arch; everything was still, save the subdued chat of Adčle (she dared not speak loud), and, filling up each pause, the beating of winter rain against the panes.
festal - festivo
large fire - grande fuoco
loftier - maestoso, alto, nobile
chat - chiacchierare
filling up - riempire
Mr. Rochester, as he sat in his damask-covered chair, looked different to what I had seen him look before; not quite so stern-much less gloomy. There was a smile on his lips, and his eyes sparkled, whether with wine or not, I am not sure; but I think it very probable.
sparkled - scintillio, luccichio
probable - probabile
He was, in short, in his after-dinner mood; more expanded and genial, and also more self-indulgent than the frigid and rigid temper of the morning; still he looked preciously grim, cushioning his massive head against the swelling back of his chair, and receiving the light of the fire on his granite-hewn features, and in his great, dark eyes; for he had great, dark eyes, and very fine eyes, too-not without a certain change in their depths sometimes, which, if it was not softness, reminded you, at least, of that feeling.
preciously - preziosamente
cushioning - cuscino, sponda, ammortizzare, attutire
granite - granito
hewn - sbozzato
softness - morbidezza
He had been looking two minutes at the fire, and I had been looking the same length of time at him, when, turning suddenly, he caught my gaze fastened on his physiognomy.
gaze - fissare, guardare, puntare gli occhi, volgere lo sguardo
"You examine me, Miss Eyre," said he: "do you think me handsome?"
I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something conventionally vague and polite; but the answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I was aware-"No, sir."
conventionally - convenzionalmente
polite - cortese, educato
"Ah! By my word!
there is something singular about you," said he: "you have the air of a little nonnette; quaint, quiet, grave, and simple, as you sit with your hands before you, and your eyes generally bent on the carpet (except, by-the-bye, when they are directed piercingly to my face; as just now, for instance); and when one asks you a question, or makes a remark to which you are obliged to reply, you rap out a round rejoinder, which, if not blunt, is at least brusque. What do you mean by it?"
nonnette - ordine del giorno
bent on - essere determinato
piercingly - in modo penetrante
rap - colpo, colpetto
brusque - brusco, sbrigativo, spicciativo, spiccio
"Sir, I was too plain; I beg your pardon. I ought to have replied that it was not easy to give an impromptu answer to a question about appearances; that tastes mostly differ; and that beauty is of little consequence, or something of that sort."
impromptu - improvvisato, improvvisata
mostly - soprattutto, per lo piu
differ - differire
"You ought to have replied no such thing. Beauty of little consequence, indeed! And so, under pretence of softening the previous outrage, of stroking and soothing me into placidity, you stick a sly penknife under my ear! Go on: what fault do you find with me, pray? I suppose I have all my limbs and all my features like any other man?"
pretence - finzione
previous - previo
outrage - oltraggio, sdegno, indignazione, oltraggiare
stroking - accarezzare
placidity - placidita, placidezza
sly - furbo, sornione, subdolo, furtivo
penknife - coltellino
"Mr. Rochester, allow me to disown my first answer: I intended no pointed repartee: it was only a blunder."
repartee - botta e risposta
blunder - abbaglio, strafalcione, cantonata, sfondone
"Just so: I think so: and you shall be answerable for it. Criticise me: does my forehead not please you?"
answerable - rispondere
criticise - criticare
He lifted up the sable waves of hair which lay horizontally over his brow, and showed a solid enough mass of intellectual organs, but an abrupt deficiency where the suave sign of benevolence should have risen.
waves - onda
horizontally - orizzontalmente
intellectual - intellettuale
organs - organo
suave - soave
benevolence - benevolenza
"Now, ma'am, am I a fool?"
"Far from it, sir. You would, perhaps, think me rude if I inquired in return whether you are a philanthropist?"
philanthropist - filantropo
"There again! Another stick of the penknife, when she pretended to pat my head: and that is because I said I did not like the society of children and old women (low be it spoken!).
pretended - fingere, fare finta, far credere
Pat - colpetto, buffetto
No, young lady, I am not a general philanthropist; but I bear a conscience;" and he pointed to the prominences which are said to indicate that faculty, and which, fortunately for him, were sufficiently conspicuous; giving, indeed, a marked breadth to the upper part of his head: "and, besides, I once had a kind of rude tenderness of heart.
prominences - prominenza, sporgenza, protuberanza
indicate - indicare, mostrare
tenderness - tenerezza
When I was as old as you, I was a feeling fellow enough, partial to the unfledged, unfostered, and unlucky; but Fortune has knocked me about since: she has even kneaded me with her knuckles, and now I flatter myself I am hard and tough as an India-rubber ball; pervious, though, through a chink or two still, and with one sentient point in the middle of the lump. Yes: does that leave hope for me?
partial - parziale
unfledged - non fuso
unfostered - non sostenuti
unlucky - sfortunato
kneaded - manipolare, impastare, massaggiare, amalgamare
tough - duro, coriaceo, resistente, bullo, checkduro
India - Imola, India
rubber - gomma, di gomma
pervious - permeabile
chink - fessura
sentient - senziente
lump - gonfiore, gnocco, cucchiaino, zolla, zolletta
"
"Hope of what, sir?"
"Of my final re-transformation from India-rubber back to flesh?"
transformation - trasformazione
"Decidedly he has had too much wine," I thought; and I did not know what answer to make to his queer question: how could I tell whether he was capable of being re-transformed?
decidedly - decisamente
"You looked very much puzzled, Miss Eyre; and though you are not pretty any more than I am handsome, yet a puzzled air becomes you; besides, it is convenient, for it keeps those searching eyes of yours away from my physiognomy, and busies them with the worsted flowers of the rug; so puzzle on. Young lady, I am disposed to be gregarious and communicative to-night."
puzzle - mistero, rompicapo, indovinello, rendere perplesso
searching - ricerca, cercare, buscare
worsted - pettinato, (worst), il peggiore, pessimo, peggiore
gregarious - socievole
communicative - comunicativo
With this announcement he rose from his chair, and stood, leaning his arm on the marble mantelpiece: in that attitude his shape was seen plainly as well as his face; his unusual breadth of chest, disproportionate almost to his length of limb.
announcement - annuncio
disproportionate - spropositato, esagerato, sproporzionato, smisurato
I am sure most people would have thought him an ugly man; yet there was so much unconscious pride in his port; so much ease in his demeanour; such a look of complete indifference to his own external appearance; so haughty a reliance on the power of other qualities, intrinsic or adventitious, to atone for the lack of mere personal attractiveness, that, in looking at him, one inevitably shared the indifference, and, even in a blind, imperfect sense, put faith in the confidence.
unconscious - svenuto, subconscio
haughty - superbo, orgoglioso, altero, altezzoso
reliance - fiducia, confidenza, dipendenza, affidamento
intrinsic - intrinseco
adventitious - esogeno, aleatorio, acquisito, ectopico, ausiliario, avventizio
atone - espiare
attractiveness - attrattiva
inevitably - inevitabilmente
"I am disposed to be gregarious and communicative to-night," he repeated, "and that is why I sent for you: the fire and the chandelier were not sufficient company for me; nor would Pilot have been, for none of these can talk. Adčle is a degree better, but still far below the mark; Mrs.
Fairfax ditto; you, I am persuaded, can suit me if you will: you puzzled me the first evening I invited you down here. I have almost forgotten you since: other ideas have driven yours from my head; but to-night I am resolved to be at ease; to dismiss what importunes, and recall what pleases. It would please me now to draw you out-to learn more of you-therefore speak."
Ditto - detto, predetto, idem, come sopra
persuaded - persuadere, convincere
suit - vestito, abito, seme, colore, soddisfare, adattarsi
at ease - riposato
dismiss - licenziare, congedare, mandare via, dimettere, rompere le righe
importunes - importunare
Instead of speaking, I smiled; and not a very complacent or submissive smile either.
complacent - compiaciuto
submissive - sottomesso
"Speak," he urged.
"What about, sir?"
"Whatever you like. I leave both the choice of subject and the manner of treating it entirely to yourself."
treating - curare, (treat), trattare, trattenimento, festeggiamento
Accordingly I sat and said nothing: "If he expects me to talk for the mere sake of talking and showing off, he will find he has addressed himself to the wrong person," I thought.
showing off - mettersi in mostra
"You are dumb, Miss Eyre."
I was dumb still. He bent his head a little towards me, and with a single hasty glance seemed to dive into my eyes.
dive - tuffarsi
"Stubborn?" he said, "and annoyed. Ah! it is consistent. I put my request in an absurd, almost insolent form. Miss Eyre, I beg your pardon. The fact is, once for all, I don't wish to treat you like an inferior: that is" (correcting himself), "I claim only such superiority as must result from twenty years'difference in age and a century's advance in experience.
stubborn - ostinato, testardo
annoyed - infastidirsi, infastidire, importunare, disturbare
consistent - costante, continuo, coerente, conforme, compatibile
once for all - una volta per tutte
superiority - superiorita
result from - derivare da, risultare da
advance - avanzare, progredire, anticipare, migliorare, avvicinarsi
This is legitimate, et j'y tiens, as Adčle would say; and it is by virtue of this superiority, and this alone, that I desire you to have the goodness to talk to me a little now, and divert my thoughts, which are galled with dwelling on one point-cankering as a rusty nail."
legitimate - legittimo
et - e
divert - deviare, distrarre, divertirsi, distrarsi
galled - bile, fiele
cankering - afta epizootica
nail - unghia
He had deigned an explanation, almost an apology, and I did not feel insensible to his condescension, and would not seem so.
deigned - degnarsi
apology - apologia, scuse
insensible - privo di sensi
"I am willing to amuse you, if I can, sir-quite willing; but I cannot introduce a topic, because how do I know what will interest you? Ask me questions, and I will do my best to answer them."
"Then, in the first place, do you agree with me that I have a right to be a little masterful, abrupt, perhaps exacting, sometimes, on the grounds I stated, namely, that I am old enough to be your father, and that I have battled through a varied experience with many men of many nations, and roamed over half the globe, while you have lived quietly with one set of people in one house?"
masterful - magistrale
stated - stato, dichiarare, statuire, esporre, indicare
battled - battaglia
roamed - vagare, girovagare
globe - globo
"Do as you please, sir."
"That is no answer; or rather it is a very irritating, because a very evasive one. Reply clearly."
irritating - irritare
"I don't think, sir, you have a right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience."
depends - dipendere, fare affidamento
"Humph! Promptly spoken. But I won't allow that, seeing that it would never suit my case, as I have made an indifferent, not to say a bad, use of both advantages. Leaving superiority out of the question, then, you must still agree to receive my orders now and then, without being piqued or hurt by the tone of command. Will you?"
piqued - irritazione
I smiled: I thought to myself Mr. Rochester is peculiar-he seems to forget that he pays me Ł30 per annum for receiving his orders.
"The smile is very well," said he, catching instantly the passing expression; "but speak too."
catching - catturare, (catch), presa, conquista, fermaglio
"I was thinking, sir, that very few masters would trouble themselves to inquire whether or not their paid subordinates were piqued and hurt by their orders."
masters - padrone
subordinates - subordinato
"Paid subordinates! What! you are my paid subordinate, are you? Oh yes, I had forgotten the salary! Well then, on that mercenary ground, will you agree to let me hector a little?"
subordinate - subordinato
mercenary - mercenario
Hector - , Ettore
"No, sir, not on that ground; but, on the ground that you did forget it, and that you care whether or not a dependent is comfortable in his dependency, I agree heartily."
dependency - dipendenza
heartily - caldamente, sentitamente, giovialmente
"And will you consent to dispense with a great many conventional forms and phrases, without thinking that the omission arises from insolence?"
consent - consentire, consenso
dispense - dispensare
conventional - convenzionale
omission - omissione
arises from - derivare di
insolence - insolenza
"I am sure, sir, I should never mistake informality for insolence: one I rather like, the other nothing free-born would submit to, even for a salary."
informality - informalita
"Humbug! Most things free-born will submit to anything for a salary; therefore, keep to yourself, and don't venture on generalities of which you are intensely ignorant.
Venture - avventura, azzardo, impresa, avventurarsi, azzardare, osare
generalities - generalita
However, I mentally shake hands with you for your answer, despite its inaccuracy; and as much for the manner in which it was said, as for the substance of the speech; the manner was frank and sincere; one does not often see such a manner: no, on the contrary, affectation, or coldness, or stupid, coarse-minded misapprehension of one's meaning are the usual rewards of candour.
shake hands - stringere la mano
despite - nonostante, sebbene, malgrado
inaccuracy - inesattezza
Speech - parola, discorso
affectation - affettazione
stupid - stupido, scemo, stupefatto
misapprehension - fraintendimento
rewards - ricompensa
candour - candore
Not three in three thousand raw school-girl-governesses would have answered me as you have just done. But I don't mean to flatter you: if you are cast in a different mould to the majority, it is no merit of yours: Nature did it.
mould - terriccio
majority - maggioranza, maggiore eta
And then, after all, I go too fast in my conclusions: for what I yet know, you may be no better than the rest; you may have intolerable defects to counterbalance your few good points."
conclusions - conclusione
counterbalance - contrappeso
"And so may you," I thought. My eye met his as the idea crossed my mind: he seemed to read the glance, answering as if its import had been spoken as well as imagined-
"Yes, yes, you are right," said he; "I have plenty of faults of my own: I know it, and I don't wish to palliate them, I assure you. God wot I need not be too severe about others; I have a past existence, a series of deeds, a colour of life to contemplate within my own breast, which might well call my sneers and censures from my neighbours to myself.
plenty - abbondanza, cuccagna, abbondantemente
palliate - palliativo
wot - Cosa
series - serie
contemplate - considerare, contemplare
sneers - ghignare, sogghignare, ghigno, sogghigno
censures - biasimare, criticare
I started, or rather (for like other defaulters, I like to lay half the blame on ill fortune and adverse circumstances) was thrust on to a wrong tack at the age of one-and-twenty, and have never recovered the right course since: but I might have been very different; I might have been as good as you-wiser-almost as stainless.
defaulters - inadempiente
adverse - contrario, avverso, ostile
tack - bulletta, puntina
recovered - rimettersi, riprendersi
wiser - saggezza
stainless - inox, inossidabile, pulito, pulita
I envy you your peace of mind, your clean conscience, your unpolluted memory. Little girl, a memory without blot or contamination must be an exquisite treasure-an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment: is it not?"
envy - invidia, invidiare
unpolluted - incontaminato
blot - macchia, macchiare, assorbire
contamination - contaminazione
exquisite - squisito, delizioso
inexhaustible - inesauribile
"How was your memory when you were eighteen, sir?"
"All right then; limpid, salubrious: no gush of bilge water had turned it to fetid puddle. I was your equal at eighteen-quite your equal. Nature meant me to be, on the whole, a good man, Miss Eyre; one of the better kind, and you see I am not so.
limpid - limpido
salubrious - salubre
gush - sgorgare, zampillare
bilge - sentina, fesserie, idiozie, sciocchezze
puddle - pozzanghera
You would say you don't see it; at least I flatter myself I read as much in your eye (beware, by-the-bye, what you express with that organ; I am quick at interpreting its language).
Beware - temere, guardarsi, fare attenzione
interpreting - interpretare
Then take my word for it,-I am not a villain: you are not to suppose that-not to attribute to me any such bad eminence; but, owing, I verily believe, rather to circumstances than to my natural bent, I am a trite commonplace sinner, hackneyed in all the poor petty dissipations with which the rich and worthless try to put on life. Do you wonder that I avow this to you?
villain - canaglia, furfante, mascalzone, farabutto
attribute to - attribuire a
eminence - eminenza
sinner - peccatore, peccatrice
hackneyed - carrozza da nolo, taxi
petty - meschino, piccolo
dissipations - dissipazione
avow - dichiarare, affermare
Know, that in the course of your future life you will often find yourself elected the involuntary confidant of your acquaintances'secrets: people will instinctively find out, as I have done, that it is not your forte to tell of yourself, but to listen while others talk of themselves; they will feel, too, that you listen with no malevolent scorn of their indiscretion, but with a kind of innate sympathy; not the less comforting and encouraging because it is very unobtrusive in its manifestations."
elected - eleggere
confidant - confidente
acquaintances - conoscenza
indiscretion - indiscrezione
innate - innato
comforting - agio, comodita, benessere
unobtrusive - discreto
manifestations - manifestazione
"How do you know?-how can you guess all this, sir?"
"I know it well; therefore I proceed almost as freely as if I were writing my thoughts in a diary. You would say, I should have been superior to circumstances; so I should-so I should; but you see I was not. When fate wronged me, I had not the wisdom to remain cool: I turned desperate; then I degenerated.
proceed - procedere
diary - diario
wisdom - saggezza, senno, discernimento, criterio
degenerated - snaturato, scellerato, degenerato, degenerare
Now, when any vicious simpleton excites my disgust by his paltry ribaldry, I cannot flatter myself that I am better than he: I am forced to confess that he and I are on a level. I wish I had stood firm-God knows I do! Dread remorse when you are tempted to err, Miss Eyre; remorse is the poison of life."
simpleton - sempliciotto, semplicione, babbeo, minchione
excites - stimolare, eccitare, riaccendere, provocare
paltry - ridicolo, insignificante, modesto, irrisorio
ribaldry - la ribalderia
tempted - tentare
err - errare
poison - veleno, avvelenare, intossicare
"Repentance is said to be its cure, sir."
repentance - pentimento, rimorso
"It is not its cure. Reformation may be its cure; and I could reform-I have strength yet for that-if-but where is the use of thinking of it, hampered, burdened, cursed as I am? Besides, since happiness is irrevocably denied me, I have a right to get pleasure out of life: and I will get it, cost what it may."
reformation - riforma protestante, scisma protestante
hampered - intralciare
cursed - maledetto
irrevocably - irrevolcabilmente
"Then you will degenerate still more, sir."
"Possibly: yet why should I, if I can get sweet, fresh pleasure? And I may get it as sweet and fresh as the wild honey the bee gathers on the moor."
honey - miele, carino, tesoro, gioia
bee - ape
gathers - cogliere, collezionare, radunarsi, raccogliere, bottinare
moor - landa, brughiera
"It will sting-it will taste bitter, sir."
sting - pungiglione, aculeo
"How do you know?-you never tried it. How very serious-how very solemn you look: and you are as ignorant of the matter as this cameo head" (taking one from the mantelpiece). "You have no right to preach to me, you neophyte, that have not passed the porch of life, and are absolutely unacquainted with its mysteries."
cameo - cammeo
preach - predicare
neophyte - neofita
porch - veranda, portico
absolutely - assolutamente
unacquainted - non conosciuto
mysteries - mistero, arcano, enigma
"I only remind you of your own words, sir: you said error brought remorse, and you pronounced remorse the poison of existence."
"And who talks of error now? I scarcely think the notion that flittered across my brain was an error. I believe it was an inspiration rather than a temptation: it was very genial, very soothing-I know that. Here it comes again! It is no devil, I assure you; or if it be, it has put on the robes of an angel of light. I think I must admit so fair a guest when it asks entrance to my heart."
inspiration - inspirazione, inalazione, respiro, ispirazione, illuminazione
temptation - tentazione
devil - diavolo
guest - ospite, invitato, convitato, cliente
"Distrust it, sir; it is not a true angel."
distrust - diffidenza, sfiducia, diffido
"Once more, how do you know? By what instinct do you pretend to distinguish between a fallen seraph of the abyss and a messenger from the eternal throne-between a guide and a seducer?"
pretend - fingere, fare finta, far credere
messenger - messaggero, corriere
eternal - eterno
seducer - seduttore
"I judged by your countenance, sir, which was troubled when you said the suggestion had returned upon you. I feel sure it will work you more misery if you listen to it."
judged - giudicare
misery - miseria, accidente
"Not at all-it bears the most gracious message in the world: for the rest, you are not my conscience-keeper, so don't make yourself uneasy. Here, come in, bonny wanderer!"
bears - sopportare
most gracious - il piu cortese/ gentile
keeper - portiere
uneasy - ansioso, agitato
He said this as if he spoke to a vision, viewless to any eye but his own; then, folding his arms, which he had half extended, on his chest, he seemed to enclose in their embrace the invisible being.
"Now," he continued, again addressing me, "I have received the pilgrim-a disguised deity, as I verily believe. Already it has done me good: my heart was a sort of charnel; it will now be a shrine."
pilgrim - pellegrino
disguised - camuffamento, travestimento, mascheramento, camuffarsi
Deity - deita, divinita
"To speak truth, sir, I don't understand you at all: I cannot keep up the conversation, because it has got out of my depth. Only one thing, I know: you said you were not as good as you should like to be, and that you regretted your own imperfection;-one thing I can comprehend: you intimated that to have a sullied memory was a perpetual bane.
I cannot keep up - Non riesco a tenere il passo
imperfection - imperfezione
perpetual - perpetuo, perenne
bane - rovina
It seems to me, that if you tried hard, you would in time find it possible to become what you yourself would approve; and that if from this day you began with resolution to correct your thoughts and actions, you would in a few years have laid up a new and stainless store of recollections, to which you might revert with pleasure."
revert - convertito, ritornare, retrocedere, ribaltare, invertire
"Justly thought; rightly said, Miss Eyre; and, at this moment, I am paving hell with energy."
paving - pavimentazione, (pave), lastricare, pavimentare
"Sir?"
"I am laying down good intentions, which I believe durable as flint. Certainly, my associates and pursuits shall be other than they have been."
laying down - sdraiarsi
intentions - intenzione, intento
durable - durabile
Flint - selce
associates - associare
pursuits - ricerca, perseguimento, caccia, passatempo
"And better?"
"And better-so much better as pure ore is than foul dross. You seem to doubt me; I don't doubt myself: I know what my aim is, what my motives are; and at this moment I pass a law, unalterable as that of the Medes and Persians, that both are right."
ore - minerale
foul - cattivo
dross - scorie
motives - motivo
unalterable - inalterabile
Persians - Persiano
"They cannot be, sir, if they require a new statute to legalise them."
statute - statuto, legge
legalise - legalizzare
"They are, Miss Eyre, though they absolutely require a new statute: unheard-of combinations of circumstances demand unheard-of rules."
unheard - inascoltato
combinations - combinazione
"That sounds a dangerous maxim, sir; because one can see at once that it is liable to abuse."
maxim - massima
"Sententious sage! so it is: but I swear by my household gods not to abuse it."
sententious - conciso, succinto, laconico
sage - salvia
swear - giurare
gods - Dio
"You are human and fallible."
fallible - fallibile
"I am: so are you-what then?"
"The human and fallible should not arrogate a power with which the divine and perfect alone can be safely intrusted."
arrogate - arrogare
safely - sicuramente, senza problemi, in sicurezza, senza rischi
"What power?"
"That of saying of any strange, unsanctioned line of action,-'Let it be right.'"
unsanctioned - non approvato, non autorizzato
"'Let it be right'-the very words: you have pronounced them."
"May it be right then," I said, as I rose, deeming it useless to continue a discourse which was all darkness to me; and, besides, sensible that the character of my interlocutor was beyond my penetration; at least, beyond its present reach; and feeling the uncertainty, the vague sense of insecurity, which accompanies a conviction of ignorance.
interlocutor - interlocutore
penetration - penetrazione
insecurity - insicurezza
accompanies - accompagnare
"Where are you going?"
"To put Adčle to bed: it is past her bedtime."
"You are afraid of me, because I talk like a Sphynx."
"Your language is enigmatical, sir: but though I am bewildered, I am certainly not afraid."
enigmatical - enigmatico
"You are afraid-your self-love dreads a blunder."
self-love - (self-love) amore per se stessi
dreads - temere, timore
"In that sense I do feel apprehensive-I have no wish to talk nonsense."
"If you did, it would be in such a grave, quiet manner, I should mistake it for sense. Do you never laugh, Miss Eyre? Don't trouble yourself to answer-I see you laugh rarely; but you can laugh very merrily: believe me, you are not naturally austere, any more than I am naturally vicious.
merrily - allegramente
austere - austero
The Lowood constraint still clings to you somewhat; controlling your features, muffling your voice, and restricting your limbs; and you fear in the presence of a man and a brother-or father, or master, or what you will-to smile too gaily, speak too freely, or move too quickly: but, in time, I think you will learn to be natural with me, as I find it impossible to be conventional with you; and then your looks and movements will have more vivacity and variety than they dare offer now. I see at intervals the glance of a curious sort of bird through the close-set bars of a cage: a vivid, restless, resolute captive is there; were it but free, it would soar cloud-high. You are still bent on going?"
constraint - vincolo, costrizione
clings to - aggrapparsi
muffling - smorzamento
restricting - restringere, limitare
vivacity - vivacita, vivezza, brillantezza, briosita
cage - gabbia, cabina
restless - instancabile, irrequieto
resolute - risoluto
captive - prigioniero, catturato, intrappolato
soar - volare (in alto), aumentare
"It has struck nine, sir."
"Never mind,-wait a minute: Adčle is not ready to go to bed yet. My position, Miss Eyre, with my back to the fire, and my face to the room, favours observation. While talking to you, I have also occasionally watched Adčle (I have my own reasons for thinking her a curious study,-reasons that I may, nay, that I shall, impart to you some day).
Nay - anzi, o per meglio dire
She pulled out of her box, about ten minutes ago, a little pink silk frock; rapture lit her face as she unfolded it; coquetry runs in her blood, blends with her brains, and seasons the marrow of her bones. 'Il faut que je l'essaie!'cried she, 'et ŕ l'instant męme!'and she rushed out of the room.
rapture - rapimento, estasi
unfolded - spiegare, stendere
coquetry - civetteria
blends - miscela, combinazione, mix, amalgama, mescolare
seasons - stagione
marrow - midollo
faut - ordine del giorno
essaie - ordine del giorno
męme - meme
She is now with Sophie, undergoing a robing process: in a few minutes she will re-enter; and I know what I shall see,-a miniature of Céline Varens, as she used to appear on the boards at the rising of-But never mind that. However, my tenderest feelings are about to receive a shock: such is my presentiment; stay now, to see whether it will be realised."
undergoing - soffrire, sottoporsi
robing - rapina
tenderest - tenero
presentiment - presentimento
Ere long, Adčle's little foot was heard tripping across the hall. She entered, transformed as her guardian had predicted. A dress of rose-coloured satin, very short, and as full in the skirt as it could be gathered, replaced the brown frock she had previously worn; a wreath of rosebuds circled her forehead; her feet were dressed in silk stockings and small white satin sandals.
little foot - piede piccolo
predicted - predire, profetizzare
previously - precedentemente, anteriormente, in antecedenza, antecedentemente
circled - cerchio, disco, sfera, curva, circolo, gruppo, cenacolo
silk stockings - calze di seta
sandals - sandalo
"Est-ce que ma robe va bien?" cried she, bounding forwards; "et mes souliers? et mes bas? Tenez, je crois que je vais danser!"
robe - veste, abito
souliers - ordine del giorno
crois - ordine del giorno
vais - ordine del giorno
danser - ordine del giorno
And spreading out her dress, she chasséed across the room till, having reached Mr. Rochester, she wheeled lightly round before him on tip-toe, then dropped on one knee at his feet, exclaiming-
spreading - diffondersi, (spread), spartire, allargare, spargere
chasséed - ordine del giorno
tip - punta
toe - dito del piede, dito, dito della zampa, punta
"Monsieur, je vous remercie mille fois de votre bonté;" then rising, she added, "C'est comme cela que maman faisait, n'est-ce pas, monsieur?"
remercie - ordine del giorno
fois - ordine del giorno
bonté - ordine del giorno
comme - ordine del giorno
maman - ordine del giorno
faisait - ordine del giorno
"Pre-cise-ly!" was the answer; "and, 'comme cela,'she charmed my English gold out of my British breeches'pocket. I have been green, too, Miss Eyre,-ay, grass green: not a more vernal tint freshens you now than once freshened me. My Spring is gone, however, but it has left me that French floweret on my hands, which, in some moods, I would fain be rid of.
cise - ordine del giorno
ly - lita
breeches - culatta
vernal - vernale
freshens - rinfrescare
freshened - rinfrescare
floweret - fiore
moods - umore
Not valuing now the root whence it sprang; having found that it was of a sort which nothing but gold dust could manure, I have but half a liking to the blossom, especially when it looks so artificial as just now. I keep it and rear it rather on the Roman Catholic principle of expiating numerous sins, great or small, by one good work. I'll explain all this some day. Good-night."
valuing - valore, valutare, stimare, apprezzare, valorizzare
root - radice
manure - letame, stallatico
blossom - bocciuolo, fiorire
Catholic - liberale, eclettico
expiating - espiare
sins - peccato
Mr. Rochester did, on a future occasion, explain it. It was one afternoon, when he chanced to meet me and Adčle in the grounds: and while she played with Pilot and her shuttlecock, he asked me to walk up and down a long beech avenue within sight of her.
shuttlecock - volano
walk up - salire
beech - faggio
avenue - viale, corso
He then said that she was the daughter of a French opera-dancer, Céline Varens, towards whom he had once cherished what he called a "grande passion." This passion Céline had professed to return with even superior ardour. He thought himself her idol, ugly as he was: he believed, as he said, that she preferred his "taille d'athlčte" to the elegance of the Apollo Belvidere.
professed - professare, dichiarare
idol - idolo, idol
athlčte - athlete
Apollo - apollo
"And, Miss Eyre, so much was I flattered by this preference of the Gallic sylph for her British gnome, that I installed her in an hotel; gave her a complete establishment of servants, a carriage, cashmeres, diamonds, dentelles, &c. In short, I began the process of ruining myself in the received style, like any other spoony.
flattered - adulare, lusingare
preference - preferenza
Gallic - gallico
sylph - silfide, silfo
gnome - gnomo
cashmeres - cachemire
Diamonds - diamante
dentelles - ordine del giorno
ruining - rovinare, (ruin), rovina
I had not, it seems, the originality to chalk out a new road to shame and destruction, but trode the old track with stupid exactness not to deviate an inch from the beaten centre. I had-as I deserved to have-the fate of all other spoonies.
originality - originalita
chalk - gesso, creta, gessetto
destruction - distruzione
exactness - esattezza
deviate - deviare
Happening to call one evening when Céline did not expect me, I found her out; but it was a warm night, and I was tired with strolling through Paris, so I sat down in her boudoir; happy to breathe the air consecrated so lately by her presence.
strolling - passeggiare, (stroll), passeggiata, camminata
breathe - respirare
consecrated - consacrare
No,-I exaggerate; I never thought there was any consecrating virtue about her: it was rather a sort of pastille perfume she had left; a scent of musk and amber, than an odour of sanctity. I was just beginning to stifle with the fumes of conservatory flowers and sprinkled essences, when I bethought myself to open the window and step out on to the balcony.
consecrating - consacrare
perfume - profumo, profumare
musk - muschio
amber - ambra, giallo, ambrato
sanctity - santita
sprinkled - spargere, spruzzare, aspergere, guarnire
essences - essenza
step out - mostrarsi in pubblico, ritirarsi dagli impegni, allontanarsi per un po'
balcony - balcone
It was moonlight and gaslight besides, and very still and serene. The balcony was furnished with a chair or two; I sat down, and took out a cigar,-I will take one now, if you will excuse me."
gaslight - luce di gas
cigar - sigaro
Here ensued a pause, filled up by the producing and lighting of a cigar; having placed it to his lips and breathed a trail of Havannah incense on the freezing and sunless air, he went on-
ensued - seguire, conseguire
producing - produrre, realizzare, fornire, prodotto, prodotti
trail - pedinare, seguire, inseguire, trascinare, trainare
incense - incenso, olibano
freezing - talian: t-needed
sunless - senza sole
"I liked bonbons too in those days, Miss Eyre, and I was croquant-(overlook the barbarism)-croquant chocolate comfits, and smoking alternately, watching meantime the equipages that rolled along the fashionable streets towards the neighbouring opera-house, when in an elegant close carriage drawn by a beautiful pair of English horses, and distinctly seen in the brilliant city-night, I recognised the 'voiture'I had given Céline. She was returning: of course my heart thumped with impatience against the iron rails I leant upon. The carriage stopped, as I had expected, at the hotel door; my flame (that is the very word for an opera inamorata) alighted: though muffed in a cloak-an unnecessary encumbrance, by-the-bye, on so warm a June evening-I knew her instantly by her little foot, seen peeping from the skirt of her dress, as she skipped from the carriage-step. Bending over the balcony, I was about to murmur 'Mon ange'-in a tone, of course, which should be audible to the ear of love alone-when a figure jumped from the carriage after her; cloaked also; but that was a spurred heel which had rung on the pavement, and that was a hatted head which now passed under the arched porte cochčre of the hotel.
bonbons - Bombón
croquant - ordine del giorno
overlook - dare su
barbarism - barbarie
smoking - fumare
equipages - equipaggiamento
fashionable - alla moda
thumped - colpo
Impatience - Impazienza
rails - sbarra, asta, staccionata, parapetto
muffed - muffa
encumbrance - ingombro
peeping - sbirciatina
skipped - saltare, saltellare
cloaked - tabarro, ammantare
arched - arco, arcata
cochčre - cochere
"You never felt jealousy, did you, Miss Eyre? Of course not: I need not ask you; because you never felt love. You have both sentiments yet to experience: your soul sleeps; the shock is yet to be given which shall waken it. You think all existence lapses in as quiet a flow as that in which your youth has hitherto slid away.
sentiments - sentimento
lapses - giri
slid - scivolare, (slide), slittare, derapare, scivolo
Floating on with closed eyes and muffled ears, you neither see the rocks bristling not far off in the bed of the Flood, nor hear the breakers boil at their base.
floating - fluttuante, (float), galleggiare, appianatoia, frattazzo
bristling - pelo ispido, barba corta ispida, setola, setole
the Flood - il Diluvio
breakers - rompitore
boil - bollire
But I tell you-and you may mark my words-you will come some day to a craggy pass in the channel, where the whole of life's stream will be broken up into whirl and tumult, foam and noise: either you will be dashed to atoms on crag points, or lifted up and borne on by some master-wave into a calmer current-as I am now.
pass in - passare
Channel - canale
be broken - essere rotto
whirl - turbinare, piroettare, roteare
dashed - lineetta, linea, scatto, spruzzo, pizzico, goccio, saltare
atoms - atomo
calmer - calmo
current - corrente, attuale, odierno
"I like this day; I like that sky of steel; I like the sternness and stillness of the world under this frost. I like Thornfield, its antiquity, its retirement, its old crow-trees and thorn-trees, its grey façade, and lines of dark windows reflecting that metal welkin: and yet how long have I abhorred the very thought of it, shunned it like a great plague-house? How I do still abhor-"
of steel - d'acciaio
sternness - severita
façade - facciata
reflecting - riflettere, essere riflesso, seguire, evidenziare, riportare
welkin - the upper atmosphere occupied by clouds, flying birds, etc
abhorred - aborrire, abominare
plague - peste, pestilenza, piaga, calamita, affliggere, molestare
He ground his teeth and was silent: he arrested his step and struck his boot against the hard ground. Some hated thought seemed to have him in its grip, and to hold him so tightly that he could not advance.
grip - impugnare, avvincere
tightly - strettamente
We were ascending the avenue when he thus paused; the hall was before us. Lifting his eye to its battlements, he cast over them a glare such as I never saw before or since. Pain, shame, ire, impatience, disgust, detestation, seemed momentarily to hold a quivering conflict in the large pupil dilating under his ebon eyebrow.
detestation - detestazione
dilating - dilatare, dilatarsi
eyebrow - sopracciglio
Wild was the wrestle which should be paramount; but another feeling rose and triumphed: something hard and cynical: self-willed and resolute: it settled his passion and petrified his countenance: he went on-
wrestle - lottare
paramount - capitale, essenziale, fondamentale, primordiale
triumphed - trionfo
cynical - cinico
"During the moment I was silent, Miss Eyre, I was arranging a point with my destiny. She stood there, by that beech-trunk-a hag like one of those who appeared to Macbeth on the heath of Forres. 'You like Thornfield?
hag - strega, vecchiaccia
'she said, lifting her finger; and then she wrote in the air a memento, which ran in lurid hieroglyphics all along the house-front, between the upper and lower row of windows, 'Like it if you can! Like it if you dare!'
finger - dito
memento - memento, ricordo
hieroglyphics - geroglifico
"'I will like it,'said I; 'I dare like it;'and" (he subjoined moodily) "I will keep my word; I will break obstacles to happiness, to goodness-yes, goodness. I wish to be a better man than I have been, than I am; as Job's leviathan broke the spear, the dart, and the habergeon, hindrances which others count as iron and brass, I will esteem but straw and rotten wood."
moodily - di malumore
obstacles - ostacolo, inciampo
leviathan - leviatano
spear - lancia
hindrances - impaccio, ostacolo, impedimento
Adčle here ran before him with her shuttlecock. "Away!" he cried harshly; "keep at a distance, child; or go in to Sophie!" Continuing then to pursue his walk in silence, I ventured to recall him to the point whence he had abruptly diverged-
continuing - continuare
diverged - distaccarsi
"Did you leave the balcony, sir," I asked, "when Mdlle. Varens entered?"
I almost expected a rebuff for this hardly well-timed question, but, on the contrary, waking out of his scowling abstraction, he turned his eyes towards me, and the shade seemed to clear off his brow. "Oh, I had forgotten Céline! Well, to resume.
rebuff - rifiuto
scowling - accigliato
clear off - andarsene
When I saw my charmer thus come in accompanied by a cavalier, I seemed to hear a hiss, and the green snake of jealousy, rising on undulating coils from the moonlit balcony, glided within my waistcoat, and ate its way in two minutes to my heart's core. Strange!" he exclaimed, suddenly starting again from the point.
charmer - incantatore
cavalier - noncurante, cavaliere
hiss - sibilo, soffio, sibilio, checkfischio, sibilare, fischiare
undulating - ondulare
Coils - attorcigliarsi
moonlit - al chiaro di luna, (moonlight), chiaro di luna, lavorare in nero
core - torsolo, nucleo
"Strange that I should choose you for the confidant of all this, young lady; passing strange that you should listen to me quietly, as if it were the most usual thing in the world for a man like me to tell stories of his opera-mistresses to a quaint, inexperienced girl like you!
most usual - piu usuale
mistresses - signora, padrona, maestra, amante, dominatrice
But the last singularity explains the first, as I intimated once before: you, with your gravity, considerateness, and caution were made to be the recipient of secrets. Besides, I know what sort of a mind I have placed in communication with my own: I know it is one not liable to take infection: it is a peculiar mind: it is a unique one.
Singularity - singolarita
considerateness - considerazione
caution - cautela, prudenza
recipient - destinatario, beneficiario, ricevente, recipiente
Happily I do not mean to harm it: but, if I did, it would not take harm from me. The more you and I converse, the better; for while I cannot blight you, you may refresh me." After this digression he proceeded-
harm - danno, male, ferita, svantaggio, danneggiare
refresh - rinfrescare
digression - divagazione
"I remained in the balcony. 'They will come to her boudoir, no doubt,'thought I: 'let me prepare an ambush.
ambush - imboscata
' So putting my hand in through the open window, I drew the curtain over it, leaving only an opening through which I could take observations; then I closed the casement, all but a chink just wide enough to furnish an outlet to lovers'whispered vows: then I stole back to my chair; and as I resumed it the pair came in. My eye was quickly at the aperture.
lovers - amante
vows - voto, giurare, votare
Stole - Rubato, (steal), rubare, derubare, fregare, accattivarsi
Céline's chamber-maid entered, lit a lamp, left it on the table, and withdrew.
The couple were thus revealed to me clearly: both removed their cloaks, and there was 'the Varens,'shining in satin and jewels,-my gifts of course,-and there was her companion in an officer's uniform; and I knew him for a young roué of a vicomte-a brainless and vicious youth whom I had sometimes met in society, and had never thought of hating because I despised him so absolutely.
couple - coppia, paio, agganciare, accoppiare
cloaks - tabarro, ammantare
gifts - regalo, dono, presente, talento, regalare
officer - funzionario, ufficiale, agente, checkufficiale
roué - ordine del giorno
vicomte - visconte
brainless - senza cervello
despised - disprezzare
On recognising him, the fang of the snake Jealousy was instantly broken; because at the same moment my love for Céline sank under an extinguisher. A woman who could betray me for such a rival was not worth contending for; she deserved only scorn; less, however, than I, who had been her dupe.
recognising - riconoscere
Fang - zanna
extinguisher - estintore
betray - consegnare, tradire, rivelare
rival - rivale, competitore, antagonista, avversario
contending - contendere
dupe - vittima
"They began to talk; their conversation eased me completely: frivolous, mercenary, heartless, and senseless, it was rather calculated to weary than enrage a listener. A card of mine lay on the table; this being perceived, brought my name under discussion.
eased - facilita, riposo, attenuare
heartless - senza cuore
senseless - svenuto, senza capo né coda
enrage - esasperare, imbestialire, irritare
listener - ascoltatore, ascoltatrice, uditore, uditrice
discussion - discussione
Neither of them possessed energy or wit to belabour me soundly, but they insulted me as coarsely as they could in their little way: especially Céline, who even waxed rather brilliant on my personal defects-deformities she termed them.
belabour - sminuire
insulted - offendere, insultare, insulto, offesa, oltraggio
coarsely - grevemente, grossolanamente, grossomodo, rozzamente
waxed - cerume
deformities - deformita
Now it had been her custom to launch out into fervent admiration of what she called my 'beauté mâle:'wherein she differed diametrically from you, who told me point-blank, at the second interview, that you did not think me handsome. The contrast struck me at the time and-"
launch - lanciare, mettere in acqua*
beauté - ordine del giorno
mâle - ordine del giorno
differed - differire
Adčle here came running up again.
"Monsieur, John has just been to say that your agent has called and wishes to see you."
"Ah! in that case I must abridge. Opening the window, I walked in upon them; liberated Céline from my protection; gave her notice to vacate her hotel; offered her a purse for immediate exigencies; disregarded screams, hysterics, prayers, protestations, convulsions; made an appointment with the vicomte for a meeting at the Bois de Boulogne.
abridge - accorciare, abbreviare, ridurre, privare, limitare
liberated - liberare
exigencies - necessita
screams - urlo, grido, gridare, sbraitare, urlare
Hysterics - isterica
protestations - protesta
convulsions - convulsione
appointment - appuntamento
Next morning I had the pleasure of encountering him; left a bullet in one of his poor etiolated arms, feeble as the wing of a chicken in the pip, and then thought I had done with the whole crew.
encountering - incontrare, imbattersi in
bullet - pallottola, proiettile
etiolated - eziolare
Wing - ala, squadra, parafango
pip - seme
crew - equipaggio
But unluckily the Varens, six months before, had given me this filette Adčle, who, she affirmed, was my daughter; and perhaps she may be, though I see no proofs of such grim paternity written in her countenance: Pilot is more like me than she. Some years after I had broken with the mother, she abandoned her child, and ran away to Italy with a musician or singer.
unluckily - sfortunatamente, purtroppo
filette - filetto
proofs - prova
paternity - paternita
Italy - Italia, Stivale, bel paese
musician - musicista, musico
I acknowledged no natural claim on Adčle's part to be supported by me, nor do I now acknowledge any, for I am not her father; but hearing that she was quite destitute, I e'en took the poor thing out of the slime and mud of Paris, and transplanted it here, to grow up clean in the wholesome soil of an English country garden. Mrs.
acknowledge - riconoscere, ammettere, confermare
destitute - bisognoso, indigente
slime - melma, fanghiglia, poltiglia
mud - fango
transplanted - trapiantare, trapianto
wholesome - salubre
soil - suolo, terreno, terra
Fairfax found you to train it; but now you know that it is the illegitimate offspring of a French opera-girl, you will perhaps think differently of your post and protégée: you will be coming to me some day with notice that you have found another place-that you beg me to look out for a new governess, &c.-Eh?"
illegitimate - illegale, illegittimo
offspring - discendente, figlio, figlia, discendenti, prole
differently - differentemente, diversamente
protégée - protetto
eh - eh
"No: Adčle is not answerable for either her mother's faults or yours: I have a regard for her; and now that I know she is, in a sense, parentless-forsaken by her mother and disowned by you, sir-I shall cling closer to her than before.
disowned - disconoscere
How could I possibly prefer the spoilt pet of a wealthy family, who would hate her governess as a nuisance, to a lonely little orphan, who leans towards her as a friend?"
pet - animale domestico
leans - pendere
"Oh, that is the light in which you view it! Well, I must go in now; and you too: it darkens."
darkens - imbrunire
But I stayed out a few minutes longer with Adčle and Pilot-ran a race with her, and played a game of battledore and shuttlecock.
battledore - mestola
When we went in, and I had removed her bonnet and coat, I took her on my knee; kept her there an hour, allowing her to prattle as she liked: not rebuking even some little freedoms and trivialities into which she was apt to stray when much noticed, and which betrayed in her a superficiality of character, inherited probably from her mother, hardly congenial to an English mind.
allowing - lasciare, permettere, concedere, consentire
rebuking - rimbrotto, reprimenda, rimprovero, richiamo
freedoms - liberta
trivialities - banalita
superficiality - superficialita
inherited - ereditare, prendere
congenial - simpatico, socievole
Still she had her merits; and I was disposed to appreciate all that was good in her to the utmost. I sought in her countenance and features a likeness to Mr. Rochester, but found none: no trait, no turn of expression announced relationship. It was a pity: if she could but have been proved to resemble him, he would have thought more of her.
merits - merito, merto, meritare
appreciate - apprezzare, essere riconoscente, capire, rendersi conto
utmost - estremo, massimo
trait - caratteristica, tratto
relationship - rapporto, relazione, parentela, storia, legame
resemble - rassomigliare, arieggiare
It was not till after I had withdrawn to my own chamber for the night, that I steadily reviewed the tale Mr. Rochester had told me.
reviewed - revisione, rivisitazione, recensione, critica, riesame, rivista
As he had said, there was probably nothing at all extraordinary in the substance of the narrative itself: a wealthy Englishman's passion for a French dancer, and her treachery to him, were every-day matters enough, no doubt, in society; but there was something decidedly strange in the paroxysm of emotion which had suddenly seized him when he was in the act of expressing the present contentment of his mood, and his newly revived pleasure in the old hall and its environs. I meditated wonderingly on this incident; but gradually quitting it, as I found it for the present inexplicable, I turned to the consideration of my master's manner to myself. The confidence he had thought fit to repose in me seemed a tribute to my discretion: I regarded and accepted it as such. His deportment had now for some weeks been more uniform towards me than at the first. I never seemed in his way; he did not take fits of chilling hauteur: when he met me unexpectedly, the encounter seemed welcome; he had always a word and sometimes a smile for me: when summoned by formal invitation to his presence, I was honoured by a cordiality of reception that made me feel I really possessed the power to amuse him, and that these evening conferences were sought as much for his pleasure as for my benefit.
Englishman - inglese
treachery - tradimento, slealta, inganno
paroxysm - parossismo, acme, raptus
expressing - esprimere
contentment - soddisfazione
wonderingly - con meraviglia
inexplicable - inspiegabile, incomprensibile, inesplicabile
consideration - considerazione
discretion - discrezione, riservatezza, discernimento
accepted - accettare, ammettere
deportment - portamento