You know already that I spent the greater part of last summer in X--, began Theodore. The many old friends and acquaintances I found there, the free, jovial life, the manifold artistic and intellectual interests-all these combined to keep me in that city.
acquaintances - znajomość, znajomy, znajoma
jovial - jowialny, wesoły
manifold - kolektor; powielać; różnorodny
artistic - artystyczny; kunsztowny
intellectual - intelektualny; inteligent, inteligentka, intelektualista
combined - połączone; kombinat
I was happy as never before, and found rich nourishment for my old fondness for wandering alone through the streets, stopping to enjoy every picture in the shop windows, every placard on the walls, or watching the passers-by and choosing some one or the other of them to cast his horoscope secretly to myself.
nourishment - pożywienie
fondness - uczucie sympatii, słabość
wandering - wędrówki; wędrowny; (wander); włóczyć
shop windows - witryny sklepowe
placard - tabliczka; plakat, afisz
passers - przechodzień
cast - obsada; ciskać, cisnąć, miotać, zarzucać, zarzucić
horoscope - horoskop
secretly - potajemnie
There is one broad avenue leading to the -- Gate and lined with handsome buildings of all descriptions, which is the meeting place of the rich and fashionable world. The shops which occupy the ground floor of the tall palaces are devoted to the trade in articles of luxury, and the apartments above are the dwellings of people of wealth and position.
broad - szeroki, wyraźny, ogólny
avenue - aleja; podjazd
leading - (lead) prowadzić, przewodniczyć; prowadzący
handsome - piękny, przystojny
buildings - budynki; (build) budować; budynek, budowanie
meeting place - miejsce spotkań
fashionable - modny, gustowny, szykowny, na topie
occupy - okupować
ground floor - parter
devoted - poświęcone; poświęcać, poświęcić, angażować, zaangażować
trade - handel; branża (np. hotelowa); sprzedaż; wymiana, zamiana; zawód, fach; handlować; prowadzić biznes; interes
luxury - luksus; luksusowy
dwellings - mieszkania; (dwell) zamieszkiwać, przebywać, rezydować
wealth - zamożność, bogactwo, bogatość, mnóstwo
The aristocratic hotels are to be found in this avenue, the palaces of the foreign ambassadors are there, and you can easily imagine that such a street would be the centre of the city's life and gaiety.
aristocratic - arystokratyczny
ambassadors - ambasadorów; ambasador, ambasadorka, ambasador, ambasadorka
gaiety - wesołość
I had wandered through the avenue several times, when one day my attention was caught by a house which contrasted strangely with the others surrounding it. Picture to yourselves a low building but four windows broad, crowded in between two tall, handsome structures.
wandered - wędrował; włóczyć
contrasted - skontrastowane; kontrast, kontrast, kontrastować, kontrastować
strangely - dziwnie, dziwacznie
surrounding - otoczenie; otaczający; (surround); otaczać
Its one upper story was a little higher than the tops of the ground-floor windows of its neighbours, its roof was dilapidated, its windows patched with paper, its discoloured walls spoke of years of neglect. You can imagine how strange such a house must have looked in this street of wealth and fashion.
dilapidated - zniszczony; zniszczyć
patched - załatany; łatać; łata, przepaska, grządka, bruzda, skrawek
discoloured - odbarwiony; odbarwiać
neglect - zaniedbywać, zaniedbać
Looking at it more attentively I perceived that the windows of the upper story were tightly closed and curtained, and that a wall had been built to hide the windows of the ground floor. The entrance gate, a little to one side, served also as a door-way for the building, but I could find no sign of latch, lock, or even a bell on this gate.
attentively - uważnie, bacznie
perceived - postrzegane; dostrzegać, dostrzec
tightly - mocno; ciasno
curtained - zasłona, kurtyna, firana, firanka, kurtyna, zasłonić
entrance - wejście
latch - zatrzask; uczepić się, wykorzystać, pojąć; zasuwka
bell - dzwonek; dzwon
I was convinced that the house must be unoccupied, for at whatever hour of the day I happened to be passing I had never seen the faintest signs of life about it.
Convinced - przekonany; przekonywać, przekonać
unoccupied - niezamieszkane
whatever - cokolwiek; oj tam, jeden pies
faintest - zasłabnąć, zemdleć; omdlenie; słaby
You all, the good comrades of my youth, know that I have been prone to consider myself a sort of clairvoyant, claiming to have glimpses of a strange world of wonders, a world which you, with your hard common sense, would attempt to deny or laugh away. I confess that I have often lost myself in mysteries which after all turned out to be no mysteries at all.
comrades - kamrat, kompan, towarzysz, kolega, koleżanka, druh, towarzysz
youth - młodość; młody człowiek, młodzieniec, chłopak, młodzież
prone - skłonny
clairvoyant - jasnowidz
claiming - twierdząc; roszczenie
glimpses - mignąć, pojąć, zrozumieć; mignięcie, przebłysk
wonders - cuda; cud, dziw, dziw, dziwo
attempt - próbować, spróbować, próba, podejście, zamach
deny - zaprzeczyć
confess - przyznawać się, przyznać się, spowiadać się
mysteries - tajemnice; tajemnica, misterium
And it looked at first as if this was to happen to me in the matter of the deserted house, that strange house which drew my steps and my thoughts to itself with a power that surprised me. But the point of my story will prove to you that I am right in asserting that I know more than you do. Listen now to what I am about to tell you.
thoughts - myśli; myśl, myśl, pomysł
Prove - udowodnić; okazać się, dowodzić, udowadniać
asserting - twierdzić, zapewniać, utrzymywać, bronić
One day, at the hour in which the fashionable world is accustomed to promenade up and down the avenue, I stood as usual before the deserted house, lost in thought. Suddenly I felt, without looking up, that some one had stopped beside me, fixing his eyes on me.
accustomed - przyzwyczajony; przyzwyczajać, przyzwyczaić
promenade - promenada; przechadzać się, spacerować
beside - obok, przy, poza
It was Count P--, who told me that the old house contained nothing more mysterious than a cake bakery belonging to the pastry cook whose handsome shop adjoined the old structure. The windows of the ground floor were walled up to give protection to the ovens, and the heavy curtains of the upper story were to keep the sunlight from the wares laid out there.
more mysterious - bardziej tajemniczy
bakery - piekarnia
pastry - ciasto; pieczywo cukiernicze, wypiek
adjoined - przyległy; dołączyć, przyłączyć, przylegać, sąsiadować
protection - ochrona
curtains - zasłony; zasłona, kurtyna, firana, firanka, kurtyna, zasłonić
sunlight - światło słoneczne; światło
laid - położył; kłaść
When the Count informed me of this I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been suddenly thrown over me. But I could not believe in this story of the cake and candy factory. Through some strange freak of the imagination I felt as a child feels when some fairy tale has been told it to conceal the truth it suspects.
informed - poinformowany; informować, powiadamiać
bucket - wiadro, kubeł, ceber, czerpak, łyżka, rzęch
thrown over - rzucony, przerzucony; narzucony (coś na kogoś, np. koc); porzucony
candy - cukierki; słodycze, cukierek
freak - dziwoląg, dziwak, maniak, anomalia
imagination - fantazja, imaginacja, wyobraźnia, urojenie, wyobrażenie
fairy - wróżka, wiła, ciota, pedzio, szwagier
Tale - opowieść, historia, baśń, bajka
conceal - chować, schować, ukrywać, ukryć
truth - prawda; wierność, racja
suspects - podejrzewać, podejrzany, podejrzana, podejrzany
I scolded myself for a silly fool; the house remained unaltered in its appearance, and the visions faded in my brain, until one day a chance incident woke them to life again.
scolded - zbesztany; łajać, karcić, rugać, besztać, ganić, strofować
silly - głupie; głupi
fool - głupek, dureń, głupiec, tłumok
remained - pozostałości, pozostawać, pozostać
unaltered - niezmieniony
visions - widzenie
faded in - wzmocniony, rozjaśniony (np. dźwięk, obraz); wpleciony (np. scena)
incident - wydarzenie, incydent, wynikający, towarzyszący, padający
I was wandering through the avenue as usual, and as I passed the deserted house I could not resist a hasty glance at its close-curtained upper windows. But as I looked at it, the curtain on the last window near the pastry shop began to move. A hand, an arm, came out from between its folds.
resist - opierać się; stawiać opór, sprzeciwiać się; odpierać (np. atak)
hasty - pochopnie; pośpieszny
glance - spojrzenie; zerkać, zerknąć, rzucać okiem, rzucić okiem
curtain - zasłona, kurtyna, firana, firanka, zasłonić
pastry shop - cukiernia
folds - fałdy; zaginać, złożyć, składać, owinąć, spleść
I took my opera glass from my pocket and saw a beautifully formed woman's hand, on the little finger of which a large diamond sparkled in unusual brilliancy; a rich bracelet glittered on the white, rounded arm. The hand set a tall, oddly formed crystal bottle on the window ledge and disappeared again behind the curtain.
opera - opera; (opus); opus
beautifully - pięknie
diamond - diament
sparkled - błyszczały; skrzyć się, lśnić, błyszczeć; blask
brilliancy - błyskotliwość; blask
bracelet - bransoletka
glittered - blask, brokat, błyszczeć, błyszczeć
hand set - słuchawka (z mikrofonem); zestaw ręczny
oddly - dziwnie, osobliwie, cudacznie
crystal - kryształ
ledge - występ, półka, nawis, gzyms
I stopped as if frozen to stone; a weirdly pleasurable sensation, mingled with awe, streamed through my being with the warmth of an electric current. I stared up at the mysterious window and a sigh of longing arose from the very depths of my heart. When I came to myself again, I was angered to find that I was surrounded by a crowd which stood gazing up at the window with curious faces.
frozen - zamrożony; zamarzać, zamrażać
weirdly - dziwnie
pleasurable - przyjemne
sensation - czucie; sensacja
mingled - przyłączać, mieszać
awe - podziw; groza, trwoga, zachwyt
streamed - streamowane; strumień, potok, rzeczka, ciek
warmth - ciepła; ciepło
electric current - prąd elektryczny
mysterious - tajemniczy; zagadkowy
sigh - westchnąć, zaszeleścić, zaszumieć; westchnienie
arose from - powstało z
depths - głębi; głębokość
angered - rozgniewany; złość, gniew, wkurw, złościć, złościć się
surrounded - otoczony; otaczać, otaczać
gazing - wpatrywać się intensywnie, patrząc; spojrzenie
Curious - ciekawi; ciekawy
I stole away inconspicuously, and the demon of all things prosaic whispered to me that what I had just seen was the rich pastry cook's wife, in her Sunday adornment, placing an empty bottle, used for rose-water or the like, on the window sill. Nothing very weird about this.
stole away - okraść; wymknąć się
inconspicuously - niepozornie
demon - demon, czort, bies
prosaic - prozaiczny
whispered - szeptał; szept, szeptać, szepnąć
adornment - ozdoba
sill - próg, parapet
weird - dziwne; dziwny; dziwaczny
Suddenly a most sensible thought came to me. I turned and entered the shining, mirror-walled shop of the pastry cook. Blowing the steaming foam from my cup of chocolate, I remarked: "You have a very useful addition to your establishment next door." The man leaned over his counter and looked at me with a questioning smile, as if he did not understand me.
sensible - sensowny, rozsądny
shining - świecące; świecić, błyszczeć, polerować
steaming - parowanie; gotowanie na parze; (steam); para wodny
foam - pianka; piana; pienić się
remarked - zauważył; zauważyć, komentować, napomknąć; uwaga
Addition - dodawanie; dodatek
establishment - założenie, zakładanie, ustanowienie, ustanawianie, establishment
leaned - pochylony; opierać się, przechylić się, odchylić się; szczupły
counter - opierać, odpierać; lada, bufet, licznik, okienko
I repeated that in my opinion he had been very clever to set his bakery in the neighbouring house, although the deserted appearance of the building was a strange sight in its contrasting surroundings. "Why, sir," began the pastry cook, "who told you that the house next door belongs to us?
set - umieścić, postawić, usytuować; zestaw
sight - wzrok; widok; atrakcja turystyczna; celownik; dojrzeć, zobaczyć
contrasting - kontrast, kontrast, kontrastować, kontrastować
surroundings - otoczenie; otaczający
Unfortunately every attempt on our part to acquire it has been in vain, and I fancy it is all the better so, for there is something queer about the place."
acquire - nabywać, nabyć
vain - próżny
fancy - fantazyjny; wydawać się, przewidywać sukces, sądzić, wyobrażać
queer - dziwaczny, dziwny, queerowy
You can imagine, dear friends, how interested I became upon hearing these words, and that I begged the man to tell me more about the house.
upon - ponad
begged - błagał; błagać, prosić, żebrać
"I do not know anything very definite, sir," he said. "All that we know for a certainty is that the house belongs to the Countess S--, who lives on her estates and has not been to the city for years.
definite - definitywny
certainty - pewność
Countess - hrabina
estates - posiadłość, majątek ziemski
This house, so they tell me, stood in its present shape before any of the handsome buildings were raised which are now the pride of our avenue, and in all these years there has been nothing done to it except to keep it from actual decay. Two living creatures alone dwell there, an aged misanthrope of a steward and his melancholy dog, which occasionally howls at the moon from the back courtyard.
pride - pycha, zarozumiałość, duma, stado
actual - rzeczywisty; właściwy, prawdziwy, aktualny
decay - rozpad; rozkład, degradacja
creatures - stworzenia; istota, stworzenie
dwell - mieszkać, zamieszkiwać
misanthrope - mizantrop, mizantropka
steward - steward, organizator
melancholy - melancholia
Occasionally - od czasu do czasu; okazjonalnie
howls - wyje; wycie, wyć
courtyard - dziedziniec, podwórze, dwór
According to the general story the deserted house is haunted. In very truth my brother, who is the owner of this shop, and myself have often, when our business kept us awake during the silence of the night, heard strange sounds from the other side of the walls. There was a rumbling and a scraping that frightened us both.
is haunted - nawiedzony (np. zamek); udręczony (np. przez wspomnienia)
awake - obudzony; budzić się, uświadomić sobie, obudzić; przebudzony
silence - cisza, milczenie, uciszyć, uciszać, uciszyć
rumbling - (rumble) grzmieć; huk; dudnienie, burczenie, bulgotanie
scraping - (scrap) pobić się; strzęp, resztki, skrobanie, skrawek, wycinek
frightened - przestraszony; straszyć, przestraszyć, nastraszyć
And not very long ago we heard one night a strange singing which I could not describe to you. It was evidently the voice of an old woman, but the tones were so sharp and clear, and ran up to the top of the scale in cadences and long trills, the like of which I have never heard before, although I have heard many singers in many lands.
evidently - najwyraźniej; ewidentnie, zauważalnie
tones - tony; dźwięk, ton
sharp - ostry
ran up - podbiec; powiększać dług, powiększać zadłużenie
scale - wdrapać się; skala, łuska; wagowy
cadences - kadencje; kadencja
trills - tryle; trel (ptaków), wibrujący śpiew
It seemed to be a French song, but I am not quite sure of that, for I could not listen long to the mad, ghostly singing, it made the hair stand erect on my head. And at times, after the street noises are quiet, we can hear deep sighs, and sometimes a mad laugh, which seem to come out of the earth.
French - francuski, t+francuszczyzna, Francuzi-pr-p, francuski
mad - szalony
ghostly - upiorny; widmowy, zmorowaty
erect - wznosić, stawiać, rozbijać; podniesiony, wyprostowany
sighs - wzdycha; westchnąć, zaszeleścić, zaszumieć; westchnienie
But if you lay your ear to the wall in our back room, you can hear that the noises come from the house next door." He led me into the back room and pointed through the window. "And do you see that iron chimney coming out of the wall there?
lay - leżeć; kłaść
led - (lead) prowadzić, przewodniczyć
iron - żelazo; żelazny; prasować, wyprasować, uprasować
chimney - komin, dymnik
It smokes so heavily sometimes, even in summer when there are no fires used, that my brother has often quarrelled with the old steward about it, fearing danger. But the old man excuses himself by saying that he was cooking his food. Heaven knows what the queer creature may eat, for often, when the pipe is smoking heavily, a strange and queer smell can be smelled all over the house."
heavily - ciężko, mocno
quarrelled - pokłócili się; sprzeczać się; kłótnia, sprzeczka, swary, spór
excuses - wymówki; wybaczać, wybaczyć, przebaczać, przebaczyć
Heaven - niebo, raj
creature - istota, stworzenie, stwór
pipe - piszczałka, fujarka, rura, rurki, potok, kreska pionowa
The glass doors of the shop creaked in opening. The pastry cook hurried into the front room, and when he had nodded to the figure now entering he threw a meaning glance at me. I understood him perfectly. Who else could this strange guest be, but the steward who had charge of the mysterious house!
creaked - skrzypnął; trzeszczeć
hurried - pośpiechu; pośpiech, śpieszyć się, przyśpieszać, przyśpieszyć
nodded to - przytaknąć
perfectly - idealnie; doskonale
charge - opłata; szarża; oskarżenie; ładunek elektryczny; podopieczny
Imagine a thin little man with a face the colour of a mummy, with a sharp nose, tight-set lips, green cat's eyes, and a crazy smile; his hair dressed in the old-fashioned style with a high toupet and a bag at the back, and heavily powdered. He wore a faded old brown coat which was carefully brushed, grey stockings, and broad, flat-toed shoes with buckles.
mummy - mamusiu; mumifikować; mumia, mamusia, mama
tight - ciasno; ciasny
lips - usta; warga
old-fashioned - (old-fashioned) staromodny
toupet - tupet
powdered - w proszku; proszek, puder, puder
faded - wyblakły; wyblaknąć, spłowieć, zwiędnąć, przeminąć
stockings - pończochy; (stock) stan, zasoby, papier wartościowy, akcja
toed - palcami; palec u noga
buckles - klamry; zapiąć; klamra, odkształcenie
And imagine further, that in spite of his meagreness this little person is robustly built, with huge fists and long, strong fingers, and that he walks to the shop counter with a strong, firm step, smiling his imbecile smile, and whining out: "A couple of candied oranges-a couple of macaroons-a couple of sugared chestnuts--"
spite - złośliwość; niechęć, uraza, złość
meagreness - skromność; niewielki, skromny, chudy
robustly - solidnie, zdecydowanie
fists - pięści; pięść
firm - firma; mocny, pewny
imbecile - debil, imbecyl, niedorozwiniety umysłowo; imbecylowaty
whining - marudzenie; (whine) biadolić, jęczeć, skomleć; jęk, łkanie
candied - kandyzowane; słodycze, cukierek
macaroons - makaroniki; makaronik
chestnuts - kasztany; kasztan
The pastry cook smiled at me and then spoke to the old man. "You do not seem to be quite well. Yes, yes, old age, old age! It takes the strength from our limbs." The old man's expression did not change, but his voice went up: "Old age?-Old age?-Lose strength?-Grow weak?-Oho!
strength - siła, moc, zaleta, mocna strona
limbs - kończyny; kończyna, konar, człon, psotne dziecko, młody łobuz
" And with this he clapped his hands together until the joints cracked, and sprang high up into the air until the entire shop trembled and the glass vessels on the walls and counters rattled and shook. But in the same moment a hideous screaming was heard; the old man had stepped on his black dog, which, creeping in behind him, had laid itself at his feet on the floor. "Devilish beast-dog of hell!
clapped - klasnął; bić brawo, zamknąć z hukiem; oklaski, klepnięcie, huk
joints - stawy; wspólny, staw, złącze
cracked - pęknięty; pękać, trzasnąć; pęknięcie, trzask
entire - w całości; cały
trembled - drżał; drżeć
vessels - statki; statek, naczynie
counters - liczniki; opierać, odpierać; lada, bufet, licznik, okienko
rattled - zagrzechotał; zabrzęczeć, zastukać; grzechotka, grzechotanie
hideous - ohydny, obrzydliwy
screaming - krzyk, krzyczeć, wrzeszczeć
creeping in - wkradać się
devilish - diabelski
beast - zwierzę, bestia, bydlak, bydlę
hell - piekło
" groaned the old man in his former miserable tone, opening his bag and giving the dog a large macaroon. The dog, which had burst out into a cry of distress that was truly human, was quiet at once, sat down on its haunches, and gnawed at the macaroon like a squirrel. When it had finished its tidbit, the old man had also finished the packing up and putting away of his purchases.
groaned - jęknął; jęk, jęczeć
former - były
miserable - nędzny, nieszczęśliwy
tone - dźwięk, ton
macaroon - makaronik
burst - wybuchnąć; pękać, pęknąć; rozsadzać
distress - niepokój; zagrożenie, niebezpieczeństwo
truly - autentycznie, naprawdę, serio, szczerze
haunches - pośladek, zad
gnawed - obgryziony; gryźć, głodać
squirrel - wiewiórka
tidbit - ciekawostka
packing up - spakować się; skończyć dzień pracy
putting away - zaoszczędzić, odkładać (pieniądze)
purchases - zakupy; kupno
"Good night, honoured neighbour," he spoke, taking the hand of the pastry cook and pressing it until the latter cried aloud in pain. "The weak old man wishes you a good night, most honourable Sir Neighbour," he repeated, and then walked from the shop, followed closely by his black dog. The old man did not seem to have noticed me at all. I was quite dumfoundered in my astonishment.
honoured - uhonorować; honor, zaszczyt
pressing - naciskając; (press) naciskać, przyciskać, przygniatać, prasować
latter - ten drugi; szerokość geograficzna
aloud - głośno
most honourable - najbardziej honorowy
closely - blisko
dumfoundered - głupi
astonishment - zdziwienie, zdziwko
"There, you see," began the pastry cook. "This is the way he acts when he comes in here, two or three times a month, it is. But I can get nothing out of him except the fact that he was a former valet of Count S--, that he is now in charge of this house here, and that every day-for many years now-he expects the arrival of his master's family.
valet - kamerdyner, lokaj, służący
arrival - przybycie, przyjazd
Master - opanować; mistrz, pan, kapitan, gospodarz
" The hour was now come when fashion demanded that the elegant world of the city should assemble in this attractive shop. The doors opened incessantly, the place was thronged, and I could ask no further questions.
demanded - zażądał; popyt, popyt, wymaganie
elegant - elegancki
assemble - montować; zbierać się, gromadzić się
incessantly - nieustannie
thronged - zatłoczone; tłok, tłum, ciżba
This much I knew, that Count P--'s information about the ownership and the use of the house were not correct; also, that the old steward, in spite of his denial, was not living alone there, and that some mystery was hidden behind its discoloured walls. How could I combine the story of the strange and gruesome singing with the appearance of the beautiful arm at the window?
ownership - własność, posiadanie
denial - zaprzeczenie; odmowa
mystery - tajemnica, misterium
combine - połączyć; kombinat
gruesome - makabryczny, straszliwy, straszny, okropny
That arm could not be part of the wrinkled body of an old woman; the singing, according to the pastry cook's story, could not come from the throat of a blooming and youthful maiden. I decided in favour of the arm, as it was easy to explain to myself that some trick of acoustics had made the voice sound sharp and old, or that it had appeared so only in the pastry cook's fear-distorted imagination.
wrinkled - pomarszczony; pokonać trudności, zmarszczyć, pognieść, pokryć
throat - gardło
blooming - kwitnienie; kwitnąć, rozkwitnąć; różowa cera, rozkwit
youthful - młody, młodzieńczy
maiden - panna, dziewczyna, dziewica
in favour - na korzyść
trick - trik, sposób, sztuczka, chwyt
acoustics - akustyczny, akustyczny, akustyka
distorted - zniekształcony; zniekształcać, wypaczać
Then I thought of the smoke, the strange odours, the oddly formed crystal bottle that I had seen, and soon the vision of a beautiful creature held enthralled by fatal magic stood as if alive before my mental vision. The old man became a wizard who, perhaps quite independently of the family he served, had set up his devil's kitchen in the deserted house.
odours - odór, woń, zapach
vision - widzenie, wzrok, wizja
enthralled - zachwycony; czarować, fascynować, oczarować, oczarowywać
fatal - śmiertelne; fatalny
magic - magia, czary, magiczny
mental - psychiczny
wizard - czarodziej, czarownik, wiedźmak, wiedźmarz, kreator
independently - niezależnie
devil - diabeł, szatan, bies, czart
My imagination had begun to work, and in my dreams that night I saw clearly the hand with the sparkling diamond on its finger, the arm with the shining bracelet. From out thin, grey mists there appeared a sweet face with sadly imploring blue eyes, then the entire exquisite figure of a beautiful girl.
sparkling - musujące; lśniący, mieniący się, gazowany
shining - świecące; wspinać się; goleń
mists - mgły; zamglić; zamglenie, mgła
imploring - błagać, napraszać się
exquisite - wykwintny; wyśmienity, wyborny
beautiful girl - piękna dziewczyna
And I saw that what I had thought was mist was the fine steam flowing out in circles from a crystal bottle held in the hands of the vision.
mist - zamglić; zamglenie, mgła
steam - para wodna, para; parować; gotować na parze; być napędzanym parą; parowy
flowing out - wypłynąć
"Oh, fairest creature of my dreams," I cried in rapture, "reveal to me where thou art, what it is that enthralls thee. Ah, I know it!
rapture - zachwyt, uniesienie
reveal - ujawnić; odkrywać, odkryć, odsłaniać, odsłonić
thou - (though) mimo że, chociaż; ale, jednak; (slang) you - ty
enthralls - zachwyca; oczarować, zafascynować, zniewolić
thee - (dial.) ciebie, tobie
It is black magic that holds thee captive-thou art the unhappy slave of that malicious devil who wanders about brown-clad and be-wigged in pastry shops, scattering their wares with his unholy springing and feeding his demon dog on macaroons, after they have howled out a Satanic measure in five-eighth time. Oh, I know it all, thou fair and charming vision.
captive - jeniec, więzień, więźniarka
slave - niewolnik, niewolnica, rab
malicious - złośliwy
wanders - wędruje; włóczyć
wigged - peruka
scattering - (scatter) rozrzucić, rozsypać, rozpraszać się; garstka
unholy - niecny, potworny, bezbożny
howled - wyje; wycie, wyć
satanic - satanistyczny
measure - pomiar; miara; takt; środek; mierzyć
Eighth - ósmy
charming - czarujący; uroczy
The diamond is the reflection of the fire of thy heart. But that bracelet about thine arm is a link of the chain which the brown-clad one says is a magnetic chain. Do not believe it, O glorious one! See how it shines in the blue fire from the retort. One moment more and thou art free.
reflection - refleksja; odbicie, refleks
thy - (dial.) twój, twoje
thine - twój
chain - łańcuch; sieć; skuwać, skuć
magnetic - magnetyczny
glorious - wspaniały
shines - świecić, błyszczeć, polerować
retort - odcinać się, odparować, odpalić, ripostować; riposta, replika
And now, O maiden, open thy rosebud mouth and tell me--" In this moment a gnarled fist leaped over my shoulder and clutched at the crystal bottle, which sprang into a thousand pieces in the air. With a faint, sad moan, the charming vision faded into the blackness of the night.
rosebud - pączek róży; pąk róży
gnarled - sękaty; sęk, skręcać, wykręcać
fist - pięść
leaped - skoczył; skoczyć, przeskoczyć, skakać; skok
clutched - zaciśnięty; ściskać, trzymać, uchwycić; sprzęgło, lęg, grupa
faint - zasłabnąć, zemdleć; omdlenie; słaby
moan - jęk; narzekać; jęczeć
faded - wyblakły; moda
blackness - czerń
When morning came to put an end to my dreaming I hurried through the avenue, seeking the deserted house as usual and I saw something glistening in the last window of the upper story. Coming nearer I noticed that the outer blind had been quite drawn up and the inner curtain slightly opened. The sparkle of a diamond met my eye. O kind Heaven!
seeking - poszukiwać, szukać
glistening - lśniące; błyszczeć
blind - ślepy, niewidomy, w ciemno, na ślepo, zasłona, oślepiać, oślepić
slightly - lekko; trochę, nieco
sparkle - skrzyć się, lśnić, błyszczeć; blask
The face of my dream looked at me, gently imploring, from above the rounded arm on which her head was resting. But how was it possible to stand still in the moving crowd without attracting attention? Suddenly I caught sight of the benches placed in the gravel walk in the centre of the avenue, and I saw that one of them was directly opposite the house.
gently - łagodnie, delikatnie
stand still - stać nieruchomo, stać w miejscu
attracting - przyciągające; pociągać
benches - ławki; ławka, sąd, ława sędziego
gravel walk - spacer po żwirowej ścieżce
directly - wprost; bezpośrednio
I sprang over to it, and leaning over its back, I could stare up at the mysterious window undisturbed. Yes, it was she, the charming maiden of my dream! But her eye did not seem to seek me as I had at first thought; her glance was cold and unfocused, and had it not been for an occasional motion of the hand and arm, I might have thought that I was looking at a cleverly painted picture.
leaning - pochylając się; (lean) opierać się, przechylić się
stare - gapić się; wpatrywać się, gapić; spojrzenie
undisturbed - niezakłócony
seek - poszukiwać, szukać
unfocused - nieskoncentrowany
occasional - okazjonalne; okazjonalny, przypadkowy, rzadki, sporadyczny
motion - ruch
cleverly - inteligentnie, zręcznie, sprytnie
I was so lost in my adoration of the mysterious being in the window, so aroused and excited throughout all my nerve centres, that I did not hear the shrill voice of an Italian street hawker, who had been offering me his wares for some time. Finally he touched me on the arm; I turned hastily and commanded him to let me alone.
adoration - uwielbienie; adoracja
aroused - pobudzony; wzbudzać, wzbudzić, pobudzać, pobudzić, podniecać
throughout - poprzez, podczas
nerve - nerw; żyłka; odwaga; czelność, tupet, zuchwalstwo, bezczelność
shrill - piskliwy, przeszywający, przenikliwy
street hawker - uliczny sprzedawca; akwizytor
offering - (offer) proponować, oferować; oferta; oferując
hastily - w pośpiechu; naprędce, pospiesznie, pośpiesznie
commanded - dowodził; rozkaz, komenda, komenda, polecenie
But he did not cease his entreaties, asserting that he had earned nothing today, and begging me to buy some small trifle from him. Full of impatience to get rid of him I put my hand in my pocket. With the words: "I have more beautiful things here," he opened the under drawer of his box and held out to me a little, round pocket mirror.
cease - zaprzestać
entreaties - błaganie, usilna prośba
begging - (beg) błagać, prosić, żebrać; żebranie
trifle - fraszka, drobiazg, błahostka, bzdet
Impatience - niecierpliwość, brak cierpliwości
rid - uwalniać, pozbawić
drawer - szuflada, wystawca weksla
In it, as he held it up before my face, I could see the deserted house behind me, the window, and the sweet face of my vision there.
I bought the little mirror at once, for I saw that it would make it possible for me to sit comfortable and inconspicuously, and yet watch the window. The longer I looked at the reflection in the glass, the more I fell captive to a weird and quite indescribable sensation, which I might almost call a waking dream.
indescribable - nieopisany
It was as if a lethargy had lamed my eyes, holding them fastened on the glass beyond my power to loosen them. And now at last the beautiful eyes of the fair vision looked at me, her glance sought mine and shone deep down into my heart.
lethargy - letarg, ospałość
lamed - (lam) walnąć, trzasnąć; ucieczka; słaby, kulawy
fastened - zapięty; zapinać, zapiąć
beyond - poza
loosen - poluzować
sought - poszukiwany; poszukiwać, szukać
shone - świecił; świecić, błyszczeć, polerować
"You have a pretty little mirror there," said a voice beside me. I awoke from my dream, and was not a little confused when I saw smiling faces looking at me from either side. Several persons had sat down upon the bench, and it was quite certain that my staring into the window, and my probably strange expression, had afforded them great cause for amusement.
awoke - obudził się; budzić się, uświadomić sobie, obudzić; przebudzony
confused - zdezorientowany; zmieszać, pomylić
Bench - ławka, sąd, ława sędziego
afforded - na to pozwolić; pozwalać
amusement - rozbawienie; zabawa
"You have a pretty little mirror there," repeated the man, as I did not answer him. His glance said more, and asked without words the reason of my staring so oddly into the little glass. He was an elderly man, neatly dressed, and his voice and eyes were so full of good nature that I could not refuse him my confidence.
elderly - starszych; stary, niemłody
neatly - schludnie, starannie, porządnie
of good nature - o dobrej naturze (np. człowiek)
refuse - odmówić; odmawiać; odpadki
confidence - zaufanie; pewność siebie
I told him that I had been looking in the mirror at the picture of a beautiful maiden who was sitting at a window of the deserted house. I went even farther; I asked the old man if he had not seen the fair face himself. "Over there? In the old house-in the last window?" He repeated my questions in a tone of surprise.
"Yes, yes," I exclaimed.
exclaimed - wykrzyknął; wołać, zawołać, wykrzykiwać, wykrzyknąć
The old man smiled and answered: "Well, well, that was a strange delusion. My old eyes-thank Heaven for my old eyes! Yes, yes, sir. I saw a pretty face in the window there, with my own eyes; but it seemed to me to be an excellently well-painted oil portrait."
delusion - złudzenie, omam, ułuda, złuda
excellently - doskonale
portrait - portret
I turned quickly and looked toward the window; there was no one there, and the blind had been pulled down. "Yes," continued the old man, "yes, sir. Now it is too late to make sure of the matter, for just now the servant, who, as I know, lives there alone in the house of the Countess S--, took the picture away from the window after he had dusted it, and let down the blinds."
toward - ku, do, w stronę, w kierunku
pulled down - rozbierać (np. budynek), burzyć; spuszczać (zasłonę), ściągnąć w dół, ciągnąć, obciągać (ubranie); obniżać (cenę), zmniejszać (inflację); obalać (rząd)
servant - służący, służąca, sługa
dusted - odkurzony; kurz, pył, proch
let down - spuścić (np. powietrze z opony); zawieść kogoś, przynieść komuś zawód; przedłużyć (spodnie)
blinds - rolety; ślepy, niewidomy, w ciemno, na ślepo, zasłona, oślepiać
"Was it, then, surely a picture?" I asked again, in bewilderment.
surely - pewnie; z pewnością, na pewno, niewątpliwie
bewilderment - konsternacja, zdumienie, osłupienie
"You can trust my eyes," replied the old man. "The optical delusion was strengthened by your seeing only the reflection in the mirror. And when I was in your years it was easy enough for my fancy to call up the picture of a beautiful maiden."
trust - zaufanie; trust; ufać
optical - optyczny
strengthened - wzmacniać, wzmocnić, pokrzepiać, wzmacniać
"But the hand and arm moved," I exclaimed. "Oh, yes, they moved, indeed they moved," said the old man smiling, as he patted me on the shoulder. Then he arose to go, and bowing politely, closed his remarks with the words, "Beware of mirrors which can lie so vividly. Your obedient servant, sir."
indeed - rzeczywiście; naprawdę, w rzeczy samej, zaiste, w istocie
patted - poklepany; klepać, poklepać, pogłaskać; klepnięcie, kawałek
arose - powstawać, pojawiać się, powstać
bowing - kłaniając się; (bow) zginać się, ukłonić się, kłaniać się; łuk
politely - grzecznie, kulturalnie
remarks - uwagi; zauważyć, komentować, napomknąć; uwaga
Beware - uważać; strzeż się
vividly - jaskrawo, doskonale, barwnie
obedient - posłuszny
You can imagine how I felt when I saw that he looked upon me as a foolish fantast. I hurried home full of anger and disgust, and promised myself that I would not think of the mysterious house.
foolish - niemądry, głupi
fantast - fantastyka
anger - złość, gniew, wkurw, złościć, złościć się, gniewać się
disgust - obrzydzenie; brzydzić; odraza, wstręt
But I placed the mirror on my dressing-table that I might bind my cravat before it, and thus it happened one day, when I was about to utilize it for this important business, that its glass seemed dull, and that I took it up and breathed on it to rub it bright again. My heart seemed to stand still, every fibre in me trembled in delightful awe.
bind - wiązać, zawiązać, oprawiać, oprawić
cravat - krawat
thus - w ten sposób; a zatem, tym samym
utilize - wykorzystać, wyeksploatować
dull - tępy; nudny; matowy; stępić; stępić się
breathed on - dalej oddychać; chuchać na kogoś; coś
Rub - trzeć; ocierać; wcierać
fibre - włókno
delightful - zachwycający, rozkoszny
Yes, that is all the name I can find for the feeling that came over me, when, as my breath clouded the little mirror, I saw the beautiful face of my dreams arise and smile at me through blue mists. You laugh at me? You look upon me as an incorrigible dreamer? Think what you will about it-the fair face looked at me from out of the mirror!
breath - oddech, oddychanie
arise - powstawać, pojawiać się, powstać
incorrigible - niepoprawny
dreamer - marzyciel, marzycielka
But as soon as the clouding vanished, the face vanished in the brightened glass.
vanished - zniknął; znikać, zniknąć
brightened - rozpogodzić, poprawić, ożywić
I will not weary you with a detailed recital of my sensations the next few days. I will only say that I repeated again the experiments with the mirror, sometimes with success, sometimes without. When I had not been able to call up the vision, I would run to the deserted house and stare up at the windows; but I saw no human being anywhere about the building.
weary - zmęczony; znużony; męczący; nużyć, znużyć
recital - recital; motyw
sensations - doznania; czucie
I lived only in thoughts of my vision; everything else seemed indifferent to me. I neglected my friends and my studies. The tortures in my soul passed over into, or rather mingled with, physical sensations which frightened me, and which at last made me fear for my reason. One day, after an unusually severe attack, I put my little mirror in my pocket and hurried to the home of Dr.
indifferent - obojętny
neglected - zaniedbany; zaniedbywać, zaniedbać, zaniedbywać, zaniedbać
tortures - tortury; tortura, q
soul - dusza
unusually - niezwykle
severe - poważny; srogi, surowy
K--, who was noted for his treatment of those diseases of the mind out of which physical diseases so often grow. I told him my story; I did not conceal the slightest incident from him, and I implored him to save me from the terrible fate which seemed to threaten me. He listened to me quietly, but I read astonishment in his glance.
treatment - traktowanie; leczenie
slightest - najmniejszy; drobny, mały
implored - błagać, napraszać się
fate - los, dola, przeznaczenie
threaten - grozić, pogrozić, zagrozić, zagrażać
Then he said: "The danger is not as near as you believe, and I think that I may say that it can be easily prevented. You are undergoing an unusual psychical disturbance, beyond a doubt. But the fact that you understand that some evil principle seems to be trying to influence you, gives you a weapon by which you can combat it.
undergoing - w trakcie; przechodzić, przejść, doświadczać, doświadczyć
psychical - psychiczny
disturbance - zaburzenia, niepokojenie, niepokój
doubt - wątpliwości; wątpić, zwątpić, powątpiewać, wątpliwość
evil - zło; zły; źle
principle - zasada, reguła, prawo
influence - wpływ; indukcja; wpływać, wpłynąć, oddziaływać
weapon - broń, oręż
combat - walka; zwalczać
Leave your little mirror here with me, and force yourself to take up with some work which will afford scope for all your mental energy. Do not go to the avenue; work all day, from early to late, then take a long walk, and spend your evenings in the company of your friends. Eat heartily, and drink heavy, nourishing wines.
force - zmuszać, wymuszać, narzucać; siła, oddział
afford - pozwalać
scope - możliwość, zakres, kompetencje
heartily - z apetytem, serdecznie, z zapałem
nourishing - odżywić, nawieźć
You see I am endeavouring to combat your fixed idea of the face in the window of the deserted house and in the mirror, by diverting your mind to other things, and by strengthening your body. You yourself must help me in this."
endeavouring - starania; starać się; próba, staranie
diverting - obracać, zmieniać kierunek, rozbawiać; zmień kierunek
strengthening - wzmocnienie; wzmacniać, wzmocnić, pokrzepiać, wzmacniać
I was very reluctant to part with my mirror. The physician, who had already taken it, seemed to notice my hesitation. He breathed upon the glass and holding it up to me, he asked: "Do you see anything?"
reluctant - niechętnie
physician - lekarz, lekarka, doktor, medyk
hesitation - wahanie, niezdecydowanie
breathed - oddychał; oddychać, odetchnąć, oddychać, oddychać swobodnie
"Nothing at all," I answered, for so it was.
"Now breathe on the glass yourself," said the physician, laying the mirror in my hands.
breathe on - dalej oddychać; chuchać na kogoś; coś
laying - układanie; (lay) kłaść; kładzenie, położenie
I did as he requested. There was the vision even more clearly than ever before.
"There she is!" I cried aloud.
The physician looked into the glass, and then said: "I cannot see anything. But I will confess to you that when I looked into this glass, a queer shiver overcame me, passing away almost at once. Now do it once more."
shiver - zadrżeć, zatrząść się, roztrzaskać; drżenie, dreszcze, ciarki
overcame - przezwyciężył; przezwyciężać, przemagać
passing away - odejść, umrzeć
I breathed upon the glass again and the physician laid his hand upon the back of my neck. The face appeared again, and the physician, looking into the mirror over my shoulder, turned pale. Then he took the little glass from my hands, looked at it attentively, and locked it into his desk, returning to me after a few moments'silent thought.
breathed - oddychał; oddech, oddychanie
pale - blednąć; blady
silent - cicho; cichy, bezszelestny, bezdźwięczny
"Follow my instructions strictly," he said. "I must confess to you that I do not yet understand those moments of your vision. But I hope to be able to tell you more about it very soon."
strictly - surowo, ściśle, rygorystycznie
Difficult as it was to me, I forced myself to live absolutely according to the doctor's orders. I soon felt the benefit of the steady work and the nourishing diet, and yet I was not free from those terrible attacks, which would come either at noon, or, more intensely still, at midnight.
forced - wymuszone; zmuszać, wymuszać, narzucać; siła, oddział
absolutely - absolutnie, bezwarunkowo, bezwzględnie
steady - podtrzymać, podpierać; stały, zrównoważony, opanowany
noon - południe
intensely - intensywnie
Even in the midst of a merry company, in the enjoyment of wine and song, glowing daggers seemed to pierce my heart, and all the strength of my intellect was powerless to resist their might over me. I was obliged to retire, and could not return to my friends until I had recovered from my condition of lethargy.
midst - środek
merry - radosny, wesoły
enjoyment - przyjemność, uciecha, zadowolenie
glowing - świecące; jarzyć się, żarzyć się, pałać, promienieć, jarzyć się
daggers - sztylety; sztylet
pierce - przeszywać, przekłuć, przebić
intellect - intelekt
powerless - bezsilny
resist - oprzeć się; opierać
obliged - zobowiązany; zobowiązywać, zobowiązać
retire - przejść na emeryturę, kłaść się spać, wycofywać się, wycofać
recovered - odzyskane; wyzdrowieć, wrócić do zdrowia, odzyskać
It was in one of these attacks, an unusually strong one, that such an irresistible, mad longing for the picture of my dreams came over me, that I hurried out into the street and ran toward the mysterious house. While still at a distance from it, I seemed to see lights shining out through the fast-closed blinds, but when I came nearer I saw that all was dark.
irresistible - nie do odparcia; nieodparty
Crazy with my desire I rushed to the door; it fell back before the pressure of my hand. I stood in the dimly lighted vestibule, enveloped in a heavy, close atmosphere. My heart beat in strange fear and impatience. Then suddenly a long, sharp tone, as from a woman's throat, shrilled through the house.
desire - pragnąć, pożądać, pragnienie, pożądanie
rushed - pośpiechu; pędzić, gonić, biec, pośpieszać, ponaglać; pośpiech
pressure - nacisk, ucisk, napór, presja, przymus, ciśnienie
dimly - ciemno, blado, słabo, niewyraźnie
vestibule - hol, przedsionek, sień, przedpokój
enveloped - okryć, spowić
atmosphere - atmosfera, nastrój, atmosfera
shrilled - piskliwy, przeszywający, przenikliwy
I know not how it happened that I found myself suddenly in a great hall brilliantly lighted and furnished in old-fashioned magnificence of golden chairs and strange Japanese ornaments. Strongly perfumed incense arose in blue clouds about me. "Welcome-welcome, sweet bridegroom! the hour has come, our bridal hour!
brilliantly - genialnie; błyskotliwie, błyskotnie
furnished - umeblowane; meblować, umeblować, dostarczyć, dostarczać
magnificence - majestat
Golden - złoty
Japanese - japoński; Japończyk, Japonka, japoński
ornaments - ozdoby; ornament, ozdoba, ornament, ozdabiać, dekorować
strongly - silnie, mocno
perfumed - perfumowany; woń, zapach, aromat, perfumy, perfumować
incense - kadzidło
bridegroom - pan młody, nowożeniec
bridal - ślubny, weselny
" I heard these words in a woman's voice, and as little as I can tell, how I came into the room, just so little do I know how it happened that suddenly a tall, youthful figure, richly dressed, seemed to arise from the blue mists. With the repeated shrill cry: "Welcome, sweet bridegroom!" she came toward me with outstretched arms-and a yellow face, distorted with age and madness, stared into mine!
richly - bogato
outstretched - wyciągnięta
madness - szaleństwo, obłęd, świr
I fell back in terror, but the fiery, piercing glance of her eyes, like the eyes of a snake, seemed to hold me spellbound. I did not seem able to turn my eyes from this terrible old woman, I could not move another step. She came still nearer, and it seemed to me suddenly as if her hideous face were only a thin mask, beneath which I saw the features of the beautiful maiden of my vision.
terror - groza; terror
fiery - ognisty, ogniowy
spellbound - zaczarowany; oczarować
mask - ukrywać; maska, pozór
beneath - pod, poniżej
Already I felt the touch of her hands, when suddenly she fell at my feet with a loud scream, and a voice behind me cried:
scream - krzyk; krzyczeć, wrzeszczeć
"Oho, is the devil playing his tricks with your grace again? To bed, to bed, your grace. Else there will be blows, mighty blows!"
tricks - sztuczki; trik, sposób, sztuczka, chwyt, fortel
grace - dziękczynienie; wdzięk, gracja, łaska
mighty - mocarny, potężny
I turned quickly and saw the old steward in his night clothes, swinging a whip above his head. He was about to strike the screaming figure at my feet when I caught at his arm. But he shook me from him, exclaiming: "The devil, sir! That old Satan would have murdered you if I had not come to your aid. Get away from here at once!"
swinging - huśtawka; (swing) kołysać, machać, zawracać, zmieniać
whip - bat, bicz, chłostać, biczować, ubiczować
strike - trafiać; strajkować; strajk; uderzenie
exclaiming - wykrzykując; wołać, zawołać, wykrzykiwać, wykrzyknąć
Satan - Szatan
murdered - zamordowany; morderstwo
aid - pomagać, wspierać; pomoc, wsparcie
I rushed from the hall, and sought in vain in the darkness for the door of the house. Behind me I heard the hissing blows of the whip and the old woman's screams.
darkness - ciemność, mrok
screams - krzyczy; krzyk, krzyczeć, wrzeszczeć
I drew breath to call aloud for help, when suddenly the ground gave way under my feet; I fell down a short flight of stairs, bringing up with such force against a door at the bottom that it sprang open, and I measured my length on the floor of a small room. From the hastily vacated bed, and from the familiar brown coat hanging over a chair, I saw that I was in the bed-chamber of the old steward.
measured - mierzone; pomiar, miara, miara, miara, takt, środek, mierzyć
Length - długość
small room - mały pokój, salka
vacated - zwolniony; zwolnić, wyprowadzić
familiar - znany, znajomy, nieobcy, bliski, poufały
hanging over - hang over something wisieć nad czymś; hang over somebody zawisnąć nad kimś, ciążyć nad kimś
chamber - komnata; izba; komora
There was a trampling on the stair, and the old man himself entered hastily, throwing himself at my feet. "By all the saints, sir," he entreated with folded hands, "whoever you may be, and however her grace, that old Satan of a witch has managed to entice you to this house, do not speak to any one of what has happened here. It will cost me my position.
trampling - (trample) stratować, rozdeptać, deptać; odgłos kroków
Saints - święci; Święty, Święta
entreated - proszony; błagać, usilnie prosić
folded - złożone; zaginać, złożyć, składać, owinąć, spleść
Whoever - ktokolwiek
witch - czarownica, wiedźma
entice - nęcić, kusić, wabić, mamić
Her crazy excellency has been punished, and is bound fast in her bed. Sleep well, good sir, sleep softly and sweetly. It is a warm and beautiful July night. There is no moon, but the stars shine brightly. A quiet good night to you." While talking, the old man had taken up a lamp, had led me out of the basement, pushed me out of the house door, and locked it behind me.
excellency - ekscelencjo; ekscelencja
punished - ukarany; karać, ukarać
bound - związany; (bind) odbić się, skoczyć, związać, połączyć; skok
softly - delikatnie; cicho
sweetly - mile, słodko, ślicznie, gładko
shine - świecić, błyszczeć, polerować
brightly - jasno; jaskrawo, radośnie, promiennie
basement - piwnica, suterena, suteryna
I hurried home quite bewildered, and you can imagine that I was too much confused by the gruesome secret to be able to form any explanation of it in my own mind for the first few days. Only this much was certain, that I was now free from the evil spell that had held me captive so long.
bewildered - zadziwić, zdumieć, oszałamiać
All my longing for the magic vision in the mirror had disappeared, and the memory of the scene in the deserted house was like the recollection of an unexpected visit to a madhouse. It was evident beyond a doubt that the steward was the tyrannical guardian of a crazy woman of noble birth, whose condition was to be hidden from the world. But the mirror? and all the other magic?
recollection - wspomnienie, przypomnienie, medytacja
unexpected - Niespodziewany
madhouse - dom wariatów, psychiatryk, szpital psychiatryczny, wariatkowo
evident - oczywiste; jasny, oczywisty
tyrannical - despotyczny
guardian - stróż, obrońca, strażnik, opiekun, opiekunka, gwardian
noble - arystokrata, arystokratka, arystokratka, szlachcianka
Listen, and I will tell you more about it.
Some few days later I came upon Count P-- at an evening entertainment. He drew me to one side and said, with a smile, "Do you know that the secrets of our deserted house are beginning to be revealed?" I listened with interest; but before the Count could say more the doors of the dining-room were thrown open, and the company proceeded to the table.
entertainment - rozrywka, zabawa, widowisko
revealed - ujawnione; odkrywać, odkryć, odsłaniać, odsłonić, ujawniać
dining - jadalnia; hałas
proceeded - kontynuować, iść dalej, podążać
Quite lost in thought at the words I had just heard, I had given a young lady my arm, and had taken my place mechanically in the ceremonious procession. I led my companion to the seats arranged for us, and then turned to look at her for the first time. The vision of my mirror stood before me, feature for feature, there was no deception possible!
mechanically - mechanicznie
ceremonious - ceremonialne
procession - procesja; sekwencja
companion - towarzysz, towarzyszka, kompan, kompanka
deception - oszustwo, bałamuctwo
I trembled to my innermost heart, as you can imagine; but I discovered that there was not the slightest echo even, in my heart, of the mad desire which had ruled me so entirely when my breath drew out the magic picture from the glass. My astonishment, or rather my terror, must have been apparent in my eyes.
innermost - wewnętrzny; najskrytszy, położony najbliżej środka
Echo - echo
entirely - całkowicie, zupełnie
apparent - widoczne; widoczny; oczywisty; pozorny
The girl looked at me in such surprise that I endeavoured to control myself sufficiently to remark that I must have met her somewhere before. Her short answer, to the effect that this could hardly be possible, as she had come to the city only yesterday for the first time in her life, bewildered me still more and threw me into an awkward silence.
endeavoured - starał się; starać się; próba, staranie
sufficiently - wystarczająco
remark - zauważyć, komentować, napomknąć; uwaga
hardly - mało; ledwo
only yesterday - dopiero wczoraj
awkward - niezręczny; nieprzyjemny; nieśmiały
The sweet glance from her gentle eyes brought back my courage, and I began a tentative exploring of this new companion's mind. I found that I had before me a sweet and delicate being, suffering from some psychic trouble.
gentle - łagodny, delikatny, miły, uprzejmy
courage - odwaga, męstwo, śmiałość
tentative - prowizoryczny; prowizoryczny, niepewny
exploring - eksploracja; badać, zbadać
delicate - delikatny
suffering - cierpienie, męka; (suffer); cierpieć, pokutować
psychic - medium; psychiczny, metapsychiczny
At a particularly merry turn of the conversation, when I would throw in a daring word like a dash of pepper, she would smile, but her smile was pained, as if a wound had been touched. "You are not very merry tonight, Countess. Was it the visit this morning?
particularly - szczególnie
daring - odważny; śmiały
Dash - myślnik (''punctuation mark; any form''); półpauza (''en dash''); pauza (''em dash''); kreska; sprint; kropla
wound - ranę; (wind) wiać, przewijać, owijać, pozbawić tchu
" An officer sitting near us had spoken these words to my companion, but before he could finish his remarks his neighbour had grasped him by the arm and whispered something in his ear, while a lady at the other side of the table, with glowing cheeks and angry eyes, began to talk loudly of the opera she had heard last evening. Tears came to the eyes of the girl sitting beside me. "Am I not foolish?
grasped - uchwycony; trzymać, chwytać, rozumieć, pojmować, uchwyt
cheeks - policzki; policzek
Tears - łzy; łzawić, pędzić, rozdzierać, szarpać się
" She turned to me. A few moments before she had complained of headache. "Merely the usual evidences of a nervous headache," I answered in an easy tone, "and there is nothing better for it than the merry spirit which bubbles in the foam of this poet's nectar." With these words I filled her champagne glass, and she sipped at it as she threw me a look of gratitude.
merely - tylko, jedynie, jeno
spirit - ducha; dusza, duch, alkohol, spirytus
bubbles - bańka, bąbel
poet - poeta, poetka
nectar - nektar
champagne - Szampania
sipped - sączyć; łyk
gratitude - wdzięczność
Her mood brightened, and all would have been well had I not touched a glass before me with unexpected strength, arousing from it a shrill, high tone. My companion grew deadly pale, and I myself felt a sudden shiver, for the sound had exactly the tone of the mad woman's voice in the deserted house.
mood - nastrój, humor, atmosfera, tryb
arousing - podniecające; wzbudzać, wzbudzić, pobudzać, pobudzić, podniecać
deadly - śmiercionośny, śmiertelny
sudden - nagły
While we were drinking coffee I made an opportunity to get to the side of Count P--. He understood the reason for my movement. "Do you know that your neighbour is Countess Edwina S--? And do you know also that it is her mother's sister who lives in the deserted house, incurably mad for many years? This morning both mother and daughter went to see the unfortunate woman.
incurably - nieuleczalnie
unfortunate - niefortunne; fatalny, pechowy
The old steward, the only person who is able to control the Countess in her outbreaks, is seriously ill, and they say that the sister has finally revealed the secret to Dr. K--."
outbreaks - epidemie; wybuch, wybuch
seriously ill - poważnie chory
Dr. K-- was the physician to whom I had turned in my own anxiety, and you can well imagine that I hurried to him as soon as I was free, and told him all that had happened to me in the last days. I asked him to tell me as much as he could about the mad woman, for my own peace of mind; and this is what I learned from him under promise of secrecy.
whom - kogo; komu
anxiety - niepokój, trwoga, lęk
secrecy - dyskrecja, tajność
"Angelica, Countess Z--," thus the doctor began, "had already passed her thirtieth year, but was still in full possession of great beauty, when Count S--, although much younger than she, became so fascinated by her charm that he wooed her with ardent devotion and followed her to her father's home to try his luck there.
thirtieth - trzydziesty
full possession - pełna własność; posiadanie; zupełnie zawładnąć
beauty - piękno, uroda, piękność, krasawica
fascinated - zafascynowany; fascynować, zafascynować
charm - zauroczyć, oczarować, zaczarować; urok; czarujące
wooed - zabiegać o względy, uwodzić, pozyskiwać
ardent - żarliwy, gorliwy, namiętny
devotion - poświęcenie; oddanie, przywiązanie, pobożność, modlitwa
But scarcely had the Count entered the house, scarcely had he caught sight of Angelica's younger sister, Gabrielle, when he awoke as from a dream. The elder sister appeared faded and colourless beside Gabrielle, whose beauty and charm so enthralled the Count that he begged her hand of her father. Count Z-- gave his consent easily, as there was no doubt of Gabrielle's feelings toward her suitor.
scarcely - ledwo; ledwie
colourless - bezbarwny
enthralled - zachwycony; oczarować, zafascynować, zniewolić
consent - zgadzać
feelings - uczucia; (feel) czuć, doświadczać, dotykać; uczucie, wrażenie
suitor - konkurent, petent
Angelica did not show the slightest anger at her lover's faithlessness. "He believes that he has forsaken me, the foolish boy! He does not perceive that he was but my toy, a toy of which I had tired." Thus she spoke in proud scorn, and not a look or an action on her part belied her words.
lover - kochanka; kochanek, miłośnik; zakochany
faithlessness - niewierność
forsaken - opuszczony; opuścić, porzucić
perceive - postrzegać; dostrzegać, dostrzec
proud - dumny, wyniosły, zarozumiały
scorn - gardzić, lekceważyć, wzgardzić, odrzucić, szydzić, drwić
belied - zaprzeczył; zadać, zaprzeczyć, przeczyć, zawieść, skryć
But after the ceremonious betrothal of Gabrielle to Count S--, Angelica was seldom seen by the members of her family. She did not appear at the dinner table, and it was said that she spent most of her time walking alone in the neighbouring wood.
betrothal - zaręczyny
seldom - rzadko
"A strange occurrence disturbed the monotonous quiet of life in the castle. The hunters of Count Z--, assisted by peasants from the village, had captured a band of gipsies who were accused of several robberies and murders which had happened recently in the neighbourhood.
Occurrence - występowanie; wydarzenie, wypadek, zjawisko, pojawienie
disturbed - zaniepokojony; przeszkadzać, niepokoić, martwić, zmartwić
monotonous - monotonny
hunters - myśliwi; myśliwy, łowca
assisted - wspomagany; pomóc, pomagać, asystować, asysta
peasants - chłopi; chłop, chłopka, włościanin, włościanka, wieśniak
captured - schwytany; zająć, zbić
gipsies - cyganie; Cygan; cygański
accused - oskarżony; oskarżać, oskarżyć
robberies - rabunki; napad, rabunek, grabież, rozbój, rozbój
murders - morderstwa; morderstwo
neighbourhood - dzielnica, sąsiedztwo
The men were brought to the castle courtyard, fettered together on a long chain, while the women and children were packed on a cart. Noticeable among the last was a tall, haggard old woman of terrifying aspect, wrapped from head to foot in a red shawl. She stood upright in the cart, and in an imperious tone demanded that she should be allowed to descend.
fettered - kajdany, okowy, pęto
cart - przewieźć, zataszczyć, zwieźć; wóz, furmanka, wózek ręczny
noticeable - zauważalne; zauważalny
haggard - mizerny, wynędzniały
terrifying - przerazić
aspect - aspekt; widok; aspektować
wrapped - opakowane; zawijać, owijać; szal
shawl - szal
upright - prawy, prostoduszny, wyprostowany; słupek; pionowo
imperious - władczy
descend - schodzić, zejść, zniżać
The guards were so awed by her manner and appearance that they obeyed her at once.
guards - strażnicy; strażnik, jelec, osłona, chronić
awed - zachwycony; groza, trwoga, zachwyt
obeyed - posłuszny; przestrzegać
"Count Z-- came down to the courtyard and commanded that the gang should be placed in the prisons under the castle. Suddenly Countess Angelica rushed out of the door, her hair all loose, fear and anxiety in her pale face. Throwing herself on her knees, she cried in a piercing voice, 'Let these people go! Let these people go! They are innocent! Father, let these people go!
gang - iść; banda, gang, szajka
loose - luźne; wypuścić, zgubić, uwolnić; luźny
innocent - niewinny, naiwny
If you shed one drop of their blood I will pierce my heart with this knife!'The Countess swung a shining knife in the air and then sank swooning to the ground. 'Yes, my beautiful darling-my golden child-I knew you would not let them hurt us,'shrilled the old woman in red. She cowered beside the Countess and pressed disgusting kisses to her face and breast, murmuring crazy words.
shed - pozbyć się, pozbywać się, rozrzucać, rozlewać się
swung - zamachnął się; huśtać się, bachnąć, huśtawka, bujawka
sank - zatonął; tonąć, topić, zanurzać, zatapiać, zatopić, zlew
swooning - omdlenie; (swoon) wpadać w zachwyt, być oszołomionym, omdlewać
darling - kochany, kochana, kochanie, droga
cowered - stchórzył; skulić się ze strachu
pressed - wciśnięty; (pre) przed
disgusting - brzydzić, odraza, wstręt
kisses - pocałunki; całować; pocałunek
breast - pierś, biust, cycek
murmuring - (murmur) wyszeptać, mruczeć; szeptanie, szemranie
She took from out the recesses of her shawl a little vial in which a tiny goldfish seemed to swim in some silver-clear liquid. She held the vial to the Countess's heart. The latter regained consciousness immediately. When her eyes fell on the gipsy woman, she sprang up, clasped the old creature ardently in her arms, and hurried with her into the castle.
recesses - przerwy; zakamarek, zakamarek
vial - fiolka
tiny - malutki, tyci, drobny
goldfish - złota rybka
liquid - ciecz; ciekły, płynny
regained - odzyskane; odzyskać
consciousness - przytomność, świadomość
gipsy woman - cygańska; romska kobieta
sprang up - wyrosnąć; odbić się w górę; pojawiać się jak grzyby po deszczu
clasped - zapięty; klamra
ardently - zaciekle, gorliwie
"Count Z--, Gabrielle, and her lover, who had come out during this scene, watched it in astonished awe. The gipsies appeared quite indifferent. They were loosed from their chains and taken separately to the prisons. Next morning Count Z-- called the villagers together.
astonished - zdumiony; zdumiewać, zdumieć
loosed - rozluźniony; wypuścić, zgubić, uwolnić; luźny
chains - łańcuchy; łańcuch, łańcuch, sieć, łańcuch, skuwać, skuć
separately - osobno
villagers - mieszkańców wioski; wieśniak, wieśniaczka
The gipsies were led before them and the Count announced that he had found them to be innocent of the crimes of which they were accused, and that he would grant them free passage through his domains. To the astonishment of all present, their fetters were struck off and they were set at liberty. The red-shawled woman was not among them.
announced - ogłoszone; ogłaszać, ogłosić, oznajmiać, oznajmić
Grant - darowizna
passage - przejście, fragment
domains - domeny; dziedzina, domena, dziedzina, dziedzina, dziedzina
fetters - kajdany, okowy, pęto
struck - uderzony; trafiać, strajkować, strajk, uderzenie
liberty - wolność, swoboda
shawled - szal
It was whispered that the gipsy captain, recognizable from the golden chain about his neck and the red feather in his high Spanish hat, had paid a secret visit to the Count's room the night before. But it was discovered, a short time after the release of the gipsies, that they were indeed guiltless of the robberies and murders that had disturbed the district.
gipsy - Cygan; cygański
captain - kapitan; dowodzić
recognizable - rozpoznawalny
feather - pióro
Spanish - hiszpański
release - zwolnienie; uwolnienie, wydanie
guiltless - bez winy, niewinny
district - okręg; dzielnica, dystrykt
"The date set for Gabrielle's wedding approached. One day, to her great astonishment, she saw several large wagons in the courtyard being packed high with furniture, clothing, linen, with everything necessary for a complete household outfit.
approached - podszedł; zbliżać się; podejście
wagons - wagony; wóz
linen - pościel; płótno; bielizna, bielizna stołowa
household - rodzina, domownicy, gospodarstwo domowe
outfit - strój; ubiór; ekipa, zespół, firma, kompania
The wagons were driven away, and the following day Count Z-- explained that, for many reasons, he had thought it best to grant Angelica's odd request that she be allowed to set up her own establishment in his house in X--. He had given the house to her, and had promised her that no member of the family, not even he himself, should enter it without her express permission.
driven away - przepędzony
odd - dziwne; dziwny; nieparzysty
He added also, that, at her urgent request, he had permitted his own valet to accompany her, to take charge of her household.
urgent - pilne; pilny
permitted - dozwolone; pozwalać, zezwalać
accompany - towarzyszyć, asystować, akompaniować, zaakompaniować, basować
"When the wedding festivities were over, Count S-- and his bride departed for their home, where they spent a year in cloudless happiness. Then the Count's health failed mysteriously. It was as if some secret sorrow gnawed at his vitals, robbing him of joy and strength. All efforts of his young wife to discover the source of his trouble were fruitless.
festivities - świętowanie
bride - panna młoda
departed - odchodzić, odjeżdżać, odlatywać, odstąpić
cloudless - bezchmurny
Happiness - szczęście, radość
mysteriously - tajemniczo, zagadkowo
sorrow - smutek
vitals - funkcje życiowe; życiowy, witalny, niezbędny do życie
robbing - okradanie; okraść, obrabować
joy - radość
efforts - wysiłki; wysiłek, staranie
fruitless - bezowocne; bezowocny, próżny, bezpłodny
At last, when the constantly recurring fainting spells threatened to endanger his very life, he yielded to the entreaties of his physicians and left his home, ostensibly for Pisa. His young wife was prevented from accompanying him by the delicate condition of her own health.
constantly - stale; ciągle, nieustannie, bezustannie
recurring - powtarzające się; powtórzyć, nawrócić, powrócić
Fainting - omdlenie
threatened - zagrożony; grozić, pogrozić, grozić, zagrozić, zagrażać, grozić
endanger - narażać, zagrażać
yielded - uległ; ustąpić, poddać się, dawać, przynosić; produkcja
physicians - lekarzy; lekarz, lekarka, doktor, medyk
ostensibly - pozornie
Pisa - piza
accompanying - towarzyszące; towarzyszyć, asystować, akompaniować
"And now," said the doctor, "the information given me by Countess S-- became, from this point on, so rhapsodical that a keen observer only could guess at the true coherence of the story. Her baby, a daughter, born during her husband's absence, was spirited away from the house, and all search for it was fruitless.
rhapsodical - rapsodyczny
keen - chętny; zapalony, wyostrzony
observer - obserwator, obserwatorka
coherence - koherencja, kohezja, spójność
absence - nieobecność, absencja, brak
spirited away - porywający; zabrany niepostrzeżenie (ktoś; coś)
Her grief at this loss deepened to despair, when she received a message from her father stating that her husband, whom all believed to be in Pisa, had been found dying of heart trouble in Angelica's home in X--, and that Angelica herself had become a dangerous maniac. The old Count added that all this horror had so shaken his own nerves that he feared he would not long survive it.
grief - żal, smutek, zmartwienie
Loss - strata
deepened - pogłębiony; pogłębiać, pogłębić
despair - rozpaczać; rozpacz, beznadzieja
dying - (die) umierać; umierający, przedśmiertny
heart trouble - problemy z sercem
maniac - maniakiem; maniak, maniaczka
horror - groza, strach
nerves - nerw, żyłka, odwaga, czelność, tupet, zuchwalstwo
survive - przeżywać, przeżyć, przetrwać
"As soon as Gabrielle was able to leave her bed, she hurried to her father's castle. One night, prevented from sleeping by visions of the loved ones she had lost, she seemed to hear a faint crying, like that of an infant, before the door of her chamber. Lighting her candle she opened the door. Great Heaven!
infant - niemowlę, niemowlak
candle - świeca, świeczka, gromnica
there cowered the old gipsy woman, wrapped in her red shawl, staring up at her with eyes that seemed already glazing in death. In her arms she held a little child, whose crying had aroused the Countess. Gabrielle's heart beat high with joy-it was her child-her lost daughter! She snatched the infant from the gipsy's arms, just as the woman fell at her feet lifeless.
glazing - oszklenie; glazurowanie; (glaze); glazura, polewa, szklić
snatched - porwany; rwanie
lifeless - martwy, zwiędły, pozbawiony życia, bez życia, niezdrowy
The Countess's screams awoke the house, but the gipsy was quite dead and no effort to revive her met with success.
effort - wysiłek, staranie
revive - odnawiać, wznawiać, wskrzeszać, przywracać do życia
"The old Count hurried to X-- to endeavour to discover something that would throw light upon the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of the child. Angelica's madness had frightened away all her female servants; the valet alone remained with her. She appeared at first to have become quite calm and sensible.
endeavour - przedsięwzięcie; starać się; próba, staranie
disappearance - zniknięcie
reappearance - ponowne pojawienie się; ponowne ukazanie się
servants - słudzy; służący-pr, służąca, sługa
Calm - spokojny, opanowany, cichy, spokój, uspokajać, uspokoić
But when the Count told her the story of Gabrielle's child she clapped her hands and laughed aloud, crying: 'Did the little darling arrive? You buried her, you say? How the feathers of the gold pheasant shine in the sun! Have you seen the green lion with the fiery blue eyes?
buried - pochowany; pochować, pogrzebać, zasypać
feathers - pióra; pióro
pheasant - bażant
'Horrified the Count perceived that Angelica's mind was gone beyond a doubt, and he resolved to take her back with him to his estates, in spite of the warnings of his old valet. At the mere suggestion of removing her from the house Angelica's ravings increased to such an extent as to endanger her own life and that of the others.
horrified - przerażać, szokować
resolved - rozwiązany; rozwiązać, przechodzić, zdecydować
warnings - ostrzeżenia; ostrzeżenie
mere - tylko; sam, samodzielny, zwyczajny
ravings - szaleństw; (rave) zachwycać się, wrzeszczeć; majaczenie
extent - zakres; stopień
"When a lucid interval came again Angelica entreated her father, with many tears, to let her live and die in the house she had chosen. Touched by her terrible trouble he granted her request, although he believed the confession which slipped from her lips during this scene to be a fantasy of her madness.
lucid - jasny, klarowny, przejrzysty
interval - interwał, odstęp, interwał, przedział
granted - przyznane; darowizna
confession - wyznanie, przyznanie
slipped - poślizgnął się; wślizgnąć się, poślizgnąć
fantasy - fantazja, wyobraźnia, wymysł, fantasy
She told him that Count S-- had returned to her arms, and that the child which the gipsy had taken to her father's house was the fruit of their love. The rumour went abroad in the city that Count Z-- had taken the unfortunate woman to his home; but the truth was that she remained hidden in the deserted house under the care of the valet.
rumour - pogłoska, plotka
Count Z-- died a short time ago, and Countess Gabrielle came here with her daughter Edwina to arrange some family affairs. It was not possible for her to avoid seeing her unfortunate sister. Strange things must have happened during this visit, but the Countess has not confided anything to me, saying merely that she had found it necessary to take the mad woman away from the old valet.
affairs - sprawy; sprawa, romans
confided - zwierzać się, powierzać
It had been discovered that he had controlled her outbreaks by means of force and physical cruelty; and that also, allured by Angelica's assertions that she could make gold, he had allowed himself to assist her in her weird operations.
cruelty - okrucieństwo
allured - kusić, uwodzić, wabić; wdzięk, pokusa
assertions - twierdzenie, domaganie się, zapewnienie
assist - pomóc, pomagać, asystować, asysta
operations - operacje; działanie
"It would be quite unnecessary," thus the physician ended his story, "to say anything more to you about the deeper inward relationship of all these strange things. It is clear to my mind that it was you who brought about the catastrophe, a catastrophe which will mean recovery or speedy death for the sick woman.
unnecessary - niepotrzebne; zbędny, niepotrzebny, niekonieczny
inward - do środka; skryty, wewnętrzny
catastrophe - katastrofa
recovery - zdrowienie, poprawa, rekonwalescencja, powrót do zdrowia
speedy - szybki, rychły, bezzwłoczny
And now I will confess to you that I was not a little alarmed, horrified even, to discover that-when I had set myself in magnetic communication with you by placing my hand on your neck-I could see the picture in the mirror with my own eyes. We both know now that the reflection in the glass was the face of Countess Edwina."
alarmed - zaniepokojony; alarm, alarm, alarm, budzik, alarm, alarmować
communication - komunikacja; wiadomość
I repeat Dr. K--'s words in saying that, to my mind also, there is no further comment that can be made on all these facts. I consider it equally unnecessary to discuss at any further length with you now the mysterious relationship between Angelica, Edwina, the old valet, and myself-a relationship which seemed the work of a malicious demon who was playing his tricks with us.
equally - na równi
I will add only that I left the city soon after all these events, driven from the place by an oppression I could not shake off. The uncanny sensation left me suddenly a month or so later, giving way to a feeling of intense relief that flowed through all my veins with the warmth of an electric current. I am convinced that this change within me came about in the moment when the mad woman died.
oppression - ucisk, opresja
shake off - otrząsnąć się; strząsać coś z czegoś; zgubić (np. pościg)
uncanny - niesamowity, niezwykły, przedziwny
giving way - ustępować pierwszeństwa (na drodze); ustąpić, ulec, podporządkować się, ugiąć się (np. komuś w jakiejś sprawie); ugiąć się pod ciężarem, ustąpić pod naciskiem (np. podłoga); ustąpić komuś, ustępować komuś
intense - intensywny
relief - ulga
flowed - płynął; płynąć, przepływać, opływać
veins - żyły; żyła, żyłka, żyłka
current - prąd, natężenie prądu, bieżący, aktualny, obecny
within - wewnątrz, w przeciągu, w ciągu