deserted - desierta; abandonar
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 - amplio; ancho
avenue - avenida, vía, camino
leading - dirigiendo; (lead) dirigiendo
Gate - puerta; verja
handsome - apuesto, guapo, de buen parecer, lindo
buildings - Edificio
meeting place - lugar de encuentro
fashionable - a la moda, de moda
occupy - ocupar
ground floor - planta baja
palaces - palacios; palacio
devoted - dedicado; dedicar
trade - comercio
luxury - lujo, capricho, extravagancia
dwellings - vivienda
wealth - prosperidad, riqueza
position - posición, puesto, postura
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 - aristocrático
foreign - extrano, extranjero, forastero, foráneo, exterior
ambassadors - embajadores; embajador, embajadora
easily - fácilmente
such - cómo; así, tal, semejante, tan, qué
gaiety - felicidad, alegría
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. 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.
wandered - deambuló; vagar, divagar, errar, deambular, enganar
several - varios, varias
attention - atención
caught - atrapado; pega, traba, truco, cuestión
contrasted - contrastado; contraste, contrastar
strangely - extranamente; extranamente
surrounding - alrededor; periferia, rededor, derredor
low - bajo
crowded - abarrotado; multitud, muchedumbre
structures - estructuras; estructura, estructurar
tops - tops; cima, parte superior, parte de más arriba, cabecera, tapa
ground - uelo; (grind) uelo
roof - techo
dilapidated - deteriorado; deteriorar, derrochar, deteriorarse
patched - parcheado; remiendo, parche
discoloured - decolorado; decolorar, descolorar
neglect - descuido; descuidar, negligir, desoír, hacer caso omiso
looked in - mirar dentro; buscar en
fashion - moda, manera, modo
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. 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.
attentively - con atención; atentamente
perceived - percibido; percibir, entender
tightly - con fuerza; herméticamente
curtained - con cortinas; cortina, telón
hide - esconderse; esconder(se), ocultar
entrance - entrada
side - lado
served - servido; servicio, servir, desempenar, fungir, operar, cernir
latch - picaporte; pestillo
lock - cerradura
bell - campana
Convinced - convencido; convencer
whatever - qué; cualquier, lo que sea que, cualquier cosa que, no importa
passing - pasando; pasajero, excelente, superficial, somero
faintest - más débil; débil, tenue
signs - senales; senal
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 - camaradas; companero, colega, camarada, correligionario
youth - jóvenes; juventud, adolescencia, mocedad, anos mozos, joven
prone - postrado, de bruces, decúbito prono, propenso
Consider - considerar, barajar, sopesar, observar
myself - yo mismo; me
sort - cómo; clase, tipo, género
clairvoyant - clarividente, clarividente, adivino
claiming - reclamando; reclamación, declaración, proposición, afirmación
glimpses - atisbos; atisbo, entrever, atisbar, vislumbrar, ojear
strange - extrano; extrano, raro, anormal, desconocido
wonders - maravillas; maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro, pasmo
sense - sentido, sensación, significado, acepción, significación, sentir
attempt - intentar, tentativa, intento, ensayo
deny - Negar
confess - confesar, panish: t-needed
mysteries - misterios; misterio, arcano
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.
matter - importa; materia, asunto, cuestión, tema
steps - pasos; paso
thoughts - pensamientos; pensamiento
itself - en sí; se, solo, a si mismo, por si mismo, sí mismo
power - poder, potencia, corriente, electricidad, potenciar
surprised - sorprendido; sorpresa, sorprender
Prove - probar
asserting - afirmando; asegurar, aseverar, afirmar, ejercer; confirmar
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. 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.
accustomed - acostumbrado; acostumbrarse, habituar
promenade - paseo, pasear
usual - lo de siempre; usual, habitual
suddenly - de repente, repentinamente, de pronto, súbitamente
beside - al lado de, cabe
fixing - Arreglando; (fix); arreglar, reparar, componer, fijar, pregar
count - contar; conde
contained - contenido; contener, dominar
more mysterious - más misterioso
bakery - pastelería; panadería, tahona, horno
belonging - Pertenencia; (belong) Pertenencia
pastry - pastel, pastelería, panish: t-needed
whose - de quién; quién, quien, cuyo, cuya, cuyas
adjoined - junto; lindar
structure - estructura, estructurar
protection - protección
ovens - hornos; horno
heavy - pesado
curtains - cortinas; cortina, telón
sunlight - la luz del sol; luz del sol
wares - ercancías; guerra, guerrear, hacer la guerra
laid - tirado; poner, colocar
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. 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.
informed - informado; informar
bucket - cubo; balde, llover a cántaros, jarrear
thrown over - lanzado por encima; abandonado
candy - caramelos; dulce, bombón
factory - fábrica, planta
freak - monstruo; fenómeno
imagination - imaginación, magín
fairy tale - un cuento de hadas
conceal - esconder, ocultar
truth - verdad
suspects - sospechosos; barruntar, sospechar, sospechoso
scolded - renido; reganar, retar, renir
silly - bobo, tonto, ninito, infantil, apayasado, semiaturdido, tontito
fool - idiota; bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
remained - se quedó; resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer
unaltered - sin alterar; inalterado
appearance - aparición, apariencia, hechura, estampa, aire
visions - visiones; vista, visión
faded in - aparecer gradualmente, ver aparecer
brain - cerebro, seso, sesudez
chance - oportunidad; suerte, by chance: por casualidad
incident - incidente
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. 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.
wandering - deambulando; errabundo, andariego, errante, peripatético
passed - pasó; pasar(por), dejar atrás
resist - resistir
hasty - apresurarse; apresurado, de prisa, arrebatado, atropellado
glance - mirada; ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar, pispear, vistazo
curtain - cortina, telón
Last - el último; último
pastry shop - pastelería
folds - liegues; doblar, plegar
opera - ópera; (opus) ópera
Pocket - bolsillo, bolsa, tronera, embolsar
beautifully - bonito; bellamente
finger - dedo; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
diamond - diamante
sparkled - brillaba; centelleo, destello
unusual - inusual, inusitado, desusado
bracelet - brazalete, pulsera
glittered - brillaba; brillo, purpurina, escarcha, brillar, resplandecer
rounded - redondeado; redondo
The hand set a tall, oddly formed crystal bottle on the window ledge and disappeared again behind the curtain.
hand set - Teléfono móvil
oddly - extranamente; extranamente, curiosamente, sorprendentemente
crystal - cristal
ledge - repisa, alféizar, estante
disappeared - desapareció; desaparecer
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 - congelado; congelar
stone - piedra, roca, gema, piedra preciosa, hueso, cálculo, lapidar
weirdly - Raro
pleasurable - placentero
sensation - sensación
mingled - mezclados; mezclar
awe - pavor, temor, medrosía, asombro, asombrar, abrumar
streamed - en streaming; corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir, recibir flujo
warmth - calor, simpatía
electric current - corriente eléctrica
mysterious - misterioso
sigh - suspiro; suspirar
arose from - surgir de
depths - profundidades; profundidad
heart - corazón
angered - enfadado; ira, enfado, enojo, rabia
surrounded - rodeado; circundar, envolver, cercar, rodear
crowd - gente; multitud, muchedumbre
gazing - mirando; observar, mirar fijamente
Curious - tienes curiosidad; curioso; extrano, raro
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 - Robar; escabullirse
demon - demonio
prosaic - prosaico
whispered - susurrado; susurro, rumor, rastro, susurrar
adornment - adorno, decoración
empty - vacío, vaciar
rose - Rosa; (rise); Rosa
sill - alféizar, umbral
weird - raro
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. 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.
sensible - razonable, sensato, sesudo
entered - entró; entrar
shining - brillante; brillar
mirror - espejo
blowing - soplando; golpe
steaming - cocción al vapor, humeante; (steam); vapor
foam - espuma, espumar
remarked - remarcado; observación, comentario
Addition - agregación; adición, anadidura, suma
establishment - establecimiento, establishment
leaned - apoyado; inclinarse
counter - Contador
smile - sonrisa, sonreír
clever - inteligente; ágil, hábil, listo, talentoso, habiloso
although - unque..; aunque, a pesar de
sight - vista, lugar de interés, espectáculo, panorama, visor, mira, ver
contrasting - contraste, contrastar
surroundings - alrededores; periferia, rededor, derredor, circundante
"Why, sir," began the pastry cook, "who told you that the house next door belongs to us? 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."
belongs - pertenecer, ser propiedad (de)
unfortunately - desafortunadamente, desgraciadamente, lamentablemente
acquire - obtener, adquirir
in vain - en vano
fancy - te apetece; capricho, antojo
queer - raro, extrano, trucha, marica, maricón
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 - sobre, en, tras
begged - suplicó; pedir
"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. 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. 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. 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.
definite - definitiva; definido, indudable
certainty - seguridad; certeza
Countess - condesa
estates - incas; propiedad, inmueble, bien, estamento, finca
shape - forma, estado, modelar, formar
raised - levantado; levantar
pride - orgullo, soberbia, cachondez, toriondez, verriondez, manada
Except - exceptuar, excepto, salvo, exceptuando, menos, salvo que
actual - real, existente, verdadero, efectivo, actual
decay - decadencia; descomposición, deterioración, putrefacción
creatures - criaturas; criatura
alone - solo, a solas
dwell - habitar, morar
misanthrope - misántropo, misántropa
steward - camarero; administrador, gestor, representante, apoderado, mozo
melancholy - melancolía
Occasionally - ocasionalmente, de vez en cuando, a veces
howls - aullidos; aullido, aullar, ganir
moon - Luna
courtyard - patio
according - de acuerdo; acuerdo, convenio, acordar, conceder, conferir
general - general, general
is haunted - Estar encantado; estar turbado
awake - despierto; despertar(se)
silence - silencio, silenciar, hacer callar
scraping - Raspando; (scrap) Raspando
frightened - asustado; atemorizar
evidently - evidentemente
voice - voz
tones - tonos; tono
sharp - agudo, afilado, filoso, listo, sostenido, agrio, certero
clear - está claro; transparente, claro, despejado, libre
ran up - venir corriendo; incrementar la deuda
top - cima, parte superior, parte de más arriba, cabecera, tapa
scale - escala
cadences - cadencias; cadencia, cadencia
trills - Trino
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. 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? 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."
seemed - parecía; parecer
French - francés, franceses
mad - loco, trastornado, zumbado, enfadado, enojado
ghostly - fantasmal
erect - erecto, erguido
noises - ruidos; ruido, estrépito
deep - profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
sighs - suspirar
earth - tierra, suelo, terreno, madriguera, aterrar
lay - poner, colocar
wall in - vallar, rodear con muro, encerrar
iron - hierro; férreo, planchar
chimney - chimenea, tubo
smokes - fumas; humo
heavily - pesadamente
quarrelled - discutieron; pelea, rina
fearing - Miedo
danger - peligro; (dang); peligro
excuses - excusas; excusar, perdonar, panish: t-needed
Heaven - el cielo; cielo, firmamento, paraíso
creature - criatura
pipe - pipa; caramillo, flauta ), tubo de órgano, tubería, tubo
smoking - Fumar; (smoke) Fumar
smelled - olía; olor, olfato, oler, husmear, oler a
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! 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.
creaked - rujió; crujido, crujir, chirriar, rechinar
hurried - con prisas; prisa, apuro, apresurarse, apurarse, darse prisa
nodded to - asintió
figure - figura, cifra, ocurrírsele
entering - Entrando; (enter); entrar
threw - tiró; lanzar, tirar
perfectly - perfectamente
guest - invitado; huésped, visita, visitante, convidado
charge - cargo, acusación, encargo, figura, acusar, cobrar, cargar
little man - hombrecito
mummy - mamá
tight - apretado, ajustado, tensado, tensionado, tenso
lips - labios; labio, labro
crazy - loco, colgado, sonado, trastornado
old-fashioned - (old-fashioned) anticuado
powdered - en polvo; polvo, reducir a polvo, pulverizar, triturar
He wore a faded old brown coat which was carefully brushed, grey stockings, and broad, flat-toed shoes with buckles. 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--"
faded - desvanecido; apagarse, debilitarse; destenir
carefully - con cuidado; cuidadosamente, a conciencia, minuciosamente
brushed - pincel, cepillo, escobilla, brocha, cepillado, matorral
stockings - medias; media
toed - dedos; dedo del pie, ortejo
buckles - hebillas; hebilla
further - más allá; fomentar, asistir, exhortar, desarrollar
spite - rencor
huge - enorme, grandote
fists - punos; puno
fingers - dedos; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
firm - firma; firme, sólido
step - paso
smiling - sonriendo; sonriente; (smile); sonrisa, sonreír
imbecile - imbécil
whining - Gimoteo; (whin) Gimoteo
couple - pareja, par, un par de, unos, par de fuerzas, acoplar
candied - caramelizada; dulce, bombón
chestnuts - castanas; castana, castano, marrón
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!" 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!" groaned the old man in his former miserable tone, opening his bag and giving the dog a large macaroon.
smiled - sonrió; sonrisa, sonreír
Seem - parecer
strength - fuerza, neque, potencia, intensidad, fuerte, fortaleza
limbs - miembros; miembro
expression - expresión, frase hecha
weak - débil, feble, flaco, flojo
clapped - aplaudió; aplaudir
joints - juntas; en común, comunitario, en conjunto, articulación
cracked - roto; rajarse, resquebrajarse
entire - entero
trembled - tembló; tiritar, temblar, temblor, vibración, temblequera
vessels - vasos; embarcación, barco, casco, recipiente, receptáculo
counters - Contador
rattled - molesto; hacer sonar, hacer vibrar
shook - Sacudido; (shake); agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida
hideous - horrible, odioso, chocante, atemorizante
screaming - gritando; grito, gritar
stepped - pisado; estepa
creeping in - Entrar a hurtadillas
devilish - endiablado; diabólico
beast - bestia, animal, salvaje
hell - infierno
groaned - gimió; gemido, grunido, gemir, grunir
former - antiguo, anterior
miserable - miserable
tone - tono
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. "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.
burst - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
cry - llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
distress - aflicción, angustia, desasosiego, ansiedad
truly - de verdad; verdaderamente, realmente
human - humano
haunches - ncas; anca, cuadril
gnawed - roído; roer
squirrel - ardilla
packing up - hacer la maleta; recoger; embalar; terminar un día en el trabajo
putting away - ahorrar, guardar, apartar
purchases - compras; compra, adquisición, comprar
honoured - onrado; honradez
pressing - presionando; apremiante
cried - lloró; llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
aloud - en voz alta, de viva voz
pain - dolor
wishes - deseos; deseo, gana, desear
most honourable - Más honorable
closely - de cerca; cercanamente
noticed - te has dado cuenta; comunicación, notificación, darse cuenta
astonishment - asombro, estupefacción, sorpresa, extraneza
"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.
acts - actos; acto, ley, acción, hecho, actuar
valet - vale; edecán, mánager, aparcacoches
expects - esperar, checkaguardar
arrival - llegada, venida, arribo, arribada
Master - maestro; senor, dueno; senora, duena
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 - exigió; demanda, exigencia, exigir, demandar
elegant - elegante, chic
assemble - ensamblar, construir, montar, reunir, juntar
attractive - atractivo, atrayente
incessantly - incesantemente, sin cesar
thronged - abarrotado; muchedumbre, gentío, caterva, multitud, montón
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? 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. 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.
ownership - propiedad
denial - mentira, negación, negativa
mystery - misterio, arcano
hidden - ocultos; esconder(se), ocultar
combine - combinar, juntar, unir
gruesome - thorripilante; espantoso, truculento
wrinkled - arrugado; arruga
throat - garganta, tráquea, cuello
blooming - floreciendo; flor
youthful - juvenil, joven
maiden - doncella
in favour - a favor
trick - truco, artimana, enganifa, treta
acoustics - acústico, acústica
appeared - apareció; aparecer, comparecer
fear - miedo, temor
distorted - distorsionado; deformar, distorsionar, tergiversar, desvirtuar
smoke - fumar; humo
odours - olores; olor
vision - vista, visión
held - sostenida; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
enthralled - encantado; cautivar
fatal - fatal
magic - magia, mágico, embrujar
alive - vivo, viviente
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. 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. 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.
wizard - mago, asistente
Perhaps - acaso, quizá, quizás, tal vez
independently - independientemente
devil - demonio; diablo
dreams - suenos; sueno, ensueno, sonar
Clearly - está claro; claramente, por lo claro
sparkling - chispeante; centelleante, gaseoso, efervescente
shining - brillante; espinilla
mists - nieblas; neblina
sweet - dulcemente, dulce, caramelo, chuche, confite
sadly - tristemente, con alma en pena, luctuosamente
imploring - implorando; implorar
exquisite - exquisito, bonísimo
beautiful girl - chica hermosa
steam - Vapor; vaporear; de vapor; al vapor
flowing out - salir, brotar, manar, fluir
circles - círculos; círculo, circunferencia, esfera, curva, grupo
"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! 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. 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!
fairest - más justo; rubio, claro, blanco
rapture - arrebatamiento
reveal - revelar, propalar
thou - tú; vos
enthralls - subyugar, cautivar, embrujar, embelesar
thee - tú; vos (en Espana)
holds - tiene; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
captive - cautivo, prisionero, preso
unhappy - infeliz
slave - esclavo, esclava, checkesclava
malicious - malicioso; maligno
wanders - vagar, divagar, errar, deambular, enganar
clad - vestido; (clothe); vestir
wigged - peluca
unholy - impío, horroroso
feeding - alimentación; (feed); alimentación
howled - aulló; aullido, aullar, ganir
satanic - satánico
measure - medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
Eighth - octavo, octavo
charming - encantador; (charm); encantador
reflection - reflexión, reflejo
thy - tu; vuestro, vuestra, vuestros, vuestras
thine - tu, tuyo, tuya, el tuyo, la tuya
link - enlace; eslabón
chain - cadena, encadenar
magnetic - magnético
glorious - glorioso
See how it shines in the blue fire from the retort. One moment more and thou art free. 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.
shines - brillar
retort - replicar
One moment - Un momento
fist - puno
leaped - saltó; saltar, brincar
clutched - aferrado; agarrar
faint - desmayarse; débil, tenue
moan - gimotear; gemido, quejido, quejar, gemir
faded - desvanecido; moda, moda pasajera
blackness - negritud; negror, negrura
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! 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?
dreaming - Sonando; (dream); sueno, ensueno, sonar
seeking - buscando; buscar
glistening - resplandeciente; relucir, rielar
blind - ciego, invidente, celosía, persiana, ciega, ciego, cegar
slightly - un poco; levemente, ligeramente
sparkle - brillo; centelleo, destello
gently - suavemente; mansamente, suave
resting - Descansando; (rest) Descansando
stand still - estar quieto
attracting - atrayendo; atraer, llamar
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. 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.
benches - bancos; banco
gravel walk - Paseo por gravilla
directly - directamente, en derechura
leaning - Inclinado; (lean) Inclinado
stare - mirar fijamente
dream - sueno; sueno, ensueno, sonar
seek - buscar
unfocused - desenfocado
occasional - ocasional, esporádico
motion - movimiento, moción
cleverly - Inteligentemente
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. But he did not cease his entreaties, asserting that he had earned nothing today, and begging me to buy some small trifle from him.
adoration - adoración
aroused - excitado; provocar, incitar, concitar, excitar, despertar
throughout - en todo; a lo largo de, durante, de arriba abajo
nerve - nervio, coraje, descaro, frescura, nervios
shrill - chillón; estridente
Italian - italiano, italiano, italiana
street hawker - vendedor ambulante
offering - ofrenda; ofrecimiento; (offer) ofrenda; ofrecimiento
finally - por fin, finalmente, por fin
touched - tocado; tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
hastily - apresuradamente; de prisa, atropelladamente
commanded - mandado; orden, mandato, mando, comando, dominio
cease - cesar, parar, terminar
entreaties - suplicas; petición, solicitud, plegaria
earned - ganado; ganar
begging - Mendigando; (beg) Mendigando
trifle - baratija; sopa inglesa, pizca, nadería, nimiedad, zarandaja
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. 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.
Impatience - impaciencia
rid - cabalgar; librar
more beautiful - más hermoso
drawer - cajón
round - ronda; redondo
"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 - despertó; despertar(se)
confused - confundido; confundir, confundirse, mezclar
either - cada, tampoco, o , o, ya sea...o
Bench - banco
Certain - seguro; cierto, cierto, cierta
afforded - se puede permitir; costear, permitirse
cause - por qué; causa, causar
amusement - divertimiento, esparcimiento, diversión
"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 - ancianos; anciano, entrado en anos
of good nature - de buen carácter
refuse - rechazar; negarse (a)
confidence - confianza; certeza, certeza propia, certidumbre, confidencia
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.
looking in - mirar dentro; buscar en
fair - justo; rubio, claro, blanco
surprise - sorpresa, sorprender
"Yes, yes," I exclaimed.
exclaimed - exclamó; exclamar
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 - engano, ilusión, delirio, idea delirante
excellently - excelentemente
oil - aceite; petróleo
portrait - retrato
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 - hacia, sobre, para
pulled down - bajar, demoler, abatir
continued - continuamos; continuar, seguir
servant - sirviente, criado, mozo, doméstico
dusted - desempolvado; polvo, desempolvar, limpiar el polvo, espolvorear
let down - decepcionar a alguien; alargar (ropa); dejar caer; desinflar (neumáticos)
blinds - persianas; ciego, invidente, celosía, persiana, ciega, ciego
"Was it, then, surely a picture?" I asked again, in bewilderment.
surely - seguro; seguramente, checksin duda
bewilderment - desconcierto, perplejidad
"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 - confiar; confianza, crédito, fiar, consorcio, trust
replied - respondió; responder, repetir, respuesta
strengthened - fortalecido; fortalecer, animar
call up - Llamar, convocar, seleccionar
"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 - de verdad; de hecho, realmente, efectivamente, verdaderamente
patted - palmaditas; palmadita, caricia
arose - surgió; surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
bowing - Inclinarse; (bow) Inclinarse
politely - educadamente, cortésmente
remarks - observaciones; observación, comentario
Beware - tener cuidado, ser precavido
mirrors - espejos; espejo
lie - mentira
vividly - ívidamente
obedient - obediente
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. 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.
foolish - tonto, necio, imprudente
fantast - fantástico
anger - ira, enfado, enojo, rabia
disgust - repugnar, dar asco, asquear, asco, repugnancia
promised - prometido; promesa, prometer
bind - bindar; atar, atar (tie), empastar (books), liar, acoplar
cravat - corbata; mascada
thus - así
utilize - utilizar
dull - sordo; romo, desafilado, embotado, aburrido, soso
breathed on - respirar
Rub - frotación, frotamiento, frote, frotar
bright - luminoso, resplandeciente, brillante
fibre - fibra, fibra
delightful - delicioso
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! But as soon as the clouding vanished, the face vanished in the brightened glass.
breath - respiración, aliento, respiro
clouded - nublado; nublar
arise - surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
smile at - sonreír a alguien
incorrigible - incorregible, empecatado
dreamer - sonador; sonador, sonadora, visionario, visionaria
clouding - Enturbiamiento; (cloud); nublar
vanished - desaparecido; desvanecerse, desaparecer, anularse
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. 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. 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. 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.
weary - cansado, cansino, cansar
recital - recitación, recital, considerando
sensations - sensaciones; sensación
experiments - experimentos; experimento, experimentar
anywhere - en algún sitio; en cualquier parte, dondequiera
indifferent - indiferente
neglected - desatendida; descuidar, negligir, desoír, hacer caso omiso
tortures - orturas; tortura, suplicio, torturar
soul - alma, espíritu
passed over - pasado por alto
physical - físico, revisación
severe - severo, grave, austero
attack - ataque, atacar
treatment - trato, tratamiento
those - esos, esas, aquéllos, aquellas
diseases - nfermedades; enfermedad, dolencia
mind - mente, concentración, opinión, juicio, propósito, voluntad
slightest - lo más mínimo; insignificante, leve, ligero, falta de respeto
implored - imploró; implorar
save - salvar, rescatar, redimir, parar, ahorrar, guardar, reservar
fate - destino, azar
threaten - amenazar
quietly - en silencio; mansamente, despacio
prevented - prevenido; impedir, prevenir
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. 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. 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."
undergoing - saliendo; experimentar, sufrir, soportar, padecer
disturbance - disturbio, estorbo, perturbación
beyond - más allá de
doubt - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
evil - malo, malvado
principle - principio
Seems - te parece; parecer
influence - influencia, influir, influenciar
weapon - arma
combat - batalla, acción, combate, combatir
force - fuerza
afford - pagar; costear, permitirse
scope - alcance; oportunidad
energy - energía
nourishing - nutritiva; nutrir
endeavouring - se esfuerza; esforzarse
fixed - arreglado; arreglar, reparar, componer, fijar, pregar, preparar
diverting - desviando; desviar, entretener, distraer
strengthening - fortalecimiento; fortalecer, animar
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 - renuente, reacio, reluctante, reticente
physician - médico, médica, facultativo
notice - aviso; comunicación, notificación, darse cuenta, advertir
hesitation - hesitación, vacilación, dudas, titubeo
breathed - respiró; respirar
"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 - respirar
laying - colocación; (lay) colocación
I did as he requested. There was the vision even more clearly than ever before.
requested - solicitado; pedir, solicitar, demandar, checkpedir
"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 - tiritando; temblar, tiritar, estremecerse
overcame - uperado; vencer, superar
passing away - fallecer
almost - casi, por poco
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 - respiró; respiración, aliento, respiro
neck - cuello
pale - pálido
locked - cerrado; cerradura
silent - silencioso, callar, checkcallado
"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."
instructions - instrucciones; instrucción
strictly - estrictamente, terminantemente
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
forced - forzado; fuerza
absolutely - totalmente, absolutamente
benefit - beneficio, ventaja, prestación, beneficiar
steady - estable; firme, liso, fijo
attacks - ataques; ataque, atacar
at noon - a mediodía
intensely - intensamente
midst - en medio; centro
merry - contento; alegre
enjoyment - disfrutar; disfrute, gozo, regocijo, holganza
glowing - resplandeciente; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
daggers - dagas; daga, punal
pierce - perforar; atravesar, traspasar
intellect - intelecto
powerless - impotente
obliged - obligado; obligar
retire - retirarse, jubilarse
recovered - recuperado; recuperarse
condition - stado; condición, situación, acondicionar
lethargy - aletargía; atonía, letargo, aletargamiento, sopor
irresistible - irresistible
longing for - Anhelar, desear, esperar
distance - distancia, lejanía, distanciarse, alejarse
desire - desear, deseo, gana
rushed - apurado; precipitarse, lanzarse, correr, ir rápidamente
pressure - presión, presionar
dimly - tenuemente
vestibule - vestíbulo
enveloped - envuelto; envolver
atmosphere - atmósfera, aire, clima, ambiente
beat - Golpear; latir
as from - como de
shrilled - gritó; estridente
hall - pasillo, salón, vestibulo
brilliantly - brillantemente
furnished - amueblado; amoblar, amueblar, suministrar, proporcionar, dotar
fashioned - a la moda; moda, manera, modo
magnificence - magnificencia
Japanese - japonés, nipón, japonés, japonesa, nipón
ornaments - dornos; ornamento, ornamento musical
Strongly perfumed incense arose in blue clouds about me. "Welcome-welcome, sweet bridegroom! the hour has come, our bridal hour!" 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! 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. 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:
strongly - con fuerza; fuertemente
perfumed - perfumado; aroma, perfume, perfumar
incense - incienso, sahumerio, sahumo
clouds - nubes; nublar
bridegroom - novio
arise from - surgir de
outstretched - Extender
madness - locura
mine - (el) mío, (la) mía, (los) míos, (las) mías
terror - terror
piercing - pirsin, perforación, punzante; (pierce); pirsin, perforación
hold - sostener; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
spellbound - Hechizo
mask - máscara, careta, mascarilla
beneath - por debajo; bajo
features - aracterísticas; característica, atracción, atractivo, reportaje
touch - tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
scream - grito, gritar
"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 - trucos; truco, artimana, enganifa, treta
grace - gracias, benedícite, gracia, donaire, merced
blows - Golpes; (blow) Golpes
mighty - poderoso
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 - Balanceándose; (swing); balancear, mecer, columpiar, oscilar
whip - fusta, látigo, flagelo, panish: t-needed
strike - tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar, hacer la huelga
exclaiming - exclamando; exclamar
Satan - Satanás, Satán
murdered - asesinado; asesinato, asesinar, cepillarse, devorar
aid - ayuda, auxilio
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. 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. 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. Her crazy excellency has been punished, and is bound fast in her bed. Sleep well, good sir, sleep softly and sweetly.
sought - buscado; buscar
vain - vanidoso, vano, vacuo
darkness - oscuridad, tinieblas
screams - gritos; grito, gritar
gave way - ceder el paso
stairs - escaleras; peldano, escalera
bringing up - sacar el tema; criar, educar; vomitar
against - contra, cerca de, frente, en contra, enfrente, en pugna
bottom - fondo, culo, pasivo
measured - medido; medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
Length - largo, eslora (nautical: length of a ship from bow to stern)
small room - una habitación pequena
vacated - desalojado; desalojar, evacuar, dejar vacante
familiar - te suena; familiar, espíritu familiar
hanging over - colgar sobre
chamber - cámara, recámara, compartimento
trampling - Pisoteando; (trample); pisotear, hollar, maltratar, humillar
throwing - Lanzamiento; (throw) Lanzamiento
Saints - santos; San, Santa, Santo
entreated - suplicado; rogar, suplicar, invitar, compartir, negociar
folded - doblado; doblar, plegar
Whoever - a quién; cualquier, cualesquiera, cualquiera, quien
witch - bruja
managed - manejado; manejar, conseguir, lograr, apanárselas
entice - atraer; incitar, tentar, engolosinar
excellency - excelencia
punished - castigado; castigar, punir, maltratar
bound - atado; (bind); atar, atar (tie), empastar (books), liar
softly - suavemente, inaudiblemente, silenciosamente
sweetly - dulcemente, abemoladamente
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. 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. 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? Listen, and I will tell you more about it.
shine - brillar
taken up - se ha tomado
led - llevado; led; (lead) llevado; led
basement - sótano, zócalo
pushed - empujado; empujar
bewildered - perplejo; confundir, desconcertar
secret - secreto, arcano
explanation - explicación
memory - memoria, recuerdo
scene - escena, escenario
recollection - Recuerdo
unexpected - inesperado, inopinado
madhouse - casa de locos; manicomio
evident - es evidente; evidente, constatable
tyrannical - tiránico, tirano, de ordeno y mando
guardian - guardián, guardia, apoderado, tutor, custodio, jefe
noble - noble
birth - nacimiento
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. 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! 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. 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. 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. 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.
entertainment - entretenimiento, espectáculo
secrets - secretos; secreto, arcano
revealed - revelado; revelar, propalar
dining - cenar; jaleo
thrown - tirado; lanzar, tirar
proceeded - procedió; continuar, proceder
lady - senora; ama, senora, dama, bano de damas
mechanically - mecánicamente, maquinalmente
ceremonious - Ceremonioso
procession - procesión
companion - companero; companero, companera
seats - asientos; asiento, seato, sede
arranged - arreglado; disponer, poner en orden, arreglar
feature - Característica, distintivo; presentar, incluir
deception - engano; engano, socalina
innermost - más interior
discovered - descubierto; descubrir, destapar
Echo - eco, repercutir, repetir, hacer eco
apparent - visible, claro, evidente, manifiesto, aparente, ostensible
endeavoured - se esforzó; esforzarse
control - controlar, administración, control, dirección, manejo
sufficiently - suficientemente
remark - observación, comentario
somewhere - en alguna parte, en algún lugar, en algún sitio, a alguna parte
effect - efecto, efectos, efectos especiales, vigencia, vigor
hardly - apenas, a duras penas
only yesterday - Ayer mismo
awkward - torpe, desmanado, embarazoso, delicado, incómodo, tímido
gentle - tierno, suave, tranquilo, medido, gradual, amable
brought back - traído de vuelta
courage - coraje, valor, valentía
tentative - tentativo, provisional, experimental
exploring - explorando; explorar
delicate - delicado, delicado (1, 2)
suffering - sufrido, sufriente, sufrimiento; (suffer); sufrir, penar
trouble - problemas; marrón, berenjenal, dificultad, problema, molestia
particularly - en particular; particularmente
throw in - agregar, anadir, echar en, incluir
daring - atrevido, audaz, osado; (dare); atrevido, audaz, osado
Dash - raya, guion largo, carrerita, gota, pizca, lanzarse, romper
pained - dolido; dolor
wound - Herida
Was it the visit this morning?" 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?" 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. 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.
officer - oficial
grasped - comprendido; agarrar, asir, comprender, asimiento, comprensión
cheeks - mejilla, cacha, cachete, nalga, glúteo, descoco
loudly - en voz alta, ruidosamente
Tears - lágrimas; lágrima
complained - se quejó; quejarse, alegar, reclamar, protestar
headache - dolor de cabeza, cefalea, jaqueca, quebradero de cabeza
merely - simplemente; meramente, puramente, solamente, sólo
evidences - pruebas; prueba, prueba, evidencia, evidenciar
nervous - nervioso
spirit - espíritu, alma, onda, alcohol, bebida espirituosa
bubbles - burbujas; burbuja, pompa, burbujear
poet - poeta, poetisa
nectar - néctar, néctar
champagne - champán; Champana
sipped - bebido; sorbo, sorber
gratitude - gratitud
mood - estado de ánimo; humor
arousing - excitante; provocar, incitar, concitar, excitar, despertar
deadly - mortal, letal, mortífero
sudden - de repente; repentino, súbito, brusco
exactly - exactamente, exacto
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?
opportunity - oportunidad
movement - movimiento
incurably - incurablemente
This morning both mother and daughter went to see the unfortunate woman. 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--."
unfortunate - desafortunado, desgraciado
outbreaks - rotes; brote, irrupción
seriously ill - gravemente enfermo
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 - a quién; quién, quiénes, cuyo, quien
turned in - entregado, devuelto
anxiety - zozobra, ansiedad, inquietud
peace - paz, sosiego
promise - promesa, prometer
secrecy - secreto, sigilo, secretismo
"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. 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.
Angelica - angélica
thirtieth - trigésimo, treintavo
full possession - Propiedad completa
beauty - belleza, hermosura, preciosidad, preciosura
fascinated - fascinado; fascinar
charm - encanto
wooed - cortejado; cortejar
ardent - ardiente, ferviente
devotion - devoción, dedicación, fervor, veneración
luck - suerte
scarcely - apenas, difícilmente
colourless - incoloro
enthralled - encantado; subyugar, cautivar, embrujar, embelesar
consent - consentir, consentimiento, venia, anuencia
feelings - Sentimientos
suitor - pretendiente
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. 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.
lover - amante
faithlessness - fidelidad
forsaken - abandonado; abandonar
perceive - percibir, entender
toy - juguete, jugar (con), darle vueltas a una idea
proud - orgulloso
scorn - despreciar, desdenar, menospreciar, rechazar, escarnecer
belied - desmentida; esconder; desmentir
betrothal - esponsales, palabra de matrimonio, promesa de matrimonio
seldom - raramente, rara vez
appear - aparecer, comparecer
wood - madera
"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. The men were brought to the castle courtyard, fettered together on a long chain, while the women and children were packed on a cart.
Occurrence - acontecimiento, ocurrencia, suceso
disturbed - molesto; perturbar, molestar
monotonous - monótono
castle - castillo, castro, enrocar
hunters - cazadores; cazador, perro de caza, buscador, buscadora
assisted - asistida; ayudar, asistir
peasants - campesinos; campesino, montanero, checkpeón
captured - capturado; captura, capturar
gipsies - Gitano
accused - acusado; acusar, denunciar
robberies - robos; robo
murders - asesinatos; asesinato, asesinar, cepillarse, devorar
recently - recientemente, hace poco, últimamente, recién
in the neighbourhood - en el barrio/vecindario
fettered - encadenado; grillos, pihuelas, or animals, grillos, pihuela
packed - empacado; fardo, bulto
cart - carro, carreta
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. The guards were so awed by her manner and appearance that they obeyed her at once.
noticeable - se nota; notable
among - entre
haggard - macilento, ojeroso, demacrado
terrifying - aterrador; aterrar
aspect - aspecto
wrapped - envuelto; enrollar
shawl - un chal; chal, panolón
upright - derecho; vertical, recto, erguido, honrado, verticalmente
imperious - imperioso
allowed - permitido; dejar, permitir, conceder
descend - descender, bajar
guards - guardias; guarda, guardia, guardés, guarda, tapador, bloque
awed - asombrado; pavor, temor, medrosía, asombro, asombrar, abrumar
manner - de qué manera; manera, modo, forma, actitud
obeyed - obedecer
"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! 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.
gang - pandilla; grupo, cuadrilla, equipo
prisons - árceles; cárcel, prisión, penitenciaría, chirona
shed - cobertizo, nave
loose - suelto; flojo
innocent - inocente
drop - dejar caer; gota
blood - ensangrentar
knife - cuchillo, punal, acuchillar
swung - se balanceó; balancear, mecer, columpiar, oscilar, columpio
sank - se hundió; hundir, sumergir, sumergirse, lavamanos, fregadero
swooning - Desmayo; (swoon) Desmayo
darling - carino; querido, querida, amado, amada
hurt - doler, lastimar, hacer dano, herido, dolido
She cowered beside the Countess and pressed disgusting kisses to her face and breast, murmuring crazy words. 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.
cowered - acobardado; encogerse, empequenecerse, apocarse
pressed - presionado; apretar, presionar
disgusting - asqueroso; repugnar, dar asco, asquear, asco, repugnancia
kisses - besos; besar
breast - pecho, seno, teta, corazón, pechuga
murmuring - murmullos; (murmur); soplo, murmurar
recesses - recesos; receso
vial - frasco
tiny - pequeno; diminuto, minúsculo, pequenito
goldfish - peces de colores; pez rojo, pez dorado, pez de oro
silver - plata
liquid - líquido, líquida
regained - recuperado; recobrar
consciousness - conciencia
immediately - inmediatamente, de inmediato, ya, sin demora
gipsy woman - Mujer gitana
sprang up - brotar; aparecer; alzarse
clasped - agarrado; broche, manija, corchete, hebilla, agarrar
ardently - con ardor
"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. 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--.
wedding - Boda; (wed); casar
approached - se acercó; acercarse, aproximarse
wagons - vagones; carro, coche
furniture - muebles; mobiliario
clothing - ropa, ropaje, indumentaria, indumento; (cloth); tela
linen - lino, linge, ropa blanca, linocros
necessary - es necesario; necesario, menester
household - hogar, agregado familiar, núcleo familiar, familia, casero
outfit - conjunto, atuendo, tenida
driven away - alejarse en coche; ahuyentar
Grant - otorgar, conceder, subvención, beca, patrocinio
odd - raro; guacho, desparejado, desemparejado, suelto, extrano
request - solicitud; pedir, solicitar, demandar, checkpedir
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. He added also, that, at her urgent request, he had permitted his own valet to accompany her, to take charge of her household.
enter - entrar
express - expresar
permission - permiso, venia, beneplácito
urgent - urgente, acuciante, apremiante
permitted - permitido; permitir
accompany - acompanar; acompanar
"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.
festivities - festejos; festividad
bride - novia
departed - se ha ido; irse, salir, partir, panish:
Happiness - la felicidad; felicidad
failed - falló; fracasar
mysteriously - misteriosamente
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. 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.
sorrow - pena; tristeza, aflicción, infelicidad, pesar
vitals - vitales; vital
robbing - robando; robar
joy - alegría, júbilo
efforts - esfuerzos; esfuerzo
discover - descubrir, destapar
source - fuente, fontana, origen
fruitless - infructuoso, estéril
constantly - constantemente
Fainting - desmayos; desmayo; (faint) desmayos; desmayo
threatened - amenazado; amenazar
yielded - cedido; ceder
physicians - médicos; médico, médica, facultativo
ostensibly - aparentemente; ostensiblemente
accompanying - acompanando; acompanar
"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. 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.
rhapsodical - Rapsódico
keen - con ganas; entusiasta
observer - observador
coherence - coherencia
absence - ausencia, falta, ausencia de hierro
spirited away - raptar, secuestrar
search - búsqueda, buscar, inspeccionar, cachear, allanar
grief - duelo; pesar, pesadumbre, dolor, sufrimiento
Loss - pérdida
deepened - rofundizado; ahondar, checkprofundizar
despair - desesperar, desesperanzar, desesperación, desesperanza
received - recibido; recibir
stating - declarando; Estado, declarar, indicar
dying - Muriendo; (dye) Muriendo
heart trouble - Problemas cardíacos
maniac - maníaco, maniaco, maniático
The old Count added that all this horror had so shaken his own nerves that he feared he would not long survive it.
horror - horror
shaken - sacudido; agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida, batido
nerves - nervio, coraje, descaro, frescura, nervios
feared - Miedo
survive - sobrevivir
"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! 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!
crying - llorando; llanto; (cry); llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
infant - nino; nene, infante
candle - una vela; vela, candela, cirio
gipsy - Gitano
Death - muerte, la muerte, el arcano de la muerte
beat - batir, golpear, percutir
She snatched the infant from the gipsy's arms, just as the woman fell at her feet lifeless. The Countess's screams awoke the house, but the gipsy was quite dead and no effort to revive her met with success.
snatched - arrebatado; agarrar, arrebatar, arrancada, arranque
lifeless - exánime, sin vida, inánime
dead - muerto
effort - esfuerzo
revive - revivir
"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. 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?
endeavour - esfuerzo; esforzarse
throw - lanzar, tirar
disappearance - desaparición
female - mujer; femenino, hembra, hembra
servants - sirvientes; sirviente, criado, mozo, doméstico
Calm - calmado, sosiego, calma
buried - enterrado; enterrar
How the feathers of the gold pheasant shine in the sun! Have you seen the green lion with the fiery blue eyes?'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.
feathers - plumas; pluma
gold - oro
pheasant - faisán
horrified - horrorizado; horripilar
resolved - resuelto; tomar la decisión de, resolver
warnings - advertencias; advertencia, aviso, precaución, cuidado
mere - simple, mero
suggestion - sugerencia, propuesta, sugestión
removing - quitando; quitar, remover, detraer
increased - aumentado; aumentar, acrecentar, incrementar, subir
extent - en qué medida; extensión
"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. 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.
lucid - lúcido, lucido, brillante
interval - intervalo
granted - concedido; otorgar, conceder, subvención, beca, patrocinio
confession - confesión
slipped - se resbaló; resbalar
fantasy - fantasía; fantasia
rumour - rumor
abroad - en el extranjero, en el exterior
care - te importa; cuidado
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. 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.
arrange - organizar
affairs - asuntos; negocio, asunto, rollo, amorío, aventura
avoid - evitar, esquivar
confided - confiado; confiar
controlled - controlado; controlar, administración, control, dirección
cruelty - crueldad
allured - atraído; Attactivo, Encanto
assertions - afirmaciones; afirmación, aserto
assist - ayudar, asistir
operations - operaciones; operación, operación
"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. 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.
unnecessary - innecesario
deeper - más profundo; profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
inward - hacia dentro; interior, adentro
relationship - relación, noviazgo
brought about - provocar
catastrophe - una catástrofe; catástrofe
recovery - recuperación, repunte
speedy - rápido, pronto
alarmed - alarmado; alarma, rebato, despertador, alarma, tocar a rebato
communication - comunicación, comunicado
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. 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.
comment - comentarios; comentario
equally - igualmente
oppression - opresión
shake off - Sacudir
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.
uncanny - extrano; inquietante, desconcertante, extrano, siniestro
giving way - ceder el paso
intense - intenso
relief - alivio
flowed - fluyó; fluir
veins - venas; vena
Electric - eléctrico, electrizante, coche eléctrico
current - corriente, actual
within - dentro de, adentro
came about - ocurrir, suceder, desviar