roll-call - (roll-call) Pasar lista
reef - arrecife
couch - un sofá; sofá, canapé
"Yes, sir," said my host, the quarryman, reaching down the relics from their hook in the wall over the chimneypiece; "they've hung there all my time, and most of my father's. The women won't touch 'em; they're afraid of the story. So here they'll dangle, and gather dust and smoke, till another tenant comes and tosses 'em out o'doors for rubbish. Whew! 'tis coarse weather, surely."
Host - anfitrión; anfitriona
quarryman - Cantero
relics - reliquias; reliquia, vestigio
Hook - gancho, garfio, enganchar
chimneypiece - chimenea
ve - e
hung - colgado; colgar
dangle - colgar; pender
gather - reunirnos; juntar, recoger, recolectar, acumular, reunir
dust - polvo, desempolvar, limpiar el polvo, espolvorear
tenant - inquilino, arrendatario
tosses - lanzamientos; tiro, lanzamiento, lanzar una moneda al aire
coarse - grosero; tosco, rústico, rudo, bruto
surely - seguro; seguramente, checksin duda
He went to the door, opened it, and stood studying the gale that beat upon his cottage-front, straight from the Manacle Reef. The rain drove past him into the kitchen, aslant like threads of gold silk in the shine of the wreck-wood fire. Meanwhile, by the same firelight, I examined the relics on my knee. The metal of each was tarnished out of knowledge. But the trumpet was evidently an old cavalry trumpet, and the threads of its party-coloured sling, though fretted and dusty, still hung together. Around the side-drum, beneath its cracked brown varnish, I could hardly trace a royal coat-of-arms and a legend running, "Per Mare Per Terram"-the motto of the marines.
gale - revuelo; vendaval, galerna
upon - sobre, en, tras
cottage - cabana; chalet
Manacle - esposas, manillas, esposar
threads - hilos; hilo, hebra, hilaza, tema, argumento, hilazón, subproceso
silk - seda
shine - brillar
wreck - naufragio; cacharro, trasto, guinapo, choque, desastre
Meanwhile - y mientras tanto; mientras tanto, entretanto, a todo esto
firelight - Luz de fuego
examined - examinado; examinar, analizar, auscultar
tarnished - mpanado; oxidación, oxidar, deslustrar, empanar, tiznar
trumpet - trompeta, barrito, berrido, trompetear, tocar a la trompeta
evidently - evidentemente
cavalry - caballería
sling - eslinga; cabestrillo
though - ero..; no obstante, de todas formas, de todas maneras
fretted - inquieto; preocuparse
dusty - polvoriento
drum - tambor
beneath - por debajo; bajo
cracked - roto; rajarse, resquebrajarse
varnish - barniz, barnizar, lacar
hardly - apenas, a duras penas
trace - rastrear; rastro, huella, vestigio, indicio
Royal - real
legend - leyenda, simbología
mare - yegua
motto - mote, divisa, lema
marines - marines; marítimo, marino, infante de marina
Its parchment, though black and scented with woodsmoke, was limp and mildewed; and I began to tighten up the straps-under which the drumsticks had been loosely thrust-with the idle purpose of seeing if some music might be got out of the old drum yet.
parchment - pergamino
scented - con aroma; olor, esencia, olfato, fragancia, oler
woodsmoke - Humo de madera
limp - cojea; flojo, flácido, mustio, débil
mildewed - enmohecido; moho, mildiu, enmohecer
tighten - apretar, tensar, tensarse, endurecer la política monetaria
straps - correas; correa, cincha, tirante
drumsticks - palillos; baqueta, palillo, bolillo
loosely - a la ligera; vagamente
thrust - estocada, empuje, envión, impulso, énfasis, propulsar, asestar
idle - ocioso; parado, inactivo
But as I turned it on my knee, I found the drum attached to the trumpet-sling by a curious barrel-shaped padlock, and paused to examine this. The body of the lock was composed of half a dozen brass rings, set accurately edge to edge; and, rubbing the brass with my thumb, I saw that each of the six had a series of letters engraved around it.
attached - pegado; anexar, adjuntar
Curious - tienes curiosidad; curioso; extrano, raro
barrel - barril, tonel, canón, cano, embarrilar
padlock - candado, candar, asegurar
paused - receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir, suspender
examine - examinar, analizar, auscultar
composed - compuesto; componer, constituir, conformar, constar
dozen - docena, decenas
brass - latón
rings - anillos; anillo
edge - orilla, borde, lado, arista, ventaja, filo
rubbing - Frotar; (rub); frotación, frotamiento, frote, frotar
thumb - pulgar
engraved - grabado; grabar
I knew the trick of it, I thought. Here was one of those word padlocks, once so common; only to be opened by getting the rings to spell a certain word, which the dealer confides to you.
trick - truco, artimana, enganifa, treta
padlocks - candados; candado, candar, asegurar
confides - confía; confiar
My host shut and barred the door, and came back to the hearth.
hearth - hogar, lar, solera, fogón, crisol
"'Twas just such a wind-east by south-that brought in what you've got between your hands. Back in the year 'nine, it was; my father has told me the tale a score o'times. You're twisting round the rings, I see. But you'll never guess the word. Parson Kendall, he made the word, and he locked down a couple o'ghosts in their graves with it; and when his time came he went to his own grave and took the word with him."
Twas - wa
wind - viento, aire
Tale - cuento; historia, relato
twisting - Torciendo; (twist); torcer, sacar punta a, torcerse
parson - párroco, cura párroco, pastor
ghosts - fantasmas; fantasma, espectro, espíritu, aparecido
graves - umbas; tumba
"Whose ghosts, Matthew?"
Matthew - Mateo, Matías
"You want the story, I see, sir. My father could tell it better than I can. He was a young man in the year 'nine, unmarried at the time, and living in this very cottage, just as I be. That's how he came to get mixed up with the tale."
unmarried - soltero; (unmarry); soltero
mixed - mezclado; mezclar
He took a chair, lighted a short pipe, and went on, with his eyes fixed on the dancing violet flames:
pipe - pipa; caramillo, flauta ), tubo de órgano, tubería, tubo
Violet - violeta
flames - llamas; flama, llama
"Yes, he'd ha'been about thirty year old in January, eighteen 'nine. The storm got up in the night o'the twenty-first o'that month. My father was dressed and out long before daylight; he never was one to bide in bed, let be that the gale by this time was pretty near lifting the thatch over his head. Besides which, he'd fenced a small 'taty-patch that winter, down by Lowland Point, and he wanted to see if it stood the night's work. He took the path across Gunner's Meadow-where they buried most of the bodies afterward. The wind was right in his teeth at the time, and once on the way (he's told me this often) a great strip of oarweed came flying through the darkness and fetched him a slap on the cheek like a cold hand. He made shift pretty well till he got to Lowland, and then had to drop upon hands and knees and crawl, digging his fingers every now and then into a shingle to hold on, for he declared to me that the stones, some of them as big as a man's head, kept rolling and driving past till it seemed the whole foreshore was moving westward under him.
bide - esperar el momento oportuno
thatch - paja
besides - además; al lado de, cabe
fenced - vallado; cerca, cerramiento, barda, perista
patch - remiendo, parche
Lowland - las tierras bajas; tierra baja
path - camino, sendero
Gunner - Artillero
meadow - pradera; prado, vega
buried - enterrado; enterrar
afterward - después
strip - tira; quitar, desprender; arrancar; despojar
flying through - volando a través de
darkness - oscuridad, tinieblas
fetched - conseguido; ir por, ir a buscar, traer
slap - abofetada; bofetada, cachetada, abofetear, cachetear, golpear
cheek - mejilla, cacha, cachete, nalga, glúteo, descoco
shift - turno, cambio, desviación, deslizamiento, desplazamiento
crawl - gatear; avanzar lentamente
digging - Cavando; (dig) Cavando
shingle - teja; guijarro
declared - declarado; explicar, aclarar, declarar
rolling - rodando; rolar; (roll) rodando; rolar
foreshore - Playa
The fence was gone, of course; not a stick left to show where it stood; so that, when first he came to the place, he thought he must have missed his bearings. My father, sir, was a very religious man; and if he reckoned the end of the world was at hand-there in the great wind and night, among the moving stones-you may believe he was certain of it when he heard a gun fired, and, with the same, saw a flame shoot up out of the darkness to windward, making a sudden fierce light in all the place about. All he could find to think or say was, 'The Second Coming! The Second Coming! The Bridegroom cometh, and the wicked He will toss like a ball into a large country'; and being already upon his knees, he just bowed his head and 'bided, saying this over and over.
fence - valla; cerca, cerramiento, barda, perista
stick - palo; clavar
bearings - Rodamiento
religious - religioso
reckoned - contó; considerar
flame - flama, llama
shoot - disparar, lanzar
windward - barlovento, barlovento
sudden - de repente; repentino, súbito, brusco
fierce - fiero, feroz, enconado
bridegroom - novio
cometh - Vienes
wicked - malvado, cruel, insoportable; (wick) malvado, cruel
toss - tiro, lanzamiento, lanzar una moneda al aire, echar un volado
bowed - inclinado; inclinar(se), hacer una reverencia
bided - pidió; esperar el momento oportuno
"But by'm by, between two squalls, he made bold to lift his head and look, and then by the light-a bluish colour 'twas-he saw all the coast clear away to Manacle Point, and off the Manacles in the thick of the weather, a sloop-of-war with topgallants housed, driving stern foremost toward the reef. It was she, of course, that was burning the fire. My father could see the white streak and the ports of her quite plain as she rose to it, a little outside the breakers, and he guessed easy enough that her captain had just managed to wear ship and was trying to force her nose to the sea with the help of her small bower anchor and the scrap or two of canvas that hadn't yet been blown out of her.
squalls - chubascos; tormenta, borrasca
bold - osado; valiente, audaz, atrevido
bluish - azulado
clear away - despejar, quitar
manacles - esposas, manillas, esposar
sloop - un balandro; balandra, chalupa
stern - severo, austero, serio
toward - hacia, sobre, para
streak - raya, trazo, sarta, racha, ristra
ports - puertos; puerto
plain - plano; sencillo; liso; sin ornamentos; llano (persona)
breakers - Rompedor
captain - capitán, capitanear, pilotar
force - fuerza
anchor - ancla
scrap - chatarra; pedacito, retazo
canvas - lienzo; lona
blown out - apagar; soplar; echar; romper con alguien
But while he looked, she fell off, giving her broadside to it, foot by foot, and drifting back on the breakers around Carn Du and the Varses. The rocks lie so thick thereabout that 'twas a toss up which she struck first; at any rate, my father couldn't tell at the time, for just then the flare died down and went out.
broadside - golpe de costado; costado, andanada
by foot - a pie
drifting - deriva, derrape, ir a la deriva, vagar, derivar, errar
thereabout - algo por ahí
struck - golpeado; tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar
flare - bengala
"Well, sir, he turned then in the dark and started back for Coverack to cry the dismal tidings-though well knowing ship and crew to be past any hope, and as he turned the wind lifted him and tossed him forward 'like a ball,'as he'd been saying, and homeward along the foreshore. As you know, 'tis ugly work, even by daylight, picking your way among the stones there, and my father was prettily knocked about at first in the dark. But by this 'twas nearer seven than six o'clock, and the day spreading. By the time he reached North Corner, a man could see to read print; hows'ever, he looked neither out to sea nor toward Coverack, but headed straight for the first cottage-the same that stands above North Corner today. A man named Billy Ede lived there then, and when my father burst into the kitchen bawling, 'Wreck!
dismal - lúgubre; mísero, miserable, triste, deprimente
tidings - noticias; noticia
crew - tripulación
tossed - lanzado; tiro, lanzamiento, lanzar una moneda al aire
homeward - hacia casa
ugly - feo, callo
prettily - bonito; bellamente, hermosamente, lindamente
burst - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
bawling - Gritando; (bawl); gritar, alarido, grito
wreck!'he saw Billy Ede's wife, Ann, standing there in her clogs with a shawl over her head, and her clothes wringing wet.
clogs - zuecos; zueco, bloqueo, obstrucción, obstruir, azolvar, bloquear
shawl - un chal; chal, panolón
wringing - Escurriendo; (wring) Escurriendo
"'Save the chap!'says Billy Ede's wife, Ann. 'What d'ee mean by crying stale fish at that rate?'
chap - chico; tío, tipo
ee - e
stale - duro, rancio, seco
"'But 'tis a wreck, I tell 'e.'
"'I'v a-zeed'n, too; and so has every one with an eye in his head.'
"And with that she pointed straight over my father's shoulder, and he turned; and there, close under Dolor Point, at the end of Coverack town he saw another wreck washing, and the point black with people, like emmets, running to and fro in the morning light.
While he stood staring at her, he heard a trumpet sounded on board, the notes coming in little jerks, like a bird rising against the wind; but faintly, of course, because of the distance and the gale blowing-though this had dropped a little.
jerks - imbéciles; sacudida
"'She's a transport,'said Billy Ede's wife, Ann, 'and full of horse-soldiers, fine long men. When she struck they must ha'pitched the horses over first to lighten the ship, for a score of dead horses had washed in afore I left, half an hour back. An'three or four soldiers, too-fine long corpses in white breeches and jackets of blue and gold. I held the lantern to one. Such a straight young man.'
ha - Ja
pitched - pitched; plantar, armar, montar
lighten - Aligerar
corpses - cadáveres; cuerpo, cadáver
breeches - calzones; culata
lantern - farol, linterna
"My father asked her about the trumpeting.
trumpeting - Trompeteo; (trumpet); trompeta, barrito, berrido, trompetear
"'That's the queerest bit of all. She was burnin'a light when me an'my man joined the crowd down there. All her masts had gone; whether they carried away, or were cut away to ease her, I don't rightly know. Her keelson was broke under her and her bottom sagged and stove, and she had just settled down like a setting hen-just the leastest list to starboard; but a man could stand there easy. They had rigged up ropes across her, from bulwark to bulwark, an'beside these the men were mustered, holding on like grim death whenever the sea made a clean breach over them, an'standing up like heroes as soon as it passed. The captain an'the officers were clinging to the rail of the quarter-deck, all in their golden uniforms, waiting for the end as if 'twas King George they expected. There was no way to help, for she lay right beyond cast of line, though our folk tried it fifty times. And beside them clung a trumpeter, a whacking big man, an'between the heavy seas he would lift his trumpet with one hand, and blow a call; and every time he blew the men gave a cheer. There (she says)-hark 'ee now-there he goes agen! But you won't hear no cheering any more, for few are left to cheer, and their voices weak.
queerest - queerest; raro, extrano, trucha, marica, maricón
burnin - Quemando
masts - mástiles; mástil
whether - si, si , o, ya sea
ease - facilidad; aliviar
rightly - verdad
keelson - sobrequilla
sagged - se hundió; combarse, ceder, arquearse
stove - fogón; estufa, cocina, horno; (stave); duela, estrofa
settled - resuelto; instalar, colocar
setting - configuración, ajustes, poniente; (set); configuración, ajustes
leastest - Menos
starboard - estribor
rigged up - armado
ropes - cuerdas; cuerda
bulwark - baluarte, amurada
beside - al lado de, cabe
mustered - reunidos; reunir(se)
grim - asqueroso; horrible, horroroso, macabro, nefasto
whenever - cuándo; cuando quiera, siempre que, siempre y cuando
breach - brecha, violación, batería, boquete, disolución, quebrada
clinging - aferrándose; engancharse, adherirse
rail - ferrocarril; barra
deck - cubierta
George - Jorge
lay - poner, colocar
beyond - más allá de
cast - moldear, elenco, castear, sondar, sondear, lanzar, lanzamiento
folk - pueblo, gente
clung - aferrado; engancharse, adherirse
trumpeter - trompetista, trompetero, trompeta
whacking - Golpear; (whack); porrazo, trompazo, cebollazo, golpear
Hark - Oyes
cheering - animando; viva, hurra
Bitter cold the wind is, and I reckon it numbs their grip o'the ropes, for they were dropping off fast with every sea when my man sent me home to get his breakfast. Another wreck, you say? Well, there's no hope for the tender dears, if 'tis the Manacles. You'd better run down and help yonder; though 'tis little help any man can give. Not one came in alive while I was there. The tide's flowing, an'she won't hold together another hour, they say.'
Bitter - amargo
reckon - te parece; considerar
numbs - entumecidos; entumecido, entumido
grip - agarre; empunar, agarrar, aferrar, asir
tender - tierno
yonder - de allá, aquel, aquella
tide - marea
flowing - fluyendo; fluir
she won't - No lo hará
hold together - mantenerse juntos, unidos
"Well, sure enough, the end was coming fast when my father got down to the Point. Six men had been cast up alive, or just breathing-a seaman and five troopers. The seaman was the only one that had breath to speak; and while they were carrying him into the town, the word went round that the ship's name was the 'Despatch,'transport, homeward bound from Corunna, with a detachment of the Seventh Hussars, that had been fighting out there with Sir John Moore. The seas had rolled her further over by this time, and given her decks a pretty sharp slope; but a dozen men still held on, seven by the ropes near the ship's waist, a couple near the break of the poop, and three on the quarter-deck. Of these three my father made out one to be the skipper; close to him clung an officer in full regimentals-his name, they heard after, was Captain Duncanfield; and last came the tall trumpeter; and if you'll believe me, the fellow was making shift there, at the very last, to blow 'God Save the King.'What's more, he got to 'Send us victorious,'before an extra big sea came bursting across and washed them off the deck-every man but one of the pair beneath the poop-and he dropped his hold before the next wave; being stunned, I reckon.
breathing - respirando; respiración; (breath); respiración, aliento, respiro
despatch - despachar
bound - atado; (bind); atar, atar (tie), empastar (books), liar
detachment - desapego; desprendimiento, destacamento
hussars - húsares; húsar
fighting out - luchando
rolled - rodando; rollo
decks - mazos; cubierta
sharp - agudo, afilado, filoso, listo, sostenido, agrio, certero
slope - pendiente, cuesta, desnivel, inclinación, ojo chueco, chuequito
waist - cintura
poop - Caca
skipper - capitán
fellow - colega; tipo
victorious - victorioso
bursting - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
stunned - aturdido; anonadar, aturdir, pasmar, atontar
The others went out of sight at once, but the trumpeter-being, as I said, a powerful man as well as a tough swimmer-rose like a duck, rode out a couple of breakers, and came in on the crest of the third. The folks looked to see him broke like an egg at their very feet; but when the smother cleared, there he was, lying face downward on a ledge below them; and one of the men that happened to have a rope round him-I forget the fellow's name, if I ever heard it-jumped down and grabbed him by the ankle as he began to slip back. Before the next big sea, the pair were hauled high enough to be out of harm, and another heave brought them up to grass. Quick work, but master trumpeter wasn't quite dead; nothing worse than a cracked head and three staved ribs. In twenty minutes or so they had him in bed, with the doctor to tend him.
sight - vista, lugar de interés, espectáculo, panorama, visor, mira, ver
powerful - poderoso
tough - difícil; resistente, severo, de mano dura, ni modo
swimmer - nadador, nadadora
Duck - pato; hundir, sumergir
crest - cornisa, cresta, cimera
folks - pueblo, gente
smother - asfixiar, ahogar
downward - hacia abajo
ledge - repisa, alféizar, estante
rope - cuerda
grabbed - agarrado; asir, agarrar, coger
slip - resbalón; resbalar
hauled - arrastrado; empujar, tirar fuerte, llevar
harm - dano; dano, danar
heave - arriba; ondular
Master - maestro; senor, dueno; senora, duena
wasn - Era
staved - estabulado; duela, estrofa, pentagrama
ribs - costillas; costilla
tend - tender; guardar
"Now was the time-nothing being left alive upon the transport-for my father to tell of the sloop he'd seen driving upon the Manacles. And when he got a hearing, though the most were set upon salvage, and believed a wreck in the hand, so to say, to be worth half a dozen they couldn't see, a good few volunteered to start off with him and have a look. They crossed Lowland Point; no ship to be seen on the Manacles nor anywhere upon the sea. One or two was for calling my father a liar. 'Wait till we come to Dean Point,'said he. Sure enough, on the far side of Dean Point they found the sloop's mainmast washing about with half a dozen men lashed to it, men in red jackets, every mother's son drowned and staring; and a little further on, just under the Dean, three or four bodies cast up on the shore, one of them a small drummer-boy, side-drum and all; and nearby part of a ship's gig, with 'H.M.S. Primrose'cut on the sternboard.
salvage - salvamento; salvar, rescatar, recuperar
worth - vale la pena; valor
volunteered - voluntario, voluntario
liar - mentiroso, mentirosa, embustero, embustera
dean - decano; deán
mainmast - mástil principal; palo mayor
lashed - azotado; pestana
drowned - hogado; ahogarse
further on - más adelante
shore - oribera; costa, playa
drummer - Batería
nearby - cercano, próximo
gig - bolo, actuación
Primrose - primavera
From this point on the shore was littered thick with wreckage and dead bodies-the most of them marines in uniform-and in Godrevy Cove, in particular, a heap of furniture from the captain's cabin, and among it a water-tight box, not much damaged, and full of papers, by which, when it came to be examined, next day, the wreck was easily made out to be the 'Primrose'of eighteen guns, outward bound from Portsmouth, with a fleet of transports for the Spanish war-thirty sail, I've heard, but I've never heard what became of them. Being handled by merchant skippers, no doubt they rode out the gale, and reached the Tagus safe and sound. Not but what the captain of the 'Primrose'-Mein was his name-did quite right to try and club-haul his vessel when he found himself under the land; only he never ought to have got there, if he took proper soundings. But it's easy talking.
littered - limpiado; litera, artolas, camada, cama, lecho, detritus
Cove - cala, ensenada
heap - pila, montón, cúmulo, montículo, checkpila, amontonar
cabin - barraca, cabana, cabina, camarote
tight - apretado, ajustado, tensado, tensionado, tenso
damaged - danado; dano
outward - hacia fuera
Fleet - flota
Spanish - espanol; espanol, castellano, espanol, castellano, hispano
handled - manejado; mango; asa; manilla, pomo(puerta)
merchant - comerciante, mercader
skippers - patrones; capitán
doubt - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
Tagus - Tajo
haul - empujar, tirar fuerte, llevar
vessel - vasija; embarcación, barco, casco, recipiente, receptáculo
proper - bien; adecuado, conveniente, preciso, propio
soundings - Sonando
"The 'Primrose,'sir, was a handsome vessel-for her size one of the handsomest in the King's service-and newly fitted out at Plymouth Dock. So the boys had brave pickings from her in the way of brass-work, ship's instruments, and the like, let alone some barrels of stores not much spoiled. They loaded themselves with as much as they could carry, and started for home, meaning to make a second journey before the preventive men got wind of their doings, and came to spoil the fun. 'Hullo!'says my father, and dropped his gear, 'I do believe there's a leg moving!'and running fore, he stooped over the small drummer-boy that I told you about. The poor little chap was lying there, with his face a mass of bruises, and his eyes closed; but he had shifted one leg an inch or two, and was still breathing.
handsomest - el más guapo; apuesto, guapo, de buen parecer, lindo
newly - recién; nuevamente
fitted out - equipado con; provisto de
Dock - muelle
Brave - valiente, valeroso, corajudo
pickings - Recogiendo
barrels - barriles; barril, tonel, canón, cano, embarrilar
spoiled - mimado; expoliar, despojar, danar, arruinar, echar a perder
loaded - cargado; carga
preventive - preventivo
doings - Haciendo
Hullo - hola; vaya, anda
gear - equipo, engranaje, pertrecho, aparejo
stooped - encorvado; inclinarse, agacharse
mass - montón, masa
bruises - moretones; magullar, contusionar, mazar, machacar, macarse
shifted - desplazado; turno, cambio, desviación, deslizamiento
inch - pulgada
So my father pulled out a knife, and cut him free from his drum-that was lashed on to him with a double turn of Manila rope-and took him up and carried him along here to this very room that we're sitting in. He lost a good deal by this; for when he went back to fetch the bundle he'd dropped, the preventive men had got hold of it, and were thick as thieves along the foreshore; so that 'twas only by paying one or two to look the other way that he picked up anything worth carrying off; which you'll allow to be hard, seeing that he was the first man to give news of the wreck.
Manila - Manila
fetch - ir por, ir a buscar, traer
bundle - haz, atado, fajo, atar, liar
carrying off - conseguir
"Well, the inquiry was held, of course, and my father gave evidence, and for the rest they had to trust to the sloop's papers, for not a soul was saved besides the drummer-boy, and he was raving in a fever, brought on by the cold and the fright. And the seaman and the five troopers gave evidence about the loss of the 'Despatch.'The tall trumpeter, too, whose ribs were healing, came forward and kissed the book; but somehow his head had been hurt in coming ashore, and he talked foolish-like, and 'twas easy seen he would never be a proper man again.
inquiry - investigación; inquisición, indagatoria, pesquisa
trust - confiar; confianza, crédito, fiar, consorcio, trust
soul - alma, espíritu
fever - fiebre, calentura
fright - miedo; susto
Loss - pérdida
healing - Curación; (heal) Curación
kissed - besado; besar
somehow - de algún modo, de alguna manera, de alguna forma
ashore - en tierra
foolish - tonto, necio, imprudente
The others were taken up to Plymouth, and so went their ways; but the trumpeter stayed on in Coverack; and King George, finding he was fit for nothing, sent him down a trifle of a pension after a while-enough to keep him in board and lodging, with a bit of tobacco over.
trifle - baratija; sopa inglesa, pizca, nadería, nimiedad, zarandaja
pension - pensión, pensionar
board and lodging - Alojamiento y comida
tobacco - tabaco
"Now the first time that this man-William Tallifer he called himself-met with the drummer-boy, was about a fortnight after the little chap had bettered enough to be allowed a short walk out of doors, which he took, if you please, in full regimentals. There never was a soldier so proud of his dress. His own suit had shrunk a brave bit with the salt water; but into ordinary frock an'corduroy he declared he would not get, not if he had to go naked the rest of his life; so my father-being a good-natured man, and handy with the needle-turned to and repaired damages with a piece or two of scarlet cloth cut from the jacket of one of the drowned Marines.
William - Guillermo
fortnight - quince días; quincena
proud - orgulloso
shrunk - ncogido; contraerse, encogerse, achicarse, mermar
salt water - agua salada
frock - vestido
corduroy - pana, corderoy
naked - desnudo
good-natured - (good-natured) Buen carácter, buena gente
handy - a mano, cercano
needle - aguja, acícula
damages - danos; dano
scarlet - escarlata, escarlatina
cloth - tela, pedazo de tela, trozo de tela, trapo, pano, facha
Well, the poor little chap chanced to be standing, in this rig out, down by the gate of Gunner's Meadow, where they had buried two score and over of his comrades. The morning was a fine one, early in March month; and along came the cracked trumpeter, likewise taking a stroll.
Rig - arreglar; aparejar
comrades - camaradas; companero, colega, camarada, correligionario
likewise - similarmente, igualmente
stroll - paseo, caminata, garbeo, vuelta, pasearse
"'Hullo!'says he; 'good mornin'! And what might you be doin'here?'
mornin - Manana
doin - Haciendo
"'I was a-wishin','says the boy, 'I had a pair o'drumsticks. Our lads were buried yonder without so much as a drum tapped or a musket fired; and that's not Christian burial for British soldiers.'
wishin - Deseando
lads - chicos; nino, chico, mozo, mozalbete
tapped - intervenido; golpecito, palmadita
musket - mosquete
Christian burial - Entierro cristiano
"'Phut!'says the trumpeter, and spat on the ground; 'a parcel of Marines!'
spat - Escupir
parcel - paquete, parcela, hatajo, embalar, parcelar
"The boy eyed him a second or so, and answered up: 'If I'd a tav of turf handy, I'd bung it at your mouth, you greasy cavalryman, and learn you to speak respectful of your betters. The Marines are the handiest body o'men in the service.'
turf - césped, terreno, territorio, tepe, gallón, turba, hipódromo
bung - tapón
greasy - grasiento, grasoso, resbaloso
cavalryman - caballero; soldado de caballería
respectful - respetuoso
handiest - más a mano; a mano, cercano
"The trumpeter looked down on him from the height of six-foot-two, and asked: 'Did they die well?'
"'They died very well. There was a lot of running to and fro at first, and some of the men began to cry, and a few to strip off their clothes. But when the ship fell off for the last time, Captain Mein turned and said something to Major Griffiths, the commanding officer on board, and the Major called out to me to beat to quarters. It might have been for a wedding, he sang it out so cheerful. We'd had word already that 'twas to be parade order; and the men fell in as trim and decent as if they were going to church. One or two even tried to shave at the last moment.
strip off - desnudarse, quitarse (una prenda)
commanding - mandando; orden, mandato, mando, comando, dominio
cheerful - alegre; animado
parade - desfile
trim - recortar, orlar, ribetear
decent - decente
shave - afeitarse
The Major wore his medals. One of the seamen, seeing I had work to keep the drum steady-the sling being a bit loose for me, and the wind what you remember-lashed it tight with a piece of rope; and that saved my life afterward, a drum being as good as cork until it's stove. I kept beating away until every man was on deck-and then the Major formed them up and told them to die like British soldiers, and the chaplain was in the middle of a prayer when she struck. In ten minutes she was gone. That was how they died, cavalryman.'
medals - medallas; medalla
steady - estable; firme, liso, fijo
loose - suelto; flojo
cork - corcho; Cork
chaplain - capellán
prayer - Oración
"'And that was very well done, drummer of the Marines. What's your name?'
What's your name? - ?Cómo te llamas?
"'John Christian.'
Christian - cristiano, cristiana, Cristián
"'Mine's William George Tallifer, trumpeter of the Seventh Light Dragoons-the Queen's Own. I played "God Save the King" while our men were drowning. Captain Duncanfield told me to sound a call or two, to put them in heart; but that matter of "God Save the King" was a notion of my own. I won't say anything to hurt the feelings of a Marine, even if he's not much over five-foot tall; but the Queen's Own Hussars is a tearin'fine regiment. As between horse and foot, 'tis a question o'which gets a chance. All the way from Sahagun to Corunna 'twas we that took and gave the knocks-at Mayorga and Rueda, and Bennyventy.'-The reason, sir, I can speak the names so pat, is that my father learnt them by heart afterward from the trumpeter, who was always talking about Mayorga and Rueda and Bennyventy.-'We made the rear-guard, after General Paget; and drove the French every time; and all the infantry did was to sit about in wine-shops till we whipped 'em out, an'steal an'straggle an'play the tom-fool in general. And when it came to a stand-up fight at Corunna, 'twas we that had to stay seasick aboard the transports, an'watch the infantry in the thick o'the caper. Very well they behaved, too-'specially the Fourth Regiment, an'the Forty-Second Highlanders and the Dirty Half-Hundred. Oh, ay; they're decent regiments, all three.
Dragoons - dragones; dragón, presionar
drowning - ahogándose; ahogamiento; (drown); ahogarse
notion - noción, ganas, intención
Ay - Sí
feelings - Sentimientos
marine - marítimo, marino, infante de marina
tearin - earin
Pat - palmadita, caricia
by heart - de memoria
rear - atrás; parte trasera
guard - guarda, guardia, guardés, guarda, tapador, bloque
French - francés, franceses
infantry - infantería, regimiento de infantería, tercio
whipped - batido; fusta, látigo, flagelo, panish: t-needed
fool - idiota; bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
aboard - a bordo, a bordo de
caper - caperucita; juguetear, brincar
specially - especialmente
regiments - regimientos; regimiento
But the Queen's Own Hussars is a tearin'fine regiment. So you played on your drum when the ship was goin'down? Drummer John Christian, I'll have to get you a new pair of sticks.'
regiment - regimiento
goin - Te vas
sticks - bastones; clavar
"The very next day the trumpeter marched into Helston, and got a carpenter there to turn him a pair of box-wood drumsticks for the boy. And this was the beginning of one of the most curious friendships you ever heard tell of. Nothing delighted the pair more than to borrow a boat off my father and pull out to the rocks where the 'Primrose'and the 'Despatch'had struck and sunk; and on still days 'twas pretty to hear them out there off the Manacles, the drummer playing his tattoo-for they always took their music with them-and the trumpeter practising calls, and making his trumpet speak like an angel.
Carpenter - carpintero, carpintera, ebanista
most curious - más curioso
friendships - amistades; amistad
delighted - encantado; deleite, regocijo, delicia, placer
sunk - Hundido; (sink); hundir, sumergir, sumergirse, lavamanos
tattoo - tatuaje; tatuar
angel - ángel
But if the weather turned roughish, they'd be walking together and talking; leastwise the youngster listened while the other discoursed about Sir John's campaign in Spain and Portugal, telling how each little skirmish befell; and of Sir John himself, and General Baird, and General Paget, and Colonel Vivian, his own commanding officer, and what kind of men they were; and of the last bloody stand-up at Corunna, and so forth, as if neither could have enough.
roughish - Aspero
leastwise - al menos
youngster - jovenzuelo
discoursed - discutido; discurso, conversación, disertar
campaign - campana; campana, sondear
Spain - espana; Espana
skirmish - escaramuza
Colonel - coronel
bloody - Sangriento
forth - adelante
"But all this had to come to an end in the late summer, for the boy, John Christian, being now well and strong again, must go up to Plymouth to report himself. 'Twas his own wish (for I believe King George had forgotten all about him), but his friend wouldn't hold him back. As for the trumpeter, my father had made an arrangement to take him on as lodger, as soon as the boy left; and on the morning fixed for the start, he was up at the door here by five o'clock, with his trumpet slung by his side, and all the rest of his belongings in a small valise.
late summer - fin de verano
lodger - inquilino; huésped
slung - colgado; cabestrillo
belongings - Pertenencia
valise - valija; bolsa de viaje
A Monday morning it was, and after breakfast he had fixed to walk with the boy some way on the road toward Helston, where the coach started. My father left them at breakfast together, and went out to meat the pig, and do a few odd morning jobs of that sort. When he came back, the boy was still at table, and the trumpeter sat with the rings in his hands, hitched together just as they be at this moment.
at breakfast - en el desayuno
odd - raro; guacho, desparejado, desemparejado, suelto, extrano
hitched - enganchado; inconveniente, contratiempo
"'Look at this,'he says to my father, showing him the lock. 'I picked it up off a starving brass-worker in Lisbon, and it is not one of your common locks that one word of six letters will open at any time. There's janius in this lock; for you've only to make the rings spell any six-letter word you please and snap down the lock upon that, and never a soul can open it-not the maker, even-until somebody comes along that knows the word you snapped it on. Now Johnny here's goin', and he leaves his drum behind him; for, though he can make pretty music on it, the parchment sags in wet weather, by reason of the sea-water gettin'at it; an'if he carries it to Plymouth, they'll only condemn it and give him another.
Starving - Muerto de hambre; (starve); morir de hambre, hambrear
Lisbon - Lisboa
Maker - hacedor, fabricante
snapped - se rompió; chasquido, crujido, chasquido de dedos, fotografía
Johnny - Juanito
sags - se hunde; combarse, ceder, arquearse
sea-water - (sea-water) agua de mar
gettin - Consiguiendo
condemn - condenar, clausurar
And, as for me, I shan't have the heart to put lip to the trumpet any more when Johnny's gone. So we've chosen a word together, and locked 'em together upon that; and, by your leave, I'll hang 'em here together on the hook over your fireplace. Maybe Johnny'll come back; maybe not. Maybe, if he comes, I'll be dead an'gone, an'he'll take 'em apart an'try their music for old sake's sake. But if he never comes, nobody can separate 'em; for nobody beside knows the word. And if you marry and have sons, you can tell 'em that here are tied together the souls of Johnny Christian, drummer of the Marines, and William George Tallifer, once trumpeter of the Queen's Own Hussars. Amen.'
lip - labio, labro
hang - colgar
fireplace - chimenea, hogar
apart - aparte, separadamente
sake - por, por motivo de; por el bien de
souls - almas; alma, espíritu
Amen - amén
"With that he hung the two instruments 'pon the hook there; and the boy stood up and thanked my father and shook hands; and the pair went out of the door, toward Helston.
"Somewhere on the road they took leave of one another; but nobody saw the parting, nor heard what was said between them. About three in the afternoon the trumpeter came walking back over the hill; and by the time my father came home from the fishing, the cottage was tidied up, and the tea ready, and the whole place shining like a new pin. From that time for five years he lodged here with my father, looking after the house and tilling the garden. And all the time he was steadily failing; the hurt in his head spreading, in a manner, to his limbs.
tidied up - Ordenado
shining - brillante; brillar
pin - alfiler
lodged - alojado; cabana, barraca, caseta, logia, madriguera
looking after - Cuidar
steadily - De forma constante
limbs - miembros; miembro
My father watched the feebleness growing on him, but said nothing. And from first to last neither spake a word about the drummer, John Christian; nor did any letter reach them, nor word of his doings.
feebleness - debilidad
"The rest of the tale you're free to believe, sir, or not, as you please. It stands upon my father's words, and he always declared he was ready to kiss the Book upon it, before judge and jury. He said, too, that he never had the wit to make up such a yarn, and he defied any one to explain about the lock, in particular, by any other tale. But you shall judge for yourself.
kiss - besar
judge - juez; juzgar
jury - jurado
wit - agudeza, ingenio, chispa, gracia
yarn - hilo, hilado, lana, hilaza, cuento
defied - desafiado; desafiar, desobedecer, renunciar
"My father said that about three o'clock in the morning, April fourteenth, of the year 'fourteen, he and William Tallifer were sitting here, just as you and I, sir, are sitting now. My father had put on his clothes a few minutes before, and was mending his spiller by the light of the horn lantern, meaning to set off before daylight to haul the trammel. The trumpeter hadn't been to bed at all.
Fourteenth - decimocuarto, decimocuarto, decimocuarta, catorceavo
mending - Reparando; (mend); remiendo, remendar, reparar
horn - cuerno
trammel - traba, llares, trabar
Toward the last he mostly spent his nights (and his days, too) dozing in the elbow-chair where you sit at this minute. He was dozing then (my father said) with his chin dropped forward on his chest, when a knock sounded upon the door, and the door opened, and in walked an upright young man in scarlet regimentals.
dozing - Dormir; (doze) Dormir
elbow - codo, codazo, panish: t-needed
this minute - en este momento
chin - barbilla, mentón
chest - pecho
upright - derecho; vertical, recto, erguido, honrado, verticalmente
"He had grown a brave bit, and his face the colour of wood-ashes; but it was the drummer, John Christian. Only his uniform was different from the one he used to wear, and the figures '38'shone in brass upon his collar.
ashes - cenizas; ceniza
shone - brilló; brillar
collar - cuello, collar, yugo
"The drummer walked past my father as if he never saw him, and stood by the elbow-chair and said:
"'Trumpeter, trumpeter, are you one with me?'
"And the trumpeter just lifted the lids of his eyes, and answered: 'How should I not be one with you, drummer Johnny-Johnny boy? If you come, I count; if you march, I mark time; until the discharge comes.'
lids - tapas; tapa
discharge - cumplir, completar, despedir, descargar, descargo, dar de alta
"'The discharge has come tonight,'said the drummer; 'and the word is Corunna no longer.'And stepping to the chimney-place, he unhooked the drum and trumpet, and began to twist the brass rings of the lock, spelling the word aloud, so-'C-O-R-U-N-A.'When he had fixed the last letter, the padlock opened in his hand.
chimney - chimenea, tubo
twist - giro; torcer, sacar punta a, torcerse
aloud - en voz alta, de viva voz
"'Did you know, trumpeter, that, when I came to Plymouth, they put me into a line regiment?'
"'The 38th is a good regiment,'answered the old Hussar, still in his dull voice; 'I went back with them from Sahagun to Corunna. At Corunna they stood in General Eraser's division, on the right. They behaved well.'
Hussar - húsar
dull - sordo; romo, desafilado, embotado, aburrido, soso
Eraser - borrador, goma de borrar, borrador
Division - división, parte
"'But I'd fain see the Marines again,'says the drummer, handing him the trumpet; 'and you, you shall call once more for the Queen's Own. Matthew,'he says, suddenly, turning on my father-and when he turned, my father saw for the first time that his scarlet jacket had a round hole by the breast-bone, and that the blood was welling there-'Matthew, we shall want your boat.'
turning on - encender,
breast - pecho, seno, teta, corazón, pechuga
"Then my father rose on his legs like a man in a dream, while the two slung on, the one his drum, and t'other his trumpet. He took the lantern and went quaking before them down to the shore, and they breathed heavily behind him; and they stepped into his boat, and my father pushed off.
quaking - Tiembla; (quake) Tiembla
breathed - respiró; respirar
heavily - pesadamente
pushed off - empujado, rechazado
"'Row you first for Dolor Point,'says the drummer. So my father rowed them past the white houses of Coverack to Dolor Point, and there, at a word, lay on his oars. And the trumpeter, William Tallifer, put his trumpet to his mouth and sounded the reveille. The music of it was like rivers running.
rowed - remo; hilera, fila
oars - remos; remo
reveille - revela; diana
"'They will follow,'said the drummer. 'Matthew, pull you now for the Manacles.'
"So my father pulled for the Manacles, and came to an easy close outside Carn Du. And the drummer took his sticks and beat a tattoo, there by the edge of the reef; and the music of it was like a rolling chariot.
chariot - carroza; quadriga, biga, carro
"'That will do,'says he, breaking off; 'they will follow. Pull now for the shore under Gunner's Meadow.'
breaking off - desprenderse; terminar
"Then my father pulled for the shore and ran his boat in under Gunner's Meadow. And they stepped out, all three, and walked up to the meadow. By the gate the drummer halted, and began his tattoo again, looking outward the darkness over the sea.
halted - detenido; parar, detener
"And while the drum beat, and my father held his breath, there came up out of the sea and the darkness a troop of many men, horse and foot, and formed up among the graves; and others rose out of the graves and formed up-drowned Marines with bleached faces, and pale Hussars, riding their horses, all lean and shadowy. There was no clatter of hoofs or accoutrements, my father said, but a soft sound all the while like the beating of a bird's wing; and a black shadow lay like a pool about the feet of all.
breath - respiración, aliento, respiro
formed up - formado
bleached - blanqueado; lejía
pale - pálido
lean - esbelta; inclinarse
shadowy - sombra; sombroso, sombreado, sombrío, umbroso
clatter - ruido; trapalear
hoofs - cascos; pezuna, casco
accoutrements - Accesorios
bird's wing - ala de pájaro
The drummer stood upon a little knoll just inside the gate, and beside him the tall trumpeter, with hand on hip, watching them gather; and behind them both, my father, clinging to the gate. When no more came, the drummer stopped playing, and said, 'Call the roll.'
Hip - cadera
roll - rodar; rollo
"Then the trumpeter stepped toward the end man of the rank and called, 'Troop Sergeant-Major Thomas Irons,'and the man answered in a thin voice, 'Here.'
rank - rango, graduación
sergeant - sargento
irons - planchas; férreo, planchar
"'Troop Sergeant-Major Thomas Irons, how is it with you?'
"The man answered, 'How should it be with me? When I was young, I betrayed a girl; and when I was grown, I betrayed a friend, and for these I must pay. But I died as a man ought. God save the King!'
betrayed - traicionado; traicionar, entregar, vender, delatar, demostrar
"The trumpeter called to the next man, 'Trooper Henry Buckingham,'and the next man answered, 'Here.'
"'Trooper Henry Buckingham, how is it with you?'
"'How should it be with me? I was a drunkard, and I stole, and in Lugo, in a wine-shop, I killed a man. But I died as a man should. God save the King!'
drunkard - Borracho
"So the trumpeter went down the line; and when he had finished, the drummer took it up, hailing the dead Marines in their order. Each man answered to his name, and each man ended with 'God save the King!'When all were hailed, the drummer stepped backward to his mound, and called:
hailing - llamando; granizo
hailed - aclamado; granizo
backward - hacia atrás; atrasado, rezagado, subdesarrollado
mound - túmulo, montículo, base, orbe, apilar, amontonar
"'It is well. You are content, and we are content to join you. Wait, now, a little while.'
content - contenido; satisfecho
"With this he turned and ordered my father to pick up the lantern, and lead the way back. As my father picked it up, he heard the ranks of the dead men cheer and call, 'God save the King!'all together, and saw them waver and fade back into the dark, like a breath fading off a pane.
lead - llevar; liderar; guiar, dirigir; provocar; encabezar; principal; plomo
ranks - rangos; rango, graduación
cheer - animar; viva, hurra
waver - vacilar; balancearse
fade - desvanecerse; apagarse, debilitarse; destenir
fading - Desvaneciéndose; (fad); moda, moda pasajera
pane - panel; cristal, vidrio
"But when they came back here to the kitchen, and my father set the lantern down, it seemed they'd both forgot about him. For the drummer turned in the lantern-light-and my father could see the blood still welling out of the hole in his breast-and took the trumpet-sling from around the other's neck, and locked drum and trumpet together again, choosing the letters on the lock very carefully. While he did this, he said:
"'The word is no more Corunna, but Bayonne. As you left out an "n" in Corunna, so must I leave out an "n" in Bayonne.'And before snapping the padlock, he spelt out the word slowly-'B-A-Y-O-N-E.'After that, he used no more speech; but turned and hung the two instruments back on the hook; and then took the trumpeter by the arm; and the pair walked out into the darkness, glancing neither to right nor left.
Bayonne - Bayona
leave out - Dejar fuera, excluir, omitir
Snapping - Rompiendo; (snap); chasquido, crujido, chasquido de dedos
glancing - echando un vistazo; (glance); ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar
"My father was on the point of following, when he heard a sort of sigh behind him; and there, sitting in the elbow-chair, was the very trumpeter he had just seen walk out by the door! If my father's heart jumped before, you may believe it jumped quicker now.
sigh - suspiro; suspirar
But after a bit, he went up to the man asleep in the chair and put a hand upon him. It was the trumpeter in flesh and blood that he touched; but though the flesh was warm, the trumpeter was dead.
flesh - carne, pellejo, descarnar
"Well, sir, they buried him three days after; and at first my father was minded to say nothing about his dream (as he thought it). But the day after the funeral, he met Parson Kendall coming from Helston market; and the parson called out: 'Have 'ee heard the news the coach brought down this mornin'?''What news?'says my father. 'Why, that peace is agreed upon.''None too soon,'says my father. 'Not soon enough for our poor lads at Bayonne,'the parson answered. 'Bayonne!'cries my father, with a jump. 'Why, yes,'and the parson told him all about a great sally the French had made on the night of April 13th.
funeral - funeral
sally - salida
'Do you happen to know if the 38th Regiment was engaged?'my father asked. 'Come, now,'said Parson Kendall, 'I didn't know you was so well up in the campaign. But, as it happens, I do know that the 38th was engaged, for 'twas they that held a cottage and stopped the French advance.'
engaged - comprometido; atraer, trabar conversación con, trabar batalla
advance - avanzar, progresar, avance, progreso, adelanto, avance
"Still my father held his tongue; and when, a week later, he walked into Helston and bought a 'Mercury'off the Sherborne rider, and got the landlord of the 'Angel'to spell out the list of killed and wounded, sure enough, there among the killed was Drummer John Christian, of the 38th Foot.
tongue - lengua, tsinhueso, lengüeta
mercury - mercurio, azogue
rider - jinete
landlord - propietario; arrendador, casero
spell out - deletrear; explicar con detalle
wounded - Herida
"After this there was nothing for a religious man but to make a clean breast. So my father went up to Parson Kendall, and told the whole story. The parson listened, and put a question or two, and then asked:
"'Have you tried to open the lock since that night?'
"'I haven't dared to touch it,'says my father.
dared - se atrevió; atraverse, osar
"'Then come along and try.'When the parson came to the cottage here, he took the things off the hook and tried the lock. 'Did he say "Bayonne"? The word has seven letters.'
"'Not if you spell it with one "n" as he did,'says my father.
"The parson spelt it out-'B-A-Y-O-N-E'. 'Whew!'says he, for the lock has fallen open in his hand.
"He stood considering it a moment, and then he says: 'I tell you what. I shouldn't blab this all round the parish, if I was you. You won't get no credit for truth-telling, and a miracle's wasted on a set of fools. But if you like, I'll shut down the lock again upon a holy word that no one but me shall know, and neither drummer nor trumpeter, dead or alive, shall frighten the secret out of me.'
shouldn - Debería
blab - cotorrear; cotillear
parish - parroquia
truth - verdad
miracle - milagro
wasted - desperdiciado; desperdiciar, malgastar
fools - idiotas; bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
holy - santo, sagrado
frighten - asustar; atemorizar
"'I wish to heaven you would, parson,'said my father.
Heaven - el cielo; cielo, firmamento, paraíso
"The parson chose the holy word there and then, and shut the lock upon it, and hung the drum and trumpet back in their place. He is gone long since, taking the word with him. And till the lock is broken by force, nobody will ever separate those two."