secret agent - agente secreto
simple - simple, sencillo, simple
Tale - cuento; historia, relato
Joseph - José, José de Arimetea
Mr Verloc, going out in the morning, left his shop nominally in charge of his brother-in-law. It could be done, because there was very little business at any time, and practically none at all before the evening. Mr Verloc cared but little about his ostensible business. And, moreover, his wife was in charge of his brother-in-law.
Mr - Senor
nominally - nominalmente
charge - cargo, acusación, encargo, figura, acusar, cobrar, cargar
law - ley
practically - prácticamente
none - ninguna; ninguno
ostensible - ostensible
Moreover - además, adicionalmente, otrosí
The shop was small, and so was the house. It was one of those grimy brick houses which existed in large quantities before the era of reconstruction dawned upon London. The shop was a square box of a place, with the front glazed in small panes. In the daytime the door remained closed; in the evening it stood discreetly but suspiciously ajar.
those - esos, esas, aquéllos, aquellas
grimy - Mugriento
brick - ladrillo
existed - existió; existir
quantities - cantidades; cantidad, cuantía
era - época, era, período
reconstruction - reconstrucción, restauración
dawned - amaneció; amanecer, alba, amanecer, aurora, madrugada
upon - sobre, en, tras
square - cuadro, cuadrado, escuadra, cartabón, plaza, casilla
glazed - esmalte, frita, vidriado, veladura, barniz, glasé
panes - paneles; cristal, vidrio
daytime - durante el día; día
remained - se quedó; resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer
discreetly - discretamente; disimuladamente
ajar - entreabierto
The window contained photographs of more or less undressed dancing girls; nondescript packages in wrappers like patent medicines; closed yellow paper envelopes, very flimsy, and marked two-and-six in heavy black figures; a few numbers of ancient French comic publications hung across a string as if to dry; a dingy blue china bowl, a casket of black wood, bottles of marking ink, and rubber stamps; a few books, with titles hinting at impropriety; a few apparently old copies of obscure newspapers, badly printed, with titles like The Torch, The Gong-rousing titles.
contained - contenido; contener, dominar
undressed - desvestido; desvestirse, desnudarse
nondescript - anodino; indescriptivo
packages - paquetes; paquete, embalaje, bulto, empacar, empaquetar
wrappers - envoltorios; envoltura, envoltorio, bata, adaptador
patent - patente
medicines - medicamentos; medicina
envelopes - sobres; sobre
flimsy - frágil; papel cebolla
marked - marcado; Marcos, Evangelio según San Marcos
heavy - pesado
figures - cifras; figura, cifra, ocurrírsele
ancient - antiguo
French - francés, franceses
comic - cómico, cómico, comediante, cómic, tebeo, historieta
publications - publicaciones; publicación
hung - colgado; colgar
string - cordel, mecate, usic, cadena, cuerda, enhebrar, encordar
dry - seco, secarse, enjugar
dingy - mugriento; sucio, sórdido
China - porcelana
bowl - bola
casket - féretro; cofrecito, joyero, urna
wood - madera
marking - Marcando; (mark); Marcos, Evangelio según San Marcos
ink - tinta, entintar, firmar, tatuar
rubber - caucho, goma
stamps - sellos; estampado, sello, timbrar, franquear
hinting at - Insinuar, sugerir, dar a entender
apparently - evidentemente, obviamente, por lo visto, aparentemente
copies - copias; copia, ejemplar, copiar, imitar, recibir
obscure - oscuro; obscuro, esconder, ocultar
badly - malamente
printed - impreso; imprimir
torch - antorcha, incendiar
rousing - conmovedor; despertar
And the two gas jets inside the panes were always turned low, either for economy's sake or for the sake of the customers.
jets - jets; azabache
inside - interior, dentro, adentro, dentro de
low - bajo
either - cada, tampoco, o , o, ya sea...o
economy - economía, económico
sake - por, por motivo de; por el bien de
These customers were either very young men, who hung about the window for a time before slipping in suddenly; or men of a more mature age, but looking generally as if they were not in funds. Some of that last kind had the collars of their overcoats turned right up to their moustaches, and traces of mud on the bottom of their nether garments, which had the appearance of being much worn and not very valuable.
hung about - frecuentar, esperar
slipping - resbalando; resbalar
suddenly - de repente, repentinamente, de pronto, súbitamente
more mature - más maduro
generally - en general; generalmente, por lo general
funds - fondos; fondo, capital, financiar, sufragar, patrocinar
Last - el último; último
collars - collares; cuello, collar, yugo
overcoats - abrigos; abrigo
moustaches - bigote, mostacho
traces - rastros; rastro, huella, vestigio, indicio
mud - barro, lodo
bottom - fondo, culo, pasivo
nether - Más abajo
garments - prendas de vestir; prenda, prenda de vestir
appearance - aparición, apariencia, hechura, estampa, aire
valuable - valioso
And the legs inside them did not, as a general rule, seem of much account either. With their hands plunged deep in the side pockets of their coats, they dodged in sideways, one shoulder first, as if afraid to start the bell going.
general - general, general
Seem - parecer
account - cuenta
plunged - se hundió; lanzarse, zambullirse, tirarse de cabeza
deep - profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
side pockets - Bolsillos laterales
dodged - squivado; evadir, esquivar, capear
sideways - de lado
bell - campana
The bell, hung on the door by means of a curved ribbon of steel, was difficult to circumvent. It was hopelessly cracked; but of an evening, at the slightest provocation, it clattered behind the customer with impudent virulence.
curved - curvado; curva, curvas, curvar, encorvar
ribbon - cinta, mono, lazo, galón
of steel - de acero
circumvent - evitar, eludir, rodear, bordear, circunvalar
cracked - roto; rajarse, resquebrajarse
slightest - lo más mínimo; insignificante, leve, ligero, falta de respeto
provocation - provocación
clattered - golpeado; trapalear
impudent - imprudente; insolente, descarado, fresco
virulence - virulencia
It clattered; and at that signal, through the dusty glass door behind the painted deal counter, Mr Verloc would issue hastily from the parlour at the back. His eyes were naturally heavy; he had an air of having wallowed, fully dressed, all day on an unmade bed. Another man would have felt such an appearance a distinct disadvantage. In a commercial transaction of the retail order much depends on the seller's engaging and amiable aspect.
signal - senal; senal, senalar
dusty - polvoriento
deal - trato, acuerdo, pacto
counter - Contador
issue - problema; flujo, emisión, envío, incisión, herederos
hastily - apresuradamente; de prisa, atropelladamente
parlour - salón
naturally - naturalmente
wallowed - se revolcó; revolcarse
fully - totalmente; completamente, a fondo
unmade - Deshacer
such - cómo; así, tal, semejante, tan, qué
distinct - distinto
disadvantage - desventaja
commercial - anuncio, comercial
transaction - transacción
retail - venta al por menor, venta al detalle, retail, minorista
depends - depender, confiar, atender
seller - Vendedor
engaging - atractivo; atraer, trabar conversación con, trabar batalla
amiable - amable, afable
aspect - aspecto
But Mr Verloc knew his business, and remained undisturbed by any sort of ćsthetic doubt about his appearance. With a firm, steady-eyed impudence, which seemed to hold back the threat of some abominable menace, he would proceed to sell over the counter some object looking obviously and scandalously not worth the money which passed in the transaction: a small cardboard box with apparently nothing inside, for instance, or one of those carefully closed yellow flimsy envelopes, or a soiled volume in paper covers with a promising title. Now and then it happened that one of the faded, yellow dancing girls would get sold to an amateur, as though she had been alive and young.
sort - cómo; clase, tipo, género
ćsthetic - aestética
doubt - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
firm - firma; firme, sólido
steady - estable; firme, liso, fijo
impudence - imprudencia; impudencia, descaro, desenvoltura
seemed - parecía; parecer
hold back - disimular, retener, contener
threat - amenaza
abominable - abominable, aborrecible
menace - una amenaza; amenaza, peligro
proceed - continuar, proceder
Obviously - obviamente
scandalously - Escandalosamente
worth - vale la pena; valor
passed - pasó; pasar(por), dejar atrás
cardboard box - una caja de cartón
instance - caso, ejemplo, ocasión, instancia
carefully - con cuidado; cuidadosamente, a conciencia, minuciosamente
soiled - sucio; tierra, suelo
volume - volumen
covers - cubiertas; tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
promising - prometedor; promesa, prometer
faded - desvanecido; apagarse, debilitarse; destenir
amateur - amateur, aficionado, diletante, inadaptado
though - ero..; no obstante, de todas formas, de todas maneras
alive - vivo, viviente
Sometimes it was Mrs Verloc who would appear at the call of the cracked bell. Winnie Verloc was a young woman with a full bust, in a tight bodice, and with broad hips. Her hair was very tidy. Steady-eyed like her husband, she preserved an air of unfathomable indifference behind the rampart of the counter.
Mrs - Senor
appear - aparecer, comparecer
bust - reventar; busto, pecho
tight - apretado, ajustado, tensado, tensionado, tenso
bodice - corpino; corpino, jubón
broad - amplio; ancho
hips - caderas; cadera
tidy - ordenado, pulcro, prolijo, ordenar
preserved - conservado; mermelada, reserva, reserva natural, coto, terreno
unfathomable - incomprensible, insondable
indifference - indiferencia
rampart - baluarte, muralla, terraplén, defensa, muro
Then the customer of comparatively tender years would get suddenly disconcerted at having to deal with a woman, and with rage in his heart would proffer a request for a bottle of marking ink, retail value sixpence (price in Verloc's shop one-and-sixpence), which, once outside, he would drop stealthily into the gutter.
comparatively - comparativamente
tender - tierno
disconcerted - desconcertado; desconcertar
rage - furia; rabia, furor
heart - corazón
proffer - oferta; ofrecer
request - solicitud; pedir, solicitar, demandar, checkpedir
value - valor, importancia, valorar, cifrar, apreciar
sixpence - seis peniques; Moneda de 6 Peniques
drop - dejar caer; gota
stealthily - furtivamente, sigilosamente, a hurtadillas
gutter - arroyo, cuneta, canal, canalón
The evening visitors-the men with collars turned up and soft hats rammed down-nodded familiarly to Mrs Verloc, and with a muttered greeting, lifted up the flap at the end of the counter in order to pass into the back parlour, which gave access to a passage and to a steep flight of stairs. The door of the shop was the only means of entrance to the house in which Mr Verloc carried on his business of a seller of shady wares, exercised his vocation of a protector of society, and cultivated his domestic virtues. These last were pronounced.
soft - suave; blando
rammed - embestido; RAM, memoria RAM
nodded - asintió; asentir, cabecear, cabezada
familiarly - familiarmente
muttered - murmuró; hablar entre dientes, murmurar
greeting - saludo; (greet); saludo
lifted - levantado; levantar, alzar
flap - solapa; faldón
pass into - pasar a
access - acceso, entrada
passage - pasaje; pasillo, pasadizo
steep - mpinada; empinado
stairs - escaleras; peldano, escalera
entrance - entrada
shady - sombra; umbroso, umbrío, turbio, sórdido
wares - ercancías; guerra, guerrear, hacer la guerra
vocation - vocación, profesión
protector - protector, protectora, valedor
Society - sociedad, comunidad
cultivated - ultivado; cultivar
domestic - doméstico, nacional, empleada doméstica, empleada, malos tratos
virtues - irtudes; virtud
pronounced - pronunciado; pronunciar
He was thoroughly domesticated. Neither his spiritual, nor his mental, nor his physical needs were of the kind to take him much abroad. He found at home the ease of his body and the peace of his conscience, together with Mrs Verloc's wifely attentions and Mrs Verloc's mother's deferential regard.
thoroughly - cabalmente, a cabalidad, a fondo, detenidamente
domesticated - domesticado; domesticar, domesticarse
neither - ninguno de los dos; ninguno, ningún, ni X ni Y, tampoco
spiritual - espiritual, espiritual
physical - físico, revisación
abroad - en el extranjero, en el exterior
ease - facilidad; aliviar
peace - paz, sosiego
conscience - conciencia
wifely - esposa
attentions - tenciones; atención
deferential - deferente, deferencial
regard - respecto a; considerar
Winnie's mother was a stout, wheezy woman, with a large brown face. She wore a black wig under a white cap. Her swollen legs rendered her inactive. She considered herself to be of French descent, which might have been true; and after a good many years of married life with a licensed victualler of the more common sort, she provided for the years of widowhood by letting furnished apartments for gentlemen near Vauxhall Bridge Road in a square once of some splendour and still included in the district of Belgravia. This topographical fact was of some advantage in advertising her rooms; but the patrons of the worthy widow were not exactly of the fashionable kind. Such as they were, her daughter Winnie helped to look after them. Traces of the French descent which the widow boasted of were apparent in Winnie too. They were apparent in the extremely neat and artistic arrangement of her glossy dark hair. Winnie had also other charms: her youth; her full, rounded form; her clear complexion; the provocation of her unfathomable reserve, which never went so far as to prevent conversation, carried on on the lodgers'part with animation, and on hers with an equable amiability.
stout - cerveza; sólido, fuerte
wig - peluca
cap - gorra
swollen - inflamado; hinchar(se), inflar(se)
rendered - rendido; dejar, volver
inactive - inactivo
considered - onsiderado; considerar, barajar, sopesar, observar
descent - descendencia; descenso, bajada, ascendencia, origen, abolengo
been true - ser cierto, sincero
licensed - con licencia; licencia, permiso, permisividad
victualler - vacunero
provided - proporcionado; proveer
widowhood - viudez, viudedad
furnished - amueblado; amoblar, amueblar, suministrar, proporcionar, dotar
gentlemen - caballeros; caballero, senores
Bridge - puente
splendour - esplendor
district - distrito, distrito
topographical - topográfico
advantage - ventaja, beneficio, provecho
advertising - publicidad, publicidad; (advertise); anunciar, hacer publicidad
patrons - patrones; patrón, mecenas, patrocinador, auspiciador, cliente
worthy - Digno
exactly - exactamente, exacto
fashionable - a la moda, de moda
look after - Cuidar
boasted - se jactó; vanagloriarse, jactarse de, fanfarronear
apparent - visible, claro, evidente, manifiesto, aparente, ostensible
extremely - extremadamente, sumamente, harto
neat - bien; pulcro, ordenado
artistic - artístico
arrangement - arreglo, disposición, preparativos, planes, arreglo, acuerdo
glossy - brillante, lustroso, reluciente
charms - encantos; encanto
youth - jóvenes; juventud, adolescencia, mocedad, anos mozos, joven
rounded - redondeado; redondo
clear - está claro; transparente, claro, despejado, libre
complexion - tez
reserve - reserva, reservar
prevent - impedir, prevenir
lodgers - inquilinos; huésped
animation - vivificación, animación, animación
equable - cuánime
amiability - amabilidad, afabilidad
It must be that Mr Verloc was susceptible to these fascinations. Mr Verloc was an intermittent patron. He came and went without any very apparent reason. He generally arrived in London (like the influenza) from the Continent, only he arrived unheralded by the Press; and his visitations set in with great severity. He breakfasted in bed, and remained wallowing there with an air of quiet enjoyment till noon every day-and sometimes even to a later hour. But when he went out he seemed to experience a great difficulty in finding his way back to his temporary home in the Belgravian square. He left it late, and returned to it early-as early as three or four in the morning; and on waking up at ten addressed Winnie, bringing in the breakfast tray, with jocular, exhausted civility, in the hoarse, failing tones of a man who had been talking vehemently for many hours together. His prominent, heavy-lidded eyes rolled sideways amorously and languidly, the bedclothes were pulled up to his chin, and his dark smooth moustache covered his thick lips capable of much honeyed banter.
susceptible - propenso, susceptible, vulnerable, sensible, sensitivo
fascinations - fascinaciones; fascinación
intermittent - intermitente, esporádico, discontinuo
patron - patrón, mecenas, patrocinador, auspiciador, cliente, parroquiano
influenza - gripe
Continent - continente
unheralded - sin anunciar; no anunciado, sin expectativa, inesperado
press - prensa; apretar, presionar
severity - severidad, seriedad, gravedad
wallowing - Revolcándose; (wallow) Revolcándose
enjoyment - disfrutar; disfrute, gozo, regocijo, holganza
noon - mediodía
Experience - experiencia, vivencia, experimentar, vivir
difficulty - dificultad
temporary - temporal, provisional
waking up - Despertar(se)
bringing in - traer
tray - bandeja
jocular - humorístico, jocoso
exhausted - exhausto; agotar, cansar, tubo de escape, gas de escape
civility - civismo, civilidad
hoarse - ronco
failing - fracasando; falta, defecto, lacra
tones - tonos; tono
vehemently - con vehemencia; vehementemente
prominent - destacado; prominente, sobresaliente
lidded - con tapa; tapa
rolled - rodando; rollo
amorously - carinosamente, amorosamente
languidly - lánguidamente
bedclothes - ropa de cama
pulled - sacado; tirar, jalar, halar, tirón, ligar
chin - barbilla, mentón
smooth - liso, sofisticado, constante, tranquilo, apacible, suave, alisar
moustache - bigote, mostacho
covered - cubierto; tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
thick lips - Los labios gruesos
capable - capaz
honeyed - miel, dulzura, carino, tesoro, cielo
banter - bromas; charla, plática, cháchara, charlar, bromear, divertirse
In Winnie's mother's opinion Mr Verloc was a very nice gentleman. From her life's experience gathered in various "business houses" the good woman had taken into her retirement an ideal of gentlemanliness as exhibited by the patrons of private-saloon bars. Mr Verloc approached that ideal; he attained it, in fact.
gathered - reunidos; juntar, recoger, recolectar, acumular, reunir
various - varios, diversos, diferentes, distintos
retirement - jubilación, retirada
Ideal - ideal, ideal
gentlemanliness - caballería; caballerosidad, checkgalantería
exhibited - exhibido; exhibir, exponer, prueba documental
private - privado, privado
bars - bares; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
approached - se acercó; acercarse, aproximarse
attained - lcanzado; lograr, conseguir
"Of course, we'll take over your furniture, mother," Winnie had remarked.
furniture - muebles; mobiliario
remarked - remarcado; observación, comentario
The lodging-house was to be given up. It seems it would not answer to carry it on. It would have been too much trouble for Mr Verloc. It would not have been convenient for his other business. What his business was he did not say; but after his engagement to Winnie he took the trouble to get up before noon, and descending the basement stairs, make himself pleasant to Winnie's mother in the breakfast-room downstairs where she had her motionless being.
lodging - alojamiento, hospedaje, encamado; (lodge); cabana, barraca
Seems - te parece; parecer
trouble - problemas; marrón, berenjenal, dificultad, problema, molestia
Convenient - conveniente, cómodo
engagement - compromiso, conexión, atención, noviazgo
descending - descendente; descender, bajar
basement - sótano, zócalo
pleasant - agradable, placentero
motionless - inmóvil, inerte, quieto, en reposo
He stroked the cat, poked the fire, had his lunch served to him there. He left its slightly stuffy cosiness with evident reluctance, but, all the same, remained out till the night was far advanced. He never offered to take Winnie to theatres, as such a nice gentleman ought to have done. His evenings were occupied. His work was in a way political, he told Winnie once. She would have, he warned her, to be very nice to his political friends.
stroked - acariciado; golpe
poked - pinchado; meter
served - servido; servicio, servir, desempenar, fungir, operar, cernir
slightly - un poco; levemente, ligeramente
stuffy - mal ventilado, congestionado, taponado, brioso
cosiness - confortable
evident - es evidente; evidente, constatable
reluctance - reticencia; reluctancia
advanced - avanzado; avanzar, progresar, avance, progreso, adelanto, avance
offered - ofrecido; ofrecer
gentleman - caballero, senores
occupied - ocupado; ocupar
political - político
warned - advertido; alertar, avisar, advertir
And with her straight, unfathomable glance she answered that she would be so, of course.
straight - recto, liso, franco, directo, puro, convencional, hetero
glance - mirada; ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar, pispear, vistazo
How much more he told her as to his occupation it was impossible for Winnie's mother to discover. The married couple took her over with the furniture. The mean aspect of the shop surprised her. The change from the Belgravian square to the narrow street in Soho affected her legs adversely. They became of an enormous size. On the other hand, she experienced a complete relief from material cares. Her son-in-law's heavy good nature inspired her with a sense of absolute safety. Her daughter's future was obviously assured, and even as to her son Stevie she need have no anxiety. She had not been able to conceal from herself that he was a terrible encumbrance, that poor Stevie.
occupation - ocupación
impossible - imposible, insoportable, imposible
discover - descubrir, destapar
couple - pareja, par, un par de, unos, par de fuerzas, acoplar
surprised - sorprendido; sorpresa, sorprender
narrow - estrecho
affected - afectados; afectar
adversely - egativamente; adversamente
enormous - enorme, ingente
size - tamano, magnitud
experienced - con experiencia; experiencia, vivencia, experimentar, vivir
relief - alivio
material - material, significativo, material
good nature - Buen carácter, buena gente
inspired - inspirado; inspirar, infundir
sense - sentido, sensación, significado, acepción, significación, sentir
absolute - absoluto, completo, pleno
safety - seguridad, seguro
assured - asegurado; (assure); asegurar
anxiety - zozobra, ansiedad, inquietud
conceal - esconder, ocultar
But in view of Winnie's fondness for her delicate brother, and of Mr Verloc's kind and generous disposition, she felt that the poor boy was pretty safe in this rough world. And in her heart of hearts she was not perhaps displeased that the Verlocs had no children. As that circumstance seemed perfectly indifferent to Mr Verloc, and as Winnie found an object of quasi-maternal affection in her brother, perhaps this was just as well for poor Stevie.
view - vista, reproducción, visualización, visitas, visión, mirada, ver
fondness - carino; apego, querencia
delicate - delicado, delicado (1, 2)
generous - generoso, magnánimo, dadivoso, munificente
disposition - disposición; inclinación, temperamento, carácter
safe - seguro, salvo, checkseguro, caja fuerte, cofre
rough - aspero; áspero, aproximado, aproximativo, casi, turbulento
hearts - corazones; corazón
Perhaps - acaso, quizá, quizás, tal vez
circumstance - circunstancia
perfectly - perfectamente
indifferent - indiferente
maternal - maternal, materno
affection - afecto, carino, apego
For he was difficult to dispose of, that boy. He was delicate and, in a frail way, good-looking too, except for the vacant droop of his lower lip. Under our excellent system of compulsory education he had learned to read and write, notwithstanding the unfavourable aspect of the lower lip. But as errand-boy he did not turn out a great success. He forgot his messages; he was easily diverted from the straight path of duty by the attractions of stray cats and dogs, which he followed down narrow alleys into unsavoury courts; by the comedies of the streets, which he contemplated open-mouthed, to the detriment of his employer's interests; or by the dramas of fallen horses, whose pathos and violence induced him sometimes to shriek pierceingly in a crowd, which disliked to be disturbed by sounds of distress in its quiet enjoyment of the national spectacle. When led away by a grave and protecting policeman, it would often become apparent that poor Stevie had forgotten his address-at least for a time. A brusque question caused him to stutter to the point of suffocation. When startled by anything perplexing he used to squint horribly. However, he never had any fits (which was encouraging); and before the natural outbursts of impatience on the part of his father he could always, in his childhood's days, run for protection behind the short skirts of his sister Winnie. On the other hand, he might have been suspected of hiding a fund of reckless naughtiness. When he had reached the age of fourteen a friend of his late father, an agent for a foreign preserved milk firm, having given him an opening as office-boy, he was discovered one foggy afternoon, in his chief's absence, busy letting off fireworks on the staircase.
dispose of - Deshacerse de
frail - frágil; débil, delicado
Except - exceptuar, excepto, salvo, exceptuando, menos, salvo que
vacant - vacío; vacante
lower lip - El labio inferior
excellent - excelente, sobresaliente, prominente, excelso
system - sistema
compulsory education - educación obligatoria
notwithstanding - a pesar de todo; no obstante
unfavourable - desfavorable, no favorable
errand - recado
easily - fácilmente
diverted - desviado; desviar, entretener, distraer
path - camino, sendero
Duty - deber, obligación, cometido, menester, arancel
attractions - atracciones; atracción
stray - perderte; extraviarse, perderse
alleys - allejones; callejuela
unsavoury - repugnante, asqueroso, desagradable
Courts - tribunales; patio, callejón, corte, tribunal, juzgado
comedies - comedias; comedia
contemplated - contemplado; contemplar
detriment - perjuicio; detrimento
employer - empleador
dramas - dramas; drama, obra teatral
whose - de quién; quién, quien, cuyo, cuya, cuyas
violence - violencia
induced - inducido; inducir
shriek - gritar; alarido, chillido, chillar
pierceingly - Perforadamente
crowd - gente; multitud, muchedumbre
disliked - no le gusta; aversión, disgusto, antipatía, desagradar
disturbed - molesto; perturbar, molestar
distress - aflicción, angustia, desasosiego, ansiedad
national - nacional, ciudadano
spectacle - espectáculo, papelón
grave - tumba
protecting - protegiendo; proteger, defensar
brusque - brusco
caused - causado; causa, causar
stutter - tartamudea; tartamudeo
startled - sorprendido; sobresaltarse, alarmarse, espantarse, evitar
perplexing - perplejo; confundir, desconcertar
squint - entrecerrar los ojos; entornar, entrecerrar, mirar de soslayo
horribly - horriblemente
fits - encaja; sano, en forma
encouraging - alentador; animar, alentar, estimular, promover, recomendar
outbursts - exabruptos; arranque, arrebato, arrechucho
Impatience - impaciencia
childhood - infancia, ninez
protection - protección
suspected - sospechas; barruntar, sospechar, sospechoso
hiding - Escondiéndote; (hid) Escondiéndote
fund - fondo, capital, financiar, sufragar, patrocinar
reckless - imprudente, temerario, desconsiderado
naughtiness - la picardía
reached - alcanzado; llegar (a)
agent - agente
foreign - extrano, extranjero, forastero, foráneo, exterior
discovered - descubierto; descubrir, destapar
foggy - niebla; brumoso
chief - jefe, principal
absence - ausencia, falta, ausencia de hierro
letting off - dejar ir; dejar libre; perdonar, no castigar
fireworks - fuegos artificiales; fuego artificial
staircase - escalera
He touched off in quick succession a set of fierce rockets, angry catherine wheels, loudly exploding squibs-and the matter might have turned out very serious. An awful panic spread through the whole building. Wild-eyed, choking clerks stampeded through the passages full of smoke, silk hats and elderly business men could be seen rolling independently down the stairs. Stevie did not seem to derive any personal gratification from what he had done. His motives for this stroke of originality were difficult to discover. It was only later on that Winnie obtained from him a misty and confused confession. It seems that two other office-boys in the building had worked upon his feelings by tales of injustice and oppression till they had wrought his compassion to the pitch of that frenzy. But his father's friend, of course, dismissed him summarily as likely to ruin his business. After that altruistic exploit Stevie was put to help wash the dishes in the basement kitchen, and to black the boots of the gentlemen patronising the Belgravian mansion. There was obviously no future in such work. The gentlemen tipped him a shilling now and then. Mr Verloc showed himself the most generous of lodgers. But altogether all that did not amount to much either in the way of gain or prospects; so that when Winnie announced her engagement to Mr Verloc her mother could not help wondering, with a sigh and a glance towards the scullery, what would become of poor Stephen now.
touched - tocado; tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
in quick succession - en rápida sucesión, uno tras otro
fierce - fiero, feroz, enconado
rockets - cohetes; cohete
Catherine - Catalina
wheels - ruedas; rueda, pez gordo, llanta, rodar, circunvolar
loudly - en voz alta, ruidosamente
exploding - explotando; explotar, explosionar, reventar
squibs - quibs; cachinfín
matter - importa; materia, asunto, cuestión, tema
serious - en serio; serio
awful - asqueroso; horrible, terrible, atroz
panic - pánico
spread - extender, dispersar, esparcir, untar, diseminar, difundir
wild - salvaje, bravío
choking - ahogar, asfixiar
clerks - ficinistas; clérigo, oficinista, secretario, escribiente
stampeded - Sellado
passages - pasajes; pasillo, pasadizo
smoke - fumar; humo
silk - seda
elderly - ancianos; anciano, entrado en anos
rolling - rodando; rolar; (roll) rodando; rolar
independently - independientemente
derive - derivar
motives - motivos; motivo, móbil
stroke - ictus; golpe
originality - originalidad
obtained - obtenido; obtener, coger
misty - niebla; con neblina, neblinoso
confused - confundido; confundir, confundirse, mezclar
confession - confesión
feelings - Sentimientos
tales - cuentos; historia, relato
injustice - injusticia
oppression - opresión
compassion - compasión, conmiseración
pitch - plantar, armar, montar
frenzy - frenesí, manía
dismissed - despedido; despedir, echar, disipar, rechazar, expulsar
summarily - sumariamente
Likely - Es probable
ruin - ruina, desbaratar, arruinar, estropear, dar al traste
altruistic - altruista
exploit - explotar; hazana, proeza, gesta, heroicidad
wash the dishes - Lavar los platos
patronising - Patrocinar
mansion - mansión, casoplón
tipped - con propina; punta, cabo, extremidad
shilling - chelines; chelín; (shill); testaferro, hombre de paja
most generous - el más generoso
altogether - todos juntos; totalmente, completamente, en general, en suma
amount to - equivaler a , ascender a
gain - ganar, adquirir, obtener, conseguir
prospects - perspectivas; perspectiva, vista, panorama, expectativa
announced - anunciado; anunciar, declarar
wondering - Te preguntas; (wonder); maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro
sigh - suspiro; suspirar
towards - hacia, sobre, para
scullery - trascocina
It appeared that Mr Verloc was ready to take him over together with his wife's mother and with the furniture, which was the whole visible fortune of the family. Mr Verloc gathered everything as it came to his broad, good-natured breast. The furniture was disposed to the best advantage all over the house, but Mrs Verloc's mother was confined to two back rooms on the first floor. The luckless Stevie slept in one of them. By this time a growth of thin fluffy hair had come to blur, like a golden mist, the sharp line of his small lower jaw.
appeared - apareció; aparecer, comparecer
visible - visible
Fortune - fortuna
good-natured - (good-natured) Buen carácter, buena gente
breast - pecho, seno, teta, corazón, pechuga
disposed - dispuesto; deshacerse
confined - confinado; confinar, encorsetar, confín, raya
first floor - Primera planta
growth - crecimiento
fluffy - esponjoso; peludo, suave, fofo, panish: t-needed
blur - borroso; desdibujar, difuminar, borrar, manchar, esfumarse
mist - niebla; neblina
sharp - agudo, afilado, filoso, listo, sostenido, agrio, certero
lower jaw - Mandíbula inferior
He helped his sister with blind love and docility in her household duties. Mr Verloc thought that some occupation would be good for him. His spare time he occupied by drawing circles with compass and pencil on a piece of paper. He applied himself to that pastime with great industry, with his elbows spread out and bowed low over the kitchen table. Through the open door of the parlour at the back of the shop Winnie, his sister, glanced at him from time to time with maternal vigilance.
blind - ciego, invidente, celosía, persiana, ciega, ciego, cegar
docility - docilidad
household - hogar, agregado familiar, núcleo familiar, familia, casero
duties - deberes; deber, obligación, cometido, menester, arancel
spare time - tiempo libre
circles - círculos; círculo, circunferencia, esfera, curva, grupo
compass - brújula
applied - plicado; aplicar
pastime - pasatiempo
industry - industria
elbows - codos; codo, codazo, panish: t-needed
bowed - inclinado; inclinar(se), hacer una reverencia
glanced - mirada; ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar, pispear, vistazo
vigilance - vigilancia
Such was the house, the household, and the business Mr Verloc left behind him on his way westward at the hour of half-past ten in the morning. It was unusually early for him; his whole person exhaled the charm of almost dewy freshness; he wore his blue cloth overcoat unbuttoned; his boots were shiny; his cheeks, freshly shaven, had a sort of gloss; and even his heavy-lidded eyes, refreshed by a night of peaceful slumber, sent out glances of comparative alertness. Through the park railings these glances beheld men and women riding in the Row, couples cantering past harmoniously, others advancing sedately at a walk, loitering groups of three or four, solitary horsemen looking unsociable, and solitary women followed at a long distance by a groom with a cockade to his hat and a leather belt over his tight-fitting coat. Carriages went bowling by, mostly two-horse broughams, with here and there a victoria with the skin of some wild beast inside and a woman's face and hat emerging above the folded hood. And a peculiarly London sun-against which nothing could be said except that it looked bloodshot-glorified all this by its stare. It hung at a moderate elevation above Hyde Park Corner with an air of punctual and benign vigilance. The very pavement under Mr Verloc's feet had an old-gold tinge in that diffused light, in which neither wall, nor tree, nor beast, nor man cast a shadow. Mr Verloc was going westward through a town without shadows in an atmosphere of powdered old gold. There were red, coppery gleams on the roofs of houses, on the corners of walls, on the panels of carriages, on the very coats of the horses, and on the broad back of Mr Verloc's overcoat, where they produced a dull effect of rustiness. But Mr Verloc was not in the least conscious of having got rusty. He surveyed through the park railings the evidences of the town's opulence and luxury with an approving eye. All these people had to be protected.
exhaled - exhalado; espirar, exhalar
charm - encanto
almost - casi, por poco
freshness - frescura, frescor
cloth - tela, pedazo de tela, trozo de tela, trapo, pano, facha
overcoat - un abrigo; abrigo
unbuttoned - desabrochado; desabotonar
shiny - reluciente, refulgente, brillante
cheeks - mejilla, cacha, cachete, nalga, glúteo, descoco
gloss - lustre, brillo
refreshed - refrescado; refrescar
peaceful - Pacífico
slumber - sueno; adormecimiento, adormilamiento, adormecer, adormilar
glances - miradas; ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar, pispear, vistazo
comparative - comparativa; comparativo, comparativo
alertness - alerta; vigilancia
railings - barandillas
beheld - ontemplado; contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
Row - hilera, fila
couples - parejas; pareja, par, un par de, unos, par de fuerzas, acoplar
cantering - a galope; medio galope
harmoniously - armoniosamente, harmoniosamente
advancing - avanzando; avanzar, progresar, avance, progreso, adelanto
sedately - con calma
loitering - merodear; vagancia, merodeo; (loiter); holgazanear
solitary - solitario
horsemen - jinetes; caballero, jinete
unsociable - insociable; hurano, morugo, ermitano
long distance - larga distancia
groom - novio; mozo de cuadra
cockade - una escarapela; escarapela
leather belt - Cinturón de cuero
carriages - carrozas; coche, carruaje
bowling - bolos; (bowl); bolos
mostly - principalmente, sobre todo
Victoria - Victoria
skin - piel, máscara, despellejar, desollar
beast - bestia, animal, salvaje
emerging - emergente; emerger, aparecer, surgir, aparecer, aflorar
folded - doblado; doblar, plegar
hood - capucha
against - contra, cerca de, frente, en contra, enfrente, en pugna
bloodshot - enrojecida; sanguinolento, inyectados en sangre
glorified - glorificado; glorificar
stare - mirar fijamente
moderate - moderado, comedido, mediocre, moderar
elevation - elevación, alzado, altitud, checkascenso, checkelevación
punctual - puntual
benign - benigno
pavement - pavimento, asfalto
gold - oro
tinge - toque, tinte, matiz, retocar, matizar
diffused - difusa; difundir(se)
cast - moldear, elenco, castear, sondar, sondear, lanzar, lanzamiento
shadows - sombras; sombra
atmosphere - atmósfera, aire, clima, ambiente
powdered - en polvo; polvo, reducir a polvo, pulverizar, triturar
gleams - brillos; relucir, brillar, destellar
roofs - echos; techo
corners - esquinas; ángulo, checkrincón, esquina, acorralar, girar, virar
panels - paneles; panel, vineta, entrepano
produced - producido; producir, realizar, producto, producción, cosecha
dull - sordo; romo, desafilado, embotado, aburrido, soso
effect - efecto, efectos, efectos especiales, vigencia, vigor
rustiness - oxidación
conscious - consciente
rusty - Oxidado
surveyed - encuestado; sondeo, encuesta, supervisión, campana topográfica
evidences - pruebas; prueba, prueba, evidencia, evidenciar
opulence - opulencia
luxury - lujo, capricho, extravagancia
approving - aprobando; aprobar; tener un buen concepto de
be protected - protegido
Protection is the first necessity of opulence and luxury. They had to be protected; and their horses, carriages, houses, servants had to be protected; and the source of their wealth had to be protected in the heart of the city and the heart of the country; the whole social order favourable to their hygienic idleness had to be protected against the shallow enviousness of unhygienic labour. It had to-and Mr Verloc would have rubbed his hands with satisfaction had he not been constitutionally averse from every superfluous exertion. His idleness was not hygienic, but it suited him very well. He was in a manner devoted to it with a sort of inert fanaticism, or perhaps rather with a fanatical inertness. Born of industrious parents for a life of toil, he had embraced indolence from an impulse as profound as inexplicable and as imperious as the impulse which directs a man's preference for one particular woman in a given thousand. He was too lazy even for a mere demagogue, for a workman orator, for a leader of labour. It was too much trouble. He required a more perfect form of ease; or it might have been that he was the victim of a philosophical unbelief in the effectiveness of every human effort. Such a form of indolence requires, implies, a certain amount of intelligence. Mr Verloc was not devoid of intelligence-and at the notion of a menaced social order he would perhaps have winked to himself if there had not been an effort to make in that sign of scepticism. His big, prominent eyes were not well adapted to winking. They were rather of the sort that closes solemnly in slumber with majestic effect.
necessity - necesidad, menester
protected - protegido; proteger, defensar
servants - sirvientes; sirviente, criado, mozo, doméstico
source - fuente, fontana, origen
wealth - prosperidad, riqueza
social order - Orden social
favourable - favorable
hygienic - higiénico
idleness - ociosidad; inactividad, holganza, indolencia
shallow - poco profundo, superficial, desinteresante, poco profundo (1
enviousness - envidia
labour - trabajo, campesinos, trabajadores, parto, trabajar
rubbed - frotado; frotación, frotamiento, frote, frotar
satisfaction - satisfacción, satisfacción
constitutionally - Constitucionalmente
averse - averso; opuesto
superfluous - superfluo
exertion - esfuerzo
suited - adecuado; traje, terno, palo, convenir
manner - de qué manera; manera, modo, forma, actitud
devoted - dedicado; dedicar
fanaticism - fanatismo
fanatical - fanático
inertness - inercia, inercia química
industrious - empleado; aplicado, trabajador, laborioso, empenoso
toil - esfuerzo, labrar, trabajar
embraced - abrazado; abrazar, abrazo
indolence - indolencia
impulse - impulso, capricho
profound - profundo
inexplicable - inexplicable
imperious - imperioso
directs - dirige; directo, dirigir
preference - Preferencia
particular - particular
lazy - perezoso, flojo, locho, haragán
mere - simple, mero
demagogue - demagogo
orator - orador, oradora
leader - líder, dirigente, jefe, caudillo
required - es necesario; requerir, necesitar
more perfect - más perfecto
victim - víctima, sacrificio
philosophical - filosófica; filosófico
effectiveness - efectividad, eficacia
human - humano
effort - esfuerzo
requires - requerir, necesitar
implies - implicar, acarrear, conllevar, insinuar, dar a entender
Certain - seguro; cierto, cierto, cierta
amount - cantidad, monto, montante, importe
intelligence - inteligencia
devoid - vacío, desprovisto
notion - noción, ganas, intención
menaced - amenazado; amenaza, peligro
winked - guinó el ojo; guinar el ojo
sign - signo; senal
scepticism - escepticismo
adapted - adaptar, ajustar, adaptarse, adaptado
winking - guinando el ojo; (wink) guinando el ojo
solemnly - solemnemente
majestic - majestuoso
Undemonstrative and burly in a fat-pig style, Mr Verloc, without either rubbing his hands with satisfaction or winking sceptically at his thoughts, proceeded on his way. He trod the pavement heavily with his shiny boots, and his general get-up was that of a well-to-do mechanic in business for himself. He might have been anything from a picture-frame maker to a lock-smith; an employer of labour in a small way. But there was also about him an indescribable air which no mechanic could have acquired in the practice of his handicraft however dishonestly exercised: the air common to men who live on the vices, the follies, or the baser fears of mankind; the air of moral nihilism common to keepers of gambling hells and disorderly houses; to private detectives and inquiry agents; to drink sellers and, I should say, to the sellers of invigorating electric belts and to the inventors of patent medicines.
undemonstrative - poco demostrativo
burly - gordo; corpulento
rubbing - Frotar; (rub); frotación, frotamiento, frote, frotar
sceptically - con escepticismo
thoughts - pensamientos; pensamiento
proceeded - procedió; continuar, proceder
heavily - pesadamente
mechanic - mecánico
picture-frame - (picture-frame) marco de fotos
Maker - hacedor, fabricante
lock - cerradura
Smith - Herrera, Herrero
indescribable - indescriptible
acquired - dquirido; obtener, adquirir
handicraft - artesanía
dishonestly - deshonestamente
vices - icios; torno de banco
follies - locuras; capricho
baser - más bajo; base
fears - miedos; miedo, temor
mankind - la humanidad; humanidad, género humano, raza humana
moral - moral, moraleja
nihilism - nihilismo
keepers - custodios; guardián, guardiana, custodio
gambling - juegos de azar; juego de azar; (gamble); apuesta, apostar, jugar
hells - infiernos; infierno
disorderly - desordenada; desordenado
Detectives - detectives; detective, inspector, investigador privado
inquiry - investigación; inquisición, indagatoria, pesquisa
agents - agentes; agente
sellers - vendedores; Vendedor
Electric - eléctrico, electrizante, coche eléctrico
belts - cinturones; cinturón, cincho, cinturón de seguridad, correa
inventors - inventores; inventor, inventora, inventriz
But of that last I am not sure, not having carried my investigations so far into the depths. For all I know, the expression of these last may be perfectly diabolic. I shouldn't be surprised. What I want to affirm is that Mr Verloc's expression was by no means diabolic.
investigations - investigaciones; investigación
depths - profundidades; profundidad
expression - expresión, frase hecha
diabolic - diabólico
shouldn - Debería
affirm - afirmar
Before reaching Knightsbridge, Mr Verloc took a turn to the left out of the busy main thoroughfare, uproarious with the traffic of swaying omnibuses and trotting vans, in the almost silent, swift flow of hansoms. Under his hat, worn with a slight backward tilt, his hair had been carefully brushed into respectful sleekness; for his business was with an Embassy. And Mr Verloc, steady like a rock-a soft kind of rock-marched now along a street which could with every propriety be described as private. In its breadth, emptiness, and extent it had the majesty of inorganic nature, of matter that never dies. The only reminder of mortality was a doctor's brougham arrested in august solitude close to the curbstone. The polished knockers of the doors gleamed as far as the eye could reach, the clean windows shone with a dark opaque lustre. And all was still. But a milk cart rattled noisily across the distant perspective; a butcher boy, driving with the noble recklessness of a charioteer at Olympic Games, dashed round the corner sitting high above a pair of red wheels. A guilty-looking cat issuing from under the stones ran for a while in front of Mr Verloc, then dived into another basement; and a thick police constable, looking a stranger to every emotion, as if he too were part of inorganic nature, surging apparently out of a lamp-post, took not the slightest notice of Mr Verloc.
reaching - llegando; llegar (a)
thoroughfare - pasaje, vía pública, vía de comunicación, canal
swaying - Oscilación; (sway); balanceo, influencia, influjo
omnibuses - omnibuses; autobús, compilación, antología semanal
trotting - al trote; (trot) al trote
vans - furgonetas; camioneta
silent - silencioso, callar, checkcallado
swift - rápido, veloz, célere, pronto
flow - flujo; fluir
Slight - insignificante, leve, ligero, falta de respeto
backward - hacia atrás; atrasado, rezagado, subdesarrollado
tilt - inclinación; inclinar, ladear
brushed - pincel, cepillo, escobilla, brocha, cepillado, matorral
respectful - respetuoso
sleekness - elegancia
embassy - embajada
Rock - roca
along - a lo largo, a lo largo de, por
propriety - aptitud, propiedad
emptiness - vacío
extent - en qué medida; extensión
Majesty - majestad
inorganic - inorgánico
nature - naturaleza, natura
reminder - aviso, recordatorio
mortality - mortalidad
arrested - arrestado; paro, arresto, detenido, parar, detener, arrestar
solitude - soledad, solitud
curbstone - bordillo; cuneta
polished - pulido; polaco, polonés, polaco
knockers - Golpeador
gleamed - brillaba; relucir, brillar, destellar
shone - brilló; brillar
opaque - opaco
lustre - brillo
cart - carro, carreta
rattled - molesto; hacer sonar, hacer vibrar
noisily - ruidosamente
distant - distante, a distancia, hurano, remoto
perspective - perspectiva
butcher - carnicero; (butch) carnicero
noble - noble
recklessness - imprudencia; descuido, negligencia, temeridad, osadía
charioteer - uadriguero; cochero, auriga
Olympic - olimpiadas; olímpico
dashed - dashed; raya, guion largo, carrerita, gota, pizca, lanzarse
round the corner - a la vuelta de la esquina
guilty - culpable
issuing - emitiendo; flujo, emisión, envío, incisión, herederos
stones - piedras; piedra, roca, gema, piedra preciosa, hueso, cálculo
dived - buceó; zambullirse, tirarse de cabeza
thick - gruesa; grueso, espeso
police constable - agente de policía
Stranger - Extrano; (strang) Extrano
emotion - afecto, emoción
surging - Subiendo; (surge); aluvión, oleada, sobretensión, sobrecarga
notice - aviso; comunicación, notificación, darse cuenta, advertir
With a turn to the left Mr Verloc pursued his way along a narrow street by the side of a yellow wall which, for some inscrutable reason, had No. 1 Chesham Square written on it in black letters. Chesham Square was at least sixty yards away, and Mr Verloc, cosmopolitan enough not to be deceived by London's topographical mysteries, held on steadily, without a sign of surprise or indignation. At last, with business-like persistency, he reached the Square, and made diagonally for the number 10. This belonged to an imposing carriage gate in a high, clean wall between two houses, of which one rationally enough bore the number 9 and the other was numbered 37; but the fact that this last belonged to Porthill Street, a street well known in the neighbourhood, was proclaimed by an inscription placed above the ground-floor windows by whatever highly efficient authority is charged with the duty of keeping track of London's strayed houses. Why powers are not asked of Parliament (a short act would do) for compelling those edifices to return where they belong is one of the mysteries of municipal administration. Mr Verloc did not trouble his head about it, his mission in life being the protection of the social mechanism, not its perfectionment or even its criticism.
pursued - perseguido; perseguir, apuntar a
side - lado
inscrutable - incrutable; inescrutable, impenetrable, incomprensible
Cosmopolitan - panish: t-needed
be deceived - enganado
mysteries - misterios; misterio, arcano
held on - agarrar, esperar, aguantar
steadily - De forma constante
surprise - sorpresa, sorprender
indignation - indignación
diagonally - en diagonal; diagonalmente
belonged - pertenecía; pertenecer, ser propiedad (de)
imposing - imponente; imponer
carriage - coche, carruaje
Gate - puerta; verja
rationally - racionalmente
bore - perforar; (bear) perforar
act - acto, ley, acción, hecho, actuar
in the neighbourhood - en el barrio/vecindario
proclaimed - proclamado; proclamar
inscription - inscripción, dedicatoria
ground-floor - (ground-floor) planta baja
whatever - qué; cualquier, lo que sea que, cualquier cosa que, no importa
highly - altamente
efficient - eficiente, eficaz
authority - autoridad, policía, autoridades, fuerzas del orden, autorización
charged - cargado; cargo, acusación, encargo, figura, acusar, cobrar
track - pista; rastro, huella, trilla, trillo, sendero, curso
strayed - se ha extraviado; extraviarse, perderse
powers - poderes; poder, potencia, corriente, electricidad, potenciar
Parliament - parlamento
compelling - onvincente; de peso; (compel); obligar, forzar, compeler
edifices - edificios; edificio
municipal administration - administración municipal
mission - misión
social - social
mechanism - mecanismo
perfectionment - Perfeccionamiento
criticism - críticas; crítica
It was so early that the porter of the Embassy issued hurriedly out of his lodge still struggling with the left sleeve of his livery coat.
porter - portero; mozo de equipajes
issued - emitido; flujo, emisión, envío, incisión, herederos
Lodge - cabana, barraca, caseta, logia, madriguera, panish: t-needed
struggling with - luchar con
sleeve - manga, funda, enfundar
livery - Librea
His waistcoat was red, and he wore knee-breeches, but his aspect was flustered. Mr Verloc, aware of the rush on his flank, drove it off by simply holding out an envelope stamped with the arms of the Embassy, and passed on. He produced the same talisman also to the footman who opened the door, and stood back to let him enter the hall.
waistcoat - chaleco, chalequillo
knee-breeches - (knee-breeches) calzón, bombachos
aware - alerta, consciente, conocedor, sabedor, entendido
rush - prisa; precipitarse, lanzarse, correr, ir rápidamente
flank - costado, flanco
Simply - simplemente, sencillamente
holding out - aguantar, Mantenerse firme
envelope - sobre
stamped - Sellado; (stamp); estampado, sello, timbrar, franquear
talisman - talismán
footman - un lacayo; lacayo
stood back - retirarse, mantenerse alejado de
enter - entrar
hall - pasillo, salón, vestibulo
A clear fire burned in a tall fireplace, and an elderly man standing with his back to it, in evening dress and with a chain round his neck, glanced up from the newspaper he was holding spread out in both hands before his calm and severe face. He didn't move; but another lackey, in brown trousers and claw-hammer coat edged with thin yellow cord, approaching Mr Verloc listened to the murmur of his name, and turning round on his heel in silence, began to walk, without looking back once. Mr Verloc, thus led along a ground-floor passage to the left of the great carpeted staircase, was suddenly motioned to enter a quite small room furnished with a heavy writing-table and a few chairs. The servant shut the door, and Mr Verloc remained alone. He did not take a seat.
burned - quemado; quemar
fireplace - chimenea, hogar
evening dress - vestido de noche
chain - cadena, encadenar
neck - cuello
Calm - calmado, sosiego, calma
severe - severo, grave, austero
lackey - lacayo
claw - garra
hammer - martillo, percutor, malleus, martillar; (ham); martillo
edged - con bordes; orilla, borde, lado, arista, ventaja, filo
cord - cuerda, cable, hilo, cordón
approaching - se acerca; acercarse, aproximarse
murmur - murmullo; soplo, murmurar
turning round - dar la vuelta
heel - tacón; talón
silence - silencio, silenciar, hacer callar
thus - así
led - llevado; led; (lead) llevado; led
ground - uelo; (grind) uelo
carpeted - alfombrada; alfombra, moqueta, alfombrar, cubrir
motioned - movimiento, moción
small room - una habitación pequena
servant - sirviente, criado, mozo, doméstico
shut - cerrar
alone - solo, a solas
seat - asiento, seato, sede
With his hat and stick held in one hand he glanced about, passing his other podgy hand over his uncovered sleek head.
stick - palo; clavar
held - sostenida; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
passing - pasando; pasajero, excelente, superficial, somero
uncovered - descubierto; destapar
sleek - elegante; liso
Another door opened noiselessly, and Mr Verloc immobilising his glance in that direction saw at first only black clothes, the bald top of a head, and a drooping dark grey whisker on each side of a pair of wrinkled hands. The person who had entered was holding a batch of papers before his eyes and walked up to the table with a rather mincing step, turning the papers over the while. privy councillor Wurmt, Chancelier d'Ambassade, was rather short-sighted.
immobilising - inmovilizar
direction - dirección
bald - calvo, pelón
top - cima, parte superior, parte de más arriba, cabecera, tapa
whisker - vibrisa, bigote
wrinkled - arrugado; arruga
entered - entró; entrar
batch - hornada; lote
mincing - Picado; (mince); picadillo, carne picada, carne molida, picar
step - paso
privy councillor - consejero privado
sighted - vidente; vista, lugar de interés, espectáculo, panorama, visor
This meritorious official laying the papers on the table, disclosed a face of pasty complexion and of melancholy ugliness surrounded by a lot of fine, long dark grey hairs, barred heavily by thick and bushy eyebrows. He put on a black-framed pince-nez upon a blunt and shapeless nose, and seemed struck by Mr Verloc's appearance. Under the enormous eyebrows his weak eyes blinked pathetically through the glasses.
meritorious - meritorio, loable, laudable, encomiable
official - oficial, funcionario
laying - colocación; (lay) colocación
disclosed - divulgado; revelar, divulgar
pasty - pastoso; Empanada
melancholy - melancolía
ugliness - feo; fealdad, feúra
surrounded - rodeado; circundar, envolver, cercar, rodear
barred - prohibido; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
bushy - tupido, poblado
eyebrows - cejas; ceja
framed - enmarcado; levantar la estructura, armar, enmarcar, concebir
blunt - desafilado, despuntado
struck - golpeado; tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar
weak - débil, feble, flaco, flojo
blinked - parpadeó; parpadear, guinar, destellar, titilar, parpadeo
He made no sign of greeting; neither did Mr Verloc, who certainly knew his place; but a subtle change about the general outlines of his shoulders and back suggested a slight bending of Mr Verloc's spine under the vast surface of his overcoat. The effect was of unobtrusive deference.
Certainly - seguro; ciertamente, sin duda, a todas luces, por supuesto
subtle - sutil
outlines - contornos; contorno, esbozo, resumen, delinear, resumir
suggested - sugerido; insinuar, sugerir, recomendar
spine - espina dorsal; columna vertebral, espinazo, lomo, espina
vast - vasta; vasto, enorme
surface - superficie
unobtrusive - desapercibido, discreto, disimulado
deference - deferencia
"I have here some of your reports," said the bureaucrat in an unexpectedly soft and weary voice, and pressing the tip of his forefinger on the papers with force. He paused; and Mr Verloc, who had recognised his own handwriting very well, waited in an almost breathless silence. "We are not very satisfied with the attitude of the police here," the other continued, with every appearance of mental fatigue.
bureaucrat - burócrata
unexpectedly - inesperadamente, inopinadamente
weary - cansado, cansino, cansar
voice - voz
pressing - presionando; apremiante
tip - consejo; punta, cabo, extremidad
forefinger - índice, dedo índice
force - fuerza
paused - receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir, suspender
recognised - Reconoces
handwriting - escritura manuscrita, letra; (handwrite); panish: t-needed
breathless - jadeante, sin aliento
satisfied - satisfecho; satisfacer
attitude - postura, actitud
continued - continuamos; continuar, seguir
fatigue - fatiga, fatigar, acosar
The shoulders of Mr Verloc, without actually moving, suggested a shrug. And for the first time since he left his home that morning his lips opened.
actually - realmente
shrug - encogimiento de hombros, encogerse de hombros
Since - desde cuándo; desde entonces, desde que, ya que, dado que
lips - labios; labio, labro
"Every country has its police," he said philosophically. But as the official of the Embassy went on blinking at him steadily he felt constrained to add: "Allow me to observe that I have no means of action upon the police here."
philosophically - filosóficamente
blinking at - parpadear
constrained - limitado; constrenir, limitar, restringir, obligar
allow - dejar, permitir, conceder
observe - observar, seguir, tomar en cuenta
"What is desired," said the man of papers, "is the occurrence of something definite which should stimulate their vigilance. That is within your province-is it not so?"
desired - deseado; desear, deseo, gana
Occurrence - acontecimiento, ocurrencia, suceso
definite - definitiva; definido, indudable
stimulate - estimular
within - dentro de, adentro
province - provincia
Mr Verloc made no answer except by a sigh, which escaped him involuntarily, for instantly he tried to give his face a cheerful expression. The official blinked doubtfully, as if affected by the dim light of the room. He repeated vaguely.
escaped - se escapó; escapar, liberarse, fugarse, eludir
involuntarily - involuntariamente
instantly - al instante, al hilo, al tiro, instantáneamente
cheerful - alegre; animado
doubtfully - dudosamente
dim light - Luz tenue
vaguely - vagamente
"The vigilance of the police-and the severity of the magistrates. The general leniency of the judicial procedure here, and the utter absence of all repressive measures, are a scandal to Europe. What is wished for just now is the accentuation of the unrest-of the fermentation which undoubtedly exists-"
magistrates - magistrados; magistrado, togado
leniency - indulgencia; clemencia
judicial - judicial
procedure - procedimiento, trámite
utter - totalmente; absoluto, total
repressive - represivo
measures - medidas; medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
Scandal - escándalo
wished - deseaba; deseo, gana, desear
accentuation - acentuación
unrest - inquietud
fermentation - fermentación
Undoubtedly - sin duda
exists - existe; existir
"Undoubtedly, undoubtedly," broke in Mr Verloc in a deep deferential bass of an oratorical quality, so utterly different from the tone in which he had spoken before that his interlocutor remained profoundly surprised. "It exists to a dangerous degree. My reports for the last twelve months make it sufficiently clear."
bass - bajo
oratorical - Oratoria
quality - calidad, cualidad, de calidad
utterly - Completamente
tone - tono
profoundly - profundamente
degree - título, diploma, grado
sufficiently - suficientemente
"Your reports for the last twelve months," state Councillor Wurmt began in his gentle and dispassionate tone, "have been read by me. I failed to discover why you wrote them at all."
state - el estado
councillor - consejero; concejal, regidor
gentle - tierno, suave, tranquilo, medido, gradual, amable
failed - falló; fracasar
A sad silence reigned for a time. Mr Verloc seemed to have swallowed his tongue, and the other gazed at the papers on the table fixedly. At last he gave them a slight push.
reigned - reinado, reinar
swallowed - tragado; tragar, engullir
tongue - lengua, tsinhueso, lengüeta
gazed at - mirar fijamente, contemplar
fixedly - fijamente
push - empujar
"The state of affairs you expose there is assumed to exist as the first condition of your employment. What is required at present is not writing, but the bringing to light of a distinct, significant fact-I would almost say of an alarming fact."
state - Estado, declarar, indicar
affairs - asuntos; negocio, asunto, rollo, amorío, aventura
expose - exponer, revelar, descubrir, exhibir
assumed - asumido; suponer, dar por sentado, asumir
exist - existen; existir
condition - stado; condición, situación, acondicionar
employment - empleo
significant - significativo, importante
alarming - alarmante; alarma, rebato, despertador, alarma, tocar a rebato
"I need not say that all my endeavours shall be directed to that end," Mr Verloc said, with convinced modulations in his conversational husky tone. But the sense of being blinked at watchfully behind the blind glitter of these eye-glasses on the other side of the table disconcerted him.
endeavours - esfuerzos; esforzarse
shall - sí; panish: ''shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense''
directed - dirigido; directo, dirigir
Convinced - convencido; convencer
conversational - conversacional
husky - ronco
blinked at - parpadeó
watchfully - Con cuidado
glitter - brillo, purpurina, escarcha, brillar, resplandecer, centellear
He stopped short with a gesture of absolute devotion. The useful, hard-working, if obscure member of the Embassy had an air of being impressed by some newly-born thought.
gesture - gesto, ademán, detalle, atención
devotion - devoción, dedicación, fervor, veneración
impressed - impresionado; impresionar, impresión, impresión
newly - recién; nuevamente
"You are very corpulent," he said.
corpulent - corpulento; obeso
This observation, really of a psychological nature, and advanced with the modest hesitation of an officeman more familiar with ink and paper than with the requirements of active life, stung Mr Verloc in the manner of a rude personal remark. He stepped back a pace.
observation - observación, vigilancia; observancia, anotación, registro
psychological - psicológico
modest - modesto, humilde, pequeno, moderado; (mod); modesto, humilde
hesitation - hesitación, vacilación, dudas, titubeo
officeman - Oficial
more familiar - más familiar
requirements - requisitos; exigencia, requisito
active - activo
stung - picado; aguijón
rude - rudo, grosero, descortés, soez
remark - observación, comentario
stepped - pisado; estepa
pace - paso
"Eh? What were you pleased to say?" he exclaimed, with husky resentment.
eh - no, qué, cómo
exclaimed - exclamó; exclamar
resentment - resentimiento, animadversión, animosidad, rencor
The Chancelier d'Ambassade entrusted with the conduct of this interview seemed to find it too much for him.
entrusted - onfiado; encomendar, confiar
conduct - conducción, conducta, guiar, dirigir, manejar, conducir
"I think," he said, "that you had better see Mr Vladimir. Yes, decidedly I think you ought to see Mr Vladimir. Be good enough to wait here," he added, and went out with mincing steps.
decidedly - decididamente; resueltamente
steps - pasos; paso
At once Mr Verloc passed his hand over his hair. A slight perspiration had broken out on his forehead. He let the air escape from his pursed-up lips like a man blowing at a spoonful of hot soup. But when the servant in brown appeared at the door silently, Mr Verloc had not moved an inch from the place he had occupied throughout the interview. He had remained motionless, as if feeling himself surrounded by pitfalls.
perspiration - sudor
broken out - roto
forehead - la frente; frente
escape - escapar, liberarse, fugarse, eludir
pursed - Pers
blowing at - soplar en
spoonful - cucharada
silently - en silencio; silenciosamente
inch - pulgada
throughout - en todo; a lo largo de, durante, de arriba abajo
pitfalls - scollos; obstáculo, trampa, asechanza
He walked along a passage lighted by a lonely gas-jet, then up a flight of winding stairs, and through a glazed and cheerful corridor on the first floor. The footman threw open a door, and stood aside. The feet of Mr Verloc felt a thick carpet.
lonely - solo; solitario, desolado, desierto
jet - azabache
flight of winding stairs - un tramo de escaleras de caracol
corridor - pasillo, corredor
threw - tiró; lanzar, tirar
aside - aparte, a un lado, aparte
carpet - alfombra, moqueta, alfombrar, cubrir
The room was large, with three windows; and a young man with a shaven, big face, sitting in a roomy arm-chair before a vast mahogany writing-table, said in French to the Chancelier d'Ambassade, who was going out with the papers in his hand:
roomy - espacioso, amplio, desahogado
arm-chair - (arm-chair) sillón
mahogany - caoba
"You are quite right, mon cher. He's fat-the animal."
Mr Vladimir, First Secretary, had a drawing-room reputation as an agreeable and entertaining man. He was something of a favourite in society.
secretary - secretario, secretaria, escribanía, serpentario
reputation - reputación
agreeable - lisonjero, agradable, dispuesto, conforme
entertaining - entretenido; divertido; (entertain); divertir, entretener
His wit consisted in discovering droll connections between incongruous ideas; and when talking in that strain he sat well forward of his seat, with his left hand raised, as if exhibiting his funny demonstrations between the thumb and forefinger, while his round and clean-shaven face wore an expression of merry perplexity.
wit - agudeza, ingenio, chispa, gracia
consisted - consistió; componerse (de), constar (de)
discovering - descubriendo; descubrir, destapar
droll - extranamente divertido
connections - conexiones; vinculación, conexión, trabazón, ligazón
incongruous - incongruente
strain - tensión; estirar, tensar
forward - hacia adelante; hacia delante
raised - levantado; levantar
exhibiting - exhibir, exponer, prueba documental, prueba instrumental
demonstrations - manifestaciones; demostración, manifestación
thumb - pulgar
round - ronda; redondo
merry - contento; alegre
perplexity - perplejidad
But there was no trace of merriment or perplexity in the way he looked at Mr Verloc. Lying far back in the deep arm-chair, with squarely spread elbows, and throwing one leg over a thick knee, he had with his smooth and rosy countenance the air of a preternaturally thriving baby that will not stand nonsense from anybody.
trace - rastrear; rastro, huella, vestigio, indicio
merriment - alegría, júbilo, regocijo, juguetoneo
lying - Mentir; (lie) Mentir
squarely - de lleno; en forma de cuadrado, cuadradamente, sólidamente
throwing - Lanzamiento; (throw) Lanzamiento
rosy - Rosa
countenance - semblante, apariencia, expresión, rostro
preternaturally - Preternaturalmente
thriving - prosperando; boyante; (thrive); prosperar, crecer, medrar
nonsense - tonterías; tontería, tontada, tontuna, disparate
Anybody - alguien
"You understand French, I suppose?" he said.
suppose - supongo; suponer
Mr Verloc stated huskily that he did. His whole vast bulk had a forward inclination. He stood on the carpet in the middle of the room, clutching his hat and stick in one hand; the other hung lifelessly by his side.
stated - declarado; Estado, declarar, indicar
huskily - con voz ronca
bulk - masa, corpulencia, grueso, bulto, a granel, masivo
inclination - inclinación
Middle - medio, centro, cintura, central
clutching - agarrando; agarrar
He muttered unobtrusively somewhere deep down in his throat something about having done his military service in the French artillery. At once, with contemptuous perversity, Mr Vladimir changed the language, and began to speak idiomatic English without the slightest trace of a foreign accent.
unobtrusively - discretamente, con reserva, de callado, callandito
somewhere - en alguna parte, en algún lugar, en algún sitio, a alguna parte
throat - garganta, tráquea, cuello
military service - Servicio militar
Artillery - artillería
perversity - perversidad
idiomatic - idiomático
accent - acento, pronunciación
"Ah! Yes. Of course. Let's see. How much did you get for obtaining the design of the improved breech-block of their new field-gun?"
obtaining - obteniendo; obtener, coger
breech - de nalgas; culata
block - bloque
field - campo, agro, cancha, terreno
gun - arma de fuego; pistola
"Five years'rigorous confinement in a fortress," Mr Verloc answered unexpectedly, but without any sign of feeling.
rigorous - rigoroso; riguroso
confinement - confinamiento
fortress - fortaleza
"You got off easily," was Mr Vladimir's comment. "And, anyhow, it served you right for letting yourself get caught. What made you go in for that sort of thing-eh?"
comment - comentarios; comentario
anyhow - de todos modos; de todas maneras, de todas formas, comoquiera
caught - atrapado; pega, traba, truco, cuestión
Mr Verloc's husky conversational voice was heard speaking of youth, of a fatal infatuation for an unworthy-
fatal - fatal
infatuation - enamoramiento; pasión, encaprichamiento
unworthy - indigno
"Aha! Cherchez la femme," Mr Vladimir deigned to interrupt, unbending, but without affability; there was, on the contrary, a touch of grimness in his condescension. "How long have you been employed by the Embassy here?" he asked.
Aha - ajá
femme - Mujer
deigned - disenado; dignarse
interrupt - interrumpir, interrupción
affability - afabilidad
contrary - contrario
touch - tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
employed - empleado; contratar, emplear
"Ever since the time of the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim," Mr Verloc answered in subdued tones, and protruding his lips sadly, in sign of sorrow for the deceased diplomat. The First Secretary observed this play of physiognomy steadily.
Baron - barón
subdued - sumiso; someter, doblegar, domenar, debelar
protruding - saliente; sobresalir, protruir
sadly - tristemente, con alma en pena, luctuosamente
sorrow - pena; tristeza, aflicción, infelicidad, pesar
deceased - fallecido; fallecimiento, deceso, óbito, defunción, fallecer
diplomat - diplomático, diplomática
observed - observado; observar, seguir, tomar en cuenta
"Ah! ever since. Well! What have you got to say for yourself?" he asked sharply.
sharply - Agudamente
Mr Verloc answered with some surprise that he was not aware of having anything special to say. He had been summoned by a letter-And he plunged his hand busily into the side pocket of his overcoat, but before the mocking, cynical watchfulness of Mr Vladimir, concluded to leave it there.
summoned - convocado; convocar
busily - Ocupado
side pocket - bolsillo lateral
mocking - burlándose; burlón; (moc) burlándose; burlón
cynical - cínico
watchfulness - vigilancia; vigilia
concluded - concluido; concluir
"Bah!" said that latter. "What do you mean by getting out of condition like this? You haven't got even the physique of your profession. You-a member of a starving proletariat-never! You-a desperate socialist or anarchist-which is it?"
physique - físico
profession - profesión, gremio, profesión de fe
Starving - Muerto de hambre; (starve); morir de hambre, hambrear
proletariat - proletariado
desperate - desesperado
socialist - socialista, socialista
anarchist - anarquista, ácrata
"Anarchist," stated Mr Verloc in a deadened tone.
stated - Estado
deadened - muerto; amortecer, amortiguar, insonorizar
"Bosh!" went on Mr Vladimir, without raising his voice. "You startled old Wurmt himself. You wouldn't deceive an idiot. They all are that by-the-by, but you seem to me simply impossible. So you began your connection with us by stealing the French gun designs. And you got yourself caught. That must have been very disagreeable to our government. You don't seem to be very smart."
deceive - enganar; enganar, decebir
idiot - idiota
connection - vinculación, conexión, trabazón, ligazón
stealing - Robar; (steal); robar, hurtar, robo
disagreeable - desagradable
government - Gobierno
smart - inteligente; elegante
Mr Verloc tried to exculpate himself huskily.
exculpate - exculpar
"As I've had occasion to observe before, a fatal infatuation for an unworthy-"
ve - e
Occasion - ocasión, ocasionar
Mr Vladimir raised a large white, plump hand. "Ah, yes. The unlucky attachment-of your youth. She got hold of the money, and then sold you to the police-eh?"
plump - relleno, regordete, rechoncho
unlucky - mala suerte; desafortunado
attachment - apego, carino, afición, atadura, archivo adjunto, ejecución
hold - sostener; tener en las manos, agarrar, asir
The doleful change in Mr Verloc's physiognomy, the momentary drooping of his whole person, confessed that such was the regrettable case. Mr Vladimir's hand clasped the ankle reposing on his knee. The sock was of dark blue silk.
doleful - triste, cabizbajo, lúgubre
momentary - momentánea; momentáneo
confessed - confesó; confesar, panish: t-needed
regrettable - lamentable
case - caso
clasped - agarrado; broche, manija, corchete, hebilla, agarrar
ankle - tobillo
reposing - reposando; reposo
sock - calcetín
dark blue - azul oscuro
"You see, that was not very clever of you. Perhaps you are too susceptible."
clever - inteligente; ágil, hábil, listo, talentoso, habiloso
Mr Verloc intimated in a throaty, veiled murmur that he was no longer young.
intimated - insinuado; íntimo
throaty - Gutural
veiled - velado; velo, velar
"Oh! That's a failing which age does not cure," Mr Vladimir remarked, with sinister familiarity. "But no! You are too fat for that. You could not have come to look like this if you had been at all susceptible. I'll tell you what I think is the matter: you are a lazy fellow. How long have you been drawing pay from this Embassy?"
cure - curar, remediar
sinister - siniestro, izquierdo
familiarity - intimidad, impertinencia, familiaridad
fellow - colega; tipo
"Eleven years," was the answer, after a moment of sulky hesitation. "I've been charged with several missions to London while His Excellency Baron Stott-Wartenheim was still Ambassador in Paris. Then by his Excellency's instructions I settled down in London. I am English."
sulky - enfurrunado; mohíno
several - varios, varias
missions - misiones; misión
excellency - excelencia
ambassador - embajador, embajadora
instructions - instrucciones; instrucción
settled - resuelto; instalar, colocar
"You are! Are you? Eh?"
"A natural-born British subject," Mr Verloc said stolidly. "But my father was French, and so-"
British - británica; británicos, inglés británico
stolidly - con firmeza
"Never mind explaining," interrupted the other. "I daresay you could have been legally a Marshal of France and a Member of Parliament in England-and then, indeed, you would have been of some use to our Embassy."
mind - mente, concentración, opinión, juicio, propósito, voluntad
interrupted - interrumpido; interrumpir, interrupción
daresay - Se atreve
legally - legalmente
Marshal - mariscal, formar, recopilar, empaquetar
France - Francia
indeed - de verdad; de hecho, realmente, efectivamente, verdaderamente
This flight of fancy provoked something like a faint smile on Mr Verloc's face. Mr Vladimir retained an imperturbable gravity.
fancy - te apetece; capricho, antojo
provoked - provocado; provocar
faint - desmayarse; débil, tenue
smile - sonrisa, sonreír
retained - retenido; retener, detentar
imperturbable - imperturbable
gravity - gravedad
"But, as I've said, you are a lazy fellow; you don't use your opportunities. In the time of Baron Stott-Wartenheim we had a lot of soft-headed people running this Embassy. They caused fellows of your sort to form a false conception of the nature of a secret service fund. It is my business to correct this misapprehension by telling you what the secret service is not. It is not a philanthropic institution. I've had you called here on purpose to tell you this.
opportunities - portunidades; oportunidad
fellows - companeros; tipo
conception - concepción
secret - secreto, arcano
service - servicio
Institution - institución
on purpose - a propósito
Mr Vladimir observed the forced expression of bewilderment on Verloc's face, and smiled sarcastically.
forced - forzado; fuerza
bewilderment - desconcierto, perplejidad
smiled - sonrió; sonrisa, sonreír
sarcastically - sarcásticamente
"I see that you understand me perfectly. I daresay you are intelligent enough for your work. What we want now is activity-activity."
intelligent - inteligente
On repeating this last word Mr Vladimir laid a long white forefinger on the edge of the desk. Every trace of huskiness disappeared from Verloc's voice. The nape of his gross neck became crimson above the velvet collar of his overcoat. His lips quivered before they came widely open.
laid - tirado; poner, colocar
edge - orilla, borde, lado, arista, ventaja, filo
huskiness - Granulosidad
disappeared - desapareció; desaparecer
nape - cuello; nuca, cogote
Gross - asqueroso; repulsivo, gruesa, bruto
crimson - carmín, carmesí
velvet - terciopelo
collar - cuello, collar, yugo
quivered - tembló; estremecer(se)
widely - comúnmente, generalmente, frecuentemente, extensamente
"If you'll only be good enough to look up my record," he boomed out in his great, clear oratorical bass, "you'll see I gave a warning only three months ago, on the occasion of the Grand Duke Romuald's visit to Paris, which was telegraphed from here to the French police, and-"
record - récord; constancia (escrita); archivos; registro
boomed - explotó; boom, auge
warning - advertencia, aviso, precaución, cuidado; (warn); alertar
grand - grande; magnífico, espléndido, imponente
Duke - duque
telegraphed - telegrafiado; telégrafo, telegrafiar
"Tut, tut!" broke out Mr Vladimir, with a frowning grimace. "The French police had no use for your warning. Don't roar like this. What the devil do you mean?"
broke out - estallar; escapar; librar(se)
frowning - frunciendo el ceno; fruncir el ceno
grimace - una mueca; mueca, hacer gestos, hacer muecas
roar - rugir, bramar, rugido, bramido
devil - demonio; diablo
With a note of proud humility Mr Verloc apologised for forgetting himself. His voice,-famous for years at open-air meetings and at workmen's assemblies in large halls, had contributed, he said, to his reputation of a good and trustworthy comrade. It was, therefore, a part of his usefulness.
proud - orgulloso
humility - humildad
apologised - Pedir disculpas
open-air - (open-air) al aire libre
meetings - reunión
assemblies - sambleas; ensamblaje, ensamblaje, montaje, asamblea, ensamblador
halls - pasillos; pasillo, salón, vestibulo
contributed - ontribuido; contribuir
trustworthy - de fiar; fidedigno, fiable, de confianza, confiable
comrade - companero, colega, camarada, correligionario, camarada
therefore - por qué; por eso, por consiguiente, por lo tanto, por ende
usefulness - utilidad
It had inspired confidence in his principles. "I was always put up to speak by the leaders at a critical moment," Mr Verloc declared, with obvious satisfaction. There was no uproar above which he could not make himself heard, he added; and suddenly he made a demonstration.
confidence - confianza; certeza, certeza propia, certidumbre, confidencia
principles - principios; principio
leaders - líderes; líder, dirigente, jefe, caudillo
critical - crítico, álgido, clave, trascendental, coyuntural
declared - declarado; explicar, aclarar, declarar
obvious - obvio, evidente
uproar - alboroto; bullicio, clamor, fragor, escandalera
demonstration - demostración, manifestación
"Allow me," he said. With lowered forehead, without looking up, swiftly and ponderously he crossed the room to one of the French windows. As if giving way to an uncontrollable impulse, he opened it a little.
lowered - bajado; oscurecerse, encapotarse
Swiftly - rápido; rápidamente
ponderously - Ponderosamente
crossed - cruz, aspa, sotuer, santiguamiento, senal de la cruz, cruce
giving way - ceder el paso
uncontrollable - incontrolable
Mr Vladimir, jumping up amazed from the depths of the arm-chair, looked over his shoulder; and below, across the courtyard of the Embassy, well beyond the open gate, could be seen the broad back of a policeman watching idly the gorgeous perambulator of a wealthy baby being wheeled in state across the Square.
jumping up - Saltar arriba
amazed - asombrado; pasmar, sorprender, asombrar
courtyard - patio
beyond - más allá de
gorgeous - guapa; guapísimo
perambulator - Paseo
wealthy - ricos; adinerado, rico, próspero, acomodado
wheeled - con ruedas; rueda, pez gordo, llanta, rodar, circunvolar
"Constable!" said Mr Verloc, with no more effort than if he were whispering; and Mr Vladimir burst into a laugh on seeing the policeman spin round as if prodded by a sharp instrument. Mr Verloc shut the window quietly, and returned to the middle of the room.
burst - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
spin round - Girar en redondo
prodded - pinchado; pinchar; empujar
instrument - instrumento, herramienta
quietly - en silencio; mansamente, despacio
"With a voice like that," he said, putting on the husky conversational pedal, "I was naturally trusted. And I knew what to say, too."
putting on - poniendo
pedal - pedal, pedalear
trusted - de confianza; confianza, crédito, fiar, consorcio, trust
Mr Vladimir, arranging his cravat, observed him in the glass over the mantelpiece.
arranging - organizando; disponer, poner en orden, arreglar
cravat - corbata; mascada
mantelpiece - mantel; repisa
"I daresay you have the social revolutionary jargon by heart well enough," he said contemptuously. "Vox et. . . You haven't ever studied Latin-have you?"
revolutionary - revolucionario, revolucionario, revolucionaria
jargon - jerga
by heart - de memoria
contemptuously - despectivamente
et - y; ET
Latin - Latín
"No," growled Mr Verloc. "You did not expect me to know it. I belong to the million. Who knows Latin? Only a few hundred imbeciles who aren't fit to take care of themselves."
growled - grunó; rugido, grunir
expect - esperar, checkaguardar
belong - pertenecer, ser propiedad (de)
imbeciles - imbéciles; imbécil
aren - No
fit - sano, en forma
care - te importa; cuidado
themselves - se, ellos mismos, ellas mismas
For some thirty seconds longer Mr Vladimir studied in the mirror the fleshy profile, the gross bulk, of the man behind him. And at the same time he had the advantage of seeing his own face, clean-shaved and round, rosy about the gills, and with the thin sensitive lips formed exactly for the utterance of those delicate witticisms which had made him such a favourite in the very highest society.
mirror - espejo
fleshy - carnoso, cachetudo, carnudo, carrilludo
profile - perfil, resena, resenar
shaved - afeitado; afeitarse
gills - agallas; branquia, agalla
sensitive - sensible, sensitivo, susceptible
utterance - Expresión
witticisms - currencias; lindeza, humorada, ocurrencia, argucia
Then he turned, and advanced into the room with such determination that the very ends of his quaintly old-fashioned bow necktie seemed to bristle with unspeakable menaces. The movement was so swift and fierce that Mr Verloc, casting an oblique glance, quailed inwardly.
determination - determinación, decisión, resolución, ahínco
quaintly - Pintorescamente
old-fashioned - (old-fashioned) anticuado
bow - arco; inclinar(se), hacer una reverencia
necktie - corbata
bristle - erizarse; cerda, erizar, ponerse a la defensiva
menaces - amenazas; amenaza, peligro
movement - movimiento
oblique glance - una mirada oblicua
quailed - se acobardó; acobardarse, amedrentarse
inwardly - nteriormente
"Aha! You dare be impudent," Mr Vladimir began, with an amazingly guttural intonation not only utterly un-English, but absolutely un-European, and startling even to Mr Verloc's experience of cosmopolitan slums. "You dare! Well, I am going to speak plain English to you.
dare - te atreves; atraverse, osar
amazingly - extraordinariamente, increíblemente, asombrosamente
intonation - entonación
un - ONU
absolutely - totalmente, absolutamente
European - europeo, europea
startling - sorprendente, alarmante; (startle); sobresaltarse, alarmarse
slums - arriadas; casucha, tugurio
plain - plano; sencillo; liso; sin ornamentos; llano (persona)
Voice won't do. We have no use for your voice. We don't want a voice. We want facts-startling facts-damn you," he added, with a sort of ferocious discretion, right into Mr Verloc's face.
Damn - maldecir, condenar, reprobar, maldito, puto, malditamente
ferocious - feroz
discretion - discreción
"Don't you try to come over me with your Hyperborean manners," Mr Verloc defended himself huskily, looking at the carpet. At this his interlocutor, smiling mockingly above the bristling bow of his necktie, switched the conversation into French.
manners - odales; manera, modo, forma, actitud
defended - defendido; defender
smiling - sonriendo; sonriente; (smile); sonrisa, sonreír
mockingly - Bromeando
bristling - erizado; cerda, erizar, ponerse a la defensiva
switched - cambiado; interruptor, aguja, latigazo, switch, conmutador
"You give yourself for an 'agent provocateur.' The proper business of an 'agent provocateur'is to provoke. As far as I can judge from your record kept here, you have done nothing to earn your money for the last three years."
provocateur - provocador, agente provocador
proper - bien; adecuado, conveniente, preciso, propio
provoke - provocar
judge - juez; juzgar
earn - ganar
"Nothing!" exclaimed Verloc, stirring not a limb, and not raising his eyes, but with the note of sincere feeling in his tone. "I have several times prevented what might have been-"
limb - miembro
sincere - sincero
prevented - prevenido; impedir, prevenir
"There is a proverb in this country which says prevention is better than cure," interrupted Mr Vladimir, throwing himself into the arm-chair. "It is stupid in a general way. There is no end to prevention. But it is characteristic. They dislike finality in this country. Don't you be too English. And in this particular instance, don't be absurd. The evil is already here. We don't want prevention-we want cure."
proverb - proverbio, refrán, paremia
prevention - prevención, prevención
stupid - estúpido, menso, gilí, pendejo
characteristic - característico, característica
dislike - aversión, disgusto, antipatía, desagradar, no gustar
finality - finalidad
absurd - absurdo, absurdo
evil - malo, malvado
He paused, turned to the desk, and turning over some papers lying there, spoke in a changed business-like tone, without looking at Mr Verloc.
turning over - dar la vuelta, voltear; arrancar
"You know, of course, of the International Conference assembled in Milan?"
International - internacional, internacional
conference - conferencia
assembled - montado; ensamblar, construir, montar, reunir, juntar
Milan - Milán
Mr Verloc intimated hoarsely that he was in the habit of reading the daily papers. To a further question his answer was that, of course, he understood what he read. At this Mr Vladimir, smiling faintly at the documents he was still scanning one after another, murmured "As long as it is not written in Latin, I suppose."
habit - hábito, costumbre
daily papers - periódicos
further - más allá; fomentar, asistir, exhortar, desarrollar
documents - documentos; documento, pliego, anotar, registrar, documentar
scanning - Escaneando; (scan); escrutar, escanear, escandir
murmured - murmuró; soplo, murmurar
"Or Chinese," added Mr Verloc stolidly.
Chinese - chino, chino, china, comida china
"H'm. Some of your revolutionary friends'effusions are written in a charabia every bit as incomprehensible as Chinese-" Mr Vladimir let fall disdainfully a grey sheet of printed matter. "What are all these leaflets headed F. P., with a hammer, pen, and torch crossed? What does it mean, this F. P.?" Mr Verloc approached the imposing writing-table.
effusions - efusiones; efusión, derrame
bit - oco; pedacito; (bite); morder, picar, mordida, mordedura
incomprehensible - incomprensible
disdainfully - despectivamente; desdenosamente
sheet - hoja, folio, pliego, lámina, capa, escota
printed matter - material impreso
leaflets - panfletos; folíolo, folleto, panfleto
"The Future of the Proletariat. It's a society," he explained, standing ponderously by the side of the arm-chair, "not anarchist in principle, but open to all shades of revolutionary opinion."
in principle - en principio
shades - sombras; alosa, sábalo
"Are you in it?"
"One of the Vice-Presidents," Mr Verloc breathed out heavily; and the First Secretary of the Embassy raised his head to look at him.
vice - vicio; torno de banco
Presidents - presidentes; presidente, presidenta, presidente director
breathed - respiró; respirar
"Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself," he said incisively. "Isn't your society capable of anything else but printing this prophetic bosh in blunt type on this filthy paper eh? Why don't you do something? look here. I've this matter in hand now, and I tell you plainly that you will have to earn your money. The good old Stott-Wartenheim times are over. No work, no pay."
ashamed - avergonzado, abochornado, apenado
incisively - incisivamente
printing - imprimiendo; (print); imprimir
prophetic - profético
filthy - sucio, mugriento, mugroso, inmundo
look here - mira aquí
Mr Verloc felt a queer sensation of faintness in his stout legs. He stepped back one pace, and blew his nose loudly.
queer - raro, extrano, trucha, marica, maricón
sensation - sensación
stepped - pisado; paso
blew - sopló; golpe
He was, in truth, startled and alarmed. The rusty London sunshine struggling clear of the London mist shed a lukewarm brightness into the First Secretary's private room; and in the silence Mr Verloc heard against a window-pane the faint buzzing of a fly-his first fly of the year-heralding better than any number of swallows the approach of spring.
in truth - en verdad
alarmed - alarmado; alarma, rebato, despertador, alarma, tocar a rebato
sunshine - sol, luz del sol
struggling - con dificultades; (struggle); lucha, forcejeo, brega, luchar
shed - cobertizo, nave
lukewarm - tibio, templado, poco entusiasta, desinteresado
brightness - brillo
pane - panel; cristal, vidrio
heralding - presagio; heraldo; anunciador
swallows - golondrinas; tragar, engullir
approach - enfoque; acercarse, aproximarse
The useless fussing of that tiny energetic organism affected unpleasantly this big man threatened in his indolence.
useless - inútil, negado
fussing - molestando; fandango, jaleo, escándalo
tiny - pequeno; diminuto, minúsculo, pequenito
energetic - enérgico, energético
organism - organismo
unpleasantly - desagradablemente
threatened - amenazado; amenazar
This was then the famous and trusty secret agent, so secret that he was never designated otherwise but by the symbol [delta] in the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim's official, semi-official, and confidential correspondence; the celebrated agent [delta], whose warnings had the power to change the schemes and the dates of royal, imperial, grand ducal journeys, and sometimes caused them to be put off altogether! This fellow! And Mr Vladimir indulged mentally in an enormous and derisive fit of merriment, partly at his own astonishment, which he judged naive, but mostly at the expense of the universally regretted Baron Stott-Wartenheim. His late Excellency, whom the august favour of his Imperial master had imposed as Ambassador upon several reluctant Ministers of Foreign Affairs, had enjoyed in his lifetime a fame for an owlish, pessimistic gullibility.
designated - esignado; designar, denominar, titular
otherwise - o no; de otro
symbol - símbolo
confidential - confidencial
correspondence - correspondencia, carteo, noticias
celebrated - celebrado; honrar, loar, alabar, celebrar, festejar
delta - delta, delta
warnings - advertencias; advertencia, aviso, precaución, cuidado
power - poder, potencia, corriente, electricidad, potenciar
schemes - squemas; régimen, proyecto, ardid, artimana, maquinación
Royal - real
Imperial - imperial
ducal - ducal
put off - desanimar, aplazar, apagar
indulged - complacido; ceder, sucumbir, mimar, consentir
mentally - mentalmente
derisive - ridículo; irrisorio
partly - en parte, en cierto modo
astonishment - asombro, estupefacción, sorpresa, extraneza
judged - juzgado; juzgar
naive - cándido, ingenuo, naíf, naif
universally - universalmente
regretted - te arrepientes; lamentar, pena, pesar, arrepentimiento
whom - a quién; quién, quiénes, cuyo, quien
favour - favorecer; favor
Master - maestro; senor, dueno; senora, duena
imposed - impuesto; imponer
reluctant - renuente, reacio, reluctante, reticente
ministers - ministros; ministro
lifetime - para toda la vida; vida, eternidad, toda la vida
fame - fama
pessimistic - pesimista, agorero
gullibility - crudeza; credulidad, tragaderas
His Excellency had the social revolution on the brain. He imagined himself to be a diplomatist set apart by a special dispensation to watch the end of diplomacy, and pretty nearly the end of the world, in a horrid democratic upheaval. His prophetic and doleful despatches had been for years the joke of foreign offices. He was said to have exclaimed on his deathbed (visited by his Imperial friend and master): "Unhappy Europe! Thou shalt perish by the moral insanity of thy children!" He was fated to be the victim of the first humbugging rascal that came along, thought Mr Vladimir, smiling vaguely at Mr Verloc.
revolution - revolución, vuelta, giro
brain - cerebro, seso, sesudez
diplomatist - diplomático
apart - aparte, separadamente
dispensation - distribución; dispensación
diplomacy - diplomacia, diplomacia
nearly - casi
horrid - horrible; hórrido, horrendo
democratic - democrático
upheaval - conmoción; surgimiento, convulsión
despatches - despachar
joke - una broma; broma, chiste, chascarrillo, cuchufleta
foreign offices - oficinas extranjeras
deathbed - lecho de muerte
unhappy - infeliz
thou - tú; vos
shalt - halt; panish: ''shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense''
perish - perecer
insanity - locura, insania, vesania
thy - tu; vuestro, vuestra, vuestros, vuestras
humbugging - humbugging; farsa, disparate, tontería, bobería, fraude
rascal - granuja; pícaro, bribón, canalla
"You ought to venerate the memory of Baron Stott-Wartenheim," he exclaimed suddenly.
venerate - venerar
memory - memoria, recuerdo
The lowered physiognomy of Mr Verloc expressed a sombre and weary annoyance.
expressed - expresado; expresar
sombre - sombrío, grave
annoyance - disgusto, irritación, lata, molestia, fastidio
"Permit me to observe to you," he said, "that I came here because I was summoned by a peremptory letter. I have been here only twice before in the last eleven years, and certainly never at eleven in the morning. It isn't very wise to call me up like this. There is just a chance of being seen. And that would be no joke for me."
permit - permiso; permitir
peremptory - irrefutable, irrebatible, inapelable, perentorio, imperioso
wise - sabio
chance - oportunidad; suerte, by chance: por casualidad
Mr Vladimir shrugged his shoulders.
shrugged - se encogió de hombros; encogimiento de hombros
"It would destroy my usefulness," continued the other hotly.
destroy - destruir, romper, destrozar, sacrificar
hotly - Calurosamente
"That's your affair," murmured Mr Vladimir, with soft brutality. "When you cease to be useful you shall cease to be employed. Yes. Right off. cut short. You shall-" Mr Vladimir, frowning, paused, at a loss for a sufficiently idiomatic expression, and instantly brightened up, with a grin of beautifully white teeth. "You shall be chucked," he brought out ferociously.
affair - negocio, asunto, rollo, amorío, aventura
brutality - brutalidad
cease - cesar, parar, terminar
employed - Empleado
cut short - interrumpir, acortar
Loss - pérdida
grin - sonreír abiertamente, sonreír de oreja a oreja
beautifully - bonito; bellamente
chucked - arrojado; tirar
brought out - sacar; lanzar
ferociously - ferozmente
Once more Mr Verloc had to react with all the force of his will against that sensation of faintness running down one's legs which once upon a time had inspired some poor devil with the felicitous expression: "My heart went down into my boots." Mr Verloc, aware of the sensation, raised his head bravely.
react - reaccionar
felicitous - feliz; oportuno
bravely - con valentía; valientemente
Mr Vladimir bore the look of heavy inquiry with perfect serenity.
serenity - sosiego, tranquilidad, serenidad, excelencia
"What we want is to administer a tonic to the Conference in Milan," he said airily. "Its deliberations upon international action for the suppression of political crime don't seem to get anywhere. England lags. This country is absurd with its sentimental regard for individual liberty. It's intolerable to think that all your friends have got only to come over to-"
administer - administrar
tonic - tónica
airily - en el aire
deliberations - eliberaciones; deliberación
crime - delito, crimen, delincuencia, criminalidad
anywhere - en algún sitio; en cualquier parte, dondequiera
lags - retrasos; demora, retraso, lag, rezagar, retrasar
sentimental - sentimental, sentimentaloide, sensiblero, cursi
individual - individuo, individual
liberty - libertad
intolerable - insoportable; intolerable, de juzgado de guardia
"In that way I have them all under my eye," Mr Verloc interrupted huskily.
"It would be much more to the point to have them all under lock and key. England must be brought into line. The imbecile bourgeoisie of this country make themselves the accomplices of the very people whose aim is to drive them out of their houses to starve in ditches. And they have the political power still, if they only had the sense to use it for their preservation. I suppose you agree that the middle classes are stupid?"
imbecile - imbécil
bourgeoisie - burguesía
accomplices - cómplices; cómplice, fautor
aim - apuntar
starve - morirse de hambre; morir de hambre, hambrear
ditches - zanjas; zanja, foso, cuneta
preservation - preservación
middle classes - clases medias
Mr Verloc agreed hoarsely.
"They are."
"They have no imagination. They are blinded by an idiotic vanity. What they want just now is a jolly good scare. This is the psychological moment to set your friends to work. I have had you called here to develop to you my idea."
imagination - imaginación, magín
blinded - cegado; ciego, invidente, celosía, persiana, ciega, ciego, cegar
idiotic - idiótico, idiota
vanity - vanidad
jolly - alegre, divertido, gracioso
scare - miedo; asustar
develop - desarrollar, revelar
And Mr Vladimir developed his idea from on high, with scorn and condescension, displaying at the same time an amount of ignorance as to the real aims, thoughts, and methods of the revolutionary world which filled the silent Mr Verloc with inward consternation. He confounded causes with effects more than was excusable; the most distinguished propagandists with impulsive bomb throwers; assumed organisation where in the nature of things it could not exist; spoke of the social revolutionary party One moment as of a perfectly disciplined army, where the word of chiefs was supreme, and at another as if it had been the loosest association of desperate brigands that ever camped in a mountain gorge.
developed - desarrollar
scorn - despreciar, desdenar, menospreciar, rechazar, escarnecer
displaying - mostrando; espectáculo, exposición, monitor, expositor
ignorance - ignorancia
aims - objetivos; apuntar
methods - métodos; método, forma
inward - hacia dentro; interior, adentro
consternation - consternación, abatimiento, postración
confounded - confundido; confundir, empeorar
causes - causas; causa, causar
effects - efecto, efectos, efectos especiales, vigencia, vigor
most distinguished - el más distinguido
propagandists - propagandistas; propagandista, panfletario
impulsive - impulsivo
bomb - bomba, explosivo, bombardear, bombear, hacer la bomba
organisation - Organización
One moment - Un momento
disciplined - disciplinado; disciplina, castigo, ramo, disciplinar
army - ejército, multitud
chiefs - jefes; jefe, principal
supreme - supremo
loosest - el más flojo; flojo
Association - asociación
brigands - brigandas; bandido
camped - acamparon; campamento
gorge - desfiladero; barranco
Once Mr Verloc had opened his mouth for a protest, but the raising of a shapely, large white hand arrested him. Very soon he became too appalled to even try to protest. He listened in a stillness of dread which resembled the immobility of profound attention.
protest - protestar, proclamar, oponerse, objetar, protesta, manifestación
shapely - guapo; torneado, curvilíneo, exuberante
appalled - asustado; horrorizar
dread - miedo; temer, pavor, temor
resembled - se parecía; asemejar
immobility - inmovilidad
attention - atención
"A series of outrages," Mr Vladimir continued calmly, "executed here in this country; not only planned here-that would not do-they would not mind. Your friends could set half the Continent on fire without influencing the public opinion here in favour of a universal repressive legislation. They will not look outside their backyard here."
series - eries; serie, serie de televisión
outrages - indignaciones; atrocidad, ultraje, desafuero, atropello
calmly - con calma; tranquilamente
executed - ejecutado; ejecutar, ajusticiar, arrancar
influencing - influyendo; influencia, influir, influenciar
public - público, público
in favour - a favor
universal - universal
Legislation - legislación
backyard - traspatio, patio trasero, jardín trasero, patio de atrás
Mr Verloc cleared his throat, but his heart failed him, and he said nothing.
cleared - transparente, claro, despejado, libre
"These outrages need not be especially sanguinary," Mr Vladimir went on, as if delivering a scientific lecture, "but they must be sufficiently startling-effective. Let them be directed against buildings, for instance. What is the fetish of the hour that all the bourgeoisie recognise-eh, Mr Verloc?"
especially - especialmente, sobre todo, máxime, más
sanguinary - sanguinario
delivering - entregando; liberar, parir, dar a luz, entregar
scientific - científica; científico
lecture - una conferencia; conferencia
effective - efectivo, eficaz
buildings - Edificio
fetish - fetiche
recognise - Reconoces
Mr Verloc opened his hands and shrugged his shoulders slightly.
"You are too lazy to think," was Mr Vladimir's comment upon that gesture. "Pay attention to what I say. The fetish of to-day is neither royalty nor religion. Therefore the palace and the church should be left alone. You understand what I mean, Mr Verloc?"
too lazy to think - demasiado perezoso para pensar
royalty - realeza
religion - religión
Palace - palacio
church - iglesia, servicio religioso, culto, misa
The dismay and the scorn of Mr Verloc found vent in an attempt at levity.
dismay - espanto, estupefacción, consternación
vent - ventilar; respiradero; rejilla de ventilación
attempt - intentar, tentativa, intento, ensayo
"Perfectly. But what of the Embassies? A series of attacks on the various Embassies," he began; but he could not withstand the cold, watchful stare of the First Secretary.
embassies - mbajadas; embajada
attacks - ataques; ataque, atacar
withstand - resistir; aguantar
watchful - vigilante; atento, avizor
"You can be facetious, I see," the latter observed carelessly. "That's all right. It may enliven your oratory at socialistic congresses. But this room is no place for it. It would be infinitely safer for you to follow carefully what I am saying. As you are being called upon to furnish facts instead of cock-and-bull stories, you had better try to make your profit off what I am taking the trouble to explain to you. The sacrosanct fetish of to-day is science.
facetious - curioso; fisgón, socarrón, faceto
That's all right - Está bien
enliven - animar; avivar, amenizar
oratory - oratoria
congresses - ongresos; congreso
infinitely - infinitamente
safer - más seguro; seguro, salvo, checkseguro, caja fuerte, cofre
being called - llamarse
furnish - amoblar, amueblar, suministrar, proporcionar, dotar
instead - en su lugar; en vez de, en lugar de
cock - polla; gallo, macho
Bull - toro
profit - ganancias; ganancia, beneficio, explotar, beneficiarse
sacrosanct - sacrosanta; sacrosanto
Why don't you get some of your friends to go for that wooden-faced panjandrum-eh? Is it not part of these institutions which must be swept away before the F. P. comes along?"
wooden - de madera, acartonado
institutions - instituciones; institución
swept away - se ha arrastrado
Mr Verloc said nothing. He was afraid to open his lips lest a groan should escape him.
groan - gimoteo; gemido, grunido, gemir, grunir
"This is what you should try for. An attempt upon a crowned head or on a president is sensational enough in a way, but not so much as it used to be. It has entered into the general conception of the existence of all chiefs of state. It's almost conventional-especially since so many presidents have been assassinated. Now let us take an outrage upon-say a church. Horrible enough at first sight, no doubt, and yet not so effective as a person of an ordinary mind might think. No matter how revolutionary and anarchist in inception, there would be fools enough to give such an outrage the character of a religious manifestation. And that would detract from the especial alarming significance we wish to give to the act. A murderous attempt on a restaurant or a theatre would suffer in the same way from the suggestion of non-political passion: the exasperation of a hungry man, an act of social revenge. All this is used up; it is no longer instructive as an object lesson in revolutionary anarchism. Every newspaper has ready-made phrases to explain such manifestations away. I am about to give you the philosophy of bomb throwing from my point of view; from the point of view you pretend to have been serving for the last eleven years. I will try not to talk above your head. The sensibilities of the class you are attacking are soon blunted. Property seems to them an indestructible thing. You can't count upon their emotions either of pity or fear for very long. A bomb outrage to have any influence on public opinion now must go beyond the intention of vengeance or terrorism. It must be purely destructive. It must be that, and only that, beyond the faintest suspicion of any other object. You anarchists should make it clear that you are perfectly determined to make a clean sweep of the whole social creation. But how to get that appallingly absurd notion into the heads of the middle classes so that there should be no mistake? That's the question. By directing your blows at something outside the ordinary passions of humanity is the answer. Of course, there is art. A bomb in the National Gallery would make some noise. But it would not be serious enough. Art has never been their fetish. It's like breaking a few back windows in a man's house; whereas, if you want to make him really sit up, you must try at least to raise the roof.
crowned - coronado; corona
President - presidente, presidenta, presidente director
entered into - entrar, involucrarse
existence - existencia
conventional - convencional
assassinated - asesinado; asesinar
horrible - horrible, horrendo
sight - vista, lugar de interés, espectáculo, panorama, visor, mira, ver
ordinary - pieza, ordinario, del montón
inception - comienzo, inicio, incepción
fools - idiotas; bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
character - personaje, característica, carácter
religious - religioso
detract - perjudicar; desvirtuar
especial - especial
significance - significado, significación, calado
wish - deseo, gana, desear
murderous - asesino, homicida
suffer - sufrir, penar, empeorar
suggestion - sugerencia, propuesta, sugestión
non - No
exasperation - exasperación
revenge - venganza
instructive - informativo, instructivo, aleccionador
anarchism - anarquismo
manifestations - anifestaciones; manifestación
Philosophy - filosofía
pretend - fingir, de mentirijillas
serving - sirviendo; servicio, porción; (serve); servicio, servir
sensibilities - sensibilidad
attacking - atacando; ataque, atacar
blunted - embotado; desafilado, despuntado
property - propiedad, posesión, inmueble, bien
indestructible - indestructible
count - contar; conde
emotions - emociones; afecto, emoción
pity - compasión, piedad, lástima, pena, tener lástima
fear - miedo, temor
bomb outrage - Atentado con bomba
influence - influencia, influir, influenciar
intention - intención
vengeance - venganza
terrorism - terrorismo
purely - Puramente
destructive - destructivo
faintest - más débil; débil, tenue
suspicion - sospecha, suspicacia
anarchists - anarquistas; anarquista, ácrata
determined - determinado; determinar
sweep - barrer, peinar
creation - creación
appallingly - spantosamente
directing - dirigiendo; directo, dirigir
blows - Golpes; (blow) Golpes
passions - pasiones; pasión
humanity - la humanidad; humanidad
gallery - galería
noise - ruido, estrépito
whereas - ientras que..; mientras que, siendo que, por cuanto, visto que
sit up - incorporarse; ponerse en guardia; sentar a alguien
raise - subir; levantar
roof - techo
There would be some screaming of course, but from whom? Artists-art critics and such like-people of no account. Nobody minds what they say. But there is learning-science. Any imbecile that has got an income believes in that. He does not know why, but he believes It matters somehow. It is the sacrosanct fetish. All the damned professors are radicals at heart. Let them know that their great panjandrum has got to go too, to make room for the Future of the Proletariat. A howl from all these intellectual idiots is bound to help forward the labours of the Milan Conference. They will be writing to the papers. Their indignation would be above suspicion, no material interests being openly at stake, and it will alarm every selfishness of the class which should be impressed. They believe that in some mysterious way science is at the source of their material prosperity. They do. And the absurd ferocity of such a demonstration will affect them more profoundly than the mangling of a whole street-or theatre-full of their own kind. To that last they can always say: 'Oh! it's mere class hate.' But what is one to say to an act of destructive ferocity so absurd as to be incomprehensible, inexplicable, almost unthinkable; in fact, mad? Madness alone is truly terrifying, inasmuch as you cannot placate it either by threats, persuasion, or bribes. Moreover, I am a civilised man. I would never dream of directing you to organise a mere butchery, even if I expected the best results from it. But I wouldn't expect from a butchery the result I want. Murder is always with us. It is almost an institution. The demonstration must be against learning-science. But not every science will do. The attack must have all the shocking senselessness of gratuitous blasphemy. Since bombs are your means of expression, it would be really telling if one could throw a bomb into pure mathematics. But that is impossible. I have been trying to educate you; I have expounded to you the higher philosophy of your usefulness, and suggested to you some serviceable arguments. The practical application of my teaching interests you mostly. But from the moment I have undertaken to interview you I have also given some attention to the practical aspect of the question. What do you think of having a go at astronomy?"
screaming - gritando; grito, gritar
critics - críticos; crítico
minds - mentes; mente, concentración, opinión, juicio, propósito
income - ingresos, renta
It matters - Importa
somehow - de algún modo, de alguna manera, de alguna forma
damned - maldito; (damn); maldecir, condenar, reprobar, maldito, puto
professors - profesores; profesor, profesora
at heart - de corazón
howl - aullido, aullar, ganir
intellectual - intelectual
Idiots - idiotas; idiota
bound - atado; (bind); atar, atar (tie), empastar (books), liar
labours - trabajos; trabajo, campesinos, trabajadores, parto, trabajar
openly - abiertamente, sin tapujos, con luz y taquígrafos
stake - estaca, participación, estacar, poner en juego
alarm - alarma, rebato, despertador, alarma, tocar a rebato
selfishness - egoísmo
mysterious - misterioso
prosperity - prosperidad
affect - afectar
mangling - Manipulación; (mangle) Manipulación
unthinkable - impensable
madness - locura
truly - de verdad; verdaderamente, realmente
terrifying - aterrador; aterrar
placate - pacificar; aplacar
threats - amenazas; amenaza
persuasion - persuasión
bribes - sobornos; soborno, coima, sobornar, cohechar, coimear
civilised - civilizado; civilizar, desasnar
dream - sueno; sueno, ensueno, sonar
organise - Organizar
butchery - carnicería
expected - esperado; esperar, checkaguardar
murder - asesinato, asesinar, cepillarse, devorar
attack - ataque, atacar
shocking - impresionante; conmoción, golpe
blasphemy - blasfemia
bombs - bombas; bomba, explosivo, bombardear, bombear, hacer la bomba
throw - lanzar, tirar
pure - pura; puro
mathematics - Matemáticas
educate - educar, instruir
expounded - explicado; exponer, explayar, disertar
serviceable - servicial; panish: t-needed
arguments - argumento
practical application - aplicación práctica
undertaken - emprendido; emprender, acometer
astronomy - astronomía
For sometime already Mr Verloc's immobility by the side of the arm-chair resembled a state of collapsed coma-a sort of passive insensibility interrupted by slight convulsive starts, such as may be observed in the domestic dog having a nightmare on the hearthrug. And it was in an uneasy doglike growl that he repeated the word:
sometime - alguna vez; al rato, algún día, en algún momento
collapsed - colapsado; derrumbarse, desplomarse, colapsar, colapso, desplome
passive - pasivo
insensibility - insensibilidad
convulsive - convulsivo, convulso
nightmare - pesadilla, mal sueno, tormento, suplicio
uneasy - inquieta; inquieto
doglike - como un perro
growl - grunir; rugido, grunir
"Astronomy."
He had not recovered thoroughly as yet from that state of bewilderment brought about by the effort to follow Mr Vladimir's rapid incisive utterance. It had overcome his power of assimilation. It had made him angry. This anger was complicated by incredulity. And suddenly it dawned upon him that all this was an elaborate joke.
recovered - recuperado; recuperarse
as yet - todavía
brought about - provocar
rapid - rápido, rápido, rabión
incisive - incisivo
overcome - vencer, superar
assimilation - asimilación
anger - ira, enfado, enojo, rabia
complicated - complicado; complicar
incredulity - incredulidad
elaborate - elaborar; profundizar
Mr Vladimir exhibited his white teeth in a smile, with dimples on his round, full face posed with a complacent inclination above the bristling bow of his neck-tie. The favourite of intelligent society women had assumed his drawing-room attitude accompanying the delivery of delicate witticisms. Sitting well forward, his white hand upraised, he seemed to hold delicately between his thumb and forefinger the subtlety of his suggestion.
dimples - hoyuelo, camanance, formar hoyuelos
posed - posado; postura, pose
complacent - autocomplaciente
tie - corbata; amarrar, atar
accompanying - acompanando; acompanar
delivery - entrega, parto, nacimiento
upraised - Arriba
delicately - con delicadeza; delicadamente
subtlety - delicadeza, sutileza
"There could be nothing better. Such an outrage combines the greatest possible regard for humanity with the most alarming display of ferocious imbecility. I defy the ingenuity of journalists to persuade their public that any given member of the proletariat can have a personal grievance against astronomy. Starvation itself could hardly be dragged in there-eh? And there are other advantages.
outrage - atrocidad, ultraje, desafuero, atropello, indignación, rabia
combines - combinar, juntar, unir
most alarming - lo más alarmante
display - mostrar; espectáculo, exposición, monitor, expositor
imbecility - imbecilidad
defy - desafiar, desobedecer, renunciar
ingenuity - ingenuidad; ingenio
journalists - periodistas; diarista, periodista, reportero
persuade - persuadir
grievance - queja, agravio
starvation - inanición
itself - en sí; se, solo, a si mismo, por si mismo, sí mismo
hardly - apenas, a duras penas
dragged - arrastrado; llevar a rastras
advantages - ventajas; ventaja, beneficio, provecho
The whole civilised world has heard of Greenwich. The very boot-blacks in the basement of Charing Cross Station know something of it. See?"
Greenwich - Greenwich
Charing - charing; chamuscar, carbonizar
Cross - cruz, aspa, sotuer, santiguamiento, senal de la cruz, cruce
The features of Mr Vladimir, so well known in the best society by their humorous urbanity, beamed with cynical self-satisfaction, which would have astonished the intelligent women his wit entertained so exquisitely. "Yes," he continued, with a contemptuous smile, "the blowing up of the first meridian is bound to raise a howl of execration."
features - aracterísticas; característica, atracción, atractivo, reportaje
humorous - umorística; humoroso
urbanity - urbanidad, educación, modales, corrección
beamed - remitido; viga, timón, radio
self - yo; uno mismo
astonished - asombrado; asombrar, sorprender, pasmar
entertained - entretenido; divertir, entretener
blowing up - explotando
meridian - meridiano
"A difficult business," Mr Verloc mumbled, feeling that this was the only safe thing to say.
mumbled - murmuró; mascullar, mascujar, susurrar, mascujada
"What is the matter? Haven't you the whole gang under your hand? The very pick of the basket? That old terrorist Yundt is here. I see him walking about Piccadilly in his green havelock almost every day. And Michaelis, the ticket-of-leave apostle-you don't mean to say you don't know where he is?
gang - pandilla; grupo, cuadrilla, equipo
pick - pico, ganzúa, hurgar, recoger
basket - cesta, cesto, canasta
terrorist - terrorista
apostle - apóstol
Because if you don't, I can tell you," Mr Vladimir went on menacingly. "If you imagine that you are the only one on the secret fund list, you are mistaken."
are mistaken - estar equivocado
This perfectly gratuitous suggestion caused Mr Verloc to shuffle his feet slightly.
shuffle - barajar, mezclar, barajear, arrastrar, arrastrar los pies
"And the whole Lausanne lot-eh? Haven't they been flocking over here at the first hint of the Milan Conference? This is an absurd country."
flocking - Rebano; (floc) Rebano
hint - insinuación; pista, indicio, indirecta, buscapié, toque
"It will cost money," Mr Verloc said, by a sort of instinct.
instinct - instinto
"That cock won't fight," Mr Vladimir retorted, with an amazingly genuine English accent. "You'll get your screw every month, and no more till something happens. And if nothing happens very soon you won't get even that. What's your ostensible occupation? What are you supposed to live by?"
fight - pelear (se), luchar
retorted - replicó; replicar
genuine - genuino, auténtico, legítimo, verdadero
screw - tornillo, tirafondo, hélice, atornillar, enroscar, follar, joder
supposed - se supone; suponer
"I keep a shop," answered Mr Verloc.
"A shop! What sort of shop?"
"Stationery, newspapers. My wife-"
Stationery - Papelería
"Your what?" interrupted Mr Vladimir in his guttural Central Asian tones.
central - central
Asian - asiático, asiática, hindú
"My wife." Mr Verloc raised his husky voice slightly. "I am married."
"That be damned for a yarn," exclaimed the other in unfeigned astonishment. "Married! And you a professed anarchist, too! What is this confounded nonsense? But I suppose it's merely a manner of speaking. Anarchists don't marry. It's well known. They can't. It would be apostasy."
yarn - hilo, hilado, lana, hilaza, cuento
unfeigned - Sin fingir
professed - profesó; profesar
merely - simplemente; meramente, puramente, solamente, sólo
marry - casarse
apostasy - apostasía
"My wife isn't one," Mr Verloc mumbled sulkily. "Moreover, it's no concern of yours."
sulkily - Enfurrunada
concern - preocupación, referirse a, ataner, concernir, tocar, preocupar
"Oh yes, it is," snapped Mr Vladimir. "I am beginning to be convinced that you are not at all the man for the work you've been employed on. Why, you must have discredited yourself completely in your own world by your marriage. Couldn't you have managed without? This is your virtuous attachment-eh? What with one sort of attachment and another you are doing away with your usefulness."
snapped - se rompió; chasquido, crujido, chasquido de dedos, fotografía
discredited - desacreditado; desacreditar, descreer, descrédito
completely - completamente, totalmente, rematadamente, de todo punto
marriage - matrimonio, boda, casamiento, unión
managed - manejado; manejar, conseguir, lograr, apanárselas
virtuous - virtuoso
Mr Verloc, puffing out his cheeks, let the air escape violently, and that was all. He had armed himself with patience. It was not to be tried much longer. The First Secretary became suddenly very curt, detached, final.
puffing - resoplando; (puff) resoplando
violently - violentamente
patience - paciencia, solitario
curt - cortés; corto
detached - desprendido; desacoplar
"You may go now," he said. "A dynamite outrage must be provoked. I give you a month. The sittings of the Conference are suspended. Before it reassembles again something must have happened here, or your connection with us ceases."
dynamite - dinamita, dinamitar
sittings - Sentado
suspended - suspendido; suspender
ceases - eas
He changed the note once more with an unprincipled versatility.
unprincipled - sin principios; sin escrúpulos, inescrupuloso, ímprobo
versatility - versatilidad
"think over my philosophy, Mr-Mr-Verloc," he said, with a sort of chaffing condescension, waving his hand towards the door. "Go for the first meridian. You don't know the middle classes as well as I do. Their sensibilities are jaded. The first meridian. Nothing better, and nothing easier, I should think."
think over - piensa en ello
chaffing - Rechinamiento; (chaff); paja, barcia, exico, pienso
waving - Saludando; (wave) Saludando
He had got up, and with his thin sensitive lips twitching humorously, watched in the glass over the mantelpiece Mr Verloc backing out of the room heavily, hat and stick in hand. The door closed.
twitching - Tic; (twitch) Tic
humorously - con humor
The footman in trousers, appearing suddenly in the corridor, let Mr Verloc another way out and through a small door in the corner of the courtyard. The porter standing at the gate ignored his exit completely; and Mr Verloc retraced the path of his morning's pilgrimage as if in a dream-an angry dream. This detachment from the material world was so complete that, though the mortal envelope of Mr Verloc had not hastened unduly along the streets, that part of him to which it would be unwarrantably rude to refuse immortality, found itself at the shop door all at once, as if borne from west to east on the wings of a great wind. He walked straight behind the counter, and sat down on a wooden chair that stood there. No one appeared to disturb his solitude. Stevie, put into a green baize apron, was now sweeping and dusting upstairs, intent and conscientious, as though he were playing at it; and Mrs Verloc, warned in the kitchen by the clatter of the cracked bell, had merely come to the glazed door of the parlour, and putting the curtain aside a little, had peered into the dim shop. Seeing her husband sitting there shadowy and bulky, with his hat tilted far back on his head, she had at once returned to her stove. An hour or more later she took the green baize apron off her brother Stevie, and instructed him to wash his hands and face in the peremptory tone she had used in that connection for fifteen years or so-ever since she had, in fact, ceased to attend to the boy's hands and face herself.
appearing - apareciendo; aparecer, comparecer
corner - ángulo, checkrincón, esquina, acorralar, girar, virar, maniobrar
ignored - ignorado; ignorar, desoír
exit - salir; salida
pilgrimage - peregrinación, peregrinaje, peregrinar
detachment - desapego; desprendimiento, destacamento
hastened - se precipitó; correr, acelerar, precipitar, anticipar, adelantar
unduly - indebidamente
unwarrantably - injustificadamente
refuse - rechazar; negarse (a)
immortality - inmortalidad
borne - soportado; aguantar, soportar
wings - alas; ala, sección, parte, flanco, alero
wind - viento, aire
disturb - perturbar, molestar
baize - tapete, bayeta
apron - delantal, mandil
intent - intención, intento, propósito, concentrado, entregado
conscientious - consciente; concienzudo
clatter - ruido; trapalear
curtain - cortina, telón
peered - miró; par, noble
dim - débil, ténue
shadowy - sombra; sombroso, sombreado, sombrío, umbroso
bulky - grande; voluminoso, abultado
tilted - inclinado; inclinar, ladear
stove - fogón; estufa, cocina, horno; (stave); duela, estrofa
instructed - instruido; instruir
ceased - esado; cesar, parar, terminar
attend to - participar en
She spared presently a glance away from her dishing-up for the inspection of that face and those hands which Stevie, approaching the kitchen table, offered for her approval with an air of self-assurance hiding a perpetual residue of anxiety. Formerly the anger of the father was the supremely effective sanction of these rites, but Mr Verloc's placidity in domestic life would have made all mention of anger incredible even to poor Stevie's nervousness. The theory was that Mr Verloc would have been inexpressibly pained and shocked by any deficiency of cleanliness at meal times. Winnie after the death of her father found considerable consolation in the feeling that she need no longer tremble for poor Stevie. She could not bear to see the boy hurt. It maddened her. As a little girl she had often faced with blazing eyes the irascible licensed victualler in defence of her brother. Nothing now in Mrs Verloc's appearance could lead one to suppose that she was capable of a passionate demonstration.
spared - se salvó; palo, verga
inspection - inspección
approval - aprobación, venia, beneplácito
assurance - seguridad; certidumbre, confianza
perpetual - perpetua; perpetuo
residue - residuos; residuo
Formerly - anteriormente, otrora, antes, antano
supremely - supremamente; sumamente, soberanamente
sanction - autorización, aprobación, decreto, sanción, ratificar
rites - itos; rito
placidity - pacidez; placidez
mention - mención, mencionar, mentar
nervousness - nerviosidad, nerviosismo, intranquilidad
theory - teoría
inexpressibly - nexpresablemente
pained - dolido; dolor
shocked - sorprendido; conmoción, golpe
deficiency - deficiencia, déficit, deficiencia, checkinsuficiencia
cleanliness - limpieza
Death - muerte, la muerte, el arcano de la muerte
considerable - considerable
consolation - consolación, consuelo, premio de consolación, premio de consuelo
tremble - tiritar, temblar, temblor, vibración, temblequera
bear - oso; aguantar, soportar
hurt - doler, lastimar, hacer dano, herido, dolido
maddened - enloquecido; enloquecer
blazing - ardiendo; llamarada, incendio; resplandor
irascible - irascible, colérico, manoso
defence - defensa
lead - llevar; liderar; guiar, dirigir; provocar; encabezar; principal; plomo
passionate - apasionado
She finished her dishing-up. The table was laid in the parlour. Going to the foot of the stairs, she screamed out "Mother!" Then opening the glazed door leading to the shop, she said quietly "Adolf!" Mr Verloc had not changed his position; he had not apparently stirred a limb for an hour and a half. He got up heavily, and came to his dinner in his overcoat and with his hat on, without uttering a word. His silence in itself had nothing startlingly unusual in this household, hidden in the shades of the sordid street seldom touched by the sun, behind the dim shop with its wares of disreputable rubbish. Only that day Mr Verloc's taciturnity was so obviously thoughtful that the two women were impressed by it. They sat silent themselves, keeping a watchful eye on poor Stevie, lest he should break out into one of his fits of loquacity. He faced Mr Verloc across the table, and remained very good and quiet, staring vacantly. The endeavour to keep him from making himself objectionable in any way to the master of the house put no inconsiderable anxiety into these two women's lives. "That boy," as they alluded to him softly between themselves, had been a source of that sort of anxiety almost from the very day of his birth. The late licensed victualler's humiliation at having such a very peculiar boy for a son manifested itself by a propensity to brutal treatment; for he was a person of fine sensibilities, and his sufferings as a man and a father were perfectly genuine. Afterwards Stevie had to be kept from making himself a nuisance to the single gentlemen lodgers, who are themselves a queer lot, and are easily aggrieved. And there was always the anxiety of his mere existence to face.
laid in - recoger
screamed - gritó; grito, gritar
leading - dirigiendo; (lead) dirigiendo
position - posición, puesto, postura
stirred - agitado; remover, revolver
uttering - proferir; (utter) proferir
startlingly - Asombrosamente
unusual - inusual, inusitado, desusado
hidden - ocultos; esconder(se), ocultar
shades - sombras; sombra, persiana, umbral, tono, matiz, sombrear
sordid - sórdido
seldom - raramente, rara vez
disreputable - De mala reputación
taciturnity - taciturnidad
thoughtful - pensativo; detallista, minucioso, meticuloso, cortés
break out - estallar; escapar; librar(se)
loquacity - locuacidad
vacantly - Vacantemente
endeavour - esfuerzo; esforzarse
inconsiderable - despreciable
alluded - aludido; aludir, referirse
softly - suavemente, inaudiblemente, silenciosamente
birth - nacimiento
humiliation - humillación, humillación
peculiar - particular; peculiar, raro, específico
manifested - manifestado; manifiesto, evidente, declaración de carga
propensity - propensión, inclinación
brutal - brutal
treatment - trato, tratamiento
sufferings - ufrimientos; sufrido, sufriente, sufrimiento
afterwards - después
nuisance - molestia, engorro, incomodidad, molienda, inconveniente
single - solo, único, soltero, sencillo, soltero, soltera
Visions of a workhouse infirmary for her child had haunted the old woman in the basement breakfast-room of the decayed Belgravian house. "If you had not found such a good husband, my dear," she used to say to her daughter, "I don't know what would have become of that poor boy."
visions - visiones; vista, visión
workhouse - Trabajo
infirmary - en la enfermería; enfermería, panish: t-needed
haunted - hechizado; frecuentar, espantar, desasosegar, inquietar
decayed - decayó; descomposición, deterioración, putrefacción, podredumbre
Mr Verloc extended as much recognition to Stevie as a man not particularly fond of animals may give to his wife's beloved cat; and this recognition, benevolent and perfunctory, was essentially of the same quality. Both women admitted to themselves that not much more could be reasonably expected. It was enough to earn for Mr Verloc the old woman's reverential gratitude. In the early days, made sceptical by the trials of friendless life, she used sometimes to ask anxiously: "You don't think, my dear, that Mr Verloc is getting tired of seeing Stevie about?" To this Winnie replied habitually by a slight toss of her head. Once, however, she retorted, with a rather grim pertness: "He'll have to get tired of me first." A long silence ensued. The mother, with her feet propped up on a stool, seemed to be trying to get to the bottom of that answer, whose feminine profundity had struck her all of a heap. She had never really understood why Winnie had married Mr Verloc.
extended - extendido; extender, ampliar
particularly - en particular; particularmente
fond - carinoso, afectuoso
beloved - querida; amado, querido, bienamado
benevolent - benevolente, benévolo
perfunctory - perfecto; superficial, perfunctorio, rutinario
essentially - esencialmente, en esencia
admitted - admitido; admitir, dar entrada, dejar entrar, reconocer
reasonably - razonablemente, justamente
reverential - reverencial
gratitude - gratitud
sceptical - Escéptico
trials - pruebas; proceso, juicio
friendless - sin amigos
anxiously - ansioso; con inquietud, con ansiedad, ansiosamente
replied - respondió; responder, repetir, respuesta
habitually - habitualmente
toss - tiro, lanzamiento, lanzar una moneda al aire, echar un volado
grim - asqueroso; horrible, horroroso, macabro, nefasto
get tired - cansarse
ensued - siguió; seguirse, resultar
propped - apoyado; puntal
stool - heces; taburete
feminine - femenino, femenil, de mujeres, femenino
profundity - profundidad
heap - pila, montón, cúmulo, montículo, checkpila, amontonar
It was very sensible of her, and evidently had turned out for the best, but her girl might have naturally hoped to find somebody of a more suitable age. There had been a steady young fellow, only son of a butcher in the next street, helping his father in business, with whom Winnie had been walking out with obvious gusto. He was dependent on his father, it is true; but the business was good, and his prospects excellent. He took her girl to the theatre on several evenings. Then just as she began to dread to hear of their engagement (for what could she have done with that big house alone, with Stevie on her hands), that romance came to an abrupt end, and Winnie went about looking very dull. But Mr Verloc, turning up providentially to occupy the first-floor front bedroom, there had been no more question of the young butcher. It was clearly providential.
sensible - razonable, sensato, sesudo
evidently - evidentemente
more suitable - más adecuado
dependent - dependiente, dependiente
hear of - oír de, escuchar de
romance - romance
abrupt - abrupto, brusco, repentino, súbito
turning up - Aparecer, presentarse; subir, aumentar
providentially - rovidencialmente
occupy - ocupar
Clearly - está claro; claramente, por lo claro
" . . . All idealisation makes life poorer. To beautify it is to take away its character of complexity-it is to destroy it. Leave that to the moralists, my boy. History is made by men, but they do not make it in their heads. The ideas that are born in their consciousness play an insignificant part in the march of events. History is dominated and determined by the tool and the production-by the force of economic conditions. Capitalism has made socialism, and the laws made by the capitalism for the protection of property are responsible for anarchism. No one can tell what form the social organisation may take in the future.
idealisation - idealización
beautify - embellecer
complexity - complejidad
Moralists - moralistas; moralista
consciousness - conciencia
insignificant - insignificante, oscuro, desestimable
dominated - Dominar
tool - herramienta, utensilio, instrumento
production - producción, elaboración
economic - económico
conditions - ondiciones; condición, situación, acondicionar
Capitalism - capitalismo
Socialism - socialismo
laws - leyes; ley
protection of property - protección de la propiedad
responsible - responsable, de responsabilidad, responsable
Then why indulge in prophetic phantasies? At best they can only interpret the mind of the prophet, and can have no objective value. Leave that pastime to the moralists, my boy."
indulge in - darse el gusto
phantasies - fantasía
Interpret - explicar, exponer, interpretar
prophet - profeta, profetisa
objective - objetivo, objetivo
Michaelis, the ticket-of-leave apostle, was speaking in an even voice, a voice that wheezed as if deadened and oppressed by the layer of fat on his chest. He had come out of a highly hygienic prison round like a tub, with an enormous stomach and distended cheeks of a pale, semi-transparent complexion, as though for fifteen years the servants of an outraged society had made a point of stuffing him with fattening foods in a damp and lightless cellar.
wheezed - sibilancias; jadear, silbido, sibilancia, estertor sibilante
oppressed - primidos; oprimir
layer - Capa; (lay) Capa
chest - pecho
prison - cárcel, prisión, penitenciaría, chirona
tub - cuba, tina
stomach - estómago, barriga, vientre
pale - pálido
transparent - transparente
outraged - indignado; atrocidad, ultraje, desafuero, atropello
stuffing - relleno; (stuff); cosas, bártulos, cosa, coso, materia
damp - húmedo, humedad, amortiguar
cellar - sótano, bodega
And ever since he had never managed to get his weight down as much as an ounce.
weight - peso, pesa, pesar, ponderar
ounce - una onza; onza
It was said that for three seasons running a very wealthy old lady had sent him for a cure to Marienbad-where he was about to share the public curiosity once with a crowned head-but the police on that occasion ordered him to leave within twelve hours. His martyrdom was continued by forbidding him all access to the healing waters. But he was resigned now.
seasons - temporadas; estación
lady - senora; ama, senora, dama, bano de damas
curiosity - curiosidad
martyrdom - martirio
healing - Curación; (heal) Curación
resigned - renunció; dimitir
With his elbow presenting no appearance of a joint, but more like a bend in a dummy's limb, thrown over the back of a chair, he leaned forward slightly over his short and enormous thighs to spit into the grate.
elbow - codo, codazo, panish: t-needed
joint - en común, comunitario, en conjunto, articulación, coyuntura
bend - doblar, curvar, doblarse, agacharse, inclinarse, doblegar
dummy - silencioso, tonto, maniquí, muerto
thrown over - lanzado por encima; abandonado
leaned - apoyado; inclinarse
thighs - muslos; muslo, muslamen
spit - Escupir
grate - rejilla
"Yes! I had the time to think things out a little," he added without emphasis. "Society has given me plenty of time for meditation."
emphasis - énfasis, hincapié
plenty - bastante; abundancia
meditation - meditación
On the other side of the fireplace, in the horse-hair arm-chair where Mrs Verloc's mother was generally privileged to sit, Karl Yundt giggled grimly, with a faint black grimace of a toothless mouth. The terrorist, as he called himself, was old and bald, with a narrow, snow-white wisp of a goatee hanging limply from his chin. An extraordinary expression of underhand malevolence survived in his extinguished eyes.
privileged - privilegiado; privilegio, privilegiar
giggled - se rió; reír
grimly - Con tristeza
toothless - sin dientes; desdentado, edéntulo
Snow-White - (Snow-White) Blancanieves
wisp - brizna, mechón, voluta, jirón
goatee - perilla, piocha
hanging - Colgando; (hang) Colgando
extraordinary - extraordinario, descomunal
underhand - ..bajo mano; solapado, bajuno
malevolence - maldad; malevolencia
survived - sobrevivió; sobrevivir
extinguished - extinguido; extinguir, apagar
When he rose painfully the thrusting forward of a skinny groping hand deformed by gouty swellings suggested the effort of a moribund murderer summoning all his remaining strength for a last stab. He leaned on a thick stick, which trembled under his other hand.
rose - Rosa; (rise); Rosa
painfully - dolorosamente
thrusting - Empujando; (thrust); estocada, empuje, envión, impulso, énfasis
skinny - delgada; delgado, o a more extreme degree, flaco
groping - palpar, tantear, buscar a tientas, manosear, meter mano
deformed - deformado; deformar
gouty - gota
swellings - inflamaciones; inflamación, hinchazón
moribund - moribundo, mortecino
murderer - asesino, asesina, victimario, victimaria
summoning - invocación; convocar
remaining - quedan; resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer
strength - fuerza, neque, potencia, intensidad, fuerte, fortaleza
stab - apunalar
trembled - tembló; tiritar, temblar, temblor, vibración, temblequera
"I have always dreamed," he mouthed fiercely, "of a band of men absolute in their resolve to discard all scruples in the choice of means, strong enough to give themselves frankly the name of destroyers, and free from the taint of that resigned pessimism which rots the world. No pity for anything on earth, including themselves, and death enlisted for good and all in the service of humanity-that's what I would have liked to see."
dreamed - sonado; sueno, ensueno, sonar
fiercely - con fiereza; fieramente
resolve - tomar la decisión de, resolver
discard - desechar, descartar
scruples - escrúpulos; escrúpulo, vacilar, escrupulizar
choice - selección, decisión, opción, exquisito
frankly - francamente
destroyers - destructores; destructor
taint - mancha; echar a perder; contaminar
pessimism - pesimismo
rots - se pudre; pudrir, podrir, putrefacción, podre
earth - tierra, suelo, terreno, madriguera, aterrar
enlisted - alistado; alistar, enlistar, conseguir
His little bald head quivered, imparting a comical vibration to the wisp of white goatee. His enunciation would have been almost totally unintelligible to a stranger. His worn-out passion, resembling in its impotent fierceness the excitement of a senile sensualist, was badly served by a dried throat and toothless gums which seemed to catch the tip of his tongue.
bald head - Cabeza calva
imparting - impartir
comical - cómico
vibration - vibración
enunciation - enunciación
totally - totalmente
unintelligible - ininteligible
passion - pasión
resembling - se parece; asemejar
fierceness - ferocidad
excitement - emoción; entusiasmo
senile - senil, chocho, chocheante, gagá
sensualist - Sensualista
dried - secado; seco, secarse, enjugar
gums - encías; encía
catch - coger; pega, traba, truco, cuestión
Mr Verloc, established in the corner of the sofa at the other end of the room, emitted two hearty grunts of assent.
established - establecido; establecer, instaurar, nombrar
sofa - sofá, sillón
emitted - emitido; emitir
hearty - corazonoso; carinoso, de corazón, cordial, corpulento, nutritivo
grunts - grunidos; grunido, currito, machaca, grunir
assent - asentir, consentir, asentimiento
The old terrorist turned slowly his head on his skinny neck from side to side.
slowly - lentamente, despacio
"And I could never get as many as three such men together. So much for your rotten pessimism," he snarled at Michaelis, who uncrossed his thick legs, similar to bolsters, and slid his feet abruptly under his chair in sign of exasperation.
rotten - podrido, estropeado, malo, putrefacto
snarled - grunó; grunir
uncrossed - descruzar
bolsters - refuerzos; cabecera, almohada, almohadón, zapata, matriz
slid - Se deslizó; (slide); deslizar, resbalar, tobogán, resbaladilla
abruptly - de repente; abruptamente, precipitadamente
He a pessimist! Preposterous! He cried out that the charge was outrageous. He was so far from pessimism that he saw already the end of all private property coming along logically, unavoidably, by the mere development of its inherent viciousness. The possessors of property had not only to face the awakened proletariat, but they had also to fight amongst themselves. Yes. Struggle, warfare, was the condition of private ownership.
pessimist - pesimista, agorero
preposterous - absurdo, insensato, ridículo, prepóstero
cried - lloró; llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
coming along - espabilarse; aparecer; acompanar; progresar
logically - lógicamente
unavoidably - inevitablemente, ineludiblemente
development - desarrollo, desenvolvimiento
inherent - inherente
viciousness - viciosidad; sana
possessors - poseedores; posesor
awakened - despertado; despertar, despertarse
amongst - entre
Struggle - lucha, forcejeo, brega, luchar, esforzarse con denuedo
warfare - guerra
ownership - propiedad
It was fatal. Ah! he did not depend upon emotional excitement to keep up his belief, no declamations, no anger, no visions of blood-red flags waving, or metaphorical lurid suns of vengeance rising above the horizon of a doomed society. Not he! Cold reason, he boasted, was the basis of his optimism. Yes, optimism-
Depend - depender, confiar, atender
emotional - emocional, emotivo
belief - creencia
declamations - Declamación
blood - ensangrentar
flags - banderas; bandera
metaphorical - metafórico
lurid - escabroso; espantoso, chocante, pálido, lívido
rising - subiendo; rebelión, levantamiento, alzamiento, ascensión
horizon - horizonte
doomed - condenado; condenar, danar
basis - base, fundamento
optimism - optimismo
His laborious wheezing stopped, then, after a gasp or two, he added:
laborious - trabajoso; laborioso
wheezing - Sibilancias; (wheeze); jadear, silbido, sibilancia
gasp - jadeo; jadear, bocanada, calada
"Don't you think that, if I had not been the optimist I am, I could not have found in fifteen years some means to cut my throat? And, in the last instance, there were always the walls of my cell to dash my head against."
optimist - optimista
cell - célula; celda
Dash - raya, guion largo, carrerita, gota, pizca, lanzarse, romper
The shortness of breath took all fire, all animation out of his voice; his great, pale cheeks hung like filled pouches, motionless, without a quiver; but in his blue eyes, narrowed as if peering, there was the same look of confident shrewdness, a little crazy in its fixity, they must have had while the indomitable optimist sat thinking at night in his cell. Before him, Karl Yundt remained standing, one wing of his faded greenish havelock thrown back cavalierly over his shoulder. Seated in front of the fireplace, Comrade Ossipon, ex-medical student, the principal writer of the F. P. leaflets, stretched out his robust legs, keeping the soles of his boots turned up to the glow in the grate.
breath - respiración, aliento, respiro
pouches - bolsas; bolsa, saquito, marsupio, bolsa marsupial, petaca
quiver - tiemblo; estremecer(se)
narrowed - estrechado; estrecho
peering - espiando; par, noble
confident - confiado, seguro de sí mismo
shrewdness - Astucia
crazy - loco, colgado, sonado, trastornado
fixity - fijación
indomitable - indomable
Wing - ala, sección, parte, flanco, alero
faded - desvanecido; moda, moda pasajera
greenish - verde; verdoso
thrown back - lanzar hacia atrás; frenar; apurar; devolver
cavalierly - con displicencia
seated - sentado; asiento, seato, sede
medical - médico
principal - principal, capital, director, directora, principal de escuela
stretched - estirado; estirar, estirarse, dar, extenderse, estirón
robust - robusto
soles - suelas; planta
glow - resplandor; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
A bush of crinkly yellow hair topped his red, freckled face, with a flattened nose and prominent mouth cast in the rough mould of the negro type. His almond-shaped eyes leered languidly over the high cheek-bones. He wore a grey flannel shirt, the loose ends of a black silk tie hung down the buttoned breast of his serge coat; and his head resting on the back of his chair, his throat largely exposed, he raised to his lips a cigarette in a long wooden tube, puffing jets of smoke straight up at the ceiling.
bush - arbusto
topped - topado; cima, parte superior, parte de más arriba, cabecera
freckled - pecas; peca, tener peca
flattened - aplanado; aplanar, achatar, aplanarse, achatarse
mould - moho; mantillo
negro - negro, negra
almond-shaped - (almond-shaped) con forma de almendra, almendrado
leered - mirada lasciva
cheek - mejilla, cacha, cachete, nalga, glúteo, descoco
bones - huesos; hueso
flannel - panela; franela
loose - suelto; flojo
buttoned - botonada; botón
serge - sarga
resting - Descansando; (rest) Descansando
largely - en gran medida; mayormente
exposed - Exposiciones
cigarette - un cigarrillo; cigarrillo, pitillo
tube - tubo, canuto
straight up - sinceramente, directamente; justo; vertical, erguido; verdadero, puro
ceiling - techo; (ceil) techo
Michaelis pursued his idea-the idea of his solitary reclusion-the thought vouchsafed to his captivity and growing like a faith revealed in visions.
reclusion - reclusión
captivity - cautividad, cautiverio
Faith - fe, confianza
revealed - revelado; revelar, propalar
He talked to himself, indifferent to the sympathy or hostility of his hearers, indifferent indeed to their presence, from the habit he had acquired of thinking aloud hopefully in the solitude of the four whitewashed walls of his cell, in the sepulchral silence of the great blind pile of bricks near a river, sinister and ugly like a colossal mortuary for the socially drowned.
sympathy - simpatía; compasión, empatía, compasión
hostility - hostilidad
hearers - Oyente
presence - presencia
aloud - en voz alta, de viva voz
hopefully - esperamos; ojalá, Dios te oiga
whitewashed - panish: t-needed
sepulchral - sepulcral
pile - montón, pila
bricks - ladrillos; ladrillo
ugly - feo, callo
colossal - colosal
mortuary - funeraria; depósito de cadáveres
socially - socialmente
drowned - hogado; ahogarse
He was no good in discussion, not because any amount of argument could shake his faith, but because the mere fact of hearing another voice disconcerted him painfully, confusing his thoughts at once-these thoughts that for so many years, in a mental solitude more barren than a waterless desert, no living voice had ever combatted, commented, or approved.
discussion - discusión
argument - argumento
shake - agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida, batido
confusing - confuso; confundir, confundirse, mezclar
barren - yermo; estéril, infértil
waterless - sin agua
desert - desierto; abandonar
combatted - ombatido; batalla, acción, combate, combatir
commented - comentó; comentario
approved - aprobado; aprobar; tener un buen concepto de
No one interrupted him now, and he made again the confession of his faith, mastering him irresistible and complete like an act of grace: the secret of fate discovered in the material side of life; the economic condition of the world responsible for the past and shaping the future; the source of all history, of all ideas, guiding the mental development of mankind and the very impulses of their passion-
irresistible - irresistible
grace - gracias, benedícite, gracia, donaire, merced
fate - destino, azar
shaping - Dando forma; (shape); forma, estado, modelar, formar
guiding - Guiando; (guid) Guiando
impulses - impulsos; impulso, capricho
A harsh laugh from Comrade Ossipon cut the tirade dead short in a sudden faltering of the tongue and a bewildered unsteadiness of the apostle's mildly exalted eyes. He closed them slowly for a moment, as if to collect his routed thoughts. A silence fell; but what with the two gas-jets over the table and the glowing grate the little parlour behind Mr Verloc's shop had become frightfully hot. Mr Verloc, getting off the sofa with ponderous reluctance, opened the door leading into the kitchen to get more air, and thus disclosed the innocent Stevie, seated very good and quiet at a deal table, drawing circles, circles, circles; innumerable circles, concentric, eccentric; a coruscating whirl of circles that by their tangled multitude of repeated curves, uniformity of form, and confusion of intersecting lines suggested a rendering of cosmic chaos, the symbolism of a mad art attempting the inconceivable.
harsh - áspero, duro, severo, despotricar
tirade - diatriba, invectiva, catilinaria
dead - muerto
sudden - de repente; repentino, súbito, brusco
faltering - vacilante; (falter); dudar
bewildered - perplejo; confundir, desconcertar
unsteadiness - Inestabilidad
mildly - Suavemente
exalted - exaltado; exaltar
collect - cobrar; reunir, recopilar
routed - enrutado; derrotar
glowing - resplandeciente; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
frightfully - Asustado
getting off - bajar(se); marcharse; correrse
ponderous - pesado, torpe, beocio, grosero
innocent - inocente
innumerable - innumerables; innumerable, incontable
concentric - concéntrico
eccentric - excéntrico
tangled - enredado; desorden, marana, enredo
multitude - multitud
curves - curva, curvas, curvar, encorvar
uniformity - uniformidad
confusion - confusión
intersecting - se cruzan; intersecar
cosmic - cósmico
chaos - caos; (chao); caos
symbolism - simbolismo
mad - loco, trastornado, zumbado, enfadado, enojado
attempting - intentando; intentar, tentativa, intento, ensayo
inconceivable - inconcebible
The artist never turned his head; and in all his soul's application to the task his back quivered, his thin neck, sunk into a deep hollow at the base of the skull, seemed ready to snap.
soul - alma, espíritu
application - aplicación, solicitud
task - tarea
sunk - Hundido; (sink); hundir, sumergir, sumergirse, lavamanos
hollow - hueco
skull - cráneo; calavera
snap - chasquido, crujido, chasquido de dedos, fotografía, foto
Mr Verloc, after a grunt of disapproving surprise, returned to the sofa. Alexander Ossipon got up, tall in his threadbare blue serge suit under the low ceiling, shook off the stiffness of long immobility, and strolled away into the kitchen (down two steps) to look over Stevie's shoulder. He came back, pronouncing oracularly: "Very good. Very characteristic, perfectly typical."
grunt - grunido; grunido, currito, machaca, grunir
Alexander - Alejandro
threadbare - deshilachado; raído
suit - traje, terno, palo, convenir
shook off - sacudir; librarse de
stiffness - rigidez, inflexibilidad, agujetas
strolled - paseando; paseo, caminata, garbeo, vuelta, pasearse
look over - Revisar, repasar, echar un vistazo
pronouncing - pronunciando; pronunciar
oracularly - oracularmente
typical - típico
"What's very good?" grunted inquiringly Mr Verloc, settled again in the corner of the sofa. The other explained his meaning negligently, with a shade of condescension and a toss of his head towards the kitchen:
grunted - grunó; grunido, currito, machaca, grunir
inquiringly - preguntando
negligently - con negligencia; negligentemente
shade - sombra, persiana, umbral, tono, matiz, sombrear, matizar
"Typical of this form of degeneracy-these drawings, I mean."
degeneracy - degeneración
drawings - Dibujo
"You would call that lad a degenerate, would you?" mumbled Mr Verloc.
lad - nino, chico, mozo, mozalbete
degenerate - degenerado, depravado, degenerar, degenerarse
"That's what he may be called scientifically. Very good type too, altogether, of that sort of degenerate. It's enough to glance at the lobes of his ears. If you read Lombroso-"
scientifically - científicamente
lobes - lóbulos; lóbulo
Mr Verloc, moody and spread largely on the sofa, continued to look down the row of his waistcoat buttons; but his cheeks became tinged by a faint blush. Of late even the merest derivative of the word science (a term in itself inoffensive and of indefinite meaning) had the curious power of evoking a definitely offensive mental vision of Mr Vladimir, in his body as he lived, with an almost supernatural clearness.
moody - de mal humor; temperamental, panish: t-needed
look down - mirar hacia abajo
buttons - Botones; (button) Botones
tinged - ing
blush - sonrojo, rubor
merest - más; simple, mero
derivative - panish: t-needed
term - término; período, etapa
inoffensive - inofensivo
indefinite - indefinido
Curious - tienes curiosidad; curioso; extrano, raro
evoking - evocando; evocar, rememorar
definitely - definitivamente, indudablemente
vision - vista, visión
supernatural - sobrenatural
clearness - claridad
And this phenomenon, deserving justly to be classed amongst the marvels of science, induced in Mr Verloc an emotional state of dread and exasperation tending to express itself in violent swearing. But he said nothing. It was Karl Yundt who was heard, implacable to his last breath.
phenomenon - fenómeno
deserving - merecedor; (deserve); merecer, meritar
justly - con justicia; justamente, con razón
tending - tendiendo; guardar
express - expresar
violent - violento
swearing - jurando; (swear) jurando
implacable - implacable, tenaz
"Lombroso is an ass."
ass - culo; asno, burro
Comrade Ossipon met the shock of this blasphemy by an awful, vacant stare. And the other, his extinguished eyes without gleams blackening the deep shadows under the great, bony forehead, mumbled, catching the tip of his tongue between his lips at every second word as though he were chewing it angrily:
shock - conmoción, golpe
blackening - Ennegrecimiento; (blacken); ennegrecer, tiznar
bony - huesudo
catching - Atrapando; (catch); pega, traba, truco, cuestión
chewing - masticar, mascar
angrily - enfadado; furiosamente, con ira
"Did you ever see such an idiot? For him the criminal is the prisoner. Simple, is it not? What about those who shut him up there-forced him in there? Exactly. Forced him in there. And what is crime? Does he know that, this imbecile who has made his way in this world of gorged fools by looking at the ears and teeth of a lot of poor, luckless devils? Teeth and ears mark the criminal?
criminal - criminal
prisoner - prisionero, preso
gorged - atiborrado; desfiladero; barranco
devils - demonios; diablo
mark - Marcos, Evangelio según San Marcos
Do they? And what about the law that marks him still better-the pretty branding instrument invented by the overfed to protect themselves against the hungry? Red-hot applications on their vile skins-hey? Can't you smell and hear from here the thick hide of the people burn and sizzle? That's how criminals are made for your Lombrosos to write their silly stuff about."
marks - marcas; Marcos, Evangelio según San Marcos
branding - tizón, marca, tildar, tachar
invented - inventado; inventar
overfed - sobrealimentado; sobrealimentar
protect - proteger, defensar
applications - aplicaciones; aplicación, solicitud
vile - vil
skins - pieles; piel, máscara, despellejar, desollar
smell - olor, olfato, oler, husmear, oler a
hide - esconderse; esconder(se), ocultar
burn - quemar
sizzle - chisporrotear, chirriar, chirrido
criminals - delincuentes; criminal
silly - bobo, tonto, ninito, infantil, apayasado, semiaturdido, tontito
stuff - cosas, bártulos, cosa, coso, materia, atiborrar, rellenar
The knob of his stick and his legs shook together with passion, whilst the trunk, draped in the wings of the havelock, preserved his historic attitude of defiance. He seemed to sniff the tainted air of social cruelty, to strain his ear for its atrocious sounds. There was an extraordinary force of suggestion in this posturing. The all but moribund veteran of dynamite wars had been a great actor in his time-actor on platforms, in secret assemblies, in private interviews. The famous terrorist had never in his life raised personally as much as his little finger against the social edifice. He was no man of action; he was not even an orator of torrential eloquence, sweeping the masses along in the rushing noise and foam of a great enthusiasm.
knob - pomo; perilla, asa
shook - Sacudido; (shake); agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida
whilst - Mientras
trunk - tronco, baúl, trompa
draped - cubrir
historic - histórico
defiance - desafío
sniff - oler; olfatear, esnifar, husmear, checksorber
tainted - manchada; echar a perder; contaminar
cruelty - crueldad
atrocious - atroz, malvado, ofensivo
posturing - posturas; postureo; (posture); postura
veteran - veterano, aguerrido, retirado
wars - guerras; guerra, guerrear, hacer la guerra
platforms - plataformas; programa, andén, plataforma, zapatos de plataforma
in secret - en secreto
personally - personalmente
finger - dedo; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
edifice - edificio
torrential - diluviano, torrencial
eloquence - elocuencia
masses - masas; montón, masa
rushing - Prisa; (rush) Prisa
foam - espuma, espumar
enthusiasm - entusiasmo
With a more subtle intention, he took the part of an insolent and venomous evoker of sinister impulses which lurk in the blind envy and exasperated vanity of ignorance, in the suffering and misery of poverty, in all the hopeful and noble illusions of righteous anger, pity, and revolt. The shadow of his evil gift clung to him yet like the smell of a deadly drug in an old vial of poison, emptied now, useless, ready to be thrown away upon the rubbish-heap of things that had served their time.
insolent - insolente
venomous - venenenoso; venenoso, maléfico
evoker - evocador
lurk - acechar, agazaparse, ocultarse, esconderse, merodear, vigilar
envy - envidia, pelusa, envidiar
exasperated - exasperado; exasperar
suffering - sufrido, sufriente, sufrimiento; (suffer); sufrir, penar
misery - miseria, sinvivir, desgracia, desdicha, infortunio
poverty - pobreza, pauperismo
hopeful - esperanzado, esperanzador
illusions - ilusiones; ilusión
righteous - justo; inmaculado, inocente, santo, beato, correcto
revolt - alzarse en protesta, rebelión, revuelta
shadow - sombra
gift - regalo, obsequio, don, talento, regalar, dar
clung to - Aferrarse a
deadly - mortal, letal, mortífero
drug - droga; medicamento
vial - frasco
poison - veneno, ponzona, envenenar, emponzonar
emptied - vaciado; vacío, vaciar
thrown away - tirado, echado; malgastado
rubbish-heap - (rubbish-heap) un montón de basura
Michaelis, the ticket-of-leave apostle, smiled vaguely with his glued lips; his pasty moon face drooped under the weight of melancholy assent. He had been a prisoner himself. His own skin had sizzled under the red-hot brand, he murmured softly. But Comrade Ossipon, nicknamed the Doctor, had got over the shock by that time.
glued - pegado; cola, goma, pegamento, encolar, pegar
moon - Luna
sizzled - chisporroteó; chisporrotear, chirriar, chirrido
brand - tizón, marca, tildar, tachar
nicknamed - apodado; apodo, mote, sobrenombre
got over - superar, recuperarse
"You don't understand," he began disdainfully, but stopped short, intimidated by the dead blackness of the cavernous eyes in the face turned slowly towards him with a blind stare, as if guided only by the sound. He gave the discussion up, with a slight shrug of the shoulders.
intimidated - intimidado; intimidar, amedrentar
blackness - negritud; negror, negrura
cavernous - cavernoso
guided - guiado; guiar, dirigir
Stevie, accustomed to move about disregarded, had got up from the kitchen table, carrying off his drawing to bed with him. He had reached the parlour door in time to receive in full the shock of Karl Yundt's eloquent imagery. The sheet of paper covered with circles dropped out of his fingers, and he remained staring at the old terrorist, as if rooted suddenly to the spot by his morbid horror and dread of physical pain.
accustomed - acostumbrado; acostumbrarse, habituar
disregarded - ignorado; descuidar, desatender, ignorar
carrying off - conseguir
receive - recibir
eloquent - elocuente
imagery - imágenes
dropped out - abandonar; retirarse; alejarse de la sociedad
fingers - dedos; apuntar, senalar, hurgar, dedear
rooted - arraigado; raíz
spot - unto; mancha, grano, poquito, poquita, zona, paraje, lámpara
morbid - mórbida; mórbido, morboso
horror - horror
pain - dolor
Stevie knew very well that hot iron applied to one's skin hurt very much. His scared eyes blazed with indignation: it would hurt terribly. His mouth dropped open.
iron - hierro; férreo, planchar
scared - asustado; (scar); asustado
blazed - arde; llamarada, incendio; resplandor
Terribly - terriblemente; rematadamente
dropped - se cayó; gota
Michaelis by staring unwinkingly at the fire had regained that sentiment of isolation necessary for the continuity of his thought. His optimism had begun to flow from his lips. He saw Capitalism doomed in its cradle, born with the poison of the principle of competition in its system. The great capitalists devouring the little capitalists, concentrating the power and the tools of production in great masses, perfecting industrial processes, and in the madness of self-aggrandisement only preparing, organising, enriching, making ready the lawful inheritance of the suffering proletariat.
unwinkingly - Sin pestanear
regained - recuperado; recobrar
sentiment - sentimiento
isolation - aislamiento
necessary - es necesario; necesario, menester
continuity - continuidad
cradle - cuna, brezo, brezar, brizar
principle - principio
competition - competencia; competición
capitalists - apitalistas; capitalista
devouring - evorando; devorar, jambar
concentrating - concentrándose; concentrar, concentrarse, concentrado
tools - herramientas; herramienta, utensilio, instrumento
industrial - industrial, fabril
processes - procesos; proceso
aggrandisement - engrandecimiento
organising - Organizar
enriching - enriquecedor; enriquecer
lawful - legal; panish: t-needed
inheritance - herencia
Michaelis pronounced the great word "Patience"-and his clear blue glance, raised to the low ceiling of Mr Verloc's parlour, had a character of seraphic trustfulness. In the doorway Stevie, calmed, seemed sunk in hebetude.
trustfulness - Confianza
doorway - puerta; entrada
calmed - calmado, sosiego, calma
hebetude - hebetud; embotamiento, entorpecimiento, embrutecimento
Comrade Ossipon's face twitched with exasperation.
twitched - se movió; crispar(se), mover(se) convulsivamente
"Then It's no use doing anything-no use whatever."
It's no use - Es inútil
"I don't say that," protested Michaelis gently. His vision of truth had grown so intense that the sound of a strange voice failed to rout it this time. He continued to look down at the red coals. Preparation for the future was necessary, and he was willing to admit that the great change would perhaps come in the upheaval of a revolution. But he argued that revolutionary propaganda was a delicate work of high conscience. It was the education of the masters of the world.
protested - protestó; protestar, proclamar, oponerse, objetar, protesta
gently - suavemente; mansamente, suave
truth - verdad
intense - intenso
strange - extrano; extrano, raro, anormal, desconocido
rout - rutina; derrotar
coals - carbones; carbón, hulla, brasa
preparation - preparación
admit - admitir, dar entrada, dejar entrar, reconocer, permitir
argued - rgumentado; argumentar, debatir, discutir
propaganda - propaganda
education - educación
masters - maestros; senor, dueno; senora, duena
It should be as careful as the education given to kings. He would have it advance its tenets cautiously, even timidly, in our ignorance of the effect that may be produced by any given economic change upon the happiness, the morals, the intellect, the history of mankind. For history is made with tools, not with ideas; and everything is changed by economic conditions-art, philosophy, love, virtue-truth itself!
careful - cauto, cuidadoso, tener cuidado
Kings - reyes; rey
advance - avanzar, progresar, avance, progreso, adelanto, avance
tenets - rincipios; creencia, principio, dogma
cautiously - con cautela; precavidamente
timidly - tímidamente
Happiness - la felicidad; felicidad
morals - moral, moraleja
intellect - intelecto
virtue - virtud
The coals in the grate settled down with a slight crash; and Michaelis, the hermit of visions in the desert of a penitentiary, got up impetuously. Round like a distended balloon, he opened his short, thick arms, as if in a pathetically hopeless attempt to embrace and hug to his breast a self-regenerated universe. He gasped with ardour.
crash - chocar; estruendo, estrépito
Hermit - ermitano; ermitano
penitentiary - cárcel; penitenciaría
impetuously - impetuosamente
balloon - globo, vejiga, bomba
hopeless - sin esperanza; desesperado
Embrace - abrazar, abrazo
hug - abrazo, abrazar
universe - universo
gasped - jadeó; jadear, bocanada, calada
ardour - ardor
"The future is as certain as the past-slavery, feudalism, individualism, collectivism. This is the statement of a law, not an empty prophecy."
slavery - Esclavitud
feudalism - feudalismo
individualism - individualismo
collectivism - colectivismo
empty - vacío, vaciar
prophecy - profecía
The disdainful pout of Comrade Ossipon's thick lips accentuated the negro type of his face.
disdainful - despectivo; desdenoso, displicente
pout - hacer pucheros, hacer un mohín
accentuated - acentuado; acentuar
"Nonsense," he said calmly enough. "There is no law and no certainty. The teaching propaganda be hanged. What the people knows does not matter, were its knowledge ever so accurate. The only thing that matters to us is the emotional state of the masses. Without emotion there is no action."
certainty - seguridad; certeza
hanged - Colgado
knowledge - conocimiento, conocimientos, sabiduría, checkconocimiento
accurate - preciso, exacto, justo, correcto
matters - importa; materia, asunto, cuestión, tema
He paused, then added with modest firmness:
firmness - firmeza
"I am speaking now to you scientifically-scientifically-Eh? What did you say, Verloc?"
"Nothing," growled from the sofa Mr Verloc, who, provoked by the abhorrent sound, had merely muttered a "damn."
abhorrent - aborrecible; repugnante
damn - maldecir; maldita sea
The venomous spluttering of the old terrorist without teeth was heard.
spluttering - chisporroteando; (splutter) chisporroteando
"Do you know how I would call the nature of the present economic conditions? I would call it cannibalistic. That's what it is! They are nourishing their greed on the quivering flesh and the warm blood of the people-nothing else."
cannibalistic - caníbal, antropófago
nourishing - nutritiva; nutrir
greed - codicia, avaricia, gula; (gree); codicia, avaricia, gula
quivering - tiembla; estremecer(se)
flesh - carne, pellejo, descarnar
Stevie swallowed the terrifying statement with an audible gulp, and at once, as though it had been swift poison, sank limply in a sitting posture on the steps of the kitchen door.
audible - oíble, audible
gulp - trago, glup, tragar, zampar
sank - se hundió; hundir, sumergir, sumergirse, lavamanos, fregadero
posture - postura
Michaelis gave no sign of having heard anything. His lips seemed glued together for good; not a quiver passed over his heavy cheeks. With troubled eyes he looked for his round, hard hat, and put it on his round head. His round and obese body seemed to float low between the chairs under the sharp elbow of Karl Yundt. The old terrorist, raising an uncertain and clawlike hand, gave a swaggering tilt to a black felt sombrero shading the hollows and ridges of his wasted face. He got in motion slowly, striking the floor with his stick at every step. It was rather an affair to get him out of the house because, now and then, he would stop, as if to think, and did not offer to move again till impelled forward by Michaelis.
passed over - pasado por alto
troubled - con problemas; marrón, berenjenal, dificultad, problema
looked for - buscar
obese - obeso
float - flotador; flotar, carroza
uncertain - incierto
clawlike - como garras
swaggering - Presumiendo; (swagger) Presumiendo
sombrero - sombrero mexicano, exico
shading - sombreado; (shad); alosa, sábalo
hollows - huecos; hueco
ridges - crestas; cresta, arista, cumbrera, caballete, cordillera
wasted - desperdiciado; desperdiciar, malgastar
motion - movimiento, moción
striking - sorprendente; llamativo, imponente
impelled - impulsado; impeler, impulsar
The gentle apostle grasped his arm with brotherly care; and behind them, his hands in his pockets, the robust Ossipon yawned vaguely. A blue cap with a patent leather peak set well at the back of his yellow bush of hair gave him the aspect of a Norwegian sailor bored with the world after a thundering spree. Mr Verloc saw his guests off the premises, attending them bareheaded, his heavy overcoat hanging open, his eyes on the ground.
grasped - comprendido; agarrar, asir, comprender, asimiento, comprensión
brotherly - fraternal, fraterno
pockets - bolsillos; bolsillo, bolsa, tronera, embolsar
yawned - bostezó; bostezar, abrirse, bostezo
patent leather - charol
Peak - pico, cumbre
Norwegian - noruego, noruega
sailor - marinero, marinera
bored with - aburrido de
thundering - Trueno; (thunder); trueno, estruendo, fragor, tronar
guests - invitados; huésped, visita, visitante, convidado
premises - ocales; premisa
attending - asistir; asistente; (attend) asistir; asistente
He closed the door behind their backs with restrained violence, turned the key, shot the bolt. He was not satisfied with his friends. In the light of Mr Vladimir's philosophy of bomb throwing they appeared hopelessly futile. The part of Mr Verloc in revolutionary politics having been to observe, he could not all at once, either in his own home or in larger assemblies, take the initiative of action.
restrained - retenido; refrenar(se), contenerse
shot - tiro, disparo; (shoot) tiro, disparo
bolt - perno; pestillo
futile - inútil, vano
politics - política
initiative - iniciativa
He had to be cautious. Moved by the just indignation of a man well over forty, menaced in what is dearest to him-his repose and his security-he asked himself scornfully what else could have been expected from such a lot, this Karl Yundt, this Michaelis-this Ossipon.
cautious - cauto, cauteloso, precavido, cuidadoso
repose - reposo
Security - seguridad, confianza, garantía, prenda
Pausing in his intention to turn off the gas burning in the middle of the shop, Mr Verloc descended into the abyss of moral reflections. With the insight of a kindred temperament he pronounced his verdict. A lazy lot-this Karl Yundt, nursed by a blear-eyed old woman, a woman he had years ago enticed away from a friend, and afterwards had tried more than once to shake off into the gutter. Jolly lucky for Yundt that she had persisted in coming up time after time, or else there would have been no one now to help him out of the 'bus by the Green Park railings, where that spectre took its constitutional crawl every fine morning. When that indomitable snarling old witch died the swaggering spectre would have to vanish too-there would be an end to fiery Karl Yundt. And Mr Verloc's morality was offended also by the optimism of Michaelis, annexed by his wealthy old lady, who had taken lately to sending him to a cottage she had in the country. The ex-prisoner could moon about the shady lanes for days together in a delicious and humanitarian idleness. As to Ossipon, that beggar was sure to want for nothing as long as there were silly girls with savings-bank books in the world.
pausing - Pausa; (pause); receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir
burning - quemando; ardiente; (burn) quemando; ardiente
descended - descendió; descender, bajar
abyss - abismo, sima
reflections - reflexiones; reflexión, reflejo
insight - percepción; introspección, perspicacia, agudeza, deducción
kindred - pariente; etnia
temperament - temperamento
verdict - veredicto, fallo
blear - claro
enticed - educido; incitar, tentar, engolosinar
shake off - Sacudir
lucky - suerte; afortunado, suertudo
persisted - ersistió; persistir
up time - tiempo de
spectre - espectro, fantasma
constitutional - constitucional
crawl - gatear; avanzar lentamente
old witch - bruja (vieja)
vanish - desvanecerse, desaparecer, anularse
morality - moralidad
offended - ofendido; ofender
annexed - Anexo
lately - últimamente
cottage - cabana; chalet
lanes - carriles; camino, carril
humanitarian - humanitario
beggar - mendigo, mendiga, pordiosero, mendicante
savings-bank - (savings-bank) caja de ahorros
And Mr Verloc, temperamentally identical with his associates, drew fine distinctions in his mind on the strength of insignificant differences. He drew them with a certain complacency, because the instinct of conventional respectability was strong within him, being only overcome by his dislike of all kinds of recognised labour-a temperamental defect which he shared with a large proportion of revolutionary reformers of a given social state. For obviously one does not revolt against the advantages and opportunities of that state, but against the price which must be paid for the same in the coin of accepted morality, self-restraint, and toil. The majority of revolutionists are the enemies of discipline and fatigue mostly. There are natures too, to whose sense of justice the price exacted looms up monstrously enormous, odious, oppressive, worrying, humiliating, extortionate, intolerable. Those are the fanatics. The remaining portion of social rebels is accounted for by vanity, the mother of all noble and vile illusions, the companion of poets, reformers, charlatans, prophets, and incendiaries.
temperamentally - emperamentalmente
identical - idénticos; idéntico
associates - asociados; asociado, companero, asociar, frecuentar, alternar
distinctions - distinciones; distinción
complacency - suficiencia, autocomplacencia
respectability - respetabilidad
defect - falla, tacha, defecto, desperfecto, desertar
proportion - proporción
social state - el estado social
coin - moneda, acunar
accepted - aceptado; aceptar
restraint - restricción, limitación, reserva, moderación, autocontrol
majority - mayoría, mayoría de edad
revolutionists - revolucionaria
enemies - enemigos; enemigo, enemiga
discipline - disciplina, castigo, ramo, disciplinar
natures - naturaleza, natura
justice - justicia, justedad, justeza, justicia
exacted - exigido; exacto, exigir
looms - elares; telar
monstrously - monstruosamente
odious - odioso
worrying - Preocupante; (worry); preocuparse, estar preocupado
humiliating - humillante; humillar
extortionate - extorsionador; extorsivo
fanatics - anáticos; fanático, fanático
rebels - rebeldes; rebelde
accounted - contabilizado; cuenta
companion - companero; companero, companera
poets - poetas; poeta, poetisa
charlatans - harlatanes; charlatán, vendehúmos, vendedor de crecepelo
prophets - profetas; profeta, profetisa
Lost for a whole minute in the abyss of meditation, Mr Verloc did not reach the depth of these abstract considerations. Perhaps he was not able. In any case he had not the time. He was pulled up painfully by the sudden recollection of Mr Vladimir, another of his associates, whom in virtue of subtle moral affinities he was capable of judging correctly.
reach - llegar (a)
depth - profundidad
abstract - resumen, extracto, abstracción, arte abstracto, extraído
considerations - consideraciones; consideración
recollection - Recuerdo
in virtue of - en virtud de qué
affinities - afinidades; afinidad
judging - juzgando; juzgar
correctly - correctamente
He considered him as dangerous. A shade of envy crept into his thoughts. Loafing was all very well for these fellows, who knew not Mr Vladimir, and had women to fall back upon; whereas he had a woman to provide for-
crept - se arrastró; reptar, hormigueo, fatiga
loafing - Haciendo el vago; (loaf) Haciendo el vago
fall back - quedarse atrás, retrasarse, retirarse, caerse
provide - proporcionar; proveer
At this point, by a simple association of ideas, Mr Verloc was brought face to face with the necessity of going to bed some time or other that evening. Then why not go now-at once? He sighed. The necessity was not so normally pleasurable as it ought to have been for a man of his age and temperament.
sighed - suspiró; suspirar
normally - normalmente, de costumbre
pleasurable - placentero
He dreaded the demon of sleeplessness, which he felt had marked him for its own. He raised his arm, and turned off the flaring gas-jet above his head.
dreaded - temido; temer, pavor, temor
demon - demonio
sleeplessness - insomnio
flaring - explotando; bengala
A bright band of light fell through the parlour door into the part of the shop behind the counter. It enabled Mr Verloc to ascertain at a glance the number of silver coins in the till. These were but few; and for the first time since he opened his shop he took a commercial survey of its value. This survey was unfavourable. He had gone into trade for no commercial reasons. He had been guided in the selection of this peculiar line of business by an instinctive leaning towards shady transactions, where money is picked up easily.
bright - luminoso, resplandeciente, brillante
enabled - habilitado; habilitar, posibilitar, activar
ascertain - averiguar, determinar, establecer, definir
silver coins - monedas de plata
survey - sondeo, encuesta, supervisión, campana topográfica
gone into - dedicarse a; explicar; encontrarse; chocar contra
trade - comercio
guided - Guía
selection - selección
instinctive - instintivo
leaning - Inclinado; (lean) Inclinado
transactions - transacciones; transacción
picked - elegido; pico, ganzúa, hurgar, recoger
Moreover, it did not take him out of his own sphere-the sphere which is watched by the police. On the contrary, it gave him a publicly confessed standing in that sphere, and as Mr Verloc had unconfessed relations which made him familiar with yet careless of the police, there was a distinct advantage in such a situation. But as a means of livelihood it was by itself insufficient.
sphere - esfera, bola
publicly - públicamente
unconfessed - inconfeso
relations - relación, pariente
familiar - te suena; familiar, espíritu familiar
careless - descuidado, irresponsable, negligente, dejado
livelihood - sustento
insufficient - insuficiente
He took the cash-box out of the drawer, and turning to leave the shop, became aware that Stevie was still downstairs.
cash-box - (cash-box) caja
drawer - cajón
What on earth is he doing there? Mr Verloc asked himself. What's the meaning of these antics? He looked dubiously at his brother-in-law, but he did not ask him for information. Mr Verloc's intercourse with Stevie was limited to the casual mutter of a morning, after breakfast, "My boots," and even that was more a communication at large of a need than a direct order or request. Mr Verloc perceived with some surprise that he did not know really what to say to Stevie.
dubiously - dudosamente
intercourse - conversación, coito, acto sexual, relación sexual
limited - limitado; (limit); limitado
casual - casual, ocasional, accidental, indiferente, informal
mutter - hablar entre dientes, murmurar; (mut) hablar entre dientes
communication - comunicación, comunicado
Direct - directo, dirigir
perceived - percibido; percibir, entender
He stood still in the middle of the parlour, and looked into the kitchen in silence. Nor yet did he know what would happen if he did say anything. And this appeared very queer to Mr Verloc in view of the fact, borne upon him suddenly, that he had to provide for this fellow too. He had never given a moment's thought till then to that aspect of Stevie's existence.
till then - hasta entonces
Positively he did not know how to speak to the lad. He watched him gesticulating and murmuring in the kitchen. Stevie prowled round the table like an excited animal in a cage. A tentative "Hadn't you better go to bed now?" produced no effect whatever; and Mr Verloc, abandoning the stony contemplation of his brother-in-law's behaviour, crossed the parlour wearily, cash-box in hand. The cause of the general lassitude he felt while climbing the stairs being purely mental, he became alarmed by its inexplicable character.
positively - ositivamente; inequívocamente, terminantemente, de todas maneras
murmuring - murmullos; (murmur); soplo, murmurar
prowled - merodeaba; acechar, merodear, aguaitar
cage - jaula, cabina, enjaular
tentative - tentativo, provisional, experimental
Abandoning - abandonar, dejar
contemplation - contemplación
behaviour - Comportamiento
wearily - cansado; cansadamente
cash - efectivo, metálico
cause - por qué; causa, causar
lassitude - lasitud
He hoped he was not sickening for anything. He stopped on the dark landing to examine his sensations. But a slight and continuous sound of snoring pervading the obscurity interfered with their clearness. The sound came from his mother-in-law's room. Another one to provide for, he thought-and on this thought walked into the bedroom.
sickening - asqueroso; asqueante, estomagante
examine - examinar, analizar, auscultar
sensations - sensaciones; sensación
continuous - continuo
pervading - mpregnante; permear
obscurity - obscuridad; oscuridad
interfered - interferido; panish: t-needed
Mrs Verloc had fallen asleep with the lamp (no gas was laid upstairs) turned up full on the table by the side of the bed. The light thrown down by the shade fell dazzlingly on the white pillow sunk by the weight of her head reposing with closed eyes and dark hair done up in several plaits for the night. She woke up with the sound of her name in her ears, and saw her husband standing over her.
fallen asleep - se ha quedado dormido
thrown down - tirado, arrojado
dazzlingly - deslumbrante
pillow - almohada
done up - abrochar, renovar, decorar, envolver
plaits - trenzas; pliegue
"Winnie! Winnie!"
At first she did not stir, lying very quiet and looking at the cash-box in Mr Verloc's hand. But when she understood that her brother was "capering all over the place downstairs" she swung out in one sudden movement on to the edge of the bed.
stir - remover, revolver
capering - haciendo cabriolas; juguetear, brincar
swung - se balanceó; balancear, mecer, columpiar, oscilar, columpio
Her bare feet, as if poked through the bottom of an unadorned, sleeved calico sack buttoned tightly at neck and wrists, felt over the rug for the slippers while she looked upward into her husband's face.
bare - desnudo, descubierto
sleeved - con mangas; manga, funda, enfundar
calico - calicó, gato calicó
sack - saco
tightly - con fuerza; herméticamente
wrists - munecas; muneca
rug - tapete, alfombra, alfombrilla
slippers - zapatillas; zapatilla, pantufla, babucha
upward - hacia arriba
"I don't know how to manage him," Mr Verloc explained peevishly. "Won't do to leave him downstairs alone with the lights."
manage - manejar, conseguir, lograr, apanárselas, arreglárselas
peevishly - con mal humor
She said nothing, glided across the room swiftly, and the door closed upon her white form.
glided - se deslizó; deslizar, planear
Mr Verloc deposited the cash-box on the night table, and began the operation of undressing by flinging his overcoat on to a distant chair. His coat and waistcoat followed. He walked about the room in his stockinged feet, and his burly figure, with the hands worrying nervously at his throat, passed and repassed across the long strip of looking-glass in the door of his wife's wardrobe.
deposited - epositado; depósito, empeno, depositar
operation - operación, operación
undressing - Desvistiéndote; (undress); desvestirse, desnudarse
flinging - lanzamiento; arrojar, lanzar
stockinged - Medias
figure - figura, cifra, ocurrírsele
nervously - nerviosamente
repassed - repasar
strip - tira; quitar, desprender; arrancar; despojar
wardrobe - ropa; armario, ropero, clóset, escaparate
Then after slipping his braces off his shoulders he pulled up violently the venetian blind, and leaned his forehead against the cold window-pane-a fragile film of glass stretched between him and the enormity of cold, black, wet, muddy, inhospitable accumulation of bricks, slates, and stones, things in themselves unlovely and unfriendly to man.
braces - aparatos; braza, abrazadera, tensor, tirante, pareja, tirantes
venetian - veneciano, veneciano, veneciana, véneto
fragile - frágil
enormity - perversidad, enormidad, gigantez
wet - húmedo, mojado, húmeda, mojada, mojar, mearse, orinarse, mojarse
Muddy - Fango
inhospitable - inhóspito
accumulation - acumulación
slates - pizarras; pizarra
unlovely - desagradable
unfriendly - no es amistoso; antipático
Mr Verloc felt the latent unfriendliness of all out of doors with a force approaching to positive bodily anguish. There is no occupation that fails a man more completely than that of a secret agent of police. It's like your horse suddenly falling dead under you in the midst of an uninhabited and thirsty plain. The comparison occurred to Mr Verloc because he had sat astride various army horses in his time, and had now the sensation of an incipient fall. The prospect was as black as the window-pane against which he was leaning his forehead.
latent - latente
out of doors - en el exterior, al aire libre, fuera
bodily - corporal, corpóreo, corporalmente
anguish - angustia
fails - fracasar
midst - en medio; centro
uninhabited - deshabitado, abandonado, inhabitado
comparison - comparación
occurred - ocurrió; ocurrir, acaecer, presentar
astride - a horcajadas
incipient - incipiente
prospect - prospecto; perspectiva, vista, panorama, expectativa, prospectar
And suddenly the face of Mr Vladimir, clean-shaved and witty, appeared enhaloed in the glow of its rosy complexion like a sort of pink seal, impressed on the fatal darkness.
witty - panish: t-needed
seal - sello
darkness - oscuridad, tinieblas
This luminous and mutilated vision was so ghastly physically that Mr Verloc started away from the window, letting down the venetian blind with a great rattle. Discomposed and speechless with the apprehension of more such visions, he beheld his wife re-enter the room and get into bed in a calm business-like manner which made him feel hopelessly lonely in the world. Mrs Verloc expressed her surprise at seeing him up yet.
luminous - luminoso
mutilated - mutilado; mutilar
ghastly - fantasmal, cadavérico, espantoso, horripilante, malísimo
physically - físicamente
letting down - decepcionar a alguien; alargar (ropa); dejar caer; desinflar (neumáticos)
rattle - sonajero; hacer sonar, hacer vibrar
discomposed - Incomodar
speechless - sin palabras, sin habla, atónito, perplejo
apprehension - aprehensión; arresto, aprensión
"I don't feel very well," he muttered, passing his hands over his moist brow.
hands over - se entrega
moist - húmedo
"Giddiness?"
giddiness - Vértigo
"Yes. Not at all well."
Mrs Verloc, with all the placidity of an experienced wife, expressed a confident opinion as to the cause, and suggested the usual remedies; but her husband, rooted in the middle of the room, shook his lowered head sadly.
usual - lo de siempre; usual, habitual
remedies - remedios; remedio, recurso, remediar
"You'll catch cold standing there," she observed.
Mr Verloc made an effort, finished undressing, and got into bed. Down below in the quiet, narrow street measured footsteps approached the house, then died away unhurried and firm, as if the passer-by had started to pace out all eternity, from gas-lamp to gas-lamp in a night without end; and the drowsy ticking of the old clock on the landing became distinctly audible in the bedroom.
measured - medido; medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
Footsteps - pasos; huella, paso
unhurried - Sin prisas
eternity - la eternidad; eternidad
drowsy - somnoliento; adormecido, sonoliento, somnífero, soporífero
ticking - Tictac; (tic); tic
distinctly - laramente; distintamente
Mrs Verloc, on her back, and staring at the ceiling, made a remark.
"Takings very small to-day."
Mr Verloc, in the same position, cleared his throat as if for an important statement, but merely inquired:
inquired - preguntó; investigar, informarse
"Did you turn off the gas downstairs?"
"Yes; I did," answered Mrs Verloc conscientiously. "That poor boy is in a very excited state to-night," she murmured, after a pause which lasted for three ticks of the clock.
conscientiously - a conciencia
pause - receso, checkdescanso, pausar, interrumpir, suspender
lasted - duró; último
ticks - garrapatas; tictac
Mr Verloc cared nothing for Stevie's excitement, but he felt horribly wakeful, and dreaded facing the darkness and silence that would follow the extinguishing of the lamp. This dread led him to make the remark that Stevie had disregarded his suggestion to go to bed. Mrs Verloc, falling into the trap, started to demonstrate at length to her husband that this was not "impudence" of any sort, but simply "excitement." There was no young man of his age in London more willing and docile than Stephen, she affirmed; none more affectionate and ready to please, and even useful, as long as people did not upset his poor head. Mrs Verloc, turning towards her recumbent husband, raised herself on her elbow, and hung over him in her anxiety that he should believe Stevie to be a useful member of the family. That ardour of protecting compassion exalted morbidly in her childhood by the misery of another child tinged her sallow cheeks with a faint dusky blush, made her big eyes gleam under the dark lids.
extinguishing - extinguiendo; extinguir, apagar
trap - trampa
demonstrate - demostrar, manifestar, evidenciar
at length - a largo plazo; en detalle
more willing - más dispuestos
docile - dócil
affirmed - afirmado; afirmar
affectionate - Carinoso
upset - trastornado, perturbado, enfadado, molesto
recumbent - recostado; recumbente, yacente, reclinado, bicicleta reclinada
hung over - resaca
morbidly - Mórbidamente
tinged - matizado; toque, tinte, matiz, retocar, matizar
sallow - cetrino, amarillento
dusky - Oscuro
gleam - resplandor; relucir, brillar, destellar
lids - tapas; tapa
Mrs Verloc then looked younger; she looked as young as Winnie used to look, and much more animated than the Winnie of the Belgravian mansion days had ever allowed herself to appear to gentlemen lodgers. Mr Verloc's anxieties had prevented him from attaching any sense to what his wife was saying. It was as if her voice were talking on the other side of a very thick wall. It was her aspect that recalled him to himself.
animated - animado, animar
allowed - permitido; dejar, permitir, conceder
anxieties - nsiedades; zozobra, ansiedad, inquietud
attaching - anexar, adjuntar
A very thick - muy grueso/muy denso
recalled - recordado; recordar, evocar, retirada
He appreciated this woman, and the sentiment of this appreciation, stirred by a display of something resembling emotion, only added another pang to his mental anguish. When her voice ceased he moved uneasily, and said:
appreciated - apreciado; agradecer, valorar, comprender, hacerse cargo de
appreciation - apreciación
pang - punzada, dolor agudo
uneasily - Inquieta
"I haven't been feeling well for the last few days."
He might have meant this as an opening to a complete confidence; but Mrs Verloc laid her head on the pillow again, and staring upward, went on:
"That boy hears too much of what is talked about here. If I had known they were coming to-night I would have seen to it that he went to bed at the same time I did. He was out of his mind with something he overheard about eating people's flesh and drinking blood. What's the good of talking like that?"
overheard - oído por casualidad; oír por casualidad, oír sin querer
There was a note of indignant scorn in her voice. Mr Verloc was fully responsive now.
indignant - indignada; indignado
responsive - responde; sensible, empático
"Ask Karl Yundt," he growled savagely.
savagely - salvajemente
Mrs Verloc, with great decision, pronounced Karl Yundt "a disgusting old man." She declared openly her affection for Michaelis. Of the robust Ossipon, in whose presence she always felt uneasy behind an attitude of stony reserve, she said nothing whatever. And continuing to talk of that brother, who had been for so many years an object of care and fears:
decision - decisión
disgusting - asqueroso; repugnar, dar asco, asquear, asco, repugnancia
continuing - continuando; continuar, seguir
"He isn't fit to hear what's said here. He believes it's all true. He knows no better. He gets into his passions over it."
Mr Verloc made no comment.
"He glared at me, as if he didn't know who I was, when I went downstairs. His heart was going like a hammer. He can't help being excitable. I woke mother up, and asked her to sit with him till he went to sleep. It isn't his fault. He's no trouble when he's left alone."
glared - miró; mirada fulminante
went downstairs - Bajó las escaleras
excitable - excitable
fault - defecto, falla, culpa, falta
Mr Verloc made no comment.
"I wish he had never been to school," Mrs Verloc began again brusquely. "He's always taking away those newspapers from the window to read. He gets a red face poring over them. We don't get rid of a dozen numbers in a month. They only take up room in the front window. And Mr Ossipon brings every week a pile of these F. P. tracts to sell at a halfpenny each. I wouldn't give a halfpenny for the whole lot. It's silly reading-that's what it is.
brusquely - bruscamente
taking away - llevar; recoger; quitar
poring - poring; poro
rid - cabalgar; librar
dozen - docena, decenas
tracts - tractos; extensión
There's no sale for it. The other day Stevie got hold of one, and there was a story in it of a German soldier officer tearing half-off the ear of a recruit, and nothing was done to him for it. The brute! I couldn't do anything with Stevie that afternoon. The story was enough, too, to make one's blood boil. But what's the use of printing things like that? We aren't German slaves here, thank God. It's not our business-is it?"
sale - venta
German - alemán, alemana, germano, germana
soldier - soldado, campión, soldado, militar
officer - oficial
tearing - desgarro; lágrima
recruit - reemplazo, recluta, contratado, reclutar, reemplazar
brute - bruto; animal, bestia
boil - hervir
slaves - esclavos; esclavo, esclava, checkesclava
God - endiosar, idolatrar, deificar
Mr Verloc made no reply.
reply - responder, repetir, respuesta
"I had to take the carving knife from the boy," Mrs Verloc continued, a little sleepily now. "He was shouting and stamping and sobbing. He can't stand the notion of any cruelty. He would have stuck that officer like a pig if he had seen him then. It's true, too! Some people don't deserve much mercy." Mrs Verloc's voice ceased, and the expression of her motionless eyes became more and more contemplative and veiled during the long pause. "Comfortable, dear?
carving knife - Cuchillo de trinchar
sleepily - con sueno
stamping - Sello; (stamp); estampado, sello, timbrar, franquear
sobbing - sollozando; sollozo, sollozante; (sob); hdp
stuck - atascado; clavar
deserve - merecer, meritar
mercy - misericordia, piedad
more contemplative - más contemplativo
comfortable - cómodo, confortable, checkcómodo
she asked in a faint, far-away voice. "Shall I put out the light now?"
The dreary conviction that there was no sleep for him held Mr Verloc mute and hopelessly inert in his fear of darkness. He made a great effort.
dreary - aburrido, triste
conviction - convicción
mute - silencio; mudo
inert - inerte
"Yes. Put it out," he said at last in a hollow tone.
Most of the thirty or so little tables covered by red cloths with a white design stood ranged at right angles to the deep brown wainscoting of the underground hall. Bronze chandeliers with many globes depended from the low, slightly vaulted ceiling, and the fresco paintings ran flat and dull all round the walls without windows, representing scenes of the chase and of outdoor revelry in medićval costumes.
cloths - panos; tela, pedazo de tela, trozo de tela, trapo, pano, facha
ranged - corrió; sierra, cordillera, hornillo, estufa, escala, gama
angles - ángulos; anglo
deep brown - marrón oscuro
wainscoting - alicatado; (wainscot) alicatado
underground - subterráneo, movimiento clandestino, organización clandestina
bronze - bronce, broncíneo, broncínea, éneo, bronceado, tostado, pavonar
chandeliers - lámparas; arana de luces, lámpara de arana
globes - globos; globo, globo terráqueo
depended - dependía; depender, confiar, atender
vaulted - bóveda; sótano; bodega
fresco - fresco
paintings - pinturas; cuadro, pintura, pintado, pintura
representing - representando; representar
scenes - escenas; escena, escenario
chase - persecución; perseguir
medićval - Medieval
costumes - disfraces; traje, disfraz
Varlets in green jerkins brandished hunting knives and raised on high tankards of foaming beer.
jerkins - Pantalón
brandished - marcado; esgrimir, blandir
hunting knives - cuchillos de caza
tankards - tankards; jarra
foaming - Espumante; (foam); espuma, espumar
"Unless I am very much mistaken, you are the man who would know the inside of this confounded affair," said the robust Ossipon, leaning over, his elbows far out on the table and his feet tucked back completely under his chair. His eyes stared with wild eagerness.
Unless - menos que..; a menos que, a no ser que, salvo
far out - lejos; excéntrico, poco convencional
tucked - metido; pliegue
eagerness - avidez, ansia
An upright semi-grand piano near the door, flanked by two palms in pots, executed suddenly all by itself a valse tune with aggressive virtuosity. The din it raised was deafening. When it ceased, as abruptly as it had started, the be-spectacled, dingy little man who faced Ossipon behind a heavy glass mug full of beer emitted calmly what had the sound of a general proposition.
upright - derecho; vertical, recto, erguido, honrado, verticalmente
flanked - flanqueado; costado, flanco
palms - palmeras; palma
pots - macetas; pote, cacerola, puchero; tarro; maceta, tiesto
tune - melodía, tonada, afinar, sintonizar
aggressive - agresivo
din - jaleo
deafening - sordo; ensordecedor; (deafen); ensordecer
spectacled - con gafas
little man - hombrecito
mug - taza; tazón
proposition - propuesta, proposición
"In principle what one of us may or may not know as to any given fact can't be a matter for inquiry to the others."
"Certainly not," Comrade Ossipon agreed in a quiet undertone. "In principle."
With his big florid face held between his hands he continued to stare hard, while the dingy little man in spectacles coolly took a drink of beer and stood the glass mug back on the table. His flat, large ears departed widely from the sides of his skull, which looked frail enough for Ossipon to crush between thumb and forefinger; the dome of the forehead seemed to rest on the rim of the spectacles; the flat cheeks, of a greasy, unhealthy complexion, were merely smudged by the miserable poverty of a thin dark whisker.
florid - Florido
spectacles - gafas; espectáculo, papelón
coolly - con frialdad
departed - se ha ido; irse, salir, partir, panish:
sides - lados; lado
crush - aplastamiento, enamoramiento, aplastar, destripar, machacar
dome - cúpula, domo
rest - descansar; descanso, reposo
rim - (rueda) llanta; borde, canto
greasy - grasiento, grasoso, resbaloso
smudged - manchada; mancha, borrón
miserable - miserable
The lamentable inferiority of the whole physique was made ludicrous by the supremely self-confident bearing of the individual. His speech was curt, and he had a particularly impressive manner of keeping silent.
lamentable - lamentable
inferiority - inferioridad
ludicrous - irrisorio, ridículo, disparatado, descabellado
self-confident - (self-confident) seguro de sí mismo
bearing - Rodamiento; (bear) Rodamiento
Speech - habla, discurso
impressive - impresionante, impresionable, halagüeno
keeping silent - Guardar silencio
Ossipon spoke again from between his hands in a mutter.
"Have you been out much to-day?"
"No. I stayed in bed all the morning," answered the other. "Why?"
stayed in bed - quedarse en la cama
"Oh! Nothing," said Ossipon, gazing earnestly and quivering inwardly with the desire to find out something, but obviously intimidated by the little man's overwhelming air of unconcern. When talking with this comrade-which happened but rarely-the big Ossipon suffered from a sense of moral and even physical insignificance. However, he ventured another question. "Did you walk down here?"
gazing - mirando; observar, mirar fijamente
desire - desear, deseo, gana
overwhelming - avasallador; agobiar, abrumar, checkagobiar
rarely - rara vez, poco frecuentemente, raramente
suffered - sufrido; sufrir, penar, empeorar
insignificance - insignificancia, intrascendencia
ventured - se aventuró; aventura, arriesgar
walk down - Caminar hacia abajo, bajar
"No; omnibus," the little man answered readily enough.
omnibus - autobús, compilación, antología semanal
readily - listo; fácilmente, en seguida, pronto
He lived far away in Islington, in a small house down a shabby street, littered with straw and dirty paper, where out of school hours a troop of assorted children ran and squabbled with a shrill, joyless, rowdy clamour. His single back room, remarkable for having an extremely large cupboard, he rented furnished from two elderly spinsters, dressmakers in a humble way with a clientele of servant girls mostly. He had a heavy padlock put on the cupboard, but otherwise he was a model lodger, giving no trouble, and requiring practically no attendance. His oddities were that he insisted on being present when his room was being swept, and that when he went out he locked his door, and took the key away with him.
small house - una casa pequena
shabby - desalinado; raído, astroso, zarrapastroso, cutre, harapiento
littered - limpiado; litera, artolas, camada, cama, lecho, detritus
straw - paja, pajizo, pajiza
assorted - surtido; clasificar, ordenar
squabbled - discutieron; disputilla, repiquetear, discutir
shrill - chillón; estridente
joyless - sin alegría; triste
clamour - clamor, griterío
remarkable - notable, remarcable, destacable
cupboard - armario, vitrina, alacena
rented - alquilado; alquiler
spinsters - solteronas; solterona, quedada
dressmakers - odistas; panish: t-needed
humble - humilde
clientele - clientela, distinguida clientela
padlock - candado, candar, asegurar
lodger - inquilino; huésped
requiring - Necesitas; (require); requerir, necesitar
attendance - asistencia, presencia
oddities - extranezas; rareza
insisted - insistió; insistir
swept - barrido; barrer, peinar
locked - cerrado; cerradura
Ossipon had a vision of these round black-rimmed spectacles progressing along the streets on the top of an omnibus, their self-confident glitter falling here and there on the walls of houses or lowered upon the heads of the unconscious stream of people on the pavements.
black-rimmed spectacles - Gafas de montura negra
progressing - progresando; progreso
unconscious - inconsciente, subconsciente, subconsciencia
stream - corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir, recibir flujo, (2) checkcorrer
pavements - aceras; pavimento, asfalto
The ghost of a sickly smile altered the set of Ossipon's thick lips at the thought of the walls nodding, of people running for life at the sight of those spectacles. If they had only known! What a panic! He murmured interrogatively: "Been sitting long here?"
ghost - fantasma, espectro, espíritu, aparecido
sickly - enfermo; enfermizo, enclenque, calamitoso, enteco
altered - alterado; cambiar, modificar, alterar
nodding - Asintiendo; (nod); asentir, cabecear, cabezada
interrogatively - interrogativamente
"An hour or more," answered the other negligently, and took a pull at the dark beer. All his movements-the way he grasped the mug, the act of drinking, the way he set the heavy glass down and folded his arms-had a firmness, an assured precision which made the big and muscular Ossipon, leaning forward with staring eyes and protruding lips, look the picture of eager indecision.
pull - tirar, jalar, halar, tirón, ligar
movements - movimientos; movimiento
precision - exactitud, precisión
muscular - muscular, musculoso
eager - ávido, ansioso, deseoso
indecision - indecisión, irresolución
"An hour," he said. "Then it may be you haven't heard yet the news I've heard just now-in the street. Have you?"
The little man shook his head negatively the least bit. But as he gave no indication of curiosity Ossipon ventured to add that he had heard it just outside the place. A newspaper boy had yelled the thing under his very nose, and not being prepared for anything of that sort, he was very much startled and upset.
negatively - negativamente
indication - indicación
yelled - gritó; grito, alarido
He had to come in there with a dry mouth. "I never thought of finding you here," he added, murmuring steadily, with his elbows planted on the table.
"I come here sometimes," said the other, preserving his provoking coolness of demeanour.
preserving - conservando; mermelada, reserva, reserva natural, coto, terreno
provoking - provocando; provocar
coolness - guay; frescura
demeanour - conducta, comportamiento
"It's wonderful that you of all people should have heard nothing of it," the big Ossipon continued. His eyelids snapped nervously upon the shining eyes. "You of all people," he repeated tentatively. This obvious restraint argued an incredible and inexplicable timidity of the big fellow before the calm little man, who again lifted the glass mug, drank, and put it down with brusque and assured movements. And that was all.
eyelids - párpados; párpado
shining - brillante; brillar
timidity - timidez
Ossipon after waiting for something, word or sign, that did not come, made an effort to assume a sort of indifference.
assume - suponer, dar por sentado, asumir
"Do you," he said, deadening his voice still more, "give your stuff to anybody who's up to asking you for it?"
deadening - Asfixiante; (deaden); amortecer, amortiguar, insonorizar
"My absolute rule is never to refuse anybody-as long as I have a pinch by me," answered the little man with decision.
pinch - pellizcar, repizcar, afanar, chorizar, pellizco
"That's a principle?" commented Ossipon.
"It's a principle."
"And you think it's sound?"
The large round spectacles, which gave a look of staring self-confidence to the sallow face, confronted Ossipon like sleepless, unwinking orbs flashing a cold fire.
confronted - confrontado; enfrentar
sleepless - sin dormir; insomne, (noche) en vela
unwinking - Sin parpadear
orbs - Orbita
flashing - parpadeando; impermeabilización, flaseo
"Perfectly. Always. Under every circumstance. What could stop me? Why should I not? Why should I think twice about it?"
Ossipon gasped, as it were, discreetly.
"Do you mean to say you would hand it over to a 'teck'if one came to ask you for your wares?"
The other smiled faintly.
"Let them come and try it on, and you will see," he said. "They know me, but I know also every one of them. They won't come near me-not they."
come near - acercarse
His thin livid lips snapped together firmly. Ossipon began to argue.
livid - lívido
firmly - con firmeza; firmemente
argue - argumentar, debatir, discutir
"But they could send someone-rig a plant on you. Don't you see? Get the stuff from you in that way, and then arrest you with the proof in their hands."
Rig - arreglar; aparejar
arrest - paro, arresto, detenido, parar, detener, arrestar, prender
Proof - pruebas; prueba
"Proof of what? Dealing in explosives without a licence perhaps." This was meant for a contemptuous jeer, though the expression of the thin, sickly face remained unchanged, and the utterance was negligent. "I don't think there's one of them anxious to make that arrest. I don't think they could get one of them to apply for a warrant. I mean one of the best. Not one."
dealing - tratando; (deal) tratando
explosives - explosivos; explosivo, explosivo
licence - licencia, permiso
jeer - burla; abuchear
unchanged - Sin cambios
negligent - negligente
anxious - ansioso, inquieto, deseoso
apply - aplicar
warrant - garantía, cédula, orden, garantizar
"Why?" Ossipon asked.
"Because they know very well I take care never to part with the last handful of my wares. I've it always by me." He touched the breast of his coat lightly. "In a thick glass flask," he added.
handful - manojo, punado, checkmanojo, poca cantidad
lightly - a la ligera; ligeramente
flask - frasco; petaca, licorera disfrazado
"So I have been told," said Ossipon, with a shade of wonder in his voice. "But I didn't know if-"
wonder - me pregunto; maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro, pasmo
"They know," interrupted the little man crisply, leaning against the straight chair back, which rose higher than his fragile head. "I shall never be arrested. The game isn't good enough for any policeman of them all. To deal with a man like me you require sheer, naked, inglorious heroism." Again his lips closed with a self-confident snap. Ossipon repressed a movement of impatience.
crisply - nítidamente
require - necesitas; requerir, necesitar
sheer - ser puro; puro, absoluto
naked - desnudo
inglorious - Inglorioso
heroism - heroísmo
repressed - reprimido; reprimir
"Or recklessness-or simply ignorance," he retorted. "They've only to get somebody for the job who does not know you carry enough stuff in your pocket to blow yourself and everything within sixty yards of you to pieces."
Pocket - bolsillo, bolsa, tronera, embolsar
blow - soplar; golpe
"I never affirmed I could not be eliminated," rejoined the other. "But that wouldn't be an arrest. Moreover, it's not so easy as it looks."
be eliminated - eliminarse
rejoined - Reincorporarse
"Bah!" Ossipon contradicted. "Don't be too sure of that. What's to prevent half-a-dozen of them jumping upon you from behind in the street? With your arms pinned to your sides you could do nothing-could you?"
contradicted - ontradicho; contradecir, contrariar
jumping - saltando; saltar
pinned - inmovilizado; alfiler
"Yes; I could. I am seldom out in the streets after dark," said the little man impassively, "and never very late. I walk always with my right hand closed round the india-rubber ball which I have in my trouser pocket. The pressing of this ball actuates a detonator inside the flask I carry in my pocket. It's the principle of the pneumatic instantaneous shutter for a camera lens. The tube leads up-"
impassively - Impasible
India - India
trouser - Pantalón
detonator - detonador
pneumatic - neumático
instantaneous - instantánea; instantáneo
shutter - postigo, contraventana, obturador
camera lens - lente, objetivo de cámara
leads - llevar, conducir
With a swift disclosing gesture he gave Ossipon a glimpse of an india-rubber tube, resembling a slender brown worm, issuing from the armhole of his waistcoat and plunging into the inner breast pocket of his jacket. His clothes, of a nondescript brown mixture, were threadbare and marked with stains, dusty in the folds, with ragged button-holes.
disclosing - revelar, divulgar
Glimpse - un vistazo; atisbo, entrever, atisbar, vislumbrar, ojear
slender - esbelto
worm - gusano, lombriz, alimana, rata
armhole - sisa, sobaquera
plunging - en picado; (plunge) en picado
mixture - mezcla
stains - manchas; mancha, lamparón, tacha, mancilla, colorante
folds - liegues; doblar, plegar
ragged - Desgarrado; (rag) Desgarrado
button - botón
holes - agujeros; agujero
"The detonator is partly mechanical, partly chemical," he explained, with casual condescension.
mechanical - mecánico
chemical - química; químico, producto químico
"It is instantaneous, of course?" murmured Ossipon, with a slight shudder.
shudder - temblor; escalofrío
"Far from it," confessed the other, with a reluctance which seemed to twist his mouth dolorously. "A full twenty seconds must elapse from the moment I press the ball till the explosion takes place."
twist - giro; torcer, sacar punta a, torcerse
dolorously - Dolorosamente
elapse - transcurrir
explosion - explosión
"Phew!" whistled Ossipon, completely appalled. "Twenty seconds! Horrors! You mean to say that you could face that? I should go crazy-"
Phew - uf!; fíu
whistled - silbó; silbato, pito, chifle, pitido
appalled - asustado; consternar, abrumar, apabullar
horrors - horrores; horror
"Wouldn't matter if you did. Of course, it's the weak point of this special system, which is only for my own use. The worst is that the manner of exploding is always the weak point with us. I am trying to invent a detonator that would adjust itself to all conditions of action, and even to unexpected changes of conditions. A variable and yet perfectly precise mechanism. A really intelligent detonator."
invent - inventar
adjust - ajustar, arreglar, regular, adaptar
unexpected - inesperado, inopinado
variable - variable, variable
precise - preciso, concreto, precisar, especificar, concretar
"Twenty seconds," muttered Ossipon again. "Ough! And then-"
With a slight turn of the head the glitter of the spectacles seemed to gauge the size of the beer saloon in the basement of the renowned Silenus Restaurant.
gauge - medida, medidor, medir
renowned - reconocido; renombre, distinción, fama, nombradía
"Nobody in this room could hope to escape," was the verdict of that survey. "Nor yet this couple going up the stairs now."
"In the last instance it is character alone that makes for one's safety. There are very few people in the world whose character is as well established as mine."
mine - (el) mío, (la) mía, (los) míos, (las) mías
"I wonder how you managed it," growled Ossipon.
"Force of personality," said the other, without raising his voice; and coming from the mouth of that obviously miserable organism the assertion caused the robust Ossipon to bite his lower lip. "Force of personality," he repeated, with ostentatious calm. "I have the means to make myself deadly, but that by itself, you understand, is absolutely nothing in the way of protection.
personality - personalidad
assertion - aserción; afirmación, aserto
bite - morder, picar, mordida, mordedura, mordisco, picadura
lower - más bajo; oscurecerse, encapotarse; (low) más bajo; oscurecerse
lip - labio, labro
ostentatious - ostentoso
myself - yo mismo; me
What is effective is the belief those people have in my will to use the means. That's their impression. It is absolute. Therefore I am deadly."
impression - impresión
"There are individuals of character amongst that lot too," muttered Ossipon ominously.
individuals - individuos; individuo, individual
ominously - Ominosamente
"Possibly. But it is a matter of degree obviously, since, for instance, I am not impressed by them. Therefore they are inferior. They cannot be otherwise. Their character is built upon conventional morality. It leans on the social order. Mine stands free from everything artificial. They are bound in all sorts of conventions.
Possibly - es posible; posiblemente
inferior - inferior
leans - se inclina; inclinarse
artificial - artificial
sorts - clases; clase, tipo, género
conventions - convenciones; convención, convenio, costumbre, tratado
They depend on life, which, in this connection, is a historical fact surrounded by all sorts of restraints and considerations, a complex organised fact open to attack at every point; whereas I depend on death, which knows no restraint and cannot be attacked. My superiority is evident."
historical - histórico
restraints - restricciones; restricción, limitación, reserva, moderación
complex - complicado, complejo, complexo, complejo
organised - Organizar
attacked - atacado; ataque, atacar
superiority - superioridad
"This is a transcendental way of putting it," said Ossipon, watching the cold glitter of the round spectacles. "I've heard Karl Yundt say much the same thing not very long ago."
transcendental - trascendental
"Karl Yundt," mumbled the other contemptuously, "the delegate of the International Red Committee, has been a posturing shadow all his life. There are three of you delegates, aren't there? I won't define the other two, as you are one of them. But what you say means nothing.
committee - comité, comisión
delegates - delegados; delegado, delegada, diputar
define - determinar, definir, definirse, aclarar, describir
You are the worthy delegates for revolutionary propaganda, but the trouble is not only that you are as unable to think independently as any respectable grocer or journalist of them all, but that you have no character whatever."
unable - incapaz
respectable - respetable
grocer - almacén; abacero, abacera, abarrotero
journalist - diarista, periodista, reportero
Ossipon could not restrain a start of indignation.
restrain - retener; refrenar(se), contenerse
"But what do you want from us?" he exclaimed in a deadened voice. "What is it you are after yourself?"
"A perfect detonator," was the peremptory answer. "What are you making that face for? You see, you can't even bear the mention of something conclusive."
conclusive - concluyente, conclusivo, decisivo
"I am not making a face," growled the annoyed Ossipon bearishly.
annoyed - molesto; molestar, agobiar, jorobar
bearishly - a la baja
"You revolutionists," the other continued, with leisurely self-confidence, "are the slaves of the social convention, which is afraid of you; slaves of it as much as the very police that stands up in the defence of that convention. Clearly you are, since you want to revolutionise it. It governs your thought, of course, and your action too, and thus neither your thought nor your action can ever be conclusive." He paused, tranquil, with that air of close, endless silence, then almost immediately went on. "You are not a bit better than the forces arrayed against you-than the police, for instance. The other day I came suddenly upon Chief Inspector Heat at the corner of Tottenham Court Road. He looked at me very steadily. But I did not look at him. Why should I give him more than a glance? He was thinking of many things-of his superiors, of his reputation, of the law courts, of his salary, of newspapers-of a hundred things.
leisurely - con calma
convention - convención, convenio, costumbre, tratado
revolutionise - revolucionar
governs - gobierna; gobernar
tranquil - tranquilo, apacible
endless - interminable, sin fin, infinito
immediately - inmediatamente, de inmediato, ya, sin demora
forces - fuerzas; fuerza
arrayed - arreglado; atavío, galas, distribución, ristra, gama, vector
inspector - inspector
heat - calor; temperatura
superiors - superiores; superior, superior
law courts - tribunales de justicia
salary - salario, sueldo, salariar
But I was thinking of my perfect detonator only. He meant nothing to me. He was as insignificant as-I can't call to mind anything insignificant enough to compare him with-except Karl Yundt perhaps. Like to like. The terrorist and the policeman both come from the same basket. Revolution, legality-counter moves in the same game; forms of idleness at bottom identical. He plays his little game-so do you propagandists. But I don't play; I work fourteen hours a day, and go hungry sometimes. My experiments cost money now and again, and then I must do without food for a day or two. You're looking at my beer. Yes. I have had two glasses already, and shall have another presently. This is a little holiday, and I celebrate it alone. Why not? I've the grit to work alone, quite alone, absolutely alone. I've worked alone for years."
legality - legalidad
moves in - se muda
go hungry - pasar hambre
experiments - experimentos; experimento, experimentar
do without - prescindirse de
celebrate - honrar, loar, alabar, celebrar, festejar
Grit - arena, gravilla
Ossipon's face had turned dusky red.
"At the perfect detonator-eh?" he sneered, very low.
"Yes," retorted the other. "It is a good definition. You couldn't find anything half so precise to define the nature of your activity with all your committees and delegations. It is I who am the true propagandist."
definition - definición
committees - comités; comité, comisión
delegations - delegaciones; delegación
propagandist - propagandista, panfletario
"We won't discuss that point," said Ossipon, with an air of rising above personal considerations. "I am afraid I'll have to spoil your holiday for you, though. There's a man blown up in Greenwich Park this morning."
spoil - expoliar, despojar, danar, arruinar, echar a perder
blown up - explotar
"How do you know?"
"They have been yelling the news in the streets since two o'clock. I bought the paper, and just ran in here. Then I saw you sitting at this table. I've got it in my pocket now."
yelling - Gritando; (yell) Gritando
I've got it - Lo tengo
He pulled the newspaper out. It was a good-sized rosy sheet, as if flushed by the warmth of its own convictions, which were optimistic. He scanned the pages rapidly.
sized - de tamano; tamano, magnitud
flushed - enjuagado; rubor
warmth - calor, simpatía
convictions - convicciones; convicción
optimistic - optimista
scanned - escaneado; escrutar, escanear, escandir
rapidly - rápidamente
"Ah! Here it is. Bomb in Greenwich Park. There isn't much so far. Half-past eleven. Foggy morning. Effects of explosion felt as far as Romney Road and Park Place. Enormous hole in the ground under a tree filled with smashed roots and broken branches. All round fragments of a man's body blown to pieces. That's all.
hole - agujero
smashed - aplastado; estrellar, destrozar, golpear, machucar
roots - raíces; raíz
branches - ramas; rama, sucursal, delegación, filial, ramo, ramificar
fragments - fragmentos; fragmento, fragmentar
blown - soplado; golpe
The rest's mere newspaper gup. No doubt a wicked attempt to blow up the Observatory, they say. H'm. That's hardly credible."
wicked - malvado, cruel, insoportable; (wick) malvado, cruel
blow up - Explotar
Observatory - observatorio
credible - creíble
He looked at the paper for a while longer in silence, then passed it to the other, who after gazing abstractedly at the print laid it down without comment.
abstractedly - En abstracto
print - imprimir
It was Ossipon who spoke first-still resentful.
resentful - resentido
"The fragments of only one man, you note. Ergo: blew himself up. That spoils your day off for you-don't it? Were you expecting that sort of move? I hadn't the slightest idea-not the ghost of a notion of anything of the sort being planned to come off here-in this country. Under the present circumstances it's nothing short of criminal."
spoils - otín; expoliar, despojar, danar, arruinar, echar a perder
day off - Día libre
come off - salir; bajar; triunfar
circumstances - circunstancias; circunstancia
The little man lifted his thin black eyebrows with dispassionate scorn.
"Criminal! What is that? What is crime? What can be the meaning of such an assertion?"
"How am I to express myself? One must use the current words," said Ossipon impatiently. "The meaning of this assertion is that this business may affect our position very adversely in this country. Isn't that crime enough for you? I am convinced you have been giving away some of your stuff lately."
current - corriente, actual
impatiently - impacientemente
giving away - regalar, entregar, donar
Ossipon stared hard. The other, without flinching, lowered and raised his head slowly.
flinching - acojonarse; encogerse, estremecerse
"You have!" burst out the editor of the F. P. leaflets in an intense whisper. "No! And are you really handing it over at large like this, for the asking, to the first fool that comes along?"
editor - editor, editora, director, directora, redactor
whisper - susurro, rumor, rastro, susurrar
fool - idiota; bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
"Just so! The condemned social order has not been built up on paper and ink, and I don't fancy that a combination of paper and ink will ever put an end to it, whatever you may think. Yes, I would give the stuff with both hands to every man, woman, or fool that likes to come along. I know what you are thinking about.
condemned - condenado; condenar, clausurar
built up - construido, edificado
combination - combinación
But I am not taking my cue from the Red Committee. I would see you all hounded out of here, or arrested-or beheaded for that matter-without turning a hair. What happens to us as individuals is not of the least consequence."
cue - taco; pie
hounded - acosado; perro de caza
beheaded - decapitado; descabezar, decapitar
consequence - consecuencia
He spoke carelessly, without heat, almost without feeling, and Ossipon, secretly much affected, tried to copy this detachment.
secretly - secretamente, en secreto
copy - copia, ejemplar, copiar, imitar, recibir
"If the police here knew their business they would shoot you full of holes with revolvers, or else try to sand-bag you from behind in broad daylight."
shoot - disparar, lanzar
revolvers - revólveres; revólver
sand - arena
The little man seemed already to have considered that point of view in his dispassionate self-confident manner.
"Yes," he assented with the utmost readiness. "But for that they would have to face their own institutions. Do you see? That requires uncommon grit. Grit of a special kind."
assented - aceptó; asentir, consentir, asentimiento
utmost - extremo, descollante, extremado, sobresaliente, sumo, máximo
readiness - preparados; preparación
uncommon - incomún; raro, poco común, extrano, poco frecuente
Ossipon blinked.
"I fancy that's exactly what would happen to you if you were to set up your laboratory in the States. They don't stand on ceremony with their institutions there."
laboratory - laboratorio
States - estados; Estado, declarar, indicar
ceremony - ceremonia
"I am not likely to go and see. Otherwise your remark is just," admitted the other. "They have more character over there, and their character is essentially anarchistic. Fertile ground for us, the States-very good ground. The great Republic has the root of the destructive matter in her. The collective temperament is lawless. Excellent. They may shoot us down, but-"
fertile - fértil, feraz
republic - república
root - raíz
collective - colectivo, colectivo
lawless - sin ley; ilegal
"You are too transcendental for me," growled Ossipon, with moody concern.
"Logical," protested the other. "There are several kinds of logic. This is the enlightened kind. America is all right. It is this country that is dangerous, with her idealistic conception of legality. The social spirit of this people is wrapped up in scrupulous prejudices, and that is fatal to our work.
logical - lógico
enlightened - ilustrado; iluminar, alumbrar, ilustrar
idealistic - idealista
spirit - espíritu, alma, onda, alcohol, bebida espirituosa
wrapped up - envuelto; arropado
prejudices - prejuicios; prejuicio, perjudicar, prejuiciar
You talk of England being our only refuge! So much the worse. Capua! What do we want with refuges? Here you talk, print, plot, and do nothing. I daresay it's very convenient for such Karl Yundts."
refuges - refugios; refugio, refugiarse
plot - argumento, trama, hilo argumental, intriga, plano
He shrugged his shoulders slightly, then added with the same leisurely assurance: "To break up the superstition and worship of legality should be our aim. Nothing would please me more than to see Inspector Heat and his likes take to shooting us down in broad daylight with the approval of the public. Half our battle would be won then; the disintegration of the old morality would have set in in its very temple. That is what you ought to aim at. But you revolutionists will never understand that.
superstition - superstición
worship - adoración, culto, checkalabanza, adorar, checkvenerar
shooting - disparando; tiroteo, tiro; (shoot) disparando; tiroteo, tiro
battle - batalla
disintegration - desintegración
Temple - templo
aim at - apuntar a
You plan the future, you lose yourselves in reveries of economical systems derived from what is; whereas what's wanted is a clean sweep and a clear start for a new conception of life. That sort of future will take care of itself if you will only make room for it. Therefore I would shovel my stuff in heaps at the corners of the streets if I had enough for that; and as I haven't, I do my best by perfecting a really dependable detonator."
reveries - recuperación
systems - istemas; sistema
derived - derivado; derivar
start for - empezar para; inicio para
shovel - pala, traspalar, palear
in heaps - en montones
dependable - seguro; fiable
Ossipon, who had been mentally swimming in deep waters, seized upon the last word as if it were a saving plank.
seized - incautado; agarrar, apoderarse de, apresar, aferrar, tomar
saving - salvando; ahorro, ahorros, economías; (save); salvar, rescatar
plank - placa; tablón, artículo, entablar
"Yes. Your detonators. I shouldn't wonder if it weren't one of your detonators that made a clean sweep of the man in the park."
detonators - detonadores; detonador
weren - lo eran
A shade of vexation darkened the determined sallow face confronting Ossipon.
vexation - enfado; vejación, vejación
darkened - oscurecido; oscurecer, obscurecer
confronting - enfrentarse; enfrentar
"My difficulty consists precisely in experimenting practically with the various kinds. They must be tried after all. Besides-"
consists - consiste; componerse (de), constar (de)
precisely - exactamente; precisamente
experimenting - experimentando; experimento, experimentar
besides - además; al lado de, cabe
Ossipon interrupted.
"Who could that fellow be? I assure you that we in London had no knowledge-Couldn't you describe the person you gave the stuff to?"
assure - asegurar
The other turned his spectacles upon Ossipon like a pair of searchlights.
searchlights - focos; proyector de búsqueda, panish: t-needed
"Describe him," he repeated slowly. "I don't think there can be the slightest objection now. I will describe him to you in one word-Verloc."
objection - objeción, protesta
Ossipon, whom curiosity had lifted a few inches off his seat, dropped back, as if hit in the face.
inches - pulgadas; pulgada
hit - golpear, pegar, chocar
"Verloc! Impossible."
The self-possessed little man nodded slightly once.
possessed - poseído; poseer
"Yes. He's the person. You can't say that in this case I was giving my stuff to the first fool that came along. He was a prominent member of the group as far as I understand."
"Yes," said Ossipon. "Prominent. No, not exactly. He was the centre for general intelligence, and usually received comrades coming over here. More useful than important. Man of no ideas. Years ago he used to speak at meetings-in France, I believe. Not very well, though. He was trusted by such men as Latorre, Moser and all that old lot. The only talent he showed really was his ability to elude the attentions of the police somehow.
received - recibido; recibir
comrades - camaradas; companero, colega, camarada, correligionario
coming over - pasar, venir, llegar
talent - talento, talentosos, talentoso
ability - habilidad, capacidad
elude - eludir
Here, for instance, he did not seem to be looked after very closely. He was regularly married, you know. I suppose it's with her money that he started that shop. Seemed to make it pay, too."
looked after - cuidar
closely - de cerca; cercanamente
regularly - con regularidad; regularmente, comúnmente
Ossipon paused abruptly, muttered to himself "I wonder what that woman will do now?" and fell into thought.
The other waited with ostentatious indifference. His parentage was obscure, and he was generally known only by his nickname of Professor. His title to that designation consisted in his having been once assistant demonstrator in chemistry at some technical institute. He quarrelled with the authorities upon a question of unfair treatment. Afterwards he obtained a post in the laboratory of a manufactory of dyes.
parentage - parentesco; parentela
nickname - apodo, mote, sobrenombre
professor - profesor, profesora
designation - designación
assistant - ayudante, ayudante, asistente
demonstrator - manifestante
chemistry - química
technical - técnica; técnico, artillado
Institute - instituto
quarrelled - discutieron; pelea, rina
authorities - autoridad, policía, autoridades, fuerzas del orden, autorización
unfair - injusto
manufactory - fabricación
dyes - tintes; tenir
There too he had been treated with revolting injustice. His struggles, his privations, his hard work to raise himself in the social scale, had filled him with such an exalted conviction of his merits that it was extremely difficult for the world to treat him with justice-the standard of that notion depending so much upon the patience of the individual. The Professor had genius, but lacked the great social virtue of resignation.
treated - tratado; tratar, negociar, rogar, invitar, convidar, sorpresa
revolting - alzarse en protesta, rebelión, revuelta
struggles - luchas; lucha, forcejeo, brega, luchar, esforzarse con denuedo
scale - escala
merits - méritos; mérito, merecimiento, meritar
Standard - estándar, estándar, dechado, padrón, nivel
depending - dependiendo; depender, confiar, atender
genius - genio, genia
lacked - le faltaba; carecer de
resignation - dimisión, renuncia, resignación
"Intellectually a nonentity," Ossipon pronounced aloud, abandoning suddenly the inward contemplation of Mrs Verloc's bereaved person and business. "Quite an ordinary personality. You are wrong in not keeping more in touch with the comrades, Professor," he added in a reproving tone. "Did he say anything to you-give you some idea of his intentions? I hadn't seen him for a month. It seems impossible that he should be gone."
intellectually - intelectualmente
bereaved - esconsolado; arrebatar, despojar, desposeer, privar
reproving - reprobando; (reprove) reprobando
intentions - intenciones; intención
"He told me it was going to be a demonstration against a building," said the Professor. "I had to know that much to prepare the missile. I pointed out to him that I had hardly a sufficient quantity for a completely destructive result, but he pressed me very earnestly to do my best. As he wanted something that could be carried openly in the hand, I proposed to make use of an old one-gallon copal varnish can I happened to have by me. He was pleased at the idea. It gave me some trouble, because I had to cut out the bottom first and solder it on again afterwards.
missile - proyectil, misil
sufficient - suficiente
quantity - cantidad, cuantía
pressed - presionado; apretar, presionar
proposed - propuesta; proponer, pedir la mano, pedir matrimonio
gallon - galón
copal - copal
varnish - barniz, barnizar, lacar
solder - estano para soldar, estano
When prepared for use, the can enclosed a wide-mouthed, well-corked jar of thick glass packed around with some wet clay and containing sixteen ounces of X2 green powder. The detonator was connected with the screw top of the can. It was ingenious-a combination of time and shock. I explained the system to him. It was a thin tube of tin enclosing a-"
wide - ancho, amplio, lateral
corked - corchado; Cork
jar - jarra; tarro, bote
packed - empacado; fardo, bulto
clay - arcilla, barro
containing - conteniendo; contener, dominar
ounces - nzas; onza
powder - polvo, reducir a polvo, pulverizar, triturar, espolvorear
connected - conectados; conectar
ingenious - ingenioso
tin - estano, lata, enlatar, estanar
Ossipon's attention had wandered.
wandered - deambuló; vagar, divagar, errar, deambular, enganar
"What do you think has happened?" he interrupted.
"Can't tell. Screwed the top on tight, which would make the connection, and then forgot the time. It was set for twenty minutes. On the other hand, the time contact being made, a sharp shock would bring about the explosion at once. He either ran the time too close, or simply let the thing fall. The contact was made all right-that's clear to me at any rate. The system's worked perfectly. And yet you would think that a common fool in a hurry would be much more likely to forget to make the contact altogether.
screwed - jodido; tornillo, tirafondo, hélice, atornillar, enroscar
contact - contacto, contactar, entrar en contacto con
bring about - provocar
rate - tasa, índice
hurry - prisa, apuro, apresurarse, apurarse, darse prisa
I was worrying myself about that sort of failure mostly. But there are more kinds of fools than one can guard against. You can't expect a detonator to be absolutely fool-proof."
failure - fallo, fracaso, fiasco, fracasado, avería
guard - guarda, guardia, guardés, guarda, tapador, bloque
He beckoned to a waiter. Ossipon sat rigid, with the abstracted gaze of mental travail. After the man had gone away with the money he roused himself, with an air of profound dissatisfaction.
beckoned - llamado; llamar con senas, atraer
rigid - rígido
abstracted - abstraído; resumen, extracto, abstracción, arte abstracto
gaze - mirada; observar, mirar fijamente
travail - trabajo
gone away - irse, pasar
roused - despertado; despertar
dissatisfaction - insatisfacción; descontento, malcontento, disgusto, malestar
"It's extremely unpleasant for me," he mused. "Karl has been in bed with bronchitis for a week. There's an even chance that he will never get up again. Michaelis's luxuriating in the country somewhere. A fashionable publisher has offered him five hundred pounds for a book. It will be a ghastly failure. He has lost the habit of consecutive thinking in prison, you know."
unpleasant - desagradable, desapacible
mused - musitó; Musa
bronchitis - bronquitis
luxuriating - Disfrutar
publisher - editor, editorial
five hundred - Quinientos
consecutive - consecutivo
The Professor on his feet, now buttoning his coat, looked about him with perfect indifference.
buttoning - botonear; botón
"What are you going to do?" asked Ossipon wearily. He dreaded the blame of the Central Red Committee, a body which had no permanent place of abode, and of whose membership he was not exactly informed. If this affair eventuated in the stoppage of the modest subsidy allotted to the publication of the F. P. pamphlets, then indeed he would have to regret Verloc's inexplicable folly.
blame - culpar, responsabilizar, echar la culpa
permanent - permanente
abode - Morada; (abide); quedar, permanecer, resistir, aguantar
membership - miembros; membresía
informed - informado; informar
eventuated - Ocurrirá
stoppage - parada, paro, bloqueo
subsidy - subvención, subsidio
allotted - asignado; distribuir, repartir
publication - publicación
pamphlets - panfletos; folleto, panfleto
regret - lamentar, pena, pesar, arrepentimiento
folly - una locura; capricho
"Solidarity with the extremest form of action is one thing, and silly recklessness is another," he said, with a sort of moody brutality. "I don't know what came to Verloc. There's some mystery there. However, he's gone. You may take it as you like, but under the circumstances the only policy for the militant revolutionary group is to disclaim all connection with this damned freak of yours.
solidarity - solidaridad
extremest - extremo
mystery - misterio, arcano
policy - política
militant - militante
disclaim - renunciar; negar, rechazar
freak - monstruo; fenómeno
How to make the disclaimer convincing enough is what bothers me."
disclaimer - exención de responsabilidad; renunciador, panish: t-needed
convincing - convincente; convencer
bothers - te molesta; molestar, agobiar, cansón, joroba, rayos, caramba
The little man on his feet, buttoned up and ready to go, was no taller than the seated Ossipon. He levelled his spectacles at the latter's face point-blank.
buttoned up - abotonado
levelled - nivelado, al ras, nivel, niveles, llano, piso
blank - en blanco, virgen, de fogueo, espacio en blanco, espacio
"You might ask the police for a testimonial of good conduct. They know where every one of you slept last night. Perhaps if you asked them they would consent to publish some sort of official statement."
testimonial - testimonio; referencias
consent - consentir, consentimiento, venia, anuencia
publish - publicar, divulgar
"No doubt they are aware well enough that we had nothing to do with this," mumbled Ossipon bitterly. "What they will say is another thing." He remained thoughtful, disregarding the short, owlish, shabby figure standing by his side. "I must lay hands on Michaelis at once, and get him to speak from his heart at one of our gatherings.
bitterly - con amargura; amargamente
disregarding - desprecio; descuidar, desatender, ignorar
standing by - estar preparado; apoyar a alguien; mantenerse firme en; en espera
lay - poner, colocar
gatherings - reunión
The public has a sort of sentimental regard for that fellow. His name is known. And I am in touch with a few reporters on the big dailies. What he would say would be utter bosh, but he has a turn of talk that makes it go down all the same."
reporters - reporteros; reportero, reportera
dailies - diarios; diario
"Like treacle," interjected the Professor, rather low, keeping an impassive expression.
treacle - melaza
impassive - impasible
The perplexed Ossipon went on communing with himself half audibly, after the manner of a man reflecting in perfect solitude.
perplexed - perplejo; confundir, desconcertar
communing - En comunión; (commune) En comunión
reflecting - reflexionando; reflejar, recapacitar, reflexionar, cavilar
"Confounded ass! To leave such an imbecile business on my hands. And I don't even know if-"
He sat with compressed lips. The idea of going for news straight to the shop lacked charm. His notion was that Verloc's shop might have been turned already into a police trap. They will be bound to make some arrests, he thought, with something resembling virtuous indignation, for the even tenor of his revolutionary life was menaced by no fault of his. And yet unless he went there he ran the risk of remaining in ignorance of what perhaps it would be very material for him to know.
compressed - comprimido; comprimir
arrests - arrestos; paro, arresto, detenido, parar, detener, arrestar
Risk - riesgo, checkpeligro, arriesgar, poner en riesgo
Then he reflected that, if the man in the park had been so very much blown to pieces as the evening papers said, he could not have been identified. And if so, the police could have no special reason for watching Verloc's shop more closely than any other place known to be frequented by marked anarchists-no more reason, in fact, than for watching the doors of the Silenus. There would be a lot of watching all round, no matter where he went. Still-
reflected - reflejado; reflejar, recapacitar, reflexionar, cavilar
identified - identificado; identificar, identificarse
frequented - recuentado; frecuente
"I wonder what I had better do now?" he muttered, taking counsel with himself.
counsel - consulta, consejo, abogado
A rasping voice at his elbow said, with sedate scorn:
rasping - raspando; áspero; (rasp) raspando; áspero
sedate - sedado; sedar, tranquilizar
"Fasten yourself upon the woman for all she's worth."
fasten - atar, abrochar
After uttering these words the Professor walked away from the table. Ossipon, whom that piece of insight had taken unawares, gave one ineffectual start, and remained still, with a helpless gaze, as though nailed fast to the seat of his chair. The lonely piano, without as much as a music stool to help it, struck a few chords courageously, and beginning a selection of national airs, played him out at last to the tune of "Blue Bells of Scotland.
unawares - inconsciente, desprevenido, ignorante
ineffectual - ineficaz; inoperante
helpless - desamparado; indefenso, incapaz
nailed - clavado; una
chords - acordes; acorde, cuerda
courageously - con valentía; valientemente
bells - campanas; campana
Scotland - Escocia
The painfully detached notes grew faint behind his back while he went slowly upstairs, across the hall, and into the street.
In front of the great doorway a dismal row of newspaper sellers standing clear of the pavement dealt out their wares from the gutter. It was a raw, gloomy day of the early spring; and the grimy sky, the mud of the streets, the rags of the dirty men, harmonised excellently with the eruption of the damp, rubbishy sheets of paper soiled with printers'ink. The posters, maculated with filth, garnished like tapestry the sweep of the curbstone.
dismal - lúgubre; mísero, miserable, triste, deprimente
dealt - tratado; trato, acuerdo, pacto
raw - cruda; crudo, en carne viva, bruto
gloomy - lúgubre; lóbrego, sombrío
sky - cielo
rags - trapos; trapo
harmonised - armonizar
excellently - excelentemente
eruption - erupción
sheets - sábanas; hoja, folio, pliego, lámina, capa, escota
printers - impresoras; impresor, impresora
posters - carteles; póster, cartel
filth - suciedad; mugre, porquería, inmundicia, bascosidad
garnished - guarnecer, guarnición
tapestry - tapiz
The trade in afternoon papers was brisk, yet, in comparison with the swift, constant march of foot traffic, the effect was of indifference, of a disregarded distribution. Ossipon looked hurriedly both ways before stepping out into the cross-currents, but the Professor was already out of sight.
trade - comercio, gremio, compraventa, comerciar, mercadear, trocar
brisk - brioso, enérgico, vital, vigorizante, brusco
constant - constante, perseverante, firme, constante
distribution - distribución
stepping out - salir
currents - corrientes; corriente, actual
The Professor had turned into a street to the left, and walked along, with his head carried rigidly erect, in a crowd whose every individual almost overtopped his stunted stature. It was vain to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed. But that was mere feeling; the stoicism of his thought could not be disturbed by this or any other failure. Next time, or the time after next, a telling stroke would be delivered-something really startling-a blow fit to open the first crack in the imposing front of the great edifice of legal conceptions sheltering the atrocious injustice of society. Of humble origin, and with an appearance really so mean as to stand in the way of his considerable natural abilities, his imagination had been fired early by the tales of men rising from the depths of poverty to positions of authority and affluence. The extreme, almost ascetic purity of his thought, combined with an astounding ignorance of worldly conditions, had set before him a goal of power and prestige to be attained without the medium of arts, graces, tact, wealth-by sheer weight of merit alone. On that view he considered himself entitled to undisputed success. His father, a delicate dark enthusiast with a sloping forehead, had been an itinerant and rousing preacher of some obscure but rigid Christian sect-a man supremely confident in the privileges of his righteousness.
rigidly - rígidamente
erect - erecto, erguido
overtopped - Por encima
stunted - trofiado; atrofiar; impedir el desarrollo
stature - estatura
vain - vanidoso, vano, vacuo
disappointed - decepcionado; decepcionar, desilusionar, defraudar, quedar mal
stoicism - estoicismo
delivered - entregado; liberar, parir, dar a luz, entregar
crack - rajarse, resquebrajarse
legal - jurídico, legal
conceptions - concepciones; concepción
sheltering - refugio; (shelter); refugio, abrigo, amparo, asilo
origin - origen
abilities - habilidades; habilidad, capacidad
positions - puestos; posición, puesto, postura
affluence - abundancia, afluencia, prosperidad
extreme - extremo
ascetic - ascético, asceta
purity - pureza
combined - combinado; combinar, juntar, unir
astounding - asombroso; asombrar, pasmar
worldly - undano
goal - meta, objetivo, portería, arco, gol
prestige - prestigio, prestancia
medium - medio, mitad, médium, mediano
graces - gracias; (grace); gracias, benedícite, gracia, donaire, merced
tact - tacto, tiento, mano izquierda
merit - mérito, merecimiento, meritar
entitled - con derecho; intitular
enthusiast - entusiasta
sloping - inclinado; derramar(se), verter(se)
itinerant - itinerante
preacher - predicador
Christian - cristiano, cristiana, Cristián
sect - secta, culto
privileges - privilegios; privilegio, privilegiar
righteousness - justicia; rectitud, moralidad, buena obra; rectitud, gracia
In the son, individualist by temperament, once the science of colleges had replaced thoroughly the faith of conventicles, this moral attitude translated itself into a frenzied puritanism of ambition. He nursed it as something secularly holy. To see it thwarted opened his eyes to the true nature of the world, whose morality was artificial, corrupt, and blasphemous. The way of even the most justifiable revolutions is prepared by personal impulses disguised into creeds. The Professor's indignation found in itself a final cause that absolved him from the sin of turning to destruction as the agent of his ambition. To destroy public faith in legality was the imperfect formula of his pedantic fanaticism; but the subconscious conviction that the framework of an established social order cannot be effectually shattered except by some form of collective or individual violence was precise and correct. He was a moral agent-that was settled in his mind. By exercising his agency with ruthless defiance he procured for himself the appearances of power and personal prestige. That was undeniable to his vengeful bitterness. It pacified its unrest; and in their own way the most ardent of revolutionaries are perhaps doing no more but seeking for peace in common with the rest of mankind-the peace of soothed vanity, of satisfied appetites, or perhaps of appeased conscience.
individualist - individualista
replaced - reemplazado; reemplazar, sustituir
conventicles - conventillos; conventículo
translated - traducido; traducir, trasladar, verter
frenzied - frenético; frenesí, manía
puritanism - puritanismo
Ambition - ambición
secularly - secularmente
holy - santo, sagrado
thwarted - frustrado; frustrar, contrariar, bancada
corrupt - corrupto, corromper
blasphemous - blasfemo
justifiable - justificable
revolutions - revoluciones; revolución, vuelta, giro
disguised - disfrazado; disfraz, pantalla, tapadera, disfrazar
creeds - credos; credo, creer
absolved - absuelto; absolver, exculpar, exonerar
sin - pecado
destruction - destrucción, destrucción
imperfect - imperfecto, imperfecto
formula - fórmula, preparado para lactantes, leche maternizada
pedantic - pedante, pretencioso, cursi, checkmaniático, checkpedante
the subconscious - subconsciencia
framework - entramado, infraestructura, marco
effectually - eficazmente
shattered - destrozado; astillar, estrellar, quebrantar, hacer anicos
agency - albedrío, agencia, oficina
ruthless - despiadado
appearances - apariencias; aparición, apariencia, hechura, estampa, aire
undeniable - inegable; innegable, impepinable
vengeful - venganza; vengativo
bitterness - amargo, amargura, amargor, acíbar
pacified - pacificado; pacificar
ardent - ardiente, ferviente
revolutionaries - revolucionarios; revolucionario, revolucionario, revolucionaria
seeking - buscando; buscar
soothed - calmado; verdad
appetites - apetito, deseo, ganas
appeased - paciguado; apaciguar, calmar, aplacar
Lost in the crowd, miserable and undersized, he meditated confidently on his power, keeping his hand in the left pocket of his trousers, grasping lightly the india-rubber ball, the supreme guarantee of his sinister freedom; but after a while he became disagreeably affected by the sight of the roadway thronged with vehicles and of the pavement crowded with men and women. He was in a long, straight street, peopled by a mere fraction of an immense multitude; but all round him, on and on, even to the limits of the horizon hidden by the enormous piles of bricks, he felt the mass of mankind mighty in its numbers.
undersized - Inferior
meditated - meditado; meditar
confidently - con confianza; confidentemente
grasping - agarrando; agarrar, asir, comprender, asimiento, comprensión
guarantee - garantía, garante, garantizar, garantir, asegurar
freedom - libertad
disagreeably - desagradablemente
roadway - carretera, calzada
thronged - abarrotado; muchedumbre, gentío, caterva, multitud, montón
vehicles - vehículo, medio de transporte, vehículos
crowded - abarrotado; multitud, muchedumbre
fraction - fracción, quebrado
immense - inmenso
limits - límites; límite
piles - pilas; montón, pila
mass - montón, masa
mighty - poderoso
They swarmed numerous like locusts, industrious like ants, thoughtless like a natural force, pushing on blind and orderly and absorbed, impervious to sentiment, to logic, to terror too perhaps.
swarmed - enjambrado; enjambre, nube, multitud, muchedumbre, masa
numerous - numerosos; numeroso
locusts - langostas; langosta
Ants - hormigas; hormiga
pushing - empujando; empujar
orderly - ordenada; ordenado, metódico, pacífico, camillero
absorbed - absorbido; absorber
impervious - inmune, impenetrable, impermeable, insensible, invulnerable
logic - lógica
terror - terror
That was the form of doubt he feared most. Impervious to fear! Often while walking abroad, when he happened also to come out of himself, he had such moments of dreadful and sane mistrust of mankind. What if nothing could move them? Such moments come to all men whose ambition aims at a direct grasp upon humanity-to artists, politicians, thinkers, reformers, or saints. A despicable emotional state this, against which solitude fortifies a superior character; and with severe exultation the Professor thought of the refuge of his room, with its padlocked cupboard, lost in a wilderness of poor houses, the hermitage of the perfect anarchist. In order to reach sooner the point where he could take his omnibus, he turned brusquely out of the populous street into a narrow and dusky alley paved with flagstones. On one side the low brick houses had in their dusty windows the sightless, moribund look of incurable decay-empty shells awaiting demolition.
feared - Miedo
dreadful - terrible; espantoso, espantosa
sane - sano; cuerdo
mistrust - desconfianza, recelo
aims at - aspirar a
grasp - agarrar, asir, comprender, asimiento, comprensión, alcance
politicians - políticos; político, política
thinkers - pensadores; pensador, pensadora
Saints - santos; San, Santa, Santo
despicable - desdenable, despreciable, bajo, rastrero
fortifies - fortalecer, panish: t-needed
superior - superior, superior
exultation - exultación
refuge - refugio, refugiarse
padlocked - con candado; candado, candar, asegurar
wilderness - salvajes; descampado, jungla, maleza, monte
hermitage - ermita
populous - popular; poblado, populoso
alley - callejón; callejuela
paved - pavimentado; pavimentar
flagstones - placas; adoquín, laja
sightless - Invidentes
incurable - incurable
decay - decadencia; descomposición, deterioración, putrefacción
shells - conchas; concha, cáscara, vaina, caparazón, casquete, terminal
awaiting - esperando; esperar, aguantar
demolition - demolición
From the other side life had not departed wholly as yet. Facing the only gas-lamp yawned the cavern of a second-hand furniture dealer, where, deep in the gloom of a sort of narrow avenue winding through a bizarre forest of wardrobes, with an undergrowth tangle of table legs, a tall pier-glass glimmered like a pool of water in a wood. An unhappy, homeless couch, accompanied by two unrelated chairs, stood in the open. The only human being making use of the alley besides the Professor, coming stalwart and erect from the opposite direction, checked his swinging pace suddenly.
wholly - Por completo
cavern - caverna
second-hand - (second-hand) de segunda mano
furniture dealer - Vendedor de muebles
gloom - pesimismo; penumbra, melancolía
avenue - avenida, vía, camino
winding - Devanado; (wind) Devanado
bizarre - raro, extrano, estrafalario, bizarro
forest - bosque, floresta, selva, foresta, forestar; (fore); bosque
wardrobes - armarios; armario, ropero, clóset, escaparate
undergrowth - maleza; sottobosque
tangle - desorden, marana, enredo
pier-glass - (pier-glass) espejo trumeau
glimmered - resplandeció; luz tenue, titileo
homeless - sin hogar, vagabundo, desalojado, sintecho
couch - un sofá; sofá, canapé
accompanied - acompanado; acompanar
unrelated - sin relación; no relacionado
stalwart - ncondicional; robusto, corajudo, valiente
opposite direction - dirección contraria
swinging - Balanceándose; (swing); balancear, mecer, columpiar, oscilar
"Hallo!" he said, and stood a little on one side watchfully.
Hallo - hola
The Professor had already stopped, with a ready half turn which brought his shoulders very near the other wall. His right hand fell lightly on the back of the outcast couch, the left remained purposefully plunged deep in the trousers pocket, and the roundness of the heavy rimmed spectacles imparted an owlish character to his moody, unperturbed face.
outcast - desterrado; paria
purposefully - a propósito; intencionadamente
trousers pocket - bolsillo de pantalón
roundness - redondez
rimmed - con borde; (rueda) llanta; borde, canto
imparted - mpartido; impartir
unperturbed - Imperturbable
It was like a meeting in a side corridor of a mansion full of life. The stalwart man was buttoned up in a dark overcoat, and carried an umbrella. His hat, tilted back, uncovered a good deal of forehead, which appeared very white in the dusk. In the dark patches of the orbits the eyeballs glimmered piercingly. Long, drooping moustaches, the colour of ripe corn, framed with their points the square block of his shaved chin.
dusk - oscurecer; anochecer, ocaso, crepúsculo
patches - parches; remiendo, parche
orbits - órbitas; órbita, orbitar
eyeballs - ojos; globo ocular
piercingly - enetrantemente
ripe - maduro
corn - cereales (maíz, trigo, avena)
"I am not looking for you," he said curtly.
curtly - Cortésmente
The Professor did not stir an inch. The blended noises of the enormous town sank down to an inarticulate low murmur. Chief Inspector Heat of the Special Crimes Department changed his tone.
blended - mezclado; mezcla, mezclar, combinar
noises - ruidos; ruido, estrépito
crimes - delitos; delito, crimen, delincuencia, criminalidad
department - sección, departamento
"Not in a hurry to get home?" he asked, with mocking simplicity.
simplicity - simplicidad, sencillez, llano
The unwholesome-looking little moral agent of destruction exulted silently in the possession of personal prestige, keeping in check this man armed with the defensive mandate of a menaced society. More fortunate than Caligula, who wished that the Roman Senate had only one head for the better satisfaction of his cruel lust, he beheld in that one man all the forces he had set at defiance: the force of law, property, oppression, and injustice.
exulted - exultante; exultar
possession - posesión, posesión natural, tenencia, posesión civil, posesiones
defensive - a la defensiva; panish: t-needed
mandate - Mandato
fortunate - afortunado, propicio, favorable, afortunada
Roman - romano, romano, romana, Román
Senate - senado
head for - Dirigirse a
lust - lujuria, deseo, ganas, lujuria, alegría
He beheld all his enemies, and fearlessly confronted them all in a supreme satisfaction of his vanity. They stood perplexed before him as if before a dreadful portent. He gloated inwardly over the chance of this meeting affirming his superiority over all the multitude of mankind.
fearlessly - Sin miedo
gloated - se regodeó; relamer
affirming - afirmando; afirmar
It was in reality a chance meeting. Chief Inspector Heat had had a disagreeably busy day since his department received the first telegram from Greenwich a little before eleven in the morning. First of all, the fact of the outrage being attempted less than a week after he had assured a high official that no outbreak of anarchist activity was to be apprehended was sufficiently annoying. If he ever thought himself safe in making a statement, it was then. He had made that statement with infinite satisfaction to himself, because it was clear that the high official desired greatly to hear that very thing. He had affirmed that nothing of the sort could even be thought of without the department being aware of it within twenty-four hours; and he had spoken thus in his consciousness of being the great expert of his department.
reality - realidad
telegram - telegrama
attempted - intentado; intentar, tentativa, intento, ensayo
high official - un alto funcionario
outbreak - brote, irrupción
apprehended - etenido; aprehender, entender, comprender, captar
annoying - molesto; molestar, agobiar, jorobar
infinite - infinito
greatly - en gran medida; grandemente, enormemente, sobremanera
expert - experto, pericial, perito, experto, conocedor
He had gone even so far as to utter words which true wisdom would have kept back. But Chief Inspector Heat was not very wise-at least not truly so. True wisdom, which is not certain of anything in this world of contradictions, would have prevented him from attaining his present position. It would have alarmed his superiors, and done away with his chances of promotion. His promotion had been very rapid.
wisdom - sabiduría
kept back - mantener alejado; contener (emociones)
contradictions - ontradicciones; contradicción, contrasentido
attaining - lograr, conseguir
chances - oportunidades; suerte, by chance: por casualidad
promotion - ascenso, promoción, divulgación, propagación
"There isn't one of them, sir, that we couldn't lay our hands on at any time of night and day. We know what each of them is doing hour by hour," he had declared. And the high official had deigned to smile. This was so obviously the right thing to say for an officer of Chief Inspector Heat's reputation that it was perfectly delightful. The high official believed the declaration, which chimed in with his idea of the fitness of things. His wisdom was of an official kind, or else he might have reflected upon a matter not of theory but of experience that in the close-woven stuff of relations between conspirator and police there occur unexpected solutions of continuity, sudden holes in space and time.
delightful - delicioso
declaration - declaración
chimed - timbre; carrillón
fitness - estás en forma; aptitud
woven - tejido; (weave); tejido
conspirator - conspirador, conspiradora
occur - ocurren; ocurrir, acaecer, presentar
solutions - oluciones; solución
A given anarchist may be watched inch by inch and minute by minute, but a moment always comes when somehow all sight and touch of him are lost for a few hours, during which something (generally an explosion) more or less deplorable does happen. But the high official, carried away by his sense of the fitness of things, had smiled, and now the recollection of that smile was very annoying to Chief Inspector Heat, principal expert in anarchist procedure.
deplorable - deplorable, lamentable
carried away - dejarse llevar
This was not the only circumstance whose recollection depressed the usual serenity of the eminent specialist. There was another dating back only to that very morning. The thought that when called urgently to his Assistant Commissioner's private room he had been unable to conceal his astonishment was distinctly vexing. His instinct of a successful man had taught him long ago that, as a general rule, a reputation is built on manner as much as on achievement. And he felt that his manner when confronted with the telegram had not been impressive.
depressed - deprimido; deprimir
dating back - remontarse a
urgently - con urgencia; urgentemente, de ahora para ahorita
commissioner - comisario; comisionado, notario, notaria
vexing - Molesto; (vex); molestar, irritar, disgustar, afligir
successful - éxito; exitoso, logrado, afortunado
achievement - logro, hazana, proeza, gesta, hombrada
confronted with - enfrentarse con, confrontar(se)
He had opened his eyes widely, and had exclaimed "Impossible!" exposing himself thereby to the unanswerable retort of a finger-tip laid forcibly on the telegram which the Assistant Commissioner, after reading it aloud, had flung on the desk. To be crushed, as it were, under the tip of a forefinger was an unpleasant experience. Very damaging, too! Furthermore, Chief Inspector Heat was conscious of not having mended matters by allowing himself to express a conviction.
exposing - Exposiciones
thereby - así, de ese modo
retort - replicar
finger-tip - (finger-tip) punta de dedo; dedil
flung - arrojado; arrojar, lanzar
crushed - aplastado; aplastamiento, enamoramiento, aplastar, destripar
damaging - perjudicial; dano
mended - reparado; remiendo, remendar, reparar
allowing - permitiendo; dejar, permitir, conceder
"One thing I can tell you at once: none of our lot had anything to do with this."
He was strong in his integrity of a good detective, but he saw now that an impenetrably attentive reserve towards this incident would have served his reputation better. On the other hand, he admitted to himself that it was difficult to preserve one's reputation if rank outsiders were going to take a hand in the business. Outsiders are the bane of the police as of other professions.
integrity - integridad
Detective - detective, inspector, investigador privado
impenetrably - Impenetrablemente
attentive - atento, solícito
incident - incidente
preserve - mermelada, reserva, reserva natural, coto, terreno, dominio
rank - rango, graduación
outsiders - extranos; marginado, persona de fuera, outsider, lego, novato
bane - perdición
professions - rofesiones; profesión, gremio, profesión de fe
The tone of the Assistant Commissioner's remarks had been sour enough to set one's teeth on edge.
remarks - observaciones; observación, comentario
sour - agrio, ácido, acedo, acidez
And since breakfast Chief Inspector Heat had not managed to get anything to eat.
Starting immediately to begin his investigation on the spot, he had swallowed a good deal of raw, unwholesome fog in the park. Then he had walked over to the hospital; and when the investigation in Greenwich was concluded at last he had lost his inclination for food.
investigation - investigación
Fog - niebla
Not accustomed, as the doctors are, to examine closely the mangled remains of human beings, he had been shocked by the sight disclosed to his view when a waterproof sheet had been lifted off a table in a certain apartment of the hospital.
mangled - destrozado; destrozar, despedazar, aplastar
remains - resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer, continuar
beings - seres; ser, criatura, existencia
waterproof - impermeable, impermeabilizar
"He's all there. Every bit of him. It was a job."
He had been the first man on the spot after the explosion. He mentioned the fact again. He had seen something like a heavy flash of lightning in the fog. At that time he was standing at the door of the King William Street Lodge talking to the keeper. The concussion made him tingle all over. He ran between the trees towards the Observatory. "As fast as my legs would carry me," he repeated twice.
mentioned - mencionado; mención, mencionar, mentar
flash - destello
lightning - un rayo; relámpago, rayo
king - rey
William - Guillermo
keeper - guardián, guardiana, custodio
concussion - choque, conmoción cerebral
Chief Inspector Heat, bending forward over the table in a gingerly and horrified manner, let him run on. The hospital porter and another man turned down the corners of the cloth, and stepped aside. The Chief Inspector's eyes searched the gruesome detail of that heap of mixed things, which seemed to have been collected in shambles and rag shops.
gingerly - con cautela; cautelosamente, cuidadosamente, delicadamente
horrified - horrorizado; horripilar
turned down - Rechazado
searched - buscado; búsqueda, buscar, inspeccionar, cachear, allanar
gruesome - thorripilante; espantoso, truculento
mixed - mezclado; mezclar
collected - recogido; reunir, recopilar
shambles - un caos; arrastrar los pies
rag - trapo
"You used a shovel," he remarked, observing a sprinkling of small gravel, tiny brown bits of bark, and particles of splintered wood as fine as needles.
observing - observando; observar, seguir, tomar en cuenta
sprinkling - Rociando; (sprinkle); salpicar, rociar, asperjar, espolvorear
gravel - grava, gravilla, rociar con grava, salpicar con grava
bits - bits; pedacito
bark - corteza; ladrido
particles - partículas; partícula
splintered - Esquirla
needles - agujas; aguja, acícula
"Had to in one place," said the stolid constable. "I sent a keeper to fetch a spade. When he heard me scraping the ground with it he leaned his forehead against a tree, and was as sick as a dog."
stolid - sólido; estólido
fetch - ir por, ir a buscar, traer
spade - pala
scraping - Raspando; (scrap) Raspando
The Chief Inspector, stooping guardedly over the table, fought down the unpleasant sensation in his throat. The shattering violence of destruction which had made of that body a heap of nameless fragments affected his feelings with a sense of ruthless cruelty, though his reason told him the effect must have been as swift as a flash of lightning. The man, whoever he was, had died instantaneously; and yet it seemed impossible to believe that a human body could have reached that state of disintegration without passing through the pangs of inconceivable agony. No physiologist, and still less of a metaphysician, Chief Inspector Heat rose by the force of sympathy, which is a form of fear, above the vulgar conception of time. Instantaneous! He remembered all he had ever read in popular publications of long and terrifying dreams dreamed in the instant of waking; of the whole past life lived with frightful intensity by a drowning man as his doomed head bobs up, streaming, for the last time.
stooping - inclinarse, agacharse
guardedly - con cautela
fought - luchó; pelear (se), luchar
shattering - destrozando; astillar, estrellar, quebrantar, hacer anicos
nameless - innominado, sin nombre
Whoever - a quién; cualquier, cualesquiera, cualquiera, quien
instantaneously - instantáneamente
passing through - pasar por, atravesar
pangs - angustias; punzada, dolor agudo
agony - agonía, angustia
physiologist - fisiólogo, fisióloga
metaphysician - metafísico
vulgar - vulgar, chabacano, ramplón
dreams - suenos; sueno, ensueno, sonar
past life - vida pasada
frightful - aterrador; temible
intensity - intensidad
drowning - ahogándose; ahogamiento; (drown); ahogarse
bobs - bobs; Beto
streaming - treaming; (stream); corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir
The inexplicable mysteries of conscious existence beset Chief Inspector Heat till he evolved a horrible notion that ages of atrocious pain and mental torture could be contained between two successive winks of an eye. And meantime the Chief Inspector went on, peering at the table with a calm face and the slightly anxious attention of an indigent customer bending over what may be called the by-products of a butcher's shop with a view to an inexpensive Sunday dinner. All the time his trained faculties of an excellent investigator, who scorns No chance of information, followed the self-satisfied, disjointed loquacity of the constable.
beset - acosado; cercar, sitiar, asediar
evolved - evolucionado; progresar, evolucionar, desarrollar
torture - tortura, suplicio, torturar
successive - sucesivo
winks - guinos; guinar el ojo
meantime - mientras tanto; entretanto, en tanto
indigent - indigente, indigente
inexpensive - barato, económico
faculties - facultades; cuerpo docente, facultad
investigator - investigador, investigadora
scorns - desprecios; despreciar, desdenar, menospreciar, rechazar
No chance - No hay posibilidad
"A fair-haired fellow," the last observed in a placid tone, and paused. "The old woman who spoke to the sergeant noticed a fair-haired fellow coming out of Maze Hill Station." He paused. "And he was a fair-haired fellow. She noticed two men coming out of the station after the uptrain had gone on," he continued slowly.
fair - justo; rubio, claro, blanco
haired - Pelo
placid - pacido; plácido
sergeant - sargento
noticed - te has dado cuenta; comunicación, notificación, darse cuenta
maze - laberinto, desconcertar
Hill - cerro, loma, colina, collado
uptrain - Entrenar
"She couldn't tell if they were together. She took no particular notice of the big one, but the other was a fair, slight chap, carrying a tin varnish can in one hand." The constable ceased.
chap - chico; tío, tipo
"Know the woman?" muttered the Chief Inspector, with his eyes fixed on the table, and a vague notion in his mind of an inquest to be held presently upon a person likely to remain for ever unknown.
fixed - arreglado; arreglar, reparar, componer, fijar, pregar, preparar
vague - vago, impreciso
inquest - investigación, pesquisa
remain - resto, restos, quedarse, sobrar, restar, permanecer, continuar
for ever - para siempre
unknown - ignoto, desconocido, incógnita, desconocido
"Yes. She's housekeeper to a retired publican, and attends the chapel in Park Place sometimes," the constable uttered weightily, and paused, with another oblique glance at the table.
housekeeper - ama de llaves, ama de casa
retired - jubilado; retirarse, jubilarse
publican - público; patrón/dueno de un bar
attends - asiste; asistir
chapel - capilla
uttered - ronunciado; absoluto, total
weightily - Pesadamente
oblique - oblicua; oblicuo
Then suddenly: "Well, here he is-all of him I could see. Fair. Slight-slight enough. Look at that foot there. I picked up the legs first, one after another. He was that scattered you didn't know where to begin."
scattered - dispersión; dispersar, esparcir, desviar
The constable paused; the least flicker of an innocent self-laudatory smile invested his round face with an infantile expression.
flicker - parpadeo; vacilar
invested - invertido; invertir
"Stumbled," he announced positively. "I stumbled once myself, and pitched on my head too, while running up. Them roots do stick out all about the place. Stumbled against the root of a tree and fell, and that thing he was carrying must have gone off right under his chest, I expect."
stumbled - tropezón, traspié, desliz, torpeza, tropiezo, tropezar
pitched - pitched; plantar, armar, montar
running up - venir corriendo; generar; aumentar deuda
stick out - Salir, sobresalir, aguantar
gone off - se ha ido
The echo of the words "Person unknown" repeating itself in his inner consciousness bothered the Chief Inspector considerably. He would have liked to trace this affair back to its mysterious origin for his own information. He was professionally curious. Before the public he would have liked to vindicate the efficiency of his department by establishing the identity of that man.
Echo - eco, repercutir, repetir, hacer eco
bothered - molestado; molestar, agobiar, cansón, joroba, rayos, caramba
Considerably - considerablemente
professionally - profesionalmente
vindicate - reivindicar; vindicar, defender, justificar, reclamar
efficiency - eficiencia
establishing - estableciendo; establecer, instaurar, nombrar
identity - identidad
He was a loyal servant. That, however, appeared impossible. The first term of the problem was unreadable-lacked all suggestion but that of atrocious cruelty.
loyal - leal, fiel
unreadable - ilegible
Overcoming his physical repugnance, Chief Inspector Heat stretched out his hand without conviction for the salving of his conscience, and took up the least soiled of the rags. It was a narrow strip of velvet with a larger triangular piece of dark blue cloth hanging from it. He held it up to his eyes; and the police constable spoke.
Overcoming - superación; vencer, superar
triangular - triangular
"Velvet collar. Funny the old woman should have noticed the velvet collar. Dark blue overcoat with a velvet collar, she has told us. He was the chap she saw, and no mistake. And here he is all complete, velvet collar and all. I don't think I missed a single piece as big as a postage stamp."
postage - el franqueo; franqueo
Stamp - estampado, sello, timbrar, franquear
At this point the trained faculties of the Chief Inspector ceased to hear the voice of the constable. He moved to one of the windows for better light. His face, averted from the room, expressed a startled intense interest while he examined closely the triangular piece of broad-cloth. By a sudden jerk he detached it, and only after stuffing it into his pocket turned round to the room, and flung the velvet collar back on the table-
averted - evitado; apartar, evitar
examined - examinado; examinar, analizar, auscultar
jerk - imbécil; sacudida
"cover up," he directed the attendants curtly, without another look, and, saluted by the constable, carried off his spoil hastily.
cover up - encubrir
attendants - asistentes; asistente, guarda, concomitante, inherente
saluted - saludado; saludo, venia
carried off - se lo han llevado
A convenient train whirled him up to town, alone and pondering deeply, in a third-class compartment. That singed piece of cloth was incredibly valuable, and he could not defend himself from astonishment at the casual manner it had come into his possession. It was as if Fate had thrust that clue into his hands. And after the manner of the average man, whose ambition is to command events, he began to mistrust such a gratuitous and accidental success-just because it seemed forced upon him. The practical value of success depends not a little on the way you look at it. But Fate looks at nothing. It has no discretion. He no longer considered it eminently desirable all round to establish publicly the identity of the man who had blown himself up that morning with such horrible completeness. But he was not certain of the view his department would take. A department is to those it employs a complex personality with ideas and even fads of its own. It depends on the loyal devotion of its servants, and the devoted loyalty of trusted servants is associated with a certain amount of affectionate contempt, which keeps it sweet, as it were.
pondering - reflexionando; considerar, meditar, cavilar, discurrir, ponderar
deeply - profundamente; a fondo
third - la tercera; tercero, tercio, tercera
compartment - compartimento; compartimiento, terraza
singed - chamuscado; chamuscar
incredibly - increíblemente
defend - defender
thrust - estocada, empuje, envión, impulso, énfasis, propulsar, asestar
clue - una pista; pista, indicio
average - promedio; media
Command - orden, mandato, mando, comando, dominio
accidental - accidental, casual, imprevisto, fortuito
practical value - valor práctico
eminently - eminentemente; sumamente
desirable - deseable, conveniente
establish - establecer, instaurar, nombrar
completeness - integridad; completitud
employs - empleos; contratar, emplear
fads - odas; moda, moda pasajera
devoted - Devoto
loyalty - lealtad, lealtad
associated - sociados; asociado, companero, asociar, frecuentar, alternar
contempt - desprecio, desdén, desgracia, deshonra, vergüenza, desacato
sweet - dulcemente, dulce, caramelo, chuche, confite
By a benevolent provision of Nature no man is a hero to his valet, or else the heroes would have to brush their own clothes. Likewise no department appears perfectly wise to the intimacy of its workers. A department does not know so much as some of its servants. Being a dispassionate organism, it can never be perfectly informed. It would not be good for its efficiency to know too much. Chief Inspector Heat got out of the train in a state of thoughtfulness entirely untainted with disloyalty, but not quite free of that jealous mistrust which so often springs on the ground of perfect devotion, whether to women or to institutions.
provision - provisión, aprovisionar, avituallar
valet - vale; edecán, mánager, aparcacoches
heroes - héroes; héroe, heroína
brush - pincel, cepillo, escobilla, brocha, cepillado, matorral
likewise - similarmente, igualmente
Appears - aparecer, comparecer
intimacy - intimidad
Workers - trabajadores; trabajador, obrero, obrera
untainted - Impoluto
disloyalty - deslealtad
jealous - celoso, encelado, envidioso, checkenvidioso
whether - si, si , o, ya sea
It was in this mental disposition, physically very empty, but still nauseated by what he had seen, that he had come upon the Professor. Under these conditions which make for irascibility in a sound, normal man, this meeting was specially unwelcome to Chief Inspector Heat. He had not been thinking of the Professor; he had not been thinking of any individual anarchist at all. The complexion of that case had somehow forced upon him the general idea of the absurdity of things human, which in the abstract is sufficiently annoying to an unphilosophical temperament, and in concrete instances becomes exasperating beyond endurance. At the beginning of his career Chief Inspector Heat had been concerned with the more energetic forms of thieving. He had gained his spurs in that sphere, and naturally enough had kept for it, after his promotion to another department, a feeling not very far removed from affection.
nauseated - tienes náuseas; dar náuseas a, dar asco, asquear
irascibility - irascibilidad, iracundia
normal - normal, bien, sano, normal
specially - especialmente
unwelcome - no es bienvenido; embarazoso, inoportuno, molesto
absurdity - absurdo, absurdidad
unphilosophical - poco filosófico
concrete - concreto, específico, de concreto, de hormigón, hormigón
instances - instancias; caso, ejemplo, ocasión, instancia
exasperating - exasperante; exasperar
endurance - resistencia, aguante
concerned - preocupado; preocupación, referirse a, ataner, concernir, tocar
more energetic - más enérgico
thieving - Robar; (thieve); robar
Gained - ganado; ganar, adquirir, obtener, conseguir
spurs - espuelas; espuela
removed - eliminado; quitar, remover, detraer
Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world; it was work undertaken for the same reason as the work in potteries, in coal mines, in fields, in tool-grinding shops. It was labour, whose practical difference from the other forms of labour consisted in the nature of its risk, which did not lie in ankylosis, or lead poisoning, or fire-damp, or gritty dust, but in what may be briefly defined in its own special phraseology as "Seven years hard." Chief Inspector Heat was, of course, not insensible to the gravity of moral differences. But neither were the thieves he had been looking after. They submitted to the severe sanctions of a morality familiar to Chief Inspector Heat with a certain resignation.
dust - polvo, desempolvar, limpiar el polvo, espolvorear
Potteries - peterías; cerámica, loza, alfarería
coal - carbón, hulla, brasa
mines - minas; (el) mío, (la) mía, (los) míos, (las) mías
fields - campos; campo, agro, cancha, terreno
grinding - moliendo; molienda; (grind) moliendo; molienda
practical - práctico
lie - mentira
ankylosis - anquilosis
lead - plomo; llevar, conducir
poisoning - envenenar, envenenamiento; (poison); veneno, ponzona, envenenar
fire-damp - (fire-damp) grisú
briefly - revemente; concisamente
defined - efinido; determinar, definir, definirse, aclarar, describir
phraseology - fraseología
insensible - insensible
thieves - ladrones; ladrón, caco
looking after - Cuidar
submitted - sometido; someter, presentar, entregar, cursar
sanctions - sanciones; autorización, aprobación, decreto, sanción, ratificar
They were his fellow-citizens gone wrong because of imperfect education, Chief Inspector Heat believed; but allowing for that difference, he could understand the mind of a burglar, because, as a matter of fact, the mind and the instincts of a burglar are of the same kind as the mind and the instincts of a police officer. Both recognise the same conventions, and have a working knowledge of each other's methods and of the routine of their respective trades. They understand each other, which is advantageous to both, and establishes a sort of amenity in their relations. Products of the same machine, one classed as useful and the other as noxious, they take the machine for granted in different ways, but with a seriousness essentially the same.
citizens - iudadanos; ciudadano, ciudadana
gone wrong - equivocarse; salir mal
instincts - instintos; instinto
respective - respectivo
trades - comercios; comercio, gremio, compraventa, comerciar, mercadear
advantageous - ventajoso, provechoso, beneficioso
establishes - establecer, instaurar, nombrar
amenity - comodidad, amenidad, servicio, servicio público
noxious - nocivo, danino
granted - concedido; otorgar, conceder, subvención, beca, patrocinio
seriousness - seriedad, gravedad
The mind of Chief Inspector Heat was inaccessible to ideas of revolt. But his thieves were not rebels. His bodily vigour, his cool inflexible manner, his courage and his fairness, had secured for him much respect and some adulation in the sphere of his early successes. He had felt himself revered and admired. And Chief Inspector Heat, arrested within six paces of the anarchist nick-named the Professor, gave a thought of regret to the world of thieves-sane, without morbid ideals, working by routine, respectful of constituted authorities, free from all taint of hate and despair.
inaccessible - inaccesible
thieves - ladrones; robar
vigour - vigor, vivacidad, vigor, lozanía, fuerza, energía
inflexible - inflexible
courage - coraje, valor, valentía
fairness - imparcialidad, equidad
secured - seguro, resguardado, confiable, aplomado
respect - respeto, respetar
revered - venerado; reverenciar, idolatrar
admired - admirado; admirar
paces - pasos; paso
ideals - ideales; ideal, ideal
constituted - onstituido; constituir
despair - desesperar, desesperanzar, desesperación, desesperanza
After paying this tribute to what is normal in the constitution of society (for the idea of thieving appeared to his instinct as normal as the idea of property), Chief Inspector Heat felt very angry with himself for having stopped, for having spoken, for having taken that way at all on the ground of it being a short cut from the station to the headquarters.
tribute - tributo, homenaje
constitution - constitución, constituciones
headquarters - Cuartel general
And he spoke again in his big authoritative voice, which, being moderated, had a threatening character.
authoritative - autoritativo, oficial, fidedigno, autorizado, autoritario
moderated - moderado, comedido, mediocre, moderar
threatening - amenazante; amenazador; (threaten); amenazar
"You are not wanted, I tell you," he repeated.
The anarchist did not stir. An inward laugh of derision uncovered not only his teeth but his gums as well, shook him all over, without the slightest sound. Chief Inspector Heat was led to add, against his better judgment:
Derision - burla; irrisión
judgment - juicio
"Not yet. When I want you I will know where to find you."
Those were perfectly proper words, within the tradition and suitable to his character of a police officer addressing one of his special flock. But the reception they got departed from tradition and propriety. It was outrageous. The stunted, weakly figure before him spoke at last.
tradition - tradición
suitable - adecuado; apropiado, indicado
flock - rebano, bandada
reception - recepción, cobertura, recibimiento
weakly - débilmente
"I've no doubt the papers would give you an obituary notice then. You know best what that would be worth to you. I should think you can imagine easily the sort of stuff that would be printed. But you may be exposed to the unpleasantness of being buried together with me, though I suppose your friends would make an effort to sort us out as much as possible."
obituary notice - obituario
exposed - expuesto; exponer, revelar, descubrir, exhibir
buried - enterrado; enterrar
With all his healthy contempt for the spirit dictating such speeches, the atrocious allusiveness of the words had its effect on Chief Inspector Heat. He had too much insight, and too much exact information as well, to dismiss them as rot. The dusk of this narrow lane took on a sinister tint from the dark, frail little figure, its back to the wall, and speaking with a weak, self-confident voice. To the vigorous, tenacious vitality of the Chief Inspector, the physical wretchedness of that being, so obviously not fit to live, was ominous; for it seemed to him that if he had the misfortune to be such a miserable object he would not have cared how soon he died. Life had such a strong hold upon him that a fresh wave of nausea broke out in slight perspiration upon his brow. The murmur of town life, the subdued rumble of wheels in the two invisible streets to the right and left, came through the curve of the sordid lane to his ears with a precious familiarity and an appealing sweetness.
dictating - dictando; orden, ordenar, dictar
speeches - discursos; habla, discurso
exact - exacto, exigir
dismiss - descartar; despedir; denegar; dejar salir
rot - podredumbre; pudrir, podrir, putrefacción, podre
lane - camino, carril
tint - tinte, matiz
vigorous - vigoroso
tenacious - aferrado, tenaz, tesonero
vitality - vitalidad
wretchedness - desdicha
ominous - ominoso, siniestro, agorero
misfortune - infortunio, gafe, mala suerte, desgracia
fresh - fresco
wave - ola
nausea - náusea, repulsión, asco, náuseas
rumble - pelea callejera, rina, retumbar, rugir
invisible - invisible
curve - curva, curvas, curvar, encorvar
precious - preciosos; precioso
appealing - apetecible; suplicar, rogar
sweetness - dulzura, dulzor, melosidad, dulcedumbre, agradabilidad
He was human. But Chief Inspector Heat was also a man, and he could not let such words pass.
pass - pasar(por), dejar atrás
"All this is good to frighten children with," he said. "I'll have you yet."
frighten - asustar; atemorizar
It was very well said, without scorn, with an almost austere quietness.
austere - austeridad; severo, austero
quietness - silencio; tranquilidad, quietud
"Doubtless," was the answer; "but there's no time like the present, believe me. For a man of real convictions this is a fine opportunity of self-sacrifice. You may not find another so favourable, so humane. There isn't even a cat near us, and these condemned old houses would make a good heap of bricks where you stand. You'll never get me at so little cost to life and property, which you are paid to protect."
doubtless - indudable, sin duda, indudablemente
opportunity - oportunidad
sacrifice - sacrificar, sacrificio
humane - humano
"You don't know who you're speaking to," said Chief Inspector Heat firmly. "If I were to lay my hands on you now I would be no better than yourself."
"Ah! The game!'
"You may be sure our side will win in the end. It may yet be necessary to make people believe that some of you ought to be shot at sight like mad dogs. Then that will be the game. But I'll be damned if I know what yours is. I don't believe you know yourselves. You'll never get anything by it."
at sight - a la vista
"Meantime it's you who get something from it-so far. And you get it easily, too. I won't speak of your salary, but haven't you made your name simply by not understanding what we are after?"
"What are you after, then?" asked Chief Inspector Heat, with scornful haste, like a man in a hurry who perceives he is wasting his time.
scornful - despreciativo
haste - prisa, premura
perceives - ercibe; percibir, entender
wasting - Desperdiciar; (wast) Desperdiciar
The perfect anarchist answered by a smile which did not part his thin colourless lips; and the celebrated Chief Inspector felt a sense of superiority which induced him to raise a warning finger.
colourless - incoloro
"Give it up-whatever it is," he said in an admonishing tone, but not so kindly as if he were condescending to give good advice to a cracksman of repute. "Give it up. You'll find we are too many for you."
admonishing - amonitorio; amonestar, reprender
kindly - amablemente
condescending to - condescendiente con
repute - reputación
The fixed smile on the Professor's lips wavered, as if the mocking spirit within had lost its assurance. Chief Inspector Heat went on:
wavered - aciló; balancearse
"Don't you believe me eh? Well, you've only got to look about you. We are. And anyway, you're not doing it well. You're always making a mess of it. Why, if the thieves didn't know their work better they would starve."
anyway - aún así, a pesar de todo, igualmente, de todos modos
mess - desastre, enredo, lío
The hint of an invincible multitude behind that man's back roused a sombre indignation in the breast of the Professor. He smiled no longer his enigmatic and mocking smile. The resisting power of numbers, the unattackable stolidity of a great multitude, was the haunting fear of his sinister loneliness. His lips trembled for some time before he managed to say in a strangled voice:
invincible - invencible, invencible
enigmatic - enigmático
resisting power - Poder de resistencia
unattackable - inatacable
stolidity - Impaciencia
loneliness - soledad
strangled - estrangulado; estrangular
"I am doing my work better than you're doing yours."
"That'll do now," interrupted Chief Inspector Heat hurriedly; and the Professor laughed right out this time. While still laughing he moved on; but he did not laugh long. It was a sad-faced, miserable little man who emerged from the narrow passage into the bustle of the broad thoroughfare. He walked with the nerveless gait of a tramp going on, still going on, indifferent to rain or sun in a sinister detachment from the aspects of sky and earth. Chief Inspector Heat, on the other hand, after watching him for a while, stepped out with the purposeful briskness of a man disregarding indeed the inclemencies of the weather, but conscious of having an authorised mission on this earth and the moral support of his kind.
emerged - surgió; emerger, aparecer, surgir, aparecer, aflorar
bustle - tiempo; polisón, abundar
nerveless - Sin nervios
gait - caminar; andar
tramp - vagabundo, vagabunda, golfa, ramera, puta
Aspects - aspectos; aspecto
stepped out - salir
briskness - Brillo
inclemencies - Inclemencia
authorised - Autorizar
support - apoyo; aguantar, sostener
All the inhabitants of the immense town, the population of the whole country, and even the teeming millions struggling upon the planet, were with him-down to the very thieves and mendicants. Yes, the thieves themselves were sure to be with him in his present work. The consciousness of universal support in his general activity heartened him to grapple with the particular problem.
inhabitants - habitantes; habitante, residente, lugareno, lugarena
population - población
teeming - abundante; rebosar, bullir, hervir
planet - planeta
mendicants - mendicantes; mendicante, panish: t-needed
heartened - alentado; alentar, animar
grapple with - luchar con
The problem immediately before the Chief Inspector was that of managing the Assistant Commissioner of his department, his immediate superior. This is the perennial problem of trusty and loyal servants; anarchism gave it its particular complexion, but nothing more. Truth to say, Chief Inspector Heat thought but little of anarchism. He did not attach undue importance to it, and could never bring himself to consider it seriously.
managing - gestionando; manejar, conseguir, lograr, apanárselas
immediate - inmediata; inmediato
perennial - perenne, planta perenne
attach - acoplar; anexar, adjuntar
undue - desproporcionado, injustificado, indebido, no debido
importance - importancia
Consider - considerar, barajar, sopesar, observar
seriously - en serio, seriamente
It had more the character of disorderly conduct; disorderly without the human excuse of drunkenness, which at any rate implies good feeling and an amiable leaning towards festivity. As criminals, anarchists were distinctly no class-no class at all. And recalling the Professor, Chief Inspector Heat, without checking his swinging pace, muttered through his teeth:
Excuse - disculpe; excusar, perdonar, panish: t-needed
drunkenness - borrachera, embriaguez, pedo, cogorza
festivity - festividad
recalling - recordando; recordar, evocar, retirada
"Lunatic."
lunatic - insano, orate, lunático
Catching thieves was another matter altogether. It had that quality of seriousness belonging to every form of open sport where the best man wins under perfectly comprehensible rules. There were no rules for dealing with anarchists. And that was distasteful to the Chief Inspector. It was all foolishness, but that foolishness excited the public mind, affected persons in high places, and touched upon international relations. A hard, merciless contempt settled rigidly on the Chief Inspector's face as he walked on.
belonging - Pertenencia; (belong) Pertenencia
comprehensible - comprensible
distasteful - de mal gusto, desagradable, chocante, ofensivo
foolishness - tonterías; sandez, tontería
merciless - sin piedad; despiadado, inmisericorde
His mind ran over all the anarchists of his flock. Not one of them had half the spunk of this or that burglar he had known. Not half-not one-tenth.
ran over - se atropelló
spunk - coraje; agallas, guaperas, leche
tenth - diez; décimo, décimo, décima
At headquarters the Chief Inspector was admitted at once to the Assistant Commissioner's private room. He found him, pen in hand, bent over a great table bestrewn with papers, as if worshipping an enormous double inkstand of bronze and crystal. Speaking tubes resembling snakes were tied by the heads to the back of the Assistant Commissioner's wooden arm-chair, and their gaping mouths seemed ready to bite his elbows.
bent - Doblado; (bend); doblar, curvar, doblarse, agacharse
worshipping - dorando; adoración, culto, checkalabanza, adorar, checkvenerar
double - doble, doblado, bicapa, encorvado, doble, sosias, duplicar
inkstand - tintero; escribanía
crystal - cristal
tubes - tubos; tubo, canuto
tied - atado; amarrar, atar
gaping - abierta; (gap) abierta
And in this attitude he raised only his eyes, whose lids were darker than his face and very much creased. The reports had come in: every anarchist had been exactly accounted for.
creased - arrugado; arruga, pliegue, raya
After saying this he lowered his eyes, signed rapidly two single sheets of paper, and only then laid down his pen, and sat well back, directing an inquiring gaze at his renowned subordinate. The Chief Inspector stood it well, deferential but inscrutable.
signed - firmado; senal
laid down - ponerse, acostarse, tumbarse
inquiring - preguntando; investigar, informarse
subordinate - subordinado, supeditar
"I daresay you were right," said the Assistant Commissioner, "in telling me at first that the London anarchists had nothing to do with this. I quite appreciate the excellent watch kept on them by your men. On the other hand, this, for the public, does not amount to more than a confession of ignorance."
appreciate - apreciar; agradecer, valorar, comprender, hacerse cargo de
The Assistant Commissioner's delivery was leisurely, as it were cautious. His thought seemed to rest poised on a word before passing to another, as though words had been the stepping-stones for his intellect picking its way across the waters of error. "Unless you have brought something useful from Greenwich," he added.
poised - preparado; contrapeso, ponderación, poise
stepping - pisando; paso
picking - Recogiendo; (pic) Recogiendo
error - error, yerro, checkyerro, panish: t-needed
The Chief Inspector began at once the account of his investigation in a clear matter-of-fact manner. His superior turning his chair a little, and crossing his thin legs, leaned sideways on his elbow, with one hand shading his eyes. His listening attitude had a sort of angular and sorrowful grace. Gleams as of highly burnished silver played on the sides of his ebony black head when he inclined it slowly at the end.
Crossing - cruzando; cruce, crucero, edestrian; (cross); cruz, aspa
angular - angular, anguloso, esquinado, rudo
sorrowful - triste
burnished - brunido; pulir
silver - plata
ebony - ébano, de ébano
Chief Inspector Heat waited with the appearance of turning over in his mind all he had just said, but, as a matter of fact, considering the advisability of saying something more. The Assistant Commissioner cut his hesitation short.
considering - onsiderando..; en consideración de; (consider); considerar
advisability - conveniencia
"You believe there were two men?" he asked, without uncovering his eyes.
uncovering - descubrir; destapar
The Chief Inspector thought it more than probable. In his opinion, the two men had parted from each other within a hundred yards from the Observatory walls. He explained also how the other man could have got out of the park speedily without being observed. The fog, though not very dense, was in his favour. He seemed to have escorted the other to the spot, and then to have left him there to do the job single-handed.
probable - probable
speedily - rápidamente
dense - denso, compacto, macizo, espeso, tupido, obscuro
escorted - con escolta; escolta, acompanante, escoltar
Taking the time those two were seen coming out of Maze Hill Station by the old woman, and the time when the explosion was heard, the Chief Inspector thought that the other man might have been actually at the Greenwich Park Station, ready to catch the next train up, at the moment his comrade was destroying himself so thoroughly.
actually - de verdad; en realidad, de hecho, realmente, de veras
destroying - destruyendo; destruir, romper, destrozar, sacrificar
"Very thoroughly-eh?" murmured the Assistant Commissioner from under the shadow of his hand.
The Chief Inspector in a few vigorous words described the aspect of the remains. "The coroner's jury will have a treat," he added grimly.
coroner - forense
jury - jurado
treat - tratar, negociar, rogar, invitar, convidar, sorpresa
The Assistant Commissioner uncovered his eyes.
"We shall have nothing to tell them," he remarked languidly.
He looked up, and for a time watched the markedly non-committal attitude of his Chief Inspector. His nature was one that is not easily accessible to illusions. He knew that a department is at the mercy of its subordinate officers, who have their own conceptions of loyalty. His career had begun in a tropical colony. He had liked his work there. It was police work. He had been very successful in tracking and breaking up certain nefarious secret societies amongst the natives. Then he took his long leave, and got married rather impulsively. It was a good match from a worldly point of view, but his wife formed an unfavourable opinion of the colonial climate on hearsay evidence. On the other hand, she had influential connections.
markedly - muy marcadamente; marcadamente
committal - Compromiso
accessible - accesible, asequible, abordable
officers - oficiales; oficial
tropical - tropical
colony - colonia
tracking - seguimiento; interletraje, interletrado; (track); rastro
breaking up - romper, cortar
nefarious - nefasto; nefario, nefando, feo
secret societies - Sociedades secretas
natives - nativos; natal, indígena, originario, nativo, oriundo, indígena
impulsively - Impulsivamente
match - coincide; cerilla, fósforo
Colonial - colonial
climate - clima
hearsay - rumores, habladurías, pruebas de oídas, testimonio de oídas
evidence - pruebas; prueba, prueba, evidencia, evidenciar
influential - influyente
It was an excellent match. But he did not like the work he had to do now. He felt himself dependent on too many subordinates and too many masters. The near presence of that strange emotional phenomenon called public opinion weighed upon his spirits, and alarmed him by its irrational nature. No doubt that from ignorance he exaggerated to himself its power for good and evil-especially for evil; and the rough east winds of the English spring (which agreed with his wife) augmented his general mistrust of men's motives and of the efficiency of their organisation. The futility of office work especially appalled him on those days so trying to his sensitive liver.
subordinates - subordinados; subordinado, supeditar
weighed - pesado; pesar, levar, desancorar
spirits - espíritus; espíritu, alma, onda, alcohol, bebida espirituosa
irrational - irracional
exaggerated - exagerado; exagerar
winds - vientos; viento, aire
augmented - aumentado; aumentar, incrementar
futility - inutilidad; futilidad
office work - trabajo de oficina
He got up, unfolding himself to his full height, and with a heaviness of step remarkable in so slender a man, moved across the room to the window. The panes streamed with rain, and the short street he looked down into lay wet and empty, as if swept clear suddenly by a great flood. It was a very trying day, choked in raw fog to begin with, and now drowned in cold rain.
unfolding - desarrollándose; (unfold); desplegar
height - altura, estatura, cumbre, cima
heaviness - pesadez
streamed - en streaming; corriente, flujo, arroyo, fluir, recibir flujo
flood - inundación; avenida, riada, diluvio, inundar
choked - ahogado; ahogar, asfixiar
The flickering, blurred flames of gas-lamps seemed to be dissolving in a watery atmosphere. And the lofty pretensions of a mankind oppressed by the miserable indignities of the weather appeared as a colossal and hopeless vanity deserving of scorn, wonder, and compassion.
flickering - parpadeo; vacilar
blurred - borrosa; desdibujar, difuminar, borrar, manchar, esfumarse
flames - llamas; flama, llama
dissolving - Se disuelve; (dissolve); disolver
watery - agua; acuoso, lloroso
lofty - altivo; majestuoso
pretensions - Pretensión
indignities - indignidades; indignidad, ofensa, afrenta
"Horrible, horrible!" thought the Assistant Commissioner to himself, with his face near the window-pane. "We have been having this sort of thing now for ten days; no, a fortnight-a fortnight." He ceased to think completely for a time. That utter stillness of his brain lasted about three seconds. Then he said perfunctorily: "You have set inquiries on foot for tracing that other man up and down the line?"
fortnight - quince días; quincena
inquiries - consultas; inquisición, indagatoria, pesquisa
tracing - Rastreo; (trace) Rastreo
He had no doubt that everything needful had been done. Chief Inspector Heat knew, of course, thoroughly the business of man-hunting. And these were the routine steps, too, that would be taken as a matter of course by the merest beginner. A few inquiries amongst the ticket collectors and the porters of the two small railway stations would give additional details as to the appearance of the two men; the inspection of the collected tickets would show at once where they came from that morning. It was elementary, and could not have been neglected. Accordingly the Chief Inspector answered that all this had been done directly the old woman had come forward with her deposition.
needful - Necesario
hunting - Cazar; (hunt); cazar, buscar, caza
beginner - principiante, novato, novillo, bisono
collectors - coleccionistas; coleccionista, colector, recaudador
porters - porteros; mozo de equipajes, maletero
Railway - vía férrea, ferrocarril
additional - adicional, extra, de más
elementary - elemental, primaria
neglected - desatendida; descuidar, negligir, desoír, hacer caso omiso
accordingly - en consecuencia, por consiguiente, consecuentemente
directly - directamente, en derechura
come forward - ponerse a disposición; presentarse
And he mentioned the name of a station. "That's where they came from, sir," he went on. "The porter who took the tickets at Maze Hill remembers two chaps answering to the description passing the barrier. They seemed to him two respectable working men of a superior sort-sign painters or house decorators. The big man got out of a third-class compartment backward, with a bright tin can in his hand. On the platform he gave it to carry to the fair young fellow who followed him. All this agrees exactly with what the old woman told the police sergeant in Greenwich."
chaps - chaps; tío, tipo
barrier - barrera, límite
painters - Pintor
decorators - decoradores; decorador, decoradora
platform - programa, andén, plataforma, zapatos de plataforma
The Assistant Commissioner, still with his face turned to the window, expressed his doubt as to these two men having had anything to do with the outrage. All this theory rested upon the utterances of an old charwoman who had been nearly knocked down by a man in a hurry. Not a very substantial authority indeed, unless on the ground of sudden inspiration, which was hardly tenable.
rested - descansado; descanso, reposo
utterances - Expresión
charwoman - carterwoman; mujer de la limpieza
knocked down - Derribado
substantial - sustancial, is, enjundioso, substancial
sudden inspiration - Inspiración repentina
tenable - sostenible, defendible
"Frankly now, could she have been really inspired?" he queried, with grave irony, keeping his back to the room, as if entranced by the contemplation of the town's colossal forms half lost in the night. He did not even look round when he heard the mutter of the word "Providential" from the principal subordinate of his department, whose name, printed sometimes in the papers, was familiar to the great public as that of one of its zealous and hard-working protectors.
queried - consultado; consulta, pregunta, interrogante, preguntar
irony - ironía
entranced - entusiasmado; entrada
look round - mirar alrededor
providential - providencial
zealous - celoso, ferviente
protectors - protectores; protector, protectora, valedor
Chief Inspector Heat raised his voice a little.
"Strips and bits of bright tin were quite visible to me," he said. "That's a pretty good corroboration."
strips - tiras; quitar, desprender; arrancar; despojar
corroboration - corroboración
"And these men came from that little country station," the Assistant Commissioner mused aloud, wondering. He was told that such was the name on two tickets out of three given up out of that train at Maze Hill. The third person who got out was a hawker from Gravesend well known to the porters. The Chief Inspector imparted that information in a tone of finality with some ill humour, as loyal servants will do in the consciousness of their fidelity and with the sense of the value of their loyal exertions.
ill - enfermo, mareado, mal
hawker - vendedor ambulante
humour - humor, seguir la corriente
fidelity - fidelidad
exertions - esfuerzos; esfuerzo
And still the Assistant Commissioner did not turn away from the darkness outside, as vast as a sea.
turn away - dar la vuelta, alejarse, dar la espalda a alguien/algo
"Two foreign anarchists coming from that place," he said, apparently to the window-pane. "It's rather unaccountable."'
unaccountable - irresponsable; panish: t-needed
"Yes, sir. But it would be still more unaccountable if that Michaelis weren't staying in a cottage in the neighbourhood."
neighbourhood - Vecindario
At the sound of that name, falling unexpectedly into this annoying affair, the Assistant Commissioner dismissed brusquely the vague remembrance of his daily whist party at his club. It was the most comforting habit of his life, in a mainly successful display of his skill without the assistance of any subordinate. He entered his club to play from five to seven, before going home to dinner, forgetting for those two hours whatever was distasteful in his life, as though the game were a beneficent drug for allaying the pangs of moral discontent. His partners were the gloomily humorous editor of a celebrated magazine; a silent, elderly barrister with malicious little eyes; and a highly martial, simple-minded old Colonel with nervous brown hands.
remembrance - recuerdo, memoria, recordatorio, remembranza
daily - diariamente; diario
most comforting - el más reconfortante
mainly - principalmente
assistance - asistencia
beneficent - beneficioso; benéfico
allaying - Disipando; (allay); aquietar, calmar, aliviar, mitigar
discontent - descontento
barrister - abogado; legalista
malicious - malicioso; maligno
martial - marcial, soldadesco, castrense
minded - te importa; mente, concentración, opinión, juicio, propósito
Colonel - coronel
nervous - nervioso
They were his club acquaintances merely. He never met them elsewhere except at the card-table. But they all seemed to approach the game in the spirit of co-sufferers, as if it were indeed a drug against the secret ills of existence; and every day as the sun declined over the countless roofs of the town, a mellow, pleasurable impatience, resembling the impulse of a sure and profound friendship, lightened his professional labours. And now this pleasurable sensation went out of him with something resembling a physical shock, and was replaced by a special kind of interest in his work of social protection-an improper sort of interest, which may be defined best as a sudden and alert mistrust of the weapon in his hand.
acquaintances - conocidos; amistad, conocimiento, junta, relación
elsewhere - En otro sitio
card-table - (card-table) mesa de cartas
sufferers - os enfermos; sufridor
ills - ales; enfermo, mareado, mal
declined - rechazado; declive, retroceso, decadencia
countless - incontables; incontable, innumerable
mellow - suave; mantecoso, relajado, blando
friendship - amistad
lightened - Aligerar
professional - profesional, profesionista
alert - alerta; despierto, vivo
weapon - arma
The lady patroness of Michaelis, the ticket-of-leave apostle of humanitarian hopes, was one of the most influential and distinguished connections of the Assistant Commissioner's wife, whom she called Annie, and treated still rather as a not very wise and utterly inexperienced young girl. But she had consented to accept him on a friendly footing, which was by no means the case with all of his wife's influential connections. Married young and splendidly at some remote epoch of the past, she had had for a time a close view of great affairs and even of some great men. She herself was a great lady. Old now in the number of her years, she had that sort of exceptional temperament which defies time with scornful disregard, as if it were a rather vulgar convention submitted to by the mass of inferior mankind. Many other conventions easier to set aside, alas! failed to obtain her recognition, also on temperamental grounds-either because they bored her, or else because they stood in the way of her scorns and sympathies. Admiration was a sentiment unknown to her (it was one of the secret griefs of her most noble husband against her)-first, as always more or less tainted with mediocrity, and next as being in a way an admission of inferiority. And both were frankly inconceivable to her nature. To be fearlessly outspoken in her opinions came easily to her, since she judged solely from the standpoint of her social position. She was equally untrammelled in her actions; and as her tactfulness proceeded from genuine humanity, her bodily vigour remained remarkable and her superiority was serene and cordial, three generations had admired her infinitely, and the last she was likely to see had pronounced her a wonderful woman. Meantime intelligent, with a sort of lofty simplicity, and curious at heart, but not like many women merely of social gossip, she amused her age by attracting within her ken through the power of her great, almost historical, social prestige everything that rose above the dead level of mankind, lawfully or unlawfully, by position, wit, audacity, fortune or misfortune.
most influential - el más influyente
distinguished - istinguido; distinguir
inexperienced - no tiene experiencia; inexperto
consented - consintió; consentir, consentimiento, venia, anuencia
Accept - aceptas; aceptar
splendidly - espléndidamente
remote - remoto, control remoto
epoch - época
exceptional - excepcional
defies - desafía; desafiar, desobedecer, renunciar
disregard - desprecio; descuidar, desatender, ignorar
Alas - !ay!; (ala) !ay!
obtain - obtener, coger
grounds - uelo
sympathies - simpatías; compasión, empatía, compasión
admiration - admiración
griefs - duelos; pesar, pesadumbre, dolor, sufrimiento
mediocrity - mediocridad, medianía
admission - admisión, admisión, confesión
outspoken - hablar más
solely - únicamente, solamente, exclusivamente
standpoint - punto de vista
equally - igualmente
untrammelled - sin trabas
tactfulness - Tacto
serene - sereno
cordial - cordial
generations - generaciones; generación, generación, linaje
gossip - chismoso, chismosa, chisme, chismear, cotillear, chismorrear
amused - divertido; entretener, distraer, divertir
attracting - atrayendo; atraer, llamar
level - nivelado, al ras, nivel, niveles, llano, piso
lawfully - legalmente
audacity - audacia, desfachatez, osadía
Royal Highnesses, artists, men of science, young statesmen, and charlatans of all ages and conditions, who, unsubstantial and light, bobbing up like corks, show best the direction of the surface currents, had been welcomed in that house, listened to, penetrated, understood, appraised, for her own edification. In her own words, she liked to watch what the world was coming to. And as she had a practical mind her judgment of men and things, though based on special prejudices, was seldom totally wrong, and almost never wrong-headed. Her drawing-room was probably the only place in the wide world where an Assistant Commissioner of Police could meet a convict liberated on a ticket-of-leave on other than professional and official ground. Who had brought Michaelis there one afternoon the Assistant Commissioner did not remember very well. He had a notion it must have been a certain Member of Parliament of illustrious parentage and unconventional sympathies, which were the standing joke of the comic papers. The notabilities and even the simple notorieties of the day brought each other freely to that temple of an old woman's not ignoble curiosity. You never could guess whom you were likely to come upon being received in semi-privacy within the faded blue silk and gilt frame screen, making a cosy nook for a couch and a few arm-chairs in the great drawing-room, with its hum of voices and the groups of people seated or standing in the light of six tall windows.
Highnesses - altezas; alteza
statesmen - stadistas; estadista
unsubstantial - insustancial
bobbing - meneándose; Beto
corks - corchos; Cork
penetrated - penetrado; penetrar
appraised - asado; Valorar
edification - dificación; panish: t-needed
based - basado; base
convict - convicto; condenar
liberated - liberado; liberar
illustrious - ilustre, ínclito
comic papers - papeles de cómic
notorieties - notoriedades; notoriedad, infamia, mala fama
freely - libremente
ignoble - innoble
privacy - intimidad, privacidad
gilt - dorado; (gild) dorado
frame - arco; levantar la estructura, armar, enmarcar, concebir
screen - mampara, pantalla, biombo, tamiz, malla
cosy - acogedor, hogareno, cubierta tejida
nook - rincón, recoveco
Hum - tararear, canturrear
voices - voces; voz
Michaelis had been the object of a revulsion of popular sentiment, the same sentiment which years ago had applauded the ferocity of the life sentence passed upon him for complicity in a rather mad attempt to rescue some prisoners from a police van. The plan of the conspirators had been to shoot down the horses and overpower the escort. Unfortunately, one of the police constables got shot too. He left a wife and three small children, and the death of that man aroused through the length and breadth of a realm for whose defence, welfare, and glory men die every day as matter of duty, an outburst of furious indignation, of a raging implacable pity for the victim. Three ring-leaders got hanged. Michaelis, young and slim, locksmith by trade, and great frequenter of evening schools, did not even know that anybody had been killed, his part with a few others being to force open the door at the back of the special conveyance.
applauded - aplaudido; aplaudir
complicity - complicidad
rescue - salvamento; rescatar, rescate
prisoners - prisioneros; prisionero, preso
police van - Furgoneta policial
conspirators - conspiradores; conspirador, conspiradora
shoot down - Derribar, matar a tiros a
overpower - avasallar; dominar, vencer, panish: t-needed
escort - acompanante; escolta, acompanante, escoltar
unfortunately - desafortunadamente, desgraciadamente, lamentablemente
aroused - excitado; provocar, incitar, concitar, excitar, despertar
Length - largo, eslora (nautical: length of a ship from bow to stern)
realm - esfera, reino
welfare - bienestar, seguridad social
glory - gloria
outburst - explosión; arranque, arrebato, arrechucho
furious - furioso
raging - enfurecido; rabia, furor
ring - anillo
slim - flaco, delgado, adelgazarse, enflaquecer, enflaquecerse
locksmith - cerrajero
by trade - por oficio
frequenter - Frecuentador; (frequent) Frecuentador
killed - asesinado; matar, asesinar
force open - abrir algo por la fuerza, forzar algo
When arrested he had a bunch of skeleton keys in one pocket, a heavy chisel in another, and a short crowbar in his hand: neither more nor less than a burglar. But no burglar would have received such a heavy sentence. The death of the constable had made him miserable at heart, but the failure of the plot also. He did not conceal either of these sentiments from his empanelled countrymen, and that sort of compunction appeared shockingly imperfect to the crammed court. The judge on passing sentence commented feelingly upon the depravity and callousness of the young prisoner.
bunch - manojo, punado, (flowers) ramo, bonchote, racimo, grupo
skeleton keys - Llave maestra
chisel - cincel
crowbar - palanca; pie de cabra, pata de cabra, palanqueta, barreta
sentiments - sentimientos; sentimiento
countrymen - ompatriotas; paisano, paisana, compatriota, campesino, campesina
compunction - compunción, remordimiento
shockingly - Sorprendentemente
crammed - atiborrado; atestar, atiborrar, embutir, chancar
Court - patio, callejón, corte, tribunal, juzgado
feelingly - Sentimentalmente
depravity - depravación
callousness - insensibilidad; callosidad
That made the groundless fame of his condemnation; the fame of his release was made for him on no better grounds by people who wished to exploit the sentimental aspect of his imprisonment either for purposes of their own or for no intelligible purpose. He let them do so in the innocence of his heart and the simplicity of his mind. Nothing that happened to him individually had any importance. He was like those saintly men whose personality is lost in the contemplation of their faith. His ideas were not in the nature of convictions. They were inaccessible to reasoning. They formed in all their contradictions and obscurities an invincible and humanitarian creed, which he confessed rather than preached, with an obstinate gentleness, a smile of pacific assurance on his lips, and his candid blue eyes cast down because the sight of faces troubled his inspiration developed in solitude.
groundless - infundado, sin fundamento
condemnation - condenación
release - liberación; liberar
imprisonment - encarcelamiento, encarcelación, aprisionamiento, cautiverio
purposes - propósitos; propósito, fin; razón
intelligible - inteligible
innocence - inocencia
individually - individualmente
saintly - Santo
obscurities - oscuridades; oscuridad
creed - credo, creer; (cree); credo, creer
preached - predicado; predicar
obstinate - obstinado, obcecado, porfiado
gentleness - gentileza; suavidad, dulzura
Pacific - pacífico; pacífica
candid - cándido; franco
inspiration - inspiración
developed - esarrollado; desarrollar, revelar
In that characteristic attitude, pathetic in his grotesque and incurable obesity which he had to drag like a galley slave's bullet to the end of his days, the Assistant Commissioner of Police beheld the ticket-of-leave apostle filling a privileged arm-chair within the screen. He sat there by the head of the old lady's couch, mild-voiced and quiet, with no more self-consciousness than a very small child, and with something of a child's charm-the appealing charm of trustfulness. Confident of the future, whose secret ways had been revealed to him within the four walls of a well-known penitentiary, he had no reason to look with suspicion upon anybody. If he could not give the great and curious lady a very definite idea as to what the world was coming to, he had managed without effort to impress her by his unembittered faith, by the sterling quality of his optimism.
pathetic - patético, penoso
grotesque - grotesco
obesity - obesidad, sobrepeso
drag - arrastrar; llevar a rastras
galley - galera
slave - esclavo, esclava, checkesclava
bullet - bala
mild - suave, leve, cálido
voiced - voz
impress - impresionar, impresión, impresión
unembittered - libre
sterling quality - Calidad excelente
A certain simplicity of thought is common to serene souls at both ends of the social scale. The great lady was simple in her own way. His views and beliefs had nothing in them to shock or startle her, since she judged them from the standpoint of her lofty position. Indeed, her sympathies were easily accessible to a man of that sort. She was not an exploiting capitalist herself; she was, as it were, above the play of economic conditions. And she had a great capacity of pity for the more obvious forms of common human miseries, precisely because she was such a complete stranger to them that she had to translate her conception into terms of mental suffering before she could grasp the notion of their cruelty. The Assistant Commissioner remembered very well the conversation between these two. He had listened in silence. It was something as exciting in a way, and even touching in its foredoomed futility, as the efforts at moral intercourse between the inhabitants of remote planets. But this grotesque incarnation of humanitarian passion appealed somehow, to one's imagination. At last Michaelis rose, and taking the great lady's extended hand, shook it, retained it for a moment in his great cushioned palm with unembarrassed friendliness, and turned upon the semi-private nook of the drawing-room his back, vast and square, and as if distended under the short tweed jacket.
souls - almas; alma, espíritu
views - opiniones; vista, reproducción, visualización, visitas, visión
beliefs - creencias; creencia
startle - susto; sobresaltarse, alarmarse, espantarse, evitar, impedir
exploiting - explotando; hazana, proeza, gesta, heroicidad
Capitalist - capitalista
capacity - capacidad
more obvious - más obvio
miseries - iserias; miseria, sinvivir, desgracia, desdicha, infortunio
translate - traducir, trasladar, verter
terms - condiciones; período, etapa
mental suffering - sufrimiento mental
touching - Tocando; (touch); tocar, conmover, toque, toque, tacto, pizca
efforts - esfuerzos; esfuerzo
planets - planetas; planeta
incarnation - encarnación
appealed - apelado; suplicar, rogar
cushioned - acojinado; cojín, almohadón, colchón, amortiguante, banda
palm - palma
unembarrassed - Sin vergüenza
friendliness - amabilidad; amigabilidad
Glancing about in serene benevolence, he waddled along to the distant door between the knots of other visitors. The murmur of conversations paused on his passage. He smiled innocently at a tall, brilliant girl, whose eyes met his accidentally, and went out unconscious of the glances following him across the room. Michaelis'first appearance in the world was a success-a success of esteem unmarred by a single murmur of derision. The interrupted conversations were resumed in their proper tone, grave or light. Only a well-set-up, long-limbed, active-looking man of forty talking with two ladies near a window remarked aloud, with an unexpected depth of feeling: "Eighteen stone, I should say, and not five foot six. Poor fellow! It's terrible-terrible."
glancing - echando un vistazo; (glance); ojear, echar un vistazo, mirar
benevolence - benevolencia
waddled - caminó; tambalearse, dar traspiés, anadear
knots - nudos; nudo
innocently - inocentemente
brilliant - brillante, perla
accidentally - accidentalmente
esteem - estima
unmarred - Sin marcas
resumed - se reanuda; reanudar
limbed - con extremidades; miembro
ladies - senoritas; ama, senora, dama, bano de damas
stone - piedra, roca, gema, piedra preciosa, hueso, cálculo, lapidar
The lady of the house, gazing absently at the Assistant Commissioner, left alone with her on the private side of the screen, seemed to be rearranging her mental impressions behind her thoughtful immobility of a handsome old face. Men with grey moustaches and full, healthy, vaguely smiling countenances approached, circling round the screen; two mature women with a matronly air of gracious resolution; a clean-shaved individual with sunken cheeks, and dangling a gold-mounted eyeglass on a broad black ribbon with an old-world, dandified effect.
absently - istraídamente; Ausentemente
rearranging - reorganizando; reorganizar, reacomodar
impressions - impresiones; impresión
handsome - apuesto, guapo, de buen parecer, lindo
countenances - emblantes; semblante, apariencia, expresión, rostro
circling - dando vueltas; (circle); círculo, circunferencia, esfera, curva
mature - maduro
matronly - matronal, panish: t-needed
resolution - resolución, panish: t-needed
dangling - Colgando; (dangle); pender
mounted - montado; montar
dandified - Dandificar
A silence deferential, but full of reserves, reigned for a moment, and then the great lady exclaimed, not with resentment, but with a sort of protesting indignation:
reserves - reservas; reserva, reservar
protesting - protestando; protestar, proclamar, oponerse, objetar, protesta
"And that officially is supposed to be a revolutionist! What nonsense." She looked hard at the Assistant Commissioner, who murmured apologetically:
officially - oficialmente
revolutionist - revolucionaria
What nonsense - Qué tontería
apologetically - pidiendo disculpas; disculpándose
"Not a dangerous one perhaps."
"Not dangerous-I should think not indeed. He is a mere believer. It's the temperament of a saint," declared the great lady in a firm tone. "And they kept him shut up for twenty years. One shudders at the stupidity of it. And now they have let him out everybody belonging to him is gone away somewhere or dead. His parents are dead; the girl he was to marry has died while he was in prison; he has lost the skill necessary for his manual occupation. He told me all this himself with the sweetest patience; but then, he said, he had had plenty of time to think out things for himself.
believer - creyente
saint - Santo
shudders - tiembla; escalofrío
stupidity - estupidez, burricie, tontería, idiotez
sweetest - más dulce; dulcemente, dulce, caramelo, chuche, confite
think out - reflexionar, sopesar, idear
A pretty compensation! If that's the stuff revolutionists are made of some of us may well go on their knees to them," she continued in a slightly bantering voice, while the banal society smiles hardened on the worldly faces turned towards her with conventional deference. "The poor creature is obviously no longer in a position to take care of himself. Somebody will have to look after him a little."
compensation - compensación; contrapartida
bantering - Bromeando; (banter); charla, plática, cháchara, charlar
banal - banal
smiles - sonrisas; sonrisa, sonreír
hardened - Se endurece
creature - criatura
"He should be recommended to follow a treatment of some sort," the soldierly voice of the active-looking man was heard advising earnestly from a distance. He was in the pink of condition for his age, and even the texture of his long frock coat had a character of elastic soundness, as if it were a living tissue. "The man is virtually a cripple," he added with unmistakable feeling.
recommended - recomendado; recomendar
soldierly - Soldado
advising - asesoramiento; aconsejar, asesorar, notificar
distance - distancia, lejanía, distanciarse, alejarse
texture - textura, textura
frock coat - levita
elastic - elástico, elástico
soundness - olidez; completitud
tissue - tejido, panuelo, panuelo de papel, clínex
virtually - prácticamente
cripple - lisiado, lisiado, lisiada
unmistakable - inconfundible
Other voices, as if glad of the opening, murmured hasty compassion. "Quite startling," "Monstrous," "most painful to see." The lank man, with the eyeglass on a broad ribbon, pronounced mincingly the word "Grotesque," whose justness was appreciated by those standing near him. They smiled at each other.
Glad - feliz, alegre, contento
hasty - apresurarse; apresurado, de prisa, arrebatado, atropellado
monstrous - monstruoso
most painful - el más doloroso
lank - delgado, flaco
mincingly - con picardía
justness - Justicia
The Assistant Commissioner had expressed no opinion either then or later, his position making it impossible for him to ventilate any independent view of a ticket-of-leave convict. But, in truth, he shared the view of his wife's friend and patron that Michaelis was a humanitarian sentimentalist, a little mad, but upon the whole incapable of hurting a fly intentionally. So when that name cropped up suddenly in this vexing bomb affair he realised all the danger of it for the ticket-of-leave apostle, and his mind reverted at once to the old lady's well-established infatuation. Her arbitrary kindness would not brook patiently any interference with Michaelis'freedom. It was a deep, calm, convinced infatuation. She had not only felt him to be inoffensive, but she had said so, which last by a confusion of her absolutist mind became a sort of incontrovertible demonstration. It was as if the monstrosity of the man, with his candid infant's eyes and a fat angelic smile, had fascinated her. She had come to believe almost his theory of the future, since it was not repugnant to her prejudices. She disliked the new element of plutocracy in the social compound, and industrialism as a method of human development appeared to her singularly repulsive in its mechanical and unfeeling character. The humanitarian hopes of the mild Michaelis tended not towards utter destruction, but merely towards the complete economic ruin of the system. And she did not really see where was the moral harm of it. It would do away with all the multitude of the "parvenus," whom she disliked and mistrusted, not because they had arrived anywhere (she denied that), but because of their profound unintelligence of the world, which was the primary cause of the crudity of their perceptions and the aridity of their hearts. With the annihilation of all capital they would vanish too; but universal ruin (providing it was universal, as it was revealed to Michaelis) would leave the social values untouched.
ventilate - ventilar
independent - independiente
sentimentalist - Sentimentalista
incapable - incapaz
hurting - hiriendo; doler, lastimar, hacer dano, herido, dolido
intentionally - intencionadamente; intencionalmente
cropped - recortada; cultivo; cosecha
realised - Te das cuenta
danger - peligro; (dang); peligro
reverted - revertido; revertir
arbitrary - arbitraria; arbitrario
kindness - amabilidad, bondad
brook - rok; arroyo
patiently - pacientemente
interference - interferencias; injerencia, interferencia, intromisión
absolutist - absolutista
incontrovertible - impepinable
monstrosity - monstruosidad
infant - nino; nene, infante
fascinated - fascinado; fascinar
repugnant - repugnante
element - elemento
plutocracy - plutocracia
compound - compuesto
industrialism - industrialismo
method - método, forma
singularly - Singularmente
repulsive - repulsivo
unfeeling - insensible, inconmovible, impasible, desalmado
tended - tendido; guardar
harm - dano; dano, danar
parvenus - parvenus; advenedizo
mistrusted - desconfiado; desconfianza, recelo
denied - negado; negar
unintelligence - inteligencia
primary - primario, primarias, primaria, primero, básico
crudity - crudeza
perceptions - percepciones; percepción
aridity - aridez
annihilation - aniquilación
providing - proporcionando; proveer
values - valores; valor, importancia, valorar, cifrar, apreciar
The disappearance of the last piece of money could not affect people of position. She could not conceive how it could affect her position, for instance. She had developed these discoveries to the Assistant Commissioner with all the serene fearlessness of an old woman who had escaped the blight of indifference. He had made for himself the rule to receive everything of that sort in a silence which he took care from policy and inclination not to make offensive. He had an affection for the aged disciple of Michaelis, a complex sentiment depending a little on her prestige, on her personality, but most of all on the instinct of flattered gratitude. He felt himself really liked in her house. She was kindness personified. And she was practically wise too, after the manner of experienced women. She made his married life much easier than it would have been without her generously full recognition of his rights as Annie's husband. Her influence upon his wife, a woman devoured by all sorts of small selfishnesses, small envies, small jealousies, was excellent. Unfortunately, both her kindness and her wisdom were of unreasonable complexion, distinctly feminine, and difficult to deal with. She remained a perfect woman all along her full tale of years, and not as some of them do become-a sort of slippery, pestilential old man in petticoats. And it was as of a woman that he thought of her-the specially choice incarnation of the feminine, wherein is recruited the tender, ingenuous, and fierce bodyguard for all sorts of men who talk under the influence of an emotion, true or fraudulent; for preachers, seers, prophets, or reformers.
disappearance - desaparición
people of position - Gente de posición
conceive - concebir
discoveries - descubrimientos; descubrimiento, hallazgo
fearlessness - sin miedo; valor, impavidez, intrepidez
blight - mildiu, tizón, mal, plaga
took care - cuidar de, ocuparse de
offensive - ofensivo, ofensiva
disciple - discípulo
flattered - te sientes halagado; halagar, adular
personified - ersonificado; personificar
generously - generosamente
devoured - evorado; devorar, jambar
selfishnesses - goísmos; egoísmo
envies - envidia, pelusa, envidiar
jealousies - celo, celos, envidia
unreasonable - no es razonable; irrazonable
slippery - resbaladizo, escurridizo, resbaloso
pestilential - Pestilencial
petticoats - enaguas
wherein - En qué
recruited - reclutado; reemplazo, recluta, contratado, reclutar, reemplazar
ingenuous - inocente, ingenuo
bodyguard - escolta, guardaespaldas, espaldero
fraudulent - fraudulenta; fraudulento
preachers - predicadores; predicador
seers - vidente
Appreciating the distinguished and good friend of his wife, and himself, in that way, the Assistant Commissioner became alarmed at the convict Michaelis'possible fate. Once arrested on suspicion of being in some way, however remote, a party to this outrage, the man could hardly escape being sent back to finish his sentence at least.
appreciating - apreciando; agradecer, valorar, comprender, hacerse cargo de
sent back - enviado de vuelta, devuelto
And that would kill him; he would never come out alive. The Assistant Commissioner made a reflection extremely unbecoming his official position without being really creditable to his humanity.
kill - matar, asesinar
reflection - reflexión, reflejo
"If the fellow is laid hold of again," he thought, "she will never forgive me."
forgive - perdonar, disculpar
The frankness of such a secretly outspoken thought could not go without some derisive self-criticism. No man engaged in a work he does not like can preserve many saving illusions about himself. The distaste, the absence of glamour, extend from the occupation to the personality. It is only when our appointed activities seem by a lucky accident to obey the particular earnestness of our temperament that we can taste the comfort of complete self-deception. The Assistant Commissioner did not like his work at home. The police work he had been engaged on in a distant part of the globe had the saving character of an irregular sort of warfare or at least the risk and excitement of open-air sport. His real abilities, which were mainly of an administrative order, were combined with an adventurous disposition.
frankness - franqueza
engaged - comprometido; atraer, trabar conversación con, trabar batalla
distaste - disgusto; aversión
glamour - fascinación, elegancia, encanto
extend - extender, ampliar
appointed - nombrado; equipar, determinar, fijar, designar, nombrar
accident - accidente
obey - obedecer
earnestness - seriedad
comfort - comodidad, consuelo, confortar
deception - engano; engano, socalina
globe - globo, globo terráqueo
irregular - irregular
administrative - administrativo
adventurous - intrépido, aventurero, aventurado, arriesgado
Chained to a desk in the thick of four millions of men, he considered himself the victim of an ironic fate-the same, no doubt, which had brought about his marriage with a woman exceptionally sensitive in the matter of colonial climate, besides other limitations testifying to the delicacy of her nature-and her tastes. Though he judged his alarm sardonically he did not dismiss the improper thought from his mind. The instinct of self-preservation was strong within him. On the contrary, he repeated it mentally with profane emphasis and a fuller precision: "Damn it! If that infernal Heat has his way the fellow'll die in prison smothered in his fat, and she'll never forgive me."
chained - Cadena
ironic - irónico
exceptionally - excepcionalmente
limitations - limitaciones; limitación
testifying - testificando; testificar, atestiguar, aseverar
delicacy - una delicia; fineza, delicadeza, fragilidad, exquisitez
tastes - sabores; gusto, gusto, gustos, muestra, gustar, probar, catar
sardonically - sardónicamente
dismiss - despedir, echar, disipar, rechazar, expulsar
profane - sacrílego, profano, blasfemo, profanar
infernal - infernal
smothered - asfixiado; asfixiar, ahogar
His black, narrow figure, with the white band of the collar under the silvery gleams on the close-cropped hair at the back of the head, remained motionless. The silence had lasted such a long time that Chief Inspector Heat ventured to clear his throat. This noise produced its effect. The zealous and intelligent officer was asked by his superior, whose back remained turned to him immovably:
silvery - plateado, argénteo, argentino
immovably - inamoviblemente
"You connect Michaelis with this affair?"
connect - conectar
Chief Inspector Heat was very positive, but cautious.
"Well, sir," he said, "we have enough to go upon. A man like that has no business to be at large, anyhow."
"You will want some conclusive evidence," came the observation in a murmur.
Chief Inspector Heat raised his eyebrows at the black, narrow back, which remained obstinately presented to his intelligence and his zeal.
obstinately - obstinadamente
zeal - ahínco, fervor, celo, entusiasmo
"There will be no difficulty in getting up sufficient evidence against him," he said, with virtuous complacency.
getting up - levantarse, arreciar (sobre el viento)
"You may trust me for that, sir," he added, quite unnecessarily, out of the fulness of his heart; for it seemed to him an excellent thing to have that man in hand to be thrown down to the public should it think fit to roar with any special indignation in this case. It was impossible to say yet whether it would roar or not. That in the last instance depended, of course, on the newspaper press. But in any case, Chief Inspector Heat, purveyor of prisons by trade, and a man of legal instincts, did logically believe that incarceration was the proper fate for every declared enemy of the law. In the strength of that conviction he committed a fault of tact. He allowed himself a little conceited laugh, and repeated:
trust - confiar; confianza, crédito, fiar, consorcio, trust
unnecessarily - innecesariamente
fulness - lenitud
thrown - tirado; lanzar, tirar
purveyor - Proveedor
prisons - árceles; cárcel, prisión, penitenciaría, chirona
incarceration - encarcelación, encarcelamiento
enemy - enemigo, enemiga
committed - comprometido; encomendar, cometer
conceited - envanecido; engreimiento, vanidad, presunción, ego
"Trust me for that, sir."
This was too much for the forced calmness under which the Assistant Commissioner had for upwards of eighteen months concealed his irritation with the system and the subordinates of his office. A square peg forced into a round hole, he had felt like a daily outrage that long established smooth roundness into which a man of less sharply angular shape would have fitted himself, with voluptuous acquiescence, after a shrug or two. What he resented most was just the necessity of taking so much on trust.
calmness - calma
upwards - hacia arriba
concealed - ocultos; esconder, ocultar
irritation - irritación
peg - clavija, tarugo, colgador, perchero, gancho, fijar, tachar
shape - forma, estado, modelar, formar
fitted - encajado; sano, en forma
voluptuous - voluptuosa; voluptuoso, sensual
acquiescence - asentimiento; aquiescencia, consentimiento, perención
resented - resentido; ofenderse, tomarse a mal
At the little laugh of Chief Inspector Heat's he spun swiftly on his heels, as if whirled away from the window-pane by an electric shock. He caught on the latter's face not only the complacency proper to the occasion lurking under the moustache, but the vestiges of experimental watchfulness in the round eyes, which had been, no doubt, fastened on his back, and now met his glance for a second before the intent character of their stare had the time to change to a merely startled appearance.
spun - hilado; hacer girar
heels - tacones; talón
electric shock - una descarga eléctrica
lurking - al acecho; (lurk); acechar, agazaparse, ocultarse, esconderse
vestiges - vestigios; huella, pisada, vestigio
experimental - experimental
fastened - sujetado; atar, abrochar
change to - cambiar a
The Assistant Commissioner of Police had really some qualifications for his post. Suddenly his suspicion was awakened. It is but fair to say that his suspicions of the police methods (unless the police happened to be a semi-military body organised by himself) was not difficult to arouse. If it ever slumbered from sheer weariness, it was but lightly; and his appreciation of Chief Inspector Heat's zeal and ability, moderate in itself, excluded all notion of moral confidence.
qualifications - cualificaciones; titulación, salvedad
suspicions - sospechas; sospecha, suspicacia
military - militar, ejército
arouse - provocar, incitar, concitar, excitar, despertar
slumbered - dormía; adormecimiento, adormilamiento, adormecer, adormilar
excluded - excluidos; excluir
"He's up to something," he exclaimed mentally, and at once became angry. Crossing over to his desk with headlong strides, he sat down violently. "Here I am stuck in a litter of paper," he reflected, with unreasonable resentment, "supposed to hold all the threads in my hands, and yet I can but hold what is put in my hand, and nothing else. And they can fasten the other ends of the threads where they please."
became angry - enojarse
headlong - de cabeza
strides - estridente
litter - litera, artolas, camada, cama, lecho, detritus, basura
threads - hilos; hilo, hebra, hilaza, tema, argumento, hilazón, subproceso
He raised his head, and turned towards his subordinate a long, meagre face with the accentuated features of an energetic Don Quixote.
meagre - escaso, pobre
Quixote - Quijote
"Now what is it you've got up your sleeve?"
The other stared. He stared without winking in a perfect immobility of his round eyes, as he was used to stare at the various members of the criminal class when, after being duly cautioned, they made their statements in the tones of injured innocence, or false simplicity, or sullen resignation. But behind that professional and stony fixity there was some surprise too, for in such a tone, combining nicely the note of contempt and impatience, Chief Inspector Heat, the right-hand man of the department, was not used to be addressed.
duly - bien; debidamente
cautioned - advertido; advertencia, precaución, cuidado, cautela, fianza
injured - lastimado; herir, lastimar
sullen - hosco, hurano, sombrío, lento
combining - combinando; combinar, juntar, unir
nicely - espléndidamente, bien
He began in a procrastinating manner, like a man taken unawares by a new and unexpected experience.
procrastinating - procrastinando; hacer desidia, procrastinar, dejar para después
"What I've got against that man Michaelis you mean, sir?"
"I have reason to think that when you came into this room," he said in measured tones, "it was not Michaelis who was in your mind; not principally-perhaps not at all."
principally - principalmente
"You have reason to think, sir?" muttered Chief Inspector Heat, with every appearance of astonishment, which up to a certain point was genuine enough. He had discovered in this affair a delicate and perplexing side, forcing upon the discoverer a certain amount of insincerity-that sort of insincerity which, under the names of skill, prudence, discretion, turns up at one point or another in most human affairs. He felt at the moment like a tight-rope artist might feel if suddenly, in the middle of the performance, the manager of the Music Hall were to rush out of the proper managerial seclusion and begin to shake the rope.
forcing - forzando; fuerza
Discoverer - descubridor
prudence - prudencia
turns up - aparece
most human - el más humano
rope - cuerda
performance - endimiento; actuación, cumplimiento, ejecución, desempeno
manager - director, gerente, gestor, jefe, representante, administrador
Indignation, the sense of moral insecurity engendered by such a treacherous proceeding joined to the immediate apprehension of a broken neck, would, in the colloquial phrase, put him in a state. And there would be also some scandalised concern for his art too, since a man must identify himself with something more tangible than his own personality, and establish his pride somewhere, either in his social position, or in the quality of the work he is obliged to do, or simply in the superiority of the idleness he may be fortunate enough to enjoy.
engendered - engendrar
treacherous - traicionero
broken neck - Cuello roto
colloquial - coloquial, familiar
scandalised - Escandalizar
identify - identificar, identificarse
tangible - tangible, palpable
pride - orgullo, soberbia, cachondez, toriondez, verriondez, manada
obliged - obligado; obligar
be fortunate - ser afortunado
"Yes," said the Assistant Commissioner; "I have. I do not mean to say that you have not thought of Michaelis at all. But you are giving the fact you've mentioned a prominence which strikes me as not quite candid, Inspector Heat. If that is really the track of discovery, why haven't you followed it up at once, either personally or by sending one of your men to that village?"
prominence - protagonismo; prominencia, protuberancia
strikes - huelgas; tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar
discovery - descubrimiento, hallazgo
"Do you think, sir, I have failed in my duty there?" the Chief Inspector asked, in a tone which he sought to make simply reflective. Forced unexpectedly to concentrate his faculties upon the task of preserving his balance, he had seized upon that point, and exposed himself to a rebuke; for, the Assistant Commissioner frowning slightly, observed that this was a very improper remark to make.
sought - buscado; buscar
reflective - reflexivo, reflectante
concentrate - concentrar, concentrarse, concentrado
balance - equilibrio, balance, balanza, balancear, equilibrar
rebuke - reprender; reproche, reprensión, reprimenda, reprobación
"But since you've made it," he continued coldly, "I'll tell you that this is not my meaning."
coldly - fríamente
He paused, with a straight glance of his sunken eyes which was a full equivalent of the unspoken termination "and you know it." The head of the so-called Special Crimes Department debarred by his position from going out of doors personally in quest of secrets locked up in guilty breasts, had a propensity to exercise his considerable gifts for the detection of incriminating truth upon his own subordinates. That peculiar instinct could hardly be called a weakness.
equivalent - equivalente, equivalente
unspoken - Deshablar
termination - terminación, final, fin
so-called - (so-called) llamado
quest - busca, búsqueda
secrets - secretos; secreto, arcano
breasts - senos; pecho, seno, teta, corazón, pechuga
gifts - regalos; regalo, obsequio, don, talento, regalar, dar
detection - detección
weakness - debilidad, flaqueza, punto débil, debilidad por, carino
It was natural. He was a born detective. It had unconsciously governed his choice of a career, and if it ever failed him in life it was perhaps in the one exceptional circumstance of his marriage-which was also natural. It fed, since it could not roam abroad, upon the human material which was brought to it in its official seclusion. We can never cease to be ourselves.
unconsciously - inconscientemente
governed - gobernado; gobernar
fed - alimentado; (feed) alimentado
roam - vagar
His elbow on the desk, his thin legs crossed, and nursing his cheek in the palm of his meagre hand, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Special Crimes branch was getting hold of the case with growing interest. His Chief Inspector, if not an absolutely worthy foeman of his penetration, was at any rate the most worthy of all within his reach. A mistrust of established reputations was strictly in character with the Assistant Commissioner's ability as detector. His memory evoked a certain old fat and wealthy native chief in the distant colony whom it was a tradition for the successive Colonial Governors to trust and make much of as a firm friend and supporter of the order and legality established by white men; whereas, when examined sceptically, he was found out to be principally his own good friend, and nobody else's.
branch - rama, sucursal, delegación, filial, ramo, ramificar
getting hold of - agarrar a; llamar a alguien; pillar(se)
foeman - Enemigo
penetration - penetración
reputations - eputaciones; reputación
strictly - estrictamente, terminantemente
evoked - evocada; evocar, rememorar
native - natal, indígena, originario, nativo, oriundo, indígena
governors - gobernadores; gobernador, gobernadora
supporter - apoyo; soporte, tenante; (support) apoyo; soporte, tenante
Not precisely a traitor, but still a man of many dangerous reservations in his fidelity, caused by a due regard for his own advantage, comfort, and safety. A fellow of some innocence in his naive duplicity, but none the less dangerous. He took some finding out. He was physically a big man, too, and (allowing for the difference of colour, of course) Chief Inspector Heat's appearance recalled him to the memory of his superior. It was not the eyes nor yet the lips exactly. It was bizarre. But does not Alfred Wallace relate in his famous book on the Malay Archipelago how, amongst the Aru Islanders, he discovered in an old and naked savage with a sooty skin a peculiar resemblance to a dear friend at home?
traitor - traidor, traidora
reservations - reservas; reserva, reservación
due - debido; salir de cuentas, mérito
duplicity - duplicidad
finding out - averiguar, descubrir
relate - relacionar; identificarse (con)
Malay - malayo, malayo
Archipelago - archipiélago
islanders - islenos; isleno, islena
savage - salvaje
sooty - hollín; fuliginoso, tiznado, hollinoso, holliniento
resemblance - semejanza, similitud, similaridad, parecido
For the first time since he took up his appointment the Assistant Commissioner felt as if he were going to do some real work for his salary. And that was a pleasurable sensation. "I'll turn him inside out like an old glove," thought the Assistant Commissioner, with his eyes resting pensively upon Chief Inspector Heat.
appointment - nombramiento, cita, compromiso
glove - guante, gorro
pensively - pensativo; pensativamente
"No, that was not my thought," he began again. "There is no doubt about you knowing your business-no doubt at all; and that's precisely why I-" He stopped short, and changing his tone: "What could you bring up against Michaelis of a definite nature? I mean apart from the fact that the two men under suspicion-you're certain there were two of them-came last from a railway station within three miles of the village where Michaelis is living now.
railway station - Estación de ferrocarril
"This by itself is enough for us to go upon, sir, with that sort of man," said the Chief Inspector, with returning composure. The slight approving movement of the Assistant Commissioner's head went far to pacify the resentful astonishment of the renowned officer. For Chief Inspector Heat was a kind man, an excellent husband, a devoted father; and the public and departmental confidence he enjoyed acting favourably upon an amiable nature, disposed him to feel friendly towards the successive Assistant Commissioners he had seen pass through that very room. There had been three in his time. The first one, a soldierly, abrupt, red-faced person, with white eyebrows and an explosive temper, could be managed with a silken thread.
composure - compostura, entereza
pacify - pacificar
departmental - departamental
acting - actuando; interino, en funciones, suplente
favourably - avorablemente
Commissioners - comisarios; comisionado, notario, notaria
pass through - pasar por, atravesar
explosive - explosivo, explosivo
temper - temperamento, temple, templar, temperar
silken - panish: de seda, sedoso
thread - hilo, hebra, hilaza, tema, argumento, hilazón, subproceso
He left on reaching the age limit. The second, a perfect gentleman, knowing his own and everybody else's place to a nicety, on resigning to take up a higher appointment out of England got decorated for (really) Inspector Heat's services. To work with him had been a pride and a pleasure. The third, a bit of a dark horse from the first, was at the end of eighteen months something of a dark horse still to the department. Upon the whole Chief Inspector Heat believed him to be in the main harmless-odd-looking, but harmless. He was speaking now, and the Chief Inspector listened with outward deference (which means nothing, being a matter of duty) and inwardly with benevolent toleration.
limit - límite
resigning - dimitiendo; dimitir
decorated - decorado; decorar
services - ervicios; servicio
pleasure - placer, voluptuosidad, gustar
A dark horse - un ganador inesperado; callado, una caja de sorpresas
harmless - inocuo, inofensivo
odd - raro; guacho, desparejado, desemparejado, suelto, extrano
outward - hacia fuera
toleration - tolerancia
"Michaelis reported himself before leaving London for the country?"
"Yes, sir. He did."
"And what may he be doing there?" continued the Assistant Commissioner, who was perfectly informed on that point. Fitted with painful tightness into an old wooden arm-chair, before a worm-eaten oak table in an upstairs room of a four-roomed cottage with a roof of moss-grown tiles, Michaelis was writing night and day in a shaky, slanting hand that "Autobiography of a Prisoner" which was to be like a book of Revelation in the history of mankind. The conditions of confined space, seclusion, and solitude in a small four-roomed cottage were favourable to his inspiration. It was like being in prison, except that one was never disturbed for the odious purpose of taking exercise according to the tyrannical regulations of his old home in the penitentiary.
fitted - En forma
painful - doloroso, dolorido, adolorido, panish: t-needed
oak - roble, encina, carrasca
moss - musgo
tiles - tejas; teja; baldosa, azulejo
shaky - tembloroso
slanting - inclinado; inclinación
autobiography - autobiografía
revelation - revelación, develamiento
purpose - propósito, fin; razón
according - de acuerdo; acuerdo, convenio, acordar, conceder, conferir
tyrannical - tiránico, tirano, de ordeno y mando
regulations - reglamentos; reglamento, regulación
He could not tell whether the sun still shone on the earth or not. The perspiration of the literary labour dropped from his brow. A delightful enthusiasm urged him on. It was the liberation of his inner life, the letting out of his soul into the wide world. And the zeal of his guileless vanity (first awakened by the offer of five hundred pounds from a publisher) seemed something predestined and holy.
literary - literaria; literario
urged - te urge; impulso, impulsar, urgir, aguijonear, apresurar
liberation - liberación
letting out - dejar salir, soltar, liberar
predestined - predestinado; predestinar
"It would be, of course, most desirable to be informed exactly," insisted the Assistant Commissioner uncandidly.
most desirable - el más deseable
uncandidly - escandinavamente
Chief Inspector Heat, conscious of renewed irritation at this display of scrupulousness, said that the county police had been notified from the first of Michaelis'arrival, and that a full report could be obtained in a few hours. A wire to the superintendent-
renewed - renovado; reanudar, renovar, reiniciar, recomenzar
scrupulousness - Escrupulosidad
county - condado
notified - notificado; notificar
arrival - llegada, venida, arribo, arribada
wire - alambre, hilo, cable
Superintendent - superintendente, director, supervisor
Thus he spoke, rather slowly, while his mind seemed already to be weighing the consequences. A slight knitting of the brow was the outward sign of this. But he was interrupted by a question.
consequences - consecuencias; consecuencia
knitting - tejer; punto, labor de punto; (knit); hacer punto, tricotar
"You've sent that wire already?"
"No, sir," he answered, as if surprised.
The Assistant Commissioner uncrossed his legs suddenly. The briskness of that movement contrasted with the casual way in which he threw out a suggestion.
contrasted with - contrastado con
threw out - descartar, echar fuera, deshacerse de algo; despedir a alguien
"Would you think that Michaelis had anything to do with the preparation of that bomb, for instance?"
The Chief Inspector assumed a reflective manner.
"I wouldn't say so. There's no necessity to say anything at present. He associates with men who are classed as dangerous. He was made a delegate of the Red Committee less than a year after his release on licence. A sort of compliment, I suppose."
associates with - Asociarse con
delegate - delegado, delegada, diputar
compliment - cumplido, felicitar, cumplimentar
And the Chief Inspector laughed a little angrily, a little scornfully. With a man of that sort scrupulousness was a misplaced and even an illegal sentiment. The celebrity bestowed upon Michaelis on his release two years ago by some emotional journalists in want of special copy had rankled ever since in his breast. It was perfectly legal to arrest that man on the barest suspicion. It was legal and expedient on the face of it. His two former chiefs would have seen the point at once; whereas this one, without saying either yes or no, sat there, as if lost in a dream. Moreover, besides being legal and expedient, the arrest of Michaelis solved a little personal difficulty which worried Chief Inspector Heat somewhat. This difficulty had its bearing upon his reputation, upon his comfort, and even upon the efficient performance of his duties. For, if Michaelis no doubt knew something about this outrage, the Chief Inspector was fairly certain that he did not know too much.
misplaced - mal colocado; extraviar, traspapelar
illegal - ilegal, ilegal, inmigrante ilegal, sin papeles
celebrity - celebridad, celebrity
bestowed - otorgado; guardar, estibar, depositar, alojar, acordar, conceder
barest - más desnudo; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
expedient - conveniente, expediente
former - antiguo, anterior
point at - apuntar a
solved - resuelto; resolver, solucionar, solventar
worried - preocuparse, estar preocupado, inquietarse, comerse la cabeza
somewhat - algo, un poco, de algún modo, de alguna manera
fairly - justamente; francamente, abiertamente, bastante
This was just as well. He knew much less-the Chief Inspector was positive-than certain other individuals he had in his mind, but whose arrest seemed to him inexpedient, besides being a more complicated matter, on account of the rules of the game. The rules of the game did not protect so much Michaelis, who was an ex-convict. It would be stupid not to take advantage of legal facilities, and the journalists who had written him up with emotional gush would be ready to write him down with emotional indignation.
on account - a cuenta
facilities - instalaciones; facilidad, instalación, material
gush - manar, salir a borbotones, brotar, hacer efusión
This prospect, viewed with confidence, had the attraction of a personal triumph for Chief Inspector Heat. And deep down in his blameless bosom of an average married citizen, almost unconscious but potent nevertheless, the dislike of being compelled by events to meddle with the desperate ferocity of the Professor had its say. This dislike had been strengthened by the chance meeting in the lane.
viewed - visto; vista, reproducción, visualización, visitas, visión
Attraction - atracción
triumph - triunfar; triunfo
blameless - sin culpa
bosom - seno, pechera, busto
citizen - ciudadano, ciudadana
potent - potente
nevertheless - a pesar de todo; sin embargo, a pesar de esto, con todo
compelled - obligado; obligar, forzar, compeler
meddle - entrometerse, inmiscuirse, injerirse, mangonear
strengthened - fortalecido; fortalecer, animar
The encounter did not leave behind with Chief Inspector Heat that satisfactory sense of superiority the members of the police force get from the unofficial but intimate side of their intercourse with the criminal classes, by which the vanity of power is soothed, and the vulgar love of domination over our fellow-creatures is flattered as worthily as it deserves.
encounter - encuentro
leave behind - dejar atrás
satisfactory - satisfactorio
unofficial - no oficial; extraoficial, oficioso
intimate - intimo; íntimo
soothed - calmado; calmar, serenar, aliviar, aliviarse, descansar
creatures - criaturas; criatura
worthily - dignamente
deserves - merecer, meritar
The perfect anarchist was not recognised as a fellow-creature by Chief Inspector Heat. He was impossible-a mad dog to be left alone. Not that the Chief Inspector was afraid of him; on the contrary, he meant to have him some day. But not yet; he meant to get hold of him in his own time, properly and effectively according to the rules of the game. The present was not the right time for attempting that feat, not the right time for many reasons, personal and of public service.
some day - algún día
properly - orrectamente; como es debido, como corresponde, como toca
feat - hazana, proeza
This being the strong feeling of Inspector Heat, it appeared to him just and proper that this affair should be shunted off its obscure and inconvenient track, leading goodness knows where, into a quiet (and lawful) siding called Michaelis. And he repeated, as if reconsidering the suggestion conscientiously:
inconvenient - incómodo, inconveniente
goodness - bondad
siding - Revestimiento; (side) Revestimiento
reconsidering - reconsiderándolo; reconsiderar
"The bomb. No, I would not say that exactly. We may never find that out. But it's clear that he is connected with this in some way, which we can find out without much trouble."
His countenance had that look of grave, overbearing indifference once well known and much dreaded by the better sort of thieves. Chief Inspector Heat, though what is called a man, was not a smiling animal. But his inward state was that of satisfaction at the passively receptive attitude of the Assistant Commissioner, who murmured gently:
overbearing - soportar
passively - pasivamente
receptive - receptivo
"And you really think that the investigation should be made in that direction?"
"I do, sir."
"Quite convinced?
"I am, sir. That's the true line for us to take."
The Assistant Commissioner withdrew the support of his hand from his reclining head with a suddenness that, considering his languid attitude, seemed to menace his whole person with collapse. But, on the contrary, he sat up, extremely alert, behind the great writing-table on which his hand had fallen with the sound of a sharp blow.
withdrew - se retiró; retirar(se)
reclining - reclinado; reclinarse
languid - lánguida; lánguido
collapse - derrumbarse, desplomarse, colapsar, colapso, desplome
"What I want to know is what put it out of your head till now."
till now - hasta ahora
"Put it out of my head," repeated the Chief Inspector very slowly.
"Yes. Till you were called into this room-you know."
The Chief Inspector felt as if the air between his clothing and his skin had become unpleasantly hot. It was the sensation of an unprecedented and incredible experience.
clothing - ropa, ropaje, indumentaria, indumento; (cloth); tela
unprecedented - sin precedentes; sin precedente
"Of course," he said, exaggerating the deliberation of his utterance to the utmost limits of possibility, "if there is a reason, of which I know nothing, for not interfering with the convict Michaelis, perhaps it's just as well I didn't start the county police after him."
exaggerating - exagerando; exagerar
deliberation - deliberación
possibility - posibilidad
interfering - interfiriendo; panish: t-needed
This took such a long time to say that the unflagging attention of the Assistant Commissioner seemed a wonderful feat of endurance. His retort came without delay.
unflagging - sin flaquear; inagotable
delay - retraso; aplazar, retrasar
"No reason whatever that I know of. Come, Chief Inspector, this finessing with me is highly improper on your part-highly improper. And it's also unfair, you know. You shouldn't leave me to puzzle things out for myself like this. Really, I am surprised."
finessing - Afinamiento; (fines) Afinamiento
puzzle - rompecabezas, enigma, puzle, acertijo, intrigar, dejar perplejo
He paused, then added smoothly: "I need scarcely tell you that this conversation is altogether unofficial."
smoothly - sin problemas; suavemente
scarcely - apenas, difícilmente
These words were far from pacifying the Chief Inspector. The indignation of a betrayed tight-rope performer was strong within him. In his pride of a trusted servant he was affected by the assurance that the rope was not shaken for the purpose of breaking his neck, as by an exhibition of impudence. As if anybody were afraid! Assistant Commissioners come and go, but a valuable Chief Inspector is not an ephemeral office phenomenon. He was not afraid of getting a broken neck.
pacifying - pacificar
betrayed - traicionado; traicionar, entregar, vender, delatar, demostrar
performer - artista, ejecutor, ejecutora, intérprete
shaken - sacudido; agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida, batido
exhibition - exhibición, exposición, beca
ephemeral - efímero
To have his performance spoiled was more than enough to account for the glow of honest indignation. And as thought is no respecter of persons, the thought of Chief Inspector Heat took a threatening and prophetic shape. "You, my boy," he said to himself, keeping his round and habitually roving eyes fastened upon the Assistant Commissioner's face-"you, my boy, you don't know your place, and your place won't know you very long either, I bet."
spoiled - mimado; expoliar, despojar, danar, arruinar, echar a perder
honest - honesto, sincero; (hon); honesto, sincero
respecter - Respetador
bet - apostar
As if in provoking answer to that thought, something like the ghost of an amiable smile passed on the lips of the Assistant Commissioner. His manner was easy and business-like while he persisted in administering another shake to the tight rope.
administering - administrando; administrar
"Let us Come now to what you have discovered on the spot, Chief Inspector," he said.
Come now - venir ahora
"A fool and his job are soon parted," went on the train of prophetic thought in Chief Inspector Heat's head. But it was immediately followed by the reflection that a higher official, even when "fired out" (this was the precise image), has still the time as he flies through the door to launch a nasty kick at the shin-bones of a subordinate. Without softening very much the basilisk nature of his stare, he said impassively:
image - imagen
launch - lanzar; botar, echar al mar
nasty - asqueroso; sucio, menospreciable, obsceno, grosero, peligroso
kick - patear; dar un puntapié, golpear con el pie, dar una patada a
shin - espinilla
softening - ablandamiento; (soften); ablandar, suavizar
basilisk - basilisco
"We are coming to that part of my investigation, sir."
"that's right. Well, what have you brought away from it?"
that's right - eso es
The Chief Inspector, who had made up his mind to jump off the rope, came to the ground with gloomy frankness.
jump off - salir, saltar
"I've brought away an address," he said, pulling out of his pocket without haste a singed rag of dark blue cloth. "This belongs to the overcoat the fellow who got himself blown to pieces was wearing. Of course, the overcoat may not have been his, and may even have been stolen. But that's not at all probable if you look at this."
pulling out - arrancar; retirarse; extraer
belongs - pertenecer, ser propiedad (de)
stolen - robado; robar, hurtar, robo
The Chief Inspector, stepping up to the table, smoothed out carefully the rag of blue cloth. He had picked it up from the repulsive heap in the mortuary, because a tailor's name is found sometimes under the collar.
stepping - pisando; estepa
smoothed - alisado; liso, sofisticado, constante, tranquilo, apacible
tailor - sastre, modisto, modista, confeccionar, panish: t-needed
It is not often of much use, but still-He only half expected to find anything useful, but certainly he did not expect to find-not under the collar at all, but stitched carefully on the under side of the lapel-a square piece of calico with an address written on it in marking ink.
stitched - cosido; puntada
lapel - solapa
The Chief Inspector removed his smoothing hand.
smoothing - Alisado; (smooth); liso, sofisticado, constante, tranquilo
"I carried it off with me without anybody taking notice," he said. "I thought it best. It can always be produced if required."
The Assistant Commissioner, rising a little in his chair, pulled the cloth over to his side of the table. He sat looking at it in silence. Only the number 32 and the name of Brett Street were written in marking ink on a piece of calico slightly larger than an ordinary cigarette paper. He was genuinely surprised.
genuinely - de verdad; auténticamente, genuinamente
"Can't understand why he should have gone about labelled like this," he said, looking up at Chief Inspector Heat. "It's a most extraordinary thing."
labelled - etiquetada; etiqueta, rótulo, panish: t-needed
"I met once in the smoking-room of a hotel an old gentleman who went about with his name and address sewn on in all his coats in case of an accident or sudden illness," said the Chief Inspector. "He professed to be eighty-four years old, but he didn't look his age. He told me he was also afraid of losing his memory suddenly, like those people he has been reading of in the papers."
smoking - Fumar; (smoke) Fumar
sewn - cosido; coser
illness - enfermedad, panish: t-needed
A question from the Assistant Commissioner, who wanted to know what was No. 32 Brett Street, interrupted that reminiscence abruptly. The Chief Inspector, driven down to the ground by unfair artifices, had elected to walk the path of unreserved openness. If he believed firmly that to know too much was not good for the department, the judicious holding back of knowledge was as far as his loyalty dared to go for the good of the service. If the Assistant Commissioner wanted to mismanage this affair nothing, of course, could prevent him. But, on his own part, he now saw no reason for a display of alacrity.
reminiscence - recuerdo; reminiscencia
artifices - artificios; artificio
elected - elegido; elegir, electo
unreserved - sin reservas; no reservado, libre
openness - apertura; abierto
judicious - uiciosa; juicioso
holding back - disimular, retener, contener
dared - se atrevió; atraverse, osar
mismanage - gestionar mal
alacrity - esmero, alacridad, presteza, prontitud
So he answered concisely:
concisely - concisamente
"It's a shop, sir."
The Assistant Commissioner, with his eyes lowered on the rag of blue cloth, waited for more information. As that did not come he proceeded to obtain it by a series of questions propounded with gentle patience. Thus he acquired an idea of the nature of Mr Verloc's commerce, of his personal appearance, and heard at last his name. In a pause the Assistant Commissioner raised his eyes, and discovered some animation on the Chief Inspector's face.
propounded - propuesto; proponer
commerce - comercio
They looked at each other in silence.
"Of course," said the latter, "the department has no record of that man."
"Did any of my predecessors have any knowledge of what you have told me now?" asked the Assistant Commissioner, putting his elbows on the table and raising his joined hands before his face, as if about to offer prayer, only that his eyes had not a pious expression.
predecessors - redecesores; predecesor, antecesor
prayer - Oración
pious - piadoso
"No, sir; certainly not. What would have been the object? That sort of man could never be produced publicly to any good purpose. It was sufficient for me to know who he was, and to make use of him in a way that could be used publicly."
"And do you think that sort of private knowledge consistent with the official position you occupy?"
consistent - consistente, constante, coherente
"Perfectly, sir. I think it's quite proper. I will take the liberty to tell you, sir, that it makes me what I am-and I am looked upon as a man who knows his work. It's a private affair of my own. A personal friend of mine in the French police gave me the hint that the fellow was an Embassy spy. Private friendship, private information, private use of it-that's how I look upon it."
spy - espía, chivato, espiar
private use - uso privado
The Assistant Commissioner after remarking to himself that the mental state of the renowned Chief Inspector seemed to affect the outline of his lower jaw, as if the lively sense of his high professional distinction had been located in that part of his anatomy, dismissed the point for the moment with a calm "I see." Then leaning his cheek on his joined hands:
remarking - recordando; observación, comentario
mental state - estado mental
outline - contorno, esbozo, resumen, delinear, resumir
jaw - mandíbula; maxilar
lively - animado
distinction - distinción
located - localizado; ubicar, localizar, asentar
anatomy - anatomía
"Well then-speaking privately if you like-how long have you been in private touch with this Embassy spy?"
privately - en privado; privadamente
To this inquiry the private answer of the Chief Inspector, so private that it was never shaped into audible words, was:
shaped - con forma; forma, estado, modelar, formar
"Long before you were even thought of for your place here."
The so-to-speak public utterance was much more precise.
more precise - más preciso
"I saw him for the first time in my life a little more than seven years ago, when two Imperial Highnesses and the Imperial Chancellor were on a visit here. I was put in charge of all the arrangements for looking after them. Baron Stott-Wartenheim was Ambassador then. He was a very nervous old gentleman. One evening, three days before the Guildhall Banquet, he sent word that he wanted to see me for a moment. I was downstairs, and the carriages were at the door to take the Imperial Highnesses and the Chancellor to the opera. I went up at once. I found the Baron walking up and down his bedroom in a pitiable state of distress, squeezing his hands together. He assured me he had the fullest confidence in our police and in my abilities, but he had there a man just come over from Paris whose information could be trusted implicity. He wanted me to hear what that man had to say. He took me at once into a dressing-room next door, where I saw a big fellow in a heavy overcoat sitting all alone on a chair, and holding his hat and stick in one hand.
Chancellor - canciller
arrangements - arreglos; arreglo, disposición, preparativos, planes, arreglo
banquet - un banquete; comida festiva, banquete, convite
opera - ópera; (opus) ópera
pitiable - lamentable; lastimero, lastimoso
squeezing - apretando; (squeeze); exprimir, apretar, apretujar, apuro
implicity - implicidad
dressing-room - (dressing-room) vestuario
all alone - solo
The Baron said to him in French 'Speak, my friend.' The light in that room was not very good. I talked with him for some five minutes perhaps. He certainly gave me a piece of very startling news. Then the Baron took me aside nervously to praise him up to me, and when I turned round again I discovered that the fellow had vanished like a ghost. Got up and sneaked out down some back stairs, I suppose. There was no time to run after him, as I had to hurry off after the Ambassador down the great staircase, and see the party started safe for the opera. However, I acted upon the information that very night. Whether it was perfectly correct or not, it did look serious enough. Very likely it saved us from an ugly trouble on the day of the Imperial visit to the City.
Praise - elogios; alabanza, loa, enaltecimiento, elogio, adoración
vanished - desaparecido; desvanecerse, desaparecer, anularse
sneaked - a escondidas; pillo, moverse con sigilo, esconder, escabullir
run after - perseguir a
acted - actuado; acto, ley, acción, hecho, actuar
saved - salvado; salvar, rescatar, redimir, parar, ahorrar, guardar
"Some time later, a month or so after my promotion to Chief Inspector, my attention was attracted to a big burly man, I thought I had seen somewhere before, coming out in a hurry from a jeweller's shop in the Strand. I went after him, as it was on my way towards Charing Cross, and there seeing one of our detectives across the road, I beckoned him over, and pointed out the fellow to him, with instructions to watch his movements for a couple of days, and then report to me. No later than next afternoon my man turned up to tell me that the fellow had married his landlady's daughter at a registrar's office that very day at 11.30 a.m., and had gone off with her to Margate for a week. Our man had seen the luggage being put on the cab. There were some old Paris labels on one of the bags. Somehow I couldn't get the fellow out of my head, and the very next time I had to go to Paris on service I spoke about him to that friend of mine in the Paris police.
attracted - atraído; atraer, llamar
jeweller's shop - Joyería
Strand - varar
landlady - propietaria; arredataria, casera, terrateniente
registrar - registrador
luggage - equipaje
cab - taxi
labels - etiquetas; etiqueta, rótulo, panish: t-needed
My friend said: 'From what you tell me I think you must mean a rather well-known hanger-on and emissary of the Revolutionary Red Committee. He says he is an Englishman by birth. We have an idea that he has been for a good few years now a secret agent of one of the foreign Embassies in London.' This woke up my memory completely. He was the vanishing fellow I saw sitting on a chair in Baron Stott-Wartenheim's bathroom. I told my friend that he was quite right. The fellow was a secret agent to my certain knowledge. Afterwards my friend took the trouble to ferret out the complete record of that man for me. I thought I had better know all there was to know; but I don't suppose you want to hear his history now, sir?"
hanger - Percha
Englishman - inglés
by birth - por nacimiento
vanishing - Desapareciendo; (vanish); desvanecerse, desaparecer, anularse
ferret - hurón
The Assistant Commissioner shook his supported head. "The history of your relations with that useful personage is the only thing that matters just now," he said, closing slowly his weary, deep-set eyes, and then opening them swiftly with a greatly refreshed glance.
supported - con apoyo; aguantar, sostener
personage - personaje
"There's nothing official about them," said the Chief Inspector bitterly. "I went into his shop one evening, told him who I was, and reminded him of our first meeting. He didn't as much as twitch an eyebrow. He said that he was married and settled now, and that all he wanted was not to be interfered in his little business. I took it upon myself to promise him that, as long as he didn't go in for anything obviously outrageous, he would be left alone by the police. That was worth something to him, because a word from us to the Custom-House people would have been enough to get some of these packages he gets from Paris and Brussels opened in Dover, with confiscation to follow for certain, and perhaps a prosecution as well at the end of it.
reminded - recordado; recordar
twitch - crispar(se), mover(se) convulsivamente
eyebrow - ceja
promise - promesa, prometer
custom-house - (custom-house) aduana
Brussels - Bruselas
confiscation - confiscación, comiso, decomiso
prosecution - procesamiento, acusación, fiscalía
"That's a very precarious trade," murmured the Assistant Commissioner. "Why did he go in for that?"
precarious - precaria; precario
The Chief Inspector raised scornful eyebrows dispassionately.
"Most likely got a connection-friends on the Continent-amongst people who deal in such wares. They would be just the sort he would consort with. He's a lazy dog, too-like the rest of them."
Consort - consorte, consorcio
"What do you get from him in exchange for your protection?"
Exchange - intercambio; cambiar
The Chief Inspector was not inclined to enlarge on the value of Mr Verloc's services.
enlarge - ampliar, agrandar, engrandecer
"He would not be much good to anybody but myself. One has got to know a good deal beforehand to make use of a man like that. I can understand the sort of hint he can give. And when I want a hint he can generally furnish it to me."
beforehand - de antemano, anticipadamente, adelantadamente, antes
The Chief Inspector lost himself suddenly in a discreet reflective mood; and the Assistant Commissioner repressed a smile at the fleeting thought that the reputation of Chief Inspector Heat might possibly have been made in a great part by the Secret Agent Verloc.
discreet - discreto
mood - estado de ánimo; humor
smile at - sonreír a alguien
fleeting - fugaz; flota
"In a more general way of being of use, all our men of the Special Crimes section on duty at Charing Cross and Victoria have orders to take careful notice of anybody they may see with him. He meets the new arrivals frequently, and afterwards keeps track of them. He seems to have been told off for that sort of duty.
more general - más general
on duty - de servicio
arrivals - llegadas; llegada, venida, arribo, arribada
frequently - con frecuencia; frecuentemente
told off - reganar
When I want an address in a hurry, I can always get it from him. Of course, I know how to manage our relations. I haven't seen him to speak to three times in the last two years. I drop him a line, unsigned, and he answers me in the same way at my private address."
From time to time the Assistant Commissioner gave an almost imperceptible nod. The Chief Inspector added that he did not suppose Mr Verloc to be deep in the confidence of the prominent members of the Revolutionary International Council, but that he was generally trusted of that there could be no doubt.
imperceptible - imperceptible
nod - asentir, cabecear, cabezada
Council - consejo; concejo
"Whenever I've had reason to think there was something in the wind," he concluded, "I've always found he could tell me something worth knowing."
whenever - cuándo; cuando quiera, siempre que, siempre y cuando
The Assistant Commissioner made a significant remark.
"He failed you this time."
"Neither had I wind of anything in any other way," retorted Chief Inspector Heat. "I asked him nothing, so he could tell me nothing. He isn't one of our men. It isn't as if he were in our pay."
"No," muttered the Assistant Commissioner. "He's a spy in the pay of a foreign government. We could never confess to him."
Government - gobierno, rección
confess - confesar, panish: t-needed
"I must do my work in my own way," declared the Chief Inspector. "When it comes to that I would deal with the devil himself, and take the consequences. There are things not fit for everybody to know."
fit for - apto para
"Your idea of secrecy seems to consist in keeping the chief of your department in the dark. That's stretching it perhaps a little too far, isn't it? He lives over his shop?"
secrecy - secreto, sigilo, secretismo
consist - consistir; componerse (de), constar (de)
stretching - estirar, estirarse, dar, extenderse, estirón, estiramiento
isn't it? - ?No es así?
"Who-Verloc? Oh yes. He lives over his shop. The wife's mother, I fancy, lives with them."
"Is the house watched?"
"Oh dear, no. It wouldn't do. Certain people who come there are watched. My opinion is that he knows nothing of this affair."
"How do you account for this?" The Assistant Commissioner nodded at the cloth rag lying before him on the table.
"I don't account for it at all, sir. It's simply unaccountable. It can't be explained by what I know." The Chief Inspector made those admissions with the frankness of a man whose reputation is established as if on a rock. "At any rate not at this present moment. I think that the man who had most to do with it will turn out to be Michaelis."
admissions - admisiones; admisión, admisión, confesión
"You do?"
"Yes, sir; because I can answer for all the others."
answer for - responder por
"What about that other man supposed to have escaped from the park?"
"I should think he's far away by this time," opined the Chief Inspector.
opined - opinar
The Assistant Commissioner looked hard at him, and rose suddenly, as though having made up his mind to some course of action. As a matter of fact, he had that very moment succumbed to a fascinating temptation.
succumbed to - ceder a, sucumbir
fascinating - fascinante; fascinar
temptation - tentación
The Chief Inspector heard himself dismissed with instructions to meet his superior early next morning for further consultation upon the case. He listened with an impenetrable face, and walked out of the room with measured steps.
consultation - consulta
impenetrable - impenetrable
Whatever might have been the plans of the Assistant Commissioner they had nothing to do with that desk work, which was the bane of his existence because of its confined nature and apparent lack of reality. It could not have had, or else the general air of alacrity that came upon the Assistant Commissioner would have been inexplicable.
desk work - trabajo de oficina
lack - falta; carecer de
As soon as he was left alone he looked for his hat impulsively, and put it on his head. Having done that, he sat down again to reconsider the whole matter. But as his mind was already made up, this did not take long. And before Chief Inspector Heat had gone very far on the way home, he also left the building.
reconsider - reconsiderarlo; reconsiderar
The Assistant Commissioner walked along a short and narrow street like a wet, muddy trench, then crossing a very broad thoroughfare entered a public edifice, and sought speech with a young private secretary (unpaid) of a great personage.
trench - zanja; trinchera
private secretary - Secretario privado
unpaid - Sin pagar
This fair, smooth-faced young man, whose symmetrically arranged hair gave him the air of a large and neat schoolboy, met the Assistant Commissioner's request with a doubtful look, and spoke with bated breath.
symmetrically - simétricamente
arranged - arreglado; disponer, poner en orden, arreglar
doubtful - dudoso
bated - esperado; bate, pala, raqueta
"Would he see you? I don't know about that. He has walked over from the House an hour ago to talk with the permanent Under-Secretary, and now he's ready to walk back again. He might have sent for him; but he does it for the sake of a little exercise, I suppose.
It's all the exercise he can find time for while this session lasts. I don't complain; I rather enjoy these little strolls. He leans on my arm, and doesn't open his lips. But, I say, he's very tired, and-well-not in the sweetest of tempers just now."
Session - sesión
lasts - dura; último
complain - quejarse, alegar, reclamar, protestar
strolls - paseos; paseo, caminata, garbeo, vuelta, pasearse
tempers - templos; temperamento, temple, templar, temperar, atemperar
"It's in connection with that Greenwich affair."
"Oh! I say! He's very bitter against you people. But I will go and see, if you insist."
Bitter - amargo
insist - insistir
"Do. That's a good fellow," said the Assistant Commissioner.
The unpaid secretary admired this pluck. Composing for himself an innocent face, he opened a door, and went in with the assurance of a nice and privileged child. And presently he reappeared, with a nod to the Assistant Commissioner, who passing through the same door left open for him, found himself with the great personage in a large room.
pluck - herir, desplumar, perseverancia
composing - componiendo; componer, constituir, conformar, constar
reappeared - reapareció; reaparecer
nod to - asentir; reconocimiento; una alusión a
left open - dejado abierto
Vast in bulk and stature, with a long white face, which, broadened at the base by a big double chin, appeared egg-shaped in the fringe of thin greyish whisker, the great personage seemed an expanding man. Unfortunate from a tailoring point of view, the cross-folds in the middle of a buttoned black coat added to the impression, as if the fastenings of the garment were tried to the utmost.
in bulk - a granel
broadened - ampliado; ensanchar, ensancharse
double chin - doble mentón
fringe - flecos; orla, extremista, radical, periferia, marginal, orlar
greyish - grisáceo
expanding - en expansión; ampliar
unfortunate - desafortunado, desgraciado
tailoring - sastrería; confección; (tailor); sastre, modisto, modista
fastenings - Cierre
garment - prenda, prenda de vestir
From the head, set upward on a thick neck, the eyes, with puffy lower lids, stared with a haughty droop on each side of a hooked aggressive nose, nobly salient in the vast pale circumference of the face. A shiny silk hat and a pair of worn gloves lying ready on the end of a long table looked expanded too, enormous.
puffy - inflado, expresivo
haughty - soberbio, altanero
hooked - enganchado; gancho, garfio, enganchar
nobly - noblemente
circumference - circunferencia
gloves - guantes; guante, gorro
expanded - expandido; ampliar
He stood on the hearthrug in big, roomy boots, and uttered no word of greeting.
"I would like to know if this is the beginning of another dynamite campaign," he asked at once in a deep, very smooth voice. "Don't go into details. I have no time for that."
campaign - campana; campana, sondear
go into details - entrar en detalles
The Assistant Commissioner's figure before this big and rustic Presence had the frail slenderness of a reed addressing an oak. And indeed the unbroken record of that man's descent surpassed in the number of centuries the age of the oldest oak in the country.
rustic - rústico
reed - lengüeta; junco, cana
unbroken - intacto
surpassed - superado; sobrepasar, superar, aventajar
"No. As far as one can be positive about anything I can assure you that it is not."
"Yes. But your idea of assurances over there," said the great man, with a contemptuous wave of his hand towards a window giving on the broad thoroughfare, "seems to consist mainly in making the Secretary of State look a fool. I have been told positively in this very room less than a month ago that nothing of the sort was even possible."
assurances - garantías; certidumbre, confianza
The Assistant Commissioner glanced in the direction of the window calmly.
"You will allow me to remark, Sir Ethelred, that so far I have had no opportunity to give you assurances of any kind."
The haughty droop of the eyes was focussed now upon the Assistant Commissioner.
focussed - enfocado; foco, punto focal, enfoque, enfocar, concentrarse
"True," confessed the deep, smooth voice. "I sent for Heat. You are still rather a novice in your new berth. And how are you getting on over there?"
novice - novato; novicio
berth - itera; catre, amarradero, plaza, atracar
getting on - subirse a, triunfar
"I believe I am learning something every day."
"Of course, of course. I hope you will get on."
"Thank you, Sir Ethelred. I've learned something to-day, and even within the last hour or so. There is much in this affair of a kind that does not meet the eye in a usual anarchist outrage, even if one looked into it as deep as can be. that's why I am here."
that's why - por eso
The great man put his arms akimbo, the backs of his big hands resting on his hips.
akimbo - akimbo; en jarras, con los brazos en jarras
"Very well. Go on. Only no details, pray. Spare me the details."
Pray - rezar, orar
Spare me - ahorrarle algo a alguien
"You shall not be troubled with them, Sir Ethelred," the Assistant Commissioner began, with a calm and untroubled assurance. While he was speaking the hands on the face of the clock behind the great man's back-a heavy, glistening affair of massive scrolls in the same dark marble as the mantelpiece, and with a ghostly, evanescent tick-had moved through the space of seven minutes. He spoke with a studious fidelity to a parenthetical manner, into which every little fact-that is, every detail-fitted with delightful ease.
glistening - resplandeciente; relucir, rielar
massive - masiva; masivo
scrolls - pergaminos; rollo, desplazarse
marble - mármol, canica, balita
ghostly - fantasmal
tick - garrapata; tictac
parenthetical - Paréntesis
Not a murmur nor even a movement hinted at interruption. The great Personage might have been the statue of one of his own princely ancestors stripped of a crusader's war harness, and put into an ill-fitting frock coat. The Assistant Commissioner felt as though he were at liberty to talk for an hour. But he kept his head, and at the end of the time mentioned above he broke off with a sudden conclusion, which, reproducing the opening statement, pleasantly surprised Sir Ethelred by its apparent swiftness and force.
hinted at - Insinuar, sugerir, dar a entender
interruption - interrupción, paréntesis
statue - una estatua; estatua
princely - príncipe; principesco, regio
ancestors - ancestros; ancestro, antepasado
stripped - despojado; quitar, desprender; arrancar; despojar
crusader - cruzado
war - guerra, guerrear, hacer la guerra
harness - arnés, arrear, aparejar, aprovechar
frock - vestido
conclusion - conclusión
reproducing - reproduciéndose; reproducir, proliferar, reproducirse, procrear
pleasantly - agradablemente
swiftness - rapidez
"The kind of thing which meets us under the surface of this affair, otherwise without gravity, is unusual-in this precise form at least-and requires special treatment."
The tone of Sir Ethelred was deepened, full of conviction.
deepened - rofundizado; ahondar, checkprofundizar
"I should think so-involving the Ambassador of a foreign power!"
involving - involucrando; elevar, envolver, envolverse con, involucrarse
"Oh! The Ambassador!" protested the other, erect and slender, allowing himself a mere half smile. "It would be stupid of me to advance anything of the kind. And it is absolutely unnecessary, because if I am right in my surmises, whether ambassador or hall porter it's a mere detail."
unnecessary - innecesario
surmises - suposiciones; suponer, conjeturar, presumir
Sir Ethelred opened a wide mouth, like a cavern, into which the hooked nose seemed anxious to peer; there came from it a subdued rolling sound, as from a distant organ with the scornful indignation stop.
peer - companero; par, noble
as from - como de
organ - órgano, publicación oficial
"No! These people are too impossible. What do they mean by importing their methods of Crim-Tartary here? A Turk would have more decency."
importing - importar
Turk - turco, turca
decency - decencia
"You forget, Sir Ethelred, that strictly speaking we know nothing positively-as yet."
strictly speaking - estrictamente hablando
"No! But how would you define it? Shortly?"
shortly - pronto, en breve
"Barefaced audacity amounting to childishness of a peculiar sort."
barefaced - a cara descubierta; descarado, caradura, desvergonzado
amounting to - equivaler a , ascender a
childishness - puerilidad, ninería, chiquillada, infantilismo
"We can't put up with the innocence of nasty little children," said the great and expanded personage, expanding a little more, as it were. The haughty drooping glance struck crushingly the carpet at the Assistant Commissioner's feet. "They'll have to get a hard rap on the knuckles over this affair. We must be in a position to-What is your general idea, stated shortly? No need to go into details."
crushingly - Aplastantemente
rap - golpe seco
knuckles - nudillos; nudillo
"No, Sir Ethelred. In principle, I should lay it down that the existence of secret agents should not be tolerated, as tending to augment the positive dangers of the evil against which they are used. That the spy will fabricate his information is a mere commonplace. But in the sphere of political and revolutionary action, relying partly on violence, the professional spy has every facility to fabricate the very facts themselves, and will spread the double evil of emulation in one direction, and of panic, hasty legislation, unreflecting hate, on the other.
tolerated - se tolera; tolerar, soportar
augment - aumentar, incrementar
dangers - peligros; peligro
fabricate - inventar, fabricar
commonplace - lugar común, tópico, cliché, clisé
relying - confiar; contar con, atenerse
facility - facilidad, instalación, material
unreflecting - irreflexivo
However, this is an imperfect world-"
The deep-voiced Presence on the hearthrug, motionless, with big elbows stuck out, said hastily:
stuck out - sacar, sobresalir, destacar, aguantarse
"Be lucid, please."
lucid - lúcido, lucido, brillante
"Yes, Sir Ethelred-An imperfect world. Therefore directly the character of this affair suggested itself to me, I thought it should be dealt with with special secrecy, and ventured to come over here."
"That's right," approved the great Personage, glancing down complacently over his double chin. "I am glad there's somebody over at your shop who thinks that the Secretary of State may be trusted now and then."
complacently - Complacientemente
The Assistant Commissioner had an amused smile.
"I was really thinking that it might be better at this stage for Heat to be replaced by-"
stage - etapa, fase, estadio, escenario, escena, calesa
"What! Heat? An ass-eh?" exclaimed the great man, with distinct animosity.
animosity - animidad; animosidad, animadversión
"Not at all. Pray, Sir Ethelred, don't put that unjust interpretation on my remarks."
unjust - injusto
interpretation - interpretación, apreciación
"Then what? Too clever by half?"
"Neither-at least not as a rule. All the grounds of my surmises I have from him. The only thing I've discovered by myself is that he has been making use of that man privately. Who could blame him? He's an old police hand. He told me virtually that he must have tools to work with. It occurred to me that this tool should be surrendered to the Special Crimes division as a whole, instead of remaining the private property of Chief Inspector Heat. I extend my conception of our departmental duties to the suppression of the secret agent.
surrendered - se rindió; entregar, rendir, abandonar, rendirse, capitular
Division - división, parte
But Chief Inspector Heat is an old departmental hand. He would accuse me of perverting its morality and attacking its efficiency. He would define it bitterly as protection extended to the criminal class of revolutionists. It would mean just that to him."
accuse - acusar, denunciar
perverting - pervertido, pervertir
"Yes. But what do you mean?"
"I mean to say, first, that there's but poor comfort in being able to declare that any given act of violence-damaging property or destroying life-is not the work of anarchism at all, but of something else altogether-some species of authorised scoundrelism. This, I fancy, is much more frequent than we suppose. Next, it's obvious that the existence of these people in the pay of foreign governments destroys in a measure the efficiency of our supervision. A spy of that sort can afford to be more reckless than the most reckless of conspirators. His occupation is free from all restraint. He's without as much faith as is necessary for complete negation, and without that much law as is implied in lawlessness.
declare - explicar, aclarar, declarar
species - Especie
scoundrelism - sinvergüencería
more frequent - más frecuente
governments - gobiernos; gobierno, rección
destroys - destruye; destruir, romper, destrozar, sacrificar
measure - medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
afford - pagar; costear, permitirse
more reckless - más imprudente
most reckless - el más temerario
negation - negación
implied - implícito; implicar, acarrear, conllevar, insinuar
lawlessness - la anarquía; iniquidad
Thirdly, the existence of these spies amongst the revolutionary groups, which we are reproached for harbouring here, does away with all certitude. You have received a reassuring statement from Chief Inspector Heat some time ago. It was by no means groundless-and yet this episode happens. I call it an episode, because this affair, I make bold to say, is episodic; it is no part of any general scheme, however wild. The very peculiarities which surprise and perplex Chief Inspector Heat establish its character in my eyes. I am keeping clear of details, Sir Ethelred."
spies - espías; espía, chivato, espiar
reproached - reprochado; reproche, vergüenza, reprochar, avergonzar
harbouring - aguantando; puerto
certitude - certeza; certidumbre
reassuring - tranquilizador; tranquilizar, reasegurar
episode - episodio, incidente, capítulo
bold - osado; valiente, audaz, atrevido
episodic - episódica; episódico
scheme - squema; régimen, proyecto, ardid, artimana, maquinación
peculiarities - particularidades; peculiaridad
perplex - perplejidad; confundir, desconcertar
The Personage on the hearthrug had been listening with profound attention.
"Just so. Be as concise as you can."
concise - conciso, breve, sucinto, escueto
The Assistant Commissioner intimated by an earnest deferential gesture that he was anxious to be concise.
earnest - en serio; serio; (earn) en serio; serio
"There is a peculiar stupidity and feebleness in the conduct of this affair which gives me excellent hopes of getting behind it and finding there something else than an individual freak of fanaticism. For it is a planned thing, undoubtedly. The actual perpetrator seems to have been led by the hand to the spot, and then abandoned hurriedly to his own devices. The inference is that he was imported from abroad for the purpose of committing this outrage. At the same time one is forced to the conclusion that he did not know enough English to ask his way, unless one were to accept the fantastic theory that he was a deaf mute. I wonder now-But this is idle. He has destroyed himself by an accident, obviously.
feebleness - debilidad
actual - real, existente, verdadero, efectivo, actual
perpetrator - autor; perpetrador
abandoned - abandonado; abandonar, dejar
devices - dispositivos; dispositivo, mecanismo, aparejo
inference - inferencia, ilación
imported - importado; importar
from abroad - del extranjero
committing - comprometiéndose; encomendar, cometer
deaf - sordo, sordos, sordas
idle - ocioso; parado, inactivo
destroyed - destruido; destruir, romper, destrozar, sacrificar
Not an extraordinary accident. But an extraordinary little fact remains: the address on his clothing discovered by the merest accident, too. It is an incredible little fact, so incredible that the explanation which will account for it is bound to touch the bottom of this affair. Instead of instructing Heat to go on with this case, my intention is to seek this explanation personally-by myself, I mean-where it may be picked up. That is in a certain shop in Brett Street, and on the lips of a certain secret agent once upon a time the confidential and trusted spy of the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim, Ambassador of a great power to the Court of St James."
explanation - explicación
instructing - instruyendo; instruir
seek - buscar
great power - un gran poder
James - Santiago, Jacobo, Yago, Jaime
The Assistant Commissioner paused, then added: "Those fellows are a perfect pest." In order to raise his drooping glance to the speaker's face, the Personage on the hearthrug had gradually tilted his head farther back, which gave him an aspect of extraordinary haughtiness.
pest - plaga; peste, pestilencia, epidemia, moscardón
speaker - hablante, parlante, altavoz, altoparlante
gradually - gradualmente, poco a poco, paulatinamente
haughtiness - soberbia, altanería, altivez, orgullo
"Why not leave it to Heat?"
"Because he is an old departmental hand. They have their own morality. My line of inquiry would appear to him an awful perversion of duty. For him the plain duty is to fasten the guilt upon as many prominent anarchists as he can on some slight indications he had picked up in the course of his investigation on the spot; whereas I, he would say, am bent upon vindicating their innocence.
guilt - culpa, culpabilidad
indications - indicaciones; indicación
vindicating - reivindicando; vindicar, defender, justificar, reclamar
I am trying to be as lucid as I can in presenting this obscure matter to you without details."
"He would, would he?" muttered the proud head of Sir Ethelred from its lofty elevation.
"I am afraid so-with an indignation and disgust of which you or I can have no idea. He's an excellent servant. We must not put an undue strain on his loyalty. That's always a mistake. Besides, I want a free hand-a freer hand than it would be perhaps advisable to give Chief Inspector Heat. I haven't the slightest wish to spare this man Verloc. He will, I imagine, be extremely startled to find his connection with this affair, whatever it may be, brought home to him so quickly. Frightening him will not be very difficult.
disgust - repugnar, dar asco, asquear, asco, repugnancia
advisable - aconsejable, recomendable, conveniente
spare - de repuesto; prescindir, pasar sin
frightening - asustante; atemorizar
But our true objective lies behind him somewhere. I want your authority to give him such assurances of personal safety as I may think proper."
lies - mentiras; mentira
"Certainly," said the Personage on the hearthrug. "Find out as much as you can; find it out in your own way."
"I must set about it without loss of time, this very evening," said the Assistant Commissioner.
set about - Empezar a
loss of time - Pérdida de tiempo
Sir Ethelred shifted one hand under his coat tails, and tilting back his head, looked at him steadily.
shifted - desplazado; turno, cambio, desviación, deslizamiento
tails - colas; cola
tilting - Inclinación; (tilt) Inclinación
"We'll have a late sitting to-night," he said. "Come to the House with your discoveries if we are not gone home. I'll warn Toodles to look out for you. He'll take you into my room."
warn - alertar, avisar, advertir
The numerous family and the wide connections of the youthful-looking Private Secretary cherished for him the hope of an austere and exalted destiny. Meantime the social sphere he adorned in his hours of idleness chose to pet him under the above nickname. And Sir Ethelred, hearing it on the lips of his wife and girls every day (mostly at breakfast-time), had conferred upon it the dignity of unsmiling adoption.
youthful - juvenil, joven
cherished - apreciado; mimar
destiny - destino, sino
adorned - dornado; adornar, engalanar
pet - animal doméstico/de companía, mascota
conferred - conferido; conferir, debatir, consultar
dignity - dignidad
unsmiling - Sin sonreír
adoption - adopción
The Assistant Commissioner was surprised and gratified extremely.
"I shall certainly bring my discoveries to the House on the chance of you having the time to-"
"I won't have the time," interrupted the great Personage. "But I will see you. I haven't the time now-And you are going yourself?"
"Yes, Sir Ethelred. I think it the best way."
The Personage had tilted his head so far back that, in order to keep the Assistant Commissioner under his observation, he had to nearly close his eyes.
"H'm. Ha! And how do you propose-Will you assume a disguise?"
ha - Ja
propose - proponer, pedir la mano, pedir matrimonio, proponer matrimonio
disguise - disfraz, pantalla, tapadera, disfrazar
"Hardly a disguise! I'll change my clothes, of course."
"Of course," repeated the great man, with a sort of absent-minded loftiness. He turned his big head slowly, and over his shoulder gave a haughty oblique stare to the ponderous marble timepiece with the sly, feeble tick. The gilt hands had taken the opportunity to steal through no less than five and twenty minutes behind his back.
absent - ausente
loftiness - alteza
sly - astuto, pillo, listo, habilidoso
feeble - débil, endeble, feble, deficiente
steal - robar, hurtar, robo
The Assistant Commissioner, who could not see them, grew a little nervous in the interval. But the great man presented to him a calm and undismayed face.
interval - intervalo
undismayed - Indiferente
"Very well," he said, and paused, as if in deliberate contempt of the official clock. "But what first put you in motion in this direction?"
deliberate - deliberada; deliberado, a propósito, prudente, deliberar
"I have been always of opinion," began the Assistant Commissioner.
"Ah. Yes! Opinion. That's of course. But the immediate motive?"
motive - motivo, móbil
"What shall I say, Sir Ethelred? A new man's antagonism to old methods. A desire to know something at first hand. Some impatience. It's my old work, but the harness is different. It has been chafing me a little in one or two tender places."
antagonism - antagonismo, hostilidad
at first hand - de primera mano
chafing - rozaduras; calor friccional, escocimiento, irritación, cocedura
"I hope you'll get on over there," said the great man kindly, extending his hand, soft to the touch, but broad and powerful like the hand of a glorified farmer. The Assistant Commissioner shook it, and withdrew.
extending - extendiéndose; extender, ampliar
powerful - poderoso
In the outer room Toodles, who had been waiting perched on the edge of a table, advanced to meet him, subduing his natural buoyancy.
perched - posado; percha
subduing - sometiendo; someter, doblegar, domenar, debelar
buoyancy - sustentación hidráulica, impulso, flotabilidad, optimismo
"Well? Satisfactory?" he asked, with airy importance.
airy - aireado; airoso
"Perfectly. You've earned my undying gratitude," answered the Assistant Commissioner, whose long face looked wooden in contrast with the peculiar character of the other's gravity, which seemed perpetually ready to break into ripples and chuckles.
earned - ganado; ganar
undying - inmortal; eterno, imperecedero, inmarchitable, inmarcesible
long face - cara larga
contrast with - contrastar con
perpetually - perpetuamente
ripples - ndas; ondulación
chuckles - risas; reírse (entre dientes)
"That's all right. But seriously, you can't imagine how irritated he is by the attacks on his Bill for the Nationalisation of Fisheries. They call it the beginning of social revolution. Of course, it is a revolutionary measure. But these fellows have no decency. The personal attacks-"
irritated - irritado; irritar, enviscar
Nationalisation - nacionalización
"I read the papers," remarked the Assistant Commissioner.
"Odious? Eh? And you have no notion what a mass of work he has got to get through every day. He does it all himself. Seems unable to trust anyone with these Fisheries."
"And yet he's given a whole half hour to the consideration of my very small sprat," interjected the Assistant Commissioner.
consideration - consideración
sprat - espadín
"Small! Is it? I'm glad to hear that. But it's a pity you didn't keep away, then. This fight takes it out of him frightfully. The man's getting exhausted. I feel it by the way he leans on my arm as we walk over. And, I say, is he safe in the streets? Mullins has been marching his men up here this afternoon.
keep away - mantenerse alejado
There's a constable stuck by every lamp-post, and every second person we meet between this and Palace Yard is an obvious 'tec.' It will get on his nerves presently. I say, these foreign scoundrels aren't likely to throw something at him-are they? It would be a national calamity. The country can't spare him."
tec - ec
nerves - nervio, coraje, descaro, frescura, nervios
scoundrels - sinvergüenzas; bribón, canalla, bellaco, villano
calamity - calamidad, panish: t-needed
"Not to mention yourself. He leans on your arm," suggested the Assistant Commissioner soberly. "You would both go."
soberly - sobriamente
"It would be an easy way for a young man to go down into history? Not so many British Ministers have been assassinated as to make it a minor incident. But seriously now-"
minor - menor, menor, menor de edad
"I am afraid that if you want to go down into history you'll have to do something for it. Seriously, there's no danger whatever for both of you but from overwork."
overwork - trabajo excesivo
The sympathetic Toodles welcomed this opening for a chuckle.
sympathetic - simpático; compasivo, comprensivo, amable
chuckle - reírse (entre dientes)
"The Fisheries won't kill me. I am used to late hours," he declared, with ingenuous levity. But, feeling an instant compunction, he began to assume an air of statesman-like moodiness, as one draws on a glove. "His massive intellect will stand any amount of work. It's his nerves that I am afraid of. The reactionary gang, with that abusive brute Cheeseman at their head, insult him every night."
instant - instantáneo, inmediato
statesman - un estadista; estadista
moodiness - Mal humor
reactionary - reaccionario, reaccionario
abusive - abusivo
insult - insultar, insulto, ofensa, improperio
"If he will insist on beginning a revolution!" murmured the Assistant Commissioner.
"The time has come, and he is the only man great enough for the work," protested the revolutionary Toodles, flaring up under the calm, speculative gaze of the Assistant Commissioner. Somewhere in a corridor a distant bell tinkled urgently, and with devoted vigilance the young man pricked up his ears at the sound. "He's ready to go now," he exclaimed in a whisper, snatched up his hat, and vanished from the room.
flaring up - estallar; brotar; reavivarse
speculative - especulativo
pricked - pinchado; pinchar, perforar
snatched up - agarrar, tomar
The Assistant Commissioner went out by another door in a less elastic manner. Again he crossed the wide thoroughfare, walked along a narrow street, and re-entered hastily his own departmental buildings. He kept up this accelerated pace to the door of his private room.
kept up - seguir el ritmo
accelerated - acelerado; acelerar, apresurar
Before he had closed it fairly his eyes sought his desk. He stood still for a moment, then walked up, looked all round on the floor, sat down in his chair, rang a bell, and waited.
"Chief Inspector Heat gone yet?"
"Yes, sir. went away half-an-hour ago."
went away - se fue
He nodded. "That will do." And sitting still, with his hat pushed off his forehead, he thought that it was just like Heat's confounded cheek to carry off quietly the only piece of material evidence. But he thought this without animosity. Old and valued servants will take liberties. The piece of overcoat with the address sewn on was certainly not a thing to leave about.
pushed off - empujado, rechazado
carry off - conseguir
valued - valorado; valor, importancia, valorar, cifrar, apreciar
liberties - ibertades; libertad
Dismissing from his mind this manifestation of Chief Inspector Heat's mistrust, he wrote and despatched a note to his wife, charging her to make his apologies to Michaelis'great lady, with whom they were engaged to dine that evening.
dismissing - despidiendo; despedir, echar, disipar, rechazar, expulsar
manifestation - manifestación
despatched - despachar
charging - cargando; cargo, acusación, encargo, figura, acusar, cobrar
apologies - disculpas; disculpa, excusa
dine - cenar
The short jacket and the low, round hat he assumed in a sort of curtained alcove containing a washstand, a row of wooden pegs and a shelf, brought out wonderfully the length of his grave, brown face. He stepped back into the full light of the room, looking like the vision of a cool, reflective Don Quixote, with the sunken eyes of a dark enthusiast and a very deliberate manner. He left the scene of his daily labours quickly like an unobtrusive shadow. His descent into the street was like the descent into a slimy aquarium from which the water had been run off.
curtained - con cortinas; cortina, telón
alcove - lcoba; hornacina, hueco, nicho
pegs - pinzas; clavija, tarugo, colgador, perchero, gancho, fijar
shelf - estante, balda, anaquel, entrepano, estantería, arrecife
wonderfully - maravillosamente, a las mil maravillas
scene - escena, escenario
slimy - pelusa; viscoso, baboso, pegajoso, gelatinoso
aquarium - acuario, pecera
A murky, gloomy dampness enveloped him. The walls of the houses were wet, the mud of the roadway glistened with an effect of phosphorescence, and when he emerged into the Strand out of a narrow street by the side of Charing Cross Station the genius of the locality assimilated him. He might have been but one more of the queer foreign fish that can be seen of an evening about there flitting round the dark corners.
murky - turbio
enveloped - envuelto; envolver
glistened - brillaba; relucir, rielar
phosphorescence - fosforescencia
locality - vecindario, vecindarios, localidad
assimilated - asimilado; asimilar
flitting - evoloteando; (flit); revolotear
He came to a stand on the very edge of the pavement, and waited. His exercised eyes had made out in the confused movements of lights and shadows thronging the roadway the crawling approach of a hansom.
thronging - abarrotado; muchedumbre, gentío, caterva, multitud, montón
crawling - Arrastrándose; (crawl) Arrastrándose
He gave no sign; but when the low step gliding along the curbstone came to his feet he dodged in skilfully in front of the big turning wheel, and spoke up through the little trap door almost before the man gazing supinely ahead from his perch was aware of having been boarded by a fare.
skilfully - con habilidad
wheel - rueda, pez gordo, llanta, rodar, circunvolar, volar en círculos
trap door - Trampa
supinely - En decúbito supino
ahead - al frente de, delante de, adelante
perch - percha
boarded - abordado; tabla, plancha
fare - tarifa, precio del billete
It was not a long drive. It ended by signal abruptly, nowhere in particular, between two lamp-posts before a large drapery establishment-a long range of shops already lapped up in sheets of corrugated iron for the night. Tendering a coin through the trap door the fare slipped out and away, leaving an effect of uncanny, eccentric ghastliness upon the driver's mind.
nowhere - en ninguna parte, en ningún lugar, en ningún sitio
drapery - cortinas; cortina
establishment - establecimiento, establishment
range - rango; sierra, cordillera, hornillo, estufa, escala, gama
lapped - lapeado; lamer
corrugated - corrugado; corrugar
Tendering - Licitación; (tender) Licitación
slipped - se resbaló; resbalar
uncanny - extrano; inquietante, desconcertante, extrano, siniestro
ghastliness - hastliness
But the size of the coin was satisfactory to his touch, and his education not being literary, he remained untroubled by the fear of finding it presently turned to a dead leaf in his pocket. Raised above the world of fares by the nature of his calling, he contemplated their actions with a limited interest. The sharp pulling of his horse right round expressed his philosophy.
satisfactory to - Satisfactorio para
leaf - hoja, tablero
pulling - Tirando; (pull); tirar, jalar, halar, tirón, ligar
Meantime the Assistant Commissioner was already giving his order to a waiter in a little Italian restaurant round the corner-one of those traps for the hungry, long and narrow, baited with a perspective of mirrors and white napery; without air, but with an atmosphere of their own-an atmosphere of fraudulent cookery mocking an abject mankind in the most pressing of its miserable necessities. In this immoral atmosphere the Assistant Commissioner, reflecting upon his enterprise, seemed to lose some more of his identity. He had a sense of loneliness, of evil freedom. It was rather pleasant. When, after paying for his short meal, he stood up and waited for his change, he saw himself in the sheet of glass, and was struck by his foreign appearance.
Italian - italiano, italiano, italiana
traps - trampas; trampa
baited - con cebo; cebo, carnada, carnaza
mirrors - espejos; espejo
napery - Papelería
cookery - Cocina
abject - abyecto
necessities - necesidades; necesidad, menester
immoral - inmoral
enterprise - empresa, emprendimiento, empuje, iniciativa
He contemplated his own image with a melancholy and inquisitive gaze, then by sudden inspiration raised the collar of his jacket. This arrangement appeared to him commendable, and he completed it by giving an upward twist to the ends of his black moustache. He was satisfied by the subtle modification of his personal aspect caused by these small changes. "That'll do very well," he thought. "I'll get a little wet, a little splashed-"
inquisitive - inquisitivo, curioso
commendable - alabable, loable, encomiable, meritorio
modification - modificación
splashed - salpicado; salpicadura, chapotear, salpicar
He became aware of the waiter at his elbow and of a small pile of silver coins on the edge of the table before him. The waiter kept one eye on it, while his other eye followed the long back of a tall, not very young girl, who passed up to a distant table looking perfectly sightless and altogether unapproachable. She seemed to be a habitual customer.
coins - monedas; moneda, acunar
habitual - habitual
On going out the Assistant Commissioner made to himself the observation that the patrons of the place had lost in the frequentation of fraudulent cookery all their national and private characteristics. And this was strange, since the Italian restaurant is such a peculiarly British institution. But these people were as denationalised as the dishes set before them with every circumstance of unstamped respectability. Neither was their personality stamped in any way, professionally, socially or racially. They seemed created for the Italian restaurant, unless the Italian restaurant had been perchance created for them. But that last hypothesis was unthinkable, since one could not place them anywhere outside those special establishments. One never met these enigmatical persons elsewhere. It was impossible to form a precise idea what occupations they followed by day and where they went to bed at night.
frequentation - Frecuentación
characteristics - características; característico, característica
denationalised - desnacionalizar
unstamped - Sin sello
stamped in - sellado
racially - racialmente
perchance - por casualidad; por ventura
hypothesis - hipótesis
establishments - establecimientos; establecimiento, establishment
enigmatical - enigmático
occupations - ocupaciones; ocupación
And he himself had become unplaced. It would have been impossible for anybody to guess his occupation. As to going to bed, there was a doubt even in his own mind. Not indeed in regard to his domicile itself, but very much so in respect of the time when he would be able to return there. A pleasurable feeling of independence possessed him when he heard the glass doors swing to behind his back with a sort of imperfect baffled thud. He advanced at once into an immensity of greasy slime and damp plaster interspersed with lamps, and enveloped, oppressed, penetrated, choked, and suffocated by the blackness of a wet London night, which is composed of soot and drops of water.
unplaced - descolocar
domicile - domicilio
Independence - independencia
possessed - Posees
swing - balanceo; balancear, mecer, columpiar, oscilar, columpio
baffled - desconcertado; desconcertar, confundir
thud - golpe sordo, darse un batacazo
immensity - inmensidad
slime - limo, cieno, lama, légamo, baba
plaster - esparadrapo; ungüento, yeso, escayola, enlucido, revoque
interspersed - intercalados; intercalar, entremezclar, interspersar
enveloped - envuelto; sobre
suffocated - asfixiado; sofocar, ahogar
composed - compuesto; componer, constituir, conformar, constar
Soot - hollín
drops - gotas; gota
Brett Street was not very far away. It branched off, narrow, from the side of an open triangular space surrounded by dark and mysterious houses, temples of petty commerce emptied of traders for the night. Only a fruiterer's stall at the corner made a violent blaze of light and colour. Beyond all was black, and the few people passing in that direction vanished at one stride beyond the glowing heaps of oranges and lemons. No footsteps echoed. They would never be heard of again. The adventurous head of the Special Crimes Department watched these disappearances from a distance with an interested eye.
branched off - ramificado, dividido
temples - templos; templo
petty - pequeno; baladí, de pitiminí, detallista, insignificante
traders - comerciantes; comerciante
fruiterer - frutero, frutera, verdulero, verdulera
stall - parar; compartimento
blaze - arde; llamarada, incendio; resplandor
stride - andar a zancadas
heaps - montones; pila, montón, cúmulo, montículo, checkpila, amontonar
lemons - limones; limón, citrón, limonero, limón
echoed - resonó; eco, repercutir, repetir, hacer eco
disappearances - desapariciones; desaparición
He felt light-hearted, as though he had been ambushed all alone in a jungle many thousands of miles away from departmental desks and official inkstands. This joyousness and dispersion of thought before a task of some importance seems to prove that this world of ours is not such a very serious affair after all. For the Assistant Commissioner was not constitutionally inclined to levity.
light-hearted - (light-hearted) alegre, ligero, desenfadado
ambushed - emboscada, encerrona
jungle - la jungla; selva, jungla
inkstands - puestos de tinta; escribanía
joyousness - Alegría
Prove - probar
The policeman on the beat projected his sombre and moving form against the luminous glory of oranges and lemons, and entered Brett Street without haste. The Assistant Commissioner, as though he were a member of the criminal classes, lingered out of sight, awaiting his return. But this constable seemed to be lost for ever to the force. He never returned: must have gone out at the other end of Brett Street.
beat - Golpear; latir
lingered - permaneció; permanecer, demorar, persistir, perdurar, pervivir
be lost - perderse
gone out - marcharse, salir, apagarse
The Assistant Commissioner, reaching this conclusion, entered the street in his turn, and came upon a large van arrested in front of the dimly lit window-panes of a carter's eating-house. The man was refreshing himself inside, and the horses, their big heads lowered to the ground, fed out of nose-bags steadily. Farther on, on the opposite side of the street, another suspect patch of dim light issued from Mr Verloc's shop front, hung with papers, heaving with vague piles of cardboard boxes and the shapes of books.
van - furgoneta; camioneta
dimly - tenuemente
eating-house - (eating-house) restaurante; comedor
refreshing - refrescante; refrescar
opposite side - el lado opuesto
suspect - barruntar, sospechar, sospechoso
patch - remiendo, parche
heaving - Agitado; (heave); ondular
cardboard - cartón, cartulina
shapes - formas; forma, estado, modelar, formar
The Assistant Commissioner stood observing it across the roadway. There could be no mistake. By the side of the front window, encumbered by the shadows of nondescript things, the door, standing ajar, let escape on the pavement a narrow, clear streak of gas-light within.
streak - raya, trazo, sarta, racha, ristra
gas-light - (gas-light) luz de gas
Having infused by persistent importunities some sort of heat into the chilly interest of several licensed victuallers (the acquaintances once upon a time of her late unlucky husband), Mrs Verloc's mother had at last secured her admission to certain almshouses founded by a wealthy innkeeper for the destitute widows of the trade.
persistent - persistente
chilly - frío
victuallers - vacunero
almshouses - Limosnería
founded - Encontrado
innkeeper - posadero, posadera, ventero, ventera
destitute - indigente
widows - viudas; viuda, enviudar
This end, conceived in the astuteness of her uneasy heart, the old woman had pursued with secrecy and determination. That was the time when her daughter Winnie could not help passing a remark to Mr Verloc that "mother has been spending half-crowns and five shillings almost every day this last week in cab fares." But the remark was not made grudgingly. Winnie respected her mother's infirmities. She was only a little surprised at this sudden mania for locomotion.
conceived - concebido; concebir
astuteness - astucia, sagacidad, letra menuda
crowns - coronas; corona
shillings - chelines; chelín
grudgingly - a reganadientes; a reganadientes, de mala gana, a cara de perro
respected - respetado; respeto, respetar
infirmities - enfermedades; enfermedad
mania - manía
locomotion - locomoción
Mr Verloc, who was sufficiently magnificent in his way, had grunted the remark impatiently aside as interfering with his meditations. These were frequent, deep, and prolonged; they bore upon a matter more important than five shillings. Distinctly more important, and beyond all comparison more difficult to consider in all its aspects with philosophical serenity.
magnificent - magnífico, macanudo
meditations - meditaciones; meditación
frequent - frecuente
prolonged - prolongado; prolongar
Her object attained in astute secrecy, the heroic old woman had made a clean breast of it to Mrs Verloc. Her soul was triumphant and her heart tremulous. Inwardly she quaked, because she dreaded and admired the calm, self-contained character of her daughter Winnie, whose displeasure was made redoubtable by a diversity of dreadful silences.
astute - astuto, sagaz, perspicaz
heroic - heroico
triumphant - triunfante, triunfador
tremulous - tembloroso; trémulo
displeasure - disgusto, desazón
diversity - diversidad
silences - silencios; silencio, silenciar, hacer callar
But she did not allow her inward apprehensions to rob her of the advantage of venerable placidity conferred upon her outward person by her triple chin, the floating ampleness of her ancient form, and the impotent condition of her legs.
apprehensions - aprehensiones; arresto, aprensión
rob - robar
venerable - venerable
triple - triple, triple, triplicar
floating - flotante, flotador; (float); flotar, carroza
ampleness - amplitud
The shock of the information was so unexpected that Mrs Verloc, against her usual practice when addressed, interrupted the domestic occupation she was engaged upon. It was the dusting of the furniture in the parlour behind the shop. She turned her head towards her mother.
"Whatever did you want to do that for?" she exclaimed, in scandalised astonishment.
The shock must have been severe to make her depart from that distant and uninquiring acceptance of facts which was her force and her safeguard in life.
depart - irse, salir, partir, panish:
uninquiring - Inquietante
acceptance - aceptación
safeguard - salvaguardia, salvaguardar, resguardar
"Weren't you made comfortable enough here?"
She had lapsed into these inquiries, but next moment she saved the consistency of her conduct by resuming her dusting, while the old woman sat scared and dumb under her dingy white cap and lustreless dark wig.
lapsed - aducado; lapso, desliz, prescripción
consistency - consistencia
resuming - reanudar
dumb - tonto; mudo
lustreless - Sin brillo
Winnie finished the chair, and ran the duster along the mahogany at the back of the horse-hair sofa on which Mr Verloc loved to take his ease in hat and overcoat. She was intent on her work, but presently she permitted herself another question.
duster - polvo; plumero
intent on - Tener intenciones de
permitted - permitido; permitir
"How in the world did you manage it, mother?"
manage it - Gestionarlo
As not affecting the inwardness of things, which it was Mrs Verloc's principle to ignore, this curiosity was excusable. It bore merely on the methods. The old woman welcomed it eagerly as bringing forward something that could be talked about with much sincerity.
affecting - afectando; afectar
inwardness - Interioridad
ignore - ignorar, desoír
eagerly - con ganas; ansiosamente
sincerity - sinceridad
She favoured her daughter by an exhaustive answer, full of names and enriched by side comments upon the ravages of time as observed in the alteration of human countenances. The names were principally the names of licensed victuallers-"poor daddy's friends, my dear." She enlarged with special appreciation on the kindness and condescension of a large brewer, a Baronet and an M.
favoured - favorecido; favor
exhaustive - exhaustivo
enriched - enriquecido; enriquecer
comments - comentarios; comentario
ravages - los estragos; estragar, estrago
alteration - alteración, cambio, modificación
daddy - papá, papito, papaíto, papi
enlarged - aumentado; ampliar, agrandar, engrandecer
brewer - cervecero
P., the Chairman of the Governors of the Charity. She expressed herself thus warmly because she had been allowed to interview by appointment his Private Secretary-"a very polite gentleman, all in black, with a gentle, sad voice, but so very, very thin and quiet. He was like a shadow, my dear."
chairman - presidente, secretario general, presidente
charity - caridad, amor al prójimo, entidad benéfica
warmly - calurosamente
by appointment - con cita previa
polite - cortés, educado
Winnie, prolonging her dusting operations till the tale was told to the end, walked out of the parlour into the kitchen (down two steps) in her usual manner, without the slightest comment.
prolonging - prolongando; prolongar
operations - operaciones; operación, operación
Shedding a few tears in sign of rejoicing at her daughter's mansuetude in this terrible affair, Mrs Verloc's mother gave play to her astuteness in the direction of her furniture, because it was her own; and sometimes she wished it hadn't been. Heroism is all very well, but there are circumstances when the disposal of a few tables and chairs, brass bedsteads, and so on, may be big with remote and disastrous consequences. She required a few pieces herself, the Foundation which, after many importunities, had gathered her to its charitable breast, giving nothing but bare planks and cheaply papered bricks to the objects of its solicitude.
shedding - desprendimiento; (shed) desprendimiento
Tears - lágrimas; lágrima
rejoicing - alegría; (rejoice); alegrarse, regocijarse
mansuetude - caballerosidad
disposal - liminación; desecho
brass - latón
bedsteads - camas; cama (sin#Spanish
disastrous - desastroso
foundation - fundación, cimiento, base
charitable - caritativo, benéfico
planks - placas; tablón, artículo, entablar
solicitude - solicitud
The delicacy guiding her choice to the least valuable and most dilapidated articles passed unacknowledged, because Winnie's philosophy consisted in not taking notice of the inside of facts; she assumed that mother took what suited her best. As to Mr Verloc, his intense meditation, like a sort of Chinese wall, isolated him completely from the phenomena of this world of vain effort and illusory appearances.
dilapidated - deteriorado; deteriorar, derrochar, deteriorarse
unacknowledged - no reconocido
suited - adecuado; secuta
isolated - aislado; aislar, aislante
phenomena - fenómenos
illusory - ilusorio
Her selection made, the disposal of the rest became a perplexing question in a particular way. She was leaving it in Brett Street, of course. But she had two children. Winnie was provided for by her sensible union with that excellent husband, Mr Verloc. Stevie was destitute-and a little peculiar. His position had to be considered before the claims of legal justice and even the promptings of partiality. The possession of the furniture would not be in any sense a provision. He ought to have it-the poor boy. But to give it to him would be like tampering with his position of complete dependence. It was a sort of claim which she feared to weaken. Moreover, the susceptibilities of Mr Verloc would perhaps not brook being beholden to his brother-in-law for the chairs he sat on.
Union - unión
claims - reclamaciones; reclamación, declaración, proposición
promptings - Instigación
partiality - parcialidad
tampering - manipulación; (tamper) manipulación
dependence - dependencia
feared - miedo, temor
weaken - debilitar, languir, debilitarse, languecer, languidecer
susceptibilities - susceptibilidades; susceptibilidad
beholden - en deuda; comprometido
In a long experience of gentlemen lodgers, Mrs Verloc's mother had acquired a dismal but resigned notion of the fantastic side of human nature. What if Mr Verloc suddenly took it into his head to tell Stevie to take his blessed sticks somewhere out of that? A division, on the other hand, however carefully made, might give some cause of offence to Winnie. No, Stevie must remain destitute and dependent. And at the moment of leaving Brett Street she had said to her daughter: "No use waiting till I am dead, is there? Everything I leave here is altogether your own now, my dear."
blessed - bendecido; bendito; (bless) bendecido; bendito
sticks - bastones; clavar
offence - Ofensa
Winnie, with her hat on, silent behind her mother's back, went on arranging the collar of the old woman's cloak. She got her hand-bag, an umbrella, with an impassive face. The time had come for the expenditure of the sum of three-and-sixpence on what might well be supposed the last cab drive of Mrs Verloc's mother's life. They went out at the shop door.
cloak - capa, embozo, velo, capa, embozar
expenditure - gastos; gasto
sum - suma
The conveyance awaiting them would have illustrated the proverb that "truth can be more cruel than caricature," if such a proverb existed. Crawling behind an infirm horse, a metropolitan hackney carriage drew up on wobbly wheels and with a maimed driver on the box. This last peculiarity caused some embarrassment. Catching sight of a hooked iron contrivance protruding from the left sleeve of the man's coat, Mrs Verloc's mother lost suddenly the heroic courage of these days. She really couldn't trust herself.
Illustrated - Ilustrado; (illustrate); ilustrar
caricature - caricatura, caricaturizar, caricaturar
infirm - enfermo; enfermizo, endeble, inseguro
metropolitan - metrópolis; metropolitano
wobbly - se tambalea; panish: t-needed
maimed - mutilado; mutilar
peculiarity - particularidad; peculiaridad
embarrassment - vergüenza, corte g
contrivance - aparato, artificio, artimana, estratagema, artefacto, artilugio
"What do you think, Winnie?" She hung back. The passionate expostulations of the big-faced cabman seemed to be squeezed out of a blocked throat. Leaning over from his box, he whispered with mysterious indignation. What was the matter now? Was it possible to treat a man so? His enormous and unwashed countenance flamed red in the muddy stretch of the street. Was it likely they would have given him a licence, he inquired desperately, if-
expostulations - expostulación
squeezed out - exprimido, excluido
blocked - bloqueado; bloque, bloque
whispered - susurrado; susurro, rumor, rastro, susurrar
unwashed - Sin lavar
flamed - Flama
stretch - estirar, estirarse, dar, extenderse, estirón, estiramiento
desperately - desesperadamente
The police constable of the locality quieted him by a friendly glance; then addressing himself to the two women without marked consideration, said:
"He's been driving a cab for twenty years. I never knew him to have an accident."
"Accident!" shouted the driver in a scornful whisper.
shouted - gritó; grito
The policeman's testimony settled it. The modest assemblage of seven people, mostly under age, dispersed. Winnie followed her mother into the cab. Stevie climbed on the box. His vacant mouth and distressed eyes depicted the state of his mind in regard to the transactions which were taking place. In the narrow streets the progress of the journey was made sensible to those within by the near fronts of the houses gliding past slowly and shakily, with a great rattle and jingling of glass, as if about to collapse behind the cab; and the infirm horse, with the harness hung over his sharp backbone flapping very loose about his thighs, appeared to be dancing mincingly on his toes with infinite patience. Later on, in the wider space of Whitehall, all visual evidences of motion became imperceptible.
testimony - testimonio
under age - menor de edad
dispersed - dispersión; dispersar
distressed - angustiado; aflicción, angustia, desasosiego, ansiedad
depicted - dibujado; representar, retratar, describir
progress - progreso
shakily - Temblorosamente
jingling - tintineo, retintín, sintonía
backbone - espina dorsal, columna vertebral, coraje, carácter
flapping - leteo; solapa; faldón
toes - dedos de los pies; dedo del pie, ortejo
wider - más ancho; ancho, amplio, lateral
visual - visual
The rattle and jingle of glass went on indefinitely in front of the long Treasury building-and time itself seemed to stand still.
jingle - tintineo, retintín, sintonía
indefinitely - indefinidamente
treasury - tesorería, erario, tesoro
stand still - estar quieto
At last Winnie observed: "This isn't a very good horse."
Her eyes gleamed in the shadow of the cab straight ahead, immovable. On the box, Stevie shut his vacant mouth first, in order to ejaculate earnestly: "Don't."
straight ahead - en línea recta; todo recto
immovable - inmovible, inamovible
ejaculate - expeler, expulsar, eyacular, checkacabar
The driver, holding high the reins twisted around the hook, took no notice. Perhaps he had not heard. Stevie's breast heaved.
reins - riendas; rienda
twisted - retorcido; torcer, sacar punta a, torcerse
Hook - gancho, garfio, enganchar
heaved - pesado; ondular
"Don't whip."
whip - fusta, látigo, flagelo, panish: t-needed
The man turned slowly his bloated and sodden face of many colours bristling with white hairs. His little red eyes glistened with moisture. His big lips had a violet tint. They remained closed. With the dirty back of his whip-hand he rubbed the stubble sprouting on his enormous chin.
bloated - inflado; hinchar, inflar
sodden - empapado; (seethe); hervir, cocer
moisture - humedad
Violet - violeta
stubble - barba de varios días, rastrojo
sprouting - brotando; (sprout) brotando
"You mustn't," stammered out Stevie violently. "It hurts."
mustn - No debe
stammered - tartamudeó; tartamudear, balbucir, balbucear, gaguear
hurts - duele; doler, lastimar, hacer dano, herido, dolido
"Mustn't whip," queried the other in a thoughtful whisper, and immediately whipped. He did this, not because his soul was cruel and his heart evil, but because he had to earn his fare. And for a time the walls of St Stephen's, with its towers and pinnacles, contemplated in immobility and silence a cab that jingled. It rolled too, however. But on the bridge there was a commotion. Stevie suddenly proceeded to get down from the box.
whipped - batido; fusta, látigo, flagelo, panish: t-needed
towers - torres; torre
pinnacles - pináculos; cumbre, pináculo, pico, ápice
jingled - tintineó; tintineo, retintín, sintonía
commotion - conmoción
There were shouts on the pavement, people ran forward, the driver pulled up, whispering curses of indignation and astonishment. Winnie lowered the window, and put her head out, white as a ghost. In the depths of the cab, her mother was exclaiming, in tones of anguish: "Is that boy hurt? Is that boy hurt?"
shouts - gritos; grito
curses - maldiciones; maldecir
exclaiming - exclamando; exclamar
Stevie was not hurt, he had not even fallen, but excitement as usual had robbed him of the power of connected speech. He could do no more than stammer at the window. "Too heavy. Too heavy." Winnie put out her hand on to his shoulder.
robbed - robado; robar
stammer - tartamudear, balbucir, balbucear, gaguear, tartamudeo
"Stevie! Get up on the box directly, and don't try to get down again."
"No. No. Walk. Must walk."
In trying to state the nature of that necessity he stammered himself into utter incoherence. No physical impossibility stood in the way of his whim. Stevie could have managed easily to keep pace with the infirm, dancing horse without getting out of breath.
incoherence - incoherencia
impossibility - imposibilidad
whim - capricho
But his sister withheld her consent decisively. "The idea! Whoever heard of such a thing! Run after a cab!" Her mother, frightened and helpless in the depths of the conveyance, entreated: "Oh, don't let him, Winnie. He'll Get lost. Don't let him."
withheld - retenido; retener, negar, rehusar
decisively - con decisión; decisivamente
frightened - asustado; atemorizar
entreated - suplicado; rogar, suplicar, invitar, compartir, negociar
Get lost - perderse; !vete!
"Certainly not. What next! Mr Verloc will be sorry to hear of this nonsense, Stevie,-I can tell you. He won't be happy at all."
be sorry - sentir, lamentar
The idea of Mr Verloc's grief and unhappiness acting as usual powerfully upon Stevie's fundamentally docile disposition, he abandoned all resistance, and climbed up again on the box, with a face of despair.
grief - duelo; pesar, pesadumbre, dolor, sufrimiento
unhappiness - infelicidad
acting as - actuando como
powerfully - con fuerza; poderosamente
fundamentally - fundamentalmente
resistance - resistencia
climbed up - subir
The cabby turned at him his enormous and inflamed countenance truculently. "Don't you go for trying this silly game again, young fellow."
truculently - Truculentamente
After delivering himself thus in a stern whisper, strained almost to extinction, he drove on, ruminating solemnly. To his mind the incident remained somewhat obscure. But his intellect, though it had lost its pristine vivacity in the benumbing years of sedentary exposure to the weather, lacked not independence or sanity. Gravely he dismissed the hypothesis of Stevie being a drunken young nipper.
stern - severo, austero, serio
strained - estirar, tensar
extinction - extinción
ruminating - reflexionando; rumiar
pristine - Prístina
vivacity - vivacidad
benumbing - Imbécil
sedentary - sedentario
exposure - exposición, exposición, checkpublicidad, checkdenuncia
sanity - la cordura; cordura, sensatez
gravely - gravemente
drunken - Borracho
nipper - nino; mico
Inside the cab the spell of silence, in which the two women had endured shoulder to shoulder the jolting, rattling, and jingling of the journey, had been broken by Stevie's outbreak. Winnie raised her voice.
endured - oportado; aguantar, perdurar, tolerar, consentir, condescender
jolting - sacudida; sacudir, traquetear
rattling - traqueteo; (rattle) traqueteo
"You've done what you wanted, mother. You'll have only yourself to thank for it if you aren't happy afterwards. And I don't think you'll be. That I don't. Weren't you comfortable enough in the house? Whatever people'll think of us-you throwing yourself like this on a Charity?"
"My dear," screamed the old woman earnestly above the noise, "you've been the best of daughters to me. As to Mr Verloc-there-"
Words failing her on the subject of Mr Verloc's excellence, she turned her old tearful eyes to the roof of the cab. Then she averted her head on the pretence of looking out of the window, as if to judge of their progress. It was insignificant, and went on close to the curbstone.
excellence - excelencia, prestancia
tearful - lágrimas; lloroso, lacrimoso, lagrimoso
Night, the early dirty night, the sinister, noisy, hopeless and rowdy night of South London, had overtaken her on her last cab drive. In the gas-light of the low-fronted shops her big cheeks glowed with an orange hue under a black and mauve bonnet.
noisy - ruidoso
overtaken - uperado; rebasar, sobrepasar, adelantar, alcanzar, superar
glowed - brillaba; fulgir, fulgurar, iluminar, brillar
hue - color; matiz
mauve - malva
bonnet - capucha, gorra, cofia, capota, capó
Mrs Verloc's mother's complexion had become yellow by the effect of age and from a natural predisposition to biliousness, favoured by the trials of a difficult and worried existence, first as wife, then as widow. It was a complexion, that under the influence of a blush would take on an orange tint. And this woman, modest indeed but hardened in the fires of adversity, of an age, moreover, when blushes are not expected, had positively blushed before her daughter.
predisposition - predisposición
biliousness - biliosidad
widow - viuda, enviudar
adversity - adversidad
blushes - se ruboriza; sonrojo, rubor
blushed - se sonrojó; sonrojo, rubor
In the privacy of a four-wheeler, on her way to a charity cottage (one of a row) which by the exiguity of its dimensions and the simplicity of its accommodation, might well have been devised in kindness as a place of training for the still more straitened circumstances of the grave, she was forced to hide from her own child a blush of remorse and shame.
wheeler - Rueda
exiguity - exigencia; exigüidad, escasez
dimensions - dimensiones; dimensión
accommodation - alojamiento, hospedaje, acomodación
devised - deado; concebir, inventar, tramar, maquinar, legar
straitened - traiten
remorse - remordimientos; remordimiento, compunción
shame - vergüenza, pena
Whatever people will think? She knew very well what they did think, the people Winnie had in her mind-the old friends of her husband, and others too, whose interest she had solicited with such flattering success. She had not known before what a good beggar she could be. But she guessed very well what inference was drawn from her application. On account of that shrinking delicacy, which exists side by side with aggressive brutality in masculine nature, the inquiries into her circumstances had not been pushed very far. She had checked them by a visible compression of the lips and some display of an emotion determined to be eloquently silent. And the men would become suddenly incurious, after the manner of their kind. She congratulated herself more than once on having nothing to do with women, who being naturally more callous and avid of details, would have been anxious to be exactly informed by what sort of unkind conduct her daughter and son-in-law had driven her to that sad extremity.
solicited - solicitado; solicitar, cortejar
flattering - palanqueador; halagar, adular
shrinking - ncogiendo; contraerse, encogerse, achicarse, mermar
side with - apoyar a alguien, respaldar
masculine - masculino, varonil, viril, macho
pushed - empujado; empujar
compression - compresión
eloquently - con elocuencia
congratulated - felicitado; felicitar
callous - insensible, cruel, desconsiderado, calloso
avid - avido; ávido
unkind - desagradable; cruel, duro
extremity - extremidad
It was only before the Secretary of the great brewer M. P. and Chairman of the Charity, who, acting for his principal, felt bound to be conscientiously inquisitive as to the real circumstances of the applicant, that she had burst into tears outright and aloud, as a cornered woman will weep. The thin and polite gentleman, after contemplating her with an air of being "struck all of a heap," abandoned his position under the cover of soothing remarks. She must not distress herself. The deed of the Charity did not absolutely specify "childless widows." In fact, it did not by any means disqualify her. But the discretion of the Committee must be an informed discretion. One could understand very well her unwillingness to be a burden, etc. etc. Thereupon, to his profound disappointment, Mrs Verloc's mother wept some more with an augmented vehemence.
applicant - solicitante, peticionario, candidato, postulante
outright - en serio; por completo, de plano, abiertamente, inmediatamente
cornered - arrinconado; ángulo, checkrincón, esquina, acorralar, girar
weep - llorar
contemplating - contemplando; contemplar
cover - Cubierta
soothing - calmante; tranquilizador, tranquilizante; (sooth); verdad
deed - hecho, acto, acción, obra, hazana; (dee); hecho, acto, acción
specify - especificar
childless - sin hijos
disqualify - descalificar, (''sport'') desclasificar
burden - carga
etc - tc
thereupon - sobre eso; entonces
disappointment - decepción, desilusión, chasco
wept - lloró; llorar
vehemence - vehemencia, hervor
The tears of that large female in a dark, dusty wig, and ancient silk dress festooned with dingy white cotton lace, were the tears of genuine distress. She had wept because she was heroic and unscrupulous and full of love for both her children. Girls frequently get sacrificed to the welfare of the boys. In this case she was sacrificing Winnie.
female - mujer; femenino, hembra, hembra
festooned - engalanado; guirnalda, festón, guirnalda luminosa
cotton - algodón
lace - encaje; cordón
unscrupulous - sin escrúpulos; inescrupuloso, desaprensivo
sacrificed - sacrificado; sacrificar, sacrificio
sacrificing - sacrificando; sacrificar, sacrificio
By the suppression of truth she was slandering her. Of course, Winnie was independent, and need not care for the opinion of people that she would never see and who would never see her; whereas poor Stevie had nothing in the world he could call his own except his mother's heroism and unscrupulousness.
slandering - calumniando; calumnia, calumniar, difamar, dejar negro, pelar
The first sense of security following on Winnie's marriage wore off in time (for nothing lasts), and Mrs Verloc's mother, in the seclusion of the back bedroom, had recalled the teaching of that experience which the world impresses upon a widowed woman. But she had recalled it without vain bitterness; her store of resignation amounted almost to dignity. She reflected stoically that everything decays, wears out, in this world; that the way of kindness should be made easy to the well disposed; that her daughter Winnie was a most devoted sister, and a very self-confident wife indeed. As regards Winnie's sisterly devotion, her stoicism flinched. She excepted that sentiment from the rule of decay affecting all things human and some things divine.
wore off - desaparecer, desvanecerse, pasarse
impresses - impresionar, impresión, impresión
widowed - viudo; viuda, enviudar
store - tienda; depósito, almacenar, conservar
amounted - a cuánto asciende; cantidad, monto, montante, importe
stoically - estoicamente
decays - ecae; descomposición, deterioración, putrefacción, podredumbre
most devoted - el más devoto
regards - saludos; considerar
sisterly - hermana; sororal
flinched - se estremeció; encogerse, estremecerse
excepted - exceptuar, excepto, salvo, exceptuando, menos, salvo que
divine - divino
She could not help it; not to do so would have frightened her too much. But in considering the conditions of her daughter's married state, she rejected firmly all flattering illusions. She took the cold and reasonable view that the less strain put on Mr Verloc's kindness the longer its effects were likely to last. That excellent man loved his wife, of course, but he would, no doubt, prefer to keep as few of her relations as was consistent with the proper display of that sentiment. It would be better if its whole effect were concentrated on poor Stevie. And the heroic old woman resolved on going away from her children as an act of devotion and as a move of deep policy.
rejected - rechazado; rechazar, desestimar, artículo defectuoso, marginado
reasonable - razonable, módico
concentrated - concentrar, concentrarse, concentrado
resolved - resuelto; tomar la decisión de, resolver
going away - se va a ir
The "virtue" of this policy consisted in this (Mrs Verloc's mother was subtle in her way), that Stevie's moral claim would be strengthened. The poor boy-a good, useful boy, if a little peculiar-had not a sufficient standing. He had been taken over with his mother, somewhat in the same way as the furniture of the Belgravian mansion had been taken over, as if on the ground of belonging to her exclusively. What will happen, she asked herself (for Mrs Verloc's mother was in a measure imaginative), when I die? And when she asked herself that question it was with dread. It was also terrible to think that she would not then have the means of knowing what happened to the poor boy.
claim - reclamación, declaración, proposición, afirmación, concesión
exclusively - exclusivamente
imaginative - imaginativo
But by making him over to his sister, by going thus away, she gave him the advantage of a directly dependent position. This was the more subtle sanction of Mrs Verloc's mother's heroism and unscrupulousness. Her act of abandonment was really an arrangement for settling her son permanently in life. Other people made material sacrifices for such an object, she in that way. It was the only way. Moreover, she would be able to see how it worked. Ill or well she would avoid the horrible incertitude on the death-bed. But it was hard, hard, cruelly hard.
abandonment - abandono, desamparo, dejación, abandonamiento
settling - asentarse; sedimento, decantación
permanently - permanentemente, constantemente, continuamente
sacrifices - sacrificios; sacrificar, sacrificio
avoid - evitar, esquivar
incertitude - Incertidumbre
cruelly - sangrientamente, cruelmente
The cab rattled, jingled, jolted; in fact, the last was quite extraordinary. By its disproportionate violence and magnitude it obliterated every sensation of onward movement; and the effect was of being shaken in a stationary apparatus like a medićval device for the punishment of crime, or some very newfangled invention for the cure of a sluggish liver.
jolted - sacudido; sacudir, traquetear
disproportionate - desproporcionado
magnitude - magnitud, norma
obliterated - oliterado; remover, borrar, destruir, obliterar
onward - en adelante; hacia adelante, para adelante
stationary - estacionaria; estacionario, inamovible
apparatus - aparato, equipo, aparataje
device - dispositivo, mecanismo, aparejo
punishment - castigo, penitencia, checkpenitencia
newfangled - nuevo; moderno, ultramoderno
invention - invención, invento
sluggish - perezoso, haragán, huevón, desganado
It was extremely distressing; and the raising of Mrs Verloc's mother's voice sounded like a wail of pain.
distressing - angustiante; aflicción, angustia, desasosiego, ansiedad
wail - aullido; llorar, gimotear; ulular; planir
"I know, my dear, You'll come to see me as often as you can spare the time. Won't you?"
You'll come - Vendrás
"Of course," answered Winnie shortly, staring straight before her.
And the cab jolted in front of a steamy, greasy shop in a blaze of gas and in the smell of fried fish.
steamy - vaporoso; humeante, apasionado, fogoso, tórrido
fried - frito; freír
The old woman raised a wail again.
"And, my dear, I must see that poor boy every Sunday. He won't mind spending the day with his old mother-"
Winnie screamed out stolidly:
"Mind! I should think not. That poor boy will miss you something cruel. I wish you had thought a little of that, mother."
Not think of it! The heroic woman swallowed a playful and inconvenient object like a billiard ball, which had tried to jump out of her throat. Winnie sat mute for a while, pouting at the front of the cab, then snapped out, which was an unusual tone with her:
playful - juguetón, divertido
billiard ball - Bola de billar
jump out - Saltar fuera
pouting - Haciendo pucheros; (pout) Haciendo pucheros
"I expect I'll have a job with him at first, he'll be that restless-"
restless - inquieto
"Whatever you do, don't let him worry your husband, my dear."
worry - preocuparse, estar preocupado, inquietarse, comerse la cabeza
Thus they discussed on familiar lines the bearings of a new situation. And the cab jolted. Mrs Verloc's mother expressed some misgivings. Could Stevie be trusted to come all that way alone? Winnie maintained that he was much less "absent-minded" now. They agreed as to that. It could not be denied.
bearings - Rodamiento
maintained - mantenido; mantener, sostener
Much less-hardly at all. They shouted at each other in the jingle with comparative cheerfulness. But suddenly the maternal anxiety broke out afresh. There were two omnibuses to take, and a short walk between. It was too difficult! The old woman gave way to grief and consternation.
cheerfulness - alegría
afresh - de nuevo, otra vez
gave way - ceder el paso
Winnie stared forward.
"Don't you upset yourself like this, mother. You must see him, of course."
"No, my dear. I'll try not to."
She mopped her streaming eyes.
mopped - fregado; chascona, fregar
"But you can't spare the time to come with him, and if he should forget himself and lose his way and somebody spoke to him sharply, his name and address may slip his memory, and he'll remain lost for days and days-"
slip - resbalón; resbalar
The vision of a workhouse infirmary for poor Stevie-if only during inquiries-wrung her heart. For she was a proud woman. Winnie's stare had grown hard, intent, inventive.
wrung - escurrido; torcer, retorcer
inventive - inventiva; inventivo
"I can't bring him to you myself every week," she cried. "But don't you worry, mother. I'll see to it that he don't get lost for long."
see to - ver
They felt a peculiar bump; a vision of brick pillars lingered before the rattling windows of the cab; a sudden cessation of atrocious jolting and uproarious jingling dazed the two women. What had happened? They sat motionless and scared in the profound stillness, till the door came open, and a rough, strained whispering was heard:
bump - chichón, tolondro, cototo, checkbache
pillars - pilares; pilar
cessation - dejar de fumar; cese
dazed - turdido; aturdimiento, aturdir, encandilar
"Here you are!"
A range of gabled little houses, each with one dim yellow window, on the ground floor, surrounded the dark open space of a grass plot planted with shrubs and railed off from the patchwork of lights and shadows in the wide road, resounding with the dull rumble of traffic. Before the door of one of these tiny houses-one without a light in the little downstairs window-the cab had come to a standstill. Mrs Verloc's mother got out first, backwards, with a key in her hand.
gabled - a dos aguas; aguilón
grass - pasto, hierba, grama, césped
shrubs - arbustos; arbusto
railed - aile
patchwork - almazuela
resounding - resonante; resonar
standstill - paralización; parada
backwards - hacia atrás; atrasado, rezagado, subdesarrollado
Winnie lingered on the flagstone path to pay the cabman. Stevie, after helping to carry inside a lot of small parcels, came out and stood under the light of a gas-lamp belonging to the Charity. The cabman looked at the pieces of silver, which, appearing very minute in his big, grimy palm, symbolised the insignificant results which reward the ambitious courage and toil of a mankind whose day is short on this earth of evil.
flagstone - piedra laja; adoquín, laja
parcels - paquetes; paquete, parcela, hatajo, embalar, parcelar
symbolised - imbolizar
Reward - recompensa
ambitious - ambicioso
He had been paid decently-four one-shilling pieces-and he contemplated them in perfect stillness, as if they had been the surprising terms of a melancholy problem. The slow transfer of that treasure to an inner pocket demanded much laborious groping in the depths of decayed clothing. His form was squat and without flexibility.
decently - Decentemente
surprising - sorprendente; (surprise); sorpresa, sorprender
transfer - transferir, trasladar, calcar, imprimir, transferencia, calco
treasure - tesoro, atesorar
demanded - exigió; demanda, exigencia, exigir, demandar
squat - sentarse en cuclillas
flexibility - flexibilidad
Stevie, slender, his shoulders a little up, and his hands thrust deep in the side pockets of his warm overcoat, stood at the edge of the path, pouting.
The cabman, pausing in his deliberate movements, seemed struck by some misty recollection.
"Oh! 'Ere you are, young fellow," he whispered. "You'll know him again-won't you?"
ere - Aquí
Stevie was staring at the horse, whose hind quarters appeared unduly elevated by the effect of emaciation. The little stiff tail seemed to have been fitted in for a heartless joke; and at the other end the thin, flat neck, like a plank covered with old horse-hide, drooped to the ground under the weight of an enormous bony head.
hind - detrás; cierva
emaciation - emaciación
stiff - rígido, duro, tieso, inflexible
tail - cola
heartless - sin corazón; cruel, desalmado
The ears hung at different angles, negligently; and the macabre figure of that mute dweller on the earth steamed straight up from ribs and backbone in the muggy stillness of the air.
macabre - macabro, gótico, mórbido, funesto
dweller - habitante
steamed - al vapor; vapor
ribs - costillas; costilla
The cabman struck lightly Stevie's breast with the iron hook protruding from a ragged, greasy sleeve.
"Look 'ere, young feller. 'Ow'd you like to sit behind this 'oss up to two o'clock in the morning p'raps?"
raps - aps; golpe seco
Stevie looked vacantly into the fierce little eyes with red-edged lids.
"He ain't lame," pursued the other, whispering with energy. "He ain't got no sore places on 'im. 'Ere he is. 'Ow would you like-"
lame - cojo
energy - energía
sore - dolorido; doloroso
His strained, extinct voice invested his utterance with a character of vehement secrecy. Stevie's vacant gaze was changing slowly into dread.
extinct - extinguido; extinto
vehement - vehemente
"You may well look! Till three and four o'clock in the morning. Cold and 'ungry. Looking for fares. Drunks."
ungry - enfadado
Drunks - borrachos; borracho, ebrio, pedo, borracho
His jovial purple cheeks bristled with white hairs; and like Virgil's Silenus, who, his face smeared with the juice of berries, discoursed of Olympian Gods to the innocent shepherds of Sicily, he talked to Stevie of domestic matters and the affairs of men whose sufferings are great and immortality by no means assured.
jovial - jovial, alegre
bristled - erizado; cerda, erizar, ponerse a la defensiva
Virgil - Virgilio
smeared - untado; manchar, untar, embadurnar, aplicar
berries - bayas; baya
discoursed - discutido; discurso, conversación, disertar
Olympian - Olimpiador
gods - dioses; endiosar, idolatrar, deificar
shepherds - pastores; pastor, ovejero, pastorear
Sicily - Sicilia
"I am a night cabby, I am," he whispered, with a sort of boastful exasperation. "I've got to take out what they will blooming well give me at the yard. I've got my missus and four kids at 'ome."
boastful - jactancioso, fachendoso
blooming - floreciendo; flor
Missus - senora; Senora
kids - ninos; nino, crío, chaval
ome - me
The monstrous nature of that declaration of paternity seemed to strike the world dumb. A silence reigned during which the flanks of the old horse, the steed of apocalyptic misery, smoked upwards in the light of the charitable gas-lamp.
paternity - Paternidad
strike - tachar, borrar, golpear, pegar, acunar, hacer la huelga
flanks - flancos; costado, flanco
steed - caballo; corcel
apocalyptic - apocalíptico
smoked - fumado; humo
The cabman grunted, then added in his mysterious whisper:
"This ain't an easy world." Stevie's face had been twitching for some time, and at last his feelings burst out in their usual concise form.
"Bad! Bad!"
His gaze remained fixed on the ribs of the horse, self-conscious and sombre, as though he were afraid to look about him at the badness of the world. And his slenderness, his rosy lips and pale, clear complexion, gave him the aspect of a delicate boy, notwithstanding the fluffy growth of golden hair on his cheeks. He pouted in a scared way like a child.
badness - maldad
pouted - hizo un mohín; hacer pucheros, hacer un mohín
The cabman, short and broad, eyed him with his fierce little eyes that seemed to smart in a clear and corroding liquid.
corroding - corrosión; corroer
liquid - líquido, líquida
"'Ard on 'osses, but dam'sight 'arder on poor chaps like me," he wheezed just audibly.
osses - sses
dam - presa; dique
arder - rder
"Poor! Poor!" stammered out Stevie, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets with convulsive sympathy. He could say nothing; for the tenderness to all pain and all misery, the desire to make the horse happy and the cabman happy, had reached the point of a bizarre longing to take them to bed with him. And that, he knew, was impossible. For Stevie was not mad. It was, as it were, a symbolic longing; and at the same time it was very distinct, because springing from experience, the mother of wisdom. Thus when as a child he cowered in a dark corner scared, wretched, sore, and miserable with the black, black misery of the soul, his sister Winnie used to come along, and carry him off to bed with her, as into a heaven of consoling peace.
deeper - más profundo; profundo, hondo, fondo, ancho, bajo, grave, oscuro
tenderness - ternura
symbolic - simbólico
from experience - de la experiencia
cowered - acobardado; encogerse, empequenecerse, apocarse
off to bed - se va a la cama
Heaven - el cielo; cielo, firmamento, paraíso
consoling - consolador; consolar
Stevie, though apt to forget mere facts, such as his name and address for instance, had a faithful memory of sensations. To be taken into a bed of compassion was the supreme remedy, with the only one disadvantage of being difficult of application on a large scale. And looking at the cabman, Stevie perceived this clearly, because he was reasonable.
apt - apto; susceptible de, propenso a
faithful - fieles; fiel, leal
remedy - remedio, recurso, remediar
being difficult - ser difícil
The cabman went on with his leisurely preparations as if Stevie had not existed. He made as if to hoist himself on the box, but at the last moment from some obscure motive, perhaps merely from disgust with carriage exercise, desisted.
preparations - preparativos; preparación
Hoist - izador; izar, aparejo
desisted - desistió; desistir
He approached instead the motionless partner of his labours, and stooping to seize the bridle, lifted up the big, weary head to the height of his shoulder with one effort of his right arm, like a feat of strength.
seize - incautar; agarrar, apoderarse de, apresar, aferrar, tomar
bridle - brida
"Come on," he whispered secretly.
Stevie left alone beside the private lamp-post of the Charity, his hands thrust deep into his pockets, glared with vacant sulkiness. At the bottom of his pockets his incapable weak hands were clinched hard into a pair of angry fists. In the face of anything which affected directly or indirectly his morbid dread of pain, Stevie ended by turning vicious. A magnanimous indignation swelled his frail chest to bursting, and caused his candid eyes to squint. Supremely wise in knowing his own powerlessness, Stevie was not wise enough to restrain his passions. The tenderness of his universal charity had two phases as indissolubly joined and connected as the reverse and obverse sides of a medal. The anguish of immoderate compassion was succeeded by the pain of an innocent but pitiless rage. Those two states expressing themselves outwardly by the same signs of futile bodily agitation, his sister Winnie soothed his excitement without ever fathoming its twofold character.
beside - al lado de, cabe
sulkiness - Enfurrunamiento
clinched - seguro; panish: t-needed
fists - punos; puno
indirectly - indirectamente
vicious - panish: t-needed
magnanimous - magnánimo
swelled - hinchado; hinchar(se), inflar(se)
bursting - reventar, romper, ráfaga, estallo, reventón
powerlessness - impotencia
phases - fasis
the reverse - revés, contrario, opuesto, dorso
obverse - anverso
medal - medalla
immoderate - inmoderado; desmedido, desmesurado
succeeded - tuvo éxito; suceder, conseguir, tener éxito, heredar
expressing - expresando; expresar
outwardly - exteriormente
signs - senales; senal
agitation - agitación, desasosiego, inquietud
fathoming - entendiendo; braza
twofold - doble, doblemente
Mrs Verloc wasted no portion of this transient life in seeking for fundamental information. This is a sort of economy having all the appearances and some of the advantages of prudence. Obviously it may be good for one not to know too much. And such a view accords very well with constitutional indolence.
wasted - Desperdiciar
portion - porción
transient - pasajero; transitorio, trotamundo, transeúnte
fundamental - fundamental
accords - acuerdos; acuerdo, convenio, acordar, conceder, conferir
On that evening on which it may be said that Mrs Verloc's mother having parted for good from her children had also departed this life, Winnie Verloc did not investigate her brother's psychology. The poor boy was excited, of course. After once more assuring the old woman on the threshold that she would know how to guard against the risk of Stevie losing himself for very long on his pilgrimages of filial piety, she took her brother's arm to walk away.
investigate - investigar, pesquisar, indagar, examinar
psychology - psicología
assuring - aseguro; asegurar
threshold - umbral, entrada, límite
pilgrimages - peregrinaciones; peregrinación, peregrinaje, peregrinar
filial - filial
piety - piedad
Stevie did not even mutter to himself, but with the special sense of sisterly devotion developed in her earliest infancy, she felt that the boy was very much excited indeed. Holding tight to his arm, under the appearance of leaning on it, she thought of some words suitable to the occasion.
"Now, Stevie, you must look well after me at the crossings, and get first into the 'bus, like a good brother."
crossings - cruces; cruce, crucero, edestrian
This appeal to manly protection was received by Stevie with his usual docility. It flattered him. He raised his head and threw out his chest.
appeal - apelación; suplicar, rogar
manly - varonil, viril
"Don't be nervous, Winnie. Mustn't be nervous! 'Bus all right," he answered in a brusque, slurring stammer partaking of the timorousness of a child and the resolution of a man. He advanced fearlessly with the woman on his arm, but his lower lip dropped.
slurring - problemas de dicción; denigración, insulto, legato
partaking - Participando; (partake); participar
timorousness - tímidez
Nevertheless, on the pavement of the squalid and wide thoroughfare, whose poverty in all the amenities of life stood foolishly exposed by a mad profusion of gas-lights, their resemblance to each other was so pronounced as to strike the casual passers-by.
squalid - sucio, escuálido miserable
amenities - comodidades; comodidad, amenidad, servicio, servicio público
foolishly - Tontamente
profusion - profusión
Before the doors of the public-house at the corner, where the profusion of gas-light reached the height of positive wickedness, a four-wheeled cab standing by the curbstone with no one on the box, seemed cast out into the gutter on account of irremediable decay. Mrs Verloc recognised the conveyance.
public-house - (public-house) bar
wickedness - maldad, perversidad
irremediable - irremediable
Its aspect was so profoundly lamentable, with such a perfection of grotesque misery and weirdness of macabre detail, as if it were the Cab of Death itself, that Mrs Verloc, with that ready compassion of a woman for a horse (when she is not sitting behind him), exclaimed vaguely:
perfection - perfección
weirdness - Rarezas
"Poor brute!"
Hanging back suddenly, Stevie inflicted an arresting jerk upon his sister.
inflicted - nfligido; infligir
arresting - arrestante; paro, arresto, detenido, parar, detener, arrestar
"Poor! Poor!" he ejaculated appreciatively. "Cabman poor too. He told me himself."
ejaculated - yaculado; expeler, expulsar, eyacular, checkacabar
appreciatively - con aprecio
The contemplation of the infirm and lonely steed overcame him. Jostled, but obstinate, he would remain there, trying to express the view newly opened to his sympathies of the human and equine misery in close association. But it was very difficult. "Poor brute, poor people!" was all he could repeat. It did not seem forcible enough, and he came to a stop with an angry splutter: "Shame!" Stevie was no master of phrases, and perhaps for that very reason his thoughts lacked clearness and precision.
overcame - uperado; vencer, superar
jostled - empujado; codear, empujar
equine - equino
forcible - forzable, poderoso, potente, forzado, forzoso
splutter - Chisporrotear
But he felt with greater completeness and some profundity. That little word contained all his sense of indignation and horror at one sort of wretchedness having to feed upon the anguish of the other-at the poor cabman beating the poor horse in the name, as it were, of his poor kids at home. And Stevie knew what it was to be beaten. He knew it from experience. It was a bad world. Bad! Bad!
felt with - sentirse con
feed - dar de comer a, alimentar; (fee); honorario, tarifa, cuota
beating - golpeando; paliza, latido; (beat) golpeando; paliza, latido
beaten - golpeado; batir, golpear, percutir
Mrs Verloc, his only sister, guardian, and protector, could not pretend to such depths of insight. Moreover, she had not experienced the magic of the cabman's eloquence. She was in the dark as to the inwardness of the word "Shame." And she said placidly:
guardian - guardián, guardia, apoderado, tutor, custodio, jefe
magic - magia, mágico, embrujar
placidly - Pacidamente
"Come along, Stevie. You can't help that."
The docile Stevie went along; but now he went along without pride, shamblingly, and muttering half words, and even words that would have been whole if they had not been made up of halves that did not belong to each other. It was as though he had been trying to fit all the words he could remember to his sentiments in order to get some sort of corresponding idea.
shamblingly - Vagabundeando
corresponding - corresponder, equivaler, corresponderse, cartearse
And, as a matter of fact, he got it at last. He hung back to utter it at once.
"Bad world for poor people."
Directly he had expressed that thought he became aware that it was familiar to him already in all its consequences. This circumstance strengthened his conviction immensely, but also augmented his indignation. Somebody, he felt, ought to be punished for it-punished with great severity. Being no sceptic, but a moral creature, he was in a manner at the mercy of his righteous passions.
immensely - inmensamente
punished - castigado; castigar, punir, maltratar
sceptic - escéptico
"Beastly!" he added concisely.
It was clear to Mrs Verloc that he was greatly excited.
"Nobody can help that," she said. "Do come along. Is that the way you're taking care of me?"
Do come - Ven
Stevie mended his pace obediently. He prided himself on being a good brother. His morality, which was very complete, demanded that from him. Yet he was pained at the information imparted by his sister Winnie who was good. Nobody could help that! He came along gloomily, but presently he brightened up.
obediently - obedientemente
prided - orgullo, soberbia, cachondez, toriondez, verriondez, manada
Like the rest of mankind, perplexed by the mystery of the universe, he had his moments of consoling trust in the organised powers of the earth.
"Police," he suggested confidently.
"The police aren't for that," observed Mrs Verloc cursorily, hurrying on her way.
cursorily - Curiosamente
hurrying - Prisa; (hurry); prisa, apuro, apresurarse, apurarse, darse prisa
Stevie's face lengthened considerably. He was thinking. The more intense his thinking, the slacker was the droop of his lower jaw.
lengthened - largado; alargar
more intense - más intenso
slacker - procrastinador, perezoso, holgazán
And it was with an aspect of hopeless vacancy that he gave up his intellectual enterprise.
"Not for that?" he mumbled, resigned but surprised. "Not for that?" He had formed for himself an ideal conception of the metropolitan police as a sort of benevolent institution for the suppression of evil. The notion of benevolence especially was very closely associated with his sense of the power of the men in blue. He had liked all police constables tenderly, with a guileless trustfulness.
tenderly - con ternura; tiernamente
And he was pained. He was irritated, too, by a suspicion of duplicity in the members of the force. For Stevie was frank and as open as the day himself. What did they mean by pretending then? Unlike his sister, who put her trust in face values, he wished to go to the bottom of the matter. He carried on his inquiry by means of an angry challenge.
frank - franco
pretending - fingiendo; fingir, de mentirijillas
unlike - a diferencia de; diferente
challenge - desafío, reto, disputa, impedimento, incompatibilidad, recurso
"What for are they then, Winn? What are they for? Tell me."
Winnie disliked controversy. But fearing most a fit of black depression consequent on Stevie missing his mother very much at first, she did not altogether decline the discussion. Guiltless of all irony, she answered yet in a form which was not perhaps unnatural in the wife of Mr Verloc, Delegate of the Central Red Committee, personal friend of certain anarchists, and a votary of social revolution.
controversy - controversia, polémica
fearing - Miedo
depression - depresión, área de baja presión
consequent - consecuente, consecuente
decline - declive, retroceso, decadencia
unnatural - no es natural; antinatural, contranatural, contra natura
votary - Votario
"Don't you know what the police are for, Stevie? They are there so that them as have nothing shouldn't take anything away from them who have."
She avoided using the verb "to steal," because it always made her brother uncomfortable. For Stevie was delicately honest. Certain simple principles had been instilled into him so anxiously (on account of his "queerness") that the mere names of certain transgressions filled him with horror. He had been always easily impressed by speeches. He was impressed and startled now, and his intelligence was very alert.
avoided - evitado; evitar, esquivar
verb - verbo
uncomfortable - incómodo, a disgusto, cohibido
instilled - inculcado; infundir; inculcar
transgressions - ransgresiones; transgresión
"What?" he asked at once anxiously. "Not even if they were hungry? Mustn't they?"
The two had paused in their walk.
"Not if they were ever so," said Mrs Verloc, with the equanimity of a person untroubled by the problem of the distribution of wealth, and exploring the perspective of the roadway for an omnibus of the right colour. "Certainly not. But what's the use of talking about all that? You aren't ever hungry."
equanimity - equanimidad; ecuanimidad
exploring - explorando; explorar
She cast a swift glance at the boy, like a young man, by her side. She saw him amiable, attractive, affectionate, and only a little, a very little, peculiar. And she could not see him otherwise, for he was connected with what there was of the salt of passion in her tasteless life-the passion of indignation, of courage, of pity, and even of self-sacrifice. She did not add: "And you aren't likely ever to be as long as I live.
attractive - atractivo, atrayente
tasteless - insípido, insaboro, desabrido, soso, vulgar
But she might very well have done so, since she had taken effectual steps to that end. Mr Verloc was a very good husband. It was her honest impression that nobody could help liking the boy. She cried out suddenly:
effectual - eficaz
"Quick, Stevie. Stop that green 'bus."
And Stevie, tremulous and important with his sister Winnie on his arm, flung up the other high above his head at the approaching 'bus, with complete success.
An hour afterwards Mr Verloc raised his eyes from a newspaper he was reading, or at any rate looking at, behind the counter, and in the expiring clatter of the door-bell beheld Winnie, his wife, enter and cross the shop on her way upstairs, followed by Stevie, his brother-in-law. The sight of his wife was agreeable to Mr Verloc. It was his idiosyncrasy. The figure of his brother-in-law remained imperceptible to him because of the morose thoughtfulness that lately had fallen like a veil between Mr Verloc and the appearances of the world of senses. He looked after his wife fixedly, without a word, as though she had been a phantom. His voice for home use was husky and placid, but now it was heard not at all. It was not heard at supper, to which he was called by his wife in the usual brief manner: "Adolf." He sat down to consume it without conviction, wearing his hat pushed far back on his head. It was not devotion to an outdoor life, but the frequentation of foreign cafés which was responsible for that habit, investing with a character of unceremonious impermanency Mr Verloc's steady fidelity to his own fireside. Twice at the clatter of the cracked bell he arose without a word, disappeared into the shop, and came back silently. During these absences Mrs Verloc, becoming acutely aware of the vacant place at her right hand, missed her mother very much, and stared stonily; while Stevie, from the same reason, kept on shuffling his feet, as though the floor under the table were uncomfortably hot. When Mr Verloc returned to sit in his place, like the very embodiment of silence, the character of Mrs Verloc's stare underwent a subtle change, and Stevie ceased to fidget with his feet, because of his great and awed regard for his sister's husband.
expiring - vencer, caducar
idiosyncrasy - idiosincrasia
morose - moroso; malhumorado
veil - velo, velar
senses - sentidos; sentido, sensación, significado, acepción
phantom - fantasma
supper - cenar; cena
brief - breve, corto, conciso, sucinto, escueto, resumen, poner al tanto
consume - consumir, panish: t-needed
cafés - afés
investing - invertir
impermanency - Impermanencia
fireside - fuego; alrededor de la chimenea
arose - surgió; surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
absences - ausencias; ausencia, falta, ausencia de hierro
acutely - agudamente; intensamente
stonily - Pétreamente
shuffling - barajando; (shuffle); barajar, mezclar, barajear, arrastrar
uncomfortably - incómodo; incómodamente
embodiment - encarnación, personificación
underwent - ufrió; experimentar, sufrir, soportar, padecer
fidget with - jugar con
awed - asombrado; pavor, temor, medrosía, asombro, asombrar, abrumar
He directed at him glances of respectful compassion. Mr Verloc was sorry. His sister Winnie had impressed upon him (in the omnibus) that Mr Verloc would be found at home in a state of sorrow, and must not be worried. His father's anger, the irritability of gentlemen lodgers, and Mr Verloc's predisposition to immoderate grief, had been the main sanctions of Stevie's self-restraint. Of these sentiments, all easily provoked, but not always easy to understand, the last had the greatest moral efficiency-because Mr Verloc was good. His mother and his sister had established that ethical fact on an unshakable foundation. They had established, erected, consecrated it behind Mr Verloc's back, for reasons that had nothing to do with abstract morality. And Mr Verloc was not aware of it. It is but bare justice to him to say that he had no notion of appearing good to Stevie. Yet so it was. He was even the only man so qualified in Stevie's knowledge, because the gentlemen lodgers had been too transient and too remote to have anything very distinct about them but perhaps their boots; and as regards the disciplinary measures of his father, the desolation of his mother and sister shrank from setting up a theory of goodness before the victim. It would have been too cruel. And it was even possible that Stevie would not have believed them. As far as Mr Verloc was concerned, nothing could stand in the way of Stevie's belief. Mr Verloc was obviously yet mysteriously good. And the grief of a good man is august.
be worried - estar preocupado
irritability - irritabilidad
ethical - ético
unshakable - inquebrantable
erected - rigido; erecto, erguido
consecrated - consagrado; consagrar
qualified - cualificado; calificar, capacitar, clasificar
disciplinary - disciplinario
shrank - se encogió; contraerse, encogerse, achicarse, mermar
setting - configuración, ajustes, poniente; (set); configuración, ajustes
mysteriously - misteriosamente
Stevie gave glances of reverential compassion to his brother-in-law. Mr Verloc was sorry. The brother of Winnie had never before felt himself in such close communion with the mystery of that man's goodness. It was an understandable sorrow.
communion - comunión
understandable - comprensible; entendible
And Stevie himself was sorry. He was very sorry. The same sort of sorrow. And his attention being drawn to this unpleasant state, Stevie shuffled his feet. His feelings were habitually manifested by the agitation of his limbs.
shuffled - barajado; barajar, mezclar, barajear, arrastrar
limbs - miembros; miembro
"Keep your feet quiet, dear," said Mrs Verloc, with authority and tenderness; then turning towards her husband in an indifferent voice, the masterly achievement of instinctive tact: "Are you going out to-night?" she asked.
masterly - Magistral
The mere suggestion seemed repugnant to Mr Verloc. He shook his head moodily, and then sat still with downcast eyes, looking at the piece of cheese on his plate for a whole minute. At the end of that time he got up, and went out-went right out in the clatter of the shop-door bell. He acted thus inconsistently, not from any desire to make himself unpleasant, but because of an unconquerable restlessness. It was no earthly good going out. He could not find anywhere in London what he wanted. But he went out. He led a cortege of dismal thoughts along dark streets, through lighted streets, in and out of two flash bars, as if in a half-hearted attempt to make a night of it, and finally back again to his menaced home, where he sat down fatigued behind the counter, and they crowded urgently round him, like a pack of hungry black hounds.
moodily - De mal humor
downcast - alicaído, abatido
plate - placa; plato
inconsistently - Incoherentemente
unconquerable - inconquistable
restlessness - agitación, desasosiego, desazón, inquietud
earthly - terrenal
hearted - de corazón; corazón
finally - por fin, finalmente, por fin
fatigued - fatigado; fatiga, fatigar, acosar
pack - paquete; fardo, bulto
hounds - sabuesos; perro de caza
After locking up the house and putting out the gas he took them upstairs with him-a dreadful escort for a man going to bed. His wife had preceded him some time before, and with her ample form defined vaguely under the counterpane, her head on the pillow, and a hand under the cheek offered to his distraction the view of early drowsiness arguing the possession of an equable soul. Her big eyes stared wide open, inert and dark against the snowy whiteness of the linen. She did not move.
locking up - Cerrar
putting out - hacerse a la mar; apagar (ej. La luz); sacar (ej. La basura)
preceded - precedido; preceder, anteceder
ample - amplio, extenso, abundante, generoso
counterpane - contrapiso; sobrecama, colcha
Distraction - distracción, locura
drowsiness - sonolencia, somnolencia, sopor, duermevela
arguing - discutiendo; argumentar, debatir, discutir
whiteness - blancura, albor, albura
linen - lino, linge, ropa blanca, linocros
She had an equable soul. She felt profoundly that things do not stand much looking into. She made her force and her wisdom of that instinct. But the taciturnity of Mr Verloc had been lying heavily upon her for a good many days. It was, as a matter of fact, affecting her nerves. Recumbent and motionless, she said placidly:
"You'll catch cold walking about in your socks like this."
socks - calcetines; calcetín
This speech, becoming the solicitude of the wife and the prudence of the woman, took Mr Verloc unawares.
He had left his boots downstairs, but he had forgotten to put on his slippers, and he had been turning about the bedroom on noiseless pads like a bear in a cage. At the sound of his wife's voice he stopped and stared at her with a somnambulistic, expressionless gaze so long that Mrs Verloc moved her limbs slightly under the bed-clothes. But she did not move her black head sunk in the white pillow one hand under her cheek and the big, dark, unwinking eyes.
turning about - dar la vuelta
pads - almohadillas; almohadilla
somnambulistic - Sonnambulista
expressionless - sin expresión; inexpresivo
Under her husband's expressionless stare, and remembering her mother's empty room across the landing, she felt an acute pang of loneliness. She had never been parted from her mother before. They had stood by each other. She felt that they had, and she said to herself that now mother was gone-gone for good. Mrs Verloc had no illusions. Stevie remained, however. And she said:
acute - agudo, perspicaz, sagaz, grave
stood by - estar preparado; apoyar a alguien; mantenerse firme en; en espera; estar junto a
"Mother's done what she wanted to do. There's no sense in it that I can see. I'm sure she couldn't have thought you had enough of her. It's perfectly wicked, leaving us like that."
Mr Verloc was not a well-read person; his range of allusive phrases was limited, but there was a peculiar aptness in circumstances which made him think of rats leaving a doomed ship. He very nearly said so. He had grown suspicious and embittered.
allusive - alusivo
rats - ratas; rata
ship - barco, buque, navío, embarcación
suspicious - sospechoso, suspicaz, desconfiado
embittered - amargado; amargar
Could it be that the old woman had such an excellent nose? But the unreasonableness of such a suspicion was patent, and Mr Verloc held his tongue. Not altogether, however. He muttered heavily:
"Perhaps it's just as well."
He began to undress. Mrs Verloc kept very still, perfectly still, with her eyes fixed in a dreamy, quiet stare. And her heart for the fraction of a second seemed to stand still too. That night she was "not quite herself," as the saying is, and it was borne upon her with some force that a simple sentence may hold several diverse meanings-mostly disagreeable. How was it just as well?
undress - desvestirse, desnudarse
dreamy - Ensonador
diverse - diverso, diferente
meanings - Qué significa
And why? But she did not allow herself to fall into the idleness of barren speculation. She was rather confirmed in her belief that things did not stand being looked into. Practical and subtle in her way, she brought Stevie to the front without loss of time, because in her the singleness of purpose had the unerring nature and the force of an instinct.
speculation - especulación
confirmed - confirmado; confirmar
singleness - Soltería
"What I am going to do to Cheer up that boy for the first few days I'm sure I don't know. He'll be worrying himself from morning till night before he gets used to mother being away. And he's such a good boy. I couldn't do without him."
Cheer up - Animarse
I'm sure i don't know - Seguro que no lo sé
gets used to - Acostumbrarse a
Mr Verloc went on divesting himself of his clothing with the unnoticing inward concentration of a man undressing in the solitude of a vast and hopeless desert. For thus inhospitably did this fair earth, our common inheritance, present itself to the mental vision of Mr Verloc. All was so still without and within that the lonely ticking of the clock on the landing stole into the room as if for the sake of company.
divesting - desinvertir; privar
unnoticing - Pasar desapercibido
concentration - concentración
inhospitably - inhóspito
Stole - Robar; (steal); robar, hurtar, robo
Mr Verloc, getting into bed on his own side, remained prone and mute behind Mrs Verloc's back. His thick arms rested abandoned on the outside of the counterpane like dropped weapons, like discarded tools. At that moment he was within a hair's breadth of making a clean breast of it all to his wife. The moment seemed propitious. Looking out of the corners of his eyes, he saw her ample shoulders draped in white, the back of her head, with the hair done for the night in three plaits tied up with black tapes at the ends. And he forbore. Mr Verloc loved his wife as a wife should be loved-that is, maritally, with the regard one has for one's chief possession. This head arranged for the night, those ample shoulders, had an aspect of familiar sacredness-the sacredness of domestic peace. She moved not, massive and shapeless like a recumbent statue in the rough; he remembered her wide-open eyes looking into the empty room. She was mysterious, with the mysteriousness of living beings.
prone - postrado, de bruces, decúbito prono, propenso
weapons - armas; arma
discarded - descartado; desechar, descartar
Propitious - propicio; panish: t-needed
draped - cubierto; cubrir, colocar, acomodar
tapes - cintas; cinta, atar, grabar
forbore - soportar
maritally - Maritalmente
The far-famed secret agent [delta] of the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim's alarmist despatches was not the man to break into such mysteries. He was easily intimidated. And he was also indolent, with the indolence which is so often the secret of good nature. He forbore touching that mystery out of love, timidity, and indolence. There would be always time enough. For several minutes he bore his sufferings silently in the drowsy silence of the room. And then he disturbed it by a resolute declaration.
famed - famoso; fama
alarmist - alarmista
indolent - indolente
of good nature - de buen carácter
resolute - decidido; resoluto
"I am going on the Continent to-morrow."
morrow - manana; manana
His wife might have fallen asleep already. He could not tell. As a matter of fact, Mrs Verloc had heard him. Her eyes remained very wide open, and she lay very still, confirmed in her instinctive conviction that things don't bear looking into very much. And yet it was nothing very unusual for Mr Verloc to take such a trip.
asleep - dormido
He renewed his stock from Paris and Brussels. Often he went over to make his purchases personally. A little select connection of amateurs was forming around the shop in Brett Street, a secret connection eminently proper for any business undertaken by Mr Verloc, who, by a mystic accord of temperament and necessity, had been set apart to be a secret agent all his life.
stock - cciones; existencias, stock
purchases - compras; compra, adquisición, comprar
select - selecto, seleccionar
amateurs - aficionados; amateur, aficionado, diletante, inadaptado
mystic - místico, mística
accord - acuerdo, convenio, acordar, conceder, conferir
He waited for a while, then added: "I'll be away a week or perhaps a fortnight. Get Mrs Neale to come for the day."
be away - está lejos
Mrs Neale was the charwoman of Brett Street. Victim of her marriage with a debauched joiner, she was oppressed by the needs of many infant children. Red-armed, and aproned in coarse sacking up to the arm-pits, she exhaled the anguish of the poor in a breath of soap-suds and rum, in the uproar of scrubbing, in the clatter of tin pails.
debauched - disfrazado; corrupción
joiner - unidor; carpintero
aproned - delantal, mandil
coarse - grosero; tosco, rústico, rudo, bruto
sacking - Despido; (sac) Despido
pits - fosas; hoyo, foso, fosa
soap - jabón
suds - espuma; (sud); espuma
rum - ron
scrubbing - fregando; fregar bien, restregar
pails - cubos; cubo
Mrs Verloc, full of deep purpose, spoke in the tone of the shallowest indifference.
shallowest - más superficial; poco profundo, superficial, desinteresante
"There is no need to have the woman here all day. I shall do very well with Stevie."
She let the lonely clock on the landing count off fifteen ticks into the abyss of eternity, and asked:
"Shall I put the light out?"
Mr Verloc snapped at his wife huskily.
"Put it out."
Mr Verloc returning from the Continent at the end of ten days, brought back a mind evidently unrefreshed by the wonders of foreign travel and a countenance unlighted by the joys of home-coming. He entered in the clatter of the shop bell with an air of sombre and vexed exhaustion. His bag in hand, his head lowered, he strode straight behind the counter, and let himself fall into the chair, as though he had tramped all the way from Dover.
brought back - traído de vuelta
unrefreshed - descansado
wonders - maravillas; maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro, pasmo
unlighted - sin luz
joys - legrías; alegría, júbilo
vexed - molesto; molestar, irritar, disgustar, afligir, atormentar
exhaustion - agotamiento, cansancio
strode - caminó; andar a zancadas
tramped - trampeado; vagabundo, vagabunda, golfa, ramera, puta
It was early morning. Stevie, dusting various objects displayed in the front windows, turned to gape at him with reverence and awe.
displayed - aparece; espectáculo, exposición, monitor, expositor
gape at - mirar boquiabierto a
reverence - reverencia, veneración
awe - pavor, temor, medrosía, asombro, asombrar, abrumar
"Here!" said Mr Verloc, giving a slight kick to the gladstone bag on the floor; and Stevie flung himself upon it, seized it, bore it off with triumphant devotion. He was so prompt that Mr Verloc was distinctly surprised.
prompt - rápido, pronto, puntual, pie, entrada, senal, incitar, apuntar
Already at the clatter of the shop bell Mrs Neale, blackleading the parlour grate, had looked through the door, and rising from her knees had gone, aproned, and grimy with everlasting toil, to tell Mrs Verloc in the kitchen that "there was the master come back."
blackleading - plomo negro
looked through - revisar, buscar entre; mirar sin ver, ignorar; mirar por
everlasting - perpetua; inmarcesible
Winnie came no farther than the inner shop door.
"You'll want some breakfast," she said from a distance.
Mr Verloc moved his hands slightly, as if overcome by an impossible suggestion. But once enticed into the parlour he did not reject the food set before him. He ate as if in a public place, his hat pushed off his forehead, the skirts of his heavy overcoat hanging in a triangle on each side of the chair. And across the length of the table covered with brown oil-cloth Winnie, his wife, talked evenly at him the wifely talk, as artfully adapted, no doubt, to the circumstances of this return as the talk of Penelope to the return of the wandering Odysseus. Mrs Verloc, however, had done no weaving during her husband's absence. But she had had all the upstairs room cleaned thoroughly, had sold some wares, had seen Mr Michaelis several times.
reject - rechazar, desestimar, artículo defectuoso, marginado, marginada
triangle - triángulo
oil - aceite; petróleo
evenly - uniformemente, equitativamente, divisible exacto
Penelope - Penélope
wandering - deambulando; errabundo, andariego, errante, peripatético
Odysseus - Odiseo, Ulises
weaving - tejer; tejido; (weave) tejer; tejido
He had told her the last time that he was going away to live in a cottage in the country, somewhere on the London, Chatham, and Dover line. Karl Yundt had come too, once, led under the arm by that "wicked old housekeeper of his." He was "a disgusting old man." Of Comrade Ossipon, whom she had received curtly, entrenched behind the counter with a stony face and a faraway gaze, she said nothing, her mental reference to the robust anarchist being marked by a short pause, with the faintest possible blush. And bringing in her brother Stevie as soon as she could into the current of domestic events, she mentioned that the boy had moped a good deal.
entrenched - atrincherado; atrincherar
faraway - lejos; alejado, distante, lejano
reference - referencia, referencia, referenciar
marked by - marcado por
moped - un ciclomotor; ciclomotor; (mop); chascona, fregar
"It's all along of mother leaving us like this."
Mr Verloc neither said, "Damn!" nor yet "Stevie be hanged!" And Mrs Verloc, not let into the secret of his thoughts, failed to appreciate the generosity of this restraint.
generosity - generosidad
"It isn't that he doesn't work as well as ever," she continued. "He's been making himself very useful. You'd think he couldn't do enough for us."
Mr Verloc directed a casual and somnolent glance at Stevie, who sat on his right, delicate, pale-faced, his rosy mouth open vacantly. It was not a critical glance. It had no intention. And if Mr Verloc thought for a moment that his wife's brother looked uncommonly useless, it was only a dull and fleeting thought, devoid of that force and durability which enables sometimes a thought to move the world.
somnolent - somnoliento
uncommonly - inusualmente; extraordinariamente
durability - durabilidad
enables - permite; habilitar, posibilitar, activar
Leaning back, Mr Verloc uncovered his head. Before his extended arm could put down the hat Stevie pounced upon it, and bore it off reverently into the kitchen. And again Mr Verloc was surprised.
pounced - se abalanzó; saltar sobre; precipitarse; abalanzarse sobre
reverently - con reverencia
"You could do anything with that boy, Adolf," Mrs Verloc said, with her best air of inflexible calmness. "He would go through fire for you. He-"
She paused attentive, her ear turned towards the door of the kitchen.
There Mrs Neale was scrubbing the floor. At Stevie's appearance she groaned lamentably, having observed that he could be induced easily to bestow for the benefit of her infant children the shilling his sister Winnie presented him with from time to time. On all fours amongst the puddles, wet and begrimed, like a sort of amphibious and domestic animal living in ash-bins and dirty water, she uttered the usual exordium: "It's all very well for you, kept doing nothing like a gentleman.
groaned - gimió; gemido, grunido, gemir, grunir
lamentably - Lamentablemente
bestow - otorgar; guardar, estibar, depositar, alojar, acordar, conceder
benefit - beneficio, ventaja, prestación, beneficiar
puddles - harcos; charco, poza
amphibious - anfibio
domestic animal - animal doméstico
ash - cenizas; ceniza
bins - apeleras; cubo (de la basura), papelera
exordium - exordio
And she followed it with the everlasting plaint of the poor, pathetically mendacious, miserably authenticated by the horrible breath of cheap rum and soap-suds. She scrubbed hard, snuffling all the time, and talking volubly. And she was sincere. And on each side of her thin red nose her bleared, misty eyes swam in tears, because she felt really the want of some sort of stimulant in the morning.
plaint - Paint
mendacious - mentiroso, embustero, mendaz
miserably - miserablemente
authenticated - autentificado; autentificar, autenticar
scrubbed - fregado; fregar bien, restregar
snuffling - Resoplando; (snuffle) Resoplando
volubly - volublemente; prolijamente, loquaçment
bleared - claro
stimulant - estimulante
In the parlour Mrs Verloc observed, with knowledge:
"There's Mrs Neale at it again with her harrowing tales about her little children. They can't be all so little as she makes them out. Some of them must be big enough by now to try to do something for themselves. It only makes Stevie angry."
harrowing - Rastra
These words were confirmed by a thud as of a fist striking the kitchen table. In the normal evolution of his sympathy Stevie had become angry on discovering that he had no shilling in his pocket. In his inability to relieve at once Mrs Neale's "little 'uns'" privations, he felt that somebody should be made to suffer for it. Mrs Verloc rose, and went into the kitchen to "stop that nonsense." And she did it firmly but gently. She was well aware that directly Mrs Neale received her money she went round the corner to drink ardent spirits in a mean and musty public-house-the unavoidable station on the via dolorosa of her life.
fist - puno
evolution - evolución
become angry - Enfadarse, enojarse
inability - incapacidad
relieve - aliviar, relevar
musty - mohoso; rancio
unavoidable - inevitable
via - a través de; vía, por; a través
Mrs Verloc's comment upon this practice had an unexpected profundity, as coming from a person disinclined to look under the surface of things. "Of course, what is she to do to keep up? If I were like Mrs Neale I expect I wouldn't act any different."
disinclined - Desinclinarse
In the afternoon of the same day, as Mr Verloc, coming with a start out of the last of a long series of dozes before the parlour fire, declared his intention of going out for a walk, Winnie said from the shop:
dozes - dozes; dormitar
"I wish you would take that boy out with you, Adolf."
For the third time that day Mr Verloc was surprised. He stared stupidly at his wife. She continued in her steady manner. The boy, whenever he was not doing anything, moped in the house. It made her uneasy; it made her nervous, she confessed. And that from the calm Winnie sounded like exaggeration. But, in truth, Stevie moped in the striking fashion of an unhappy domestic animal. He would go up on the dark landing, to sit on the floor at the foot of the tall clock, with his knees drawn up and his head in his hands.
stupidly - estúpidamente
exaggeration - exageración
fashion - moda, manera, modo
To come upon his pallid face, with its big eyes gleaming in the dusk, was discomposing; to think of him up there was uncomfortable.
pallid - pálido
discomposing - Incomodar
Mr Verloc got used to the startling novelty of the idea. He was fond of his wife as a man should be-that is, generously. But a weighty objection presented itself to his mind, and he formulated it.
novelty - novedad
weighty - pesado, de peso, importante
formulated - formulada; formular
"He'll lose sight of me perhaps, and get lost in the street," he said.
Mrs Verloc shook her head competently.
competently - competentemente
"He won't. You don't know him. That boy just worships you. But if you should miss him-"
worships - adoración, culto, checkalabanza, adorar, checkvenerar
Mrs Verloc paused for a moment, but only for a moment.
"You just go on, and have your walk out. Don't worry. He'll be all right. He's sure to turn up safe here before very long."
Don't worry - No te preocupes
turn up - Aparecer; subir, aumentar
This optimism procured for Mr Verloc his fourth surprise of the day.
"Is he?" he grunted doubtfully. But perhaps his brother-in-law was not such an idiot as he looked. His wife would know best. He turned away his heavy eyes, saying huskily: "Well, let him come along, then," and relapsed into the clutches of black care, that perhaps prefers to sit behind a horseman, but knows also how to tread close on the heels of people not sufficiently well off to keep horses-like Mr Verloc, for instance.
relapsed - recayó; reincidir, recaer, recaída, recidiva, reincidencia
clutches - embragues; agarrar
horseman - caballero, jinete
tread - pisada; pisar, pisotear, hollar
Winnie, at the shop door, did not see this fatal attendant upon Mr Verloc's walks. She watched the two figures down the squalid street, one tall and burly, the other slight and short, with a thin neck, and the peaked shoulders raised slightly under the large semi-transparent ears.
attendant - asistente, guarda, concomitante, inherente
peaked - llegó a su punto máximo; pico, cumbre
The material of their overcoats was the same, their hats were black and round in shape. Inspired by the similarity of wearing apparel, Mrs Verloc gave rein to her fancy.
similarity - semejanza, similitud
apparel - atavío, ropa
rein - rena; rienda
"Might be father and son," she said to herself. She thought also that Mr Verloc was as much of a father as poor Stevie ever had in his life. She was aware also that it was her work. And with peaceful pride she congratulated herself on a certain resolution she had taken a few years before. It had cost her some effort, and even a few tears.
She congratulated herself still more on observing in the course of days that Mr Verloc seemed to be taking kindly to Stevie's companionship. Now, when ready to go out for his walk, Mr Verloc called aloud to the boy, in the spirit, no doubt, in which a man invites the attendance of the household dog, though, of course, in a different manner. In the house Mr Verloc could be detected staring curiously at Stevie a good deal. His own demeanour had changed. Taciturn still, he was not so listless. Mrs Verloc thought that he was rather jumpy at times. It might have been regarded as an improvement. As to Stevie, he moped no longer at the foot of the clock, but muttered to himself in corners instead in a threatening tone. When asked "What is it you're saying, Stevie?" he merely opened his mouth, and squinted at his sister. At odd times he clenched his fists without apparent cause, and when discovered in solitude would be scowling at the wall, with the sheet of paper and the pencil given him for drawing circles lying blank and idle on the kitchen table.
invites - invitar
detected - detectado; detectar, sentir
curiously - con curiosidad; curiosamente
taciturn - taciturno
listless - lánguido; apático, indiferente
jumpy - agitado; nervioso
regarded - considerado; considerar
improvement - mejora, mejoramiento, enmienda, mejoría
squinted - entornó los ojos; entornar, entrecerrar, mirar de soslayo
clenched - apretado; traba
scowling - frunciendo el ceno; (scowl) frunciendo el ceno
This was a change, but it was no improvement. Mrs Verloc including all these vagaries under the general definition of excitement, began to fear that Stevie was hearing more than was good for him of her husband's conversations with his friends. During his "walks" Mr Verloc, of course, met and conversed with various persons. It could hardly be otherwise. His walks were an integral part of his outdoor activities, which his wife had never looked deeply into. Mrs Verloc felt that the position was delicate, but she faced it with the same impenetrable calmness which impressed and even astonished the customers of the shop and made the other visitors keep their distance a little wonderingly. No! She feared that there were things not good for Stevie to hear of, she told her husband. It only excited the poor boy, because he could not help them being so. Nobody could.
vagaries - vagabundeos; extravagancia, rareza, antojo, capricho
conversed - conversado; conversar, charlar
integral part - parte integral
wonderingly - Asombrada
It was in the shop. Mr Verloc made no comment. He made no retort, and yet the retort was obvious. But he refrained from pointing out to his wife that the idea of making Stevie the companion of his walks was her own, and nobody else's. At that moment, to an impartial observer, Mr Verloc would have appeared more than human in his magnanimity.
refrained - se abstuvo; estribillo
impartial - imparcial
observer - observador
magnanimity - magnanimidad, generosidad
He took down a small cardboard box from a shelf, peeped in to see that the contents were all right, and put it down gently on the counter. not till that was done did he break the silence, to the effect that most likely Stevie would profit greatly by being sent out of town for a while; only he supposed his wife could not get on without him.
peeped - spiado; espiar
Contents - ontenido; satisfecho
not till - no hasta
"Could not get on without him!" repeated Mrs Verloc slowly. "I couldn't get on without him if it were for his good! The idea! Of course, I can get on without him. But there's nowhere for him to go."
Mr Verloc got out some brown paper and a ball of string; and meanwhile he muttered that Michaelis was living in a little cottage in the country. Michaelis wouldn't mind giving Stevie a room to sleep in. There were no visitors and no talk there. Michaelis was writing a book.
Meanwhile - y mientras tanto; mientras tanto, entretanto, a todo esto
Mrs Verloc declared her affection for Michaelis; mentioned her abhorrence of Karl Yundt, "nasty old man"; and of Ossipon she said nothing. As to Stevie, he could be no other than very pleased. Mr Michaelis was always so nice and kind to him. He seemed to like the boy. Well, the boy was a good boy.
abhorrence - aversión; aborrecimiento, odio, repugnancia
"You too seem to have grown quite fond of him of late," she added, after a pause, with her inflexible assurance.
Mr Verloc tying up the cardboard box into a parcel for the post, broke the string by an injudicious jerk, and muttered several swear words confidentially to himself. Then raising his tone to the usual husky mutter, he announced his willingness to take Stevie into the country himself, and leave him all safe with Michaelis.
tying up - atar; finalizar
parcel - paquete, parcela, hatajo, embalar, parcelar
swear words - palabrota, taco
confidentially - confidencialmente
He carried out this scheme on the very next day. Stevie offered no objection. He seemed rather eager, in a bewildered sort of way. He turned his candid gaze inquisitively to Mr Verloc's heavy countenance at frequent intervals, especially when his sister was not looking at him. His expression was proud, apprehensive, and concentrated, like that of a small child entrusted for the first time with a box of matches and the permission to strike a light.
inquisitively - Inquisitivamente
intervals - intervalos; intervalo
apprehensive - preocupado; aprensivo, inquieto
matches - fósforos; cerilla, fósforo
permission - permiso, venia, beneplácito
But Mrs Verloc, gratified by her brother's docility, recommended him not to dirty his clothes unduly in the country. At this Stevie gave his sister, guardian and protector a look, which for the first time in his life seemed to lack the quality of perfect childlike trustfulness. It was haughtily gloomy. Mrs Verloc smiled.
childlike - infantil
haughtily - con altanería; altivamente, altaneramente
"Goodness me! You needn't be offended. You know you do get yourself very untidy when you get a chance, Stevie."
needn - necesita
untidy - desordenado; descuidado, desorganizado
Mr Verloc was already gone some way down the street.
Thus in consequence of her mother's heroic proceedings, and of her brother's absence on this villegiature, Mrs Verloc found herself oftener than usual all alone not only in the shop, but in the house. For Mr Verloc had to take his walks. She was alone longer than usual on the day of the attempted bomb outrage in Greenwich Park, because Mr Verloc went out very early that morning and did not come back till nearly dusk.
She did not mind being alone. She had no desire to go out. The weather was too bad, and the shop was cosier than the streets. Sitting behind the counter with some sewing, she did not raise her eyes from her work when Mr Verloc entered in the aggressive clatter of the bell. She had recognised his step on the pavement outside.
cosier - más acogedor; acogedor, hogareno, cubierta tejida
sewing - Coser; (sew) Coser
She did not raise her eyes, but as Mr Verloc, silent, and with his hat rammed down upon his forehead, made straight for the parlour door, she said serenely:
"What a wretched day. You've been perhaps to see Stevie?"
"No! I haven't," said Mr Verloc softly, and slammed the glazed parlour door behind him with unexpected energy.
slammed - golpeado; cerrar de golpe
For some time Mrs Verloc remained quiescent, with her work dropped in her lap, before she put it away under the counter and got up to light the gas. This done, she went into the parlour on her way to the kitchen. Mr Verloc would want his tea presently. Confident of the power of her charms, Winnie did not expect from her husband in the daily intercourse of their married life a ceremonious amenity of address and courtliness of manner; vain and antiquated forms at best, probably never very exactly observed, discarded nowadays even in the highest spheres, and always foreign to the standards of her class.
quiescent - quiescente
dropped in - pasar
lap - vuelta; lamer
under the counter - bajo el mostrador
ceremonious - Ceremonioso
courtliness - Cortesía
antiquated - anticuado
nowadays - actualmente, ahora, hoy en día, hoy día, hogano
spheres - esferas; esfera, bola
standards - normas; estándar, estándar, dechado, padrón, nivel
She did not look for courtesies from him. But he was a good husband, and she had a loyal respect for his rights.
courtesies - cortesías; cortesía, de cortesía
Mrs Verloc would have gone through the parlour and on to her domestic duties in the kitchen with the perfect serenity of a woman sure of the power of her charms. But a slight, very slight, and rapid rattling sound grew upon her hearing. Bizarre and incomprehensible, it arrested Mrs Verloc's attention. Then as its character became plain to the ear she stopped short, amazed and concerned.
Striking a match on the box she held in her hand, she turned on and lighted, above the parlour table, one of the two gas-burners, which, being defective, first whistled as if astonished, and then went on purring comfortably like a cat.
burners - quemadores; quemador, fogón, fuego, incinerador, grabador de CD
defective - defectuoso, defectivo
purring - Ronroneando; (pur) Ronroneando
comfortably - cómodamente
Mr Verloc, against his usual practice, had thrown off his overcoat. It was lying on the sofa. His hat, which he must also have thrown off, rested overturned under the edge of the sofa. He had dragged a chair in front of the fireplace, and his feet planted inside the fender, his head held between his hands, he was hanging low over the glowing grate.
overturned - derribado; volcar, derrocar, casar
Fender - aleta, guardabarros, defensa, guardafuego
His teeth rattled with an ungovernable violence, causing his whole enormous back to tremble at the same rate. Mrs Verloc was startled.
ungovernable - gobernable
causing - causando; causa, causar
"You've been getting wet," she said.
"Not very," Mr Verloc managed to falter out, in a profound shudder. By a great effort he suppressed the rattling of his teeth.
falter - acilar; dudar
suppressed - suprimido; reprimar, contener, ocultar, suprimir
"I'll have you laid up on my hands," she said, with genuine uneasiness.
uneasiness - inquietud; desazón
"I don't think so," remarked Mr Verloc, snuffling huskily.
I don't think so - No lo creo.
He had certainly contrived somehow to catch an abominable cold between seven in the morning and five in the afternoon. Mrs Verloc looked at his bowed back.
contrived - ingenioso; idear, improvisar
"Where have you been to-day?" she asked.
"Nowhere," answered Mr Verloc in a low, choked nasal tone. His attitude suggested aggrieved sulks or a severe headache. The unsufficiency and uncandidness of his answer became painfully apparent in the dead silence of the room. He snuffled apologetically, and added: "I've been to the bank."
nasal - nariz; nasal
sulks - se enfurruna; poner cara larga, poner morros, estar enfurrunado
headache - dolor de cabeza, cefalea, jaqueca, quebradero de cabeza
unsufficiency - Insuficiencia
uncandidness - incandidatura
Mrs Verloc became attentive.
"You have!" she said dispassionately. "What for?"
Mr Verloc mumbled, with his nose over the grate, and with marked unwillingness.
"Draw the money out!"
"What do you mean? All of it?"
"Yes. All of it."
Mrs Verloc spread out with care the scanty table-cloth, got two knives and two forks out of the table drawer, and suddenly stopped in her methodical proceedings.
scanty - escaso, exiguo
table-cloth - (table-cloth) mantel de mesa
knives - cuchillos; cuchillo, punal, acuchillar
forks - horquillas; tenedor
methodical - metódico
"What did you do that for?"
"May want it soon," snuffled vaguely Mr Verloc, who was coming to the end of his calculated indiscretions.
calculated - calculado; calcular
indiscretions - indiscreciones; indiscreción
"I don't know what you mean," remarked his wife in a tone perfectly casual, but standing stock still between the table and the cupboard.
stock still - inmóvil
"You know you can trust me," Mr Verloc remarked to the grate, with hoarse feeling.
Mrs Verloc turned slowly towards the cupboard, saying with deliberation:
"Oh yes. I can trust you."
And she went on with her methodical proceedings. She laid two plates, got the bread, the butter, going to and fro quietly between the table and the cupboard in the peace and silence of her home. On the point of taking out the jam, she reflected practically: "He will be feeling hungry, having been away all day," and she returned to the cupboard once more to get the cold beef. She set it under the purring gas-jet, and with a passing glance at her motionless husband hugging the fire, she went (down two steps) into the kitchen.
plates - placas; plato
taking out - salir con alguien; sacar
jam - atasco; mermelada, confitura
beef - carne de res, carne de vaca
hugging - abrazo, abrazar
It was only when coming back, carving knife and fork in hand, that she spoke again.
carving - tallar; tallado, escultura; (carve); cortar, trinchar, tallar
knife - cuchillo, punal, acuchillar
fork - horquilla; tenedor
"If I hadn't trusted you I wouldn't have married you."
Bowed under the overmantel, Mr Verloc, holding his head in both hands, seemed to have gone to sleep. Winnie made the tea, and called out in an undertone:
overmantel - sobremantel
"Adolf."
Mr Verloc got up at once, and staggered a little before he sat down at the table. His wife examining the sharp edge of the carving knife, placed it on the dish, and called his attention to the cold beef. He remained insensible to the suggestion, with his chin on his breast.
staggered - escalonada; tambalearse
examining - examinando; examinar, analizar, auscultar
"You should feed your cold," Mrs Verloc said dogmatically.
dogmatically - dogmáticamente
He looked up, and shook his head. His eyes were bloodshot and his face red. His fingers had ruffled his hair into a dissipated untidiness. Altogether he had a disreputable aspect, expressive of the discomfort, the irritation and the gloom following a heavy debauch. But Mr Verloc was not a debauched man.
ruffled - revuelto; volante, retorcer
untidiness - desorden; desaseo
expressive - expresivo
discomfort - incomodidad; malestar, desasosiego
debauch - débuch; corrupción
In his conduct he was respectable. His appearance might have been the effect of a feverish cold. He drank three cups of tea, but abstained from food entirely. He recoiled from it with sombre aversion when urged by Mrs Verloc, who said at last:
feverish - fiebre; febril
abstained from - abstenerse de
recoiled - retrocedió; retroceso, echarse atrás, recular
aversion - aversión
"Aren't your feet wet? You had better put on your slippers. You aren't going out any more this evening."
Mr Verloc intimated by morose grunts and signs that his feet were not wet, and that anyhow he did not care. The proposal as to slippers was disregarded as beneath his notice. But the question of going out in the evening received an unexpected development. It was not of going out in the evening that Mr Verloc was thinking.
proposal - propuesta
beneath - por debajo; bajo
His thoughts embraced a vaster scheme. From moody and incomplete phrases it became apparent that Mr Verloc had been considering the expediency of emigrating. It was not very clear whether he had in his mind France or California.
vaster - más vasta; vasto, enorme
incomplete - incompleto
emigrating - emigrar
California - California
The utter unexpectedness, improbability, and inconceivableness of such an event robbed this vague declaration of all its effect. Mrs Verloc, as placidly as if her husband had been threatening her with the end of the world, said:
unexpectedness - Imprevistos
improbability - improbabilidad
inconceivableness - inconcebibilidad
"The idea!"
Mr Verloc declared himself sick and tired of everything, and besides-She interrupted him.
"You've a bad cold."
It was indeed obvious that Mr Verloc was not in his usual state, physically and even mentally. A sombre irresolution held him silent for a while. Then he murmured a few ominous generalities on the theme of necessity.
irresolution - irresolución
generalities - Generalidad
theme - tema, thema
"Will have to," repeated Winnie, sitting calmly back, with folded arms, opposite her husband. "I should like to know who's to make you. You ain't a slave. No one need be a slave in this country-and don't you make yourself one." She paused, and with invincible and steady candour. "The business isn't so bad," she went on. "You've a comfortable home."
candour - Candor
She glanced all round the parlour, from the corner cupboard to the good fire in the grate. Ensconced cosily behind the shop of doubtful wares, with the mysteriously dim window, and its door suspiciously ajar in the obscure and narrow street, it was in all essentials of domestic propriety and domestic comfort a respectable home. Her devoted affection missed out of it her brother Stevie, now enjoying a damp villegiature in the Kentish lanes under the care of Mr Michaelis.
ensconced - instalado; instalarse
essentials - lo esencial; esencial
She missed him poignantly, with all the force of her protecting passion. This was the boy's home too-the roof, the cupboard, the stoked grate. On this thought Mrs Verloc rose, and walking to the other end of the table, said in the fulness of her heart:
poignantly - conmovedoramente
stoked - emocionado; atizar
"And you are not tired of me."
Mr Verloc made no sound. Winnie leaned on his shoulder from behind, and pressed her lips to his forehead. Thus she lingered. Not a whisper reached them from the outside world.
The sound of footsteps on the pavement died out in the discreet dimness of the shop. Only the gas-jet above the table went on purring equably in the brooding silence of the parlour.
died out - extinguirse, desaparecer
dimness - Opacidad
equably - equitativamente
brooding - inquietante; meditativo; (brood); cría, polluelo, prole
During the contact of that unexpected and lingering kiss Mr Verloc, gripping with both hands the edges of his chair, preserved a hieratic immobility. When the pressure was removed he let go the chair, rose, and went to stand before the fireplace. He turned no longer his back to the room. With his features swollen and an air of being drugged, he followed his wife's movements with his eyes.
Lingering - Permaneciendo; (linger); permanecer, demorar, persistir
kiss - besar
gripping - agarrando; empunar, agarrar, aferrar, asir
edges - bordes; orilla, borde, lado, arista, ventaja, filo
hieratic - hierático
pressure - presión, presionar
drugged - drogado; medicamento
Mrs Verloc went about serenely, clearing up the table. Her tranquil voice commented the idea thrown out in a reasonable and domestic tone. It wouldn't stand examination. She condemned it from every point of view. But her only real concern was Stevie's welfare. He appeared to her thought in that connection as sufficiently "peculiar" not to be taken rashly abroad.
clearing up - limpiar; despejar(se); aclarar
examination - examen, examinación
And that was all. But talking round that vital point, she approached absolute vehemence in her delivery. Meanwhile, with brusque movements, she arrayed herself in an apron for the washing up of cups. And as if excited by the sound of her uncontradicted voice, she went so far as to say in a tone almost tart:
vital - vital
washing up - arrastrar; lavar(se), fregar
uncontradicted - incontradicho
tart - tarta; ácido
"If you go abroad you'll have to go without me."
go abroad - Ir al extranjero
"You know I wouldn't," said Mr Verloc huskily, and the unresonant voice of his private life trembled with an enigmatical emotion.
unresonant - sin resonancia
private life - la vida privada
Already Mrs Verloc was regretting her words. They had sounded more unkind than she meant them to be. They had also the unwisdom of unnecessary things. In fact, she had not meant them at all. It was a sort of phrase that is suggested by the demon of perverse inspiration. But she knew a way to make it as if it had not been.
regretting - lamentando; lamentar, pena, pesar, arrepentimiento
more unkind - más antipático
unwisdom - Insensatez
She turned her head over her shoulder and gave that man planted heavily in front of the fireplace a glance, half arch, half cruel, out of her large eyes-a glance of which the Winnie of the Belgravian mansion days would have been incapable, because of her respectability and her ignorance.
arch - arco; bóveda
But the man was her husband now, and she was no longer ignorant. She kept it on him for a whole second, with her grave face motionless like a mask, while she said playfully:
ignorant - ignorante, ignaro, inculto
mask - máscara, careta, mascarilla
playfully - Juguetonamente
"You couldn't. You would miss me too much."
Mr Verloc started forward.
"Exactly," he said in a louder tone, throwing his arms out and making a step towards her. Something wild and doubtful in his expression made it appear uncertain whether he meant to strangle or to embrace his wife. But Mrs Verloc's attention was called away from that manifestation by the clatter of the shop bell.
louder - más fuerte; alto
strangle - estrangular
"Shop, Adolf. You go."
He stopped, his arms came down slowly.
"You go," repeated Mrs Verloc. "I've got my apron on."
Mr Verloc obeyed woodenly, stony-eyed, and like an automaton whose face had been painted red. And this resemblance to a mechanical figure went so far that he had an automaton's absurd air of being aware of the machinery inside of him.
obeyed - obedecer
automaton - autómata, autómata
machinery - máquinas, maquinaria, checkmecánica
He closed the parlour door, and Mrs Verloc moving briskly, carried the tray into the kitchen. She washed the cups and some other things before she stopped in her work to listen. No sound reached her. The customer was a long time in the shop.
briskly - enérgicamente; con brío, brioso; rápido, enérgico, briosamente
It was a customer, because if he had not been Mr Verloc would have taken him inside. Undoing the strings of her apron with a jerk, she threw it on a chair, and walked back to the parlour slowly.
undoing - deshaciendo; (undo) deshaciendo
strings - cuerdas; cordel, mecate, usic, cadena, cuerda, enhebrar
At that precise moment Mr Verloc entered from the shop.
He had gone in red. He came out a strange papery white. His face, losing its drugged, feverish stupor, had in that short time acquired a bewildered and harassed expression. He walked straight to the sofa, and stood looking down at his overcoat lying there, as though he were afraid to touch it.
papery - papeloso
stupor - estupor
harassed - acosado; acosar
"What's the matter?" asked Mrs Verloc in a subdued voice. Through the door left ajar she could see that the customer was not gone yet.
What's the matter? - ?Qué pasa?
"I find I'll have to go out this evening," said Mr Verloc. He did not attempt to pick up his outer garment.
Without a word Winnie made for the shop, and shutting the door after her, walked in behind the counter. She did not look overtly at the customer till she had established herself comfortably on the chair. But by that time she had noted that he was tall and thin, and wore his moustaches twisted up.
shutting - cerrando; cerrar
overtly - abiertamente
In fact, he gave the sharp points a twist just then. His long, bony face rose out of a turned-up collar. He was a little splashed, a little wet. A dark man, with the ridge of the cheek-bone well defined under the slightly hollow temple. A complete stranger. Not a customer either.
ridge - cresta, arista, cumbrera, caballete, cordillera, sierra, dorsal
bone - hueso
Mrs Verloc looked at him placidly.
"You came over from the Continent?" she said after a time.
The long, thin stranger, without exactly looking at Mrs Verloc, answered only by a faint and peculiar smile.
Mrs Verloc's steady, incurious gaze rested on him.
"You understand English, don't you?"
don't you? - ?No es así?
"Oh yes. I understand English."
There was nothing foreign in his accent, except that he seemed in his slow enunciation to be taking pains with it. And Mrs Verloc, in her varied experience, had come to the conclusion that some foreigners could speak better English than the natives. She said, looking at the door of the parlour fixedly:
pains - dolores; dolor
varied - variada; variar
foreigners - extranjeros; extranjero, extranjera, forastero, fuereno
"You don't think perhaps of staying in England for good?"
The stranger gave her again a silent smile. He had a kindly mouth and probing eyes. And he shook his head a little sadly, it seemed.
probing - probando; tienta, sonda, sondeo, sonda, sondar, sondear
"My husband will see you through all right. Meantime for a few days you couldn't do better than take lodgings with Mr Giugliani. Continental Hotel it's called. Private. It's quiet. My husband will take you there."
lodgings - alojamiento, hospedaje, encamado
Continental - continental
"A good idea," said the thin, dark man, whose glance had hardened suddenly.
"You knew Mr Verloc before-didn't you? Perhaps in France?"
"I have heard of him," admitted the visitor in his slow, painstaking tone, which yet had a certain curtness of intention.
painstaking - preocupado; minucioso, esmerado
There was a pause. Then he spoke again, in a far less elaborate manner.
"Your husband has not gone out to wait for me in the street by chance?"
by chance - Por casualidad
"In the street!" repeated Mrs Verloc, surprised. "He couldn't. There's no other door to the house."
For a moment she sat impassive, then left her seat to go and peep through the glazed door. Suddenly she opened it, and disappeared into the parlour.
peep through - espiar por
Mr Verloc had done no more than put on his overcoat. But why he should remain afterwards leaning over the table propped up on his two arms as though he were feeling giddy or sick, she could not understand. "Adolf," she called out half aloud; and when he had raised himself:
giddy - vértigo; mareado, vertiginoso, mareador, mareante, frívolo
"Do you know that man?" she asked rapidly.
"I've heard of him," whispered uneasily Mr Verloc, darting a wild glance at the door.
darting - dardo, flechilla
Mrs Verloc's fine, incurious eyes lighted up with a flash of abhorrence.
lighted up - Iluminado
"One of Karl Yundt's friends-beastly old man."
"No! No!" protested Mr Verloc, busy fishing for his hat. But when he got it from under the sofa he held it as if he did not know the use of a hat.
"Well-he's waiting for you," said Mrs Verloc at last. "I say, Adolf, he ain't one of them Embassy people you have been bothered with of late?"
"Bothered with Embassy people," repeated Mr Verloc, with a heavy start of surprise and fear. "Who's been talking to you of the Embassy people?"
"Yourself."
"I! I! Talked of the Embassy to you!"
Mr Verloc seemed scared and bewildered beyond measure. His wife explained:
"You've been talking a little in your sleep of late, Adolf."
"What-what did I say? What do you know?"
"Nothing much. It seemed mostly nonsense. Enough to let me guess that something worried you."
Mr Verloc rammed his hat on his head. A crimson flood of anger ran over his face.
"Nonsense-eh? The Embassy people! I would cut their hearts out one after another. But let them look out. I've got a tongue in my head."
He fumed, pacing up and down between the table and the sofa, his open overcoat catching against the angles. The red flood of anger ebbed out, and left his face all white, with quivering nostrils. Mrs Verloc, for the purposes of practical existence, put down these appearances to the cold.
fumed - fumado; humo, humear, echar humo
pacing - itmo; paso
ebbed - disminuyó; reflujo, marea, marea baja, bajamar
nostrils - fosas nasales; narina, fosa nasal
"Well," she said, "get rid of the man, whoever he is, as soon as you can, and come back home to me. You want looking after for a day or two."
Mr Verloc calmed down, and, with resolution imprinted on his pale face, had already opened the door, when his wife called him back in a whisper:
calmed down - calmarse
imprinted - impreso; huella, marca, impresión
"Adolf! Adolf!" He came back startled. "What about that money you drew out?" she asked. "You've got it in your pocket? Hadn't you better-"
Mr Verloc gazed stupidly into the palm of his wife's extended hand for some time before he slapped his brow.
gazed - mirada; observar, mirar fijamente
slapped - abofeteado; bofetada, cachetada, abofetear, cachetear, golpear
"Money! Yes! Yes! I didn't know what you meant."
He drew out of his breast pocket a new pigskin pocket-book. Mrs Verloc received it without another word, and stood still till the bell, clattering after Mr Verloc and Mr Verloc's visitor, had quieted down. Only then she peeped in at the amount, drawing the notes out for the purpose. After this inspection she looked round thoughtfully, with an air of mistrust in the silence and solitude of the house. This abode of her married life appeared to her as lonely and unsafe as though it had been situated in the midst of a forest. No receptacle she could think of amongst the solid, heavy furniture seemed other but flimsy and particularly tempting to her conception of a house-breaker.
pigskin - piel de cerdo
pocket-book - (pocket-book) libro de bolsillo
clattering - ruidos; trapalear
thoughtfully - Pensadamente
unsafe - inseguro
situated - situado; situar
receptacle - recipiente, receptáculo
solid - sólido, masivo, macizo, continuo, junto, sólido, cuerpo
tempting - tentador; (tempt); tentar
breaker - Rompedor
It was an ideal conception, endowed with sublime faculties and a miraculous insight. The till was not to be thought of. It was the first spot a thief would make for. Mrs Verloc unfastening hastily a couple of hooks, slipped the pocket-book under the bodice of her dress. Having thus disposed of her husband's capital, she was rather glad to hear the clatter of the door bell, announcing an arrival. Assuming the fixed, unabashed stare and the stony expression reserved for the casual customer, she walked in behind the counter.
endowed - dotar, costear, financiar, ser bendecido, ser dotado
miraculous - milagroso
thief - ladrón, caco
unfastening - desabrochando; desabrochar
hooks - ganchos; gancho, garfio, enganchar
disposed of - se eliminó
announcing - anunciando; anunciar, declarar
assuming - Suponiendo; (assume); suponer, dar por sentado, asumir
unabashed - sin vergüenza; panish: t-needed
reserved - reservado; reserva, reservar
A man standing in the middle of the shop was inspecting it with a swift, cool, all-round glance. His eyes ran over the walls, took in the ceiling, noted the floor-all in a moment. The points of a long fair moustache fell below the line of the jaw. He smiled the smile of an old if distant acquaintance, and Mrs Verloc remembered having seen him before. Not a customer.
inspecting - inspeccionando; inspeccionar, pasar revista
took in - pillar, comprender; aceptar; acoger, hospedar
acquaintance - conocido; amistad, conocimiento, junta, relación
She softened her "customer stare" to mere indifference, and faced him across the counter.
softened - suavizado; ablandar, suavizar
across the counter - a través del mostrador
He approached, on his side, confidentially, but not too markedly so.
"Husband at home, Mrs Verloc?" he asked in an easy, full tone.
"No. He's gone out."
"I am sorry for that. I've called to get from him a little private information."
This was the exact truth. Chief Inspector Heat had been all the way home, and had even gone so far as to think of getting into his slippers, since practically he was, he told himself, chucked out of that case. He indulged in some scornful and in a few angry thoughts, and found the occupation so unsatisfactory that he resolved to seek relief out of doors. Nothing prevented him paying a friendly call to Mr Verloc, casually as it were. It was in the character of a private citizen that walking out privately he made use of his customary conveyances. Their general direction was towards Mr Verloc's home. Chief Inspector Heat respected his own private character so consistently that he took especial pains to avoid all the police constables on point and patrol duty in the vicinity of Brett Street.
indulged in - darse el gusto
unsatisfactory - insatisfactorio
casually - Casualmente
customary - costumbre; acostumbrado, consuetudinario, sólito
consistently - consistentemente
patrol - patrullar
vicinity - vecindad, cercanías, inmediaciones, aproximado, aproximadamente
This precaution was much more necessary for a man of his standing than for an obscure Assistant Commissioner. Private Citizen Heat entered the street, manoeuvring in a way which in a member of the criminal classes would have been stigmatised as slinking. The piece of cloth picked up in Greenwich was in his pocket. Not that he had the slightest intention of producing it in his private capacity. On the contrary, he wanted to know just what Mr Verloc would be disposed to say voluntarily. He hoped Mr Verloc's talk would be of a nature to incriminate Michaelis. It was a conscientiously professional hope in the main, but not without its moral value. For Chief Inspector Heat was a servant of justice. Finding Mr Verloc from home, he felt disappointed.
precaution - precaución
more necessary - más necesario
manoeuvring - maniobras; maniobra
stigmatised - Estigmatizar
producing - produciendo; producir, realizar, producto, producción, cosecha
voluntarily - voluntariamente
"I would wait for him a little if I were sure he wouldn't be long," he said.
Mrs Verloc volunteered no assurance of any kind.
volunteered - voluntario, voluntario
"The information I need is quite private," he repeated. "You understand what I mean? I wonder if you could give me a notion where he's gone to?"
Mrs Verloc shook her head.
"Can't say."
She turned away to range some boxes on the shelves behind the counter. Chief Inspector Heat looked at her thoughtfully for a time.
shelves - estanterías; estante, balda, anaquel, entrepano, estantería
"I suppose you know who I am?" he said.
Mrs Verloc glanced over her shoulder. Chief Inspector Heat was amazed at her coolness.
"Come! You know I am in the police," he said sharply.
"I don't trouble my head much about it," Mrs Verloc remarked, returning to the ranging of her boxes.
ranging - van; sierra, cordillera, hornillo, estufa, escala, gama
"My name is Heat. Chief Inspector Heat of the Special Crimes section."
Mrs Verloc adjusted nicely in its place a small cardboard box, and turning round, faced him again, heavy-eyed, with idle hands hanging down. A silence reigned for a time.
adjusted - ajustado; ajustar, arreglar, regular, adaptar
"So your husband went out a quarter of an hour ago! And he didn't say when he would be back?"
"He didn't go out alone," Mrs Verloc let fall negligently.
"A friend?"
Mrs Verloc touched the back of her hair. It was in perfect order.
"A stranger who called."
"I see. What sort of man was that stranger? Would you mind telling me?"
Mrs Verloc did not mind. And when Chief Inspector Heat heard of a man dark, thin, with a long face and turned up moustaches, he gave signs of perturbation, and exclaimed:
perturbation - perturbación
"Dash me if I didn't think so! He hasn't lost any time."
He was intensely disgusted in the secrecy of his heart at the unofficial conduct of his immediate chief. But he was not quixotic. He lost all desire to await Mr Verloc's return. What they had gone out for he did not know, but he imagined it possible that they would return together. The case is not followed properly, it's being tampered with, he thought bitterly.
intensely - intensamente
disgusted - asqueado; repugnar, dar asco, asquear, asco, repugnancia
await - esperar, aguantar
tampered - anipulado; tocar; entrometerse, meterse
"I am afraid I haven't time to wait for your husband," he said.
Mrs Verloc received this declaration listlessly. Her detachment had impressed Chief Inspector Heat all along. At this precise moment it whetted his curiosity. Chief Inspector Heat hung in the wind, swayed by his passions like the most private of citizens.
listlessly - desganadamente
whetted - excitado; afilar, estimular
swayed - nfluido; balanceo, influencia, influjo, preponderancia
"I think," he said, looking at her steadily, "that you could give me a pretty good notion of what's going on if you liked."
Forcing her fine, inert eyes to return his gaze, Mrs Verloc murmured:
"Going on! What is going on?"
"Why, the affair I came to talk about a little with your husband."
That day Mrs Verloc had glanced at a morning paper as usual. But she had not stirred out of doors. The newsboys never invaded Brett Street. It was not a street for their business. And the echo of their cries drifting along the populous thoroughfares, expired between the dirty brick walls without reaching the threshold of the shop.
morning paper - El periódico de la manana
newsboys - Chico de los periódicos
invaded - invadido; invadir
cries - llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
drifting - deriva, derrape, ir a la deriva, vagar, derivar, errar
thoroughfares - ías públicas; pasaje, vía pública, vía de comunicación, canal
expired - caducado; vencer, caducar
Her husband had not brought an evening paper home. At any rate she had not seen it. Mrs Verloc knew nothing whatever of any affair. And she said so, with a genuine note of wonder in her quiet voice.
evening paper - Periódico de la tarde
Chief Inspector Heat did not believe for a moment in so much ignorance. Curtly, without amiability, he stated the bare fact.
Mrs Verloc turned away her eyes.
"I call it silly," she pronounced slowly. She paused. "We ain't downtrodden slaves here."
downtrodden - primidos; oprimido, pisoteado
The Chief Inspector waited watchfully. Nothing more came.
"And your husband didn't mention anything to you when he came home?"
Mrs Verloc simply turned her face from right to left in sign of negation. A languid, baffling silence reigned in the shop. Chief Inspector Heat felt provoked beyond endurance.
baffling - desconcertante; (baffle); desconcertar, confundir
"There was another small matter," he began in a detached tone, "which I wanted to speak to your husband about. There came into our hands a-a-what we believe is-a stolen overcoat."
Mrs Verloc, with her mind specially aware of thieves that evening, touched lightly the bosom of her dress.
"We have lost no overcoat," she said calmly.
"That's funny," continued Private Citizen Heat. "I see you keep a lot of marking ink here-"
He took up a small bottle, and looked at it against the gas-jet in the middle of the shop.
small bottle - una botella pequena
"Purple-isn't it?" he remarked, setting it down again. "As I said, it's strange. Because the overcoat has got a label sewn on the inside with your address written in marking ink."
label - etiqueta, rótulo, panish: t-needed
Mrs Verloc leaned over the counter with a low exclamation.
exclamation - exclamación
"That's my brother's, then."
"Where's your brother? Can I see him?" asked the Chief Inspector briskly. Mrs Verloc leaned a little more over the counter.
"No. He isn't here. I wrote that label myself."
"Where's your brother now?"
"He's been away living with-a friend-in the country."
"The overcoat comes from the country. And what's the name of the friend?"
"Michaelis," confessed Mrs Verloc in an awed whisper.
The Chief Inspector let out a whistle. His eyes snapped.
let out - dejar salir, soltar, liberar
whistle - silbar; silbato, pito, chifle, pitido
"Just so. Capital. And your brother now, what's he like-a sturdy, darkish chap-eh?"
sturdy - recio, sólido, robusto, fuerte
darkish - Oscuro
"Oh no," exclaimed Mrs Verloc fervently. "That must be the thief. Stevie's slight and fair."
fervently - con fervor; fervientemente, fervorosamente
"Good," said the Chief Inspector in an approving tone. And while Mrs Verloc, wavering between alarm and wonder, stared at him, he sought for information. Why have the address sewn like this inside the coat?
And he heard that the mangled remains he had inspected that morning with extreme repugnance were those of a youth, nervous, absent-minded, peculiar, and also that the woman who was speaking to him had had the charge of that boy since he was a baby.
inspected - inspeccionado; inspeccionar, pasar revista
"Easily excitable?" he suggested.
"Oh yes. He is. But how did he come to lose his coat-"
Chief Inspector Heat suddenly pulled out a pink newspaper he had bought less than half-an-hour ago. He was interested in horses. Forced by his calling into an attitude of doubt and suspicion towards his fellow-citizens, Chief Inspector Heat relieved the instinct of credulity implanted in the human breast by putting unbounded faith in the sporting prophets of that particular evening publication.
relieved - aliviado; aliviar, relevar
credulity - Credulidad
implanted - implantado; hincar, implantar, implante
unbounded - sin límites
Dropping the extra special on to the counter, he plunged his hand again into his pocket, and pulling out the piece of cloth fate had presented him with out of a heap of things that seemed to have been collected in shambles and rag shops, he offered it to Mrs Verloc for inspection.
"I suppose you recognise this?"
She took it mechanically in both her hands. Her eyes seemed to grow bigger as she looked.
mechanically - mecánicamente, maquinalmente
"Yes," she whispered, then raised her head, and staggered backward a little.
"Whatever for is it torn out like this?"
torn out - arrancado
The Chief Inspector snatched across the counter the cloth out of her hands, and she sat heavily on the chair. He thought: identification's perfect. And in that moment he had a glimpse into the whole amazing truth. Verloc was the "other man."
snatched - arrebatado; agarrar, arrebatar, arrancada, arranque
identification - identificación
"Mrs Verloc," he said, "it strikes me that you know more of this bomb affair than even you yourself are aware of."
Mrs Verloc sat still, amazed, lost in boundless astonishment. What was the connection? And she became so rigid all over that she was not able to turn her head at the clatter of the bell, which caused the private investigator Heat to spin round on his heel. Mr Verloc had shut the door, and for a moment the two men looked at each other.
boundless - ilimitado, sin límites
private investigator - Investigador privado
spin - hacer girar
Mr Verloc, without looking at his wife, walked up to the Chief Inspector, who was relieved to see him return alone.
"You here!" muttered Mr Verloc heavily. "Who are you after?"
"No one," said Chief Inspector Heat in a low tone. "Look here, I would like a word or two with you."
Mr Verloc, still pale, had brought an air of resolution with him. Still he didn't look at his wife. He said:
"Come in here, then." And he led the way into the parlour.
The door was hardly shut when Mrs Verloc, jumping up from the chair, ran to it as if to fling it open, but instead of doing so fell on her knees, with her ear to the keyhole. The two men must have stopped directly they were through, because she heard plainly the Chief Inspector's voice, though she could not see his finger pressed against her husband's breast emphatically.
fling - una aventura; arrojar, lanzar
keyhole - el ojo de la cerradura; ojo
emphatically - enfáticamente
"You are the other man, Verloc. Two men were seen entering the park."
entering - Entrando; (enter); entrar
And the voice of Mr Verloc said:
"Well, take me now. What's to prevent you? You have the right."
"Oh no! I know too well who you have been giving yourself away to. He'll have to manage this little affair all by himself. But don't you make a mistake, it's I who found you out."
Then she heard only muttering. Inspector Heat must have been showing to Mr Verloc the piece of Stevie's overcoat, because Stevie's sister, guardian, and protector heard her husband a little louder.
"I never noticed that she had hit upon that dodge."
hit upon - dar con
Dodge - evadir, esquivar, capear
Again for a time Mrs Verloc heard nothing but murmurs, whose mysteriousness was less nightmarish to her brain than the horrible suggestions of shaped words. Then Chief Inspector Heat, on the other side of the door, raised his voice.
murmurs - murmullos; soplo, murmurar
nightmarish - pesadillesco, apesadillado
suggestions - sugerencias; sugerencia, propuesta, sugestión
"You must have been mad."
And Mr Verloc's voice answered, with a sort of gloomy fury:
fury - furia
"I have been mad for a month or more, but I am not mad now. It's all over. It shall all come out of my head, and hang the consequences."
It's all over - Se acabó
hang - colgar
There was a silence, and then Private Citizen Heat murmured:
"What's coming out?"
"Everything," exclaimed the voice of Mr Verloc, and then sank very low.
After a while it rose again.
"You have known me for several years now, and you've found me useful, too. You know I was a straight man. Yes, straight."
This appeal to old acquaintance must have been extremely distasteful to the Chief Inspector.
His voice took on a warning note.
"Don't you trust so much to what you have been promised. If I were you I would clear out. I don't think we will run after you."
promised - prometido; promesa, prometer
clear out - retirar(se); salir; vaciar
Mr Verloc was heard to laugh a little.
"Oh yes; you hope the others will get rid of me for you-don't you? No, no; you don't shake me off now. I have been a straight man to those people too long, and now everything must come out."
"Let it come out, then," the indifferent voice of Chief Inspector Heat assented. "But tell me now how did you get away."
"I was making for Chesterfield Walk," Mrs Verloc heard her husband's voice, "when I heard the bang. I started running then. Fog. I saw no one till I was past the end of George Street. Don't think I met anyone till then."
bang - portazo, golpe estrepitoso
George - Jorge
"So easy as that!" marvelled the voice of Chief Inspector Heat. "The bang startled you, eh?"
"Yes; it came too soon," confessed the gloomy, husky voice of Mr Verloc.
Mrs Verloc pressed her ear to the keyhole; her lips were blue, her hands cold as ice, and her pale face, in which the two eyes seemed like two black holes, felt to her as if it were enveloped in flames.
On the other side of the door the voices sank very low. She caught words now and then, sometimes in her husband's voice, sometimes in the smooth tones of the Chief Inspector. She heard this last say:
"We believe he stumbled against the root of a tree?"
There was a husky, voluble murmur, which lasted for some time, and then the Chief Inspector, as if answering some inquiry, spoke emphatically.
voluble - locuaz, voluble
"Of course. Blown to small bits: limbs, gravel, clothing, bones, splinters-all mixed up together. I tell you they had to fetch a shovel to gather him up with."
splinters - Esquirla
gather - reunirnos; juntar, recoger, recolectar, acumular, reunir
Mrs Verloc sprang up suddenly from her crouching position, and stopping her ears, reeled to and fro between the counter and the shelves on the wall towards the chair. Her crazed eyes noted the sporting sheet left by the Chief Inspector, and as she knocked herself against the counter she snatched it up, fell into the chair, tore the optimistic, rosy sheet right across in trying to open it, then flung it on the floor.
sprang up - brotar; aparecer; alzarse
crouching - agacharse, ponerse/estar en cuclillas
reeled - enrollado; carrete, enrollar, titubear
shelves - estanterías; dar carpetazo, cajonear, engavetar
crazed - enloquecido; panish: t-needed
knocked - golpeado; golpe, golpear
tore - Romper
On the other side of the door, Chief Inspector Heat was saying to Mr Verloc, the secret agent:
"So your defence will be practically a full confession?"
"It will. I am going to tell the whole story."
"You won't be believed as much as you fancy you will."
And the Chief Inspector remained thoughtful. The turn this affair was taking meant the disclosure of many things-the laying waste of fields of knowledge, which, cultivated by a capable man, had a distinct value for the individual and for the society. It was sorry, sorry meddling. It would leave Michaelis unscathed; it would drag to light the Professor's home industry; disorganise the whole system of supervision; make no end of a row in the papers, which, from that point of view, appeared to him by a sudden illumination as invariably written by fools for the reading of imbeciles.
disclosure - divulgación; revelación, destape, panish: t-needed
waste - residuos; desperdiciar, malgastar
fields of knowledge - campos de conocimiento
meddling - injerencia; entrometerse, inmiscuirse, injerirse, mangonear
unscathed - incólume, indemne, ileso
disorganise - desorganizar
illumination - iluminación, ilustración
invariably - invariablemente
Mentally he agreed with the words Mr Verloc let fall at last in answer to his last remark.
"Perhaps not. But it will upset many things. I have been a straight man, and I shall keep straight in this-"
"If they let you," said the Chief Inspector cynically. "You will be preached to, no doubt, before they put you into the dock. And in the end you may yet get let in for a sentence that will surprise you. I wouldn't trust too much the gentleman who's been talking to you."
cynically - cínicamente
Dock - muelle
let in - hacer pasar; dejar entrar; permitir
Mr Verloc listened, frowning.
"My advice to you is to clear out while you may. I have no instructions. There are some of them," continued Chief Inspector Heat, laying a peculiar stress on the word "them," "who think you are already out of the world."
stress - tensión, estrés, énfasis, tensionar, tensar, estresar, acentuar
"Indeed!" Mr Verloc was moved to say. Though since his return from Greenwich he had spent most of his time sitting in the tap-room of an obscure little public-house, he could hardly have hoped for such favourable news.
tap - golpear; golpecito, palmadita
hoped for - esperar algo, contar con
"That's the impression about you." The Chief Inspector nodded at him. "Vanish. Clear out."
"Where to?" snarled Mr Verloc. He raised his head, and gazing at the closed door of the parlour, muttered feelingly: "I only wish you would take me away to-night. I would go quietly."
gazing at - mirando
"I daresay," assented sardonically the Chief Inspector, following the direction of his glance.
The brow of Mr Verloc broke into slight moisture. He lowered his husky voice confidentially before the unmoved Chief Inspector.
unmoved - insensible, impasible
"The lad was half-witted, irresponsible. Any court would have seen that at once. Only fit for the asylum. And that was the worst that would've happened to him if-"
witted - Ingenioso
irresponsible - irresponsable
asylum - asilo, santuario, manicomio
The Chief Inspector, his hand on the door handle, whispered into Mr Verloc's face.
handle - manejar; mango; asa; manilla, pomo(puerta)
"He may've been half-witted, but you must have been crazy. What drove you off your head like this?"
Mr Verloc, thinking of Mr Vladimir, did not hesitate in the choice of words.
hesitate - vacilar, dudar, hesitar
"A Hyperborean swine," he hissed forcibly. "A what you might call a-a gentleman."
swine - cerdo, canalla
The Chief Inspector, steady-eyed, nodded briefly his comprehension, and opened the door. Mrs Verloc, behind the counter, might have heard but did not see his departure, pursued by the aggressive clatter of the bell. She sat at her post of duty behind the counter. She sat rigidly erect in the chair with two dirty pink pieces of paper lying spread out at her feet. The palms of her hands were pressed convulsively to her face, with the tips of the fingers contracted against the forehead, as though the skin had been a mask which she was ready to tear off violently. The perfect immobility of her pose expressed the agitation of rage and despair, all the potential violence of tragic passions, better than any shallow display of shrieks, with the beating of a distracted head against the walls, could have done.
comprehension - comprensión, entendimiento
departure - salida, partida
convulsively - convulsivamente
tips - consejos; punta, cabo, extremidad
contracted - contratado; contraer
tear off - arrancar, salir disparado
pose - postura, pose
potential - potencial
tragic - trágico
shrieks - gritos; alarido, chillido, chillar
distracted - distraído; distraer, despistar
Chief Inspector Heat, crossing the shop at his busy, swinging pace, gave her only a cursory glance. And when the cracked bell ceased to tremble on its curved ribbon of steel nothing stirred near Mrs Verloc, as if her attitude had the locking power of a spell. Even the butterfly-shaped gas flames posed on the ends of the suspended T-bracket burned without a quiver. In that shop of shady wares fitted with deal shelves painted a dull brown, which seemed to devour the sheen of the light, the gold circlet of the wedding ring on Mrs Verloc's left hand glittered exceedingly with the untarnished glory of a piece from some splendid treasure of jewels, dropped in a dust-bin.
cursory - rápido, superficial
steel - acero
locking - cerrando; cerradura
butterfly - mariposa
bracket - estribo; paréntesis, corchete
devour - devorar, jambar
sheen - brillo, lustre
circlet - circuito; circulito, tiara
wedding - Boda; (wed); casar
glittered - brillaba; brillo, purpurina, escarcha, brillar, resplandecer
exceedingly - excesivamente; extremadamente, sumamente, sobremanera, asaz
untarnished - Sin mancha
splendid - espléndido
jewels - joyas; gema, joya, alhaja, rubí
bin - cubo (de la basura), papelera
The Assistant Commissioner, driven rapidly in a hansom from the neighbourhood of Soho in the direction of Westminster, got out at the very centre of the Empire on which the sun never sets. Some stalwart constables, who did not seem particularly impressed by the duty of watching the august spot, saluted him.
Empire - imperio
Penetrating through a portal by no means lofty into the precincts of the House which is the House, par excellence in the minds of many millions of men, he was met at last by the volatile and revolutionary Toodles.
penetrating - penetrante; penetrar
portal - portal, portada, vena porta
precincts - ecintos; recinto, distrito policial
par - valor medio; par
volatile - volátil, inestible
That neat and nice young man concealed his astonishment at the early appearance of the Assistant Commissioner, whom he had been told to look out for some time about midnight. His turning up so early he concluded to be the sign that things, whatever they were, had gone wrong. With an extremely ready sympathy, which in nice youngsters goes often with a joyous temperament, he felt sorry for the great Presence he called "The Chief," and also for the Assistant Commissioner, whose face appeared to him more ominously wooden than ever before, and quite wonderfully long. "What a queer, foreign-looking chap he is," he thought to himself, smiling from a distance with friendly buoyancy.
youngsters - jóvenes; jovenzuelo
And directly they came together he began to talk with the kind intention of burying the awkwardness of failure under a heap of words. It looked as if the great assault threatened for that night were going to fizzle out. An inferior henchman of "that brute Cheeseman" was up boring mercilessly a very thin House with some shamelessly cooked statistics. He, Toodles, hoped he would bore them into a count out every minute. But then he might be only marking time to let that guzzling Cheeseman dine at his leisure. Anyway, the Chief could not be persuaded to go home.
burying - enterrar
awkwardness - incomodidad; torpeza
assault - asalto, acometimiento, agresión, ataque, asaltar
fizzle out - apagarse, caer
henchman - secuaz, esbirro
mercilessly - sin piedad; despiadadamente
shamelessly - sin vergüenza; desvergonzadamente
statistics - estadísticas; estadística
guzzling - golpeando; engullir
leisure - ocio, tiempo libre
persuaded - persuadido; persuadir
"He will see you at once, I think. He's sitting all alone in his room thinking of all the fishes of the sea," concluded Toodles airily. "Come along."
Notwithstanding the kindness of his disposition, the young private secretary (unpaid) was accessible to the common failings of humanity. He did not wish to harrow the feelings of the Assistant Commissioner, who looked to him uncommonly like a man who has made a mess of his job. But his curiosity was too strong to be restrained by mere compassion. He could not help, as they went along, to throw over his shoulder lightly:
failings - deficiencias; falta, defecto, lacra, a falta de
throw over - dejar plantado, romper con alguien; abandonar; lanzar por encima
"And your sprat?"
"Got him," answered the Assistant Commissioner with a concision which did not mean to be repellent in the least.
concision - concisión
repellent - repelente, repulsivo, impermeable
"Good. You've no idea how these great men dislike to be disappointed in small things."
After this profound observation the experienced Toodles seemed to reflect. At any rate he said nothing for quite two seconds. Then:
reflect - reflejar, recapacitar, reflexionar, cavilar, discurrir
"I'm glad. But-I say-is it really such a very small thing as you make it out?"
"Do you know what may be done with a sprat?" the Assistant Commissioner asked in his turn.
"He's sometimes put into a sardine box," chuckled Toodles, whose erudition on the subject of the fishing industry was fresh and, in comparison with his ignorance of all other industrial matters, immense. "There are sardine canneries on the Spanish coast which-"
sardine - sardina
chuckled - se rió; reírse (entre dientes)
erudition - erudición
Spanish - espanol; espanol, castellano, espanol, castellano, hispano
coast - costa, litoral
The Assistant Commissioner interrupted the apprentice statesman.
apprentice - aprendiz, panish: colocar de aprendiz
"Yes. Yes. But a sprat is also thrown away sometimes in order to catch a whale."
whale - ballena
"A whale. Phew!" exclaimed Toodles, with bated breath. "You're after a whale, then?"
"Not exactly. What I am after is more like a dog-fish. You don't know perhaps what a dog-fish is like."
"Yes; I do. We're buried in special books up to our necks-whole shelves full of them-with plates. . . . It's a noxious, rascally-looking, altogether detestable beast, with a sort of smooth face and moustaches."
necks - cuello
rascally - pillo
detestable - panish: t-needed
"Described to a T," commended the Assistant Commissioner. "Only mine is clean-shaven altogether. You've seen him. It's a witty fish."
"I have seen him!" said Toodles incredulously. "I can't conceive where I could have seen him."
incredulously - Incrédulo
"At the Explorers, I should say," dropped the Assistant Commissioner calmly. At the name of that extremely exclusive club Toodles looked scared, and stopped short.
explorers - exploradores; explorador, exploradora
exclusive - exclusivo, panish: t-needed
"Nonsense," he protested, but in an awe-struck tone. "What do you mean? A member?"
"Honorary," muttered the Assistant Commissioner through his teeth.
honorary - honorario
"Heavens!"
heavens - cielos; cielo, firmamento, paraíso
Toodles looked so thunderstruck that the Assistant Commissioner smiled faintly.
"That's between ourselves strictly," he said.
"That's the beastliest thing I've ever heard in my life," declared Toodles feebly, as if astonishment had robbed him of all his buoyant strength in a second.
feebly - Tímidamente
buoyant - boyante
The Assistant Commissioner gave him an unsmiling glance. Till they came to the door of the great man's room, Toodles preserved a scandalised and solemn silence, as though he were offended with the Assistant Commissioner for exposing such an unsavoury and disturbing fact. It revolutionised his idea of the Explorers'Club's extreme selectness, of its social purity.
solemn - solemne
exposing - exponiendo; exponer, revelar, descubrir, exhibir
disturbing - inquietante; perturbar, molestar
revolutionised - revolucionar
selectness - Selección
Toodles was revolutionary only in politics; his social beliefs and personal feelings he wished to preserve unchanged through all the years allotted to him on this earth which, upon the whole, he believed to be a nice place to live on.
He stood aside.
"Go in without knocking," he said.
knocking - Golpeando; (knock); golpe, golpear
Shades of green silk fitted low over all the lights imparted to the room something of a forest's deep gloom. The haughty eyes were physically the great man's weak point. This point was wrapped up in secrecy. When an opportunity offered, he rested them conscientiously.
wrapped - envuelto; enrollar
The Assistant Commissioner entering saw at first only a big pale hand supporting a big head, and concealing the upper part of a big pale face. An open despatch-box stood on the writing-table near a few oblong sheets of paper and a scattered handful of quill pens. There was absolutely nothing else on the large flat surface except a little bronze statuette draped in a toga, mysteriously watchful in its shadowy immobility.
supporting - apoyando; (support) apoyando
concealing - ocultando; esconder, ocultar
despatch - despachar
oblong - olongo; oblongo
quill - cálamo, pluma, púa
statuette - estatuilla
toga - toga
The Assistant Commissioner, invited to take a chair, sat down. In the dim light, the salient points of his personality, the long face, the black hair, his lankness, made him look more foreign than ever.
invited - invitado; invitar
lankness - laneza
The great man manifested no surprise, no eagerness, no sentiment whatever. The attitude in which he rested his menaced eyes was profoundly meditative. He did not alter it the least bit. But his tone was not dreamy.
meditative - Meditativo
alter - cambiar, modificar, alterar
"Well! What is it that you've found out already? You came upon something unexpected on the first step."
"Not exactly unexpected, Sir Ethelred. What I mainly came upon was a psychological state."
The Great Presence made a slight movement. "You must be lucid, please."
"Yes, Sir Ethelred. You know no doubt that most criminals at some time or other feel an irresistible need of confessing-of making a clean breast of it to somebody-to anybody. And they do it often to the police. In that Verloc whom Heat wished so much to screen I've found a man in that particular psychological state. The man, figuratively speaking, flung himself on my breast. It was enough on my part to whisper to him who I was and to add 'I know that you are at the bottom of this affair.' It must have seemed miraculous to him that we should know already, but he took it all in the stride. The wonderfulness of it never checked him for a moment.
confessing - confesando; confesar, panish: t-needed
figuratively - figuradamente, en sentido figurado, figurativamente
whisper to - susurrar a
wonderfulness - Maravilla
There remained for me only to put to him the two questions: Who put you up to it? and Who was the man who did it? He answered the first with remarkable emphasis. As to the second question, I gather that the fellow with the bomb was his brother-in-law-quite a lad-a weak-minded creature. . . . It is rather a curious affair-too long perhaps to state fully just now."
Who put you up to it? - ?Quién te lo sugirió?
I gather that - Comprendo que
"What then have you learned?" asked the great man.
"First, I've learned that the ex-convict Michaelis had nothing to do with it, though indeed the lad had been living with him temporarily in the country up to eight o'clock this morning. It is more than likely that Michaelis knows nothing of it to this moment."
temporarily - temporalmente
"You are positive as to that?" asked the great man.
"Quite certain, Sir Ethelred. This fellow Verloc went there this morning, and took away the lad on the pretence of going out for a walk in the lanes. As it was not the first time that he did this, Michaelis could not have the slightest suspicion of anything unusual. For the rest, Sir Ethelred, the indignation of this man Verloc had left nothing in doubt-nothing whatever.
took away - se llevó
He had been driven out of his mind almost by an extraordinary performance, which for you or me it would be difficult to take as seriously meant, but which produced a great impression obviously on him."
driven out - marcharse; expulsar, echar algo/a alguien
The Assistant Commissioner then imparted briefly to the great man, who sat still, resting his eyes under the screen of his hand, Mr Verloc's appreciation of Mr Vladimir's proceedings and character. The Assistant Commissioner did not seem to refuse it a certain amount of competency. But the great personage remarked:
competency - capacidad, checkcualidades, checkcompetencia
"All this seems very fantastic."
"Doesn't it? One would think a ferocious joke. But our man took it seriously, it appears. He felt himself threatened. In the time, you know, he was in direct communication with old Stott-Wartenheim himself, and had come to regard his services as indispensable.
indispensable - indispensable, imprescindible
It was an extremely rude awakening. I imagine that he lost his head. He became angry and frightened. Upon my word, my impression is that he thought these Embassy people quite capable not only to throw him out but, to give him away too in some manner or other-"
awakening - despertar; (awaken); despertar, despertarse
"How long were you with him," interrupted the Presence from behind his big hand.
"Some forty minutes, Sir Ethelred, in a house of bad repute called Continental Hotel, closeted in a room which by-the-by I took for the night. I found him under the influence of that reaction which follows the effort of crime. The man cannot be defined as a hardened criminal. It is obvious that he did not plan the death of that wretched lad-his brother-in-law. That was a shock to him-I could see that.
closeted - en el armario; ropero, armario, clóset
reaction - reacción
Perhaps he is a man of strong sensibilities. Perhaps he was even fond of the lad-who knows? He might have hoped that the fellow would get clear away; in which case it would have been almost impossible to bring this thing home to anyone. At any rate he risked consciously nothing more but arrest for him."
clear away - despejar, quitar
risked - arriesgado; riesgo, checkpeligro, arriesgar, poner en riesgo
consciously - conscientemente
The Assistant Commissioner paused in his speculations to reflect for a moment.
speculations - especulaciones; especulación
"Though how, in that last case, he could hope to have his own share in the business concealed is more than I can tell," he continued, in his ignorance of poor Stevie's devotion to Mr Verloc (who was good), and of his truly peculiar dumbness, which in the old affair of fireworks on the stairs had for many years resisted entreaties, coaxing, anger, and other means of investigation used by his beloved sister. For Stevie was loyal.
share in - participar en, beneficiarse de algo; parte en
resisted - esistido; resistir, panish: t-needed
entreaties - suplicas; petición, solicitud, plegaria
coaxing - insinuación; engatusar
. . . "No, I can't imagine. It's possible that he never thought of that at all. It sounds an extravagant way of putting it, Sir Ethelred, but his state of dismay suggested to me an impulsive man who, after committing suicide with the notion that it would end all his troubles, had discovered that it did nothing of the kind."
extravagant - extravagante
suicide - suicidio, autolisis, suicida
troubles - problemas; marrón, berenjenal, dificultad, problema, molestia
The Assistant Commissioner gave this definition in an apologetic voice. But in truth there is a sort of lucidity proper to extravagant language, and the great man was not offended. A slight jerky movement of the big body half lost in the gloom of the green silk shades, of the big head leaning on the big hand, accompanied an intermittent stifled but powerful sound. The great man had laughed.
apologetic - lleno de disculpas
lucidity - lucidez
jerky movement - Movimiento brusco
stifled - asfixiado; ahogar, sofocar
"What have you done with him?"
The Assistant Commissioner answered very readily:
"As he seemed very anxious to get back to his wife in the shop I let him go, Sir Ethelred."
"You did? But the fellow will disappear."
disappear - desaparecer
"Pardon me. I don't think so. Where could he go to? Moreover, you must remember that he has got to think of the danger from his comrades too. He's there at his post. How could he explain leaving it? But even if there were no obstacles to his freedom of action he would do nothing.
Pardon me - Perdón, Perdone
obstacles - obstáculos; obstáculo, óbice, traba, estorbo
freedom of action - libertad de acción
At present he hasn't enough moral energy to take a resolution of any sort. Permit me also to point out that if I had detained him we would have been committed to a course of action on which I wished to know your precise intentions first."
detained - detenido; panish: t-needed
The great personage rose heavily, an imposing shadowy form in the greenish gloom of the room.
"I'll see the Attorney-General to-night, and will send for you to-morrow morning. Is there anything more you'd wish to tell me now?"
attorney - abogado, abogada, notario
send for - ir a buscar a, mandar a buscar a; hacer traer
The Assistant Commissioner had stood up also, slender and flexible.
flexible - flexible, doblegable
"I think not, Sir Ethelred, unless I were to enter into details which-"
enter into - entrar, involucrarse
"No. No details, please."
The great shadowy form seemed to shrink away as if in physical dread of details; then came forward, expanded, enormous, and weighty, offering a large hand. "And you say that this man has got a wife?"
shrink - contraerse, encogerse, achicarse, mermar
offering - ofrenda; ofrecimiento; (offer) ofrenda; ofrecimiento
"Yes, Sir Ethelred," said the Assistant Commissioner, pressing deferentially the extended hand. "A genuine wife and a genuinely, respectably, marital relation. He told me that after his interview at the Embassy he would have thrown everything up, would have tried to sell his shop, and leave the country, only he felt certain that his wife would not even hear of going abroad.
deferentially - con deferencia
respectably - respetablemente, dignamente
relation - relación, pariente
Nothing could be more characteristic of the respectable bond than that," went on, with a touch of grimness, the Assistant Commissioner, whose own wife too had refused to hear of going abroad. "Yes, a genuine wife. And the victim was a genuine brother-in-law. From a certain point of view we are here in the presence of a domestic drama."
bond - bono; vínculo
refused - rechazado; negarse (a)
drama - drama, obra teatral
The Assistant Commissioner laughed a little; but the great man's thoughts seemed to have wandered far away, perhaps to the questions of his country's domestic policy, the battle-ground of his crusading valour against the paynim Cheeseman. The Assistant Commissioner withdrew quietly, unnoticed, as if already forgotten.
crusading - una cruzada; cruzada
valour - valor
unnoticed - desapercibido, inadvertido
He had his own crusading instincts. This affair, which, in one way or another, disgusted Chief Inspector Heat, seemed to him a providentially given starting-point for a crusade. He had it much at heart to begin. He walked slowly home, meditating that enterprise on the way, and thinking over Mr Verloc's psychology in a composite mood of repugnance and satisfaction. He walked all the way home.
crusade - una cruzada; cruzada
meditating - meditando; meditar
composite - compuesto, compuesto
Finding the drawing-room dark, he went upstairs, and spent some time between the bedroom and the dressing-room, changing his clothes, going to and fro with the air of a thoughtful somnambulist. But he shook it off before going out again to join his wife at the house of the great lady patroness of Michaelis.
somnambulist - sonnambulista; sonámbulo
He knew he would be welcomed there. On entering the smaller of the two drawing-rooms he saw his wife in a small group near the piano. A youngish composer in pass of becoming famous was discoursing from a music stool to two thick men whose backs looked old, and three slender women whose backs looked young.
youngish - Joven
composer - panish: t-needed
discoursing - discutiendo; discurso, conversación, disertar
Behind the screen the great lady had only two persons with her: a man and a woman, who sat side by side on arm-chairs at the foot of her couch. She extended her hand to the Assistant Commissioner.
"I never hoped to see you here to-night. Annie told me-"
"Yes. I had no idea myself that my work would be over so soon."
The Assistant Commissioner added in a low tone: "I am glad to tell you that Michaelis is altogether clear of this-"
The patroness of the ex-convict received this assurance indignantly.
indignantly - con indignación
"Why? Were your people stupid enough to connect him with-"
"Not stupid," interrupted the Assistant Commissioner, contradicting deferentially. "Clever enough-quite clever enough for that."
contradicting - contradictorio; contradecir, contrariar
A silence fell. The man at the foot of the couch had stopped speaking to the lady, and looked on with a faint smile.
"I don't know whether you ever met before," said the great lady.
Mr Vladimir and the Assistant Commissioner, introduced, acknowledged each other's existence with punctilious and guarded courtesy.
acknowledged - reconocido; reconocer, acusar recibo
punctilious - puntilloso
guarded - guardado; guarda, guardia, guardés, guarda, tapador, bloque
courtesy - cortesía, de cortesía
"He's been frightening me," declared suddenly the lady who sat by the side of Mr Vladimir, with an inclination of the head towards that gentleman. The Assistant Commissioner knew the lady.
"You do not look frightened," he pronounced, after surveying her conscientiously with his tired and equable gaze. He was thinking meantime to himself that in this house one met everybody sooner or later. Mr Vladimir's rosy countenance was wreathed in smiles, because he was witty, but his eyes remained serious, like the eyes of convinced man.
surveying - exploración; geodesia; (survey); sondeo, encuesta, supervisión
wreathed - coronado; cubrir, envolver, adornar, coronar
"Well, he tried to at least," amended the lady.
amended - enmendada; corregir, mejorar, enmendar
"Force of habit perhaps," said the Assistant Commissioner, moved by an irresistible inspiration.
"He has been threatening society with all sorts of horrors," continued the lady, whose enunciation was caressing and slow, "apropos of this explosion in Greenwich Park. It appears we all ought to quake in our shoes at what's coming if those people are not suppressed all over the world. I had no idea this was such a grave affair."
caressing - Caricias; (cares) Caricias
apropos - pertinente, oportuno, a propósito
Mr Vladimir, affecting not to listen, leaned towards the couch, talking amiably in subdued tones, but he heard the Assistant Commissioner say:
amiably - amablemente
"I've no doubt that Mr Vladimir has a very precise notion of the true importance of this affair."
Mr Vladimir asked himself what that confounded and intrusive policeman was driving at. descended from generations victimised by the instruments of an arbitrary power, he was racially, nationally, and individually afraid of the police. It was an inherited weakness, altogether independent of his judgment, of his reason, of his experience.
intrusive - intrusivo; intruso
descended from - descendiente de
victimised - victimizar
instruments - instrumentos; instrumento, herramienta
nationally - a nivel nacional; nacionalmente
inherited - heredado; heredar
He was born to it. But that sentiment, which resembled the irrational horror some people have of cats, did not stand in the way of his immense contempt for the English police. He finished the sentence addressed to the great lady, and turned slightly in his chair.
"You mean that we have a great experience of these people. Yes; indeed, we suffer greatly from their activity, while you"-Mr Vladimir hesitated for a moment, in smiling perplexity-"while you suffer their presence gladly in your midst," he finished, displaying a dimple on each clean-shaven cheek. Then he added more gravely: "I may even say-because you do."
hesitated - vaciló; vacilar, dudar, hesitar
gladly - con gusto; de buena gana
dimple - un hoyuelo; hoyuelo, camanance, formar hoyuelos
When Mr Vladimir ceased speaking the Assistant Commissioner lowered his glance, and the conversation dropped. Almost immediately afterwards Mr Vladimir took leave.
Directly his back was turned on the couch the Assistant Commissioner rose too.
"I thought you were going to stay and take Annie home," said the lady patroness of Michaelis.
"I find that I've yet a little work to do to-night."
"In connection-?"
"Well, yes-in a way."
"Tell me, what is it really-this horror?"
"It's difficult to say what it is, but it may yet be a cause célčbre," said the Assistant Commissioner.
célčbre - élebre
He left the drawing-room hurriedly, and found Mr Vladimir still in the hall, wrapping up his throat carefully in a large silk handkerchief. Behind him a footman waited, holding his overcoat. Another stood ready to open the door. The Assistant Commissioner was duly helped into his coat, and let out at once. After descending the front steps he stopped, as if to consider the way he should take.
wrapping up - envolver; arroparse; terminar, concluir
handkerchief - panuelo; panuelo
On seeing this through the door held open, Mr Vladimir lingered in the hall to get out a cigar and asked for a light. It was furnished to him by an elderly man out of livery with an air of calm solicitude. But the match went out; the footman then closed the door, and Mr Vladimir lighted his large Havana with leisurely care.
cigar - un puro; puro, cigarro
Havana - La Habana, habano
When at last he got out of the house, he saw with disgust the "confounded policeman" still standing on the pavement.
"Can he be waiting for me," thought Mr Vladimir, looking up and down for some signs of a hansom. He saw none. A couple of carriages waited by the curbstone, their lamps blazing steadily, the horses standing perfectly still, as if carved in stone, the coachmen sitting motionless under the big fur capes, without as much as a quiver stirring the white thongs of their big whips.
carved - tallado; cortar, trinchar, tallar, esculpir
coachmen - Cochero
fur - pelo, pelaje
capes - capas; capa
thongs - tangas; calipso
whips - látigos; fusta, látigo, flagelo, panish: t-needed
Mr Vladimir walked on, and the "confounded policeman" fell into step at his elbow. He said nothing. At the end of the fourth stride Mr Vladimir felt infuriated and uneasy. This could not last.
infuriated - enfurecido; enfurecer
"Rotten weather," he growled savagely.
"Mild," said the Assistant Commissioner without passion. He remained silent for a little while. "We've got hold of a man called Verloc," he announced casually.
Mr Vladimir did not stumble, did not stagger back, did not change his stride. But he could not prevent himself from exclaiming: "What?" The Assistant Commissioner did not repeat his statement. "You know him," he went on in the same tone.
stumble - tropezón, traspié, desliz, torpeza, tropiezo, tropezar
stagger - trastabillar; tambalearse; (stag); ciervo, potro, potra
Mr Vladimir stopped, and became guttural. "What makes you say that?"
"I don't. It's Verloc who says that."
"A lying dog of some sort," said Mr Vladimir in somewhat Oriental phraseology. But in his heart he was almost awed by the miraculous cleverness of the English police. The change of his opinion on the subject was so violent that it made him for a moment feel slightly sick. He threw away his cigar, and moved on.
cleverness - inteligencia, habilidad, listeza, agudeza
threw away - se tiró a la basura
"What pleased me most in this affair," the Assistant went on, talking slowly, "is that it makes such an excellent starting-point for a piece of work which I've felt must be taken in hand-that is, the clearing out of this country of all the foreign political spies, police, and that sort of-of-dogs.
clearing out - se está despejando
In my opinion they are a ghastly nuisance; also an element of danger. But we can't very well seek them out individually. The only way is to make their employment unpleasant to their employers. The thing's becoming indecent. And dangerous too, for us, here."
employers - empleadores; empleador
Mr Vladimir stopped again for a moment.
"What do you mean?"
"The prosecution of this Verloc will demonstrate to the public both the danger and the indecency."
"Nobody will believe what a man of that sort says," said Mr Vladimir contemptuously.
"The wealth and precision of detail will carry conviction to the great mass of the public," advanced the Assistant Commissioner gently.
"So that is seriously what you mean to do."
"We've got the man; we have no choice."
"You will be only feeding up the lying spirit of these revolutionary scoundrels," Mr Vladimir protested. "What do you want to make a scandal for?-from morality-or what?"
feeding - alimentación; (feed); alimentación
Mr Vladimir's anxiety was obvious. The Assistant Commissioner having ascertained in this way that there must be some truth in the summary statements of Mr Verloc, said indifferently:
ascertained - averiguado; averiguar, determinar, establecer, definir
summary - sumario, apurado, a todo dar, resumen, sumario
indifferently - indiferentemente
"There's a practical side too. We have really enough to do to look after the genuine article. You can't say we are not effective. But we don't intend to let ourselves be bothered by shams under any pretext whatever."
intend - pretender, planear, intencionar, intentar
shams - vergüenzas; farsa, simulacro
pretext - pretexto
Mr Vladimir's tone became lofty.
"For my part, I can't share your view. It is selfish. My sentiments for my own country cannot be doubted; but I've always felt that we ought to be good Europeans besides-I mean governments and men."
Selfish - egoísta
doubted - dudaba; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
Europeans - europeos; europeo, europea
"Yes," said the Assistant Commissioner simply. "Only you look at Europe from its other end. But," he went on in a good-natured tone, "the foreign governments cannot complain of the inefficiency of our police. Look at this outrage; a case specially difficult to trace inasmuch as it was a sham.
natured - naturaleza, natura
sham - farsa, simulacro
In less than twelve hours we have established the identity of a man literally blown to shreds, have found the organiser of the attempt, and have had a glimpse of the inciter behind him. And we could have gone further; only we stopped at the limits of our territory."
literally - literalmente, literal
shreds - trituras; triza, jirón
organiser - rganizador
territory - territorio
"So this instructive crime was planned abroad," Mr Vladimir said quickly. "You admit it was planned abroad?"
"Theoretically. Theoretically only, on foreign territory; abroad only by a fiction," said the Assistant Commissioner, alluding to the character of Embassies, which are supposed to be part and parcel of the country to which they belong.
theoretically - teóricamente, en teoría
fiction - ficción
alluding - aludiendo; aludir, referirse
"But that's a detail. I talked to you of this business because it's your government that grumbles most at our police. You see that we are not so bad. I wanted particularly to tell you of our success."
grumbles - grunidos; refunfunar, rezongar
"I'm sure I'm very grateful," muttered Mr Vladimir through his teeth.
grateful - agradecido, complacido
"We can put our finger on every anarchist here," went on the Assistant Commissioner, as though he were quoting Chief Inspector Heat. "All that's wanted now is to do away with the agent provocateur to make everything safe."
quoting - citando; cita, comillas, presupuesto, cotización, citar, cotizar
Mr Vladimir held up his hand to a passing hansom.
"You're not going in here," remarked the Assistant Commissioner, looking at a building of noble proportions and hospitable aspect, with the light of a great hall falling through its glass doors on a broad flight of steps.
proportions - proporciones; proporción
hospitable - hospitalario
But Mr Vladimir, sitting, stony-eyed, inside the hansom, drove off without a word.
The Assistant Commissioner himself did not turn into the noble building. It was the Explorers'Club. The thought passed through his mind that Mr Vladimir, honorary member, would not be seen very often there in the future. He looked at his watch. It was only half-past ten. He had had a very full evening.
passed through - pasar por, atravesar
honorary member - miembro honorario
After Chief Inspector Heat had left him Mr Verloc moved about the parlour.
From time to time he eyed his wife through the open door. "She knows all about it now," he thought to himself with commiseration for her sorrow and with some satisfaction as regarded himself. Mr Verloc's soul, if lacking greatness perhaps, was capable of tender sentiments.
commiseration - conmiseración
lacking - falta; carecer de
greatness - grandeza
The prospect of having to break the news to her had put him into a fever. Chief Inspector Heat had relieved him of the task. That was good as far as it went. It remained for him now to face her grief.
fever - fiebre, calentura
Mr Verloc had never expected to have to face it on account of death, whose catastrophic character cannot be argued away by sophisticated reasoning or persuasive eloquence. Mr Verloc never meant Stevie to perish with such abrupt violence. He did not mean him to perish at all. Stevie dead was a much greater nuisance than ever he had been when alive. Mr Verloc had augured a favourable issue to his enterprise, basing himself not on Stevie's intelligence, which sometimes plays queer tricks with a man, but on the blind docility and on the blind devotion of the boy. Though not much of a psychologist, Mr Verloc had gauged the depth of Stevie's fanaticism. He dared cherish the hope of Stevie walking away from the walls of the Observatory as he had been instructed to do, taking the way shown to him several times previously, and rejoining his brother-in-law, the wise and good Mr Verloc, outside the precincts of the park. Fifteen minutes ought to have been enough for the veriest fool to deposit the engine and walk away. And the Professor had guaranteed more than fifteen minutes. But Stevie had stumbled within five minutes of being left to himself. And Mr Verloc was shaken morally to pieces.
catastrophic - catastrófico, desastroso
sophisticated - Sofisticado
persuasive - persuasivo, convincente, persuasor, persuasorio
augured - aumentado; augur, augurar, presagiar
basing - base
tricks - trucos; truco, artimana, enganifa, treta
Psychologist - psicólogo, psicóloga
gauged - medida, medidor, medir
cherish - apreciar; mimar
previously - antes; anteriormente, previamente, con anterioridad
rejoining - Reincorporarse
deposit - depósito, empeno, depositar
engine - motor
guaranteed - garantizado; garantía, garante, garantizar, garantir, asegurar
morally - moralmente
He had foreseen everything but that. He had foreseen Stevie distracted and lost-sought for-found in some police station or provincial workhouse in the end. He had foreseen Stevie arrested, and was not afraid, because Mr Verloc had a great opinion of Stevie's loyalty, which had been carefully indoctrinated with the necessity of silence in the course of many walks. Like a peripatetic philosopher, Mr Verloc, strolling along the streets of London, had modified Stevie's view of the police by conversations full of subtle reasonings. Never had a sage a more attentive and admiring disciple. The submission and worship were so apparent that Mr Verloc had come to feel something like a liking for the boy. In any case, he had not foreseen the swift bringing home of his connection. That his wife should hit upon the precaution of sewing the boy's address inside his overcoat was the last thing Mr Verloc would have thought of. One can't think of everything. That was what she meant when she said that he need not worry if he lost Stevie during their walks. She had assured him that the boy would turn up all right. Well, he had turned up with a vengeance!
foreseen - previsto; pronosticar, prever, antever
police station - la estación de policía
provincial - provincial, provinciano, paleto
indoctrinated - doctrinados; adoctrinar
peripatetic - peripatético, andariego, errante, errabundo
philosopher - filósofo, filósofa
strolling - Paseando; (stroll); paseo, caminata, garbeo, vuelta, pasearse
modified - modificado; modificar
reasonings - razonamientos; razonamiento
sage - sabio; salvia
more attentive - más atento
admiring - admirando; admirar
submission - Presentación
"Well, well," muttered Mr Verloc in his wonder. What did she mean by it? Spare him the trouble of keeping an anxious eye on Stevie? Most likely she had meant well. Only she ought to have told him of the precaution she had taken.
Mr Verloc walked behind the counter of the shop. His intention was not to overwhelm his wife with bitter reproaches. Mr Verloc felt no bitterness. The unexpected march of events had converted him to the doctrine of fatalism. Nothing could be helped now. He said:
overwhelm - avasallar; agobiar, abrumar, checkagobiar
reproaches - reproches; reproche, vergüenza, reprochar, avergonzar
converted - convertido; convertir, converso
doctrine - doctrina
fatalism - fatalismo
"I didn't mean any harm to come to the boy."
Mrs Verloc shuddered at the sound of her husband's voice. She did not uncover her face. The trusted secret agent of the late Baron Stott-Wartenheim looked at her for a time with a heavy, persistent, undiscerning glance. The torn evening paper was lying at her feet. It could not have told her much. Mr Verloc felt the need of talking to his wife.
shuddered - se estremeció; escalofrío
uncover - descubrir; destapar
undiscerning - Sin discernimiento
torn - desgarrado; lágrima
"It's that damned Heat-eh?" he said. "He upset you. He's a brute, blurting it out like this to a woman. I made myself ill thinking how to break it to you. I sat for hours in the little parlour of Cheshire cheese thinking over the best way. You understand I never meant any harm to come to that boy."
blurting - declarando; (blurt); soltar, espetar
Cheshire cheese - Queso Cheshire
Mr Verloc, the Secret Agent, was speaking the truth. It was his marital affection that had received the greatest shock from the premature explosion. He added:
premature - prematuro
"I didn't feel particularly gay sitting there and thinking of you."
gay - gay, homosexual
He observed another slight shudder of his wife, which affected his sensibility. As she persisted in hiding her face in her hands, he thought he had better leave her alone for a while. On this delicate impulse Mr Verloc withdrew into the parlour again, where the gas jet purred like a contented cat.
sensibility - sensibilidad
purred - ronroneó; ronronear, ronroneo
contented - contento; satisfecho
Mrs Verloc's wifely forethought had left the cold beef on the table with carving knife and fork and half a loaf of bread for Mr Verloc's supper. He noticed all these things now for the first time, and cutting himself a piece of bread and meat, began to eat.
forethought - previsión; (forethink) previsión
loaf - pan, barra
His appetite did not proceed from callousness. Mr Verloc had not eaten any breakfast that day. He had left his home fasting. Not being an energetic man, he found his resolution in nervous excitement, which seemed to hold him mainly by the throat. He could not have swallowed anything solid. Michaelis'cottage was as destitute of provisions as the cell of a prisoner. The ticket-of-leave apostle lived on a little milk and crusts of stale bread.
appetite - apetito, deseo, ganas
Provisions - provisiones; provisión, aprovisionar, avituallar
crusts - costra, corteza, corteza
stale bread - Pan rancio
Moreover, when Mr Verloc arrived he had already gone upstairs after his frugal meal. absorbed in the toil and delight of literary composition, he had not even answered Mr Verloc's shout up the little staircase.
frugal - frugal, ahorrativo, económico
absorbed in - absorbido en
delight - disfrutar; deleite, regocijo, delicia, placer
composition - composición, panish: t-needed
shout - gritar; grito
"I am taking this young fellow home for a day or two."
And, in truth, Mr Verloc did not wait for an answer, but had marched out of the cottage at once, followed by the obedient Stevie.
obedient - obediente
Now that all action was over and his fate taken out of his hands with unexpected swiftness, Mr Verloc felt terribly empty physically. He carved the meat, cut the bread, and devoured his supper standing by the table, and now and then casting a glance towards his wife. Her prolonged immobility disturbed the comfort of his refection.
He walked again into the shop, and came up very close to her. This sorrow with a veiled face made Mr Verloc uneasy. He expected, of course, his wife to be very much upset, but he wanted her to pull herself together. He needed all her assistance and all her loyalty in these new conjunctures his fatalism had already accepted.
"Can't be helped," he said in a tone of gloomy sympathy. "Come, Winnie, we've got to think of to-morrow. You'll want all your wits about you after I am taken away."
wits - agudeza, ingenio, chispa, gracia
He paused. Mrs Verloc's breast heaved convulsively. This was not reassuring to Mr Verloc, in whose view the newly created situation required from the two people most concerned in it calmness, decision, and other qualities incompatible with the mental disorder of passionate sorrow. Mr Verloc was a humane man; he had come home prepared to allow every latitude to his wife's affection for her brother.
qualities - ualidades; calidad, cualidad, de calidad
incompatible - incompatibles; incompatible, malavenido
mental disorder - trastorno mental
Latitude - latitud, holgura
Only he did not understand either the nature or the whole extent of that sentiment. And in this he was excusable, since it was impossible for him to understand it without ceasing to be himself. He was startled and disappointed, and his speech conveyed it by a certain roughness of tone.
ceasing - Cesar; (cease); cesar, parar, terminar
conveyed - transmitido; transportar, trasladar, comunicar, expresar
roughness - rudeza; aspereza
"You might look at a fellow," he observed after waiting a while.
As if forced through the hands covering Mrs Verloc's face the answer came, deadened, almost pitiful.
forced through - forzado
covering - Cubriendo; (cover); tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
pitiful - lastimoso, lastimero, lamentable
"I don't want to look at you as long as I live."
"Eh? What!" Mr Verloc was merely startled by the superficial and literal meaning of this declaration. It was obviously unreasonable, the mere cry of exaggerated grief. He threw over it the mantle of his marital indulgence. The mind of Mr Verloc lacked profundity. Under the mistaken impression that the value of individuals consists in what they are in themselves, he could not possibly comprehend the value of Stevie in the eyes of Mrs Verloc.
superficial - superficial
literal - literal
cry - llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
mantle - manto, camisa
indulgence - complacencia; indulgencia
comprehend - comprender
She was taking it confoundedly hard, he thought to himself. It was all the fault of that damned Heat. What did he want to upset the woman for? But she mustn't be allowed, for her own good, to carry on so till she got quite beside herself.
"Look here! You can't sit like this in the shop," he said with affected severity, in which there was some real annoyance; for urgent practical matters must be talked over if they had to sit up all night. "Somebody might come in at any minute," he added, and waited again. No effect was produced, and the idea of the finality of death occurred to Mr Verloc during the pause. He changed his tone. "Come. This won't bring him back," he said gently, feeling ready to take her in his arms and press her to his breast, where impatience and compassion dwelt side by side.
urgent - urgente, acuciante, apremiante
dwelt - habitó; habitar, morar
But except for a short shudder Mrs Verloc remained apparently unaffected by the force of that terrible truism. It was Mr Verloc himself who was moved. He was moved in his simplicity to urge moderation by asserting the claims of his own personality.
unaffected - inafectado; indiferente
truism - una perogrullada; obviedad
urge - te urge; impulso, impulsar, urgir, aguijonear, apresurar
moderation - moderación
asserting - afirmando; asegurar, aseverar, afirmar, ejercer; confirmar
"Do be reasonable, Winnie. What would it have been if you had lost me!"
be reasonable - ser razonable
He had vaguely expected to hear her cry out. But she did not budge. She leaned back a little, quieted down to a complete unreadable stillness. Mr Verloc's heart began to beat faster with exasperation and something resembling alarm. He laid his hand on her shoulder, saying:
budge - ceder; mover
beat - batir, golpear, percutir
"Don't be a fool, Winnie."
She gave no sign. It was impossible to talk to any purpose with a woman whose face one cannot see. Mr Verloc caught hold of his wife's wrists. But her hands seemed glued fast. She swayed forward bodily to his tug, and nearly went off the chair. Startled to feel her so helplessly limp, he was trying to put her back on the chair when she stiffened suddenly all over, tore herself out of his hands, ran out of the shop, across the parlour, and into the kitchen.
tug - tirón; tirar, halar
limp - cojea; flojo, flácido, mustio, débil
stiffened - rígido; atiesar, entiesar, endurecer, atiesarse, entiesarse
This was very swift. He had just a glimpse of her face and that much of her eyes that he knew she had not looked at him.
It all had the appearance of a struggle for the possession of a chair, because Mr Verloc instantly took his wife's place in it. Mr Verloc did not cover his face with his hands, but a sombre thoughtfulness veiled his features. A term of imprisonment could not be avoided. He did not wish now to avoid it. A prison was a place as safe from certain unlawful vengeances as the grave, with this advantage, that in a prison there is room for hope. What he saw before him was a term of imprisonment, an early release and then life abroad somewhere, such as he had contemplated already, in case of failure. Well, it was a failure, if not exactly the sort of failure he had feared. It had been so near success that he could have positively terrified Mr Vladimir out of his ferocious scoffing with this proof of occult efficiency. So at least it seemed now to Mr Verloc. His prestige with the Embassy would have been immense if-if his wife had not had the unlucky notion of sewing on the address inside Stevie's overcoat. Mr Verloc, who was no fool, had soon perceived the extraordinary character of the influence he had over Stevie, though he did not understand exactly its origin-the doctrine of his supreme wisdom and goodness inculcated by two anxious women. In all the eventualities he had foreseen Mr Verloc had calculated with correct insight on Stevie's instinctive loyalty and blind discretion.
cover - tapa, cubierta, escondrijo, guarida, tapa
term of imprisonment - (duración de) la condena de prisión
safe from - a salvo de
unlawful - ilegal
vengeances - venganzas; venganza
terrified - aterrorizado; aterrar
Scoffing - Se burla; (scoff) Se burla
occult - oculto, ocultismo
sewing on - Coser
inculcated - inculcado; inculcar, inculcar
eventualities - ventualidades; eventualidad
The eventuality he had not foreseen had appalled him as a humane man and a fond husband. From every other point of view it was rather advantageous. Nothing can equal the everlasting discretion of death. Mr Verloc, sitting perplexed and frightened in the small parlour of the Cheshire Cheese, could not help acknowledging that to himself, because his sensibility did not stand in the way of his judgment. Stevie's violent disintegration, however disturbing to think about, only assured the success; for, of course, the knocking down of a wall was not the aim of Mr Vladimir's menaces, but the production of a moral effect. With much trouble and distress on Mr Verloc's part the effect might be said to have been produced. When, however, most unexpectedly, it came home to roost in Brett Street, Mr Verloc, who had been struggling like a man in a nightmare for the preservation of his position, accepted the blow in the spirit of a convinced fatalist. The position was gone through no one's fault really. A small, tiny fact had done it. It was like slipping on a bit of orange peel in the dark and breaking your leg.
eventuality - eventualidad
Equal - igual, igualar, equivaler
acknowledging - reconociendo; reconocer, acusar recibo
knocking down - derribar; abaratar; vender en subasta
roost - posada; percha, gallinero
fatalist - fatalista
peel - pelar
Mr Verloc drew a weary breath. He nourished no resentment against his wife. He thought: She will have to look after the shop while they keep me locked up. And thinking also how cruelly she would miss Stevie at first, he felt greatly concerned about her health and spirits. How would she stand her solitude-absolutely alone in that house? It would not do for her to break down while he was locked up?
nourished - alimentado; nutrir
What would become of the shop then? The shop was an asset. Though Mr Verloc's fatalism accepted his undoing as a secret agent, he had no mind to be utterly ruined, mostly, it must be owned, from regard for his wife.
asset - bien, valor, activo, recurso
ruined - arruinado; ruina, desbaratar, arruinar, estropear, dar al traste
Silent, and out of his line of sight in the kitchen, she frightened him. If only she had had her mother with her. But that silly old woman-An angry dismay possessed Mr Verloc. He must talk with his wife. He could tell her certainly that a man does get desperate under certain circumstances.
But he did not go incontinently to impart to her that information. First of all, it was clear to him that this evening was no time for business. He got up to close the street door and put the gas out in the shop.
incontinently - con incontinencia
impart - impartir
Having thus assured a solitude around his hearthstone Mr Verloc walked into the parlour, and glanced down into the kitchen. Mrs Verloc was sitting in the place where poor Stevie usually established himself of an evening with paper and pencil for the pastime of drawing these coruscations of innumerable circles suggesting chaos and eternity. Her arms were folded on the table, and her head was lying on her arms. Mr Verloc contemplated her back and the arrangement of her hair for a time, then walked away from the kitchen door. Mrs Verloc's philosophical, almost disdainful incuriosity, the foundation of their accord in domestic life made it extremely difficult to get into contact with her, now this tragic necessity had arisen. Mr Verloc felt this difficulty acutely.
hearthstone - Harthstone
suggesting - sugiriendo; insinuar, sugerir, recomendar
incuriosity - Incuriosidad
arisen - surgió; surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
He turned around the table in the parlour with his usual air of a large animal in a cage.
Curiosity being one of the forms of self-revelation, a systematically incurious person remains always partly mysterious. Every time he passed near the door Mr Verloc glanced at his wife uneasily. It was not that he was afraid of her. Mr Verloc imagined himself loved by that woman. But she had not accustomed him to make confidences. And the confidence he had to make was of a profound psychological order. How with his want of practice could he tell her what he himself felt but vaguely: that there are conspiracies of fatal destiny, that a notion grows in a mind sometimes till it acquires an outward existence, an independent power of its own, and even a suggestive voice?
systematically - sistemáticamente
confidences - confianzas; certeza, certeza propia, certidumbre, confidencia
conspiracies - conspiraciones; conspiración, contubernio, panish: t-needed
acquires - dquiere; obtener, adquirir
suggestive - sugerente; sugestivo
He could not inform her that a man may be haunted by a fat, witty, clean-shaved face till the wildest expedient to get rid of it appears a child of wisdom.
inform - informar
wildest - más salvaje; salvaje, bravío
On this mental reference to a First Secretary of a great Embassy, Mr Verloc stopped in the doorway, and looking down into the kitchen with an angry face and clenched fists, addressed his wife.
"You don't know what a brute I had to deal with."
He started off to make another perambulation of the table; then when he had come to the door again he stopped, glaring in from the height of two steps.
perambulation - Paseo
glaring - deslumbrante; mirada fulminante
"A silly, jeering, dangerous brute, with no more sense than-After all these years! A man like me! And I have been playing my head at that game. You didn't know. Quite right, too. What was the good of telling you that I stood the risk of having a knife stuck into me any time these seven years we've been married? I am not a chap to worry a woman that's fond of me.
jeering - Bromas; (jeer) Bromas
You had no business to know." Mr Verloc took another turn round the parlour, fuming.
turn round - dar la vuelta
fuming - fumando; humo, humear, echar humo
"A venomous beast," he began again from the doorway. "Drive me out into a ditch to starve for a joke. I could see he thought it was a damned good joke. A man like me! Look here! Some of the highest in the world got to thank me for walking on their two legs to this day. That's the man you've got married to, my girl!"
ditch - zanja, foso, cuneta
He perceived that his wife had sat up. Mrs Verloc's arms remained lying stretched on the table. Mr Verloc watched at her back as if he could read there the effect of his words.
"There isn't a murdering plot for the last eleven years that I hadn't my finger in at the risk of my life. There's scores of these revolutionists I've sent off, with their bombs in their blamed pockets, to get themselves caught on the frontier. The old Baron knew what I was worth to his country. And here suddenly a swine comes along-an ignorant, overbearing swine."
murdering - asesinando; asesinato, asesinar, cepillarse, devorar
scores - puntuaciones; tantos
blamed - culpado; culpar, responsabilizar, echar la culpa
frontier - frontera
Mr Verloc, stepping slowly down two steps, entered the kitchen, took a tumbler off the dresser, and holding it in his hand, approached the sink, without looking at his wife. "It wasn't the old Baron who would have had the wicked folly of getting me to call on him at eleven in the morning.
tumbler - seguro, vaso de lados rectos, tumbler, volatinero
sink - hundir, sumergir, sumergirse, lavamanos, fregadero, desagüe
wasn - Era
call on - recurrir a, visitar a alguien
There are two or three in this town that, if they had seen me going in, would have made no bones about knocking me on the head sooner or later. It was a silly, murderous trick to expose for nothing a man-like me."
trick - truco, artimana, enganifa, treta
Mr Verloc, turning on the tap above the sink, poured three glasses of water, one after another, down his throat to quench the fires of his indignation. Mr Vladimir's conduct was like a hot brand which set his internal economy in a blaze. He could not get over the disloyalty of it. This man, who would not work at the usual hard tasks which society sets to its humbler members, had exercised his secret industry with an indefatigable devotion.
turning on - encender,
poured - vertido; verter, derramar; chorrear; manar, salir
quench - saciar, apagar, templar
internal - interno, interior
tasks - tareas; tarea
humbler - Más humilde; (humble) Más humilde
indefatigable - incansable, infatigable
There was in Mr Verloc a fund of loyalty. He had been loyal to his employers, to the cause of social stability,-and to his affections too-as became apparent when, after standing the tumbler in the sink, he turned about, saying:
stability - estabilidad
affections - fectos; afecto, carino, apego
turned about - darse la vuelta
"If I hadn't thought of you I would have taken the bullying brute by the throat and rammed his head into the fireplace. I'd have been more than a match for that pink-faced, smooth-shaved-"
bullying - intimidación; bravucón, abusón, matón, abusador
Mr Verloc, neglected to finish the sentence, as if there could be no doubt of the terminal word. For the first time in his life he was taking that incurious woman into his confidence. The singularity of the event, the force and importance of the personal feelings aroused in the course of this confession, drove Stevie's fate clean out of Mr Verloc's mind. The boy's stuttering existence of fears and indignations, together with the violence of his end, had passed out of Mr Verloc's mental sight for a time. For that reason, when he looked up he was startled by the inappropriate character of his wife's stare. It was not a wild stare, and it was not inattentive, but its attention was peculiar and not satisfactory, inasmuch that it seemed concentrated upon some point beyond Mr Verloc's person.
terminal - terminal
Singularity - singularidad
stuttering - disfemia, tartamudeo; (stutter); tartamudeo
indignations - indignaciones; indignación
inappropriate - inapropiado
inattentive - desatento
The impression was so strong that Mr Verloc glanced over his shoulder. There was nothing behind him: there was just the whitewashed wall. The excellent husband of Winnie Verloc saw no writing on the wall. He turned to his wife again, repeating, with some emphasis:
"I would have taken him by the throat. As true as I stand here, if I hadn't thought of you then I would have half choked the life out of the brute before I let him get up. And don't you think he would have been anxious to call the police either. He wouldn't have dared. You understand why-don't you?"
He blinked at his wife knowingly.
knowingly - sabiamente, a sabiendas, conscientemente
"No," said Mrs Verloc in an unresonant voice, and without looking at him at all. "What are you talking about?"
A great discouragement, the result of fatigue, came upon Mr Verloc. He had had a very full day, and his nerves had been tried to the utmost. After a month of maddening worry, ending in an unexpected catastrophe, the storm-tossed spirit of Mr Verloc longed for repose. His career as a secret agent had come to an end in a way no one could have foreseen; only, now, perhaps he could manage to get a night's sleep at last.
discouragement - desánimo
maddening - enloquecedor; enloquecer
ending in - terminar en
catastrophe - una catástrofe; catástrofe
storm - tormenta
tossed - lanzado; tiro, lanzamiento, lanzar una moneda al aire
longed for - Anhelar, desear, esperar
But looking at his wife, he doubted it. She was taking it very hard-not at all like herself, he thought. He made an effort to speak.
"You'll have to Pull yourself together, my girl," he said sympathetically. "What's done can't be undone."
Pull yourself together - recobrar la compostura, calmarse
undone - deshecho; deshacer
Mrs Verloc gave a slight start, though not a muscle of her white face moved in the least. Mr Verloc, who was not looking at her, continued ponderously.
muscle - músculo
"You go to bed now. What you want is a good cry."
This opinion had nothing to recommend it but the general consent of mankind. It is universally understood that, as if it were nothing more substantial than vapour floating in the sky, every emotion of a woman is bound to end in a shower. And it is very probable that had Stevie died in his bed under her despairing gaze, in her protecting arms, Mrs Verloc's grief would have found relief in a flood of bitter and pure tears. Mrs Verloc, in common with other human beings, was provided with a fund of unconscious resignation sufficient to meet the normal manifestation of human destiny. Without "troubling her head about it," she was aware that it "did not stand looking into very much." But the lamentable circumstances of Stevie's end, which to Mr Verloc's mind had only an episodic character, as part of a greater disaster, dried her tears at their very source. It was the effect of a white-hot iron drawn across her eyes; at the same time her heart, hardened and chilled into a lump of ice, kept her body in an inward shudder, set her features into a frozen contemplative immobility addressed to a whitewashed wall with no writing on it. The exigencies of Mrs Verloc's temperament, which, when stripped of its philosophical reserve, was maternal and violent, forced her to roll a series of thoughts in her motionless head. These thoughts were rather imagined than expressed. Mrs Verloc was a woman of singularly few words, either for public or private use. With the rage and dismay of a betrayed woman, she reviewed the tenor of her life in visions concerned mostly with Stevie's difficult existence from its earliest days.
recommend - recomendar
more substantial - más sustancial
vapour - vapor
despairing - desesperado; desesperar, desesperanzar, desesperación
provided with - provisto de
troubling - Preocupante; (trouble); marrón, berenjenal, dificultad
disaster - desastre
chilled - frío
lump - un bulto; bulto, grumo, chichón, cúmulo, agrupación
frozen - congelado; congelar
contemplative - contemplativo
roll - rodar; rollo
reviewed - revisado; repaso, revisión, repasos, revisiones, crítica
It was a life of single purpose and of a noble unity of inspiration, like those rare lives that have left their mark on the thoughts and feelings of mankind. But the visions of Mrs Verloc lacked nobility and magnificence. She saw herself putting the boy to bed by the light of a single candle on the deserted top floor of a "business house," dark under the roof and scintillating exceedingly with lights and cut glass at the level of the street like a fairy palace. That meretricious splendour was the only one to be met in Mrs Verloc's visions. She remembered brushing the boy's hair and tying his pinafores-herself in a pinafore still; the consolations administered to a small and badly scared creature by another creature nearly as small but not quite so badly scared; she had the vision of the blows intercepted (often with her own head), of a door held desperately shut against a man's rage (not for very long); of a poker flung once (not very far), which stilled that particular storm into the dumb and awful silence which follows a thunder-clap. And all these scenes of violence came and went accompanied by the unrefined noise of deep vociferations proceeding from a man wounded in his paternal pride, declaring himself obviously accursed since one of his kids was a "slobbering idjut and the other a wicked she-devil." It was of her that this had been said many years ago.
unity - unidad
rare - raro, poco común
nobility - nobleza
magnificence - magnificencia
candle - una vela; vela, candela, cirio
deserted - desierta; abandonar
top floor - Último piso
scintillating - brillante; destellar
fairy - hada, marica, mujercita
meretricious - meretricio
brushing - cepillado; (brush); pincel, cepillo, escobilla, brocha
tying - Tyee
consolations - consuelos; consolación, consuelo, premio de consolación
administered - administrado; administrar
quite so - Así es
intercepted - interceptado; interceptar, interrumpir
poker - póquer
thunder - trueno, estruendo, fragor, tronar
clap - aplaudir
vociferations - vociferaciones; vociferación
wounded - Herida
paternal - paterno, paternal
declaring - declarando; explicar, aclarar, declarar
accursed - exacto
slobbering - balbuceando; babear
Mrs Verloc heard the words again in a ghostly fashion, and then the dreary shadow of the Belgravian mansion descended upon her shoulders. It was a crushing memory, an exhausting vision of countless breakfast trays carried up and down innumerable stairs, of endless haggling over pence, of the endless drudgery of sweeping, dusting, cleaning, from basement to attics; while the impotent mother, staggering on swollen legs, cooked in a grimy kitchen, and poor Stevie, the unconscious presiding genius of all their toil, blacked the gentlemen's boots in the scullery. But this vision had a breath of a hot London summer in it, and for a central figure a young man wearing his Sunday best, with a straw hat on his dark head and a wooden pipe in his mouth. Affectionate and jolly, he was a fascinating companion for a voyage down the sparkling stream of life; only his boat was very small.
crushing - aplastando; aplastamiento, enamoramiento, aplastar, destripar
exhausting - extenuante; agotar, cansar, tubo de escape, gas de escape
trays - andejas; bandeja
haggling - regateando; regatear, detener en pequeneces
attics - ticos; buhardilla, desván, zaquizamí, sobrado
presiding - presidiendo; presidir
straw hat - un sombrero de paja
pipe - pipa; caramillo, flauta ), tubo de órgano, tubería, tubo
Voyage - viaje
sparkling - chispeante; centelleante, gaseoso, efervescente
There was room in it for a girl-partner at the oar, but no accommodation for passengers. He was allowed to drift away from the threshold of the Belgravian mansion while Winnie averted her tearful eyes. He was not a lodger. The lodger was Mr Verloc, indolent, and keeping late hours, sleepily jocular of a morning from under his bed-clothes, but with gleams of infatuation in his heavy lidded eyes, and always with some money in his pockets. There was no sparkle of any kind on the lazy stream of his life. It flowed through secret places. But his barque seemed a roomy craft, and his taciturn magnanimity accepted as a matter of course the presence of passengers.
oar - remo
passengers - pasajeros; pasajero
drift - deriva, derrape, ir a la deriva, vagar, derivar, errar
sparkle - brillo; centelleo, destello
flowed - fluyó; fluir
barque - barco; bricbarca
craft - artesanía; pericia, oficio, nave, labrar, hacer a mano
Mrs Verloc pursued the visions of seven years'security for Stevie, loyally paid for on her part; of security growing into confidence, into a domestic feeling, stagnant and deep like a placid pool, whose guarded surface hardly shuddered on the occasional passage of Comrade Ossipon, the robust anarchist with shamelessly inviting eyes, whose glance had a corrupt clearness sufficient to enlighten any woman not absolutely imbecile.
loyally - lealmente
stagnant - estancada; estancado, atascado
occasional - ocasional, esporádico
inviting - invitando; invitar
enlighten - iluminar, alumbrar, ilustrar
A few seconds only had elapsed since the last word had been uttered aloud in the kitchen, and Mrs Verloc was staring already at the vision of an episode not more than a fortnight old. With eyes whose pupils were extremely dilated she stared at the vision of her husband and poor Stevie walking up Brett Street side by side away from the shop. It was the last scene of an existence created by Mrs Verloc's genius; an existence foreign to all grace and charm, without beauty and almost without decency, but admirable in the continuity of feeling and tenacity of purpose.
elapsed - ha transcurrido; transcurrir
pupils - alumnos; alumno
dilated - dilatado; dilatar, dilatarse
beauty - belleza, hermosura, preciosidad, preciosura
admirable - admirable, loable
tenacity - tenacidad, tesón
And this last vision had such plastic relief, such nearness of form, such a fidelity of suggestive detail, that it wrung from Mrs Verloc an anguished and faint murmur, reproducing the supreme illusion of her life, an appalled murmur that died out on her blanched lips.
plastic - plástico, maleable, de plástico
nearness - Cercanía
anguished - angustiado; angustia
illusion - ilusión
blanched - Palidecer
"Might have been father and son."
Mr Verloc stopped, and raised a care-worn face. "Eh? What did you say?" he asked. Receiving no reply, he resumed his sinister tramping. Then with a menacing flourish of a thick, fleshy fist, he burst out:
receiving - recibir
tramping - paseando; (tramp); vagabundo, vagabunda, golfa, ramera, puta
menacing - amenazante; amenaza, peligro
flourish - florecer, prosperar, ademanes, floritura, floreo, ornamento
"Yes. The Embassy people. A pretty lot, ain't they! Before a week's out I'll make some of them wish themselves twenty feet underground. Eh? What?"
He glanced sideways, with his head down. Mrs Verloc gazed at the whitewashed wall. A blank wall-perfectly blank. A blankness to run at and dash your head against. Mrs Verloc remained immovably seated. She kept still as the population of half the globe would keep still in astonishment and despair, were the sun suddenly put out in the summer sky by the perfidy of a trusted providence.
blankness - en blanco
keep still - mantenerse quieto
perfidy - pérfidia; perfidia
Providence - providencia; Providence
"The Embassy," Mr Verloc began again, after a preliminary grimace which bared his teeth wolfishly. "I wish I could get loose in there with a cudgel for half-an-hour. I would keep on hitting till there wasn't a single unbroken bone left amongst the whole lot. But never mind, I'll teach them yet what it means trying to throw out a man like me to rot in the streets.
preliminary - preliminar
bared - desnudo; barra; tableta; barrote, reja
wolfishly - lobo
hitting - golpeando; golpear, pegar, chocar
throw out - descartar, echar fuera, deshacerse de algo; despedir a alguien
I've a tongue in my head. All the world shall know what I've done for them. I am not afraid. I don't care. Everything'll come out. Every damned thing. Let them look out!"
In these terms did Mr Verloc declare his thirst for revenge. It was a very appropriate revenge. It was in harmony with the promptings of Mr Verloc's genius. It had also the advantage of being within the range of his powers and of adjusting itself easily to the practice of his life, which had consisted precisely in betraying the secret and unlawful proceedings of his fellow-men.
thirst for revenge - Sed de venganza
appropriate - es apropiado; apropiado, adecuado, aduenarse, designar
harmony - armonía, armonía
adjusting - ajustando; ajustar, arreglar, regular, adaptar
betraying - traicionando; traicionar, entregar, vender, delatar, demostrar
fellow-men - (fellow-men) prójimo
Anarchists or diplomats were all one to him. Mr Verloc was temperamentally no respecter of persons. His scorn was equally distributed over the whole field of his operations. But as a member of a revolutionary proletariat-which he undoubtedly was-he nourished a rather inimical sentiment against social distinction.
diplomats - diplomáticos; diplomático, diplomática
distributed - distribuido; distribuir, repartir
inimical - enemistad; nocivo, hostil
"nothing on earth can stop me now," he added, and paused, looking fixedly at his wife, who was looking fixedly at a blank wall.
nothing on earth - nada en la tierra
The silence in the kitchen was prolonged, and Mr Verloc felt disappointed. He had expected his wife to say something. But Mrs Verloc's lips, composed in their usual form, preserved a statuesque immobility like the rest of her face. And Mr Verloc was disappointed. Yet the occasion did not, he recognised, demand speech from her. She was a woman of very few words. For reasons involved in the very foundation of his psychology, Mr Verloc was inclined to put his trust in any woman who had given herself to him.
demand - demanda, exigencia, exigir, demandar
Involved - involucrado; elevar, envolver, envolverse con, involucrarse
Therefore he trusted his wife. Their accord was perfect, but it was not precise. It was a tacit accord, congenial to Mrs Verloc's incuriosity and to Mr Verloc's habits of mind, which were indolent and secret. They refrained from going to the bottom of facts and motives.
tacit - tácito, implícito
habits - hábitos; hábito, costumbre
This reserve, expressing, in a way, their profound confidence in each other, introduced at the same time a certain element of vagueness into their intimacy. No system of conjugal relations is perfect. Mr Verloc presumed that his wife had understood him, but he would have been glad to hear her say what she thought at the moment. It would have been a comfort.
vagueness - igualdad; vaguedad
been glad - alegrarse
There were several reasons why this comfort was denied him. There was a physical obstacle: Mrs Verloc had no sufficient command over her voice. She did not see any alternative between screaming and silence, and instinctively she chose the silence. Winnie Verloc was temperamentally a silent person. And there was the paralysing atrocity of the thought which occupied her.
obstacle - obstáculo, óbice, traba, estorbo
alternative - alternativo, alternativa
instinctively - instintivamente
paralysing - paralizante; paralizar(se)
atrocity - atrocidad
Her cheeks were blanched, her lips ashy, her immobility amazing. And she thought without looking at Mr Verloc: "This man took the boy away to murder him. He took the boy away from his home to murder him. He took the boy away from me to murder him!"
ashy - ceniza; cinéreo, ceniciento
Mrs Verloc's whole being was racked by that inconclusive and maddening thought. It was in her veins, in her bones, in the roots of her hair. Mentally she assumed the biblical attitude of mourning-the covered face, the rent garments; the sound of wailing and lamentation filled her head. But her teeth were violently clenched, and her tearless eyes were hot with rage, because she was not a submissive creature. The protection she had extended over her brother had been in its origin of a fierce and indignant complexion. She had to love him with a militant love. She had battled for him-even against herself.
racked - reventado; estante
veins - venas; vena
Biblical - bíblico
mourning - duelo, luto; (mourn); lamentar, estar de luto
rent - alquiler; (rend); rasgar, destrozar, desgajar, romper
wailing - aullidos; (wail) aullidos
lamentation - lamentación
tearless - Sin lágrimas
submissive - sumiso, sumiso, sumisa
battled - luchó; batalla
His loss had the bitterness of defeat, with the anguish of a baffled passion. It was not an ordinary stroke of death. Moreover, it was not death that took Stevie from her. It was Mr Verloc who took him away. She had seen him. She had watched him, without raising a hand, take the boy away. And she had let him go, like-like a fool-a blind fool. Then after he had murdered the boy he came home to her. Just came home like any other man would come home to his wife. . . .
defeat - vencer, derrotar
murdered - asesinado; asesinato, asesinar, cepillarse, devorar
Through her set teeth Mrs Verloc muttered at the wall:
"And I thought he had caught a cold."
caught a cold - resfriarse
Mr Verloc heard these words and appropriated them.
appropriated - apropiado, adecuado, aduenarse, designar
"It was nothing," he said moodily. "I was upset. I was upset on your account."
Mrs Verloc, turning her head slowly, transferred her stare from the wall to her husband's person. Mr Verloc, with the tips of his fingers between his lips, was looking on the ground.
transferred - transferido; transferir, trasladar, calcar, imprimir
"Can't be helped," he mumbled, letting his hand fall. "You must pull yourself together. You'll want all your wits about you. It is you who brought the police about our ears. Never mind, I won't say anything more about it," continued Mr Verloc magnanimously. "You couldn't know."
magnanimously - magnánimamente
"I couldn't," breathed out Mrs Verloc. It was as if a corpse had spoken. Mr Verloc took up the thread of his discourse.
breathed - respiró; respiración, aliento, respiro
corpse - cuerpo, cadáver
discourse - discurso, conversación, disertar
"I don't blame you. I'll make them sit up. Once under lock and key it will be safe enough for me to talk-you understand. You must reckon on me being two years away from you," he continued, in a tone of sincere concern. "It will be easier for you than for me. You'll have something to do, while I-Look here, Winnie, what you must do is to keep this business going for two years. You know enough for that.
reckon - te parece; considerar
You've a good head on you. I'll send you word when it's time to go about trying to sell. You'll have to be extra careful. The comrades will be keeping an eye on you all the time. You'll have to be as artful as you know how, and as close as the grave. No one must know what you are going to do. I have no mind to get a knock on the head or a stab in the back directly I am let out."
artful - inteligente; diestro, hábil, habiloso, ingenioso, astuto
knock - golpe, golpear
Thus spoke Mr Verloc, applying his mind with ingenuity and forethought to the problems of the future. His voice was sombre, because he had a correct sentiment of the situation. Everything which he did not wish to pass had come to pass. The future had become precarious. His judgment, perhaps, had been momentarily obscured by his dread of Mr Vladimir's truculent folly.
applying - solicitando; aplicar
obscured - ocultado; obscuro, esconder, ocultar
truculent - truculento
A man somewhat over forty may be excusably thrown into considerable disorder by the prospect of losing his employment, especially if the man is a secret agent of political police, dwelling secure in the consciousness of his high value and in the esteem of high personages. He was excusable.
excusably - Excusablemente
disorder - desorden, disturbio, desenfreno, trastorno
dwelling - vivienda; (dwell); habitar, morar
secure - seguro, resguardado, confiable, aplomado
personages - personajes; personaje
Now the thing had ended in a crash. Mr Verloc was cool; but he was not cheerful. A secret agent who throws his secrecy to the winds from desire of vengeance, and flaunts his achievements before the public eye, becomes the mark for desperate and bloodthirsty indignations.
throws - lanzamientos; lanzar, tirar
flaunts - alardes; ostentar, hacer alarde de
achievements - logros; logro, hazana, proeza, gesta, hombrada
bloodthirsty - sanguinario
Without unduly exaggerating the danger, Mr Verloc tried to bring it clearly before his wife's mind. He repeated that he had no intention to let the revolutionists do away with him.
He looked straight into his wife's eyes. The enlarged pupils of the woman received his stare into their unfathomable depths.
"I am too fond of you for that," he said, with a little nervous laugh.
A faint flush coloured Mrs Verloc's ghastly and motionless face. Having done with the visions of the past, she had not only heard, but had also understood the words uttered by her husband. By their extreme disaccord with her mental condition these words produced on her a slightly suffocating effect. Mrs Verloc's mental condition had the merit of simplicity; but it was not sound. It was governed too much by a fixed idea. Every nook and cranny of her brain was filled with the thought that this man, with whom she had lived without distaste for seven years, had taken the "poor boy" away from her in order to kill him-the man to whom she had grown accustomed in body and mind; the man whom she had trusted, took the boy away to kill him!
flush - lanzar; rubor
disaccord - desacuerdo
suffocating - Asfixiante; (suffocate); sofocar, ahogar
cranny - rincón; recoveco
In its form, in its substance, in its effect, which was universal, altering even the aspect of inanimate things, it was a thought to sit still and marvel at for ever and ever. Mrs Verloc sat still. And across that thought (not across the kitchen) the form of Mr Verloc went to and fro, familiarly in hat and overcoat, stamping with his boots upon her brain. He was probably talking too; but Mrs Verloc's thought for the most part covered the voice.
substance - sustancia, enjundia
altering - cambiar, modificar, alterar
inanimate - inanimado
Now and then, however, the voice would make itself heard. Several connected words emerged at times. Their purport was generally hopeful. On each of these occasions Mrs Verloc's dilated pupils, losing their far-off fixity, followed her husband's movements with the effect of black care and impenetrable attention. Well informed upon all matters relating to his secret calling, Mr Verloc augured well for the success of his plans and combinations. He really believed that it would be upon the whole easy for him to escape the knife of infuriated revolutionists. He had exaggerated the strength of their fury and the length of their arm (for professional purposes) too often to have many illusions one way or the other.
purport - pretender, propósito
occasions - ocasiones; ocasión, ocasionar
relating - relacionando; identificarse (con)
combinations - combinaciones; combinación
For to exaggerate with judgment one must begin by measuring with nicety. He knew also how much virtue and how much infamy is forgotten in two years-two long years. His first really confidential discourse to his wife was optimistic from conviction. He also thought it good policy to display all the assurance he could muster. It would put heart into the poor woman. On his liberation, which, harmonising with the whole tenor of his life, would be secret, of course, they would vanish together without loss of time. As to covering up the tracks, he begged his wife to trust him for that. He knew how it was to be done so that the devil himself-
exaggerate - exagerar
measuring - Medir; (measure); medición, medida, regla, compás, medir
infamy - infamia
poor woman - Pobre mujer
harmonising - armonizar
covering up - cubrir, tapar
tracks - pistas; rastro, huella, trilla, trillo, sendero, curso
begged - suplicó; pedir
He waved his hand. He seemed to boast. He wished only to put heart into her. It was a benevolent intention, but Mr Verloc had the misfortune not to be in accord with his audience.
waved - saludó; ola
boast - presumir; vanagloriarse, jactarse de, fanfarronear
accord with - de acuerdo con
audience - audiencia, público
The self-confident tone grew upon Mrs Verloc's ear which let most of the words go by; for what were words to her now? What could words do to her, for good or evil in the face of her fixed idea? Her black glance followed that man who was asserting his impunity-the man who had taken poor Stevie from home to kill him somewhere. Mrs Verloc could not remember exactly where, but her heart began to beat very perceptibly.
impunity - impunidad
perceptibly - perceptiblemente
Mr Verloc, in a soft and conjugal tone, was now expressing his firm belief that there were yet a good few years of quiet life before them both. He did not go into the question of means. A quiet life it must be and, as it were, nestling in the shade, concealed among men whose flesh is grass; modest, like the life of violets. The words used by Mr Verloc were: "Lie low for a bit.
nestling - Nido; (nestle); acomodarse, acurrucarse
among - entre
violets - violetas; violeta
And far from England, of course. It was not clear whether Mr Verloc had in his mind Spain or South America; but at any rate somewhere abroad.
Spain - espana; Espana
This last word, falling into Mrs Verloc's ear, produced a definite impression. This man was talking of going abroad. The impression was completely disconnected; and such is the force of mental habit that Mrs Verloc at once and automatically asked herself: "And what of Stevie?"
disconnected - desconectado; desconectar
automatically - automáticamente, solo
It was a sort of forgetfulness; but instantly she became aware that there was no longer any occasion for anxiety on that score. There would never be any occasion any more. The poor boy had been taken out and killed. The poor boy was dead.
forgetfulness - desmemoria, mala memoria, poca memoria, memoria de pollo, olvido
score - puntuación; tantos
This shaking piece of forgetfulness stimulated Mrs Verloc's intelligence. She began to perceive certain consequences which would have surprised Mr Verloc. There was no need for her now to stay there, in that kitchen, in that house, with that man-since the boy was gone for ever.
shaking - Temblando; (shake); agitar, sacudir, checksacudir, sacudida
stimulated - estimulado; estimular
perceive - percibir, entender
No need whatever. And on that Mrs Verloc rose as if raised by a spring. But neither could she see what there was to keep her in the world at all. And this inability arrested her. Mr Verloc watched her with marital solicitude.
"You're looking more like yourself," he said uneasily. Something peculiar in the blackness of his wife's eyes disturbed his optimism. At that precise moment Mrs Verloc began to look upon herself as released from all earthly ties.
released - liberado; liberar
ties - corbatas; amarrar, atar
She had her freedom. Her contract with existence, as represented by that man standing over there, was at an end. She was a free woman. Had this view become in some way perceptible to Mr Verloc he would have been extremely shocked. In his affairs of the heart Mr Verloc had been always carelessly generous, yet always with no other idea than that of being loved for himself. Upon this matter, his ethical notions being in agreement with his vanity, he was completely incorrigible.
contract - contrato; contraer
represented - representado; representar
perceptible - perceptible
notions - nociones; noción, ganas, intención
in agreement - de acuerdo
incorrigible - incorregible, empecatado
That this should be so in the case of his virtuous and legal connection he was perfectly certain. He had grown older, fatter, heavier, in the belief that he lacked no fascination for being loved for his own sake. When he saw Mrs Verloc starting to walk out of the kitchen without a word he was disappointed.
heavier - más pesado; pesado
fascination - fascinación
"Where are you going to?" he called out rather sharply. "Upstairs?"
Mrs Verloc in the doorway turned at the voice. An instinct of prudence born of fear, the excessive fear of being approached and touched by that man, induced her to nod at him slightly (from the height of two steps), with a stir of the lips which the conjugal optimism of Mr Verloc took for a wan and uncertain smile.
excessive - excesivo
wan - pálido, macilento; débil
"That's right," he encouraged her gruffly. "Rest and quiet's what you want. Go on. It won't be long before I am with you."
encouraged - nimado; animar, alentar, estimular, promover, recomendar
gruffly - Groseramente
Mrs Verloc, the free woman who had had really no idea where she was going to, obeyed the suggestion with rigid steadiness.
steadiness - firmeza, estabilidad
Mr Verloc watched her. She disappeared up the stairs. He was disappointed. There was that within him which would have been more satisfied if she had been moved to throw herself upon his breast. But he was generous and indulgent. Winnie was always undemonstrative and silent. Neither was Mr Verloc himself prodigal of endearments and words as a rule. But this was not an ordinary evening. It was an occasion when a man wants to be fortified and strengthened by open proofs of sympathy and affection.
indulgent - indulgente
prodigal - pródigo
endearments - carinos; encarinamiento, carino, ternura, afecto
fortified - fortificado; fortalecer, panish: t-needed
proofs - pruebas; prueba
Mr Verloc sighed, and put out the gas in the kitchen. Mr Verloc's sympathy with his wife was genuine and intense. It almost brought tears into his eyes as he stood in the parlour reflecting on the loneliness hanging over her head. In this mood Mr Verloc missed Stevie very much out of a difficult world. He thought mournfully of his end. If only that lad had not stupidly destroyed himself!
hanging over - colgar sobre
mournfully - Lamentándolo
The sensation of unappeasable hunger, not unknown after the strain of a hazardous enterprise to adventurers of tougher fibre than Mr Verloc, overcame him again. The piece of roast beef, laid out in the likeness of funereal baked meats for Stevie's obsequies, offered itself largely to his notice. And Mr Verloc again partook. He partook ravenously, without restraint and decency, cutting thick slices with the sharp carving knife, and swallowing them without bread.
unappeasable - intransigente
hunger - hambre
hazardous - peligroso, aventurado, arriesgado
adventurers - aventureros; aventurero, aventurera
tougher - más duro; resistente, severo, de mano dura, ni modo
fibre - fibra, fibra
roast beef - carne asada
likeness - semejanza; retrato, trasunto
funereal - funerario, fúnebre, funeral
baked - horneado; hornear, enhornar
obsequies - Obsequio
partook - participó; participar
ravenously - orazmente
slices - rebanadas; rebanada, sección, corte, rebanar
swallowing - tragando; tragar, engullir
In the course of that refection it occurred to Mr Verloc that he was not hearing his wife move about the bedroom as he should have done. The thought of finding her perhaps sitting on the bed in the dark not only cut Mr Verloc's appetite, but also took from him the inclination to follow her upstairs just yet. laying down the carving knife, Mr Verloc listened with careworn attention.
just yet - justo ahora
laying down - ponerse, acostarse, tumbarse
careworn - cuidado
He was comforted by hearing her move at last. She walked suddenly across the room, and threw the window up. After a period of stillness up there, during which he figured her to himself with her head out, he heard the sash being lowered slowly. Then she made a few steps, and sat down. Every resonance of his house was familiar to Mr Verloc, who was thoroughly domesticated. When next he heard his wife's footsteps overhead he knew, as well as if he had seen her doing it, that she had been putting on her walking shoes.
comforted - confortado; comodidad, consuelo, confortar
figured - imaginado; figura, cifra, ocurrírsele
sash - faja; fajín (militar)
resonance - resonancia
overhead - sobrecarga; arriba, por encima de la cabeza; aéreo
Mr Verloc wriggled his shoulders slightly at this ominous symptom, and moving away from the table, stood with his back to the fireplace, his head on one side, and gnawing perplexedly at the tips of his fingers. He kept track of her movements by the sound. She walked here and there violently, with abrupt stoppages, now before the chest of drawers, then in front of the wardrobe. An immense load of weariness, the harvest of a day of shocks and surprises, weighed Mr Verloc's energies to the ground.
wriggled - se retorció; retorcer
symptom - síntoma
moving away - alejarse, moverse
gnawing - roer; corrosivo, punzante; insistente; (gnaw); roer
perplexedly - con perplejidad
stoppages - paradas; parada, paro, bloqueo
drawers - cajones; cajón
load - cargar; carga
harvest - cosecha, cosechar
shocks - shocks; conmoción, golpe
surprises - sorpresas; sorpresa, sorprender
energies - energías; energía
He did not raise his eyes till he heard his wife descending the stairs. It was as he had guessed. She was dressed for going out.
Mrs Verloc was a free woman. She had thrown open the window of the bedroom either with the intention of screaming Murder! Help! or of throwing herself out. For she did not exactly know what use to make of her freedom. Her personality seemed to have been torn into two pieces, whose mental operations did not adjust themselves very well to each other. The street, silent and deserted from end to end, repelled her by taking sides with that man who was so certain of his impunity. She was afraid to shout lest no one should come. Obviously no one would come. Her instinct of self-preservation recoiled from the depth of the fall into that sort of slimy, deep trench.
repelled - repelido; repeler
Mrs Verloc closed the window, and dressed herself to go out into the street by another way. She was a free woman. She had dressed herself thoroughly, down to the tying of a black veil over her face. As she appeared before him in the light of the parlour, Mr Verloc observed that she had even her little handbag hanging from her left wrist. . . . Flying off to her mother, of course.
tying - atando; amarrar, atar
black veil - Velo negro
handbag - olso; bolsa
wrist - muneca; muneca
The thought that women were wearisome creatures after all presented itself to his fatigued brain. But he was too generous to harbour it for more than an instant. This man, hurt cruelly in his vanity, remained magnanimous in his conduct, allowing himself no satisfaction of a bitter smile or of a contemptuous gesture.
harbour - puerto
With true greatness of soul, he only glanced at the wooden clock on the wall, and said in a perfectly calm but forcible manner:
"Five and twenty minutes past eight, Winnie. There's no sense in going over there so late. You will never manage to get back to-night."
Before his extended hand Mrs Verloc had stopped short. He added heavily: "Your mother will be gone to bed before you get there. This is the sort of news that can wait."
Nothing was further from Mrs Verloc's thoughts than going to her mother. She recoiled at the mere idea, and feeling a chair behind her, she obeyed the suggestion of the touch, and sat down. Her intention had been simply to get outside the door for ever. And if this feeling was correct, its mental form took an unrefined shape corresponding to her origin and station. "I would rather walk the streets all the days of my life," she thought. But this creature, whose moral nature had been subjected to a shock of which, in the physical order, the most violent earthquake of history could only be a faint and languid rendering, was at the mercy of mere trifles, of casual contacts. She sat down.
most violent - el más violento
earthquake - sismo; terremoto
trifles - baratijas; sopa inglesa, pizca, nadería, nimiedad, zarandaja
contacts - contactos; contacto, contactar, entrar en contacto con
With her hat and veil she had the air of a visitor, of having looked in on Mr Verloc for a moment. Her instant docility encouraged him, whilst her aspect of only temporary and silent acquiescence provoked him a little.
looked in - mirar dentro; buscar en
"Let me tell you, Winnie," he said with authority, "that your place is here this evening. Hang it all! you brought the damned police high and low about my ears. I don't blame you-but it's your doing all the same. You'd better take this confounded hat off. I can't let you go out, old girl," he added in a softened voice.
Mrs Verloc's mind got hold of that declaration with morbid tenacity. The man who had taken Stevie out from under her very eyes to murder him in a locality whose name was at the moment not present to her memory would not allow her go out. Of course he wouldn't.
Now he had murdered Stevie he would never let her go. He would want to keep her for nothing. And on this characteristic reasoning, having all the force of insane logic, Mrs Verloc's disconnected wits went to work practically. She could slip by him, open the door, run out. But he would dash out after her, seize her round the body, drag her back into the shop.
insane - enfermo mental, loco, demente, enajenado
She could scratch, kick, and bite-and stab too; but for stabbing she wanted a knife. Mrs Verloc sat still under her black veil, in her own house, like a masked and mysterious visitor of impenetrable intentions.
scratch - rascar, raspar, aranar, rasgunar, rayar, aranazo, rayadura
Stabbing - apunalamiento; apunalamiento; (stab) apunalamiento; apunalamiento
masked - enmascarado; máscara, careta, mascarilla
Mr Verloc's magnanimity was not more than human. She had exasperated him at last.
"Can't you say something? You have your own dodges for vexing a man. Oh yes! I know your deaf-and-dumb trick. I've seen you at it before to-day. But just now it won't do. And to begin with, take this damned thing off. One can't tell whether one is talking to a dummy or to a live woman."
dodges - evadir, esquivar, capear
deaf-and-dumb - (deaf-and-dumb) sordo y mudo
He advanced, and stretching out his hand, dragged the veil off, unmasking a still, unreadable face, against which his nervous exasperation was shattered like a glass bubble flung against a rock. "That's better," he said, to cover his momentary uneasiness, and retreated back to his old station by the mantelpiece.
unmasking - desenmascaramiento; desenmascarar, descubrir, revelar
bubble - burbuja, pompa, burbujear
retreated - se retiró; retirarse, batirse en retirada
It never entered his head that his wife could give him up. He felt a little ashamed of himself, for he was fond and generous. What could he do? Everything had been said already. He protested vehemently.
"By heavens! You know that I hunted high and low. I ran the risk of giving myself away to find somebody for that accursed job. And I tell you again I couldn't find anyone crazy enough or hungry enough. What do you take me for-a murderer, or what? The boy is gone. Do you think I wanted him to blow himself up? He's gone. His troubles are over. Ours are just going to begin, I tell you, precisely because he did blow himself. I don't blame you. But just try to understand that it was a pure accident; as much an accident as if he had been run over by a 'bus while crossing the street.
hunted - cazado; cazar, buscar, caza
run over - derramarse; repasar; atropellar
His generosity was not infinite, because he was a human being-and not a monster, as Mrs Verloc believed him to be. He paused, and a snarl lifting his moustaches above a gleam of white teeth gave him the expression of a reflective beast, not very dangerous-a slow beast with a sleek head, gloomier than a seal, and with a husky voice.
monster - monstruo, fiera
snarl - grunir
lifting - levantando; levantar, alzar
gloomier - más sombrío; lóbrego, sombrío
seal - sello
"And when it comes to that, it's as much your doing as mine. That's so. You may glare as much as you like. I know what you can do in that way. Strike me dead if I ever would have thought of the lad for that purpose. It was you who kept on shoving him in my way when I was half distracted with the worry of keeping the lot of us out of trouble.
glare - resplandor; mirada fulminante
shoving - empujones; empujar
What the devil made you? One would think you were doing it on purpose. And I am damned if I know that you didn't. There's no saying how much of what's going on you have got hold of on the sly with your infernal don't-care-a-damn way of looking nowhere in particular, and saying nothing at all. . . . "
on the sly - a escondidas
His husky domestic voice ceased for a while. Mrs Verloc made no reply. Before that silence he felt ashamed of what he had said. But as often happens to peaceful men in domestic tiffs, being ashamed he pushed another point.
felt ashamed - sentirse avergonzado
tiffs - tiffs; rina, pelea sin trascendencia
"You have a devilish way of holding your tongue sometimes," he began again, without raising his voice. "Enough to make some men go mad. It's lucky for you that I am not so easily put out as some of them would be by your deaf-and-dumb sulks. I am fond of you. But don't you go too far. This isn't the time for it. We ought to be thinking of what we've got to do. And I can't let you go out to-night, galloping off to your mother with some crazy tale or other about me.
devilish - endiablado; diabólico
go mad - volverse loco
galloping - galopando; galope, galopar
I won't have it. Don't you make any mistake about it: if you will have it that I killed the boy, then you've killed him as much as I."
In sincerity of feeling and openness of statement, these words went far beyond anything that had ever been said in this home, kept up on the wages of a secret industry eked out by the sale of more or less secret wares: the poor expedients devised by a mediocre mankind for preserving an imperfect society from the dangers of moral and physical corruption, both secret too of their kind. They were spoken because Mr Verloc had felt himself really outraged; but the reticent decencies of this home life, nestling in a shady street behind a shop where the sun never shone, remained apparently undisturbed. Mrs Verloc heard him out with perfect propriety, and then rose from her chair in her hat and jacket like a visitor at the end of a call. She advanced towards her husband, one arm extended as if for a silent leave-taking.
wages - salario; hacer (la guerra), librar, dar
Eked - eked; hacer alcanzar, racionar
expedients - exigencias; conveniente, expediente
mediocre - mediocre
corruption - corrupción, corruptela, dano de datos
reticent - reticente
decencies - decencias; decencia
Her net veil dangling down by one end on the left side of her face gave an air of disorderly formality to her restrained movements. But when she arrived as far as the hearthrug, Mr Verloc was no longer standing there. He had moved off in the direction of the sofa, without raising his eyes to watch the effect of his tirade. He was tired, resigned in a truly marital spirit. But he felt hurt in the tender spot of his secret weakness. If she would go on sulking in that dreadful overcharged silence-why then she must. She was a master in that domestic art. Mr Verloc flung himself heavily upon the sofa, disregarding as usual the fate of his hat, which, as if accustomed to take care of itself, made for a safe shelter under the table.
net - et; red, malla
formality - formalidad
sulking - enfurrunada; poner cara larga, poner morros, estar enfurrunado
overcharged - te han cobrado de más; panish: t-needed
shelter - refugio, abrigo, amparo, asilo
He was tired. The last particle of his nervous force had been expended in the wonders and agonies of this day full of surprising failures coming at the end of a harassing month of scheming and insomnia. He was tired. A man isn't made of stone. Hang everything! Mr Verloc reposed characteristically, clad in his outdoor garments.
particle - partícula
agonies - agonías; agonía, angustia
failures - fracasos; fallo, fracaso, fiasco, fracasado, avería
harassing - Acosando; (harass); acosar
scheming - Tramando; (scheme); régimen, proyecto, ardid, artimana
insomnia - insomnio
reposed - reposado; reposo
characteristically - característicamente
clad - vestido; (clothe); vestir
One side of his open overcoat was lying partly on the ground. Mr Verloc wallowed on his back. But he longed for a more perfect rest-for sleep-for a few hours of delicious forgetfulness. That would come later. Provisionally he rested. And he thought: "I wish she would give over this damned nonsense. It's exasperating."
give over - dejar de, entregar algo a alguien, entregarse a algo
There must have been something imperfect in Mrs Verloc's sentiment of regained freedom. Instead of taking the way of the door she leaned back, with her shoulders against the tablet of the mantelpiece, as a wayfarer rests against a fence. A tinge of wildness in her aspect was derived from the black veil hanging like a rag against her cheek, and from the fixity of her black gaze where the light of the room was absorbed and lost without the trace of a single gleam.
tablet - tableta; placa
wayfarer - ayfarer; caminante
rests - descansa; descanso, reposo
fence - valla; cerca, cerramiento, barda, perista
wildness - salvaje; bravura, desenfreno
This woman, capable of a bargain the mere suspicion of which would have been infinitely shocking to Mr Verloc's idea of love, remained irresolute, as if scrupulously aware of something wanting on her part for the formal closing of the transaction.
bargain - trato, ganga, bicoca, chollo, regatear
irresolute - Irresoluto
scrupulously - escrupulosamente
formal - formal, oficial
On the sofa Mr Verloc wriggled his shoulders into perfect comfort, and from the fulness of his heart emitted a wish which was certainly as pious as anything likely to come from such a source.
"I wish to goodness," he growled huskily, "I had never seen Greenwich Park or anything belonging to it."
belonging to it - pertencer a
The veiled sound filled the small room with its moderate volume, well adapted to the modest nature of the wish. The waves of air of the proper length, propagated in accordance with correct mathematical formulas, flowed around all the inanimate things in the room, lapped against Mrs Verloc's head as if it had been a head of stone. And incredible as it may appear, the eyes of Mrs Verloc seemed to grow still larger. The audible wish of Mr Verloc's overflowing heart flowed into an empty place in his wife's memory. Greenwich Park. A park! That's where the boy was killed. A park-smashed branches, torn leaves, gravel, bits of brotherly flesh and bone, all spouting up together in the manner of a firework.
waves - olas; ola
accordance - de acuerdo; acuerdo, conformidad, arreglo
mathematical - matemáticas; matemático
formulas - fórmulas; fórmula, preparado para lactantes, leche maternizada
overflowing - desbordante; (overflow); desbordamiento, aliviadero, escape
spouting - Pitorreo; (spout); pico, chorro, chorrear
firework - fuegos artificiales; fuego artificial
She remembered now what she had heard, and she remembered it pictorially. They had to gather him up with the shovel. Trembling all over with irrepressible shudders, she saw before her the very implement with its ghastly load scraped up from the ground. Mrs Verloc closed her eyes desperately, throwing upon that vision the night of her eyelids, where after a rainlike fall of mangled limbs the decapitated head of Stevie lingered suspended alone, and fading out slowly like the last star of a pyrotechnic display. Mrs Verloc opened her eyes.
pictorially - pictóricamente
irrepressible - irreprimible, irrefrenable
implement - implemento, herramienta, instrumento, implementar
scraped - raspado; raspar, aranarse, rasparse, abrasión, rasponazo, pelea
rainlike - Lluvia
decapitated - decapitado; decapitar
fading - Desvaneciéndose; (fad); moda, moda pasajera
pyrotechnic - pirotécnico
Her face was no longer stony. Anybody could have noted the subtle change on her features, in the stare of her eyes, giving her a new and startling expression; an expression seldom observed by competent persons under the conditions of leisure and security demanded for thorough analysis, but whose meaning could not be mistaken at a glance. Mrs Verloc's doubts as to the end of the bargain no longer existed; her wits, no longer disconnected, were working under the control of her will.
competent - competente
thorough - completo; minucioso, exhaustivo
analysis - análisis
be mistaken - equivocarse
doubts - dudas; dudar, duda, incertidumbre
control - controlar, administración, control, dirección, manejo
But Mr Verloc observed nothing. He was reposing in that pathetic condition of optimism induced by excess of fatigue. He did not want any more trouble-with his wife too-of all people in the world. He had been unanswerable in his vindication. He was loved for himself. The present phase of her silence he interpreted favourably. This was the time to make it up with her. The silence had lasted long enough. He broke it by calling to her in an undertone.
excess - exceso, deducible, franquicia, excesivo
vindication - reivindicación; justificación, vindicación
phase - fase
interpreted - interpretado; explicar, exponer, interpretar
"Winnie."
"Yes," answered obediently Mrs Verloc the free woman. She commanded her wits now, her vocal organs; she felt herself to be in an almost preternaturally perfect control of every fibre of her body. It was all her own, because the bargain was at an end. She was clear sighted. She had become cunning. She chose to answer him so readily for a purpose. She did not wish that man to change his position on the sofa which was very suitable to the circumstances.
commanded - mandado; orden, mandato, mando, comando, dominio
vocal - vocal
organs - órganos; órgano, publicación oficial
clear sighted - perspicaz, astuto
cunning - astucia; astuto
She succeeded. The man did not stir. But after answering him she remained leaning negligently against the mantelpiece in the attitude of a resting wayfarer. She was unhurried. Her brow was smooth. The head and shoulders of Mr Verloc were hidden from her by the high side of the sofa. She kept her eyes fixed on his feet.
She remained thus mysteriously still and suddenly collected till Mr Verloc was heard with an accent of marital authority, and moving slightly to make room for her to sit on the edge of the sofa.
"Come here," he said in a peculiar tone, which might have been the tone of brutality, but was intimately known to Mrs Verloc as the note of wooing.
intimately - íntimamente
wooing - Cortejando; (woo) Cortejando
She started forward at once, as if she were still a loyal woman bound to that man by an unbroken contract. Her right hand skimmed slightly the end of the table, and when she had passed on towards the sofa the carving knife had vanished without the slightest sound from the side of the dish. Mr Verloc heard the creaky plank in the floor, and was content. He waited. Mrs Verloc was coming. As if the homeless soul of Stevie had flown for shelter straight to the breast of his sister, guardian and protector, the resemblance of her face with that of her brother grew at every step, even to the droop of the lower lip, even to the slight divergence of the eyes.
skimmed - desnatada; sobrevolar rozando, rebotar, hojear, leer por encima
content - contenido; satisfecho
But Mr Verloc did not see that. He was lying on his back and staring upwards. He saw partly on the ceiling and partly on the wall the moving shadow of an arm with a clenched hand holding a carving knife. It flickered up and down. Its movements were leisurely. They were leisurely enough for Mr Verloc to recognise the limb and the weapon.
flickered - parpadeó; vacilar
They were leisurely enough for him to take in the full meaning of the portent, and to taste the flavour of death rising in his gorge. His wife had gone raving mad-murdering mad. They were leisurely enough for the first paralysing effect of this discovery to pass away before a resolute determination to come out victorious from the ghastly struggle with that armed lunatic. They were leisurely enough for Mr Verloc to elaborate a plan of defence involving a dash behind the table, and the felling of the woman to the ground with a heavy wooden chair. But they were not leisurely enough to allow Mr Verloc the time to move either hand or foot.
taste - gusto, gusto, gustos, muestra, gustar, probar, catar, saber
flavour of - sabor a
pass away - fallecer
victorious - victorioso
felling - Cayó
The knife was already planted in his breast. It met no resistance on its way. Hazard has such accuracies. Into that plunging blow, delivered over the side of the couch, Mrs Verloc had put all the inheritance of her immemorial and obscure descent, the simple ferocity of the age of caverns, and the unbalanced nervous fury of the age of bar-rooms. Mr Verloc, the Secret Agent, turning slightly on his side with the force of the blow, expired without stirring a limb, in the muttered sound of the word "Don't" by way of protest.
hazard - riesgo, peligro, arriesgar, peligrar, aventurar
accuracies - precisiones; exactitud, precisión, tino
immemorial - inmemorial
caverns - cavernas; caverna
unbalanced - desequilibrado; desequilibrar
bar - barra; tableta; barrote, reja
Mrs Verloc had let go the knife, and her extraordinary resemblance to her late brother had faded, had become very ordinary now. She drew a deep breath, the first easy breath since Chief Inspector Heat had exhibited to her the labelled piece of Stevie's overcoat. She leaned forward on her folded arms over the side of the sofa. She adopted that easy attitude not in order to watch or gloat over the body of Mr Verloc, but because of the undulatory and swinging movements of the parlour, which for some time behaved as though it were at sea in a tempest. She was giddy but calm. She had become a free woman with a perfection of freedom which left her nothing to desire and absolutely nothing to do, since Stevie's urgent claim on her devotion no longer existed. Mrs Verloc, who thought in images, was not troubled now by visions, because she did not think at all.
adopted - adoptado; adoptar, ahijar
gloat - relamer
undulatory - Ondulatorio
behaved - se comportó; comportarse
tempest - tormenta; tempestad, temporal
images - imágenes; imagen
And she did not move. She was a woman enjoying her complete irresponsibility and endless leisure, almost in the manner of a corpse. She did not move, she did not think. Neither did the mortal envelope of the late Mr Verloc reposing on the sofa. Except for the fact that Mrs Verloc breathed these two would have been perfect in accord: that accord of prudent reserve without superfluous words, and sparing of signs, which had been the foundation of their respectable home life. For it had been respectable, covering by a decent reticence the problems that may arise in the practice of a secret profession and the commerce of shady wares. To the last its decorum had remained undisturbed by unseemly shrieks and other misplaced sincerities of conduct. And after the striking of the blow, this respectability was continued in immobility and silence.
irresponsibility - irresponsabilidad
mortal - mortal
Prudent - prudente, atentado
sparing - escatimando; prescindir, pasar sin
decent - decente
reticence - reticencia
arise - surgir, levantarse, provenir, aparecer
decorum - decoro, pundonor
unseemly - ndecoroso; inapropiado, extemporal, extemporáneo, impropio
sincerities - sinceridades; sinceridad
Nothing moved in the parlour till Mrs Verloc raised her head slowly and looked at the clock with inquiring mistrust. She had become aware of a ticking sound in the room. It grew upon her ear, while she remembered clearly that the clock on the wall was silent, had no audible tick. What did it mean by beginning to tick so loudly all of a sudden?
Its face indicated ten minutes to nine. Mrs Verloc cared nothing for time, and the ticking went on. She concluded it could not be the clock, and her sullen gaze moved along the walls, wavered, and became vague, while she strained her hearing to locate the sound. Tic, tic, tic.
indicated - indicado; indicar, senalizar, panish: t-needed
locate - ubicar, localizar, asentar
tic - tic
After listening for some time Mrs Verloc lowered her gaze deliberately on her husband's body. Its attitude of repose was so home-like and familiar that she could do so without feeling embarrassed by any pronounced novelty in the phenomena of her home life. Mr Verloc was taking his habitual ease. He looked comfortable.
deliberately - deliberadamente, concienzudamente
embarrassed - avergonzado; avergonzar, abochornar, sonrojar, humillar
By the position of the body the face of Mr Verloc was not visible to Mrs Verloc, his widow. Her fine, sleepy eyes, travelling downward on the track of the sound, became contemplative on meeting a flat object of bone which protruded a little beyond the edge of the sofa. It was the handle of the domestic carving knife with nothing strange about it but its position at right angles to Mr Verloc's waistcoat and the fact that something dripped from it.
sleepy - tienes sueno; sueno, cansado, adormecido, sonoliento
downward - hacia abajo
protruded - salió; sobresalir, protruir
dripped - goteó; gotear
Dark drops fell on the floorcloth one after another, with a sound of ticking growing fast and furious like the pulse of an insane clock. At its highest speed this ticking changed into a continuous sound of trickling. Mrs Verloc watched that transformation with shadows of anxiety coming and going on her face. It was a trickle, dark, swift, thin. . . . Blood!
floorcloth - trapo para el suelo; panish: aljofifa g
pulse - pulso
Speed - velocidad
trickling - goteo; (trickle); riachuelo, chorreo, instilar, chorrear, gotear
transformation - transformación
trickle - un chorrito; riachuelo, chorreo, instilar, chorrear, gotear
At this unforeseen circumstance Mrs Verloc abandoned her pose of idleness and irresponsibility.
unforeseen - imprevisto, inesperado
With a sudden snatch at her skirts and a faint shriek she ran to the door, as if the trickle had been the first sign of a destroying flood. Finding the table in her way she gave it a push with both hands as though it had been alive, with such force that it went for some distance on its four legs, making a loud, scraping racket, whilst the big dish with the joint crashed heavily on the floor.
snatch - robar; agarrar, arrebatar, arrancada, arranque
loud - en voz alta; alto
racket - jaleo, barullo, escándalo, alboroto
crashed - se estrelló; estruendo, estrépito
Then all became still. Mrs Verloc on reaching the door had stopped. A round hat disclosed in the middle of the floor by the moving of the table rocked slightly on its crown in the wind of her flight.
rocked - rockeado; roca
crown - corona
Winnie Verloc, the widow of Mr Verloc, the sister of the late faithful Stevie (blown to fragments in a state of innocence and in the conviction of being engaged in a humanitarian enterprise), did not run beyond the door of the parlour. She had indeed run away so far from a mere trickle of blood, but that was a movement of instinctive repulsion. And there she had paused, with staring eyes and lowered head.
repulsion - repulsión
As though she had run through long years in her flight across the small parlour, Mrs Verloc by the door was quite a different person from the woman who had been leaning over the sofa, a little swimmy in her head, but otherwise free to enjoy the profound calm of idleness and irresponsibility. Mrs Verloc was no longer giddy. Her head was steady. On the other hand, she was no longer calm. She was afraid.
run through - repasar; repetir(se)
swimmy - Nadador
If she avoided looking in the direction of her reposing husband it was not because she was afraid of him. Mr Verloc was not frightful to behold. He looked comfortable. Moreover, he was dead. Mrs Verloc entertained no vain delusions on the subject of the dead. Nothing brings them back, neither love nor hate. They can do nothing to you. They are as nothing. Her mental state was tinged by a sort of austere contempt for that man who had let himself be killed so easily. He had been the master of a house, the husband of a woman, and the murderer of her Stevie. And now he was of no account in every respect. He was of less practical account than the clothing on his body, than his overcoat, than his boots-than that hat lying on the floor.
looking in - mirar dentro; buscar en
behold - contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
delusions - delirios; engano, ilusión, delirio, idea delirante
He was nothing. He was not worth looking at. He was even no longer the murderer of poor Stevie. The only murderer that would be found in the room when people came to look for Mr Verloc would be-herself!
Her hands shook so that she failed twice in the task of refastening her veil. Mrs Verloc was no longer a person of leisure and responsibility. She was afraid.
refastening - Refijar
responsibility - responsabilidad
The stabbing of Mr Verloc had been only a blow. It had relieved the pent-up agony of shrieks strangled in her throat, of tears dried up in her hot eyes, of the maddening and indignant rage at the atrocious part played by that man, who was less than nothing now, in robbing her of the boy.
dried up - seco, resecado, desecado
robbing - robando; robar
It had been an obscurely prompted blow. The blood trickling on the floor off the handle of the knife had turned it into an extremely plain case of murder. Mrs Verloc, who always refrained from looking deep into things, was compelled to look into the very bottom of this thing.
obscurely - oscuramente
prompted - impulsado; rápido, pronto, puntual, pie, entrada, senal
She saw there no haunting face, no reproachful shade, no vision of remorse, no sort of ideal conception. She saw there an object. That object was the gallows. Mrs Verloc was afraid of the gallows.
gallows - la horca; horca; (gallow) la horca; horca
She was terrified of them ideally. Having never set eyes on that last argument of men's justice except in illustrative woodcuts to a certain type of tales, she first saw them erect against a black and stormy background, festooned with chains and human bones, circled about by birds that peck at dead men's eyes. This was frightful enough, but Mrs Verloc, though not a well-informed woman, had a sufficient knowledge of the institutions of her country to know that gallows are no longer erected romantically on the banks of dismal rivers or on wind-swept headlands, but in the yards of jails. There within four high walls, as if into a pit, at dawn of day, the murderer was brought out to be executed, with a horrible quietness and, as the reports in the newspapers always said, "in the presence of the authorities.
ideally - lo ideal; idealmente
illustrative - Ilustrativo
woodcuts - grabados en madera; xilografía
stormy - borrascoso, tempestuoso, tormentoso
background - Fondo
chains - cadenas; cadena, encadenar
circled - un círculo; círculo, circunferencia, esfera, curva, grupo
peck - picotear
romantically - románticamente
headlands - abos; promontorio, capitana
jails - cárceles; cárcel, prisión, presidio, penal
pit - hoyo, foso, fosa
dawn - amanecer, alba, amanecer, aurora, madrugada
With her eyes staring on the floor, her nostrils quivering with anguish and shame, she imagined herself all alone amongst a lot of strange gentlemen in silk hats who were calmly proceeding about the business of hanging her by the neck. That-never! Never! And how was it done? The impossibility of imagining the details of such quiet execution added something maddening to her abstract terror. The newspapers never gave any details except one, but that one with some affectation was always there at the end of a meagre report. Mrs Verloc remembered its nature. It came with a cruel burning pain into her head, as if the words "The drop given was fourteen feet" had been scratched on her brain with a hot needle. "The drop given was fourteen feet."
execution - ejecución
affectation - afectación
scratched - rayado; rascar, raspar, aranar, rasgunar, rayar, aranazo
needle - aguja, acícula
These words affected her physically too. Her throat became convulsed in waves to resist strangulation; and the apprehension of the jerk was so vivid that she seized her head in both hands as if to save it from being torn off her shoulders. "The drop given was fourteen feet.
convulsed - convulsiones; convulsionar, crispar
resist - resistir
strangulation - estrangulación
vivid - vívida; vívido, vivo
save - salvar, rescatar, redimir, parar, ahorrar, guardar, reservar
torn off - desprendido, arrancado
No! that must never be. She could not stand that. The thought of it even was not bearable. She could not stand thinking of it. Therefore Mrs Verloc formed the resolution to go at once and throw herself into the river off one of the bridges.
bearable - soportable, tolerable, llevadero
bridges - puentes; puente
This time she managed to refasten her veil. With her face as if masked, all black from head to foot except for some flowers in her hat, she looked up mechanically at the clock. She thought it must have stopped. She could not believe that only two minutes had passed since she had looked at it last. Of course not. It had been stopped all the time. As a matter of fact, only three minutes had elapsed from the moment she had drawn the first deep, easy breath after the blow, to this moment when Mrs Verloc formed the resolution to drown herself in the Thames.
refasten - Refijar
drown - ahogarse
Thames - Támesis
But Mrs Verloc could not believe that. She seemed to have heard or read that clocks and watches always stopped at the moment of murder for the undoing of the murderer. She did not care. "To the bridge-and over I go." . . . But her movements were slow.
She dragged herself painfully across the shop, and had to hold on to the handle of the door before she found the necessary fortitude to open it. The street frightened her, since it led either to the gallows or to the river. She floundered over the doorstep head forward, arms thrown out, like a person falling over the parapet of a bridge. This entrance into the open air had a foretaste of drowning; a slimy dampness enveloped her, entered her nostrils, clung to her hair. It was not actually raining, but each gas lamp had a rusty little halo of mist. The van and horses were gone, and in the black street the curtained window of the carters'eating-house made a square patch of soiled blood-red light glowing faintly very near the level of the pavement. Mrs Verloc, dragging herself slowly towards it, thought that she was a very friendless woman. It was true. It was so true that, in a sudden longing to see some friendly face, she could think of no one else but of Mrs Neale, the charwoman.
fortitude - fortaleza
floundered - se tambaleó; patalear
doorstep - a la puerta; umbral
parapet - parapeto
foretaste - un anticipo; anticipo, muestra
clung - aferrado; engancharse, adherirse
halo - halo, nimbo, aureola
dragging - arrastrando; llevar a rastras
She had no acquaintances of her own. Nobody would miss her in a social way. It must not be imagined that the Widow Verloc had forgotten her mother. This was not so. Winnie had been a good daughter because she had been a devoted sister. Her mother had always leaned on her for support. No consolation or advice could be expected there. Now that Stevie was dead the bond seemed to be broken. She could not face the old woman with the horrible tale. Moreover, it was too far. The river was her present destination. Mrs Verloc tried to forget her mother.
be broken - estar roto
destination - destino
Each step cost her an effort of will which seemed the last possible. Mrs Verloc had dragged herself past the red glow of the eating-house window. "To the bridge-and over I go," she repeated to herself with fierce obstinacy. She put out her hand just in time to steady herself against a lamp-post. "I'll never get there before morning," she thought.
obstinacy - testarudez, porfía, terquedad, obstinación
The fear of death paralysed her efforts to escape the gallows. It seemed to her she had been staggering in that street for hours. "I'll never get there," she thought. "They'll find me knocking about the streets. It's too far." She held on, panting under her black veil.
paralysed - paralizado; paralizar(se)
panting - Jadeando; (pant) Jadeando
"The drop given was fourteen feet."
She pushed the lamp-post away from her violently, and found herself walking. But another wave of faintness overtook her like a great sea, washing away her heart clean out of her breast. "I will never get there," she muttered, suddenly arrested, swaying lightly where she stood. "Never."
overtook - delantó; rebasar, sobrepasar, adelantar, alcanzar, superar
washing away - se está lavando
And perceiving the utter impossibility of walking as far as the nearest bridge, Mrs Verloc thought of a flight abroad.
perceiving - Percibiendo; (perceive); percibir, entender
It came to her suddenly. Murderers escaped. They escaped abroad. Spain or California. Mere names. The vast world created for the glory of man was only a vast blank to Mrs Verloc. She did not know which way to turn.
murderers - asesinos; asesino, asesina, victimario, victimaria
Murderers had friends, relations, helpers-they had knowledge. She had nothing. She was the most lonely of murderers that ever struck a mortal blow. She was alone in London: and the whole town of marvels and mud, with its maze of streets and its mass of lights, was sunk in a hopeless night, rested at the bottom of a black abyss from which no unaided woman could hope to scramble out.
helpers - ayudantes; ayudante, ayudador
scramble - discutir; gatear, revolver, arrebato, arrebatina
She swayed forward, and made a fresh start blindly, with an awful dread of falling down; but at the end of a few steps, unexpectedly, she found a sensation of support, of security. Raising her head, she saw a man's face peering closely at her veil. Comrade Ossipon was not afraid of strange women, and no feeling of false delicacy could prevent him from striking an acquaintance with a woman apparently very much intoxicated. Comrade Ossipon was interested in women. He held up this one between his two large palms, peering at her in a business-like way till he heard her say faintly "Mr Ossipon!
blindly - ciegamente, a ciegas, a tientas, a tiento
falling down - caerse, colapsar, fracasar
intoxicated - intoxicado; intoxicar, emborrachar
and then he very nearly let her drop to the ground.
"Mrs Verloc!" he exclaimed. "You here!"
It seemed impossible to him that she should have been drinking. But one never knows. He did not go into that question, but attentive not to discourage kind fate surrendering to him the widow of Comrade Verloc, he tried to draw her to his breast. To his astonishment she came quite easily, and even rested on his arm for a moment before she attempted to disengage herself.
discourage - descorazonar, acobardar, desalentar, persuadir, disuadir
surrendering - entregar, rendir, abandonar, rendirse, capitular
disengage - desconectar; desenganchar, desatar, liberar, retirar
Comrade Ossipon would not be brusque with kind fate. He withdrew his arm in a natural way.
"You recognised me," she faltered out, standing before him, fairly Steady on her legs.
faltered - aciló; dudar
Steady on - Mantener la calma
"Of course I did," said Ossipon with perfect readiness. "I was afraid you were going to fall. I've thought of you too often lately not to recognise you anywhere, at any time. I've always thought of you-ever since I first set eyes on you."
Mrs Verloc seemed not to hear. "You were coming to the shop?" she said nervously.
"Yes; at once," answered Ossipon. "Directly I read the paper."
In fact, Comrade Ossipon had been skulking for a good two hours in the neighbourhood of Brett Street, unable to make up his mind for a bold move. The robust anarchist was not exactly a bold conqueror. He remembered that Mrs Verloc had never responded to his glances by the slightest sign of encouragement. Besides, he thought the shop might be watched by the police, and Comrade Ossipon did not wish the police to form an exaggerated notion of his revolutionary sympathies.
skulking - Escapando; (skulk); merodear
Conqueror - conquistador
responded - respondió; responder
encouragement - aliento; apoyo
Even now he did not know precisely what to do. In comparison with his usual amatory speculations this was a big and serious undertaking. He ignored how much there was in it and how far he would have to go in order to get hold of what there was to get-supposing there was a chance at all. These perplexities checking his elation imparted to his tone a soberness well in keeping with the circumstances.
amatory - amatorio
undertaking - emprender; funeraria, emprendimiento; (undertake); emprender
supposing - Suponiendo; (suppose); suponer
perplexities - erplejidades; perplejidad
elation - euforia
soberness - sobriedad
"May I ask you where you were going?" he inquired in a subdued voice.
"Don't ask me!" cried Mrs Verloc with a shuddering, repressed violence. All her strong vitality recoiled from the idea of death. "Never mind where I was going. . . ."
Don't ask - No preguntes
shuddering - Temblores; (shudder); escalofrío
Ossipon concluded that she was very much excited but perfectly sober. She remained silent by his side for moment, then all at once she did something which he did not expect. She slipped her hand under his arm. He was startled by the act itself certainly, and quite as much too by the palpably resolute character of this movement.
sober - sobrio, sereno, apagado
palpably - Palpablemente
But this being a delicate affair, Comrade Ossipon behaved with delicacy. He contented himself by pressing the hand slightly against his robust ribs. At the same time he felt himself being impelled forward, and yielded to the impulse. At the end of Brett Street he became aware of being directed to the left. He submitted.
yielded - cedido; ceder
The fruiterer at the corner had put out the blazing glory of his oranges and lemons, and Brett Place was all darkness, interspersed with the misty halos of the few lamps defining its triangular shape, with a cluster of three lights on one stand in the middle. The dark forms of the man and woman glided slowly arm in arm along the walls with a loverlike and homeless aspect in the miserable night.
halos - alos; halo, nimbo, aureola
defining - definiendo; determinar, definir, definirse, aclarar, describir
cluster - amontonamiento, agrupamiento, aglomeración, racimo, cúmulo
loverlike - Amante
"What would you say if I were to tell you that I was going to find you?" Mrs Verloc asked, gripping his arm with force.
"I would say that you couldn't find anyone more ready to help you in your trouble," answered Ossipon, with a notion of making tremendous headway. In fact, the progress of this delicate affair was almost taking his breath away.
tremendous - tremendo
"In my trouble!" Mrs Verloc repeated slowly.
"Yes."
"And do you know what my trouble is?" she whispered with strange intensity.
"Ten minutes after seeing the evening paper," explained Ossipon with ardour, "I met a fellow whom you may have seen once or twice at the shop perhaps, and I had a talk with him which left no doubt whatever in my mind. Then I started for here, wondering whether you-I've been fond of you beyond words ever since I set eyes on your face," he cried, as if unable to command his feelings.
no doubt whatever - Sin duda alguna
Comrade Ossipon assumed correctly that no woman was capable of wholly disbelieving such a statement. But he did not know that Mrs Verloc accepted it with all the fierceness the instinct of self-preservation puts into the grip of a drowning person. To the widow of Mr Verloc the robust anarchist was like a radiant messenger of life.
disbelieving - descreído; descreer
grip - agarre; empunar, agarrar, aferrar, asir
radiant - radiante, punto radiante
messenger - mensajero
They walked slowly, in step. "I thought so," Mrs Verloc murmured faintly.
"You've read it in my eyes," suggested Ossipon with great assurance.
"Yes," she breathed out into his inclined ear.
"A love like mine could not be concealed from a woman like you," he went on, trying to detach his mind from material considerations such as the business value of the shop, and the amount of money Mr Verloc might have left in the bank. He applied himself to the sentimental side of the affair. In his heart of hearts he was a little shocked at his success.
detach - desprender; desacoplar
Verloc had been a good fellow, and certainly a very decent husband as far as one could see. However, Comrade Ossipon was not going to quarrel with his luck for the sake of a dead man. Resolutely he suppressed his sympathy for the ghost of Comrade Verloc, and went on.
quarrel - discutir; pelea, rina
luck - suerte
resolutely - Decididamente
"I could not conceal it. I was too full of you. I daresay you could not help seeing it in my eyes. But I could not guess it. You were always so distant. . . ."
"What else did you expect?" burst out Mrs Verloc. "I was a respectable woman-"
She paused, then added, as if speaking to herself, in sinister resentment: "Till he made me what I am."
Ossipon let that pass, and took up his running. "He never did seem to me to be quite worthy of you," he began, throwing loyalty to the winds. "You were worthy of a better fate."
Mrs Verloc interrupted bitterly:
"Better fate! He cheated me out of seven years of life."
cheated - enganado; enganar, estafar, timar
"You seemed to live so happily with him." Ossipon tried to exculpate the lukewarmness of his past conduct. "It's that what's made me timid. You seemed to love him. I was surprised-and jealous," he added.
Happily - afortunadamente, felizmente, alegremente, dichosamente
lukewarmness - ibieza
timid - tímido
"Love him!" Mrs Verloc cried out in a whisper, full of scorn and rage. "Love him! I was a good wife to him. I am a respectable woman. You thought I loved him! You did! Look here, Tom-"
The sound of this name thrilled Comrade Ossipon with pride. For his name was Alexander, and he was called Tom by arrangement with the most familiar of his intimates. It was a name of friendship-of moments of expansion. He had no idea that she had ever heard it used by anybody. It was apparent that she had not only caught it, but had treasured it in her memory-perhaps in her heart.
thrilled - emocionado; excitar; emocionar, conmover
most familiar - Más familiar
intimates - intimidades; íntimo
expansion - expansión, dilatación
treasured - tesorado; tesoro, atesorar
"Look here, Tom! I was a young girl. I was done up. I was tired. I had two people depending on what I could do, and it did seem as if I couldn't do any more. Two people-mother and the boy. He was much more mine than mother's. I sat up nights and nights with him on my lap, all alone upstairs, when I wasn't more than eight years old myself. And then-He was mine, I tell you.
. . . You can't understand that. No man can understand it. What was I to do? There was a young fellow-"
The memory of the early romance with the young butcher survived, tenacious, like the image of a glimpsed ideal in that heart quailing before the fear of the gallows and full of revolt against death.
glimpsed - islumbrado; atisbo, entrever, atisbar, vislumbrar, ojear
quailing - Cailing; (quail) Cailing
"That was the man I loved then," went on the widow of Mr Verloc. "I suppose he could see it in my eyes too. Five and twenty shillings a week, and his father threatened to kick him out of the business if he made such a fool of himself as to marry a girl with a crippled mother and a crazy idiot of a boy on her hands. But he would hang about me, till one evening I found the courage to slam the door in his face. I had to do it. I loved him dearly. Five and twenty shillings a week! There was that other man-a good lodger. What is a girl to do?
crippled - lisiado, lisiado, lisiada
hang about - andar por; !un momento!, !espera!
slam - cerrar de golpe
Dearly - Querido
Could I've gone on the streets? He seemed kind. He wanted me, anyhow. What was I to do with mother and that poor boy? Eh? I said yes. He seemed good-natured, he was freehanded, he had money, he never said anything. Seven years-seven years a good wife to him, the kind, the good, the generous, the-And he loved me. Oh yes. He loved me till I sometimes wished myself-Seven years. Seven years a wife to him. And do you know what he was, that dear friend of yours? Do you know what he was? He was a devil!"
freehanded - a mano alzada
The superhuman vehemence of that whispered statement completely stunned Comrade Ossipon. Winnie Verloc turning about held him by both arms, facing him under the falling mist in the darkness and solitude of Brett Place, in which all sounds of life seemed lost as if in a triangular well of asphalt and bricks, of blind houses and unfeeling stones.
superhuman - superhumano; sobrehumano
stunned - aturdido; anonadar, aturdir, pasmar, atontar
asphalt - asfalto, hormigón asfáltico, asfaltar
"No; I didn't know," he declared, with a sort of flabby stupidity, whose comical aspect was lost upon a woman haunted by the fear of the gallows, "but I do now. I-I understand," he floundered on, his mind speculating as to what sort of atrocities Verloc could have practised under the sleepy, placid appearances of his married estate. It was positively awful. "I understand," he repeated, and then by a sudden inspiration uttered an-"Unhappy woman!" of lofty commiseration instead of the more familiar "Poor darling!" of his usual practice. This was no usual case.
flabby - flacidez; flácido, fofo, lacio
atrocities - atrocidades; atrocidad
estate - patrimonio; propiedad, inmueble, bien, estamento, finca
darling - carino; querido, querida, amado, amada
He felt conscious of something abnormal going on, while he never lost sight of the greatness of the stake. "Unhappy, brave woman!"
abnormal - anormal
Brave - valiente, valeroso, corajudo
He was glad to have discovered that variation; but he could discover nothing else.
variation - variación
"Ah, but he is dead now," was the best he could do. And he put a remarkable amount of animosity into his guarded exclamation. Mrs Verloc caught at his arm with a sort of frenzy.
"You guessed then he was dead," she murmured, as if beside herself. "You! You guessed what I had to do. Had to!"
There were suggestions of triumph, relief, gratitude in the indefinable tone of these words. It engrossed the whole attention of Ossipon to the detriment of mere literal sense. He wondered what was up with her, why she had worked herself into this state of wild excitement. He even began to wonder whether the hidden causes of that Greenwich Park affair did not lie deep in the unhappy circumstances of the Verlocs'married life. He went so far as to suspect Mr Verloc of having selected that extraordinary manner of committing suicide. By Jove! that would account for the utter inanity and wrong-headedness of the thing.
engrossed - absorto; acaparar, arramblar, apandar, alzarse con
literal sense - sentido literal
wondered - se preguntaba; maravilla, milagro, genio, asombro, pasmo
selected - seleccionado; selecto, seleccionar
inanity - inanidad
headedness - cabeza
No anarchist manifestation was required by the circumstances. Quite the contrary; and Verloc was as well aware of that as any other revolutionist of his standing. What an immense joke if Verloc had simply made fools of the whole of Europe, of the revolutionary world, of the police, of the press, and of the cocksure Professor as well. Indeed, thought Ossipon, in astonishment, it seemed almost certain that he did! Poor beggar! It struck him as very possible that of that household of two it wasn't precisely the man who was the devil.
Alexander Ossipon, nicknamed the Doctor, was naturally inclined to think indulgently of his men friends. He eyed Mrs Verloc hanging on his arm. Of his women friends he thought in a specially practical way. Why Mrs Verloc should exclaim at his knowledge of Mr Verloc's death, which was no guess at all, did not disturb him beyond measure. They often talked like lunatics. But he was curious to know how she had been informed. The papers could tell her nothing beyond the mere fact: the man blown to pieces in Greenwich Park not having been identified.
indulgently - con indulgencia
exclaim - exclamar
lunatics - lunáticos; insano, orate, lunático
It was inconceivable on any theory that Verloc should have given her an inkling of his intention-whatever it was. This problem interested Comrade Ossipon immensely. He stopped short. They had gone then along the three sides of Brett Place, and were near the end of Brett Street again.
inkling - un indicio; idea, sospecha
"How did you first come to hear of it?" he asked in a tone he tried to render appropriate to the character of the revelations which had been made to him by the woman at his side.
render - renderizar; dejar, volver
revelations - revelaciones; revelación, develamiento
She shook violently for a while before she answered in a listless voice.
"From the police. A chief inspector came, Chief Inspector Heat he said he was. He showed me-"
Mrs Verloc choked. "Oh, Tom, they had to gather him up with a shovel."
Her breast heaved with dry sobs. In a moment Ossipon found his tongue.
sobs - sollozos; hdp
"The police! Do you mean to say the police came already? That Chief Inspector Heat himself actually came to tell you."
"Yes," she confirmed in the same listless tone. "He came just like this. He came. I didn't know. He showed me a piece of overcoat, and-just like that. Do you know this? he says."
"Heat! Heat! And what did he do?"
Mrs Verloc's head dropped. "Nothing. He did nothing. He went away. The police were on that man's side," she murmured tragically. "Another one came too."
tragically - trágicamente
"Another-another inspector, do you mean?" asked Ossipon, in great excitement, and very much in the tone of a scared child.
"I don't know. He came. He looked like a foreigner. He may have been one of them Embassy people."
foreigner - extranjero, extranjera, forastero, fuereno; (foreign); extrano
Comrade Ossipon nearly collapsed under this new shock.
"Embassy! Are you aware what you are saying? What Embassy? What on earth do you mean by Embassy?"
"It's that place in Chesham Square. The people he cursed so. I don't know. What does it matter!"
cursed - Maldito; (curs) Maldito
"And that fellow, what did he do or say to you?"
"I don't remember. . . . Nothing . . . . I don't care. Don't ask me," she pleaded in a weary voice.
pleaded - suplicado; rogar
"All right. I won't," assented Ossipon tenderly. And he meant it too, not because he was touched by the pathos of the pleading voice, but because he felt himself losing his footing in the depths of this tenebrous affair. Police! Embassy! Phew! For fear of adventuring his intelligence into ways where its natural lights might fail to guide it safely he dismissed resolutely all suppositions, surmises, and theories out of his mind. He had the woman there, absolutely flinging herself at him, and that was the principal consideration.
pleading - suplicando; (plead); rogar
tenebrous - tenebroso
adventuring - aventurarse; aventura
fail - fracasar, fallar, suspender
Guide - guía; guiar, dirigir
safely - seguro; seguramente
suppositions - suposiciones; suposición
theories - teorías; teoría
But after what he had heard nothing could astonish him any more. And when Mrs Verloc, as if startled suddenly out of a dream of safety, began to urge upon him wildly the necessity of an immediate flight on the Continent, he did not exclaim in the least. He simply said with unaffected regret that there was no train till the morning, and stood looking thoughtfully at her face, veiled in black net, in the light of a gas lamp veiled in a gauze of mist.
after what - Después de qué
astonish - asombrar, sorprender, pasmar
wildly - alocadamente, salvajemente
gauze - gasa, tela metálico etálica
Near him, her black form merged in the night, like a figure half chiselled out of a block of black stone. It was impossible to say what she knew, how deep she was involved with policemen and Embassies. But if she wanted to get away, it was not for him to object.
merged - fusionado; fusionar
chiselled - incelado; cincel
He was anxious to be off himself. He felt that the business, the shop so strangely familiar to chief inspectors and members of foreign Embassies, was not the place for him. That must be dropped. But there was the rest. These savings. The money!
be off - estar ausente, ausentarse
strangely - extranamente; extranamente
inspectors - inspectores; inspector
be dropped - descartarse
Savings - ahorro, ahorros, economías
"You must hide me till the morning somewhere," she said in a dismayed voice.
dismayed - consternado; espanto, estupefacción, consternación
"Fact is, my dear, I can't take you where I live. I share the room with a friend."
He was somewhat dismayed himself. In the morning the blessed 'tecs will be out in all the stations, no doubt. And if they once got hold of her, for one reason or another she would be lost to him indeed.
tecs - ec
"But you must. Don't you care for me at all-at all? What are you thinking of?"
She said this violently, but she let her clasped hands fall in discouragement. There was a silence, while the mist fell, and darkness reigned undisturbed over Brett Place. Not a soul, not even the vagabond, lawless, and amorous soul of a cat, came near the man and the woman facing each other.
vagabond - vagabundo
amorous - amoroso, carinoso, enamorado
"It would be possible perhaps to find a safe lodging somewhere," Ossipon spoke at last. "But the truth is, my dear, I have not enough money to go and try with-only a few pence. We revolutionists are not rich."
He had fifteen shillings in his pocket. He added:
"And there's the journey before us, too-first thing in the morning at that."
She did not move, made no sound, and Comrade Ossipon's heart sank a little. Apparently she had no suggestion to offer. Suddenly she clutched at her breast, as if she had felt a sharp pain there.
clutched - aferrado; agarrar
"But I have," she gasped. "I have the money. I have enough money. Tom! Let us go from here."
"How much have you got?" he inquired, without stirring to her tug; for he was a cautious man.
"I have the money, I tell you. All the money."
"What do you mean by it? All the money there was in the bank, or what?" he asked incredulously, but ready not to be surprised at anything in the way of luck.
"Yes, yes!" she said nervously. "All there was. I've it all."
"How on earth did you manage to get hold of it already?" he marvelled.
"He gave it to me," she murmured, suddenly subdued and trembling. Comrade Ossipon put down his rising surprise with a firm hand.
"Why, then-we are saved," he uttered slowly.
She leaned forward, and sank against his breast. He welcomed her there. She had all the money. Her hat was in the way of very marked effusion; her veil too. He was adequate in his manifestations, but no more. She received them without resistance and without abandonment, passively, as if only half-sensible. She freed herself from his lax embraces without difficulty.
effusion - efusión, derrame
adequate - adecuado
lax - laxo; poco disciplinario, flojo
embraces - abrazos; abrazar, abrazo
"You will save me, Tom," she broke out, recoiling, but still keeping her hold on him by the two lapels of his damp coat. "Save me. Hide me. Don't let them have me. You must kill me first. I couldn't do it myself-I couldn't, I couldn't-not even for what I am afraid of."
recoiling - retrocediendo; retroceso, echarse atrás, recular
lapels - solapas; solapa
She was confoundedly bizarre, he thought. She was beginning to inspire him with an indefinite uneasiness. He said surlily, for he was busy with important thoughts:
inspire - inspirar, infundir
surlily - Surily
"What the devil are you afraid of?"
"Haven't you guessed what I was driven to do!" cried the woman. Distracted by the vividness of her dreadful apprehensions, her head ringing with forceful words, that kept the horror of her position before her mind, she had imagined her incoherence to be clearness itself. She had no conscience of how little she had audibly said in the disjointed phrases completed only in her thought. She had felt the relief of a full confession, and she gave a special meaning to every sentence spoken by Comrade Ossipon, whose knowledge did not in the least resemble her own. "Haven't you guessed what I was driven to do!
vividness - vivacidad; nitidez
forceful - poderoso, potente, enérgico
resemble - se parecen; asemejar
Her voice fell. "You needn't be long in guessing then what I am afraid of," she continued, in a bitter and sombre murmur. "I won't have it. I won't. I won't. I won't. You must promise to kill me first!" She shook the lapels of his coat. "It must never be!"
He assured her curtly that no promises on his part were necessary, but he took good care not to contradict her in set terms, because he had had much to do with excited women, and he was inclined in general to let his experience guide his conduct in preference to applying his sagacity to each special case. His sagacity in this case was busy in other directions. Women's words fell into water, but the shortcomings of time-tables remained. The insular nature of Great Britain obtruded itself upon his notice in an odious form.
promises - promesas; promesa, prometer
contradict - contradecir, contrariar
sagacity - sagacidad, sagaz
special case - un caso especial
directions - direcciones; dirección
shortcomings - deficiencias; defecto
insular - insular
Great Britain - Gran Bretana
obtruded - obstruido; imponer, checkimponerse, checksobresalir
"Might just as well be put under lock and key every night," he thought irritably, as nonplussed as though he had a wall to scale with the woman on his back. Suddenly he slapped his forehead. He had by dint of cudgelling his brains just thought of the Southampton-St Malo service. The boat left about midnight. There was a train at 10.30. He became cheery and ready to act.
put under - poner debajo de; dormir, sedar
irritably - irritablemente
nonplussed - impaciente; confundir, desconcertar, perplejar
dint - no; abolladura
cudgelling - Golpear; (cudgel) Golpear
brains - cerebros; cerebro, seso, sesudez
cheery - Alegre
"From Waterloo. Plenty of time. We are all right after all. . . . What's the matter now? This isn't the way," he protested.
Mrs Verloc, having hooked her arm into his, was trying to drag him into Brett Street again.
"I've forgotten to shut the shop door as I went out," she whispered, terribly agitated.
agitated - agitado; agitar, perturbar
The shop and all that was in it had ceased to interest Comrade Ossipon. He knew how to limit his desires. He was on the point of saying "What of that? Let it be," but he refrained. He disliked argument about trifles. He even mended his pace considerably on the thought that she might have left the money in the drawer. But his willingness lagged behind her feverish impatience.
desires - deseos; desear, deseo, gana
lagged - retrasado; demora, retraso, lag, rezagar, retrasar
The shop seemed to be quite dark at first. The door stood ajar. Mrs Verloc, leaning against the front, gasped out:
"Nobody has been in. Look! The light-the light in the parlour."
Ossipon, stretching his head forward, saw a faint gleam in the darkness of the shop.
"There is," he said.
"I forgot it." Mrs Verloc's voice came from behind her veil faintly. And as he stood waiting for her to enter first, she said louder: "Go in and put it out-or I'll go mad."
He made no immediate objection to this proposal, so strangely motived. "Where's all that money?" he asked.
motived - motivado; motivo, móbil
"On me! Go, Tom. Quick! Put it out. . . . Go in!" she cried, seizing him by both shoulders from behind.
seizing - incautando; (seize); agarrar, apoderarse de, apresar, aferrar
Not prepared for a display of physical force, Comrade Ossipon stumbled far into the shop before her push. He was astonished at the strength of the woman and scandalised by her proceedings. But he did not retrace his steps in order to remonstrate with her severely in the street. He was beginning to be disagreeably impressed by her fantastic behaviour. Moreover, this or never was the time to humour the woman. Comrade Ossipon avoided easily the end of the counter, and approached calmly the glazed door of the parlour.
remonstrate - replicar; quejarse
severely - gravemente; severamente
The curtain over the panes being drawn back a little he, by a very natural impulse, looked in, just as he made ready to turn the handle. He looked in without a thought, without intention, without curiosity of any sort. He looked in because he could not help looking in. He looked in, and discovered Mr Verloc reposing quietly on the sofa.
A yell coming from the innermost depths of his chest died out unheard and transformed into a sort of greasy, sickly taste on his lips. At the same time the mental personality of Comrade Ossipon executed a frantic leap backward. But his body, left thus without intellectual guidance, held on to the door handle with the unthinking force of an instinct. The robust anarchist did not even totter. And he stared, his face close to the glass, his eyes protruding out of his head. He would have given anything to get away, but his returning reason informed him that it would not do to let go the door handle. What was it-madness, a nightmare, or a trap into which he had been decoyed with fiendish artfulness? Why-what for? He did not know. Without any sense of guilt in his breast, in the full peace of his conscience as far as these people were concerned, the idea that he would be murdered for mysterious reasons by the couple Verloc passed not so much across his mind as across the pit of his stomach, and went out, leaving behind a trail of sickly faintness-an indisposition.
yell - gritar; grito, alarido
innermost - más interior
unheard - No se oye
transformed - transformado; trasformar, transformar
frantic - frenético
leap - salto; saltar, brincar
guidance - dirección, orientación, consejo
unthinking - despensar
totter - temblar; tambalearse, bascular, dar tumbos
decoyed - enganado; senuelo, carnada
fiendish - diabólico
artfulness - arte
leaving behind - Dejar atrás
trail - seguir, arrastrar, rastro, pista, sendero
indisposition - indisposición; achaque
Comrade Ossipon did not feel very well in a very special way for a moment-a long moment. And he stared. Mr Verloc lay very still meanwhile, simulating sleep for reasons of his own, while that savage woman of his was guarding the door-invisible and silent in the dark and deserted street. Was all this a some sort of terrifying arrangement invented by the police for his especial benefit? His modesty shrank from that explanation.
simulating - simulando; simular
guarding - guardando; guarda, guardia, guardés, guarda, tapador, bloque
modesty - modestia, pudor
But the true sense of the scene he was beholding came to Ossipon through the contemplation of the hat. It seemed an extraordinary thing, an ominous object, a sign. Black, and rim upward, it lay on the floor before the couch as if prepared to receive the contributions of pence from people who would come presently to behold Mr Verloc in the fullness of his domestic ease reposing on a sofa. From the hat the eyes of the robust anarchist wandered to the displaced table, gazed at the broken dish for a time, received a kind of optical shock from observing a white gleam under the imperfectly closed eyelids of the man on the couch.
beholding - mirando; contemplar, mirar, observar, he aquí, mirad
lay on - poner encima de algo; aprovisionar
contributions - contribuciones; contribución, aporte, cotización
displaced - desplazado; desahuciar, desplazar, desterrar, reprimir
imperfectly - imperfectamente
Mr Verloc did not seem so much asleep now as lying down with a bent head and looking insistently at his left breast. And when Comrade Ossipon had made out the handle of the knife he turned away from the glazed door, and retched violently.
insistently - insistentemente, encarecidamente
retched - las arcadas
The crash of the street door flung to made his very soul leap in a panic. This house with its harmless tenant could still be made a trap of-a trap of a terrible kind. Comrade Ossipon had no settled conception now of what was happening to him.
tenant - inquilino, arrendatario
Catching his thigh against the end of the counter, he spun round, staggered with a cry of pain, felt in the distracting clatter of the bell his arms pinned to his side by a convulsive hug, while the cold lips of a woman moved creepily on his very ear to form the words:
thigh - muslo, muslamen
spun round - girar, darse la vuelta; dar vueltas
cry of pain - Grito de dolor
distracting - distraer, despistar
"Policeman! He has seen me!"
He ceased to struggle; she never let him go. Her hands had locked themselves with an inseparable twist of fingers on his robust back. While the footsteps approached, they breathed quickly, breast to breast, with hard, laboured breaths, as if theirs had been the attitude of a deadly struggle, while, in fact, it was the attitude of deadly fear. And the time was long.
inseparable - inseparables; inseparable
laboured - trabajo, campesinos, trabajadores, parto, trabajar
breaths - respiración, aliento, respiro
The constable on the beat had in truth seen something of Mrs Verloc; only coming from the lighted thoroughfare at the other end of Brett Street, she had been no more to him than a flutter in the darkness. And he was not even quite sure that there had been a flutter. He had no reason to hurry up. On coming abreast of the shop he observed that it had been closed early. There was nothing very unusual in that. The men on duty had special instructions about that shop: what went on about there was not to be meddled with unless absolutely disorderly, but any observations made were to be reported. There were no observations to make; but from a sense of duty and for the peace of his conscience, owing also to that doubtful flutter of the darkness, the constable crossed the road, and tried the door. The spring latch, whose key was reposing for ever off duty in the late Mr Verloc's waistcoat pocket, held as well as usual.
flutter - leteo; ondear, aletear
abreast - al día; de lado a lado, al corriente
meddled - se entrometió; entrometerse, inmiscuirse, injerirse, mangonear
observations - observaciones; observación, vigilancia; observancia, anotación
be reported - denunciado, declarado
owing - deber, adeudar, estar en deuda
latch - picaporte; pestillo
off duty - fuera de servicio
While the conscientious officer was shaking the handle, Ossipon felt the cold lips of the woman stirring again creepily against his very ear:
"If he comes in kill me-kill me, Tom."
The constable moved away, flashing as he passed the light of his dark lantern, merely for form's sake, at the shop window. For a moment longer the man and the woman inside stood motionless, panting, breast to breast; then her fingers came unlocked, her arms fell by her side slowly.
moved away - alejarse, moverse
lantern - farol, linterna
shop window - escaparate
unlocked - desbloqueado; abrir, abrir con llave, desatrancar, desbloquear
Ossipon leaned against the counter. The robust anarchist wanted support badly. This was awful. He was almost too disgusted for speech. Yet he managed to utter a plaintive thought, showing at least that he realised his position.
plaintive - planidera; morrinoso, melancólico, triste, nostálgico
"Only a couple of minutes later and you'd have made me blunder against the fellow poking about here with his damned dark lantern."
blunder - una metedura de pata; error
poking - pinchando; meter
The widow of Mr Verloc, motionless in the middle of the shop, said insistently:
"Go in and put that light out, Tom. It will drive me crazy."
She saw vaguely his vehement gesture of refusal. Nothing in the world would have induced Ossipon to go into the parlour. He was not superstitious, but there was too much blood on the floor; a beastly pool of it all round the hat. He judged he had been already far too near that corpse for his peace of mind-for the safety of his neck, perhaps!
refusal - negativa, rechazo
superstitious - supersticioso
"At the meter then! There. Look. In that corner."
meter - medidor, contador, metro, métrica
The robust form of Comrade Ossipon, striding brusque and shadowy across the shop, squatted in a corner obediently; but this obedience was without grace. He fumbled nervously-and suddenly in the sound of a muttered curse the light behind the glazed door flicked out to a gasping, hysterical sigh of a woman.
striding - estridente
squatted - sentarse en cuclillas
obedience - obediencia
fumbled - falló; buscar/revolver a tientas/torpemente, manejar torpemente
curse - maldición; maldecir
flicked - corrió; sacudir
gasping - Jadeando; (gasp); jadear, bocanada, calada
Night, the inevitable reward of men's faithful labours on this earth, night had fallen on Mr Verloc, the tried revolutionist-"one of the old lot"-the humble guardian of society; the invaluable Secret Agent [delta] of Baron Stott-Wartenheim's despatches; a servant of law and order, faithful, trusted, accurate, admirable, with perhaps one single amiable weakness: the idealistic belief in being loved for himself.
inevitable - inevitable
invaluable - inestimable; invalorable
Ossipon groped his way back through the stuffy atmosphere, as black as ink now, to the counter. The voice of Mrs Verloc, standing in the middle of the shop, vibrated after him in that blackness with a desperate protest.
groped - palpar, tantear, buscar a tientas, manosear, meter mano
vibrated - vibró; vibrar
"I will not be hanged, Tom. I will not-"
She broke off. Ossipon from the counter issued a warning: "Don't shout like this," then seemed to reflect profoundly. "You did this thing quite by yourself?" he inquired in a hollow voice, but with an appearance of masterful calmness which filled Mrs Verloc's heart with grateful confidence in his protecting strength.
masterful - Maestro
"Yes," she whispered, invisible.
"I wouldn't have believed it possible," he muttered. "Nobody would." She heard him move about and the snapping of a lock in the parlour door. Comrade Ossipon had turned the key on Mr Verloc's repose; and this he did not from reverence for its eternal nature or any other obscurely sentimental consideration, but for the precise reason that he was not at all sure that there was not someone else hiding somewhere in the house. He did not believe the woman, or rather he was incapable by now of judging what could be true, possible, or even probable in this astounding universe. He was terrified out of all capacity for belief or disbelief in regard of this extraordinary affair, which began with police inspectors and Embassies and would end goodness knows where-on the scaffold for someone.
Snapping - Rompiendo; (snap); chasquido, crujido, chasquido de dedos
eternal - eterno, eternal
scaffold - andamio, horca, patíbulo, cadalso, andamiar
He was terrified at the thought that he could not prove the use he made of his time ever since seven o'clock, for he had been skulking about Brett Street. He was terrified at this savage woman who had brought him in there, and would probably saddle him with complicity, at least if he were not careful. He was terrified at the rapidity with which he had been involved in such dangers-decoyed into it. It was some twenty minutes since he had met her-not more.
saddle - silla de montar; (bici) sillín, silla (de montar)
rapidity - rapidez, celeridad
The voice of Mrs Verloc rose subdued, pleading piteously: "Don't let them hang me, Tom! Take me out of the country. I'll work for you. I'll slave for you. I'll love you. I've no one in the world. . . . Who would look at me if you don't!" She ceased for a moment; then in the depths of the loneliness made round her by an insignificant thread of blood trickling off the handle of a knife, she found a dreadful inspiration to her-who had been the respectable girl of the Belgravian mansion, the loyal, respectable wife of Mr Verloc.
piteously - lamentablemente
trickling off - gotear, chorrear, fluir en un hilo
"I won't ask you to marry me," she breathed out in shame-faced accents.
marry me - !Cásate conmigo! (petición de mano)
accents - acentos; acento, pronunciación
She moved a step forward in the darkness. He was terrified at her. He would not have been surprised if she had suddenly produced another knife destined for his breast. He certainly would have made no resistance. He had really not enough fortitude in him just then to tell her to keep back. But he inquired in a cavernous, strange tone: "Was he asleep?"
step forward - dar un paso adelante, pasar al frente
"No," she cried, and went on rapidly. "He wasn't. Not he. He had been telling me that nothing could touch him. After taking the boy away from under my very eyes to kill him-the loving, innocent, harmless lad. My own, I tell you. He was lying on the couch quite easy-after killing the boy-my boy.
killing - matando; mortal, asesinato; (kill) matando; mortal, asesinato
I would have gone on the streets to get out of his sight. And he says to me like this: 'Come here,'after telling me I had helped to kill the boy. You hear, Tom? He says like this: 'Come here,'after taking my very heart out of me along with the boy to smash in the dirt."
smash - estrellar, destrozar, golpear, machucar
dirt - suciedad, mugor, tierra, mugre, trapos sucios
She ceased, then dreamily repeated twice: "Blood and dirt. Blood and dirt." A great light broke upon Comrade Ossipon. It was that half-witted lad then who had perished in the park. And the fooling of everybody all round appeared more complete than ever-colossal. He exclaimed scientifically, in the extremity of his astonishment: "The degenerate-by heavens!"
dreamily - ensonadoramente
perished - pereció; perecer
fooling - Bromeando; (fool); bobo, imbécil, necio, pendejo, bufón, loco
more complete - más completo
"Come here." The voice of Mrs Verloc rose again. "What did he think I was made of? Tell me, Tom. Come here! Me! Like this! I had been looking at the knife, and I thought I would come then if he wanted me so much. Oh yes! I came-for the last time. . . . With the knife."
He was excessively terrified at her-the sister of the degenerate-a degenerate herself of a murdering type . . . or else of the lying type. Comrade Ossipon might have been said to be terrified scientifically in addition to all other kinds of fear. It was an immeasurable and composite funk, which from its very excess gave him in the dark a false appearance of calm and thoughtful deliberation.
excessively - excesivamente, demasiado, en demasía
Addition - agregación; adición, anadidura, suma
immeasurable - inconmensurable; inmedible
funk - canguelo, acojone
For he moved and spoke with difficulty, being as if half frozen in his will and mind-and no one could see his ghastly face. He felt half dead.
He leaped a foot high. Unexpectedly Mrs Verloc had desecrated the unbroken reserved decency of her home by a shrill and terrible shriek.
leaped - saltó; saltar, brincar
desecrated - rofanado; profanar
"Help, Tom! Save me. I won't be hanged!"
He rushed forward, groping for her mouth with a silencing hand, and the shriek died out. But in his rush he had knocked her over. He felt her now clinging round his legs, and his terror reached its culminating point, became a sort of intoxication, entertained delusions, acquired the characteristics of delirium tremens.
rushed forward - se precipitó hacia adelante
silencing - silencio, silenciar, hacer callar
clinging - aferrándose; engancharse, adherirse
culminating - culminando; culminar
delirium - delirio
tremens - Temblens
He positively saw snakes now. He saw the woman twined round him like a snake, not to be shaken off. She was not deadly. She was death itself-the companion of life.
twined - enlazado; bramante
shaken off - Sacudido
Mrs Verloc, as if relieved by the outburst, was very far from behaving noisily now. She was pitiful.
behaving - comportándose; comportarse
"Tom, you can't throw me off now," she murmured from the floor. "Not unless you crush my head under your heel. I won't leave you."
"Get up," said Ossipon.
His face was so pale as to be quite visible in the profound black darkness of the shop; while Mrs Verloc, veiled, had no face, almost no discernible form. The trembling of something small and white, a flower in her hat, marked her place, her movements.
It rose in the blackness. She had got up from the floor, and Ossipon regretted not having run out at once into the street. But he perceived easily that it would not do. It would not do. She would run after him. She would pursue him shrieking till she sent every policeman within hearing in chase. And then goodness only knew what she would say of him. He was so frightened that for a moment the insane notion of strangling her in the dark passed through his mind.
pursue - perseguir, apuntar a
shrieking - Gritos; (shriek); alarido, chillido, chillar
strangling - Estrangulamiento; (strangle); estrangular
And he became more frightened than ever! She had him! He saw himself living in abject terror in some obscure hamlet in Spain or Italy; till some fine morning they found him dead too, with a knife in his breast-like Mr Verloc. He sighed deeply. He dared not move. And Mrs Verloc waited in silence the good pleasure of her saviour, deriving comfort from his reflective silence.
more frightened - Más asustado
hamlet - aldehuela, caserío, aldea, villar
Italy - Italia
saviour - salvador
deriving - derivar
Suddenly he spoke up in an almost natural voice. His reflections had come to an end.
"Let's get out, or we will lose the train."
"Where are we going to, Tom?" she asked timidly. Mrs Verloc was no longer a free woman.
"Let's get to Paris first, the best way we can. . . . Go out first, and see if the way's clear."
She obeyed. Her voice came subdued through the cautiously opened door.
"It's all right."
Ossipon came out. Notwithstanding his endeavours to be gentle, the cracked bell clattered behind the closed door in the empty shop, as if trying in vain to warn the reposing Mr Verloc of the final departure of his wife-accompanied by his friend.
in vain - en vano
In the hansom they presently picked up, the robust anarchist became explanatory. He was still awfully pale, with eyes that seemed to have sunk a whole half-inch into his tense face. But he seemed to have thought of everything with extraordinary method.
explanatory - explicativo
awfully - muy mal; asombroso
tense - tenso; tiempo
"When we arrive," he discoursed in a queer, monotonous tone, "you must go into the station ahead of me, as if we did not know each other. I will take the tickets, and slip in yours into your hand as I pass you. Then you will go into the first-class ladies'waiting-room, and sit there till ten minutes before the train starts. Then you come out.
monotonous - monótono
slip in - deslizarse; colar; meter
first-class - (first-class) primera clase
I will be outside. You go in first on the platform, as if you did not know me. There may be eyes watching there that know what's what. Alone you are only a woman going off by train. I am known. With me, you may be guessed at as Mrs Verloc running away. Do you understand, my dear?" he added, with an effort.
running away - huir, darse a la fuga
"Yes," said Mrs Verloc, sitting there against him in the hansom all rigid with the dread of the gallows and the fear of death. "Yes, Tom." And she added to herself, like an awful refrain: "The drop given was fourteen feet."
refrain - estribillo
Ossipon, not looking at her, and with a face like a fresh plaster cast of himself after a wasting illness, said: "By-the-by, I ought to have the money for the tickets now."
plaster cast - un molde de yeso
Mrs Verloc, undoing some hooks of her bodice, while she went on staring ahead beyond the splashboard, handed over to him the new pigskin pocket-book. He received it without a word, and seemed to plunge it deep somewhere into his very breast. Then he slapped his coat on the outside.
plunge - saltar; lanzarse, zambullirse, tirarse de cabeza
All this was done without the exchange of a single glance; they were like two people looking out for the first sight of a desired goal. It was not till the hansom swung round a corner and towards the bridge that Ossipon opened his lips again.
done without - Hecho sin
"Do you know how much money there is in that thing?" he asked, as if addressing slowly some hobgoblin sitting between the ears of the horse.
"No," said Mrs Verloc. "He gave it to me. I didn't count. I thought nothing of it at the time. Afterwards-"
She moved her right hand a little. It was so expressive that little movement of that right hand which had struck the deadly blow into a man's heart less than an hour before that Ossipon could not repress a shudder. He exaggerated it then purposely, and muttered:
repress - reprimir
purposely - intencionadamente, aposta, a propósito
"I am cold. I got chilled through."
I am cold - Tengo frío
chilled through - Helado hasta los huesos
Mrs Verloc looked straight ahead at the perspective of her escape. Now and then, like a sable streamer blown across a road, the words "The drop given was fourteen feet" got in the way of her tense stare. Through her black veil the whites of her big eyes gleamed lustrously like the eyes of a masked woman.
sable - cebellina, marta cibelina, marta, sable
streamer - treamer; serpentina
lustrously - ustrosamente
Ossipon's rigidity had something business-like, a queer official expression. He was heard again all of a sudden, as though he had released a catch in order to speak.
rigidity - rigidez
"Look here! Do you know whether your-whether he kept his account at the bank in his own name or in some other name."
Mrs Verloc turned upon him her masked face and the big white gleam of her eyes.
"Other name?" she said thoughtfully.
"Be exact in what you say," Ossipon lectured in the swift motion of the hansom. "It's extremely important. I will explain to you. The bank has the numbers of these notes. If they were paid to him in his own name, then when his-his death becomes known, the notes may serve to track us since we have no other money. You have no other money on you?"
lectured - dado lecciones; conferencia
serve - servicio, servir, desempenar, fungir, operar, cernir
She shook her head negatively.
"None whatever?" he insisted.
"A few coppers."
coppers - policías; cobre
"It would be dangerous in that case. The money would have then to be dealt specially with. Very specially. We'd have perhaps to lose more than half the amount in order to get these notes changed in a certain safe place I know of in Paris. In the other case I mean if he had his account and got paid out under some other name-say Smith, for instance-the money is perfectly safe to use.
You understand? The bank has no means of knowing that Mr Verloc and, say, Smith are one and the same person. Do you see how important it is that you should make no mistake in answering me? Can you answer that query at all? Perhaps not. Eh?"
query - consulta, pregunta, interrogante, preguntar, cuestionar
She said composedly:
composedly - con calma
"I remember now! He didn't bank in his own name. He told me once that it was on deposit in the name of Prozor."
"You are sure?"
"Certain."
"You don't think the bank had any knowledge of his real name? Or anybody in the bank or-"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"How can I know? Is it likely, Tom?
"No. I suppose it's not likely. It would have been more comfortable to know. . . . Here we are. Get out first, and walk straight in. Move smartly."
smartly - Inteligentemente
He remained behind, and paid the cabman out of his own loose silver. The programme traced by his minute foresight was carried out. When Mrs Verloc, with her ticket for St Malo in her hand, entered the ladies'waiting-room, Comrade Ossipon walked into the bar, and in seven minutes absorbed three goes of hot brandy and water.
traced - rastreado; rastro, huella, vestigio, indicio
foresight - previsión, profecía, adivinación, clarividencia
brandy - brandy, conac
"Trying to drive out a cold," he explained to the barmaid, with a friendly nod and a grimacing smile. Then he came out, bringing out from that festive interlude the face of a man who had drunk at the very Fountain of Sorrow. He raised his eyes to the clock. It was time. He waited.
drive out - marcharse; expulsar, echar algo/a alguien
grimacing - haciendo muecas; mueca, hacer gestos, hacer muecas
bringing out - sacar; lanzar
interlude - interludio
fountain - fuente, chafariz, fontana
Punctual, Mrs Verloc came out, with her veil down, and all black-black as commonplace death itself, crowned with a few cheap and pale flowers. She passed close to a little group of men who were laughing, but whose laughter could have been struck dead by a single word. Her walk was indolent, but her back was straight, and Comrade Ossipon looked after it in terror before making a start himself.
laughter - risas; risa, risa
The train was drawn up, with hardly anybody about its row of open doors. owing to the time of the year and to the abominable weather there were hardly any passengers. Mrs Verloc walked slowly along the line of empty compartments till Ossipon touched her elbow from behind.
owing to - Debido a
compartments - compartimentos; compartimiento, terraza
"In here."
She got in, and he remained on the platform looking about. She bent forward, and in a whisper:
"What is it, Tom? Is there any danger? Wait a moment. There's the guard."
She saw him accost the man in uniform. They talked for a while. She heard the guard say "Very well, sir," and saw him touch his cap. Then Ossipon came back, saying: "I told him not to let anybody get into our compartment."
accost - acosar
uniform - uniforme, uniforme
She was leaning forward on her seat. "You think of everything. . . . You'll get me off, Tom?" she asked in a gust of anguish, lifting her veil brusquely to look at her saviour.
gust - ráfaga, racha
She had uncovered a face like adamant. And out of this face the eyes looked on, big, dry, enlarged, lightless, burnt out like two black holes in the white, shining globes.
adamant - constante; firme, categórico, inflexible, impenetrable
burnt out - quemar(se)
shining - brillante; espinilla
"There is no danger," he said, gazing into them with an earnestness almost rapt, which to Mrs Verloc, flying from the gallows, seemed to be full of force and tenderness. This devotion deeply moved her-and the adamantine face lost the stern rigidity of its terror. Comrade Ossipon gazed at it as no lover ever gazed at his mistress's face. Alexander Ossipon, anarchist, nicknamed the Doctor, author of a medical (and improper) pamphlet, late lecturer on the social aspects of hygiene to working men's clubs, was free from the trammels of conventional morality-but he submitted to the rule of science. He was scientific, and he gazed scientifically at that woman, the sister of a degenerate, a degenerate herself-of a murdering type.
rapt - extasiado; absorto, embelesado
deeply moved - profundamente conmovido
adamantine - Adamantina
lover - amante
Mistress - senora; duena, maestra, querida, amante, barragana, manceba, ama
author - autor, autora, escritor, escritora, escribir
pamphlet - folleto, panfleto
Lecturer - profesor; docente, docente
Hygiene - higiene
trammels - tramameles; traba, llares, trabar
He gazed at her, and invoked Lombroso, as an Italian peasant recommends himself to his favourite saint. He gazed scientifically. He gazed at her cheeks, at her nose, at her eyes, at her ears. . . . Bad! . . . Fatal! Mrs Verloc's pale lips parting, slightly relaxed under his passionately attentive gaze, he gazed also at her teeth. . . . Not a doubt remained . . . a murdering type. . . . If Comrade Ossipon did not recommend his terrified soul to Lombroso, it was only because on scientific grounds he could not believe that he carried about him such a thing as a soul. But he had in him the scientific spirit, which moved him to testify on the platform of a railway station in nervous jerky phrases.
invoked - nvocado; invocar
peasant - campesino, montanero, checkpeón
recommends - recomienda; recomendar
Saint - San, Santa, Santo
passionately - con pasión; apasionadamente
testify - testificar, atestiguar, aseverar
jerky - cecina
"He was an extraordinary lad, that brother of yours. most interesting to study. A perfect type in a way. Perfect!"
most interesting - lo más interesante
type in - Insertar, escribir, introducir
He spoke scientifically in his secret fear. And Mrs Verloc, hearing these words of commendation vouchsafed to her beloved dead, swayed forward with a flicker of light in her sombre eyes, like a ray of sunshine heralding a tempest of rain.
commendation - comendación, encomio, recomendación
ray - rayo
"He was that indeed," she whispered softly, with quivering lips. "You took a lot of notice of him, Tom. I loved you for it."
"It's almost incredible the resemblance there was between you two," pursued Ossipon, giving a voice to his abiding dread, and trying to conceal his nervous, sickening impatience for the train to start. "Yes; he resembled you."
abiding - permanecer; (abide); quedar, permanecer, resistir, aguantar
These words were not especially touching or sympathetic. But the fact of that resemblance insisted upon was enough in itself to act upon her emotions powerfully. With a little faint cry, and throwing her arms out, Mrs Verloc burst into tears at last.
Ossipon entered the carriage, hastily closed the door and looked out to see the time by the station clock. Eight minutes more. For the first three of these Mrs Verloc wept violently and helplessly without pause or interruption. Then she recovered somewhat, and sobbed gently in an abundant fall of tears. She tried to talk to her saviour, to the man who was the messenger of life.
station clock - reloj de la estación
sobbed - sollozó; hdp
abundant - abundante, copioso, cuantioso
"Oh, Tom! How could I fear to die after he was taken away from me so cruelly! How could I! How could I be Such a coward!"
Such a coward - Tan cobarde
She lamented aloud her love of life, that life without grace or charm, and almost without decency, but of an exalted faithfulness of purpose, even unto murder. And, as often happens in the lament of poor humanity, rich in suffering but indigent in words, the truth-the very cry of truth-was found in a worn and artificial shape picked up somewhere among the phrases of sham sentiment.
lamented - lamentó; lamento, lamentación, lamentar
love of life - Amor a la vida; amor de la vida
faithfulness - fidelidad, lealtad
"How could I be so afraid of death! Tom, I tried. But I am afraid. I tried to do away with myself. And I couldn't. Am I hard? I suppose the cup of horrors was not full enough for such as me. Then when you came. . . . "
She paused. Then in a gust of confidence and gratitude, "I will live all my days for you, Tom!" she sobbed out.
"Go over into the other corner of the carriage, away from the platform," said Ossipon solicitously. She let her saviour settle her comfortably, and he watched the coming on of another crisis of weeping, still more violent than the first. He watched the symptoms with a sort of medical air, as if counting seconds. He heard the guard's whistle at last. An involuntary contraction of the upper lip bared his teeth with all the aspect of savage resolution as he felt the train beginning to move.
solicitously - olícitamente
settle - nos conformamos; instalar, colocar
crisis - crisis
weeping - Llorando; (weep) Llorando
more violent - más violento
symptoms - síntomas; síntoma
counting - contando; conde
involuntary - involuntario
contraction - contracción, contracción
upper lip - el labio superior
bared - desnudo, descubierto
Mrs Verloc heard and felt nothing, and Ossipon, her saviour, stood still. He felt the train roll quicker, rumbling heavily to the sound of the woman's loud sobs, and then crossing the carriage in two long strides he opened the door deliberately, and leaped out.
strides - andar a zancadas
He had leaped out at the very end of the platform; and such was his determination in sticking to his desperate plan that he managed by a sort of miracle, performed almost in the air, to slam to the door of the carriage. Only then did he find himself rolling head over heels like a shot rabbit. He was bruised, shaken, pale as death, and out of breath when he got up. But he was calm, and perfectly able to meet the excited crowd of railway men who had gathered round him in a moment. He explained, in gentle and convincing tones, that his wife had started at a moment's notice for Brittany to her dying mother; that, of course, she was greatly up-set, and he considerably concerned at her state; that he was trying to cheer her up, and had absolutely failed to notice at first that the train was moving out.
sticking to - seguir algo, apegarse a, cenirse a
miracle - milagro
performed - realizado; hacer, realizar, efectuar, ejecutar
rabbit - conejo
bruised - herido; magullar, contusionar, mazar, machacar, macarse
pale as death - pálido como la muerte
at a moment's notice - En cualquier momento
Brittany - Bretana, spaniel bretón
dying - Muriendo; (dye) Muriendo
cheer - animar; viva, hurra
moving out - marcharse; mudarse de
To the general exclamation, "Why didn't you go on to Southampton, then, sir?" he objected the inexperience of a young sister-in-law left alone in the house with three small children, and her alarm at his absence, the telegraph offices being closed. He had acted on impulse. "But I don't think I'll ever try that again," he concluded; smiled all round; distributed some small change, and marched without a limp out of the station.
inexperience - inexperiencia, bisonez
telegraph offices - oficinas de telégrafos
acted on - actuar
small change - pequeno cambio
Outside, Comrade Ossipon, flush of safe banknotes as never before in his life, refused the offer of a cab.
Banknotes - billetes; billete
"I can walk," he said, with a little friendly laugh to the civil driver.
civil - civil
He could walk. He walked. He crossed the bridge. Later on the towers of the Abbey saw in their massive immobility the yellow bush of his hair passing under the lamps. The lights of Victoria saw him too, and Sloane Square, and the railings of the park. And Comrade Ossipon once more found himself on a bridge. The river, a sinister marvel of still shadows and flowing gleams mingling below in a black silence, arrested his attention.
Abbey - abadía
flowing - fluyendo; fluir
mingling - mezclando; (mingle); mezclar
He stood looking over the parapet for a long time. The clock tower boomed a brazen blast above his drooping head. He looked up at the dial. . . . Half-past twelve of a wild night in the Channel.
tower - torre
brazen - descarado
blast - ráfaga
dial - marcar
Channel - canal
And again Comrade Ossipon walked. His robust form was seen that night in distant parts of the enormous town slumbering monstrously on a carpet of mud under a veil of raw mist. It was seen crossing the streets without life and sound, or diminishing in the interminable straight perspectives of shadowy houses bordering empty roadways lined by strings of gas lamps.
slumbering - dormir; (slumber); adormecimiento, adormilamiento, adormecer
diminishing - disminuyendo; (diminish); disminuir, diminuir, disminuirse
interminable - interminable
perspectives - perspectivas; perspectiva
bordering - limítrofe; frontera, borde, cenefa, orla, parterre
roadways - carreteras; carretera, calzada
He walked through Squares, Places, Ovals, Commons, through monotonous streets with unknown names where the dust of humanity settles inert and hopeless out of the stream of life. He walked. And suddenly turning into a strip of a front garden with a mangy grass plot, he let himself into a small grimy house with a latch-key he took out of his pocket.
squares - cuadrados; cuadro, cuadrado, escuadra, cartabón, plaza, casilla
ovals - óvalos; óvalo, oval, ovalado
settles - se asienta; instalar, colocar
turning into - Convertirse en
front garden - jardín delantero
mangy - sarnoso
He threw himself down on his bed all dressed, and lay still for a whole quarter of an hour. Then he sat up suddenly, drawing up his knees, and clasping his legs. The first dawn found him open-eyed, in that same posture. This man who could walk so long, so far, so aimlessly, without showing a sign of fatigue, could also remain sitting still for hours without stirring a limb or an eyelid.
clasping - Chocando; (clasp); broche, manija, corchete, hebilla, agarrar
aimlessly - sin rumbo, sin objeto
eyelid - párpado
But when the late sun sent its rays into the room he unclasped his hands, and fell back on the pillow. His eyes stared at the ceiling. And suddenly they closed. Comrade Ossipon slept in the sunlight.
rays - rayos; rayo
sunlight - la luz del sol; luz del sol
The enormous iron padlock on the doors of the wall cupboard was the only object in the room on which the eye could rest without becoming afflicted by the miserable unloveliness of forms and the poverty of material. Unsaleable in the ordinary course of business on account of its noble proportions, it had been ceded to the Professor for a few pence by a marine dealer in the east of London. The room was large, clean, respectable, and poor with that poverty suggesting the starvation of every human need except mere bread.
afflicted - fligido; afligir
unloveliness - desencanto
course of business - curso de negocios
ceded - cedido; ceder
marine - marítimo, marino, infante de marina
dealer - concesionario, crupier; (deal); concesionario, crupier
There was nothing on the walls but the paper, an expanse of arsenical green, soiled with indelible smudges here and there, and with stains resembling faded maps of uninhabited continents.
expanse - extensión
arsenical - Arsénico
indelible - indeleble
smudges - manchas; mancha, borrón
continents - continentes; continente
At a deal table near a window sat Comrade Ossipon, holding his head between his fists. The Professor, dressed in his only suit of shoddy tweeds, but flapping to and fro on the bare boards a pair of incredibly dilapidated slippers, had thrust his hands deep into the overstrained pockets of his jacket.
shoddy - de mala calidad; mal hecho, chapucero, flojo, burdo
boards - tableros; tabla, plancha
overstrained - Sobreesfuerzo
He was relating to his robust guest a visit he had lately been paying to the Apostle Michaelis. The Perfect Anarchist had even been unbending a little.
guest - invitado; huésped, visita, visitante, convidado
"The fellow didn't know anything of Verloc's death. Of course! He never looks at the newspapers. They make him too sad, he says. But never mind. I walked into his cottage. Not a soul anywhere. I had to shout half-a-dozen times before he answered me. I thought he was fast asleep yet, in bed.
But not at all. He had been writing his book for four hours already. He sat in that tiny cage in a litter of manuscript. There was a half-eaten raw carrot on the table near him. His breakfast. He lives on a diet of raw carrots and a little milk now."
manuscript - manuscrito, manuscrito
"How does he look on it?" asked Comrade Ossipon listlessly.
"Angelic. . . . I picked up a handful of his pages from the floor. The poverty of reasoning is astonishing. He has no logic. He can't think consecutively. But That's nothing. He has divided his biography into three parts, entitled-'Faith, Hope, Charity.
astonishing - asombroso; asombrar, sorprender, pasmar
consecutively - consecutivamente
That's nothing - Eso no es nada
divided - dividido; desunir, dividir, repartir, división, divisoria
biography - biografía
He is elaborating now the idea of a world planned out like an immense and nice hospital, with gardens and flowers, in which the strong are to devote themselves to the nursing of the weak."
elaborating - explicando; profundizar
devote - devota; dedicar
The Professor paused.
"Conceive you this folly, Ossipon? The weak! The source of all evil on this earth!" he continued with his grim assurance. "I told him that I dreamt of a world like shambles, where the weak would be taken in hand for utter extermination."
dreamt - sonado; sueno, ensueno, sonar
extermination - exterminio
"Do you understand, Ossipon? The source of all evil! They are our sinister masters-the weak, the flabby, the silly, the cowardly, the faint of heart, and the slavish of mind. They have power. They are the multitude. Theirs is the kingdom of the earth. Exterminate, exterminate! That is the only way of progress.
cowardly - cobarde, cobardemente
Kingdom - reino
exterminate - exterminar
It is! Follow me, Ossipon. First the great multitude of the weak must go, then the only relatively strong. You see? First the blind, then the deaf and the dumb, then the halt and the lame-and so on. Every taint, every vice, every prejudice, every convention must meet its doom."
relatively - relativamente
halt - parar, detener
prejudice - prejuicios; prejuicio, perjudicar, prejuiciar
doom - condenar, danar
"And what remains?" asked Ossipon in a stifled voice.
"I remain-if I am strong enough," asserted the sallow little Professor, whose large ears, thin like membranes, and standing far out from the sides of his frail skull, took on suddenly a deep red tint.
asserted - afirmado; asegurar, aseverar, afirmar, ejercer; confirmar
membranes - membranas; membrana
"Haven't I suffered enough from this oppression of the weak?" he continued forcibly. Then tapping the breast-pocket of his jacket: "And yet I am the force," he went on. "But the time! The time! Give me time! Ah! that multitude, too stupid to feel either pity or fear. Sometimes I think they have everything on their side. Everything-even death-my own weapon."
tapping - Golpeando; (tap) Golpeando
"Come and drink some beer with me at the Silenus," said the robust Ossipon after an interval of silence pervaded by the rapid flap, flap of the slippers on the feet of the Perfect Anarchist. This last accepted. He was jovial that day in his own peculiar way. He slapped Ossipon's shoulder.
pervaded - mpregnado; permear
"Beer! So be it! Let us drink and he merry, for we are strong, and to-morrow we die."
He busied himself with putting on his boots, and talked meanwhile in his curt, resolute tones.
"What's the matter with you, Ossipon? You look glum and seek even my company. I hear that you are seen constantly in places where men utter foolish things over glasses of liquor. Why? Have you abandoned your collection of women? They are the weak who feed the strong-eh?"
glum - triste; sombrío, taciturno, melancólico
constantly - constantemente
foolish - tonto, necio, imprudente
liquor - jugo, licor
collection - colección, conjunto, recogida, recolección, colecta, recaudación
He stamped one foot, and picked up his other laced boot, heavy, thick-soled, unblacked, mended many times. He smiled to himself grimly.
laced boot - zapato con cordones
soled - soled; planta
unblacked - Sin negro
"Tell me, Ossipon, terrible man, has ever one of your victims killed herself for you-or are your triumphs so far incomplete-for blood alone puts a seal on greatness? Blood. Death. Look at history."
victims - víctimas; víctima, sacrificio
triumphs - riunfos; triunfo
"You be damned," said Ossipon, without turning his head.
"Why? Let that be the hope of the weak, whose theology has invented hell for the strong. Ossipon, my feeling for you is amicable contempt. You couldn't kill a fly."
theology - teología
hell - infierno
amicable - amigable, amistoso, cordial
But rolling to the feast on the top of the omnibus the Professor lost his high spirits. The contemplation of the multitudes thronging the pavements extinguished his assurance under a load of doubt and uneasiness which he could only shake off after a period of seclusion in the room with the large cupboard closed by an enormous padlock.
feast - fiesta; banquete, festín
high spirits - buen ánimo, entusiasmo
multitudes - multitudes; multitud
"And so," said over his shoulder Comrade Ossipon, who sat on the seat behind. "And so Michaelis dreams of a world like a beautiful and cheery hospital."
"Just so. An immense charity for the healing of the weak," assented the Professor sardonically.
"That's silly," admitted Ossipon. "You can't heal weakness. But after all Michaelis may not be so far wrong. In two hundred years doctors will rule the world. Science reigns already. It reigns in the shade maybe-but it reigns. And all science must culminate at last in the science of healing-not the weak, but the strong. Mankind wants to live-to live."
heal - curar
Reigns - reigns; reinado, reinar
culminate - culminar
"Mankind," asserted the Professor with a self-confident glitter of his iron-rimmed spectacles, "does not know what it wants."
"But you do," growled Ossipon. "Just now you've been crying for time-time. Well. The doctors will serve you out your time-if you are good. You profess yourself to be one of the strong-because you carry in your pocket enough stuff to send yourself and, say, twenty other people into eternity.
crying - llorando; llanto; (cry); llorar, gritar, panish: t-needed
profess - profesar
But eternity is a damned hole. It's time that you need. You-if you met a man who could give you for certain ten years of time, you would call him your master."
"My device is: No God! No Master," said the Professor sententiously as he rose to get off the 'bus.
sententiously - sentenciosamente
Ossipon followed. "Wait till you are lying flat on your back at the end of your time," he retorted, jumping off the footboard after the other. "Your scurvy, shabby, mangy little bit of time," he continued across the street, and hopping on to the curbstone.
jumping off - salir, saltar
scurvy - escorbuto
hopping - saltando; (hop) saltando
"Ossipon, I think that you are a humbug," the Professor said, opening masterfully the doors of the renowned Silenus. And when they had established themselves at a little table he developed further this gracious thought. "You are not even a doctor. But you are funny. Your notion of a humanity universally putting out the tongue and taking the pill from pole to pole at the bidding of a few solemn jokers is worthy of the prophet. Prophecy!
humbug - tonterías; farsa, disparate, tontería, bobería, fraude
pill - píldora, pastilla
pole - pértiga; polo
bidding - Pujando; (bid) Pujando
jokers - bromistas; bromista, guasón, chistoso, humorista, comodín
What's the good of thinking of what will be!" He raised his glass. "To the destruction of what is," he said calmly.
He drank and relapsed into his peculiarly close manner of silence. The thought of a mankind as numerous as the sands of the sea-shore, as indestructible, as difficult to handle, oppressed him. The sound of exploding bombs was lost in their immensity of passive grains without an echo. For instance, this Verloc affair. Who thought of it now?
sands - arenas; arena
sea-shore - (sea-shore) orilla del mar
grains - granos; grano
Ossipon, as if suddenly compelled by some mysterious force, pulled a much-folded newspaper out of his pocket. The Professor raised his head at the rustle.
rustle - susurro; crujido
"What's that paper? Anything in it?" he asked.
Ossipon started like a scared somnambulist.
"Nothing. Nothing whatever. The thing's ten days old. I forgot it in my pocket, I suppose."
But he did not throw the old thing away. Before returning it to his pocket he stole a glance at the last lines of a paragraph. They ran thus: "An impenetrable mystery seems destined to hang for ever over this act of madness or despair."
Such were the end words of an item of news headed: "Suicide of Lady Passenger from a cross-Channel Boat." Comrade Ossipon was familiar with the beauties of its journalistic style. "An impenetrable mystery seems destined to hang for ever. . . . " He knew every word by heart. "An impenetrable mystery. . . . "
item - artículo, insumo, elemento, producto
passenger - pasajero
beauties - bellezas; belleza, hermosura, preciosidad, preciosura
journalistic - periodístico
And the robust anarchist, hanging his head on his breast, fell into a long reverie.
reverie - ensonación; ensueno
He was menaced by this thing in the very sources of his existence. He could not issue forth to meet his various conquests, those that he courted on benches in Kensington Gardens, and those he met near area railings, without the dread of beginning to talk to them of an impenetrable mystery destined. . . . He was becoming scientifically afraid of insanity lying in wait for him amongst these lines. "To hang for ever over." It was an obsession, a torture. He had lately failed to keep several of these appointments, whose note used to be an unbounded trustfulness in the language of sentiment and manly tenderness.
sources - fuentes; fuente, fontana, origen
forth - adelante
conquests - conquistas; conquista
courted - cortejado; patio, callejón, corte, tribunal, juzgado
benches - bancos; banco
obsession - obsesión
appointments - citas; nombramiento, cita, compromiso
The confiding disposition of various classes of women satisfied the needs of his self-love, and put some material means into his hand. He needed it to live. It was there. But if he could no longer make use of it, he ran the risk of starving his ideals and his body . . . "This act of madness or despair."
confiding - confiar
self-love - (self-love) Amor propio
"An impenetrable mystery" was sure "to hang for ever" as far as all mankind was concerned. But what of that if he alone of all men could never get rid of the cursed knowledge? And Comrade Ossipon's knowledge was as precise as the newspaper man could make it-up to the very threshold of the "mystery destined to hang for ever. . . ."
Comrade Ossipon was well informed. He knew what the gangway man of the steamer had seen: "A lady in a black dress and a black veil, wandering at midnight alongside, on the quay. 'Are you going by the boat, ma'am,'he had asked her encouragingly. 'This way.' She seemed not to know what to do. He helped her on board. She seemed weak."
gangway - pasarela; corredor, panish: t-needed
steamer - al vapor
alongside - al costado, al lado, junto a, al lado de
quay - muelle
going by - pasar
encouragingly - alentadoramente
board - junta; tabla, plancha
And he knew also what the stewardess had seen: A lady in black with a white face standing in the middle of the empty ladies'cabin. The stewardess induced her to lie down there. The lady seemed quite unwilling to speak, and as if she were in some awful trouble. The next the stewardess knew she was gone from the ladies'cabin. The stewardess then went on deck to look for her, and Comrade Ossipon was informed that the good woman found the unhappy lady lying down in one of the hooded seats. Her eyes were open, but she would not answer anything that was said to her. She seemed very ill. The stewardess fetched the chief steward, and those two people stood by the side of the hooded seat consulting over their extraordinary and tragic passenger. They talked in audible whispers (for she seemed past hearing) of St Malo and the Consul there, of communicating with her people in England. Then they went away to arrange for her removal down below, for indeed by what they could see of her face she seemed to them to be dying. But Comrade Ossipon knew that behind that white mask of despair there was struggling against terror and despair a vigour of vitality, a love of life that could resist the furious anguish which drives to murder and the fear, the blind, mad fear of the gallows.
stewardess - azafata; aeromoza
cabin - barraca, cabana, cabina, camarote
unwilling - No quiere
deck - baraja
hooded - con capucha; capucha
seats - asientos; asiento, seato, sede
fetched - conseguido; ir por, ir a buscar, traer
consulting - consultoría; consultar
whispers - susurros; susurro, rumor, rastro, susurrar
communicating - comunicando; comunicar, compartir, comulgar
arrange - organizar
removal - remoción, eliminación, mudanza
resist - resistir, panish: t-needed
He knew. But the stewardess and the chief steward knew nothing, except that when they came back for her in less than five minutes the lady in black was no longer in the hooded seat. She was nowhere. She was gone. It was then five o'clock in the morning, and it was no accident either. An hour afterwards one of the steamer's hands found a wedding ring left lying on the seat. It had stuck to the wood in a bit of wet, and its glitter caught the man's eye. There was a date, 24th June 1879, engraved inside. "An impenetrable mystery is destined to hang for ever. . . . "
steward - camarero; administrador, gestor, representante, apoderado, mozo
stuck to - seguir algo, apegarse a, cenirse a
engraved - grabado; grabar
And Comrade Ossipon raised his bowed head, beloved of various humble women of these isles, Apollo-like in the sunniness of its bush of hair.
Isles - islas; isla
Apollo - apolo
sunniness - solaridad
The Professor had grown restless meantime. He rose.
"Stay," said Ossipon hurriedly. "Here, what do you know of madness and despair?"
The Professor passed the tip of his tongue on his dry, thin lips, and said doctorally:
doctorally - Doctoralmente
"There are no such things. All passion is lost now. The world is mediocre, limp, without force. And madness and despair are a force. And force is a crime in the eyes of the fools, the weak and the silly who rule the roost. You are mediocre. Verloc, whose affair the police has managed to smother so nicely, was mediocre. And the police murdered him.
smother - asfixiar, ahogar
He was mediocre. Everybody is mediocre. Madness and despair! Give me that for a lever, and I'll move the world. Ossipon, you have my cordial scorn. You are incapable of conceiving even what the fat-fed citizen would call a crime. You have no force." He paused, smiling sardonically under the fierce glitter of his thick glasses.
lever - palanca
conceiving - concebir
"And let me tell you that this little legacy they say you've come into has not improved your intelligence. You sit at your beer like a dummy. Good-bye."
legacy - legado, herencia
Good-bye - (Good-bye) Adiós
"Will you have it?" said Ossipon, looking up with an idiotic grin.
"Have what?"
"The legacy. All of it."
The incorruptible Professor only smiled. His clothes were all but falling off him, his boots, shapeless with repairs, heavy like lead, let water in at every step. He said:
falling off - caerse, desprenderse, despegarse
repairs - reparaciones; reparar, arreglar
like lead - como el plomo, como de plomo
"I will send you by-and-by a small bill for certain chemicals which I shall order to-morrow. I need them badly. Understood-eh?"
by-and-by - (by-and-by) en un rato
chemicals - sustancias químicas; químico, producto químico
Ossipon lowered his head slowly. He was alone. "An impenetrable mystery. . . . " It seemed to him that suspended in the air before him he saw his own brain pulsating to the rhythm of an impenetrable mystery. It was diseased clearly. . . . "This act of madness or despair."
pulsating - palpitante; latir
rhythm - ritmo
diseased - enfermo; enfermedad, dolencia
The mechanical piano near the door played through a valse cheekily, then fell silent all at once, as if gone grumpy.
cheekily - con descaro
grumpy - grunón; grunón, rezongón, refunfunón, renegón
Comrade Ossipon, nicknamed the Doctor, went out of the Silenus beer-hall. At the door he hesitated, blinking at a not too splendid sunlight-and the paper with the report of the suicide of a lady was in his pocket. His heart was beating against it. The suicide of a lady-this act of madness or despair.
blinking - parpadeando; parpadear, guinar, destellar, titilar, parpadeo
He walked along the street without looking where he put his feet; and he walked in a direction which would not bring him to the place of appointment with another lady (an elderly nursery governess putting her trust in an Apollo-like ambrosial head). He was walking away from it. He could face no woman. It was ruin. He could neither think, work, sleep, nor eat. But he was beginning to drink with pleasure, with anticipation, with hope.
nursery - guardería; criadero, casa cuna, semillero, vivero
governess - gobernanta; institutriz
anticipation - previsión, anticipación
It was ruin. His revolutionary career, sustained by the sentiment and trustfulness of many women, was menaced by an impenetrable mystery-the mystery of a human brain pulsating wrongfully to the rhythm of journalistic phrases. " . . . Will hang for ever over this act. . . . It was inclining towards the gutter . . . of madness or despair."
sustained - sostenido; sostener, sustentar
wrongfully - injustamente
inclining - Inclinándose; (incline) Inclinándose
"I am seriously ill," he muttered to himself with scientific insight. Already his robust form, with an Embassy's secret-service money (inherited from Mr Verloc) in his pockets, was marching in the gutter as if in training for the task of an inevitable future. Already he bowed his broad shoulders, his head of ambrosial locks, as if ready to receive the leather yoke of the sandwich board. As on that night, more than a week ago, Comrade Ossipon walked without looking where he put his feet, feeling no fatigue, feeling nothing, seeing nothing, hearing not a sound.
seriously ill - gravemente enfermo
marching in - marchar en (ej. fila)
locks - cerraduras; cerradura
leather - piel; cuero
yoke - yugo
"An impenetrable mystery. . . ." He walked disregarded. . . . "This act of madness or despair."
And the incorruptible Professor walked too, averting his eyes from the odious multitude of mankind. He had no future. He disdained it. He was a force. His thoughts caressed the images of ruin and destruction. He walked frail, insignificant, shabby, miserable-and terrible in the simplicity of his idea calling madness and despair to the regeneration of the world.
averting - apartar, evitar
disdained - despreciado; desdén, desprecio, desdeno, desdenar, despreciar
caressed - Te importa
Nobody looked at him. He passed on unsuspected and deadly, like a pest in the street full of men.
unsuspected - insospechado