Dubliners | Gradually Hardening Danish A2 Translation Books

Dubliners | Gradually Hardening Danish A2 Translation Books

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THESISTERS
Therewasnohopeforhimthistime:
itwasthe
tredje
third
stroke.
NightafternightIhad
passeret
passed
thehouse(itwasvacationtime)and
studeret
studied
thelightedsquareof
vinduet
window
:
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthesameway,faintlyandevenly.
Ifhewasdead,Ithought,Iwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkened
blind
blind
forIknewthattwocandlesmustbesetattheheadofacorpse.
Hehad
ofte
often
saidtome:
“Iamnotlongforthisworld,”andIhadthoughthiswordsidle.
NowIknewtheyweretrue.
EverynightasIgazedupatthe
vinduet
window
Isaidsoftlytomyselfthewordparalysis.
Ithadalwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,likethewordgnomonintheEuclidandthewordsimonyintheCatechism.
Butnowitsoundedtomelikethenameofsomemaleficentandsinfulbeing.
Itfilledmewith
frygt
fear
,andyetIlongedtobenearertoitandtolookuponitsdeadlywork.
OldCotterwassittingatthefire,
røg
smoking
,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.
Whilemy
tante
aunt
wasladlingoutmystirabouthesaid,asifreturningtosomeformerremarkofhis:.
“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewasexactly...
buttherewassomethingqueer...
therewassomethinguncannyabouthim.
I’lltellyoumyopinion....”
He
begyndte
began
topuffathispipe,no
tvivl
doubt
arranginghisopinioninhismind.
Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhimfirstheusedtobe
temmelig
rather
interesting,talkingoffaintsandworms;
butIsoongrew
træt
tired
ofhimandhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.
“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”hesaid.
“Ithinkitwasoneofthose...
peculiarcases....
Butit’shardtosay....”
He
begyndte
began
topuffagainathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.
Myunclesawmestaringandsaidtome:.
“Well,soyouroldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”
“Who?”
saidI.
“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehasjusttoldus.
Hewaspassingbythehouse.”
IknewthatIwasunderobservationsoI
fortsatte
continued
eatingasifthenewshadnot
interesseret
interested
me.
MyuncleexplainedtooldCotter.
“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
Theoldchap
lærte
taught
himagreatdeal,mindyou;
andtheysayhehadagreatwishforhim.”
“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”saidmy
tante
aunt
piously.
OldCotterlookedatmeforawhile.
IfeltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmebutIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.
Hereturnedtohispipeandfinallyspatrudelyintothegrate.
“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetoomuchtosaytoamanlikethat.”
“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
askedmy
tante
aunt
.
“WhatImeanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’sbadforchildren.
Myideais:
letayoungladrunaboutandplaywithyoungladsofhisown
alder
age
andnotbe....
AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”saidmyuncle.
“Lethim
lære
learn
toboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’malwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:
takeexercise.
Why,whenIwasanippereverymorningofmylifeIhadacoldbath,winterand
sommer
summer
.
Andthat’swhatstandstomenow.
Educationisallveryfineand
stort
large...
.
MrCottermighttakeapickofthat
ben
leg
mutton,”headdedtomy
tante
aunt
.
“No,no,notforme,”saidoldCotter.
My
tante
aunt
broughtthedishfromthesafeandputitonthe
bordet
table
.
“Butwhydoyouthinkit’snotgoodforchildren,MrCotter?”
sheasked.
“It’sbadforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,youknow,ithasaneffect....”
Icrammedmy
mund
mouth
withstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresomeoldred-nosedimbecile!
ItwaslatewhenIfell
søvn
asleep
.
ThoughIwasangrywitholdCotterforalludingtomeasachild,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.
InthedarkofmyroomI
forestillede
imagined
thatIsawagainthe
tunge
heavy
greyfaceoftheparalytic.
Idrewtheblanketsovermyheadandtriedtothinkof
Julen
Christmas
.
Butthegreyfacestillfollowedme.
Itmurmured;
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfesssomething.
Ifeltmy
sjæl
soul
recedingintosomepleasantandviciousregion;
andthereagainIfounditwaitingforme.
It
begyndte
began
toconfesstomeinamurmuring
stemme
voice
andIwonderedwhyit
smilede
smiled
continuallyandwhythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.
ButthenIrememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisandIfeltthatItoowas
smilede
smiling
feeblyasiftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.
ThenextmorningafterbreakfastIwentdowntolookatthelittlehouseinGreatBritainStreet.
Itwasanunassuming
butik
shop
,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesandumbrellas;
andonordinarydaysanoticeusedtohanginthe
vinduet
window
,saying:
UmbrellasRe-covered.
Nonoticewasvisiblenowfortheshutterswereup.
Acrapebouquetwastiedtothedoor-knockerwithribbon.
Twopoorwomenandatelegramboywerereadingthe
kortet
card
pinnedonthecrape.
Ialsoapproachedandread:.
July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.
Thereadingofthe
kortet
card
persuadedmethathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.
HadhenotbeendeadIwouldhavegoneintothelittle
mørke
dark
roombehindtheshoptofindhimsittinginhisarm-chairbythefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.
Perhapsmy
tante
aunt
wouldhavegivenmeapacketofHighToastforhimandthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.
ItwasalwaysIwho
tømte
emptied
thepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoomuchto
tillade
allow
himtodothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthe
gulvet
floor
.
Evenasheraisedhis
store
large
tremblinghandtohis
næse
nose
littlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersoverthefrontofhiscoat.
Itmayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheir
grønne
green
fadedlookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitalwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofaweek,withwhichhetriedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasquiteinefficacious.
IwishedtogoinandlookathimbutIhadnotthecourageto
banke
knock
.
Iwalkedawayslowlyalongthesunnysideofthestreet,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIwent.
Ifounditstrangethat
hverken
neither
InorthedayseemedinamourningmoodandIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomasifIhadbeenfreedfromsomethingbyhisdeath.
I
undrede
wondered
atthisfor,asmyunclehadsaidthenightbefore,hehad
lært
taught
meagreatdeal.
HehadstudiedintheIrish
kollegium
college
inRomeandhehadtaughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.
HehadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehadexplainedtomethemeaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassandofthedifferentvestments
bar
worn
bythepriest.
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatoneshoulddoin
visse
certain
circumstancesorwhethersuchandsuchsinsweremortalorvenialoronlyimperfections.
Hisquestionsshowedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswere
visse
certain
institutionsoftheChurchwhichIhadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.
ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharistandtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessional
virkede
seemed
sogravetomethatI
undrede
wondered
howanybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;
andIwasnot
overrasket
surprised
whenhetoldmethatthefathersoftheChurchhadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryandascloselyprintedasthelaw
bemærker
notices
inthenewspaper,elucidatingalltheseintricatequestions.
Ofte
Often
whenIthoughtofthisIcouldmakenoansweroronlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedto
smile
smile
andnodhisheadtwiceorthrice.
SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademe
lære
learn
byheart;
and,asIpattered,heusedto
smile
smile
pensivelyandnodhishead,nowandthen
skubbe
pushing
hugepinchesofsnuffupeachnostrilalternately.
Whenhe
smilede
smiled
heusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteethandlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhadmademefeeluneasyinthe
begyndelsen
beginning
ofouracquaintancebeforeIknewhimwell.
AsIwalkedalonginthe
solen
sun
IrememberedoldCotter’swordsandtriedtorememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinthedream.
IrememberedthatIhadnoticedlongvelvetcurtainsandaswinginglampofantiquefashion.
IfeltthatIhadbeenveryfaraway,insome
land
land
wherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ithought....
ButIcouldnotremembertheendofthedream.
Inthe
om aftenen
evening
myaunttookmewithherto
besøge
visit
thehouseofmourning.
Itwasaftersunset;
butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothewestreflectedthetawny
guld
gold
ofagreatbankofclouds.
Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytohaveshoutedather,my
tante
aunt
shookhandswithherforall.
Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogativelyand,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedheadbeingscarcely
over
above
thelevelofthebanister-rail.
Atthefirstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedus
frem
forward
encouraginglytowardstheopendoorofthedead-room.
My
tante
aunt
wentinandtheoldwoman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,
begyndte
began
tobeckontomeagainrepeatedlywithherhand.
Iwentinontiptoe.
Theroomthroughthelaceendofthe
blind
blind
wassuffusedwithduskygoldenlightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.
Hehadbeencoffined.
Nanniegavetheleadandwethreekneltdownatthe
foden
foot
ofthebed.
Ipretendedto
bad
pray
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsbecausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.
I
mærke
noticed
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthebackandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltooneside.
Thefancycametomethattheoldpriestwas
smilede
smiling
ashelaythereinhiscoffin.
Butno.WhenweroseandwentuptotheheadofthebedIsawthathewasnot
smilede
smiling
.
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforthealtar,his
store
large
handslooselyretainingachalice.
Hisfacewasverytruculent,greyandmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsandcircledbyascantywhitefur.
Therewasa
tung
heavy
odourintheroom—theflowers.
Weblessedourselvesandcameaway.
InthelittleroomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairin
staten
state
.
IgropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecornerwhileNanniewenttothesideboardandbroughtoutadecanterofsherryandsomewine-glasses.
Shesettheseonthe
bordet
table
andinvitedustotakealittle
glas
glass
ofwine.
Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglassesandpassedthemtous.
ShepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalsobutIdeclinedbecauseIthoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.
Sheseemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusalandwentoverquietlytothesofawhereshesatdownbehindhersister.
Noonespoke:
weallgazedatthe
tomme
empty
fireplace.
MyauntwaiteduntilElizasighedandthensaid:.
“Ah,well,he’sgonetoabetterworld.”
Elizasighedagainandbowedherheadinassent.
My
tante
aunt
fingeredthestemofherwine-glassbeforesippingalittle.
“Didhe...
peacefully?”
sheasked.
“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”saidEliza.
“Youcouldn’ttellwhenthebreathwentoutofhim.
Hehadabeautifuldeath,Godbepraised.”
“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’RourkewasinwithhimaTuesdayandanointedhimandpreparedhimandall.”
“Heknewthen?”
“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooksquiteresigned,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“That’swhatthewomanwehadinto
vaske
wash
himsaid.
Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewas
sov
asleep
,helookedthatpeacefulandresigned.
Noonewouldthinkhe’dmakesuchabeautifulcorpse.”
“Yes,indeed,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Shesippedalittlemorefromher
glas
glass
andsaid:.
“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateitmustbeagreatcomfortforyoutoknowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.
Youwerebothverykindtohim,Imustsay.”
Elizasmoothedher
kjole
dress
overherknees.
“Ah,poorJames!”
shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tseehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”
Nanniehadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowandseemedabouttofall
søvn
asleep
.
“There’spoorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.
Alltheworkwehad,sheandme,gettinginthewomanto
vaske
wash
himandthenlayinghimoutandthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tknowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.
ItwashimbroughtusallthemflowersandthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapelandwroteoutthenoticefortheFreeman’sGeneralandtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeteryandpoorJames’sinsurance.”
“Wasn’tthatgoodofhim?”
saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Elizaclosedhereyesandshookherheadslowly.
“Ah,there’snofriendsliketheoldfriends,”shesaid,“whenallissaidanddone,nofriendsthatabodycantrust.”
“Indeed,that’strue,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“AndI’msurenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tforgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”
“Ah,poorJames!”
saidEliza.
“Hewasnogreattroubletous.
Youwouldn’thearhiminthehouseanymorethannow.
Still,Iknowhe’sgoneandalltothat....”
“It’swhenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“Iknowthat,”saidEliza.
“Iwon’tbebringinghiminhis
kop
cup
ofbeef-teaanymore,
heller ikke
nor
you,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.
Ah,poorJames!”
Shestopped,asifshewerecommuningwiththepastandthensaidshrewdly:.
“Mindyou,I
mærke
noticed
therewassomethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.
WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohimthereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryfallentothe
gulvet
floor
,lyingbackinthechairandhis
munden
mouth
open.”
Shelaidafingeragainsther
næse
nose
andfrowned:
thenshe
fortsatte
continued:
.
“Butstillandallhekeptonsayingthatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dgooutforadriveonefinedayjusttoseetheoldhouseagainwherewewereall
født
born
downinIrishtownandtakemeandNanniewithhim.
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedaycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaythereanddriveoutthethreeofustogetherofaSunday
aften
evening
.
Hehadhismindsetonthat....
PoorJames!”
“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithit.
Thensheputitbackagaininherpocketandgazedintothe
tomme
empty
grateforsometimewithoutspeaking.