Notes from the Underground | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

Notes from the Underground | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

Discover the advantages of this innovative translation method, designed to cater to your learning needs. You can select your preferred difficulty level, ensuring a well-balanced challenge that isn't too overwhelming. This technique sharpens your comprehension skills by encouraging you to derive meaning from context, minimizing the need for direct translations. While some words are purposefully obscured to promote contextual guessing, looking up unclear terms is always an option. With this method, language learning becomes both accessible and enjoyable, blending challenge with support. Explore translated classics and experience the excitement of learning through literature.

I
Iamasickman....
Iamaspitefulman.
Iamanunattractiveman.
Ibelievemy
lever
liver
isdiseased.
However,Iknownothingatallaboutmydisease,anddonotknowforcertainwhatailsme.
Idon’t
konsulterer
consult
adoctorforit,andneverhave,thoughIhavearespectformedicineanddoctors.
Besides,Iamextremely
overtroisk
superstitious
,sufficientlysotorespectmedicine,anyway(Iamwell-educatedenoughnottobe
overtroisk
superstitious
,butIamsuperstitious).
No,Irefuseto
konsultere
consult
adoctorfromspite.
Thatyouprobablywillnotunderstand.
Well,Iunderstandit,though.
Ofcourse,Ican’texplainwhoitispreciselythatIammortifyinginthiscasebymyspite:
IamperfectlywellawarethatIcannot“payout”thedoctorsbynotconsultingthem;
IknowbetterthananyonethatbyallthisIamonly
skader
injuring
myselfandnooneelse.
Butstill,ifIdon’t
konsulterer
consult
adoctoritisfromspite.
My
lever
liver
isbad,well—letitgetworse!
Ihavebeengoingonlikethatforalongtime—twentyyears.
NowIamforty.
Iusedtobeinthegovernmentservice,butamnolonger.
Iwasaspitefulofficial.
Iwasrudeandtookpleasureinbeingso.
Ididnottakebribes,yousee,soIwasboundtofindarecompenseinthat,atleast.
(Apoorjest,butIwillnotscratchitout.
Iwroteitthinkingitwouldsoundvery
vittig
witty
;
butnowthatIhaveseenmyselfthatIonlywantedtoshowoffinadespicableway,Iwillnotscratchitoutonpurpose!)
WhenpetitionersusedtocomeforinformationtothetableatwhichIsat,Iusedtogrindmyteethatthem,andfelt
intens
intense
enjoymentwhenIsucceededinmakinganybodyunhappy.
Ialmostdidsucceed.
Forthemostparttheywerealltimidpeople—ofcourse,theywerepetitioners.
ButoftheuppishonestherewasoneofficerinparticularIcouldnot
udholde
endure
.
Hesimplywouldnotbe
ydmyg
humble
,andclankedhisswordinadisgustingway.
Icarriedonafeudwithhimforeighteenmonthsoverthatsword.
AtlastIgotthebetterofhim.
Heleftoffclankingit.
Thathappenedinmyyouth,though.
Butdoyouknow,gentlemen,whatwasthechiefpointaboutmyspite?
Why,thewholepoint,therealstingofitlayinthefactthat
hele tiden
continually
,eveninthemomentoftheacutest
milt
spleen
,IwasinwardlyconsciouswithshamethatIwasnotonlynotaspitefulbutnotevenanembitteredman,thatIwassimplyscaringsparrowsatrandomandamusingmyselfbyit.
Imight
skum
foam
atthemouth,butbringmeadolltoplaywith,givemeacupofteawithsugarinit,andmaybeIshouldbeappeased.
Imightevenbe
oprigtigt
genuinely
touched,thoughprobablyIshouldgrindmyteethatmyselfafterwardsandlieawakeatnightwithshameformonthsafter.
Thatwasmyway.
IwaslyingwhenIsaidjustnowthatIwasaspitefulofficial.
Iwaslyingfromspite.
Iwassimply
underholdende
amusing
myselfwiththepetitionersandwiththeofficer,andinrealityInevercouldbecomespiteful.
Iwas
bevidst
conscious
everymomentinmyselfofmany,verymanyelementsabsolutelyoppositetothat.
Ifeltthempositivelyswarminginme,theseoppositeelements.
Iknewthattheyhadbeenswarminginmeallmylifeandcravingsomeoutletfromme,butIwouldnotletthem,wouldnotletthem,purposelywouldnotletthemcomeout.
TheytormentedmetillIwasashamed:
theydrovemetoconvulsionsand—sickenedme,atlast,howtheysickenedme!
Now,arenotyoufancying,gentlemen,thatIamexpressing
anger
remorse
forsomethingnow,thatIamaskingyour
tilgivelse
forgiveness
forsomething?
Iamsureyouarefancyingthat...
However,I
forsikrer
assure
youIdonotcareifyouare....
ItwasnotonlythatIcouldnotbecomespiteful,Ididnotknowhowtobecomeanything;
neitherspitefulnorkind,neithera
slyngel
rascal
noranhonestman,neitheraheronoran
insekt
insect
.
Now,Iamlivingoutmylifeinmycorner,tauntingmyselfwiththespitefulanduseless
trøst
consolation
thatanintelligentmancannotbecomeanythingseriously,anditisonlythefoolwhobecomesanything.
Yes,amaninthenineteenthcenturymustand
moralsk
morally
oughttobepre-eminentlyacharacterlesscreature;
amanofcharacter,an
aktiv
active
manispre-eminentlya
begrænset
limited
creature.
Thatismy
overbevisning
conviction
offortyyears.
Iamfortyyearsoldnow,andyouknowfortyyearsisawholelifetime;
youknowitis
ekstrem
extreme
oldage.
Tolivelongerthanfortyyearsisbadmanners,isvulgar,
umoralsk
immoral
.
Whodoeslivebeyondforty?
Answerthat,
oprigtigt
sincerely
andhonestlyIwilltellyouwhodo:
foolsand
værdiløse
worthless
fellows.
Itellalloldmenthattotheirface,allthesevenerableoldmen,allthesesilver-hairedandreverendseniors!
Itellthewholeworldthattoitsface!
Ihavearighttosayso,forIshallgoonlivingtosixtymyself.
Toseventy!
Toeighty!
Stay,letmetakebreath...
Youimaginenodoubt,gentlemen,thatIwantto
underholde
amuse
you.
Youaremistakeninthat,too.
Iambynomeanssuchamirthfulpersonasyouimagine,orasyoumayimagine;
however,
irriteret
irritated
byallthisbabble(andIfeelthatyouare
irriteret
irritated)
youthinkfittoaskmewhoIam—thenmyansweris,Iamacollegiateassessor.
IwasintheservicethatImighthavesomethingtoeat(and
udelukkende
solely
forthatreason),andwhenlastyeara
fjern
distant
relationleftmesixthousandroublesinhiswillIimmediatelyretiredfromtheserviceandsettleddowninmycorner.
Iusedtoliveinthiscornerbefore,butnowIhavesettleddowninit.
Myroomisawretched,horridoneinthe
udkanten
outskirts
ofthetown.
Myservantisanoldcountry-woman,ill-naturedfrom
dumhed
stupidity
,and,moreover,thereisalwaysanastysmellabouther.
IamtoldthatthePetersburgclimateisbadforme,andthatwithmysmallmeansitisveryexpensivetoliveinPetersburg.
Iknowallthatbetterthanallthesesageandexperiencedcounsellorsandmonitors....
ButIamremaininginPetersburg;
IamnotgoingawayfromPetersburg!
Iamnotgoingawaybecause...
ech!
Why,itisabsolutelynomatterwhetherIamgoingawayornotgoingaway.
Butwhatcanadecentmanspeakofwithmostpleasure?
Answer:
Ofhimself.
II
Iwantnowtotellyou,gentlemen,whetheryoucaretohearitornot,whyIcouldnotevenbecomean
insekt
insect
.
Itellyousolemnly,thatIhavemanytimestriedtobecomean
insekt
insect
.
ButIwasnot
lige
equal
eventothat.
Iswear,gentlemen,thattobetoo
bevidst
conscious
isanillness—arealthorough-going
sygdom
illness
.
Forman’severydayneeds,itwouldhavebeenquiteenoughtohavetheordinaryhuman
bevidsthed
consciousness
,thatis,halforaquarteroftheamountwhichfallstothelotofa
kultiveret
cultivated
manofourunhappynineteenthcentury,especiallyonewhohasthefatalill-lucktoinhabitPetersburg,themosttheoreticalandintentionaltownonthewholeterrestrialglobe.
(Thereareintentionalandunintentionaltowns.)
Itwouldhavebeenquiteenough,for
eksempel
instance
,tohavetheconsciousnessbywhichallso-calleddirectpersonsandmenofactionlive.
IbetyouthinkIamwritingallthisfromaffectation,tobe
vittig
witty
attheexpenseofmenofaction;
andwhatismore,thatfromill-bredaffectation,Iamclankingaswordlikemyofficer.
But,gentlemen,whoevercanpridehimselfonhisdiseasesandevenswaggeroverthem?
Though,afterall,everyonedoesdothat;
peopledopridethemselvesontheirdiseases,andIdo,maybe,morethananyone.
Wewillnot
bestride
dispute
it;
mycontentionwas
absurd
absurd
.
ButyetIam
fast
firmly
persuadedthatagreatdealof
bevidsthed
consciousness
,everysortofconsciousness,infact,isadisease.
Isticktothat.
Letusleavethat,too,foraminute.
Tellmethis:
whydoesithappenthatatthevery,yes,attheverymomentswhenIammostcapableoffeelingeveryrefinementofallthatis“sublimeandbeautiful,”astheyusedtosayatonetime,itwould,asthoughofdesign,happentomenotonlytofeelbuttodosuchuglythings,suchthat...
Well,inshort,actionsthatall,perhaps,commit;
butwhich,asthoughpurposely,occurredtomeattheverytimewhenIwasmostconsciousthattheyoughtnottobecommitted.
Themore
bevidst
conscious
Iwasofgoodnessandofallthatwas“sublimeandbeautiful,”themoredeeplyIsankintomymireandthemorereadyIwasto
synke
sink
initaltogether.
Butthechiefpointwasthatallthiswas,asitwere,notaccidentalinme,butasthoughitwereboundtobeso.
Itwasasthoughitweremymostnormalcondition,andnotintheleastdiseaseordepravity,sothatatlastalldesireinmetostruggleagainstthisdepravitypassed.
Itendedbymyalmostbelieving(perhapsactuallybelieving)thatthiswasperhapsmynormalcondition.
Butatfirst,inthebeginning,whatagoniesIenduredinthatstruggle!
Ididnotbelieveitwasthesamewithotherpeople,andallmylifeIhidthisfactaboutmyselfasasecret.
Iwasashamed(evennow,perhaps,Iamashamed):
Igottothepointoffeelingasortofsecret
unormal
abnormal
,despicableenjoymentinreturninghometomycorneronsomedisgustingPetersburgnight,acutely
bevidst
conscious
thatthatdayIhadcommittedaloathsomeactionagain,thatwhatwasdonecouldneverbeundone,and
hemmeligt
secretly
,inwardlygnawing,gnawingatmyselfforit,tearingand
forbruge
consuming
myselftillatlastthebitternessturnedintoasortofshamefulaccursed
sødme
sweetness
,andatlast—intopositivereal
nydelse
enjoyment
!
Yes,intoenjoyment,into
nydelse
enjoyment
!
Iinsistuponthat.
IhavespokenofthisbecauseIkeepwantingtoknowforafactwhetherotherpeoplefeelsuch
nydelse
enjoyment
?
Iwillexplain;
theenjoymentwasjustfromthetoointense
bevidsthed
consciousness
ofone’sowndegradation;
itwasfromfeelingoneselfthatonehadreachedthelast
barriere
barrier
,thatitwashorrible,butthatitcouldnotbeotherwise;
thattherewasnoescapeforyou;
thatyounevercouldbecomeadifferentman;
thateveniftimeandfaithwerestillleftyoutochangeintosomethingdifferentyouwouldmostlikelynotwishtochange;
orifyoudidwishto,eventhenyouwoulddonothing;
becauseperhapsinrealitytherewasnothingforyoutochangeinto.
Andtheworstofitwas,andthe
roden
root
ofitall,thatitwasallinaccordwiththenormal
grundlæggende
fundamental
lawsofover-acuteconsciousness,andwiththeinertiathatwasthedirectresultofthoselaws,andthat
følgelig
consequently
onewasnotonlyunabletochangebutcoulddoabsolutelynothing.
Thusitwouldfollow,astheresultof
akut
acute
consciousness,thatoneisnottoblameinbeinga
slyngel
scoundrel
;
asthoughthatwereany
trøst
consolation
tothescoundreloncehehascometo
indse
realise
thatheactuallyisascoundrel.
Butenough....
Ech,Ihavetalkedalotofnonsense,butwhathaveIexplained?
Howisenjoymentinthistobeexplained?
ButIwillexplainit.
Iwillgettothebottomofit!
ThatiswhyIhavetakenupmypen....
I,for
eksempel
instance
,haveagreatdealofamourpropre.
Iamassuspiciousandpronetotakeoffenceasahumpbackora
dværg
dwarf
.
ButuponmywordIsometimeshavehadmomentswhenifIhadhappenedtobeslappedinthefaceIshould,perhaps,havebeen
positivt
positively
gladofit.
Isay,inearnest,thatIshouldprobablyhavebeenableto
opdage
discover
eveninthatapeculiarsortofenjoyment—the
nydelse
enjoyment
,ofcourse,ofdespair;
butin
fortvivlelse
despair
therearethemostintenseenjoyments,especiallywhenoneisveryacutely
bevidst
conscious
ofthehopelessnessofone’sposition.
Andwhenoneisslappedintheface—whythentheconsciousnessofbeingrubbedintoapulpwould
positivt
positively
overwhelmone.
Theworstofitis,lookatitwhichwayonewill,itstillturnsoutthatIwasalwaysthemosttoblameineverything.
Andwhatismosthumiliatingofall,toblamefornofaultofmyownbut,sotosay,throughthelawsofnature.
Inthefirstplace,toblamebecauseIamclevererthananyofthepeople
omgiver
surrounding
me.
(Ihavealwaysconsideredmyselfclevererthananyofthepeople
omgiver
surrounding
me,andsometimes,wouldyoubelieveit,havebeen
positivt
positively
ashamedofit.
Atanyrate,Ihaveallmylife,asitwere,turnedmyeyesawayandnevercouldlookpeoplestraightintheface.)
Toblame,finally,becauseevenifIhadhadmagnanimity,Ishouldonlyhavehadmoresufferingfromthesenseofitsuselessness.
Ishouldcertainlyhaveneverbeenabletodoanythingfrombeingmagnanimous—neithertoforgive,formyassailantwouldperhapshaveslappedmefromthelawsofnature,andonecannotforgivethelawsofnature;
nortoforget,forevenifitwereowingtothelawsofnature,itisinsultingallthesame.
Finally,evenifIhadwantedtobeanythingbutmagnanimous,haddesiredonthe
modsætning
contrary
torevengemyselfonmyassailant,IcouldnothaverevengedmyselfonanyoneforanythingbecauseIshouldcertainlyneverhavemadeupmymindtodoanything,evenifIhadbeenableto.
WhyshouldInothavemadeupmymind?
III
Withpeoplewhoknowhowtorevengethemselvesandtostandupforthemselvesingeneral,howisitdone?
Why,whentheyarepossessed,letussuppose,bythefeelingofrevenge,thenforthetimethereisnothingelsebutthatfeelingleftintheirwholebeing.
Suchagentlemansimplydashesstraightforhisobjectlikeaninfuriatedbullwithitshornsdown,andnothingbutawallwillstophim.
(Bytheway:
facingthewall,suchgentlemen—thatis,the“direct”personsandmenofaction—are
virkelig
genuinely
nonplussed.
Forthemawallisnotanevasion,asforuspeoplewhothinkand
derfor
consequently
donothing;
itisnotanexcuseforturningaside,anexcuseforwhichwearealwaysveryglad,thoughwe
næppe
scarcely
believeinitourselves,asarule.
No,theyarenonplussedinall
oprigtighed
sincerity
.
Thewallhasforthemsomethingtranquillising,
moralsk
morally
soothing,final—maybeevensomething
mystisk
mysterious
...
butofthewalllater.)
Well,suchadirectpersonI
betragter
regard
astherealnormalman,ashistendermothernaturewishedtoseehimwhenshegraciouslybroughthimintobeingontheearth.
I
misunder
envy
suchamantillIamgreenintheface.
Heisstupid.
Iamnot
bestrider
disputing
that,butperhapsthenormalmanshouldbestupid,howdoyouknow?
Perhapsitisverybeautiful,infact.
AndIamthemorepersuadedofthat
mistanke
suspicion
,ifonecancallitso,bythefactthatifyoutake,for
eksempel
instance
,theantithesisofthenormalman,thatis,themanofacute
bevidsthed
consciousness
,whohascome,ofcourse,notoutofthe
skød
lap
ofnaturebutoutofaretort(thisisalmostmysticism,gentlemen,butIsuspectthis,too),thisretort-mademanissometimessononplussedinthepresenceofhisantithesisthatwithallhisexaggerated
bevidsthed
consciousness
hegenuinelythinksofhimselfasamouseandnotaman.
Itmaybeanacutely
bevidst
conscious
mouse,yetitisamouse,whiletheotherisaman,andtherefore,etcaetera,etcaetera.
Andtheworstofitis,hehimself,hisveryownself,looksonhimselfasamouse;
nooneaskshimtodoso;
andthatisanimportantpoint.
Nowletuslookatthismouseinaction.
Letussuppose,for
eksempel
instance
,thatitfeelsinsulted,too(anditalmostalwaysdoesfeel
fornærmet
insulted)
,andwantstorevengeitself,too.
Theremayevenbeagreateraccumulationofspiteinitthaninl’hommedelanatureetdelavérité.
Thebaseandnastydesiretoventthatspiteonitsassailantranklesperhapsevenmorenastilyinitthaninl’hommedelanatureetdelavérité.
Forthroughhisinnate
dumhed
stupidity
thelatterlooksuponhisrevengeasjusticepureandsimple;
whilein
følge
consequence
ofhisacuteconsciousnessthemousedoesnotbelieveinthejusticeofit.
Tocomeatlasttothedeeditself,totheveryactofrevenge.
Apartfromtheone
grundlæggende
fundamental
nastinessthelucklessmouse
lykkes
succeeds
increatingarounditsomanyothernastinessesintheformofdoubtsandquestions,addstotheonequestionsomanyunsettledquestionsthatthere
uundgåeligt
inevitably
worksuparounditasortof
dødelig
fatal
brew,astinkingmess,madeupofitsdoubts,emotions,andofthe
foragt
contempt
spatuponitbythedirectmenofactionwhostand
højtideligt
solemnly
aboutitasjudgesandarbitrators,laughingatittilltheirhealthysides
smerte
ache
.
Ofcoursetheonlythingleftforitisto
afvise
dismiss
allthatwithawaveofits
pote
paw
,and,withasmileofassumed
foragt
contempt
inwhichitdoesnotevenitselfbelieve,
krybe
creep
ignominiouslyintoitsmouse-hole.
Thereinitsnasty,stinking,undergroundhomeour
fornærmede
insulted
,crushedandridiculedmousepromptlybecomes
optaget
absorbed
incold,malignantand,aboveall,everlastingspite.
Forfortyyearstogetheritwillrememberits
skade
injury
downtothesmallest,mostignominiousdetails,andeverytimewilladd,ofitself,detailsstillmoreignominious,spitefully
drille
teasing
andtormentingitselfwithitsownimagination.
Itwillitselfbeashamedofitsimaginings,butyetitwill
huske
recall
itall,itwillgooverandoverevery
detalje
detail
,itwillinventunheardofthingsagainstitself,pretendingthatthosethingsmighthappen,andwillforgivenothing.
Maybeitwillbegintorevengeitself,too,but,asitwere,piecemeal,in
trivielle
trivial
ways,frombehindthe
ovnen
stove
,incognito,withoutbelievingeitherinitsownrighttovengeance,orinthesuccessofitsrevenge,knowingthatfromallitseffortsatrevengeitwillsufferahundredtimesmorethanheonwhomitrevengesitself,whilehe,Idaresay,willnotevenscratchhimself.
Onitsdeathbeditwill
huske
recall
italloveragain,withinterestaccumulatedoveralltheyearsand...
Butitisjustinthatcold,
afskyelige
abominable
halfdespair,halfbelief,inthatconsciousburyingoneselfalivefor
sorg
grief
intheunderworldforfortyyears,inthatacutely
anerkendte
recognised
andyetpartlydoubtfulhopelessnessofone’sposition,inthathellofunsatisfieddesiresturnedinward,inthatfeverofoscillations,ofresolutions
bestemt
determined
foreverandrepentedofagainaminutelater—thatthesavourofthatstrange
nydelse
enjoyment
ofwhichIhavespokenlies.
Itissosubtle,sodifficultofanalysis,thatpersonswhoarealittle
begrænsede
limited
,orevensimplypersonsofstrongnerves,willnotunderstandasingle
atom
atom
ofit.
“Possibly,”youwilladdonyourownaccountwitha
grin
grin
,“peoplewillnotunderstanditeitherwhohaveneverreceivedaslapintheface,”andinthatwayyouwill
høfligt
politely
hinttomethatI,too,perhaps,havehadtheexperienceofaslapinthefaceinmylife,andsoIspeakasonewhoknows.
Ibetthatyouarethinkingthat.
Butsetyourmindsatrest,gentlemen,Ihavenotreceivedaslapintheface,thoughitisabsolutelyamatterofindifferencetomewhatyoumaythinkaboutit.
Possibly,Ievenregret,myself,thatIhavegivensofewslapsinthefaceduringmylife.
Butenough...
notanotherwordonthatsubjectofsuch
ekstrem
extreme
interesttoyou.
Iwillcontinue
roligt
calmly
concerningpersonswithstrongnerveswhodonotunderstandacertainrefinementof
nydelse
enjoyment
.
Thoughincertaincircumstancesthesegentlemenbellowtheirloudestlikebulls,thoughthis,letussuppose,doesthemthegreatestcredit,yet,asIhavesaidalready,
konfronteret
confronted
withtheimpossibletheysubsideatonce.
Theimpossiblemeansthestonewall!
Whatstonewall?
Why,ofcourse,thelawsofnature,thedeductionsofnaturalscience,mathematics.