The Blue Castle | Progressive Translation Books for Italian A2 Students

The Blue Castle | Progressive Translation Books for Italian A2 Students

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CHAPTERI
Ifithadnot
piovuto
rained
onacertainMaymorningValancyStirling’swholelifewouldhavebeenentirelydifferent.
Shewouldhavegone,withtherestofherclan,to
Zia
Aunt
Wellington’sengagementpicnicandDr.TrentwouldhavegonetoMontreal.
Butitdid
piovuto
rain
andyoushallhearwhathappenedtoherbecauseofit.
Valancywakened
presto
early
,inthelifeless,hopelesshourjustprecedingdawn.
Shehadnotsleptverywell.
Onedoesnotsleepwell,sometimes,whenoneistwenty-nineonthemorrow,andunmarried,inacommunityandconnectionwheretheunmarriedare
semplicemente
simply
thosewhohavefailedtogetaman.
DeerwoodandtheStirlingshadlongsincerelegatedValancytohopelessoldmaidenhood.
ButValancyherselfhadneverquiterelinquishedacertainpitiful,shamed,littlehopethatRomancewouldcomeherwayyet—never,untilthiswet,horriblemorning,whenshewakenedtothefactthatshewastwenty-nineandunsoughtbyanyman.
Ay,therelaythesting.
Valancydidnotmindsomuchbeinganoldmaid.
Afterall,shethought,beinganoldmaidcouldn’tpossiblybeasdreadfulasbeingmarriedtoanUncleWellingtonoranUncleBenjamin,orevenanUncleHerbert.
Whathurtherwasthatshehadneverhadachancetobeanythingbutanoldmaid.
Nomanhadeverdesiredher.
Thetearscameintohereyesasshelaytherealoneinthefaintlygreyingdarkness.
She
osava
dared
notletherselfcryashardasshewantedto,fortworeasons.
Shewasafraidthatcryingmightbringonanother
attacco
attack
ofthatpainaroundtheheart.
Shehadhadaspellofitaftershehadgotintobed—rather
peggio
worse
thananyshehadhadyet.
Andshewasafraidhermotherwouldnoticeherredeyesat
colazione
breakfast
andkeepatherwithminute,persistent,mosquito-likequestionsregardingthecausethereof.
“Suppose,”thoughtValancywithaghastlygrin,“Iansweredwiththeplaintruth,‘IamcryingbecauseIcannotgetmarried.’HowhorrifiedMotherwouldbe—thoughsheisashamedeverydayofherlifeofheroldmaiddaughter.”
Butofcourseappearancesshouldbekeptup.
“Itisnot,”Valancycouldhearhermother’sprim,dictatorial
voce
voice
asserting,“itisnotmaidenlytothinkaboutmen.”
Thethoughtofhermother’sexpressionmadeValancylaugh—forshehada
senso
sense
ofhumournobodyinherclansuspected.
Forthatmatter,therewereagoodmanythingsaboutValancythatnobodysuspected.
Butherlaughterwasverysuperficialandpresentlyshelaythere,ahuddled,futilelittle
figura
figure
,listeningtotherainpouringdownoutsideandwatching,withasickdistaste,thechill,mercilesslightcreepingintoherugly,sordidroom.
Sheknewtheuglinessofthatroombyheart—knewitandhatedit.
Theyellow-painted
pavimento
floor
,withonehideous,“hooked”rugbythebed,withagrotesque,“hooked”dogonit,alwaysgrinningatherwhensheawoke;
thefaded,dark-red
carta
paper
;
theceilingdiscolouredbyoldleaksand
attraversato
crossed
bycracks;
thenarrow,pinchedlittlewashstand;
thebrown-paperlambrequinwithpurplerosesonit;
thespottedoldlooking-glasswiththecrack
attraverso
across
it,proppedupontheinadequatedressing-table;
thejarofancientpotpourrimadebyhermotherinhermythicalhoneymoon;
theshell-covered
scatola
box
,withoneburstcorner,whichCousinStickleshadmadeinherequallymythicalgirlhood;
thebeadedpincushionwithhalfitsbeadfringegone;
theonestiff,yellowchair;
thefadedoldmotto,“Gonebutnotforgotten,”workedincolouredyarnsaboutGreat-grand-motherStirling’sgrimoldface;
theoldphotographsofancientrelativeslongbanishedfromtheroomsbelow.
Therewereonlytwopicturesthatwerenotofrelatives.
One,anoldchromoofapuppysittingonarainydoorstep.
That
foto
picture
alwaysmadeValancyunhappy.
Thatforlornlittledogcrouchedonthedoorstepinthedriving
pioggia
rain
!
Whydidn’tsomeoneopenthedoorandlethimin?
Theother
quadro
picture
wasafaded,passe-partoutedengravingof
Regina
Queen
Louisecomingdownastairway,which
Zia
Aunt
Wellingtonhadlavishlygivenheronhertenth
compleanno
birthday
.
Fornineteenyearsshehadlookedatitandhatedit,beautiful,smug,self-satisfied
Regina
Queen
Louise.
Butshenever
osato
dared
destroyitorremoveit.
Motherand
Cugino
Cousin
Stickleswouldhavebeenaghast,or,asValancyirreverentlyexpresseditinherthoughts,wouldhavehada
stati
fit
.
Everyroominthehousewasugly,ofcourse.
Butdownstairsappearanceswerekeptupsomewhat.
Therewasnomoneyforroomsnobodyeversaw.
Valancysometimesfeltthatshecouldhavedonesomethingforherroomherself,evenwithoutmoney,ifshewerepermitted.
ButhermotherhadnegativedeverytimidsuggestionandValancydidnotpersist.
Valancyneverpersisted.
Shewasafraidto.
Hermothercouldnotbrookopposition.
Mrs.Stirlingwouldsulkfordaysifoffended,withtheairsofaninsultedduchess.
TheonlythingValancylikedaboutherroomwasthatshecouldbealonethereatnightto
piangere
cry
ifshewantedto.
But,afterall,whatdiditmatterifaroom,whichyouusedfornothingexceptsleepinganddressingin,wereugly?
Valancywasneverpermittedtostayaloneinherroomforanyotherpurpose.
Peoplewhowantedtobealone,soMrs.FrederickStirlingand
Cugino
Cousin
Sticklesbelieved,couldonlywanttobealoneforsomesinisterpurpose.
Butherroominthe
Blu
Blue
Castlewaseverythingaroomshouldbe.
Valancy,socowedandsubduedandoverriddenandsnubbedinreallife,waswonttoletherselfgo
piuttosto
rather
splendidlyinherday-dreams.
NobodyintheStirlingclan,oritsramifications,suspectedthis,leastofallhermotherand
Cugino
Cousin
Stickles.
TheyneverknewthatValancyhadtwohomes—theuglyredbrick
scatola
box
ofahome,onElmStreet,andthe
Blu
Blue
CastleinSpain.
Valancyhadlivedspirituallyinthe
Blu
Blue
Castleeversinceshecouldremember.
Shehadbeenaverytinychildwhenshefoundherselfpossessedofit.
Always,whensheshuthereyes,shecouldseeitplainly,withitsturretsandbannersonthepine-cladmountainheight,wrappedinitsfaint,
blu
blue
loveliness,againstthesunsetskiesofafairandunknown
terra
land
.
Everythingwonderfulandbeautifulwasinthatcastle.
Jewelsthatqueensmighthave
indossare
worn
;
robesofmoonlightandfire;
couchesofrosesand
oro
gold
;
longflightsofshallowmarblesteps,withgreat,whiteurns,andwithslender,mist-cladmaidensgoingupanddownthem;
courts,marble-pillared,whereshimmeringfountainsfellandnightingalessangamongthemyrtles;
hallsofmirrorsthatreflectedonlyhandsomeknightsandlovelywomen—herselftheloveliestofall,forwhoseglancemendied.
Allthat
sosteneva
supported
herthroughtheboredomofherdayswasthehopeofgoingonadreamspreeatnight.
Most,ifnotall,oftheStirlingswouldhavediedofhorroriftheyhadknownhalfthethingsValancydidinher
Blu
Blue
Castle.
Foronethingshehadquiteafewloversinit.
Oh,onlyoneatatime.
Onewhowooedherwithalltheromanticardouroftheageofchivalryandwonherafterlongdevotionandmanydeedsofderring-do,andwasweddedtoherwithpompandcircumstanceinthegreat,banner-hungchapelofthe
Blu
Blue
Castle.
Attwelve,thisloverwasafairladwithgoldencurlsandheavenly
blu
blue
eyes.
Atfifteen,hewastalland
scuro
dark
andpale,butstillnecessarilyhandsome.
Attwenty,hewasascetic,dreamy,spiritual.
Attwenty-five,hehadaclean-cutjaw,slightlygrim,andaface
forte
strong
andruggedratherthanhandsome.
Valancynevergrewolderthantwenty-fiveinher
Blu
Blue
Castle,butrecently—veryrecently—her
eroe
hero
hadhadreddish,tawnyhair,atwisted
sorriso
smile
andamysteriouspast.
Idon’tsayValancydeliberately
ucciso
murdered
theseloversassheoutgrewthem.
One
semplicemente
simply
fadedawayasanothercame.
ThingsareveryconvenientinthisrespectinBlueCastles.
But,onthismorningofherdayoffate,Valancycouldnotfindthe
chiave
key
ofherBlueCastle.
Reality
premeva
pressed
onhertoohardly,barkingatherheelslikeamaddeninglittledog.
Shewastwenty-nine,lonely,undesired,ill-favoured—theonlyhomelygirlinahandsomeclan,withnopastandno
futuro
future
.
Asfarasshecouldlookback,lifewasdrabandcolourless,withnotonesinglecrimsonorpurplespot
da nessuna parte
anywhere
.
Asfarasshecouldlook
avanti
forward
itseemedcertaintobejustthesameuntilshewasnothingbutasolitary,littlewitheredleafclingingtoawintrybough.
Themomentwhenawomanrealisesthatshehasnothingtolivefor—neitherlove,
dovere
duty
,purposenorhope—holdsforherthebitternessofdeath.
“AndIjusthavetogoonlivingbecauseIcan’tstop.
Imayhavetoliveeightyyears,”thoughtValancy,inakindofpanic.
“We’reallhorriblylong-lived.
Itsickensmetothinkofit.”
Shewasgladitwasraining—orrather,shewasdrearilysatisfiedthatitwas
piovesse
raining
.
Therewouldbenopicnicthatday.
Thisannualpicnic,whereby
Zia
Aunt
andUncleWellington—onealwaysthoughtoftheminthatsuccession—inevitablycelebratedtheirengagementatapicnicthirtyyearsbefore,hadbeen,oflateyears,averitablenightmaretoValancy.
Byanimpishcoincidenceitwasthesamedayasher
compleanno
birthday
and,aftershehadpassedtwenty-five,nobodyletherforgetit.
Muchasshehatedgoingtothepicnic,itwouldneverhaveoccurredtohertorebelagainstit.
There
sembrava
seemed
tobenothingoftherevolutionaryinher
natura
nature
.
Andsheknewexactlywhateveryonewouldsaytoheratthepicnic.
UncleWellington,whomshedislikedanddespisedeventhoughhehadfulfilledthehighestStirlingaspiration,“marryingmoney,”wouldsaytoherinapig’swhisper,“Notthinkingofgettingmarriedyet,mydear?”
andthengooffintothebellowoflaughterwithwhichheinvariablyconcludedhisdullremarks.
Zia
Aunt
Wellington,ofwhomValancystoodinabjectawe,wouldtellheraboutOlive’snewchiffon
vestito
dress
andCecil’slastdevoted
lettera
letter
.
Valancywouldhavetolookaspleasedandinterestedasifthe
vestito
dress
andletterhadbeenhersorelse
Zia
Aunt
Wellingtonwouldbeoffended.
AndValancyhadlongago
deciso
decided
thatshewouldratheroffendGodthan
Zia
Aunt
Wellington,becauseGodmightforgiveherbut
Zia
Aunt
Wellingtonneverwould.
AuntAlberta,enormouslyfat,withanamiablehabitofalwaysreferringtoherhusbandas“he,”asifheweretheonlymalecreatureintheworld,whocouldneverforgetthatshehadbeenagreat
bellezza
beauty
inheryouth,wouldcondolewithValancyonhersallow
pelle
skin—
.
“Idon’tknowwhyallthegirlsoftodayaresosunburned.
WhenIwasagirlmy
pelle
skin
wasrosesandcream.
IwascountedtheprettiestgirlinCanada,mydear.”
PerhapsUncleHerbertwouldn’tsayanything—orperhapshewouldremarkjocularly,“Howfatyou’regetting,Doss!”
Andtheneverybodywould
ridevano
laugh
overtheexcessivelyhumorousideaofpoor,scrawnylittleDossgettingfat.
Handsome,solemnUncleJames,whomValancydislikedbut
rispettava
respected
becausehewasreputedtobeverycleverandwasthereforetheclanoracle—brainsbeingnonetooplentifulintheStirlingconnection—wouldprobablyremarkwiththeowl-likesarcasmthathadwonhimhisreputation,“Isupposeyou’re
occupato
busy
withyourhope-chestthesedays?”
AndUncleBenjaminwouldasksomeofhisabominableconundrums,betweenwheezychuckles,andanswerthemhimself.
“Whatisthe
differenza
difference
betweenDossandamouse?
“ThemousewishestoharmthecheeseandDosswishestocharmthehe’s.”
Valancyhadheardhimaskthatriddlefiftytimesandeverytimeshewantedtothrowsomethingathim.
Butsheneverdid.
Inthefirstplace,theStirlings
semplicemente
simply
didnotthrowthings;
inthesecondplace,UncleBenjaminwasawealthyandchildlessoldwidowerandValancyhadbeenbroughtupinthe
paura
fear
andadmonitionofhismoney.
Ifsheoffendedhimhewouldcutheroutofhiswill—supposingshewereinit.
ValancydidnotwanttobecutoutofUncleBenjamin’swill.
Shehadbeenpoorallherlifeandknewthegallingbitternessofit.
Sosheenduredhisriddlesandevensmiledtorturedlittlesmilesoverthem.
Zia
Aunt
Isabel,downrightanddisagreeableasaneast
vento
wind
,wouldcriticiseherinsomeway—Valancycouldnotpredictjusthow,for
Zia
Aunt
Isabelneverrepeatedacriticism—shefoundsomethingnewwithwhichtojabyoueverytime.
Zia
Aunt
Isabelpridedherselfonsayingwhatshethought,butdidn’tlikeitsowellwhenotherpeoplesaidwhattheythoughttoher.
Valancyneversaidwhatshethought.
CousinGeorgiana—namedafterhergreat-great-grand-mother,whohadbeennamedafterGeorgetheFourth—wouldrecountdolorouslythenamesofallrelativesandfriendswhohaddiedsincethelastpicnicand
chiedeva
wonder
“whichofuswillbethefirsttogonext.”
Oppressivelycompetent,
Zia
Aunt
MildredwouldtalkendlesslyofherhusbandandherodiousprodigiesofbabiestoValancy,becauseValancywouldbetheonlyoneshecouldfindtoputupwithit.
Forthesamereason,CousinGladys—reallyFirstCousinGladysonceremoved,
secondo
according
tothestrictwayinwhichtheStirlingstabulatedrelationship—atall,thinladywhoadmittedshehadasensitivedisposition,woulddescribeminutelythetorturesofherneuritis.
AndOlive,the
meraviglia
wonder
girlofthewholeStirlingclan,whohadeverythingValancyhadnot—beauty,popularity,love,—wouldshowoffher
bellezza
beauty
andpresumeonherpopularityandflauntherdiamondinsigniaofloveinValancy’sdazzled,enviouseyes.
Therewouldbenoneofallthistoday.
Andtherewouldbenopackingupofteaspoons.
ThepackingupwasalwaysleftforValancyand
Cugino
Cousin
Stickles.
Andonce,sixyearsago,asilverteaspoonfrom
Zia
Aunt
Wellington’sweddingsethadbeenlost.
Valancyneverheardthelastofthatsilverteaspoon.
Its
fantasma
ghost
appearedBanquo-likeateverysubsequentfamilyfeast.
Oh,yes,Valancyknewexactlywhatthepicnicwouldbelikeandsheblessedthe
pioggia
rain
thathadsavedherfromit.
Therewouldbenopicnicthisyear.
If
Zia
Aunt
Wellingtoncouldnotcelebrateonthesacreddayitselfshewouldhavenocelebrationatall.
Thankwhatevergodstherewereforthat.
Sincetherewouldbenopicnic,Valancymadeuphermindthat,ifthe
pioggia
rain
heldupinthe
pomeriggio
afternoon
,shewouldgouptothelibraryandgetanotherofJohnFoster’sbooks.
Valancywasnever
permesso
allowed
toreadnovels,butJohnFoster’sbookswerenotnovels.
Theywere“naturebooks”—sothelibrariantoldMrs.FrederickStirling—“allaboutthewoodsandbirdsandbugsandthingslikethat,youknow.”
SoValancywas
permesso
allowed
toreadthem—underprotest,foritwasonlytooevidentthatsheenjoyedthemtoomuch.
Itwaspermissible,evenlaudable,toreadtoimproveyourmindandyourreligion,butabookthatwasenjoyablewas
pericoloso
dangerous
.
Valancydidnotknow
se
whether
hermindwasbeingimprovedornot;
butshefeltvaguelythatifshehadcomeacrossJohnFoster’sbooksyearsagolifemighthavebeenadifferentthingforher.
They
sembravano
seemed
tohertoyieldglimpsesofaworldintowhichshemightoncehaveentered,thoughthedoorwasforeverbarredtohernow.
ItwasonlywithinthelastyearthatJohnFoster’sbookshadbeenintheDeerwoodlibrary,thoughthelibrariantoldValancythathehadbeenawell-knownwriterfor
diversi
several
years.
“Wheredoeshelive?”
Valancyhadasked.
“Nobodyknows.
FromhisbookshemustbeaCanadian,butnomore
informazioni
information
canbehad.
Hispublisherswon’tsayaword.
QuitelikelyJohnFosterisanomdeplume.
Hisbooksaresopopularwecan’tkeeptheminatall,thoughIreallycan’tseewhatpeoplefindinthemtoraveover.”
“Ithinkthey’rewonderful,”saidValancy,timidly.
“Oh—well—”
MissClarkson
sorrise
smiled
inapatronisingfashionthatrelegatedValancy’sopinionstolimbo,“Ican’tsayIcaremuchforbugsmyself.
But
certo
certainly
Fosterseemstoknowallthereistoknowaboutthem.”
Valancydidn’tknow
se
whether
shecaredmuchforbugseither.
ItwasnotJohnFoster’suncannyknowledgeofwildcreaturesandinsectlifethatenthralledher.
Shecouldhardlysaywhatitwas—sometantalisinglureofamysteryneverrevealed—somehintofagreat
segreto
secret
justalittlefurtheron—somefaint,elusiveechooflovely,forgottenthings—JohnFoster’s
magia
magic
wasindefinable.
Yes,shewouldgetanewFosterbook.
Itwasa
mese
month
sinceshehadThistleHarvest,sosurelyMothercouldnotobject.
Valancyhadreaditfourtimes—sheknewwholepassagesoffbyheart.
And—shealmostthoughtshewouldgoandseeDr.Trentaboutthatqueer
dolore
pain
aroundtheheart.
Ithadcome
piuttosto
rather
oftenlately,andthepalpitationswerebecomingannoying,nottospeakofanoccasionaldizzymomentandaqueershortnessofbreath.
Butcouldshegotoseehimwithouttellinganyone?
Itwasamostdaringthought.
Nessuno
None
oftheStirlingseverconsultedadoctorwithoutholdingafamilycouncilandgettingUncleJames’approval.
Then,theywenttoDr.AmbroseMarshofPortLawrence,whohadmarriedSecondCousinAdelaideStirling.
ButValancydislikedDr.AmbroseMarsh.
And,besides,shecouldnotgettoPortLawrence,fifteenmilesaway,withoutbeingtakenthere.
Shedidnotwantanyonetoknowaboutherheart.
Therewouldbesuchafussmadeandeverymemberofthefamilywouldcomedownandtalkitoverandadviseherandcautionherandwarnherandtellherhorribletalesofgreat-auntsandcousinsfortytimesremovedwhohadbeen“justlikethat”and“droppeddeadwithoutamoment’swarning,mydear.”
Zia
Aunt
IsabelwouldrememberthatshehadalwayssaidDosslookedlikeagirlwhowouldhavehearttrouble—“sopinchedandpeakedalways”;
andUncleWellingtonwouldtakeitasa
personale
personal
insult,when“noStirlingeverhadheartdiseasebefore”;
andGeorgianawouldforebodeinperfectlyaudibleasidesthat“poor,dearlittleDossisn’tlongforthisworld,I’mafraid”;
andCousinGladyswouldsay,“Why,myhearthasbeenlikethatforyears,”inatonethatimpliednooneelsehadanybusinesseventohaveaheart;
andOlive—Olivewouldmerelylookbeautifulandsuperioranddisgustinglyhealthy,asiftosay,“WhyallthisfussoverafadedsuperfluitylikeDosswhenyouhaveme?”
Valancyfeltthatshecouldn’ttellanybodyunlessshehadto.
Shefeltquitesuretherewasnothingatall
seriamente
seriously
wrongwithherheartandnoneedofallthepotherthatwouldensueifshe
menzionato
mentioned
it.
ShewouldjustslipupquietlyandseeDr.Trentthatveryday.
Asforhis
conto
bill
,shehadthetwohundreddollarsthatherfatherhadputinthe
banca
bank
forherthedayshewasborn.
Shewasnever
permesso
allowed
touseeventhe
interessi
interest
ofthis,butshewouldsecretlytakeoutenoughtopayDr.Trent.
Dr.
Trentwasagruff,outspoken,absent-mindedoldfellow,buthewasarecognisedauthorityonheartdisease,evenifhewereonlyageneralpractitionerinout-of-the-worldDeerwood.
Dr.Trentwasoverseventyandtherehadbeenrumoursthathemeanttoretiresoon.
Nessuno
None
oftheStirlingclanhadevergonetohimsincehehadtoldCousinGladys,tenyearsbefore,thatherneuritiswasallimaginaryandthatsheenjoyedit.
Youcouldn’tpatroniseadoctorwhoinsultedyourfirst-cousin-once-removedlikethat—nottomentionthathewasaPresbyterianwhenalltheStirlingswenttotheAnglican
chiesa
church
.
CHAPTERII
WhenCousinStickles
bussò
knocked
atherdoor,Valancyknewitwashalf-past
sette
seven
andshemustgetup.
Aslongasshecouldremember,
Cugino
Cousin
Stickleshadknockedatherdoorathalf-past
sette
seven
.
CousinSticklesandMrs.FrederickStirlinghadbeenupsince
sette
seven
,butValancywasallowedtolieabedhalfanhourlongerbecauseofafamilytraditionthatshewasdelicate.
Valancygotup,thoughshehatedgettingupmorethismorningthanevershehadbefore.