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Cranford | Progressive Spanish A2 Translation Books

Cranford | Progressive Spanish A2 Translation Books

This progressive translation technique brings multiple benefits to language learners. It lets you choose the difficulty level that matches your abilities, making sure the material is challenging but not too difficult. By focusing on understanding words in context, this method boosts your comprehension skills. While direct translations are slightly hidden to promote guessing from context, you can always check unfamiliar words. This approach makes learning a new language both engaging and accessible, offering the right mix of difficulty and encouragement. Embark on a journey through translated classics and enjoy the process of learning through reading.

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhouses
encima
aboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,his
barco
ship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashis
ronda
roundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullof
elección
choiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
for
decidir
decidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;
forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
vestimos
dresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
vestimos
dresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheir
ropa
clothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanly
memoria
memory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatin
uso
wearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithouta
sonrisa
smile.
Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopatterto
iglesia
churchonrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“a
palo
stickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbya
fuerte
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsfor
visitas
visitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);
“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihaveno
duda
doubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
tercer
thirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnot
permitas
allowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthis
regla
ruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
I
imagino
imaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
We
ninguno
noneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,second
mesa
table,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,
cuyos
whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughto
llevar
carrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedin
privado
privatebyhermistress,whonowsatin
estado
state,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthis
general
generalbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.
Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,about
nueve
nineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
Inevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhena
cierto
certainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloud
militar
militaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-pay
capitán
captain,andhadobtainedsome
situación
situationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobe
mencionar
mentionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitly
acordado
agreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsof
visitas
visitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifwe
llevábamos
woreprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferreda
lavado
washingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,
Capitán
CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.
Iwas
sorprendió
surprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityata
visita
visitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposalto
visitar
visittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstill
Capitán
CaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeina
voz
voicetoolargefortheroom,and
bromeó
jokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeen
ciego
blindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingood
fe
faith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,his
excelente
excellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaythe
corto
shortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderful
leche
milkorwonderfulintelligenceofthis
animal
animal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabare
piel
skin.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutely
lloró
criedwithsorrowanddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumber
cuyos
whoseadvicesheasked;
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadby
Capitán
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedthe
Capitán
Captainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladin
oscuro
darkgreyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecows
visto
dressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Capitán
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirst
visita
visitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elastic
figura
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringing
paso
step,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.
Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewas
redondo
roundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainst
Capitán
CaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoa
cien
hundred.
Hereyeswerelargeblue
preguntándose
wonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
her
nariz
nosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
she
llevaba
woreherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknow
si
whethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslight
diferencia
differenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
Twopoundswasa
gran
largesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranford
Iglesia
Church.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysome
simple
simplealterationintheflue.
In
iglesia
church,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyes
durante
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeble
voz
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.
Oncomingoutof
iglesia
church,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedand
sonrió
smiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswith
ninguno
noneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.
I
pregunto
wonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwith
Capitán
CaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthat
Capitán
CaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,I
pregunté
wonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.
Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthe
tercera
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.
Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneach
mesa
table.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
inmediatamente
immediatelytoanothertable;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasI
pasé
passedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthe
medio
middleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,
Capitán
CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,the
Capitán
Captainwasafavouritewithalltheladies
presentes
present.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessie
sonrió
smiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
He
inmediatamente
immediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
vacías
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.
Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgravean
interés
interestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadan
ojo
eyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewere
ninguno
noneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbya
terrible
terriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweall
acordamos
agreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeatthe
información
information,andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethe
sabor
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothe
canción
song.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsand
vino
wine,punctuallyataquarterto
nueve
nine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-by
Capitán
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Capitán
CaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswasevidentlytoomuchfor
Capitán
CaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshad
terminado
finishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”he
comenzó
began.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,
Capitán
CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyoua
escena
sceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnot
atreví
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.