Dubliners | Progressive Spanish A2 Translation Books

Dubliners | 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.

THESISTERS
Therewasnohopeforhimthistime:
itwasthe
tercer
third
stroke.
NightafternightIhad
pasado
passed
thehouse(itwasvacationtime)and
estudió
studied
thelightedsquareof
ventana
window
:
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthesameway,faintlyandevenly.
Ifhewasdead,Ithought,Iwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkened
ciego
blind
forIknewthattwocandlesmustbesetattheheadofacorpse.
Hehadoftensaidtome:
“Iamnotlongforthisworld,”andIhadthoughthiswordsidle.
NowIknewtheyweretrue.
EverynightasIgazedupatthe
ventana
window
Isaidsoftlytomyselfthewordparalysis.
Ithadalwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,likethewordgnomonintheEuclidandthewordsimonyintheCatechism.
Butnowitsoundedtomelikethenameofsomemaleficentandsinfulbeing.
Itfilledmewith
miedo
fear
,andyetIlongedtobenearertoitandtolookuponitsdeadlywork.
OldCotterwassittingatthefire,
fumando
smoking
,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.
Whilemy
tía
aunt
wasladlingoutmystirabouthesaid,asifreturningtosomeformerremarkofhis:.
“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewasexactly...
buttherewassomethingqueer...
therewassomethinguncannyabouthim.
I’lltellyoumyopinion....”
He
comenzó
began
topuffathispipe,no
duda
doubt
arranginghisopinioninhismind.
Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhimfirstheusedtobe
bastante
rather
interesting,talkingoffaintsandworms;
butIsoongrewtiredofhimandhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.
“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”hesaid.
“Ithinkitwasoneofthose...
peculiarcases....
Butit’shardtosay....”
He
comenzó
began
topuffagainathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.
Myunclesawmestaringandsaidtome:.
“Well,soyouroldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”
“Who?”
saidI.
“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehasjusttoldus.
Hewas
pasando
passing
bythehouse.”
IknewthatIwasunderobservationsoI
continué
continued
eatingasifthenewshadnot
interesado
interested
me.
MyuncleexplainedtooldCotter.
“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
Theoldchap
enseñó
taught
himagreatdeal,mindyou;
andtheysayhehadagreatwishforhim.”
“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”saidmy
tía
aunt
piously.
OldCotterlookedatmeforawhile.
IfeltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmebutIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.
Hereturnedtohispipeand
finalmente
finally
spatrudelyintothegrate.
“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetoomuchtosaytoamanlikethat.”
“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
askedmy
tía
aunt
.
“WhatImeanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’sbadforchildren.
Myideais:
letayoungladrunaboutandplaywithyoungladsofhisownageandnotbe....
AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”saidmyuncle.
“Lethim
aprenda
learn
toboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’malwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:
takeexercise.
Why,whenIwasanippereverymorningofmylifeIhadacoldbath,winterand
verano
summer
.
Andthat’swhatstandstomenow.
Educationisallveryfineand
grande
large...
.
MrCottermighttakeapickofthat
pierna
leg
mutton,”headdedtomy
tía
aunt
.
“No,no,notforme,”saidoldCotter.
My
tía
aunt
broughtthedishfromthesafeandputitonthe
mesa
table
.
“Butwhydoyouthinkit’snotgoodforchildren,MrCotter?”
sheasked.
“It’sbadforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,youknow,ithasaneffect....”
Icrammedmy
boca
mouth
withstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresomeoldred-nosedimbecile!
ItwaslatewhenIfell
dormido
asleep
.
ThoughIwasangrywitholdCotterforalludingtomeasachild,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.
Inthe
oscuridad
dark
ofmyroomI
imaginé
imagined
thatIsawagainthe
pesado
heavy
greyfaceoftheparalytic.
Idrewtheblanketsovermyheadandtriedtothinkof
Navidad
Christmas
.
Butthegreyfacestillfollowedme.
Itmurmured;
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfesssomething.
Ifeltmy
alma
soul
recedingintosomepleasantandviciousregion;
andthereagainIfounditwaitingforme.
It
comenzó
began
toconfesstomeinamurmuring
voz
voice
andIwonderedwhyit
sonreía
smiled
continuallyandwhythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.
ButthenIrememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisandIfeltthatItoowas
sonriendo
smiling
feeblyasiftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.
Thenextmorningafter
desayuno
breakfast
IwentdowntolookatthelittlehouseinGreatBritainStreet.
Itwasanunassuming
tienda
shop
,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesandumbrellas;
andonordinarydaysa
aviso
notice
usedtohanginthe
ventana
window
,saying:
UmbrellasRe-covered.
No
aviso
notice
wasvisiblenowfortheshutterswereup.
Acrapebouquetwastiedtothedoor-knockerwithribbon.
Twopoorwomenandatelegramboywerereadingthe
tarjeta
card
pinnedonthecrape.
Ialsoapproachedandread:.
July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’s
Iglesia
Church
,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.
Thereadingofthe
tarjeta
card
persuadedmethathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.
HadhenotbeendeadIwouldhavegoneintothelittledarkroombehindthe
tienda
shop
tofindhimsittinginhisarm-chairbythefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.
Perhapsmy
tía
aunt
wouldhavegivenmeapacketofHighToastforhimandthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.
ItwasalwaysIwho
vaciaba
emptied
thepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoomuchto
permitirle
allow
himtodothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthe
suelo
floor
.
Evenasheraisedhis
gran
large
tremblinghandtohis
nariz
nose
littlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersoverthefrontofhiscoat.
Itmayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheir
verde
green
fadedlookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitalwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofaweek,withwhichhetriedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasquiteinefficacious.
IwishedtogoinandlookathimbutIhadnotthecourageto
llamar
knock
.
Iwalkedawayslowlyalongthesunnysideofthestreet,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIwent.
Ifoundit
extraño
strange
thatneitherInorthedayseemedinamourningmoodandIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomasifIhadbeenfreedfromsomethingbyhisdeath.
I
preguntaba
wondered
atthisfor,asmyunclehadsaidthenightbefore,hehad
enseñado
taught
meagreatdeal.
Hehad
estudiado
studied
intheIrishcollegeinRomeandhehad
enseñado
taught
metopronounceLatinproperly.
HehadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehad
explicado
explained
tomethemeaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassandofthedifferentvestments
llevaba
worn
bythepriest.
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatoneshoulddoincertaincircumstancesor
si
whether
suchandsuchsinsweremortalorvenialoronlyimperfections.
Hisquestionsshowedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsofthe
Iglesia
Church
whichIhadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.
ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharistandtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessional
parecían
seemed
sogravetomethatI
preguntaba
wondered
howanybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;
andIwasnot
sorprendió
surprised
whenhetoldmethatthefathersofthe
Iglesia
Church
hadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryandascloselyprintedasthelawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingalltheseintricatequestions.
OftenwhenIthoughtofthisIcouldmakenoansweroronlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedto
sonreír
smile
andnodhisheadtwiceorthrice.
SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademe
aprender
learn
byheart;
and,asIpattered,heusedto
sonreír
smile
pensivelyandnodhishead,nowandthen
empujando
pushing
hugepinchesofsnuffupeachnostrilalternately.
Whenhe
sonreía
smiled
heusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteethandlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhadmademefeeluneasyinthe
comienzo
beginning
ofouracquaintancebeforeIknewhimwell.
AsIwalkedalonginthe
sol
sun
IrememberedoldCotter’swordsandtriedtorememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinthedream.
IrememberedthatIhad
notado
noticed
longvelvetcurtainsandaswinginglampofantiquefashion.
IfeltthatIhadbeenveryfaraway,insome
tierra
land
wherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ithought....
ButIcouldnotremembertheendofthedream.
Intheeveningmy
tía
aunt
tookmewithherto
visitar
visit
thehouseofmourning.
Itwasaftersunset;
butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothe
oeste
west
reflectedthetawnygoldofagreat
banco
bank
ofclouds.
Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytohaveshoutedather,my
tía
aunt
shookhandswithherforall.
Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogativelyand,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedheadbeingscarcelyabovethe
nivel
level
ofthebanister-rail.
Atthefirstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedus
adelante
forward
encouraginglytowardstheopendoorofthedead-room.
My
tía
aunt
wentinandtheoldwoman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,
comenzó
began
tobeckontomeagainrepeatedlywithherhand.
Iwentinontiptoe.
Theroomthroughthelaceendofthe
persiana
blind
wassuffusedwithduskygoldenlightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.
Hehadbeencoffined.
Nanniegavetheleadandwethreekneltdownatthe
pie
foot
ofthebed.
Ipretendedto
orar
pray
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsbecausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.
I
noté
noticed
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthebackandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltooneside.
Thefancycametomethattheoldpriestwas
sonriendo
smiling
ashelaythereinhiscoffin.
Butno.WhenweroseandwentuptotheheadofthebedIsawthathewasnot
sonriendo
smiling
.
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforthealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingachalice.
Hisfacewasverytruculent,greyandmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsandcircledbyascantywhitefur.
Therewasa
fuerte
heavy
odourintheroom—theflowers.
Weblessedourselvesandcameaway.
InthelittleroomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairin
estado
state
.
IgropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecornerwhileNanniewenttothesideboardandbroughtoutadecanterofsherryandsomewine-glasses.
Shesettheseonthe
mesa
table
andinvitedustotakealittle
vaso
glass
ofwine.
Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglassesand
pasó
passed
themtous.
ShepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalsobutIdeclinedbecauseIthoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.
She
parecía
seemed
tobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusalandwentoverquietlytothesofawhereshesatdownbehindhersister.
Noonespoke:
weallgazedatthe
vacía
empty
fireplace.
MyauntwaiteduntilElizasighedandthensaid:.
“Ah,well,he’sgonetoabetterworld.”
Elizasighedagainandbowedherheadinassent.
My
tía
aunt
fingeredthestemofherwine-glassbeforesippingalittle.
“Didhe...
peacefully?”
sheasked.
“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”saidEliza.
“Youcouldn’ttellwhenthebreathwentoutofhim.
Hehadabeautifuldeath,Godbepraised.”
“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’RourkewasinwithhimaTuesdayandanointedhimandpreparedhimandall.”
“Heknewthen?”
“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooksquiteresigned,”saidmy
tía
aunt
.
“That’swhatthewomanwehadintowashhimsaid.
Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewas
dormido
asleep
,helookedthatpeacefulandresigned.
Noonewouldthinkhe’dmakesuchabeautifulcorpse.”
“Yes,indeed,”saidmy
tía
aunt
.
Shesippedalittlemorefromher
vaso
glass
andsaid:.
“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateitmustbeagreatcomfortforyoutoknowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.
Youwerebothverykindtohim,Imustsay.”
Elizasmoothedher
vestido
dress
overherknees.
“Ah,poorJames!”
shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tseehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”
Nanniehadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowand
parecía
seemed
abouttofallasleep.
“There’spoorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.
Alltheworkwehad,sheandme,gettinginthewomantowashhimandthenlayinghimoutandthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tknowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.
Itwashimbroughtusallthemflowersandthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapelandwroteoutthe
aviso
notice
fortheFreeman’sGeneralandtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeteryandpoorJames’sinsurance.”
“Wasn’tthatgoodofhim?”
saidmy
tía
aunt
.
Elizaclosedhereyesandshookherheadslowly.
“Ah,there’snofriendsliketheoldfriends,”shesaid,“whenallissaidanddone,nofriendsthatabodycantrust.”
“Indeed,that’strue,”saidmy
tía
aunt
.
“AndI’msurenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tforgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”
“Ah,poorJames!”
saidEliza.
“Hewasnogreattroubletous.
Youwouldn’thearhiminthehouseanymorethannow.
Still,Iknowhe’sgoneandalltothat....”
“It’swhenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”saidmy
tía
aunt
.
“Iknowthat,”saidEliza.
“Iwon’tbebringinghiminhis
taza
cup
ofbeef-teaanymore,
ni
nor
you,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.
Ah,poorJames!”
Shestopped,asifshewerecommuningwiththepastandthensaidshrewdly:.
“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewassomethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.
WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohimthereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryfallentothe
suelo
floor
,lyingbackinthechairandhis
boca
mouth
open.”
Shelaidafingeragainsther
nariz
nose
andfrowned:
thenshe
continuó
continued:
.
“Butstillandallhekeptonsayingthatbeforethe
verano
summer
wasoverhe’dgooutforadriveonefinedayjusttoseetheoldhouseagainwherewewereall
nacimos
born
downinIrishtownandtakemeandNanniewithhim.
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedaycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaythereanddriveoutthethreeofustogetherofaSundayevening.
Hehadhismindsetonthat....
PoorJames!”
“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
saidmy
tía
aunt
.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithit.
Thensheputitbackagaininherpocketandgazedintothe
vacía
empty
grateforsometimewithoutspeaking.