×

Select Store

Dowload from Google Play Dowload from the App Store

Scan with Camera

Dowload via QR Code
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
thirdstroke.
NightafternightIhad
pasado
passedthehouse(itwasvacationtime)and
estudió
studiedthelightedsquareof
ventana
window:
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthesameway,faintlyandevenly.
Ifhewasdead,Ithought,Iwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkened
ciego
blindforIknewthattwocandlesmustbesetattheheadofacorpse.
Hehadoftensaidtome:
“Iamnotlongforthisworld,”andIhadthoughthiswordsidle.
NowIknewtheyweretrue.
EverynightasIgazedupatthe
ventana
windowIsaidsoftlytomyselfthewordparalysis.
Ithadalwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,likethewordgnomonintheEuclidandthewordsimonyintheCatechism.
Butnowitsoundedtomelikethenameofsomemaleficentandsinfulbeing.
Itfilledmewith
miedo
fear,andyetIlongedtobenearertoitandtolookuponitsdeadlywork.
OldCotterwassittingatthefire,
fumando
smoking,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.
Whilemy
tía
auntwasladlingoutmystirabouthesaid,asifreturningtosomeformerremarkofhis:.
“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewasexactly...
buttherewassomethingqueer...
therewassomethinguncannyabouthim.
I’lltellyoumyopinion....”
He
comenzó
begantopuffathispipe,no
duda
doubtarranginghisopinioninhismind.
Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhimfirstheusedtobe
bastante
ratherinteresting,talkingoffaintsandworms;
butIsoongrewtiredofhimandhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.
“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”hesaid.
“Ithinkitwasoneofthose...
peculiarcases....
Butit’shardtosay....”
He
comenzó
begantopuffagainathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.
Myunclesawmestaringandsaidtome:.
“Well,soyouroldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”
“Who?”
saidI.
“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehasjusttoldus.
Hewas
pasando
passingbythehouse.”
IknewthatIwasunderobservationsoI
continué
continuedeatingasifthenewshadnot
interesado
interestedme.
MyuncleexplainedtooldCotter.
“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
Theoldchap
enseñó
taughthimagreatdeal,mindyou;
andtheysayhehadagreatwishforhim.”
“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”saidmy
tía
auntpiously.
OldCotterlookedatmeforawhile.
IfeltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmebutIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.
Hereturnedtohispipeand
finalmente
finallyspatrudelyintothegrate.
“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetoomuchtosaytoamanlikethat.”
“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
askedmy
tía
aunt.
“WhatImeanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’sbadforchildren.
Myideais:
letayoungladrunaboutandplaywithyoungladsofhisownageandnotbe....
AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”saidmyuncle.
“Lethim
aprenda
learntoboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’malwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:
takeexercise.
Why,whenIwasanippereverymorningofmylifeIhadacoldbath,winterand
verano
summer.
Andthat’swhatstandstomenow.
Educationisallveryfineand
grande
large....
MrCottermighttakeapickofthat
pierna
legmutton,”headdedtomy
tía
aunt.
“No,no,notforme,”saidoldCotter.
My
tía
auntbroughtthedishfromthesafeandputitonthe
mesa
table.
“Butwhydoyouthinkit’snotgoodforchildren,MrCotter?”
sheasked.
“It’sbadforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,youknow,ithasaneffect....”
Icrammedmy
boca
mouthwithstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresomeoldred-nosedimbecile!
ItwaslatewhenIfell
dormido
asleep.
ThoughIwasangrywitholdCotterforalludingtomeasachild,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.
Inthe
oscuridad
darkofmyroomI
imaginé
imaginedthatIsawagainthe
pesado
heavygreyfaceoftheparalytic.
Idrewtheblanketsovermyheadandtriedtothinkof
Navidad
Christmas.
Butthegreyfacestillfollowedme.
Itmurmured;
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfesssomething.
Ifeltmy
alma
soulrecedingintosomepleasantandviciousregion;
andthereagainIfounditwaitingforme.
It
comenzó
begantoconfesstomeinamurmuring
voz
voiceandIwonderedwhyit
sonreía
smiledcontinuallyandwhythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.
ButthenIrememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisandIfeltthatItoowas
sonriendo
smilingfeeblyasiftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.
Thenextmorningafter
desayuno
breakfastIwentdowntolookatthelittlehouseinGreatBritainStreet.
Itwasanunassuming
tienda
shop,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesandumbrellas;
andonordinarydaysa
aviso
noticeusedtohanginthe
ventana
window,saying:
UmbrellasRe-covered.
No
aviso
noticewasvisiblenowfortheshutterswereup.
Acrapebouquetwastiedtothedoor-knockerwithribbon.
Twopoorwomenandatelegramboywerereadingthe
tarjeta
cardpinnedonthecrape.
Ialsoapproachedandread:.
July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’s
Iglesia
Church,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.
Thereadingofthe
tarjeta
cardpersuadedmethathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.
HadhenotbeendeadIwouldhavegoneintothelittledarkroombehindthe
tienda
shoptofindhimsittinginhisarm-chairbythefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.
Perhapsmy
tía
auntwouldhavegivenmeapacketofHighToastforhimandthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.
ItwasalwaysIwho
vaciaba
emptiedthepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoomuchto
permitirle
allowhimtodothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthe
suelo
floor.
Evenasheraisedhis
gran
largetremblinghandtohis
nariz
noselittlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersoverthefrontofhiscoat.
Itmayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheir
verde
greenfadedlookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitalwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofaweek,withwhichhetriedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasquiteinefficacious.
IwishedtogoinandlookathimbutIhadnotthecourageto
llamar
knock.
Iwalkedawayslowlyalongthesunnysideofthestreet,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIwent.
Ifoundit
extraño
strangethatneitherInorthedayseemedinamourningmoodandIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomasifIhadbeenfreedfromsomethingbyhisdeath.
I
preguntaba
wonderedatthisfor,asmyunclehadsaidthenightbefore,hehad
enseñado
taughtmeagreatdeal.
Hehad
estudiado
studiedintheIrishcollegeinRomeandhehad
enseñado
taughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.
HehadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehad
explicado
explainedtomethemeaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassandofthedifferentvestments
llevaba
wornbythepriest.
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatoneshoulddoincertaincircumstancesor
si
whethersuchandsuchsinsweremortalorvenialoronlyimperfections.
Hisquestionsshowedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsofthe
Iglesia
ChurchwhichIhadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.
ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharistandtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessional
parecían
seemedsogravetomethatI
preguntaba
wonderedhowanybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;
andIwasnot
sorprendió
surprisedwhenhetoldmethatthefathersofthe
Iglesia
ChurchhadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryandascloselyprintedasthelawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingalltheseintricatequestions.
OftenwhenIthoughtofthisIcouldmakenoansweroronlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedto
sonreír
smileandnodhisheadtwiceorthrice.
SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademe
aprender
learnbyheart;
and,asIpattered,heusedto
sonreír
smilepensivelyandnodhishead,nowandthen
empujando
pushinghugepinchesofsnuffupeachnostrilalternately.
Whenhe
sonreía
smiledheusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteethandlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhadmademefeeluneasyinthe
comienzo
beginningofouracquaintancebeforeIknewhimwell.
AsIwalkedalonginthe
sol
sunIrememberedoldCotter’swordsandtriedtorememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinthedream.
IrememberedthatIhad
notado
noticedlongvelvetcurtainsandaswinginglampofantiquefashion.
IfeltthatIhadbeenveryfaraway,insome
tierra
landwherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ithought....
ButIcouldnotremembertheendofthedream.
Intheeveningmy
tía
aunttookmewithherto
visitar
visitthehouseofmourning.
Itwasaftersunset;
butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothe
oeste
westreflectedthetawnygoldofagreat
banco
bankofclouds.
Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytohaveshoutedather,my
tía
auntshookhandswithherforall.
Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogativelyand,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedheadbeingscarcelyabovethe
nivel
levelofthebanister-rail.
Atthefirstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedus
adelante
forwardencouraginglytowardstheopendoorofthedead-room.
My
tía
auntwentinandtheoldwoman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,
comenzó
begantobeckontomeagainrepeatedlywithherhand.
Iwentinontiptoe.
Theroomthroughthelaceendofthe
persiana
blindwassuffusedwithduskygoldenlightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.
Hehadbeencoffined.
Nanniegavetheleadandwethreekneltdownatthe
pie
footofthebed.
Ipretendedto
orar
praybutIcouldnotgathermythoughtsbecausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.
I
noté
noticedhowclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthebackandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltooneside.
Thefancycametomethattheoldpriestwas
sonriendo
smilingashelaythereinhiscoffin.
Butno.WhenweroseandwentuptotheheadofthebedIsawthathewasnot
sonriendo
smiling.
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforthealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingachalice.
Hisfacewasverytruculent,greyandmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsandcircledbyascantywhitefur.
Therewasa
fuerte
heavyodourintheroom—theflowers.
Weblessedourselvesandcameaway.
InthelittleroomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairin
estado
state.
IgropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecornerwhileNanniewenttothesideboardandbroughtoutadecanterofsherryandsomewine-glasses.
Shesettheseonthe
mesa
tableandinvitedustotakealittle
vaso
glassofwine.
Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglassesand
pasó
passedthemtous.
ShepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalsobutIdeclinedbecauseIthoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.
She
parecía
seemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusalandwentoverquietlytothesofawhereshesatdownbehindhersister.
Noonespoke:
weallgazedatthe
vacía
emptyfireplace.
MyauntwaiteduntilElizasighedandthensaid:.
“Ah,well,he’sgonetoabetterworld.”
Elizasighedagainandbowedherheadinassent.
My
tía
auntfingeredthestemofherwine-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
glassandsaid:.
“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateitmustbeagreatcomfortforyoutoknowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.
Youwerebothverykindtohim,Imustsay.”
Elizasmoothedher
vestido
dressoverherknees.
“Ah,poorJames!”
shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tseehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”
Nanniehadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowand
parecía
seemedabouttofallasleep.
“There’spoorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.
Alltheworkwehad,sheandme,gettinginthewomantowashhimandthenlayinghimoutandthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tknowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.
Itwashimbroughtusallthemflowersandthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapelandwroteoutthe
aviso
noticefortheFreeman’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
cupofbeef-teaanymore,
ni
noryou,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.
Ah,poorJames!”
Shestopped,asifshewerecommuningwiththepastandthensaidshrewdly:.
“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewassomethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.
WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohimthereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryfallentothe
suelo
floor,lyingbackinthechairandhis
boca
mouthopen.”
Shelaidafingeragainsther
nariz
noseandfrowned:
thenshe
continuó
continued:.
“Butstillandallhekeptonsayingthatbeforethe
verano
summerwasoverhe’dgooutforadriveonefinedayjusttoseetheoldhouseagainwherewewereall
nacimos
borndowninIrishtownandtakemeandNanniewithhim.
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedaycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaythereanddriveoutthethreeofustogetherofaSundayevening.
Hehadhismindsetonthat....
PoorJames!”
“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
saidmy
tía
aunt.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithit.
Thensheputitbackagaininherpocketandgazedintothe
vacía
emptygrateforsometimewithoutspeaking.