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William Sydney Porter "O. Henry" |
O. Henry was
the pen-name of William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), one of
the most famous North American short-story
writers. His life was a tragic one because he was sentenced to
five years in prison accused of fraudulent appropriation of funds
at the bank where he worked as a cashier. In spite of this, life
gave him a profound knowledge of human character, especially of
inhabitants in big cities who are unfortunate in life. |
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As a
story-teller, O. Henry is remarkable for
his ingenuity in the use of ironical coincidences, for his skilful
plots and unexpected endings. |
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While
the Auto Waits
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Mientras
el Auto Espera
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Promptly
at the beginning of twilight, came again to that quiet corner of
that quiet, small park
the girl in gray. She
sat upon a bench and
read a book, for there was yet to come a half hour in which print
could be read. |
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A
principios de primavera la joven vestida de gris volvió, como de
costumbre, al quieto rincón del pequeño y silencioso parque.
Se sentó sobre un banco y comenzó a leer un libro, porque faltaba
media hora, para lo que ella sabía. |
To repeat: Her dress was
gray, and plain but perfect in style and fit. A large-meshed veil,
imprisoned her hat and a face that shone through it with a calm
and unconscious beauty. She had come there at the same hour on the
previous day, and on the day before that; and there was
one who
knew it. |
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Repitámoslo:
vestía de gris. Y tan sencillo que así lograba ocultar su
impecabilidad de estilo y corte. Un amplio velo semiocultaba su
sombrero en forma de turbante, y su rostro, que irradiaba una
serena y no buscada belleza. Había ido allí los dos días
anteriores. Y una persona no lo ignoraba. |
The young man who knew it was waiting near by. His impatience was
rewarded, for, in turning a page, her book slipped from her
fingers and bounded from the bench a full yard away. |
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El
joven que no lo ignoraba se acercaba allí ofreciendo mentales
sacrificios en el ara de la suerte. Y su piedad fue recompensada
porque, al volver la mujer una página, el libro se le deslizó de
las manos y cayó al suelo, a un paso de distancia del banco. |
The young man seized it with great audacity, returning it to its
owner with a look of gallantry and hope. In a pleasant voice, he
risked a simple remark upon the weather - that introductory
subject responsible for so much of the world's unhappiness - and
stood by for a moment, awaiting his fate. |
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El
hombre lo recogió con instantánea avidez y lo devolvió a su
propietaria con galantería y esperanza. Con placentera voz, aventuró un
comentario sobre el tiempo -ese manido tema que ha causado tantas
infelicidades en este mundo- y luego permaneció inmóvil un
momento, esperando su destino. |
The girl
looked him over leisurely; at his ordinary neat dress
and his features that showed no particular expression. |
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La
muchacha lo miró despaciosamente. En el vestido corriente de
aquel hombre y en sus facciones no se distinguía nada de
extraordinario. |
'You may sit down, if you like,'
she said, in a full, slow contralto. 'Really, I would like to have
you do so. The light is too bad for reading. I would prefer to
talk.' |
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'Puede
sentarse si gusta' dijo con lenta y llena voz de contralto. 'Por mi
parte no me molesta. Hace muy poca claridad para seguir leyendo y
preferiría un rato de charla.' |
He slid upon the seat by her side
with politeness. 'Do you know,' he said, speaking
the
formula with which park chairmen open their meetings, 'that you
are quite the most beautiful girl I have seen
in a long time? I
had my eye on you yesterday.
Didn't know somebody was
knocked down
by those pretty
lamps of yours, did you, honeysuckle?'
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El
vasallo de la suerte se sentó al lado de la mujer, muy
satisfecho. Y
habló en seguida, empleando la fórmula que los conquistadores
de parque eligen para sus parlamentos. '¿Sabe
que es usted la mujer más asombrosamente guapa que he conocido?
Me fijé en usted ayer. ¿No hay nadie, nena mía, que viva
deslumbrado por esos dos faros que tiene usted en la cara?' |
'Whoever you are,' said the girl in icy tones, 'you must remember
that I am a lady. I will excuse the remark you have just made
because the mistake was, doubtless, not an unnatural one - in your
circle, I asked. you to sit down; if the invitation must make me
your honeysuckle, consider it withdrawn.' |
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La muchacha habló con tono glacial: 'Quienquiera que sea usted, ha de empezar por saber que yo soy una
dama. Le excuso sus palabras porque, sin duda, son muy naturales
en su ambiente. Le autoricé a que, se sentara a mi lado, pero si
la, autorización va a constituirme en nena suya, considérela
retirada.' |
'I earnestly beg
your pardon,' pleaded the young man. 'It was my fault, you know, -
I mean, there are girls in parks, you know - that is, of course,
you don't know, but...' |
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El
joven se expresó suplicantemente. 'Le
pido perdón. A
su expresión satisfecha había sucedido otra de penitencia y
humildad. La
culpa ha sido mía' dijo. 'Ya sabe que hay muchachas en los
parques... Bueno, usted no lo sabe, pero... Porque yo...' |
'Abandon the
subject, if you please. Of course I know. Now, tell me about these
people passing and crowding, each way, along these paths. Where
are they going? Why do they hurry so? Are they happy?' |
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'Dejemos
eso. Desde luego, sé lo que pasa con las muchachas de los
parques. Pero prefiero que hablemos de otra cosa.
Por ejemplo, de la gente que va y viene por estos senderos.
¿Adónde se dirigen? ¿Por qué tienen tanta prisa? ¿Serán
felices?' |
The young man could not guess the role he would be expected to play. 'It is interesting
to watch them,' he replied. 'It's the wonderful drama of life.
Some are going to supper and some to - er - other places. One
wonders what their histories are.' |
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El
joven abandonó casi en el acto sus aires de donjuan plebeyo. No
sabía el papel que le indicaban que jugase y lo más prudente
era esperar. 'Desde luego, es interesante examinarlos' respondió, pesando
bien sus
palabras. 'Al fin y al cabo, representan, el maravilloso drama de
la vida. Algunos van a cenar y otros... a otros sitios. Pero no
conocemos sus respectivas historias...' |
'I do not,' said
the girl; 'I am not so curious. I come here to sit because here,
only, can I be near the great, common, beating heart of humanity.
My part in life is played where its beats are never felt. Can you
guess why I spoke to you, Mr... |
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'Yo
tampoco lo sé' dijo la muchacha 'y, por otra parte, no soy
demasiado inquisitiva. Si vengo aquí es para sentirme más cerca
del grande, vibrante y común corazón de la humanidad. Porque
vivo en un ambiente al que no llegan, los latidos de la gente.
¿Comprende por qué deseo hablarle, señor...?' |
'Parkenstacker,'
said the young man. Then he looked eager and hopeful. |
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'Parkenstacker' completó el joven.
Parecía, animoso y esperanzado. |
'No, said the
girl,
holding up a slender finger, and smiling slightly. 'You
would recognize it immediately. It is impossible to keep
one's
name out of print. Or even
one's portrait. This veil and this hat
of my maid's hide my identity. You should have seen the chauffeur
stare at it when he thought I did not see. Frankly, there are five
or six names that belong in
the holy of holies, and mine, by
accident of birth, is one of them. I spoke to you, Mr Stackenpot... |
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La joven alzó el dedo índice y esbozó una ligera sonrisa.
'No. Lo hubiera reconocido inmediatamente. Es imposible disfrazar
el nombre de uno. La misma cara lo dice. Este velo y este sombrero
son de una doncella mía y me proporcionan un relativo
incógnito. Sí, ¿verdad? Pues mi chofer, cuando piensa que no lo veo, me dirige unas miradas... Porque ocurre,
sinceramente hablando, que entre esos cuatro o cinco apellidos que
pueden considerarse incluidos en el santuario de los santuarios,
el mío es uno de ellos. Como le decía, señor Stackenpot...' |
'Parkenstacker,' corrected the
young man, modestly. |
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'Parkenstacker' corrigió, modesto, el joven. |
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GLOSSARY |
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PHRASAL VERBS & ADVERBIAL
PARTICLES
sat upon: sat on (se sentó sobre, se ubicó sobre)
looked him over: inspected him, scrutinised him
(lo observó con detenimiento)
knocked down: attracted (deslumbrado, encandilado)
holding up: raising, keeping up (levantando) |
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IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS &
GENERAL GLOSSARY
the girl in gray: this is the subject of came.
It is put at the end of the sentence to give
emphasis. This kind of inversion is rather too melodramatic
for modern tastes (la joven vestida de gris)
one: one person (una persona)
risked: the young man was not certain whether the
girl would be willing to answer him or whether she would be
offended at being spoken to by a stranger (arriesgó,
aventuró)
the formula with which park chairmen open their meetings:
this phrase shows the realism and sophistication of O.
Henry. Both words chairmen and meeting are
used in a punning (humorous play on words) sense. The title
of a person who presides formally at a public meeting (chairman)
is here transferred to the kind of man who sits down beside
unaccompanied girls and tries to get or scrape up an
acquaintance with them
(la fórmula que los conquistadores de
parque eligen para sus parlamentos)
in a long time: a colloquial, American usage. In
British English it would be for a long time (durante
mucho tiempo)
didn't know: (colloquial) you didn't know
(¿no sabías que...?)
lamps: slang for eyes. This, and the word
honeysuckle in the same line, are the kind of language
the young man believes suitable for a girl who would be
willing to let him make advances to her (faros, faroles)
one's name ... one's portrait: the use of one's
for my is intended by the girl to emphasise her high
position in life (el nombre de una ... el retrato
de una)
the holy of holies: the very small and select group
of people who are the leaders of society (lo mejor de lo
mejor, lo más selecto) |
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PAGE 2/3 of this short story |
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