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LA DAMA DE NEGRO - Parte 1/2.
Presentamos la primera parte de un cuento corto de la escritora norteamericana Eleanor H. Porter. Para tu comodidad, intercalamos un vocabulario bilingüe a lo largo del audio-texto.
Descarga el audio a tu reproductor
portátil o computadora y podrás practicar inglés mientras
viajas o cuando regresas a casa.
Pulsa la palabra "AUDIO" para escuchar. Para descargar acerca la flecha del ratón a "AUDIO" y con
botón derecho selecciona la opción "Guardar Archivo (o Destino) Como" y guarda el archivo en tu computadora. |
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THE LADY IN BLACK - Part 1/2 |
AUDIO |
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Our story today is
called "The Lady in Black." It was written by Eleanor H. Porter. Here
is Faith Lapidus with the story.
The house was very still. In the little room over the porch, the Lady
in Black sat alone. Near her, a child's white dress lay across a chair.
On the floor at her feet lay a tiny pair of shoes. A doll hung over a
chair and a toy soldier occupied the little stand by the bed. |
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still: tranquila; porch: porche, zaguán; lay across: se extendía sobre; tiny: pequeño; hung over: colgaba de; toy soldier: soldado de juguete; by: al lado de; |
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And everywhere was
silence – the strange silence that comes only to a room where the clock
has stopped ticking. |
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strange: raro; has stopped ticking: ha detenido su tic-tac; |
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The clock stood on
the shelf near the end of the bed. The Lady in Black looked at it. She
remembered the wave of anger that had come over her when she had reached
out her hand and silenced the clock that night three months before. |
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shelf: estante; wave of anger: arranque de ira; had come over her: que le había atacado; reached out: extendido; silenced: silenciado, detenido su marcha; |
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It had been silent
ever since and it should remain silent, too. Of what possible use were
the hours it would tick away now? As if anything mattered, with little
Kathleen lying out there white and still under the black earth!
"Muvver!"
The Lady in Black
moved restlessly and looked toward the closed door. Behind it, she
knew, was a little boy with wide blue eyes who wanted her. But she
wished he would not call her by that name. It only reminded her of
those other little lips – silent now.
"Muvver!" The
voice was more demanding. |
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ever since: desde entonces; remain: permanecer; of what possible use were: qué utilidad tendrían; tick away: marcar (las horas); as if anything mattered: como si nada tuviese importancia; lying out there: yaciendo afuera; still: sin movimiento; restlessly: nerviosamente; toward: en dirección a, hacia; who wanted her: que la buscaban; only reminded her: sólo le recordaba; demanding: exigente; |
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The Lady in Black
did not answer. He might go away, she thought, if she did not answer.
There was a short
silence, and then the door opened slowly.
"Pe-eek!" It was a
cry of joyful discovery, but it was followed almost immediately by
silence. The unsmiling woman did not invite him to come near. The boy
was unsteady at his first step. He paused, then spoke carefully,
"I's – here." |
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might go away: podría irse; thought: pensó; slowly: lentamente; joyful discovery: alegre descubrimiento; almost: casi; unsmiling: seria; unsteady: indeciso, vacilante; paused: se detuvo; |
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It was maybe the
worst thing he could have said. To the Lady in Black it was a yet more
painful reminder of that other one who was not there. She gave a sharp
cry and covered her face with her hands.
"Bobby, Bobby" she
cried out, in a release of unreasoning sadness. "Go away! Go away! I
want to be alone – alone!"
All the brightness
fled from the boy's face. His eyes showed a feeling of deep hurt. He
waited, but she did not move. Then, with a half-quieted cry, he left
the room. |
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worst: peor; a yet more painful reminder: un recordatorio aún más doloroso; gave a sharp cry: dió un agudo sollozo; release: liberación; unreasoning sadness: irracional melancolía; fled: desapareció; deep hurt: profundo dolor; half-quieted: apenas calmado; |
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Long minutes
afterward, the Lady in Black raised her head and saw him through the
window. He was in the yard with his father, playing under the apple
tree.
Playing!
The Lady in Black
looked at them with serious eyes, and her mouth hardened at the corners.
Bobby had someone
to play with him, someone to love him and care for him, while out there
on the hillside Kathleen was alone – all alone. |
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afterward (also afterwards): más tarde; raised: levantó; yard: patio; apple tree: manzano; hardened: se endureció; at the corners: en las comisuras; while out there: mientras allá; on the hillside: en la ladera; all alone: totalmente sola; |
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With a little cry
the Lady in Black sprang to her feet and hurried into her own room. Her
hands shook as she pinned on her hat and covered herself with her black
veil. But her step was firm as she walked downstairs and out through
the hall.
The man under the
apple tree rose hurriedly and came forward.
"Helen,
dearest – not again, today!" he begged. "Darling, it can't do any
good!" |
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sprang to her feet: se puso de pie de un salto; shook: temblaban; as she pinned on her hat: mientras se colocaba su sombrero; black veil: velo negro; her step: su paso, su caminar; rose hurriedly: se incorporó rápidamente; came forward: se adelantó; he begged: le imploró; it can't do any good: no mejorará nada; |
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"But she's alone – all
alone. You don't seem to think! No one thinks – no one knows how I feel.
You don't understand. If you did, you'd come with me. You wouldn't
ask me to stay – here!" choked the woman. |
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how I feel: como me siento; if you did: si lo comprendieras; you'd come with me: vendrías conmigo; you wouldn't ask me: no me pedirías; choked: se atragantó; |
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"I have been with
you, dear," said the man gently. "I've been with you today, and every
day, almost, since – since she left us. But it can't do any good – this
continuous mourning over her grave. It only makes more sadness for you,
for me, and for Bobby. Bobby is – here, you know, dear!" |
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gently: cortésmente; since she left us: desde que ella nos dejó; mourning: luto; over her grave: sobre su tumba; more sadness: más tristeza; |
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"No, no, don't say
it," cried the woman wildly. "You don't understand! You don't
understand!" And she turned and hurried away, followed by the worried
eyes of the man, and the sad eyes of the boy. |
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wildly: violentamente; hurried away: salió corriendo; worried eyes: mirada preocupada; sad eyes: mirada triste; |
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Este cuento corto se completará en el próximo boletín. |
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