| Español | English |
| Esto no podÃa ser cierto, porque hasta esos momentos lo habÃa entendido perfectamente; por lo menos respondÃa a mis preguntas exactamente como si las entendiera. | This could not be true, because up to then he had understood it perfectly; at least, he answered my questions exactly as if he did. |
| Él y su mujer, la anciana que me habÃa recibido, se miraron con temor. Él murmuró que el dinero le habÃa sido enviado en una carta, y que era todo lo que sabÃa. Cuando le pregunté si conocÃa al Conde Drácula y si podÃa decirme algo de su castillo, tanto él como su mujer se persignaron, y diciendo que no sabÃan nada de nada, se negaron simplemente a decir nada más. Era ya tan cerca a la hora de la partida que no tuve tiempo de preguntarle a nadie más, pero todo me parecÃa muy misterioso y de ninguna manera tranquilizante. | He and his wife, the old lady who had received me, looked at each other in a frightened sort of way. He mumbled out that the money had been sent in a letter, and that was all he knew. When I asked him if he knew Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle, both he and his wife crossed themselves, and, saying that they knew nothing at all, simply refused to speak further. It was so near the time of starting that I had no time to ask anyone else, for it was all very mysterious and not by any means comforting. |
| Unos instantes antes de que saliera, la anciana subió hasta mi cuarto y dijo, con voz nerviosa: | Just before I was leaving, the old lady came up to my room and said in a hysterical way: |
| -¿Tiene que ir? ¡Oh! Joven señor, ¿tiene que ir? | "Must you go? Oh! Young Herr, must you go?" |
| Estaba en tal estado de excitación que pareció haber perdido la noción del poco alemán que sabÃa, y lo mezcló todo con otro idioma del cual yo no entendà ni una palabra. Apenas comprendà algo haciéndole numerosas preguntas. Cuando le dije que me tenÃa que ir inmediatamente, y que estaba comprometido en negocios importantes, preguntó otra vez: | She was in such an excited state that she seemed to have lost her grip of what German she knew, and mixed it all up with some other language which I did not know at all. I was just able to follow her by asking many questions. When I told her that I must go at once, and that I was engaged on important business, she asked again: |
| -¿Sabe usted qué dÃa es hoy? | "Do you know what day it is?" |
| Le respondà que era el cuatro de mayo. Ella movió la cabeza y habló otra vez: | I answered that it was the fourth of May. She shook her head as she said again: |
| -¡Oh, sÃ! Eso ya lo sé. Eso ya lo sé, pero, ¿sabe usted qué dÃa es hoy? | "Oh, yes! I know that! I know that, but do you know what day it is?" |
| Al responderle yo que no le entendÃa, ella continuó: | On my saying that I did not understand, she went on: |
| -Es la vÃspera del dÃa de San Jorge. ¿No sabe usted que hoy por la noche, cuando el reloj marque la medianoche, todas las cosas demonÃacas del mundo tendrán pleno poder? ¿Sabe usted adónde va y a lo que va? | "It is the eve of St. George's Day. Do you not know that to-night, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway? Do you know where you are going, and what you are going to?" |
| Estaba en tal grado de desesperación que yo traté de calmarla, pero sin efecto. Finalmente, cayó de rodillas y me imploró que no fuera; que por lo menos esperara uno o dos dÃas antes de partir. | She was in such evident distress that I tried to comfort her, but without effect. Finally, she went down on her knees and implored me not to go; at least to wait a day or two before starting. |
| Todo aquello era bastante ridÃculo, pero yo no me sentà tranquilo. Sin embargo, tenÃa un negocio que arreglar y no podÃa permitir que nada se interpusiera. | It was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable. However, there was business to be done, and I could allow nothing to interfere with it. |
| Por lo tanto traté de levantarla, y le dije, tan seriamente como pude, que le agradecÃa, pero que mi deber era imperativo y yo tenÃa que partir. | I tried to raise her up, and said, as gravely as I could, that I thanked her, but my duty was imperative, and that I must go. |
| Entonces ella se levantó y secó sus ojos, y tomando un crucifijo de su cuello me lo ofreció. | She then rose and dried her eyes, and taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to me. |
| Yo no sabÃa qué hacer, pues como fiel de la Iglesia Anglicana, me he acostumbrado a ver semejantes cosas como sÃmbolos de idolatrÃa, y sin embargo, me pareció descortés rechazárselo a una anciana con tan buenos propósitos y en tal estado mental. | I did not know what to do, for, as an English Churchman, I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous, and yet it seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind. |
| Supongo que ella pudo leer la duda en mi rostro, pues me puso el rosario alrededor del cuello, y dijo: "Por amor a su madre", y luego salió del cuarto. | She saw, I suppose, the doubt in my face, for she put the rosary round my neck and said, "For your mother's sake," and went out of the room. |
| Estoy escribiendo esta parte de mi diario mientras, espero el coche, que por supuesto, está retrasado; y el crucifijo todavÃa cuelga alrededor de mi cuello. | I am writing up this part of the diary whilst I am waiting for the coach, which is, of course, late; and the crucifix is still round my neck. |
| No sé si es el miedo de la anciana o las múltiples tradiciones fantasmales de este lugar, o el mismo crucifijo, pero lo cierto es que no me siento tan tranquilo como de costumbre. | Whether it is the old lady's fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the crucifix itself, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual. |
| Si este libro llega alguna vez a manos de Mina antes que yo, que le lleve mi adiós ¡Aquà viene mi coche! | If this book should ever reach Mina before I do, let it bring my good-bye. Here comes the coach! |
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