http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3328/3328-h/3328-h.htm
Roebuck Ramsden is in his study, opening the morning letters. The study, handsomely and solidly furnished, proclaims the man of means. Not a speck of dust is visible: it is clear that there are at least two housemaids and a parlormaid downstairs, and a housekeeper upstairs who does not let them spare elbow-grease. Even the top of Roebuck's head is polished: on a sunshiny day he could heliograph his orders to distant camps by merely nodding. In no other respect, however, does he suggest the military man. It is in active civil life that men get his broad air of importance, his dignified expectation of deference, his determinate mouth disarmed and refined since the hour of his success by the withdrawal of opposition and the concession of comfort and precedence and power. He is more than a highly respectable man: he is marked out as a president of highly respectable men, a chairman among directors, an alderman among councillors, a mayor among aldermen. Four tufts of iron-grey hair, which will soon be as white as isinglass, and are in other respects not at all unlike it, grow in two symmetrical pairs above his ears and at the angles of his spreading jaws. He wears a black frock coat, a white waistcoat (it is bright spring weather), and trousers, neither black nor perceptibly blue, of one of those indefinitely mixed hues which the modern clothier has produced to harmonize with the religions of respectable men. He has not been out of doors yet to-day; so he still wears his slippers, his boots being ready for him on the hearthrug. Surmising that he has no valet, and seeing that he has no secretary with a shorthand notebook and a typewriter, one meditates on how little our great burgess domesticity has been disturbed by new fashions and methods, or by the enterprise of the railway and hotel companies which sell you a Saturday to Monday of life at Folkestone as a real gentleman for two guineas, first class fares both ways included.
How old is Roebuck? The question is important on the threshold of a drama of ideas; for under such circumstances everything depends on whether his adolescence belonged to the sixties or to the eighties. He was born, as a matter of fact, in 1839, and was a Unitarian and Free Trader from his boyhood, and an Evolutionist from the publication of the Origin of Species. Consequently he has always classed himself as an advanced thinker and fearlessly outspoken reformer.
Sitting at his writing table, he has on his right the windows giving on Portland Place. Through these, as through a proscenium, the curious spectator may contemplate his profile as well as the blinds will permit. On his left is the inner wall, with a stately bookcase, and the door not quite in the middle, but somewhat further from him. Against the wall opposite him are two busts on pillars: one, to his left, of John Bright; the other, to his right, of Mr Herbert Spencer. Between them hang an engraved portrait of Richard Cobden; enlarged photographs of Martineau, Huxley, and George Eliot; autotypes of allegories by Mr G.F. Watts (for Roebuck believed in the fine arts with all the earnestness of a man who does not understand them), and an impression of Dupont's engraving of Delaroche's Beaux Artes hemicycle, representing the great men of all ages. On the wall behind him, above the mantelshelf, is a family portrait of impenetrable obscurity.
A chair stands near the writing table for the convenience of business visitors. Two other chairs are against the wall between the busts.
A parlormaid enters with a visitor's card. Roebuck takes it, and nods, pleased. Evidently a welcome caller.
RAMSDEN. Show him up.
The parlormaid goes out and returns with the visitor.
THE MAID. Mr Robinson.
Mr Robinson is really an uncommonly nice looking young fellow. He must, one thinks, be the jeune premier; for it is not in reason to suppose that a second such attractive male figure should appear in one story. The slim shapely frame, the elegant suit of new mourning, the small head and regular features, the pretty little moustache, the frank clear eyes, the wholesome bloom and the youthful complexion, the well brushed glossy hair, not curly, but of fine texture and good dark color, the arch of good nature in the eyebrows, the erect forehead and neatly pointed chin, all announce the man who will love and suffer later on. And that he will not do so without sympathy is guaranteed by an engaging sincerity and eager modest serviceableness which stamp him as a man of amiable nature. The moment he appears, Ramsden's face expands into fatherly liking and welcome, an expression which drops into one of decorous grief as the young man approaches him with sorrow in his face as well as in his black clothes. Ramsden seems to know the nature of the bereavement. As the visitor advances silently to the writing table, the old man rises and shakes his hand across it without a word: a long, affectionate shake which tells the story of a recent sorrow common to both.
RAMSDEN. [concluding the handshake and cheering up] Well, well, Octavius, it's the common lot. We must all face it someday. Sit down.
Octavius takes the visitor's chair. Ramsden replaces himself in his own.
OCTAVIUS. Yes: we must face it, Mr Ramsden. But I owed him a great deal. He did everything for me that my father could have done if he had lived.
RAMSDEN. He had no son of his own, you see.
OCTAVIUS. But he had daughters; and yet he was as good to my sister as to me. And his death was so sudden! I always intended to thank him—to let him know that I had not taken all his care of me as a matter of course, as any boy takes his father's care. But I waited for an opportunity and now he is dead—dropped without a moment's warning. He will never know what I felt. [He takes out his handkerchief and cries unaffectedly].
RAMSDEN. How do we know that, Octavius? He may know it: we
cannot tell. Come! Don't grieve. [Octavius masters himself and puts up his
handkerchief]. That's right. Now let me tell you something to console you. The
last time I saw him—it was in this very room—he said to me: "Tavy is a
generous lad and the soul of honor; and when I see how little consideration
other men get from their sons, I realize how much better than a son he's been
to me." There!
Doesn't that do you good?
Roebuck
Ramsden está en su despacho[1]
donde abre las
cartas de la mañana. El despacho, bien
amueblado[2]
y de construcción sólida[3],
afirma un hombre acaudalado[4]. No hay ninguna mota[5]
de polvo[6]
visible: está claro que hay por lo menos dos criadas y una sirvienta[7]
en la planta baja, y arriba una ama de llaves[8]
quien insiste en trabajo duro[9]. Hasta la coronilla[10]
de Roebuck está reluciente[11]:
podría señalar [12]
las órdenes a los campamentos[13] lejanos simplemente por asentir
con la cabeza[14]. Sin embargo, no aparenta[15]
como un oficial militar en otro sentido.
Es de una vida civil activa de que los hombres obtienen su cierto aire
de importancia, su expectación digna[16]
de deferencia[17],
su boca determinado[18],
desarmada y refinada desde entonces la hora de su éxito por la retirada[19]
de la oposición y por la concesión[20]
de la comodidad y la prioridad[21]
y poder. Es más de un hombre muy
respetable: lleva la marca de[22]
un director[23]
de hombres muy respetables, un presidente entre directores, un regidor[24]
entre consejeros locales[25],
un alcalde entre regidores. Cuatro
mechones[26]
de pelo gris hierro[27]
que serán pronto tan blancos como la nieve[28],
y que no son distintos en otros sentidos, crecen en unos pares simétricos[29]
sobre las orejas y a los ángulos de sus mandíbulas ampliadas[30]. Lleva una levita[31]
negra, un chaleco blanco (hace buen tiempo en primavera), y pantalones, ni
negro ni azul perceptivamente, de uno de los tonos[32]
mezclados indefinidamente que el sastre[33]
moderno produjo para armonizar con[34]
la religión del hombre respetable. Lleva
las zapatillas todavía porque hoy ya no salió de casa, las botas le esperan[35]
en la alfombra delante de la chimenea[36]. Suponiendo[37]
que no tiene una ayuda de cámara[38], y viendo que[39]
no tiene un taquigrafiado[40]
con un cuaderno y una máquina de escribir, piensa[41]
como nuestra gran domesticidad inglesa[42]
no vacila en[43]
las últimas modas y métodos, o en el empuje[44]
del ferrocarril y de los hoteleros[45]
que les venden una vida de lujo[46]
en Folkestone como un verdadero caballero[47]
para dos guineas, un billete de primera clase de ida y vuelta[48].
¿Cuántos
años tiene Roebuck? La pregunta es
importante en el umbral[49]
de una drama[50]
de ideas; porque en las presentes circunstancias todo depende de si naciera
durante los sesenta o los ochenta.
Nació, de hecho, en 1839, y fue un librecambista[51]
protestante[52]
desde su niñez, y un evolucionista[53]
desde la publicación del “Origen de la especie[54]”. Por consiguiente, siempre se miraba como un
pensador avanzado y un reformador quien es ferozmente[55]
franco[56].
Se
sienta a la mesa de escritura, hay las ventanas a la derecha que tienen vistas
a[57]
Pórtland Place. Por éstas, como por un
proscenio[58],
el espectador curioso puede considerar su perfil[59]
hasta que permiten las persianas[60]. A la izquierda hay el contramuro[61],
con una estantería majestuosa[62],
y la puerta descentrada[63],
más lejos de él. Contra la pared opuesta[64]
hay dos bustos[65]
en pilares[66]:
uno, a la izquierda, de John Bright; el otro, a la derecha, de Don Herbert Spencer. Entre ellos colgá[67]
un retrato grabado[68]
de Richard Cobden; unas fotos extendida[69]
de Martineau, Huxley, y George Eliot; unas láminas[70]
fotográficas de las alegorías[71]
de Don G.F. Watts (porque Roebuck creía en las bellas artes con toda la
sinceridad[72] de
un hombre que no les entiende), y una imitación[73]
del grabado por Dupont del Hemicycle[74]
Beaux Artes[75]
de Delaroche, que representa los grandes hombres de todos los tiempos. En la pared detrás de él, encima del estante[76],
hay un retrato familial de oscuridad[77]
incomprensible[78].
Una
silla está cerca de la mesa de escritura para la conveniencia[79]
de los invitados de negocio[80]. Hay dos sillas más contra la pared entre los
bustos.
Una
sirvienta entra con una tarjeta de visita[81]. Roebuck la toma, y saluda con la cabeza,
satisfecho.
Evidentemente
una cliente[82]
bienvenida.
RAMSDEN. Le acompaña arriba.
La
sirvienta sale de la habitación y vuelve con el invitado.
LA
CRIADA. Sr. Robinsón.
Sr.
Robinsón, un joven tipo[83],
es excepcionalmente[84]
guapo. Debe ser, se puede pensar[85],
el jeune premier[86];
no hay razón para creer[87]
que hay dos protagonistas guapos en la misma historia. La constitución[88]
delgada y bien proporcionado[89],
el traje[90]
elegante de luto[91]
nuevo, la pequeña cabeza y los rasgos[92]
normales[93],
el bigote bonito y pequeño[94],
los ojos sinceros[95] y
penetrantes[96],
el sano[97]
encanto[98]
y la tez[99]
joven, el pelo peinó[100]
y lustroso[101],
no rizado, pero de textura fina[102]
y con un buen color moreno, el arco de buen carácter de las cejas[103],
la frente larga[104]
y la barbilla puntiaguda[105]
perfectamente[106],
todos anuncian el hombre quien amará y sufrirá más tarde. Además, está claro[107]
que no va a hacerlo sin compasión por una sinceridad agradable y [108]
una modestia entusiasta que muestran que es un hombre de carácter
simpático. Al llegar, la cara de Ramsden
transforma en[109]
afecto paternal y bienvenida, una expresión que se convierte en dolor
respetable[110]
cuando el joven se le acerca con pena[111]
en su cara y en su ropa negra también.
Parece que Ramsden entienda el origen del sufrimiento[112]. La visita adelanta silenciosamente a la mesa
de escritura mientras que el viejo se levanta y le estrecha la mano[113]
al joven a través de la mesa sin hablar: un apretón de manos[114]
largo y cariñoso que cuenta la historia de un dolor reciente que tienen en
común.
RAMSDEN. [Termina el apretón de manos y se anima[115]]
Pues[116],
Octavius, esto es lo que tenemos en común.
Todo el mundo tiene que aceptarlo[117]
algún día. Siéntate.
Octavius
toma la silla para los invitados.
Ramsden vuelve a su propio silla.
OCTAVIUS. Sí, tenemos que aceptarlo, Sr. Ramsden. Pero le debí todo. Hizo todo por mí que mi padre habría hecho si
viviera.
RAMSDEN. No tuvo su propio hijo, ¿vale[118]?
OCTAVIUS. Pero tuvo hijas; y fue tan simpático con mi
hermana como fue con yo. Además, ¡murió
de repente! Siempre tenía la intención[119]
de agradecerle – para avisarle que no di su cuidado por sentado[120],
como todos los niños piensan del cuidado de su padre[121]. Pero, esperé por la oportunidad y está muerto
ahora – sin avisar[122]. Nunca sabrá como me sentí. [Toma un pañuelo y llora sin afectación[123].]
RAMSDEN. ¿Cómo sabemos, Octavius? Puede saberlo: no sabríamos decir. ¡Ven!
No te sientas triste[124]. [Octavius para llorar[125]
y iza[126]
el pañuelo.] Eso es[127]. Bueno, permíteme[128]
decir algo para consolarte[129]. Le vi por la última vez aquí en esta
habitación[130]
y me dijo: “Tavy es un muchacho[131]
muy generoso y es la personificación del[132]
honor; y cuando veo la falta de consideración otros padres reciben de sus
hijos, me parece que se portó conmigo[133]
mucho más mejor que un hijo.” ¡Ya está[134]! ¿No te haces bien[135]?
[4] Collins Universal, Diccionario Bilingüe Español-Inglés, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, 2005, p1581
[5] Ibid, p 1901
[12] http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/heliograph
http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=signal
[18] Collins Universal, Diccionario Bilingüe Español-Inglés, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, 2005, p1264
[22] Collins Universal, Diccionario Bilingüe Español-Inglés, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, 2005, p1575
[23] NB I was torn between using the phrase “presidente” and “director” and selected the latter choice due to the absence of a capital in the English original and so as to avoid repetition of “presidente”/”chairman” later in the sentence.
[25] “Concejal” v “consejeros locales”: I selected the second option as I believe it to be more of a British concept than the alternative and therefore more suited to Shaw’s original interpretation.
[28] This particular phrase caused me a great deal of difficulty. I opted for something quite different from the original English simply because I knew of no other alternative. After much reading, I discovered Isinglass is either a form of Collagen or a mineral. The second was more appropriate, as it is white in colour. However, I was unable to find the accepted Spanish translation and so selected a familiar ‘set’ phrase instead.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovite
Collins Universal, Diccionario Bilingüe Español-Inglés, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, 2005, p2086
[30] Firstly, I translated “spreading” as “enlarged”:
http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/spreading and in turn, as “ampliado”: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=enlarged
[40] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=shorthand I opted for the phrase, “un taquigrafiado” as opposed to “una secretaria con un cuaderno taquigrafía” for the simple reason that I felt the former is more to the point, it sounds ‘slicker’, if you will.
[41] I have selected the phrase “piensa” and, admittedly, I am not happy with it. I am reluctant to opt for something along the lines of “medita” however, because I do not want the passage to be literal to the point of being unnatural. I believe that in this case, I prefer to make the passage easy to understand, rather than literal, simply for the sake of it.
[42] Again, the phrase “inglés” leaves much to be desired, but I feel it is perhaps the best alternative to “burgess” as it reflects the essence of the meaning in the most simple way. To have translated something along the lines of “of the English burgh” would have been equally cumbersome and ridiculous.
[43] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=little
Here, I have opted for the verb “no vacilar en” simply because I found few appropriate alternatives. I feel it conveys the idea that Ramsden apparently shows few signs of adapting to the times.
[44] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=enterprise
I do not suggest that the word “empuje” is the best possible literal translation of the English for “enterprise”. While I might have selected something such as “empresa” or “iniciative”, I think the idea of push or drive sits best with the notion of changing times or the force of change. The word demonstrates Ramsden’s stubborn traditionalism in the face of inevitable development and progress.
[45] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=hotelier
I have chosen to use the term “hosteleros” because I feel it is more fitting than the likes of “el negocio de hostelería” due to the time the piece was written. To talk of the hotel business is too modern a notion for this particular play.
[46] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=life
I feel by saying “una vida de lujo”, the idea that by buying oneself a ticket to Folkestone, they too can live ‘the high life’ or at least be a gentleman for the day. I remain unconvinced that this is clearly conveyed by simply translating what is essentially a set-phrase in English into Spanish. I therefore looked for a similar set-phrase in Spanish.
[47] http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=414540
I found a strikingly similar phrase in an online discussion thread written by a native speaker.
[48] NB I have in fact eliminated the word “included” as I felt the addition of this word was superfluous to the sentence. Nothing is gained nor lost from the removal of such a word – I feel it performs no function as such.
[49] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=threshold
I decided to translate this literally, simply because I was unsure how else it might be said in either language.
[50] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=drama
I was happy with the selection of this word as my source expressly states that it can be used figuratively as is the case in point.
[52] http://www.reference.com/search?q=Unitarianism
To be Protestant need not necessarily mean that one is Unitarian, however I was stuck for want of a better word because I have been unsuccessful in finding a suitable alternative. Meanwhile, after consulting an online thesaurus, I discovered that Unitarianism is in fact a narrow branch that stems from Protestantism. Admittedly, part of the meaning has indeed been lost in translation, but under the circumstances, I thought it better than nothing.
[56] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=outspoken
This seemed like the most fitting choice of word as it reflects the English idea of frank talking.
[69] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=enlarged
I preferred the use of “extendido” to “ampliado” simply because it had not been used earlier in the passage and I wanted to vary the vocabulary used.
[70] http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Autotype
http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=print
I failed to find an exact translation of the word “autotype”, but I did manage to find its meaning in an online thesaurus. I was torn between “photographic print” given that the passage discusses artistic antiquities and “exact copy” as an accurate alternative. I opted for “laminas fotográficas” as I felt that it was more likely that Shaw had a photograph or print in mind as it is in keeping with the subject matter of the rest of the passage.
[72] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=sincerity
I was unsure how to translate “earnestness” so opted instead for “sincerity” as a virtually identical alternative.
[75] I chose not to translate the phrase “Beaux Artes” for the simple fact that it was none done so in the original text into English, and therefore it may be assumed that this was done so for a reason (it refers to a specific piece of art) and should not be altered. Similarly, after having left the Latin phrase in Ulysses in their original state, it only felt fitting to do the same here.
[76] I neglected to find a word meaning “mantelshelf” in Spanish for the simple reason that I did not think it necessary. I feel nothing is lost in the use of the equivalent word for “shelf”. One might argue the case that a “mantelshelf” conveys a sense of age or suggests that it might have been solely for the display of decorative ornaments. In any case, neither of these points bears any relation to the understanding of the passage as a whole.
[78] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=impenetrable
Here, I selected the word “incompresible” as opposed to the more obvious “impenetrable” because I felt the latter related more to tangible, physical objects such as the example of the woods, cited online. Meanwhile, the word “abstactuso” is too far from the original for my liking, so I settled for the happy medium.
[79] I chose this word because it is true to the original source and to use the likes of “comodidad” implies a physical comfort before the idea of the chair being a convenience.
[80] I did not like the idea of using the phrase “contactos de negocio” because it feels like a modern ‘buzz’ word. Also, Ramsden’s study is situated in his home and there is a sense of ‘business and pleasure’ mixed together.
[81] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=card
I had never heard of such a card for visitors in either language before, but thankfully the precise phrase was to be found online.
[82] Here, I selected the phrase “cliente” as opposed to “invitado de negocios” because to have said “invitado” on its own would not have successfully conveyed the person’s reason for seeing Ramsden.
[83] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=fellow
I used the phrase
[84] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=unusually
I chose to substitute the word “uncommonly” with “unusually” because I felt it amounts to the same thing whilst avoiding the pitfall of reversing the Spanish phrase “con cierta frecuencia”.
[85] http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=555812
I preferred the use of “se puede pensar” to “piensa” for example, after having consulted an online forum for the similar phrase “one can see”.
[86] As stated previously, I have decided to leave all French references in their original state, as I believe this is how the author had intended. Each of the phrases are commonly held concepts, or at least for the most part, widely understood. For this reason, I feel no need to translate them into Spanish.
[87] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=reason&dict=enes&b=Search
I chose to use the phrase “no hay razón para creer” as the alternative – translating “for it is not in reason to suppose that” – would be cumbersome and archaic. In fact, I do not think it would be possible to accurately translate such a phrase, meanwhile the phrase I did select seems to convey a similar, if not the same idea.
[89] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=shapely
The alternative word, “flaca”, brought with it a series of negative connotations, such as emaciation or the suggestion of being overly skinny.
[92] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=features
The above refers specifically to the face. I could also have selected “facciones”, but I simply preferred the sound of the first option.
[93] I used the word for “normal” as opposed to “regular” because I felt this sounded more natural and would be clearer to understand. In short, I went for the more obvious of the two choices.
[94] http://spanish.about.com/cs/grammar/a/whereadjective.htm
I used this particular reference a number of times in order to check the positioning of adjectives in relation to nouns. In addition, I thought it might have been possible to place a suffix to the end of “bigote” to indicate the idea that it was a “little moustache”. However, I steered clear from doing so in the end as I was not wholly sure about how this might be done.
[95] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=frank
I decided against using the adjective “franco” not because there was in fact anything wrong with it as such, but rather because I felt “sincero” was better suited in describing the eyes as it sheds a greater light upon the visitor’s character as a whole, which is the principle purpose of this paragraph.
[96] As above, my reason for selecting the adjective “penetrante” was based solely upon artistic reasons. The suggestion that the man’s eyes were clear, hints that they gave something away, “the windows to the sole”, if you like. For the purposes of this particular prose, building a two-dimensional character, I felt this particular word brought something more to his description, without veering too far from the original. I think Shaw sought to paint a pleasing picture of the man’s personality, and this word seeks to create a similar tone.
[98] http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/bloom
The above helped me find the synonym “charm” for “bloom”. I sought to change this word because first and foremost, I felt to translate the original word may have been too literal and I was not sure that it would read well in Spanish. Also, I could find translations for the phrase “In bloom”, but not “bloom” as in was initially intended. Similarly, to translate “in bloom” would have been problematic in that the English phrase invariably relates to notions of pregnancy.
[100] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=brushed
I was unable to find the exact phrase “well-brushed”, but I felt “combed” was a reasonable substitute as nothing has been lost in my opinion.
[104] I thought better of translating “erect” when attempting to describe the character’s forehead as this may have brought about some inaccurate results at best, and at worst some rather embarrassing ones. I feel it is sufficient to describe him as having a “long” forehead.
[106] I feel it is better to describe the chin as being “perfectly” pointed as opposed to being “neat”. As a non-native speaker, I did not want to run the risk of choosing a less appropriate adjective. The word chosen conveys the pleasant-looking or positive feature of the man’s chin accurately enough.
[107] I chose this phrase because it leaves the reader in no doubt as to the sympathy felt for the character. I feel it is successful in conveying the fact that this was “guaranteed”, given that the word itself was not to be found in the online dictionary.
[108] http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/serviceableness
I was unfamiliar with the meaning of the word “serviceableness”, but discovered that it could be replaced with the rather fitting synonym in this case of “quality”. I preferred this to the others presented to me as I felt it tied in nicely with the concept of personality or trait. In any case, I felt that the word itself was not crucial to the sentence as a whole, and instead translated the phrase from the English “eager modesty”.
[109] I chose to describe Ramsden’s face as “transforming” as opposed to “expanding” as I did not want to suggest a literal lengthening of the face, but rather a positive change in his demeanour.
[110] http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/decorous
I read “decorous” to mean “respectable” in accordance with the above thesaurus entry and also because I felt it most appropriate as it reflects the idea that one must “respect” the dead. I did not like words such as “befitting”, “appropriate” or “ritual” as these all indicate a sense of grief bourn out of a feeling of duty, but to me, Ramsden’s emotions seem very much genuine and from the heart.
[111] I changed from using the word “dolor” to “pena” so as to avoid repetition.
[116] I felt no need to repeat the repetition of the word “well” as the phrase, “well, well” is a particularly English saying.
[117]http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/face%20up%20to
I was unable to find the precise equivalent to the verb “to face up to”. However, the above website indicates that “to accept” is an appropriate alternative.
[118] I felt that the phrase “vale” was appropriate because Ramsden only says “you see” in a matter-of-fact way so as to ensure Octavius is following him.
[121] I decided to change the English slightly before translating into Spanish so as to clarify exactly what was being said. I interpreted the last phrase of the sentence to read in English “as all boys think of/perceive their father’s care”.
[122] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=without
I felt it appropriate to shorten the original to read simply “without warning” as this conveyed the message clearly using a recognised phrase in Spanish and saved me from overcomplicating things.
[125] I appreciate that Octavius is said to “master himself up”, and in fact I have simply stated that he stopped crying. However, such a phrase is so archaic that it would be virtually impossible to find the literal translation. I feel this conveys the essential sentiment. That is to say, Octavius finds comfort in Ramsden’s words and consequently, he brightens up.
[126] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=raise
I liked the word “raise” here as opposed to “put up” because it conveys a sense of optimism, as if he is trying to conquer his grief, like the raising of a flag.
[130] I changed the sentence construction as I felt it sounded less fragmented/more natural this way.
[132] http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=epitome
I felt it best to use a recognisable phrase, rather than try to construct my own. I think the sentence clearly demonstrates that the boy embodies honourable qualities.
