A Christmas Carol — Chapter 14 in Spanish
By Charles Dickens
Scrooge al principio estaba inclinado a sorprenderse de que el Espíritu atribuyera importancia a conversaciones aparentemente tan triviales; pero sintiéndose seguro de que debían tener algún propósito oculto, se puso a considerar cuál era probable que fuera. Scrooge was at first inclined to be surprised that the Spirit should attach importance to conversations apparently so trivial; but feeling assured that they must have some hidden purpose, he set himself to consider what it was likely to be. Apenas podía suponerse que tuvieran alguna relación con la muerte de Jacob, su antiguo socio, porque eso era el Pasado, y la provincia de este Fantasma era el Futuro. They could scarcely be supposed to have any bearing on the death of Jacob, his old partner, for that was Past, and this Ghost's province was the Future. Tampoco podía pensar en nadie inmediatamente conectado consigo mismo a quien pudiera aplicarlos. Nor could he think of any one immediately connected with himself, to whom he could apply them. Pero sin dudar que a quienquiera que se aplicaran tenían alguna moral latente para su propia mejora, resolvió atesorar cada palabra que escuchaba y todo lo que veía; y especialmente observar la sombra de sí mismo cuando aparecía. But nothing doubting that to whomsoever they applied they had some latent moral for his own improvement, he resolved to treasure up every word he heard, and everything he saw; and especially to observe the shadow of himself when it appeared. Pues tenía la expectativa de que la conducta de su yo futuro le daría la pista que le faltaba y haría fácil la solución de estos acertijos. For he had an expectation that the conduct of his future self would give him the clue he missed, and would render the solution of these riddles easy.
Miró alrededor en ese mismo lugar su propia imagen; pero otro hombre estaba en su rincón acostumbrado, y aunque el reloj señalaba su hora habitual del día para estar allí, no vio semejanza de sí mismo entre la multitud que se derramaba a través del Pórtico. He looked about in that very place for his own image; but another man stood in his accustomed corner, and though the clock pointed to his usual time of day for being there, he saw no likeness of himself among the multitudes that poured in through the Porch. Sin embargo, le dio poca sorpresa; porque había estado considerando en su mente un cambio de vida, y pensaba y esperaba ver sus resoluciones recién nacidas llevadas a cabo en esto. It gave him little surprise, however; for he had been revolving in his mind a change of life, and thought and hoped he saw his new-born resolutions carried out in this.
Tranquilo y oscuro, junto a él estaba el Fantasma, con su mano extendida. Quiet and dark, beside him stood the Phantom, with its outstretched hand. Cuando se despertó de su búsqueda reflexiva, imaginó por el giro de la mano y su situación en relación consigo mismo, que los Ojos Invisibles lo miraban agudamente. When he roused himself from his thoughtful quest, he fancied from the turn of the hand, and its situation in reference to himself, that the Unseen Eyes were looking at him keenly. Le hizo estremecerse y sentir mucho frío. It made him shudder, and feel very cold.
Dejaron la escena bulliciosa y se fueron a una parte oscura del pueblo donde Scrooge nunca había penetrado antes, aunque reconocía su situación y su mala reputación. They left the busy scene, and went into an obscure part of the town, where Scrooge had never penetrated before, although he recognised its situation, and its bad repute. Los caminos eran sucios y estrechos; las tiendas y casas miserables; la gente medio desnuda, borracha, descuidada, fea. The ways were foul and narrow; the shops and houses wretched; the people half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly. Las callejuelas y arcos, como tantas cloacas, expulsaban sus ofensas de olor, suciedad y vida sobre las calles dispersas; y todo el barrio apestaba a crimen, suciedad y miseria. Alleys and archways, like so many cesspools, disgorged their offences of smell, and dirt, and life, upon the straggling streets; and the whole quarter reeked with crime, with filth, and misery.