Sense and Sensibility — Chapter 49 in Spanish
By Jane Austen
Por inexplicables que le parecieran a toda la familia las circunstancias de su liberación, lo cierto era que Edward era libre; y a todas les fue fácil predecir en qué ocuparía esa libertad: tras experimentar los beneficios de un compromiso imprudente, contraído sin el consentimiento de su madre, como lo había hecho ya por más de cuatro años, al fracasar ése no podía esperarse de él nada menos que verlo contrayendo otro. Unaccountable, however, as the circumstances of his release might appear to the whole family, it was certain that Edward was free; and to what purpose that freedom would be employed was easily pre-determined by all;—for after experiencing the blessings of one imprudent engagement, contracted without his mother’s consent, as he had already done for more than four years, nothing less could be expected of him in the failure of that, than the immediate contraction of another.
La diligencia que debía cumplir en Barton era, de hecho, bastante simple. His errand at Barton, in fact, was a simple one. Solo se trataba de pedirle a Elinor que se casara con él; y considerando que no era del todo inexperto en tal asunto, podría parecer extraño que se sintiera tan incómodo en el presente caso como realmente lo estaba, en tanta necesidad de ánimo y aire fresco. It was only to ask Elinor to marry him;—and considering that he was not altogether inexperienced in such a question, it might be strange that he should feel so uncomfortable in the present case as he really did, so much in need of encouragement and fresh air.
Lo que sucedió con rapidez, qué oportunidad se le presentó para actuar, de qué manera se expresó y cómo fue recibido, no es necesario que se refiera en detalle. How soon he had walked himself into the proper resolution, however, how soon an opportunity of exercising it occurred, in what manner he expressed himself, and how he was received, need not be particularly told. Lo único que importa decir es esto: que cuando todos se sentaron a la mesa a las cuatro, alrededor de tres horas después de su llegada, había conseguido a su dama, había logrado el consentimiento de la madre, y era el más feliz de los hombres. This only need be said;—that when they all sat down to table at four o’clock, about three hours after his arrival, he had secured his lady, engaged her mother’s consent, and was not only in the rapturous profession of the lover, but in the reality of reason and truth, one of the happiest of men. Su situación era más que ordinariamente dichosa. His situation indeed was more than commonly joyful. Tenía más que el triunfo ordinario del amor aceptado para llenar su corazón y elevar su espíritu. He had more than the ordinary triumph of accepted love to swell his heart, and raise his spirits. Se vio liberado sin ningún reproche para sí mismo de un enredo que había formado su desdicha durante mucho tiempo, de una mujer a quien hacía tiempo había dejado de amar; y se elevó de inmediato a esa seguridad con otra, que debe de haber considerado casi con desesperación tan pronto como aprendió a considerarla con deseo. He was released without any reproach to himself, from an entanglement which had long formed his misery, from a woman whom he had long ceased to love;—and elevated at once to that security with another, which he must have thought of almost with despair, as soon as he had learnt to consider it with desire. Había transitado no desde la duda o el suspenso, sino desde la desdicha a la felicidad; y habló del cambio abiertamente con una alegría tan genuina, fácil y reconfortante como nunca le habían conocido antes sus amigas. He was brought, not from doubt or suspense, but from misery to happiness;—and the change was openly spoken in such a genuine, flowing, grateful cheerfulness, as his friends had never witnessed in him before.
Su corazón estaba ahora abierto a Elinor, todas sus debilidades, todos sus errores confesados, y su primer amor juvenil hacia Lucy era tratado con toda la dignidad filosófica de los veinticuatro años. His heart was now open to Elinor, all its weaknesses, all its errors confessed, and his first boyish attachment to Lucy treated with all the philosophic dignity of twenty-four.