Шарлотта Бронте - Лучшие романы сестер Бронте / The best of the Brontë sisters

Oh, qu’ elle y sera mal – peu comfortable! – Oh, she would be quite uncomfortable there!

un vrai menteur – a true liar

contes de fée – fairy tales

du reste, il n’y avait pas de fées, et quand même il y en avait – besides, there were no fairies, and if they were

pour me donner une contenance –to give me composure

D.V. – Devout Virgin (from Latin Devota Virgo )

with a sullen, moaning sound – it’s a quotation from “The Lay of the Last Minstrel” by Sir Walter Scott.

the waters came into my soul; I sank in deep mire: I felt no standing; I came into deep waters; the floods overflowed me. – it’s a quotation from Psalm 69, where King David is calling for God to save him from his then present state.

Achan – a character from the Bible; he took some treasures from the ruined Jericho. All the treasures of Jericho were to be consecrated to God, so the act displeased God and the next battle of the army was lost. The treasures were found in Achan’s tent and he was stoned.

bombazeen – fabric constructed of a silk warp and worsted filling, often dyed black for mourning wear

Da trat hervor Einer, anzusehen wie die Sternen Nacht –Here comes forth He Who looks like a starry night. (Friedrich Schiller, “The Robbers,” Act V, Scene 1.)

Ich wäge die Gedanken in der Schale meines Zornes und die Werke mit dem Gewichte meines Grimms. – I weigh your thoughts on the scales of my anger, and your deeds by the weights of my anger. (Friedrich Schiller, “The Robbers,” Act V, Scene 1.)

Calvinistic doctrines – a series of theological beliefs first promoted by John Calvin (1509–1564), known for extremely stern attitude to “sinful and depraved” humanity

The air was mild, the dew was balm – the phrases are quotations from “The Lay of the Last Minstrel” by Sir Walter Scott

lusus naturæ – a freak of nature ( Latin )

“Marmion” – an epic poem by Sir Walter Scott devoted to the Battle of Flodden Field (1513), published in 1808

Cui bono? – what/who for? ( Latin )

that caps the globe – nobody has ever seen such a thing!

Demas – a companion of apostle Paul, who left him for the love of this world that is opposed to the love of God and His rule.

Looked to river, looked to hill – a quotation from “The Lay of the Last Minstrel” by Sir Walter Scott

Dives – a rich man ( Latin )

Jeune encore – still young

Apollyon – Biblical name for Satan

flags – flagstones, slabs that pave the path

penetralium – penetralia ( Latin ), inner part of the house or a sacred one.

pre-eminently – with some superiority

The herd of possessed swine could have had no worse spirits in them – this is an allusion to the Bible: when demons were made to leave the human body, they got into swine.

N.B. – nota bene ( Latin ): pay attention to

Here and after Joseph uses both archaic and dialect (Yorkshire) words. What are ye for? T’ maister’s down i’ t’ fowld. Go round by th’ end o’ t’ laith, if ye went to spake to him. – What do you want? The master is in the fold (sheep shed). Go down to the end of the barn if you want to speak to him.

There’s nobbut t’ missis; and shoo’ll not oppen ’t an ye mak’ yer flaysome dins till neeght. – There is nobody but the missis, and she will not open even if you make a terrible noise till the night.

Nor-ne me! I’ll hae no hend wi’t – No, not me! I will have no hand with it (won’t help)

Aw wonder how yah can faishion to stand thear i’ idleness un war, when all on ’ems goan out! Bud yah’re a nowt, and it’s no use talking – yah’ll niver mend o’yer ill ways, but goa raight to t’ divil, like yer mother afore ye! – I wonder how you can stay there in idleness and worse, when all of them have gone out! But you are nobody, and it’s no use talking – you will never mend your ill ways (change your wrong habits), but go right to the devil, like your mother before you!

set store on –think it of particular importance

T’ maister nobbut just buried, and Sabbath not o’ered, und t’ sound o’ t’ gospel still i’ yer lugs, and ye darr be laiking! Shame on ye! sit ye down, ill childer! there’s good books eneugh if ye’ll read ’em: sit ye down, and think o’ yer sowls! – The master is only just buried, and the Sabbath is not over, and the sound of the gospel still in your ears, and you dare to have fun! Shame on you! Sit down, bad children! There are enough good books for you to read, sit down and think of your souls!

Maister, coom hither! Miss Cathy’s riven th’ back off ‘Th’ Helmet o’ Salvation,’ un’ Heathcliff’s pawsed his fit into t’ first part o’ ‘T’ Brooad Way to Destruction!’ It’s fair flaysome that ye let ’em go on this gait. Ech! th’ owd man wad ha’ laced ’em properly – but he’s goan! – Master, come here! Miss Cathy has torn the back off “The Helmet of Salvation,” and Heathcliff put his feet into the first part of “The Broad Way to Destruction”! It’s frightening that you let them go on this way. Oh! The old man would have laced (whipped) them properly, but he is gone!

owd Nick – old Nick =the devil

pilgrim’s staff – a hooked walking stick

Thou art – you are; didst thou – did you; thy – your; Lo – Lord; Brethren – brothers (archaic)

Grimalkin – an old or an evil female cat, connected with witchcraft.

sotto voce – quietly ( Italian )

to strike my colours – to surrender (the expression came from the sailors’ slang – “colours” is the flag under which the ship is fighting, “to strike” means to pull down)

to wait on – to serve

indigenae – indigenus = local ( Latin )

an unfledged dunnock – a very young forest bird

thick – intimate

confined to the chimney-corner – chimney-corner is a recess that has a seat in a large open fireplace

at high-water mark – at the highest point

out-and-outer – an extremist

to beard – to contradict or to insult

negus – kind of mulled wine

donning – putting on clothes

from Walter Scott’s “ The Lady of the Lake” (originally old Scottish ballad), the story about revenge and the supernatural.

Milo – ancient Greek wrestler and hero who was devoured by wolves

And how isn’t that nowt comed in fro’ th’ field, be this time? What is he about? girt idle seeght! – And hasn’t that nobody come in from the field by this time? What is he up to? Great idle sight!

Yon lad gets war und war. He’s left th’ gate at t’ full swing, and Miss’s pony has trodden dahn two rigs o’ corn, and plottered through, raight o’er into t’ meadow! Hahsomdiver, t’ maister ’ull play t’ devil to-morn, and he’ll do weel. He’s patience itsseln wi’ sich careless, offald craters – patience itsseln he is! Bud he’ll not be soa allus – yah’s see, all on ye! Yah mun’n’t drive him out of his heead for nowt! – That lad gets worse and worse. He’s left the gate fully open, and Miss’s pony has trodden down two fields of corn, and blundered through, right over into the meadow! However, the master will play the devil tomorrow, and he’ll do well. He is patience itself with such careless, worthless creatures – patience itself, he is! But he’ll not be so always – you’ll see, all of you! You mustn’t drive him out of his head for nothing!

I sud more likker look for th’ horse. It ’ud be to more sense. Bud I can look for norther horse nur man of a neeght loike this – as black as t’ chimbley! und Heathcliff’s noan t’ chap to coom at my whistle – happen he’ll be less hard o’ hearing wi’ ye !’ – I should more liker (would much rather) look for the horse. It would be more sense. But I can look for neither horse nor man on a night like this – as black as the chimney! and Heathcliff’s not the chap to come at my whistle – it’s likely he will be less hard of hearing with you!

Nay, nay, he’s noan at Gimmerton. I’s niver wonder but he’s at t’ bothom of a bog-hoile. This visitation worn’t for nowt, and I wod hev’ ye to look out, Miss – yah muh be t’ next. Thank Hivin for all! All warks togither for gooid to them as is chozzen, and piked out fro’ th’ rubbidge! Yah knaw whet t’ Scripture ses.’ – No, no, he’s not at Gimmerton. I don’t wonder if he’s at the bottom of a bog-hole. This visitation (storm) wasn’t for nothing, and I would have you to look out (advise you to be aware), Miss – you might be the next. Thank Heaven for all! It all works out for good for those that are chosen (by God), and picked out from the rubbish! You know what the Scripture says.