Spanish · Part Two

El guiño

The Wink

179 sentences · 71 notes

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1
At Temperley the Astrologer was waiting for him.
EnAten · prepositionpreposition marking Temperley
TemperleyTemperleyTemperley · proper nounoblique complement of esperaba
lohimél · pronoun, accusative, masculine, singulardirect object of esperaba
esperabawas waitingesperar · verb, imperfect, indicative, third-person, singularmain verb of the sentence
eltheel · determiner, masculine, singulardeterminer of Astrólogo
AstrólogoAstrologerAstrólogo · proper nounsubject of esperaba
GrammarDirect-object pronoun «lo» «lo» is the masculine direct-object pronoun ('him'). Here it precedes the verb and refers to Erdosain: «lo esperaba el Astrólogo» = 'the Astrologer was waiting for him'. Note that Spanish freely puts the subject after the verb, so the object pronoun, not word order, tells you who waits for whom.
A smile full of kindness lit up his face.
Erdosain almost ran to meet him, but the other man, taking him by the arms, stopped him for a moment, looking into his eyes, then, addressing him as "tú" — something he had never done before — said to him:
Grammar«tutear» — to use «tú» «tutear» means 'to address someone with the familiar «tú»' rather than the formal «usted». The gerund «tuteándolo» carries the attached object pronoun «lo». Arlt flags that the Astrologer had never done this before — a small, loaded shift from formal distance to sudden intimacy.
2
“Are you happy?”
3
Erdosain blushed.
GrammarPronominal verb «ruborizarse» «ruborizarse» ('to blush') is pronominal: the «se» marks a change of state happening to the subject himself. «se ruborizó» is the preterite — a single completed reaction, 'he blushed', as opposed to the imperfect «se ruborizaba», which would mean 'he was blushing / used to blush'.
In that instant a double mystery stood revealed in his consciousness.
That man was not lying, and he felt himself so much his friend that now he would have liked to talk on and on, to recount to him the most intimate details of his wretched life, and he only managed to say:
GrammarEnclitic pronoun on the verb «sintióse» = «se sintió», with the reflexive «se» attached to the end of the verb. This enclitic placement is a literary, slightly old-fashioned style Arlt uses throughout; modern prose would write «se sintió». Note the accent on «sintió» is kept once the pronoun is added.
GrammarPluperfect subjunctive for a wish «hubiera querido conversar» ('he would have liked to talk') is the pluperfect subjunctive used as a softened conditional — an unrealized desire. It conveys a longing that the moment did not actually allow him to act on.
4
“Yes, I'm very happy.”
5
The Astrologer paused for a moment on the station platform.
Now he was addressing him as "usted", as usual.
Grammar«tratar de usted» vs. «de tú» «tratar de usted» means 'to address (someone) formally', using «usted». After the brief intimacy of the «tú» a moment ago, the Astrologer snaps back to the formal «usted» — «como de costumbre», 'as usual'. The verb is imperfect, marking the resumed, habitual mode of address.
6
“You know?”
Many of us carry a superman inside.
The superman is the will at its maximum yield, overriding all moral norms and carrying out the most terrible acts as a kind of naive joy... something like the innocent game of cruelty.
7
“Yes, and then one no longer feels fear or anguish; it's as if one were walking on top of the clouds.”
Grammar«como si» + imperfect subjunctive «como si» ('as if') always takes the imperfect (or pluperfect) subjunctive, here «anduviera» (from «andar»). It frames an unreal comparison: 'as if one were walking'. «andar caminando» literally stacks two verbs of motion for emphasis — 'going about walking'.
8
“Of course — the ideal would be to awaken this jovial and naive ferocity in many men.”
It falls to us to inaugurate the era of the Innocent Monster.
Word«tocarle a uno» — to be one's turn / lot «tocarle a alguien (hacer algo)» means 'it falls to / is up to someone (to do something)'. «A nosotros nos toca inaugurar...» = 'it falls to us to inaugurate...'. The doubled «A nosotros nos» is emphatic — it stresses who, precisely, the task belongs to.
It will all be done, without any doubt.
It's a matter of time and audacity, but when they realize that the spirit is sinking on them into the latrine of this civilization, before they drown they are going to swerve from the road.
GrammarSubjunctive after «cuando» (future) «cuando» pointing to a future, not-yet-real event takes the present subjunctive: «cuando se den cuenta» = 'when they realize / come to realize'. «darse cuenta de que» means 'to realize that' (colloquially the «de» is often dropped, as here).
The thing is, man has not noticed that he is sick with cowardice and Christianity.
Word«reparar en» — to notice «reparar en algo» means 'to notice / take note of something'. «Lo que hay es que...» is a common framing idiom, roughly 'the thing is...' / 'what's going on is...', used to introduce the real explanation.
9
“But didn't you want to Christianize humanity?”
10
“No, not the masses... but if that scheme fails we'll take the opposite road.”
Word«el montón» — the herd «el montón» literally is 'the heap / pile', but applied to people it means 'the crowd, the common run, the herd'. «al montón» here is dismissive: not the great mass of ordinary people. The «a» marks them as the personal direct object of an implied 'Christianize'.
We haven't laid down any principle yet, and the practical thing will be to corner the most opposing principles.
GrammarPostposed «alguno» = «ninguno» When «alguno» follows the noun in a negative sentence it reinforces the negation, equivalent to «ningún»: «no hemos sentado principio alguno» = 'we have not laid down any principle at all'. This postposed «alguno» is more emphatic and literary than «ningún principio».
As in a pharmacy, we'll have lies perfect and varied, labeled for the most fantastic diseases of the mind and the soul.
11
“You know you strike me as the madman of the power plant, as Barsut was calling you yesterday?”
Word«resultar» — to come across as «resultar» here means 'to turn out to be / strike one as'. «usted me resulta el loco de la usina» = 'you strike me as the madman of the power plant'. The «me» is an indirect object marking whose impression it is — to me, you seem...
12
“What we call madness is unfamiliarity with the thinking of others.”
Look — if that porter were to confess to you the ideas that occur to him, you would lock him up in an asylum.
Word«changador» (River Plate) «changador» is a River Plate word for a porter or odd-job carrier — a man hired to haul luggage or freight. It belongs to the everyday Buenos Aires register Arlt favors over formal Castilian.
GrammarUnreal conditional This is a second-conditional (unreal) sentence: «si» + imperfect subjunctive («confesara») in the if-clause, conditional («encerraría») in the result clause. Pattern: 'if he were to confess..., you would lock him up' — a hypothetical, contrary to fact.
Naturally, there must be few like us... the essential thing is that from our acts we gather vitality and energy.
GrammarSubjunctive after «lo esencial es que» An impersonal value judgment — «lo esencial es que» ('the essential thing is that') — triggers the subjunctive in the dependent clause: «recojamos» (present subjunctive of «recoger», 'to gather'). The subjunctive marks the clause as something willed or evaluated, not stated as plain fact.
There lies salvation.
13
“And Barsut?”
14
“He doesn't even suspect what awaits him.”
Grammar«ni» = 'not even' Placed before the verb without another negative, «ni» means 'not even': «Ni sospecha» = 'he doesn't even suspect'. «lo que le espera» ('what awaits him') uses «esperar» in its sense of 'to lie in store for' rather than 'to wait'.
15
“And how will you do away with him?”
16
“Bromberg will strangle him... I don't know, it's a matter that doesn't concern me.”
Word«atañer» — to concern «atañer a alguien» means 'to concern / pertain to someone'. It is a defective verb used almost only in the third person. «no me atañe» = 'it doesn't concern me' — the Astrologer coolly disowning a murder he has just ordered.
Under the sun, avoiding the puddles, they made their way toward the dwelling.
And Erdosain said to himself:
17
“And the city of us, the Kings, will be of white marble and will stand at the seashore... and we shall be like gods.”
Grammar«ser» vs. «estar» in the future Both verbs appear in the future here. «será de mármol» uses «ser» for an inherent quality (what the city is made of); «estará a la orilla del mar» uses «estar» for location (where it stands). The contrast — essence vs. position — is the classic «ser»/«estar» split.
And, looking at him with shining eyes, he said to his companion: “Do you know that someday we shall be like gods?”
18
“That's what the brute people don't understand.”
They have murdered the gods.
GrammarClitic doubling River Plate Spanish often doubles a direct object with a pronoun: «Los han asesinado a los dioses» repeats 'them' («los») and 'the gods' («a los dioses») in one clause. The «a» before «los dioses» is the personal «a», marking a definite human(-like) object.
But a day will come when under the sun they will run along the roads shouting: "We want God, we need God".
What barbarians!
I can't fathom how they have managed to murder God.
Word«explicarse» — to understand / fathom «explicarse algo» (pronominal) means 'to understand / account for something to oneself'. «No me explico cómo...» = 'I can't understand how...'. It is more emphatic and personal than the plain «no entiendo».
But we will resurrect them... we'll invent some beautiful gods... super-civilized... and what a different thing life will be then!
19
“And what if it all failed?”
Grammar«¿Y si...?» + imperfect subjunctive «¿Y si...?» introduces a hypothetical question — 'and what if...?'. With the imperfect subjunctive «fracasara» it frames the failure as remote and unreal: 'what if it all were to fail?' rather than a plain future.
20
“It doesn't matter... another will come... another will come who will replace me.”
That is how it has to happen.
The only thing we must wish for is that the idea germinate in people's imaginations... the day it is in many souls, beautiful things will happen.
GrammarSubjunctive after a verb of wishing «desear que» ('to wish that') governs the subjunctive: «germine» (present subjunctive of «germinar») and «esté» (of «estar»). Both mark wished-for, not-yet-real events — the idea taking root, then living in many souls.
21
Erdosain marveled at his own serenity.
Grammar«asombrarse de» with enclitic «se» «asombrarse de algo» means 'to be amazed / to marvel at something'. «asombrábase» = «se asombraba», with the reflexive «se» attached to the imperfect verb — the same literary enclitic style seen earlier. The imperfect shows a lingering, wondering state.
22
He no longer feared anything, and once again he remembered the Ambassadors' hall, and his malevolent gaze fastened on the unease of the old diplomats — bald heads, leaden faces, hard and furtive looks — and then, unable to hold himself back, he exclaimed:
23
“So much "fucking" fuss just to wring that beast's neck!”
Word«joder» — coarse 'to mess about' «joder» is a vulgar verb meaning 'to screw / mess about / make a fuss'. «¡Qué tanto joder!» is an exasperated idiom — 'why all this fuss / messing around!'. «retorcerle el pescuezo a alguien» literally 'to wring someone's neck'; «pescuezo» is the (animal's) neck, contemptuous when used of a person.
24
The other man looked at him, surprised.
25
“Are you on edge, or is it that you get angry all by yourself, like the elephants?”
Grammar«es que» — 'is it that' «es que...» frames an explanation or alternative — here 'or is it that you get angry...'. «enojarse» ('to get angry') is the standard River Plate verb where Spain often prefers «enfadarse». «solo» here means 'by oneself, alone'.
26
“No, this load of old scruple is driving me crazy.”
Word«reventar» — to exasperate Colloquially «algo le revienta a uno» means 'something gets on one's nerves / drives one up the wall'. It works like «gustar» in reverse: the thing that annoys is the subject, and «me» is the person annoyed — 'this old scruple revolts me'.
27
“That's how young lads are,” the Astrologer replied.
Word«mocito» — young lad «mocito» is the diminutive of «mozo» ('young man, lad'), here faintly condescending — 'the young fellows'. «repuso» is the preterite of «reponer» in its sense of 'to reply, retort', common in narrative dialogue tags.
Their life is like that of a cat caught in a half-open door.
28
“May I be present at the execution?”
Word«asistir a» — to attend «asistir a algo» means 'to attend / be present at something' — a false friend for English 'assist', which would be «ayudar». The bare present «¿Asisto a la ejecución?» asks permission: 'Am I to attend / shall I attend the execution?'
29
“Does it interest you?”
30
“Very much.”
31
But as he crossed the gateway of the country house, a nausea turned his stomach and he felt in his throat the gastric reflex of a vomit.
Word«quinta» — country house «quinta» is a country house or villa with grounds on the outskirts of a city — the conspirators' hideout. «al atravesar la puerta» uses «al» + infinitive ('on crossing the door'), the time construction seen at the very start of the novel.
He could barely stay on his feet.
Grammar«apenas si» — barely «apenas si» is an intensified 'barely / scarcely'; the «si» is emphatic and adds no condition. «tenerse en pie» is a fixed idiom, 'to keep / stay on one's feet'. Together: 'he could scarcely stay on his feet'.
In his eyes the shapes were veiled by a milky mist.
From the joints his arms hung with the heaviness of limbs of bronze.
He walked with no sense of distance; the air seemed to him to turn to glass, the ground undulated beneath the soles of his feet, and at moments the upright line of the trees turned into a zigzag within his eyes.
32
He breathed wearily, his tongue was parched, and he tried in vain to moisten his shriveled lips and his burning throat, and only a will born of shame kept him on his feet.
33
When he half-opened his eyes he was going down the little stairway of the coach house in Bromberg's company.
GrammarPreterite vs. imperfect together The two past tenses do different jobs in one sentence: «entreabrió» (preterite) is the single completed act — 'he half-opened (his eyes)'; «descendía» (imperfect) is the ongoing background already underway — 'he was (already) going down'. Spanish narration constantly pairs them this way.
34
The Man Who Saw the Midwife walked along as if dazed, with his shaggy hair in a tangle.
35
His trousers were superfluously held up by the waistband, and a scrap of white shirt like the tip of a handkerchief was escaping from his fly.
And he covered his mouth with his fist, letting out enormous yawns.
But his sleepy, wandering gaze seemed foreign to his oafish bearing.
His eyes were beautiful, grave and incoherent like those of the great beasts, between thick-lashed eyelids that shadowed the rings beneath them in a round, delicate maiden's face.
Erdosain looked at him, but the other seemed not to see him, submerged in his magnificent incoherence.
Then he stared dumbstruck at the Astrologer, who gave him a sign with his head, and after opening the padlock for him the three of them entered the stable.
Word«embobado» — dumbstruck «embobado» means 'gaping, dumbstruck, in a daze' — staring with mouth open, wits gone. It reinforces Bromberg's animal, half-present stupor as he is led to commit the murder.
36
Barsut sprang up with a leap: he was going to speak.
Word«de un brinco» — in one bound «de un brinco» means 'with a single leap / in one bound'. «iba a hablar» is the imperfect of «ir a» + infinitive, the past 'was going to' — an intention cut off by what follows.
Bromberg traced a curve in the air and a smash of skulls against the boards thudded through the coach house.
In the dust the sun stretched out a yellow lozenge.
From the shapeless heap came muffled rattling groans.
Erdosain followed the struggle with cruel curiosity, and suddenly from Bromberg's waist — as he loomed bulky over Barsut, his two enormous arms taut in pinning a neck against the floor — the trousers came loose, leaving his white buttocks exposed and his shirt up over the small of his back.
And the muffled rattle was no more.
Grammar«ser» as 'to exist' + «ya» Here «ser» means 'to be / exist' rather than to link a quality: «no fue ya» = 'it was no longer', 'it ceased to be'. The terse preterite marks the exact instant the strangled man's death rattle stops — the moment of death stated in three words.
There was a moment of silence, while the murderer, half-naked, motionless, pressed more tightly on the dead man's throat.
Grammar«hubo» — preterite of «haber» «hubo» is the impersonal preterite of «haber», 'there was (and then it ended)' — used for a bounded event, against the imperfect «había» for an ongoing state. Paired with the imperfect «oprimía» ('was pressing'), the sentence sets a finished silence over a continuing action.
37
Erdosain watched, nothing more.
38
The Astrologer waited with the watch in his hand.
Thus they remained for two minutes, which for Erdosain had no length.
39
“Enough — that's it.”
Word«ya está» — 'that's it / it's done' «ya está» is a high-frequency idiom meaning 'that's it / it's done / there you go'. Here, chillingly, it announces that the killing is finished. «Basta» on its own means 'enough, stop'.
40
Clumsy, his hair stuck to his forehead, Bromberg turned around, and without fixing his incoherent gaze on anyone, blushing, he caught up the ends of his trousers and hurriedly buttoned them.
GrammarTwo pronouns on one gerund «abrochándoselo» stacks two enclitic pronouns on the gerund «abrochando»: «se» (reflexive, 'for himself') + «lo» ('it', the trousers) — 'buttoning it up for himself'. When two pronouns attach, the indirect/reflexive comes first; the original stress is kept with a written accent.
41
The murderer had gone out of the coach house.
Erdosain followed him, and the Astrologer, who was last, turned back to look at the strangled man.
42
He lay there on the floor, his head turned toward the ceiling, his jaws slack and his tongue stuck to the corner of his lips, twisted into a grimace that bared the teeth.
43
At that moment a strange thing occurred, which Erdosain did not notice.
The Astrologer, pausing under the lintel of the coach house, turned his face toward the dead man, and then Barsut, raising his shoulders up to his ears, stretched out his neck and, looking at the Astrologer, winked an eyelid.
The latter touched the brim of his hat with his forefinger and went out to rejoin Erdosain, who, unable to contain himself, exclaimed:
44
“And that's all there is to it?”
45
The Astrologer raised a mocking glance toward him.
46
“But did you think that "that" is like in the theater?”
Grammar«creerse» — to (wrongly) think The pronominal «creerse algo» means 'to believe / imagine something (often mistakenly)'. «¿se creía usted que...?» = 'did you really think that...?', with a tinge of mockery. The imperfect «creía» fits a belief held over time, now being punctured.
47
“And how are you going to make him disappear?”
48
“By dissolving him in nitric acid.”
GrammarGerund of means A bare gerund can answer 'how?' by stating the means: «Disolviéndolo en ácido nítrico» = 'by dissolving it/him in nitric acid'. The «lo» is the attached object pronoun. English usually needs 'by + -ing' where Spanish uses the gerund alone.
I have three demijohns.
Word«damajuana» — demijohn «damajuana» is a large, bulging, often wicker-cased glass bottle — a demijohn — used for storing wine or, here, acid. The casual inventory ('I have three') of the means to dissolve a corpse is part of the scene's cold menace.
But, speaking of this and that, do you have any news of the copper rose?
49
“Yes, it came out just fine.”
Word«lo más bien» — perfectly fine «lo más bien» is a River Plate colloquialism meaning 'just fine, splendidly, perfectly well'. «salió lo más bien» = 'it came out perfectly'. «salir» here means 'to turn out / come out (a certain way)'.
The Espilas are absolutely delighted.
GrammarAbsolute superlative «-ísimo» Adding «-ísimo/-a» to an adjective forms the absolute superlative — 'extremely, utterly'. «contentísimos» = 'absolutely delighted'. It intensifies without comparing to anything else, unlike «el más contento» ('the happiest').
Just last night I saw a very good sample.
50
“Good, we'll have lunch... we've certainly earned it.”
GrammarIntensifying «se» («ganarse») «ganarse algo» adds the reflexive «se» to «ganar» to stress that the gain is fully one's own — 'to earn (something) for oneself, well and truly'. «bien nos lo hemos ganado» = 'we've thoroughly earned it'. «que» here is just an emphatic opener, 'indeed / certainly'.
But when they were about to enter the dining room, the Astrologer said:
51
“What... aren't we going to wash our hands?”
GrammarReflexive with body parts For actions on one's own body Spanish uses the reflexive plus the definite article, not a possessive: «nos lavamos las manos» = 'we wash our hands' (literally 'we wash ourselves the hands'). The reflexive «nos» already tells you whose hands they are.
52
Erdosain looked at him, surprised, and instinctively raised his hands to where the lapels of his jacket crossed in order to look at them.
Then, hurriedly, in silence, they made their way to the bathroom, and, taking off their jackets, they turned on the taps.
Word«canilla» — tap (River Plate) «canilla» is the River Plate word for a water tap or faucet (Spain: «grifo»). «saco» a few words earlier is likewise the local word for a man's jacket. Both anchor the prose firmly in Buenos Aires usage.
Erdosain took a piece of soap and, conscientiously, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, scrubbed himself with it.
Then he put his arms under the stream of water and dried himself vigorously on the towel.
But before leaving, the Astrologer performed a strange act.
Grammar«mas» (no accent) = 'but' «mas» without an accent is a literary conjunction meaning 'but / yet' — not to be confused with «más» (with accent) meaning 'more'. Arlt uses it here for a slightly formal narrative register: 'But before leaving...'.
53
Taking the towel, he threw it into the bottom of the bathtub, picked up a bottle of alcohol, pouring its contents over it, then he struck a match, and for a minute the two faces in the dark room were lit by the bluish flames of the flammable liquid consuming the fabric.
Then, for all that remained, there lay a blackish deposit of ash: the Astrologer turned on a tap, again the water ran, carrying off the light char, and then the two of them went out to the dining room.
An ironic smile played across Erdosain's face.
54
“So you've done as Pilate did, eh?”
55
“You're right — and unconsciously, at that.”
56
In the shadowy dining room the half-open shutters let the garden show through.
Tender honeysuckle stems climbed up to the wood of the frame.
Transparent insects glided through the air beside the lemon tree, and the white walls were reflected in the golden opacity of the waxed floor.
The fringes of the tablecloth fell around the square legs of the table.
In an Etruscan vase a bunch of carnations scattered its peppery fragrance, and the silver cutlery gleamed on the linen and on the china; the shadows coiled like ringlets on the glassy curve of the wine glasses, or stretched in triangular bands across the plates.
On an oval platter there was a prawn mayonnaise.
57
The Astrologer poured the wine.
They ate in silence.
Then the Astrologer brought a yellow broth of egg yolks, a tray of asparagus swimming in oil, an artichoke salad, and later fish.
For dessert there was ricotta sprinkled with cinnamon, and fruit.
58
Afterward he served coffee, and Erdosain handed him the money.
The Astrologer counted it again:
59
“Here you have three thousand five hundred.”
Have several suits made for yourself.
GrammarCausative «hacerse» + command «hacerse hacer algo» / «hacerse algo» means 'to have something made for oneself'. «Hágase varios trajes» is a formal «usted» command — 'have several suits made (for yourself)'. The reflexive marks the benefit as the listener's own.
You're a good-looking fellow, and it's fitting that you go about elegantly.
Word«buen mozo» — handsome «buen mozo» is a set phrase meaning 'good-looking, handsome (man)'. Note the subjunctive «ande» after «es conveniente que» — an impersonal value judgment ('it's fitting that...') again triggers the subjunctive.
60
“Thank you very much... but listen... I'm dead with sleep.”
Word«muerto de» — dead with «estar muerto de (sueño / hambre / frío)» is an idiom — 'to be dead with (sleep / hunger / cold)', i.e. dead tired, starving, freezing. «estoy muerto de sueño» = 'I'm dead on my feet with sleep'.
I'm going to sleep a while.
Will you wake me at five?
61
“Of course, come along.” And the Astrologer walked him to his bedroom.
Word«cómo no» — 'of course' «cómo no» is a fixed affirmative, 'of course / certainly / by all means'. Despite the question words it is not a real question. Common throughout Latin America as a warm 'sure thing'.
Erdosain took off his boots, exhausted now, and threw his jacket onto the headboard of the bed.
An enormous burning seared his eyelids, his chest covered itself with thick sweat, and he thought no more.
He woke after dark, at the noise of the Astrologer opening a shutter.
He turned over with a start, while the other man said to him:
62
“At last!”
You've been sleeping for twenty-eight hours.” But since he expressed doubt, the Astrologer handed him the day's newspapers, and indeed, two days had passed.
Grammar«hace... que» for elapsed time «hace + time + que + present» expresses duration up to now: «Hace veintiocho horas que está durmiendo» = 'he has been sleeping for twenty-eight hours'. Spanish keeps the present tense where English uses the present perfect continuous.
63
Erdosain leapt out of bed, thinking of Hipólita.
64
“I must be going.”
GrammarSubjunctive of obligation «es necesario que» ('it's necessary that') governs the subjunctive: «me vaya» (present subjunctive of «irse», 'to leave / go off'). Spanish prefers this impersonal + subjunctive frame where English just says 'I must go'.
65
“You slept so that you looked like a dead man.”
I've never seen anyone sleep like that, with such weariness, even forgetting the natural needs... but, by the way, where did you get that story about the suicide in the café?
Word«sacar» — to get / come up with «sacar» literally is 'to take out, extract', but «¿de dónde sacó usted esa historia?» colloquially means 'where did you get / dream up that story?'. «a propósito» = 'by the way'. The doubt about whether the café suicide was real or dreamed reopens the novel's blur between fact and delirium.
I've looked at last night's papers and this morning's.
Not one carries that news.
Word«traer» — to carry (news) Of a newspaper, «traer una noticia» means 'to carry / run a piece of news'. «Ninguno trae esa noticia» = 'not a single one runs that story'. «ninguno» ('none, not one') already makes the sentence negative, so no second 'no' is needed before the verb here.
You dreamed it.
66
“And yet, I can show you the café.”
Word«enseñar» — to show Besides 'to teach', «enseñar» very commonly means 'to show / point out': «puedo enseñarle el café» = 'I can show you the café'. «sin embargo» = 'however, and yet', a contrast marker.
67
“Then you dreamed in the café, then.”
68
“Maybe so... it doesn't matter... and that?...”
69
“It's done.”
70
“All of it?”
71
“All of it.”
72
“And the acid?”
73
“We'll pour it down the drain.”
Word«volcar» — to tip / pour out «volcar» means 'to tip over, overturn, pour out'. «lo volcaremos en el sumidero» = 'we'll pour it (out) down the drain'. «sumidero» is a drain or sink-hole. The casual disposal echoes the cold practicality of the whole plot.
74
“So it's already...?”
75
“It's as if he had never existed.”
Grammar«como si» + pluperfect subjunctive For an unreal comparison set in the past, «como si» takes the pluperfect subjunctive: «como si no hubiera existido nunca» = 'as if he had never existed'. It seals the chapter's theme — a man (supposedly) erased so completely that even his existence is denied.
76
As he was taking his leave of the Astrologer, the latter said to him:
Grammar«despedirse de» — to say goodbye «despedirse de alguien» means 'to say goodbye to / take leave of someone'. Combined with «al» + infinitive it gives 'on saying goodbye / as he was taking his leave'. The pronominal «se» distinguishes it from «despedir», which means 'to dismiss / fire (someone)'.
77
“Come on Wednesday at five.”
In the evening we'll have a meeting.
Don't forget to buy yourself a ready-made suit while they make you the others.
Word«de confección» — ready-made A «traje de confección» is a ready-made, off-the-rack suit, as opposed to a bespoke «traje a medida». «no se olvide de» is a negative «usted» command, 'don't forget to'; «comprarse» (with «se») = 'to buy for oneself'.
Don't miss it — the Gold Seeker will be there, the Ruffian, and others, others.
Word«faltar» — to be absent / miss «faltar (a algo)» means 'to be absent / fail to show up'. «No falte» is a formal command, 'don't miss it, be sure to come'. The capitalized «el Buscador de Oro» (the Gold Seeker) and «el Rufián» (the Ruffian) are more of the cult's mythic nicknames.
We'll exchange ideas, and remember that I'm very interested in the matter of the asphyxiating gases.
Grammar«acordarse de» — to remember «acordarse de algo» (pronominal, stem-changing o→ue) means 'to remember something'. «acuérdese de que...» is the «usted» command, 'remember that...'. Contrast «recordar», which takes a direct object without «de».
Draw up a plan for a small factory for chlorine and phosgene.
Ah, and see if you can find out what the devil mustard gas is.
Word«a ver si» — see if / let's see whether «a ver si...» is a colloquial frame, 'let's see if / see whether', often softening a request or expressing hope. «qué diablo(s)» = 'what the devil', an emphatic. «averiguar» means 'to find out, ascertain'.
It destroys any substance not protected by a waterproof material soaked in oil.
GrammarSubjunctive after «cualquier... que» An indefinite or non-specific antecedent — «cualquier substancia» ('any substance whatever') — takes the subjunctive in its relative clause: «que no esté protegida» ('that is not protected'). The substance is hypothetical, not a particular known one, so Spanish marks the verb subjunctive.
78
“Phosgene is carbon oxychloride.”
79
“Don't waste time, Erdosain.”
A small factory.
Word«chico/a» — small (River Plate) «chico/a» means 'small, little' and, in the River Plate, is the everyday word for 'small' where Spain often uses «pequeño». «una fábrica chica» = 'a small factory'.
Which can serve as a school of revolutionary chemistry.
Grammar«servir de» — to serve as «servir de algo» means 'to serve / function as something': «puede servir de escuela» = 'it can serve as a school'. No article comes between «de» and the role-noun, unlike English 'as a school'.
Remember that our activities can be divided into three parts.
The Gold Seeker will be in charge of everything to do with the colony, you with the industries, Haffner with the brothels.
Grammar«estar encargado de» «estar encargado de algo» means 'to be in charge of / responsible for something'. «lo relacionado con la colonia» uses the neuter «lo» + past participle to mean 'everything having to do with the colony' — a compact way to say 'the matters connected with...'.
80
Now that we have money there's no time to lose.
Grammar«hay que» + infinitive «hay que» + infinitive expresses impersonal obligation, 'one must / it's necessary to'. Negated: «no hay que perder tiempo» = 'there's no time to lose / one mustn't waste time'. It states a general necessity without naming who acts.
You must work.
What do you say if we set up a power plant that comes to be in Argentina what Krupp was in Germany?
One must have confidence.
From what is ours many surprises can come.
We are discoverers who know where they are going only as a body.
Grammar«no... sino» — only / nothing but «no... sino» means 'only / nothing but', correcting or restricting: «no saben sino en conjunto hacia dónde van» = 'they know where they're going only as a collective'. «en conjunto» = 'as a whole, together'. It differs from «pero» ('but'): «sino» substitutes one term for a negated one.
And even that, who knows!...
81
Erdosain fixed his eyes for a second on the other's rhomboid face, then, smiling mockingly, said:
82
“You know you look like Lenin?”
Grammar«parecerse a» — to resemble «parecerse a alguien» (pronominal) means 'to resemble / look like someone'. «usted se parece a Lenin» = 'you look like Lenin'. Contrast «parecer» without «se», which means 'to seem / appear'. The closing comparison to Lenin caps the chapter's revolutionary fever on a wry note.
83
And before the Astrologer could answer him, he left.
Grammar«antes de que» + subjunctive «antes de que» ('before') always takes the subjunctive — here the imperfect subjunctive «pudiera» in a past context: 'before the Astrologer could answer him'. The action of answering never happens; the subjunctive marks it as forestalled, and Erdosain walks out — the novel's last word.

The particulars

The text: Los siete locos, Roberto Arlt. Part Two.
Reading aloud: Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
Words: Every word of the text, by letter.
Data: JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents