Part 33

IV.

The officer replied that he would rather lose his own life than take away that of his deliverer. The Indian, bending down his (S. 43, N. 9, A) head, and covering his face with both his hands, stood some time silent. Then, looking earnestly at his prisoner, he said, in a voice that was at once softened by tenderness and grief: “Hast thou a father?” “My father,” said the young man, “was alive when I left my country.” “Alas!” said the Indian, “how wretched must he be!” He paused a moment, and then added: “Dost thou know that I have been a father? I am a father no more. I saw my son fall in battle. He fought at my side. I saw him expire. He was covered with wounds, when he fell dead at my feet.”

that — deliverer = that he would rather die than kill his deliverer. See App. §§ 28 and 30.

The two Participles in -ing are best rendered by using the Imperfect.

stood — silent, +und stand so eine Weile schweigend da+.

Say ‘Upon this (+Hierauf+) he looked’, etc.

he — grief, +und fragte mit von Zärtlichkeit und Kummer gedämpfter Stimme+.

+war noch am Leben.+

+Heimat+, f.

exclaimed.

unhappy.

+zögern+, i.e. to hesitate.

+daß auch ich einst Vater war?+

Say ‘But now I (App. § 14) am it no more’.

We use here the def. art.

+nie´derfallen.+

Section 45.

THE INDIAN CHIEF.

He pronounced these words with the utmost vehemence. His body shook with a universal tremour. He was almost stifled with sighs, which he would not suffer to escape him. There was a keen restlessness in the eye, but no tears flowed to his relief. At length he became calm by degrees: and, turning towards the east, where the sun had just risen, “Dost thou see,” said he to the young officer, “the beauty of that sky, which sparkles with prevailing day? and hast thou pleasure in the sight?” “Yes,” replied the young officer, “I have pleasure in the beauty of so fine a sky.” “I have none!” said the Indian, and his tears then found their way.

A few minutes after, he showed the young man a magnolia, in full bloom. “Dost thou see that beautiful tree?” said he, “and dost thou look upon it with pleasure?” “Yes,” replied the officer, “I look with pleasure upon that beautiful tree.” “I have no longer any pleasure in looking upon it!” said the Indian hastily, and immediately added: “Go, return to thy father, that he may still have pleasure, when (S. 18, N. 6) he sees the sun rise in the morning, and the trees blossom in the spring!”—WASHINGTON IRVING.

spoke. Begin the clause with ‘These words’ (S. 7, N. 2).

Say ‘A universal tremour shook (+erschüttern+) his body’.

+Er erstickte fast unter den Seufzern.+

Say ‘which he endeavoured (+bemüht sein+) to suppress’.

His eyes (sing.) looked restlessly about.

+zur Linderung seines Schmerzes.+

Say ‘Gradually he became calmer’. The following passage requires altogether a different structure in German. Say ‘He turned towards the east (+sich gen Osten wenden+), where the sun had just risen. “Dost thou see the beauty of the sky, which sparkles (+erglänzen+) with (+von+) the breaking (+an´brechen+) day (+Tageslicht+, n.)? and hast thou pleasure (+Freude+, f.) in (+an+) the sight (+Anblick+, m.)?” he asked the young officer’.

the — officer, +dieser+, to avoid a useless repetition.