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

Chevy Chase – a 15th-century ballad describing the battle of Otterburn

I’d rayther, by th’ haulf, hev’ ’em swearing i’ my lugs fro’h morn to neeght, nor hearken ye hahsiver! It’s a blazing shame, that I cannot oppen t’ blessed Book, but yah set up them glories to Sattan, and all t’ flaysome wickednesses that iver were born into th’ warld! Oh! ye’re a raight nowt; and shoo’s another; and that poor lad’ll be lost atween ye. Poor lad! he’s witched: I’m sartin on’t. Oh, Lord, judge ’em, for there’s norther law nor justice among wer rullers! – I’d rather, by half, have them swearing in my ears from morning to night, than hear you! It’s a blazing shame that I cannot open the blessed Book (the Bible) but you set up those glories to Satan, and all the frightening wickedness that ever were born into the world! Oh! you’re a real nothing, and she’s another; and that poor lad will be lost between you. Poor lad! he’s bewitched: I’m certain of it. Oh, Lord, judge them, for there’s neither law nor justice among our rulers!

Tak’ these in to t’ maister, lad, and bide there. I’s gang up to my own rahm. This hoile’s neither mensful nor seemly for us: we mun side out and seearch another. – Take these to the master, lad, and stay there. I’m going up to my own room. This hole is neither proper nor looks like it’s for us: we must move out and search for another.

Ony books that yah leave, I shall tak’ into th’ hahse, and it’ll be mitch if yah find ’em agean; soa, yah may plase yerseln! – Any books that you leave, I shall take into the house, and it’ll be much if you find them again; so, you may please yourself!

I mun hev’ my wage, and I mun goa! I hed aimed to dee wheare I’d sarved fur sixty year; and I thowt I’d lug my books up into t’ garret, and all my bits o’ stuff, and they sud hev’ t’ kitchen to theirseln; for t’ sake o’ quietness. It wur hard to gie up my awn hearthstun, but I thowt I could do that! But nah, shoo’s taan my garden fro’ me, and by th’ heart, maister, I cannot stand it! Yah may bend to th’ yoak an ye will – I noan used to ’t, and an old man doesn’t sooin get used to new barthens. I’d rayther arn my bite an’ my sup wi’ a hammer in th’ road! – I must have my wages and I must go! I had aimed to die where I’d served for sixty years; and I thought I’d store my books up into the garret, and all my bits of stuff, and they should have the kitchen to themselves for the sake of quietness. It was hard to give up my own hearthstone (fireside seat), but I thought I could do that! But no, she’s taken my garden from me, and by the heart, master, I cannot stand it! You may bend to the yoke (oppressive power) and you will – I’m not used to it, and an old man doesn’t soon get used to new burdens. I’d rather earn my bite and my sup with a hammer (by hard work) in the road!

It’s noan Nelly! I sudn’t shift for Nelly – nasty ill nowt as shoo is. Thank God! Shoo cannot stale t’ sowl o’ nob’dy! Shoo wer niver soa handsome, but what a body mud look at her ’bout winking. It’s yon flaysome, graceless quean, that’s witched our lad, wi’ her bold een and her forrard ways – till – Nay! it fair brusts my heart! He’s forgotten all I’ve done for him, and made on him, and goan and riven up a whole row o’ t’ grandest currant-trees i’ t’ garden! – It’s not Nelly! I shouldn’t shift for Nelly – nasty ill nothing as she is. Thank God! She cannot steal the soul of nobody! She was never so handsome, but what a body (person) must look at her without winking. It’s that frightening, graceless queen that’s bewitched our lad, with her bold eyes and her forward ways – till – No! it almost bursts my heart! He’s forgotten all I’ve done for him, and made of him, and gone and riven (pulled, tore) out a whole row of the grandest currant-trees in the garden!

Th’ divil’s harried off his soul, and he may hev’ his carcass into t’ bargin, for aught I care! Ech! what a wicked ’un he looks, girning at death! – The Devils’s carried off his soul, and he may have his carcass into the bargain for what I care! what a wicked one he looks, grinning at death!

to be on pins and needles – to wait nervously for what is going to happen

peccadilloes – little sins ( Spanish )

hung beef – slightly salted and hung up to dry; dried beef

Berlin wools – light wool used for making clothing, especially gloves

the rolling of the meadow-land – the process during which a horse is dragging a special roller to compact the soil

eve – evening

sotto voce – quietly ( Italian )

homely – plain, not beautiful

“ Marmion” – Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem devoted to the Battle of Flodden (1513)

chewing the cud – usually about the cattle; here – repeating over and over to himself

skirts – apparently, not the kind that women wear! Here: the edge of his clothes, tail or flap.

God-speed – to say it means wishing someone success

ignis fatuus –wandering lights (on the moor), meaning hopes in vain ( Latin )

Hebe – goddess of blooming youth, a daughter of Zeus and Hera

entailed – an entail was a condition of a will meaning that if a couple had no son, property had to be passed on to the next male in line in the family.

incumbrances – encumbrance was a mortgage or a hypothec

“ what fellowship hath light with darkness; or he that believeth with an infidel?” – a quotation from the Bible (2 Corinthians 6:15); infidel = pagan or atheist.

rules the roast – to rule the roast means to be at the head of all affairs

had sown his wild oats – to sow one’s wild oats means to do wild things before getting married (often to have a lot of sexual relationships)

to set her cap at him – setting one’s cap at a man =trying to attract a man

blacklegs – a blackleg is a cheat or a swindler

boobiesand bedlamites – fools and madmen

felo-de-se – a suicide

from “Hymns and Spiritual Songs” by John Newton (1816)

laudanum – tincture of opium