Waltey
Nune iz mesta Carthage
031 The Nuns of Carthage
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land · Charles M. SkinnerO besedilu
Nune iz mesta Carthage
- Vir
- Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
- Avtor
- Charles M. Skinner
- Jezik branja
- Slovenščina
- Jezik izvirnika
- English
- Čas branja
- 2 min branja
- Obseg
- 2 strani
- Naslov izvirnika
- 031 The Nuns of Carthage
O izvirniku
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
Obsežna zgodovinska zbirka ameriških legend, ki jih je Skinner zbral in avtorsko rekonstruiral. Bralni jezik je Slovenščina, izvirnik pa prihaja iz vira Myths and Legends of Our Own Land v jeziku English.
Besedilo
Nune iz mesta Carthage
V Carthageu v zvezni državi New York, kjer reka Black River v elegantnem loku obteka rt, je stala trdna stara hiša, zgrajena v kolonialnem slogu in namenjena premožni, gostoljubni družini. Toda družina je izumrla ali se odselila in hiša je nekaj let samevala. Med vojno leta 1812 je vaške opravljivce vznemiril prihod tesarjev, pleskarjev in tapetnikov; očitno je bilo, da bodo posestvu povrnili nekdanji gosposki sijaj. A njihova radovednost se je še poglobila, namesto da bi bila potešena, ko so se po ureditvi hiše in postavitvi visokega obzidja okoli nje nove stanovalke izkazale za štiri mlade ženske v redovniških oblačilih. So bile hčere nekdanje družine? So bile preoblečene privrženke Angležev, ki so v nemirnih časih iskale zatočišče? So se zaobljubile celibatu, dokler se njihovi ljubi ne vrnejo iz vojne? So prišle po skrivni diplomatski nalogi? Nihče ni nikoli izvedel, vsaj v Carthageu ne. Redovnice so živele zelo odmaknjeno, a v razkošju, kakršnega v tistem delu dežele dotlej še niso poznali. Imele so vrtnarja, iz New Yorka so jim pošiljali vina in poslastice, ki si jih drugi niso mogli privoščiti, in kadar so se odpravile na svež zrak, še vedno zastrte s tančicami, jih je v kočiji vozil čudovit par rjavcev.
Nekega popoldneva, kmalu po koncu vojne, sta samostan obiskala mlada ameriška častnika in v nasprotju z dotedanjo navado so ju spustili noter. Ves preostanek dneva sta ostala v hiši in nihče ju ni videl oditi, toda tistega večera je po ulici odropotala kočija. Naslednji dan na posestvu ni bilo nobenega znamenja življenja, pa tudi dan zatem ne in niti tretji dan. Popadljivi pes je bil tiho, vrtne poti pa so ostale nepometene. Nekaj sosedov je preplezalo zid in poročalo, da je posestvo zapuščeno. Zakaj in kdo ga je zapustil, ni nihče nikoli izvedel, toda negotovost glede lastništva se je ohranila vse do nedavnega, saj so menili, da bi se redovnice nekoč utegnile vrniti.
Izvirnik
031 The Nuns of Carthage
Naslednje strani prikazujejo izvirno besedilo za primerjavo.
At Carthage, New York, where the Black River bends gracefully about a point, there was a stanch old house, built in the colonial fashion and designed for the occupancy of some family of hospitality and wealth, but the family died out or moved away, and for some years it remained deserted. During the war of 1812 the village gossips were excited by the appearance of carpenters, painters and upholsterers, and it was evident that the place was to be restored to its manorial dignities; but their curiosity was deepened instead of satisfied when, after the house had been put in order and high walls built around it, the occupants presented themselves as four young women in the garb of nuns. Were they daughters of the family? Were they English sympathizers in disguise, seeking asylum in the days of trouble? Had they registered a vow of celibacy until their lovers should return from the war? Were they on a secret and diplomatic errand? None ever knew, at least in Carthage. The nuns lived in great privacy, but in a luxury before unequalled in that part of the country. They kept a gardener, they received from New York wines and delicacies that others could not afford, and when they took the air, still veiled, it was behind a splendid pair of bays.
One afternoon, just after the close of the war, a couple of young American officers went to the convent, and, contrary to all precedent, were admitted. They remained within all that day, and no one saw them leave, but a sound of wheels passed through the street that evening. Next day there were no signs of life about the place, nor the day following, nor the next. The savage dog was quiet and the garden walks had gone unswept. Some neighbors climbed over the wall and reported that the place had been deserted. Why and by whom no one ever knew, but a cloud remained upon its title until a recent day, for it was thought that at some time the nuns might return.
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