Turas go Lár na Cathrach (tuilleadh)

A trip to the Center of the City (continued)

• [Scéal aisteach. Is cosúil gur turas ar LSD é turas go Lár na Cathrach.]

  Sin mar a bhí i dtús ár ngrá — aisling gheal a bhí ann ceart go leor. Ach goilleann sé orm go fóill a bheith ag smaoineamh ar an scéal nó chuaigh ár ngrá in éag; is dócha gur de réir a chéile a thuig mé sin. Bhí a fhios agam ar feadh tamaill gurbh fhearr liom gan í a fheiceáil ag an stop, ach ní admhóinn dom féin go raibh a fhios sin agam. D’éirigh mé tuirseach den dóigh a raibh ár gcumann ag dul ar aghaidh agus bheartaigh mé deireadh a chur leis. Scríobhfainn litir chuici agus dá dtiocfadh sí isteach sa bhus arís, bhéarfainn di í. Ní raibh de pháipéar agam ach an dréacht de mo thráchtas a bhí agam nuair a tháinig mé ar bord. Bhí sé ar an urlár faoi mo chosa — ní raibh sé de dhánacht ionam amharc síos air le fada.[…]

  That’s how it was at the beginning of love — it was a bright dream all right. but it still pains me to think about the story or our love expiring; I probably realized that gradually. I’d known for a while that I’d prefer not seeing her at the stop, but I wouldn’t admit to myself that I knew that. I got tired of the way our relationship was going and decided to end it. I would write a letter to her and if she got on the bus again I would give it to her. All I had on paper was the draft of my thesis when I came on board. It was on the floor under my feet — I did not dare to look down on it for a long time.

  goill	Grieve, pain; afflict, distress; vex, hurt	v
  éag	dead; expired
  admhaigh	Acknowledge, Admit
  cumann	Friendship, love; companionship	m
  beartaigh	cast; poise, brandish; Plan, contrive; consider
  dréacht	draft…
  tráchtas	Treatise, dissertation; Thesis	m
  dánacht	Boldness; daring, confidence; forwardness, audacity	f

• […] Nuair a d’amharc mé síos anois, chonaic mé go raibh sé clúdaithe le brat luaithe agus le bunanna toitíní. Thóg mé na paipéir go gasta, bhain mé leathanach amach gan féachaint ar an méid a bhí scríofa air, thiontaigh mé an leathanach agus thosaigh mé ag scríobh, agus na deora ag teacht liom, ar mhéad is bhí de thrua agam orm féin. Mhínigh mé di nach raibh mé i ngrá le cailín ar bith eile roimhe agus chomh mór is a ghoill sé orm a bheith ag briseadh léi agus nar dhócha go mbeadh a leithéid de ghrá arís agam. Chonacthas dom an lá arna mhárach go raibh an litir rómhaoithneach agus stróic mé as a chéile í, rud a chuir ag gol arís mé.

  When I looked down now, I saw that it was covered with a cloak of ashes and cigarette butts. I took the papers quickly, I took out a page without looking at what was written on it, I turned the page and began to write, with tears coming to me, so much that I felt sorry for myself. I explained to her that I had never been in love with any other girl before and how much it hurt me to break up with her and that it would be unlikely for me to have such love again. THe next day it seemed to me the letter was too emotional and I tore it apart, which caused me to cry again.

  </

  clúdaithe	covered
  brat		m
  luaithe	Quickness, swiftness; earliness
  luaith	ashes	f
  gasta	Fast; quick, rapid
  méid	Amount, quantity, extent, degree, number	m
  tiontaigh	turn; Revolve; change direction; …
  méad = méid	Amount, quantity, extent, degree, number	m
  ar mhéad	so great
  trua	Pity; Sympathy, compassion	f
  goill	Grieve, pain; afflict, distress; vex, hurt	v
  leithéid	Like, counterpart, equal; such	f
  mínigh	Smooth, polish; Make gentle, assuage, quiet; Explain, expound, interpret
  arna	On his, her, its, their, having been . . . .
  (Lá) arna mhárach	on the following day
  maoithneach	Emotional, sentimental; Melancholy, despondent.
  stróic	tear; rend	v
  gol	Weeping, crying	m

• Chuaigh an bus trasna na teorann cúpla uair. An t-am deireanach, tháinig saighdiúirí Breataineacha isteach. Bhí mise iontach neirbhíseach. Stop fear acu taobh liom agus chuaigh mé ar crith taobh istigh nuair a d’fhiafraigh sé díom an raibh fianaise ar bith agam cér mé féin, mar ní raibh agam ach seanchárta mic léinn a raibh pictiúr ann a tógadh sé bliana roimhe nuair a bhí gruaig ghairid orm agus sula raibh féasóg ar bith orm.

  The bus crossed the border several times. The last time, British soldiers came in. I was very nervous. A man stopped beside me and I trembled inside when he asked me if I had any identification, as I only had an old student ID with a picture taken six years before when I had short hair and before I had any beard.

  crith	Tremble, shiver; tremor, shudder; vibration, quiver	m
  cér	who
  gairid	short
  féasóg	beard	f

• “Níl sé róchosúil liom,” arsa mise, ag tabhairt an chárta dó.

  Thug an saighdiúir sracfhéachaint air. “Is fíor duit,” ar seisean. “Ar mhiste leat teacht in éineacht liom?” Chuir sé i gcuimhne dom nuair a bheadh orm dul go tosach an ranga le [d.l. 10] cúpla buille den leathar a fháil.

  “It doesn’t look like me,” I said, giving him the card.
  
  
  The soldier glanced at it. “It is true to you,” he said. “Would it be OK with you to come together with me?” It reminded me of when I would have to go to the front of the class to get a few blows of the leather.

  Ar mhiste…;?	Would it be all right…?
  in éineacht	at the same time, at once; together, altogether

• Tháinig mé amach as an bhus den chéad uair le trí bliana. Bhí an oíche ag titim, bhí fuiseoga ag ceol sa spéir agus níor bhraith mé riamh aer chomh húr blasta leis. Chuirfeadh post na saighdiúiri i do cheann caisleán beag a bhí déanta de iarann agus stroighin. Thug an saighdiúir chuig bothán iarainn roctha mé, d’oscail sé an doras agus rinne comhartha liom dul isteach.

  I got off the bus for the first time in three years. Night was falling, larks were singing in the sky and I had never felt air so fresh and sweet. The soldiers’ post would put in a small castle made of iron and cement. The soldier led me to a corrugated iron shed, opened the door and made a sign for me to enter.

  fuiseog	Lark, skylark	f
  stroighin	cement	f
  bothán	Shanty, cabin; Hut, shed, coop	m
  roc	Wrinkle, crease; corrugate

• An chéad rud a thug mé faoi deara na póstaeir a bhí ar na ballaí, go háirithe an póstaer a bhí ar an bhalla os cionn na deisce. Níorbh é an cineál póstaeir é a mbeifeá ag dúil leis i mbothán saighdiúirí. Bhí fear óg dóighiúil sa phictiúr faoi éadaí seanaimseartha, gruaig fhada fhionn air agus claíomh ina láimh aige — bhí sé ag troid le dragan.

  The first thing I noticed were the posters on the walls, especially the poster on the wall above the desk. It wasn’t the kind of poster you’d expect in a soldiers’ shed. There was a handsome young man in old-fashioned clothes in the picture. He had long blond hair and a sword in his hand — he was fighting a dragon.

  dúil	Element; Created thing, creature Desire, fondness, liking, craving; Expectation, hope;	f
  dóighiúil	Handsome; Good-looking, beautiful; Generous; decent, respectable
  seanaimseartha	Old-fashioned; old; experienced

• Bhí seanfhear faoi fhéasóg fhada bhán ina shuí ag an deasc; ní raibh éide saighdiúra air. Bhí foirm os a chomhair aige agus de réir mar a chuireadh sé ceisteanna orm — ainm, seoladh, slí bheatha, agus mar sin de — scríobhadh sé na freagraí ar an fhoirm.

  “Ca bhfuil do thriall?” arsa an seanduine.

  “Go lár na cathrach,” arsa mise. Thug sé amharc saoithiúil orm agus scríobh sé rud éigin ar an fhoirm.
  

  An old man with a long white beard was sitting at the desk; he was not wearing a soldier’s uniform. He had a form in front of him and accordingly as he asked me questions — name, address, occupation, and so on — he wrote the answers on the form.

  “Where are you going?” said the old person.

  “To the center of the city,” I said. He gave me a funny look and wrote something on the form.

  éide	Clothes, clothing; garment(s); Distinctive dress; vestment(s), livery, uniform	f
  de réir	in accordance with, according to
  triall	Journey, expedition	m
  Cá bhfuil do thriall?	Where are you going?
  amharc	sight; look; view, prospect	m
  saoithiúil	Learned, wise; skilled, accomplished; Humorous, entertaining; pleasant, agreeable; Funny, peculiar

• “Is dócha gur leor sin,” ar seisean agus d’fhág sé síos an peann. “Bhuel,” ar seisean, “suigh síos, suigh síos.” Rinne mé amhlaidh. “Féach, tá rogha simplí agat. Thig leat dul ar ais ar an bhus láithreach nó thig leat an bhanphrionsa a shábháil — sea, sin í thall.” Dhírigh sé a mhéar i dtreo pictiúir a raibh fathach mór gránna ann ag rith i dtreo caisleáin agus cailín álainn faoina ascaill aige. “Anois, tá an claíomh thall sa choirnéal agus is féidir leat do intinn féin a dhéanamh suas. Ach ní bhíonn an fhaill seo ag gach aon duine. De ghnáth, bíonn turas mór fada contúirteach le déanamh ag daoine ar dtús, arrachtaigh le marú agus mar sin de. Ach tá tusa sa chaislean cheana. Fágfaidh mé fút féin é.” D’éirigh sé agus chuaigh sé amach.

  “That’s probably enough,” he said and put down the pen. “Well,” he said, “sit down, sit down.” I did so. “See, you have a simple choice. You can get back on the bus right now or you can save the princess — yes, that’s her over there.” He pointed his finger towards a picture of a big ugly giant running towards a castle with a beautiful girl under his arm. “Now, the sword is over in the corner and you can make up your own mind. But not everyone has this chance. Usually, people first have to make a long and dangerous journey, kill monsters, and so on. But you are already in the castle. I’ll leave it up to you.” He got up and went out.

  amhlaidh	thus, so
  thig leat	you are able to
  faill	Negligence, omission; Chance, opportunity; Time, occasion	f
  contúirteach	Dangerous
  arrachtach	Monstrous; grotesque; Huge, powerful.

• Ní raibh lá amhrais orm cad é a bhí ar bun: bhíothas ag cur féachana orm. Ach bhí mé chomh cinnte céanna nach raibh suim dá laghad agam sa triail. Nach raibh saol breá compordach [d.l. 11] agam ar bhus a cúig déag A agus nach mbeinn i lár na cathrach roimh i bhfad? D’fhanfainn sa bhothán cúpla bomaite eile á chur i gcéill go raibh mé ag smaoineamh ar an triail i ndáiríre agus ansin rachainn ar ais ar an bhus.

  I never had sny doubt about what was going on: A I was being watched. But I was quite sure that I was not in the least interested in the test. Wouldn’t I have a fine comfortable life on bus fifteen A, And wouldn’t I be in the city center before long? I would stay in the shed for a few more minutes pretending I was really thinking about the test and then get back on the bus.

  amhras	doubt; suspicion; opinion	m
  céanna	same
  Cur i gcéill	make-believe

• D’amhare mé thart orm agus thug mé faoi deara go raibh doras eile sa seomra, agus níor luaithe a chonaic mé sin ná chuala mé an scread a chuir i mo sheasamh mé láithreach bonn. Chuala mé scread eile. Níor am smaointe é: sular thuig mé cad a bhí mé a dhéanamh, bhí greim agam ar an chlaíomh agus an dara doras oscailte agam. Chuaigh mé de ruathar isteach: bhí mé in uaimh ard a bhí trí thine. Bhí bladhairí agus toit ar fud na háite agus giotaí móra de charraig dheargthe ag titim anseo is ansiúd. Tháinig fonn orm teitheadh, ach — sin an scread bhanúil arís ón taobh eile den uaimh. Rith mé trasna na huaimhe agus isteach ar dhoras eile.

  I looked around and noticed that there was another door in the room, and no sooner did I see that than I heard the scream that immediately made me stand up. I heard another scream. No time to think: before I realized what I was doing, I had a grip on the sword and had opened the second door. I entered in a rush: I was in a high cave that was on fire. There were flames and smoke all over the place and large pieces of reddened rock were falling here and there. The desire to flee came on me, but — that was the woman’s scream again from the other side of the cave. I ran across the cave and into another door.

  bonn	sole; base, foundation; coin	m
  láithreach bonn	on the spot; immediately
  ruathar	Rush, onrush, onset, attack	m
  uaimh	cave	f
  trí thine	on fire
  bladhaire	flame	m
  toit	smoke	f
  giota	bit, piece	m
  carraig	rock	f
  deargtha = dearg	reddened
  teitheadh	Flight, retreat; escape, evasion	m

• Bhí mé i seomra ollmhór a raibh leaba ar an taobh thall de. Bhí fathach fir ar an leaba agus é lom nocht: bhí sé ag streachailt le cailin álainn óg agus é ag stróiceadh na n-éadaí di. Bhí an instinn i réim go fóill — níor thráth moille é. D’imigh mé anonn chuige agus sháigh mé an claíomh ina dhroim nocht bán. Scríob an lann i gcoinne cnáimhe ag dul isteach agus rinne fuaim aisteach. Steall an fhuil as an chréacht agus chlúdaigh sí mo lámh.

  I was in a huge room with a bed at the far side of it. A giant of a man was on the bed bare naked: he was struggling with a beautiful young girl as he was tearing off her clothes. Instinct was still in power — no time for delay. I went over to him and stabbed the sword into his bare white back. The blade scraped against bone going in and made a strange sound. Blood spouted from the wound and covered my hand.

  ollmhór	Huge, immense
  thall	over, beyond
  lom	bare
  nocht	naked
  streachailt	struggle	f
  stróiceadh	tear, rent	m
  instinn	instinct	f
  réim	course, career; sway, authority; succession, line	f
  Ní tráth moille é	it is no time for delay
  anonn	Over, to the other side
  scríob	scrape, scratch	f, v
  lann	blade, Thin plate, lamina	f
  cnámh	bone	f gs cnáimhe
  fuaim	sound	f
  Steall	Splash; spout, pour
  créacht	gash, wound

• Caithfidh gur thit mé i laige ansin: mhúscail mé i seomra geal buí, mé i mo luí go seascair ar leaba faoi bhraillíní bána agus an ghrian ag soilsiú isteach ar na fuinneoga móra arda. Níor mhothaigh mé a leithéid de chompord leis na blianta agus níl cur síos ar an suaimhneas intinne a bhí agam, fad is nach smaoineoinn ar fhuil an fhathaigh.

  Bhí an t-éacht déanta agam. Bhí an bhanphrionsa sábháilte agam. D’éirigh liom sa triail. Bhí mo sheansaol fágtha i mo dhiaidh agam.

  I must have fainted then: I woke up in a bright yellow room, lying comfortably on a bed under white sheets with the sun shining in through the big high windows. I had not felt such comfort in years and I cannot describe the peace of mind I had, as long as I was not thinking of the giant’s blood.

  I had done the slaying. I had saved the princess. I passed the test. I had left my old life behind.

  laige	weakness, faint
  múscail	wake, awake	v
  seascair	Cosy, snug; in comfortable circumstances
  braillín	sheet
  éacht	Killing, slaying; slaughter

• D’fhan mé i mo luí ansin ar feadh tamaill mhaith agus mé ag déanamh liosta i mo intinn de na rudaí móra a bhí curtha i gcríoch agam: bhí mé i ndiaidh éirí as na toitíní, bhi mé tanaí, bhí an bhanphrionsa sábháilte agam!

  Bhí codladh ag teacht orm nuair a tháinig an bhanphrionsa [d.l. 12] de dheifir isteach sa seomra. “Goitse, goitse,” ar sise go himníoch. D’obair di mé a tharraingt amach as an leaba. “Go gasta,”ar sise.

  I lay there for a long time as I made a list in my mind of the great things I had accomplished: I had quit smoking, I was thin, I had saved the princess!

  I was falling asleep when the princess hurried into the room. “Come here, come here,” she said anxiously. This worked for her to drag me out of bed. “Quickly,” she said

  deifir	hurry	f
  imníoch	Anxious, concerned
  goitse, goitseo = gabh anseo	come here
  gasta	Fast; quick, rapid

• Thug sé amach mé. Bhí cnoic ísle ghlasa thart ar gach taobh faoin spéir ghlan ghorm agus bhí an bus, bus a cúig déag A, ag teacht an bóthar anios. Chuir mise mo lámh amach. Thug an bhanphrionsa póigín dom agus nuair a stop an bus chuaigh mé ar bord agus shuigh mé ar ais i mo ghnáthshuíochán. Bhí cúpla buidéal uisce beatha agam go fóill agus bhí duine éigin i ndiaidh[??] mo thráchtas a thógáil agus a chur sa phóca ar chúl an tsuíocháin romham. D’amharc mé siar agus tháinig iontas orm nuair a chonaic mé an fathach ina sheasamh ar thaobh an chnoic le taobh na banphrionsa agus greim láimhe aige uirthi. Bhí an bheirt acu ag croitheadh láimhe chugam.

  It brought me out. There were low green hills on all sides under the clear blue sky and the bus, bus fifteen A, was coming up the road. I put my hand out. The princess gave me a kiss and when the bus stopped I got on board and sat back in my usual seat. I still had a few bottles of whiskey and someone had taken my thesis and put it in the pocket on the back of the seat in front of me. I looked back and was surprised to see the giant standing on the side of the hill beside of the princess holding her hand. They were both waving hands to me.

• Tá socraithe agam dul chuig an Leabharlann Náisiúnta agus cromadh ar an tráchtas i ndáiríre nuair a bhainim lár na cathrach amach.

  I’ve resolved to go to the National Library and really apply myself to the thesis when I get to the city center.

  socraithe	settled; resolved; …
  crom	bend, stoop; apply self

Notaí Faoi Scéalta

I bought a Harris Walz Irish American in Gaeilge Irish Language T-shirt. Much appreciated by the class.