A ESCRAVA ISAURA

A Escrava Isaura 5.66 · 5.66

In vain he tried to soften it

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Tarde e em vão procurou attenuar o terrivel effeito de sua fatal indiscrição.

Too late and in vain he tried to soften the terrible effect of his fatal indiscretion.

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TardeTAR-deToo lateeiandemãyinvãovãuvainprocuroupro-ku-ROHhe triedattenuara-te-nu-ARto softenoutheterrivelte-RREE-velterribleeffeitoe-FAY-tueffectdedeofsuaSOO-ahisfatalfa-TALfatalindiscriçãoeen-dish-kree-SÃUindiscretion.

The setting

Too late and in vain he tried to soften the terrible effect of his fatal indiscretion.

A note on this passage

The paragraph closes on the word that damns him gently — 'indiscrição', indiscretion. Not a crime, not a betrayal, merely a failure to hold his tongue; and yet 'fatal', deadly in its effect. Guimarães's moral is precise: in a house built on secrets and lies, even honesty, spoken carelessly, becomes a weapon.

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