ALENCAR

O Guarani 5.13 · 5.13

A blush that fades

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Sonhava que corava; e um rubor vivo acendia o rosado de suas faces; mas a pouco e pouco esse casto enleio ia se desvanecendo, e acabava num gracioso sorriso que sua alma vinha pousar nos lábios.

She dreamed that she blushed; a vivid flush kindled the pink of her cheeks; but little by little that chaste confusion faded, and ended in a graceful smile that her soul came to rest on her lips.

Word by word

Sonhavaso-NYA-vaShe dreamedquekeethatcoravako-RA-vashe blushed;eeeandumoongaruborhoo-BORflushvivoVEE-voovividacendiaa-sen-DEE-akindledoootherosadoho-ZA-doopinkdejeeofsuasSOO-asherfacesFA-sescheeks;masmasbutaalittlepoucoPOH-kooby littleeeeandpoucoPOH-koolittleesseE-seethatcastoKAS-toochasteenleioeng-LAY-ooconfusioniaEE-awassese(itself)desvanecendodes-va-ne-SEN-doofading away,eeeandacabavaa-ka-BA-vaendednumnoongin agraciosogra-see-O-zoogracefulsorrisoso-HEE-zoosmilequekeethatsuaSOO-aheralmaAL-masoulvinhaVEE-nyacamepousarpoh-ZARto settlenosnooson thelábiosLA-bee-ooslips.

The setting

Chapter V. Cecília is named, and the narrator follows her half-waking daydream in the hammock.

A note on this passage

The image of the soul coming to 'settle' on the lips, like a bird alighting, is one of Alencar's tenderest touches. The whole emotion moves from blush to embarrassment to smile without a single word or act — desire kept entirely interior, entirely safe.

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