The Lady or the Tiger (3/3) - "A Dama ou o Tigre" - English Reading for Beginners - Uma leitura guiada em inglês

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Part III
The Arena

As the young man walked into the arena, he turned. He looked up towards the royal box and, following custom, bowed low. But he did not look at the king at all. His eyes were fixed on the princess, who sat to the right of her father. She would not have been at the arena if she had not been half barbarian herself, but her intense and passionate soul obligated her to come and watch this terribly interesting trial. From the moment she knew her lover was going to be on trial in the arena, she could not think of anything else, day or night, except this great event and everything that was connected to it.

Since the princess had great power and influence, she had done what no other person had ever done - she discovered the secret of the doors. She knew which door was hiding the tiger and which door was hiding the lady. Gold, and the power (or fear) of an influential woman, brought the secret to the princess. The princess not only discovered which door the lady was behind, but she also discovered who exactly the lady was! It was one of the most beautiful and most desirable ladies of her father’s court; and the princess hated her. The princess believed that she had seen, or imagined that she had seen, this beautiful lady looking with affection at her handsome lover. She was also convinced that she saw her lover return those looks of affection from the beautiful lady.

She had seen them talking together from time to time - only for a moment or two, but it is possible to say many things in a short period of time, thought the princess. They might have been talking about the most unimportant topics, but how could the princess know that? The girl was lovely, but she had made the great mistake of looking at the love of the princess’s life. And so, with all the intensity of the savage blood that she had in her from all of her distant barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who waited behind that silent door.

When her lover turned and looked into her eyes, he knew instantly that she knew which door the hungry tiger was behind and which door concealed the beautiful lady. He was expecting her to know. He understood her nature and he knew that she would not be able to rest until she discovered this thing that no one knew, not even the king.

The young man’s only hope was based on the success of the princess to discover the mystery. And the moment he looked at her, he knew that she was successful - in his soul he had always known that she would succeed. In the exact instant when he looked in her eyes, his eyes asked the question: “Which?” His question was as clear to her as if he had shouted it from the floor of the arena where he was standing. The question was asked in a single moment - a blink of an eye, so the response must be answered as quickly. Her right arm was resting on the balcony wall in front of her. She raised her hand and made a small, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her do this. Every eye was fixed on the man in the arena. He turned, and with a firm and rapid step, he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, the people held their breath and every eye was fixed on that man without moving. Without any hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it.

Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady come out of that door? The more we reflect on this question, the harder it is to answer. It requires us to study the human heart, and in that study we must find our way out of the difficult labyrinth of passion. Do not think of the question, dear reader, from your own perspective. Think of it from the perspective of that hot-blooded, semi-barbaric princess, her soul white with heat from the combined fires of despair and jealousy. She had lost him forever. That she knew. But who should have him? How often do you think she woke up from her nightmares, covering her face with her hands thinking about her lover opening the door with the hungry tiger waiting behind it?

But then how often in her dreams did she see him at the other door? How do you think she screamed and pulled her hair out when she saw the happiness on his face when he opened the door that concealed the lady? Her soul was in torture when she imagined him running to meet that woman, with her red cheeks and shining eyes. How do you think she felt when she imagined him holding the woman’s hand, full of joy at his innocence? How do you think she felt when she heard the crowd yelling with happiness? How do you think she felt when she heard the ringing of the happy bells in the city; when she saw the priest, with his many dancing girls, walking towards the couple to make them man and wife right there in front of her? How do you think she felt when she saw them walking away together to begin a new life of joy and contentment? How do you think she felt when the many people in the arena shouted with joy and happiness, making her one cry of despair disappear in the sound of the crowd?

Would it be better for him to die quickly, and then wait for her in the comfort of some semi-barbaric heaven? But, wait, that awful tiger, his screams, all the blood! On that day in the arena, she signaled her decision to her lover in an instant, but it was made after many long days and nights without sleep. She knew she would be asked, she decided what she would answer, and, without any hesitation, she moved her hand to the right. The question of her decision was obviously a very difficult one, and I am certainly not the person to tell you how to answer it.

And so I leave it with you, dear reader: Which came out of the opened door - the lady, or the tiger?

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Part III
Parte III

The Arena
A Arena

As the young man walked into the arena, he turned. He looked up towards the royal box and, following custom, bowed low.
Quando o jovem entrou na arena, ele se virou. Ele olhou para o camarote real e, seguindo o costume, se encurvou.

But he did not look at the king at all.
Mas ele nem olhou para o rei.

His eyes were fixed on the princess, who sat to the right of her father.
Seus olhos estavam fixos na princesa, que estava sentada à direita de seu pai.

She would not have been at the arena if she had not been half barbarian herself, but her intense and passionate soul obligated her to come and watch this terribly interesting trial.
Ela não estaria na arena se não fosse meio bárbara, mas sua alma intensa e apaixonada a obrigou a vir assistir a este julgamento terrivelmente interessante.

From the moment she knew her lover was going to be on trial in the arena, she could not think of anything else, day or night, except this great event and everything that was connected to it.
A partir do momento em que soube que seu amante seria julgado na arena, ela não conseguia pensar em mais nada, dia ou noite, exceto este grande evento e tudo o que estava relacionado a ele.

Since the princess had great power and influence, she had done what no other person had ever done - she discovered the secret of the doors.
Como a princesa tinha grande poder e influência, ela havia feito o que nenhuma outra pessoa jamais havia feito - ela descobriu o segredo das portas.

She knew which door was hiding the tiger and which door was hiding the lady.
Ela sabia qual porta estava escondendo o tigre e qual porta estava escondendo a dama.

Gold, and the power (or fear) of an influential woman, brought the secret to the princess.
O ouro, e o poder (ou medo) de uma mulher influente trouxeram o segredo à princesa.

The princess not only discovered which door the lady was behind, but she also discovered who exactly the lady was!
A princesa não apenas descobriu em qual porta a dama estava, mas também descobriu quem exatamente era a dama!

It was one of the most beautiful and most desirable ladies of her father’s court; and the princess hated her.
Era uma das damas mais belas e desejadas da corte do seu pai; e a princesa a odiava.

The princess believed that she had seen, or imagined that she had seen, this beautiful lady looking with affection at her handsome lover.
A princesa acreditou ter visto, ou imaginado ter visto, esta bela dama olhando com carinho para seu belo amante.

She was also convinced that she saw her lover return those looks of affection from the beautiful lady.
Ela também estava convencida de que viu seu amante retribuir aqueles olhares de carinho da bela dama.

She had seen them talking together from time to time - only for a moment or two, but it is possible to say many things in a short period of time, thought the princess.
Ela os tinha visto conversando de vez em quando - apenas por um momento ou dois, mas é possível dizer muitas coisas em um curto período de tempo, pensou a princesa.

They might have been talking about the most unimportant topics, but how could the princess know that?
Eles podiam estar falando sobre os assuntos mais sem importância, mas como a princesa poderia saber disso?

The girl was lovely, but she had made the great mistake of looking at the love of the princess’s life.
A menina era adorável, mas ela tinha cometido o grande erro de olhar para o amor da vida da princesa.

And so, with all the intensity of the savage blood that she had in her from all of her distant barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who waited behind that silent door.
E assim, com toda a intensidade do sangue selvagem que ela tinha de todos os seus ancestrais bárbaros distantes, ela odiava a mulher que esperava atrás daquela porta silenciosa.

When her lover turned and looked into her eyes, he knew instantly that she knew which door the hungry tiger was behind and which door concealed the beautiful lady.
Quando seu amante se virou e olhou em seus olhos, ele soube imediatamente que ela sabia de qual porta o tigre faminto estava atrás e qual porta escondia a bela dama.

He was expecting her to know.
Ele esperava que ela soubesse.

He understood her nature and he knew that she would not be able to rest until she discovered this thing that no one knew, not even the king.
Ele compreendia sua natureza e sabia que ela não poderia descansar até que descobrisse essa coisa que ninguém sabia, nem mesmo o rei.

The young man’s only hope was based on the success of the princess to discover the mystery.
A única esperança do jovem estava baseada no sucesso da princesa em descobrir o mistério.

And the moment he looked at her, he knew that she was successful - in his soul he had always known that she would succeed.
E no momento em que ele olhou para ela, ele soube que ela era bem sucedida - em sua alma ele sempre soube que ela seria bem sucedida.

In the exact instant when he looked in her eyes, his eyes asked the question: “Which?”
No exato instante em que ele olhou nos olhos dela, seus olhos fizeram a pergunta: “Qual?”

His question was as clear to her as if he had shouted it from the floor of the arena where he was standing.
A pergunta dele foi tão clara para ela como se ele a tivesse gritado do chão da arena onde estava.

The question was asked in a single moment - a blink of an eye, so the response must be answered as quickly.
A pergunta foi feita em um único momento - um piscar de olhos, então a resposta deve ser respondida o mais rápido possível.

Her right arm was resting on the balcony wall in front of her. She raised her hand and made a small, quick movement toward the right.
Seu braço direito estava apoiado na parede da varanda à sua frente. Ela levantou a mão e fez um movimento pequeno e rápido para a direita.

No one but her lover saw her do this.
Ninguém além de seu amante a viu fazer isso.

Every eye was fixed on the man in the arena.
Todos os olhos estavam fixos no homem na arena.

He turned, and with a firm and rapid step, he walked across the empty space.
Ele se virou, e com passo firme e rápido, atravessou o espaço vazio.

Every heart stopped beating, the people held their breath and every eye was fixed on that man without moving.
Todos os corações pararam de bater, as pessoas prendiam a respiração e todos os olhos estavam fixos naquele homem sem se mover.

Without any hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it.
Sem qualquer hesitação, ele foi até a porta da direita e a abriu.

Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady come out of that door?
Agora, o ponto da história é este: o tigre saiu por aquela porta, ou a dama saiu por aquela porta?

The more we reflect on this question, the harder it is to answer.
Quanto mais refletimos sobre essa questão, mais difícil é responder.

It requires us to study the human heart, and in that study we must find our way out of the difficult labyrinth of passion.
Exige que estudemos o coração humano, e nesse estudo devemos encontrar o caminho para sair do difícil labirinto da paixão.

Do not think of the question, dear reader, from your own perspective.
Não pense na questão, caro leitor, de sua própria perspectiva.

Think of it from the perspective of that hot-blooded, semi-barbaric princess, her soul white with heat from the combined fires of despair and jealousy.
Pense nisso da perspectiva daquela princesa semi-bárbara e de sangue quente, sua alma branca com o calor dos fogos combinados de desespero e ciúme.

She had lost him forever. That she knew.
Ela o havia perdido para sempre. Isso ela sabia.

But who should have him?
Mas quem devia tê-lo?

How often do you think she woke up from her nightmares, covering her face with her hands thinking about her lover opening the door with the hungry tiger waiting behind it?
Quantas vezes você acha que ela acordou de seus pesadelos, cobrindo o rosto com as mãos pensando em seu amante abrindo a porta com o tigre faminto esperando atrás dela?

But then how often in her dreams did she see him at the other door?
Mas então quantas vezes em seus sonhos ela o via na outra porta?

How do you think she screamed and pulled her hair out when she saw the happiness on his face when he opened the door that concealed the lady?
Como você acha que ela gritava e puxava os cabelos quando viu a felicidade no rosto dele ao abrir a porta que escondia a dama?

Her soul was in torture when she imagined him running to meet that woman, with her red cheeks and shining eyes.
Sua alma estava em tortura quando ela o imaginou correndo ao encontro daquela mulher, com suas bochechas vermelhas e olhos brilhantes.

How do you think she felt when she imagined him holding the woman’s hand, full of joy at his innocence?
Como você acha que ela se sentiu quando o imaginou segurando a mão da mulher, cheio de alegria por sua inocência?

How do you think she felt when she heard the crowd yelling with happiness?
Como você acha que ela se sentiu quando ouviu a multidão gritando de felicidade?

How do you think she felt when she heard the ringing of the happy bells in the city;
Como você acha que ela se sentiu quando ouviu o toque dos sinos felizes na cidade;

when she saw the priest, with his many dancing girls, walking towards the couple to make them man and wife right there in front of her?
quando ela viu o padre, com suas muitas dançarinas, caminhando em direção ao casal para torná-los marido e mulher bem ali na frente dela?

How do you think she felt when she saw them walking away together to begin a new life of joy and contentment?
Como você acha que ela se sentiu quando os viu indo embora juntos para começar uma nova vida de alegria e contentamento?

How do you think she felt when the many people in the arena shouted with joy and happiness, making her one cry of despair disappear in the sound of the crowd?
Como você acha que ela se sentiu quando as muitas pessoas na arena gritaram de alegria e felicidade, fazendo com que seu grito de desespero desaparecesse no som da multidão?

Would it be better for him to die quickly, and then wait for her in the comfort of some semi-barbaric heaven?
Seria melhor para ele morrer rapidamente, e depois esperar por ela no conforto de algum paraíso semi-bárbaro?

But, wait, that awful tiger, his screams, all the blood!
Mas, espere, aquele tigre horrível, seus gritos, quanto sangue!

On that day in the arena, she signaled her decision to her lover in an instant, but it was made after many long days and nights without sleep.
Naquele dia na arena, ela sinalizou sua decisão para seu amante em um instante, mas foi tomada depois de muitos longos dias e noites sem dormir.

She knew she would be asked, she decided what she would answer, and, without any hesitation, she moved her hand to the right.
Ela sabia que seria perguntada, decidiu o que responderia e, sem hesitar, moveu a mão para a direita.

The question of her decision was obviously a very difficult one, and I am certainly not the person to tell you how to answer it.
A questão de sua decisão foi obviamente muito difícil, e eu certamente não sou a pessoa certa para lhe dizer como responder.

And so I leave it with you, dear reader: Which came out of the opened door - the lady, or the tiger?
E então deixo com você, caro leitor: O que saiu pela porta aberta - a dama ou o tigre?