"What was it about this woman that was so amusingly, so bribingly and disarmingly insignificant that you immediately had to pay attention, among all the interesting, beautiful, loud and flamboyant women? There was something about him, something wordless and radiant. The man looked at her and suddenly understood that he had been shivering until now, but now it is enough to sit next to this woman, and then he won't be cold anymore. It's true, it won't be particularly hot around you; this woman is not on fire. But it warms, like an old tile stove, which was once warmed by the flame of fragrant logs at the beginning of winter, and then smolders quietly until spring. So I sat beside him, without any particular hopes or demands; and I warmed up.
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Author
Márai SándorAll Translations
All Translations
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What was it about this woman that was so amusingly, so bribingly and disarmingly insignificant that you immediately had to pay attention, among all the interesting, beautiful, loud and flamboyant women? There was something about him, something wordless and radiant. The man looked at her and suddenly understood that he had been shivering until now, but now it is enough to sit next to this woman, and then he won't be cold anymore. It's true, it won't be particularly hot around you; this woman is not on fire. But it warms, like an old tile stove, which was once warmed by the flame of fragrant logs at the beginning of winter, and then smolders quietly until spring. So I sat beside him, without any particular hopes or demands; and I warmed up.
""Mi volt ebben a nőben olyan mulatságosan, olyan megvesztegetően és lefegyverzően jelentéktelen, hogy rögtön oda kellett figyelni, az érdekes, szép, hangos és rikító nők között? Valami volt benne, valami szótlan és sugárzó. Az ember reánézett, s egyszerre megértette, hogy eddig didergett, de most már elég odaülni e nő mellé, s akkor majd nem fázik többé. Igaz, nem perzsel majd különösebb forróság sem környezetében; ez a nő nem lángol. De melegít, mint egy régi cserépkályha, mely tél elején egyszer illatos fahasábok lángjától langyosodott át, s aztán csendesen parázslik tavaszig. Ezért melléje ültem, különösebb remények vagy igények nélkül; s melegedtem."