Introduction

This text is from Alessandro Manzoni's classic nineteenth century novel I promessi sposi (chapter XXV). The Italian, famously and torturously converted from Manzoni's native dialect into a Tuscan (better, Florentine) that has become the national standard, is extremely correct, and may seem rather stiff to us now. But your version should preserve the punctilious attention to grammatical convention as well as a third person narration that approaches irony in its patrician formality.

Concentrate on the first paragraph initially and prepare a quick, rough draft that you can then work over and correct.

General Instructions

• The passage for translation includes highlighted words: click on a highlighted word or phrase to see more information about it in the right-hand column.
• Type up your translation with a separate program alongside your web browser. Use a word processor or text editor; on a CALL Facility PC WordPad (Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > WordPad) is reccomended.
• You can save your work on a floppy disk or send yourself (or your tutor) a copy of your translation by copying and pasting it into an email message. To simplify transmission, save your file as plain text rather than a word processor document: under Save As go for plain text. You may even wish to type your translation directly into an email message.
• The sample translation is password-protected, and is available to you at the discretion of your instructor.