Section 83. The Power of Beauty

In one of the worst parts of London there is⁠ an institution⁠ which I visited. In one room I found about⁠ thirty-five men listening (S. 16, N. 4) to the teaching⁠ of the daughter of a small shopkeeper⁠ in⁠ the neighbourhood. She was one of the prettiest women (S. 16, N. 10) I ever saw⁠ in my life. I noticed that the young girl was quite alone with those rough⁠ men, and said to the superintendent⁠: “Are⁠ you not afraid to leave the pretty young girl alone with all those men?” He replied: “I⁠ am.” “Then, why don’t you go to her?” “You mistake⁠ my fear. I⁠ am not afraid of their doing her any harm. They love her so much that they would lick⁠ the ground on which⁠ she walks, but I am afraid⁠ that some⁠ person may step in, who, not⁠ knowing the manner of the place, may⁠ say something impertinent⁠ to her; and if he⁠ did, he would not leave the place⁠ alive⁠.”—Lord Shaftesbury.

Render ‘there is’ by the Pres. of bestehen.

Anstalt, f.

ungefähr.

Unterricht, m.

Krämer.

aus.

saw = have seen. The auxiliary may be omitted, according to S. 52, N. 8.

roh.

This noun may be used in its unaltered form.

Furcht haben.

Ja, doch, which place before the words ‘he replied’.

mistake = misunderstand.

I — harm = I fear not that they will do her any harm (etwas zuleide thun).

‘to lick’, here = to kiss.

worauf.

befürchten.

Say ‘a stranger’ could (Impf. Subj.) come in.

not — place, unbekannt mit den Sitten dieser Anstalt.

Impf. Subj.

Ungehöriges.

Supply here the object ‘das’.

Haus.

lebendig, before which supply the adverb ‘wieder’.