Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlet53
I have a question for those reading this in German. Going back to Chapter 15 of Part Three where out of the blue we are told of the sexual affair that Thomas Buddenbrook has been engaged in with Anna, a young woman working in a flower shop. He twice says to her: “But don’t do anything to demean yourself, Anna, do you hear? Because you haven’t so far, indeed you haven’t.”
I interpreted this as him warning her not to do or say anything that might embarrass him or cause him any difficulties (say such as showing up at the Buddenbrook residence demanding satisfaction) now that he is summarily dumping her because he is taking a position in Amsterdam. I just wonder it the translation is accurate, especially the expression “demean yourself.”
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This is the original:
'Man wird getragen, siehst du ... Wenn ich am Leben bin, werde ich das Geschäft übernehmen, werde eine Partie machen ... ja, ich bin offen gegen dich, beim Abschied ... Und auch du ... das wird so gehen ... Ich wünsche dir alles Glück, meine liebe, gute, kleine Anna! Aber wirf dich nicht weg, hörst du?... Denn bis jetzt hast du dich =nicht= weggeworfen, das sage ich dir ...!«'
Thomas tells Anna that it should be over; both will go their own way, and that she shouldn't do anything that would bring her down to a lower level. She hasn't been that kind of girl (I guess he meant a kind of prostitute) to him till now and she shouldn't become one after he leaves her. (BTW: For him that means that he isn't a man that visits prostitutes himself, but only nice honest girls.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bookpossum
Sorry, I wasn't clear - I meant the page 30 reference you asked about earlier.
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That is in the 5th chapter of the first part.