Literature Paragraph

This forms part of a translation I'm doing, any suggestions for a suitable English version would be gratefully received:

Ya no existe la higuera sobre el tapial, ni el arroyo emperrado, ni la corneta del manisero que enternecía a Borges desde su casa del dos mil ciento y pico de la calle Serrano.

Este es solo un intento. Tal vez Ud. puede ayudarme entenderlo un poco mejor.

The fig tree that shaded the garden wall no longer exists, nor the persistent little stream, nor the horn of the peanut vendor who moved to Borges from his house at 2100-something Serrano Street.

gernt version is correct. For a more "poetic" approach I'd start like this:

Gone is the fig tree that shaded the garden and....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mvictoria

gernt version is correct. For a more "poetic" approach I'd start like this:

Gone is the fig tree that shaded the garden and....

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Nice touch!

You're kidding! I thought Borges referred to the author, and that I was totally off base.

I like the poetic touch, it works well. My sense of the quote is that the peanut seller had an emotional effect on Borges as he was listening from his house on Calle Serrano. It's also difficult to render a good version of "y pico" when it forms part of a house number.

Oops. So I really was off base. I just now looked for and found on the internet that Borges lived at 2135 Serrano, so this obviously does refer to the man and not a place.

One more big time (with feeling):

Gone is the fig tree that shaded the garden wall and the persistent little stream. Gone also is the peanut vendor’s horn that touched Borges so at his house on the 2100 block of Serrano Street.

Nice!!! BTW, this is just around the corner from where I live :-)

Thanks very much - I like the last translation