Bello-Cuervo = Andrés Bello, Gramática de la lengua castellana... con extensas notas y un copioso índice alfabético de D. Rufino José Cuervo, Paris, 1908.
SIN QUERER
This one-act comedy illustrates Benavente's fondness for ironical and surprising situations. It is characteristic of the time when he was wont to make fun of the aristocratic circles of Madrid. The ostensible purpose of the play is to ridicule the traditional manner of arranging marriages in Spain. Joined to this is the more simple idea of amusing the audience. It is interesting to note that Benavente himself acted the part of Pepe in the first production of the piece, thereby demonstrating his close relationship with the practical side of the theater. The Teatro de la Comedia, where the sketch was first shown, is on the Calle del Príncipe, near the Puerta del Sol, in Madrid. It is devoted to high-class comedy. Press notices attest that Sin querer was well received by the public.
[3.1] con que 'provided,' 'if only.' The meaning of this conjunction varies according to whether it is followed by the indicative or the subjunctive. See vocabulary, under con.
[3.2] que pase 'let him come in.' Here que introduces the imperative of the third person; the different uses of que must be carefully distinguished in the three plays of this volume.
[3.3] nos avisas. The present indicative, instead of the future or imperative, for greater vividness.
[3.4] Porque me haya usted oído 'Because you may have heard me.' Porque does not influence the mood of haya; the subjunctive is governed by an idea of possibility not expressed, but which might be indicated by es posible or by se puede.
[3.5] una. An indefinite subject, indicated in English by 'one,' 'we,' 'you,' 'they,' 'people,' etc., is usually expressed in Spanish by the reflexive. The pronoun uno or una may, however, replace se and it tends to make the subject less vague.
[3.6] Tratándose de usted 'When you are concerned.' Participial constructions (whether the participle be present or past) are frequently best translated by dependent clauses.
[3.7] al pasar 'in passing,' 'when you pass.' The common use of al with the infinitive, where English has a dependent clause or the present participle governed usually by 'in,' 'on,' 'upon,' 'while,' etc.