English to Spanish Art/Literary Poetry & Literature

(Paragraphs context from "Art of Money Getting")


"I beg you not to speak so satirically," he replied, "Sir, these are not Madam Tussaud's wax figures, all covered with gilt and tinsel and imitation dia­ monds, and copied from engravings and pho­ tographs. Mine, sir, were taken from life. Whenever you look upon one of those figures, you may consider that you are looking upon the living individual."


Glancing casually at them, I saw one labeled "Henry VIII," and feeling a little curious upon see­ ing that it looked like Calvin Edson, the living skeleton, I said: "Do you call that 'Henry the Eighth?"' He replied, "Certainly; sir; it was taken from life at Hampton Court, by special order of his majesty; on such a day."
He would have given the hour of the day if I had resisted; I said, "Everybody knows that 'Henry VIII.' was a great stout old king, and that figure is lean and lank; what do you say to that?"


"Why," he replied, "you would be lean and lank yourself if you sat there as long as he has."


There was no resisting such arguments. I said to my English friend, "Let us go out; do not tell him who I am; I show the white feather; he beats me."




I first thought it is referring to taking something from somewhere, like stealing.