A Study in Scarlet — Page 2

English → Fr CHAPTER I. Level 6/10

Worn with pain, and weak from the prolonged hardships which I had undergone, I was removed, with a great train of wounded sufferers, to the base hospital at Peshawar.

Épuisé par la douleur, et affaibli par les longues épreuves que j'avais endurées, je fus transféré, avec un grand nombre de blessés, à l'hôpital de base de Peshawar.

Here I rallied, and had already improved so far as to be able to walk about the wards, and even to bask a little upon the verandah, when I was struck down by enteric fever, that curse of our Indian possessions.

Là, je repris des forces, et m'étais déjà suffisamment rétabli pour pouvoir déambuler dans les salles, et même profiter un peu de la véranda, lorsque je fus terrassé par la fièvre typhoïde, ce fléau de nos possessions indiennes.

For months my life was despaired of, and when at last I came to myself and became convalescent, I was so weak and emaciated that a medical board determined that not a day should be lost in sending me back to England.

Pendant des mois, on désespéra de ma vie, et lorsqu'enfin je repris connaissance et entrai en convalescence, j'étais si faible et si amaigri qu'un conseil médical décida qu'il ne fallait pas perdre un jour pour me renvoyer en Angleterre.

I was dispatched, accordingly, in the troopship "Orontes," and landed a month later on Portsmouth jetty, with my health irretrievably ruined, but with permission from a paternal government to spend the next nine months in attempting to improve it.

Je fus donc expédié à bord du transport de troupes « Orontes », et débarquai un mois plus tard sur le quai de Portsmouth, avec une santé irrémédiablement compromise, mais avec l'autorisation d'un gouvernement paternel de passer les neuf mois suivants à tenter de la rétablir.

I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore as free as air—or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be.

Je n'avais ni proches ni parents en Angleterre, et j'étais donc libre comme l'air — ou aussi libre qu'un revenu de onze shillings et six pence par jour peut permettre à un homme de l'être.

Under such circumstances, I naturally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.

Dans ces circonstances, je me dirigeai naturellement vers Londres, ce grand cloaque dans lequel tous les oisifs et les fainéants de l'Empire sont irrésistiblement attirés.

There I stayed for some time at a private hotel in the Strand, leading a comfortless, meaningless existence, and spending such money as I had, considerably more freely than I ought.

Là, je séjournai quelque temps dans un hôtel particulier du Strand, menant une existence sans confort ni but, et dépensant le peu d'argent que j'avais, bien plus librement que je n'aurais dû.

Vocabulary

Épuisé: ay-pwee-zay — Exhausted, completely drained of energy or strength.
par: par — By, through; a common preposition indicating means or agent.
la: la — The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
douleur: doo-lur — Pain, suffering, or grief felt physically or emotionally.
et: ay — And; basic coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses.
affaibli: a-fay-blee — Weakened, made less strong by illness or hardship.
les: lay — The; definite article for plural nouns of any gender.
longues: long — Long (feminine plural); describing extended duration or length.
épreuves: ay-pruv — Trials, hardships, or ordeals endured over time.
que: kuh — That, which, whom; subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun.
j': zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun before a vowel.
avais: a-vay — Had; imperfect tense of 'avoir', indicating past possession or action.
endurées: ahn-doo-ray — Endured (feminine plural past participle); suffered through hardships.
je: zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun in French.
fus: foo — Was; simple past (passé simple) of 'être', first person singular.
transféré: trans-fay-ray — Transferred, moved from one place to another officially.
avec: a-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association.
un: uhn — A, an; indefinite article for masculine singular nouns.
grand: grahn — Large, great; adjective describing size or importance.
nombre: nom-bruh — Number, quantity; refers to an amount of people or things.
de: duh — Of, from; very common preposition with many uses.
blessés: blay-say — Wounded persons, those injured in battle or accident.
à: a — To, at, in; preposition indicating location or destination.
l': luh / la — The; definite article contracted before a vowel sound.
hôpital: oh-pee-tal — Hospital; medical facility where patients receive treatment.
base: baz — Base; foundational location or military headquarters.
Là: la — There; adverb indicating a specific place or location.
repris: ruh-pree — Regained, recovered; past participle of 'reprendre'.
des: day — Some, of the; partitive or plural indefinite article.
forces: fors — Strength, forces; physical or military power and energy.
m': muh — Me, myself; first-person singular reflexive or object pronoun.
étais: ay-tay — Was; imperfect tense of 'être', first person singular.
déjà: day-zha — Already; adverb indicating something happened sooner than expected.
suffisamment: soo-fee-za-mahn — Sufficiently, enough; to an adequate degree or extent.
rétabli: ray-ta-blee — Recovered, restored to health or former condition.
pour: poor — For, in order to; preposition expressing purpose or intention.
pouvoir: poo-vwar — To be able to; modal verb expressing ability or possibility.
déambuler: day-ahm-boo-lay — To stroll, wander around casually without a fixed destination.
dans: dahn — In, inside; preposition indicating location within a space.
salles: sal — Rooms, halls; large spaces in a building, e.g., hospital wards.
même: mem — Even, same; used to emphasize or show equivalence.
profiter: pro-fee-tay — To enjoy, take advantage of; benefit from something available.
peu: puh — A little, few; indicating a small amount or degree.
véranda: vay-rahn-da — Veranda; covered outdoor terrace or porch attached to a building.
lorsque: lor-skuh — When; conjunction introducing a clause about a specific time.
terrassé: tay-ra-say — Struck down, overwhelmed; felled by illness or a blow.
fièvre: fyev-ruh — Fever; elevated body temperature caused by illness or infection.
typhoïde: tee-fo-eed — Typhoid; serious bacterial disease causing high fever and weakness.
ce: suh — This, that; demonstrative adjective or pronoun in French.
fléau: flay-oh — Scourge, plague; a great affliction or devastating menace.
nos: noh — Our; first-person plural possessive adjective in French.
possessions: po-se-syohn — Possessions, territories; lands owned or controlled by a nation.
indiennes: an-dyen — Indian (feminine plural); relating to India or its people.
Pendant: pahn-dahn — During, for; preposition indicating duration of a time period.
mois: mwa — Month; unit of time comprising approximately thirty days.
on: ohn — One, they, people; indefinite subject pronoun used generally.
désespéra: day-zes-pay-ra — Despaired; past tense meaning lost all hope about something.
ma: ma — My; first-person singular possessive adjective for feminine nouns.
vie: vee — Life; the state of being alive or one's existence.
lorsqu': lor-skuh — When; conjunction before a vowel, indicating a specific moment.
enfin: ahn-fan — Finally, at last; indicating something long awaited has occurred.
connaissance: ko-nay-sahns — Consciousness, knowledge; awareness or acquaintance with something.
entrai: ahn-tray — Entered; passé simple of 'entrer', first person singular.
en: ahn — In, into, as; versatile preposition or adverbial pronoun.
convalescence: kon-va-le-sahns — Convalescence; gradual recovery period after serious illness or injury.
si: see — So, if; conjunction or adverb expressing condition or intensity.
faible: feb-luh — Weak, feeble; lacking strength or vitality physically or otherwise.
amaigri: a-may-gree — Emaciated, thinned; having lost significant weight due to illness.
qu': kuh — That; subordinating conjunction contracted before a vowel sound.
conseil: kon-say — Council, advice; a group offering recommendations or decisions.
médical: may-dee-kal — Medical; relating to the practice or science of medicine.
décida: day-see-da — Decided; passé simple of 'décider', meaning resolved upon something.
il: eel — He, it; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun.
ne: nuh — Not; part of French negation, used with 'pas' or alone.
fallait: fa-lay — It was necessary; imperfect of 'falloir', impersonal obligation verb.
pas: pa — Not; second element of French negation with 'ne'.
perdre: pair-druh — To lose, to waste; verb meaning to forfeit or miss something.
jour: zhoor — Day; a twenty-four-hour period or daylight hours.
me: muh — Me; first-person singular direct or indirect object pronoun.
renvoyer: rahn-vwa-yay — To send back, dismiss; to return someone to their place.
Angleterre: ahng-gluh-tair — England; country in the United Kingdom, northwest Europe.
Je: zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun starting a sentence.
donc: donk — Therefore, so; conjunction indicating consequence or conclusion.
expédié: eks-pay-dyay — Dispatched, sent off quickly to a destination or person.
bord: bor — Board, edge; 'à bord' means aboard a ship or vehicle.
du: doo — Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'le', masculine singular.
transport: trans-por — Transport; vehicle or ship used for carrying passengers or goods.
troupes: troop — Troops; soldiers or military personnel grouped together.
débarquai: day-bar-kay — Disembarked; passé simple meaning stepped off a ship ashore.
plus: ploo / ploos — More, no more; adverb of comparison or negation in French.
tard: tar — Late; adverb indicating a time further along than expected.
sur: soor — On, upon; preposition indicating position atop a surface.
le: luh — The; definite article for masculine singular nouns in French.
quai: kay — Quay, dock; a platform beside water where ships moor.
une: oon — A, an; indefinite article for feminine singular nouns.
santé: sahn-tay — Health; the general condition of one's body and wellbeing.
irrémédiablement: ee-ray-may-dyab-luh-mahn — Irreparably, irreversibly; in a way that cannot be remedied.
compromise: kom-pro-meez — Compromised, damaged; adversely affected or put at risk.
mais: may — But; coordinating conjunction expressing contrast or opposition.
autorisation: oh-to-ree-za-syohn — Authorization, permission; official approval to do something.
d': duh — Of, from; preposition 'de' contracted before a vowel.
gouvernement: goo-vair-nuh-mahn — Government; the governing body or authority of a country.
paternel: pa-tair-nel — Paternal; relating to or characteristic of a father figure.
passer: pa-say — To spend, to pass; verb meaning to go through or elapse.
neuf: nuhf — Nine; the number 9, or 'new' depending on context.
suivants: swee-vahn — Following, next; referring to subsequent months or periods ahead.
tenter: tahn-tay — To attempt, to try; to make an effort to do something.
rétablir: ray-ta-bleer — To restore, recover; to return to a former healthy state.
n': nuh — Not; contracted form of 'ne' before a vowel, used in negation.
ni: nee — Neither, nor; used in paired negative constructions in French.
proches: prosh — Close ones, relatives; people nearby or intimately connected.
parents: pa-rahn — Parents or relatives; family members one is related to.
libre: lee-bruh — Free; not constrained, at liberty to act as one chooses.
comme: kom — Like, as; conjunction or preposition of comparison or manner.
air: air — Air; the atmosphere, or in 'libre comme l'air', totally free.
ou: oo — Or; coordinating conjunction presenting an alternative choice.
aussi: oh-see — Also, as well; adverb indicating addition or comparison.
revenu: ruh-vuh-noo — Income, revenue; money received regularly from work or assets.
onze: onz — Eleven; the number 11 in French.
six: sees — Six; the number 6 in French.
peut: puh — Can, may; third-person singular present of 'pouvoir'.
permettre: pair-met-ruh — To allow, permit; to make something possible for someone.
homme: om — Man; an adult male human being.
être: et-ruh — To be; fundamental linking verb indicating state or identity.
Dans: dahn — In; preposition indicating location or circumstance within something.
ces: say — These, those; plural demonstrative adjective in French.
circonstances: seer-kon-stahns — Circumstances; conditions or facts surrounding a situation or event.
dirigeai: dee-ree-zhay — Directed, headed; passé simple of 'diriger', first person singular.
naturellement: na-too-rel-mahn — Naturally, of course; in an expected or obvious manner.
vers: vair — Toward, around; preposition indicating direction or approximation.
Londres: lon-druh — London; the capital city of England and the United Kingdom.
cloaque: klo-ak — Cesspool, sewer; a filthy place or corrupted gathering spot.
lequel: luh-kel — Which, whom; relative pronoun referring to a previously mentioned noun.
tous: too — All, every; masculine plural adjective or pronoun indicating totality.
oisifs: wa-zeef — Idle people; those who are lazy or unoccupied with work.
fainéants: fay-nay-ahn — Idlers, lazybones; people who avoid work and do nothing.
Empire: ahm-peer — Empire; a large political unit ruled by an emperor or power.
sont: sohn — Are; third-person plural present tense of 'être'.
irrésistiblement: ee-ray-zees-teeb-luh-mahn — Irresistibly; in a manner impossible to resist or oppose.
attirés: a-tee-ray — Attracted, drawn; pulled toward something by a compelling force.
séjournai: say-zhoor-nay — Stayed, sojourned; passé simple meaning temporarily resided somewhere.
quelque: kel-kuh — Some, a certain; adjective indicating an unspecified amount or degree.
temps: tahn — Time, weather; duration or the atmospheric conditions outside.
hôtel: oh-tel — Hotel or large private house; accommodation establishment for guests.
particulier: par-tee-koo-lyay — Private, particular; here 'hôtel particulier' means a private mansion.
menant: muh-nahn — Leading, living; present participle of 'mener', conducting a lifestyle.
existence: eg-zees-tahns — Existence, life; the way or manner in which one lives.
sans: sahn — Without; preposition indicating the absence of something.
confort: kon-for — Comfort; a state of physical ease and pleasant living conditions.
but: boo — Goal, purpose; an aim or objective one works toward.
dépensant: day-pahn-sahn — Spending; present participle of 'dépenser', using money or resources.
argent: ar-zhahn — Money, silver; currency used for buying goods and services.
bien: byan — Well, very; adverb indicating quality, degree, or emphasis.
librement: lee-bruh-mahn — Freely; in an unrestrained or generous manner without restriction.
aurais: oh-ray — Would have; conditional of 'avoir', first person singular form.
dû: doo — Should have, owed; past participle of 'devoir', indicating obligation.

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