Anna Karenina — Page 2

English → Fr Chapter 2 Level 7/10

She was contented and happy in her children; I never interfered with her in anything; I let her manage the children and the house just as she liked.

Elle était satisfaite et heureuse dans ses enfants ; je ne me suis jamais mêlé de rien en ce qui la concernait ; je la laissais diriger les enfants et la maison à sa guise.

It's true it's bad _her_ having been a governess in our house.

Il est vrai qu'il est fâcheux qu'_elle_ ait été gouvernante dans notre maison.

That's bad!

C'est fâcheux !

There's something common, vulgar, in flirting with one's governess.

Il y a quelque chose de commun, de vulgaire, à flirter avec sa gouvernante.

But what a governess!

Mais quelle gouvernante !

(He vividly recalled the roguish black eyes of Mlle. Roland and her smile.)

(Il se rappelait vivement les yeux noirs et espièges de Mlle Roland et son sourire.)

But after all, while she was in the house, I kept myself in hand.

Mais après tout, tant qu'elle était dans la maison, je me suis maîtrisé.

And the worst of it all is that she's already ... it seems as if ill-luck would have it so!

Et le pire de tout, c'est qu'elle est déjà... il semble que la malchance veuille qu'il en soit ainsi !

Oh, oh! But what, what is to be done?

Oh, oh ! Mais que faire, que faire ?

There was no solution, but that universal solution which life gives to all questions, even the most complex and insoluble.

Il n'y avait pas de solution, si ce n'est cette solution universelle que la vie apporte à toutes les questions, même les plus complexes et insolubles.

That answer is: one must live in the needs of the day—that is, forget oneself.

Cette réponse est la suivante : il faut vivre dans les nécessités du jour, c'est-à-dire s'oublier soi-même.

To forget himself in sleep was impossible now, at least till nighttime; he could not go back now to the music sung by the decanter-women; so he must forget himself in the dream of daily life.

S'oublier dans le sommeil était impossible à présent, du moins jusqu'à la nuit ; il ne pouvait pas retourner maintenant à la musique chantée par les femmes-carafes ; il devait donc s'oublier dans le rêve de la vie quotidienne.

"Then we shall see," Stepan Arkadyevitch said to himself, and getting up he put on a gray dressing-gown lined with blue silk, tied the tassels in a knot, and, drawing a deep breath of air into his broad, bare chest, he walked to the window with his usual confident step, turning out his feet that carried his full frame so easily.

« Nous verrons bien », se dit Stépan Arcadiévitch, et se levant il enfila une robe de chambre grise doublée de soie bleue, noua les glands en un nœud, et, aspirant une grande bouffée d'air dans sa large poitrine nue, il se dirigea vers la fenêtre de son pas habituel et assuré, les pieds en dehors, portant si aisément son imposante stature.

Vocabulary

Elle: Third person singular feminine pronoun meaning 'she'
était: Past tense of 'être'; she/he was
satisfaite: Satisfied, content, pleased with something
et: Conjunction meaning 'and'
heureuse: Happy, joyful; feminine form of heureux
dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
enfants: Children; young boys or girls
je: First person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'
ne: Negative particle used with 'pas' or other negatives
me: First person singular reflexive or object pronoun
suis: First person singular of 'être'; I am
jamais: Never; used in negative constructions
mêlé: Involved or mixed in; past participle of mêler
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'
rien: Nothing; used in negative expressions
en: Preposition meaning 'in', 'on', or 'as'
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'
la: Definite feminine article or feminine object pronoun
concernait: Concerned, related to; imperfect of concerner
laissais: I was letting or allowing; imperfect of laisser
diriger: To direct, manage, or run something
les: Definite plural article meaning 'the'
maison: House or home; a dwelling place
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his' or 'her'
guise: Way or manner; à sa guise means 'as she pleases'
Il: Third person masculine pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'
est: Third person singular of 'être'; is
vrai: True, real, genuine; opposite of faux
qu'il: Contraction of 'que' and 'il'; that he
fâcheux: Unfortunate, annoying, or troublesome situation
qu': Shortened form of 'que' before a vowel
_elle_: Emphatic pronoun 'she', often stressed in context
ait: Subjunctive form of 'avoir'; has or have
été: Past participle of 'être'; been
gouvernante: Governess or housekeeper managing a household
notre: Possessive adjective meaning 'our'
C': Shortened form of 'ce'; used in c'est constructions
y: Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'it'
a: Third person singular of 'avoir'; has
quelque: Some or a certain; used before nouns
chose: Thing; an object or matter
commun: Common, ordinary, shared among people
vulgaire: Vulgar, crude, or lacking refinement
flirter: To flirt; engage in playful romantic behavior
avec: Preposition meaning 'with'
Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but'
quelle: What or which; feminine interrogative adjective
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'themselves'
rappelait: Was recalling or remembering; imperfect of rappeler
vivement: Vividly, keenly, or with great energy
yeux: Eyes; plural of œil
noirs: Black; masculine plural adjective
espièges: Mischievous, impish, playful in a teasing way
Mlle: Abbreviation of Mademoiselle; young unmarried woman
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
sourire: Smile; or to smile as an infinitive
après: Preposition or adverb meaning 'after'
tout: All, everything; après tout means 'after all'
tant: So much, so many; indicates degree or quantity
elle: Third person feminine pronoun meaning 'she'
maîtrisé: Mastered or controlled; past participle of maîtriser
Et: Conjunction meaning 'and'
le: Definite masculine article meaning 'the'
pire: Worst; the most bad or severe outcome
c': Shortened 'ce' before a vowel; this or it
déjà: Already; something that has occurred before
il: Third person singular masculine pronoun; he or it
semble: It seems; third person singular of sembler
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which'
malchance: Bad luck, misfortune, an unfortunate circumstance
veuille: Subjunctive of vouloir; wants or wishes
soit: Subjunctive of 'être'; be or so be it
ainsi: Thus, so, in this way
Oh: Exclamation expressing surprise or emotion
oh: Exclamation expressing surprise or emotion
faire: To do or to make; common infinitive verb
n': Shortened negative particle 'ne' before a vowel
avait: Had; third person singular imperfect of avoir
pas: Not; main negative word used with ne
solution: Solution; answer or resolution to a problem
si: If, or yes in contradiction; conditional conjunction
cette: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine)
universelle: Universal; applying to everything or everyone
vie: Life; one's existence or way of living
apporte: Brings; third person singular of apporter
toutes: All; feminine plural of tout
questions: Questions; inquiries or matters to be resolved
même: Even, same; used for emphasis or comparison
plus: More; comparative marker or no longer
complexes: Complex, complicated; plural adjective
insolubles: Unsolvable, insoluble; impossible to resolve
Cette: Demonstrative adjective 'this' before feminine noun
réponse: Answer or response to a question
suivante: Following, next; feminine form of suivant
faut: Must, necessary; from impersonal verb falloir
vivre: To live; to be alive and experience life
nécessités: Necessities, needs; essential requirements of life
du: Contraction of 'de le'; of the
jour: Day; a period of twenty-four hours
est-à-dire: That is to say; clarifying expression
s': Shortened reflexive pronoun 'se' before vowel
oublier: To forget; to cease to remember something
soi-même: Oneself; emphatic reflexive expression
S': Shortened reflexive 'se' before vowel sound
sommeil: Sleep; the state of rest during night
impossible: Impossible; unable to be done or achieved
présent: Present; current time or the present moment
moins: Less; comparative of little or few
jusqu': Until, as far as; shortened before vowel
nuit: Night; the dark period after sunset
pouvait: Could; third person singular imperfect of pouvoir
retourner: To return, go back to a place
maintenant: Now; at the present time
musique: Music; organized sound for artistic expression
chantée: Sung; past participle of chanter, feminine form
par: By or through; preposition indicating agent
devait: Had to, must have; imperfect of devoir
donc: Therefore, so; indicates consequence or conclusion
rêve: Dream; a vision during sleep or aspiration
quotidienne: Daily, everyday; feminine adjective of quotidien
Nous: First person plural pronoun meaning 'we'
verrons: We will see; future tense of voir
bien: Well, good; used as adverb or adjective
dit: Said; past tense of dire
levant: Getting up, rising; present participle of lever
enfila: Put on, slipped into; past tense of enfiler
une: Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'an'
robe: Dress or robe; a garment worn by women
chambre: Bedroom; a private room for sleeping
grise: Gray; feminine adjective describing color
doublée: Lined; past participle of doubler, feminine form
soie: Silk; a luxurious smooth fabric
bleue: Blue; feminine form of adjective bleu
noua: Tied, knotted; simple past of nouer
un: Indefinite masculine article meaning 'a' or 'one'
nœud: Knot; a fastening made by tying
aspirant: Inhaling, breathing in; present participle of aspirer
grande: Large, great, tall; feminine adjective
bouffée: Puff or gust; a brief burst of air
d': Shortened 'de' before vowel; of or from
air: Air; the invisible gaseous substance we breathe
large: Wide, broad; describing width or breadth
poitrine: Chest or breast; front of the upper body
nue: Bare, naked; feminine adjective meaning uncovered
dirigea: Headed toward, directed; simple past of diriger
vers: Toward; preposition indicating direction
fenêtre: Window; an opening in a wall for light
habituel: Usual, habitual; customary or regular manner
assuré: Assured, confident, steady in bearing
pieds: Feet; the lower extremities of the body
dehors: Outside, out; beyond an enclosed space
portant: Carrying, bearing; present participle of porter
aisément: Easily, effortlessly; with great ease
imposante: Imposing, impressive; feminine adjective of imposant
stature: Stature; a person's height and bodily frame

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