Anne of Green Gables — Page 9
There's never anybody to be had but those stupid, half-grown little French boys; and as soon as you do get one broke into your ways and taught something he's up and off to the lobster canneries or the States.
On ne trouve jamais personne d'autre que ces stupides petits Français à moitié grands ; et dès que vous en avez un qui s'est habitué à vos façons et à qui vous avez appris quelque chose, il s'en va aux conserveries de homards ou aux États-Unis.
At first Matthew suggested getting a Home boy.
Au début, Matthew avait suggéré de prendre un enfant de l'Assistance.
But I said 'no' flat to that.
Mais j'ai dit non, catégoriquement.
'They may be all right--I'm not saying they're not--but no London street Arabs for me,' I said.
« Ils sont peut-être bien — je ne dis pas le contraire — mais pas de gamins des rues de Londres pour moi », ai-je dit.
'Give me a native born at least.
« Donnez-moi au moins quelqu'un qui soit né ici.
There'll be a risk, no matter who we get.
Il y aura un risque, peu importe qui nous prendrons.
But I'll feel easier in my mind and sleep sounder at nights if we get a born Canadian.'
Mais j'aurai l'esprit plus tranquille et je dormirai mieux la nuit si nous prenons un Canadien de naissance. »
So in the end we decided to ask Mrs. Spencer to pick us out one when she went over to get her little girl.
Alors nous avons finalement décidé de demander à Mme Spencer de nous en choisir un quand elle irait chercher sa petite fille.
We heard last week she was going, so we sent her word by Richard Spencer's folks at Carmody to bring us a smart, likely boy of about ten or eleven.
Nous avons appris la semaine dernière qu'elle y allait, alors nous lui avons fait dire par la famille de Richard Spencer à Carmody de nous ramener un garçon éveillé et prometteur d'environ dix ou onze ans.
We decided that would be the best age--old enough to be of some use in doing chores right off and young enough to be trained up proper.
Nous avons décidé que ce serait le meilleur âge — assez vieux pour être utile dans les corvées dès le début et assez jeune pour être bien éduqué.
We mean to give him a good home and schooling.
Nous avons l'intention de lui offrir un bon foyer et une bonne instruction.
We had a telegram from Mrs. Alexander Spencer today--the mail-man brought it from the station--saying they were coming on the five-thirty train tonight.
Nous avons reçu aujourd'hui un télégramme de Mme Alexander Spencer — le facteur l'a apporté de la gare — disant qu'ils arrivaient par le train de cinq heures et demie ce soir.
So Matthew went to Bright River to meet him.
Alors Matthew est allé à Bright River pour l'accueillir.
Mrs. Spencer will drop him off there.
Mme Spencer le déposera là-bas.
Of course she goes on to White Sands station herself.
Bien sûr, elle continue elle-même jusqu'à la gare de White Sands.
Mrs.
Mme
Vocabulary
- On
- One, we, or people in general (subject pronoun)
- ne
- Negation particle used with pas, jamais, etc.
- trouve
- Finds or discovers something or someone
- jamais
- Never, or ever in a question or condition
- personne
- Nobody, or a person depending on context
- autre
- Other, another, or different from this one
- que
- That, which, or than in comparisons
- ces
- These or those, plural demonstrative adjective
- stupides
- Stupid, foolish, or lacking intelligence
- petits
- Small, little, or young in plural form
- Français
- French people or the French language
- moitié
- Half, as in halfway or partially grown
- grands
- Tall, big, or great in plural masculine form
- dès
- As soon as, or from a particular moment onward
- en
- In, of it, or some, versatile French pronoun or preposition
- habitué
- Accustomed or used to something over time
- vos
- Your, plural possessive adjective for formal you
- façons
- Ways, manners, or methods of doing something
- appris
- Learned or acquired knowledge, past participle of apprendre
- quelque
- Some, a few, or a certain unspecified amount
- chose
- Thing, object, or matter in general
- va
- Goes, third person singular of aller
- aux
- To the or at the, contraction of à les
- conserveries
- Canneries or food preservation factories
- homards
- Lobsters, the large marine crustaceans
- États
- States, as in the United States of America
- Unis
- United, as in États-Unis meaning United States
- Au
- At the or to the, contraction of à le
- début
- Beginning, start, or early stage of something
- avait
- Had, third person singular imperfect of avoir
- suggéré
- Suggested or proposed an idea to someone
- prendre
- To take, get, or pick up something or someone
- enfant
- Child, a young person, boy or girl
- Assistance
- Assistance or aid, here referring to social services
- dit
- Said, past participle of dire
- catégoriquement
- Categorically, absolutely, or without any doubt
- peut
- Can or may, third person singular of pouvoir
- être
- To be, the infinitive of the verb être
- bien
- Well, good, or fine, common adverb or adjective
- dis
- Say or tell, first person singular of dire
- contraire
- Contrary, opposite, or the other way around
- gamins
- Street kids or youngsters, informal term for children
- rues
- Streets, roads in a town or city
- Londres
- London, the capital city of England
- Donnez
- Give, imperative plural form of donner
- moins
- At least, or less in a comparison
- quelqu'
- Someone, contracted form of quelqu'un before vowel
- soit
- Be, subjunctive form of être expressing uncertainty
- né
- Born, past participle of naître
- ici
- Here, indicating a nearby or present location
- y
- There, or to it, a locative pronoun
- aura
- Will have, third person singular future of avoir
- risque
- Risk, danger, or chance of something bad happening
- peu
- Little, few, or not much of something
- importe
- Matters, as in n'importe meaning no matter what
- prendrons
- Will take, first person plural future of prendre
- aurai
- Will have, first person singular future of avoir
- esprit
- Mind, spirit, or intellect of a person
- plus
- More, or no longer, depending on context
- tranquille
- Calm, quiet, or at ease in mind
- dormirai
- Will sleep, first person singular future of dormir
- mieux
- Better, comparative adverb of bien
- nuit
- Night, the dark period between dusk and dawn
- si
- If or so, used in conditions or emphasis
- prenons
- Take, first person plural present of prendre
- Canadien
- Canadian, a person from Canada
- naissance
- Birth, the moment of being born
- Alors
- So, then, or well, a discourse connector
- finalement
- Finally, in the end, after a long process
- décidé
- Decided, past participle of décider
- demander
- To ask, request, or inquire about something
- Mme
- Mrs. or Madam, abbreviated title for a woman
- choisir
- To choose or select from available options
- quand
- When, used for time in questions or clauses
- irait
- Would go, third person singular conditional of aller
- chercher
- To look for, fetch, or search for something
- petite
- Small or little, feminine singular adjective
- fille
- Girl or daughter, a female child
- semaine
- Week, a period of seven days
- dernière
- Last, final, or most recent, feminine adjective
- allait
- Was going, third person singular imperfect of aller
- alors
- So, then, or at that time, discourse marker
- lui
- Him, her, or to them, indirect object pronoun
- fait
- Made or done, past participle of faire
- dire
- To say or tell, infinitive of dire
- par
- By, through, or per, a common preposition
- famille
- Family, a group of related people
- ramener
- To bring back or take back someone somewhere
- garçon
- Boy or waiter, a male child or server
- éveillé
- Bright, alert, or wide awake and sharp-minded
- prometteur
- Promising, showing potential for future success
- environ
- About, around, or approximately a number
- onze
- Eleven, the number 11
- ans
- Years, used when referring to someone's age
- ce
- This, that, or it, demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- serait
- Would be, third person singular conditional of être
- meilleur
- Best or better, superlative or comparative of bon
- âge
- Age, the number of years someone has lived
- assez
- Enough, fairly, or rather, expressing sufficiency
- vieux
- Old, elderly, or aged, masculine adjective
- utile
- Useful, helpful, or serving a practical purpose
- dans
- In, inside, or within a place or time
- corvées
- Chores, tedious tasks or household duties
- jeune
- Young, youthful, or in early life
- éduqué
- Educated, having received schooling or instruction
- intention
- Intention, a plan or goal one aims to achieve
- offrir
- To offer or give as a gift to someone
- bon
- Good, pleasant, or of high quality
- foyer
- Home, hearth, or family dwelling place
- bonne
- Good, feminine form of bon
- instruction
- Education, schooling, or formal teaching received
- reçu
- Received, past participle of recevoir
- télégramme
- Telegram, a message sent by telegraph
- facteur
- Postman or mailman, a person delivering mail
- apporté
- Brought, past participle of apporter
- gare
- Train station, a place where trains stop
- disant
- Saying, present participle of dire
- arrivaient
- Were arriving, third person plural imperfect of arriver
- train
- Train, a rail vehicle for transporting passengers
- heures
- Hours or o'clock, used to express time
- demie
- Half, as in half past the hour
- soir
- Evening, the time between afternoon and night
- allé
- Gone, past participle of aller
- accueillir
- To welcome or greet someone upon arrival
- déposera
- Will drop off, third person singular future of déposer
- là
- There, indicating a place somewhat removed
- bas
- Low or down, as in là-bas meaning over there
- Bien
- Well, good, or fine, common adverb
- sûr
- Sure, certain, or safe, expressing confidence
- continue
- Continues, third person singular present of continuer
- même
- Same, even, or itself, used for emphasis
- jusqu'
- Until or as far as, contracted before a vowel
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