Bleak House — Page 3

English → Fr CHAPTER I Level 9/10

On such an afternoon, if ever, the Lord High Chancellor ought to be sitting here—as here he is—with a foggy glory round his head, softly fenced in with crimson cloth and curtains, addressed by a large advocate with great whiskers, a little voice, and an interminable brief, and outwardly directing his contemplation to the lantern in the roof, where he can see nothing but fog.

Par un tel après-midi, s'il en fut jamais, le Grand Chancelier devrait siéger ici — comme il siège en effet — avec une gloire brumeuse autour de la tête, doucement enclos dans des tentures et des rideaux cramoisis, interpellé par un grand avocat aux larges favoris, à la voix fluette et au dossier interminable, et dirigeant en apparence sa contemplation vers le lanterneau du toit, où il ne peut rien voir que du brouillard.

On such an afternoon some score of members of the High Court of Chancery bar ought to be—as here they are—mistily engaged in one of the ten thousand stages of an endless cause, tripping one another up on slippery precedents, groping knee-deep in technicalities, running their goat-hair and horsehair warded heads against walls of words and making a pretence of equity with serious faces, as players might.

Par un tel après-midi, une vingtaine de membres du barreau de la Haute Cour de la Chancellerie devraient être — comme ils le sont ici — vaguement absorbés dans l'une des dix mille phases d'une cause sans fin, se faisant trébucher mutuellement sur de glissants précédents, tâtonnant jusqu'aux genoux dans les finesses de la procédure, cognant leurs têtes coiffées de perruques en crins de chèvre et de cheval contre des murs de mots, et affectant l'équité avec des mines sérieuses, à la manière des comédiens.

On such an afternoon the various solicitors in the cause, some two or three of whom have inherited it from their fathers, who made a fortune by it, ought to be—as are they not?—ranged in a line, in a long matted well (but you might look in vain for truth at the bottom of it) between the registrar's red table and the silk gowns, with bills, cross-bills, answers, rejoinders, injunctions, affidavits, issues, references to masters, masters' reports, mountains of costly nonsense, piled before them.

Par un tel après-midi, les différents avoués de la cause, dont deux ou trois l'ont héritée de leurs pères qui y firent fortune, devraient être — et ne le sont-ils pas ? — rangés en file dans un long prétoire aux nattes usées (où vous chercheriez en vain la vérité au fond) entre la table rouge du greffier et les robes de soie, avec des actes, des actes contradictoires, des réponses, des répliques, des injonctions, des affidavits, des incidents, des renvois aux maîtres, des rapports de maîtres, des montagnes d'insanités coûteuses, entassées devant eux.

Vocabulary

Par: par — By or through; a preposition indicating means or agent.
un: un — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
tel: tel — Such, like this; used for comparison or emphasis.
après-midi: aprè-midi — Afternoon; the period after midday.
s'il: sil — Contraction of 'si il'; if it or if he.
en: an — Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'as.'
fut: fu — Past tense of 'être'; was (simple past).
jamais: zhamè — Never, or ever; negation or emphasis of time.
le: luh — Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns.
Grand: gran — Great or large; adjective indicating high rank or size.
Chancelier: shansulyé — Chancellor; a high-ranking government or legal official.
devrait: duvrè — Should or ought to; conditional of 'devoir.'
siéger: syézhé — To sit officially; to hold a session in court.
ici: issi — Here; indicating a nearby or present location.
comme: kom — As or like; used for comparison or manner.
il: il — He or it; third-person masculine singular pronoun.
siège: syèzh — Seat or session; place where someone sits officially.
effet: efè — Effect or result; outcome of an action or cause.
avec: avek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
une: ün — Indefinite article 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns.
gloire: glwar — Glory or fame; great honor or radiant splendor.
brumeuse: brümöz — Misty or hazy; obscured by fog or mist.
autour: otoor — Around; surrounding something in a circular manner.
de: duh — Of or from; very common French preposition.
la: la — Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns.
tête: tèt — Head; the upper part of the human body.
doucement: doosuhman — Gently or softly; in a calm, quiet manner.
enclos: anklo — Enclosed or surrounded; confined within a boundary.
dans: dan — In or inside; preposition indicating location within.
des: dè — Some or of the; plural indefinite article in French.
tentures: tantür — Hangings or drapes; decorative fabric on walls.
et: é — And; coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses.
rideaux: rido — Curtains; fabric panels used to cover windows.
cramoisis: kramwazi — Crimson; deep red color, used for rich fabrics.
interpellé: antèrpelé — Addressed or questioned; formally called upon to speak.
par: par — By or through; common preposition of means or agency.
grand: gran — Great or tall; adjective for size or importance.
avocat: avoka — Lawyer or attorney; legal professional representing clients.
aux: o — Contraction of 'à les'; to the or at the.
larges: larzh — Wide or broad; greater than normal in extent.
favoris: favori — Sideburns; facial hair grown on the cheeks.
à: a — To or at; very common French preposition.
voix: vwa — Voice; the sound produced when a person speaks.
fluette: flüèt — Thin or weak; describing a faint, slight voice.
au: o — Contraction of 'à le'; to the or at the.
dossier: dosyé — File or case folder; collection of legal documents.
interminable: antèrminabl — Endless or interminable; going on without apparent conclusion.
dirigeant: dirizhan — Directing or guiding; present participle of 'diriger.'
apparence: aparans — Appearance; outward look or visible aspect of something.
sa: sa — His or her; possessive adjective for singular feminine noun.
contemplation: kontanplasyon — Contemplation; deep, prolonged thoughtful gazing or reflection.
vers: vèr — Toward; preposition indicating direction or approximate time.
lanterneau: lantèrno — Skylight or small lantern window on a roof.
du: dü — Contraction of 'de le'; of the (masculine).
toit: twa — Roof; the top covering structure of a building.
où: oo — Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place.
ne: nuh — Part of French negation; used with 'pas' or 'rien.'
peut: puh — Can or is able to; third person of 'pouvoir.'
rien: ryèn — Nothing; used in negation to mean nothing at all.
voir: vwar — To see; infinitive verb of visual perception.
que: kuh — That or only; conjunction or restrictive adverb.
brouillard: brooyar — Fog or mist; thick atmospheric obscuration reducing visibility.
vingtaine: vangtèn — About twenty; an approximate group of twenty people.
membres: manbr — Members; individuals belonging to a group or organization.
barreau: baro — The Bar; legal profession or court railing for lawyers.
Haute: ot — High; adjective denoting elevated rank or status.
Cour: koor — Court; a judicial tribunal or royal assembly.
Chancellerie: shansulri — Chancellery; the office or department of a chancellor.
devraient: duvrè — Should; third-person plural conditional of 'devoir.'
être: ètr — To be; fundamental French infinitive verb of existence.
ils: il — They; third-person masculine plural subject pronoun.
sont: son — Are; third-person plural present tense of 'être.'
vaguement: vaguhman — Vaguely; in an unclear or imprecise manner.
absorbés: absorbe — Absorbed; deeply engaged or preoccupied with something.
l'une: lün — One of them (feminine); used for specific reference.
dix: dis — Ten; the cardinal number following nine.
mille: mil — Thousand; the cardinal number one thousand.
phases: faz — Phases or stages; distinct periods within a process.
d'une: dün — Of a; contraction of 'de une' before vowel.
cause: koz — Case or cause; a legal matter being argued in court.
sans: san — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something.
fin: fan — End; conclusion or termination of something.
se: suh — Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves.
faisant: fuzan — Making or doing; present participle of 'faire.'
trébucher: trébüshé — To stumble or trip; to lose footing while moving.
mutuellement: mütuèlman — Mutually; in a way that affects each other equally.
sur: sür — On or upon; preposition indicating position above something.
glissants: glisan — Slippery; surfaces or things that cause sliding.
précédents: présédан — Precedents; prior legal rulings used to guide decisions.
tâtonnant: tatonan — Groping or fumbling; feeling about uncertainly in darkness.
jusqu'aux: zhüsko — Up to or as far as; preposition of limit.
genoux: zhnoo — Knees; the joints in the middle of the legs.
les: lè — The; definite article for masculine or feminine plural nouns.
finesses: fines — Subtleties or fine points; delicate nuances of a subject.
procédure: prosédür — Procedure; established official process especially in legal matters.
cognant: koñan — Knocking or banging; striking against something repeatedly.
leurs: lör — Their; possessive adjective for plural owners.
têtes: tèt — Heads; plural of tête, the uppermost part of body.
coiffées: kwafé — Wearing or styled; heads adorned with wigs or hair.
perruques: perük — Wigs; artificial hair coverings worn especially by lawyers.
crins: kran — Horsehair; coarse hair from a horse's mane or tail.
chèvre: shèvr — Goat; a domesticated animal known for its hair.
cheval: shval — Horse; a large domesticated animal used for riding.
contre: kontr — Against; preposition indicating opposition or contact with something.
murs: mür — Walls; vertical structures forming sides of a room.
mots: mo — Words; units of language used in speech or writing.
affectant: afektan — Affecting or feigning; pretending to have a quality.
l'équité: lékité — Equity or fairness; principle of justice in legal proceedings.
mines: min — Expressions or looks; the appearance or manner of someone.
sérieuses: sériyöz — Serious; grave or earnest in manner or expression.
manière: manyèr — Manner or way; the method or style of doing something.
comédiens: komédiyan — Actors or comedians; performers who play roles on stage.
différents: diféran — Different or various; not the same, varied in nature.
avoués: avwé — Solicitors; French legal agents handling procedural matters.
dont: don — Whose or of which; relative pronoun indicating possession.
deux: dö — Two; the cardinal number following one.
ou: oo — Or; coordinating conjunction offering an alternative choice.
trois: trwa — Three; the cardinal number following two.
l'ont: lon — Have it; contraction of 'le ont,' third-person plural.
héritée: érité — Inherited; received from a predecessor or ancestor.
pères: pèr — Fathers; male parents or founding ancestors.
qui: ki — Who or that; relative or interrogative pronoun.
y: i — There or at it; adverbial pronoun replacing a place.
firent: firan — Made or did; third-person plural simple past of 'faire.'
fortune: fortün — Fortune or wealth; a large amount of money or luck.
sont-ils: son-til — Are they; inverted question form of 'ils sont.'
pas: pa — Not; negation particle used with 'ne' in French.
rangés: ranzhe — Arranged or lined up; placed in an orderly row.
file: fil — Row or line; a single sequence of people or things.
long: lon — Long; extending a great distance in space or time.
prétoire: prétwar — Courtroom or praetorium; the hall where court is held.
nattes: nat — Mats or plaits; woven floor coverings or braided hair.
usées: üzé — Worn out; damaged through prolonged use or age.
vous: voo — You; second-person plural or formal singular pronoun.
chercheriez: shèrshuriyé — You would search; second-person plural conditional of 'chercher.'
vain: van — In vain; without success or useful result.
vérité: vérité — Truth; the quality of being in accord with reality.
fond: fon — Bottom or depth; the deepest or farthest part of something.
entre: antr — Between; preposition indicating a position among two things.
table: tabl — Table; a flat surface on legs used for work.
rouge: roozh — Red; the color of blood or fire.
greffier: grefiyé — Court clerk; official who records court proceedings and documents.
robes: rob — Robes or gowns; formal garments worn by legal officials.
soie: swa — Silk; a fine, lustrous natural fabric from silkworms.
actes: akt — Acts or documents; official records of legal proceedings.
contradictoires: kontradiktwàr — Contradictory; mutually inconsistent or opposing legal arguments.
réponses: répons — Responses or answers; replies given in a legal context.
répliques: réplik — Replies or rebuttals; counter-arguments in a legal procedure.
injonctions: anzhonksyon — Injunctions; court orders commanding or restraining an action.
affidavits: afidavit — Affidavits; written sworn statements used as legal evidence.
incidents: ansidan — Incidents or procedural issues; secondary matters arising in court.
renvois: ranvwa — Referrals or postponements; sending a case back for review.
maîtres: mètr — Masters or lawyers; title for legal professionals in France.
rapports: rapor — Reports; official written accounts submitted in legal proceedings.
montagnes: montan — Mountains; large piles or heaps, used here metaphorically.
d'insanités: dansanité — Of insanities; nonsensical or absurd matters piled up endlessly.
coûteuses: kootöz — Costly or expensive; requiring a great deal of money.
entassées: antasé — Piled up or heaped; accumulated in a large disorderly mass.
devant: duvan — Before or in front of; preposition indicating position ahead.
eux: ö — Them; stressed third-person masculine plural pronoun.

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