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Dracula — Page 3

English → Fr CHAPTER I Level 7/10

I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting.

J'ai lu que toutes les superstitions connues dans le monde sont rassemblées dans le fer à cheval des Carpathes, comme si c'était le centre d'une sorte de tourbillon imaginaire ; si tel est le cas, mon séjour pourrait être très intéressant.

(_Mem._, I must ask the Count all about them.)

(_Mém._, Je dois demander au Comte tout à leur sujet.)

I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had all sorts of queer dreams.

Je n'ai pas bien dormi, bien que mon lit fût assez confortable, car j'ai fait toutes sortes de rêves étranges.

There was a dog howling all night under my window, which may have had something to do with it; or it may have been the paprika, for I had to drink up all the water in my carafe, and was still thirsty.

Un chien a hurlé toute la nuit sous ma fenêtre, ce qui a peut-être eu quelque chose à voir avec cela ; ou c'était peut-être le paprika, car j'ai dû boire toute l'eau de ma carafe, et j'avais encore soif.

Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my door, so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then.

Vers le matin, je me suis endormi et j'ai été réveillé par les coups continus à ma porte, aussi je suppose que je devais dormir profondément à ce moment-là.

I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was "mamaliga," and egg-plant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish, which they call "impletata."

J'ai eu au petit-déjeuner encore du paprika, et une sorte de bouillie de farine de maïs que l'on appelle « mamaliga », ainsi qu'une aubergine farcie à la chair à saucisse, un excellent plat qu'ils nomment « impletata ».

(_Mem._, get recipe for this also.)

(_Mém._, obtenir la recette de celui-ci également.)

I had to hurry breakfast, for the train started a little before eight, or rather it ought to have done so, for after rushing to the station at 7:30 I had to sit in the carriage for more than an hour before we began to move.

J'ai dû me dépêcher de déjeuner, car le train partait un peu avant huit heures, ou plutôt il aurait dû le faire, car après m'être précipité à la gare à 7h30, j'ai dû rester assis dans le wagon pendant plus d'une heure avant que nous commencions à bouger.

It seems to me that the further east you go the more unpunctual are the trains.

Il me semble que plus on va vers l'est, plus les trains sont en retard.

What ought they to be in China?

Qu'en est-il donc en Chine ?

Vocabulary

lu
Past participle of 'lire', meaning read
superstitions
Irrational beliefs based on fear or ignorance
connues
Feminine plural of 'connu', meaning known or familiar
rassemblées
Gathered or assembled together in one place
fer
Noun meaning iron, the metal
cheval
Noun meaning horse
Carpathes
Mountain range in Central and Eastern Europe
sorte
Noun meaning sort, kind, or type
tourbillon
Noun meaning whirlpool, whirlwind, or vortex
imaginaire
Adjective meaning imaginary or fictitious
tel
Adjective meaning such or like that
cas
Noun meaning case or situation
séjour
Noun meaning stay, visit, or sojourn
pourrait
Conditional of 'pouvoir', meaning could or might
Mém.
Abbreviation for 'Mémoires', meaning memoirs or notes
demander
Infinitive verb meaning to ask or request
Comte
Noun meaning Count, a title of nobility
sujet
Noun meaning subject, topic, or matter
dormi
Past participle of 'dormir', meaning slept
lit
Noun meaning bed for sleeping
fût
Imperfect subjunctive of 'être', meaning was
assez
Adverb meaning enough or quite
confortable
Adjective meaning comfortable or cozy
car
Conjunction meaning because or for
sortes
Plural noun meaning sorts, kinds, or types
rêves
Plural noun meaning dreams
étranges
Adjective meaning strange, odd, or unusual
hurlé
Past participle of 'hurler', meaning howled or screamed
sous
Preposition meaning under or below
fenêtre
Noun meaning window
quelque
Indefinite adjective meaning some or a few
paprika
Spice made from ground red peppers
Past participle of 'devoir', meaning had to or owed
boire
Infinitive verb meaning to drink
carafe
Glass container used for serving water or wine
encore
Adverb meaning still, again, or yet
soif
Noun meaning thirst
Vers
Preposition meaning toward or around a time
endormi
Past participle of 's'endormir', meaning fell asleep
réveillé
Past participle of 'réveiller', meaning woken up
coups
Plural noun meaning knocks, blows, or strikes
continus
Adjective meaning continuous or uninterrupted
suppose
First person singular of 'supposer', meaning suppose or assume
devais
Imperfect of 'devoir', meaning had to or must have
dormir
Infinitive verb meaning to sleep
profondément
Adverb meaning deeply or profoundly
déjeuner
Noun meaning breakfast or lunch
bouillie
Noun meaning porridge or thick cooked cereal
farine
Noun meaning flour used in cooking or baking
maïs
Noun meaning corn or maize
mamaliga
Traditional Romanian cornmeal dish similar to polenta
ainsi
Adverb meaning thus, so, or in this way
aubergine
Noun meaning eggplant, a purple vegetable
farcie
Adjective meaning stuffed or filled with ingredients
chair
Noun meaning flesh or meat
saucisse
Noun meaning sausage
excellent
Adjective meaning excellent or outstanding in quality
plat
Noun meaning dish or course of a meal
nomment
Third person plural of 'nommer', meaning name or call
impletata
Romanian term for a stuffed dish or food
obtenir
Infinitive verb meaning to obtain or get
recette
Noun meaning recipe or formula for cooking
celui-
Demonstrative pronoun meaning this one or that one
également
Adverb meaning equally, also, or likewise
dépêcher
Reflexive verb meaning to hurry or rush
partait
Imperfect of 'partir', meaning was leaving or departed
avant
Preposition or adverb meaning before or ahead
plutôt
Adverb meaning rather, quite, or instead
aurait
Conditional of 'avoir', meaning would have
précipité
Adjective or past participle meaning rushed or hurried
gare
Noun meaning train station
rester
Infinitive verb meaning to stay or remain
assis
Past participle of 'asseoir', meaning seated or sitting
wagon
Noun meaning train car or railway carriage
pendant
Preposition meaning during or for a period of time
commencions
Imperfect of 'commencer', meaning were beginning or starting
bouger
Infinitive verb meaning to move or stir
semble
Third person singular of 'sembler', meaning seems or appears
vers
Preposition meaning toward or around a time
retard
Noun meaning delay or lateness
donc
Conjunction or adverb meaning so, therefore, or then
Chine
Proper noun meaning China, country in East Asia
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