Harrigan — Page 6
They closed on the white man with a yell; a passing group of their compatriots joined the affray; the whole mass surged in around the tall fellow.
Ils se jetèrent sur le Blanc en poussant des cris ; un groupe de leurs compatriotes qui passait par là se joignit à la mêlée ; toute la masse se rua autour du grand gaillard.
Harrigan's head went back and his eyes half closed like a critic listening to an exquisite symphony.
La tête de Harrigan se renversa en arrière et ses yeux se fermèrent à demi, comme ceux d'un critique écoutant une symphonie exquise.
"Ah-h!" he whispered to himself. "Watch him fight!"
« Ah-h ! » murmura-t-il pour lui-même. « Regardez-le se battre ! »
The policemen struck the outer edge of the circle with drawn clubs, but there they stopped.
Les policiers frappèrent le bord extérieur du cercle avec leurs matraques dégainées, mais ils s'arrêtèrent là.
They could not dent that compacted mass.
Ils ne pouvaient entamer cette masse compacte.
The soldiers struggled manfully, but they were held at bay.
Les soldats luttèrent vaillamment, mais ils furent tenus en échec.
Harrigan could see the heaving shoulders of the defender over the heads of the assailants, and the crack of hard-driven fists.
Harrigan pouvait voir les épaules soulevées du défenseur au-dessus des têtes des assaillants, et entendre le claquement des poings frappés avec force.
The attackers were crushed together and had little room to swing their arms with full force, while the big man stood with his back against the wall of the cottage and made every smashing punch count.
Les attaquants étaient serrés les uns contre les autres et avaient peu d'espace pour lancer leurs bras à pleine force, tandis que le grand homme, le dos contre le mur du chalet, faisait compter chaque coup dévastateur.
As if by common assent, the soldiers suddenly desisted and gave back from this deadly fighter.
Comme d'un commun accord, les soldats cessèrent soudainement et reculèrent devant ce combattant redoutable.
His bellow of triumph rang over the clamor.
Son rugissement de triomphe retentit par-dessus la clameur.
His hat was off; his long black hair stood straight up in the wind; and he leaped after them with flailing arms.
Son chapeau était tombé ; ses longs cheveux noirs se dressaient droits dans le vent ; et il se lança à leur poursuite avec des bras battant l'air.
But now the police had managed to pry their way into the mass by dint of indiscriminate battering.
Mais à présent, la police avait réussi à se frayer un chemin dans la masse à force de coups frappés sans discrimination.
As the black-haired man came face to face with the sergeant, the light gleamed on a high-swung club that thudded home; and the big man dropped out of sight.
Lorsque l'homme aux cheveux noirs se retrouva face à face avec le sergent, la lumière brilla sur une matraque levée haut qui s'abattit violemment ; et le grand homme disparut de la vue.
Vocabulary
- se
- Reflexive pronoun meaning 'themselves' or 'each other'.
- jetèrent
- Past tense of 'jeter'; threw themselves upon something.
- Blanc
- Noun or adjective meaning 'white' or 'white person'.
- poussant
- Present participle of 'pousser'; pushing or letting out sounds.
- cris
- Plural noun meaning 'cries', 'shouts', or 'screams'.
- groupe
- Noun meaning 'group' or 'cluster' of people.
- compatriotes
- Noun meaning fellow citizens or people from the same country.
- passait
- Imperfect tense of 'passer'; was passing by a place.
- joignit
- Past tense of 'joindre'; joined in an activity or group.
- mêlée
- Noun meaning a confused, chaotic close-range fight or brawl.
- masse
- Noun meaning 'mass' or 'crowd' of people or things.
- rua
- Past tense of 'ruer'; rushed or hurled oneself aggressively.
- autour
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding'.
- gaillard
- Noun meaning a strong, sturdy, robust fellow or man.
- tête
- Noun meaning 'head', the uppermost part of the body.
- renversa
- Past tense of 'renverser'; tilted or threw backward forcefully.
- arrière
- Adverb or noun meaning 'backward' or 'rear'.
- yeux
- Plural noun meaning 'eyes', the organs of sight.
- fermèrent
- Past tense of 'fermer'; closed, shut completely.
- demi
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'half' or 'halfway'.
- ceux
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' referring to people or things.
- critique
- Noun meaning 'critic'; someone who evaluates art or performance.
- écoutant
- Present participle of 'écouter'; listening attentively to something.
- symphonie
- Noun meaning 'symphony', a large orchestral musical composition.
- exquise
- Adjective meaning 'exquisite'; extremely beautiful or delicate.
- murmura-t-il
- Past tense of 'murmurer'; he murmured softly to himself.
- lui-même
- Emphatic pronoun meaning 'himself', used for self-reference.
- Regardez-le
- Imperative phrase meaning 'look at him' or 'watch him'.
- battre
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to beat', 'to fight', or 'to hit'.
- policiers
- Plural noun meaning 'police officers' or 'cops'.
- frappèrent
- Past tense of 'frapper'; struck or hit with force.
- bord
- Noun meaning 'edge', 'border', or 'rim' of something.
- extérieur
- Adjective or noun meaning 'exterior', 'outer', or 'outside'.
- cercle
- Noun meaning 'circle', a round shape or grouping of people.
- matraques
- Plural noun meaning 'batons' or 'truncheons' used by police.
- dégainées
- Past participle of 'dégainer'; drawn out from a holster or sheath.
- arrêtèrent
- Past tense of 'arrêter'; stopped or halted movement or action.
- pouvaient
- Imperfect tense of 'pouvoir'; were able to or could do something.
- entamer
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to break into', 'to penetrate', or 'to begin'.
- compacte
- Adjective meaning 'compact', densely packed or tightly grouped.
- soldats
- Plural noun meaning 'soldiers' or military fighters.
- luttèrent
- Past tense of 'lutter'; struggled or fought against opposition.
- vaillamment
- Adverb meaning 'valiantly', 'bravely', or 'courageously'.
- furent
- Past tense of 'être'; were, third person plural past historic.
- tenus
- Past participle of 'tenir'; held, kept, or maintained in place.
- échec
- Noun meaning 'failure' or 'check' as in chess; defeat.
- pouvait
- Imperfect tense of 'pouvoir'; could or was able to do.
- voir
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to see' or 'to witness'.
- épaules
- Plural noun meaning 'shoulders', upper body joints.
- soulevées
- Past participle of 'soulever'; raised or lifted upward.
- défenseur
- Noun meaning 'defender', one who protects or guards against attack.
- au-dessus
- Prepositional phrase meaning 'above' or 'over' something.
- têtes
- Plural noun meaning 'heads', uppermost parts of bodies.
- assaillants
- Plural noun meaning 'assailants' or 'attackers' in a fight.
- entendre
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to hear' or 'to listen to'.
- claquement
- Noun meaning 'crack', 'snap', or 'smacking' sound produced.
- poings
- Plural noun meaning 'fists', clenched hands used for punching.
- frappés
- Past participle of 'frapper'; struck or hit with impact.
- force
- Noun meaning 'strength', 'force', or 'power' applied physically.
- attaquants
- Plural noun meaning 'attackers' or 'assailants' in a conflict.
- étaient
- Imperfect tense of 'être'; were, describing a past state.
- serrés
- Past participle of 'serrer'; pressed tightly together or squeezed.
- uns
- Indefinite pronoun plural meaning 'ones' or 'some' people.
- contre
- Preposition meaning 'against', indicating opposition or contact.
- avaient
- Imperfect tense of 'avoir'; had, third person plural past.
- peu
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'little' or 'few' in quantity.
- espace
- Noun meaning 'space', 'room', or 'area' available physically.
- lancer
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to throw', 'to launch', or 'to swing'.
- bras
- Noun meaning 'arm', the upper limb of the body.
- pleine
- Adjective feminine meaning 'full' or 'complete', at maximum extent.
- tandis
- Conjunction used in 'tandis que', meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
- homme
- Noun meaning 'man', an adult male human being.
- dos
- Noun meaning 'back', the rear part of the human body.
- mur
- Noun meaning 'wall', a vertical structure dividing or enclosing space.
- chalet
- Noun meaning 'chalet' or 'cabin', a wooden alpine-style building.
- faisait
- Imperfect tense of 'faire'; was making or causing something happen.
- compter
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to count' or 'to make count', matter.
- chaque
- Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every', referring to individuals.
- coup
- Noun meaning 'blow', 'hit', or 'strike' delivered physically.
- dévastateur
- Adjective meaning 'devastating' or 'destructive', causing great damage.
- commun
- Adjective meaning 'common' or 'mutual', shared among a group.
- accord
- Noun meaning 'agreement' or 'accord'; shared understanding or consent.
- cessèrent
- Past tense of 'cesser'; stopped or ceased doing something abruptly.
- soudainement
- Adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'abruptly', without prior warning.
- reculèrent
- Past tense of 'reculer'; stepped back or retreated away.
- devant
- Preposition meaning 'in front of' or 'before' something.
- combattant
- Noun meaning 'fighter' or 'combatant', one engaged in battle.
- redoutable
- Adjective meaning 'formidable', inspiring fear or great respect.
- rugissement
- Noun meaning 'roar', a loud, fierce sound of triumph.
- triomphe
- Noun meaning 'triumph' or 'victory', great success achieved.
- retentit
- Past tense of 'retentir'; rang out loudly or resounded.
- par-dessus
- Prepositional phrase meaning 'over' or 'above' something else.
- clameur
- Noun meaning 'clamor' or 'uproar', loud noise from a crowd.
- chapeau
- Noun meaning 'hat', a head covering worn by a person.
- était
- Imperfect tense of 'être'; was, describing a past state.
- tombé
- Past participle of 'tomber'; fallen down from a position.
- longs
- Adjective plural meaning 'long', having great length or duration.
- cheveux
- Plural noun meaning 'hair', strands growing from the scalp.
- noirs
- Adjective plural meaning 'black', dark in color.
- dressaient
- Imperfect tense of 'dresser'; stood upright or were raised up.
- droits
- Adjective plural meaning 'straight' or 'upright' in position.
- vent
- Noun meaning 'wind', moving air felt outdoors.
- lança
- Past tense of 'lancer'; launched or hurled himself forward.
- poursuite
- Noun meaning 'pursuit' or 'chase', act of following someone.
- battant
- Present participle of 'battre'; beating or striking at something.
- air
- Noun meaning 'air', the atmosphere or surrounding gaseous space.
- présent
- Adverb or noun meaning 'now', 'currently', or 'present time'.
- police
- Noun meaning 'police', the law enforcement authority.
- avait
- Imperfect tense of 'avoir'; had, third person singular past.
- réussi
- Past participle of 'réussir'; succeeded or managed to accomplish.
- frayer
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to clear' or 'to make one's way'.
- chemin
- Noun meaning 'path', 'way', or 'road' to travel along.
- coups
- Plural noun meaning 'blows' or 'strikes' delivered physically.
- sans
- Preposition meaning 'without', indicating absence of something.
- discrimination
- Noun meaning 'discrimination'; here used as indiscriminate treatment.
- Lorsque
- Conjunction meaning 'when', introducing a temporal clause.
- retrouva
- Past tense of 'retrouver'; found himself again in a situation.
- face
- Noun meaning 'face'; here used in phrase 'face à', facing.
- sergent
- Noun meaning 'sergeant', a mid-level police or military officer.
- lumière
- Noun meaning 'light', illumination visible to the eye.
- brilla
- Past tense of 'briller'; shone or gleamed with bright light.
- levée
- Past participle of 'lever'; raised or lifted upward.
- haut
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'high', 'tall', or 'raised up'.
- abattit
- Past tense of 'abattre'; struck down or slammed down forcefully.
- violemment
- Adverb meaning 'violently' or 'forcefully', with great physical force.
- disparut
- Past tense of 'disparaître'; disappeared or vanished from sight.
- vue
- Noun meaning 'sight' or 'view'; disappeared from sight completely.
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