Heart of Darkness — Page 6

English → Fr Full Text Level 9/10

But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine.

Mais Marlow n'était pas un homme ordinaire (si l'on excepte sa propension à raconter des histoires), et pour lui le sens d'un épisode ne résidait pas à l'intérieur comme un noyau, mais à l'extérieur, enveloppant le récit qui ne le faisait apparaître que comme une lueur fait apparaître une brume, à la manière de ces halos brumeux que rend parfois visibles l'illumination spectrale du clair de lune.

His remark did not seem at all surprising.

Sa remarque ne parut nullement surprenante.

It was just like Marlow.

C'était tout à fait du Marlow.

It was accepted in silence.

Elle fut accueillie en silence.

No one took the trouble to grunt even; and presently he said, very slow—"I was thinking of very old times, when the Romans first came here, nineteen hundred years ago—the other day ....

Personne ne prit même la peine de grogner ; et bientôt il dit, très lentement : « Je pensais à des temps très anciens, lorsque les Romains vinrent ici pour la première fois, il y a dix-neuf cents ans — l'autre jour….

Light came out of this river since—you say Knights? Yes; but it is like a running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightning in the clouds.

De la lumière a jailli de ce fleuve depuis — vous parlez de Chevaliers ? Oui ; mais c'est comme un brasier qui court sur une plaine, comme un éclair dans les nuages.

We live in the flicker—may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling!

Nous vivons dans ce vacillement — puisse-t-il durer aussi longtemps que la vieille terre continuera de tourner !

But darkness was here yesterday.

Mais les ténèbres régnaient ici hier encore.

Imagine the feelings of a commander of a fine—what d'ye call 'em?—trireme in the Mediterranean, ordered suddenly to the north; run overland across the Gauls in a hurry; put in charge of one of these craft the legionaries—a wonderful lot of handy men they must have been, too—used to build, apparently by the hundred, in a month or two, if we may believe what we read.

Imaginez les sentiments d'un commandant d'une belle — comment appelez-vous cela ? — trirème en Méditerranée, soudainement envoyé vers le nord ; traversant la Gaule à toute allure par voie de terre ; mis à la tête d'une de ces embarcations que les légionnaires — une troupe remarquable d'hommes adroits, ils devaient l'être aussi — avaient coutume de construire, apparemment par centaines, en un mois ou deux, si l'on veut bien croire ce que l'on lit.

Vocabulary

Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast ideas.
n': Contraction of 'ne', part of French negation structure.
était: Third person singular imperfect of 'être': was, used to be.
pas: Negation word used with 'ne' to mean 'not'.
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine).
homme: Noun meaning 'man', referring to an adult male person.
ordinaire: Adjective meaning 'ordinary', common, or unremarkable.
si: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'if' or 'so'.
l': Contracted definite article 'le/la' before a vowel.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', or 'they'.
excepte: Verb meaning 'excepts' or 'excludes' something from a statement.
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (feminine).
propension: Noun meaning 'propensity' or natural tendency toward something.
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
raconter: Verb meaning 'to tell' or 'to narrate' stories or events.
des: Indefinite plural article meaning 'some' or 'of the'.
histoires: Noun meaning 'stories', 'histories', or 'tales'.
et: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
pour: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to'.
lui: Personal pronoun meaning 'him', 'her', or 'to him/her'.
le: Definite masculine article meaning 'the'.
sens: Noun meaning 'meaning', 'sense', or 'direction'.
d': Contraction of 'de' meaning 'of' or 'from'.
épisode: Noun meaning 'episode', an event or segment of a narrative.
ne: Negation particle used with 'pas' to mean 'not'.
résidait: Imperfect tense of 'résider': resided or lay within something.
intérieur: Adjective or noun meaning 'interior', 'inside', or 'inner'.
comme: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'how'.
noyau: Noun meaning 'core', 'nucleus', or 'kernel' of something.
extérieur: Adjective or noun meaning 'exterior', 'outside', or 'outer'.
enveloppant: Present participle of 'envelopper': enveloping or wrapping around.
récit: Noun meaning 'narrative', 'account', or 'story'.
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
faisait: Imperfect of 'faire': made or caused something to happen.
apparaître: Verb meaning 'to appear' or 'to become visible'.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'than'.
une: Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
lueur: Noun meaning 'glimmer', 'glow', or faint light.
fait: Noun meaning 'fact' or past participle of 'faire': made, done.
brume: Noun meaning 'mist', 'haze', or light fog.
la: Definite feminine article meaning 'the'.
manière: Noun meaning 'manner', 'way', or 'style' of doing something.
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
ces: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' or 'those'.
halos: Noun meaning 'halos', rings of diffuse light around sources.
brumeux: Adjective meaning 'misty', 'hazy', or foggy.
rend: Third person singular of 'rendre': makes, renders, or returns.
parfois: Adverb meaning 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'.
visibles: Adjective meaning 'visible' or able to be seen.
illumination: Noun meaning 'illumination', the act of lighting something up.
spectrale: Adjective meaning 'spectral', ghostly, or phantom-like.
du: Contraction of 'de le' meaning 'of the' (masculine).
clair: Adjective or noun meaning 'clear', 'light', or 'bright'.
lune: Noun meaning 'moon', Earth's natural satellite.
Sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (feminine).
remarque: Noun meaning 'remark' or 'comment' made in conversation.
parut: Simple past of 'paraître': seemed or appeared to be.
nullement: Adverb meaning 'not at all' or 'in no way'.
surprenante: Adjective meaning 'surprising' or 'astonishing' (feminine form).
C': Contraction of 'ce': it or this, used before 'est'.
tout: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'quite'.
Elle: Personal pronoun meaning 'she' or 'it' (feminine).
fut: Simple past of 'être': was (used in literary/formal contexts).
accueillie: Past participle of 'accueillir': received or welcomed (feminine).
en: Preposition or pronoun meaning 'in', 'on', or 'of it'.
silence: Noun meaning 'silence', complete absence of sound.
Personne: Pronoun meaning 'nobody' or 'no one' in negative context.
prit: Simple past of 'prendre': took (literary past tense form).
même: Adjective or adverb meaning 'even', 'same', or 'itself'.
peine: Noun meaning 'trouble', 'effort', 'pain', or 'hardly'.
grogner: Verb meaning 'to grunt', 'to grumble', or 'to growl'.
bientôt: Adverb meaning 'soon' or 'shortly'.
il: Personal pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it' (masculine).
dit: Simple past of 'dire': said or told something.
très: Adverb meaning 'very', intensifying an adjective or adverb.
lentement: Adverb meaning 'slowly', at a slow pace.
Je: First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
pensais: Imperfect of 'penser': was thinking or used to think.
temps: Noun meaning 'time', 'weather', or 'tense' in grammar.
anciens: Adjective meaning 'ancient', 'old', or 'former' (plural).
lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when', used in formal or literary contexts.
les: Definite plural article meaning 'the'.
vinrent: Simple past plural of 'venir': came (literary past tense).
ici: Adverb meaning 'here', in this place.
première: Adjective meaning 'first' (feminine form).
fois: Noun meaning 'time' or 'occasion' in a series.
y: Pronoun meaning 'there' or 'to it', referring to a place.
a: Third person singular of 'avoir': has; also used in 'il y a'.
dix-neuf: Number meaning 'nineteen'.
cents: Noun meaning 'hundreds', used in counting large numbers.
ans: Noun meaning 'years', used to express age or duration.
autre: Adjective meaning 'other' or 'another'.
jour: Noun meaning 'day' or 'daylight'.
De: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
lumière: Noun meaning 'light', physical or metaphorical illumination.
jailli: Past participle of 'jaillir': gushed, spurted, or sprang forth.
ce: Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning 'this', 'that', 'it'.
fleuve: Noun meaning 'large river' flowing into the sea.
depuis: Preposition meaning 'since' or 'for' a period of time.
vous: Personal pronoun meaning 'you' (plural or formal singular).
parlez: Second person plural of 'parler': you speak or are speaking.
Chevaliers: Noun meaning 'knights', medieval armored warriors or nobles.
Oui: Interjection meaning 'yes', affirmative response.
est: Third person singular of 'être': is.
brasier: Noun meaning 'blaze', 'furnace', or roaring fire.
court: Verb 'courir' third person singular: runs; also adjective 'short'.
sur: Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'over'.
plaine: Noun meaning 'plain', flat open stretch of land.
éclair: Noun meaning 'lightning' or 'flash' of bright light.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in', 'inside', or 'within'.
nuages: Noun meaning 'clouds' (plural of 'nuage').
Nous: Personal pronoun meaning 'we'.
vivons: First person plural of 'vivre': we live or are living.
vacillement: Noun meaning 'flickering', 'wavering', or unsteady light.
puisse-t-il: Subjunctive expression meaning 'may it' or 'let it be able to'.
durer: Verb meaning 'to last' or 'to endure' over time.
aussi: Adverb meaning 'also', 'too', or 'as' in comparisons.
longtemps: Adverb meaning 'for a long time' or 'long'.
vieille: Adjective meaning 'old' (feminine form of 'vieux').
terre: Noun meaning 'earth', 'land', 'ground', or 'soil'.
continuera: Future tense of 'continuer': will continue.
tourner: Verb meaning 'to turn', 'to rotate', or 'to spin'.
ténèbres: Noun meaning 'darkness', 'shadows', or deep gloom (literary).
régnaient: Imperfect of 'régner': reigned or prevailed over something.
hier: Adverb meaning 'yesterday'.
encore: Adverb meaning 'still', 'yet', 'again', or 'even'.
Imaginez: Imperative of 'imaginer': imagine! (addressed to you plural).
sentiments: Noun meaning 'feelings' or 'sentiments' (plural).
commandant: Noun or present participle meaning 'commander' or 'commanding'.
belle: Adjective meaning 'beautiful' or 'fine' (feminine form).
comment: Adverb meaning 'how' or 'what' in questions.
appelez-vous: Reflexive question form: 'do you call', as in 'what do you call'.
cela: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'this thing'.
soudainement: Adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'all of a sudden'.
envoyé: Past participle of 'envoyer': sent (to a destination).
vers: Preposition meaning 'towards' or 'around' (approximate time).
nord: Noun meaning 'north', one of the cardinal directions.
traversant: Present participle of 'traverser': crossing or going through.
toute: Adjective meaning 'all', 'entire', or 'every' (feminine form).
allure: Noun meaning 'speed', 'pace', 'gait', or 'style'.
par: Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
voie: Noun meaning 'road', 'way', 'path', or 'route'.
mis: Past participle of 'mettre': put, placed, or set (something).
tête: Noun meaning 'head', top of the body or front of a group.
embarcations: Noun meaning 'boats' or 'small watercraft' (plural).
légionnaires: Noun meaning 'legionnaires', soldiers of a Roman legion.
troupe: Noun meaning 'troop', 'group', or 'company' of people.
remarquable: Adjective meaning 'remarkable', 'notable', or 'outstanding'.
hommes: Noun meaning 'men' (plural of 'homme').
adroits: Adjective meaning 'skillful', 'adroit', or 'dexterous' (plural).
ils: Personal pronoun meaning 'they' (masculine or mixed group).
devaient: Imperfect of 'devoir': had to, must have, or were supposed to.
être: Infinitive meaning 'to be'; also used as auxiliary verb.
avaient: Imperfect of 'avoir': had (third person plural past).
coutume: Noun meaning 'custom', 'habit', or 'tradition'.
construire: Verb meaning 'to build', 'to construct', or 'to erect'.
apparemment: Adverb meaning 'apparently' or 'seemingly'.
centaines: Noun meaning 'hundreds' (plural), large approximate quantities.
mois: Noun meaning 'month' or 'months' (same form singular/plural).
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting alternatives.
deux: Number meaning 'two'.
veut: Third person singular of 'vouloir': wants or wishes.
bien: Adverb meaning 'well', 'good', or used as intensifier.
croire: Verb meaning 'to believe' or 'to think' something is true.
lit: Noun meaning 'bed'; also third person singular of 'lire': reads.

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