Heart of Darkness — Page 8
Land in a swamp, march through the woods, and in some inland post feel the savagery, the utter savagery, had closed round him—all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men.
Débarquer dans un marais, marcher à travers les bois, et dans quelque poste de l'intérieur ressentir la sauvagerie, l'absolue sauvagerie, qui s'était refermée autour de lui — toute cette vie mystérieuse de la nature sauvage qui s'agite dans la forêt, dans les jungles, dans les cœurs des hommes sauvages.
There's no initiation either into such mysteries.
Il n'est pas davantage d'initiation à de tels mystères.
He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is also detestable.
Il lui faut vivre au sein de l'incompréhensible, qui est aussi détestable.
And it has a fascination, too, that goes to work upon him.
Et cela exerce aussi sur lui une fascination qui commence à agir.
The fascination of the abomination—you know, imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate."
La fascination de l'abomination — vous voyez, imaginez les regrets grandissants, le désir de fuir, le dégoût impuissant, la capitulation, la haine. »
He paused.
Il s'interrompit.
"Mind," he began again, lifting one arm from the elbow, the palm of the hand outwards, so that, with his legs folded before him, he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower—"Mind, none of us would feel exactly like this.
« Remarquez bien, reprit-il, levant un bras à partir du coude, la paume de la main tournée vers l'extérieur, de sorte que, les jambes repliées devant lui, il avait la pose d'un Bouddha prêchant en habits européens et sans fleur de lotus — Remarquez bien, aucun de nous ne ressentirait exactement cela.
What saves us is efficiency—the devotion to efficiency.
Ce qui nous sauve, c'est l'efficacité — le dévouement à l'efficacité.
But these chaps were not much account, really.
Mais ces types ne valaient pas grand-chose, en réalité.
They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect.
Ce n'étaient pas des colons ; leur administration n'était qu'une extorsion, et rien de plus, je le suppose.
They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force—nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.
C'étaient des conquérants, et pour cela il ne faut que la force brute — rien dont se vanter, quand on la possède, car votre force n'est qu'un accident né de la faiblesse des autres.
They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got.
Ils s'emparaient de tout ce qu'ils pouvaient obtenir, pour le seul profit de ce qu'il y avait à prendre.
Vocabulary
- Débarquer
- To disembark or land from a boat or ship.
- dans
- In, inside, within a place or time period.
- un
- A, an; indefinite article for masculine singular nouns.
- marais
- A swamp or marsh; wetland area with water and vegetation.
- marcher
- To walk or move forward on foot.
- travers
- Across, through; by way of or in the direction of.
- les
- The; definite article for plural nouns (masculine or feminine).
- bois
- Wood or forest; trees and wooded area collectively.
- et
- And; conjunction connecting words, phrases, or clauses.
- quelque
- Some, any, a certain; indefinite adjective or pronoun.
- poste
- A post, station, or position; mail or postal service.
- de
- Of, from; preposition indicating possession or relationship.
- intérieur
- Interior, inside, inner; relating to the inside.
- ressentir
- To feel or experience an emotion or sensation.
- la
- The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
- absolue
- Absolute, complete, total; without limitation or exception.
- qui
- Who, which, that; relative pronoun connecting clauses.
- était
- Was; past tense of être for third person singular.
- autour
- Around, about; in a circle or surrounding area.
- lui
- Him, to him; indirect or stressed object pronoun.
- toute
- All, whole, entire; every; feminine form of tout.
- cette
- This, that; demonstrative adjective for feminine singular.
- vie
- Life; existence or a way of living.
- mystérieuse
- Mysterious, enigmatic; full of mystery or concealment.
- nature
- Nature; the physical world and natural phenomena.
- sauvage
- Wild, savage, untamed; in natural or primitive state.
- agite
- Agitated, stirred, disturbed; in motion or commotion.
- forêt
- Forest; large area covered with trees and vegetation.
- jungles
- Jungles; dense tropical forests with thick vegetation.
- cœurs
- Hearts; plural of cœur; center of emotions or feelings.
- des
- Of the, some; contraction of de and les.
- hommes
- Men; plural of homme, adult male humans.
- sauvages
- Savages, wild people; plural of sauvage.
- Il
- He; masculine singular personal pronoun in nominative case.
- est
- Is; present tense third person singular of être.
- pas
- Not; negation or step; can be noun or adverb.
- davantage
- More, further; to a greater extent or degree.
- initiation
- Initiation; introduction to or beginning of something.
- tels
- Such, like; demonstrative adjective indicating similarity or example.
- mystères
- Mysteries; plural of mystère; secrets or enigmas.
- faut
- Must, need; impersonal verb falloir in present tense.
- vivre
- To live; to exist or dwell; to experience life.
- au
- At the, in the; contraction of à and le.
- sein
- Breast, bosom; heart or center; womb.
- aussi
- Also, too, as well; likewise or equally.
- détestable
- Detestable, hateful; worthy of hatred or abhorrence.
- Et
- And; conjunction connecting words, phrases, or clauses.
- cela
- That, this; demonstrative pronoun referring to thing.
- exerce
- Exercises, exerts; present tense of exercer.
- sur
- On, upon, over; preposition indicating position or relationship.
- une
- A, an; indefinite article for feminine singular nouns.
- fascination
- Fascination; intense attraction or captivation by something.
- commence
- Begins, starts; present tense of commencer.
- agir
- To act, to take action; to do or behave.
- La
- The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
- voyez
- See, look; second person plural of voir.
- imaginez
- Imagine; second person plural imperative of imaginer.
- regrets
- Regrets; plural of regret; feelings of sorrow.
- grandissants
- Growing, increasing; present participle of grandir.
- le
- The; definite article for masculine singular nouns.
- désir
- Desire, wish; strong feeling of wanting something.
- fuir
- To flee, escape, run away from danger.
- dégoût
- Disgust, aversion; strong dislike or revulsion.
- impuissant
- Powerless, helpless, impotent; without strength or ability.
- capitulation
- Capitulation, surrender; giving up or submitting.
- haine
- Hatred, hate; intense dislike or animosity toward.
- interrompit
- Interrupted; past tense of interrompre.
- Remarquez
- Notice, observe; imperative form of remarquer.
- bien
- Well, good, fine; adverb of manner or quality.
- reprit-il
- He resumed, said again; past tense of reprendre.
- levant
- Raising, lifting; present participle of lever.
- bras
- Arm; limb from shoulder to hand.
- partir
- To leave, depart, go away; to set out.
- du
- Of the, from the; contraction of de and le.
- coude
- Elbow; joint between forearm and upper arm.
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