Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 4

English → Fr BY THE AUTHOR PREFACE Level 7/10

They say he is like Fielding: they talk of his wit, humour, comic powers.

Ils disent qu'il ressemble à Fielding : ils parlent de son esprit, de son humour, de ses dons comiques.

He resembles Fielding as an eagle does a vulture: Fielding could stoop on carrion, but Thackeray never does.

Il ressemble à Fielding comme l'aigle ressemble au vautour : Fielding pouvait s'abaisser à se repaître de charogne, mais Thackeray ne le fait jamais.

His wit is bright, his humour attractive, but both bear the same relation to his serious genius that the mere lambent sheet-lightning playing under the edge of the summer-cloud does to the electric death-spark hid in its womb.

Son esprit est vif, son humour séduisant, mais l'un et l'autre ont le même rapport avec son génie sérieux que la simple lueur vacillante des éclairs de chaleur jouant sous le bord du nuage d'été avec l'étincelle mortelle et électrique cachée dans ses entrailles.

Finally, I have alluded to Mr. Thackeray, because to him—if he will accept the tribute of a total stranger—I have dedicated this second edition of "JANE EYRE.

Enfin, j'ai fait allusion à M. Thackeray, parce que c'est à lui — s'il veut bien accepter l'hommage d'une parfaite inconnue — que j'ai dédié cette seconde édition de « JANE EYRE.

Vocabulary

disent: Third person plural present tense of 'dire', to say.
ressemble: Resembles or looks like someone or something.
esprit: Mind, wit, or spirit; intellectual sharpness.
humour: Humor; the quality of being amusing or comical.
dons: Gifts or talents; natural abilities someone possesses.
comiques: Comic or humorous; relating to comedy.
aigle: Eagle; a large, powerful bird of prey.
vautour: Vulture; a large scavenging bird of prey.
pouvait: Imperfect tense of 'pouvoir'; was able to, could.
abaisser: To lower oneself; to stoop or descend morally.
repaître: To feed or feast upon something, especially greedily.
charogne: Carrion; the decaying flesh of a dead animal.
jamais: Never; not at any time, used in negation.
vif: Lively, sharp, or quick; vivid and energetic.
séduisant: Seductive, charming, or attractive; captivating someone's attention.
même: Same or even; indicating identity or emphasis.
rapport: Relationship or connection between two things or people.
génie: Genius; exceptional intellectual or creative ability.
sérieux: Serious; grave, earnest, or having great importance.
simple: Simple or mere; uncomplicated, basic, or plain.
lueur: Glimmer or faint light; a weak flickering glow.
vacillante: Flickering, wavering, or unsteady; trembling light.
éclairs: Lightning flashes; sudden bright electrical discharges in sky.
chaleur: Heat or warmth; high temperature or emotional intensity.
jouant: Playing; present participle of 'jouer', to play.
sous: Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath' something.
bord: Edge, border, or rim of something.
nuage: Cloud; a visible mass of condensed water in sky.
été: Summer; the warmest season of the year.
étincelle: Spark; a small fiery particle produced by electricity.
mortelle: Deadly or fatal; causing or capable of causing death.
électrique: Electric; relating to or produced by electricity.
cachée: Hidden or concealed; kept out of sight.
entrailles: Entrails or bowels; inner organs or depths of something.
Enfin: Finally or at last; used to introduce a conclusion.
allusion: Allusion or reference; indirect mention of something.
veut: Third person singular present of 'vouloir'; wants or wishes.
accepter: To accept or receive something willingly.
hommage: Homage or tribute; respectful acknowledgment of someone's worth.
parfaite: Perfect or complete; without flaw or deficiency.
inconnue: Unknown person; someone not recognized or identified.
dédié: Dedicated; devoted or inscribed to someone as tribute.
seconde: Second; the ordinal number after first.
édition: Edition; a particular version of a published work.

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