Joseph II. and His Court: An Historical Novel — Page 1
THE CONFERENCE.
LA CONFÉRENCE.
In the council-chamber of the Empress Maria Theresa, the six lords, who composed her cabinet council, awaited the entrance of their imperial mistress to open the sitting.
Dans la salle du conseil de l'impératrice Marie-Thérèse, les six seigneurs qui composaient son conseil privé attendaient l'entrée de leur souveraine impériale pour ouvrir la séance.
At this sitting, a great political question was to be discussed and its gravity seemed to be reflected in the faces of the lords, as, in low tones, they whispered together in the dim, spacious apartment, whose antiquated furniture of dark velvet tapestry corresponded well with the anxious looks of its occupants.
À cette séance, une grande question politique devait être débattue, et sa gravité semblait se refléter sur les visages des seigneurs qui, à voix basse, se chuchotaient des propos dans l'appartement sombre et spacieux, dont l'ameublement suranné de tapisseries de velours sombre s'accordait bien avec les regards anxieux de ses occupants.
In the centre of the room stood the Baron von Bartenstein and the Count von Uhlefeld, the two powerful statesmen who for thirteen years had been honored by the confidence of the empress.
Au centre de la salle se tenaient le baron von Bartenstein et le comte von Uhlefeld, les deux puissants hommes d'État qui, depuis treize ans, avaient été honorés de la confiance de l'impératrice.
Together they stood, their consequence acknowledged by all, while with proud and lofty mien, they whispered of state secrets.
Ensemble ils se tenaient là, leur importance reconnue de tous, tandis que, d'un air fier et hautain, ils se chuchotaient des secrets d'État.
Upon the fair, smooth face of Bartenstein appeared an expression of haughty triumph, which he was at no pains to conceal; and over the delicate mouth of Von Uhlefeld fluttered a smile of ineffable complacency.
Sur le visage clair et lisse de Bartenstein apparaissait une expression de triomphe hautain qu'il ne prenait aucune peine à dissimuler ; et sur les lèvres délicates de Von Uhlefeld flottait un sourire d'ineffable satisfaction.
"I feel perfectly secure," whispered Von Bartenstein. "The empress will certainly renew the treaties, and continue the policy which we have hitherto pursued with such brilliant results to Austria."
« Je me sens parfaitement rassuré, » chuchota Von Bartenstein. « L'impératrice renouvellera certainement les traités et poursuivra la politique que nous avons jusqu'ici menée avec des résultats si brillants pour l'Autriche. »
"The empress is wise," returned Uhlefeld. "She can reckon upon our stanch support, and so long as she pursues this policy, we will sustain her."
« L'impératrice est sage, » répondit Uhlefeld. « Elle peut compter sur notre soutien indéfectible, et tant qu'elle poursuivra cette politique, nous la soutiendrons. »
Vocabulary
- CONFÉRENCE
- A formal meeting or conference for discussion
- salle
- A room or hall in a building
- conseil
- A council or advisory body for governance
- impératrice
- A female ruler of an empire; empress
- seigneurs
- Lords or noble rulers of high social rank
- composaient
- Made up or constituted a group or whole
- privé
- Private; restricted to a select few people
- attendaient
- Were waiting for someone or something to arrive
- entrée
- Entry or arrival of a person into a place
- souveraine
- A female sovereign or supreme ruler of state
- impériale
- Relating to an empire or imperial authority
- ouvrir
- To open something, such as a meeting or door
- séance
- A session or formal sitting of a council
- question
- A matter or issue to be discussed or resolved
- politique
- Related to politics or political affairs
- devait
- Had to; was supposed to do something
- débattue
- Discussed or argued about in a formal setting
- gravité
- Seriousness or gravity of a situation or matter
- semblait
- Seemed or appeared to be a certain way
- refléter
- To reflect or mirror something visually or abstractly
- visages
- Faces of people, their expressions or features
- voix
- Voice or voices used for speaking or singing
- basse
- Low in volume, pitch, or position
- chuchotaient
- Were whispering quietly to one another
- propos
- Words, remarks, or comments made in conversation
- appartement
- An apartment or set of private rooms
- sombre
- Dark, gloomy, or dimly lit in atmosphere
- spacieux
- Spacious; having a large amount of room
- dont
- Relative pronoun meaning 'whose', 'of which'
- ameublement
- Furnishings or furniture of a room or space
- suranné
- Old-fashioned, outdated, or no longer in style
- tapisseries
- Tapestries; decorative woven fabric wall hangings
- velours
- Velvet; a soft, plush fabric with dense pile
- accordait
- Matched, harmonized, or was in agreement with
- regards
- Gazes or looks directed toward someone or something
- anxieux
- Anxious or worried about an uncertain situation
- occupants
- People who occupy or inhabit a room or space
- tenaient
- Were holding a position or standing in place
- baron
- A nobleman of lower rank in the aristocracy
- comte
- A count; a nobleman of middle aristocratic rank
- puissants
- Powerful, mighty, or influential in authority
- État
- State; organized political community or government
- depuis
- Since or for a period of time up to now
- honorés
- Honored or bestowed with respect and recognition
- confiance
- Trust or confidence placed in a person
- Ensemble
- Together; at the same time or in unison
- importance
- Significance or great value of something
- reconnue
- Recognized or acknowledged by others as significant
- tandis
- Whereas or while, used to contrast two situations
- air
- An appearance or manner conveyed by someone
- fier
- Proud; showing self-respect or arrogance
- hautain
- Haughty or arrogant in attitude toward others
- secrets
- Secrets; things kept hidden from others
- visage
- A face; the front part of someone's head
- clair
- Clear, bright, or light in color or tone
- lisse
- Smooth and even in texture or surface
- apparaissait
- Was appearing or becoming visible to observers
- expression
- A look on the face conveying feeling or thought
- triomphe
- Triumph; a great victory or notable achievement
- prenait
- Was taking or making an effort to do something
- aucune
- No; not any (feminine form of 'aucun')
- peine
- Effort, trouble, or care taken to do something
- dissimuler
- To hide, conceal, or disguise feelings or facts
- lèvres
- Lips; the soft edges of the mouth
- délicates
- Delicate; fine, subtle, or requiring careful handling
- flottait
- Was floating or hovering lightly upon something
- sourire
- A smile; a pleased or amused facial expression
- ineffable
- Too great or extreme to be expressed in words
- satisfaction
- A feeling of pleasure from achieving something desired
- sens
- Feel; first person present tense of 'sentir'
- parfaitement
- Perfectly; in a completely satisfactory manner
- rassuré
- Reassured; relieved of worry or anxiety
- chuchota
- Whispered; said something in a very quiet voice
- renouvellera
- Will renew or extend something such as a treaty
- certainement
- Certainly; without doubt or hesitation
- traités
- Treaties; formal agreements between nations or parties
- poursuivra
- Will pursue or continue a course of action
- jusqu'
- Elided preposition meaning 'until' or 'up to'
- menée
- Led or conducted a policy, campaign, or action
- résultats
- Results or outcomes of an action or process
- brillants
- Brilliant; outstanding or remarkably successful
- sage
- Wise or prudent in judgment and decision-making
- répondit
- Replied or answered in response to someone
- compter
- To count on or rely upon someone or something
- soutien
- Support or backing given to a person or cause
- indéfectible
- Unfailing, unwavering, never failing or weakening
- tant
- As long as; so much, to such a degree
- soutiendrons
- Will support; first person plural future of 'soutenir'
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →