Light O' the Morning: The Story of an Irish Girl — Page 6
She began to talk with animation and excitement.
Elle se mit à parler avec animation et enthousiasme.
Nora knew exactly what she was going to say.
Nora savait exactement ce qu'elle allait dire.
She had heard the story so often; but, although she had heard it hundreds and thousands of times, she was never tired of listening to the history of a trim life of which she knew absolutely nothing.
Elle avait entendu cette histoire si souvent ; mais, bien qu'elle l'eût entendue des centaines et des milliers de fois, elle ne se lassait jamais d'écouter le récit d'une vie bien ordonnée dont elle ne savait absolument rien.
The orderly, well-dressed servants, the punctual meals, the good and abundant food, the nice dresses, the parties, the solid education, the discipline so foreign to her own existence, all--all held their proper fascination.
Les domestiques ordonnés et bien habillés, les repas ponctuels, la nourriture bonne et abondante, les jolies robes, les fêtes, l'éducation solide, la discipline si étrangère à sa propre existence, tout — tout exerçait son charme particulier.
But although she listened with delight to these stories of a bygone time, she never envied her mother those periods of prosperity.
Mais bien qu'elle écoutât avec plaisir ces récits d'un temps révolu, elle n'enviait jamais à sa mère ces périodes de prospérité.
Such a life would have been a prison to her; so she thought, although she never spoke her thought aloud.
Une telle vie aurait été une prison pour elle ; du moins le pensait-elle, bien qu'elle n'eût jamais exprimé cette pensée à voix haute.
Mrs. O'Shanaghgan began the old tale to-night, telling it with a little more _verve_ even than usual.
Mme O'Shanaghgan reprit ce soir le vieux récit, le racontant avec un peu plus de _verve_ encore que d'habitude.
She ended at last with a sigh.
Elle termina enfin avec un soupir.
"Oh, the beautiful old times!" she said.
« Oh, le beau temps jadis ! » dit-elle.
"But you didn't know father then," answered Nora, a frown coming to her brows, and an angry feeling for a moment visiting her warm heart.
« Mais tu ne connaissais pas père à cette époque, » répondit Nora, un froncement de sourcils assombrissant son front, et un sentiment de colère visitant un instant son cœur chaleureux.
"You didn't have father, nor Nora, nor Terry."
« Tu n'avais pas père, ni Nora, ni Terry. »
"Of course not, darling, and you make up for much; but, Nora dear, although I love my husband and my children, I hate this country.
« Bien sûr que non, ma chérie, et vous compensez beaucoup ; mais, ma chère Nora, bien que j'aime mon mari et mes enfants, je déteste ce pays.
I hate it!"
Je le déteste ! »
"Don't, mother," said Nora, with a look of pain.
« Ne dis pas ça, mère, » dit Nora, avec une expression de douleur.
She started to her feet.
Elle se leva d'un bond.
Vocabulary
- mit
- Past tense of mettre: put, placed, began
- animation
- Liveliness, enthusiasm, animated energy in expression
- enthousiasme
- Strong excitement or eagerness about something
- exactement
- Adverb meaning exactly, precisely
- eût
- Subjunctive past of avoir: had (hypothetical or literary)
- centaines
- Hundreds, groups of approximately one hundred
- milliers
- Thousands, groups of approximately one thousand
- lassait
- Imperfect of lasser: tired, wearied, grew bored
- récit
- A narrative, account, or recounting of events
- ordonnée
- Well-organized, orderly, neatly arranged
- dont
- Relative pronoun meaning of which, whose, from which
- absolument
- Adverb meaning absolutely, completely, without exception
- domestiques
- Household servants or domestic staff
- ordonnés
- Well-organized, tidy, disciplined, kept in order
- habillés
- Dressed, clothed, wearing appropriate attire
- ponctuels
- Punctual, on time, prompt, timely
- nourriture
- Food, nourishment, sustenance
- abondante
- Abundant, plentiful, more than enough
- fêtes
- Celebrations, parties, festivals, or feast days
- éducation
- Education, upbringing, formal or personal instruction
- solide
- Solid, strong, thorough, well-grounded
- discipline
- Discipline, structured obedience, orderly conduct
- étrangère
- Foreign, alien, unfamiliar, from another place
- propre
- Own (before noun); clean or proper (after noun)
- existence
- Existence, the manner or fact of living
- exerçait
- Imperfect of exercer: exerted, exercised, practiced
- charme
- Charm, appeal, allure, captivating quality
- particulier
- Particular, specific, distinctive, peculiar to something
- écoutât
- Imperfect subjunctive of écouter: might listen to
- plaisir
- Pleasure, enjoyment, delight
- récits
- Accounts, narratives, stories told aloud
- révolu
- Past, gone, over, a bygone era
- enviait
- Imperfect of envier: envied, was jealous of
- périodes
- Periods, stretches of time, phases
- prospérité
- Prosperity, wealth, financial wellbeing, flourishing state
- telle
- Such a, of that kind, so great
- prison
- Prison, jail, a place of confinement
- exprimé
- Past participle of exprimer: expressed, voiced, stated
- pensée
- A thought, idea, reflection, mental consideration
- reprit
- Passé simple of reprendre: resumed, took up again
- racontant
- Present participle of raconter: telling, narrating, recounting
- verve
- Enthusiasm, spirit, vitality in speaking or writing
- habitude
- Habit, custom, usual practice
- termina
- Passé simple of terminer: ended, finished, concluded
- enfin
- Finally, at last, in the end
- soupir
- A sigh, deep breath expressing emotion
- jadis
- Formerly, in times past, long ago
- époque
- Era, period, time, historical age
- répondit
- Passé simple of répondre: answered, replied
- froncement
- Frowning, wrinkling of brow in displeasure
- sourcils
- Eyebrows
- assombrissant
- Darkening, making gloomy, clouding over
- front
- Forehead, brow, front of the face
- sentiment
- Feeling, emotion, sentiment, inner sense
- colère
- Anger, rage, wrath
- visitant
- Visiting, coming to, passing through briefly
- instant
- A moment, instant, brief period of time
- chaleureux
- Warm, affectionate, cordial, full of warmth
- ni
- Nor, neither; used in negative constructions
- chérie
- Darling, dear, beloved, term of endearment
- compensez
- You compensate, make up for, offset a lack
- déteste
- Detest, hate, strongly dislike
- expression
- Expression, look on face, outward sign of feeling
- douleur
- Pain, sorrow, grief, anguish
- leva
- Passé simple of lever: raised, lifted, got up
- bond
- A leap, jump, sudden springing movement
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