Middlemarch — Page 5

English → Fr CHAPTER I. Level 9/10

And how should Dorothea not marry?—a girl so handsome and with such prospects?

Et comment Dorothea ne se marierait-elle pas ? — une fille si belle et avec de telles perspectives ?

Nothing could hinder it but her love of extremes, and her insistence on regulating life according to notions which might cause a wary man to hesitate before he made her an offer, or even might lead her at last to refuse all offers.

Rien ne pouvait l'en empêcher, sinon son goût des extrêmes et son insistance à vouloir régler sa vie selon des principes qui pourraient amener un homme prudent à hésiter avant de lui faire une offre, ou même la conduire finalement à refuser toutes les offres.

A young lady of some birth and fortune, who knelt suddenly down on a brick floor by the side of a sick laborer and prayed fervidly as if she thought herself living in the time of the Apostles—who had strange whims of fasting like a Papist, and of sitting up at night to read old theological books!

Une jeune femme de bonne naissance et de quelque fortune, qui s'agenouillait soudainement sur un sol de briques aux côtés d'un ouvrier malade et priait avec ferveur comme si elle se croyait vivre au temps des Apôtres — qui avait d'étranges lubies de jeûner comme une Papiste, et de veiller la nuit pour lire de vieux livres de théologie !

Such a wife might awaken you some fine morning with a new scheme for the application of her income which would interfere with political economy and the keeping of saddle-horses: a man would naturally think twice before he risked himself in such fellowship.

Une telle épouse pourrait vous réveiller un beau matin avec un nouveau projet d'affectation de ses revenus qui viendrait perturber l'économie politique et l'entretien des chevaux de selle : un homme réfléchirait naturellement à deux fois avant de s'engager dans une telle union.

Women were expected to have weak opinions; but the great safeguard of society and of domestic life was, that opinions were not acted on.

On attendait des femmes qu'elles aient des opinions peu affirmées ; mais la grande sauvegarde de la société et de la vie domestique était que ces opinions ne se traduisaient pas en actes.

Sane people did what their neighbors did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them.

Les gens sensés faisaient ce que faisaient leurs voisins, de sorte que si quelques fous étaient en liberté, on pouvait les reconnaître et les éviter.

The rural opinion about the new young ladies, even among the cottagers, was generally in favor of Celia, as being so amiable and innocent-looking, while Miss Brooke's large eyes seemed, like her religion, too unusual and striking.

L'opinion rurale sur les nouvelles jeunes femmes, même parmi les habitants des chaumières, était généralement en faveur de Celia, jugée si aimable et à l'air innocent, tandis que les grands yeux de Miss Brooke semblaient, comme sa religion, trop singuliers et frappants.

Poor Dorothea!

Pauvre Dorothea !

Vocabulary

comment: Adverb meaning 'how' or expressing surprise.
ne: Negative particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'herself', 'himself', or 'themselves'.
marierait: Conditional form of 'marier': would marry someone.
elle: Third-person feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'her'.
pas: Negative particle used with 'ne' to negate verbs.
une: Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
fille: Noun meaning 'girl' or 'daughter'.
si: Adverb meaning 'so' or conjunction meaning 'if'.
belle: Adjective meaning 'beautiful' or 'lovely', feminine form.
avec: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment or means.
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or indicating possession.
telles: Adjective meaning 'such', feminine plural form of 'tel'.
perspectives: Noun meaning 'prospects' or 'future possibilities and outlooks'.
Rien: Pronoun meaning 'nothing' or 'not anything' at all.
pouvait: Imperfect tense of 'pouvoir': was able to, could.
en: Preposition or pronoun meaning 'in', 'of it', 'from there'.
empêcher: Verb meaning 'to prevent' or 'to stop' someone from doing.
sinon: Conjunction meaning 'otherwise', 'except', or 'if not'.
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
goût: Noun meaning 'taste', referring to preference or liking.
des: Partitive or plural article meaning 'some' or 'of the'.
extrêmes: Noun or adjective meaning 'extremes'; going beyond normal limits.
insistance: Noun meaning 'insistence', the act of insisting persistently.
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in' various contexts.
vouloir: Verb meaning 'to want' or 'to wish' for something.
régler: Verb meaning 'to regulate', 'settle', or 'organize' something.
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its', feminine.
vie: Noun meaning 'life' in the broadest sense of existence.
selon: Preposition meaning 'according to' or 'in accordance with'.
principes: Noun meaning 'principles'; fundamental rules guiding one's conduct.
qui: Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who', 'which', 'that'.
pourraient: Conditional plural of 'pouvoir': could, might be able to.
amener: Verb meaning 'to bring', 'lead', or 'cause' someone somewhere.
un: Indefinite masculine article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
homme: Noun meaning 'man' or 'human being' in general terms.
prudent: Adjective meaning 'prudent', 'cautious', or 'careful' in behavior.
hésiter: Verb meaning 'to hesitate' or 'to be uncertain' before acting.
avant: Preposition or adverb meaning 'before' in time or order.
lui: Personal pronoun meaning 'him', 'her', or 'to him/her'.
faire: Verb meaning 'to make' or 'to do' something general.
offre: Noun meaning 'offer' or 'proposal' made to someone.
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting an alternative choice.
même: Adverb or adjective meaning 'even', 'same', or 'itself'.
la: Definite feminine article or object pronoun meaning 'the' or 'her'.
conduire: Verb meaning 'to lead', 'drive', or 'bring' somewhere.
finalement: Adverb meaning 'finally', 'ultimately', or 'in the end'.
refuser: Verb meaning 'to refuse' or 'to decline' something offered.
toutes: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', feminine plural form.
les: Definite plural article meaning 'the' for masculine and feminine.
offres: Noun plural meaning 'offers' or 'proposals' made to someone.
Une: Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
jeune: Adjective meaning 'young', describing a person of youth.
femme: Noun meaning 'woman' or 'wife' depending on context.
bonne: Adjective meaning 'good', feminine form of 'bon'.
naissance: Noun meaning 'birth' or 'social origin' of a person.
quelque: Adjective meaning 'some' or 'a certain amount of'.
fortune: Noun meaning 'fortune', 'wealth', or 'financial means'.
agenouillait: Imperfect of 'agenouiller': was kneeling down on the ground.
soudainement: Adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'all at once' without warning.
sur: Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'over' a surface.
sol: Noun meaning 'floor', 'ground', or 'soil' underfoot.
briques: Noun plural meaning 'bricks', rectangular blocks used in construction.
aux: Contraction of 'à les' meaning 'to the' or 'at the'.
côtés: Noun plural meaning 'sides'; 'aux côtés de' means 'beside'.
ouvrier: Noun meaning 'worker' or 'laborer', typically manual or industrial.
malade: Adjective or noun meaning 'sick', 'ill', or 'a patient'.
priait: Imperfect of 'prier': was praying or making a religious request.
ferveur: Noun meaning 'fervor', intense religious devotion or enthusiasm.
comme: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'since'.
croyait: Imperfect of 'croire': believed, thought something to be true.
vivre: Verb meaning 'to live' or 'to be alive' or 'to exist'.
au: Contraction of 'à le' meaning 'to the' or 'at the'.
temps: Noun meaning 'time', 'era', 'weather', or 'tense' in grammar.
Apôtres: Noun plural meaning 'Apostles', the disciples of Jesus Christ.
avait: Imperfect of 'avoir': had, third-person singular past form.
étranges: Adjective meaning 'strange', 'odd', or 'unusual' in behavior.
lubies: Noun plural meaning 'whims', 'fads', or 'eccentric ideas'.
jeûner: Verb meaning 'to fast', abstaining from food for religious reasons.
Papiste: Noun meaning 'Papist', a derogatory term for a Roman Catholic.
veiller: Verb meaning 'to stay up', 'keep watch', or 'stay awake'.
nuit: Noun meaning 'night', the dark period between sunset and sunrise.
pour: Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to', or 'to'.
lire: Verb meaning 'to read' books, texts, or written materials.
vieux: Adjective meaning 'old', masculine form, describing age or antiquity.
livres: Noun plural meaning 'books'; also can mean 'pounds' (currency/weight).
théologie: Noun meaning 'theology', the study of religion and religious doctrine.
telle: Adjective meaning 'such a', feminine singular form of 'tel'.
épouse: Noun meaning 'spouse' or 'wife'; also verb 'to marry'.
pourrait: Conditional of 'pouvoir': could, might be able to do.
vous: Pronoun meaning 'you' (formal singular or plural) in French.
réveiller: Verb meaning 'to wake up' or 'to awaken' someone.
beau: Adjective meaning 'beautiful', 'fine', or 'handsome' (masculine).
matin: Noun meaning 'morning', the early part of the day.
nouveau: Adjective meaning 'new' or 'another', masculine singular form.
projet: Noun meaning 'project', 'plan', or 'scheme' intended for execution.
affectation: Noun meaning 'allocation' of funds or 'affectation' in manner.
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its', plural form.
revenus: Noun plural meaning 'income', 'revenues', or 'earnings' received.
viendrait: Conditional of 'venir': would come to do or happen.
perturber: Verb meaning 'to disrupt', 'disturb', or 'upset' something established.
économie: Noun meaning 'economy', 'thrift', or 'management of resources'.
politique: Noun or adjective meaning 'politics', 'policy', or 'political'.
entretien: Noun meaning 'maintenance', 'upkeep', or 'interview' or 'conversation'.
chevaux: Noun plural meaning 'horses', the domestic equine animals.
selle: Noun meaning 'saddle', the seat placed on a horse's back.
réfléchirait: Conditional of 'réfléchir': would think carefully or reflect.
naturellement: Adverb meaning 'naturally', 'of course', or 'as expected'.
deux: Number meaning 'two', the cardinal number between one and three.
fois: Noun meaning 'time(s)' or 'occasion'; 'deux fois' means 'twice'.
engager: Verb meaning 'to commit', 'engage', or 'take on' something.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in', 'inside', or 'within' something.
union: Noun meaning 'union', 'marriage', or 'joining together of people'.
On: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', 'they', or 'people'.
attendait: Imperfect of 'attendre': expected, waited for, or anticipated.
femmes: Noun plural meaning 'women' or 'wives' in general.
elles: Third-person feminine plural pronoun meaning 'they' (for females).
aient: Subjunctive of 'avoir': that they have, subjunctive mood form.
opinions: Noun plural meaning 'opinions', personal views or judgments held.
peu: Adverb meaning 'little', 'few', or 'not very much'.
affirmées: Adjective meaning 'asserted' or 'strongly held', feminine plural.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast or contradiction.
grande: Adjective meaning 'great', 'large', or 'tall', feminine form.
sauvegarde: Noun meaning 'safeguard', 'protection', or 'guarantee' of something.
société: Noun meaning 'society', 'company', or 'social organization'.
domestique: Adjective or noun meaning 'domestic', relating to household or home.
était: Imperfect of 'être': was, third-person singular past form.
que: Conjunction meaning 'that' or comparison word meaning 'than'.
ces: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' or 'those', plural form.
traduisaient: Imperfect of 'traduire': were translating or expressing through actions.
actes: Noun plural meaning 'acts', 'actions', or 'deeds' performed.
Les: Definite plural article meaning 'the' for masculine and feminine.
gens: Noun plural meaning 'people' in a general or informal sense.
sensés: Adjective meaning 'sensible', 'reasonable', or 'sound-minded' (masculine plural).
faisaient: Imperfect of 'faire': were doing or making something habitually.
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this', 'that', or 'it'.
leurs: Possessive adjective meaning 'their', plural form for multiple owners.
voisins: Noun plural meaning 'neighbors', people living nearby one's home.
sorte: Noun meaning 'sort', 'kind', or 'type'; 'de sorte que' means 'so that'.
quelques: Adjective meaning 'a few', 'some', indicating a small number.
fous: Noun or adjective meaning 'madmen', 'crazy people', or 'fools'.
étaient: Imperfect plural of 'être': were, past state of being.
liberté: Noun meaning 'freedom', 'liberty', or 'independence' of action.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', 'they', or 'people'.
reconnaître: Verb meaning 'to recognize', 'acknowledge', or 'identify' something.
éviter: Verb meaning 'to avoid', 'to evade', or 'to steer clear of'.
opinion: Noun meaning 'opinion', a personal view or judgment held.
rurale: Adjective meaning 'rural', relating to the countryside or villages.
nouvelles: Adjective or noun meaning 'new' (feminine plural) or 'news'.
jeunes: Adjective meaning 'young', plural form describing youth or novelty.
parmi: Preposition meaning 'among' or 'amongst' a group of people.
habitants: Noun plural meaning 'inhabitants', 'residents', or 'dwellers' of a place.
chaumières: Noun plural meaning 'thatched cottages', simple rural dwellings.
généralement: Adverb meaning 'generally', 'usually', or 'in most cases'.
faveur: Noun meaning 'favor', 'preference', or 'approval' given to someone.
jugée: Past participle of 'juger': judged, considered, or deemed to be.
aimable: Adjective meaning 'likable', 'kind', or 'pleasant' in character.
air: Noun meaning 'air', 'appearance', 'look', or 'manner' of someone.
innocent: Adjective meaning 'innocent', 'guileless', or 'not guilty' of wrongdoing.
tandis: Conjunction used in 'tandis que' meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
grands: Adjective meaning 'great', 'large', or 'tall', masculine plural.
yeux: Noun plural meaning 'eyes', the organs of sight (plural of 'œil').
semblaient: Imperfect of 'sembler': seemed, appeared, or looked like something.
religion: Noun meaning 'religion', a system of faith and worship.
trop: Adverb meaning 'too', 'too much', or 'excessively' in degree.
singuliers: Adjective meaning 'singular', 'peculiar', or 'unusual', masculine plural.
frappants: Adjective meaning 'striking', 'remarkable', or 'impressive', masculine plural.
Pauvre: Adjective meaning 'poor', 'unfortunate', or 'pitiful' describing someone.

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