Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 14

English → Fr Full Text Level 8/10

It had been arranged for the purpose, early in the morning; its rich slabs of marble, all scratched by the heels of law clerks, supported a cage of carpenter's work of considerable height, the upper surface of which, within view of the whole hall, was to serve as the theatre, and whose interior, masked by tapestries, was to take the place of dressing-rooms for the personages of the piece.

On l'avait disposée à cet effet, dès le matin ; ses riches dalles de marbre, toutes rayées par les talons des clercs de la basoche, supportaient une loge de charpenterie d'une hauteur considérable, dont la surface supérieure, visible de toute la salle, devait servir de théâtre, et dont l'intérieur, masqué par des tapisseries, devait tenir lieu de vestiaires pour les personnages de la pièce.

A ladder, naively placed on the outside, was to serve as means of communication between the dressing-room and the stage, and lend its rude rungs to entrances as well as to exits.

Une échelle, naïvement placée à l'extérieur, devait servir de moyen de communication entre le vestiaire et la scène, et prêter ses rudes échelons aux entrées aussi bien qu'aux sorties.

There was no personage, however unexpected, no sudden change, no theatrical effect, which was not obliged to mount that ladder.

Il n'était aucun personnage, si inattendu qu'il fût, aucun changement subit, aucun effet théâtral, qui ne fût obligé de gravir cette échelle.

Innocent and venerable infancy of art and contrivances!

Innocente et vénérable enfance de l'art et des artifices !

Four of the bailiff of the palace's sergeants, perfunctory guardians of all the pleasures of the people, on days of festival as well as on days of execution, stood at the four corners of the marble table.

Quatre sergents du bailli du palais, gardiens nonchalants de tous les plaisirs du peuple, les jours de fête comme les jours d'exécution, se tenaient aux quatre coins de la table de marbre.

The piece was only to begin with the twelfth stroke of the great palace clock sounding midday.

La pièce ne devait commencer qu'au douzième coup de la grande horloge du palais sonnant midi.

It was very late, no doubt, for a theatrical representation, but they had been obliged to fix the hour to suit the convenience of the ambassadors.

C'était fort tard, sans doute, pour une représentation théâtrale, mais on avait été obligé de fixer l'heure à la convenance des ambassadeurs.

Now, this whole multitude had been waiting since morning.

Or, toute cette multitude attendait depuis le matin.

Vocabulary

On: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one' or 'they/we'
l': Contracted definite article 'the' before vowel
avait: Third person singular past tense of 'avoir' (to have)
disposée: Arranged or set up for a particular purpose
à: Preposition meaning 'at,' 'to,' or 'for'
cet: Demonstrative adjective 'this' before masculine vowel
effet: Effect or purpose; 'à cet effet' means 'for this purpose'
dès: Preposition meaning 'from' or 'as early as'
le: Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns
matin: Morning; the early part of the day
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its'
riches: Rich or lavish; describes elaborate or valuable things
dalles: Flat stone slabs used as flooring tiles
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'with'
marbre: Marble; a hard decorative stone used in buildings
toutes: All; feminine plural form of 'tout'
rayées: Scratched or streaked with lines or marks
par: Preposition meaning 'by' or 'through'
les: Definite article 'the' for plural nouns
talons: Heels of shoes or boots
des: Partitive or plural indefinite article meaning 'of the'
clercs: Clerks or scribes, typically legal administrative workers
la: Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns
supportaient: Were supporting or bearing the weight of something
une: Indefinite article 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns
loge: Booth, box, or lodge; a small enclosed space
charpenterie: Carpentry; woodwork construction or craftsmanship
d': Contracted preposition 'of' or 'from' before vowel
hauteur: Height; the vertical measurement of something
considérable: Considerable; notably large or significant in size
dont: Relative pronoun meaning 'whose,' 'of which,' or 'from which'
surface: Surface; the outer face or top area of something
supérieure: Upper or superior; situated above or of higher rank
visible: Visible; able to be seen from a distance
toute: All or entire; feminine singular form of 'tout'
salle: Hall or large room in a building
devait: Was supposed to or had to; past tense of 'devoir'
servir: To serve or function as something
théâtre: Theater; a place or platform for dramatic performances
et: Conjunction meaning 'and'
intérieur: Interior or inside space of a structure
masqué: Masked or concealed from view
tapisseries: Tapestries; decorative woven fabric hangings
tenir: To hold or serve as; to keep in place
lieu: Place; 'tenir lieu de' means 'to serve as'
vestiaires: Dressing rooms or cloakrooms for changing costumes
pour: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to'
personnages: Characters or persons in a play or story
pièce: Play or theatrical piece performed on stage
Une: Indefinite article 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns
échelle: Ladder; a structure used for climbing up or down
naïvement: Naively or simply, without sophistication or guile
placée: Placed or positioned in a particular location
extérieur: Exterior or outside of a structure or space
moyen: Means or way of achieving or doing something
communication: Connection or means of passage between two spaces
entre: Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among'
vestiaire: Dressing room or cloakroom for costume changes
scène: Stage; the area where actors perform
prêter: To lend or offer; to provide for temporary use
rudes: Rough or harsh; describing unrefined or crude rungs
échelons: Rungs of a ladder; steps or levels
aux: Contracted preposition 'to the' or 'for the' (plural)
entrées: Entrances; acts of entering onto the stage
aussi: Also or as well; indicating addition or comparison
bien: Well; 'aussi bien que' means 'as well as'
qu': Contracted conjunction 'that' or 'than' before vowel
sorties: Exits; departures from the stage or a space
Il: Third person singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'
n': Contracted negation particle used with 'pas' or 'était'
était: Was; third person singular imperfect of 'être'
aucun: No or none; negates the existence of something
personnage: Character or person appearing in a performance
si: So or however; used for emphasis or concession
inattendu: Unexpected; not anticipated or foreseen
il: Third person singular pronoun 'he' or 'it'
fût: Subjunctive past of 'être'; 'were' or 'might be'
changement: Change or transformation, especially sudden or dramatic
subit: Sudden or abrupt; happening unexpectedly and quickly
théâtral: Theatrical; relating to or characteristic of theater
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who,' 'which,' or 'that'
ne: Negation particle used with a second negative word
obligé: Obliged or forced to do something
gravir: To climb or ascend, especially with effort
cette: Demonstrative adjective 'this' for feminine singular nouns
Innocente: Innocent or naive; lacking guile or sophistication
vénérable: Venerable; worthy of great respect and reverence
enfance: Childhood or infancy; early stage of development
art: Art; creative skill or craft in performance
artifices: Tricks or devices used to create theatrical illusions
Quatre: Four; the number four
sergents: Sergeants or officers responsible for maintaining order
du: Contracted article 'of the' for masculine singular nouns
palais: Palace; a grand official building or court
gardiens: Guardians or guards responsible for watching over something
nonchalants: Nonchalant; casually indifferent or unconcerned
tous: All or every; masculine plural form of 'tout'
plaisirs: Pleasures; enjoyable activities or sources of delight
peuple: People or common folk; the general population
jours: Days; plural of 'jour'
fête: Festival or celebration; a festive public event
comme: As or like; used for comparison or equivalence
exécution: Execution; carrying out of a sentence or performance
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' or 'itself'
tenaient: Were standing or positioning themselves; imperfect of 'tenir'
quatre: Four; the cardinal number four
coins: Corners; the angled meeting points of sides or walls
table: Table; a flat-surfaced piece of furniture
La: Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns
commencer: To begin or start an activity or event
au: Contracted article 'at the' or 'to the' (masculine)
douzième: Twelfth; the ordinal number following the eleventh
coup: Strike or stroke; here referring to a clock's chime
grande: Great or large; feminine form of 'grand'
horloge: Clock; a large timekeeping device in a public place
sonnant: Striking or chiming; present participle of 'sonner'
midi: Noon; twelve o'clock in the middle of the day
C': Contracted demonstrative pronoun 'it is' before vowel
fort: Very or quite; used as an adverb of intensity
tard: Late; not on time or at an advanced hour
sans: Without; preposition indicating the absence of something
doute: Doubt; uncertainty; 'sans doute' means 'without doubt'
représentation: Performance or showing of a theatrical production
théâtrale: Theatrical; relating to a play or dramatic performance
mais: But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one,' 'we,' or 'they'
été: Past participle of 'être'; been
fixer: To fix or set; to determine a specific time or date
heure: Hour or time; a specific moment in the day
convenance: Convenience or suitability; accommodation to someone's needs
ambassadeurs: Ambassadors; diplomatic representatives of a foreign country
Or: Now or yet; conjunction introducing a new narrative point
multitude: Multitude; a very large number of people gathered
attendait: Was waiting; imperfect tense of 'attendre'
depuis: Since or for; indicating duration from a past point

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