Sense and Sensibility — Page 6
John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of her husband's family; but she had had no opportunity, till the present, of showing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when occasion required it.
John Dashwood n'avait jamais été une favorite auprès de la famille de son mari ; mais elle n'avait pas eu l'occasion, jusqu'à présent, de leur montrer avec quelle peu d'attention au confort des autres elle pouvait agir quand les circonstances l'exigeaient.
So acutely did Mrs. Dashwood feel this ungracious behaviour, and so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it, that, on the arrival of the latter, she would have quitted the house for ever, had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on the propriety of going, and her own tender love for all her three children determined her afterwards to stay, and for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother.
Mme Dashwood ressentit si vivement ce comportement peu gracieux, et méprisa si sincèrement sa belle-fille pour cela, que, à l'arrivée de celle-ci, elle aurait quitté la maison pour toujours, si la supplication de son aînée ne l'avait d'abord amenée à réfléchir à la convenance de partir, et si son propre tendre amour pour ses trois enfants ne l'avait ensuite déterminée à rester, et à éviter, pour leur bien, une rupture avec leur frère.
Elinor, this eldest daughter, whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence.
Elinor, cette fille aînée, dont les conseils étaient si efficaces, possédait une solidité de jugement et une froideur de discernement qui la qualifiaient, bien qu'elle n'eût que dix-neuf ans, pour être la conseillère de sa mère, et lui permettaient souvent de contrecarrer, au bénéfice de toutes, cet empressement d'esprit chez Mme Dashwood qui aurait généralement conduit à l'imprudence.
She had an excellent heart;—her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn; and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.
Elle avait un excellent cœur ; son caractère était affectueux et ses sentiments étaient vifs ; mais elle savait les gouverner : c'était une connaissance que sa mère avait encore à acquérir, et que l'une de ses sœurs avait résolu de ne jamais apprendre.
Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's.
Les capacités de Marianne étaient, à bien des égards, tout à fait égales à celles d'Elinor.
She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation.
Elle était sensée et intelligente ; mais ardente en toute chose : ses chagrins, ses joies, ne pouvaient connaître aucune modération.
Vocabulary
- n'
- Contraction of 'ne', used in negation
- avait
- Past tense of 'avoir': had
- jamais
- Never; used in negative constructions
- été
- Past participle of 'être': been
- une
- Feminine indefinite article: a, an
- favorite
- A preferred or favored person
- auprès
- Near, close to, or in the eyes of
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or by
- la
- Feminine definite article: the
- famille
- A group of related people; family
- son
- Possessive adjective: his, her, its
- mari
- A woman's husband
- mais
- Coordinating conjunction meaning but
- elle
- Third-person feminine pronoun: she
- pas
- Negation particle used with 'ne': not
- eu
- Past participle of 'avoir': had
- l'
- Contraction of 'le' or 'la' before vowel
- occasion
- An opportunity or suitable moment to act
- jusqu'
- Contraction of 'jusqu'à': up to, until
- à
- Preposition meaning to, at, or in
- présent
- The current time; now, at present
- leur
- Indirect object pronoun or possessive: their
- montrer
- To show or demonstrate something to someone
- avec
- Preposition meaning with
- quelle
- Interrogative or exclamative adjective: what, which
- peu
- A small amount; little
- d'
- Contraction of 'de' before a vowel
- attention
- Care or consideration given to others
- au
- Contraction of 'à le': to the, at the
- confort
- Physical ease or wellbeing; comfort
- des
- Plural indefinite article or contraction of 'de les'
- autres
- Other people or things
- pouvait
- Imperfect tense of 'pouvoir': could, was able to
- agir
- To act or behave in a certain way
- quand
- Conjunction or adverb meaning when
- les
- Plural definite article: the
- circonstances
- Conditions or facts surrounding an event
- exigeaient
- Imperfect of 'exiger': required, demanded
- Mme
- Abbreviation for 'Madame': Mrs., Ms.
- ressentit
- Simple past of 'ressentir': felt strongly
- si
- Adverb meaning so, so much, or if
- vivement
- Intensely, keenly, or sharply
- ce
- Demonstrative adjective or pronoun: this, that
- comportement
- The way one behaves; behavior, conduct
- gracieux
- Graceful, courteous, or agreeable in manner
- et
- Coordinating conjunction meaning and
- méprisa
- Simple past of 'mépriser': despised, scorned
- sincèrement
- Genuinely, honestly, or wholeheartedly
- sa
- Feminine possessive adjective: his, her, its
- belle-fille
- A daughter-in-law or stepdaughter
- pour
- Preposition meaning for, in order to
- cela
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning that, this
- que
- Conjunction or relative pronoun: that, which
- arrivée
- Arrival; the act of reaching a place
- celle-ci
- Demonstrative pronoun: this one (feminine)
- aurait
- Conditional of 'avoir': would have
- quitté
- Past participle of 'quitter': left, departed from
- maison
- A building where people live; house
- toujours
- Always, still, or at all times
- supplication
- An earnest or humble plea or entreaty
- aînée
- The eldest daughter or older female sibling
- ne
- Negation particle used with 'pas' or 'jamais'
- abord
- First impression; 'd'abord' means at first
- amenée
- Led, brought, or induced to do something
- réfléchir
- To think carefully or reflect on something
- convenance
- Propriety, suitability, or social appropriateness
- partir
- To leave or depart from a place
- propre
- Own (before noun); clean or proper (after noun)
- tendre
- Tender, affectionate, or gentle in feeling
- amour
- A deep feeling of affection; love
- ses
- Plural possessive adjective: his, her, its
- trois
- The number three
- enfants
- Young people; children
- ensuite
- Afterwards, then, or next in sequence
- déterminée
- Resolved or firmly decided to do something
- rester
- To stay or remain in a place
- éviter
- To avoid or prevent something from happening
- bien
- Well, good; used to intensify or affirm
- rupture
- A break or split in a relationship
- frère
- A male sibling; brother
- cette
- Feminine demonstrative adjective: this, that
- fille
- A female child or young woman; girl, daughter
- dont
- Relative pronoun meaning whose, of which
- conseils
- Advice or recommendations given to someone
- étaient
- Imperfect of 'être': were
- efficaces
- Producing desired results; effective, efficient
- possédait
- Imperfect of 'posséder': possessed, had
- solidité
- Firmness, soundness, or reliability of character
- jugement
- The ability to assess situations wisely; judgment
- froideur
- Emotional coolness or lack of warmth; coldness
- discernement
- Keen insight and good judgment; discernment
- qui
- Relative or interrogative pronoun: who, which
- qualifiaient
- Imperfect of 'qualifier': qualified, made suitable
- qu'
- Contraction of 'que' before a vowel: that
- eût
- Imperfect subjunctive of 'avoir': had
- dix-neuf
- The number nineteen
- ans
- Years of age
- être
- Infinitive of the verb to be
- conseillère
- A female adviser or counselor
- mère
- A female parent; mother
- lui
- Indirect object pronoun: him, her, to him/her
- permettaient
- Imperfect of 'permettre': allowed, permitted
- souvent
- Frequently or many times; often
- contrecarrer
- To thwart, counteract, or obstruct someone's plans
- bénéfice
- An advantage or benefit gained from something
- toutes
- Feminine plural of 'tout': all, every
- cet
- Masculine demonstrative adjective before vowel: this
- empressement
- Eagerness, enthusiasm, or excessive haste
- esprit
- Mind, wit, or spirit; intellectual liveliness
- chez
- Preposition meaning at the home of, among
- généralement
- In most cases; generally, usually
- conduit
- Past participle of 'conduire': led, guided, caused
- imprudence
- Lack of caution; recklessness or rashness
- Elle
- Third-person feminine pronoun: she
- un
- Masculine indefinite article: a, an
- excellent
- Of very high quality or exceptional standard
- cœur
- The heart, especially as seat of emotions
- caractère
- A person's moral nature or personality traits
- était
- Imperfect of 'être': was
- affectueux
- Showing warmth and fondness; affectionate
- sentiments
- Emotional feelings or attitudes toward something
- vifs
- Lively, intense, or keen; vivid
- savait
- Imperfect of 'savoir': knew how to, could
- gouverner
- To govern or control; here, to govern oneself
- c'
- Contraction of 'ce': it, this
- connaissance
- Knowledge or acquaintance; awareness of something
- encore
- Still, yet, again, or even more
- acquérir
- To acquire or gain knowledge or skills
- sœurs
- Female siblings; sisters
- résolu
- Past participle of 'résoudre': resolved, determined
- apprendre
- To learn or to teach something
- Les
- Plural definite article: the
- capacités
- Abilities or skills; capacities, capabilities
- égards
- Respects or regards; consideration for others
- tout
- All, every, or entirely; wholly
- fait
- Done; 'tout à fait' means completely, entirely
- égales
- Feminine plural of 'égal': equal, equivalent
- celles
- Feminine demonstrative pronoun: those, the ones
- sensée
- Sensible, reasonable, or showing good judgment
- intelligente
- Having or showing intelligence; smart, clever
- ardente
- Passionate, fervent, or intensely enthusiastic
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, while, or as
- toute
- Feminine singular of 'tout': all, every, entire
- chose
- An object or matter; thing
- chagrins
- Sorrows, griefs, or distressing troubles
- joies
- Feelings of great happiness; joys
- pouvaient
- Imperfect plural of 'pouvoir': could, were able
- connaître
- To know a person or thing; to experience
- aucune
- No, not any (feminine); none whatsoever
- modération
- The quality of avoiding extremes; restraint
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