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Sense and Sensibility — Page 1

English → Fr CHAPTER II. Level 7/10

Mrs. John Dashwood now installed herself mistress of Norland; and her mother and sisters-in-law were degraded to the condition of visitors.

Mme John Dashwood s'installa désormais en maîtresse de Norland ; et sa mère et ses belles-sœurs furent rabaissées au rang de visiteuses.

As such, however, they were treated by her with quiet civility; and by her husband with as much kindness as he could feel towards anybody beyond himself, his wife, and their child.

En cette qualité, cependant, elle les traita avec une courtoisie tranquille ; et son mari avec autant de bienveillance qu'il pouvait en ressentir envers quiconque en dehors de lui-même, de sa femme et de leur enfant.

He really pressed them, with some earnestness, to consider Norland as their home; and, as no plan appeared so eligible to Mrs. Dashwood as remaining there till she could accommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood, his invitation was accepted.

Il les pressa sincèrement, avec une certaine insistance, de considérer Norland comme leur demeure ; et, comme aucun projet ne semblait aussi convenable à Mme Dashwood que d'y rester jusqu'à ce qu'elle pût se trouver une maison dans les environs, son invitation fut acceptée.

A continuance in a place where everything reminded her of former delight, was exactly what suited her mind.

Demeurer dans un endroit où tout lui rappelait ses bonheurs passés était exactement ce qui convenait à son esprit.

In seasons of cheerfulness, no temper could be more cheerful than hers, or possess, in a greater degree, that sanguine expectation of happiness which is happiness itself.

Dans les périodes de gaieté, nul tempérament ne pouvait être plus enjoué que le sien, ni posséder, à un plus haut degré, cette ardente attente du bonheur qui est le bonheur lui-même.

But in sorrow she must be equally carried away by her fancy, and as far beyond consolation as in pleasure she was beyond alloy.

Mais dans la tristesse, elle devait être tout autant emportée par son imagination, et aussi loin de toute consolation qu'elle était, dans le plaisir, au-delà de toute amertume.

Mrs. John Dashwood did not at all approve of what her husband intended to do for his sisters.

Mme John Dashwood n'approuvait nullement ce que son mari avait l'intention de faire pour ses sœurs.

To take three thousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boy would be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree.

Prendre trois mille livres sur la fortune de leur cher petit garçon serait l'appauvrir dans la mesure la plus terrible.

She begged him to think again on the subject.

Elle le supplia de reconsidérer la question.

How could he answer it to himself to rob his child, and his only child too, of so large a sum?

Comment pourrait-il se justifier à lui-même d'avoir dépouillé son enfant, et son unique enfant de surcroît, d'une somme aussi considérable ?

Vocabulary

s'
Reflexive pronoun 'se' elided before a vowel.
installa
Settled or established oneself in a place.
désormais
From now on, henceforth, from this point forward.
en
In, as, or on; versatile preposition or pronoun.
maîtresse
Female master or owner; mistress of a household.
mère
Mother; female parent.
belles-sœurs
Sisters-in-law; female relatives by marriage.
furent
Were; past historic of être, third person plural.
rabaissées
Lowered or reduced in rank or status.
rang
Rank, status, or social standing.
visiteuses
Female visitors or guests in someone's home.
qualité
Quality or capacity; role or characteristic one holds.
cependant
However, nevertheless; indicates contrast or concession.
traita
Treated; past historic of traiter, to treat someone.
courtoisie
Courtesy, politeness; gracious and respectful behavior.
tranquille
Calm, quiet, peaceful; free from agitation.
mari
Husband; a woman's male spouse.
autant
As much, as many; indicates equal degree or quantity.
bienveillance
Benevolence, goodwill; kind and charitable disposition.
pouvait
Could, was able to; imperfect of pouvoir.
ressentir
To feel, to experience an emotion internally.
envers
Toward, with regard to; preposition of direction or attitude.
quiconque
Whoever, anyone; indefinite pronoun referring to any person.
dehors
Outside, beyond; outside of a specified group or place.
lui-même
Himself; emphatic reflexive pronoun for third person masculine.
femme
Woman or wife; adult female or married partner.
enfant
Child; a young person or son or daughter.
pressa
Urged or pressed; past historic of presser.
sincèrement
Sincerely, genuinely; in an honest or heartfelt manner.
insistance
Insistence; act of urging or pressing persistently.
considérer
To consider, regard, or look upon something carefully.
demeure
Dwelling, home; a place where someone lives permanently.
aucun
No, none, not any; negative indefinite adjective or pronoun.
projet
Plan or project; an intended course of action.
semblait
Seemed; imperfect of sembler, to appear or seem.
convenable
Suitable, appropriate, fitting for a purpose or situation.
y
There, in it; pronoun replacing a place or thing.
rester
To stay, remain; to continue being in a place.
jusqu'
Until, up to; preposition elided before a vowel.
pût
Could; imperfect subjunctive of pouvoir, third person singular.
trouver
To find or to be located somewhere.
maison
House, home; a building where people live.
environs
Surroundings, vicinity; area around a particular place.
invitation
Invitation; a request to come or participate somewhere.
fut
Was; past historic of être, third person singular.
acceptée
Accepted; past participle of accepter, to agree to something.
Demeurer
To remain, stay, or reside somewhere over time.
endroit
Place, spot, location; a specific area or site.
rappelait
Reminded or recalled; imperfect of rappeler.
bonheurs
Joys, happinesses; plural of bonheur, moments of happiness.
passés
Past, gone by; adjective referring to previous times.
exactement
Exactly, precisely; in a completely accurate manner.
convenait
Suited, was appropriate; imperfect of convenir.
esprit
Mind, spirit, wit; intellect or mental disposition.
périodes
Periods, phases; lengths of time with a distinct character.
gaieté
Gaiety, cheerfulness; lively and joyful state of mind.
nul
No, none; negative adjective meaning not any person or thing.
tempérament
Temperament, disposition; one's natural character or tendencies.
enjoué
Playful, cheerful; having a lively and joyful manner.
sien
His, hers; masculine singular possessive pronoun.
ni
Nor, neither; negative conjunction linking alternatives.
posséder
To possess, own; to have something as one's own.
haut
High; elevated in degree, level, or intensity.
degré
Degree; level or extent of something.
ardente
Ardent, burning; intensely eager or passionate.
attente
Expectation, anticipation; state of waiting for something.
bonheur
Happiness, joy; state of well-being and contentment.
tristesse
Sadness, sorrow; feeling of deep unhappiness or grief.
devait
Had to, must; imperfect of devoir, expressing obligation.
emportée
Carried away; swept along by force or emotion.
imagination
Imagination; mental faculty of forming images or ideas.
loin
Far, far away; at a great distance from something.
consolation
Consolation, comfort; something that eases grief or distress.
plaisir
Pleasure, enjoyment; feeling of happiness or satisfaction.
au-delà
Beyond; further than a limit or point.
amertume
Bitterness; sharp feeling of resentment or grief.
approuvait
Approved of; imperfect of approuver, to sanction or endorse.
nullement
Not at all, in no way; strong negation adverb.
intention
Intention, plan; a purpose or goal one has in mind.
sœurs
Sisters; plural of sœur, female siblings.
Prendre
To take; to grasp or seize something.
mille
Thousand; the number 1,000.
livres
Pounds; unit of currency or weight.
fortune
Fortune, wealth; accumulated financial assets or resources.
cher
Dear, beloved or expensive; term of affection or high cost.
garçon
Boy; a young male child.
serait
Would be; conditional of être, third person singular.
appauvrir
To impoverish, make poorer; to reduce someone's wealth.
mesure
Measure, extent; degree or scale of something done.
terrible
Terrible, dreadful; causing fear or great distress.
supplia
Begged, implored; past historic of supplier, to plead.
reconsidérer
To reconsider; to think again about a decision.
question
Question, matter; an issue or topic under consideration.
pourrait-il
Could he; conditional of pouvoir with subject inversion.
justifier
To justify; to give valid reasons for an action.
dépouillé
Stripped, deprived; robbed of possessions or rights.
unique
Only, sole, unique; being the only one of its kind.
surcroît
Addition, surplus; something added on top of another.
somme
Sum, amount; a total quantity especially of money.
considérable
Considerable, significant; large or noteworthy in size or amount.
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