The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 3
He replied, he could be in no danger of wanting while his father's tenderness remained, which he and his wife should always cultivate with the utmost veneration; and he was persuaded his allowance would be suitable to the dignity and circumstances of his family, and to the provision already made for his brothers and sisters, who were happily settled under his protection.
Il répondit qu'il ne risquait pas de manquer de quoi que ce soit tant que subsisterait la tendresse de son père, qu'il cultiverait toujours, lui et sa femme, avec la plus grande vénération ; et il était persuadé que son allocation serait à la hauteur de la dignité et de la situation de sa famille, ainsi que de la disposition déjà prise pour ses frères et sœurs, qui étaient heureusement établis sous sa protection.
"Your brothers and sisters," said my grandfather, "did not think it beneath them to consult me in an affair of such importance as matrimony; neither, I suppose, would you have omitted that piece of duty, had you not some secret fund in reserve; to the comforts of which I leave you, with a desire that you will this night seek out another habitation for yourself and wife, whither, in a short time, I will send you an account of the expense I have been at in your education, with a view of being reimbursed.
« Vos frères et sœurs, dit mon grand-père, n'ont pas cru s'abaisser en me consultant dans une affaire aussi importante que le mariage ; et vous non plus, je suppose, n'auriez pas omis ce devoir, si vous n'aviez quelque fonds secret en réserve ; aux conforts duquel je vous abandonne, avec le désir que vous cherchiez cette nuit un autre logement pour vous et votre femme, où, dans peu de temps, je vous enverrai un compte des dépenses que j'ai engagées pour votre éducation, en vue d'en être remboursé.
Sir, you have made the grand tour—you are a polite gentleman—a very pretty gentleman—I wish you a great deal of joy, and am your very humble servant."
Monsieur, vous avez fait le grand tour — vous êtes un gentleman distingué — un très beau gentleman — je vous souhaite beaucoup de bonheur, et suis votre très humble serviteur. »
So saying, he left my father in a situation easily imagined.
Ce disant, il laissa mon père dans une situation aisément imaginable.
Vocabulary
- répondit
- Past tense of 'répondre'; he replied or answered
- risquait
- Imperfect of 'risquer'; was risking or risked
- manquer
- To miss, lack, or be without something
- quoi
- Interrogative or relative pronoun meaning 'what'
- soit
- Subjunctive of 'être'; be, used in subjunctive clauses
- tant
- Adverb meaning 'as long as', 'so much', 'while'
- subsisterait
- Conditional of 'subsister'; would subsist or remain
- tendresse
- Noun meaning warmth, affection, or tenderness
- père
- Noun meaning father or male parent
- cultiverait
- Conditional of 'cultiver'; would cultivate or nurture
- toujours
- Adverb meaning always or still
- femme
- Noun meaning woman or wife
- vénération
- Noun meaning deep respect, reverence, or veneration
- persuadé
- Adjective or past participle meaning convinced or persuaded
- allocation
- Noun meaning allowance, benefit, or financial grant
- serait
- Conditional of 'être'; would be
- hauteur
- Noun meaning height, level, or standard
- dignité
- Noun meaning dignity, honor, or worthiness
- situation
- Noun meaning situation, position, or circumstances
- famille
- Noun meaning family or household
- ainsi
- Adverb meaning thus, so, or in this way
- disposition
- Noun meaning arrangement, provision, or disposition
- déjà
- Adverb meaning already or previously
- prise
- Feminine past participle of 'prendre'; taken or made
- frères
- Noun plural meaning brothers or male siblings
- sœurs
- Noun plural meaning sisters or female siblings
- heureusement
- Adverb meaning fortunately, happily, or luckily
- établis
- Past participle of 'établir'; established or settled
- sous
- Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath'
- protection
- Noun meaning protection, shelter, or guardianship
- Vos
- Possessive adjective plural formal meaning 'your'
- grand-père
- Noun meaning grandfather or paternal/maternal grandfather
- cru
- Past participle of 'croire'; believed or thought
- abaisser
- Verb meaning to lower, demean, or humble oneself
- consultant
- Present participle of 'consulter'; consulting or asking advice
- affaire
- Noun meaning matter, affair, business, or deal
- aussi
- Adverb meaning also, too, or as (comparison)
- importante
- Adjective feminine meaning important, significant, or major
- mariage
- Noun meaning marriage or wedding
- suppose
- First person of 'supposer'; I suppose or assume
- auriez
- Conditional of 'avoir'; you would have (formal)
- omis
- Past participle of 'omettre'; omitted or left out
- devoir
- Verb or noun meaning duty, obligation, or to owe
- aviez
- Imperfect of 'avoir'; you had (second person formal)
- quelque
- Adjective meaning 'some' or 'any' (singular)
- fonds
- Noun meaning funds, capital, or financial resources
- secret
- Adjective or noun meaning secret, private, or hidden
- réserve
- Noun meaning reserve, savings, or restraint
- conforts
- Noun plural meaning comforts or conveniences
- duquel
- Relative pronoun meaning 'of which' or 'from which'
- abandonne
- First person of 'abandonner'; I abandon or give up
- désir
- Noun meaning desire, wish, or longing
- cherchiez
- Imperfect of 'chercher'; you were looking or seeking
- nuit
- Noun meaning night or nighttime
- autre
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another'
- logement
- Noun meaning lodging, housing, or accommodation
- où
- Relative adverb or pronoun meaning 'where' or 'when'
- peu
- Adverb meaning 'few', 'little', or 'not much'
- temps
- Noun meaning time, weather, or period
- enverrai
- Future of 'envoyer'; I will send
- compte
- Noun meaning account, bill, or statement of expenses
- dépenses
- Noun plural meaning expenses, spending, or costs
- engagées
- Past participle feminine plural of 'engager'; incurred or committed
- éducation
- Noun meaning education, upbringing, or schooling
- vue
- Noun or past participle meaning view, sight, or seen
- remboursé
- Past participle of 'rembourser'; reimbursed or repaid
- Monsieur
- Noun meaning Mister, Sir, or formal address for men
- grand
- Adjective meaning great, large, tall, or grand
- tour
- Noun meaning tour, trip, turn, or tower
- gentleman
- Noun borrowed from English; a refined, honorable man
- distingué
- Adjective meaning distinguished, refined, or eminent
- beau
- Adjective masculine meaning beautiful, handsome, or fine
- souhaite
- First person of 'souhaiter'; I wish or hope for
- beaucoup
- Adverb meaning much, many, or a lot
- bonheur
- Noun meaning happiness, good fortune, or joy
- humble
- Adjective meaning humble, modest, or unpretentious
- serviteur
- Noun meaning servant or one who serves another
- disant
- Present participle of 'dire'; saying or while saying
- laissa
- Past tense of 'laisser'; he left or let go
- aisément
- Adverb meaning easily, readily, or without difficulty
- imaginable
- Adjective meaning imaginable or conceivable
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