The Angel in the House — Page 9

English → Fr Book I. Level 7/10

Our lifted lives at last shall touch

Nos vies élevées finiront par atteindre

That happy goal to which they move;

Ce but heureux vers lequel elles tendent ;

Until we find, as darkness rolls

Jusqu'à ce que nous découvrions, tandis que les ténèbres se dissipent

Away, and evil mists dissolve,

Et que les brumes maléfiques se dissolvent,

That nuptial contrasts are the poles

Que les contrastes nuptiaux sont les pôles

On which the heavenly spheres revolve.

Autour desquels les sphères célestes tournent.

II.

_Love at Large_.

_L'Amour au grand jour_.

Whene'er I come where ladies are,

Chaque fois que je me trouve là où sont les dames,

How sad soever I was before,

Si triste que j'aie été auparavant,

Though like a ship frost-bound and far

Tel un navire prisonnier du gel et lointain

Withheld in ice from the ocean's roar,

Retenu par les glaces loin du grondement de l'océan,

Third-winter'd in that dreadful dock,

Ayant passé trois hivers dans ce terrible bassin,

With stiffen'd cordage, sails decay'd,

Avec des cordages raidis, des voiles en décomposition,

And crew that care for calm and shock

Et un équipage indifférent au calme comme à la tempête,

Alike, too dull to be dismay'd,

Trop engourdi pour être alarmé,

Yet, if I come where ladies are,

Pourtant, si je me trouve là où sont les dames,

How sad soever I was before,

Si triste que j'aie été auparavant,

Then is my sadness banish'd far,

Alors ma tristesse est bannie au loin,

And I am like that ship no more;

Et je ne ressemble plus à ce navire ;

Or like that ship if the ice-field splits,

Ou comme ce navire si le champ de glace se fend,

Burst by the sudden polar Spring,

Éclaté par le soudain printemps polaire,

And all thank God with their warming wits,

Et tous rendent grâce à Dieu avec leurs esprits réchauffés,

And kiss each other and dance and sing,

Et s'embrassent et dansent et chantent,

And hoist fresh sails, that make the breeze

Et hissent de nouvelles voiles, qui font souffler la brise

Blow them along the liquid sea,

Les poussant le long de la mer liquide,

Out of the North, where life did freeze,

Hors du Nord, où la vie était gelée,

Into the haven where they would be.

Vers le havre où ils voudraient être.

III.

_Love and Duty_.

_L'Amour et le Devoir_.

Anne lived so truly from above,

Anne vivait si sincèrement selon les principes d'en haut,

She was so gentle and so good,

Elle était si douce et si bonne,

That duty bade me fall in love,

Que le devoir m'ordonnait de tomber amoureux,

And 'but for that,' thought I, 'I should!'

Et « sans cela, » pensais-je, « je l'aurais fait ! »

I worshipp'd Kate with all my will,

J'adorais Kate de toute ma volonté,

In idle moods you seem to see

Dans les moments d'oisiveté on croit voir

A noble spirit in a hill,

Un esprit noble dans une colline,

A human touch about a tree.

Une touche humaine autour d'un arbre.

IV.

_A Distinction_.

_Une Distinction_.

Vocabulary

Nos: Our; first person plural possessive adjective.
vies: Lives; plural of 'vie' (life).
élevées: Elevated, raised; past participle of 'élever'.
finiront: Will end; future tense of 'finir'.
par: By, through; common preposition indicating means.
atteindre: To reach, attain; infinitive verb.
Ce: This, that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
but: Goal, aim; noun indicating purpose or objective.
heureux: Happy, fortunate; adjective describing a positive state.
vers: Toward; preposition indicating direction.
lequel: Which; relative pronoun replacing a masculine noun.
elles: They; third person plural feminine subject pronoun.
tendent: Tend toward, stretch; third person plural of 'tendre'.
Jusqu'à: Until, up to; preposition indicating limit in time.
ce: This, that; demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
que: That, which; subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun.
nous: We, us; first person plural pronoun.
découvrions: We were discovering; imperfect subjunctive of 'découvrir'.
tandis: While, whereas; used in 'tandis que' conjunction.
les: The; definite article, plural masculine or feminine.
ténèbres: Darkness, shadows; plural noun with literary connotation.
se: Itself, themselves; reflexive pronoun for third person.
dissipent: Dissipate, scatter; third person plural of 'dissiper'.
Et: And; basic coordinating conjunction linking elements.
brumes: Mists, fogs; plural noun referring to hazy atmospheric conditions.
maléfiques: Malefic, harmful; adjective meaning evil or sinister.
dissolvent: Dissolve, disperse; third person plural of 'dissoudre'.
Que: That, which; subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun.
contrastes: Contrasts; plural noun indicating difference between elements.
nuptiaux: Nuptial, relating to marriage; plural adjective.
sont: Are; third person plural present of 'être'.
pôles: Poles; plural noun referring to opposite ends or axes.
Autour: Around; preposition indicating surrounding something.
desquels: Of which; relative pronoun combining 'de' and 'lesquels'.
sphères: Spheres; plural noun referring to globes or realms.
célestes: Celestial, heavenly; adjective relating to the sky.
tournent: Turn, revolve; third person plural of 'tourner'.
L': The; elided definite article before vowel or mute h.
Amour: Love; noun referring to romantic or deep affection.
au: To the, at the; contraction of 'à' and 'le'.
grand: Great, big; adjective indicating size or importance.
jour: Day, daylight; noun referring to daytime or a day.
Chaque: Each, every; adjective indicating all individuals separately.
fois: Time, occasion; noun used in expressions of frequency.
je: I; first person singular subject pronoun.
me: Me, myself; first person singular reflexive pronoun.
trouve: Find, am located; first person singular of 'trouver'.
là: There; adverb indicating a specific location.
où: Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place.
dames: Ladies; plural noun referring to women of distinction.
Si: If, so; conjunction for conditions or intensifier.
triste: Sad; adjective describing a sorrowful emotional state.
j': I; elided first person singular pronoun before vowel.
aie: Have; first person singular present subjunctive of 'avoir'.
été: Been; past participle of 'être', also summer noun.
auparavant: Before, previously; adverb referring to an earlier time.
Tel: Such, like; adjective or pronoun indicating similarity.
un: A, an, one; indefinite article or numeral.
navire: Ship, vessel; noun referring to a large watercraft.
prisonnier: Prisoner, captive; noun or adjective indicating confinement.
du: Of the, some; contraction of 'de' and 'le'.
gel: Frost, freeze; noun referring to freezing temperature or ice.
et: And; coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses.
lointain: Distant, far away; adjective describing something remote.
Retenu: Held back, retained; past participle of 'retenir'.
glaces: Ice sheets, mirrors; plural noun with multiple meanings.
loin: Far, away; adverb indicating great distance.
grondement: Rumble, roar; noun referring to a deep continuous sound.
de: Of, from; very common preposition indicating origin or possession.
l': The; elided definite article before vowel or mute h.
océan: Ocean; noun referring to a vast body of saltwater.
Ayant: Having; present participle of 'avoir' used in phrases.
passé: Past, spent; past participle of 'passer', also noun.
trois: Three; basic cardinal number.
hivers: Winters; plural of 'hiver', the cold season.
dans: In, inside; preposition indicating location within something.
terrible: Terrible, dreadful; adjective indicating something very bad.
bassin: Basin, pool; noun referring to a natural or man-made hollow.
Avec: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
des: Some, of the; plural indefinite article or partitive.
cordages: Ropes, rigging; plural noun for ship ropes or cords.
raidis: Stiffened, tightened; past participle of 'raidir'.
voiles: Sails, veils; plural noun with multiple meanings.
en: In, as, by; versatile preposition or pronoun.
décomposition: Decomposition, decay; noun for breaking down of matter.
équipage: Crew; noun referring to personnel of a ship or aircraft.
indifférent: Indifferent, unconcerned; adjective indicating lack of interest.
calme: Calm, quiet; adjective or noun indicating tranquility.
comme: As, like; conjunction or adverb of comparison.
à: To, at, in; very common preposition with many uses.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
tempête: Storm; noun referring to a violent weather event.
Trop: Too, too much; adverb of excess modifying adjectives.
engourdi: Numb, sluggish; past participle of 'engourdir'.
pour: For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose.
être: To be; fundamental infinitive verb of existence.
alarmé: Alarmed, frightened; past participle of 'alarmer'.
Pourtant: Yet, however; adverb indicating contrast or concession.
si: If, so, yes; conjunction or adverb with varied uses.
Alors: Then, so; adverb indicating consequence or time.
ma: My; first person singular feminine possessive adjective.
tristesse: Sadness, sorrow; noun referring to a state of grief.
est: Is; third person singular present of 'être'.
bannie: Banished, expelled; past participle of 'bannir'.
ne: Not; negative particle used with 'pas' or alone.
ressemble: Resembles, looks like; first/third singular of 'ressembler'.
plus: More, no longer; adverb of quantity or negation.
Ou: Or; coordinating conjunction presenting alternatives.
le: The; masculine singular definite article.
champ: Field; noun referring to an open expanse of land.
glace: Ice, mirror; noun with multiple everyday meanings.
fend: Splits, cracks; third person singular of 'fendre'.
Éclaté: Burst, shattered; past participle of 'éclater'.
soudain: Suddenly, sudden; adverb or adjective indicating abruptness.
printemps: Spring; noun referring to the season after winter.
polaire: Polar; adjective relating to the polar regions.
tous: All, everyone; plural pronoun or adjective.
rendent: Give back, render; third person plural of 'rendre'.
grâce: Grace, thanks; noun used in 'rendre grâce' meaning.
Dieu: God; noun referring to the supreme divine being.
avec: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
leurs: Their; third person plural possessive adjective.
esprits: Spirits, minds; plural noun with mental or spiritual meaning.
réchauffés: Warmed, reheated; past participle of 'réchauffer'.
s': Themselves; elided reflexive pronoun before vowel.
embrassent: Embrace, hug; third person plural of 'embrasser'.
dansent: Dance; third person plural present of 'danser'.
chantent: Sing; third person plural present of 'chanter'.
hissent: Hoist, raise; third person plural present of 'hisser'.
nouvelles: News, new; plural noun or adjective.
qui: Who, which; relative or interrogative pronoun.
font: Make, do; third person plural present of 'faire'.
souffler: To blow; infinitive verb used for wind or breathing.
brise: Breeze; noun referring to a gentle wind.
Les: The; plural definite article for masculine or feminine.
poussant: Pushing, driving; present participle of 'pousser'.
long: Long; adjective or used in 'le long de' meaning along.
mer: Sea; noun referring to a large body of saltwater.
liquide: Liquid; adjective or noun describing fluid state.
Hors: Out of, outside; preposition indicating exclusion or departure.
Nord: North; noun referring to the cardinal direction.
vie: Life; noun referring to existence or way of living.
était: Was; third person singular imperfect of 'être'.
gelée: Frozen, frost; past participle of 'geler' or noun.
Vers: Toward; preposition indicating direction or destination.
havre: Haven, harbor; noun for a safe port or refuge.
ils: They; third person plural masculine subject pronoun.
voudraient: Would want; third person plural conditional of 'vouloir'.
Devoir: Duty, must; noun meaning obligation or modal verb.
vivait: Lived; third person singular imperfect of 'vivre'.
sincèrement: Sincerely; adverb indicating honesty and genuineness.
selon: According to; preposition indicating conformity with something.
principes: Principles; plural noun referring to fundamental beliefs.
d': Of, from; elided preposition 'de' before vowel.
haut: High, top; adjective or noun indicating elevation.
Elle: She; third person singular feminine subject pronoun.
douce: Sweet, gentle; feminine adjective indicating softness.
bonne: Good; feminine adjective indicating positive quality.
devoir: Duty, obligation; noun or infinitive of modal verb.
m': Me; elided first person singular object pronoun.
ordonnait: Ordered, commanded; imperfect third singular of 'ordonner'.
tomber: To fall; infinitive verb indicating downward movement.
amoureux: In love; adjective describing someone feeling romantic love.
sans: Without; preposition indicating absence of something.
cela: That, it; demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned.
pensais: Was thinking; first person singular imperfect of 'penser'.
aurais: Would have; first person singular conditional of 'avoir'.
fait: Done, made; past participle of 'faire'.
J': I; elided first person singular pronoun before vowel.
adorais: Adored, loved; first person singular imperfect of 'adorer'.
toute: All, whole; feminine adjective indicating totality.
volonté: Will, willpower; noun referring to determination or desire.
Dans: In, inside; preposition indicating location or time.
moments: Moments; plural noun referring to brief periods of time.
oisiveté: Idleness; noun referring to a state of inactivity.
on: One, we, they; indefinite subject pronoun widely used.
croit: Believes, thinks; third person singular of 'croire'.
voir: To see; infinitive verb of visual perception.
Un: A, an, one; masculine indefinite article or numeral.
esprit: Spirit, mind; noun referring to intellect or ghost.
noble: Noble; adjective indicating high moral quality or rank.
une: A, an; feminine singular indefinite article.
colline: Hill; noun referring to a small elevated landform.
Une: A, an; feminine singular indefinite article.
touche: Touch; noun or verb indicating a light contact.
humaine: Human; feminine adjective relating to humanity.
autour: Around; preposition or adverb indicating surrounding something.
arbre: Tree; noun referring to a woody plant.
Distinction: Distinction; noun referring to a notable difference or honor.

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