The Brothers Karamazov — Page 3

English → Fr Chapter I. Level 8/10

And a pliable imagination persuaded her, we must suppose, for a brief moment, that Fyodor Pavlovitch, in spite of his parasitic position, was one of the bold and ironical spirits of that progressive epoch, though he was, in fact, an ill-natured buffoon and nothing more.

Et une imagination malléable la persuada, il faut le supposer, le temps d'un bref instant, que Fiodor Pavlovitch, en dépit de sa position parasite, était l'un de ces esprits hardis et ironiques de cette époque progressiste, bien qu'il ne fût en réalité qu'un bouffon malveillant et rien de plus.

What gave the marriage piquancy was that it was preceded by an elopement, and this greatly captivated Adelaïda Ivanovna's fancy.

Ce qui donnait du piquant à ce mariage, c'est qu'il avait été précédé d'une fugue, et cela avait vivement enflammé l'imagination d'Adélaïda Ivanovna.

Fyodor Pavlovitch's position at the time made him specially eager for any such enterprise, for he was passionately anxious to make a career in one way or another.

La situation de Fiodor Pavlovitch à cette époque le rendait particulièrement avide de toute entreprise de ce genre, car il désirait ardemment faire carrière d'une manière ou d'une autre.

To attach himself to a good family and obtain a dowry was an alluring prospect.

Se rattacher à une bonne famille et obtenir une dot était une perspective séduisante.

As for mutual love it did not exist apparently, either in the bride or in him, in spite of Adelaïda Ivanovna's beauty.

Quant à l'amour réciproque, il ne semblait exister ni chez la mariée ni chez lui, en dépit de la beauté d'Adélaïda Ivanovna.

This was, perhaps, a unique case of the kind in the life of Fyodor Pavlovitch, who was always of a voluptuous temper, and ready to run after any petticoat on the slightest encouragement.

Ce fut peut-être là un cas unique dans la vie de Fiodor Pavlovitch, qui était toujours d'un tempérament voluptueux et prêt à courir après n'importe quelle cotillon au moindre encouragement.

She seems to have been the only woman who made no particular appeal to his senses.

Elle semble avoir été la seule femme qui n'ait exercé aucun attrait particulier sur ses sens.

Immediately after the elopement Adelaïda Ivanovna discerned in a flash that she had no feeling for her husband but contempt.

Immédiatement après la fugue, Adélaïda Ivanovna comprit en un éclair qu'elle n'éprouvait pour son mari que du mépris.

The marriage accordingly showed itself in its true colors with extraordinary rapidity.

Le mariage se révéla donc sous son vrai jour avec une rapidité extraordinaire.

Although the family accepted the event pretty quickly and apportioned the runaway bride her dowry, the husband and wife began to lead a most disorderly life, and there were everlasting scenes between them.

Bien que la famille eût accepté l'événement assez rapidement et attribué sa dot à la mariée fugitive, les époux se mirent à mener une vie des plus désordonnées, et il y eut entre eux des scènes interminables.

Vocabulary

imagination: The faculty of forming mental images or concepts.
malléable: Easily shaped, influenced, or manipulated by others.
persuada: Past tense of persuader; convinced or induced someone.
faut: From falloir; expresses necessity, meaning 'must/need to'.
supposer: To suppose or assume something to be true.
temps: Time or weather, a common noun with multiple meanings.
bref: Brief, short in duration; also means 'in short'.
instant: A very short moment or point in time.
dépit: Spite or vexation; 'en dépit de' means 'despite'.
position: Position, status, or place in society or space.
parasite: One who exploits others without giving anything back.
esprits: Minds, spirits, or wits; plural of 'esprit'.
hardis: Bold, daring, or audacious in character or action.
ironiques: Ironic; displaying irony or sarcastic humor.
époque: An era or period of historical time.
progressiste: Progressive; favoring social reform and forward-thinking ideas.
bien: Well, good; also used as 'although' in some contexts.
fût: Subjunctive imperfect of être; meaning 'was/were' (formal).
réalité: Reality; the actual state of things as they are.
bouffon: A buffoon or jester; someone who acts ridiculously.
malveillant: Malevolent, ill-willed, or wishing harm to others.
rien: Nothing; used in negative constructions with 'ne'.
plus: More, no more, or no longer depending on context.
donnait: Imperfect of donner; was giving or used to give.
piquant: Piquancy, spice; that which is sharp or stimulating.
mariage: Marriage; the legal union of two people.
été: Past participle of être meaning 'been'; also 'summer'.
précédé: Past participle of précéder; preceded or came before.
fugue: An elopement or flight; also a musical composition form.
cela: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'this thing'.
vivement: Vividly, keenly, or intensely; in a lively manner.
enflammé: Inflamed, fired up, or strongly excited with passion.
l'imagination: The imagination; faculty of forming creative mental images.
situation: A situation or set of circumstances one finds oneself in.
rendait: Imperfect of rendre; was making or causing something.
particulièrement: Particularly, especially, or in a special manner.
avide: Eager, avid, or greedy for something desired.
entreprise: An enterprise, venture, or undertaking; also a business.
genre: Kind, type, or genre; refers to a category or sort.
car: Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for', giving a reason.
désirait: Imperfect of désirer; was desiring or wishing for something.
ardemment: Ardently, fervently, or with intense desire or passion.
faire: To do or to make; a highly versatile French verb.
carrière: A career or profession; one's professional life path.
manière: A manner, way, or style of doing something.
autre: Other or another; referring to a different person or thing.
rattacher: To attach or connect oneself to something or someone.
bonne: Good (feminine form); also a noun meaning 'maid'.
famille: Family; a group of related people living together.
obtenir: To obtain, get, or secure something desired or needed.
dot: A dowry; property given by a bride's family at marriage.
perspective: A perspective or prospect; a potential future outcome.
séduisante: Seductive, attractive, or alluring in an enticing way.
Quant: As for; used in 'quant à' to introduce a topic.
l'amour: Love; a deep feeling of affection toward another.
réciproque: Reciprocal or mutual; shared equally between two parties.
semblait: Imperfect of sembler; seemed or appeared to be something.
exister: To exist or to be present in reality.
ni: Neither/nor; used in negative correlative constructions.
chez: Preposition meaning 'at the home of' or 'among'.
mariée: A bride or married woman; feminine form of marié.
beauté: Beauty; the quality of being pleasing to the senses.
fut: Simple past (passé simple) of être; meaning 'was'.
peut-être: Perhaps or maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility.
cas: A case, instance, or situation of a particular kind.
unique: Unique, singular, or one of a kind; unlike any other.
vie: Life; the existence of a living being.
toujours: Always or still; indicating continuation or habitual action.
tempérament: Temperament or disposition; one's natural personality traits.
voluptueux: Voluptuous or sensual; relating to physical pleasure.
prêt: Ready or prepared to do something; also a loan.
courir: To run; to hurry or chase after something eagerly.
après: After; following in time, order, or pursuit.
n'importe: No matter; used in 'n'importe quelle' meaning 'any'.
cotillon: A petticoat; colloquially refers to a woman (dated).
moindre: The slightest or least; the smallest amount of something.
encouragement: Encouragement; support or motivation to do something.
semble: Seems or appears; third-person singular of sembler.
avoir: To have; one of the most essential French verbs.
seule: Alone, only, or sole; feminine form of seul.
femme: Woman or wife; a common feminine noun in French.
n'ait: Subjunctive of avoir with negation; 'has not' (formal).
exercé: Past participle of exercer; exerted, exercised, or practiced.
aucun: No, none, or not any; used in negative constructions.
attrait: Attraction or appeal; the quality of drawing interest.
particulier: Particular, specific, or private; standing out distinctly.
sens: Senses, meaning, or direction; context determines usage.
Immédiatement: Immediately; without any delay, right away.
comprit: Passé simple of comprendre; understood or grasped something.
éclair: Lightning flash; 'en un éclair' means 'in a flash'.
n'éprouvait: Imperfect of éprouver with negation; did not feel or experience.
mari: Husband; a woman's male spouse.
mépris: Contempt or scorn; a feeling of strong disrespect.
révéla: Passé simple of révéler; revealed or showed itself clearly.
donc: Therefore, so, or thus; indicating a logical conclusion.
sous: Preposition meaning 'under', 'beneath', or 'in' (a guise).
vrai: True or real; corresponding to facts or reality.
jour: Day or daylight; 'sous son vrai jour' means 'true colors'.
rapidité: Speed or rapidity; the quality of being fast.
extraordinaire: Extraordinary; highly unusual or exceptional in nature.
Bien: Well or good; here used as 'although' in a clause.
eût: Subjunctive pluperfect of avoir; 'had' (literary/formal).
accepté: Past participle of accepter; accepted or agreed to something.
l'événement: The event; something that has happened or taken place.
assez: Enough or quite; indicating sufficiency or moderation.
rapidement: Rapidly or quickly; in a swift manner.
attribué: Past participle of attribuer; attributed or assigned to something.
fugitive: Fleeting or fugitive; one who flees or something transitory.
époux: Spouses or husband; refers to one or both married partners.
mirent: Passé simple of mettre; put or began (se mettre à).
mener: To lead or to conduct; to carry out or manage.
désordonnées: Disorderly, chaotic, or unruly; lacking order or structure.
y: Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'it' in a place.
eut: Passé simple of avoir; meaning 'had' or 'there was'.
entre: Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among' two parties.
scènes: Scenes or scenes of conflict; dramatic confrontations.
interminables: Interminable, endless, or going on without stopping.

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