The Brothers Karamazov — Page 6

English → Fr Chapter I. Level 8/10

She had died quite suddenly in a garret, according to one story, of typhus, or as another version had it, of starvation.

Elle était morte assez subitement dans une mansarde, selon une version, du typhus, ou selon une autre version, de faim.

Fyodor Pavlovitch was drunk when he heard of his wife's death, and the story is that he ran out into the street and began shouting with joy, raising his hands to Heaven: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,"

Fiodor Pavlovitch était ivre lorsqu'il apprit la mort de sa femme, et l'on raconte qu'il se précipita dans la rue et se mit à crier de joie, levant les mains vers le Ciel : « Seigneur, laisse maintenant ton serviteur partir en paix, »

but others say he wept without restraint like a little child, so much so that people were sorry for him, in spite of the repulsion he inspired.

mais d'autres disent qu'il pleura sans retenue comme un petit enfant, à tel point que les gens le plaignaient, malgré la répulsion qu'il inspirait.

It is quite possible that both versions were true, that he rejoiced at his release, and at the same time wept for her who released him.

Il est tout à fait possible que les deux versions fussent vraies, qu'il se soit réjoui de sa délivrance, et qu'en même temps il ait pleuré celle qui l'avait délivré.

As a general rule, people, even the wicked, are much more naïve and simple-hearted than we suppose.

En règle générale, les gens, même les méchants, sont bien plus naïfs et simples de cœur que nous ne le supposons.

And we ourselves are, too.

Et nous-mêmes aussi.

Vocabulary

était: Imperfect tense of 'être'; meaning 'was' or 'used to be'.
morte: Feminine adjective meaning 'dead' or 'deceased'.
assez: Adverb meaning 'quite', 'enough', or 'rather'.
subitement: Adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'all at once'.
mansarde: Noun meaning 'attic room' or 'garret'.
selon: Preposition meaning 'according to' or 'depending on'.
version: Noun meaning 'version' or 'account' of something.
typhus: Noun referring to a serious infectious disease 'typhus'.
faim: Noun meaning 'hunger'; mourir de faim means 'to starve'.
ivre: Adjective meaning 'drunk' or 'intoxicated'.
lorsqu': Conjunction meaning 'when' used before vowel sounds.
apprit: Simple past of 'apprendre'; meaning 'learned' or 'found out'.
mort: Noun meaning 'death' or adjective meaning 'dead'.
femme: Noun meaning 'woman' or 'wife'.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', or 'people'.
raconte: Verb 'raconter' meaning 'to tell' or 'to recount'.
précipita: Past tense of 'précipiter'; meaning 'rushed' or 'dashed'.
rue: Noun meaning 'street' or 'road'.
mit: Simple past of 'mettre'; meaning 'put' or 'began'.
crier: Verb meaning 'to shout', 'to cry out', or 'to yell'.
joie: Noun meaning 'joy' or 'happiness'.
levant: Present participle of 'lever'; meaning 'raising' or 'lifting'.
mains: Noun meaning 'hands', plural of 'main'.
vers: Preposition meaning 'towards' or 'around'.
Ciel: Noun meaning 'sky' or 'heaven', often used spiritually.
Seigneur: Noun meaning 'Lord', used as a religious address.
laisse: Imperative of 'laisser'; meaning 'let' or 'allow'.
maintenant: Adverb meaning 'now' or 'at this moment'.
serviteur: Noun meaning 'servant' or 'attendant'.
partir: Infinitive verb meaning 'to leave' or 'to depart'.
paix: Noun meaning 'peace', often used in religious contexts.
disent: Present tense of 'dire'; meaning 'say' or 'tell'.
pleura: Simple past of 'pleurer'; meaning 'wept' or 'cried'.
sans: Preposition meaning 'without'.
retenue: Noun meaning 'restraint' or 'self-control'.
petit: Adjective meaning 'small', 'little', or 'young'.
enfant: Noun meaning 'child' or 'kid'.
tel: Adjective meaning 'such' or 'like', indicating degree.
point: Noun meaning 'point'; à tel point que means 'to such a degree'.
gens: Noun meaning 'people' or 'folks'.
plaignaient: Imperfect of 'plaindre'; meaning 'pitied' or 'felt sorry for'.
malgré: Preposition meaning 'despite' or 'in spite of'.
répulsion: Noun meaning 'repulsion' or 'strong disgust'.
inspirait: Imperfect of 'inspirer'; meaning 'inspired' or 'aroused'.
tout: Adjective or adverb meaning 'all', 'every', or 'quite'.
fait: Noun or verb form; tout à fait means 'entirely' or 'absolutely'.
possible: Adjective meaning 'possible' or 'feasible'.
versions: Noun meaning 'versions' or 'accounts', plural of 'version'.
fussent: Imperfect subjunctive of 'être'; meaning 'were' (hypothetically).
vraies: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'true' or 'real'.
soit: Subjunctive of 'être'; meaning 'be' or 'whether'.
réjoui: Past participle of 'réjouir'; meaning 'rejoiced' or 'delighted'.
délivrance: Noun meaning 'deliverance', 'relief', or 'release'.
même: Adjective or adverb meaning 'same', 'even', or 'itself'.
temps: Noun meaning 'time' or 'weather'.
ait: Present subjunctive of 'avoir'; meaning 'has' (subjunctively).
pleuré: Past participle of 'pleurer'; meaning 'cried' or 'wept'.
celle: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'the one' (feminine).
avait: Imperfect of 'avoir'; meaning 'had'.
délivré: Past participle of 'délivrer'; meaning 'freed' or 'released'.
règle: Noun meaning 'rule' or 'norm'; en règle générale means 'as a rule'.
générale: Adjective meaning 'general' or 'common' (feminine).
méchants: Adjective or noun meaning 'wicked', 'evil', or 'villains'.
bien: Adverb meaning 'well', 'very', or 'quite'.
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'no longer' depending on context.
naïfs: Adjective meaning 'naive' or 'simple-minded' (masculine plural).
simples: Adjective meaning 'simple', 'plain', or 'uncomplicated'.
cœur: Noun meaning 'heart', used literally or figuratively.
supposons: Present tense of 'supposer'; meaning 'suppose' or 'assume'.
nous-mêmes: Emphatic pronoun meaning 'ourselves' or 'we ourselves'.
aussi: Adverb meaning 'also', 'too', or 'as well'.

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