The Picture of Dorian Gray — Page 9

English → Fr CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

You know we poor artists have to show ourselves in society from time to time, just to remind the public that we are not savages.

Vous savez que nous autres, pauvres artistes, devons nous montrer en société de temps à autre, simplement pour rappeler au public que nous ne sommes pas des sauvages.

With an evening coat and a white tie, as you told me once, anybody, even a stock-broker, can gain a reputation for being civilized.

Avec un habit de soirée et une cravate blanche, comme vous me l'avez dit un jour, n'importe qui, même un agent de change, peut acquérir une réputation de civilisé.

Well, after I had been in the room about ten minutes, talking to huge overdressed dowagers and tedious academicians, I suddenly became conscious that some one was looking at me.

Eh bien, après être resté dans la pièce une dizaine de minutes à parler à d'énormes douairières trop parées et à d'ennuyeux académiciens, je pris soudain conscience que quelqu'un me regardait.

I turned half-way round and saw Dorian Gray for the first time.

Je me retournai à demi et vis Dorian Gray pour la première fois.

When our eyes met, I felt that I was growing pale.

Quand nos regards se croisèrent, je sentis que je pâlissais.

A curious sensation of terror came over me.

Une curieuse sensation de terreur s'empara de moi.

I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself.

Je savais que je me trouvais face à face avec quelqu'un dont la seule personnalité était si fascinante que, si je la laissais faire, elle absorberait toute ma nature, toute mon âme, mon art lui-même.

I did not want any external influence in my life.

Je ne voulais aucune influence extérieure dans ma vie.

You know yourself, Harry, how independent I am by nature.

Vous savez vous-même, Harry, à quel point je suis indépendant par nature.

I have always been my own master; had at least always been so, till I met Dorian Gray.

J'ai toujours été mon propre maître ; du moins l'avais-je toujours été, jusqu'à ce que je rencontre Dorian Gray.

Then—but I don't know how to explain it to you.

Ensuite — mais je ne sais pas comment vous l'expliquer.

Something seemed to tell me that I was on the verge of a terrible crisis in my life.

Quelque chose semblait me dire que j'étais au bord d'une crise terrible dans ma vie.

I had a strange feeling that fate had in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows.

J'avais l'étrange sentiment que le destin me réservait des joies exquises et des douleurs exquises.

I grew afraid and turned to quit the room.

Je pris peur et me retournai pour quitter la pièce.

Vocabulary

Vous: voo — You (plural or formal form of address).
savez: sah-vay — You know (second person plural of savoir).
que: kuh — That, which, or what (conjunction/pronoun).
nous: noo — We or us (first person plural pronoun).
autres: oh-truh — Others; the rest of a group.
pauvres: poh-vruh — Poor, wretched, or unfortunate people.
artistes: ar-teest — Artists; people who create or perform art.
devons: duh-vohn — We must; first person plural of devoir.
montrer: mohn-tray — To show or to display something to someone.
en: ahn — In, into, or while (preposition or adverb).
société: soh-syay-tay — Society; a community of people sharing culture.
de: duh — Of, from, or some (preposition or article).
temps: tahn — Time or weather (masculine noun).
à: ah — To, at, or in (common French preposition).
autre: oh-truh — Other or another (adjective or pronoun).
simplement: sam-pluh-mahn — Simply; in a simple or straightforward manner.
pour: poor — For, in order to (preposition or conjunction).
rappeler: ra-puh-lay — To remind or to recall something to someone.
au: oh — To the, at the (contraction of à + le).
public: pü-bleek — The public; the general audience or population.
ne: nuh — Not; negative particle used with pas or other words.
sommes: sum — We are (first person plural of être).
pas: pah — Not; used with ne to form negation.
des: day — Some; indefinite plural article in French.
sauvages: soh-vazh — Savages; wild or uncivilized people.
Avec: ah-vek — With; indicating accompaniment or means.
un: uhn — A, an; masculine indefinite article in French.
habit: ah-bee — Formal suit or coat worn for evening events.
soirée: swah-ray — Evening; an evening social gathering or party.
et: ay — And; coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses.
une: ün — A, an; feminine indefinite article in French.
cravate: kra-vat — Tie; a piece of cloth worn around the neck.
blanche: blansh — White (feminine form of blanc).
comme: kum — As, like; used for comparison or manner.
me: muh — Me; first person singular object pronoun.
l': luh/la — The; definite article elided before a vowel.
avez: ah-vay — You have (second person plural of avoir).
dit: dee — Said; past participle of dire (to say).
jour: zhoor — Day; a period of twenty-four hours.
n': nuh — Not; elided form of ne before a vowel.
importe: am-port — Matters; third person singular of importer.
qui: kee — Who or which (relative or interrogative pronoun).
même: mem — Even, same; used for emphasis or comparison.
agent: ah-zhahn — Agent; a person who acts on behalf of another.
change: shahnzh — Exchange; agent de change means stockbroker.
peut: Can, may; third person singular of pouvoir.
acquérir: ah-kay-reer — To acquire or obtain something over time.
réputation: ray-pü-tah-syohn — Reputation; the general opinion others hold of someone.
civilisé: see-vee-lee-zay — Civilized; having refined manners and culture.
Eh: ay — Hey or well; interjection expressing surprise or emphasis.
bien: byahn — Well, good; adverb or adjective of quality.
après: ah-pray — After; indicating subsequent time or order.
être: etruh — To be; the fundamental French auxiliary verb.
resté: res-tay — Stayed, remained; past participle of rester.
dans: dahn — In, inside; preposition indicating location within something.
la: lah — The; feminine definite article in French.
pièce: pyess — Room or play; space in a house or theatrical work.
dizaine: dee-zen — About ten; an approximate group of ten units.
minutes: mee-nüt — Minutes; units of time each lasting sixty seconds.
parler: par-lay — To speak or to talk with someone.
d': duh — Of, from; elided preposition before a vowel.
énormes: ay-norm — Enormous, very large (plural adjective).
douairières: doo-ay-ryair — Dowagers; elderly widows of high social standing.
trop: troh — Too, too much; indicates excess of something.
parées: pah-ray — Adorned, overdressed; excessively decorated with jewelry or clothes.
ennuyeux: ahn-wee-yuh — Boring or tedious; causing boredom or annoyance.
académiciens: ah-kah-day-mee-syahn — Academicians; members of a formal learned academy.
je: zhuh — I; first person singular subject pronoun.
pris: pree — Took; past participle of prendre (to take).
soudain: soo-dan — Suddenly; happening unexpectedly and all at once.
conscience: kohn-syahns — Awareness or consciousness of something.
quelqu': kel-kuh — Someone; indefinite pronoun before a vowel.
regardait: ruh-gar-day — Was watching; imperfect of regarder (to look at).
Je: zhuh — I; first person singular subject pronoun.
retournai: ruh-toor-nay — Turned around; simple past of retourner.
demi: duh-mee — Half; used in à demi meaning halfway or half-way.
vis: vee — Saw; simple past of voir (to see).
première: pruh-myair — First (feminine); happening before all others.
fois: fwah — Time, instance; as in for the first time.
Quand: kahn — When; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb.
nos: noh — Our; first person plural possessive adjective.
regards: ruh-gar — Glances, gazes; looks exchanged between people.
se: suh — Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person.
croisèrent: krwah-zair — Met, crossed; simple past of croiser (to cross).
sentis: sahn-tee — Felt, sensed; simple past of sentir.
pâlissais: pah-lee-say — Was turning pale; imperfect of pâlir (to pale).
Une: ün — A, an; feminine indefinite article in French.
curieuse: kür-yuhz — Strange, curious (feminine adjective); arousing curiosity.
sensation: sahn-sah-syohn — Sensation; a physical or emotional feeling experienced.
terreur: teh-ruhr — Terror; an intense feeling of extreme fear.
s': suh — Oneself; elided reflexive pronoun before a vowel.
empara: ahm-pah-rah — Seized, took hold; simple past of s'emparer.
moi: mwah — Me, myself; stressed first person singular pronoun.
savais: sah-vay — Knew; imperfect tense of savoir (to know).
trouvais: troo-vay — Found myself; imperfect of trouver (to find).
face: fas — Face or front; en face de means facing someone.
avec: ah-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
dont: dohn — Whose, of which; relative pronoun replacing de + noun.
seule: suhl — Alone, only (feminine); without others present.
personnalité: pair-soh-nah-lee-tay — Personality; distinctive character or set of qualities.
était: ay-tay — Was; third person singular imperfect of être.
si: see — So, if; used as intensifier or conditional conjunction.
fascinante: fas-see-nahnt — Fascinating (feminine); extremely interesting or captivating.
laissais: leh-say — Was letting; imperfect of laisser (to let/allow).
faire: fair — To do or to make; fundamental French infinitive.
elle: el — She or it (feminine); third person singular pronoun.
absorberait: ab-sor-buh-ray — Would absorb; conditional of absorber (to absorb).
toute: toot — All, entire (feminine); every part of something.
ma: mah — My (feminine); first person singular possessive adjective.
nature: nah-tür — Nature; one's essential character or the natural world.
mon: mohn — My (masculine); first person singular possessive adjective.
âme: ahm — Soul; the spiritual or emotional part of a person.
art: ar — Art; creative expression through painting, music, writing.
lui: lwee — Him, her, to him/her; third person indirect pronoun.
voulais: voo-lay — Wanted; imperfect of vouloir (to want).
aucune: oh-kün — No, none (feminine); not any influence or thing.
influence: an-flü-ahns — Influence; the power to affect someone or something.
extérieure: eks-tay-ryuhr — External, outside (feminine); coming from outside oneself.
vie: vee — Life; the existence of a living person.
quel: kel — What, which (masculine); interrogative or exclamatory adjective.
point: pwahn — Point or degree; to what extent something applies.
suis: swee — Am; first person singular present tense of être.
indépendant: an-day-pahn-dahn — Independent; not relying on or controlled by others.
par: par — By, through; preposition indicating means or agent.
J': zhuh — I; elided first person singular subject pronoun.
ai: ay — Have; first person singular present of avoir.
toujours: too-zhoor — Always or still; indicating continuity or permanence.
été: ay-tay — Been; past participle of être (to be).
propre: propruh — Own, clean; used to mean one's very own.
maître: metruh — Master; one who has control over themselves or others.
du: dü — Of the, some; contraction of de + le.
moins: mwahn — Less, fewer; used in comparisons or at least.
avais: ah-vay — Had; first person singular imperfect of avoir.
jusqu': zhüsk — Until, up to; elided form of jusqu'à.
ce: suh — This, that; demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
rencontre: rahn-kontruh — Meeting, encounter between two or more people.
Ensuite: ahn-sweet — Then, next; indicating what follows in sequence.
mais: may — But; coordinating conjunction expressing contrast or opposition.
sais: say — Know; first person singular present of savoir.
comment: kuh-mahn — How; interrogative adverb asking about manner or method.
expliquer: eks-plee-kay — To explain; to make something clear to someone.
Quelque: kel-kuh — Some, a certain; indefinite adjective suggesting vague quantity.
chose: shohz — Thing; an object, matter, or concept.
semblait: sahm-blay — Seemed; third person singular imperfect of sembler.
dire: deer — To say or to tell something to someone.
j': zhuh — I; elided first person singular subject pronoun.
étais: ay-tay — Was; first person singular imperfect of être.
bord: bor — Edge, brink; au bord de means on the verge of.
crise: kreez — Crisis; a critical turning point or emotional breakdown.
terrible: teh-reebluh — Terrible, dreadful; causing great fear or distress.
étrange: ay-trahnzh — Strange, odd; unusual or difficult to explain.
sentiment: sahn-tee-mahn — Feeling, sentiment; an emotional reaction or awareness.
le: luh — The (masculine); definite article in French.
destin: des-tan — Destiny, fate; the predetermined course of events.
réservait: ray-zair-vay — Was reserving; imperfect of réserver (to reserve/keep).
joies: zhwah — Joys; feelings of great happiness or delight.
exquises: eks-keez — Exquisite (feminine plural); intensely beautiful or delightful.
douleurs: doo-luhr — Pains, sorrows; feelings of suffering or distress.
peur: puhr — Fear; an unpleasant emotion caused by perceived danger.
quitter: kee-tay — To leave or to quit a place or person.

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