The Scarlet Letter — Page 10

English → Fr Full Text Level 8/10

Furthermore, on the left hand as you enter the front door, is a certain room or office, about fifteen feet square, and of a lofty height; with two of its arched windows commanding a view of the aforesaid dilapidated wharf, and the third looking across a narrow lane, and along a portion of Derby Street.

De plus, sur la gauche en entrant par la porte principale, se trouve une certaine pièce ou bureau, d'environ quinze pieds carrés, et d'une grande hauteur ; deux de ses fenêtres cintrées donnant vue sur le quai délabré susmentionné, et la troisième regardant de l'autre côté d'une ruelle étroite, et le long d'une portion de Derby Street.

All three give glimpses of the shops of grocers, block-makers, slop-sellers, and ship-chandlers; around the doors of which are generally to be seen, laughing and gossiping, clusters of old salts, and such other wharf-rats as haunt the Wapping of a seaport.

Toutes trois laissent entrevoir les boutiques d'épiciers, de fabricants de poulies, de vendeurs de vêtements de matelot et de shipchandlers ; autour des portes desquelles on voit généralement, riant et bavardant, des groupes de vieux loups de mer, et autres rats de quai qui hantent le Wapping d'un port de mer.

The room itself is cobwebbed, and dingy with old paint; its floor is strewn with gray sand, in a fashion that has elsewhere fallen into long disuse; and it is easy to conclude, from the general slovenliness of the place, that this is a sanctuary into which womankind, with her tools of magic, the broom and mop, has very infrequent access.

La pièce elle-même est couverte de toiles d'araignée, et ternie par une vieille peinture ; son plancher est jonché de sable gris, selon une mode tombée depuis longtemps en désuétude ailleurs ; et il est facile de conclure, à la négligence générale des lieux, que c'est là un sanctuaire où la gent féminine, avec ses outils magiques, le balai et la serpillière, n'a qu'un accès fort peu fréquent.

In the way of furniture, there is a stove with a voluminous funnel; an old pine desk, with a three-legged stool beside it; two or three wooden-bottom chairs, exceedingly decrepit and infirm; and—not to forget the library—on some shelves, a score or two of volumes of the Acts of Congress, and a bulky Digest of the Revenue Laws.

En fait de mobilier, il y a un poêle avec un tuyau volumineux ; un vieux bureau en pin, avec un tabouret à trois pieds à côté ; deux ou trois chaises à fond de bois, excessivement décrépites et branlantes ; et — sans oublier la bibliothèque — sur quelques étagères, une vingtaine de volumes des Actes du Congrès, et un volumineux Recueil des lois fiscales.

A tin pipe ascends through the ceiling, and forms a medium of vocal communication with other parts of the edifice.

Un tuyau de fer-blanc monte à travers le plafond, et constitue un moyen de communication vocale avec les autres parties de l'édifice.

Vocabulary

plus: Means 'more' or 'plus'; indicates addition or comparison.
sur: Preposition meaning 'on' or 'upon' a surface.
gauche: Means 'left'; referring to the left-hand side.
entrant: Present participle of 'entrer'; meaning 'entering' a place.
par: Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' or 'per.'
porte: Noun meaning 'door' or 'gate' of a building.
principale: Adjective meaning 'main' or 'principal'; most important.
trouve: Verb 'trouver' conjugated; means 'is found' or 'located.'
certaine: Adjective meaning 'a certain' or 'particular' (feminine).
pièce: Noun meaning 'room' in a building or apartment.
bureau: Noun meaning 'office' or 'desk' workspace.
environ: Adverb meaning 'approximately' or 'about' a quantity.
quinze: Number meaning 'fifteen' in French.
pieds: Plural noun meaning 'feet' as a unit of measurement.
carrés: Adjective meaning 'square'; used to describe area measurement.
grande: Adjective meaning 'great' or 'tall' (feminine form).
hauteur: Noun meaning 'height' or 'elevation' of something.
fenêtres: Plural noun meaning 'windows' of a building or room.
cintrées: Adjective meaning 'arched' or 'curved,' describing window shapes.
donnant: Present participle of 'donner'; meaning 'giving' or 'overlooking.'
vue: Noun meaning 'view' or 'sight' of a scene.
quai: Noun meaning 'quay' or 'wharf' along a waterway.
délabré: Adjective meaning 'dilapidated' or 'run-down,' in poor condition.
susmentionné: Adjective meaning 'aforementioned' or 'previously mentioned' above.
troisième: Ordinal adjective meaning 'third' in a sequence.
regardant: Present participle meaning 'looking at' or 'facing toward.'
autre: Adjective meaning 'other' or 'another' alternative thing.
côté: Noun meaning 'side' or 'direction' of something.
ruelle: Noun meaning 'narrow alley' or 'small lane' between buildings.
étroite: Adjective meaning 'narrow' or 'tight' (feminine form).
long: Adjective meaning 'long' in length or duration.
portion: Noun meaning 'portion' or 'section' of a street.
Toutes: Adjective/pronoun meaning 'all' (feminine plural form).
laissent: Verb 'laisser' conjugated; means 'allow' or 'let' (plural).
entrevoir: Verb meaning 'to glimpse' or 'catch a brief view.'
boutiques: Plural noun meaning 'shops' or 'small retail stores.'
épiciers: Plural noun meaning 'grocers' or 'grocery store owners.'
fabricants: Plural noun meaning 'manufacturers' or 'makers' of goods.
poulies: Plural noun meaning 'pulleys'; mechanical devices using wheels.
vendeurs: Plural noun meaning 'sellers' or 'salesmen' of goods.
vêtements: Plural noun meaning 'clothes' or 'clothing' garments.
matelot: Noun meaning 'sailor' or 'seaman' working on ships.
shipchandlers: English loanword; suppliers of provisions and equipment for ships.
autour: Preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding' something.
portes: Plural noun meaning 'doors' or 'entrances' to buildings.
desquelles: Relative pronoun meaning 'of which' (feminine plural form).
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one,' 'we,' or 'people' generally.
voit: Verb 'voir' conjugated; means 'sees' or 'one sees.'
généralement: Adverb meaning 'generally' or 'usually' in most cases.
riant: Present participle meaning 'laughing' or 'smiling'; cheerful.
bavardant: Present participle meaning 'chatting' or 'gossiping' conversationally.
groupes: Plural noun meaning 'groups' of people gathered together.
vieux: Adjective meaning 'old' (masculine plural); aged in years.
loups: Plural noun meaning 'wolves'; used metaphorically for seasoned sailors.
mer: Noun meaning 'sea' or 'ocean'; large body of saltwater.
autres: Adjective/pronoun meaning 'others' or 'other' people or things.
rats: Plural noun meaning 'rats'; also used metaphorically here.
hantent: Verb 'hanter' conjugated; means 'haunt' or 'frequent' a place.
port: Noun meaning 'port' or 'harbor' for ships and boats.
elle-même: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'herself' or 'itself' (emphatic form).
couverte: Adjective meaning 'covered' (feminine form); draped over something.
toiles: Plural noun meaning 'webs' or 'canvases'; fabric or cobwebs.
araignée: Noun meaning 'spider'; the insect that spins webs.
ternie: Adjective meaning 'tarnished' or 'dulled' (feminine); lost its shine.
vieille: Adjective meaning 'old' (feminine singular); aged or worn.
peinture: Noun meaning 'paint' or 'painting'; applied color on surfaces.
plancher: Noun meaning 'floor' or 'floorboards' of a room.
jonché: Adjective meaning 'strewn' or 'littered' with scattered material.
sable: Noun meaning 'sand'; fine granular material from beaches.
gris: Adjective meaning 'gray' in color; a neutral shade.
selon: Preposition meaning 'according to' or 'following' a rule.
mode: Noun meaning 'fashion,' 'manner,' or 'custom' of doing things.
tombée: Adjective/past participle meaning 'fallen' (feminine); no longer practiced.
depuis: Preposition meaning 'since' or 'for' a period of time.
longtemps: Adverb meaning 'for a long time' or 'long ago.'
désuétude: Noun meaning 'disuse'; state of no longer being used.
ailleurs: Adverb meaning 'elsewhere' or 'in other places.'
facile: Adjective meaning 'easy' or 'simple' to do or understand.
conclure: Verb meaning 'to conclude' or 'to infer' from evidence.
négligence: Noun meaning 'negligence' or 'carelessness'; lack of proper attention.
générale: Adjective meaning 'general' or 'overall' (feminine form).
lieux: Plural noun meaning 'places' or 'premises' of a location.
là: Adverb meaning 'there' or 'here'; indicating a specific place.
sanctuaire: Noun meaning 'sanctuary' or 'refuge'; a protected sacred place.
où: Relative adverb/pronoun meaning 'where' or 'in which.'
gent: Noun meaning 'folk' or 'people'; a collective term (archaic).
féminine: Adjective meaning 'feminine' or 'female' (feminine form).
avec: Preposition meaning 'with' another person or thing.
outils: Plural noun meaning 'tools' or 'instruments' used for tasks.
magiques: Adjective meaning 'magical' or 'enchanted' (plural form); ironic here.
balai: Noun meaning 'broom'; a tool for sweeping floors.
serpillière: Noun meaning 'mop' or 'floor cloth' for cleaning floors.
accès: Noun meaning 'access' or 'entry' to a place or thing.
fort: Adverb meaning 'very' or 'strongly'; intensifier in French.
peu: Adverb meaning 'little' or 'few'; small in quantity.
fréquent: Adjective meaning 'frequent' or 'common'; happening often.
fait: Noun/verb meaning 'fact' or 'made'; 'en fait' means 'in fact.'
mobilier: Noun meaning 'furniture' or 'furnishings' within a room.
y: Pronoun meaning 'there' or 'in it'; replacing a location.
poêle: Noun meaning 'stove' or 'furnace' used for heating rooms.
tuyau: Noun meaning 'pipe' or 'tube'; conduit for gases or liquids.
volumineux: Adjective meaning 'voluminous' or 'bulky'; large in size.
pin: Noun meaning 'pine' (wood); a type of coniferous tree.
tabouret: Noun meaning 'stool'; a small seat without back or arms.
chaises: Plural noun meaning 'chairs'; seats with backs for sitting.
fond: Noun meaning 'bottom,' 'back,' or 'base' of something.
bois: Noun meaning 'wood' or 'wooden'; material from trees.
excessivement: Adverb meaning 'excessively' or 'extremely'; beyond normal measure.
décrépites: Adjective meaning 'decrepit' or 'worn-out' (feminine plural); dilapidated.
branlantes: Adjective meaning 'wobbly' or 'shaky' (feminine plural); unstable.
sans: Preposition meaning 'without'; indicating absence of something.
oublier: Verb meaning 'to forget'; failing to remember something.
bibliothèque: Noun meaning 'bookcase' or 'library'; place for storing books.
quelques: Adjective meaning 'a few' or 'some'; a small number.
étagères: Plural noun meaning 'shelves'; horizontal surfaces for storing items.
vingtaine: Noun meaning 'about twenty'; an approximate quantity of twenty.
volumes: Plural noun meaning 'volumes' or 'books'; bound publications.
Actes: Plural noun meaning 'Acts' or 'records'; official legislative documents.
Congrès: Noun meaning 'Congress'; a legislative assembly or governing body.
Recueil: Noun meaning 'collection' or 'compendium'; a compiled set of texts.
lois: Plural noun meaning 'laws'; rules established by authority.
fiscales: Adjective meaning 'fiscal' or 'tax-related' (feminine plural form).
fer-blanc: Noun meaning 'tin' or 'tinplate'; a thin coated metal sheet.
monte: Verb 'monter' conjugated; means 'goes up' or 'rises.'
travers: Noun/preposition meaning 'through' or 'across'; passing through something.
plafond: Noun meaning 'ceiling'; the upper interior surface of a room.
constitue: Verb 'constituer' conjugated; means 'constitutes' or 'forms' something.
moyen: Noun meaning 'means' or 'method'; a way of doing something.
communication: Noun meaning 'communication'; exchange of information between parties.
vocale: Adjective meaning 'vocal' or 'voice-based' (feminine form).
parties: Plural noun meaning 'parts' or 'sections' of something larger.
édifice: Noun meaning 'edifice' or 'building'; a large constructed structure.

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