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The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere — Page 7

English → Fr Preface Level 6/10

When any recalcitrants refused to accept the new order, or later showed an inclination to break away from it, the military forces, acting usually under secret directions from the padre, made raids in the disaffected parts with all the unpitying atrocity the Spanish soldiery were ever capable of displaying in their dealings with a weaker people.

Lorsque des récalcitrants refusaient d'accepter le nouvel ordre, ou manifestaient plus tard une inclination à s'en écarter, les forces militaires, agissant généralement sous les directives secrètes du padre, effectuaient des raids dans les régions mécontentes avec toute l'atrocité impitoyable dont les soldats espagnols étaient toujours capables de faire preuve dans leurs rapports avec un peuple plus faible.

After sufficient punishment had been inflicted and a wholesome fear inspired, the padre very opportunely interfered in the natives' behalf, by which means they were convinced that peace and security lay in submission to the authorities, especially to the curate of their town or district.

Après qu'une punition suffisante eut été infligée et qu'une crainte salutaire eut été inspirée, le padre intervint fort opportunément en faveur des indigènes, par quel moyen ils furent convaincus que la paix et la sécurité résidaient dans la soumission aux autorités, en particulier au curé de leur ville ou district.

A single example will suffice to make the method clear: not an isolated instance but a typical case chosen from among the mass of records left by the chief actors themselves.

Un seul exemple suffira à rendre la méthode claire : non pas un cas isolé, mais un cas typique choisi parmi la masse des témoignages laissés par les principaux acteurs eux-mêmes.

Fray Domingo Perez, evidently a man of courage and conviction, for he later lost his life in the work of which he wrote, was the Dominican vicar on the Zambales coast when that Order temporarily took over the district from the Recollects.

Fray Domingo Perez, manifestement un homme de courage et de conviction, car il perdit plus tard la vie dans l'œuvre dont il écrivit, était le vicaire dominicain sur la côte de Zambales lorsque cet Ordre prit temporairement en charge le district des Récollets.

Vocabulary

Lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when' introducing a temporal clause.
des: Plural indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'of the'.
récalcitrants: People who stubbornly resist authority or control.
refusaient: Imperfect tense of 'refuser': were refusing to do something.
accepter: To accept or agree to something offered or imposed.
nouvel: Masculine adjective meaning 'new', used before vowel sounds.
ordre: Order, system, or command imposed on a group.
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting an alternative option.
manifestaient: Imperfect of 'manifester': were showing or displaying something.
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'later' depending on context.
tard: Adverb meaning 'late' or referring to a later time.
inclination: A tendency or disposition toward a particular behavior.
en: Pronoun or preposition meaning 'in', 'of it', or 'from it'.
écarter: To move away from, deviate from, or distance oneself.
forces: Military or physical forces exerting power or control.
militaires: Adjective or noun relating to the army or military.
agissant: Present participle of 'agir': acting or operating in a manner.
généralement: Adverb meaning 'generally' or 'usually' in most cases.
sous: Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath' in various contexts.
directives: Official instructions or guidelines issued by an authority.
secrètes: Adjective meaning 'secret' or 'confidential', feminine plural form.
padre: Spanish/Italian term for a Catholic priest or father.
effectuaient: Imperfect of 'effectuer': were carrying out or conducting operations.
raids: Sudden surprise attacks on a place or group.
régions: Geographic areas or districts within a larger territory.
mécontentes: Adjective meaning 'discontented' or 'dissatisfied', feminine plural.
toute: Feminine singular form of 'tout', meaning 'all' or 'every'.
atrocité: An extremely cruel or horrific act of violence.
impitoyable: Adjective meaning 'merciless', 'ruthless', or 'pitiless'.
dont: Relative pronoun meaning 'of which', 'whose', or 'from which'.
soldats: Noun meaning 'soldiers', members of a military force.
espagnols: Adjective or noun meaning 'Spanish', relating to Spain.
étaient: Imperfect of 'être': were, used to describe past states.
toujours: Adverb meaning 'always' or 'still' in various contexts.
capables: Adjective meaning 'capable' or 'able' to do something.
faire: Infinitive meaning 'to do' or 'to make' something.
preuve: Noun meaning 'proof'; 'faire preuve de' means 'to show'.
leurs: Possessive adjective meaning 'their', plural form.
rapports: Noun meaning 'relations', 'reports', or 'dealings' with others.
peuple: Noun meaning 'people' or 'nation' as a collective group.
faible: Adjective meaning 'weak' or 'feeble' in strength or power.
Après: Preposition or conjunction meaning 'after' in time or sequence.
punition: Noun meaning 'punishment' inflicted for wrongdoing or disobedience.
suffisante: Adjective meaning 'sufficient' or 'enough', feminine singular form.
eut: Past historic of 'avoir': had, used in literary contexts.
été: Past participle of 'être': been, used in compound tenses.
infligée: Past participle of 'infliger': inflicted upon someone as punishment.
crainte: Noun meaning 'fear' or 'dread' of something threatening.
salutaire: Adjective meaning 'salutary', beneficial or producing good effects.
inspirée: Past participle of 'inspirer': inspired or instilled in someone.
intervint: Past historic of 'intervenir': intervened or stepped in decisively.
fort: Adverb meaning 'very' or 'greatly', intensifying an adjective.
opportunément: Adverb meaning 'opportunely' or 'at the right moment'.
faveur: Noun meaning 'favor' or 'support' given to someone.
indigènes: Noun or adjective meaning 'indigenous people' or 'native inhabitants'.
quel: Interrogative adjective meaning 'what' or 'which' before a noun.
moyen: Noun meaning 'means' or 'method' used to achieve something.
furent: Past historic of 'être': were, used in formal written French.
convaincus: Past participle of 'convaincre': convinced or persuaded of something.
paix: Noun meaning 'peace', the absence of conflict or war.
sécurité: Noun meaning 'security' or 'safety' from danger or threat.
résidaient: Imperfect of 'résider': resided or lay within something specific.
soumission: Noun meaning 'submission' or 'yielding' to authority or power.
autorités: Noun meaning 'authorities', those holding official power or control.
particulier: Adjective or noun meaning 'particular', 'specific', or 'private individual'.
curé: Noun meaning 'parish priest', a local Catholic clergy member.
leur: Possessive adjective meaning 'their', singular form before noun.
ville: Noun meaning 'city' or 'town', an urban settlement.
district: Noun meaning 'district', a defined administrative or geographic area.
seul: Adjective meaning 'only', 'single', or 'alone' in context.
exemple: Noun meaning 'example' or 'instance' illustrating a point.
suffira: Future of 'suffire': will suffice or be enough for purpose.
rendre: Infinitive meaning 'to render', 'to make', or 'to return'.
méthode: Noun meaning 'method' or 'approach' used to accomplish something.
claire: Adjective meaning 'clear' or 'easy to understand', feminine form.
non: Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not', expressing negation or refusal.
cas: Noun meaning 'case' or 'instance' of a particular situation.
isolé: Adjective meaning 'isolated' or 'single', standing apart from others.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrasting statement.
typique: Adjective meaning 'typical' or 'representative' of a general pattern.
choisi: Past participle of 'choisir': chosen or selected from among options.
parmi: Preposition meaning 'among' or 'amongst' a group of things.
masse: Noun meaning 'mass' or 'large quantity' of something accumulated.
témoignages: Noun meaning 'testimonies' or 'accounts' given by witnesses.
laissés: Past participle of 'laisser': left behind by someone specific.
principaux: Adjective meaning 'principal' or 'main', masculine plural form.
acteurs: Noun meaning 'actors' or 'participants' in an event or situation.
eux: Disjunctive pronoun meaning 'them' or 'they' used emphatically.
mêmes: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'themselves' or 'same', plural form.
manifestement: Adverb meaning 'manifestly' or 'obviously', clearly evident to all.
homme: Noun meaning 'man' or 'person', a male human being.
courage: Noun meaning 'courage' or 'bravery' in facing danger.
conviction: Noun meaning 'conviction' or 'firm belief' in something important.
car: Conjunction meaning 'for' or 'because', explaining a reason given.
perdit: Past historic of 'perdre': lost something, used in literary French.
vie: Noun meaning 'life', one's existence from birth to death.
œuvre: Noun meaning 'work' or 'body of work', especially artistic or religious.
écrivit: Past historic of 'écrire': wrote, used in formal or literary style.
était: Imperfect of 'être': was, describing a past state or condition.
vicaire: Noun meaning 'vicar' or 'deputy priest' in a parish.
dominicain: Adjective or noun meaning 'Dominican', belonging to the Dominican order.
côte: Noun meaning 'coast' or 'shore' along a body of water.
lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when', introducing a temporal subordinate clause.
cet: Masculine demonstrative adjective meaning 'this', used before vowels.
Ordre: Noun meaning 'Order', a religious congregation or organization.
prit: Past historic of 'prendre': took, used in formal written French.
temporairement: Adverb meaning 'temporarily', for a limited or short period.
charge: Noun meaning 'charge' or 'responsibility' taken over by someone.

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