The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 7
So I did not abandon the search until I had become fully satisfied that the thief is a more astute man than myself.
Ainsi je n'abandonnai pas les recherches avant d'être pleinement convaincu que le voleur est un homme plus astucieux que moi.
I fancy that I have investigated every nook and corner of the premises in which it is possible that the paper can be concealed."
Je crois avoir exploré chaque recoin et chaque angle des lieux où il est possible que le document soit caché."
"But is it not possible," I suggested, "that although the letter may be in possession of the minister, as it unquestionably is, he may have concealed it elsewhere than upon his own premises?"
« Mais n'est-il pas possible, » suggérai-je, « que bien que la lettre soit en possession du ministre, ce qui est incontestable, il l'ait cachée ailleurs que dans ses propres locaux ? »
"This is barely possible," said Dupin.
« C'est à peine possible, » dit Dupin.
"The present peculiar condition of affairs at court, and especially of those intrigues in which D—— is known to be involved, would render the instant availability of the document—its susceptibility of being produced at a moment's notice—a point of nearly equal importance with its possession."
« L'état actuel particulier des affaires à la cour, et surtout de ces intrigues dans lesquelles D—— est connu pour être impliqué, rendrait la disponibilité immédiate du document — sa possibilité d'être produit à tout moment — un point d'importance presque égale à sa possession. »
"Its susceptibility of being produced?" said I.
« Sa possibilité d'être produit ? » dis-je.
"That is to say, of being destroyed," said Dupin.
« C'est-à-dire, d'être détruit, » dit Dupin.
"True," I observed; "the paper is clearly then upon the premises.
« En effet, » observai-je ; « le document se trouve donc clairement dans les locaux.
As for its being upon the person of the minister, we may consider that as out of the question."
Quant à ce qu'il soit sur la personne du ministre, nous pouvons considérer cela comme hors de question. »
"Entirely," said the Prefect.
« Entièrement, » dit le Préfet.
"He has been twice waylaid, as if by footpads, and his person rigorously searched under my own inspection."
« Il a été arrêté deux fois, comme par des brigands, et sa personne a été rigoureusement fouillée sous ma propre surveillance. »
"You might have spared yourself this trouble," said Dupin.
« Vous auriez pu vous épargner cette peine, » dit Dupin.
"D——, I presume, is not altogether a fool, and, if not, must have anticipated these waylayings, as a matter of course."
« D——, je présume, n'est pas tout à fait un imbécile, et, s'il ne l'est pas, doit avoir anticipé ces embuscades, comme une chose évidente. »
"Not altogether a fool," said G.
« Pas tout à fait un imbécile, » dit G.
Vocabulary
- Ainsi
- Thus, in this way, so
- je
- I, first person singular subject pronoun
- n'
- Contraction of 'ne', negation particle
- abandonnai
- I abandoned, gave up (past simple)
- pas
- Not, negation word used with 'ne'
- les
- The, plural definite article or pronoun
- recherches
- Searches, investigations, research efforts
- avant
- Before, prior to a time or event
- d'
- Contraction of 'de', of or from
- être
- To be, infinitive of the verb 'be'
- pleinement
- Fully, completely, entirely convinced or satisfied
- convaincu
- Convinced, persuaded, certain about something
- que
- That, which, conjunction or relative pronoun
- le
- The, singular masculine definite article
- voleur
- Thief, person who steals things
- est
- Is, third person singular of 'être'
- un
- A, an, indefinite article masculine singular
- homme
- Man, adult male human being
- plus
- More, comparative adverb or adjective modifier
- astucieux
- Clever, cunning, shrewd, resourceful person
- moi
- Me, I, stressed first person pronoun
- crois
- Believe, think (first person present tense)
- avoir
- To have, infinitive of auxiliary verb
- exploré
- Explored, searched thoroughly (past participle)
- chaque
- Each, every individual item or place
- recoin
- Nook, hidden corner, small tucked-away spot
- et
- And, coordinating conjunction linking words
- angle
- Corner, angle, nook of a room
- des
- Of the, plural partitive or definite article
- lieux
- Places, premises, locations being searched
- où
- Where, relative or interrogative adverb of place
- il
- He, it, third person masculine singular pronoun
- possible
- Possible, able to happen or exist
- document
- Document, written paper of importance
- soit
- Be (subjunctive), may be, either/or
- caché
- Hidden, concealed from view or discovery
- Mais
- But, however, coordinating conjunction of contrast
- suggérai
- I suggested, proposed an idea (past simple)
- bien
- Well, indeed, certainly, quite
- la
- The, singular feminine definite article
- lettre
- Letter, written correspondence or document
- en
- In, on, by, preposition or pronoun
- possession
- Possession, ownership, having something in hand
- du
- Of the, contraction of 'de le'
- ministre
- Minister, government official of high rank
- ce
- This, that, demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- qui
- Who, which, relative or interrogative pronoun
- incontestable
- Indisputable, undeniable, beyond any question
- ait
- Has (subjunctive), third person of 'avoir'
- cachée
- Hidden, concealed (feminine past participle)
- ailleurs
- Elsewhere, in another place or location
- dans
- In, inside, within a place or time
- ses
- His, her, its, possessive adjective plural
- propres
- Own, clean, proper (adjective, context-dependent)
- locaux
- Premises, rooms, local offices or spaces
- C'
- It is, contraction of 'ce' before vowel
- à
- To, at, in, preposition of location/direction
- peine
- Hardly, barely, scarcely, or sorrow/trouble
- dit
- Said, told (third person past simple)
- L'
- The, contraction of 'le/la' before vowel
- état
- State, condition, status of affairs
- actuel
- Current, present, existing at this time
- particulier
- Particular, specific, private, special
- affaires
- Affairs, matters, business, things of concern
- cour
- Court, royal court, yard or courtyard
- surtout
- Especially, above all, most importantly
- de
- Of, from, preposition indicating origin or belonging
- ces
- These, those, plural demonstrative adjective
- intrigues
- Intrigues, schemes, plots, political manipulations
- lesquelles
- Which, relative pronoun feminine plural form
- connu
- Known, well-known, famous (past participle)
- pour
- For, in order to, because of
- impliqué
- Involved, implicated in something or scheme
- rendrait
- Would make, would render (conditional tense)
- disponibilité
- Availability, readiness, accessibility at any time
- immédiate
- Immediate, instant, without delay (feminine)
- sa
- His, her, its, possessive adjective singular
- possibilité
- Possibility, chance, potential for something happening
- produit
- Produces, yields, creates (third person present)
- tout
- All, every, whole, entirely
- moment
- Moment, instant, point in time
- point
- Point, matter, degree, importance
- importance
- Importance, significance, weight of something
- presque
- Almost, nearly, not quite entirely
- égale
- Equal, equivalent, same level (feminine)
- Sa
- His, her, its, possessive adjective (feminine)
- dis
- Say, said (first person present or past)
- dire
- To say, to tell, infinitive form
- détruit
- Destroys, destroyed (third person present tense)
- En
- In, while, by, preposition or adverb
- effet
- Effect, indeed, result, in fact
- observai
- I observed, noted, remarked (past simple)
- se
- Himself, herself, itself, reflexive pronoun
- trouve
- Finds, is found, is located (present)
- donc
- Therefore, so, thus, consequently
- clairement
- Clearly, plainly, in an obvious manner
- Quant
- As for, regarding, concerning a matter
- qu'
- That, which, contraction of 'que'
- sur
- On, upon, over, about
- personne
- Person, no one (depending on context)
- nous
- We, us, first person plural pronoun
- pouvons
- Can, are able to (first person plural)
- considérer
- To consider, to regard, to think about
- cela
- That, this, demonstrative pronoun at distance
- comme
- As, like, such as, how
- hors
- Outside, beyond, out of bounds
- question
- Question, issue, matter under discussion
- Entièrement
- Entirely, completely, wholly, fully
- Préfet
- Prefect, high-ranking police or administrative official
- Il
- He, it, third person masculine singular
- a
- Has, have (third person present of 'avoir')
- été
- Been (past participle of 'être')
- arrêté
- Arrested, stopped, apprehended (past participle)
- deux
- Two, the number 2
- fois
- Times, occasions, instances (plural of 'fois')
- par
- By, through, per, preposition of agent
- brigands
- Brigands, bandits, outlaws, robbers
- rigoureusement
- Rigorously, thoroughly, strictly, with great care
- fouillée
- Searched, frisked, ransacked (feminine past participle)
- sous
- Under, beneath, below something
- ma
- My, first person singular possessive feminine
- propre
- Own, clean, proper, personal (singular adjective)
- surveillance
- Surveillance, supervision, watchful oversight
- Vous
- You, formal or plural second person pronoun
- auriez
- Would have (second person conditional of 'avoir')
- pu
- Been able to (past participle of 'pouvoir')
- vous
- You, yourself, reflexive or object pronoun
- épargner
- To spare, to save from effort or trouble
- cette
- This, that, feminine singular demonstrative adjective
- présume
- Presume, assume, suppose (first/third person present)
- fait
- Fact, done, made (noun or past participle)
- imbécile
- Fool, idiot, stupid person (informal insult)
- s'
- Himself, herself, reflexive contraction before vowel
- ne
- Not, negation particle used with 'pas'
- doit
- Must, should, owes (third person present)
- anticipé
- Anticipated, expected, foreseen (past participle)
- embuscades
- Ambushes, traps, surprise attacks
- une
- A, an, one, feminine indefinite article
- chose
- Thing, matter, object, something
- évidente
- Obvious, evident, clear, apparent (feminine)
- Pas
- Not, step, negation (depends on context)
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