← The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 10

English → Fr THE PURLOINED LETTER Level 8/10

"

«

That of course; and when we had absolutely completed every particle of the furniture in this way, then we examined the house itself.

Cela va sans dire ; et quand nous avions absolument examiné chaque parcelle du mobilier de cette façon, nous avons examiné la maison elle-même.

We divided its entire surface into compartments, which we numbered, so that none might be missed; then we scrutinized each individual square inch throughout the premises, including the two houses immediately adjoining, with the microscope, as before."

Nous avons divisé toute sa surface en compartiments, que nous avons numérotés, afin de n'en omettre aucun ; puis nous avons scruté chaque pouce carré de l'ensemble des lieux, y compris les deux maisons immédiatement adjacentes, avec le microscope, comme auparavant. »

"The two houses adjoining!" I exclaimed; "you must have had a great deal of trouble."

« Les deux maisons adjacentes ! » m'écriai-je ; « vous avez dû avoir beaucoup de mal. »

"We had; but the reward offered is prodigious!"

« En effet ; mais la récompense offerte est prodigieuse ! »

"You include the grounds about the houses?"

« Vous avez inclus les terrains autour des maisons ? »

"All the grounds are paved with brick.

« Tous les terrains sont pavés de briques.

They gave us comparatively little trouble.

Ils nous ont donné relativement peu de mal.

We examined the moss between the bricks, and found it undisturbed."

Nous avons examiné la mousse entre les briques, et nous l'avons trouvée intacte. »

"You looked among D——'s papers, of course, and into the books of the library?"

« Vous avez bien sûr examiné les papiers de D——, et les livres de la bibliothèque ? »

"Certainly; we opened every package and parcel; we not only opened every book, but we turned over every leaf in each volume, not contenting ourselves with a mere shake, according to the fashion of some of our police officers.

« Certainement ; nous avons ouvert chaque paquet et colis ; nous n'avons pas seulement ouvert chaque livre, mais nous avons tourné chaque feuillet de chaque volume, sans nous contenter d'un simple secouement, à la manière de certains de nos agents de police.

We also measured the thickness of every book-cover, with the most accurate admeasurement, and applied to each the most jealous scrutiny of the microscope.

Nous avons également mesuré l'épaisseur de chaque couverture de livre, avec la mesure la plus précise, et avons appliqué à chacune l'examen le plus minutieux du microscope.

Had any of the bindings been recently meddled with, it would have been utterly impossible that the fact should have escaped observation.

Si l'une des reliures avait été récemment manipulée, il eût été absolument impossible que le fait eût échappé à l'observation.

Some five or six volumes, just from the hands of the binder, we carefully probed, longitudinally, with the needles."

Cinq ou six volumes, tout juste sortis des mains du relieur, nous les avons soigneusement sondés, longitudinalement, avec des aiguilles. »

"You explored the floors beneath the carpets?

« Vous avez exploré les planchers sous les tapis ?

Vocabulary

Cela
That; used to refer to something previously mentioned
va
Goes; third person singular of 'aller'
sans
Without; preposition indicating absence or lack
dire
To say; to tell someone something
et
And; coordinating conjunction linking words or phrases
quand
When; conjunction introducing a time clause
nous
We or us; first person plural pronoun
avions
Had; first person plural imperfect of 'avoir'
absolument
Absolutely; completely, without any exception
examiné
Examined; inspected something carefully and thoroughly
chaque
Each; every individual item in a group
parcelle
Parcel; small portion or piece of something
du
Of the; contracted masculine singular partitive article
mobilier
Furniture; movable items furnishing a room
de
Of, from; very common French preposition
cette
This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
façon
Way, manner; the method of doing something
avons
Have; first person plural present of 'avoir'
la
The; feminine singular definite article
maison
House; a building where people live
elle
She, it; third person feminine singular pronoun
même
Same, even, itself; used for emphasis or comparison
Nous
We; first person plural subject pronoun
divisé
Divided; split something into separate parts
toute
All, every; feminine singular form of 'tout'
sa
His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective
surface
Surface; the outer or upper layer of something
en
In, into; preposition indicating location or state
compartiments
Compartments; separate sections or divided spaces
que
That, which, whom; versatile conjunction or pronoun
numérotés
Numbered; assigned numbers to identify each part
afin
In order to; expressing purpose or intention
n'
Not; contracted negative particle before vowel
omettre
To omit; to leave something out intentionally
aucun
No, none; negative adjective meaning not any
puis
Then, next; indicating sequence of actions
scruté
Scrutinized; examined very closely and carefully
pouce
Inch, thumb; unit of measure or body part
carré
Square; having four equal sides or a shape
l'
The; contracted definite article before a vowel
ensemble
Whole, together; the entirety of something
des
Of the, some; plural partitive or definite article
lieux
Places; locations or premises being referred to
y
There, it; pronoun referring to a place or thing
compris
Including; also covered or incorporated in scope
les
The; plural definite article for any gender
deux
Two; the number 2
maisons
Houses; plural of maison, residential buildings
immédiatement
Immediately; right away, without any delay
adjacentes
Adjacent; next to, directly neighboring something
avec
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
le
The; masculine singular definite article
microscope
Microscope; instrument for viewing tiny objects
comme
Like, as; conjunction or preposition of comparison
auparavant
Before, previously; at an earlier time
Les
The; plural definite article for any gender
m'
Me; contracted first person reflexive or object pronoun
écriai
Exclaimed; cried out in surprise or emotion
je
I; first person singular subject pronoun
vous
You; second person plural or formal pronoun
avez
Have; second person plural present of 'avoir'
Had to, must have; past participle of 'devoir'
avoir
To have; fundamental auxiliary and lexical verb
beaucoup
A lot, much; indicating a large quantity or degree
mal
Trouble, pain, difficulty; hardship or discomfort
En
In, indeed; preposition or affirmative expression
effet
Effect, indeed; result or used in 'en effet'
mais
But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast
récompense
Reward; something given in return for effort
offerte
Offered; presented or made available to someone
est
Is; third person singular present of 'être'
prodigieuse
Prodigious; extraordinarily large or impressive
Vous
You; second person plural or polite singular pronoun
inclus
Included; incorporated within the scope of something
terrains
Grounds, land; plots or areas of land
autour
Around; in the surrounding area of something
Tous
All; masculine plural form of 'tout'
sont
Are; third person plural present of 'être'
pavés
Paved; covered with cobblestones or paving material
briques
Bricks; rectangular blocks used in construction
Ils
They; third person masculine plural subject pronoun
ont
Have; third person plural present of 'avoir'
donné
Given; past participle of 'donner', to give
relativement
Relatively; in comparison to something else
peu
Little, few; indicating a small quantity
mousse
Moss; soft green plant growing on surfaces
entre
Between, among; preposition indicating middle position
trouvée
Found; discovered or encountered something
intacte
Intact; undamaged, in its original complete state
bien
Well, good; adverb indicating satisfactory manner
sûr
Sure, certain; confident or safe about something
papiers
Papers; documents or sheets of written material
livres
Books; printed works bound together for reading
bibliothèque
Library, bookcase; place or furniture holding books
Certainement
Certainly; without doubt, definitely so
ouvert
Opened; past participle of 'ouvrir', to open
paquet
Package, parcel; a wrapped bundle of items
colis
Parcel, package; a bundle sent by post
pas
Not, step; negative particle or a footstep
seulement
Only, just; limiting something to one case
livre
Book; a written or printed work bound together
tourné
Turned; rotated or flipped something around
feuillet
Leaf, page; a single sheet within a book
volume
Volume; a book or tome, especially one of a series
contenter
To satisfy, content; to be satisfied with something
d'
Of, from; contracted preposition before vowel
un
A, an, one; masculine indefinite article or number
simple
Simple; plain, not complex or complicated
secouement
Shaking; the action of shaking something vigorously
à
To, at, in; very common French preposition
manière
Manner, way; the style or method of doing something
certains
Certain, some; referring to some unspecified people
nos
Our; first person plural possessive adjective
agents
Agents, officers; people acting on behalf of authority
police
Police; law enforcement organization or officers
également
Also, equally; in addition, or in the same way
mesuré
Measured; determined the size or extent of something
épaisseur
Thickness; the measurement of how thick something is
couverture
Cover, binding; the outer protective layer of a book
mesure
Measure, measurement; the act of measuring something
plus
More, most; comparative or superlative adverb
précise
Precise; exact and accurate in detail
appliqué
Applied; put into practice or used carefully
chacune
Each one; feminine form of 'chacun', every individual
examen
Examination; careful inspection or formal test
minutieux
Meticulous; very careful and precise in detail
Si
If, so; conditional conjunction or affirmation
une
A, an, one; feminine indefinite article or number
reliures
Bindings; the covers or binding of books
avait
Had; third person singular imperfect of 'avoir'
été
Been; past participle of 'être', to be
récemment
Recently; not long ago, in the near past
manipulée
Handled, manipulated; touched or dealt with physically
il
He, it; third person masculine singular pronoun
eût
Had; subjunctive imperfect of 'avoir', formal usage
impossible
Impossible; not able to happen or be done
fait
Done, fact; past participle of 'faire' or a fact
échappé
Escaped, missed; slipped away from notice
observation
Observation; the act of carefully watching something
Cinq
Five; the number 5
ou
Or; coordinating conjunction presenting an alternative
six
Six; the number 6
volumes
Volumes; books, especially parts of a series
tout
All, everything; indicating totality or completeness
juste
Just, right; exactly or barely, or correct
sortis
Come out; past participle of 'sortir', to exit
mains
Hands; the body parts at the end of arms
relieur
Bookbinder; craftsperson who binds books
soigneusement
Carefully; done with great care and attention
sondés
Probed, sounded; investigated thoroughly with a tool
longitudinalement
Longitudinally; along the length of something
aiguilles
Needles; thin pointed instruments used for probing
exploré
Explored; investigated or examined an area thoroughly
planchers
Floors; the flat surfaces underfoot in a room
sous
Under, beneath; preposition indicating lower position
tapis
Carpet, rug; fabric floor covering in a room
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