The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 — Page 11
"
"
Beyond doubt. We removed every carpet, and examined the boards with the microscope.
Sans aucun doute. Nous avons soulevé tous les tapis et examiné les planchers à la loupe.
"And the paper on the walls?"
« Et le papier sur les murs ? »
"Yes."
« Oui. »
"You looked into the cellars?"
« Vous avez inspecté les caves ? »
"We did."
« Nous l'avons fait. »
"Then," I said, "you have been making a miscalculation, and the letter is not upon the premises, as you suppose."
« Alors, » dis-je, « vous avez fait une erreur de calcul, et la lettre ne se trouve pas dans les lieux, comme vous le supposez. »
"I fear you are right there," said the Prefect. "And now, Dupin, what would you advise me to do?"
« Je crains que vous n'ayez raison, » dit le Préfet. « Et maintenant, Dupin, que me conseilleriez-vous de faire ? »
"To make a thorough re-search of the premises."
« De procéder à une nouvelle fouille minutieuse des lieux. »
"That is absolutely needless," replied G——. "I am not more sure that I breathe than I am that the letter is not at the Hotel."
« C'est absolument inutile, » répondit G——. « Je suis aussi certain que la lettre ne se trouve pas à l'Hôtel que je le suis de respirer. »
"I have no better advice to give you," said Dupin. "You have, of course, an accurate description of the letter?"
« Je n'ai pas de meilleur conseil à vous donner, » dit Dupin. « Vous avez, bien entendu, une description précise de la lettre ? »
"Oh yes!"—And here the Prefect, producing a memorandum-book, proceeded to read aloud a minute account of the internal, and especially of the external appearance of the missing document.
« Oh, oui ! » — Et là, le Préfet, sortant un carnet de notes, se mit à lire à haute voix une description détaillée de l'aspect intérieur, et surtout extérieur, du document manquant.
Soon after finishing the perusal of this description, he took his departure, more entirely depressed in spirits than I had ever known the good gentleman before.
Peu après avoir terminé la lecture de cette description, il prit congé, plus profondément abattu que je n'avais jamais vu ce bon gentleman auparavant.
In about a month afterwards he paid us another visit, and found us occupied very nearly as before.
Environ un mois plus tard, il nous rendit une nouvelle visite et nous trouva occupés à peu près comme avant.
He took a pipe and a chair and entered into some ordinary conversation.
Il prit une pipe et une chaise et entama une conversation ordinaire.
At length I said,—
À la fin, je dis, —
"Well, but G——, what of the purloined letter? I presume you have at last made up your mind that there is no such thing as overreaching the Minister?
« Eh bien, G——, qu'en est-il de la lettre volée ? Je présume que vous avez enfin décidé qu'il n'est pas possible de duper le Ministre ?
Vocabulary
- Sans
- Without; lacking or deprived of something.
- aucun
- None; not a single one or any at all.
- doute
- Doubt; uncertainty or lack of conviction.
- Nous
- We; first person plural pronoun.
- avons
- Have; first person plural of avoir.
- soulevé
- Lifted; raised up or elevated.
- tous
- All; every one or the whole group.
- les
- The; definite article for plural nouns.
- tapis
- Carpet; floor covering or rug.
- et
- And; conjunction connecting words or clauses.
- examiné
- Examined; inspected or studied carefully.
- planchers
- Floors; level surfaces of rooms.
- la
- The; definite article for feminine singular.
- loupe
- Magnifying glass; lens for enlarging objects.
- Et
- And; conjunction at beginning of sentence.
- le
- The; definite article for masculine singular.
- papier
- Paper; material for writing or printing.
- sur
- On; positioned above or covering something.
- murs
- Walls; vertical structures enclosing a space.
- Oui
- Yes; affirmative response to a question.
- Vous
- You; formal or plural second person pronoun.
- avez
- Have; second person plural of avoir.
- inspecté
- Inspected; examined officially or carefully.
- caves
- Cellars; underground rooms beneath buildings.
- fait
- Made or done; past participle of faire.
- Alors
- Then; at that time or therefore.
- dis
- Say or tell; first person singular.
- je
- I; first person singular pronoun.
- vous
- You; formal second person pronoun.
- une
- A or an; indefinite article feminine.
- erreur
- Error; mistake or inaccuracy.
- de
- Of; preposition indicating possession or relation.
- calcul
- Calculation; mathematical computation or reckoning.
- lettre
- Letter; written message or alphabet character.
- ne
- Not; negation particle in French.
- se
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun particle.
- trouve
- Finds or is located; third person singular.
- pas
- Not; negative adverb emphasizing negation.
- dans
- In or inside; preposition of location.
- lieux
- Places; locations or specific spots.
- comme
- Like or as; comparison or manner.
- supposez
- Suppose; second person plural of supposer.
- Je
- I; first person singular pronoun.
- crains
- Fear; first person singular of craindre.
- que
- That; conjunction introducing clauses.
- ayez
- Have; second person plural subjunctive of avoir.
- raison
- Reason or right; correctness or cause.
- dit
- Says or said; third person singular.
- maintenant
- Now; at the present time or moment.
- me
- Me; first person singular object pronoun.
- conseilleriez
- Would advise; conditional second person plural.
- faire
- To do or make; fundamental verb.
- De
- Of; preposition at sentence start.
- procéder
- To proceed; to carry out actions.
- nouvelle
- New; fresh or different thing.
- fouille
- Search; thorough investigation or excavation.
- minutieuse
- Meticulous; careful and detailed in examination.
- des
- Of the; indefinite article plural.
- est
- Is; third person singular of être.
- absolument
- Absolutely; completely or entirely without doubt.
- inutile
- Useless; not useful or serving purpose.
- répondit
- Answered; third person singular of répondre.
- suis
- Am; first person singular of être.
- aussi
- Also or as well; equally.
- certain
- Certain; sure or convinced about something.
- Hôtel
- Hotel; building providing lodging for guests.
- respirer
- To breathe; inhale and exhale air.
- ai
- Have; first person singular of avoir.
- meilleur
- Better or best; superior in quality.
- conseil
- Advice; guidance or recommendation given.
- donner
- To give; provide or offer something.
- bien
- Well; good or proper manner.
- entendu
- Understood; agreed or acknowledged.
- description
- Description; detailed account or portrayal.
- précise
- Precise; exact and accurate in detail.
- Oh
- Oh; exclamation expressing surprise or emotion.
- oui
- Yes; affirmative response to question.
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