The Yellow Wallpaper — Page 1
The Yellow Wallpaper
Le Papier Peint Jaune
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Par Charlotte Perkins Gilman
It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer.
Il est très rare que de simples gens ordinaires comme John et moi-même puissions nous assurer des demeures ancestrales pour l'été.
A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity—but that would be asking too much of fate!
Une demeure coloniale, un domaine héréditaire, j'allais dire une maison hantée, et atteindre le comble de la félicité romantique — mais ce serait trop demander au destin !
Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it.
Je déclarerai néanmoins avec fierté qu'il y a quelque chose d'étrange en cet endroit.
Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenanted?
Sinon, pourquoi serait-il loué à si bas prix ? Et pourquoi serait-il resté si longtemps inoccupé ?
John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage.
John se moque de moi, bien sûr, mais c'est ce à quoi on peut s'attendre dans le mariage.
John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures.
John est d'un pragmatisme extrême. Il n'a aucune patience pour la foi, une horreur profonde de la superstition, et il se moque ouvertement de tout discours sur des choses qui ne peuvent être ni ressenties, ni vues, ni consignées en chiffres.
John is a physician, and perhaps—(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)—perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster.
John est médecin, et peut-être — (je ne le dirais à âme qui vive, bien sûr, mais ce papier est inerte et c'est un grand soulagement pour mon esprit) — peut-être est-ce là l'une des raisons pour lesquelles je ne guéris pas plus vite.
You see, he does not believe I am sick!
Voyez-vous, il ne croit pas que je sois malade !
And what can one do?
Et que peut-on faire ?
If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?
Si un médecin éminent, qui est de surcroît votre propre mari, assure amis et parents qu'il n'y a vraiment rien qui cloche chez vous, sinon une dépression nerveuse passagère — une légère tendance hystérique — que peut-on faire ?
My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing.
Mon frère est également médecin, et lui aussi éminent, et il dit la même chose.
Vocabulary
- Le
- The (masculine singular definite article)
- Papier
- Paper; material for writing or printing
- Peint
- Painted; past participle of peindre
- Jaune
- Yellow; the color between orange and green
- Par
- By; through; expressing agent or means
- Il
- He; it; masculine singular pronoun
- est
- Is; third person singular present of être
- très
- Very; to a great degree or extent
- rare
- Rare; uncommon; not frequently encountered
- que
- That; which; relative or subordinate conjunction
- de
- Of; from; preposition indicating possession
- simples
- Simple; plain; not complex or elaborate
- gens
- People; persons; individuals collectively
- ordinaires
- Ordinary; common; usual; not special
- comme
- Like; as; similar to; in the manner of
- et
- And; conjunction linking words or phrases
- moi
- Me; myself; first person singular pronoun
- même
- Same; even; self; identical or likewise
- puissions
- Can; may; subjunctive of pouvoir
- nous
- We; us; first person plural pronoun
- assurer
- To assure; to secure; to guarantee
- des
- Some; of the; plural indefinite article
- demeures
- Residences; dwellings; homes where people live
- ancestrales
- Ancestral; inherited from ancestors; family heritage
- pour
- For; in order to; preposition of purpose
- été
- Summer; the warmest season of year
- Une
- A; one; feminine singular indefinite article
- demeure
- Residence; dwelling; a place where one lives
- coloniale
- Colonial; relating to colonies or colonialism
- un
- A; one; masculine singular indefinite article
- domaine
- Domain; estate; an area of land
- héréditaire
- Hereditary; passed down through generations
- allais
- Was going; imperfect first person of aller
- dire
- To say; to speak; to tell or state
- une
- A; one; feminine singular indefinite article
- maison
- House; home; a building for residence
- hantée
- Haunted; visited by ghosts or spirits
- atteindre
- To reach; to attain; to achieve or touch
- le
- The; masculine singular definite article
- comble
- Peak; utmost; the highest point or degree
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article
- félicité
- Happiness; bliss; state of great joy
- romantique
- Romantic; relating to romance or emotion
- mais
- But; however; conjunction expressing contrast
- ce
- This; that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- serait
- Would be; conditional of être
- trop
- Too; too much; excessively or overly
- demander
- To ask; to request; to demand something
- au
- To the; at the; contraction of à+le
- destin
- Destiny; fate; one's predetermined future course
- Je
- I; first person singular pronoun
- déclarerai
- Will declare; future tense of déclarer
- néanmoins
- Nevertheless; however; despite everything or that
- avec
- With; accompanied by; in company of
- fierté
- Pride; dignity; self-respect or satisfaction
- qu
- That; which; relative or subordinate conjunction
- quelque
- Some; any; a certain or unspecified thing
- chose
- Thing; object; something or a matter
- étrange
- Strange; odd; unusual or unfamiliar
- en
- In; on; preposition indicating location or state
- cet
- This; that; demonstrative adjective masculine
- endroit
- Place; location; a specific spot or area
- Sinon
- Otherwise; else; if not; in other words
- pourquoi
- Why; for what reason; what is cause
- loué
- Rented; leased; praised or esteemed
- si
- So; if; to such degree or condition
- bas
- Low; quiet; at a reduced level or price
- prix
- Price; cost; the amount charged for something
- Et
- And; conjunction linking words or phrases
- resté
- Remained; stayed; past participle of rester
- longtemps
- Long; a long time; for extended period
- inoccupé
- Unoccupied; empty; not occupied or inhabited
- se
- Himself; herself; reflexive pronoun third person
- moque
- Mocks; jeers; makes fun of or ridicules
- bien
- Well; good; very; in proper manner
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