White nights, and other stories — Page 10

English → Fr Full Text Level 7/10

She did not seem to hear my footsteps, and did not even stir when I passed by with bated breath and loudly throbbing heart.

Elle ne semblait pas entendre le bruit de mes pas, et ne bougea même pas lorsque je passai près d'elle en retenant mon souffle, le cœur battant à grands coups.

"Strange," I thought; "she must be deeply absorbed in something," and all at once I stopped as though petrified.

« Étrange, » pensai-je ; « elle doit être profondément absorbée par quelque chose, » et tout à coup je m'arrêtai comme pétrifié.

I heard a muffled sob.

J'entendis un sanglot étouffé.

Yes! I was not mistaken, the girl was crying, and a minute later I heard sob after sob.

Oui ! Je ne m'étais pas trompé, la jeune fille pleurait, et une minute plus tard j'entendis les sanglots se succéder.

Good Heavens! My heart sank.

Mon Dieu ! Mon cœur se serra.

And timid as I was with women, yet this was such a moment!...

Et timide comme je l'étais avec les femmes, c'était pourtant un tel moment !…

I turned, took a step towards her, and should certainly have pronounced the word "Madam!" if I had not known that that exclamation has been uttered a thousand times in every Russian society novel.

Je me retournai, fis un pas vers elle, et j'aurais certainement prononcé le mot « Madame ! » si je n'avais pas su que cette exclamation avait été répétée mille fois dans chaque roman de la société russe.

It was only that reflection stopped me.

Ce fut uniquement cette réflexion qui m'arrêta.

But while I was seeking for a word, the girl came to herself, looked round, started, cast down her eyes and slipped by me along the embankment.

Mais tandis que je cherchais mes mots, la jeune fille reprit ses esprits, regarda autour d'elle, tressaillit, baissa les yeux et se glissa près de moi le long du quai.

I at once followed her; but she, divining this, left the embankment, crossed the road and walked along the pavement.

Je la suivis aussitôt ; mais elle, le devinant, quitta le quai, traversa la rue et marcha le long du trottoir.

I dared not cross the street after her.

Je n'osai pas traverser la rue derrière elle.

My heart was fluttering like a captured bird.

Mon cœur palpitait comme un oiseau captif.

All at once a chance came to my aid.

Tout à coup, le hasard vint à mon secours.

Along the same side of the pavement there suddenly came into sight, not far from the girl, a gentleman in evening dress, of dignified years, though by no means of dignified carriage; he was staggering and cautiously leaning against the wall.

Sur le même côté du trottoir apparut soudain, non loin de la jeune fille, un gentleman en habit de soirée, d'un âge respectable, mais nullement d'une allure respectable ; il titubait et s'appuyait prudemment contre le mur.

Vocabulary

Elle: Third person singular feminine pronoun meaning 'she/her'.
ne: Negative particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs.
semblait: Past tense of 'sembler'; seemed or appeared a certain way.
pas: Negation word used with 'ne'; also means 'step'.
entendre: To hear or to listen to something.
bruit: A noise or sound of any kind.
mes: Possessive adjective meaning 'my' before plural nouns.
bougea: Past tense of 'bouger'; moved or shifted position.
même: Means 'even', 'same', or 'itself' depending on context.
lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when' or 'at the time that'.
passai: Past tense of 'passer'; walked past or went by.
près: Preposition meaning 'near' or 'close to' something.
elle: Feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'her'.
retenant: Present participle of 'retenir'; holding back or restraining.
souffle: Breath or a gentle puff of air.
cœur: The heart, as a physical organ or emotional symbol.
battant: Present participle of 'battre'; beating or pounding rhythmically.
grands: Adjective meaning 'great', 'large', or 'big'; plural form.
coups: Plural of 'coup'; blows, beats, or strikes.
Étrange: Adjective meaning 'strange', 'odd', or 'unusual'.
pensai: Past tense of 'penser'; thought or reflected inwardly.
doit: Third person form of 'devoir'; must or has to.
être: Infinitive of the verb 'to be' in French.
profondément: Adverb meaning 'deeply' or 'profoundly' in intensity.
absorbée: Feminine past participle of 'absorber'; engrossed or fully occupied.
par: Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
quelque: Adjective meaning 'some' or 'a certain' before a noun.
chose: Noun meaning 'thing' or 'something' in general.
tout: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'every', or 'whole'.
coup: A blow, strike, or sudden action; 'tout à coup' means suddenly.
arrêtai: Past tense of 'arrêter'; stopped or came to a halt.
comme: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'how'.
pétrifié: Adjective meaning 'petrified', frozen with fear or shock.
entendis: Past tense of 'entendre'; heard a sound or voice.
sanglot: A sob; a convulsive sound of weeping.
étouffé: Adjective meaning 'stifled', 'muffled', or 'suppressed'.
étais: Past imperfect of 'être'; was, indicating a past state.
trompé: Past participle of 'tromper'; mistaken or deceived.
jeune: Adjective meaning 'young' or 'youthful'.
fille: Noun meaning 'girl' or 'daughter'.
pleurait: Past imperfect of 'pleurer'; was crying or weeping.
minute: A unit of time equal to sixty seconds.
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'no longer' depending on context.
tard: Adverb meaning 'late' or 'later' in time.
sanglots: Plural of 'sanglot'; sobs, sounds of intense weeping.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself', 'himself', or 'herself'.
succéder: To follow one after another in succession.
Dieu: Noun meaning 'God'; used in exclamations like 'Mon Dieu'.
serra: Past tense of 'serrer'; tightened, clenched, or gripped.
timide: Adjective meaning 'shy', 'timid', or 'bashful'.
avec: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment or means.
femmes: Plural noun meaning 'women' or 'wives'.
était: Past imperfect of 'être'; was, describing a past state.
pourtant: Adverb meaning 'however', 'yet', or 'nevertheless'.
tel: Adjective meaning 'such' or 'such a' before a noun.
moment: A moment or brief period of time.
retournai: Past tense of 'retourner'; turned around or turned back.
fis: Past tense of 'faire'; did or made something.
vers: Preposition meaning 'towards' or 'around' a time or place.
aurais: Conditional form of 'avoir'; would have.
certainement: Adverb meaning 'certainly', 'surely', or 'definitely'.
prononcé: Past participle of 'prononcer'; spoken or uttered a word.
mot: Noun meaning 'word' or a short spoken expression.
Madame: Formal title of address for a woman; 'Mrs.' or 'Ma'am'.
si: Conjunction meaning 'if' or adverb meaning 'so/yes'.
avais: Past imperfect of 'avoir'; had, indicating past possession.
su: Past participle of 'savoir'; known or been aware of.
cette: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' before a feminine noun.
exclamation: An exclamation; a word or phrase expressing strong emotion.
avait: Past imperfect of 'avoir'; had, third person singular.
été: Past participle of 'être'; been; also means 'summer'.
répétée: Feminine past participle of 'répéter'; repeated many times.
mille: Number meaning 'one thousand' or 'a thousand'.
fois: Noun meaning 'time(s)' as in occurrences or instances.
chaque: Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every' before a singular noun.
roman: Noun meaning 'novel'; a work of prose fiction.
société: Noun meaning 'society', 'company', or 'social circle'.
russe: Adjective or noun meaning 'Russian'; relating to Russia.
Ce: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this', 'that', or 'it'.
fut: Simple past of 'être'; was (formal/literary usage).
uniquement: Adverb meaning 'only', 'solely', or 'exclusively'.
réflexion: A reflection, thought, or consideration about something.
arrêta: Simple past of 'arrêter'; stopped someone or something.
Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', indicating contrast or exception.
tandis: Part of 'tandis que', meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
cherchais: Past imperfect of 'chercher'; was looking for or seeking.
mots: Plural of 'mot'; words or spoken expressions.
reprit: Simple past of 'reprendre'; regained, resumed, or recovered.
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (plural).
esprits: Plural of 'esprit'; senses, wits, or spirits; 'reprendre ses esprits' means to collect oneself.
regarda: Simple past of 'regarder'; looked at or gazed around.
autour: Adverb meaning 'around' or 'surrounding' something.
tressaillit: Simple past of 'tressaillir'; startled or flinched suddenly.
baissa: Simple past of 'baisser'; lowered or cast downward.
yeux: Plural of 'œil'; eyes.
glissa: Simple past of 'glisser'; slipped or slid away quietly.
moi: Stressed first person pronoun meaning 'me' or 'I'.
long: Adjective meaning 'long'; also used in 'le long de' meaning 'along'.
quai: A quay, embankment, or platform along water or a station.
suivis: Simple past of 'suivre'; followed someone or something.
aussitôt: Adverb meaning 'immediately' or 'right away'.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing contrast or objection.
devinant: Present participle of 'deviner'; guessing or sensing intuitively.
quitta: Simple past of 'quitter'; left or departed from a place.
traversa: Simple past of 'traverser'; crossed or went across something.
rue: Noun meaning 'street' or 'road' in a town.
marcha: Simple past of 'marcher'; walked along a path or sidewalk.
trottoir: Noun meaning 'sidewalk' or 'pavement' beside a road.
osai: Simple past of 'oser'; dared to do something bold.
traverser: Infinitive meaning to cross or go through a space.
derrière: Preposition or adverb meaning 'behind' or 'at the back'.
palpitait: Past imperfect of 'palpiter'; was fluttering or throbbing rapidly.
oiseau: Noun meaning 'bird'; a feathered flying animal.
captif: Adjective meaning 'captive', trapped or held against will.
Tout: Pronoun or adjective meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'whole'.
hasard: Noun meaning 'chance', 'luck', or 'coincidence'.
vint: Simple past of 'venir'; came to a place or person.
secours: Noun meaning 'help', 'aid', or 'rescue'.
côté: Noun meaning 'side'; direction or lateral aspect of something.
apparut: Simple past of 'apparaître'; appeared or came into sight suddenly.
soudain: Adverb or adjective meaning 'suddenly' or 'all of a sudden'.
non: Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not', expressing negation or refusal.
loin: Adverb meaning 'far' or 'far away' in distance.
gentleman: An English loanword; a well-mannered or refined man.
habit: Formal dress coat; attire worn for evening occasions.
soirée: An evening party or social gathering.
âge: Noun meaning 'age'; number of years a person has lived.
respectable: Adjective meaning 'respectable', worthy of esteem or regard.
nullement: Adverb meaning 'not at all' or 'in no way'.
allure: Noun meaning 'appearance', 'bearing', or 'manner of walking'.
titubait: Past imperfect of 'tituber'; was staggering or stumbling unsteadily.
appuyait: Past imperfect of 'appuyer'; was leaning or pressing against.
prudemment: Adverb meaning 'cautiously', 'carefully', or 'prudently'.
contre: Preposition meaning 'against' or 'next to' a surface.
mur: Noun meaning 'wall'; a vertical structure of a building.

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