Wuthering Heights — Page 5
Such an individual seated in his arm-chair, his mug of ale frothing on the round table before him, is to be seen in any circuit of five or six miles among these hills, if you go at the right time after dinner.
Un tel individu assis dans son fauteuil, sa chope de bière mousseuse posée sur la table ronde devant lui, peut être aperçu dans un rayon de cinq ou six miles parmi ces collines, si l'on s'y rend au bon moment après le dîner.
But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living.
Mais M. Heathcliff forme un contraste singulier avec sa demeure et son mode de vie.
He is a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly, perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose.
Il a l'aspect d'un gitan à la peau sombre, mais il est gentleman dans sa mise et ses manières : c'est-à-dire, autant gentleman que bien des hobereaux de campagne : assez négligé, peut-être, et pourtant ne déparant pas avec cette négligence, car il a une silhouette droite et élégante ; et plutôt morose.
Possibly, some people might suspect him of a degree of under-bred pride; I have a sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort: I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling—to manifestations of mutual kindliness.
Peut-être certains le soupçonneraient-ils d'une certaine fierté mal dégrossie ; mais une corde sensible en moi me dit qu'il n'en est rien : je sais, par instinct, que sa réserve vient d'une aversion pour les démonstrations ostentatoires de sentiment — pour les manifestations de bienveillance mutuelle.
He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again.
Il aimera et haïra pareillement en secret, et considérera comme une forme d'impertinence d'être aimé ou haï en retour.
No, I'm running on too fast: I bestow my own attributes over-liberally on him.
Non, je vais trop vite : je lui prête trop généreusement mes propres attributs.
Mr. Heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a would-be acquaintance, to those which actuate me.
M. Heathcliff a peut-être des raisons tout à fait différentes des miennes pour se tenir à l'écart lorsqu'il rencontre un interlocuteur potentiel.
Let me hope my constitution is almost peculiar: my dear mother used to say I should never have a comfortable home; and only last summer I proved myself perfectly unworthy of one.
Espérons que mon tempérament est presque singulier : ma chère mère avait l'habitude de dire que je n'aurais jamais un foyer confortable ; et l'été dernier encore, je me suis montré tout à fait indigne d'en avoir un.
Vocabulary
- tel
- Such, of this kind or nature
- individu
- An individual person, sometimes with a slightly pejorative tone
- assis
- Seated, in a sitting position
- fauteuil
- An armchair, a comfortable padded seat with armrests
- chope
- A large beer mug or tankard
- bière
- Beer, an alcoholic drink made from hops
- mousseuse
- Frothy, foamy, covered with bubbles
- posée
- Placed, set down on a surface
- ronde
- Round, circular in shape
- devant
- In front of, before something
- aperçu
- Glimpsed, caught sight of briefly
- rayon
- Ray, beam of light; also a radius or range
- parmi
- Among, in the midst of a group
- collines
- Hills, low rounded elevations of land
- on
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', or 'they'
- y
- Pronoun meaning 'there', replacing a previously mentioned place
- rend
- Goes, makes one's way to a place
- dîner
- Dinner, the main evening meal
- forme
- Forms, creates, constitutes something
- contraste
- Contrast, a striking difference between two things
- singulier
- Singular, remarkable, unusual, out of the ordinary
- demeure
- Dwelling, residence, a place where one lives
- mode
- Mode, manner, way of doing something
- aspect
- Appearance, look, outward aspect of a person
- gitan
- Gypsy, a member of the Romani people
- peau
- Skin, the outer covering of a human body
- sombre
- Dark, dim, gloomy in color or mood
- gentleman
- A gentleman, a man of good breeding and manners
- mise
- Dress, appearance, the way one presents oneself
- manières
- Manners, ways of behaving in social situations
- est-à-dire
- That is to say, in other words, namely
- autant
- As much, as many, to the same degree
- hobereaux
- Minor rural nobles, small country squires of low status
- campagne
- Countryside, rural areas outside of the city
- assez
- Quite, rather, enough; expressing moderate degree
- négligé
- Neglected, carelessly dressed or untidy in appearance
- peut-être
- Perhaps, maybe, possibly
- pourtant
- Yet, however, nevertheless, despite that
- déparant
- Spoiling, marring the appearance of something
- négligence
- Negligence, carelessness, lack of attention to appearance
- car
- Because, for; causal conjunction explaining reason
- silhouette
- Silhouette, outline or overall shape of a figure
- droite
- Straight, upright, erect in posture
- élégante
- Elegant, graceful, refined in appearance or manner
- plutôt
- Rather, somewhat, more precisely
- morose
- Morose, sullen, gloomy in temperament or expression
- Peut-être
- Perhaps, maybe, possibly
- certains
- Certain ones, some people, particular individuals
- soupçonneraient-ils
- Would they suspect, might they guess something hidden
- certaine
- A certain, a particular, a specific (feminine)
- fierté
- Pride, a feeling of self-respect and dignity
- mal
- Badly, poorly; also evil or harm as a noun
- dégrossie
- Rough, unrefined, lacking polish or social grace
- corde
- String, cord, rope; also a sensitive chord struck
- sensible
- Sensitive, susceptible to feelings or impressions
- rien
- Nothing, not anything; negative indefinite pronoun
- instinct
- Instinct, an innate natural impulse or tendency
- réserve
- Reserve, restraint, holding back of emotions
- aversion
- Aversion, strong dislike or repugnance toward something
- démonstrations
- Demonstrations, outward shows of feeling or affection
- ostentatoires
- Ostentatious, showy, meant to impress others
- sentiment
- Feeling, emotion, a deeply held inner sensation
- manifestations
- Expressions, outward signs of an inner feeling
- bienveillance
- Benevolence, goodwill, kindness toward others
- mutuelle
- Mutual, reciprocal, shared between two parties
- aimera
- Will love; future tense of 'aimer'
- haïra
- Will hate; future tense of 'haïr'
- pareillement
- Similarly, likewise, in the same manner
- secret
- Secret, hidden, kept from the knowledge of others
- considérera
- Will consider, will regard something in a certain way
- impertinence
- Impertinence, rudeness, inappropriate boldness of behavior
- aimé
- Loved, cherished; past participle of 'aimer'
- haï
- Hated; past participle of 'haïr'
- retour
- Return, coming back; reciprocation of a feeling
- trop
- Too, too much, excessively
- vite
- Fast, quickly, rapidly
- prête
- Lend, attribute; also 'ready' as an adjective
- généreusement
- Generously, in a giving and openhanded manner
- propres
- Own, one's very own; also 'clean' as adjective
- attributs
- Attributes, characteristics, qualities belonging to someone
- raisons
- Reasons, motives, explanations for actions or behavior
- différentes
- Different, distinct, unlike something else (feminine plural)
- miennes
- Mine (feminine plural); possessive pronoun
- tenir
- To hold, to keep, to maintain a position
- écart
- Distance, aside; keeping apart from others
- lorsqu'
- When, at the time that (contracted before vowel)
- rencontre
- Meets, encounters; also a meeting as a noun
- interlocuteur
- Interlocutor, a person one is speaking or conversing with
- potentiel
- Potential, possible, capable of becoming something
- Espérons
- Let us hope; first-person plural imperative of 'espérer'
- tempérament
- Temperament, natural disposition, characteristic personality
- presque
- Almost, nearly, not quite
- chère
- Dear, beloved; also expensive as an adjective
- habitude
- Habit, a usual practice or routine behavior
- aurais
- Would have; conditional form of 'avoir'
- jamais
- Never, or ever in negative constructions
- foyer
- Home, hearth, a place of domestic comfort
- confortable
- Comfortable, providing physical ease and relaxation
- dernier
- Last, most recent, final in a series
- encore
- Still, yet, again, once more
- montré
- Shown, demonstrated; past participle of 'montrer'
- indigne
- Unworthy, undeserving, not meriting something
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