Wuthering Heights — Page 1

English → Fr CHAPTER II Level 8/10

Yesterday afternoon set in misty and cold.

Hier, l'après-midi s'est installé brumeux et froid.

I had half a mind to spend it by my study fire, instead of wading through heath and mud to Wuthering Heights.

J'avais à moitié envie de le passer près du feu de mon bureau, plutôt que de patauger à travers la lande et la boue jusqu'à Wuthering Heights.

On coming up from dinner, however, (N.B.—I dine between twelve and one o'clock; the housekeeper, a matronly lady, taken as a fixture along with the house, could not, or would not, comprehend my request that I might be served at five)—on mounting the stairs with this lazy intention, and stepping into the room, I saw a servant-girl on her knees surrounded by brushes and coal-scuttles, and raising an infernal dust as she extinguished the flames with heaps of cinders.

En remontant du dîner, cependant, (N.B. — je dîne entre midi et une heure ; la gouvernante, une dame d'âge mûr, acceptée comme faisant partie intégrante de la maison, ne pouvait pas, ou ne voulait pas, comprendre ma demande d'être servi à cinq heures) — en montant l'escalier avec cette intention paresseuse, et en entrant dans la pièce, je vis une servante à genoux, entourée de brosses et de seaux à charbon, soulevant une poussière infernale tandis qu'elle éteignait les flammes avec des tas de cendres.

This spectacle drove me back immediately; I took my hat, and, after a four-miles' walk, arrived at Heathcliff's garden-gate just in time to escape the first feathery flakes of a snow shower.

Ce spectacle me fit reculer immédiatement ; je pris mon chapeau et, après une marche de six kilomètres, arrivai à la grille du jardin de Heathcliff juste à temps pour échapper aux premiers flocons légers d'une averse de neige.

On that bleak hill top the earth was hard with a black frost, and the air made me shiver through every limb.

Sur ce sommet de colline désolé, la terre était durcie par un gel noir, et l'air me faisait frissonner dans tous les membres.

Being unable to remove the chain, I jumped over, and, running up the flagged causeway bordered with straggling gooseberry-bushes, knocked vainly for admittance, till my knuckles tingled and the dogs howled.

Ne pouvant pas enlever la chaîne, je sautai par-dessus, et, remontant en courant la chaussée dallée bordée de groseilliers épars, frappai en vain pour qu'on me laissât entrer, jusqu'à ce que mes articulations picotent et que les chiens hurlent.

"Wretched inmates!" I ejaculated, mentally, "you deserve perpetual isolation from your species for your churlish inhospitality.

« Misérables habitants ! » m'écriai-je mentalement, « vous méritez un isolement perpétuel de votre espèce pour votre inhospitalité grossière.

At least, I would not keep my doors barred in the day-time.

Pour ma part, je ne garderais pas mes portes barricadées en plein jour.

I don't care—I will get in!"

Je m'en moque — j'entrerai ! »

So resolved, I grasped the latch and shook it vehemently.

Ainsi résolu, je saisis le loquet et le secouai avec véhémence.

Vocabulary

Hier: Yesterday; referring to the day before today.
l': Contraction of 'le' or 'la' before a vowel.
après-midi: Afternoon; the period after noon.
s': Reflexive pronoun 'se' contracted before a vowel.
est: Is; third person singular of 'être'.
installé: Settled or established in a place.
brumeux: Foggy or misty; describing hazy weather conditions.
et: And; coordinating conjunction linking two elements.
froid: Cold; low temperature or feeling of coldness.
J': Contraction of 'je' (I) before a vowel.
avais: Had; first person singular imperfect of 'avoir'.
à: To, at, or in; common French preposition.
moitié: Half; one of two equal parts of something.
envie: Desire or urge to do something.
de: Of or from; very common French preposition.
le: The; masculine singular definite article.
passer: To spend time or to pass by somewhere.
près: Near or close to something.
du: Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'le'.
feu: Fire; flames produced by combustion.
mon: My; first person singular masculine possessive adjective.
bureau: Office or desk; a workplace or writing surface.
plutôt: Rather or instead; expressing a preference.
que: That or than; subordinating conjunction or comparison word.
patauger: To wade or splash through water or mud.
travers: Through or across; used in expression 'à travers'.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
lande: Moor or heath; open uncultivated landscape.
boue: Mud; wet soft earth or dirt.
jusqu': Until or up to; preposition indicating a limit.
En: In or by; preposition used before present participle.
remontant: Going back up; present participle of 'remonter'.
dîner: To have dinner; the main evening meal.
cependant: However or nevertheless; indicating a contrast.
je: I; first person singular subject pronoun.
dîne: Dine; first person singular present of 'dîner'.
entre: Between; preposition indicating a position or time range.
midi: Noon; twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
une: One or a; feminine indefinite article or numeral.
heure: Hour or o'clock; unit of time measurement.
gouvernante: Housekeeper or governess; woman managing a household.
dame: Lady or woman; polite term for a female.
d': Of; contraction of 'de' before a vowel.
âge: Age; the length of time someone has lived.
mûr: Mature or ripe; fully developed in age or growth.
acceptée: Accepted; past participle of 'accepter', feminine form.
comme: As or like; conjunction used for comparison.
faisant: Making or doing; present participle of 'faire'.
partie: Part; a portion or component of something larger.
intégrante: Integral; forming an essential part of a whole.
maison: House or home; a building people live in.
ne: Not; negative particle used with 'pas' or alone.
pouvait: Could; third person singular imperfect of 'pouvoir'.
pas: Not; used with 'ne' to form negation.
ou: Or; conjunction presenting an alternative choice.
voulait: Wanted; third person singular imperfect of 'vouloir'.
comprendre: To understand; to grasp the meaning of something.
ma: My; first person singular feminine possessive adjective.
demande: Request or demand; asking for something.
être: To be; fundamental French auxiliary and linking verb.
servi: Served; past participle of 'servir'.
cinq: Five; the number 5.
heures: Hours or o'clock; plural form of 'heure'.
en: In or while; preposition or pronoun with varied uses.
montant: Going up; present participle of 'monter'.
escalier: Staircase; a set of stairs in a building.
avec: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
cette: This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective.
intention: Intention; a plan or purpose in mind.
paresseuse: Lazy; inclined to avoid effort or work.
entrant: Entering; present participle of 'entrer'.
dans: In or into; preposition indicating location or direction.
pièce: Room; a distinct area within a building.
vis: Saw; first person singular passé simple of 'voir'.
servante: Maidservant; a female domestic servant.
genoux: Knees; joints connecting thigh and lower leg.
entourée: Surrounded; encircled by objects or people.
brosses: Brushes; tools with bristles for cleaning or scrubbing.
seaux: Buckets; containers used to carry liquids.
charbon: Coal; a black mineral fuel burned for heat.
soulevant: Raising or stirring up; present participle of 'soulever'.
poussière: Dust; fine particles of dirt or powder.
infernale: Infernal or hellish; extremely terrible or unbearable.
tandis: While; used in 'tandis que' to indicate simultaneity.
qu': That or as; contraction of 'que' before a vowel.
elle: She or her; third person singular feminine pronoun.
éteignait: Was extinguishing; imperfect of 'éteindre'.
les: The; plural definite article for masculine and feminine.
flammes: Flames; burning streams of fire.
des: Some or of the; plural indefinite or partitive article.
tas: Pile or heap; a collection of things piled up.
cendres: Ashes; powdery residue left after something burns.
Ce: This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
spectacle: Sight or spectacle; a striking or remarkable scene.
me: Me; first person singular object pronoun.
fit: Made or caused; third person singular passé simple of 'faire'.
reculer: To step back or retreat; moving backward.
immédiatement: Immediately; without delay, at once.
pris: Took or taken; past participle of 'prendre'.
chapeau: Hat; a head covering worn outdoors.
après: After; following in time or order.
marche: Walk; act of walking as exercise or journey.
six: Six; the number 6.
kilomètres: Kilometers; units of distance equal to 1,000 meters.
arrivai: Arrived; first person singular passé simple of 'arriver'.
grille: Gate or iron grating; an entrance barrier.
jardin: Garden; an outdoor area for growing plants.
juste: Just or exactly; precisely at the right moment.
temps: Time or weather; a fundamental concept in French.
pour: For or in order to; expressing purpose or destination.
échapper: To escape or avoid; to get away from something.
aux: To the; contraction of 'à' and 'les'.
premiers: First; masculine plural of 'premier'.
flocons: Snowflakes or flakes; light falling pieces of snow.
légers: Light; not heavy, delicate or gentle.
averse: Shower; a sudden brief fall of rain or snow.
neige: Snow; frozen precipitation falling from clouds.
Sur: On or upon; preposition indicating position above a surface.
ce: This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
sommet: Summit or top; the highest point of a hill.
colline: Hill; a naturally raised area of land.
désolé: Desolate or sorry; bleak, uninhabited, or apologetic.
terre: Earth or ground; the soil or land surface.
était: Was; third person singular imperfect of 'être'.
durcie: Hardened; made hard or solid by cold.
par: By or through; preposition indicating means or agent.
un: A or one; masculine indefinite article or numeral.
gel: Frost or freeze; freezing of water or ground.
noir: Black; the darkest color, absence of light.
air: Air; the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth.
faisait: Was making or doing; imperfect third singular of 'faire'.
frissonner: To shiver or tremble; to shake from cold or fear.
tous: All or every; masculine plural of 'tout'.
membres: Limbs or members; body parts or group participants.
Ne: Not; negative particle typically paired with 'pas'.
pouvant: Being able; present participle of 'pouvoir'.
enlever: To remove or take off; to lift away something.
chaîne: Chain; a series of metal links used to fasten.
sautai: Jumped; first person singular passé simple of 'sauter'.
par-dessus: Over or above; jumping or passing over something.
courant: Running; present participle of 'courir'.
chaussée: Paved path or roadway; a surfaced walkway.
dallée: Paved with slabs; covered with flat stone tiles.
bordée: Bordered or lined; having something along its sides.
groseilliers: Currant bushes; shrubs producing small berries.
épars: Scattered or sparse; spread irregularly over an area.
frappai: Knocked or struck; first person singular passé simple of 'frapper'.
vain: Vain or futile; without success or result.
on: One or they; indefinite subject pronoun.
laissât: Would let; imperfect subjunctive of 'laisser'.
entrer: To enter; to go inside a place.
mes: My; first person singular plural possessive adjective.
articulations: Knuckles or joints; connecting points of bones.
picotent: Tingle or sting; prickling sensation in hands or skin.
chiens: Dogs; common domesticated animals.
hurlent: Howl or yell; make a loud wailing sound.
Misérables: Wretched or miserable people; the wretched inhabitants.
habitants: Inhabitants; people who live in a place.
m': Me; contraction of 'me' before a vowel.
écriai-je: I cried out; inverted form of 'je m'écriai'.
mentalement: Mentally; in one's mind, not spoken aloud.
vous: You; second person plural or formal subject pronoun.
méritez: Deserve; second person plural present of 'mériter'.
isolement: Isolation; the state of being separated from others.
perpétuel: Perpetual or endless; continuing without interruption.
votre: Your; second person plural possessive adjective.
espèce: Species or sort; a type or kind of thing.
inhospitalité: Inhospitality; unwelcoming treatment of guests.
grossière: Coarse or rude; crude, rough in manner or behavior.
Pour: For; preposition expressing purpose or on behalf of.
part: Part; in 'pour ma part' meaning 'for my part'.
garderais: Would keep; first person conditional of 'garder'.
portes: Doors; entrances into a building or room.
barricadées: Barricaded; blocked or secured against entry.
plein: Full or broad; used in 'en plein jour' (broad daylight).
jour: Day; a 24-hour period or daylight hours.
Je: I; first person singular subject pronoun.
moque: Mock or don't care; in 'je m'en moque' meaning indifferent.
j': I; contraction of 'je' before a vowel.
entrerai: Will enter; first person singular future of 'entrer'.
Ainsi: Thus or so; indicating a conclusion or manner.
résolu: Resolved or determined; having made a firm decision.
saisis: Seized or grabbed; first person singular passé simple of 'saisir'.
loquet: Latch; a small fastening device on a door or gate.
secouai: Shook; first person singular passé simple of 'secouer'.
véhémence: Vehemence; great force, passion, or intensity.

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