THE HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE, BY George Sylvester Viereck
vampire - vampire, chauve-souris vampire
George - george, Georges, Jorioz
The freakish little leader of the orchestra, newly imported from Sicily to New York, tossed his conductor's wand excitedly through the air, drowning with musical thunders the hum of conversation and the clatter of plates.
leader - chef, leader, dirigeant
orchestra - l'orchestre, orchestre
newly - nouvellement, récemment
imported - importé, importer
Sicily - la sicile, Sicile
York - york, Yorck, Yorque
tossed - ballotté, jet, au pile ou face, tirage au sort, pile ou face
conductor - chef d'orchestre, contrôleur, poinçonneur (ancient, in bus)
wand - baguette
excitedly - avec enthousiasme
drowning - la noyade, noyade, (drown), noyer, checksubmerger
musical - musical, musicale, musicien, musicienne, comédie musicale
thunders - tonnerres, tonnerre, tonner, tonitruer
Hum - hum, fredonner, bourdonner, fourmiller
clatter - claquer, craquer, claquement, craquement, vacarme
plates - plaques, assiette
Yet neither his apish demeanour nor the deafening noises that responded to every movement of his agile body detracted attention from the figure of Reginald Clarke and the young man at his side as they smilingly wound their way to the exit.
neither - ni l'un ni l'autre, aucun des deux, ni X ni Y, non plus
demeanour - comportement
nor - ni, NON-OU
deafening - assourdissante, assourdissant, (deafen), assourdir
noises - bruits, bruit, vacarme, brouhaha, boucan, tintamarre
responded - a répondu, répondre
movement - mouvement
agile - agile
detracted - détourné, nuire a
attention - attention, attentions, garde a vous
figure - figure, forme, personnage, personnalité, chiffre
side - côté, parti, flanc
smilingly - en souriant
wound - blessons, blessent, blessez, blessure, blesser
exit - sortie, débouché, trémie de sortie
The boy's expression was pleasant, with an inkling of wistfulness, while the soft glimmer of his lucid eyes betrayed the poet and the dreamer. The smile of Reginald Clarke was the smile of a conqueror. A suspicion of silver in his crown of dark hair only added dignity to his bearing, while the infinitely ramified lines above the heavy-set mouth spoke at once of subtlety and of strength.
expression - expression
pleasant - agréable, plaisant
inkling - l'étincelle, idée, soupçon
wistfulness - la nostalgie
soft - souple, moelleux, alcoolsans, mou, doux
glimmer - l'éclat, lueur, émettre une lueur
lucid - clair, claire, lucide
betrayed - trahi, trahir, livrer
poet - poete, poete
dreamer - reveur, reveur, reveuse
smile - sourire
Conqueror - conquérant, conquérante
suspicion - suspicion, soupçon
silver - l'argent, argent
crown - couronne, couronner
dignity - dignité, forme, rang
bearing - naissant, coussinet, (bear) naissant
infinitely - a l'infini
heavy - lourd, emporté
set - set, Seth
subtlety - subtilité, entremets
strength - la force, force, vigueur, effectif, point fort
Without stretch of the imagination one might have likened him to a Roman cardinal of the days of the Borgias, who had miraculously stepped forth from the time-stained canvas and slipped into twentieth century evening-clothes.
stretch - étendre, s'étendre, s'étirer, étirement
imagination - l'imagination, imagination
likened - assimilée, comparer
cardinal - cardinal, rouge cardinal
miraculously - miraculeusement
stepped - en escalier, steppe
forth - avant, en avant
stained - taché, tache, souillure, colorant, tacher, entacher, colorer
canvas - toile, canevas
slipped - a glissé, glisser
twentieth - vingtieme, vingtieme
With the affability of complete self-possession he nodded in response to greetings from all sides, inclining his head with special politeness to a young woman whose sea-blue eyes were riveted upon his features with a look of mingled hate and admiration.
affability - l'affabilité, affabilité, liant
self - soi, soi-meme
possession - bien, possession, propriété, possessions
nodded - hoché la tete, dodeliner, hocher, hochement
response - réponse
greetings - salutations, salutation, salut
all sides - de tous les côtés
inclining - l'inclinaison, inclinant, (incline) l'inclinaison
politeness - la politesse, politesse
whose - a qui, de qui, dont, duquel (de + lequel), duquel
riveted - rivetés, rivet, riveter
upon - sur, a
features - caractéristiques, caractéristique, particularité, spécialité
mingled - mélangés, mélanger
admiration - l'admiration, admiration
The woman, disregarding his silent salutation, continued to stare at him wild-eyed, as a damned soul in purgatory might look at Satan passing in regal splendour through the seventy times sevenfold circles of hell.
disregarding - le non-respect, mépris, ignorer, mépriser
silent - silencieux
salutation - salutation, titre
continued - suite, continuer
stare - fixer, regarder (fixement), dévisager
wild - sauvage, pétulant, grose
damned - foutu, maudit, condamné, (damn), condamner, réprouver
soul - âme
Satan - Satan
passing - en passant, passager, éminent, rapide, extremement
regal - royal
splendour - splendeur
sevenfold - septuple
circles - cercles, cercle, disque, yeux cernés-p, cerne
hell - l'enfer, enfer
Reginald Clarke walked on unconcernedly through the rows of gay diners, still smiling, affable, calm. But his companion bethought himself of certain rumours he had heard concerning Ethel Brandenbourg's mad love for the man from whose features she could not even now turn her eyes. Evidently her passion was unreciprocated. It had not always been so.
unconcernedly - en toute sérénité
rows - rangées, rang(ée)
gay - gay, gai
diners - les dîneurs, café-restaurant, wagon-restaurant
smiling - souriant, (smile), sourire
affable - affable, aimable, doux
Calm - calme, tranquille, calme plat, calmer, apaiser
companion - compagnon, compagne
Certain - certain, quelconque
rumours - rumeurs, rumeur
concerning - concernant, inquiétude, souci, soin, préoccupation
mad - fou, folle, fol, fâché, en colere
evidently - évidemment, de toute évidence, manifestement
passion - passion
unreciprocated - sans contrepartie
There was a time in her career, some years ago in Paris, when it was whispered that she had secretly married him and, not much later, obtained a divorce. The matter was never cleared up, as both preserved an uncompromising silence upon the subject of their matrimonial experience.
whispered - chuchoté, chuchotement, chuchoter, susurrer, murmurer
secretly - secretement, secretement, en cachette
obtained - obtenu, obtenir, se procurer, réussir, avoir succes, avoir
divorce - divorce, divorcer
matter - matiere, matiere, affaire, question, cause, substance
cleared up - éclairci
preserved - préservée, confiture, conserve, réserve naturelle
uncompromising - intransigeant
silence - le silence, silence
matrimonial - matrimonial
Experience - expérience, éprouver, vivre
Certain it was that, for a space, the genius of Reginald Clarke had completely dominated her brush, and that, ever since he had thrown her aside, her pictures were but plagiarisms of her former artistic self.
genius - génie
completely - completement, completement
brush - brosse, brossage, accrochage, brosser, se brosser, peindre
Since - depuis lors, depuis, depuis que, puisque, vu que
thrown - jeté, jeter, lancer
aside - a part, a côté, en passant, aparté
plagiarisms - plagiats, plagiat
former - ancien, ancienne, ci devant
artistic - artistique
The cause of the rupture between them was a matter only of surmise; but the effect it had on the woman testified clearly to the remarkable power of Reginald Clarke. He had entered her life and, behold!
cause - cause, raison, causer
rupture - rupture
surmise - présumer, supposer, suspecter
effect - effet, effets, effectuer
testified - a témoigné, témoigner, attester
Clearly - en clair, clairement
remarkable - remarquable
power - pouvoir, puissance, électricité, courant, alimenter
entered - a pénétré, entrer, rench: -neededr, taper, saisir
behold - regarder, voir, observer, voici, voila
the world was transfixed on her canvases in myriad hues of transcending radiance; he had passed from it, and with him vanished the brilliancy of her colouring, as at sunset the borrowed amber and gold fade from the face of the clouds.
canvases - des toiles, toile
myriad - myriade, nombreux
hues - teintes, teinte
transcending - transcender
passed - passé, passer (devant), dépasser
vanished - disparue, disparaître, s'évanouir, s'annuler
brilliancy - brillance
sunset - coucher de soleil, crépuscule
borrowed - emprunté, emprunter
amber - l'ambre, ambre, ambre jaune, couleur d'ambre, feu orange
gold - l'or, or
fade - s'estomper, déteignez, déteindre, déteins, déteignons
clouds - nuages, s'obscurcir
The glamour of Clarke's name may have partly explained the secret of his charm, but, even in circles where literary fame is no passport, he could, if he chose, exercise an almost terrible fascination. Subtle and profound, he had ransacked the coffers of medićval dialecticians and plundered the arsenals of the Sophists.
glamour - glamour, charme
partly - en partie
secret - secret
charm - charme, excitation, grâce
literary - littéraire
fame - la notoriété, gloire, célébrité
almost - presque, quasiment
subtle - subtile, subtil, délicat, astucieux
profound - profond
ransacked - saccagé, mettre a sac, saccager, fouiller
coffers - les caisses de l'état, coffre, caisson
medićval - médiévale
plundered - pillés, piller, fr
arsenals - arsenaux, arsenal
Many years later, when the vultures of misfortune had swooped down upon him, and his name was no longer mentioned without a sneer, he was still remembered in New York drawing-rooms as the man who had brought to perfection the art of talking. Even to dine with him was a liberal education.
vultures - des vautours, vautour, carencro, charognard
misfortune - malchance, mésaventure, malheur
swooped - en piqué, précipitation
mentioned - mentionnée, mentionner
sneer - ricaner
perfection - la perfection, perfection
dine - dîner
liberal - libéral, large, généreux, de gauche
education - l'éducation, éducation, enseignement
Clarke's marvellous conversational power was equalled only by his marvellous style. Ernest Fielding's heart leaped in him at the thought that henceforth he would be privileged to live under one roof with the only writer of his generation who could lend to the English language the rich strength and rugged music of the Elizabethans.
marvellous - merveilleux
conversational - conversationnel
equalled - égalée, égal, égaler a, égale
Fielding - fielding, jeu, (field), champ, campo, terrain, corps, rubrique
heart - cour
leaped - a sauté, sauter, bondir
privileged - privilégiée, privilege, privilégier
roof - toit
generation - génération, création, generation
lend - preter, pretons, conférer, pretent, emprunter
rugged - robuste, déchiqueté, accidenté, (rug), tapis, couverture
Elizabethans - les élisabéthains, élisabéthain
Reginald Clarke was a master of many instruments. Milton's mighty organ was no less obedient to his touch than the little lute of the troubadour. He was never the same; that was his strength. Clarke's style possessed at once the chiselled chasteness of a Greek marble column and the elaborate deviltry of the late Renaissance.
Master - maître, patron, maîtriser, maitre, maîtrisent
instruments - des instruments, instrument, acte
mighty - puissant
organ - organe, orgue
obedient - obéissant
touch - toucher, émouvoir, contact
lute - lut
troubadour - troubadour, trouvere, trobairitz, troubadouresse
possessed - possédé, posséder, s'emparer de
chiselled - ciselé, ciseau
chasteness - pureté
Greek - grec, grecque, grecques
marble - marbre, bille, grillot, marbrer
column - colonne, colonne (1, 3)
elaborate - élaborer, approfondir
At times his winged words seemed to flutter down the page frantically like Baroque angels; at other times nothing could have more adequately described his manner than the timeless calm of the gaunt pyramids.
winged - ailée, aile, ailier, improviser
seemed - semblait, sembler, paraître, avoir l'air
flutter - flottement, faséyer, voleter, voltiger, battement
frantically - frénétiquement
angels - anges, ange
adequately - de maniere adéquate
manner - maniere, maniere, façon, mode
timeless - intemporelle, intemporel
gaunt - décharné, maigre, osseux, anguleux, émacié
pyramids - les pyramides, pyramide
The two men had reached the street. Reginald wrapped his long spring coat round him.
reached - atteint, arriver/parvenir a
wrapped - enveloppé, enrouler (autour de)
round - ronde, cyclo, arrondissent, arrondis, arrondir
"I shall expect you to-morrow at four," he said.
shall - doit, rench: 'shall' followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense'
expect - s'attendre a, attendre, s'attendre a
morrow - lendemain, matin
The tone of his voice was deep and melodious, suggesting hidden depths and cadences.
tone - ton, tonalité, tonale
voice - voix
deep - profond, épais, grave, foncé, foncée, profondeurs
melodious - mélodieux
suggesting - suggérer, proposer
hidden - caché, (se) cacher
depths - profondeurs, profondeur, épaisseur
cadences - cadences, cadence
"I shall be punctual."
punctual - ponctuel
The younger man's voice trembled as he spoke.
trembled - tremblait, trembler, vibrer, tremblement, vibration
"I look forward to your coming with much pleasure. I am interested in you."
forward - avant, acheminent, acheminer, avanten, acheminons
pleasure - plaisir, volupté, désir
The glad blood mounted to Ernest's cheeks at praise from the austere lips of this arbiter of literary elegance.
Glad - heureux, heureuse
mounted - monté, monter
cheeks - joues, joue, fesse, culot, toupet, potence de bringuebale
Praise - des louanges, louange, louer, féliciter, prôner, vénérer
austere - austere, austere
lips - levres, levre
arbiter - arbitre
elegance - l'élégance, élégance, grâce, finesse
An almost imperceptible smile crept over the other man's features.
imperceptible - imperceptible
crept - rampé, ramper, rampement, fatigue, fluage, reptation
"I am proud that my work interests you," was all the boy could say.
proud - fiers, fier, orgueilleux
"I think it is quite amazing, but at present," here Clarke drew out a watch set with jewels, "I am afraid I must bid you good-bye."
jewels - bijoux, joyau, bijou, pierre d'horlogerie, rubis
bid - offre, impératifs, prier
Good-bye - (Good-bye) Au revoir
He held Ernest's hand for a moment in a firm genial grasp, then turned away briskly, while the boy remained standing open-mouthed. The crowd jostling against him carried him almost off his feet, but his eyes followed far into the night the masterful figure of Reginald Clarke, toward whom he felt himself drawn with every fiber of his body and the warm enthusiasm of his generous youth.
held - détenus, (main)tenir
firm - ferme, social, robuste, maison de commerce, solide
genial - génial, aimable, chaleureux
grasp - saisir, agripper, comprendre
briskly - rapidement, vivement
remained - est restée, reste, rester, demeurer
crowd - foule, acculer, amas, marée humaine
jostling - bousculade, (jostle), bousculer
against - contre, face a, pour
masterful - magistral
toward - vers, envers, pour, pres de
whom - que, qui
fiber - fibre
enthusiasm - l'enthousiasme, enthousiasme, passion
generous - généreux
youth - la jeunesse, jeunesse, jeune, jeune homme, les jeunes
With elastic step, inhaling the night-air with voluptuous delight, Reginald Clarke made his way down Broadway, lying stretched out before him, bathed in light and pulsating with life.
elastic - élastique
step - étape, marche
inhaling - l'inhalation, inspirer, aspirer, inhaler, ingurgiter
voluptuous - voluptueux
delight - plaisir, délice, joie, enchanter, ravir
lying - gisant, sis, mentant, (lie) gisant
stretched - étiré, étendre, s'étendre, s'étirer, étirement
His world-embracing intellect was powerfully attracted by the Giant City's motley activities. On the street, as in the salon, his magnetic power compelled recognition, and he stepped through the midst of the crowd as a Circassian blade cleaves water.
embracing - embrasser, étreindre, accolade
powerfully - puissamment
attracted - attiré, attirer
giant - géant
motley - motley, hétéroclite, bigarré
salon - salon, salon de coiffure, salon de beauté, institut de beauté
magnetic - magnétique
compelled - contraint, contraindre, forcer, obliger
recognition - reconnaissance
stepped - en escalier, pas
midst - centre, milieu
blade - lame
cleaves - clivage, fendre
After walking a block or two, he suddenly halted before a jeweller's shop. Arrayed in the window were priceless gems that shone in the glare of electricity, like mystical serpent-eyes-green, pomegranate and water-blue. And as he stood there the dazzling radiance before him was transformed in the prism of his mind into something great and very wonderful that might, some day, be a poem.
block - bloc, bloquer, bloquent, bloquons, obstruer, buche
suddenly - soudain, soudainement, tout d'un coup
halted - arreté, (s')arreter
jeweller's shop - la bijouterie
arrayed - en tableau, gamme, kyrielle, ribambelle, éventail, tableau
priceless - inestimable
gems - des pierres précieuses, joyau, pierre précieuse, merle blanc
shone - briller, éclairer
glare - éblouissement, éclat
electricity - l'électricité, électricité
mystical - mystique
serpent - serpent
pomegranate - grenade, grenadier
transformed - transformé, transformer, transformée
prism - prisme
mind - l'esprit, esprit, raison, intelligence, mémoire
some day - un jour
poem - poeme, poeme
Then his attention was diverted by a small group of tiny girls dancing on the sidewalk to the husky strains of an old hurdy-gurdy. He joined the circle of amused spectators, to watch those pink-ribboned bits of femininity swaying airily to and fro in unison with the tune. One especially attracted his notice-a slim olive-coloured girl from a land where it is always spring.
diverted - détourné, dévier, divertir
tiny - minuscule
sidewalk - trottoir
husky - husky, enroué
strains - les souches, tendre fortement
circle - cercle, disque, yeux cernés, cerne, cercler, entourer, encercler
amused - amusé, amuser
spectators - spectateurs, spectateur, spectatrice, badaud, badaude
those - ceux-ci, ces, celles-la, ceux-la
ribboned - enrubanné, ruban
bits - bits, (petit) morceau
femininity - féminité
swaying - se balancer, (sway), autorité, poids, influence, prépondérance
airily - aérienne
fro - fro
unison - a l'unisson, unisson
tune - l'accord, mélodie, air, tube, accorder, syntoniser
especially - spécialement, particulierement, surtout, en particulier
notice - remarquer, notification, préavis, s'apercevoir
slim - mince, svelte, maigrir, mincir
olive - olive
Her whole being translated into music, with hair dishevelled and feet hardly touching the ground, the girl suggested an orange-leaf dancing on a sunbeam. The rasping street-organ, perchance, brought to her melodious reminiscences of some flute-playing Savoyard boy, brown-limbed and dark of hair.
translated - traduit, traduire, translater
hardly - a peine, dur, durement, guere, a peine
touching - toucher, attendrissant, (touch), émouvoir
ground - sol, foncierere, terre, terrain, (grind) sol
suggested - suggéré, proposer, suggérer
leaf - feuille, rallonge, battant, ouvrant, vantail, feuiller
sunbeam - rayon de soleil
rasping - râpeux, grinçant, (rasp) râpeux
perchance - par hasard
reminiscences - des réminiscences, réminiscence
flute - flute
Savoyard - Savoyard
limbed - limbé, membre
For several minutes Reginald Clarke followed with keen delight each delicate curve her graceful limbs described. Then-was it that she grew tired, or that the stranger's persistent scrutiny embarrassed her?-the music oozed out of her movements. They grew slower, angular, almost clumsy.
several - plusieurs
keen - enthousiaste, désireux, poivré, vif
delicate - délicate, délicat, délicat (1, 2)
curve - courbe, courbes, courber
graceful - gracieux
limbs - membres, membre
Stranger - étranger, (strang) étranger
persistent - persistante, persistant, tenace
embarrassed - embarrassé, embarrasser, gener
oozed out - a suinté
movements - mouvements, mouvement
angular - angulaire
clumsy - empoté, gauche, lourd, maladroit
The look of interest in Clarke's eyes died, but his whole form quivered, as if the rhythm of the music and the dance had mysteriously entered into his blood.
quivered - a tremblé, frémir
rhythm - rythme
entered into - entrer
He continued his stroll, seemingly without aim; in reality he followed, with nervous intensity, the multiform undulations of the populace, swarming through Broadway in either direction. Like the giant whose strength was rekindled every time he touched his mother, the earth, Reginald Clarke seemed to draw fresh vitality from every contact with life.
stroll - promenade, flânerie, balade, promener
seemingly - censément
aim - objectif, visez, dgssein, mire, visons, but, peiner, visent
reality - la réalité, réalité, vérité
nervous - nerveux
intensity - l'intensité, intensité
multiform - multiforme
populace - population, bas peuple, plebe
swarming - l'essaimage, (swarm), essaim (flying insects)
either - chaque, non plus, ou, soit
direction - direction
rekindled - ravivée, rallumer, raviver
touched - touché, toucher, émouvoir, contact
earth - terre, terrier, relier a la terre, tmettre a la terre, enterrer
fresh - frais
vitality - vitalité
contact - contact, lentille, connaissance, toucher, contacter
He turned east along Fourteenth street, where cheap vaudevilles are strung together as glass-pearls on the throat of a wanton. Gaudy bill-boards, drenched in clamorous red, proclaimed the tawdry attractions within.
along - le long de, accompagné, rench: t-needed r
Fourteenth - quatorzieme, quatorzieme ('before the noun'), ('in names of monarchs and popes') quatorze ('after the name') ('abbreviation' XIV)
vaudevilles - vaudevilles, vaudeville
strung - cordée, corde, suite, série, chaîne de caracteres
pearls - perles, perle, joyau, perlure, parisienne, sédanoise
throat - gorge, goulot
wanton - indiscipliné, lascif, lubrique, dévergondé, licencieux, gratuit
gaudy - criardes, criard
boards - des planches, planche
drenched - trempé, tremper
clamorous - clameur
proclaimed - proclamé, proclamer, déclarer
tawdry - sordide, kitsch, tape-a-l’oil
attractions - des attractions, attraction, attirance
within - a l'intérieur, dedans, avant, d'ici
Much to the surprise of the doorkeeper at a particularly evil-looking music hall, Reginald Clarke lingered in the lobby, and finally even bought a ticket that entitled him to enter this sordid wilderness of décolleté art.
surprise - surprise, surprendre, étonner
doorkeeper - portier, portiere, concierge
particularly - en particulier
evil - le mal, mauvais, torve
hall - couloir, corridor, salle, salon, manoir, foyer
lingered - s'est attardé, s'installer, stagner, s'incruster, s'éteindre
lobby - lobby, hall
finally - enfin, définitivement
entitled - habilité, intituler
enter - entrer, rench: t-needed r, taper, saisir
sordid - saleté, sordide, avide, crapuleux (1, 3)
wilderness - la nature sauvage, désert, naturalité, nature sauvage
décolleté - décolleté
Street-snipes, a few workingmen, dilapidated sportsmen, and women whose ruined youth thick layers of powder and paint, even in this artificial light, could not restore, constituted the bulk of the audience.
snipes - snipes, tirer (en restant caché)
dilapidated - délabré, délabrer, dilapider
sportsmen - sportifs, sportif, athlete
ruined - ruiné, ruine, ruiner, abîmer, foutre en l'air
thick - épais, gros, dense, opaque, incompréhensible, lourd
powder - poudre, réduire en poudre, pulvériser, poudrer
artificial light - la lumiere artificielle
restore - restaurer, rétablir, rendre, restituer
constituted - constitué, constituer
bulk - en vrac, grosseur, gros, ensemble, vrac
audience - assistance, public, auditoire, lectorat, audience
Reginald Clarke, apparently unconscious of the curiosity, surprise and envy that his appearance excited, seated himself at a table near the stage, ordering from the solicitous waiter only a cocktail and a programme. The drink he left untouched, while his eyes greedily ran down the lines of the announcement.
apparently - apparemment, évidemment, en apparence
unconscious - inconscient, subconscient
curiosity - curiosité
envy - l'envie, envie, jalousie, convoitise, envier
appearance - l'apparence, apparition, apparence, comparution
seated - assis, place, siege, assise, séant, fond
stage - scene, étape, phase, scene, caleche, platine, mettre en scene
solicitous - sollicitante
cocktail - cocktail
untouched - intacte
greedily - avec avidité, avidement
ran down - s'écraser
announcement - annoncement, annonce
When he had found what he sought, he lit a cigar, paying no attention to the boards, but studying the audience with cursory interest until the appearance of Betsy, the Hyacinth Girl.
sought - recherchée, chercher
cigar - cigare
cursory - superficielle, rapide, superficiel
hyacinth - jacinthe
When she began to sing, his mind still wandered. The words of her song were crude, but not without a certain lilt that delighted the uncultured ear, while the girl's voice was thin to the point of being unpleasant. When, however, she came to the burden of the song, Clarke's manner changed suddenly. laying down his cigar, he listened with rapt attention, eagerly gazing at her.
wandered - erré, errer, vaguer, divaguer
crude - cru, vulgaire, brut
delighted - ravie, plaisir, délice, joie, enchanter, ravir
uncultured - inculte
unpleasant - déplaisant, pénible, désagréable
burden - charge, accablement, alourdissons, alourdir, alourdissez
laying down - en s'allongeant
rapt - rapt, captivé, absorbé, fasciné, ravi
eagerly - avec empressement, avidement
gazing at - a regarder
For, as she sang the last line and tore the hyacinth-blossoms from her hair, there crept into her voice a strangely poignant, pathetic little thrill, that redeemed the execrable faultiness of her singing, and brought the rude audience under her spell.
Last - derniere, dernier, durer, dernierere, durez, passé, durent
tore - a la déchirure
blossoms - fleurs, fleur, floraison, fleurir, s'épanouir
strangely - étrangement
pathetic - pathétique
thrill - l'excitation, exciter
redeemed - rachetés, racheter, libérer, secourir, soulager
execrable - exécrable
faultiness - la faute
rude - grossier, impoli, malpoli
Clarke, too, was captivated by that tremour, the infinite sadness of which suggested the plaint of souls moaning low at night, when lust preys on creatures marked for its spoil.
captivated - captivé, captiver
tremour - tremblement
infinite - infini, un nombre infini de
sadness - tristesse, malheur
plaint - plaint
souls - âmes, âme
moaning - gémissements, gémissement, se plaindre, geindre, gémir, mugir
low - faible, inférieure
lust - la convoitise, luxure, concupiscence, convoitise, joie
preys - proies, butin, prise, proie
creatures - créatures, créature, etre
marked - marqué, Marc
spoil - gâter, gâcher, tourner, dévoiler, révéler
The singer paused. Still those luminous eyes were upon her. She grew nervous. It was only with tremendous difficulty that she reached the refrain. As she sang the opening lines of the last stanza, an inscrutable smile curled on Clarke's lips. She noticed the man's relentless gaze and faltered. When the burden came, her singing was hard and cracked: the tremour had gone from her voice.
paused - en pause, pauser, pause
luminous - lumineux
tremendous - formidable
difficulty - difficulté
refrain - refrain
stanza - strophe, stance
inscrutable - impénétrable
curled - frisé, boucle, rotationnel, boucler
noticed - remarqué, remarquer, notification, préavis
relentless - sans relâche, implacable, impitoyable, tenace
gaze - regard, fixer
faltered - a faibli, vaciller
cracked - fissuré, (se) feler
Long before the appointed time Ernest walked up and down in front of the abode of Reginald Clarke, a stately apartment-house overlooking Riverside Drive.
appointed time - l'heure prévue
abode - domicile, demeure, (abide), endurer, tolérer
stately - majestueux, imposant
overlooking - en surplomb, vue, panorama, surplomber, négliger, louper
riverside - au bord de la riviere, berge, rive
Misshapen automobiles were chasing by, carrying to the cool river's marge the restlessness and the fever of American life. But the bustle and the noise seemed to the boy only auspicious omens of the future.
automobiles - automobiles, voiture, auto, automobile, char
chasing - chassant, (chas) chassant
marge - marger
restlessness - l'agitation, agitation, impatience
fever - de la fievre, fievre
bustle - l'agitation, affairement, branlebas, remue-ménage, agitation
noise - bruit, vacarme, brouhaha, boucan
auspicious - de bon augure
omens - des présages, présage
Jack, his room-mate and dearest friend, had left him a month ago, and, for a space, he had felt very lonely. His young and delicate soul found it difficult to grapple with the vague fears that his nervous brain engendered, when whispered sounds seemed to float from hidden corners, and the stairs creaked under mysterious feet.
Jack - Jeannot, Jacques, Jacob, Jack
mate - compagnon, appareiller
lonely - solitaire, seul, désert, abandonné
grapple with - aux prises avec
vague - vague
fears - des craintes, peur
brain - cerveau, or when used as food, tete, processeur
float - flotter, flotteur, taloche, char, flottant, float
corners - coins, coin, rencogner, piéger, acculer
stairs - escaliers, marche, escalier, volée
creaked - a grincé, craquement, craquer
mysterious - mystérieux
He needed the voice of loving kindness to call him back from the valley of haunting shadows, where his poet's soul was wont to linger overlong; in his hours of weakness the light caress of a comrade renewed his strength and rekindled in his hand the flaming sword of song.
kindness - la gentillesse, bonté
Valley - la vallée, vallée, val
haunting - la hantise, hantise, (haunt), hanter, demeurer
shadows - ombres, ombre, prendre en filature, t+filer
wont - de la volonté
linger - s'attarder, s'installer, stagner, s'incruster, s'éteindre
overlong - trop long
weakness - faiblesse, point faible
caress - caresse, caresser
comrade - camarade f, camarade
renewed - renouvelée, renouveler
flaming - flammes, enflammé, flambant, (flame), flamme, polémique
sword - l'épée, épée, glaive, épéiste
And at nightfall he would bring the day's harvest to Clarke, as a worshipper scattering precious stones, incense and tapestries at the feet of a god.
at nightfall - a la tombée de la nuit
harvest - la récolte, récolte, moisson, récolter, moissonner, recueillir
worshipper - adorateur, fidele
scattering - la dispersion, diffusion, éparpillement, (scatter), disperser
precious - précieux
stones - des pierres, pierre, t+roche, t+caillou, t+roc
incense - de l'encens, encens
tapestries - tapisseries, tapisserie, rench: -neededr
God - dieu, idolâtrer, déifier
Surely he would be very happy. And as the heart, at times, leads the feet to the goal of its desire, while multicoloured dreams, like dancing-girls, lull the will to sleep, he suddenly found himself stepping from the elevator-car to Reginald Clarke's apartment.
surely - surement, surement, assurément
leads - des pistes, conduire, mener
goal - objectif, but, but (marqué), marquer un but
desire - désirer, désir
multicoloured - multicolore
dreams - reves, reve, t+songe, t+voeu, t+souhait, t+vou
lull - l'accalmie, pause, bonace, calme, apaiser, bercer, calmer
stepping - en marche, pas
Already was he raising his hand to strike the electric bell when a sound from within made him pause half-way.
strike - greve, biffer, rayer, barrer, frapper, battre, faire greve
Electric - électrique, voiture électrique
bell - cloche, sonnette
pause - pauser, pause
"No, there's no help!" he heard Clarke say. His voice had a hard, metallic clangour.
metallic - métallique, métalisé
A boyish voice answered plaintively. What the words were Ernest could not distinctly hear, but the suppressed sob in them almost brought the tears to his eyes. He instinctively knew that this was the finale of some tragedy.
boyish - garçon
plaintively - plaintivement
distinctly - distinctement
suppressed - supprimée, contenir, fr
sob - sanglot, fdp
Tears - des larmes, larme
finale - finale
tragedy - tragédie
He withdrew hastily, so as not to be a witness of an interview that was not meant for his ears.
withdrew - s'est retiré, (se) retirer
hastily - hâtivement, précipitamment, a la hâte
witness - témoin
Reginald Clarke probably had good reason for parting with his young friend, whom Ernest surmised to be Abel Felton, a talented boy, whom the master had taken under his wings.
surmised - supposé, présumer, supposer, suspecter
Abel - abel
talented - talentueux
wings - des ailes, aile, ailier
In the apartment a momentary silence had ensued.
momentary - momentanée
ensued - s'ensuivit, résulter, découler
This was interrupted by Clarke: "It will come again, in a month, in a year, in two years."
interrupted - interrompu, interrompre, couper
"No, no! It is all gone!" sobbed the boy.
sobbed - sangloté, fdp-p
"Nonsense. You are merely nervous. But that is just why we must part. There is no room in one house for two nervous people."
nonsense - des absurdités, betise, absurdité, sottise (s)
merely - simplement, uniquement, seulement
just why - Mais pourquoi
"I was not such a nervous wreck before I met you."
such - tel, tellement, ainsi
wreck - épave, carcasse, accident, bousiller, ruiner
"Am I to blame for it-for your morbid fancies, your extravagance, the slow tread of a nervous disease, perhaps?"
blame - blâme, gronder, blâment, blâmons, blâmez, blâmer
morbid - morbide, checkmacabre, checkmalsain, checkpathologique
fancies - des fantaisies, envie, caprice
tread - la bande de roulement, piétiner, escabeau
disease - maladie, mal
Perhaps - peut-etre, peut-etre, possiblement
"Who can tell? But I am all confused. I don't know what I am saying. Everything is so puzzling-life, friendship, you. I fancied you cared for my career, and now you end our friendship without a thought!"
confused - confus, rendre perplexe, confondre
friendship - l'amitié, amitié
fancied - aimée, envie, caprice
cared for - pris en charge
"We must all follow the law of our being."
law - loi
"The laws are within us and in our control."
laws - des lois, loi(s), législation
control - contrôler, maîtrise, contrôle, commandes
"They are within us and beyond us. It is the physiological structure of our brains, our nerve-cells, that makes and mars our lives.
beyond - au-dela, au-dela, par-dela
physiological - physiologique
structure - structure
brains - cerveau, qualifierejorative or when used as food
nerve - nerf, nervure, toupet, culot, cran
cells - cellules, cellule
"Our mental companionship was so beautiful. It was meant to last."
mental - mentale, affectif, mental
"That is the dream of youth. Nothing lasts. Everything flows-panta rei. We are all but sojourners in an inn. Friendship, as love, is an illusion. Life has nothing to take from a man who has no illusions."
dream - reve, reve, songe, voeu
lasts - dure, dernier
flows - flux, couler
rei - rei
Inn - l'auberge, auberge
take from - Prendre de
illusions - des illusions, illusion
"It has nothing to give him."
They said good-bye.
At the door Ernest met Abel.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"For a little pleasure trip."
pleasure trip - voyage d'agrément
Ernest knew that the boy lied.
lied - menties, gésîmes, gési, gésie, gésirent, menti
He remembered that Abel Felton was at work upon some book, a play or a novel. It occurred to him to inquire how far he had progressed with it.
novel - roman, nouveau
occurred - s'est produite, produire
inquire - demander, enqueter
progressed - a progressé, progres
Abel smiled sadly. "I am not writing it."
smiled - souriait, sourire
sadly - tristement, malheureusement
"Not writing it?"
"Reginald is."
"I am afraid I don't understand."
I don't understand - Je ne comprends pas
"Never mind. Some day you will."
"I am so happy you came," Reginald Clarke said, as he conducted Ernest into his studio. It was a large, luxuriously furnished room overlooking the Hudson and Riverside Drive.
conducted - conduite, comportement, se comporter, conduire, mener
studio - studio, atelier
luxuriously - luxueusement
furnished - meublé, meubler, fournir, livrer
Dazzled and bewildered, the boy's eyes wandered from object to object, from picture to statue. Despite seemingly incongruous details, the whole arrangement possessed style and distinction.
dazzled - éblouie, éblouir
bewildered - déconcertés, abasourdir, confondre, déconcerter, dérouter
object to - s'opposer a
statue - statue
despite - en dépit de, malgré
incongruous - incongru
arrangement - arrangement, disposition, composition, préparatifs, accord
distinction - distinction, différence
A satyr on the mantelpiece whispered obscene secrets into the ears of saint Cecilia. The argent limbs of Antinous brushed against the garments of Mona Lisa. And from a corner a little rococo lady peered coquettishly at the gray image of an Egyptian sphinx. There was a picture of Napoleon facing the image of the Crucified.
satyr - satyre
mantelpiece - tablette de cheminée
obscene - obscene, obscene
secrets - secrets, secret
saint - Saint
argent - argent
brushed - brossé, brosse, brossage, accrochage, brosser
garments - vetements, vetement
corner - coin, rencogner, piéger, acculer, négocier un prix de gros
lady - dame, madame, lady
peered - regardé, pair
coquettishly - coquettement
Gray - gris
image - image
Egyptian - égyptien, égyptienne
sphinx - sphinx
crucified - crucifié, crucifier
Above all, in the semi-darkness, artificially produced by heavy draperies, towered two busts.
semi - semi
darkness - l'obscurité, obscurité, ténebres
artificially - artificiellement
produced - produit, produire, produits-p
draperies - draperies, rideau
towered - en hauteur, tour
busts - des bustes, poitrine
"Shakespeare and Balzac!" Ernest exclaimed with some surprise.
Shakespeare - shakespeare
Balzac - balzac
exclaimed - s'est exclamé, exclamer
"Yes," explained Reginald, "they are my gods."
gods - dieux, idolâtrer, déifier
His gods! Surely there was a key to Clarke's character. Our gods are ourselves raised to the highest power.
character - caractere, personnage, caractere
ourselves - nous-memes, nous-meme
raised - soulevée, (sou)lever
Clarke and Shakespeare!
Even to Ernest's admiring mind it seemed almost blasphemous to name a contemporary, however esteemed, in one breath with the mighty master of song, whose great gaunt shadow, thrown against the background of the years has assumed immense, unproportionate, monstrous dimensions.
admiring - admiratif, admirer
blasphemous - blasphématoire
contemporary - contemporain
esteemed - estimé, estime, respect, respecter
breath - respiration, souffle, haleine
shadow - l'ombre, ombre, prendre en filature, filer
background - arriere-plan, trame, fond
assumed - supposé, supposer, présupposer, présumer, assumer, adopter
immense - immense
unproportionate - disproportionné
monstrous - monstrueux
dimensions - dimensions, dimension
Yet something might be said for the comparison. Clarke undoubtedly was universally broad, and undoubtedly concealed, with no less exquisite taste than the Elizabethan, his own personality under the splendid raiment of his art. They certainly were affinities. It would not have been surprising to him to see the clear calm head of Shakespeare rise from behind his host.
comparison - comparaison, degré
Undoubtedly - sans doute
universally - universellement
broad - large
concealed - dissimulée, dissimuler, cacher
exquisite - exquis
taste - gout, gout, saveur, avant-gout, gouter, avoir un gout
Elizabethan - l'époque élisabéthaine, élisabéthain
personality - personnalité
splendid - splendide, fameux
raiment - vetements
Certainly - certainement, surement, sans nul doute, sans aucun doute
affinities - affinités, affinité
surprising - surprenant, étonnant, surprenante
clear - clair, transparent, libre, dégagé, sans ambiguité, s'éclaircir
rise - hausse, remonte, élévation, débout, surcroît
Host - l'hôte, hote, hôte
Perhaps-who knows?-the very presence of the bust in his room had, to some extent, subtly and secretly moulded Reginald Clarke's life. A man's soul, like the chameleon, takes colour from its environment. Even comparative trifles, the number of the house in which we live, or the colour of the wallpaper of a room, may determine a destiny.
presence - présence
bust - buste
extent - mesure, étendue
subtly - subtilement
moulded - moulé, terreau, humus
chameleon - caméléon
environment - l'environnement, environnement
comparative - comparatif
trifles - des broutilles, bagatelle, broutille, babiole, bricole
wallpaper - papier peint, fond d'écran, arrierelan, papiereint, tapisser
determine - déterminer
destiny - destin, destinée, sort
The boy's eyes were again surveying the fantastic surroundings in which he found himself; while, from a corner, Clarke's eyes were watching his every movement, as if to follow his thoughts into the innermost labyrinth of the mind. It seemed to Ernest, under the spell of this passing fancy, as though each vase, each picture, each curio in the room, was reflected in Clarke's work.
thoughts - réflexions, idée, pensée
innermost - le plus profond
labyrinth - labyrinthe
fancy - fantaisie, imaginer, songer
vase - vase
curio - curio, bibelot, curiosité
reflected - réfléchie, refléter, réfléchir
In a long-queued, porcelain Chinese mandarin he distinctly recognised a quaint quatrain in one of Clarke's most marvellous poems. And he could have sworn that the grin of the Hindu monkey-god on the writing-table reappeared in the weird rhythm of two stanzas whose grotesque cadence had haunted him for years.
queued - en file d'attente, queue, natte, file
porcelain - porcelaine
Chinese - chinois, langue chinoise
Mandarin - le mandarin, mandarin
quaint - pittoresque, singulier, intéressant, curieux
quatrain - quatrain
poems - poemes, poeme
sworn - assermenté, jurer
grin - sourire, rictus
Hindu - hindous, hindou, hindoue
monkey - singe, guenon
reappeared - réapparaît, réapparaître
weird - bizarre, étrange
stanzas - strophes, strophe, stance
grotesque - grotesque
cadence - cadence
haunted - hanté, hanter, demeurer, point de rencontre
At last Clarke broke the silence. "You like my studio?" he asked.
The simple question brought Ernest back to reality.
simple - simple
"Like it? Why, it's stunning. It set up in me the queerest train of thought."
stunning - époustouflant, étourdir, étonner, époustoufler
queerest - le plus rapide, étrange, bizarre
"I, too, have been in a whimsical mood to-night. Fancy, unlike genius, is an infectious disease."
whimsical - fantaisiste, capricieux, étrange, drôle, amusant
mood - l'humeur, humeur, changeant, ambiance, diapason
unlike - contrairement a, différent
infectious disease - une maladie infectieuse
"What is the peculiar form it assumed in your case?"
peculiar - particulier, extraordinaire, bizarre, curieux
case - cas, affaire, fouille, étui, chose
"I have been wondering whether all the things that environ us day by day are, in a measure, fashioning our thought-life. I sometimes think that even my little mandarin and this monkey-idol which, by the way, I brought from India, are exerting a mysterious but none the less real influence upon my work."
wondering - se demander, (wonder), merveille, conjecturer
whether - si, que, soit, si oui ou non
environ - environ
measure - mesure, mesurer
fashioning - de la mode, mode, vogue, façon, façonner
idol - idole
India - l'inde, Inde
exerting - exercer
none - aucun, ne nulle
influence - influence, influencer, influer
"Great God!" Ernest replied, "I have had the identical thought!"
replied - a répondu, répondre, réponse
identical - identique, meme
"How very strange!" Clarke exclaimed, with seeming surprise.
strange - étrange, anormal, inconnu, étranger
seeming - en apparence, paraissant, (seem), sembler, paraître, avoir l'air
"It is said tritely but truly, that great minds travel the same roads," Ernest observed, inwardly pleased.
tritely - triment
truly - vraiment
minds - les esprits, esprit, t+raison, t+intelligence, mémoire
observed - observée, observer, remarquer, respecter, garder
inwardly - intérieurement
"No," the older man subtly remarked, "but they reach the same conclusion by a different route."
remarked - remarqué, remarque
reach - atteindre, parviens, allonge, parvenir, préhension
conclusion - conclusion, fin
route - itinéraire, parcours, chemin, acheminement
"And you attach serious importance to our fancy?"
attach - attacher
serious - sérieux
importance - importance
"Why not?"
Clarke was gazing abstractedly at the bust of Balzac.
gazing - regarder, fixer
abstractedly - de maniere abstraite
"A man's genius is commensurate with his ability of absorbing from life the elements essential to his artistic completion. Balzac possessed this power in a remarkable degree. But, strange to say, it was evil that attracted him most. He absorbed it as a sponge absorbs water; perhaps because there was so little of it in his own make-up.
commensurate - proportionné
ability - capacité, pouvoir, habileté
absorbing - absorbant, absorber, éponger
elements - éléments, élément, membre
essential - indispensable, essentiel, fondamental
completion - l'achevement, achevement, exécution
degree - diplôme, degré, ordre
strange to say - étrange a dire
absorbed - absorbé, absorber, éponger
sponge - éponge, ivrogne, soulard, éponger
absorbs - absorbe, absorber, éponger
He must have purified the atmosphere around him for miles, by bringing all the evil that was floating in the air or slumbering in men's souls to the point of his pen.
purified - purifié, purifier
atmosphere - atmosphere, atmosphere, ambience, ambiance
for miles - sur des kilometres
floating - flottant, (float), flotter, flotteur, taloche, char
slumbering - dormir, (slumber), somnolence, somnoler
"And he"-his eyes were resting on Shakespeare's features as a man might look upon the face of a brother-"he, too, was such a nature. In fact, he was the most perfect type of the artist. Nothing escaped his mind. From life and from books he drew his material, each time reshaping it with a master-hand. Creation is a divine prerogative.
resting - au repos, (rest) au repos
nature - nature
most perfect - le plus parfait
escaped - s'est échappé, échapper, s'échapper, éviter, tirer
material - matériel, matériau, matiere, étoffe, tissu
creation - création
divine - divine, divin
prerogative - prérogative
Re-creation, infinitely more wonderful than mere calling into existence, is the prerogative of the poet. Shakespeare took his colours from many palettes. That is why he is so great, and why his work is incredibly greater than he. It alone explains his unique achievement. Who was he? What education did he have, what opportunities? None.
more wonderful - plus merveilleux
mere - simple
existence - l'existence, existence
palettes - palettes, palette
incredibly - incroyable
alone - seul
unique - unique
achievement - de la réussite, réalisation, accomplissement, haut fait
opportunities - des opportunités, occasion, opportunité, occasion favorable
And yet we find in his work the wisdom of Bacon, Sir Walter Raleigh's fancies and discoveries, Marlowe's verbal thunders and the mysterious loveliness of Mr. W.H."
wisdom - la sagesse, sagesse
bacon - bacon, lard, lardon
discoveries - découvertes, découverte
verbal - verbal, oral
loveliness - la beauté, beauté, charme
Mr - monsieur
Ernest listened, entranced by the sound of Clarke's mellifluous voice. He was, indeed, a master of the spoken word, and possessed a miraculous power of giving to the wildest fancies an air of vraisemblance.
entranced - envouté, entrée
mellifluous - mélodieux
indeed - certainement, vraiment, en effet, bien sur, certes
miraculous - miraculeux
wildest - le plus sauvage, sauvage
vraisemblance - vraisemblance
"Yes," said Walkham, the sculptor, "it's a most curious thing."
sculptor - sculpteur
most curious - le plus curieux
"What is?" asked Ernest, who had been dreaming over the Sphinx that was looking at him from its corner with the sarcastic smile of five thousand years.
dreaming - en train de rever, revant, (dream), reve, songe, voeu
sarcastic - sarcastique
"How our dreams of yesterday stare at us like strangers to-day."
"On the contrary," remarked Reginald, "it would be strange if they were still to know us. In fact, it would be unnatural. The skies above us and the earth underfoot are in perpetual motion. Each atom of our physical nature is vibrating with unimaginable rapidity. Change is identical with life."
contrary - contraire, contrepied
unnatural - contre nature
skies - skies, ciel
underfoot - sous les pieds
perpetual - perpétuel
motion - mouvement, motion
atom - atome
physical - physique, physiologique, visite médicale, check-up
vibrating - vibrant, vibrer
unimaginable - inimaginable
rapidity - rapidité, célérité
"It sometimes seems," said the sculptor, "as if thoughts evaporated like water."
Seems - semble-t-il, sembler, paraître, avoir l'air
evaporated - s'est évaporée, évaporer
"Why not, under favorable conditions?"
favorable - favorable
conditions - conditions, condition
"But where do they go? Surely they cannot perish utterly?"
perish - périr
utterly - tout a fait
"Yes, that is the question. Or, rather, it is not a question. Nothing is ever lost in the spiritual universe."
spiritual - spirituel
universe - univers
"But what," inquired Ernest, "is the particular reason for your reflection?"
inquired - a demandé, enqueter, renseigner
particular - particulier
reflection - réflexion, reflet, eaning 4
"It is this," the sculptor replied; "I had a striking motive and lost it."
striking - frappant, éclatant, (strike), biffer, rayer, barrer, frapper
motive - motif, mobile, theme, motiver, moteur, mouvant
"Do you remember," he continued, speaking to Reginald, "the Narcissus I was working on the last time when you called at my studio?"
narcissus - narcisse
"Yes; it was a striking thing and impressed me very much, though I cannot recall it at the moment."
impressed - impressionné, impressionner
though - mais, néanmoins, cependant, malgré, bien que
recall - rappeler
"Well, it was a commission. An eccentric young millionaire had offered me eight thousand dollars for it. I had an absolutely original conception. But I cannot execute it. It's as if a breeze had carried it away."
commission - commission, commission d'agent immobilier, courtage, charger
eccentric - excentrique
millionaire - millionnaire
offered - proposé, offrir, proposer
absolutely - absolument
original - originel, original
conception - conception
execute - exécuter, mettre a mort
breeze - brise
"That is very regrettable."
regrettable - regrettable
"Well, I should say so," replied the sculptor.
Ernest smiled. For everybody knew of Walkham's domestic troubles. Having twice figured in the divorce court, he was at present defraying the expenses of three households.
domestic - domestique, amily, intérieur
troubles - des problemes, peine, mal, probleme, emmerde, fr
figured - figuré, figure, forme, personnage, personnalité
Court - la cour, cour, tribunal, court de tennis, court, courtiser
defraying - défrayer
expenses - dépenses, dépense
households - ménages, foyer, ménage, maisonnée, domestique
The sculptor had meanwhile seated himself at Reginald's writing-table, unintentionally scanning a typewritten page that was lying before him. Like all artists, something of a madman and something of a child, he at first glanced over its contents distractedly, then with an interest so intense that he was no longer aware of the impropriety of his action.
Meanwhile - pendant ce temps
unintentionally - involontairement
scanning - le balayage, (scan), scanner, fouiller, numériser, scander, scan
madman - fou, insensé
glanced - a glissé, jeter un coup d’oil, coup d'oil
Contents - contenu, satisfait
distractedly - distraitement
intense - intense
aware - conscient, attentif, vigilant, en éveil, en alerte
"By Jove!" he cried. "What is this?"
Jove - jove, Jupin
cried - pleuré, pleurer, crier, hurler, gueuler, pleur, cri
"It's an epic of the French Revolution," Reginald replied, not without surprise.
epic - épique, épopée
French - français, tlangue française, t+Français
revolution - révolution, coup d'état, tour
"But, man, do you know that I have discovered my motive in it?"
discovered - découvert, découvrir
"What do you mean?" asked Ernest, looking first at Reginald and then at Walkham, whose sanity he began to doubt.
sanity - la santé mentale, santé mentale
doubt - des doutes, douter, doute
"Listen!"
And the sculptor read, trembling with emotion, a long passage whose measured cadence delighted Ernest's ear, without, however, enlightening his mind as to the purport of Walkham's cryptic remark.
emotion - l'émotion, émotion
passage - passage, corridoir, couloir
measured - mesurée, mesure, mesurer
enlightening - éclairant, éclairer, informer
purport - purport, prétendre, avoir l'intention
cryptic - cryptique, mystérieux, énigmatique
remark - remarque, remarquent, remarquez, remarquons
Reginald said nothing, but the gleam in his eye showed that this time, at least, his interest was alert.
gleam - briller, luisent, luisez, brillant, luisons
alert - alerte, alarme, vif
Walkham saw the hopelessness of making clear his meaning without an explanation.
hopelessness - le désespoir, désespérance
making clear - etre clair
explanation - explication
"I forget you haven't a sculptor's mind. I am so constituted that, with me, all impressions are immediately translated into the sense of form. I do not hear music; I see it rise with domes and spires, with painted windows and Arabesques. The scent of the rose is to me tangible. I can almost feel it with my hand.
impressions - impressions, impression
immediately - immédiatement, tout de suite, aussitôt
sense - sens, acception, sentir
domes - dômes, dôme
spires - spires, fleche
arabesques - arabesques, arabesque
scent - parfum, odeur, odorat, sentir
rose - Rose, (rise)
tangible - tangible, palpable
So your prose suggested to me, by its rhythmic flow, something which, at first indefinite, crystallised finally into my lost conception of Narcissus."
prose - prose
flow - flux, coulons, couler, coulez, courant, écoulement
"It is extraordinary," murmured Reginald. "I had not dreamed of it."
extraordinary - extraordinaire
murmured - murmuré, murmure, rumeur, souffle, murmurer
dreamed - revé, reve, t+songe, t+voeu, t+souhait, t+vou
"So you do not think it rather fantastic?" remarked Ernest, circumscribing his true meaning.
circumscribing - circonscrire
"No, it is quite possible. Perhaps his Narcissus was engaging the sub-conscious strata of my mind while I was writing this passage. And surely it would be strange if the undercurrents of our mind were not reflected in our style."
engaging - engageant, attirer l'attention, engager, embrayer
sub - sous, sous-, sub-
conscious - conscient
strata - strates, (stratum), couche, strate, stratum, classe
undercurrents - les courants sous-jacents, courant sous-marin, sous-courant
"Do you mean, then, that a subtle psychologist ought to be able to read beneath and between our lines, not only what we express, but also what we leave unexpressed?"
Psychologist - psychologue
beneath - dessous
unexpressed - non exprimée
"Undoubtedly."
"Even if, while we are writing, we are unconscious of our state of mind? That would open a new field to psychology."
state - l'État
field - champ, campo, terrain, corps, rubrique, attraper
psychology - la psychologie, psychologie
"Only to those that have the key, that can read the hidden symbols. It is to me a matter-of-course that every mind-movement below or above the threshold of consciousness must, of a necessity, leave its imprint faintly or clearly, as the case may be, upon our activities."
symbols - des symboles, symbole
threshold - seuil, seuil de tolérance
consciousness - la conscience, conscience
necessity - nécessité, besoin
imprint - impression, empreinte
faintly - faiblement
"This may explain why books that seem intolerably dull to the majority, delight the hearts of the few," Ernest interjected.
Seem - sembler, paraître, avoir l'air
intolerably - intolérable
dull - émoussé, ennuyeux, barbant, mat, terne, sot, obtus
majority - majorité
hearts - des cours, coeur
interjected - s'est interposé, intervenir
"Yes, to the few that possess the key. I distinctly remember how an uncle of mine once laid down a discussion on higher mathematics and blushed fearfully when his innocent wife looked over his shoulder. The man who had written it was a roué."
possess - posséder, s'emparer de
mine - la mienne, mienne, miniere
laid down - mis en place
discussion - discussion
blushed - rougi, rougeur
fearfully - avec crainte
innocent - innocent
"Then the seemingly most harmless books may secretly possess the power of scattering in young minds the seed of corruption," Walkham remarked.
most harmless - le plus inoffensif
seed - semences, semailles, semence, pépin
corruption - corruption, pourriture, concussion
"If they happen to understand," Clarke observed thoughtfully. "I can very well conceive of a lecherous text-book of the calculus, or of a reporter's story of a picnic in which burnt, under the surface, undiscoverable, save to the initiate, the tragic passion of Tristram and Iseult."
thoughtfully - de maniere réfléchie
conceive of - concevoir
lecherous - lubrique
calculus - calcul, lithiase
reporter - reporter, rapporteur, rapporteuse, journaliste
picnic - pique-nique, piquenique, picnic, jeu d’enfant
burnt - brulé, brulé, (burn) brulé
surface - surface, faire surface
undiscoverable - indécouvrable
save - sauver, sauvegarder, épargner, préserver, protéger
initiate - initié, commencer, démarrer, initier
tragic - tragique
Tristram - Tristram
Iseult - Iseult
Several weeks had elapsed since the conversation in Reginald Clarke's studio. The spring was now well advanced and had sprinkled the meadows with flowers, and the bookshelves of the reviewers with fiction. The latter Ernest turned to good account, but from the flowers no poem blossomed forth.
elapsed - s'est écoulé, passer
advanced - avancé, élever, avancer, avancée, progression, progres
sprinkled - saupoudré, saupoudrer, asperger
meadows - prairies, pré
bookshelves - des étageres, bibliotheque, étagere
reviewers - évaluateurs, relecteur, réviseur
fiction - fiction, belles-lettres
account - compte, supputation, demande
blossomed - s'est épanouie, fleur, floraison, fleurir, s'épanouir
In writing about other men's books, he almost forgot that the springtide had brought to him no bouquet of song. Only now and then, like a rippling of water, disquietude troubled his soul.
springtide - le printemps
bouquet - bouquet
rippling - ondulation, (ripple) ondulation
disquietude - inquiétude, angoisse, affres, anxiété, stress
troubled - troublé, peine, mal, probleme, emmerde, fr
The strange personality of the master of the house had enveloped the lad's thoughts with an impenetrable maze. The day before Jack had come on a flying visit from Harvard, but even he was unable to free Ernest's soul from the obsession of Reginald Clarke.
enveloped - enveloppé, envelopper
lad - lad, garçon, gars, jeune homme, palefrenier
impenetrable - impénétrable
maze - labyrinthe, dédale
flying visit - Visite éclair
Harvard - Harvard, Harvarde
unable - incapable, inapte, inhabile
obsession - l'obsession, idée fixe, obsession, checkfixation
Ernest was lazily stretching himself on a couch, waving the smoke of his cigarette to Reginald, who was writing at his desk.
lazily - paresseusement
stretching - l'étirement, étendre, s'étendre, s'étirer, étirement
couch - canapé, divan
waving - en faisant signe de la main, (wave) en faisant signe de la main
smoke - la fumée, fumons, griller, fumer, fument, fumée, fumez
cigarette - cigarette
"Your friend Jack is delightful," Reginald remarked, looking up from his papers. "And his ebon-coloured hair contrasts prettily with the gold in yours. I should imagine that you are temperamental antipodes."
delightful - délicieux
ebon - ebon
contrasts - des contrastes, contraste, contraster
prettily - joliment
temperamental - capricieux
"So we are; but friendship bridges the chasm between."
bridges - des ponts, pont
chasm - chasme, crevasse, fossé, gouffre
"How long have you known him?"
"We have been chums ever since our sophomore year."
chums - les copains, copain/copine
sophomore - deuxieme année, étudiant de deuxieme année
"What attracted you in him?"
"It is no simple matter to define exactly one's likes and dislikes. Even a tiny protoplasmic animal appears to be highly complex under the microscope. How can we hope to analyse, with any degree of certitude, our souls, especially when, under the influence of feeling, we see as through a glass darkly."
define - déterminer, définir
exactly - exactement
dislikes - n'aime pas, antipathie, ne pas aimer
protoplasmic - protoplasmique
Appears - apparaît, apparaître, paraître, sembler
highly - hautement, extremement
complex - complexe
microscope - microscope
analyse - analyser
certitude - certitude
darkly - sombrement
"It is true that personal feeling colours our spectacles and distorts the perspective. Still, we should not shrink from self-analysis. We must learn to see clearly into our own hearts if we would give vitality to our work. Indiscretion is the better part of literature, and it behooves us to hound down each delicate elusive shadow of emotion, and convert it into copy."
spectacles - lunettes, spectacle
distorts - déforme, déformer, distordre
perspective - perspective, perspectif
shrink - rétrécissement, se réduire, rétrécir, se resserrer
analysis - analyse
indiscretion - indiscrétion
literature - la littérature, littérature
hound - chien de chasse, chien (de chasse)
elusive - insaisissable
convert - se convertir, convertir, reconverti
copy - copie, exemplaire, copier, imiter, recevoir
"It is because I am so self-analytical that I realise the complexity of my nature, and am at a loss to define my emotions. Conflicting forces sway us hither and thither without neutralising each other. Physicology isn't physics. There were many things to attract me to Jack. He was subtler, more sympathetic, more feminine, perhaps, than the rest of my college-mates."
analytical - analytique
realise - comprendre
complexity - complexité
Loss - perte, déperdition, perdition, déchet, coulage
emotions - des émotions, émotion
conflicting - contradictoires, conflit, incompatibilité
forces - forces, force
sway - se balancer, autorité, poids, influence, prépondérance
thither - la, la, d'ici la
attract - attirer
subtler - plus subtil, subtil, délicat, astucieux
more sympathetic - plus sympathique
feminine - féminine, féminin, féminin (2)
rest - se reposer, reposent, reposez, reposons, se, reposer, débris
mates - les copains, (s')accoupler
"That I have noticed. In fact, his lashes are those of a girl. You still care for him very much?"
lashes - cils, cil
care - soins, s'occuper, soin, souci
"It isn't a matter of caring. We are two beings that live one life."
beings - etres, etre, créature, existence
"A sort of psychic Siamese twins?"
sort - tri, assortir, esrece, assortis, sorte
psychic - psychique, voyant, médium
Siamese twins - Des jumeaux siamois
"Almost. Why, the matter is very simple. Our hearts root in the same soil; the same books have nourished us, the same great winds have shaken our being, and the same sunshine called forth the beautiful blossom of friendship."
root - racine, enraciner, enracinez, enracinons, enracinent, rave
soil - sol, terre, barbouillons, barbouiller, foncierere
nourished - nourri, nourrir
winds - vents, vent
shaken - secoué, secouer, agiter
sunshine - soleil, lumiere du soleil
blossom - fleur, floraison, fleurir, s'épanouir
"He struck me, if you will pardon my saying so, as a rather commonplace companion."
struck - frappé, biffer, rayer, barrer, frapper, battre
Pardon - pardon, grâce, pardonner, gracier, désolé, excusez-moi
commonplace - ordinaire, banal, lieu commun
"There is in him a hidden sweetness, and a depth of feeling which only intimate contact reveals. He is now taking his post-graduate course at Harvard, and for well-nigh two months we have not met; yet so many invisible threads of common experience unite us that we could meet after years and still be near each other."
depth - profondeur, épaisseur
intimate - intime
reveals - révele, révéler, laisser voir
graduate - licencié, licenciée, diplômé, diplômée
nigh - nuit, proche, pres
invisible - invisible, caché
threads - fils, fil, processus léger, exétron
unite - s'unir, unir
"You are very young," Reginald replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Ah-never mind."
"So you do not believe that two hearts may ever beat as one?"
beat - battre
"No, that is an auditory delusion. Not even two clocks beat in unison. There is always a discrepancy, infinitesimal, perhaps, but a discrepancy nevertheless."
auditory - auditif
delusion - illusion, délire
beat - battre, abats, battement, battirent, battent, abattîmes
discrepancy - divergence, incohérence
infinitesimal - infinitésimal
nevertheless - néanmoins, toutefois, pourtant, malgré tout
A sharp ring of the bell interrupted the conversation. A moment later a curly head peeped through the door.
sharp - pointu, affilé, coupant, affuté, tranchant
ring - anneau, cerne, ring, tinter
curly - bouclé, frisé, courbe, courbé
peeped - épié, regarder qqch a la dérobée
"Hello, Ernest! How are you, old man?" the intruder cried, with a laugh in his voice. Then, noticing Clarke, he shook hands with the great man unceremoniously, with the nonchalance of the healthy young animal bred in the atmosphere of an American college.
intruder - intrus, importun
noticing - remarquer, notification, préavis
shook - secoué, (shake), secouer, agiter, se serrer la main, secousse
unceremoniously - sans cérémonie
nonchalance - nonchalance
bred - élevé, (breed), se reproduire, engendrer, élever, race
His touch seemed to thrill Clarke, who breathed heavily and then stepped to the window, as if to conceal the flush of vitality on his cheek.
breathed - respiré, respirer, inspirer, expirer
heavily - lourdement
conceal - dissimuler, cacher
flush - la chasse d'eau, vidanger, rougeur
cheek - joue, fesse, culot, toupet, potence de bringuebale
It was a breath of springtide that Jack had brought with him. Youth is a Prince Charming. To shrivelled veins the pressure of his hand imparts a spark of animation, and middle age unfolds its petals in his presence, as a sunflower gazing at late noon once more upon its lord.
Prince Charming - Le prince charmant
shrivelled - ratatiné, se flétrir, se rider
veins - veines, veine
pressure - pression
imparts - transmet, donner, communiquer, transmettre
spark - l'étincelle, flammeche, étincelle
animation - animation, invigoration
Middle - au milieu, milieu, moyen, central
unfolds - se déroule, déplier, dérouler, fr
petals - pétales, pétale
sunflower - tournesol
noon - midi
Lord - châtelain, seigneur, monsieur
"I have come to take Ernest away from you," said Jack. "He looks a trifle paler than usual, and a day's outing will stir the red corpuscles in his blood."
trifle - bagatelle, broutille, babiole, bricole
paler - plus pâle, copain/-ine
usual - habituel/habituelle
stir - remuer, affecter
corpuscles - corpuscules, corpuscule
"I have no doubt that you will take very good care of him," Reginald replied.
"Where shall we go?" Ernest asked, absent-mindedly.
absent - absente, absent
mindedly - avec l'esprit tranquille
But he did not hear the answer, for Reginald's scepticisms had more deeply impressed him than he cared to confess to himself.
deeply - profondément
confess - avouer, confesser
The two boys had bathed their souls in the sea-breeze, and their eyes in light.
sea-breeze - (sea-breeze) Brise marine
The tide of pleasure-loving humanity jostling against them had carried their feet to the "Lion Palace." From there, seated at table and quenching their thirst with high-balls, they watched the feverish palpitations of the city's life-blood pulsating in the veins of Coney Island, to which they had drifted from Brighton Beach.
tide - marée, marées, reflux
humanity - l'humanité, humanité
Palace - le palais, palais
quenching - l'extinction, trempe, (quench), apaiser, étancher, rassasier
thirst - soif, avoir soif, désirer
feverish - fébrile, fiévreux
palpitations - des palpitations, palpitation
drifted - a la dérive, dérive, dériver, errer, dévier
Ernest blew thoughtful rings of smoke into the air.
blew - soufflé, coup
thoughtful - réfléchie, réfléchi, attentionné
rings - anneaux, anneau, bague
"Do you notice the ferocious look in the mien of the average frequenter of this island resort?" he said to Jack, whose eyes, following the impulse of his more robust youth, were examining specimens of feminine flotsam on the waves of the crowd.
ferocious - féroce
mien - mien, mine
average - moyenne
frequenter - fréquentation, (frequent) fréquentation
resort - station, avoir recours (a)
impulse - impulsion
more robust - plus robuste
examining - l'examen, examiner
specimens - spécimens, spécimen, exemple
flotsam - les déchets flottants, épave, débris
waves - des vagues, vague
"It is," he continued, speaking to himself for want of an audience, "the American who is in for having a 'good time.'And he is going to get it. Like a huntsman, he follows the scent of happiness; but I warrant that always it eludes him. Perhaps his mad race is only the epitome of humanity's vain pursuit of pleasure, the eternal cry that is never answered."
huntsman - chasseur
Happiness - le bonheur, bonheur
warrant - garantie, mandat, mandat de conformité
eludes - éludes, éluder
race - course, race
epitome - résumé, épitomé, personnification, incarnation, abrégé
vain - vaine, rench: vaniteux, frivole, vain, futile
pursuit - poursuite
eternal - éternelle, éternel
cry - pleurer, crier, hurler, gueuler, pleur, cri
But Jack was not listening. There are times in the life of every man when a petticoat is more attractive to him than all the philosophy of the world.
petticoat - cotillon, jupon, combinaison
more attractive - plus attrayante
Philosophy - philosophie
Ernest was a little hurt, and it was not without some silent remonstrance that he acquiesced when Jack invited to their table two creatures that once were women.
hurt - faire mal, blesser, blessé
acquiesced - acquiescé, acquiescer
invited - invités, inviter (a)
"Why?"
"But they are interesting."
"I cannot find so."
They both had seen better times-of course. Then money losses came, with work in shop or factory, and the voice of the tempter in the commercial wilderness.
losses - pertes, perte
factory - usine, fabrique, manufacture
tempter - tentateur
commercial - publicité, commercial
One, a frail nervous little creature, who had instinctively chosen a seat at Ernest's side, kept prattling in his ear, ready to tell the story of her life to any one who was willing to treat her to a drink. Something in her demeanour interested him.
frail - fragile, souffreteuxse
creature - créature, etre
seat - siege, place, siege, assise, séant, fond
prattling - bavardage, (prattle), bavarder
treat - négocier, traiter, régaler, guérir, soigner
"And then I had a stroke of luck. The manager of a vaudeville was my friend and decided to give me a trial. He thought I had a voice. They called me Betsy, the Hyacinth Girl. At first it seemed as if people liked to hear me. But I suppose that was because I was new. After a month or two they discharged me."
stroke of luck - Un coup de chance
manager - directeur
vaudeville - vaudeville
trial - proces, manipulation
suppose - supposer, imaginer
discharged - déchargée, licenciement, débit
"And why?"
"I suppose I was just used up, that's all."
"Frightful!"
frightful - effrayante, effrayant
"I never had much of a voice-and the tobacco smoke-and the wine-I love wine."
tobacco - le tabac, tabac
She gulped down her glass.
gulped - avalé, gorgée, trait
"And do you like your present occupation?"
occupation - profession, occupation
"Why not? Am I not young? Am I not pretty?"
This she said not parrotwise, but with a simple coquettishness that was all her own.
parrotwise - parrotwise
On the way to the steamer a few moments later, Ernest asked, half-reproachfully: "Jack-and you really enjoyed this conversation?"
steamer - vapeur
reproachfully - des reproches
"Didn't you?"
"Do you mean this?"
"Why, yes; she was-very agreeable."
agreeable - agréable, complaisant
Ernest frowned.
frowned - froncé les sourcils, froncer les sourcils
"We're twenty, Ernest. And then, you see, it's like a course in sociology. Susie-"
sociology - sociologie
"Susie, was that her name?"
"Yes."
"So she had a name?"
"Of course."
"She shouldn't. It should be a number."
shouldn - devrait
"They may not be pillars of society; still, they're human."
pillars - piliers, pilier, pile
Society - la société, société
human - humain
"Yes," said Ernest, "that is the most horrible part of it."
most horrible - le plus horrible
The moon was shining brightly.
moon - lune
shining - brillant, briller, éclairer
brightly - brillante, clairement, précisément
Swift and sure the prow of the night-boat parted the silvery foam.
swift - rapide, martinet, dévidoir
prow - proue
silvery - argenté, argentin
foam - écume, mousse, écumer, mousser
The smell of young flesh. Peals of laughter. A breathless pianola. The tripping of dancing-feet. Voices husked with drink and voices soft with love. The shrill accents of vulgarity. Hustling waiters. Shop-girls. Bourgeois couples. Tired families of four and upward. Sleeping children. A boy selling candy. The crying of babies.
smell - odeur, parfum, gout, odorat, sentir, humer
flesh - de la chair, chair, peau, viande, corps, pulpe
peals - peaux, carillon
laughter - rires, rire
pianola - Pianola
voices - voix
husked - décortiquée, enveloppe
shrill - strident, criard
accents - des accents, accent
vulgarity - la vulgarité, vulgarité, grossiereté
hustling - l'arnaque, (hustle), bousculer, bousculade
bourgeois - bourgeois, roturier
couples - couples, couple, paire, époux-p, quelques
upward - a la hausse
candy - des bonbons, bonbon(s)
crying - pleurer, pleur, (cry), crier, hurler, gueuler
The two friends were sitting on the upper deck, muffled in their long rain-coats.
upper deck - Le pont supérieur
muffled - étouffé, assourdir
In the distance the Empire City rose radiant from the mist.
distance - distance, éloigner, checks'éloigner
Empire - l'empire, empire
mist - brouillard, brume
"Say, Ernest, you should spout some poetry as of old. Are your lips stricken mute, or are you still thinking of Coney Island?"
spout - le bec verseur, bec verseur, jet, souffle, jaillir, palabrer
poetry - de la poésie, poésie
mute - muet
"Oh, no, the swift wind has taken it away. I am clean, I am pure. Life has passed me. It has kissed me, but it has left no trace."
wind - vent, emmailloter, détortiller, langer, enrouler
pure - pure, pur, pudique
kissed - embrassée, (s')embrasser
trace - trace, projection horizontale, décalquer
He looked upon the face of his friend. Their hands met. They felt, with keen enjoyment, the beauty of the night, of their friendship, and of the city beyond.
enjoyment - jouissance, plaisir
beauty - la beauté, beauté
Then Ernest's lips moved softly, musically, twitching with a strange ascetic passion that trembled in his voice as he began:
softly - en douceur, doucement
musically - musicalement
twitching - twitching, (twitch) twitching
ascetic - ascétique, ascete
"Huge steel-ribbed monsters rise into the air
huge - énorme
steel - l'acier, acier
ribbed - nervuré, côte
monsters - des monstres, monstre, bete, monstrueux
Her Babylonian towers, while on high,
Babylonian - babylonien
towers - tours, tour
Like gilt-scaled serpents, glide the swift trains by,
gilt - doré, dorure, (gild) doré
scaled - a l'échelle, graduation
serpents - des serpents, serpent
glide - glisser, planer
Or, underfoot, creep to their secret lair.
creep - rampant, ramper, rampement, fatigue, fluage, reptation
lair - repaire, taniere
A thousand lights are jewels in her hair,
The sea her girdle, and her crown the sky;
girdle - gaine, corset, ceinture
sky - ciel, nue
Her life-blood throbs, the fevered pulses fly.
throbs - des palpitations, battre, palpiter, vibrer, résonner
fevered - fébrile, fievre
pulses - impulsions, pouls
Immense, defiant, breathless she stands there.
"And ever listens in the ceaseless din,
ceaseless - incessant
din - din, vacarme
Waiting for him, her lover, who shall come,
lover - amante, amant, maîtresse
Whose singing lips shall boldly claim their own,
boldly - hardiment
claim - réclamation, titre, affirmation, revendication, demande
And render sonant what in her was dumb,
render - l'équarrissage, rendre
sonant - sonant
dumb - stupide, muet
The splendour, and the madness, and the sin,
madness - la folie, folie
sin - péché, mal
Her dreams in iron and her thoughts of stone."
iron - le fer, fer, repasser
stone - pierre, roche, caillou, roc
He paused. The boat glided on. For a long time neither spoke a word.
glided - glissé, glisser, planer
After a while Jack broke the silence: "And are you dreaming of becoming the lyric mouth of the city, of giving utterance to all its yearnings, its 'dreams in iron and its thoughts of stone'?"
utterance - énoncé
"No," replied Ernest, simply, "not yet. It is strange to what impressions the brain will respond. In Clarke's house, in the midst of inspiring things, inspiration failed me. But while I was with that girl an idea came to me-an idea, big, real."
Simply - tout simplement, simplement
respond - répondre
inspiring - inspirant, inspirer
inspiration - l'inspiration, inspiration
failed - a échoué, échouer (a)
"Will it deal with her?"
deal - accord, dispenser, distribuer
Ernest smiled: "Oh, no. She personally has nothing to do with it. At least not directly. It was the commotion of blood and-brain. The air-the change. I don't know what."
personally - personnellement
directly - directement, checktout droit
"What will it be?" asked Jack, with interest all alert.
"A play, a wonderful play. And its heroine will be a princess, a little princess, with a yellow veil."
heroine - l'héroine, héroine
princess - princesse
veil - voile, voiler
"What of the plot?"
plot - intrigue, lopin, diagramme, graphique, complot, comploter
"That I shall not tell you to-day. In fact, I shall not breathe a word to any one. It will take you all by surprise-and the public by storm."
breathe - respirer, inspirer, expirer, reprendre son souffle
public - public
storm - tempete, orage
"So it will be playable?"
playable - jouable
"If I am not very much mistaken, you will see it on Broadway within a year. And," he added graciously, "I will let you have two box-seats for the first night."
graciously - gracieusement
seats - sieges, place, siege, assise, séant, fond
first night - premiere nuit
They both chuckled at the thought, and their hearts leaped within them.
chuckled - ricané, glousser
"I hope you will finish it soon," Jack observed after a while. "You haven't done much of late."
"A similar reflection was on my mind when you came yesterday. That accounts for the low spirits in which you found me."
accounts - comptes, compte
low spirits - le moral a zéro
"Ah, indeed," Jack replied, measuring Ernest with a look of wonder. "But now your face is aglow. It seems that the blood rushes to your head swifter at the call of an idea than at the kiss of a girl."
measuring - mesurer, mesurant, (measure), mesure
wonder - merveille, se demander, conjecturer
aglow - l'éclat
rushes - des joncs, se précipiter, emmener d'urgence
swifter - plus rapide, (swift), rapide, martinet, dévidoir
kiss - baiser, baisent, biser, baisons, baisez, bécot, bise
"Thank God!" Ernest remarked with a sigh of relief. "Mighty forces within me are fashioning the limpid thought. Passion may grip us by the throat momentarily; upon our backs we may feel the lashes of desire and bathe our souls in flames of many hues; but the joy of activity is the ultimate passion."
sigh - soupir
relief - secours, allégement, relief, soulagement
limpid - limpide
grip - poignée, ballot, grippe, saisir, agripper, préhension
momentarily - momentanément
bathe - prendre un bain, se baigner, faire prendre un bain, baignade
flames - flammes, flamme, polémique
joy - joie
ultimate - dernier, ultime
It seemed, indeed, as if work was to Ernest what the sting of pleasure is to the average human animal. The inter-play of his mental forces gave him the sensuous satisfaction of a woman's embrace. His eyes sparkled. His muscle tightened. The joy of creation was upon him.
sting - piqure, morsure, aiguillon, piquons, piquer, piquent
inter - inter, enterrer
satisfaction - satisfaction
Embrace - étreindre, embrasser, accolade, embrassement, embrassade
sparkled - étincelait, étincellement
muscle - muscle
tightened - serré, serrer, se resserrer, resserrer les taux
Often very material reasons, like stone weights tied to the wings of a bird, stayed the flight of his imagination. Magazines were waiting for his copy, and he was not in the position to let them wait. They supplied his bread and butter.
weights - poids, lest, graisse, alourdir
tied - attachée, attacher
position - position, poste
supplied - fourni, fournir, approvisionner
Between the bread and butter, however, the play was growing scene by scene. In the lone hours of the night he spun upon the loom of his fancy a brilliant weft of swift desire-heavy, perfumed, Oriental-interwoven with bits of gruesome tenderness. The thread of his own life intertwined with the thread of the story. All genuine art is autobiography.
scene - scene, scene, scene de ménage
Lone - solitaire, seul, isolé, unique
spun - filé, tournoyer, (faire) tourner
loom - métier a tisser
brilliant - brillante, brillant, perle
weft - rempli
perfumed - parfumé, parfum, fragrance, parfumer
interwoven - entrelacés, entrelacer
gruesome - macabre, horrible
tenderness - tendresse
thread - fil, processus léger, exétron, fil de discussion, filer
intertwined - entrelacés, enchevetrer, entrelacer
genuine - authentique
autobiography - autobiographie
It is not, however, necessarily a revelation of the artist's actual self, but of a myriad of potential selves. Ah, our own potential selves! They are sometimes beautiful, often horrible, and always fascinating. They loom to heavens none too high for our reach; they stray to yawning hells beneath our very feet.
necessarily - nécessairement
revelation - révélation
actual - réel, effectif, checkeffectif, checkprésent
potential - possibilité
selves - selves, soi-meme
horrible - horrible, affreux, épouvantable
fascinating - fascinant, fasciner
heavens - les cieux, ciel, paradis, au-dela, cieux-p
stray - égaré, écartez, écartent, écartons, écarter
yawning - bâillements, (yawn), bâiller, béer, bâillement
hells - l'enfer, enfer
The man who encompasses heaven and hell is a perfect man. But there are many heavens and more hells. The artist snatches fire from both. Surely the assassin feels no more intensely the lust of murder than the poet who depicts it in glowing words. The things he writes are as real to him as the things that he lives. But in his realm the poet is supreme.
encompasses - des englobements, encercler, entourer, englober, inclure
Heaven - le paradis, ciel, paradis, au-dela, cieux
snatches - des arrachages de dents, empoigner, happer, saisir, arracher
assassin - assassin, assassine
intensely - intensément
murder - meurtre, homicide, assassinat, occire
depicts - dépeint, représenter, décrire
glowing - rayonnante, briller, luire, irradier, lueur
realm - domaine, royaume
supreme - supreme, supreme
His hands may be red with blood or white with leprosy: he still remains king. Woe to him, however, if he transcends the limits of his kingdom and translates into action the secret of his dreams. The throng that before applauded him will stone his quivering body or nail to the cross his delicate hands and feet.
leprosy - la lepre, lepre
remains - reste, rester, demeurer
woe - tristesse, douleur, misere, malheur, hélas
transcends - transcende, transcender
limits - des limites, limite, limitation
Kingdom - royaume, regne
translates - traduit, traduire, translater
throng - essaim, foule
applauded - applaudi, applaudir, ovationner, louer, approuver
quivering - tremblant, frémir
nail - clou, ongle, enclouer, clouer, caboche
Cross - croix, signe de croix, direct du bras arriere, transversal
Sometimes days passed before Ernest could concentrate his mind upon his play. Then the fever seized him again, and he strung pearl on pearl, line on line, without entrusting a word to paper. Even to discuss his work before it had received the final brush-strokes would have seemed indecent to him.
concentrate - concentrer
seized - saisi, saisir
pearl - perle, joyau, perlure, parisienne, sédanoise
entrusting - confier
received - reçu, recevoir
strokes - coups, coup
indecent - indécent
Reginald, too, seemed to be in a turmoil of work. Ernest had little chance to speak to him. And to drop even a hint of his plans between the courses at breakfast would have been desecration.
turmoil - des turbulences, chaos, désordre, tourmente, tumulte
chance - chance, hasard
drop - chute, goutte, tomber
hint - indice, indication, soupçon, faire allusion
at breakfast - au petit-déjeuner
desecration - profanation
Sunset followed sunset, night followed night. The stripling April had made room for the lady May. The play was almost completed in Ernest's mind, and he thought, with a little shudder, of the physical travail of the actual writing. He felt that the transcript from brain to paper would demand all his powers.
shudder - frémir, tremblement, frisson, frissonner, trembler
travail - travail
transcript - transcription, transcrit, relevé de notes
demand - demande, exigence, exiger
powers - pouvoirs, pouvoir, puissance, électricité
For, of late, his thoughts seemed strangely evanescent; they seemed to run away from him whenever he attempted to seize them.
evanescent - évanescent
whenever - chaque fois que
attempted - tenté, tenter, essayer, tentative, attentat
seize - saisir, emparer
The day was glad with sunshine, and he decided to take a long walk in the solitude of the Palisades, to steady hand and nerve for the final task.
solitude - la solitude, solitude
palisades - palissades, palissade
steady - stable, lisse, régulier
task - tâche
He told Reginald of his intention, but met with little response. Reginald's face was wan and bore the peculiar pallor of one who had worked late at night.
intention - intention
wan - wan, pâle, blafard
bore - l'alésage, rencontrer, naquis, ennuyer, acabit, lasser
pallor - pâleur
"You must be frightfully busy?" Ernest asked, with genuine concern.
frightfully - effrayante
concern - inquiétude, souci, soin, préoccupation, concerner
"So I am," Reginald replied. "I always work in a white heat. I am restless, nervous, feverish, and can find no peace until I have given utterance to all that clamours after birth."
heat - chaleur, ardeur, chauffer
restless - inquiet, agité, checkimpatient
peace - la paix, paix, tranquillité
clamours - des clameurs, clameur
birth - naissance
"What is it that is so engaging your mind, the epic of the French Revolution?"
"Oh, no. I should never have undertaken that. I haven't done a stroke of work on it for several weeks. In fact, ever since Walkham called, I simply couldn't. It seemed as if a rough hand had in some way destroyed the web of my thought. Poetry in the writing is like red hot glass before the master-blower has fashioned it into birds and trees and strange fantastic shapes.
undertaken - entrepris, entreprendre
stroke - accident vasculaire cérébral, caresser
rough - rude, rugueux, brut, approximatif, difficile, brutal, ébaucher
destroyed - détruite, détruire, euthanasier
web - réseau, panier, poche, âme, âme (de rail), palmure, bobine
blower - soufflerie, ventilateur
fashioned - a la mode, mode, vogue, façon, façonner
shapes - formes, forme
A draught, caused by the opening of a door may distort it. But at present I am engaged upon more important work. I am modelling a vessel not of fine-spun glass, but of molten gold."
caused - causée, cause, raison, causer
distort - déformer, distordre
engaged - engagé, attirer l'attention, engager, embrayer
vessel - navire, vaisseau, vase
molten - fondu, incandescent, (melt), fondre (1), se dissoudre (2)
"You make me exceedingly anxious to know what you have in store for us. It seems to me you have reached a point where even you can no longer surpass yourself."
exceedingly - excessivement, extremement, énormément
anxious - anxieux, désireux
in store - en magasin
surpass - surpasser, dépasser, excéder
Reginald smiled. "Your praise is too generous, yet it warms like sunshine. I will confess that my conception is unique. It combines with the ripeness of my technique the freshness of a second spring."
combines - combine, combiner
technique - technique
freshness - fraîcheur
Ernest was bubbling with anticipated delights. His soul responded to Reginald's touch as a harp to the winds. "When," he cried, "shall we be privileged to see it?"
bubbling - des bulles d'air, bulle, trou, vent, ambiance
anticipated - anticipée, anticiper, prévoir
delights - des délices, plaisir, délice, joie, enchanter, ravir
harp - harpe
Reginald's eyes were already straying back to his writing table. "If the gods are propitious," he remarked, "I shall complete it to-night. To-morrow is my reception, and I have half promised to read it then."
straying - écartant, (stray) écartant
Propitious - favorable, propice, avantageux, de bonne augure
reception - réception, accueil
promised - promis, vou, promesse, promettre
"Perhaps I shall be in the position soon to let you see my play."
"Let us hope so," Reginald replied absent-mindedly. The egotism of the artist had once more chained him to his work.
chained - enchaîné, chaîne, enchaîner
That night a brilliant crowd had gathered in Reginald Clarke's house. From the studio and the adjoining salon arose a continual murmur of well-tuned voices. On bare white throats jewels shone as if in each a soul were imprisoned, and voluptuously rustled the silk that clung to the fair slim forms of its bearers in an undulating caress.
gathered - rassemblés, rassembler, ramasser, recueillir
adjoining - adjacente, adjoindre, toucher
arose - s'est élevé, se lever, relever
continual - continuelle
murmur - murmure, rumeur, souffle, murmurer
tuned - accordé, mélodie, air, tube, accorder, syntoniser
bare - a nu, dénudé, dégarnir, nu
throats - gorges, gorge, goulot
imprisoned - emprisonné, emprisonner, mettre en prison
voluptuously - voluptueusement
rustled - froissé, bruissement, froufrou, froufrouter
silk - soie
clung to - a laquelle il s'est accroché
fair - équitable, blond, exposition, foire, marché, kermesse, juste
bearers - porteurs, porteur, porteuse
undulating - ondulée, onduler, ondoyer
Subtle perfumes emanated from the hair and the hands of syren women, commingling with the soft plump scent of their flesh.
perfumes - parfums, parfum, fragrance, parfumer
emanated - émané, émaner
syren - syren
plump - dodu, douillet
Fragrant tapers, burning in precious crystal globules stained with exquisite colours, sprinkled their shimmering light over the fashionable assemblage and lent a false radiance to the faces of the men, while in the hair and the jewels of the women each ray seemed to dance like an imp with its mate.
fragrant - parfumée, odorant, aromatique
tapers - les cônes, cierge
burning - bruler, brulant, ardent, brulage, (burn) bruler
crystal - cristal, de cristal, en cristal
globules - globules, globule
shimmering - chatoyante, (shimmer) chatoyante
fashionable - a la mode, a la mode, en vogue, fashionable
assemblage - assemblage
lent - preté, pretés, preta, pretâmes, pretai, pretées, (lend) preté
ray - rayon, émission
imp - diablotin
A seat like a throne, covered with furs of tropic beasts of prey, stood in one corner of the room in the full glare of the light, waiting for the monarch to come. Above were arranged with artistic raffinement weird oriental draperies, resembling a crimson canopy in the total effect.
throne - trône
covered - couverts, couvercle, couverture, couvert
furs - fourrures, poil, pelage
Tropic - tropique
beasts - betes, bete, bete sauvage
prey - la proie, butin, prise, proie
monarch - monarque
arranged - arrangé, arranger, organiser
resembling - ressemblant, ressembler
crimson - cramoisi, carmin, pourpre
canopy - d'auvent, dais, baldaquin, voute, marquise, canopée
Total - total, somme, entier, tout, totaliser
Chattering visitors were standing in groups, or had seated themselves on the divans and curiously-fashioned chairs that were scattered in seeming disorder throughout the salon. There were critics and writers and men of the world. Everybody who was anybody and a little bigger than somebody else was holding court in his own small circle of enthusiastic admirers.
chattering - bavardage, (chatter) bavardage
in groups - en groupe
themselves - eux-memes, se, eux-memes, elles-memes
divans - divans, divan, canapé
curiously - curieusement
scattered - dispersé, disperser, se disperser, éparpiller, parsemer
disorder - désordre, trouble
throughout - tout au long de l'année, tout au long de, durant
critics - critiques, critique, critique (1-3), fr
Anybody - quelqu'un, n’importe qui (1), checkn’importe qui (2
holding - en attente, possession, (hold) en attente
enthusiastic - enthousiaste
admirers - admirateurs, admirateur, admiratrice
The Bohemian element was subdued, but not entirely lacking. The magic of Reginald Clarke's name made stately dames blind to the presence of some individuals whom they would have passed on the street without recognition.
element - élément, membre, point
subdued - atténué, soumettre, subjuguer, assujettir
entirely - entierement, entierement, entierement (1)
lacking - manquant, manquer de qqch
magic - la magie, magie, magique, sorcelerie, checkensorcelé
dames - dames, dame
blind - aveugle, mal-voyant, mal-voyante, store, blind, aveugler
individuals - des individus, individu, individuel, fr
Ernest surveyed this gorgeous assembly with the absent look of a sleep-walker. Not that his sensuous soul was unsusceptible to the atmosphere of culture and corruption that permeated the whole, nor to the dazzling colour effects that tantalised while they delighted the eye. But to-night they shrivelled into insignificance before the splendour of his inner vision.
surveyed - enquetés, sondage, arpentage, reconnaissance, enquete
gorgeous - magnifique
assembly - l'assemblée, groupe, bloc, assemblage, assemblée
sleep-walker - (sleep-walker) un somnambule
unsusceptible - insensible
permeated - imprégné, s'infiltrer, s'insinuer, imprégner
effects - effets, effet, effets-p, effectuer
insignificance - l'insignifiance, insignifiance
vision - vision, vue, aspiration, apparition
A radiant dreamland palace, his play, had risen from the night of inchoate thought. It was wonderful, it was real, and needed for its completion only the detail of actual construction. And now the characters were hovering in the recesses of his brain, were yearning to leave that many-winded labyrinth to become real beings of paper and ink.
dreamland - le pays des reves, pays de reve, pays imaginaire
risen - ressuscité, augmenter, monter, lever
inchoate - inchoatif, embryonnaire
construction - construction
characters - des personnages, personnage, caractere
hovering - en vol stationnaire, éventiller, faire du sur-place, hésiter
recesses - les récréations, reces, vacances-p, récréation, récré, pause
yearning - désir, (yearn) désir
winded - essoufflé
ink - encre
He would probably have tarried overlong in this fanciful mansion, had not the reappearance of an unexpected guest broken his reverie.
fanciful - fantaisiste
mansion - manoir, demeure
reappearance - réapparition
unexpected - inattendu
guest - invité, invitée, hôte, rench: invité(e) g
reverie - reverie
"Jack!" he exclaimed in surprise, "I thought you a hundred miles away from here."
"That shows that you no longer care for me," Jack playfully answered. "When our friendship was young, you always had a presentiment of my presence."
playfully - de façon ludique
had a presentiment - avoir un pressentiment
"Ah, perhaps I had. But tell me, where do you hail from?"
hail - grele
"Clarke called me up on the telephone-long-distance, you know. I suppose it was meant as a surprise for you. And you certainly looked surprised-not even pleasantly. I am really head-over-heels at work. But you know how it is. Sometimes a little imp whispers into my ears daring me to do a thing which I know is foolish. But What of it?
surprised - surpris, surprise, surprendre, étonner
pleasantly - agréablement
heels - talons, talon
whispers - chuchotements, chuchotement, chuchoter, susurrer, murmurer
daring - audacieux, courageux, checktéméraire, checkhardi
foolish - sot, stupide, bete, idiot
What of it - Qu'en est-il
My legs are strong enough not to permit my follies to overtake me."
permit - permis, permettre, permets, permettons, permettez
follies - folies, folie, sottise
overtake - dépasser, doubler, surprendre
"It was certainly good of you to come. In fact, you make me very glad. I feel that I need you to-night-I don't know why. The feeling came suddenly-suddenly as you. I only know I need you. How long can you stay?"
"I must leave you to-morrow morning. I have to hustle somewhat. You know my examinations are taking place in a day or two and I've got to cram up a lot of things."
hustle - se bousculer, bousculer, bousculade
somewhat - en quelque sorte, assez, quelque peu
examinations - les examens, examen
cram - bachotage, bourrer, ficher, foutre, emmancher
"Still," remarked Ernest, "your visit will repay you for the loss of time. Clarke will read to us to-night his masterpiece."
repay - rembourser
loss of time - perte de temps
masterpiece - chef-d'ouvre, chef-d'ouvre
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I only know it's the real thing. It's worth all the wisdom bald-headed professors may administer to you in concentrated doses at five thousand a year."
worth - valeur
bald - chauve, lisse
professors - professeurs, professeur, professeure, prof, professeuse
administer - administrer, gérer
concentrated - concentré, concentrer
doses - doses, dose
"Come now," Jack could not help saying, "is your memory giving way? Don't you remember your own days in college-especially the mathematical examinations? You know that your marks came always pretty near the absolute zero."
Come now - viens/venez maintenant
memory - mémoire, souvenir
giving way - céder le passage
mathematical - mathématique
marks - marques, Marc
absolute - absolue, absolu
"Jack," cried Ernest in honest indignation, "not the last time. The last time I didn't flunk."
honest - honnete, honnete, (hon) honnete
indignation - l'indignation, indignation
flunk - recalé, louper
"No, because your sonnet on Cartesian geometry roused even the math-fiend to compassion. And don't you remember Professor Squeeler, whose heart seemed to leap with delight whenever he could tell you that, in spite of incessant toil on your part, he had again flunked you in physics with fifty-nine and a half per cent.?"
sonnet - sonnet
Cartesian - cartésien
geometry - géométrie
roused - réveillé, réveiller
math - mathématiques
fiend - fieffé, démon, monstre, addict
compassion - la compassion, compassion
professor - professeur, professeure, prof, professeuse
leap - saut, sauter
spite - dépit, rancune
incessant - incessant
toil - labeur, travailler
flunked - recalé, louper
per - par, dans
"And he wouldn't raise the mark to sixty! God forgive him,-I cannot."
raise - augmenter, levent, arborent, entonner, levez, élever, levons
mark - marque, Marc
forgive - pardonner
Here their exchange of reminiscences was interrupted. There was a stir. The little potentates of conversation hastened to their seats, before their minions had wholly deserted them.
Exchange - l'échange, échangent, échangeons, échanger, échangez, échange
potentates - potentats, potentat, podestat
hastened to - s'est empressé de faire
minions - des sous-fifres, subalterne, sous-fifre, séide, laquais
wholly - entierement
deserted - désertée, abandonner
The king was moving to his throne!
king - roi, dame
Assuredly Reginald Clarke had the bearing of a king. Leisurely he took his seat under the canopy.
assuredly - assurément
leisurely - tranquillement
A hush fell on the audience; not a fan stirred as he slowly unfolded his manuscript.
Hush - chut !, silence
fan - fan, éventail, ventilateur
stirred - remué, brasser, agiter
slowly - lentement
unfolded - déployé, déplier, dérouler, fr
manuscript - manuscrit
The music of Reginald Clarke's intonation captivated every ear. Voluptuously, in measured cadence, it rose and fell; now full and strong like the sound of an organ, now soft and clear like the tinkling of bells. His voice detracted by its very tunefulness from what he said. The powerful spell charmed even Ernest's accustomed ear.
intonation - l'intonation, intonation
tinkling - tintements, tintement, (tinkle), tinter
bells - cloches, cloche
tunefulness - la mélodie
powerful - puissant
charmed - charmé, charme
accustomed - habitué, accoutumer
The first page gracefully glided from Reginald's hand to the carpet before the boy dimly realised that he was intimately familiar with every word that fell from Reginald's lips. When the second page slipped with seeming carelessness from the reader's hand, a sudden shudder ran through the boy's frame. It was as if an icy hand had gripped his heart. There could be no doubt of it.
gracefully - gracieusement
carpet - tapis, moquette, tapisser
dimly - faiblement, obscurément, vaguement, confusément
intimately - intimement
familiar - familier, esprit familier
carelessness - l'insouciance, négligence, incurie
sudden - soudain, soudaine, subit
frame - encadrer, cadre, armature, ossature, image, manche, frame, trame
icy - glacé, glacial, gelé
gripped - saisi, empoigner
This was more than mere coincidence. It was plagiarism. He wanted to cry out. But the room swam before his eyes. Surely he must be dreaming. It was a dream. The faces of the audience, the lights, Reginald, Jack-all phantasmagoria of a dream.
coincidence - coincidence, coincidence
plagiarism - plagiat
phantasmagoria - fantasmagorie
Perhaps he had been ill for a long time. Perhaps Clarke was reading the play for him. He did not remember having written it. But he probably had fallen sick after its completion. What strange pranks our memories will play us! But no! He was not dreaming, and he had not been ill.
ill - malade, écouré, écourée
pranks - des farces, farce, tour
memories - des souvenirs, mémoire, souvenir
He could endure the horrible uncertainty no longer. His overstrung nerves must find relaxation in some way or break with a twang. He turned to his friend who was listening with rapt attention.
endure - endurer, perdurer, supporter
uncertainty - l'incertitude, incertitude
overstrung - trop tendu
nerves - des nerfs, nerf, nervure, toupet, culot, cran
relaxation - la détente, relaxation, détente, relaxation (1, 5)
"Jack, Jack!" he whispered.
"What is it?"
"That is my play!"
"You mean that you inspired it?"
inspired - inspirée, inspirer
"No, I have written it, or rather, was going to write it."
"Wake up, Ernest! You are mad!"
"No, in all seriousness. It is mine. I told you-don't you remember-when we returned from Coney Island-that I was writing a play."
seriousness - sérieux, sériosité, gravité
"Ah, but not this play."
"Yes, this play. I conceived it, I practically wrote it."
conceived - conçu, concevoir, tomber enceinte
practically - pratiquement, quasiment
"The more's the pity that Clarke had preconceived it."
pity - compassion, pitié, dommage, honte, plaindre, avoir pitié de
"But it is mine!"
"Did you tell him a word about it?"
"No, to be sure."
"Did you leave the manuscript in your room?"
"I had, in fact, not written a line of it. No, I had not begun the actual writing."
"Why should a man of Clarke's reputation plagiarise your plays, written or unwritten?"
reputation - réputation, renommée (more slang)
plagiarise - plagier
"I can see no reason. But-"
"Tut, tut."
For already this whispered conversation had elicited a look like a stab from a lady before them.
elicited - suscitée, susciter, causer, réaliser, obtenir, raisonner
stab - poignard, piquer
Ernest held fast to the edge of a chair. He must cling to some reality, or else drift rudderless in a dim sea of vague apprehensions.
edge - bord, côté, arete, carre
cling to - s'accrocher a
drift - dérive, dériver, errer, dévier
dim - dim, faible, vague
Or was Jack right?
Was his mind giving way? No! No! No! There must be a monstrous secret somewhere, but what matter? Did anything matter? He had called on his mate like a ship lost in the fog. For the first time he had not responded. He had not understood. The bitterness of tears rose to the boy's eyes.
somewhere - quelque part
ship - navire, manipuler, expédier, vaisseau
Fog - le brouillard, masquer, brume, brouillard
bitterness - l'amertume, amertume
Above it all, melodiously, ebbed and flowed the rich accents of Reginald Clarke.
melodiously - mélodieusement
ebbed - ebbed, reflux, jusant, refluer, décliner
flowed - s'est écoulée, couler
Ernest listened to the words of his own play coming from the older man's mouth. The horrible fascination of the scene held him entranced. He saw the creations of his mind pass in review before him, as a man might look upon the face of his double grinning at him from behind a door in the hideous hours of night.
creations - des créations, création
pass in review - Passer en revue
double - double, sosie, doublon, doubler
grinning at - Sourire a
hideous - hideux, strident, atroce, répugnant
They were all there! The mad king. The subtle-witted courtiers. The sombre-hearted Prince. The Queen-Mother who had loved a jester better than her royal mate, and the fruit of their shameful alliance, the Princess Marigold, a creature woven of sunshine and sin.
witted - d'esprit
courtiers - courtisans, courtisan
sombre - sombre
hearted - cour
prince - prince
Queen - la reine, reine, dame, folle, chatte, promouvoir, mener a dame
jester - bouffon, plaisantin
Royal - royal, royale, trochure, cacatois
shameful - honteux, scandaleux
alliance - l'alliance, alliance
marigold - le souci, souci
woven - tissé, (weave)
Swiftly the action progressed. Shadows of impending death darkened the house of the King. In the horrible agony of the rack the old jester confessed. Stripped of his cap and bells, crowned with a wreath of blood, he looked so pathetically funny that the Princess Marigold could not help laughing between her tears.
Death - mort, déces, camarde, la mort, l'arcane sans nom
darkened - assombri, obscurcir, assombrir, foncer
agony - l'agonie, agonie, angoisse
rack - rack, bâti
confessed - avoué, avouer, confesser
stripped - dépouillé, enlever
cap - cap, bonnet, calotte, casquette, toque, képi
crowned - couronné, couronne
wreath - couronne, guirlande, tortil
pathetically - pathétiquement
The Queen stood there all trembling and pale. Without a complaint she saw her lover die. The executioner's sword smote the old man's head straight from the trunk. It rolled at the feet of the King, who tossed it to Marigold. The little Princess kissed it and covered the grinning horror with her yellow veil.
pale - pâle, hâve
complaint - plainte, réclamation, porter plainte
executioner - exécuteur des hautes ouvres, bourreau
smote - smote, frapper
straight - droit, rectiligne, comme il faut, pur, pure, hétéro, tout droit
trunk - tronc, malle, coffre, trompe, coffre (de voiture), valise
rolled - roulé, rouleau
grinning - sourire, avoir un grand sourire
horror - l'horreur, horreur, effroi, dégout, aversion
The last words died away.
There was no applause. Only silence. All were stricken with the dread that men feel in the house of God or His awful presence in genius.
applause - applaudissements, applaudissement, acclamation
dread - peur, redouter, craindre, crainte
awful - terrible, épouvantable, horrible
But the boy lay back in his chair. The cold sweat had gathered on his brow and his temples throbbed. Nature had mercifully clogged his head with blood. The rush of it drowned the crying voice of the nerves, deadening for a while both consciousness and pain.
lay - laique, pondre, pose
cold sweat - des sueurs froides
brow - sourcils, andouiller d'oil, maître andouiller
temples - temples, temple
throbbed - a palpité, battre, palpiter, vibrer, résonner
mercifully - avec miséricorde
clogged - bouché, sabot, bouchon, boucher
rush - rush, ruée, affluence, gazer, galoper, bousculer
drowned - noyé, noyer
deadening - l'étouffement, (deaden), endormir, assourdir, isoler
pain - douleur, mal, diuleur
Somehow the night had passed-somehow in bitterness, in anguish. But it had passed.
somehow - d'une maniere ou d'une autre
anguish - l'angoisse, angoissons, angoissez, angoisser, angoissent
Ernest's lips were parched and sleeplessness had left its trace in the black rings under the eyes, when the next morning he confronted Reginald in the studio.
parched - desséché, assoiffer
sleeplessness - insomnie
confronted - confronté, confronter
Reginald was sitting at the writing-table in his most characteristic pose, supporting his head with his hand and looking with clear piercing eyes searchingly at the boy.
characteristic - caractéristique
pose - poser, posez, posent, posons
supporting - appuyant, soutenant, (support) appuyant
piercing - piercing, perçant, (pierce)
searchingly - a la recherche
"Yes," he observed, "it's a most curious psychical phenomenon."
Curious - vous etes curieux, curieux, intéressant, singulier
phenomenon - phénomene, phénomene
"You cannot imagine how real it all seemed to me."
The boy spoke painfully, dazed, as if struck by a blow.
painfully - douloureusement
dazed - étourdi, stupéfaction, étourdir, abasourdir
blow - souffler, soufflons, soufflent, soufflez, coup
"Even now it is as if something has gone from me, some struggling thought that I cannot-cannot remember."
struggling - en difficulté, luttant, (struggle), lutte, lutter, s'efforcer
Reginald regarded him as a physical experimenter might look upon the subject of a particularly baffling mental disease.
regarded - considérée, considérer
experimenter - expérimentateur, expérimentatrice
baffling - déconcertant, (baffle), déconcerter, dérouter
mental disease - maladie mentale
"You must not think, my boy, that I bear you any malice for your extraordinary delusion. Before Jack went away he gave me an exact account of all that has happened. Divers incidents recurred to him from which it appears that, at various times in the past, you have been on the verge of a nervous collapse."
bear - ours, endurer, naîs, produire, souffrir, subir
malice - malveillance, méchanceté
went away - est parti
exact - exact, précis, exiger
divers - des plongeurs, plongeur, plongeuse
Incidents - incidents, incident, frait-divers, fr
recurred - s'est-elle reproduite, se reproduire
various - divers
verge - verge, bord
collapse - l'effondrement, s'effondrer, effondrement
A nervous collapse! What was the use of this term but a euphemism for insanity?
term - terme, ajournement, listing
euphemism - euphémisme
insanity - la folie, folie
"Do not despair, dear child," Reginald caressingly remarked. "Your disorder is not hopeless, not incurable. Such crises come to every man who writes. It is the tribute we pay to the Lords of Song. The minnesinger of the past wrote with his heart's blood; but we moderns dip our pen into the sap of our nerves.
despair - le désespoir, désespérer, désespoir
caressingly - caressant
hopeless - sans espoir, désespéré
incurable - incurable
crises - des crises, crise
tribute - hommage, tribut
lords - seigneurs, châtelain, seigneur, monsieur
minnesinger - minnesinger
dip - trempette, immersion
Sap - seve, jus, suc
We analyse life, love art-and the dissecting knife that we use on other men's souls finally turns against ourselves.
dissecting - disséquer, (dissect)
knife - couteau, frapper d'un coup de couteau
"But what shall a man do? Shall he sacrifice art to hygiene and surrender the one attribute that makes him chiefest of created things? Animals, too, think. Some walk on two legs. But introspection differentiates man from the rest.
sacrifice - sacrifier, sacrifice, offrande
Hygiene - l'hygiene, hygiene
surrender - la reddition, capituler, capitulation, reddition
attribute - attribut, épithete or déterminant
chiefest - chef de file, chef
differentiates - différencie, distinguer, dériver, différencier
Shall we yield up the sweet consciousness of self that we derive from the analysis of our emotion, for the contentment of the bull that ruminates in the shade of a tree or the healthful stupidity of a mule?"
yield - le rendement, rends, produit, rendement, rendons, rendent
sweet - doux, doucement, friandise, bonbon, sucreries
consciousness of self - la conscience de soi
derive from - dériver
contentment - le contentement, contentement
Bull - le taureau, taureau
ruminates - rumine, ruminer
shade - ombre, store, nuance, ton, esprit, ombrager, faire de l'ombre
healthful - saine, sain
stupidity - stupidité, idiotie, ânerie, sottise
mule - mule, mulet
"Assuredly not."
"But what shall a man do?"
"Ah, that I cannot tell. Mathematics offers definite problems that admit of a definite solution. Life states its problems with less exactness and offers for each a different solution. One and one are two to-day and to-morrow. Psychical values, on each manipulation, will yield a different result. Still, your case is quite clear. You have overworked yourself in the past, mentally and emotionally.
offers - offres, offrir, proposer
definite - définitif
admit of - admettre
solution - solution
States - les états, état, Etat, déclarer
exactness - l'exactitude, exactitude
values - valeurs, valeur
manipulation - manipulation
overworked - surchargés de travail, surmenage
mentally - mentalement
emotionally - sur le plan émotionnel
You have sown unrest, and must not be surprised if neurasthenia is the harvest thereof."
sown - semé, semer
unrest - le malaise, agitation
neurasthenia - neurasthénie
thereof - de ces derniers, de
"Do you think-that I should go to some sanitarium?" the boy falteringly asked.
sanitarium - sanatorium
falteringly - de maniere hésitante
"God forbid! Go to the seashore, somewhere where you can sleep and play. Take your body along, but leave your brain behind-at least do not take more of it with you than is necessary. The summer season in Atlantic City has just begun. There, as everywhere in American society, you will be much more welcome if you come without brains."
forbid - interdire, nier, dénier
seashore - rivage, rive, bord de mer
necessary - nécessaire
season - saison
Atlantic - atlantique
everywhere - partout
more welcome - plus bienvenue
Reginald's half-bantering tone reassured Ernest a little. Timidly he dared approach once more the strange event that had wrought such havoc with his nervous equilibrium.
bantering - badinage, (banter), plaisanterie, badiner, s'amuser
reassured - rassuré, tranquilliser, rassurer, réassurer
timidly - timidement
dared - osé, oser
approach - approche, approchons, abordent, abordez, rapprochons
havoc - le chaos, chaos, dévastation, bazar
equilibrium - l'équilibre, équilibre
"How do you account for my strange obsession-one might almost call it a mania?"
mania - la manie, manie
"If it could be accounted for it would not be strange."
accounted - comptabilisée, compte
"Can you suggest no possible explanation?"
suggest - proposer, suggérer
"Perhaps a stray leaf on my desk a few indications of the plot, a remark-who knows? Perhaps thought-matter is floating in the air. Perhaps-but we had better not talk of it now. It would needlessly excite you."
indications - indications, indication
needlessly - inutilement
excite - exciter
"You are right," answered Ernest gloomily, "let us not talk of it. But whatever may be said, it is a marvellous play."
whatever - quoi qu'il en soit, quel que soit, n'importe quel
"You flatter me. There is nothing in it that you may not be able to do equally well-some day."
equally - également
"Ah, no," the boy replied, looking up to Reginald with admiration. "You are the master."
Lazily Ernest stretched his limbs on the beach of Atlantic City. The sea, that purger of sick souls, had washed away the fever and the fret of the last few days. The wind was in his hair and the spray was in his breath, while the rays of the sun kissed his bare arms and legs. He rolled over in the glittering sand in the sheer joy of living.
purger - purger
washed away - lavée
fret - fret, (se) tracasser (pour)
spray - pulvériser, embrun
rays - rayons, rayon
glittering - scintillant, étincelant, (glitter), étincellement, paillette
sand - sable, sableuxse
sheer - transparent, pur
Now and then a wavelet stole far into the beach, as if to caress him, but pined away ere it could reach its goal. It was as if the enamoured sea was stretching out its arms to him. Who knows, perhaps through the clear water some green-eyed nymph, or a young sea-god with the tang of the sea in his hair, was peering amorously at the boy's red mouth.
wavelet - vaguelette, ondelette
Stole - volé, volâmes, volai, vola, volerent, (steal), voler, vol
pined - piné, épingle
ere - ici
nymph - nymphe
tang - tang, saveur/senteur forte (et piquante)
peering - peering, pair
amorously - amoureusement
The people of the deep love the red warm blood of human kind. It is always the young that they lure to their watery haunts, never the shrivelled limbs that totter shivering to the grave.
lure - leurre, attrait
watery - aqueux
haunts - hunts, hanter, demeurer, point de rencontre
totter - totter, tituber, chute, écroulement
shivering - des frissons, (shiver) des frissons
grave - tombe
Such fancies came to Ernest as he lay on the shore in his bathing attire, happy, thoughtless,-animal.
lay on - s'allonger
shore - rivage, riverain, parages, bord, rive, borde
thoughtless - inattentionné, irréfléchi
The sun and the sea seemed to him two lovers vying for his favor. The sudden change of environment had brought complete relaxation and had quieted his rebellious, assertive soul. He was no longer a solitary unit but one with wind and water, herb and beach and shell.
vying - en lice, concourir, rivaliser, etre en compétition pour
favor - favorable, faveur, favoriser
rebellious - rebelle
assertive - assertive
solitary - solitaire, seul, un a un
unit - unité
herb - l'herbe, herbe, herbes, plante médicinale
shell - coquille, coquillage, carapace, coque, cosse, douille, obus
Almost voluptuously his hand toyed with the hot sand that glided caressingly through his fingers and buried his breast and shoulder under its glittering burden.
toyed - jouée, jouet, jouer (avec), amuser
fingers - doigts, pointer, tripoter, doigter
buried - enterré, enterrer
breast - sein, poitrine, cour, poitrail, blanc
A summer girl who passed lowered her eyes coquettishly. He watched her without stirring. Even to open his mouth or to smile would have seemed too much exertion.
lowered - abaissé, (s')assombrir
stirring - l'agitation, passionnant
exertion - l'effort, effort, dépense
Thus he lay for hours. When at length noon drew nigh, it cost him a great effort of will to shake off his drowsy mood and exchange his airy costume for the conventional habilaments of the dining-room.
thus - donc, ainsi, tellement, pour cette raison, également
at length - longuement
effort - l'effort, effort
shake off - se secouer
drowsy - ensommeillé, somnolent, soporifique, stupide
airy - aéré
costume - costume, déguisement
conventional - conventionnelle
habilaments - habilaments
dining - dîner, vacarme
He had taken lodgings in a fashionable hotel. An unusual stroke of good luck, hack-work that paid outrageously well, had made it possible for him to idle for a time without a thought of the unpleasant necessity of making money.
lodgings - logements, logement, hébergement, verse
unusual - inhabituel, insolite, inusuel
luck - la chance, chance, veine
hack - hack, pic, hacher
idle - au ralenti, fainéant
One single article to which he signed his name only with reluctance had brought to him more gear than a series of golden sonnets.
single - seul, célibataire f, célibataire, simple
signed - signé, signe
reluctance - réticence, réluctance
gear - l'engrenage, panoplie, matériel, matos, engrenage, vitesse
series - suite, série
sonnets - sonnets, sonnet
"Surely," he thought, "the social revolution ought to begin from above. What right has the bricklayer to grumble when he receives for a week's work almost more than I for a song?"
social - sociale, social
bricklayer - maçon
grumble - grondement, gargouillement, grognement, gronder, gargouiller
Receives - reçoit, recevoir
Thus soliloquising, he reached the dining-room. The scene that unfolded itself before him was typical-the table over-loaded, the women over-dressed.
dining - dîner
itself - elle-meme, se, soi-meme
typical - typique, représentatif
loaded - chargé, charge, chargement
The luncheon was already in full course when he came. He mumbled an apology and seated himself on the only remaining chair next to a youth who reminded him of a well-dressed dummy. With slight weariness his eyes wandered in all directions for more congenial faces when they were arrested by a lady on the opposite side of the table.
mumbled - marmonné, marmonner
apology - des excuses, excuse, apologie
remaining - restant, reste, rester, demeurer
reminded - rappelée, rappeler
dummy - muet, idiot, idiote, imbécile, mannequin, mort
Slight - insignifiant, léger
directions - des directions, direction
congenial - semblable, sympathique, agréable
arrested - arreté, arrestation, arreter
opposite side - du côté opposé
She was clad in a silk robe with curiously embroidered net-work that revealed a nervous and delicate throat. The rich effect of the net-work was relieved by the studied simplicity with which her heavy chestnut-colored hair was gathered in a single knot. Her face was turned away from him, but there was something in the carriage of her head that struck him as familiar.
clad - vetu, nippé, (clothe), vetir, habiller
robe - robe de chambre, robe
embroidered - brodée, broder
net - net, réseau, filet
revealed - révélée, révéler, laisser voir
relieved - soulagé, soulager, relayer, faire ses besoins, se soulager
simplicity - la simplicité, simplicité
chestnut - châtaigne, marron, châtain, châtaigner, marronnier
knot - noud, nodale
carriage - transport, rench: t-needed r, carrosse, port, chariot
When at last she looked him in the face, the glass almost fell from his hand: it was Ethel Brandenbourg. She seemed to notice his embarrassment and smiled. When she opened her lips to speak, he knew by the haunting sweetness of the voice that he was not mistaken.
embarrassment - de l'embarras, embarras, (etre la) honte (de)
"Tell me," she said wistfully, "you have forgotten me? They all have."
wistfully - avec nostalgie
He hastened to assure her that he had not forgotten her. He recollected now that he had first been introduced to her in Walkham's house some years ago, when a mere college boy, he had been privileged to attend one of that master's famous receptions. She had looked quite resolute and very happy then, not at all like the woman who had stared so strangely at Reginald in the Broadway restaurant.
hastened - s'est hâté, dépecher
assure - assurer, rassurer
recollected - rappelée, se souvenir de
attend - assister, visiter, soigner
receptions - des réceptions, réception, accueil
resolute - résolu, résolue, ferme, déterminé
He regarded this encounter as very fortunate. He knew so much of her personal history that it almost seemed to him as if they had been intimate for years. She, too, felt on familiar ground with him. Neither as much as whispered the name of Reginald Clarke. Yet it was he, and the knowledge of what he was to them, that linked their souls with a common bond.
encounter - rencontre
knowledge - connaissance, science, connaissances, savoir
linked - liés, maillon, chaînon
common bond - lien commun
It was the third day after their meeting. Hour by hour their intimacy had increased. Ethel was sitting in a large wicker-chair. She restlessly fingered her parasol, mechanically describing magic circles in the sand. Ernest lay at her feet. With his knees clasped between his hands, he gazed into her eyes.
third - troisieme, troisieme, trois, tiers, tierce
intimacy - l'intimité, intimité
increased - augmenté, augmenter, croître, accroître, augmentation
wicker - l'osier, osier
restlessly - avec agitation
fingered - doigts, pointer, tripoter, doigter
parasol - ombrelle, parasol
mechanically - mécaniquement
clasped - serré, fermoir, serrer
gazed - regardé, fixer
"Why are you trying so hard to make love to me?" the woman asked, with the half-amused smile with which the Eve near thirty receives the homage of a boy. There is an element of insincerity in that smile, but it is a weapon of defence against love's artillery.
make love - faire l'amour
eve - veille
homage - hommage
weapon - arme
defence - la défense, défense
Artillery - l'artillerie, artillerie
Sometimes, indeed, the pleading in the boy's eyes and the cry of the blood pierces the woman's smiling superiority. She listens, loves and loses.
pleading - plaidoyer, (plead), plaider
pierces - des piercings, percer
superiority - supériorité
Ethel Brandenbourg was listening, but the idea of love had not yet entered into her mind. Her interest in Ernest was due in part to his youth and the trembling in his voice when he spoke of love. But what probably attracted her most powerfully was the fact that he intimately knew the man who still held her woman's heart in the hollow of his hand.
due - due, du
hollow - creux, cavez, caver, cavent, cavons
It was half in play, therefore, that she had asked him that question.
therefore - par conséquent, en conséquence, donc, pour ça
Why did he make love to her? He did not know. Perhaps it was the irresistible desire to be petted which young poets share with domesticated cats. But what should he tell her? Polite platitudes were out of place between them.
irresistible - irrésistible
petted - caressé, animal familier, apprivoisé
poets - poetes, poete
domesticated - domestiqué, domestiquer
polite - polie, poli
platitudes - des platitudes, platitude
Besides he knew the penalty of all tender entanglements. Women treat love as if it were an extremely tenuous wire that can be drawn out indefinitely. This is a very expensive process. It costs us the most precious, the only irretrievable thing in the universe-time. And to him time was song; for money he did not care.
besides - d'ailleurs, aupres
penalty - pénalité, penalisation, peine
tender - l'appel d'offres, doux, adjudication, affectieux
entanglements - des enchevetrements, intrication
extremely - extremement, extremement, vachement
tenuous - ténu
wire - fil de fer, fil
indefinitely - indéfiniment
process - processus, procédé
most precious - le plus précieux
irretrievable - irrécupérable
The Lord had hallowed his lips with rhythmic speech; only in the intervals of his singing might he listen to the voice of his heart-strangest of all watches, that tells the time not by minutes and hours, but by the coming and going of love.
Speech - parole, discours
intervals - intervalles, intervalle
Strangest - le plus étrange, étrange, anormal, inconnu, étranger
The woman beside him seemed to read his thoughts.
beside - a côté, aupres
"Child, child," she said, "why will you toy with love? Like Jehovah, he is a jealous god, and nothing but the whole heart can placate him. Woe to the woman who takes a poet for a lover. I admit it is fascinating, but it is playing va banque. In fact, it is fatal. Art or love will come to harm. No man can minister equally to both. A genuine poet is incapable of loving a woman."
toy - jouet, jouer (avec), caresser
Jehovah - jéhovah
jealous - jaloux, jalouse, envieux, rench:
placate - apaiser, calmer
admit - admettre, avouer, reconnaître
fatal - fatale, fatal
harm - le mal, mal, tort, dommage, nuire a, faire du mal a
minister - ministre, ministériel
incapable - incapable
"Pshaw! You exaggerate. Of course, there is a measure of truth in what you say, but it is only one side of the truth, and the truth, you know, is always Janus-faced. In fact, it often has more than two faces. I can assure you that I have cared deeply for the women to whom my love-poetry was written. And you will not deny that it is genuine."
Pshaw - pshaw
exaggerate - exagérer, outrer
truth - la vérité, vérité
Janus - janus
love-poetry - (love-poetry) Poésie damour
deny - refuser
"God forbid! Only you have been using the wrong preposition. You should have said that it was written at them."
preposition - préposition
Ernest stared at her in child-like wonder.
"By Jove! you are too devilishly clever!" he exclaimed.
devilishly - diaboliquement
clever - habile, agile, adroit, adroite, talentueux, malin, intelligent
After a little silence he said not without hesitation: "And do you apply your theory to all artists, or only to us makers of rhyme?"
hesitation - hésitation
apply - s'appliquent, applique, solicitez, solicitent, appliquent
theory - théorie
makers - les faiseurs, faiseur, fabricant, créateur
rhyme - strophe, vers, rime, rimer, faire rimer, checkrime, rimer 'vi'
"To all," she replied.
He looked at her questioningly.
questioningly - en posant des questions
"Yes," she said, with a new sadness in her voice, "I, too, have paid the price."
"You mean?"
"I loved."
"And art?"
"That was the sacrifice."
"Perhaps you have chosen the better part," Ernest said without conviction.
"No," she replied, "my tribute was brought in vain."
in vain - en vain
This she said calmly, but Ernest knew that her words were of tragic import.
calmly - calmement, paisiblement
import - l'importation, implanter, importons, importent, importez
"You love him still?" he observed simply.
Ethel made no reply. Sadness clouded her face like a veil or like a grey mist over the face of the waters. Her eyes went out to the sea, following the sombre flight of the sea-mews.
reply - répondre, réponse
clouded - obscurci, s'obscurcir
mews - miaulements, (mew) miaulements
In that moment he could have taken her in his arms and kissed her with infinite tenderness.
But tenderness between man and woman is like a match in a powder-magazine. The least provocation, and an amorous explosion will ensue, tumbling down the card-houses of platonic affection. If he yielded to the impulse of the moment, the wine of the springtide would set their blood afire, and from the flames within us there is no escape.
match - match, s'entremettre, allumette, concorder
provocation - provocation
amorous - amoureuse
explosion - explosion
ensue - s'ensuivre, résulter, découler
tumbling - la culbute, (tumble), culbute, dégringoler, culbuter
yielded - cédé, céder
afire - feu, ardent
escape - échapper, s'échapper, éviter, échapper (a quelqu'un), évasion
"Come, come," she said, "you do not love me."
He protested.
protested - protesté, protester, protestation, manifestation
"Ah!" she cried triumphantly, "how many sonnets would you give for me? If you were a usurer in gold instead of in rhyme, I would ask how many dollars. But it is unjust to pay in a coin that we value little. To a man starving in gold mines, a piece of bread weighs more than all the treasures of the earth. To you, I warrant your poems are the standard of appreciation. How many would you give for me?
usurer - usurier, usuriere
instead - a la place, a la place, au lieu de
unjust - injuste
pay in - payer
coin - piece de monnaie, piece de monnaie, jeton
value - valeur, évaluer, valoriser
Starving - affamés, affamant, (starve), mourir de faim, crever de faim
mines - mines, mien/-ienne, les miens/-iennes
weighs - pese, peser, lever l’ancre
treasures - des trésors, trésor, garder précieusement
Standard - standard, étalon, étendard
appreciation - l'appréciation, appréciation, estimation, évaluation
One, two, three?"
"More."
"Because you think love would repay you with compound interest," she observed merrily.
compound interest - l'intéret composé
merrily - joyeusement, gaiement
He laughed.
And when love turns to laughter the danger is passed for the moment.
danger - danger, péril
Thus three weeks passed without apparent change in their relations. Ernest possessed a personal magnetism that, always emanating from him, was felt most deeply when withdrawn. He was at all times involuntarily exerting his power, which she ever resisted, always on the alert, always warding off.
apparent - apparente, apparent, visible, manifeste, criant, évident
relations - relations, relation, parent, parente
magnetism - le magnétisme, magnétisme
emanating - émanant, émaner
withdrawn - retiré, (se) retirer
involuntarily - involontairement
resisted - résisté, résister, s'opposer, rejeter, dégouter
on the alert - sur le qui-vive
warding - la garde, (ward) la garde
When at last pressure of work made his immediate departure for New York imperative, he had not apparently gained the least ground. But Ethel knew in her heart that she was fascinated, if not in love. The personal fascination was supplemented by a motherly feeling toward Ernest that, sensuous in essence, was in itself not far removed from love.
immediate - immédiate, immédiat, proche
departure - départ, déviation
imperative - impératif, essentiel, indispensable
Gained - gagné, gagner
fascinated - fasciné, fasciner
supplemented - complétée, supplément
essence - essence
removed - supprimée, enlever
She struggled bravely and with external success against her emotions, never losing sight of the fact that twenty and thirty are fifty.
struggled - en difficulté, lutte, lutter, s'efforcer, combattre
bravely - courageusement, bravement
external - externe
sight - vue, quelque chose a voir, truc a voir, mire, viseur
Increasingly aware of her own weakness, she constantly attempted to lead the conversation into impersonal channels, speaking preferably of his work.
increasingly - de plus en plus
constantly - constamment, en boucle
lead - du plomb
impersonal - impersonnelle
channels - chaînes, chenal
preferably - de préférence
"Tell me," she said, negligently fanning herself, "what new inspiration have you drawn from your stay at the seaside?"
negligently - par négligence
fanning - fanning, (fan) fanning
seaside - au bord de la mer, côte, rivage, littoral
"Why," he exclaimed enthusiastically, "volumes and volumes of it. I shall write the great novel of my life after I am once more quietly installed at Riverside Drive."
enthusiastically - avec enthousiasme
volumes - volumes, volume, tome
quietly - paisablement, tranquillement, quietement
installed - installée, installer
"The great American novel?" she rejoined.
"Perhaps."
"Who will be your hero-Clarke?"
hero - héros, protagoniste
There was a slight touch of malice in her words, or rather in the pause between the penultimate word and the last. Ernest detected its presence, and knew that her love for Reginald was dead. Stiff and cold it lay in her heart's chamber-beside how many others?-all emboxed in the coffin of memory.
penultimate - avant-dernier, pénultieme
detected - détecté, détecter
dead - morts, mort, milieu, cour, profondeurs
stiff - rigide, raide, macchabée
lay in - s'allonger
chamber - chambre, piece, salle
emboxed - emboîté
coffin - cercueil
"No," he replied after a while, a little piqued by her suggestion, "Clarke is not the hero. What makes you think that he casts a spell on everything I do?"
piqued - piquée, dépit
suggestion - suggestion, proposition
casts - les plâtres, jeter, diriger, lancer, additionner, sommer
"Dear child," she replied, "I know him. He cannot fail to impress his powerful personality upon all with whom he comes in contact, to the injury of their intellectual independence. Moreover, he is so brilliant and says everything so much better than anybody else, that by his very splendor he discourages effort in others.
fail - échouer
impress - impressionner
injury - blessure
intellectual - intellectuel, intellectuelle, intello
Independence - l'indépendance, indépendance
Moreover - de plus, en plus, au surplus, en outre
splendor - splendeur
discourages - décourage, décourager, dissuader
At best his influence will shape your development according to the tenets of his mind-curious, subtle and corrupted. You will become mentally distorted, like one of those hunchback Japanese trees, infinitely wrinkled and infinitely grotesque, whose laws of growth are not determined by nature, but by the diseased imagination of the East."
shape - forme
development - développement
according - selon, entente, accorder
tenets - principes, principe, croyance, dogme
corrupted - corrompu, dévoyé, corrompre
distorted - déformé, déformer, distordre
hunchback - bossu, bossue
Japanese - japonais, Japonaise, Nippon, Nippone
wrinkled - ridé, ride
growth - croissance
determined - déterminé, déterminer
by nature - par nature
diseased - malade, maladie, mal
"I am no weakling," Ernest asserted, "and your picture of Clarke is altogether out of perspective. His splendid successes are to me a source of constant inspiration. We have some things in common, but I realise that it is along entirely different lines that success will come to me. He has never sought to influence me, in fact, I never received the smallest suggestion from him.
weakling - faible, gringalet, poule mouillée
asserted - affirmée, affirmer, attester, asseoir
altogether - tout a fait, completement, en meme temps, quoi qu'il en soit
source - source
constant - constant, constante
entirely different - entierement différente
" Here the Princess Marigold seemed to peer at him through the veil of the past, but he waved her aside. "As for my story," he continued, "you need not go so far out of your way to find the leading character?"
peer - pair
waved - salué, vague
far out - loin
leading character - personnage principal
"Who can it be?" Ethel remarked, with a merry twinkle, "You?"
merry - joyeux, gai, heureuse, jovial
Twinkle - twinkle, briller, cligner, virevolter
"Ethel," he said sulkingly, "be serious. You know that it is you."
sulkingly - boudeur
"I am immensely flattered," she replied. "Really, nothing pleases me better than to be immortalised in print, since I have little hope nowadays of perpetuating my name by virtue of pencil or brush. I have been put into novels before and am consumed with curiosity to hear the plot of yours."
immensely - immensément
flattered - flattée, flatter
immortalised - immortalisé, immortaliser
print - imprimer, imprimé, empreinte, estampe
nowadays - actuellement, de nos jours, aujourd'hui, présentement
perpetuating - perpétuer, maintenir
virtue - la vertu, vertu
novels - romans, roman
consumed - consommée, consommer, consumer, rench: -neededr
"If you don't mind, I had rather not tell you just yet," Ernest said. "It's going to be called Leontina-that's you. But all depends on the treatment. You know It doesn't matter much what you say so long as you say it well. That's what counts. At any rate, any indication of the plot at this stage would be decidedly inadequate."
just yet - pour le moment
depends - dépend, dépendre, pendre
treatment - traitement
It doesn't matter - Ça n'a pas d'importance
counts - compte, comte
rate - taux, taxer, évaluer, tarifaire, dividende, rang
indication - indication
decidedly - résolument, décidément, clairement
inadequate - inadéquate, inadéquat
"I think you are right," she ventured. "By all means choose your own time to tell me. Let's talk of something else. Have you written anything since your delightful book of verse last spring? Surely now is your singing season. By the time we are thirty the springs of pure lyric passion are usually exhausted."
ventured - s'est aventuré, s'aventurer, risquer, oser
verse - vers, strophe
exhausted - épuisé, épuiser, échappement
Ethel's inquiry somehow startled him. in truth, he could find no satisfactory answer. A remark relative to his play-Clarke's play-rose to the threshold of his lips, but he almost bit his tongue as soon as he realised that the strange delusion which had possessed him that night still dominated the undercurrents of his cerebration.
inquiry - demande, enquete
startled - surpris, sursauter, surprendre
in truth - en vérité
satisfactory - satisfaisante, satisfaisant
relative - relative, relatif, parent, géniteur, génitrice
bit - bit, mordis, mordit, mordîmes, mordirent, (bite), mordre
tongue - langue, languette
cerebration - cérébration
No, he had accomplished but little during the last few months-at least, by way of creative literature. So he replied that he had made money. "That is something," he said. "Besides, who can turn out a masterpiece every week? An artist's brain is not a machine, and in the respite from creative work I have gathered strength for the future. But," he added, slightly annoyed, "you are not listening."
accomplished - accompli, accomplir
creative - créatif, créative, checkcréative
respite - un répit, répit
slightly - légerement, finement, délicatement, légerement
annoyed - agacé, gener, ennuyer, embeter, agacer, asticoter
His exclamation brought her back from the train of thoughts that his words had suggested. For in his reasoning she had recognised the same arguments that she had hourly repeated to herself in defence of her inactivity when she was living under the baneful influence of Reginald Clarke. Yes, baneful; for the first time she dared to confess it to herself.
exclamation - exclamation
train of thoughts - train de pensées
inactivity - l'inactivité, inactivité
baneful - nuisible, funeste
In a flash the truth dawned upon her that it was not her love alone, but something else, something irresistable and very mysterious, that had dried up the well of creation in her. Could it be that the same power was now exerting its influence upon the struggling soul of this talented boy?
flash - flash, clignoter
dawned - s'est levé, se lever, naître, aube, lever du soleil
irresistable - irrésistible
dried up - sécher
Rack her brains as she might, she could not definitely formulate her apprehensions and a troubled look came into her eyes.
definitely - définitivement
formulate - formuler
"Ethel," the boy repeated, impatiently, "why are you not listening? Do you realise that I must leave you in half an hour?"
impatiently - avec impatience
She looked at him with deep tenderness. Something like a tear lent a soft radiance to her large child-like eyes.
tear - déchirure, déchirer, fissure, larme, pleur
Ernest saw it and was profoundly moved. In that moment he loved her passionately.
profoundly - profondément
passionately - passionnément
"Foolish boy," she said softly; then, lowering her voice to a whisper: "You may kiss me before you go."
lowering - baissant, (lower) baissant
whisper - chuchotement, chuchoter, susurrer, murmurer
His lips gently touched hers, but she took his head between her hands and pressed her mouth upon his in a long kiss.
pressed - pressé, appuyer sur, presser
Ernest drew back a little awkwardly. He had not been kissed like this before.
"Poet though you are," Ethel whispered, "you have not yet learned to kiss."
She was deeply agitated when she noticed that his hand was fumbling for the watch in his vest-pocket. She suddenly released him, and said, a little hurt: "No, you must not miss your train. Go by all means."
fumbling - le tâtonnement, tâtonner
Pocket - poche, empocher, de poche
released - libéré, libérer
Vainly Ernest remonstrated with her.
vainly - vainement
"Go to him," she said, and again, "go to him."
With a heavy heart the boy obeyed. He waved his hat to her once more from below, and then rapidly disappeared in the crowd. For a moment strange misgivings cramped her heart, and something within her called out to him: "Do not go! Do not return to that house." But no sound issued from her lips. Worldly wisdom had sealed them, had stifled the inner voice.
obeyed - obéi, obéir, obtempérer
rapidly - rapidement
disappeared - a disparu, disparaître
misgivings - des réticences, état d'âme
cramped - a l'étroit, crampe
issued - émis, sortie, émission, livraison, délivrance, drain
worldly - laique
sealed - scellé, sceau
stifled - étouffé, étouffer
And soon the boy's golden head was swallowed up in the distance.
swallowed up - englouti
While the train sped to New York, Ethel Brandenbourg was the one object engaging Ernest's mind. He still felt the pressure of her lips upon his, and his nostrils dilated at the thought of the fragrance of her hair brushing against his forehead.
sped - sped, vitesse
nostrils - narines, narine, qualifier
dilated - dilaté, dilater, se dilater
fragrance - parfum, fragrance
brushing - le brossage, brossant, (brush), brosse, brossage, accrochage
forehead - front
But the moment his foot touched the ferry-boat that was to take him to Manhattan, the past three weeks were, for the time being at least, completely obliterated from his memory. All his other interests that he had suppressed in her company because she had no part in them, came rushing back to him. He anticipated with delight his meeting with Reginald Clarke.
ferry-boat - (ferry-boat) le ferry
obliterated - anéantie, annihiler, effacer
rushing - se précipiter, (rush) se précipiter
The personal attractiveness of the man had never seemed so powerful to Ernest as when he had not heard from him for some time. Reginald's letters were always brief. "Professional writers," he was wont to say, "cannot afford to put fine feeling into their private correspondence. They must turn it into copy.
attractiveness - l'attractivité, attractivité, attrait
brief - bref, court
professional - professionnel, professionnelle
afford - se permettre, offrir
private - personnel, personnelle, privé, privée
correspondence - correspondance, chronique
" He longed to sit with the master in the studio when the last rays of the daylight were tremulously falling through the stained window, and to discuss far into the darkening night philosophies young and old. He longed for Reginald's voice, his little mannerisms, the very perfume of his rooms.
daylight - la lumiere du jour, jour, lumiere du jour
tremulously - avec force
darkening - l'assombrissement, obscurcir, assombrir, foncer
philosophies - philosophies, philosophie
longed for - désiré
perfume - parfum, fragrance, parfumer
There also was a deluge of letters likely to await him in his apartment. For in his hurried departure he had purposely left his friends in the dark as to his whereabouts. Only to Jack he had dropped a little note the day after his meeting with Ethel.
deluge - déluge, avalanche, inonder
Likely - probable
await - attendre, s'attendre a, servir, guetter
hurried - pressé, précipitation, hâte, dépecher
purposely - a dessein, expres
whereabouts - ou se trouve-t-il, jusque la
dropped - a déposé, goutte
He earnestly hoped to find Reginald at home, though it was well nigh ten o'clock in the evening, and he cursed the "rapid transit" for its inability to annihilate space and time. It is indeed disconcerting to think how many months, if not years, of our earthly sojourn the dwellers in cities spend in transportation conveyances that must be set down as a dead loss in the ledger of life.
earnestly - sincerement, sérieusement
cursed - maudis, maudite, maudites, maudits, maudit, (curs) maudis
rapid - rapide, rapides
Transit - transit, transiter
inability - l'incapacité, incapacité
annihilate - annihiler, anéantir
disconcerting - déconcertant, déconcerter, fr
earthly - terrestre
sojourn - séjour, séjourner
transportation - le transport, transport, transportation
set down - mettre en place
dead loss - perte seche
ledger - le grand livre, grand livre, longrine, moise, registre
A nervous impatience against things material overcame Ernest in the subway. It is ever the mere stupid obstacle of matter that weights down the wings of the soul and prevents it from soaring upward to the sun.
Impatience - impatience
overcame - surmonté, vaincre, surmonter, envahir
subway - métro, métropolitain
stupid - stupide, bete
obstacle - obstacle
prevents - empeche, empecher
soaring - l'envol, (soar), planer, monter, s'élever, grimper en fleche
When at last he had reached the house, he learned from the hall-boy that Clarke had gone out. Ruffled in temper he entered his rooms and went over his mail. There were letters from editors with commissions that he could not afford to reject. Everywhere newspapers and magazines opened their yawning mouths to swallow up what time he had.
gone out - sorti
ruffled - ébouriffé, falbala, ébouriffer
temper - caractere, tempérament, humeur, état d'esprit, recuit
mail - courrier, postal
editors - éditeurs, rédacteur, lecteur-correcteur, correcteur, réviseur
commissions - des commissions, commission, fr
reject - rejeter
swallow - avaler, avalons, empiffrer, hirondelle, avalez
He realised at once that he would have to postpone the writing of his novel for several weeks, if not longer.
postpone - repousser, remettre, reporter, différer
Among the letters was one from Jack. It bore the postmark of a little place in the Adirondacks where he was staying with his parents. Ernest opened the missive not without hesitation. On reading and rereading it the fine lines on his forehead, that would some day deepen into wrinkles, became quite pronounced and a look of displeasure darkened his face.
among - parmi
postmark - le cachet de la poste, cachet de la poste
little place - petit endroit
Adirondacks - Adirondacks
staying with - Rester avec
missive - missive
rereading - relecture, (reread), relire
deepen - approfondir, intensifier, devenir plus profond
wrinkles - rides, ride
pronounced - prononcée, déclarer, prononcer, déclamer, lire
displeasure - mécontentement, dépncisir, courroux
Something was wrong with Jack, a slight change that defied analysis. Their souls were out of tune. It might only be a passing disturbance; perhaps it was his own fault. It pained him, nevertheless. Somehow it seemed of late that Jack was no longer able to follow the vagaries of his mind.
defied - défié, défier, désobéir a
out of tune - désaccordé
disturbance - perturbation, trouble, tapage
fault - défaut, faute, faille
pained - douloureux, douleur
vagaries - vagabondage, extravagance, caprice
Only one person in the world possessed a similar mental vision, only one seemed to understand what he said and what he left unsaid. Reginald Clarke, being a man and poet, read in his soul as in an open book. Ethel might have understood, had not love, like a cloud, laid itself between her eyes and the page.
cloud - nuage, s'obscurcir
laid - posé, poser
It was with exultation that Ernest heard near midnight the click of Reginald's key in the door. He found him unchanged, completely, radiantly himself. Reginald possessed the psychic power of undressing the soul, of seeing it before him in primal nakedness.
exultation - exultation
click - cliquer, se fermer rapidement, claquer
unchanged - inchangée
radiantly - de façon rayonnante
undressing - se déshabiller, déshabillant, (undress), déshabiller
primal - primitif
nakedness - la nudité, nudité
Although no word was said of Ethel Brandenbourg except the mere mention of her presence in Atlantic City, Ernest intuitively knew that Reginald was aware of the transformation that absence had wrought in him.
although - bien que, combien que, encore que, nonobstant que
Except - sauf, faire une exception
mention - mentionner
intuitively - intuitivement
transformation - transformation
absence - absence, manque, absence du fer
In the presence of this man he could be absolutely himself, without shame or fear of mis-understanding; and by a strange metamorphosis, all his affection for Ethel and Jack went out for the time being to Reginald Clarke.
shame - la honte, honte, vergogne
fear - peur, angoisse, craignent, crainte, crains, craignons
Mis - mis, (MI) mis
metamorphosis - métamorphose
The next day Ernest wrote a letter of more or less superficial tenderness to Ethel. She had wounded his pride by proving victorious in the end over his passion and hers; besides, he was in the throes of work. When after the third day no answer came, he was inclined to feel aggrieved.
superficial - superficielle, superficiel
pride - l'orgueil, orgueil, fierté
proving - prouvant, prouver
victorious - victorieux
It was plain now that she had not cared for him in the least, but had simply played with him for lack of another toy. A flush of shame rose to his cheeks at the thought. He began to analyse his own emotions, and stunned, if not stabbed, his passion step by step. Work was calling to him. It was that which gave life its meaning, not the love of a season.
plain - simple, unie, net, plaine
lack - manque
stunned - stupéfait, étourdir, étonner, époustoufler
stabbed - poignardé, poignarder
How far away, how unreal, she now seemed to him. Yes, she was right, he had not cared deeply; and his novel, too, would be written only at her. It was the heroine of his story that absorbed his interest, not the living prototype.
unreal - irréel
prototype - prototype
Once in a conversation with Reginald he touched upon the subject. Reginald held that modern taste no longer permitted even the photographer to portray life as it is, but insisted upon an individual visualisation. "No man," he remarked, "was ever translated bodily into fiction. In contradiction to life, art is a process of artificial selection."
permitted - autorisé, permettre
photographer - photographe, photoseur
portray - portrait, dépeindre, représenter, portraire, décrire
insisted - insisté, insister
individual - individu, individuel, checkindividuelle
visualisation - visualisation
bodily - corporel
contradiction - contradiction
artificial - artificiels
selection - sélection
Bearing in mind this motive, Ernest went to work to mould from the material in hand a new Ethel, more real than life. Unfortunately he found little time to devote to his novel. It was only when, after a good day's work, a pile of copy for a magazine lay on his desk, that he could think of concentrating his mind upon "Leontina.
mould - moule, modeler
more real - plus réel
unfortunately - malheureusement, malencontreusement
devote - dévote, consacrer, vouer
pile - pile, tapée, pilotis, foule, amas
concentrating - se concentrer, concentrer
" The result was that when he went to bed his imagination was busy with the plan of his book, and the creatures of his own brain laid their fingers on his eyelid so that he could not sleep.
eyelid - paupiere, paupiere
When at last sheer weariness overcame him, his mind was still at work, not in orderly sequence but along trails monstrous and grotesque. Hobgoblins seemed to steal through the hall, and leering incubi oppressed his soul with terrible burdens. In the morning he awoke unrested. The tan vanished from his face and little lines appeared in the corners of his mouth.
orderly - ordonné, planton
sequence - suite, séquence
trails - sentiers, pister, suivre, traîner, piste, traces-p
hobgoblins - les hobgobelins, lutin
steal - voler, vol
leering - lécher, (leer) lécher
oppressed - opprimés, opprimer, oppresser
burdens - charges, poids écrasant
awoke - s'est réveillé, (se) réveiller, (s')éveiller
unrested - sans arret, agitation
tan - tan, bronzer
appeared - est apparu, apparaître, paraître, sembler
It was as if his nervous vitality were sapped from him in some unaccountable way. He became excited, hysterical. Often at night when he wrote his pot-boilers for the magazines, fear stood behind his seat, and only the buzzing of the elevator outside brought him back to himself.
sapped - sappé, seve
unaccountable - sans avoir a rendre de comptes
hysterical - hystérique
pot - l'herbe, pot
buzzing - bourdonnement, vrombissement, (buzz), coup de fil, bourdonner
In one of his morbid moods he wrote a sonnet which he showed to Reginald after the latter's return from a short trip out of town. Reginald read it, looking at the boy with a curious, lurking expression.
moods - d'humeur, humeur
lurking - se cacher, (lurk), s'embusquer, se dissimuler
O gentle Sleep, turn not thy face away,
gentle - gentil, doux
thy - de l'homme, ton/ta, tes
But place thy finger on my brow, and take
finger - doigt, pointer, tripoter, doigter
All burthens from me and all dreams that ache;
ache - mal, diuleur
Upon mine eyes a cooling balsam lay,
balsam - pommade, baume, balsamine
Seeing I am aweary of the day.
aweary - peur
But, lo! thy lips are ashen and they quake.
ashen - cendré
What spectral vision sees thou that can shake
spectral - spectrale, spectral, spectral?
thou - tu
shake - secouer, agiter, se serrer la main, secousse
Thy sweet composure, and thy heart dismay?
composure - le sang-froid, calme, quiétude
dismay - affliger, mortifier, avoir peur, désarroi, consternation
Perhaps some murderer's cruel eye agleam
murderer - meurtrier, meurtriere, assassin, assassine
cruel - cruel
agleam - agleam
Is fixed upon me, or some monstrous dream
fixed - fixé, réparer, fixer, préparer, truquer, tricher, réparation
Might bring such fearful guilt upon the head
fearful - effrayant, redoutable, peureux, craintif, terrible, affreux
guilt - culpabilité
Of my unvigilant soul as would arouse
unvigilant - peu vigilant
arouse - éveiller, émoustiller, exciter
The Borgian snake from her envenomed bed,
Or startle Nero in his golden house.
startle - sursauter, surprendre
"Good stuff," Reginald remarked, laying down the manuscript; "when did you write it?"
stuff - trucs, truc, substance (1), checkmachin (2), checktruc (2)
laying - pose, (lay) pose
"The night when you were out of town," Ernest rejoined.
"I see," Reginald replied.
There was something startling in his intonation that at once aroused Ernest's attention.
aroused - excité, émoustiller, exciter
"What do you see?" he asked quickly.
"Nothing," Reginald replied, with immovable calm, "only that your state of nerves is still far from satisfactory."
immovable - inamovible, immeuble
state - l'état, état, Etat, déclarer, indiquer
After Ernest's departure Ethel Brandenbourg's heart was swaying hither and thither in a hurricane of conflicting feelings. Before she had time to gain an emotional equilibrium, his letter had hurled her back into chaos. A false ring somewhere in Ernest's words, reechoing with an ever-increasing volume of sound, stifled the voice of love. His jewelled sentences glittered, but left her cold.
hither - ici, ça
hurricane - ouragan
feelings - sentiments
gain - gain, gagner, produit
hurled - lancé, projeter, débecter, débecqueter
chaos - le chaos, chaos, (chao) le chaos
increasing - en augmentation, augmentant, (increase), augmenter, croître
volume - volume, tome
jewelled - bijoux, joyau, bijou, pierre d'horlogerie, rubis
glittered - pailleté, étincellement, paillette, briller
They lacked that spontaneity which renders even simple and hackeneyed phrases wonderful and unique. Ethel clearly realised that her hold upon the boy's imagination had been a fleeting midsummer night's charm, and that a word from Reginald's lips had broken the potency of her spell.
lacked - manquée, manquer de qqch
spontaneity - la spontanéité, spontanéité
renders - les rendus, rendre
hold - tenir, stopper, tiens, tiennent, tenons
fleeting - éphémere, flotte
She almost saw the shadow of Reginald's visage hovering over Ernest's letter and leering at her from between the lines in sinister triumph. Finally reason came and whispered to her that it was extremely unwise to give her heart into the keeping of a boy. His love, she knew, would have been exacting, irritating at times.
sinister - sinistre
triumph - triomphe, triomphal
exacting - exigeant, exact, précis, exiger
irritating - irritant, agacer (displeasure)
He would have asked her to sympathise with every phase of his life, and would have expected active interest on her part in much that she had done with long ago. Thus, untruth would have stolen into her life and embittered it. When mates are unequal, Love must paint its cheeks and, in certain moods at least, hide its face under a mask.
sympathise - sympathiser
phase - phase
expected - attendue, attendre, s'attendre a
active - active, actif
untruth - contre-vérité, mensonge, menterie, contrevérité
stolen - volé, voler, vol
embittered - aigri, aigrir
hide - cacher, planquer, peau, fourrure
mask - masque
Its lips may be honeyed, but it brings fret and sorrow in its train.
honeyed - mielleux, miel
sorrow - peine, chagrin
These things she told herself over and over again while she penned a cool and calculating answer to Ernest's letter. She rewrote it many times, and every time it became more difficult to reply. At last she put her letter aside for a few days, and when it fell again into her hand it seemed so unnatural and strained that she destroyed it.
penned - écrit
calculating - calculant, calculer
rewrote - réécrit, réécrire, récrire
strained - tendu, tendre fortement
Thus several weeks had passed, and Ernest no longer exclusively occupied her mind when, one day early in September, while glancing over a magazine, she came upon his name in the table of contents. Once more she saw the boy's wistful face before her, and a trembling something stirred in her heart.
exclusively - exclusivement, uniquement
occupied - occupée, occuper, habiter
glancing - un coup d'oil, (glance), jeter un coup d’oil
wistful - nostalgique, bonjour
Her hand shook as she cut the pages, and a mist of tears clouded her vision as she attempted to read his poem. It was a piece of sombre brilliance. Like black-draped monks half crazed with mystic devotion, the poet's thoughts flitted across the page. It was the wail of a soul that feels reason slipping from it and beholds madness rise over its life like a great pale moon.
draped - drapé, draper
monks - moines, moine
crazed - fou, engouement
mystic - mystique
devotion - la dévotion, dévouement, dévotion
flitted - flotté, voltiger, voleter, papillonner, virevolter
wail - gémir, se lamenter
slipping - glissement, glisser
beholds - se tient, regarder, voir, observer, voici, voila
A strange unrest emanated from it and took possession of her. And again, with an insight that was prophetic, she distinctly recognised behind the vague fear that had haunted the poet the figure of Reginald Clarke.
took possession of - a pris possession de
insight - de la perspicacité, introspection, perspicacité, aperçu
prophetic - prophétique
A half-forgotten dream, struggling to consciousness, staggered her by its vividness. She saw Clarke as she had seen him in days gone by, grotesquely transformed into a slimy sea-thing, whose hungry mouths shut sucking upon her and whose thousand tentacles encircled her form. She closed her eyes in horror at the reminiscence.
staggered - en décalé, tituber
gone by - passé
grotesquely - de façon grotesque
slimy - visqueux, visqueuse, gluant, gluante
shut - fermé, fermer
sucking - sucer, succion, sucement, (suck), téter, etre chiant
tentacles - des tentacules, tentacule, pieuvre
encircled - encerclé, encercler
reminiscence - la réminiscence, réminiscence
And in that moment it became clear to her that she must take into her hands the salvation of Ernest Fielding from the clutches of the malign power that had mysteriously enveloped his life.
Salvation - le salut, salut
clutches - embrayages, se raccrocher (a)
malign - malin, vilipender, injurier
enveloped - enveloppé, enveloppe
The summer was brief, and already by the middle of September many had returned to the pleasures of urban life. Ethel was among the first-comers; for, after her resolve to enter the life of the young poet once more, it would have been impossible for her to stay away from the city much longer. Her plan was all ready.
pleasures - plaisirs, plaisir, volupté, désir
Urban - urbain, citadin
resolve - résoudre, résolvons, résolvent, résolvez
impossible - impossible, insupportable
Before attempting to see Ernest she would go to meet Reginald and implore him to free the boy from his hideous spell. An element of curiosity unconsciously entered her determination. When, years ago, she and Clarke had parted, the man had seemed, for once, greatly disturbed and had promised, in his agitation, that some day he would communicate to her what would exonerate him in her eyes.
attempting - tenter, essayer, tentative, attentat
go to meet - aller a la rencontre
unconsciously - inconsciemment
determination - détermination
greatly - grandement
disturbed - perturbé, déranger, perturber, gener
agitation - l'agitation, agitation
communicate - communiquer, communier
exonerate - disculper, exonérer
She had answered that all words between them were purposeless, and that she hoped never to see his face again. The experience that the years had brought to her, instead of elucidating the mystery of Reginald's personality, had, on the contrary, made his behaviour appear more and more unaccountable.
elucidating - élucider, expliquer
mystery - mystere, mystere
behaviour - manieres
appear - apparaître, sembler
She had more than once caught herself wishing to meet him again and to analyse dispassionately the puzzling influences he had exerted upon her. And she could at last view him dispassionately; there was triumph in that. She was dimly aware that something had passed from her, something by which he had held her, and without which his magnetism was unable to play upon her.
caught - pris, prise, touche, loquet, loqueteau, verrou, hic, couille
wishing - souhaitant, désirant, (wish), souhait, souhaiter, espérer
dispassionately - sans passion
influences - influences, influence, influencer, influer
exerted - exercé, exercer
view - vue, vision, regard, point de vue, opinion, regarder
So when Walkham sent her an invitation to one of his artistic "at homes" she accepted, in the hope of meeting Reginald. It was his frequentation of Walkham's house that had for several years effectively barred her foot from crossing the threshold.
invitation - invitation
accepted - acceptée, accepter, accepter (de), prendre sur soi
frequentation - fréquentation
effectively - efficacement
barred - interdit, barre
Crossing - carrefour, croisement, traversée, (cross), croix
It was with a very strange feeling she greeted the many familiar faces at Walkham's now; and when, toward ten o'clock, Reginald entered, politely bowing in answer to the welcome from all sides, her heart beat in her like a drum. But she calmed herself, and, catching his eye, so arranged it that early in the evening they met in an alcove of the drawing-room.
greeted - salué, saluer, accueillir
politely - poliment
bowing - s'incliner, (bow) s'incliner
sides - côtés, côté
drum - tambour
calmed - calmé, calme, tranquille, calme plat, calmer
catching - de capture, attrapant, (catch), prise, touche, loquet
alcove - alcôve
"It was inevitable," Reginald said. "I expected it."
inevitable - inévitable
"Yes," she replied, "we were bound to meet."
bound - lié, entrain, (bind), lier, attacher, nouer, connecter, coupler
Like a great rush of water, memory came back to her. He was still horribly fascinating as of old-only she was no longer susceptible to his fascination. He had changed somewhat in those years. The lines about his mouth had grown harder and a steel-like look had come into his eyes. Only for a moment, as he looked at her, a flash of tenderness seemed to come back to them.
horribly - horriblement
susceptible - sensible, susceptible
Then he said, with a touch of sadness: "Why should the first word between us be a lie?"
lie - mentir, mensonge, mentez, gésir, gis, mentons
Ethel made no answer.
Reginald looked at her half in wonder and said: "And is your love for the boy so great that it overcame your hate of me?"
Ah, he knew! She winced.
winced - a fait un clin d'oil, grimacer
"He has told you?"
"Not a word."
There was something superhuman in his power of penetration. Why should she wear a mask before him, when his eyes, like the eyes of God, pierced to the core of her being?
penetration - pénétration
pierced - percé, percer
core - noyau
"No," she replied, "it is not love, but compassion for him."
"Compassion?"
"Yes, compassion for your victim."
victim - victime
"You mean?"
"Reginald!"
"I am all ear."
"I implore you."
"Speak."
"You have ruined one life."
He raised his eyebrows derogatively.
eyebrows - sourcils, sourcil
derogatively - de maniere péjorative
"Yes," she continued fiercely, "ruined it! Is not that enough?"
fiercely - férocement, âprement, farouchement
"I have never wilfully ruined any one's life."
wilfully - volontairement
"You have ruined mine."
"Wilfully?"
"How else shall I explain your conduct?"
conduct - comportement, conduite, se comporter, conduire, mener
"I warned you."
warned - averti, avertir, alerter, prévenir
"Warning, indeed! The warning that the snake gives to the sparrow helpless under its gaze."
warning - l'avertissement, avertissement, attention, (warn), avertir
sparrow - moineau, bruant, piaf
helpless - sans défense, désemparé
"Ah, but who tells you that the snake is to blame? Is it not rather the occult power that prescribes with blood on brazen scroll the law of our being?"
occult - occulter, occulte, occultisme
prescribes - prescrit, prescrire, indiquer, ordonner
brazen - effronté, cuivreux, aigu, dur comme de la pierre
scroll - rouleau, volute, coquille, faire défiler, scroller
"This is no solace to the sparrow. But whatever may be said, let us drop the past. Let us consider the present. I beg of you, leave this boy-let him develop without your attempting to stifle the life in him or impressing upon it the stamp of your alien mind."
solace - consolation, réconfort, soulager, consoler
Consider - envisager, considérer, examiner, réfléchir, songer
beg - mendier, implorer, prier
develop - se développer, créer
stifle - étouffer
impressing - impressionner
Stamp - cachet, tampon, timbre, taper du pied, taper (du pied)
alien - étranger, étrangere, extraterrestre, alien
"Ethel," he protested, "you are unjust. If you knew-" Then an idea seemed to take hold of him. He looked at her curiously.
take hold - s'installer
"What if I knew?" she asked.
"You shall know," he said, simply. "Are you strong?"
"Strong to withstand anything at your hand. There is nothing that you can give me, nothing that you can take away."
withstand - résister
"No," he remarked, "nothing. Yes, you have changed. Still, when I look upon you, the ghosts of the past seem to rise like live things."
ghosts - fantômes, fantôme, t+spectre, t+esprit, t+revenant
"We both have changed. We meet now upon equal grounds. You are no longer the idol I made of you."
Equal - l'égalité, égal, égaler a, égale
"Don't you think that to the idol this might be a relief, not a humiliation? It is a terrible torture to sit in state with lips eternally shut. Sometimes there comes over the most reticent of us a desire to break through the eternal loneliness that surrounds the soul. It is this feeling that prompts madmen to tear off their clothes and exhibit their nakedness in the market-place.
humiliation - l'humiliation, humiliation
torture - la torture, torture, torturer
eternally - éternellement
reticent - réticent
break through - Franchir
loneliness - la solitude, solitude
surrounds - les environs, entourer, enceindre
prompts - des messages d'encouragement, ponctuel, indicateur
madmen - des fous, fou, insensé
tear off - Détacher
exhibit - exposer, exposition, piece a conviction
It's madness on my part, or a whim, or I don't know what; but it pleases me that you should know the truth."
whim - caprice
"You promised me long ago that I should."
"To-day I will redeem my promise, and I will tell you another thing that you will find hard to believe."
redeem - racheter, libérer, secourir, soulager, liquider, réparer
promise - vou, promesse, promettre
"And that is?"
"That I loved you."
Ethel smiled a little sceptically. "You have loved often."
sceptically - avec scepticisme
"No," he replied. "Loved, seriously loved, I have, only once."
seriously - sérieusement, gravement, sérieux
They were sitting in a little Italian restaurant where they had often, in the old days, lingered late into the night over a glass of Lacrimć Christi. But no pale ghost of the past rose from the wine. Only a wriggling something, with serpent eyes, that sent cold shivers down her spine and held her speechless and entranced.
Italian - italien, italophone, Italienne
ghost - fantôme, spectre, esprit, revenant
wriggling - se tortiller, (wriggle), remuer
shivers - des frissons, frissonner
spine - la colonne vertébrale, colonne vertébrale, échine, dos, épine
speechless - sans voix
When their order had been filled and the waiter had posted himself at a respectful distance, Reginald began-at first leisurely, a man of the world. But as he proceeded a strange exultation seemed to possess him and from his eyes leaped the flame of the mystic.
respectful - respectueux
proceeded - a procédé, avancer, procéder
flame - flamme, polémique
"You must Pardon me," he commenced, "if I monopolise the conversation, but the revelations I have to make are of such a nature that I may well claim your attention. I will start with my earliest childhood. You remember the picture of me that was taken when I was five?"
Pardon me - Pardon
commenced - commencé, commencer
monopolise - monopoliser
revelations - des révélations, révélation
childhood - l'enfance, enfance
She remembered, indeed. Each detail of his life was deeply engraven on her mind.
engraven - gravé, graver
"At that time," he continued, "I was not held to be particularly bright. The reason was that my mind, being pre-eminently and extraordinarily receptive, needed a stimulus from without. The moment I was sent to school, however, a curious metamorphosis took place in me. I may say that I became at once the most brilliant boy in my class.
bright - lumineux, éclatant, clair
pre - pré
eminently - éminemment
extraordinarily - extraordinairement
receptive - réceptif
stimulus - stimulus
most brilliant - le plus brillant
You know that to this day I have always been the most striking figure in any circle in which I have ever moved."
most striking - le plus frappant
Ethel nodded assent. Silently watching the speaker, she saw a gleam of the truth from afar, but still very distant and very dim.
assent - l'assentiment, assentir, assentiment
silently - en silence, silencieusement
speaker - l'orateur, parleur, parleuse
from afar - de loin
distant - distante, distant, lointain, éloigné
Reginald lifted the glass against the light and gulped its contents. Then in a lower voice he recommenced: "Like the chameleon, I have the power of absorbing the colour of my environment."
lifted - soulevée, soulever
lower - plus bas, abaisser, en privé, rabattre, baissent
recommenced - repris, recommencer
"Do you mean that you have the power of absorbing the special virtues of other people?" she interjected.
virtues - vertus, vertu
"That is exactly what I mean."
"Oh!" she cried, for in a heart-beat many things had become clear to her. For the first time she realised, still vaguely but with increasing vividness, the hidden causes of her ruin and, still more plainly, the horrible danger of Ernest Fielding.
become clear - devenir evident
vaguely - vaguement
causes - causes, cause, raison, causer
ruin - la ruine, ruine, ruiner, abîmer, foutre en l'air
plainly - en toute clarté, simplement, clairement
He noticed her agitation, and a look of psychological curiosity came into his eyes.
psychological - psychologique
"Ah, but that is not all," he observed, smilingly. "That is nothing. We all possess that faculty in a degree. The secret of my strength is my ability to reject every element that is harmful or inessential to the completion of my self. This did not come to me easily, nor without a struggle. But now, looking back Upon my life, many things become transparent that were obscure even to me at the time.
faculty - la faculté, faculté
harmful - dangereux, nuisible, nocif, préjudiciable
inessential - inessentiel, superflu
easily - facilement
Struggle - lutte, lutter, s'efforcer, combattre
Upon my life - Sur ma vie
obscure - obscure, obscur, sibyllin, obscurcir
I can now follow the fine-spun threads in the intricate web of my fate, and discover in the wilderness of meshes a design, awful and grandly planned."
intricate - complexe
fate - le destin, destin, destinée, sort
discover - découvrir
meshes - mailles, maillage, maille, engrenage, concorder
grandly - en grande pompe
His voice shook with conviction, as he uttered these words. There was something strangely gruesome in this man. It was thus that she had pictured to herself the high-priest of some terrible and mysterious religion, demanding a human sacrifice to appease the hunger of his god. She was fascinated by the spell of his personality, and listened with a feeling not far removed from awe.
uttered - prononcée, complet, total
priest - pretre, pretre, pretresse, sacrificateur
religion - religion
demanding - exigeant, demande, exigence, exiger
human sacrifice - le sacrifice humain
appease - apaiser
hunger - la faim, faim
awe - la stupeur, crainte, révérence, admiration
But Reginald suddenly changed his tone and proceeded in a more conversational manner.
"The first friend I ever cared for was a boy marvellously endowed for the study of mathematics. At the time of our first meeting at school, I was unable to solve even the simplest algebraical problem. But we had been together only for half a month, when we exchanged parts.
marvellously - merveilleusement
endowed - dotés, doter, enrichir
solve - résoudre, régler, solutionner
simplest - le plus simple, simple
algebraical - algébrique
exchanged - échangé, (é)changer
It was I who was the mathematical genius now, whereas he became hopelessly dull and stuttered through his recitations only with a struggle that brought the tears to his eyes. Then I discarded him. Heartless, you say? I have come to know better. Have you ever tasted a bottle of wine that had been uncorked for a long time?
whereas - tandis que, alors que, compte tenu de, vu que
hopelessly - sans espoir
stuttered - bégayé, bégaiement
recitations - récitations, récitation
discarded - jeté, rejeter, écarter, défausser
heartless - sans cour, sans-cour
tasted - dégustée, gout, saveur, avant-gout, gouter, avoir un gout
uncorked - débouchée, déboucher
If you have, you have probably found it flat-the essence was gone, evaporated. Thus it is when we care for people. Probably-no, assuredly-there is some principle prisoned in their souls, or in the windings of their brains, which, when escaped, leaves them insipid, unprofitable and devoid of interest to us.
principle - principe
prisoned - emprisonné, prison, qualifier
insipid - insipide
unprofitable - non rentable
devoid - dépourvu
Sometimes this essence-not necessarily the finest element in a man's or a woman's nature, but soul-stuff that we lack-disappears. In fact, it invariably disappears. It may be that it has been transformed in the processes of their growth; it may also be that it has utterly vanished by some inadvertence, or that we ourselves have absorbed it."
disappears - disparaît, disparaître
invariably - invariablement
processes - processus, procédé
inadvertence - par inadvertance
"Then we throw them away?" Ethel asked, pale, but dry-eyed. A shudder passed through her body and she clinched her glass nervously. At that moment Reginald resembled a veritable Prince of Darkness, sinister and beautiful, painted by the hand of a modern master. Then, for a space, he again became the man of the world.
throw - lancer, jetent, jetez, jetons, mise bas
dry - sec, anhydre, sécher, tfaire sécher
passed through - Passé a travers
clinched - conclu, agrafer, attache, fixation, clinch
nervously - nerveusement
resembled - ressemblait, ressembler
veritable - véritable
Smiling and self-possessed, he filled the glasses, took a long sip of the wine and resumed his narrative.
sip - gorgée, siroter
resumed - reprise, reprendre
narrative - narratif, récit
"That boy was followed by others. I absorbed many useless things and some that were evil. I realised that I must direct my absorptive propensities. This I did. I selected, selected well. And all the time the terrible power of which I was only half conscious grew within me."
useless - inutile, inutilisable, bon a rien
Direct - direct, mettre en scene, ordonner
absorptive - absorbant
propensities - propensions, propension, tendance
selected - sélectionné, sélect, choisir, sélectionner
"It is indeed a terrible power," she cried; "all the more terrible for its subtlety. Had I not myself been its victim, I should not now find it possible to believe in it."
more terrible - plus terrible
myself - moi-meme, me, m'
"The invisible hand that smites in the dark is certainly more fearful than a visible foe. It is also more merciful. Think how much you would have suffered had you been conscious of your loss."
visible - visible
smites - smites, frapper
more fearful - plus craintif
foe - ennemi, ennemi/-ie
merciful - miséricordieux
suffered - souffert, souffrir, souffrir de, pâtir de, endurer
"Still it seems even now to me that it cannot have been an utter, irreparable loss. There is no action without reaction. Even I-even we-must have received from you some compensation for what you have taken away."
utter - l'utérus, émettre
irreparable - irréparable
reaction - réaction
compensation - compensation, dédommagement, émolument, indemnisation
"In the ordinary processes of life the law of action and reaction is indeed potent. But no law is without exception. Think of radium, for instance, with its constant and seemingly inexhaustible outflow of energy. It is a difficult thing to imagine, but our scientific men have accepted it as a fact. Why should we find it more difficult to conceive of a tremendous and infinite absorptive element?
ordinary - piece, ordinaire, quelconque
potent - puissant
exception - exception
radium - le radium, radium
instance - instance
inexhaustible - inépuisable
outflow - le flux de sortie, sortie
energy - l'énergie, énergie, courage
scientific - scientifique
conceive - concevoir, tomber enceinte
I feel sure that it must somewhere exist. But every phenomenon in the physical world finds its counterpart in the psychical universe. There are radium-souls that radiate without loss of energy, but also without increase. And there are souls, the reverse of radium, with unlimited absorptive capacities."
exist - existent, exister
counterpart - contreartie, homologue, duplicat, checkpendant, checkéquivalent
radiate - rayonner
increase - augmenter, croître, accroître, augmentation
the reverse - l'inverse
unlimited - illimité
capacities - capacités, capacité
"Vampire-souls," she observed, with a shudder, and her face blanched.
"No," he said, "don't say that." And then he suddenly seemed to grow in stature. His face was ablaze, like the face of a god.
ablaze - en feu, embrasé
"In every age," he replied, with solemnity, "there are giants who attain to a greatness which by natural growth no men could ever have reached. But in their youth a vision came to them, which they set out to seek. They take the stones of fancy to build them a palace in the kingdom of truth, projecting into reality dreams, monstrous and impossible.
solemnity - solennité
giants - géants, géant
attain - atteindre
greatness - la grandeur, grandeur
seek - chercher
Often they fail and, tumbling from their airy heights, end a quixotic career. Some succeed. They are the chosen. Carpenter's sons they are, who have laid down the Law of a World for milleniums to come; or simple Corsicans, before whose eagle eye have quaked the kingdoms of the earth. But to accomplish their mission they need a will of iron and the wit of a hundred men.
fail - échouer, faillent, faillons, taper a côté
heights - les hauteurs, hauteur, taille
Succeed - succéder, réussir, avoir du succes
Carpenter - menuisier, menuisiere, charpentier, charpentiere
milleniums - millénaires
Corsicans - les corses, corse
eagle - aigle, eagle, réussir un aigle
kingdoms - royaumes, royaume, regne
accomplish - accomplir
mission - mission
of iron - de fer
wit - wit, esprit
And from the iron they take the strength, and from a hundred men's brains they absorb their wisdom. Divine missionaries, they appear in all departments of life. In their hand is gathered to-day the gold of the world. Mighty potentates of peace and war, they unlock new seas and from distant continents lift the bars.
absorb - absorber, éponger
missionaries - missionnaires, missionnaire
departments - départements, ministere, département
war - guerre, bataille, entrer en guerre, tfaire la guerre
unlock - déverrouiller, débloquer
continents - continents, continent
lift - l'ascenseur, élevons, élevez, ascenseur, lever, ennoblir
bars - bars, barre, tablette
Single-handed, they accomplish what nations dared not hope; with Titan strides they scale the stars and succeed where millions fail. In art they live, the makers of new periods, the dreamers of new styles. They make themselves the vocal sun-glasses of God.
nations - nations, nation
Titan - titan
strides - foulées, marcher a grands pas
scale - échelle, escaladez, escalader, escaladent, gravir, bareme
dreamers - des reveurs, reveur, reveuse
vocal - vocal
Homer and Shakespeare, Hugo and Balzac-they concentrate the dispersed rays of a thousand lesser luminaries in one singing flame that, like a giant torch, lights up humanity's path."
Hugo - hugo
dispersed - dispersé, disperser, qualifier
lesser - moins (de), inférieur (a)
luminaries - luminaires, lumiere, astre, luminaire
torch - torche, flambeau, incendier
lights up - s'allume
path - chemin, sentier
She gazed at him, open-mouthed. The light had gone from his visage. He paused, exhausted, but even then he looked the incarnation of a force no less terrible, no less grand. She grasped the immensity of his conception, but her woman's soul rebelled at the horrible injustice to those whose light is extinguished, as hers had been, to feed an alien flame.
gazed at - Regarder
incarnation - incarnation
force - force, forcez, contrainte, forçons, contraindre, forcent
grand - grand, grandiose
grasped - saisi, saisir, agripper, comprendre
immensity - immensité
rebelled - s'est rebellé, rebelle
injustice - l'injustice, injustice
extinguished - éteinte, éteindre
feed - l'alimentation, nourrir, alimentent, alimentez, alimentons
And then, for a moment, she saw the pale face of Ernest staring at her out of the wine.
the pale - la pâleur
"Cruel," she sobbed, "how cruel!"
"What matter?" he asked. "Their strength is taken from them, but the spirit of humanity, as embodied in us, triumphantly marches on."
spirit - l'esprit, esprit, moral, élan, spiritueux
embodied - incarnée, incarner, personnifier, représenter
Reginald's revelations were followed by a long silence, interrupted only by the officiousness of the waiter. The spell once broken, they exchanged a number of more or less irrelevant observations. Ethel's mind returned, again and again, to the word he had not spoken. He had said nothing of the immediate bearing of his monstrous power upon her own life and that of Ernest Fielding.
officiousness - l'officialité
observations - observations, observation, remarque
At last, somewhat timidly, she approached the subject.
approached - approché, (s')approcher (de)
"You said you loved me," she remarked.
"I did."
"But why, then-"
"I could not help it."
"Did you ever make the slightest attempt?"
slightest - le moins du monde, insignifiant, léger
attempt - tenter, essayer, tentative, attentat
"In the horrible night hours I struggled against it. I even implored you to leave me."
"Ah, but I loved you!"
"You would not be warned, you would not listen. You stayed with me, and slowly, surely, the creative urge went out of your life."
stayed with - resté avec
creative urge - envie de créer
"But what on earth could you find in my poor art to attract you? What were my pictures to you?"
"I needed them, I needed you. It was a certain something, a rich colour effect, perhaps. And then, under your very eyes, the colour that vanished from your canvases reappeared in my prose. My style became more luxurious than it had been, while you tortured your soul in the vain attempt of calling back to your brush what was irretrievably lost."
more luxurious - plus luxueux
tortured - torturé, torture, torturer
calling back - rappeler
irretrievably - irrémédiablement
"Why did you not tell me?"
"You would have laughed in my face, and I could not have endured your laugh. Besides, I always hoped, until it was too late, that I might yet check the mysterious power within me. Soon, however, I became aware that it was beyond my control. The unknown god, whose instrument I am, had wisely made it stronger than me."
endured - enduré, endurer, perdurer, supporter
unknown - inconnu, inconnue
instrument - instrument, acte
wisely - a bon escient, sagement, savamment
"But why," retorted Ethel, "was it necessary to discard me, like a cast-off garment, like a wanton who has lost the power to please?"
retorted - a rétorqué, rétorquer
discard - rejeter, écarter, défausser
cast - casting, jeter, diriger, lancer, additionner, sommer, muer
garment - de l'habillement, vetement
Her frame shook with the remembered emotion of that moment, when years ago he had politely told her that she was nothing to him.
"The law of being," Reginald replied, almost sadly, "the law of my being. I should have pitied you, but the eternal reproach of your suffering only provoked my anger. I cared less for you every day, and when I had absorbed all of you that my growth required, you were to me as one dead, as a stranger you were.
pitied - pitié, compassion, dommage, honte, plaindre
reproach - des reproches, reproche, opprobre, reprocher
suffering - la souffrance, souffrance, douleur
provoked - provoquée, provoquer
anger - la colere, colere, ire, courroux, rage
required - nécessaires, exiger, demander, avoir besoin de, requérir
There was between us no further community of interest; henceforth, I knew, our lives must move in totally different spheres. You remember that day when we said good-bye?"
further - encourager, ultérieur, plus loin, de plus, (furth)
community of interest - communauté d'intérets
totally - totalement
spheres - spheres, sphere, boule
"You mean that day when I lay before you on my knees," she corrected him.
"That day I buried my last dream of personal happiness. I would have gladly raised you from the floor, but love was utterly gone. If I am tenderer to-day than I am wont to be, it is because you mean so much to me as the symbol of my renunciation. When I realised that I could not even save the thing I loved from myself, I became hardened and cruel to others.
gladly - heureusement, volontiers
tenderer - soumissionnaire, (tender) soumissionnaire
symbol - symbole
renunciation - renoncement, renonciation
Not that I know no kindly feeling, but no qualms of conscience lay their prostrate forms across my path. There is nothing in life for me but my mission."
kindly - avec bienveillance
qualms - des scrupules, scrupule
conscience - conscience
prostrate - prostrée, prosterner
His face was bathed in ecstasy. The pupils were luminous, large and threatening. He had the look of a madman or a prophet.
ecstasy - l'ecstasy, extase, ecstasy, exta
pupils - éleves, écolier/-iere
threatening - menaçante, menaçant, (threaten), menacer
prophet - prophete, prophete, prophétesse, devin
After a while Ethel remarked: "But you have grown into one of the master-figures of the age. Why not be content with that? Is there no limit to your ambition?"
figures - chiffres, figure, forme, personnage, personnalité
content with - etre satisfait de
limit - limite, circonscrivez, limitons, circonscrivons, limitez
Ambition - l'ambition, ambition, ambition (1-5)
Reginald smiled: "Ambition! Shakespeare stopped when he had reached his full growth, when he had exhausted the capacity of his contemporaries. I am not yet ready to lay down my pen and rest."
capacity - capacité
contemporaries - contemporains, contemporain
"And will you always continue in this criminal course, a murderer of other lives?"
continue - continuer
criminal - criminel, criminelle
He looked her calmly in the face. "I do not know."
"Are you the slave of your unknown god?"
slave - esclave, serf, serve
"We are all slaves, wire-pulled marionettes: You, Ernest, I. There is no freedom on the face of the earth nor above. The tiger that tears a lamb is not free, I am not free, you are not free. All that happens must happen; no word that is said is said in vain, in vain is raised no hand."
slaves - esclaves, esclave, t+serf, t+serve
pulled - tiré, tirer, retirer, tirer un coup, influence
marionettes - marionnettes, marionnette
freedom - la liberté, liberté
tiger - tigre, tigresse
lamb - agneau, agnelle, mettre bas
"Then," Ethel retorted, eagerly, "if I attempted to wrest your victim from you, I should also be the tool of your god?"
wrest - lutte
tool - outil, mouton, façonner
"Assuredly. But I am his chosen."
"Can you-can you not set him free?"
"I need him-a little longer. Then he is yours."
"But can you not, if I beg you again on my knees, at least loosen his chains before he is utterly ruined?"
loosen - se desserrer, desserrer
chains - chaînes, chaîne, enchaîner
"It is beyond my power. If I could not rescue you, whom I loved, what in heaven or on earth can save him from his fate? Besides, he will not be utterly ruined. It is only a part of him that I absorb. In his soul are chords that I have not touched. They may vibrate one day, when he has gathered new strength.
rescue - secours, délivrer, secourir, sauver, checksauver, sauvetage
chords - accords, accord, corde
vibrate - vibrer
You, too, would have spared yourself much pain had you striven to attain success in different fields-not where I had garnered the harvest of a lifetime. It is only a portion of his talent that I take from him. The rest I cannot harm. Why should he bury that remainder?"
spared - épargnée, espar
striven - strivées, s'efforcer de
fields - champs, champ, t+campo, terrain, corps
garnered - récoltés, grenier, engranger, rassembler, fr
lifetime - a vie, durée de vie (objects), vie (persons), éternité
portion - part, portion
talent - talent
bury - enterrer, enterrez, enterrent, enterrons
remainder - reste, restant, checkreste, checkrésidu, checkinvendu
His eyes strayed through the window to the firmament, as if to say that words could no more bend his indomitable will than alter the changeless course of the stars.
strayed - égaré, s'écarter de
firmament - firmament
bend - plier, courber, tordre, tourner
indomitable - indomptable
alter - modifier, altérent, altérez, altérer, altérons
Changeless - immuable
Ethel had half-forgotten the wrong she herself had suffered at his hands. He could not be measured by ordinary standards, this dazzling madman, whose diseased will-power had assumed such uncanny proportions. But here a young life was at stake.
standards - normes, standard, étalon, étendard
uncanny - déroutant, déroutante, étrange, troublant
proportions - proportions, proportion
stake - enjeu, pieu, pal, tuteur, jalon
In her mind's eye she saw Reginald crush between his relentless hands the delicate soul of Ernest Fielding, as a magnificent carnivorous flower might close its glorious petals upon a fly.
crush - le coup de foudre, barricade, béguin, amourette, faible
magnificent - magnifique
carnivorous - carnivore
glorious - glorieux, splendide
Love, all conquering love, welled up in her. She would fight for Ernest as a tiger cat fights for its young. She would place herself in the way of the awful force that had shattered her own aspirations, and save, at any cost, the brilliant boy who did not love her.
conquering - a la conquete, conquérir
fights - combats, (se) battre
shattered - brisé, fracasser, réduire en miettes, mettre en pieces, briser
The last rays of the late afternoon sun fell slanting through Ernest's window. He was lying on his couch, in a leaden, death-like slumber that, for the moment at least, was not even perturbed by the presence of Reginald Clarke.
slanting - en biais, biais, connotation, bridé, qualifier
slumber - sommeil, somnolence, somnoler
perturbed - perturbé, perturber, troubler
The latter was standing at the boy's bedside, calm, unmoved as ever. The excitement of his conversation with Ethel had left no trace on the chiselled contour of his forehead. Smilingly fastening an orchid of an indefinable purple tint in his evening coat, radiant, buoyant with life, he looked down upon the sleeper. Then he passed his hand over Ernest's forehead, as if to wipe off beads of sweat.
bedside - au chevet du malade
unmoved - indifférent, insensible
excitement - l'excitation, excitation
contour - contour, ligne de niveau
fastening - fermeture, liage, (fasten), attacher, fixer
Orchid - orchidée
indefinable - indéfinissable
tint - teinte, nuance, teindre
buoyant - flottant, flottable, gai, léger, joyeux
sleeper - wagon lit, dormant
wipe off - essuyer
beads of sweat - Gouttes de sueur
At the touch of his hand the boy stirred uneasily. When it was not withdrawn his countenance twitched in pain. He moaned as men moan under the influence of some anćsthetic, without possessing the power to break through the narrow partition that separates them from death on the one side and from consciousness on the other. At last a sigh struggled to his seemingly paralysed lips, then another.
uneasily - mal a l'aise
countenance - visage, approuver
twitched - a tressailli, donner, avoir un mouvement convulsif
moaned - gémi, gémissement, se plaindre, geindre, gémir, mugir
anćsthetic - anesthésique
possessing - posséder, s'emparer de
narrow - étroite, pressé, étroit
partition - partition, division, checkséparation, checkpartition
separates - des séparations, séparé, séparée, séparer
paralysed - paralysé, paralyser
then another - puis un autre
Finally the babbling became articulate.
babbling - babillage, bavardant, (babble), marmonner, marmotter, jargonner
articulate - articuler, articulez, articulons, articulent
"For God's sake," he cried, in his sleep, "take that hand away!"
For God's sake - Pour l'amour de Dieu
And all at once the benignant smile on Reginald's features was changed to a look of savage fierceness. He no longer resembled the man of culture, but a disappointed, snarling beast of prey. He took his hand from Ernest's forehead and retired cautiously through the half-open door.
benignant - bénigne
savage - barbare, féroce, sauvage
fierceness - férocité, acharnement
disappointed - déçue, décevoir, désappointer
beast of prey - une bete de proie
retired - a la retraite, prendre sa retraite
cautiously - avec prudence, précautionneusement
half-open - (half-open) a moitié ouvert
Hardly had he disappeared when Ernest awoke. For a moment he looked around, like a hunted animal, then sighed with relief and buried his head in his hand. At that moment a knock at the door was heard, and Reginald re-entered, calm as before.
hunted - chassé, chasser, chercher, chasse
sighed - soupiré, soupirer
knock at - frapper
as before - comme avant
"I declare," he exclaimed, "you have certainly been sleeping the sleep of the just."
declare - expliquer, déclarer
"It isn't laziness," Ernest replied, looking up rather pleased at the interruption. "But I've a splitting headache."
laziness - la paresse, paresse, flemme
interruption - interruption
splitting headache - un mal de tete foudroyant
"Perhaps those naps are not good for your health."
naps - des siestes, sieste, petit somme
"Probably. But of late I have frequently found it necessary to exact from the day-hours the sleep which the night refuses me. I suppose it is all due to indigestion, as you have suggested. The stomach is the source of all evil."
frequently - fréquemment
refuses - refuse, refuser de
indigestion - une indigestion, indigestion
stomach - l'estomac, estomac, ventre, bedon (pot belly), digérer
"It is also the source of all good. The Greeks made it the seat of the soul. I have always claimed that the most important item in a great poet's biography is an exact reproduction of his menu."
Greeks - les grecs, grec, grecque, grecques
claimed - réclamé, réclamation, titre, affirmation
item - article, truc, point
biography - biographie
reproduction - reproduction
"True, a man who eats a heavy beefsteak for breakfast in the morning is incapable of writing a sonnet in the afternoon."
beefsteak - beefsteak, bifteck
"Yes," Reginald added, "we are what we eat and what our forefathers have eaten before us. I ascribe the staleness of American poetry to the griddle-cakes of our Puritan ancestors. I am sorry we cannot go deeper into the subject at present. But I have an invitation to dinner where I shall study, experimentally, the influence of French sauces on my versification."
forefathers - les ancetres, aieul, ancetre
ascribe - imputer, attribuer, preter
staleness - la stagnation
griddle - la plaque de cuisson
Puritan - puritain
ancestors - ancetres, ancetre
deeper - plus profond, profond, épais, grave, foncé, foncée
experimentally - de maniere expérimentale
sauces - sauces, sauce
versification - versification
"Good-bye."
"Au revoir." And, with a wave of the hand, Reginald left the room.
au - au, SPL
wave - vague, brandir, onde, flottge
When the door had closed behind him, Ernest's thoughts took a more serious turn. The tone of light bantering in which the preceding conversation had taken place had been assumed on his part. For the last few weeks evil dreams had tortured his sleep and cast their shadow upon his waking hours. They had ever increased in reality, in intensity and in hideousness.
preceding - précédent, précéder
Even now he could see the long, tapering fingers that every night were groping in the windings of his brain. It was a well-formed, manicured hand that seemed to reach under his skull, carefully feeling its way through the myriad convolutions where thought resides.
tapering - le tapering, (taper) le tapering
groping - tripotage, tâter, tâtonner, tripoter, peloter
manicured - manucuré, manucure
skull - crâne, crane
carefully - attentivement, soigneusement
convolutions - les circonvolutions, circonvolution
resides - réside, habiter, résider, demeurer
And, oh, the agony of it all! A human mind is not a thing of stone, but alive, horribly alive to pain. What was it those fingers sought, what mysterious treasures, what jewels hidden in the under-layer of his consciousness? His brain was like a human gold-mine, quaking under the blow of the pick and the tread of the miner. The miner! Ah, the miner!
alive - en vie, vivant
layer - couche, (lay) couche
quaking - tremblements, (quake) tremblements
pick - pioche, passeartout, choix, écran, prendre, cueillir, choisir
Miner - mineur
Ceaselessly, thoroughly, relentlessly, he opened vein after vein and wrested untold riches from the quivering ground; but each vein was a live vein and each nugget of gold a thought!
ceaselessly - sans cesse
thoroughly - a fond, absolument, completement
relentlessly - sans relâche
vein - veine
untold - inédit
nugget - pépite, bleu
No wonder the boy was a nervous wreck. Whenever a tremulous nascent idea was formulating itself, the dream-hand clutched it and took it away, brutally severing the fine threads that bind thought to thought. And when the morning came, how his head ached! It was not an acute pain, but dull, heavy, incessant.
tremulous - tremblant
nascent - naissante, naissant, émergent
formulating - la formulation, formuler
clutched - serré, se raccrocher (a)
brutally - brutalement, sauvagement
severing - le découpage, rompre, trancher, sectionner
bind - lier, attacher, nouer, connecter, coupler
ached - a souffert, douleur
acute - aigu, aiguë
These sensations, Ernest frequently told himself, were morbid fancies. But then, the monomaniac who imagines that his arms have been mangled or cut from his body, might as well be without arms. Mind can annihilate obstacles. It can also create them.
sensations - sensations, sensation
monomaniac - monomaniaque
mangled - mutilée, écraser, mutiler
obstacles - obstacles, obstacle
Psychology was no unfamiliar ground to Ernest, and it was not difficult for him to seek in some casual suggestion an explanation for his delusion, the fixed notion that haunted him day and night. But he also realized that to explain a phenomenon is not to explain it away.
unfamiliar - peu familier
casual - fortuit, accidentel, de hasard, occasionnel, désinvolte, sport
notion - notion
realized - réalisé, réaliser, se rendre compte, prendre conscience
The man who analyses his emotions cannot wholly escape them, and the shadow of fear-primal, inexplicable fear-may darken at moments of weakness the life of the subtlest psychologist and the clearest thinker.
analyses - analyses, analyse
inexplicable - inexplicable
darken - s'assombrir, obscurcir, assombrir, foncer
subtlest - le plus subtil, subtil, délicat, astucieux
clearest - le plus clair, clair, transparent, libre, dégagé
thinker - penseur, penseuse, intellectuel
He had never spoken to Reginald of his terrible nightmares. Coming on the heel of the fancy that he, Ernest, had written "The Princess With the Yellow Veil," a fancy that, by the way, had again possessed him of late, this new delusion would certainly arouse suspicion as to his sanity in Reginald's mind. He would probably send him to a sanitarium; he certainly would not keep him in the house.
nightmares - des cauchemars, cauchemar, mauvais reve, tourment
heel - talon, alinéa
Beneficence itself in all other things, his host was not to be trifled with in any matter that interfered with his work. He would act swiftly and without mercy.
beneficence - bienfaisance
trifled - trifouillé, bagatelle, broutille, babiole, bricole
interfered - interféré, meler
act - acte, loi, action, agir, faire, jouer, se comporter, faire (1)
mercy - la pitié, miséricorde, pitié
For the first time in many days Ernest thought of Abel Felton. Poor boy! What had become of him after he had been turned from the house? He would not wait for any one to tell him to pack his bundle. But then, that was impossible; Reginald was fond of him.
pack - pack, emballer, emballons, emballent, emballez, ballot
bundle - bundle, faisceau, fagot, paquet, ballot (of goods)
fond - fond, tendre, amoureux
Suddenly Ernest's meditations were interrupted by a noise at the outer door. A key was turned in the lock. It must be he-but why so soon? What could have brought him back at this hour? He opened the door and went out into the hall to see what had happened.
meditations - méditations, méditation
turned in - rendu
lock - serrure, clôturer, cerrure, arret, obturer, pene
The figure that he beheld was certainly not the person expected, but a woman, from whose shoulders a theatre-cloak fell in graceful folds,-probably a visitor for Reginald. Ernest was about to withdraw discreetly, when the electric light that was burning in the hallway fell upon her face and illumined it.
beheld - a été observée, regarder, voir, observer, voici, voila
cloak - cape, pelisse, pelerine
folds - plis, plier
withdraw - se retirer, dégarnir, claustrer
discreetly - discretement, discretement
hallway - traversant
Then indeed surprise overcame him. "Ethel," he cried, "is it you?"
Ernest conducted Ethel Brandenbourg to his room and helped her to remove her cloak.
remove - supprimer, enlever
While he was placing the garment upon the back of a chair, she slipped a little key into her hand-bag. He looked at her with a question in his eyes.
"Yes," she replied, "I kept the key; but I had not dreamed that I would ever again cross this threshold."
Meanwhile it had grown quite dark. The reflection of the street lanterns without dimly lit the room, and through the twilight fantastic shadows seemed to dance.
lanterns - lanternes, lanterne
twilight - demi-jour, crépuscule, entre chien et loup, pénombre, brumes
The perfume of her hair pervaded the room and filled the boy's heart with romance. Tenderness long suppressed called with a thousand voices. The hour, the strangeness and unexpectedness of her visit, perhaps even a boy's pardonable vanity, roused passion from its slumbers and once again wrought in Ernest's soul the miracle of love.
pervaded - imprégné, saturer, pénétrer, envahir
romance - le romantisme, romance, idylle, amour romantique
strangeness - l'étrangeté, étrangeté
unexpectedness - soudaineté
pardonable - pardonnable
vanity - la vanité, vanité
slumbers - sommeil, somnolence, somnoler
miracle - miracle
His arm encircled her neck and his lips stammered blind, sweet, crazy and caressing things.
neck - cou, kiki
stammered - balbutié, balbutier, bégayer, bégaiement
crazy - fou, insensé, avoir une araignée au plafond, chtarbé
caressing - caressant, (cares) caressant
"Turn on the light," she pleaded.
pleaded - plaidée, plaider
"You were not always so cruel."
"No matter, I have not come to speak of love."
"Why, then, have you come?"
Ernest felt a little awkward, disappointed, as he uttered these words.
awkward - maladroit, gauche, embarrassant, inconvenant
What could have induced her to come to his rooms? He loosened his hold on her and did as she asked.
induced - induite, induire
loosened - desserré, desserrer
How pale she looked in the light, how beautiful! Surely, she had sorrowed for him; but why had she not answered his letter? Yes, why?
looked in - regardé
sorrowed - chagriné, peine, chagrin
"Your letter?" She smiled a little sadly. "Surely you did not expect me to answer that?"
"Why not?" He had again approached her and his lips were close to hers. "Why not? I have yearned for you. I love you."
yearned - désiré, aspirer a
His breath intoxicated her; it was like a subtle perfume. Still she did not yield.
intoxicated - en état d'ébriété, intoxiquer
"You love me now-you did not love me then. The music of your words was cold-machine-made, strained and superficial. I shall not answer, I told myself: in his heart he has forgotten you. I did not then realise that a dangerous force had possessed your life and crushed in your mind every image but its own."
crushed - écrasé, barricade, béguin, amourette, faible, coup de cour
"I don't understand."
"Do you think I would have come here if it were a light matter? No, I tell you, it is a matter of life and death to you, at least as an artist."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Have you done a stroke of work since I last saw you?"
"Yes, let me see, surely, magazine articles and a poem."
"That is not what I want to know. Have you accomplished anything big? Have you grown since this summer? How about your novel?"
"I-I have almost finished it in my mind, but I have found No chance to begin with the actual writing. I was sick of late, very sick."
No chance - Aucune chance
No doubt of it! His face was pinched and pale, and the lines about the mouth were curiously contorted, like those of a man suffering from a painful internal disease.
pinched - pincé, pincer, chiper, pincement, pincée
contorted - déformé, se contorsionner
painful - douloureux, laborieux
internal - interne
"Tell me," she ventured, "do you ever miss anything?"
"Do you mean-are there thieves?"
thieves - voleurs, voleur, voleuse
"Thieves! Against thieves one can protect oneself."
thieves - voleurs, voler
protect - protéger
oneself - soi-meme, soi-meme
He stared at her wildly, half-frightened, in anticipation of some dreadful revelation. His dream! His dream! That hand! Could it be more than a dream? God! His lips quivered.
wildly - sauvage, sauvagement
frightened - effrayé, effrayer, redouter, terrifier
dreadful - épouvantable, redoutable, affreux, terrible
Ethel observed his agitation and continued more quietly, but with the same insistence: "Have you ever had ideas, plans that you began without having strength to complete them? Have you had glimpses of vocal visions that seemed to vanish no sooner than seen? Did it ever seem to you as if some mysterious and superior will brutally interfered with the workings of your brain?"
insistence - l'insistance, insistance
glimpses - des aperçus, aperçu, entrevoir
visions - visions, vision, vue, aspiration, apparition
vanish - disparaître, s'évanouir, s'annuler
superior - supérieur
Did it seem so to him! He himself could not have stated more plainly the experience of the last few months. Each word fell from her lips like the blow of a hammer. Shivering, he put his arm around her, seeking solace, not love. This time she did not repulse him and, trustingly, as a child confides to his mother, he depicted to her the suffering that harrowed his life and made it a hell.
stated - a déclaré, état, Etat, déclarer
hammer - marteau, chien, malléus, marteler, (ham)
seeking - a la recherche, chercher
repulse - repousser
trustingly - en toute confiance
confides - se confie, faire confiance, confier
depicted - représenté, représenter, décrire
As she listened, indignation clouded her forehead, while rising tears of anger and of love weighed down her lashes. She could bear the pitiful sight no longer.
weighed - pesée, peser, lever l’ancre
pitiful - pitoyable
"Child," she cried, "do you know who your tormentor is?"
tormentor - bourreau
And like a flash the truth passed from her to him. A sudden intimation told him what her words had still concealed.
intimation - intimation
"Don't! For Christ's sake, do not pronounce his name!" he sobbed. "Do not breathe it. I could not endure it. I should go mad."
Christ - le christ, Christ, Messie, bon Dieu de merde
sake - du saké, dans l'intéret de qqn
pronounce - déclarer, prononcer, déclamer, lire
go mad - devenir fou
Very quietly, with difficulty restraining her own emotion so as not to excite him further, Ethel had related to Ernest the story of her remarkable interview with Reginald Clarke. In the long silence that ensued, the wings of his soul brushed against hers for the first time, and Love by a thousand tender chains of common suffering welded their beings into one.
restraining - de contention, (se) contenir/retenir
related - en rapport, raconter, relater
welded - soudé, souder
Caressingly the ivory of her fingers passed through the gold of his hair and over his brow, as if to banish the demon-eyes that stared at him across the hideous spaces of the past. In a rush a thousand incidents came back to him, mute witnesses of a damning truth.
ivory - ivoire
banish - bannir
demon - démon, diable
witnesses - des témoins, témoignage, témoin, preuve, témoigner
damning - accablant, condamner, damner, réprouver, foutu, putain
His play, the dreams that tormented him, his own inability to concentrate his mind upon his novel which hitherto he had ascribed to nervous disease-all, piling fact on fact, became one monstrous monument of Reginald Clarke's crime. At last Ernest understood the parting words of Abel Felton and the look in Ethel's eye on the night when he had first linked his fate with the other man's.
tormented - tourmenté, tourment, tourmenter
hitherto - jusqu'a présent, jusqu'ici, jusqu'alors, jusqu'a maintenant
ascribed - attribuée, imputer, attribuer, preter
monument - monument, mémorial
crime - délit (max 10 years imprisonment according to law) crime (15 years and more) (nothing strictly between 10 and 15)
Walkham's experience, too, and Reginald's remarks on the busts of Shakespeare and Balzac unmistakably pointed toward the new and horrible spectre that Ethel's revelation had raised in place of his host.
remarks - remarques, remarque
unmistakably - sans équivoque
spectre - spectre
And then, again, the other Reginald appeared, crowned with the lyric wreath. From his lips golden cadences fell, sweeter than the smell of many flowers or the sound of a silver bell. He was once more the divine master, whose godlike features bore no trace of malice and who had raised him to a place very near his heart.
sweeter - plus doux, doucement, friandise, bonbon, sucreries-p
godlike - comme un dieu, divin
"No," he cried, "it is impossible. It's all a dream, a horrible nightmare."
nightmare - cauchemar, mauvais reve, tourment
"But he has himself confessed it," she interjected.
"Perhaps he has spoken in symbols. We all absorb to some extent other men's ideas, without robbing them and wrecking their thought-life. Reginald may be unscrupulous in the use of his power of impressing upon others the stamp of his master-mind. So was Shakespeare. No, no, no!
robbing - vol, voler, dévaliser
wrecking - démolition, (wreck), épave, carcasse, accident, bousiller
unscrupulous - sans scrupules
You are mistaken; we were both deluded for the moment by his picturesque account of a common, not even a discreditable, fact. He may himself have played with the idea, but surely he cannot have been serious."
are mistaken - Se tromper
deluded - trompés, tricher, tromper
picturesque - pittoresque
discreditable - discréditable
"And your own experience, and Abel Felton's and mine-can they, too, be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulder?"
dismissed - licencié, renvoyer, limoger, licencier, démettre
shrug - haussement d'épaules, hausser les épaules
"But, come to think of it, the whole theory seems absurd. It is unscientific. It is not even a case of mesmerism. If he had said that he hypnotised his victims, the matter would assume a totally different aspect. I admit that something is wrong somewhere, and that the home of Reginald Clarke is no healthful abode for me.
absurd - absurde
unscientific - non scientifique
victims - victimes, victime
assume - supposer, présupposer, présumer, assumer, adopter, prendre
aspect - aspect, rench: t-needed r
But you must also remember that probably we are both unstrung to the point of hysteria."
hysteria - l'hystérie, hystérie
But to Ethel his words carried no conviction.
"You are still under his spell," she cried, anxiously.
anxiously - avec anxiété, anxieusement
A little shaken in his confidence, Ernest resumed: "Reginald is utterly incapable of such an action, even granting that he possessed the terrible power of which you speak. A man of his splendid resources, a literary Midas at whose very touch every word turns into gold, is under no necessity to prey on the thoughts of others. Circumstances, I admit, are suspicious.
confidence - assurance, confiance en soi, confiance, confidence
granting - l'octroi, accorder, admettre
resources - ressources, ressource(s)
Midas - midas
turns into - se transforme en
circumstances - circonstances, circonstance
suspicious - suspect, méfiant, soupçonneux, suspicieux
But in the light of common day this fanciful theory shrivels into nothing. Any court of law would reject our evidence as madness. It is too utterly fantastic, utterly alien to any human experience."
shrivels - se ratatine, se flétrir, se rider
evidence - des preuves, preuve, prouver, démontrer
"Is it though?" Ethel replied with peculiar intonation.
"Why, what do you mean?"
"Surely," she answered, "you must know that in the legends of every nation we read of men and women who were called vampires. They are beings, not always wholly evil, whom every night some mysterious impulse leads to steal into unguarded bedchambers, to suck the blood of the sleepers and then, having waxed strong on the life of their victims, cautiously to retreat.
legends - légendes, légende
nation - nation, peuple
vampires - vampires, vampire, chauve-souris vampire
suck - aspirer, sucer, téter, etre chiant, etre nul
waxed - ciré, cire
retreat - retraite
Thence comes it that their lips are very red. It is even said that they can find no rest in the grave, but return to their former haunts long after they are believed to be dead. Those whom they visit, however, pine away for no apparent reason. The physicians shake their wise heads and speak of consumption.
thence - d'ou, des lors
pine away - se languir
physicians - médecins, médecin, femme médecin, docteur
wise - sage, sensé, genre, raisonnable
consumption - la consommation, consommation
But sometimes, ancient chronicles assure us, the people's suspicions were aroused, and under the leadership of a good priest they went in solemn procession to the graves of the persons suspected. And on opening the tombs it was found that their coffins had rotted away and the flowers in their hair were black.
ancient - ancienne, antique
Chronicles - chroniques, chronique
suspicions - des soupçons, suspicion, soupçon
leadership - le leadership, autorité, charisme, leadership
solemn - solennel
procession - procession, cortege, kyrielle
graves - tombes, tombe
suspected - soupçonné, suspecter, soupçonner
tombs - tombes, tombe, tombeau
coffins - cercueils, cercueil
rotted - pourri, pourrir
But their bodies were white and whole; through no empty sockets crept the vermin, and their sucking lips were still moist with a little blood."
empty - vide, vider, cadavre
sockets - des prises, prise, douille, orbite (for the eye), cavité
vermin - la vermine, vermine
moist - humide, moite
Ernest was carried away in spite of himself by her account, which vividly resembled his own experience. Still he would not give in.
carried away - emportée
vividly - précise
give in - céder
"All this is impressive. I admit it is very impressive. But you yourself speak of such stories as legends. They are unfounded upon any tangible fact, and you cannot expect a man schooled in modern sciences to admit, as having any possible bearing upon his life, the crude belief of the Middle Ages!"
impressive - impressionnante
unfounded - sans fondement
belief - croyance, conviction, foi
Middle Ages - Le Moyen Âge
"Why not?" she responded. "Our scientists have proved true the wildest theories of medićval scholars. The transmutation of metals seems to-day no longer an idle speculation, and radium has transformed into potential reality the dream of perpetual motion. The fundamental notions of mathematics are being undermined.
proved - prouvé, prouver
theories - théories, théorie
scholars - des universitaires, étudiant, expert, savant, érudit
metals - métaux, métal, metal
speculation - spéculation
fundamental - fondamentale, fondement, fondamental
notions - notions, notion
undermined - minée, saper
One school of philosophers claims that the number of angles in a triangle is equal to more than two right angles; another propounds that it is less. Even great scientists who have studied the soul of nature are turning to spiritism. The world is overcoming the shallow scepticism of the nineteenth century. Life has become once more wonderful and very mysterious.
philosophers - philosophes, philosophe
claims - demandes, réclamation, titre, affirmation
triangle - triangle
propounds - propose, proposer
spiritism - le spiritisme, spiritisme
Overcoming - surmonter, vaincre, envahir
shallow - superficielle, peu profond, superficiel, haut-fond, baisse
scepticism - scepticisme
nineteenth - dix-neuvieme, dix-neuvieme ('before the noun'), ('in names of monarchs and popes') dix-neuf ('after the name') ('abbreviation' XIX)
But it also seems that, with the miracles of the old days, their terrors, their nightmares and their monsters have come back in a modern guise."
miracles - des miracles, miracle
terrors - terreurs, terreur, effroi, terrorisme
guise - guise, configuration
Ernest became even more thoughtful. "Yes," he observed, "there is something in what you say." Then, pacing the room nervously, he exclaimed: "And still I find it impossible to believe your explanation. Reginald a vampire! It seems so ludicrous.
more thoughtful - plus réfléchi
pacing - le rythme, pas
ludicrous - ridicule
If you had told me that such creatures exist somewhere, far away, I might have discussed the matter; but in this great city, in the shadow of the Flatiron Building-no!"
flatiron - flatiron
She replied with warmth: "Yet they exist-always have existed. Not only in the Middle Ages, but at all times and in all regions. There is no nation but has some record of them, in one form or another.
warmth - chaleur
existed - a existé, exister
regions - régions, région
record - record, enregistrent, enregistrez, enregistrons
And don't you think if we find a thought, no matter how absurd it may seem to us, that has ever occupied the minds of men-if we find, I say, such a perennially recurrent thought, are we not justified in assuming that it must have some basis in the actual experience of mankind?"
perennially - perpétuellement
recurrent - récurrente
justified - justifiée, justifier
assuming - en supposant, assumant, (assume), supposer, présupposer
basis - base
mankind - l'humanité, humanité, genre humain, hommes
Ernest's brow became very clouded, and infinite numbers of hidden premature wrinkles began to show. How wan he looked and how frail! He was as one lost in a labyrinth in which he saw no light, convinced against his will, or rather, against his scientific conviction, that she was not wholly mistaken.
premature - prématurée, prématuré
Convinced - convaincu, convaincre, persuader
"Still," he observed triumphantly, "your vampires suck blood; but Reginald, if vampire he be, preys upon the soul. How can a man suck from another man's brain a thing as intangible, as quintessential as thought?"
intangible - intangible
quintessential - quintessence
"Ah," she replied, "you forget, thought is more real than blood!"
Only three hours had passed since Ethel had startled Ernest from his sombre reveries, but within this brief space their love had matured as if each hour had been a year. The pallor had vanished from his cheeks and the restiveness from his eyes. The intoxication of her presence had rekindled the light of his countenance and given him strength to combat the mighty forces embodied in Reginald Clarke.
reveries - reveries, reverie
matured - muri, mur
restiveness - la résilience
intoxication - l'intoxication, intoxication
combat - combat, bataille, lutte, combattre
The child in him had made room for the man. He would not hear of surrendering without a struggle, and Ethel felt sure she might leave his fate in his own hand. Love had lent him a coat of mail. He was warned, and would not succumb. Still she made one more attempt to persuade him to leave the house at once with her.
hear of - Entendre parler de
surrendering - se rendre, capituler, rendre
succumb - succomber
persuade - persuader
"I must go now," she said. "Will you not come with me, after all? I am so afraid to think of you still here."
"No, dear," he replied. "I shall not desert my post. I must solve the riddle of this man's life; and if, indeed, he is the thing he seems to be, I shall attempt to wrest from him what he has stolen from me. I speak of my unwritten novel."
desert - désert, désertez, quitter, désertons, désertent, déserter
riddle - énigme
stolen from - Voler de
"Do not attempt to oppose him openly. You cannot resist him."
oppose - s'opposer a
openly - ouvertement
resist - résister
"Be assured that I shall be on my guard. I have in the last few hours lived through so much that makes life worth living, that I would not wantonly expose myself to any danger. Still, I cannot go without certainty-cannot, if there is some truth in our fears, leave the best of me behind."
assured - assurée, assurerent, assura, assurai
guard - garde, protection, gardien, arriere, défense, garder
wantonly - a tort et a travers
expose - exposer, dénoncer
certainty - certitude
"What are you planning to do?"
"My play-I am sure now that it is mine-I cannot take from him; that is irretrievably lost. He has read it to his circle and prepared for its publication. And, no matter how firmly convinced you or I may be of his strange power, no one would believe our testimony. They would pronounce us mad. Perhaps we are mad!"
publication - publication
testimony - témoignage
"No; we are not mad; but it is mad for you to stay here," she asserted.
"I shall not stay here one minute longer than is absolutely essential. Within a week I shall have conclusive proof of his guilt or innocence."
absolutely essential - absolument indispensable
conclusive - concluante
Proof - la preuve, preuve, épreuve
innocence - l'innocence, innocence, candeur
"How will you go about it?"
"His writing table-"
"Ah!"
"Yes, perhaps I can discover some note, some indication, some proof-"
"It's a dangerous game."
"I have everything to gain."
"I wish I could stay here with you," she said. "Have you no friend, no one whom you could trust in this delicate matter?"
wish - souhait, souhaiter, espérer
trust - confiance, trust, faire confiance, avoir foi en quelqu’un
"Why, yes-Jack."
A shadow passed over her face.
passed over - Passé par-dessus
"Do you know," she said, "I have a feeling that you care more for him than for me?"
"Nonsense," he said, "he is my friend, you, you-immeasurably more."
immeasurably - de maniere incommensurable
"Are you still as intimate with him as when I first met you?"
"Not quite; of late a troubling something, like a thin veil, seems to have passed between us. But he will come when I call him. He will not fail me in my hour of need."
troubling - troublant, génant, (trouble), peine, mal, probleme, emmerde
"When can he be here?"
"In two or three days."
"Meanwhile be very careful. Above all, lock your door at night."
careful - prudent, soigneux, attentif
"I will not only lock, but barricade it. I shall try with all my power to elucidate this mystery without, however, exposing myself to needless risks."
barricade - barricade, barricader
elucidate - élucider, expliquer
exposing - exposer, dénoncer
needless - superflu, inutile
risks - risques, risque
"I will go, then. Kiss me good-bye."
"May I not take you to the car?"
"You had better not."
At the door she turned back once more. "Write me every day, or call me up on the telephone."
He straightened himself, as if to convince her of his strength. Yet when at last the door had closed behind her, his courage forsook him for a moment. And, if he had not been ashamed to appear a weakling before the woman he loved, who knows if any power on earth could have kept him in that house where from every corner a secret seemed to lurk!
straightened - redressé, redresser
convince - convaincre, persuader
courage - bravoure, courage, cour, vaillance
forsook - abandonné, abandonner, renoncer
ashamed - honteux
power on - Allumer
lurk - se cacher, s'embusquer, se dissimuler, traîner
There was a misgiving, too, in the woman's heart as she left the boy behind,-a prey to the occult power that, seeking expression in multiple activities, has made and unmade emperors, prophets and poets.
misgiving - des doutes, état d'âme, (misgive) des doutes
multiple - multiples, multiple
emperors - empereurs, empereur
prophets - prophetes, prophete, prophétesse, devin
As she stepped into a street car she saw from afar, as in a vision, the face of Reginald Clarke. It seemed very white and hungry. There was no human kindness in it-only a threat and a sneer.
afar - loin, afar
human kindness - la bonté humaine
threat - menace
For over an hour Ernest paced up and down his room, wildly excited by Ethel's revelations. It required an immense amount of self-control for him to pen the following lines to Jack: "I need you. Come."
paced - rythmée, pas
amount - montant, quantité, monter, correspondre
self-control - (self-control) le contrôle de soi
After he had entrusted the letter to the hall-boy, a reaction set in and he was able to consider the matter, if not with equanimity, at least with a degree of calmness. The strangest thing to him was that he could not bring himself to hate Reginald, of whose evil influence upon his life he was now firmly convinced.
entrusted - confiés, confier
equanimity - l'équanimité, équanimité
calmness - le calme, calme
Here was another shattered idol; but one-like the fragment of a great god-face in the desert-intensely fascinating, even in its ruin. Then yielding to a natural impulse, Ernest looked over his photographs and at once laid hold upon the austere image of his master and friend. No-it was preposterous; there was no evil in this man.
fragment - fragment, fragmenter
yielding - rendant, (yield) rendant
preposterous - absurde
There was no trace of malice in this face, the face of a prophet or an inspired madman, a poet. And yet, as he scrutinised the picture closely a curious transformation seemed to take place in the features; a sly little line appeared insinuatingly about Reginald's well-formed mouth, and the serene calm of his Jupiter-head seemed to turn into the sneak smile of a thief.
closely - de pres, étroitement, pres
sly - sly, sournois, malin, rusé, matois, espiegle
insinuatingly - de maniere insinuante
serene - serein, enjoué
Jupiter - jupiter
sneak - sournois, resquilleur, faucher, piquer, resquiller, cacher
thief - voleur, voleuse
Nevertheless, Ernest was not afraid. His anxieties had at last assumed definite shape; it was possible now to be on his guard. It is only invisible, incomprehensible fear, crouching upon us from the night, that drives sensitive natures to the verge of madness and transforms stern warriors into cowards.
anxieties - angoisses, anxiété, inquiétude, angoisse
incomprehensible - incompréhensible
crouching - accroupi, s'accroupir
sensitive - sensible
natures - natures, nature
transforms - transforme, transformer, transformée
stern - sévere, poupe
warriors - guerriers, guerrier, guerriere
cowards - des lâches, couard, couarde, poltron, poltronne, froussard
Ernest realised the necessity of postponing the proposed investigation of Reginald's papers until the morning, as it was now near eleven, and he expected to hear at any moment the sound of his feet at the door. Before retiring he took a number of precautions. Carefully he locked the door to his bedroom and placed a chair in front of it.
postponing - le report, repousser, remettre, reporter, différer
proposed - proposée, proposer, demander en mariage
investigation - enquete, investigation
retiring - a la retraite, prendre sa retraite
precautions - des précautions, précaution
locked - verrouillé, serrure
To make doubly sure, he fastened the handle to an exquisite Chinese vase, a gift of Reginald's, that at the least attempt to force an entrance from without would come down with a crash.
doubly - doublement
fastened - fixé, attacher, fixer
handle - poignée, crosse, manions, traiter, manient, maniez
gift - présent, cadeau, don, talent, donner
entrance - entrée, cochere
crash - crash, fracas
Then, although sleep seemed out of the question, he went to bed. He had hardly touched the pillow when a leaden weight seemed to fall upon his eyes. The day's commotion had been too much for his delicate frame. by force of habit he pulled the cover over his ear and fell asleep.
pillow - oreiller, tetiere
weight - poids, lest, graisse, alourdir, lester, appesantir
by force - par la force
habit - habitude, configuration
cover - une couverture
asleep - endormi
All night he slept heavily, and the morning was far advanced when a knock at the door that, at first, seemed to come across an immeasurable distance, brought him back to himself. It was Reginald's manservant announcing that breakfast was waiting.
knock - coup, frapper
immeasurable - incommensurable
manservant - serviteur
announcing - annonçant, annoncer
Ernest got up and rubbed his eyes. The barricade at the door at once brought back to his mind with startling clearness the events of the previous evening.
rubbed - frotté, friction, hic, frotter, polir
brought back - ramené
clearness - clarté
previous - précédente, préalable
Everything was as he had left it. Evidently no one had attempted to enter the room while he slept. He could not help smiling at the arrangement which reminded him of his childhood, when he had sought by similar means security from burglars and bogeys. And in the broad daylight Ethel's tales of vampires seemed once more impossible and absurd.
Security - la sécurité, sécurité, sécurisant, titre négociable
burglars - des cambrioleurs, cambrioleur, cambrioleuse
bogeys - bogeys, bogie
tales - contes, conte, récit
Still, he had abundant evidence of Reginald's strange influence, and was determined to know the truth before nightfall. Her words, that thought is more real than blood, kept ringing in his ears. If such was the case, he would find evidence of Reginald's intellectual burglaries, and possibly be able to regain a part of his lost self that had been snatched from him by the relentless dream-hand.
abundant - abondante
nightfall - a la tombée de la nuit, tombée de la nuit
burglaries - cambriolages, cambriolage
Possibly - peut-etre, possiblement, peut-etre
regain - retrouver, reconquérir, reprendre
snatched from - arraché
But under no circumstances could he face Reginald in his present state of mind. He was convinced that if in the fleeting vision of a moment the other man's true nature should reveal itself to him, he would be so terribly afraid as to shriek like a maniac. So he dressed particularly slowly in the hope of avoiding an encounter with his host. But fate thwarted this hope.
reveal - révéler, laisser voir
Terribly - terriblement
shriek - cri, hurlement, crier
maniac - maniaque, cinglé, cinglée
avoiding - en évitant, éviter, fuir
encounter - rencontrer, rencontre
thwarted - contrecarrée, contrecarrer, contrarier, banc
Reginald, too, lingered that morning unusually long over his coffee. He was just taking his last sip when Ernest entered the room. His behaviour was of an almost bourgeois kindness. Benevolence fairly beamed from his face. But to the boy's eyes it had assumed a new and sinister expression.
unusually - de façon inhabituelle
benevolence - la bienveillance, bienveillance, bénévolence
fairly - équitable, justement, assez
beamed - téléporté, madrier, poutre, merrain, perche, limon, timon, age
"You are late this morning, Ernest," he remarked in his mildest manner. "Have you been about town, or writing poetry? Both occupations are equally unhealthy." As he said this he watched the young man with the inscrutable smile that at moments was wont to curl upon his lips.
are late - etre en retard
mildest - le plus doux, doux, douce, léger
occupations - professions, occupation
unhealthy - malsain, mauvais pour la santé
curl - boucle, rotationnel, boucler
Ernest had once likened it to the smile of Mona Lisa, but now he detected in it the suavity of the hypocrite and the leer of the criminal.
suavity - suavité, courtoisie
hypocrite - hypocrite, pharisien, pharisienne, tartufe
leer - leer, regard mauvais, (lee) leer
He could not endure it; he could not look upon that face any longer. His feet almost gave way under him, cold sweat gathered on his brow, and he sank on a chair trembling and studiously avoiding the other man's gaze.
gave way - céder le passage
sweat - de la sueur, transpirer, suer, transpiration
sank - a coulé, couler, s'enfoncer, évier, lavabo
At last Reginald rose to go. It seemed impossible to accuse this splendid impersonation of vigorous manhood of cunning and underhand methods, of plagiarisms and of theft. As he stood there he resembled more than anything a beautiful tiger-cat, a wonderful thing of strength and will-power, indomitable and insatiate. Yet who could tell whether this strength was not, after all, parasitic.
accuse - accuser
impersonation - l'usurpation d'identité
manhood - la virilité, humanité, virilité, masculinité
cunning - astucieux, rusé
underhand - en dessous de la main
methods - méthodes, méthode
theft - vol
insatiate - insatiable
parasitic - parasites
If Ethel's suspicions were justified, then, indeed, more had been taken from him than he could ever realise. For in that case it was his life-blood that circled in those veins and the fire of his intellect that set those lips aflame!
circled - encerclée, cercle, disque, yeux cernés-p, cerne
aflame - en feu
Reginald Clarke had hardly left the room when Ernest hastily rose from his seat. While it was likely that he would remain in undisturbed possession of the apartment the whole morning, the stake at hand was too great to permit of delay.
remain - reste, rester, demeurer
undisturbed - sans etre dérangé
delay - délai, ajourner, décélération, surseoir, retard, retarder
Palpitating and a little uncertain, he entered the studio where, scarcely a year ago, Reginald Clarke had bidden him welcome. Nothing had changed there since then; only in Ernest's mind the room had assumed an aspect of evil. The Antinous was there and the Faun and the Christ-head. But their juxtaposition to-day partook of the nature of the blasphemous.
palpitating - des palpitations, palpiter
uncertain - incertaine
scarcely - a peine, a peine, guere
bidden - interdites, faire une enchere (de)
Faun - faune
juxtaposition - juxtaposition
partook - ont participé, participer
The statues of Shakespeare and Balzac seemed to frown from their pedestals as his fingers were running through Reginald's papers. He brushed against a semblance of Napoleon that was standing on the writing-table, so that it toppled over and made a noise that weirdly re-echoed in the silence of the room.
statues - statues, statue
frown - froncer les sourcils
pedestals - des piédestaux, piédestal
toppled - renversé, renverser, (of statues) déboulonner, tomber, chuter
weirdly - bizarrement
echoed - en écho, écho
At that moment a curious family resemblance between Shakespeare, Balzac, Napoleon-and Reginald, forcibly impressed itself upon his mind. It was the indisputable something that marks those who are chosen to give ultimate expression to some gigantic world-purpose. In Balzac's face it was diffused with kindliness, in that of Napoleon sheer brutality predominated.
resemblance - ressemblance, comparaison, probabilité
forcibly - de force
indisputable - indiscutable
gigantic - gigantesque, colossal
purpose - objectif, dgssein, dessein, finalité, but
diffused - diffusée, (se) diffuser, (se) répandre
kindliness - la gentillesse
brutality - brutalité
The image of one who was said to be the richest man of the world also rose before his eyes. Perhaps it was only the play of his fevered imagination, but he could have sworn that this man's features, too, bore the mark of those unoriginal, great absorptive minds who, for better or for worse, are born to rob and rule.
unoriginal - sans originalité
rob - rob, ravir, piller
They seemed to him monsters that know neither justice nor pity, only the law of their being, the law of growth.
justice - justice, équité, conseiller
Common weapons would not avail against such forces. Being one, they were stronger than armies; nor could they be overcome in single combat. Stealth, trickery, the outfit of the knave, were legitimate weapons in such a fight. In this case the end justified the means, even if the latter included burglary.
weapons - des armes, arme
avail - avail, profiter, saisir, servir
armies - armées, armée
overcome - vaincre, surmonter, envahir
single combat - Combat singulier
stealth - furtif, furtivité, discrétion
trickery - la tromperie, tricherie, magouillage
outfit - la tenue, complet, costume, tenue, nécessaire, maison
knave - chevalier, page, voyou, fourbe, valet
fight - combattre, combattons, rixe, combattez, combattent
burglary - cambriolage
After a brief and fruitless search of the desk, he attempted to force open a secret drawer, the presence of which he had one day accidentally discovered. He tried a number of keys to no account, and was thinking of giving up his researches for the day until he had procured a skeleton key, when at last the lock gave way.
fruitless - infructueux, abortif, abortive, vain
force open - forcer l'ouverture
drawer - tiroir, souscripteur
accidentally - accidentellement
researches - recherches, recherche, rechercher, examiner
procured - procuré, acquérir, obtenir, proxénétisme, procurer
skeleton key - passe-partout
The drawer disclosed a large file of manuscript. Ernest paused for a moment to draw breath. The paper rustled under his nervous fingers. And there-at last-his eyes lit upon a bulky bundle that bore this legend: "Leontina, A Novel."
disclosed - divulguée, découvrir, laisser voir, révéler, divulguer
file - fichier, ranger, dossier, classement, limer, lime, rangée
bulky - gros, corpulent ('of a person'), volumineux, encombrant
legend - légende
It was true, then-all, his dream, Reginald's confession. And the house that had opened its doors so kindly to him was the house of a Vampire!
confession - confession
Finally curiosity overcame his burning indignation. He attempted to read. The letters seemed to dance before his eyes-his hands trembled.
At last he succeeded. The words that had first rolled over like drunken soldiers now marched before his vision in orderly sequence. He was delighted, then stunned. This was indeed authentic literature, there could be no doubt about it. And it was his. He was still a poet, a great poet. He drew a deep breath. Sudden joy trembled in his heart.
succeeded - a réussi, succéder, réussir, avoir du succes
drunken - ivre
soldiers - soldats, soldat, mouillette
authentic - authentique
This story set down by a foreign hand had grown chapter by chapter in his brain.
foreign - étrangers, étranger, étrangere
There were some slight changes-slight deviations from the original plan. A defter hand than his had retouched it here and there, but for all that it remained his very own. It did not belong to that thief. The blood welled to his cheek as he uttered this word that, applied to Reginald, seemed almost sacrilegious.
deviations - des écarts, déviation, rench: -neededr
defter - defter, adroit, compétent, habile
belong - appartiennent, appartenons, faire partie de, appartiens
applied - appliquée, appliquer (sur)
sacrilegious - sacrilege
He had nearly reached the last chapter when he heard steps in the hallway. Hurriedly he restored the manuscript to its place, closed the drawer and left the room on tiptoe.
nearly - presque
steps - étapes, pas
hurriedly - en toute hâte, a la hâte, a la sauvette, a la va-vite
restored - restaurée, restaurer, rétablir, rendre, restituer
on tiptoe - sur la pointe des pieds
It was Reginald. But he did not come alone. Someone was speaking to him. The voice seemed familiar. Ernest could not make out what it said. He listened intently and-was it possible? Jack? Surely he could not yet have come in response to his note! What mysterious power, what dim presentiment of his friend's plight had led him hither?
intently - attentivement
presentiment - pressentiment
plight - situation difficile, situation critique
led - dirigé, DEL, LED, (lead) dirigé
But why did he linger so long in Reginald's room, instead of hastening to greet him? Cautiously he drew nearer. This time he caught Jack's words:
hastening to - se hâter
greet - saluer, saluons, saluez, saluent
"It would be very convenient and pleasant. Still, some way, I feel that it is not right for me, of all men, to take his place here."
Convenient - pratique, commode
"That need not concern you," Reginald deliberately replied; "the dear boy expressed the desire to leave me within a fortnight. I think he will go to some private sanitarium. His nerves are frightfully overstrained."
deliberately - délibérément
expressed - exprimée, exprimer
fortnight - quinze jours, deux semaines, quinzaine
"This seems hardly surprising after the terrible attack he had when you read your play."
attack - attaque, attaquer, apostropher, invectiver
"That idea has since then developed into a monomania."
developed - développé, se développer, développer
monomania - monomanie
"I am awfully sorry for him. I cared for him much, perhaps too much. But I always feared that he would come to such an end. Of late his letters have been strangely unbalanced."
awfully - terriblement
feared - craint, peur
unbalanced - déséquilibré, désaxer, déséquilibrer
"You will find him very much changed. In fact, he is no longer the same."
"No," said Jack, "he is no longer the friend I loved."
Ernest clutched for the wall. His face was contorted with intense agony. Each word was like a nail driven into his flesh. Crucified upon the cross of his own affection by the hand he loved, all white and trembling he stood there. Tears rushed to his eyes, but he could not weep. Dry-eyed he reached his room and threw himself upon his bed. Thus he lay-uncomforted and alone.
driven into - dans lequel il a été conduit
rushed - précipité, se précipiter, emmener d'urgence
weep - pleurer, pleurez, pleurons, pleurent
threw - jeté, jeter, lancer
uncomforted - mal a l'aise
Terrible as was his loneliness, a meeting with Jack would have been more terrible. And, after all, it was true, a gulf had opened between them.
Gulf - golfe
Ethel alone could bring solace to his soul. There was a great void in his heart which only she could fill. He hungered for the touch of her hand. He longed for her presence strongly, as a wanton lusts for pleasure and as sad men crave death.
void - vide, vacuum
hungered - faim
strongly - fort, fortement
lusts - des désirs, luxure, concupiscence, convoitise, joie, désirer
crave - envie, souhaiter, désirer, implorer
Noiselessly he stole to the door so as not to arouse the attention of the other two men, whose every whisper pierced his heart like a dagger. When he came to Ethel's home, he found that she had gone out for a breath of air. The servant ushered him into the parlor, and there he waited, waited, waited for her.
noiselessly - sans bruit
dagger - poignard, surin
servant - serviteur, domestique, servante, checkserviteur
ushered - huissier, ouvreur, escorte, garçon d'honneur, escorter
parlor - parloir, salon, salle de traite
Greatly calmed by his walk, he turned the details of Clarke's conversation over in his mind, and the conviction grew upon him that the friend of his boyhood was not to blame for his course of action. Reginald probably had encircled Jack's soul with his demoniacal influence and singled him out for another victim. That must never be. It was his turn to save now.
demoniacal - démoniaque
singled - célibataire, seul, célibatairef, simple
He would warn his friend of the danger that threatened him, even if his words should be spoken into the wind. For Reginald, with an ingenuity almost satanic, had already suggested that the delusion of former days had developed into a monomania, and any attempt on his part to warn Jack would only seem to confirm this theory. In that case only one way was left open.
warn - avertir, alerter, prévenir
threatened - menacé, menacer
ingenuity - l'ingéniosité, ingéniosité
satanic - satanique
confirm - confirmer
left open - laissé ouvert
He must plead with Reginald himself, confront at all risks that snatcher of souls. To-night he would not fall asleep. He would keep his vigil. And if Reginald should approach his room, if in some way he felt the direful presence, he must speak out, threaten if need be, to save his friend from ruin.
plead - plaider
confront - confronter
snatcher - voleur
fall asleep - s'endormir
vigil - veille, veillée
direful - terribles
threaten - menacer
He had fully determined upon this course when a cry of joy from Ethel, who had just returned from her walk, interrupted his reverie. But her gladness changed to anxiety when she saw how pale he was. Ernest recounted to her the happenings of the day, from the discovery of his novel in Reginald's desk to the conversation which he had accidentally overheard.
fully - pleinement, entierement, completement
gladness - la joie, allégresse
anxiety - l'anxiété, anxiété, inquiétude, angoisse
recounted - raconté, raconter
discovery - découverte
He noticed that her features brightened as he drew near the end of his tale.
Tale - conte, récit
"Was your novel finished?" she suddenly asked.
"I think so."
"Then you are out of danger. He will want nothing else of you. But you should have taken it with you."
out of danger - hors de danger
"I had only sufficient presence of mind to slip it back into the drawer. To-morrow I shall simply demand it."
sufficient - suffisante, suffisant
slip - glisser, fiche, lapsus, patiner
"You will do nothing of the kind. It is in his handwriting, and you have no legal proof that it is yours. You must take it away secretly. And he will not dare to reclaim it."
handwriting - l'écriture, écriture de main
legal - légale, juridique, légal
dare - oser, aventurer
reclaim - réclamer
"And Jack?"
She had quite forgotten Jack. Women are invariably selfish for those they love.
Selfish - égoiste, égoiste
"You must warn him," she replied.
"He would laugh at me. However, I must speak to Reginald."
"It is of no avail to speak to him. At least, you must not do so before you have obtained the manuscript. It would unnecessarily jeopardise our plans."
unnecessarily - inutilement
jeopardise - mettre en péril
"And after?"
"After, perhaps. But you must not expose yourself to any danger."
"No, dear," he said, and kissed her; "what danger is there, provided I keep my wits about me? He steals upon men only in their sleep and in the dark."
provided - fourni, fournir, procurer, pourvoir
wits - l'esprit, esprit
steals - vol, voler
"Be careful, nevertheless."
"I shall. In fact, I think he is not at home at this moment. If I go now I may be able to get hold of the manuscript and hide it before he returns."
"I cannot but tremble to think of you in that house."
tremble - trembler, vibrer, tremblement, vibration
"You shall have no more reason to tremble in a day or two."
"Shall I see you to-morrow?"
"I don't think so. I must go over my papers and things so as to be ready at any moment to leave the house."
I don't think so - Je ne pense pas.
"And then?"
"Then-"
He took her in his arms and looked long and deeply into her eyes.
"Yes," she replied-"at least, perhaps."
Then he turned to go, resolute and happy. How strangely he had matured since the summer! Her heart swelled with the consciousness that it was her love that had effected this transformation.
swelled - gonflé, enfler, gonfler
effected - affectée, effet, effets-p, effectuer
"As I cannot expect you to-morrow, I shall probably go to the opera, but I shall be at home before midnight. Will you call me up then? A word from you will put me at ease for the night, even if it comes over the telephone."
opera - l'opéra, opéra, (opus) l'opéra
at ease - a l'aise
"I will call you up. We moderns have an advantage over the ancients in this respect: the twentieth-century Pyramus can speak to Thisbe even if innumerable walls sever his body from hers."
advantage - avantage, avantager, favoriser
ancients - des anciens, ancien, antique
respect - respect, respecter
innumerable - innombrables
sever - sévere, rompre, trancher, sectionner
"A quaint conceit! But let us hope that our love-story will end less tragically," she said, tenderly caressing his hair. "Oh, we shall be happy, you and I," she added, after a while. "The iron finger of fate that lay so heavily on our lives is now withdrawn. Almost withdrawn. Yes, almost. Only almost."
conceit - la vanité, vanité, orgueil, concept
love-story - (love-story) histoire d'amour
tragically - tragiquement
tenderly - tendrement
And then a sudden fear overcame her.
"No," she cried, "do not go, do not go! Stay with me; stay here. I feel so frightened. I don't know what comes over me. I am afraid-afraid for you."
"No, dear," he rejoined, "you need not be afraid. In your heart you don't want me to desert a friend, and, besides, leave the best part of my artistic life in Reginald's clutch."
clutch - embrayage, agriffons, couplage, saisir, agriffez, agriffent
"Why should you expose yourself to God knows what danger for a friend who is ready to betray you?"
betray - trahir, livrer
"You forget friendship is a gift. If it exacts payment in any form, it is no longer either friendship or a gift. And you yourself have assured me that I have nothing to fear from Reginald. I have nothing to give to him."
exacts - exacts, exact, précis, exiger
payment - paiement, payement
She rallied under his words and had regained her self-possession when the door closed behind him. He walked a few blocks very briskly. Then his pace slackened. Her words had unsettled him a little, and when he reached home he did not at once resume his exploration of Reginald's papers. He had hardly lit a cigarette when, at an unusually early hour, he heard Reginald's key in the lock.
rallied - rallié, (se) rallier
regained - retrouvée, reconquérir, reprendre
blocks - blocs, bloc
pace - rythme, pas
unsettled - déstabilisé, perturber
resume - cv, resume, reprendent, reprends, reprenez, reprenons
exploration - l'exploration, exploration
Quickly he turned the light out and in the semi-darkness, lit up by an electric lantern below, barricaded the door as on the previous night. Then he went to bed without finding sleep.
lantern - lanterne
barricaded - barricadé, barricade, barricader
Supreme silence reigned over the house. Even the elevator had ceased to run. Ernest's brain was all ear. He heard Reginald walking up and down in the studio. Not the smallest movement escaped his attention. Thus hours passed. When the clock struck twelve, he was still walking up and down, down and up, up and down.
reigned - régnait, regne, régner
ceased - cessé, cesser, s'arreter, cesser de + 'infinitive'
One o'clock.
Still the measured beat of his footfall had not ceased. There was something hypnotic in the regular tread. Nature at last exacted its toll from the boy. He fell asleep.
hypnotic - hypnotique, narcotique
regular - réguliere, régulier, habitué, habituée, habitués, habituées
exacted - exigé, exact, précis, exiger
Toll - le péage, péage
Hardly had he closed his eyes when again that horrible nightmare-no longer a nightmare-tormented him. Again he felt the pointed delicate fingers carefully feeling their way along the innumerable tangled threads of nerve-matter that lead to the innermost recesses of self....
tangled - enchevetrés, désordre, enchevetrement
lead - plomb, guider, conduire, mener
A subconscious something strove to arouse him, and he felt the fingers softly withdrawn.
subconscious - subconscient
strove - s'efforcer, s'efforcer de
He could have sworn that he heard the scurrying of feet in the room. Bathed in perspiration he made a leap for the electric light.
scurrying - se précipiter, détaler, se sauver
perspiration - la transpiration, transpiration
But there was no sign of any human presence. The barricade at the door was undisturbed. But fear like a great wind filled the wings of his soul.
sign - signe, signent, signez, placard, caractériser
Yet there was nothing, nothing to warrant his conviction that Reginald Clarke had been with him only a few moments ago, plying his horrible trade. The large mirror above the fireplace only showed him his own face, white, excited,-the face of a madman.
plying - plier, exercer (un métier)
trade - le commerce
mirror - glace, miroir, copie, refléter
fireplace - âtre, foyer, cheminée
The next morning's mail brought a letter from Ethel, a few lines of encouragement and affection. Yes, she was right; it would not do for him to stay under one roof with Reginald any longer. He must only obtain the manuscript and, if possible, surprise him in the attempt to exercise his mysterious and criminal power.
encouragement - d'encouragement, encouragement
obtain - obtenir, se procurer, réussir, avoir succes, s'établir
if possible - si possible
Then he would be in the position to dictate terms and to demand Jack's safety as the price of his silence.
dictate - dicter
terms - conditions, peine, mandat, période
safety - la sécurité, sécurité, sureté
Reginald, however, had closeted himself that day in his studio busily writing. Only the clatter of his typewriter announced his presence in the house. There was no chance for conversation or for obtaining the precious manuscript of "Leontina."
closeted - fermé, placard
busily - avec activité
typewriter - machine a écrire, machine a écrire, dactylo
announced - annoncée, annoncer
obtaining - l'obtention, obtenir, se procurer, réussir, avoir succes, avoir
Meanwhile Ernest was looking over his papers and preparing everything for a quick departure. Glancing over old letters and notes, he became readily interested and hardly noticed the passage of the hours.
everything for - tout pour
readily - facilement, volontiers, aisément
When the night came he only partly undressed and threw himself upon the bed. It was now ten. At twelve he had promised Ethel to speak to her over the telephone. He was determined not to sleep at all that night. At last he would discover whether or not on the previous and other nights Reginald had secretly entered his room.
undressed - déshabillé, déshabiller
When one hour had passed without incident, his attention relaxed a little. His eyes were gradually closing when suddenly something seemed to stir at the door. The Chinese vase came rattling to the floor.
incident - incident, checkfait-divers, checkaccident
gradually - progressivement
rattling - le cliquetis, (rattle) le cliquetis
At once Ernest sprang up. His face had blanched with terror. It was whiter than the linen in which they wrap the dead. But his soul was resolute.
sprang up - a surgi
terror - la terreur, terreur, effroi, terrorisme
linen - le linge, toile, lin, linge
wrap - l'emballage, langer, envelopper
He touched a button and the electric light illuminated the whole chamber. There was no nook for even a shadow to hide. Yet there was no one to be seen. From without the door came no sound. Suddenly something soft touched his foot. He gathered all his will power so as not to break out into a frenzied shriek. Then he laughed, not a hearty laugh, to be sure.
button - bouton
illuminated - éclairé, illuminer
nook - le livre, coin, angle, recoin
break out - S'échapper
frenzied - frénétique, frénésie
hearty - cordial, copieux
A tiny nose and a tail gracefully curled were brushing against him. The source of the disturbance was a little Maltese cat, his favourite, that by some chance had remained in his room. After its essay at midnight gymnastics the animal quieted down and lay purring at the foot of his bed.
tail - queue
Maltese - Maltais, Maltaise, bichon maltais
essay - essai, manipulation, these, traité, gradin
gymnastics - la gymnastique, gymnastique
purring - ronronner, (pur) ronronner
The presence of a living thing was a certain comfort, and the reservoir of his strength was well nigh exhausted.
comfort - le confort, confort, consoler
reservoir - réservoir
He dimly remembered his promise to Ethel, but his lids drooped with sheer weariness. Perhaps an hour passed in this way, when suddenly his blood congealed with dread.
lids - couvercles, couvercle
drooped - s'est affaissée, tomber, s'affaisser, bec
He felt the presence of the hand of Reginald Clarke-unmistakably-groping in his brain as if searching for something that had still escaped him.
searching - a la recherche, recherche, chercher, fouiller
He tried to move, to cry out, but his limbs were paralysed. When, by a superhuman effort, he at last succeeded in shaking off the numbness that held him enchained, he awoke just in time to see a figure, that of a man, disappearing in the wall that separated Reginald's apartments from his room....
shaking off - Secouer
numbness - l'engourdissement, engourdissement
disappearing - disparaître
separated - séparée, séparé, séparer
This time it was no delusion of the senses. He heard something like a secret door softly closing behind retreating steps. A sudden fierce anger seized him. He was oblivious of the danger of the terrible power of the older man, oblivious of the love he had once borne him, oblivious of everything save the sense of outraged humanity and outraged right.
senses - sens, acception, sentir
retreating - se retirer, battre en retraite
fierce - féroce
oblivious - inconscient
borne - porté, supporter
outraged - indignés, outrage, offense, colere, rage, indignation, indigner
The law permits us to shoot a burglar who goes through our pockets at night. Must he tolerate the ravages of this a thousand times more dastardly and dangerous spiritual thief? Was Reginald to enjoy the fruit of other men's labour unpunished? Was he to continue growing into the mightiest literary factor of the century by preying upon his betters?
permits - des permis, permettre
shoot - tirer, larguer, tirent, tirons, tirez
burglar - cambrioleur, cambrioleuse
pockets - poches, poche, empocher, de poche
tolerate - tolérer, supporter, souffrir
ravages - ravages, ravager
dastardly - ignoble
labour - le travail, effort, travail, labeur, besogne, travailleurs
unpunished - impunie
mightiest - le plus puissant, puissant
factor - facteur, factoriser
preying - en proie, butin, prise, proie
Abel, Walkham, Ethel, he, Jack, were they all to be victims of this insatiable monster?
insatiable - insatiable
monster - monstre, bete, monstrueux
Was this force resistless as it was relentless?
resistless - sans résistance
No, a thousand times, no!
He dashed himself against the wall at the place where the shadow of Reginald Clarke had disappeared. In doing so he touched upon a secret spring. The wall gave way noiselessly. Speechless with rage he crossed the next room and the one adjoining it, and stood in Reginald's studio.
dashed - en pointillés, tiret, trait, ta, sprint, soupçon, se précipiter
rage - rage, furie, fureur, courroux, rager, faire rage
crossed - croisé, crosse
The room was brilliantly lighted, and Reginald, still dressed, was seated at his writing-table scribbling notes upon little scraps of paper in his accustomed manner.
scraps - des déchets, bout
At Ernest's approach he looked up without evincing the least sign of terror or surprise. Calmly, almost majestically, he folded his arms over his breast, but there was a menacing glitter in his eyes as he confronted his victim.
evincing - évocation, montrer, prouver
majestically - majestueusement
folded - plié, plier
menacing - menaçante, menace
glitter - paillettes, étincellement, paillette, briller
Silently the two men faced each other. Then Ernest hissed:
"Thief!"
Reginald shrugged his shoulders.
shrugged - haussé les épaules, haussement d'épaules, hausser les épaules
"Vampire!"
"So Ethel has infected you with her absurd fancies! Poor boy! I am afraid.... I have been wanting to tell you for some time.... But I think.... We have reached the parting of our road!"
infected - infecté, infecter
"And that you dare to tell me!"
The more he raged, the calmer Reginald seemed to become.
raged - enragée, rage, furie, fureur, courroux, rager, faire rage
calmer - plus calme, calme, tranquille, calme plat, calmer
"Really," he said, "I fail to understand.... I must ask you to leave my room!"
"You fail to understand? You cad!" Ernest cried. He stepped to the writing-table and opened the secret drawer with a blow. A bundle of manuscripts fell on the floor with a strange rustling noise. Then, seizing his own story, he hurled it upon the table. And behold-the last pages bore corrections in ink that could have been made only a few minutes ago!
manuscripts - manuscrits, manuscrit
rustling - bruissement, (rustle), froufrou, froufrouter
seizing - la saisie, emparant, (seize), saisir, emparer
corrections - corrections, correction, rectification
Reginald smiled. "Have you come to play havoc with my manuscripts?" he remarked.
"Your manuscripts? Reginald Clarke, you are an impudent impostor! You have written no word that is your own. You are an embezzler of the mind, strutting through life in borrowed and stolen plumes!"
impudent - impudent
impostor - imposteur, imposteuse
embezzler - détourneur de fonds
strutting - se pavaner, (strut) se pavaner
plumes - les panaches, plume(t)
And at once the mask fell from Reginald's face.
"Why stolen?" he coolly said, with a slight touch of irritation. "I absorb. I appropriate. That is the most any artist can say for himself. God creates; man moulds. He gives us the colours; we mix them."
coolly - froidement
irritation - l'irritation, irritation
appropriate - approprié, idoine, approprier
moulds - moules, terreau, humus
Mix - mélange, meler, mélangent, mélangeons, mixage, mélangez
"That is not the question. I charge you with having wilfully and criminally interfered in my life; I charge you with having robbed me of what was mine; I charge you with being utterly vile and rapacious, a hypocrite and a parasite!"
charge - frais, charge, chef d’accusation, chef d’inculpation, meuble
criminally - pénalement
robbed - volé, voler, dévaliser
vile - vil
rapacious - rapace
parasite - parasite, profiteur
"Foolish boy," Reginald rejoined austerely. "It is through me that the best in you shall survive, even as the obscure Elizabethans live in him of Avon. Shakespeare absorbed what was great in little men-a greatness that otherwise would have perished-and gave it a setting, a life."
austerely - austerement
survive - survivre
otherwise - autrement
perished - a péri, périr
setting - de l'environnement, réglage, configuration
"A thief may plead the same. I understand you better. It is your inordinate vanity that prompts you to abuse your monstrous power."
inordinate - démesuré
abuse - abus, défaut, abuser, insulter, tourmenter, abusons
"You err. Self-love has never entered into my actions. I am careless of personal fame. Look at me, boy! As I stand before you I am Homer, I am Shakespeare ... I am every cosmic manifestation in art. Men have doubted in each incarnation my individual existence. Historians have more to tell of the meanest Athenian scribbler or Elizabethan poetaster than of me.
err - err, errons, errez, errent
self-love - (self-love) l'amour de soi
careless - négligent, étourdi, distrait
cosmic - cosmique
manifestation - manifestation
doubted - douté, douter, doute
historians - les historiens, historien, historienne
Athenian - Athénien, Athénienne
scribbler - scribouillard, gribouilleur, gribouilleuse
poetaster - poete, poétastre
The radiance of my work obscured my very self. I care not. I have a mission. I am a servant of the Lord. I am the vessel that bears the Host!"
obscured - obscurci, obscur, sibyllin, obscurcir
bears - ours, supporter
He stood up at full length, the personification of grandeur and power. A tremendous force trembled in his very finger tips. He was like a gigantic dynamo, charged with the might of ten thousand magnetic storms that shake the earth in its orbit and lash myriads of planets through infinities of space....
full length - pleine longueur
personification - personnification
grandeur - grandeur, splendeur
finger tips - le bout des doigts
dynamo - dynamo
charged - chargé, frais-p, charge, chef d’accusation, chef d’inculpation
storms - tempetes, orage, tempete
orbit - orbite, mettre en orbite
lash - cils, amarrons, amarrez, amarrent, fustiger
myriads - myriades, myriade, nombreux
planets - planetes, planete
infinities - des infinis, infinité, infini
Under ordinary circumstances Ernest or any other man would have quailed before him. But the boy in that epic moment had grown out of his stature. He felt the sword of vengeance in his hands; to him was intrusted the cause of Abel and of Walkham, of Ethel and of Jack.
quailed - quailed, reculer (devant)
vengeance - vengeance
His was the struggle of the individual soul against the same blind and cruel fate that in the past had fashioned the ichthyosaurus and the mastodon.
Ichthyosaurus - ichtyosaure
Mastodon - mastodon, mastodonte
"By what right," he cried, "do you assume that you are the literary Messiah? Who appointed you? What divine power has made you the steward of my mite and of theirs whom you have robbed?"
Messiah - le messie, messie
appointed - nommés, fixer, gloss
steward - steward, intendant
mite - mite, acarien
"I am a light-bearer. I tread the high hills of mankind ... I point the way to the future. I light up the abysses of the past. Were not my stature gigantic, how could I hold the torch in all men's sight? The very souls that I tread underfoot realise, as their dying gaze follows me, the possibilities with which the future is big.... Eternally secure, I carry the essence of what is cosmic ...
bearer - porteur, porteuse
hills - collines, colline, côte
light up - Allumer
abysses - des abîmes, abîme, précipice, abysse, gouffre
dying - teignant, mourant, (dye) teignant
possibilities - possibilités, possibilité
secure - sécurisé, sur, sécuriser
of what is divine.... I am Homer ... Goethe ... Shakespeare.... I am an embodiment of the same force of which Alexander, Cćsar, Confucius and the Christos were also embodiments.... None so strong as to resist me."
Goethe - goethe
Alexander - alexandre
Confucius - confucius
embodiments - des incarnations, incarnation
resist - résister, s'opposer, rejeter, dégouter, vernis
A sudden madness overcame Ernest at this boast. He must strike now or never. He must rid humanity of this dangerous maniac-this demon of strength. With a power ten times intensified, he raised a heavy chair so as to hurl it at Reginald's head and crush it.
boast - se vanter, vantent, vantez, vantons, fanfaronner, vanter
rid - rid, débarrasser
intensified - intensifiée, intensifier, s'intensifier
hurl - hurler, projeter, débecter, débecqueter
Reginald stood there calmly, a smile upon his lips.... Primal cruelties rose from the depth of his nature.... Still he smiled, turning his luminous gaze upon the boy ... and, behold ... Ernest's hand began to shake ... the chair fell from his grasp.... He tried to call for help, but no sound issued from his lips.... Utterly paralysed he confronted ... the Force....
cruelties - cruautés, cruauté
Minutes-eternities passed.
eternities - éternités, éternité
And still those eyes were fixed upon him.
But this was no longer Reginald!
It was all brain ... only brain ... a tremendous brain-machine ... infinitely complex ... infinitely strong. Not more than a mile away Ethel endeavoured to call to him through the night. The telephone rang, once, twice, thrice, insistingly. But Ernest heard it not. Something dragged him ... dragged the nerves from his body dragged, dragged, dragged.... It was an irresistible suction ... pitiless .
endeavoured - s'est efforcé, s'efforcer (de)
thrice - trois fois
insistingly - avec insistance
dragged - traîné, tirer, entraîner
suction - l'aspiration, succion, sucer
.. passionless ... immense.
Sparks, blue, crimson and violet, seemed to play around the living battery. It reached the finest fibres of his mind.... Slowly ... every trace of mentality disappeared.... First the will ... then feeling ... judgment ... memory ... fear even.... All that was stored in his brain-cells came forth to be absorbed by that mighty engine....
sparks - des étincelles, étincelle
Violet - violet, violette
Battery - pile, coups et blessures, batterie
fibres - fibres, fibre
mentality - mentalité
judgment - jugement, sentence, verdict, jugement dernier
stored - stockée, entrepôt, stock, stocker, conserver
engine - moteur
The Princess With the Yellow Veil appeared ... flitted across the room and melted away. She was followed by childhood memories ... girls'heads, boys'faces.... He saw his dead mother waving her arms to him.... An expression of death-agony distorted the placid features.... Then, throwing a kiss to him, she, too, disappeared. Picture on picture followed.... Words of love that he had spoken ...
melted away - a fondu
placid - placide
throwing - jetant, (throw) jetant
sins, virtues, magnanimities, meannesses, terrors ... mathematical formulas even, and snatches of songs. Leontina came and was swallowed up.... No, it was Ethel who was trying to speak to him ... trying to warn.... She waved her hands in frantic despair.... She was gone.... A pale face ... dark, dishevelled hair.... Jack.... How he had changed!
sins - péchés, péché, mal
magnanimities - magnanimités, magnanimité
meannesses - méchancetés, abjection
formulas - formules, formule, aliment lacté pour nourrissons
swallowed - avalé, avaler
frantic - éperdu, paniqué, frénétique
He was in the circle of the vampire's transforming might. "Jack," he cried. Surely Jack had something to explain ... something to tell him ... some word that if spoken would bring rest to his soul. He saw the words rise to the boy's lips, but before he had time to utter them his image also had vanished. And Reginald ... Reginald, too, was gone.... There was only the mighty brain ... panting ...
transforming - la transformation, transformant, (transform), transformer
panting - haletant, (pant) haletant
whirling.... Then there was nothing.... The annihilation of Ernest Fielding was complete.
whirling - tourbillonnant, (whirl), tourbillonner
annihilation - l'anéantissement, annihilation
Vacantly he stared at the walls, at the room and at his master. The latter was wiping the sweat from his forehead. He breathed deeply.... The flush of youth spread over his features.... His eyes sparkled with a new and dangerous brilliancy.... He took the thing that had once been Ernest Fielding by the hand and led it to its room.
vacantly - vacante
wiping - essuyant, (wipe) essuyant
breathed - respiré, respiration, souffle, haleine
spread - se propager, étaler, écarter, disperser, répandre, éparpiller
With the first flush of the morning Ethel appeared at the door of the house on Riverside Drive. She had not heard from Ernest, and had been unable to obtain connection with him at the telephone. Anxiety had hastened her steps. She brushed against Jack, who was also directing his steps to the abode of Reginald Clarke.
connection - connexion, liaison, lien, rapport, complicité, correspondance
directing - la mise en scene, direct, mettre en scene, ordonner
At the same time something that resembled Ernest Fielding passed from the house of the Vampire. It was a dull and brutish thing, hideously transformed, without a vestige of mind.
hideously - hideux
vestige - vestige
"Mr. Fielding," cried Ethel, beside herself with fear as she saw him descending.
descending - descendant, descendre
"Ernest!" Jack gasped, no less startled at the change in his friend's appearance.
gasped - haletant, retenir son souffle, haleter, ahaner, haletement
Ernest's head followed the source of the sound, but no spark of recognition illumined the deadness of his eyes. Without a present and without a past ... blindly ... a gibbering idiot ... he stumbled down the stairs.
deadness - la mort
blindly - aveuglément, a l’aveuglette
gibbering - baragouiner
idiot - idiot, idiote
stumbled - en état de choc, chute, faux pas, bourde, trébucher