French Intermediate Bilingual Story-Lesson
Quatrième Etage [Fourth Floor]
PART FOUR
ORIGINAL FRENCH TEXT
By Jean Hougron |
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
By Simpetweb (that's me!) |
PARA
C’est vrai qu’en y regardant de prés je suis un peu responsable de ce qui est arrivé. |
It’s true that, when looked upon close up, I am a bit responsible for what happened. |
PARA
Il fait couler l’eau du robinet. Il est en train de lamper sa soupe maintenant. Je crois le voir, le buste écrasé sur la table, un litre de vin rouge posé devant son assiette. Sa cuillère heurte l’assiette. Il doit se dire qu’il a raison, qu’il a toujours eu raison et que, si la femme et le petit sont morts, c’est de leur faute, qu’il n’y est pour rien. Il se verse à boire. |
He turns on the tap. He is now gulping up his soup. I just imagine him, hunched over the table, a litre of red wine in front of his bowl. His spoon hits the bowl. He is probably saying to himself that he was in the right, that he had always been in the right, and that if his wife and child are dead, it was their fault and that he was not responsible. He pours himself a drink. |
PARA
A midi, en rentrant de l’arsenal, je l’ai rencontré sous le porche de l’immeuble. Il m’a lancé un coup d’œil fuyant. Il était sale et ressemblait à un vieil homme. Depuis l’enterrement, il se néglige. Quand il est arrivé a ma hauteur, j’ai eu envie de lui dire qu’il était un salaud, rien que pour le voir protester, affirmer qu’il n’était pas coupable. Est-ce que d’ailleurs la police ne l’a pas laissé tranquille ? |
At midday, whilst returning from the dock yard, I encountered him under the porch of the apartment block. He threw a fleeting glance in my direction. He was dirty and resembled an old man. Since the burial he has been neglecting himself. When he arrived at my height, I had an urge to say to him that he was a bastard, if only to see him protest and affirm that he was not guilty/responsible. Is it not the case, moreover, that the police had left him in peace? |
PARA
Il doit se douter que je le rosserais avec plaisir, car il m’évite et, quand nous nous trouvons face à face, par hasard, je le vois qui apprête son visage et prend un air attristé. Pour un peu, il me parlerait le premier et m’expliquerait ses raisons. |
He must suspect that I would give him a beating with pleasure because he avoids me and, when we find ourselves face to face, by happenchance, I see him preparing his face and taking sad look. Without needing encouragement, he would be the first to talk and would explain to me his reasons. |
PARA
Je suis certain que, si je luis en donnais l’occasion, il s’empresserait de venir pleurer dans ma veste et qu’il me déviderait ses raisons comme il le fait avec la vieille fille du troisième. Aussi, il m’observerait à la dérobée, comme ceux qui ne se sentent pas à l’aise et ne sont pas surs qu’on va les croire. |
I am certain that if I gave him the opportunity, he would come rushing to cry on my shoulder and that he would uncoil his reasons. Another thing; he would secretly observe me, like those people who don’t feel at ease and are not sure that one’s going to believe them |
PARA
Je retourne m’asseoir devant la fenêtre. J’ai dressé sur un bout de papier la liste de ce que je vais emporter à Bactraing. J’essaie de fixer mon attention sur ce départ et sur De Soto, mais ma pensée dérive et revient à Tavernier. Ce midi, j’aurais eu plaisir à le gifler devant tous les locataires de l’immeuble. Je suis certain que c’est lui qui se serait excusé. C’est stupide, car, à vrai dire, tout cela ne me regarde que d’assez loin. |
I return and sit in front of the window. I have written a list on a piece of paper of what I am going to take with me to Bactraing. I try to fix my attention on the departure and on De Soto, but my thoughts drift and return to Tavernier. This midday, I would have had the pleasure to slap him in front of all the tenants of the apartment block. I am certain that it’s him who would have excused himself. It’s stupid, because, to tell the truth, all that didn’t really have much to do with me. |
SECTION B ~ FRENCH BILINGUAL TEXT - SENTENCE BY SENTENCE TRANSLATIONS
C’est vrai qu’en y regardant de prés je suis un peu responsable de ce qui est arrivé.
It’s true that, when looked upon close up, I am a bit responsible for what happened.
Il fait couler l’eau du robinet. Il est en train de lamper sa soupe maintenant.
He turns on the tap. He is now gulping up his soup
Je crois le voir, le buste écrasé sur la table, un litre de vin rouge posé devant son assiette. Sa cuillère heurte l’assiette.
I just imagine him, hunched over the table, a litre of red wine in front of his bowl. His spoon hits the bowl.
Il doit se dire qu’il a raison, qu’il a toujours eu raison et que, si la femme et le petit sont morts, c’est de leur faute, qu’il n’y est pour rien.
He is probably saying to himself that he was in the right, that he had always been in the right, and that if his wife and child are dead, it was their fault and that he was not responsible.
Il se verse à boire. A midi, en rentrant de l’arsenal, je l’ai rencontré sous le porche de l’immeuble.
He pours himself a drink. At midday, whilst returning from the dock yard, I encountered him under the porch of the apartment block.
Il m’a lancé un coup d’œil fuyant.
He threw a fleeting glance in my direction.
Il était sale et ressemblait à un vieil homme.
He was dirty and resembled an old man.
Depuis l’enterrement, il se néglige.
Since the burial he has been neglecting himself.
Quand il est arrivé a ma hauteur, j’ai eu envie de lui dire qu’il était un salaud, rien que pour le voir protester, affirmer qu’il n’était pas coupable.
When he arrived at my height, I had an urge to say to him that he was a bastard, if only to see him protest and affirm that he was not guilty/responsible.
Est-ce que d’ailleurs la police ne l’a pas laissé tranquille ?
Is it not the case, moreover, that the police had left him in peace?
Il doit se douter que je le rosserais avec plaisir, car il m’évite et, quand nous nous trouvons face à face, par hasard, je le vois qui apprête son visage et prend un air attristé.
He must suspect that I would give him a beating with pleasure because he avoids me and, when we find ourselves face to face, by happenchance, I see him preparing his face and taking sad look.
Pour un peu, il me parlerait le premier et m’expliquerait ses raisons.
COME BACK TO, he would be the first to talk and would explain to me his reasons.
Je suis certain que, si je luis en donnais l’occasion, il s’empresserait de venir pleurer dans ma veste et qu’il me déviderait ses raisons comme il le fait avec la vieille fille du troisième.
I am certain that if I gave him the opportunity, he would come rushing to cry on my shoulder and that he would uncoil his reasons
Aussi, il m’observerait à la dérobée, comme ceux qui ne se sentent pas à l’aise et ne sont pas surs qu’on va les croire.
As well, he would secretly observe me, like those people who don’t feel at ease and are not sure that one’s going to believe them
Je retourne m’asseoir devant la fenêtre.
I return and sit in front of the window.
J’ai dressé sur un bout de papier la liste de ce que je vais emporter à Bactraing.
I have written a list on a piece of paper of what I am going to take with me to Bactraing.
J’essaie de fixer mon attention sur ce départ et sur De Soto, mais ma pensée dérive et revient à Tavernier.
I try to fix my attention on the departure and on De Soto, but my thoughts drift and return to Tavernier.
Ce midi, j’aurais eu plaisir à le gifler devant tous les locataires de l’immeuble.
This midday, I would have had the pleasure to slap him in front of all the tenants of the apartment block.
Je suis certain que c’est lui qui se serait excusé.
I am certain that it’s him who would have excused himself.
C’est stupide, car, à vrai dire, tout cela ne me regarde que d’assez loin.
It’s stupid, because, to tell the truth, all that didn’t really have much to do with me.
SECTION C - FRENCH BILINGUAL TEXT - WORD FOR WORD TRANSLATIONS
C’est vrai qu’en y regardant de prés je suis un peu responsable de ce qui est arrivé.
C’[It] est[is] vrai[true] qu’[that] en[in] y[there] regardant[looking] de[of] prés[close] je[I] suis[am] un[a] peu[bit] responsable[responsible] de[of] ce[it] qui[which] est[is] arrivé[happened].
It is true that in there looking of close I am a bit responsible of it which is happened
It’s true that, when looked upon close up, I am a bit responsible for what happened.
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Il fait couler l’eau du robinet. Il est en train de lamper sa soupe maintenant.
Il[He] fait[makes] couler[run/flow] l’[the] eau[water] du[of.the] robinet[tap]. Il[He] est[is] en[in] train[the.motion] de[of] lamper[to.gulp] sa[his] soupe[soup] maintenant[now].
He makes run/flow the water of.the tap. He is in the.motion of to.gulp his soupe now.
He turns on the tap. He is now gulping up his soup
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Je crois le voir, le buste écrasé sur la table, un litre de vin rouge posé devant son assiette. Sa cuillère heurte l’assiette.
Je[I] crois[believe] le[him] voir[to.see], le[the] buste[torso] écrasé[crushed] sur[on] la[the] table[table], un[a] litre[litre] de[of] vin[wine] rouge[red] posé[posed] devant[in.front.of] son[his] assiette[plate]. Sa[his] cuillère[spoon] heurte[hits] l’[the] assiette[plate].
I believe him to.see, the torso crushed on the table, a litre of wine red posed in.front.of his plate. His spoon hits the plate.
I just imagine him, hunched over the table, a litre of red wine in front of his bowl. His spoon hits the bowl.
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Il doit se dire qu’il a raison, qu’il a toujours eu raison et que, si la femme et le petit sont morts, c’est de leur faute, qu’il n’y est pour rien.
Il[He] doit[must] se[himself] dire[to.say] qu’[that] il[he] a[has] raison[reason], qu’[that] il[he] a[has] toujours[always] eu[had] raison[reason] et[and] que[that], si[if] la[the] femme[woman/wife] et[and] le[the] petit[little.one] sont[are] morts[dead], c’[it] est[is] de[of] leur[their] faute[fault], qu’[that] il[he] n’[no] y[there] est[is] pour[for] rien[nothing].
He must himself to.say that he has reason, that he has always had reason and that, if the woman/wife and the little.one are dead, it is of their fault, that he no there is for nothing.
He is probably saying to himself that he was in the right, that he had always been in the right, and that if his wife and child are dead, it was their fault and that he was not responsible.
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Il se verse à boire. A midi, en rentrant de l’arsenal, je l’ai rencontré sous le porche de l’immeuble.
Il[He] se[himself] verse[pours] à[to] boire[drink]. A[at] midi[midday/lunchtime], en[in] rentrant[returning/re-entering] de[of] l’[the] arsenal[dockyard], je[I] l’[him] ai rencontré[encountered] sous[under] le[the] porche[porch] de[of] l’[the] immeuble[apartment.block].
He himself pours to drink. At midday/lunchtime, in re-entering/returning of the dockyard, I him encountered under the porch of the apartment.block.
He pours himself a drink. At midday, whilst returning from the dock yard, I encountered him under the porch of the apartment block.
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Il m’a lancé un coup d’œil fuyant.
Il[He] m’[to.me] a lancé[launched] un[a] coup[hit] d’[of] œil[eye] fuyant[fleeting].
He to.me launched a hit of eye fleeting
He threw a fleeting glance in my direction.
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Il était sale et ressemblait à un vieil homme.
Il[He] était[was] sale[dirty] et[and] ressemblait[was.resembling] à[at/as] un[an] vieil[old] homme[man].
He was dirty and was.resembling at/as an old man.
He was dirty and resembled an old man.
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Depuis l’enterrement, il se néglige.
Depuis[Since] l’[the] enterrement[burial], il[he] se[himself] néglige[neglects].
Since the burial he himself neglects.
Since the burial he has been neglecting himself.
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Quand il est arrivé a ma hauteur, j’ai eu envie de lui dire qu’il était un salaud, rien que pour le voir protester, affirmer qu’il n’était pas coupable.
Quand[When] il[he] est arrivé[arrived] a[at] ma[my] hauteur[height/level], j’[I] ai eu[had] envie[urge] de[to] lui[to.him] dire[to.say] qu’[that] il[he] était[was] un[a] salaud[bastard], rien[nothing] que[than] pour[in.order.to] le[him] voir[to.see] protester[protesting], affirmer[affirming] qu’[that] il[he] n’[no] était[was] pas[not] coupable[guilty].
When he arrived at my height/level, I had urge to to.him to.say that he was a bastard, nothing that in.order.to him to.see protesting, affirming that he no was not guilty.
When he arrived at my height, I had an urge to say to him that he was a bastard, if only to see him protest and affirm that he was not guilty/responsible.
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Est-ce que d’ailleurs la police ne l’a pas laissé tranquille ?
Est[Is] -ce[it] que[that] d’ailleurs[moreover] la[the] police[police] ne[no] l’[him] a[has] pas[not] laissé[left] tranquille[tranquil] ?
Is it that moreover the police no him has not left tranquil.
Is it not the case, moreover, that the police have left him in peace?
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Il doit se douter que je le rosserais avec plaisir, car il m’évite et, quand nous nous trouvons face à face, par hasard, je le vois qui apprête son visage et prend un air attristé.
Il[He] doit[must] se[himself] douter[to.doubt] que[that] je[I] le[him] rosserais[would.beat.up] avec[with] plaisir[pleasure], car[because] il[he] m’[me] évite[avoids] et[and], quand[when] nous[we] nous[ourselves] trouvons[find] face[face] à[to] face[face], par[by] hasard[happenchance], je[I] le[him] vois[see] qui[who] apprête[prepares] son[his] visage[face] et[and] prend[takes] un[an] air[appearance] attristé[saddened].
He must himself to.doubt that I him would.beat.up with pleasure because he me avoids and when we ourselves find face to face by happenchance, I him see who prepares his face and takes an appearance saddened.
He must suspect that I would give him a beating with pleasure because he avoids me and, when we find ourselves face to face, by happenchance, I see him preparing his face and taking sad look.
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Pour un peu, il me parlerait le premier et m’expliquerait ses raisons.
Pour[For] un[a] peu[little.thing], il[he] me[to.me] parlerait[would.talk] le[the] premier[first] et[and] m’[to.me] expliquerait[would.explain] ses[his] raisons[reasons].
For a little.thing, he to.me would.talk the first and to.me would.explain his reasons.
It wouldn’t take much for him to talk: he would be the first to talk and would explain to me his reasons.
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Je suis certain que, si je lui en donnais l’occasion, il s’empresserait de venir pleurer dans ma veste et qu’il me déviderait ses raisons comme il le fait avec la vieille fille du troisième.
Je[I] suis[am] certain[certain] que[that], si[if] je[I] lui[to.him] en[of.it] donnais[was.giving] l’[the] occasion[occasion], il[he] s’[himself] empresserait[would.hurry] de[to] venir[to.come] pleurer[to.cry] dans[in] ma[my] veste[jacket] et[and] qu’[that] il[he] me[me] déviderait[would.uncoil] ses[his] raisons[reasons] comme[like] il[he] le[it] fait[does] avec[with] la[the] vieille[old] fille[girl] du[of.the] troisième[third].
I am certain that, if I to.him of.it was.giving the occasion, he himself would.hurry to.come to.cry in my jacket and that he me would.uncoil his reasons like he it does with the old girld of.the third.
I am certain that if I gave him the opportunity, he would come rushing to cry on my shoulder and that he would spill out his reasons like he does with the old girl on the third floor.
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Aussi, il m’observerait à la dérobée, comme ceux qui ne se sentent pas à l’aise et ne sont pas surs qu’on va les croire.
Aussi[as.well], il[he] m’[me] observerait[would.observe] à[at/on] la[the] dérobée[hidden/sly], comme[like] ceux[those] qui[who] ne[no] se[themselves] sentent[feel] pas[not] à[at] l’[the] aise[ease] et[and] ne[no] sont[are] pas[not] surs[sure] qu’[that] on[one] va[go/is.going.to] les[them] croire[to.believe].
As.well, he me would.observe at the hidden/sly like those who no themselves feel not at the ease and no are not sure that one go/is.going.to to.believe
As well, he would secretly observe me, like those people who don’t feel at ease and are not sure that one’s going to believe them
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Je retourne m’asseoir devant la fenêtre.
Je[I] retourne[return] m’[myself] asseoir[to.sit] devant[in.front.of] la[the] fenêtre[window].
I return myself to.sit in.front.of the window.
I return and sit in front of the window.
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J’ai dressé sur un bout de papier la liste de ce que je vais emporter à Bactraing.
J’[I] ai[have] dressé[put.up] sur[on] un[a] bout[piece] de[of] papier[paper] la[the] liste[list] de[of] ce[it] que[that] je[I] vais[go/am.going] emporter[to.take.away] à[to] Bactraing[Bactraing].
I have put.up on a piece of paper the list of it that I go/am.going to.take to Bactraing
I have written a list on a piece of paper of what I am going to take with me to Bactraing.
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J’essaie de fixer mon attention sur ce départ et sur De Soto, mais ma pensée dérive et revient à Tavernier.
J’[I] essaie[try] de[to] fixer[fix] mon[my] attention[attention] sur[on] ce[this/that] départ[departure] et[and] sur[on] De Soto[De Soto], mais[but] ma[my] pensée[thought] dérive[drifts] et[and] revient[returns] à[to] Tavernier[Tavernier].
I try to fix my attention on this/that departure and on De Soto, but my thought drifts and returns to Tavernier.
I try to fix my attention on the departure and on De Soto, but my thoughts drift and return to Tavernier.
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Ce midi, j’aurais eu plaisir à le gifler devant tous les locataires de l’immeuble.
Ce[this] midi[midday/lunchtime], j’[I] aurais[would.have] eu[had] plaisir[pleasure] à[at/to] le[him] gifler[to.slap] devant[in.front.of] tous[all] les[the] locataires[tenants] de[of] l’[the] immeuble[apartment.block].
This midday/lunchtime, I would.have had pleasure at/to him to.slap in.front.of all the tenants of the apartment.block.
This midday, I would have had the pleasure to slap him in front of all the tenants of the apartment block.
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Je suis certain que c’est lui qui se serait excusé.
Je[I] suis[am] certain[certain] que[that] c’[it] est[is] lui[him] qui[who] se[himself] serait[would.be(would.have)] excusé[excused].
I am certain that it is him who himself would.be(would.have) excused.
I am certain that it’s him who would have excused himself.
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C’est stupide, car, à vrai dire, tout cela ne me regarde que d’assez loin.
C’[It] est[is] stupide[stupid], car[because], à[to] vrai[true] dire[to.say], tout[all] cela[that.there] ne[no] me[me] regarde[looks/concerns] que[than] d’[of] assez[enough] loin[far].
It is stupid, because, to true to.say, all that.there no me looks/concerns that of enough far.
It’s stupid, because, to tell the truth, all that didn’t really have much to do with me.
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Learn french in 4 weeks! My ****! but you might learn a thing or two if you continue to the fourth part of this word for word and line by line (or nearly) translated french bilingual text. That's the spirit. Now click the button like you mean it. |