Nouvelle/ Short Story *** Intermediate Level / Niveau Intermédiaire
|
|
PART
I |
BRAM STOKER'S
|
Abraham "Bram" Stoker (1847 – 1912) was an Irish author known today for his 1897 Gothicnovel, Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned
It is widely believed that "Dracula's Guest" is actually the deleted first chapter from the original Dracula manuscript, which the publisher felt was superfluous to the story. It first appeared in Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories, a collection of short stories by Bram Stoker that was first published in 1914, two years after Stoker's death. (EDITED QUOTES from Wikipedia) |
Abraham Stoker dit Bram Stoker (1847 - 1912) est un écrivain britannique d'origine irlandaise, auteur de nombreux romans et de nouvelles, qui a connu la célébrité grâce à son ouvrage intitulé Dracula.
(EDITED QUOTE: Wikipedia) |
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE FRENCH TRANSLATON
Simpetweb (That's me!) |
ENGLISH ORIGINAL
Bram Stoker 1914 |
FRENCH TRANSLATION
Unknown |
Sorry No audio available |
More at ChapterVox
|
Sorry No audio available |
PARA 1
When I set out on the excursion, a handsome sun was illuminating Munich, and the air was filled with that joy so particular to the start of summer. The coach was rattling about already when Herr Delbruck (the manager of the four seasons hotel where I was staying at) rushed over in order to wish me an pleasant drive: then, hand still on the carriage door, addressing the coachman; - And, above all, be back before evening, ok? For the moment, the weather's fine, but this wind from the north could end up, in spite of appearances, by bringing us a storm. It's true that it's pointless advising you to be prudent; you know as well as I do that one ought not dawdle en route tonight! |
PARA 1
When we started for our drive the sun was shining brightly on Munich, and the air was full of the joyousness of early summer. Just as we were about to depart, Herr Delbruck (the maitre d'hotel of the Quatre Saisons, where I was staying) came down bareheaded to the carriage and, after wishing me a pleasant drive, said to the coachman, still holding his hand on the handle of the carriage door, "Remember you are back by nightfall. The sky looks bright but there is a shiver in the north wind that says there may be a sudden storm. But I am sure you will not be late." Here he smiled and added,"for you know what night it is." |
PARA 1
Lorsque je partis en excursion, un beau soleil illuminait Munich, et l’air était rempli de cette joie particulière au début de l’été. La voiture s’ébranlait déjà lorsque Herr Delbrück (le patron de l’hôtel des Quatre Saisons où j’étais descendu) accourut pour me souhaiter une promenade agréable ; puis, la main toujours sur la portière, il s’adressa au cocher : – Et, surtout, soyez de retour avant le soir, n’est-ce pas ? Pour le moment, il fait beau, mais ce vent du nord pourrait bien finir, malgré tout, par nous amener un orage. Il est vrai qu’il est inutile de vous recommander la prudence : vous savez aussi bien que moi qu’il ne faut pas s’attarder en chemin cette nuit ! Il avait souri en disant ces derniers mots. ................................... ~partis = [left/ set off] ~s’ébranlait = [was shaking or rattling about] ~étais descendu = [had stayed OR was staying] NOTE: I can't get a feeling for which one of the two it is because this is an extremely rare use of decendre whose normal meaning is [to descend/ to go down/ to come down/ to alight/ to drop down] In normal circumstances you would give it a 'had' translation, reading it as the PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT but I suspect it is being used here as the IMPARFAIT + past participle used as adjective. Can't win 'em all ~rempli = [filled] ~orage = [storm] ~malgré = [despite] ~accourut = [ran up to {me}/ rushed up to {me}] NOTE: you have to imply the 'me' as this would normally be seen as m'accourut ~soyez = [be] ~amener = [to bring (though read as 'in bringing'] ~s’attarder = [to linger/ to dawdle/ to remain/ to hang about] |
PARA 2
- Ja, mein Herr, said Johann in knowing way. and, touching two fingers to his hat, he set the horses off at full speed. When we had cleared the town, I made sign for him to stop, and immediately asked him: |
PARA 2
Johann answered with an emphatic, "Ja, mein Herr," and, touching his hat, drove off quickly. When we had cleared the town, I said, after signalling to him to stop: |
PARA 2
– Ja, mein Herr, fit Johann d’un air entendu et, touchant de deux doigts son chapeau, il fit partir les chevaux à toute vitesse. Lorsque nous fûmes sortis de la ville, je lui fis signe d’arrêter, et lui demandai aussitôt : .................................. ~fit = [said] NOTE: that this is actually the passé simple of faire = [to do/ to make] which used to be used stylistically like this in the past to mean 'said'. God knows why! ~entendu = [knowing] NOTE: usually means 'understood' or 'heard' ~touchant de deux doigts = [touching with two fingers] i.e doffing his hat or making a small respectful salute. ~fit partir = [made leave/ made set off] ~fûmes sortis = [were left/ were exited (though read as 'were outside of')] ~fis signe = [made {a} sign/ gave signal] |
PARA 3
-Tell me, Johann, why did the manager speak of the coming night in this way? |
PARA 3
"Tell me, Johann, what is tonight?" |
PARA 3
– Dites-moi, Johann, pourquoi le patron a-t-il parlé ainsi de la nuit prochaine ? |
PARA 4
Whilst crossing himself he responded tersely: -Walpurgis Nacht. Then, from his pocket he pulled out his watch, an old german watch in silver and of the size of a turnip; He consulted it whilst scrunching his eyebrows up, and shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of vexation. I realized that it was his way of protesting (rather respectfully) against this pointless delay, and let myself fall once more into the back of the carriage. As soon as done, he started off once more at a brisk speed, as if he was wanting to regain the time lost. From time to time, the horses would brusquely raise their heads and sniff - one would have said that an odeur of some sort that only they alone were perceiving was inspiring fear within them. And each time that I would see them afraid in this way, me myself, worried enough as I was, would would look out keenly at the landscape that surrounded me. The route was beaten by winds, for we had been climbing a hill a good while now, and were arriving at a plateau. A little after. I saw a road through which (apparantly) people didn't pass often, and which, it seemed to me, dipped down towards a narrow valley. I had an overwhelming desire to take it, and, even at the risk of annoying Johann, I cried out once more to stop, and explained to him there and then that I would like to drive down by means of this road. Searching all sorts of pretexts, he said that it was impossible - and he crossed himself many a time whilst he talked. My curiosity alerted, I posed him a number of questions. He responded to them evasively whilst consulting his watch at every chance he could - this in the guise of a protestation. |
PARA 4
He crossed himself, as he answered laconically: "Walpurgis nacht." Then he took out his watch, a great, old-fashioned German silver thing as big as a turnip and looked at it, with his eyebrows gathered together and a little impatient shrug of his shoulders. ... ... I realized that this was his way of respectfully protesting against the unnecessary delay and sank back in the carriage, merely motioning him to proceed. He started off rapidly, as if to make up for lost time. Every now and then the horses seemed to throw up their heads and sniff the air suspiciously. On such occasions I often looked round in alarm. ... ... ... ... ... The road was pretty bleak, for we were traversing a sort of high windswept plateau. As we drove, I saw a road that looked but little used and which seemed to dip through a little winding valley. ... ... It looked so inviting that, even at the risk of offending him, I called Johann to stop; and when he had pulled up, I told him I would like to drive down that road. He made all sorts of excuses and frequently crossed himself as he spoke. This somewhat piqued my curiosity, so I asked him various questions. He answered fencingly and repeatedly looked at his watch in protest. |
PARA 4
En se signant, il me répondit brièvement : – Walpurgis Nacht ! Puis, de sa poche, il tira sa montre – une ancienne montre allemande, en argent et de la grosseur d’un navet ; il la consulta en fronçant les sourcils, et haussa légèrement les épaules dans un mouvement de contrariété. Je compris que c’était là sa façon de protester assez respectueusement contre ce retard inutile, et je me laissai retomber au fond de la voiture. Aussitôt, il se remit en route à vive allure, comme s’il voulait regagner le temps perdu. De temps à autre, les chevaux relevaient brusquement la tête et reniflaient – on eût dit qu’une odeur ou l’autre qu’eux seuls percevaient leur inspirait quelque crainte. Et chaque fois que je les voyais ainsi effrayés, moi-même, assez inquiet, je regardais le paysage autour de moi. La route était battue des vents, car nous montions une côte depuis un bon moment et parvenions sur un plateau. Peu après, je vis un chemin par lequel, apparemment, on ne passait pas souvent et qui, me semblait-il, s’enfonçait vers une vallée étroite. J’eus fort envie de le prendre et, même au risque d’importuner Johann, je lui criai à nouveau d’arrêter et je lui expliquai alors que j’aimerais descendre par ce chemin. Cherchant toutes sortes de prétextes, il dit que c’était impossible – et il se signa plusieurs fois tandis qu’il parlait. Ma curiosité éveillée, je lui posai de nombreuses questions. Il y répondit évasivement et en consultant sa montre à tout instant – en guise de protestation. |
PARA 5
In the end, I could no longer take it : -Johann, I said to him, I want to go down by this road. I won't oblige you to accompany me; but I would like to know why you don't want to take it. For answer (and with a start) he leapt from his seat. Once to the ground, he joined his hands together and begged me not to push on down this road. He was mingling enough English words into his German for me to understand him. It seemed to me that he was always about to say something - the very idea of which undoubtedly afraid him - but, at each instance, he took hold of himself anew and simply repeated whilst making the sign of the cross: -Walpurgis Nacht! |
PARA 5
Finally I said, "Well, Johann, I want to go down this road. I shall not ask you to come unless you like; but tell me why you do not like to go, that is all I ask." For answer he seemed to throw himself off the box, so quickly did he reach the ground. Then he stretched out his hands appealingly to me and implored me not to go. There was just enough of English mixed with the German for me to understand the drift of his talk. He seemed always just about to tell me something - the very idea of which evidently frightened him; but each time he pulled himself up saying, "Walpurgis nacht!" |
PARA 5
À la fin, je n’y tins plus. – Johann, lui dis-je, je veux descendre par ce chemin. Je ne vous oblige pas à m’accompagner ; mais je voudrais savoir pourquoi vous ne voulez pas le prendre. Pour toute réponse, d’un bond rapide, il sauta du siège. Une fois à terre, il joignit les mains, me supplia de ne pas m’enfoncer dans ce chemin. Il mêlait à son allemand assez de mots anglais pour que je le comprenne. Il me semblait toujours qu’il allait me dire quelque chose – dont la seule idée sans aucun doute l’effrayait -, mais, à chaque fois, il se ressaisissait et répétait simplement en faisant le signe de la croix : – Walpurgis Nacht ! Walpurgis Nacht! |
PARA 6
I wanted to argue a little, but just try go arguing when you don't understand the language of your intelocutor! He held the advantage over me, for although he would apply himself each time to utilizing the few English words that he knew, he would always finish by getting himself worked up and going back to speaking German -and, invariably, during these moments, he would look at his watch so as to make me understand that which I had as duty to understand. The horses were also becoming impatient and once more sniffing the air. Seeing this, the man turned pale, looked around himself with a terrified air, and suddenly, seizing the bridles, drove the horses on some few metres from that place. I followed him and asked what had suddenly pushed him to leave the place where we had first stopped. He crossed himself, indicated to me the place in question, made his carriage advance still more towards the opposing road, and, finally, finger extended towards a cross which was to be found there, said to me, first in German, then in his broken English : -It's there that they buried the one who killed himself. |
PARA 6
I tried to argue with him, but it was difficult to argue with a man when I did not know his language. The advantage certainly rested with him, for although he began to speak in English, of a very crude and broken kind, he always got excited and broke into his native tongue - and every time he did so, he looked at his watch. ... ... Then the horses became restless and sniffed the air. At this he grew very pale, and, looking around in a frightened way, he suddenly jumped forward, took them by the bridles, and led them on some twenty feet. I followed and asked why he had done this. ... .... ... For an answer he crossed himself, pointed to the spot we had left, and drew his carriage in the direction of the other road, indicating a cross, and said, first in German, then in English, "Buried him; him what killed themselves." |
PARA 6
Je voulus un peu discuter, mais allez donc discuter quand vous ne comprenez pas la langue de votre interlocuteur ! Il garda l’avantage sur moi, car bien qu’il s’appliquât chaque fois à utiliser les quelques mots d’anglais qu’il connaissait, il finissait toujours par s’exciter et par se remettre à parler allemand – et, invariablement alors, il regardait sa montre pour me faire comprendre ce que j’avais à comprendre. Les chevaux aussi devenaient impatients et ils reniflèrent à nouveau ; voyant cela, l’homme blêmit, regarda tout autour de lui, l’air épouvanté et, soudain, saisissant les brides, conduisit les chevaux à quelques mètres de là. Je le suivis et lui demandai ce qui le poussait soudain à quitter l’endroit où nous nous étions d’abord arrêtés. Il se signa, me montra l’endroit en question, fit encore avancer sa voiture vers la route opposée et, enfin, le doigt tendu vers une croix qui se trouvait là, me dit, d’abord en allemand puis dans son mauvais anglais : – C’est là qu’on a enterré celui qui s’est tué. |
PARA 7
I remembered just at that instant of the old custom that dictacted that one bury suicides in the proximity of cross roads. -¡Ah! Said I, a suicide... Interesting... But it was still impossible for me to understand why the horses had taken fright with this. |
PARA 7
I remembered the old custom of burying suicides at cross roads: "Ah! I see, a suicide. How interesting!" But for the life of me I could not make out why the horses were frightened. |
PARA 7
Je me souvins alors de la coutume ancienne qui voulait qu’on enterrât les suicidés à proximité des carrefours. – Ah oui ! fis-je, un suicidé… Intéressant… Mais il m’était toujours impossible de comprendre pourquoi les chevaux avaient été pris de frayeur. |
PARA 8
Whilst we were talking like this, a cry reached us from afar, a cry which held the properties of both a yelp and a bark at the same time; from far afar, for sure, but the horses were now appearing to be truly distraught, and Johann had all the difficulty in the world in pacifying them. He turned round towards me, and said, voice trembling: -One would believe to be hearing a wolf, and yet there are no longer wolves here. |
PARA 8
Whilst we were talking, we heard a sort of sound between a yelp and a bark. It was far away; but the horses got very restless, and it took Johann all his time to quiet them. He was pale and said, "It sounds like a wolf, but yet there are no wolves here now." |
PARA 8
Tandis que nous parlions de la sorte, nous parvint de très loin un cri qui tenait à la fois du jappement et de l’aboiement ; de très loin, certes, mais les chevaux se montraient maintenant véritablement affolés, et Johann eut toutes les difficultés du monde à les apaiser. Il se retourna vers moi, et me dit, la voix tremblante : – On croirait entendre un loup, et pourtant il n’y a plus de loups ici. |
PARA 9
-Really? And hasn't it been a long while that the wolves no longer approach town? |
PARA 9
"No?" I said, questioning him. "Isn't it long since the wolves were so near the city?" |
PARA 9
– Ah non ? Et il y a longtemps que les loups n’approchent plus de la ville ? |
PARA 10
-A very, very long while, atleast springtime and summer, but at times they've been seen again... with the snow. .................... NOTE: I've found PARA 9 and 10 confusing, no matter what language I'm reading them in. Just a bad head day I suppose! |
PARA 10
"Long, long," he answered, "in the spring and summer; but with the snow the wolves have been here not so long." |
PARA 10
– Très, très longtemps, du moins au printemps et en été ; mais on les a revus parfois… avec la neige. |
PARA 11
He was stroking the horses, still trying to calm them when the sun was then hidden by thick sombre clouds which in just a few instants had overrun the sky. At almost the same time a cold wind blew - or rather there was a sole puff of cold wind which wasn't meant to be, all in all, anything more than a precursive sign, for soon after the sun shone anew. . |
PARA 11
Whilst he was petting the horses and trying to quiet them, dark clouds drifted rapidly across the sky. The sunshine passed away, and a breath of cold wind seemed to drift over us. It was only a breath, however, and more of a warning than a fact, for the sun came out brightly again. |
PARA 11
Il caressait ses chevaux, essayant toujours de les calmer, lorsque le soleil fut caché par de gros nuages sombres qui, en quelques instants, envahirent le ciel. Presque en même temps un vent froid souffla – ou plutôt il y eut une seule bouffée de vent froid qui ne devait être somme toute qu’un signe précurseur car le soleil, bientôt, brilla à nouveau. |
PARA 12
Hand as visor, Johann examined the horizon, then said to me: -Snow storm; we will have it upon us not before long For one more time he looked at his watch, then, holding still more firmly the reins (for the nervousness of the horses could make him fear the worse), he climed up onto his seat as if the moment had come to continue the journey. |
PARA 12
Johann looked under his lifted hand at the horizon and said, "The storm of snow, he comes before long time." Then he looked at his watch again, and, straightway holding his reins firmly (for the horses were still pawing the ground restlessly and shaking their heads) he climbed to his box as though the time had come for proceeding on our journey. |
PARA 12
La main en visière, Johann examina l’horizon, puis me dit : – Tempête de neige ; nous l’aurons avant longtemps. Une fois de plus, il regarda l’heure, puis, tenant plus fermement les rênes, car assurément la nervosité des chevaux pouvait lui faire redouter le pire, il remonta sur le siège comme si le moment était venu de reprendre la route. |
PARA 13
As for me, I was still wanting that he explain something to me. |
PARA 13
I felt a little obstinate and did not at once get into the carriage. |
PARA 13
Quant à moi, je voulais encore qu’il m’expliquât quelque chose. |
PARA 14
-Where, then, leads this little road that you refuse to take? I asked of him. To what place are we coming to? |
PARA 14
"Tell me," I said, "about this place where the road leads," and I pointed down. |
PARA 14
– Où mène donc cette petite route que vous refusez de prendre ? lui demandai-je. À quel endroit arrive-t-on ? |
PARA 15
He crossed himself, mumbled a prayer through gritted teeth, then contented himself with simply responding: -It's forbidden to go there. |
PARA 15
Again he crossed himself and mumbled a prayer before he answered, "It is unholy." |
PARA 15
Il se signa, marmonna une prière entre les dents, puis se contenta de me répondre : – Il est interdit d’y aller. .................... 'It is forbidden to go there' |
PARA 16
-Forbidden to go where? |
PARA 16
"What is unholy?" I enquired. |
PARA 16
– Interdit d’aller où ? |
PARA 17
-But, to the village. |
PARA 17
"The village." |
PARA 17
– Mais au village. |
PARA 18
-Ah! There is a village, yonder? |
PARA 18
"Then there is a village?" |
PARA 18
– Ah ! il y a un village, là-bas ? |
PARA 19
-No, no. It's been centuries since anyone's lived there. |
PARA 19
"No, no. No one lives there hundreds of years." |
PARA 19
– Non, non. Il y a des siècles que personne n’y vit plus. |
PARA 20
-And yet, you spoke of a village?. |
PARA 20
My curiosity was piqued, "But you said there was a village." |
PARA 20
– Pourtant vous parliez d’un village ? |
PARA 21
-Yes, there was one. |
PARA 21
"There was." |
PARA 21
– Oui, il y en avait un. |
PARA 22
-What has become of it? |
PARA 22
"Where is it now?" |
PARA 22
– Qu’est-il devenu ? |
PARA 23
Whereupon he burst into a long story in which German mingled with English, in a language so jumbled that I was only following with difficulty of course; I believe to have understood, notwithstanding this, that a long time ago - hundreds and hundreds of years in the past - men had died in this village, and had been buried there; then there had been heard noises from under the earth, and when one had opened their tombs, these men - and these women - had appeared full of life, vermillion blood colouring their lips. Therfore, in order to save their lives (and above all their souls, added Johann whilst crossing himself) these habitants took flight to other villages where the living lived and where the dead were dead and were not... and were not something else. The coachman, evidently, had been at the point of pronouncing certain words and, at that very last moment, he himself had been terrified by them. As he proceeded with his narration, he grew more and more excited. One would have said that his imagination had got hold of him, and it is in a veritable fit of terror that he concluded it, pale as death, sweating great droplets, trembling, looking with anguish all around him, as if he was expecting to see some dreadful presence manifest itself there on the open plain where the sun was shining with all its fire. |
PARA 23
Whereupon he burst out into a long story in German and English, so mixed up that I could not quite understand exactly what he said. Roughly I gathered that long ago, hundreds of years, men had died there and been buried in their graves; but sounds were heard under the clay, and when the graves were opened, men and women were found rosy with life and their mouths red with blood. ... ... ... And so, in haste to save their lives (aye, and their souls! - and here he crossed himself) those who were left fled away to other places, where the living lived and the dead were dead and not... not something. He was evidently afraid to speak the last words. ... ... As he proceeded with his narration, he grew more and more excited. It seemed as if his imagination had got hold of him, and he ended in a perfect paroxysm of fear--white-faced, perspiring, trembling, and looking round him as if expecting that some dreadful presence would manifest itself there in the bright sunshine on the open plain. |
PARA 23
Là-dessus, il se lança dans une longue histoire où l’allemand se mêlait à l’anglais dans un langage si embrouillé que je le suivais difficilement, on s’en doute ; je crus comprendre cependant qu’autrefois – il y avait de cela des centaines et des centaines d’années – des hommes étaient morts dans ce village, y avaient été enterrés ; puis on avait entendu des bruits sous la terre, et lorsqu’on avait ouvert leurs tombes, ces hommes – et ces femmes -étaient apparus pleins de vie, un sang vermeil colorant leurs lèvres. Aussi, afin de sauver leurs vies (et surtout leurs âmes, ajouta Johann en se signant), les habitants s’enfuirent vers d’autres villages où les vivants vivaient et où les morts étaient des morts et non pas des… et non pas quelque chose d’autre. Le cocher, évidemment, avait été sur le point de prononcer certains mots et, à la dernière seconde, il en avait été lui-même épouvanté. Tandis qu’il poursuivait son récit, il s’excitait de plus en plus. On eût dit que son imagination l’emportait, et c’est dans une véritable crise de terreur qu’il l’acheva pâle comme la mort, suant à grosses gouttes, tremblant, regardant avec angoisse tout autour de lui, comme s’il s’attendait à voir se manifester quelque présence redoutable sur la plaine où le soleil brillait de tous ses feux. |
PARA 24
Finally, he made a harrowing cry, full of despair: «Walpurgis Nacht!» And he indicated to me the carriage as if imploring me to re-take my place within it. |
PARA 24
Finally, in an agony of desperation, he cried, "Walpurgis nacht!" and pointed to the carriage for me to get in. |
PARA 24
Finalement, il eut un cri déchirant, plein de désespoir : – Walpurgis Nacht ! Et il me montra la voiture comme pour me supplier d’y reprendre place. |
PARA 25
My English blood rose at this, going straight to my head, and, standing back a step or two, I said in German : -You are afraisd, Johann, you are afraid. Go back to munich; I shall return alone. The walk will do me good. The carriage door open, I had but to take my oakwood cane, which, when holidaying, I always took care to provision myself with. - Yes, return to Munich, Johann, I continued, Walpurgis Nacht, doesn't concern Englishmen. |
PARA 25
All my English blood rose at this, and standing back I said, "You are afraid, Johann, you are afraid. Go home, I shall return alone, the walk will do me good." ... ... The carriage door was open. I took from the seat my oak walking stick, which I always carry on my holiday excursions, and closed the door, pointing back to Munich, and said, "Go home, Johann. Walpurgis nacht doesn't concern Englishmen." |
PARA 25
Mon sang anglais me monta à la tête et, reculant d’un pas ou deux, je dis à l’Allemand : – Vous avez peur, Johann, vous avez peur ! Reprenez la route de Munich ; je retournerai seul. La promenade à pied me fera du bien. La portière étant ouverte, je n’eus qu’à prendre ma canne en bois de chêne dont, en vacances, j’avais toujours soin de me munir. – Oui, rentrez à Munich, Johann, repris-je. Walpurgis Nacht, ça ne concerne pas les Anglais. |
End of Part One
NOTE: Part Two is only avaibable in French/English/Spanish form for the moment (ah, tee-dums!)
NOTE: Part Two is only avaibable in French/English/Spanish form for the moment (ah, tee-dums!)