English Translations of French in Villette by Charlotte Brontë (Ch 15-41)
I have also added a few allusions the author made reference to.
I have also added a few allusions the author made reference to.
Chapter 15: The Long Vacation
Annèe scolaire
|
School
year
|
amour-propre
|
Self-esteem
|
l’allée
défendue
|
The
forbidden alley
|
Paletôt
|
A
loose cloak
|
“Ainisi,”
he began abruptly, “vous allez trôner
comme une reine; demain— trôner à mes côtés? Sans doute vous savourez d’avance les délices de l’autorité. Je crois voir en je ne saïs quoi de rayonnante, petite ambitieuse!” |
So,
you’re going to enthrall like a queen; tomorrow to sit at my side? No doubt
you are savouring in advance the delights of authority. I think I know what
to do, radiant little ambitious!”
|
une
de ses beauties
|
One
of his beauties
|
Que
vous êtes dur, Monsieur
|
How
hard you are, Sir
|
Donnez-moi
la main
|
Give
me your hand
|
Pauvrette
|
Poor
thing
|
Chapter 17: La Terrasse
Carafe
|
Pitcher,
flagon
|
Chapter 19: The Cleopatra
une
pièce magnifique
|
A
magnificent piece
|
tellement
dignes, aimables, et respectables
|
So
dignified, kind and respectable
|
madame
sa mère, la digne châtelaine
|
madame
his mother, the worthy chatelaine
|
chef-d’oeuvres
|
|
“Que
faîtes-vous ici?” said a voice.
“Mais, Monsieur, je m’amuse.” “Vous vous amusez! et à quoi, s’il vous plait? Mais d’abord, faîtes-moi lé plaisir de vous lever; preñez mon bras, et allons de l’autre côté.” |
“What
are you doing here?” said a voice.
"But,
Sir, I am having fun.”
"You're
having fun! and to what, please? But first, give me the pleasure of getting
up; take my arm, and let's go to the other side.”
|
“Singulières
femmes que ces Anglaises!”
|
"Singular
women than these English women!”
|
Garcon
|
Boy
|
Taisez-vous,
et asseyez-vous là— là!”
|
Shut
up and sit over there!”
|
Cadres
|
Managerial
|
“Mais,
Mademoiselle, asseyez-vous, et ne bougez pas— entendez-vous?— jusqu’à ce
qu’on vienne vous chercher, où que je vous donne la permission.”
|
"But,
Miss, sit down, and don't move— Do you hear?- until you're picked up,
wherever I give you permission.”
|
“Quel
triste coin!” cried I, “et quelles laids tableaux!” And “laids,” indeed, they
were; being a set of four, denominated in the
catalogue “La vie d’une femme.” |
"What
a sad room!" I wept," and organically ugly paintings!" And"
ugly, " indeed, they were, a set of four, catalogue of “The life of a
woman.”
|
prie-dieu
|
Pray
to God
|
Jeune
Mère
|
Young
mother
|
“Cela
ne vaut rien,” he responded. “Une femme superbe— une taille d’impératrice,
des formes de Junon, maïs une personne dont je ne voudrais ni pour femme, ni
pour fille, ni pour soeur. Aussi vous ne jeterez plus un seul
coup d’oeil de sa côté.” |
"It's
worth nothing," he responded. "A beautiful woman-a size of Empress,
forms of Juno, corn a person I would not want for wife, daughter or sister.
So you won't throw one more look at his side.”
|
lé
voluptueux
|
the
voluptuous
|
Chapter 20: The Concert
|
|
au
bénéfice des pauvres
|
for the benefit of the poor
|
Chaussée
|
Floor
|
rose
et blanche
|
pink and white
|
second
déjeuner
|
second lunch
|
vis-à-vis
|
With regard to
|
Chapter 21: Reaction
|
|
réveillée
|
wake
|
Carré
|
Square
|
“Mademoiselle,
vous êtes triste.”
“Monsieur, j’en aï bien lé droit.” “Vous êtes malade de coeur et d’humeur,” he pursued. |
"Miss, you're sad.”
“Sir, I’ve got it right.”
“You are sick with your heart and your mood," he pursued.
|
“Que
mademoiselle est appliquée!”
|
"How diligent is mademoiselle!”
|
Timon
of Athens
|
(pronounced Ty-mun) was a citizen of Athens whose reputation
for misanthropy grew to legendary status. According to the historian
Plutarch, Timon lived during the era of the Peloponnesian War
|
bas-bleu
|
bottom-blue
|
Pas
de Géant
|
No giant
|
Tailleuse
|
Tailor
|
ourse
Britannique
|
British bear
|
“Voilà!
pour vous,
|
"That's it! for you,
|
Esau
|
Esau is the elder brother of Jacob.
|
la
Grande Bretagne
|
Great
Britain
|
“Est-ce
que vous avez l’intention de m’insulter?”
|
"Do
you intend to insult me?”
|
“Allons,
allons!”
|
Come
on, come on!
|
la
jeunesse n’a qu’un temps.’
|
youth
only has a time.
|
Je
conçois, je conçois: on sait ce que c’est qu’un ami. Bonjour, Mademoiselle!
|
I
know, I know, we know what it's like to be a friend. Hello, Miss!
|
Chapter 22: The Letter
|
|
salle-à-manger
|
dining
room
|
“Mais
certainement, chou-chou, vous en aurez deux, si vous voulez;”
|
"But
certainly, chou-chou, you will have two, if you want;”
|
“figure
chiffonnée”
|
"ciphered
figure”
|
Chapter 23: Vashti
|
|
Vashti
|
was Queen of Persia and the first wife of Persian King Ahasuerus in
the Book of Esther, (in Hebrew Bible). She was banished for her refusal to
appear at the king's banquet to show her beauty as the king wished, and Esther
was chosen to succeed her as queen. In the Midrash, Vashti is described as
wicked and vain. She is viewed as an independent-minded heroine.
|
on
est là pour vous au salon
|
we're
here for you in the living room.
|
Chapter 24: M. de Bassompierre
|
|
Coquelicot
|
Poppy
|
à
l’endroit du gros Jean
|
at the place of the big jeans
|
Chapter 25: The Little
Countess
|
|
pas
de fée, où de fantaisie,
|
No
fairy, no fantasy
|
Chapter 26: A Burial
|
|
“Oui,
oui, ma bonne amie: je vous donne la permission de coeur et de gré. Vôtre
travail dans ma maison a toujours été admirable, rempli de zèle et de discrétion:
vous avez bien lé droit de vous amuser. Sortez donc tant que vous voudrez.
Quant à vôtre choix de connaissances, j’en suis contente; c’est sage,
digne, laudable.” |
"Yes,
yes, my good friend: I give you permission in heart and willingly. Your work
in my house has always been admirable, filled with zeal and discretion: you
have every right to have fun. Why don't you come out as long as you like? As
for your choice of knowledge, I'm glad; it's wise, worthy, laudable.”
|
“Il
y a,” said she, “quelquechose de bien remarquable dans lé caractère Anglais.”
|
”
There is, "said she," something quite remarkable in English character.”
|
“Je
ne saurais vous dire ‘how;’ maïs, enfin, les Anglais ont des idées à eux, en
amitié, en amour, en tout. Mais au moins il n’est pas besoin de les surveiller,”
she added.
|
"I
cannot tell you ‘how;’ but, finally, the English have ideas of their own, in
friendship, in love, in everything. But at least he doesn't need to watch
them,” she added.
|
Berceau
|
Cradle
|
c’est-ce
que je ferai.
|
that's what I'll do.
|
Sacré
|
Sacred
|
Mille
|
Mile
|
Du
Heilige, rufe dein Kind zurück,
Ich habe genössen das irdische Glück, Ich habe gelebt und geliebet! |
You
saint, call back your child,
I
have enjoyed earthly happiness,
I
have lived and loved!
|
Chapter 27: The Hotel Crecy
|
|
Athénée
|
Athenaeum
|
“Qu’en
dites vous?”
|
“What do you say?”
|
“gros-bonnets”
|
“gros-bonnets”
|
ce
grand fat d’Anglais”
|
this great fat of English”
|
‘Mon
ami, je vous pardonne.’
|
'My friend, I forgive you.’
|
“Voilà
que lé jour va poindre! Dites donc, mon ami.”
|
"The
day is coming! Say, my friend.”
|
Chapter 28: The Watchguard
|
|
“Mon
Dieu! Mon Dieu!” cried she. “Que vais-je devenir? Monsieur va me tuer, je
suis sûre; car il est d’une colère!”
“Mademoiselle
La Malle au piano!” was her cry. Ere she could make good her retreat, or quite
close the door, this voice uttered itself:—
“Dès ce moment!— la classe est défendue. La première qui ouvrira cette porte, où passerà par cette division, sera pendue— fût-ce Madame Beck ellemême!” |
“My
God! Jesus Christ!” cried she. "What will become of me? He will kill me,
I am sure; for he is angry!”
"Miss
piano trunk!” was her cry. Ere she could make good her retreat, or quite
close the door, this voice uttered itself:—
“From
this moment on!- the class is defended. The first one who opens this door,
where to go through this division, will be hanged— even Mrs Beck herself!”
|
Lunettes
|
Glasses
|
“Que
me voulez-vous?”
|
“What do you want from me?”
|
“Monsieur,”
I said, “je veux
l’impossible, des choses inouïes;” |
"Sir," I said, " I want the impossible, unheard of”
|
Douche
|
Shower
|
“Là!”
said he: “me voilà veuf de mes lunettes!”
|
"There!"said he:" here I am widower of my glasses!”
|
“une
forte femme— une Anglaise terrible —une petite casse-tout”
|
"a strong woman-a terrible Englishwoman-a little junkyard-all”
|
bonnet-grec
|
Greek cap
|
à
l’improviste
|
unannounced
|
“Ne
bougez pas”
|
Don’t move
|
Jericho
|
is a Palestinian city in the West Bank
|
“Vous
ne voulez pas de moi pour voisin,” he growled: “vous vous donnez des airs de
caste; vous me traitez en paria;” he scowled. “Soit! je vais arranger la
chose!” And he set to work. “Levez vous toutes, Mesdemoiselles!” cried he.
|
”
You don't want me to be your neighbor, “he growled:” You Make yourself look
like a caste; you treat me like a pariah; " he scowled. "So be it!
I'll fix it!” And he set to work. "All rise, ladies!”
|
“Est
ce assez de distance?” he demanded.
“Monsieur en est l’arbitre,” said I. “Vous savez bien que non. C’est vous qui avez crée ce vide immense: moi je n’y aï pas mis la main.” |
"Is
that enough distance?"he asked.
"Sir
is the referee," said I.
“You
know I don't. It was you who created this immense void: me. I didn't get my
hands on it.”
|
“un
drame de Williams Shackspire; lé faux dieu,” he further announced, “de
ces sots païens, les Anglais.” |
"a
Williams Shakespeare drama; The False God," he further announced, "
by these heathen fools, the British.”
|
“caractère
intraitable,”
|
"uncompromising character,”
|
Fougue
|
Feisty
|
“Chut!
à l’instant! There! there I went— vive comme la poudre!”
|
"Hush!
just now! There! there I went-live like gunpowder!”
|
“emportement,”
|
"outburst,”
|
“chaleur”
|
“heat”
|
“en
l’air,” less “coquette,”
|
“in the air,” less “coquette,”
|
“des
couleurs de poupée,” “un nez plus où moins bien fait,”
|
"doll's
colors, "" a nose more or less well made,”
|
‘des
cols brodés,’
|
Embroidered
collars
|
‘colifichet
de plus.’
|
More
trinkets
|
‘babioles,’
|
‘trinket,’
|
‘des
façons mondaines,’
|
’worldly ways,'
|
‘bure,’
|
‘bure,’
|
‘gris
de poussière.’
|
‘grey dust.’
|
Va
pour lé ruban!
|
Go
for the ribbon!
|
Chapter 29: Monsieur's Fête
|
|
robe de soie
|
silk dress
|
coiffeur
|
hairdresser
|
goûter un peu les plaisirs
|
taste a little the pleasures
|
Paletôt
|
Cloak
|
Bon jour, mes amies
|
Good day, my friends
|
Est-ce là tout?
|
Is that all?
|
mappe-monde
|
maps-world
|
Vive l’Angleterre, l’Histoire et les Héros! A bas la France, la
Fiction et les Faquins!
|
Long
Live England, history and Heroes! Down with France, Fiction and the Faquins!
|
“Donc je n’y serai pas,” declared I.
“Soit!” |
”
So I won't be there, " declared I.
"So
be it!”
|
je te déteste, mon garçon!’
|
I hate you, boy!’
|
Dieu vous en garde!
|
God forbid!
|
Dragées
|
Sugar confectionery
|
Brioche
|
French bread
|
A présent c’est un fait accompli
|
Now it is a done deal
|
Asphyxiée
|
Asphyxiated
|
Chapter 30: M.Paul
|
|
bonne et pas trop faible
|
good
and not too weak
|
“Qu’il est vraiment beau, Mademoiselle, ce jeune docteur! Quels
yeux— quel regard! Tenez! J’en aï lé coeur tout ému!”
|
"What
a handsome young doctor! What eyes-What eyes! Hold! I was moved with my
heart!”
|
“Elle ne dit que la vérité,” I said.
“Ah! vous trouvez?” “Mais, sans doute.” |
"She
only tells the truth," I said.
“Ah!
you find?”
"But,
no doubt.”
|
Hymettus
|
is a mountain range in the Athens area of Attica,
|
lusus naturae
|
A
freak of nature
|
Cela ne me regarde pas:
je ne m’en soucie pas; |
It's none of my business:
I don’t care
|
Déjeuner
|
Breakfast
|
Petite gourmande
|
Sweet tooth
|
orgueil de diable
|
pride of the devil
|
je vous vois d’ici
|
I see you here
|
Chut!
|
Shh!
|
Chapter 33: M. Paul keeps his
promise
|
|
Je vous conseille de vous faire prier
|
I
advise you to pray
|
Qu’est-ce que c’est? Vous me jouez des tours?
|
What
is it?what is it? Are you playing tricks on me?
|
c’est la robe rose!
|
It’s
the pink dress!
|
“Et Mademoiselle Lucy est coquette comme dix Parisiennes,”
he answered. “A-t-on jamais vu une Anglaise pareille. Regardez plutôt son chapeau,
et ses gants, et ses brodequins!”
|
"And
Mademoiselle Lucy is as pretty as ten Parisiennes," he answered. “Have
you ever seen an Englishwoman like that? Look at his hat, and his gloves, and
this embroidery!”
|
à vrai dire je ne suis pas fâché, peut-être même
suis je content qu’on s’est fait si belle pour ma petite fête. |
actually
I'm not angry, maybe I’m even glad we got so pretty for my little party.
|
“Mais ma robe n’est pas belle, Monsieur— elle n’est que propre.”
“J’aime la propreté,” said he. |
"But
my dress is not beautiful, Sir-it's only clean.”
"I
like cleanliness," said he.
|
les bois et les petits sentiers.
|
the woods and the little trails.
|
Fermière
|
Farmer
|
jambon” and “confitures”
|
Ham and jams
|
des ménagères avares
|
stingy Housewives
|
Donnez-moi la main!
|
Give me your hand!
|
Petite soeur
|
Little sister
|
Pourtant j’ai été pour vous bien dur, bien exigeant
|
Yet I've been very hard on you, very demanding
|
Chausses
|
Footwear
|
Elle est au lit
|
She’s
in bed
|
Chapter 34: Malevola
|
|
Tripotage
|
Fiddling
|
Cunegonde
|
is a fictional character in Voltaire's novel
Candide. She is the title character's aristocratic cousin and love interest.
|
Que me voulez-vous?
|
What
do you want from me?
|
et quant à ses félicitations, je m’en moque!
|
and as for his congratulations, I don't care!
|
prie-dieu
|
pray to God
|
Donc, vous devez connaître mon noble élève, mon Paul?
|
So, you must know my noble pupil, My Paul?
|
pax vobiscum
|
Peace be with you
|
Elle est drôle, n’est-ce pas
|
She's
funny, isn't she?
|
Oh la singulière petite bossue!” laughed she. “Et figurez-vous
qu’elle me déteste, parcequ’elle me croit amoureuse de mon cousin Paul; ce
petit dévot qui n’ose pas bouger, à moins que son confesseur ne lui donne la
permission! Au reste”
|
Oh,
the singular little Hunchback!” laughed she. "And imagine that she hates
me, because she thinks I'm in love with my cousin Paul; that little devotee
who dares not move, unless her confessor gives her permission! The rest”
|
soit moi, soit une autre
|
either
me or someone else.
|
assez niaise à ce que je pense
|
pretty dumb of me to think
|
omme un lis, à ce qu’il dit
|
as a lily, he said
|
oubliez les anges, les bossues, et surtout, les Professeurs— et
bon soir!
|
forget the Angels, the hunchbacks, and above all, the teachers-and
good night!
|
Chapter 35: Fraternity
|
|
Oubliez les Professeurs
|
Forget
the teachers
|
In propriâ personâ
|
In
his/her own person
|
Je n’en saïs rien
|
I
don’t know
|
Nous agissons dans l’intérêt de la vérité. Nous ne voulons pas
vous blesser
|
We
are acting in the interest of the truth. We don't want to hurt you
|
Et vous, Mademoiselle? vous êtes proprette et douillette, et
affreusement insensible, par-dessus lé marché
|
What
About You, Miss? you are neat and cozy, and terribly insensitive, on top of
the market
|
Je vis dans un trou
|
I
live in a hole
|
Les voilà
|
Here
|
Je fais mon lit et mon ménage
|
I make my bed and my household
|
Et puis?
|
And then?
|
Qu’est-ce donc?
|
What is it?
|
n’est-il pas vrai?
|
isn't that right?
|
Chapter 36: The apple of
discord
|
|
Petite exigeante
|
Demanding little girl
|
Dites donc, petite soeur
|
Say, little sister.
|
O Dieu, sois appaisé envers moi qui suis pécheur!
|
O God, be appeased to me Who am a sinner!
|
Chapter 37: Sunshine
|
|
pétrie d’esprit et de graces
|
full
of spirit and Grace
|
Chapter 38: Cloud
|
|
Il est doux, lé repos! Il est précieux lé calme Bonheur
|
He’s
sweet, rest! He is precious the calm, Bonheur
|
douce consolatrice
|
sweet consolation
|
Dévot
|
Devotee
|
Que vous êtes pâle! Vous êtes donc bien malade, Mademoiselle!
|
How pale you are! You're very sick, Miss!
|
Chapter 39: Old and New
Acquaintance
|
|
voilà Justine Marie qui arrive!
|
Here Comes Justine Marie!
|
La petite va m’aider— n’est-ce pas?
|
The little one will help me, won't she?
|
Mais oui, je vous aiderai de tout mon coeur. Vous ferez de moi
tout ce que vous voudrez, mon parrain.
|
But
yes, I will help you with all my heart. You can do whatever you want with me,
godfather.
|
merrie companie
|
merrie company
|
nuit blanche
|
White Night
|
Chapter 40: The Happy Pair
|
|
détournement de mineur
|
statutory
rape
|
Chapter 41: Fauburg Clotide
|
|
Laissez-moi
|
Let me
|
Sortez d’ici
|
Get out of here
|
Femme! sortez à l’instant!
|
Woman! get out right now!
|
Voici!
|
Here it is!
|
Externat de demoiselles. Numéro 7, Faubourg Clotilde, Directrice,
|
Ladies
' Day School. Number 7, Faubourg Clotilde, Director
|