Dubliners | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Dubliners | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Experience the benefits of this forward-thinking translation strategy that tailors language learning to your specific needs. You have control over the difficulty, which ensures that the content is neither too easy nor overly challenging. This method enhances your ability to understand new words through context, reducing reliance on direct translations. While the translations are subtly obscured to foster learning, you can still look up unclear terms. This balanced approach makes language acquisition smoother and more enjoyable. Delve into these translated literary works and discover the satisfaction of mastering a language through reading.

THESISTERS
Therewasnohopeforhimthistime:
itwasthe
troisième
third
stroke.
NightafternightIhad
passé
passed
thehouse(itwasvacationtime)and
étudié
studied
thelightedsquareof
fenêtre
window
:
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthesameway,faintlyandevenly.
Ifhewasdead,Ithought,IwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkenedblindforIknewthattwocandlesmustbesetattheheadofacorpse.
Hehad
souvent
often
saidtome:
“Iamnotlongforthisworld,”andIhadthoughthiswordsidle.
NowIknewtheyweretrue.
EverynightasIgazedupatthe
fenêtre
window
Isaidsoftlytomyselfthewordparalysis.
Ithadalwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,likethewordgnomonintheEuclidandthewordsimonyintheCatechism.
Butnowitsoundedtomelikethenameofsomemaleficentandsinfulbeing.
Itfilledmewith
peur
fear
,andyetIlongedtobenearertoitandtolookuponitsdeadlywork.
OldCotterwassittingatthefire,
fumer
smoking
,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.
Whilemy
tante
aunt
wasladlingoutmystirabouthesaid,asifreturningtosomeformerremarkofhis:.
“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewasexactly...
buttherewassomethingqueer...
therewassomethinguncannyabouthim.
I’lltellyoumyopinion....”
He
commencé
began
topuffathispipe,no
doute
doubt
arranginghisopinioninhismind.
Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhimfirstheusedtobe
plutôt
rather
interesting,talkingoffaintsandworms;
butIsoongrew
fatigué
tired
ofhimandhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.
“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”hesaid.
“Ithinkitwasoneofthose...
peculiarcases....
Butit’shardtosay....”
Hebegantopuffagainathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.
Myunclesawmestaringandsaidtome:.
“Well,soyouroldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”
“Who?”
saidI.
“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehasjusttoldus.
Hewas
passait
passing
bythehouse.”
IknewthatIwasunderobservationsoI
continué
continued
eatingasifthenewshadnot
intéressé
interested
me.
MyuncleexplainedtooldCotter.
“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
Theoldchap
appris
taught
himagreatdeal,mindyou;
andtheysayhehadagreatwishforhim.”
“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”saidmy
tante
aunt
piously.
OldCotterlookedatmeforawhile.
IfeltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmebutIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.
Hereturnedtohispipeand
finalement
finally
spatrudelyintothegrate.
“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetoomuchtosaytoamanlikethat.”
“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
askedmy
tante
aunt
.
“WhatImeanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’sbadforchildren.
Myideais:
letayoungladrunaboutandplaywithyoungladsofhisown
âge
age
andnotbe....
AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”saidmyuncle.
“Lethim
apprendre
learn
toboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’malwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:
takeexercise.
Why,whenIwasanippereverymorningofmylifeIhadacoldbath,winterand
été
summer
.
Andthat’swhatstandstomenow.
Educationisallveryfineand
grande
large...
.
MrCottermighttakeapickofthat
jambe
leg
mutton,”headdedtomy
tante
aunt
.
“No,no,notforme,”saidoldCotter.
My
tante
aunt
broughtthedishfromthesafeandputitonthe
table
table
.
“Butwhydoyouthinkit’snotgoodforchildren,MrCotter?”
sheasked.
“It’sbadforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,youknow,ithasaneffect....”
Icrammedmy
bouche
mouth
withstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresomeoldred-nosedimbecile!
ItwaslatewhenIfell
endormi
asleep
.
ThoughIwasangrywitholdCotterforalludingtomeasachild,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.
InthedarkofmyroomI
imaginé
imagined
thatIsawagainthe
lourd
heavy
greyfaceoftheparalytic.
Idrewtheblanketsovermyheadandtriedtothinkof
Noël
Christmas
.
Butthegreyfacestillfollowedme.
Itmurmured;
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfesssomething.
Ifeltmy
âme
soul
recedingintosomepleasantandviciousregion;
andthereagainIfounditwaitingforme.
It
commença
began
toconfesstomeinamurmuring
voix
voice
andIwonderedwhyitsmiledcontinuallyandwhythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.
ButthenIrememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisandIfeltthatItoowassmilingfeeblyasiftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.
Thenextmorningafter
petit déjeuner
breakfast
IwentdowntolookatthelittlehouseinGreatBritainStreet.
Itwasanunassuming
magasin
shop
,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesandumbrellas;
andonordinarydaysanoticeusedtohanginthe
fenêtre
window
,saying:
UmbrellasRe-covered.
No
avis
notice
wasvisiblenowfortheshutterswereup.
Acrapebouquetwastiedtothedoor-knockerwithribbon.
Twopoorwomenandatelegramboywerereadingthe
carte
card
pinnedonthecrape.
Ialsoapproachedandread:.
July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.
Thereadingofthe
carte
card
persuadedmethathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.
HadhenotbeendeadIwouldhavegoneintothelittle
sombre
dark
roombehindtheshoptofindhimsittinginhisarm-chairbythefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.
Perhapsmy
tante
aunt
wouldhavegivenmeapacketofHighToastforhimandthis
cadeau
present
wouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.
ItwasalwaysIwho
vide
emptied
thepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoomuchto
permettre
allow
himtodothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthe
sol
floor
.
Evenasheraisedhis
grande
large
tremblinghandtohis
nez
nose
littlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersoverthefrontofhiscoat.
Itmayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheirgreenfadedlookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitalwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofaweek,withwhichhetriedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasquiteinefficacious.
IwishedtogoinandlookathimbutIhadnotthecourageto
frapper
knock
.
Iwalkedawayslowlyalongthesunnysideofthestreet,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIwent.
Ifoundit
étrange
strange
thatneitherInortheday
paraissions
seemed
inamourningmoodandIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomasifIhadbeenfreedfromsomethingbyhisdeath.
Iwonderedatthisfor,asmyunclehadsaidthenightbefore,hehad
appris
taught
meagreatdeal.
Hehad
étudié
studied
intheIrishcollegeinRomeandhehad
appris
taught
metopronounceLatinproperly.
HehadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehad
expliqué
explained
tomethemeaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassandofthedifferentvestmentswornbythepriest.
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatoneshoulddoincertaincircumstancesor
si
whether
suchandsuchsinsweremortalorvenialoronlyimperfections.
HisquestionsshowedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsoftheChurchwhichIhadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.
ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharistandtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessional
semblaient
seemed
sogravetomethatI
demandais
wondered
howanybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;
andIwasnot
surpris
surprised
whenhetoldmethatthefathersoftheChurchhadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryandascloselyprintedasthelawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingalltheseintricatequestions.
Souvent
Often
whenIthoughtofthisIcouldmakenoansweroronlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedto
sourire
smile
andnodhisheadtwiceorthrice.
SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademe
apprendre
learn
byheart;
and,asIpattered,heusedto
sourire
smile
pensivelyandnodhishead,nowandthen
poussant
pushing
hugepinchesofsnuffupeachnostrilalternately.
Whenhesmiledheusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteethandlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhadmademefeeluneasyinthe
début
beginning
ofouracquaintancebeforeIknewhimwell.
AsIwalkedalonginthe
soleil
sun
IrememberedoldCotter’swordsandtriedtorememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinthedream.
IrememberedthatIhad
remarqué
noticed
longvelvetcurtainsandaswinginglampofantiquefashion.
IfeltthatIhadbeenveryfaraway,insomelandwherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ithought....
ButIcouldnotremembertheendofthedream.
Intheeveningmy
tante
aunt
tookmewithherto
visiter
visit
thehouseofmourning.
Itwasaftersunset;
butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothewestreflectedthetawnygoldofagreatbankofclouds.
Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytohaveshoutedather,my
tante
aunt
shookhandswithherforall.
Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogativelyand,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedheadbeingscarcely
au-dessus
above
thelevelofthebanister-rail.
Atthefirstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedus
avant
forward
encouraginglytowardstheopendoorofthedead-room.
My
tante
aunt
wentinandtheoldwoman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,
commencé
began
tobeckontomeagainrepeatedlywithherhand.
Iwentinontiptoe.
Theroomthroughthelaceendofthe
aveugle
blind
wassuffusedwithduskygoldenlightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.
Hehadbeencoffined.
Nanniegavetheleadandwethreekneltdownatthefootofthebed.
Ipretendedto
prier
pray
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsbecausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.
I
remarqué
noticed
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthebackandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltooneside.
Thefancycametomethattheoldpriestwassmilingashelaythereinhiscoffin.
Butno.WhenweroseandwentuptotheheadofthebedIsawthathewasnotsmiling.
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforthealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingachalice.
Hisfacewasverytruculent,greyandmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsandcircledbyascantywhitefur.
Therewasaheavyodourintheroom—theflowers.
Weblessedourselvesandcameaway.
InthelittleroomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairinstate.
IgropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecornerwhileNanniewenttothesideboardandbroughtoutadecanterofsherryandsomewine-glasses.
Shesettheseonthe
table
table
andinvitedustotakealittle
verre
glass
ofwine.
Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglassesandpassedthemtous.
ShepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalsobutIdeclinedbecauseIthoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.
She
semblait
seemed
tobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusalandwentoverquietlytothesofawhereshesatdownbehindhersister.
Noonespoke:
weallgazedatthe
vide
empty
fireplace.
MyauntwaiteduntilElizasighedandthensaid:.
“Ah,well,he’sgonetoabetterworld.”
Elizasighedagainandbowedherheadinassent.
My
tante
aunt
fingeredthestemofherwine-glassbeforesippingalittle.
“Didhe...
peacefully?”
sheasked.
“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”saidEliza.
“Youcouldn’ttellwhenthebreathwentoutofhim.
Hehadabeautifuldeath,Godbepraised.”
“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’RourkewasinwithhimaTuesdayandanointedhimandpreparedhimandall.”
“Heknewthen?”
“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooksquiteresigned,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“That’swhatthewomanwehadinto
lavé
wash
himsaid.
Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewas
endormi
asleep
,helookedthatpeacefulandresigned.
Noonewouldthinkhe’dmakesuchabeautifulcorpse.”
“Yes,indeed,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Shesippedalittlemorefromher
verre
glass
andsaid:.
“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateitmustbeagreatcomfortforyoutoknowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.
Youwerebothverykindtohim,Imustsay.”
Elizasmoothedher
robe
dress
overherknees.
“Ah,poorJames!”
shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tseehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”
Nanniehadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowand
semblait
seemed
abouttofallasleep.
“There’spoorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.
Alltheworkwehad,sheandme,gettinginthewomanto
laver
wash
himandthenlayinghimoutandthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tknowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.
ItwashimbroughtusallthemflowersandthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapelandwroteoutthenoticefortheFreeman’sGeneralandtook
charge
charge
ofallthepapersforthecemeteryandpoorJames’sinsurance.”
“Wasn’tthatgoodofhim?”
saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Elizaclosedhereyesandshookherheadslowly.
“Ah,there’snofriendsliketheoldfriends,”shesaid,“whenallissaidanddone,nofriendsthatabodycantrust.”
“Indeed,that’strue,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“AndI’msurenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tforgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”
“Ah,poorJames!”
saidEliza.
“Hewasnogreattroubletous.
Youwouldn’thearhiminthehouseanymorethannow.
Still,Iknowhe’sgoneandalltothat....”
“It’swhenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”saidmy
tante
aunt
.
“Iknowthat,”saidEliza.
“Iwon’tbebringinghiminhis
tasse
cup
ofbeef-teaanymore,
ni
nor
you,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.
Ah,poorJames!”
Shestopped,asifshewerecommuningwiththepastandthensaidshrewdly:.
“Mindyou,I
remarqué
noticed
therewassomethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.
WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohimthereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryfallentothefloor,lyingbackinthechairandhis
bouche
mouth
open.”
Shelaidafingeragainsther
nez
nose
andfrowned:
thenshe
poursuivi
continued:
.
“Butstillandallhekeptonsayingthatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dgooutforadriveonefinedayjusttoseetheoldhouseagainwherewewereall
nés
born
downinIrishtownandtakemeandNanniewithhim.
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedaycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaythereanddriveoutthethreeofustogetherofaSundayevening.
Hehadhismindsetonthat....
PoorJames!”
“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
saidmy
tante
aunt
.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithit.
Thensheputitbackagaininherpocketandgazedintothe
vide
empty
grateforsometimewithoutspeaking.