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Intermediate Level / Niveau Intermédiaire / Nivel Intermedio
Word Count: 1,136 Date Published: 1910 Genre: Horror Lengh: Very Short Original Language: French
Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918) "was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic of Polish descent." (Source: google) This short story was taken from his short story collection L'Hérèsiarque et Cie which is available as a free e-book from the Gutenburg Project (long live Gutenburg!) |
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Created by SIMPETWEB. All rights and tables reserved.
NOTE: I searched everywhere for an English translation but couldn't find one. In the end I just translated it myself. (If a jobs worth doing...) I have translated it directly from the French original and have kept the clause orders much the same thus aiding referencing from text to text, even if it has meant having a slightly ugly translation (well, that's my excuse anyway.)
NOTE: I searched everywhere for an English translation but couldn't find one. In the end I just translated it myself. (If a jobs worth doing...) I have translated it directly from the French original and have kept the clause orders much the same thus aiding referencing from text to text, even if it has meant having a slightly ugly translation (well, that's my excuse anyway.)
SPANISH TEXT
( ??? found somewhere in Googleland) |
ENGLISH TEXT
(Translated by me: Simpetweb) |
FRENCH TEXT
(Original: Guillaume Apollonaire) |
PARA 1
El barón d'Ormesan llevóse rápidamente la mano a la cicatriz que yo acababa de descubrir en su cabeza, y se arregló el pelo para disimularla. ............................. ~llevarse algo = [to carry sth/ to bring sth inter alia] ~mano = hand ~cicatriz = scar ~que = that i.a. ~yo = I ~acabar = to finish/ to end BUT acabar de = to have just... THINK 'to have just finished to....' ~descubrir = [to discover] ~arreglarse = [to get ready/ to primp (WR)] THINK = 'to arrange (as in tidy) onself.' ~para = [in order to] ~disimular [to conceal/ to disguise] |
PARA 1
The Baron of Ormesan hurridly raised his hand to the scar that I had just caught sight of, and then pulled over his hair to cover it ....................................... ~Raised = PRETERIT of to raise = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) raised ~Had caught sight of = PLUPERFECT of to catch sight of. = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) had caught sight of ~Pulled over = PRETERIT of to pull over = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) pulled over |
PARA 1
Le baron d'Ormesan porta vivement la main à la cicatrice que je venais d'apercevoir, et ramena ses cheveux pour la couvrir. ........................... ~Porta = (III pers sing PASSÉ SIMPLE) porter [to carry/ to bring/ to bear/ to wear/ to take with] HERE: 'brought' as in 'brought his hand to the scar..' ~Cicatrice = scar ~Venais de = (I pers sing IMPARFAIT) venir de [to have just... etc] HERE: 'had just' NOTE: venir on its own means 'to come' ~Apercevoir = [to catch sight of/ to glimpse/ to realise] (INFINITIF) THINK: to only just perceive somthing' ~Ramena = (III pers sing PASSÉ SIMPLE), ramener [to bring back/ to take back], NOTE: related to the more common verbs amener [to bring] and emmener [to take away], all three of which being based on the verb mener [to lead]. In a strict sense, all three should only apply to living things as you are literally 'leading to or away' some person or animal. It is said that when the object you are bringing or taking away is inanimate then the verbs you should use should be based on the verb porter [to carry]: (apporter, emporter, rapporter, remporter) As you can see, this is rarely strictly applied. |
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PARA 2
-Debo estar siempre muy bien peinado -me dijo-, de lo contrario se nota claramente esta maldita mancha morada del cuero cabelludo, que da la impresión que padezco peladera... Esta cicatriz no es reciente. Data de una época en que fui fundador de una ciudad ... Hace de esto unos quince años, y ocurrió en la Columbia Británica, en el Canadá... ¡Cox City!... Una ciudad de cinco mil almas... Su nombre de Cox le venía de Chislam Cox, un tipo intrépido, mitad hombre de ciencia, mitad aventurero, que provocó un verdadero rush en esa parte de las Montañas Rocosas, vírgenes a la sazón, y donde todavía hoy se encuentra Cox City. .......................... ~debo estar = [(I) must be] ~siempre = [always] ~peinado = [combed] ~me [to me] ~dijo [(he) said] ~de lo contrario [otherwise/ on the contrary] ~se nota [like se voit in French i.e. LIT: 'itself is noticeable' OR 'itself gets noticed' HERE: 'becomes noticeable' ~claramente [clearly] ~esta = this ~maldita = cursed ((as in 'ker-sid')) ~mancha [stain/ spot/ patch/ blemish] [tache] ~morada [violet/ purple] ~cuero cabelludo = see french notes ~que [that] ~da [gives] III pers sing PRESENTE of dar. ~padezco [(I) suffer] I pers sing PRESENTE of padecer ~reciente [recent] ~data de [(it) dates (from)] ~epoca [period/ time/ epoch] ~en que [in which] ~fui [(I) was] I pers sing PRETÉRITO of ser [to be] ~fundador [founder] ~ciudad [city] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
PARA 2
"I must always style my hair to an exacting standard" he said to me. "Without doing so, one notices this vile area of my scalp, clear-cut and livid, that gives the impression that I've alopecia... This scar is not new. It dates from the time when I was a founder of a city... about fifteen or so years ago, and it was in British Columbia, Canada. Cox City! A town of five thousand souls... She got her name from Cox... Chislam Cox... A lively fellow, half man of science, half adventurer. He had provoked the gold rush in that part of the rocky mountains, virgin territory at the time, where is still situated today Cox City. ............................ ~ Doing so = . ~Notices = PRESENT of to notice. PRESENT of to notice = I/you/we/they notice + He/she/it/one notices ~Gives = PRESENT of to give = I/you/we/they give + He/she/it/one gives ~'ve = have = PRESENT of to have = I/you/we/they have + He/she/it/one has ~Is = PRESENT of to be = I am + you/we/they are + He/she/it/one is ~Dates from = PRESENT of to date from = I/you/we/they date from + He/she/it/one dates from ~Was = PRETERIT of to be = You/we/they were + I/(he/she/it/one) was ~Got = PRETERIT of to get = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) got ~Had provoked = PLUPERFECT of to provoke = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) had provoked ~ |
PARA 2
--Il faut que je sois toujours très bien coiffé, me dit-il. On remarque, sans cela, cette vilaine place nette et livide de mon cuir chevelu, et j'ai l'air d'avoir la pelade... Cette cicatrice n'est pas nouvelle. Elle date d'une époque où j'étais fondateur de cité... Il y a de cela une quinzaine d'années, et c'était dans la Colombie britannique, au Canada... Cox-City!... Une ville de cinq mille âmes... Elle tenait son nom de Cox... Chislam Cox... un gaillard moitié homme de science, moitié aventurier. Il avait provoqué le rush dans cette partie, vierge alors, des Montagnes Rocheuses, où est située aujourd'hui encore Cox-City... ................................ ~Il faut que = [the situation calls for that] ~Sois = I pers sing SUBJONCTIF of etre [to be] HERE: 'be' as in 'it needs that I be', or, less literally, 'I have to be' ~Cuir chevelu = [scalp] NOTE: a bit like saying 'hair leather' ~cela = [that] (as in 'give me that' AND NOT as in 'that car' . NOTE: this is the old fashioned way of saying ça. NOTE: It is the opposite of ceci [this] ~d'avoir = [of having] ~la pelade = [alopecia] ~Il y a de cela = a fancy way of say 'ago.' Literally means 'it there has of that' as in 'it is the case that there has/are (years, days hours..) since that' ~âmes = [souls] ~Tenait de = III pers sing IMPARFAIT of tenir de [to take after/ to be on the verge of/ to stem from] NOTE: I'm not sure if I'm confusing this last meaning with tenir a qqch. When I first read it, the meaning came to me without equivication, so I don't know whether this is just a question of not seeing the wood for the trees. In any case, it's the only meaning that fits the story! ~Avait provoqué = III pers sing PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT of provquer [to provoke] HERE: 'had provoked' ~alors NOTE: here is the rarer and trickier use of alors meaning 'at the time' |
PARA 3
Los mineros habían sido reclutados aquí y allá: en Québec, en Manitoba, en Nueva York. Fue en esta última ciudad donde me topé con Chislam Cox. .................. ~Reclutar = [to recruit/ to draft/ to conscript] ~Topar = to run into/ to come upon/ to bump into] Los[the] mineros[miners] habían[had] sido[been] reclutados[recruited] aquí[here] y[and] allá[there]: en[in] Québec[], en[in] Manitoba[], en[in] Nueva York[]. Fue[(it) was] en[in] esta[this] última[last/ ultimate] ciudad[city] donde[where] me[myself] topé[(I) ran into] con[with] Chislam Cox. |
PARA 3
The miners had been drummed up from all around. From Québec, from Manitoba and also from New York. It is in the latter of these cities that I had encountered Chislam Cox. ............................. ~had been drummed up = PASSIVE VOICE - PLUPERFECT of to drum up ~had encountered = PLUPERFECT ofto encounter = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) had encountered |
PARA 3
Les mineurs avaient été racolés un peu partout: à Québec, dans le Manitoba, à New-York. C'est dans cette dernière ville que je rencontrai Chislam Cox. ................................. Les[the] mineurs[miners] avaient[had] été[been] racolés[solicited] un[a] peu[little (bit.from)] partout[everywhere]: à[at/ from] Québec[], dans[in] le[the] Manitoba[], à[at/ from] New-York[]. C'est[it.is] dans[in] cette[this/ that] dernière[last] ville[town] que[that] je[I] rencontrai[encountered] Chislam Cox. |
PARA 4
Estaba allí desde hacía alrededor de seis meses, pero, en resumidas cuentas, debo confesar que no ganaba un centavo y me moría de aburrimiento. ................................. Estaba[was] allí[there] desde[since] hacía[(that) makes ((NOTE: this idosyncratic use of hacer is the same in French with faire))] alrededor[around about] de[of] seis[six] meses[months], pero[but], en resumidas cuentas[to summarize the situation/ in a nutshell], debo[(I) must] confesar[confess] que[that] no[no] ganaba[was.earning] un[a] centavo[cent] y[and] me[myself] moría[was.dying] de[of] aburrimiento[boredom]. |
PARA 4
I had been there for roughly six months and, all things said and done, I must confess that I had not earnt a penny, and was dying of boredom. .............................. ~had been = PLUPERFECT of to be = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) had been ~had earnt = PLUPERFECT of to earn = I/you/we/they/(he/she/it/one) had earnt NOTE: earned is the more common form of earnt. ~was dying = PRETERIT CONTINUOUS of to die = you/we/they were dying + I/(he/she/it/one) was dying |
PARA 4
J'y étais depuis six mois environ. Au demeurant, je dois l'avouer, je ne gagnais pas un sou et m'ennuyais à mourir. ............................ J'[I] y[there] étais[was] depuis[since] six[six] mois[months] environ.[around about/ roughly] Au demeurant[all things said and done/ as it happens/ for that matter], je[I] dois[must] l[it]' avouer[confess], je[I] ne[no] gagnais[was.earning] pas[not] un[a] sou[penny] et[and] m'[myself] ennuyais[was.annoying] NOTE: this is my particular way of interpreting m'ennuyer: when you are getting on your own nerves it means your bored. à[at/ to] mourir[to die]. i.e to death. |
PARA 5
No vivía solo; me acompañaba una alemana muy bonita, cuyos encantos tenían éxito... Nos habíamos conocido en Hamburgo y yo me había convertido en su manager, por así decir. Se llamaba Marie-Sybille, o Marizibil, para hablar como la gente de Colonia, su ciudad natal. |
PARA 5
I was not living alone but with a rather pretty German girl, whose charmes could work wonders*... We had gotten to know each other in Hamburg and I had become her manager, so to speak... She was called Marie-Sybille or Marizibil, as would say the folk of Koln, her native city. ........................ *Yep, I fudged that one. |
PARA 5
Je ne vivais pas seul mais avec une Allemande assez jolie fille, dont les charmes avaient du succès... Nous nous étions connus à Hambourg. J'étais devenu son manager, si j'ose dire... Elle s'appelait Marie-Sybille ou Marizibill, pour parler comme les gens de Cologne, sa ville natale. ................................ Je[I] ne[no] vivais[was.living] pas[not] seul[alone] mais[but] avec[with] une[a] Allemande[german(female)] assez[quite] jolie[pretty] fille[girl], dont[of.which] les[the] charmes[charmes] avaient[had] du[of.the/some] succès...[success] Nous[we] nous[ourselves] étions[were] connus[known] à[at] Hambourg.[] J'[I] étais devenu[had.become] son[her] manager[], si[if] j'ose[I.dare] dire...[say/ to.say] Elle[she] s'appelait[called.herself] Marie-Sybille[] ou[or] Marizibill[], pour[in.order.to (though here you have to read it as 'if one was'] parler[to.talk/ to.speak] comme[like] les[the] gens[people] de[of] Cologne[], sa[her] ville[town/ city] natale[of.birth]. |
PARA 6
¿Será necesario agregar que ella me amaba con locura? Por mi parte, yo no era nada celoso. No obstante, esta vida de haraganería me pesaba más de lo que usted pudiera creer; no tengo alma de rufián. Pero en vano procuraba emplear mis talentos en trabajar... ...................... ~Haraganería = [laziness/ idleness] |
PARA 6
Need it be added that she loved me madly? As for me, I wasn't at all jealous. All the same, this leisurely life weighed me down more than you would believe. I don't have the makings of a free-loader. But it was in vain that I searched to employ my talents, to work... |
PARA 6
Faut-il ajouter qu'elle m'aimait à la folie?... Pour ma part, je n'en étais point jaloux. Toutefois, cette vie de paresseux me pesait plus que vous ne sauriez croire; je n'ai pas l'âme d'un maquereau. Mais c'est en vain que je cherchais à employer mes talents, à travailler... ........................... Faut-il[is.it.necessary] ajouter[to.add] qu'[that] elle[she] m'[me] aimait[loved] à[at/ to] la[the] folie[madness]?... Pour[for] ma[my] part[part], je[I] n'[no] en[of.it] étais[was] point[not/ at.all] jaloux[jealous]. Toutefois[however], cette[this] vie[life] de[of] paresseux[lazy(ness)] me[me] pesait[was.weighing] plus[more] que[than] vous[you] ne[no] sauriez[would.know.how.to] croire[to.believe]; je[I] n'[no] ai[have] pas[not] l'[the] âme[soul] d'un[of.a] maquereau[mackerel/ pimp/ freeloader]. Mais[but] c'est[it.is] en[in] vain[vain] que[that] je[I] cherchais[was.searching] à[to] employer[to.employ] mes[my] talents[talents], à[to] travailler[to.work]... |
PARA 7
Un día, en un salón, me dejé embaucar por Chislam Cox, que, apoyado en el bar, hablaba en voz alta y exhortaba a los parroquianos a seguirlo a la Columbia Británica, donde él conocía un lugar donde el oro abundaba. ...................... ~Embaucar = [to trick/ to swindle/ to con] ~Parroquianos = [parishioners/ regular customers] |
PARA 7
'Then one day in a saloon bar, I let myself get reeled in by a certain Chislam Cox. He was leaning against the bar, speaking aloud, inciting the clientèle to follow him to British Columbia. He knew a place there where gold was abundant. |
PARA 7
Un jour, dans un saloon, je me laissai embobiner par Chislam Cox, qui parlait tout haut, appuyé au bar, et exhortait les consommateurs à le suivre dans la Colombie britannique. Il y connaissait un lieu où l'or abondait. ............................ Un[one] jour[day], dans[in] un[a] saloon[saloon.bar], je[I] me[myself] laissai[let] embobiner[to.reel.in] par[by] Chislam[] Cox[], qui[who] parlait[was.talking/ was.speaking] tout haut[aloud/ out.loud], appuyé[lent.on/ leaning.on] au[at.the] bar, et[and] exhortait[was.exhorting/ was.urging/ was.inciting] les[the] consommateurs[customers/ consumers] à[to] le[him] suivre[follow/ to.follow] dans[in] la[the] Colombie britannique[british.columbia]. Il[he] y[there] connaissait[knew] un[a] lieu[place] où[where] l'[the] or[gold] abondait[was.abondening((if that word existed as verb, but unfortunately it doesent so we'll just have to fudge it with 'was abondant'))]. |
PARA 8
En su discurso se entremezclaban Cristo, Darwin, el Banco de Inglaterra y, Dios me condene si sé por qué, la papisa Juana. Este Chislam Cox era muy convincente. Me enrolé en sus filas juntamente con Marizibil, que no quería abandonarme, y partimos. ....................... ~Filas = [ranks/ queues/ lines/ rows] |
PARA 8
He interweaved into is speech: Christ, Darwin, The Bank of England, and, god damn me if know why, Pope-ess Joan*. This Chislam Cox was very convincing. I enrolled myself into his troop with Marizibill, who didn't want to leave me, and we left. ............................ *Pope Joan was a woman who, according to the legend, became pop without anyone noticing she was a she. |
PARA 8
Il entremêlait dans son discours: Christ, Darwin, la Banque d'Angleterre, et, Dieu me damne si je sais pourquoi, la papesse Jeanne. Ce Chislam Cox était très convainquant. Je m'enrôlai dans sa troupe avec Marizibill, qui ne voulait pas me quitter, et nous partîmes. ............................ Il[he] entremêlait[was.intermingling] dans[in(to)] son[his] discours[speech]: Christ, Darwin, la[the] Banque d'Angleterre[bank.of.england], et[and], Dieu[god] me[me] damne[damn] si[if] je[I] sais[know] pourquoi[why], la[the] papesse Jeanne[pope.joan]. Ce[this] Chislam Cox était[was] très[very] convainquant[convincing]. Je[I] m'[myself] enrôlai[enrolled] dans[in] sa[his] troupe[troop] avec[with] Marizibill, qui[who] ne[no] voulait[was.wanting] pas[not] me[me] quitter[to.leave], et[and] nous[we] partîmes[left]. |
PARA 9
No llevé conmigo nada emparentado con el equipo de un marinero, sino vajilla de bar y muchos alcoholes: whisky, gin, rhum, etc., manteles y balanzas de precisión. ......................... ~Emparentado = [related/ linked] ~vajilla = [dinnerware set/ plates, dishes, cups, etc] ~manteles = [tablecloths] |
PARA 9
I took no mining paraphernalia away with me, but all the gear for a bar and lots of alcohol: whiskey, gin, rhum, etc.; blankets and precision scales. |
PARA 9
Je n'emportais pas d'attirail de mineur, mais tout un matériel de bar et beaucoup d'alcools; whisky, gin, rhum, etc.; des couvertures et des balances de précision. ........................ Je[I] n'[no] emportais[was.taking.away.with.me] pas[not] d'[of] attirail[paraphanelia] de[of (a)] mineur[miner], mais[but] tout un matériel[all the gear] de[of] bar[bar(s)] et[and] beaucoup[lots] d'[of] alcools[alcohols]; whisky[], gin[], rhum[], etc.; des[of.the/some] couvertures[blankets] et[and] des[of.the/some] balances[scales] de[of] précision[precision]. |
PARA 10
Nuestro viaje fue bastante penoso, pero una vez llegados al lugar donde Chislam Cox quería conducirnos levantamos una ciudad de madera que fue bautizada con el nombre de Cox-City en honor de quien nos guiaba. |
PARA 10
Our voyage was rather a pain, but as soon as we arrived at the place where Chislam Cox wanted to steer us to, we built a wooden town, which was baptized Cox City in honour of the one who was guiding us. |
PARA 10
Notre voyage fut assez pénible, mais aussitôt arrivés là où Chislam Cox voulait nous conduire, nous bâtîmes une ville de bois qui fut baptisée Cox-City, en l'honneur de celui qui nous dirigeait. ................................ Notre[our] voyage[voyage] fut[was] assez[rather] pénible[tough/dificult/painful/annoying], mais[but] aussitôt[as.soon.as] arrivés[arrived] là[there] où[where] Chislam Cox voulait[was.wanting/ wanted] nous[us] conduire[to.drive/to.lead], nous[we] bâtîmes[built] une[a] ville[town] de[of] bois[wood] qui[which] fut[was] baptisée[baptised] Cox-City, en[in] l'[the] honneur[honour] de[of] celui[the.one] qui[who] nous[us] dirigeait[was.directing/was.guiding/was/leading]. |
PARA 11
Inauguré mi despacho de bebidas, que en seguida fue muy frecuentado. El oro era, en efecto, abundante, y yo mismo negociaba con él. |
PARA 11
I inaugurated my drinking outlet, which was soon very frequented. The gold, indeed, was abundant, and I myself was enjoying a 'golden' business opportunity. |
PARA 11
J'inaugurai mon débit de boissons, qui fut bientôt très fréquenté. L'or, en effet, était abondant, et je faisais moi-même des affaires d'or. ............................. J'[I] inaugurai[inaugurated] mon[my] débit[outlet] de[of] boissons[drinks], qui[which] fut[was] bientôt[soon] très[very] fréquenté[frequented]. L'[the] or[gold], en effet[indeed], était[was] abondant[abundant], et[and] je[I] faisais[was.doing] moi-même[me.myself] des[of.the/some] affaires[business.transactions] d'[of] or[gold]. |
PARA 12
Muchos de los mineros eran franceses o canadienses franceses; también habla alemanes e individuos de habla inglesa. Pero el elemento francés predominaba. Más adelante llegaron mestizos franceses de Manitoba y un gran número de piamonteses. También vinieron algunos chinos. De manera que, al cabo de algunos meses, Cox-City contaba con cerca de cinco mil habitantes, de los cuales sólo diez eran mujeres. .. En esta ciudad cosmopolita me había hecho de una posición envidiable. Mi salón estaba en situación floreciente. Lo había bautizado Café de París, y ese nombre lisonjeaba a todos los habitantes de Cox-City. ......................... ~Lisonjear = [to flatter/ to brown nose] |
PARA 12
A large part of the miners were French, or Canadian French. There were Germans there and individuals who spoke English. But the French element dominated. Later on came the mixed-race French from Manitoba and a large number of Piedmontese.* The Chinese arrived aswell. This ingress continued so steadily that after a few months, Cox City counted close to five thousand habitants yet possessed no more than a dozen women. I had gained for myself an enviable status within this cosmopolitan town. My saloon was flourishing; I had baptised it Café de Paris, and this title flattered all the habitants of Cox City .......................... *people from piedmont, a region in the north west of italy |
PARA 12
Une grande partie des mineurs étaient Français ou Canadiens français. Il y avait là des Allemands et des individus de langue anglaise. Mais l'élément français dominait. Plus tard, il nous vint des métis français du Manitoba et un grand nombre de Piémontais. Des Chinois arrivèrent aussi. Si bien qu'au bout de quelques mois, Cox-City comptait près de cinq mille habitants, qui ne possédaient qu'une dizaine de femmes... Je m'étais fait une situation enviable dans cette ville cosmopolite. Mon saloon était florissant. Je l'avais baptisé Café de Paris, et ce titre flattait tous les habitants de Cox-City. |
PARA 13
Los grandes fríos se hicieron sentir. Era terrible. Cincuenta grados bajo cero constituyen una temperatura inaguantable. Entonces se advirtió con terror que Cox-City contaba con provisiones insuficientes para pasar el invierno. No había comunicaciones posibles con el resto del mundo. Era la muerte como perspectiva inmediata. Prontamente se agotaron las provisiones y Chislam Cox dio una conmovedora proclama en la que nos hacía conocer todo lo espantoso de nuestra situación. ........................ ~Agotar = [to deplete/ to exhaust/ to run out/ to tire out/ to wear out] |
PARA 13
The big freeze made itself felt. It was terrible. Fifty degrees below zero constitutes a deplorable temperature. We became aware with terror that Cox City held insufficient provisions for getting through winter. There was no more communications possible with the rest of the world. The future perspective was imminent death. Soon the provisions were exhausted, and Chislam Cox made public a moving proclamation, in which he let it be known to us the total horror of our situation. |
PARA 13
Les grands froids se firent sentir. C'était terrible. Cinquante degrés au-dessous de zéro constituent une température déplorable. On s'aperçut avec terreur que Cox-City ne renfermait que des provisions insuffisantes pour passer l'hiver. Il n'y avait plus de communications possibles avec le reste du monde. C'était la mort prochaine en perspective. Bientôt les provisions furent épuisées, et Chislam Cox fit afficher une proclamation émouvante, dans laquelle il nous faisait connaître toute l'horreur de notre situation. |
PARA 14
Nos pedía perdón por habernos llevado a la muerte, pero a pesar de su desesperación, encontraba medios para hablar de Herbert Spencer y del falso Smerdis. El final del memorial era algo espantoso: Cox invitaba al pueblo a reunirse a la mañana siguiente en la plaza que se había tenido el buen cuidado de dejar en el centro de la ciudad. Todo el mundo debía llevar su revólver y suicidarse, a una señal, para escapar a los horrores del frío y del hambre. |
PARA 14
He asked us to forgive him for having led us to our deaths, finding, despite his despair, the means to talk about Herbert Spencer* and the false Smerdis.** The end of this memoire*** was horrific. Cox invited the population to assemble, the morning after, in the public square that one had had the foresight to allow the space for in centre of the town. Everyone was to bring a revolver and commit suicide at the giving of a signal so as to escape the torments of the cold and hunger. .............................. *Herbert Spencer = English philosopher and biologist responsible for the saying "survival of the fittest" **False Smerdis = Someone who pretends to be someone he is not. HISTORY: some persian dude from the ancient greek period impersonated his brother so as to become a sort of king (smerdis) of Persia. NOTE: I think Cox was probably telling them that he was not the leader he was pretending to be (aka false smerdis) and that they were all going to do die from there own stupidity for following him (aka Darwinism > Spencer) Well.. that's my take for what it's worth. ***I really don't like my interpretation of 'factum' here. LeRobert Pratique defines factum as a "memoire litteraire contre un adversaire" i.e. a memoire against an adversary. If a memoir is a "historical account or biography written from personal knowledge" than a factum is this but in negative terms in much the same way as infamous is the other side of famous. This inmemoire, if it existed, would be the better substitute. |
PARA 14
Il nous demandait pardon de nous avoir menés à la mort, et trouvait, nonobstant son désespoir, le moyen de parler de Herbert Spencer et du faux Smerdis. La fin de ce factum était effroyable. Cox invitait la population à se rassembler, le lendemain matin, sur la place qu'on avait eu le soin de laisser au centre de la ville. Tout le monde devait apporter un revolver et se suicider à un signal, pour échapper aux affres du froid et de la faim. |
PARA 15
Nadie protestó. En general, la solución pareció elegante, y hasta Marizibil, en lugar de lloriquear, me dijo que sería feliz de morir conmigo. Distribuimos el alcohol que quedaba, y a la mañana siguiente nos dirigimos del brazo a la plaza mortuoria. ........................ ~lloriquear = [to whinge/ to whine] |
PARA 15
There wasn't any protest. The solution had generally been found to be elegant. and Marizibill herself, instead of sobbing, said to me that she would be happy to die with me. We distributed all of what remained to us of the alcohol. The morning after, we led ourselves, arms in arm, to the deathly square. |
PARA 15
Il n'y eut pas de protestations. La solution fut trouvée généralement élégante, et Marizibill elle-même, au lieu de sangloter, me dit qu'elle serait heureuse de mourir avec moi. Nous distribuâmes tout ce qui nous restait d'alcool. Le lendemain matin, nous nous rendîmes, bras dessus bras dessous, sur la place mortuaire. |
PARA 16
Así viviera cien mil años, jamás olvidaré el espectáculo de esa multitud de cinco mil personas abrigadas con mantas y colchas. Cada uno tenía un revólver en la mano y se oía el castañeteo de los dientes. . ¡Se lo juro! ........................... ~colchas = [bedspread/ quilt] ~castañeteo = [chattering/ crackling] LIT: the sound of castañuelas [castanets] |
PARA 16
If I should have to live for a hundred thousand years, I will never forget the spectacle of that crowd of five thousand people, covered up in coats and blankets. Everyone was holding a revolver in their hand, their teeth chattering... I swear to you!... |
PARA 16
Dussé-je vivre cent mille ans, je n'oublierai jamais le spectacle de cette foule de cinq mille personnes couvertes de manteaux, de couvertures. Tout le monde tenait à la main un revolver, et toutes les dents claquaient... claquaient... je vous le jure!... |
PARA 17
Chislam Cox, subido a un tonel, presidía la reunión. De repente, se llevó el revólver a la frente y disparó. Fue la señal: mientras Chislam Cox caía de su tonel, todos los habitantes de Cox-City, entre los que me hallaba, nos hacíamos saltar la tapa de los sesos ¡Qué horroroso recuerdo! ¡Qué tema de meditación el de esta unanimidad en el suicidio! ¡Pero qué frío terrible hacía...! ........................ ~Disparar = [to shoot(gun/photo)/ to fire a shot/ to discharge i.a.] HERE: 'fired' |
PARA 17
Chislam cox held sway over us,* perched on a barrel. All of a sudden, he brought the revolver to his forehead. The shot fired. It was the signal, and, whilst that Chislam Cox was falling, dead, from his barrel, all the habitants of Cox City, myself included, were blowing out their own brains...** What a horrific recollection! What a subject for meditation, this unanimity to commit suicide. But what a terrible coldness there was! ........................ *I was torn between this and 'held the high ground' being the other interpretation of the verb 'dominer.' **Next week I'll be doing The Little Mermaid if anyone's interested |
PARA 17
Chislam Cox nous dominait, monté sur un tonneau. Tout à coup, il se porta le revolver au front. Le coup partit. C'était le signal et, tandis que, mort, Chislam Cox tombait de son tonneau, tous les habitants de Cox-City, y compris moi-même, se faisaient sauter la cervelle... Quel souvenir effroyable!... Quel sujet de méditation que cette unanimité dans le suicide! Mais quel froid terrible il faisait!... |
PARA 18
Yo no estaba muerto sino aturdido, y pronto me incorporé. Una herida, o más bien un rasguño, que me provocaba mucho dolor, y cuya cicatriz llevaré hasta el fin de mis días, me recordaba que había tratado de suicidarme. ¿Por qué estaba solo? -¡Marizibil! -llamé. ....................... ~rasguño = [scratch] |
PARA 18
I wasn't dead, but stunned: I got myself up not before long. A wound, or rather a weal, which was making me suffer violently, and of which the scar would mark me right to the end of my days, reminding me alone that I had tried to kill myself. And why was I all alone? "Marizibill!" I cried out. |
PARA 18
Je n'étais pas mort, mais étourdi, je me relevai bientôt. Une blessure, ou plutôt une enflure qui me faisait violemment souffrir, et dont la cicatrice me marquera jusqu'à la fin de mes jours, me rappelait seule que j'avais tenté de me suicider. Et pourquoi étais-je tout seul? —Marizibill! m'écriai-je. |
PARA 19
Nadie me respondió. Los ojos desencajados, temblando de frío, permanecí largo rato atontado, mirando a esos muertos que mostraban, todos, una herida voluntaria en la frente. |
PARA 19
No-one responded. But, with eyes wide open, trembling with cold, I stood there a while, completely out of it, looking on at these corpses (close to five thousand) each and every one of them bearing upon the forehead a violent wound. |
PARA 19
Rien ne me répondit. Mais, les yeux écarquillés, grelottant de froid, je demeurai longtemps hébété à regarder ces morts, près de cinq mille qui, tous, portaient au front une blessure volontaire. |
PARA 20
Después sentí un hambre terrible que me torturaba el estómago. Los víveres se habían agotado. No encontré nada en las casas que registré. Enloquecido y titubeante, me arrojé sobre un cadáver y le devoré el rostro. La carne estaba todavía tibia. Me sacié sin ningún remordimiento. Luego comencé a pasearme por la necrópolis pensando en los medios de salir de allí; Me armé; me abrigué cuidadosamente; cargué la mayor cantidad de oro que podía transportar. ... ... De pronto sentí inquietud por la alimentación. El cuerpo de las mujeres es más rico en grasas; su carne más tierna. Busqué una y le corté las dos piernas. Ese trabajo me llevó de dos horas. Pero logré dos jamones que me colgué al cuello mediante dos correas. En ese instante me di cuenta de que había cortado las piernas a Marizibil. Mi alma de antropófago apenas se conmovió. Sobre todo, deseaba irme. .......................... ~registrar = [to search/ to sign/ to record/ to register/ to capture (as in camara)] HERE: 'searched' |
PARA 20
Then I felt a terrible hunger which was torturing my stomach. The supplies were all run out. I found nothing in the houses that I rummaged through. Maddened and stumbling along, I threw myself over a corpse and devoured it's face. The flesh was warm. I satiated myself without any remorse. Then I walked through the necropolis, reflecting over the means by which to get myself out of here. I armed myself, carefully wrapped myself up and loaded up with as much gold as I could carry away with me. Then I turned my attention to what I would be eating. Women's bodies are fattier, their flesh more tender. I searched around for one and cut off its two legs. This task took me more than two hours. But I found myself in possession of two legs of meats which with the means of two strips of cloth, I suspended around my neck. I realised at that precise moment that I had cut off the legs of Marizibill. But my anthropophagic* soul was barely moved. Above all I was anxious to leave. ............................... *Anthropophage = mythical race of cannibals. |
PARA 20
Puis, je ressentis une faim terrible qui me torturait l'estomac. Les vivres étaient épuisés. Je ne trouvai rien dans les maisons que je fouillai. Affolé et titubant, je me jetai sur un cadavre et lui dévorai la face. La chair était encore tiède. Je me rassasiai sans aucun remords. Puis je me promenai dans la nécropole en songeant aux moyens d'en sortir. Je m'armai, me couvris soigneusement, me chargeai du plus d'or que je pus emporter. ... ... Ensuite, je m'inquiétai de la nourriture. Le corps des femmes est plus grasset, leur chair est plus tendre. J'en cherchai un et lui coupai les deux jambes. Ce travail me prit plus de deux heures. Mais je me trouvai à la tête de deux jambons, qu'au moyen de deux lanières, je suspendis a mon cou. Je m'aperçus alors que j'avais coupé les jambes de Marizibill. Mais mon âme d'anthropophage fut à peine émue. J'avais surtout hâte de partir. |
PARA 21
Me puse en marcha y, por milagro, encontré un campamento de leñadores, justamente el día que mis provisiones se habían terminado. |
PARA 21
I set off, and, by miracle, I encoutered a lumberjack camp on the exact day that my provisions ran out. |
PAR21
Je me mis en marche, et, par miracle, je joignis un campement de bûcherons, justement le jour où mes provisions furent épuisées. |
PARA 22
La herida que me había hecho en la cabeza curó rápidamente. Pero la cicatriz que oculto con mis dedos me recuerda sin cesar a Cox-City, la necrópolis boreal, y sus habitantes helados, que el frió conserva en la forma que cayeron -armados y heridos-, con los bolsillos llenos del oro inútil por el que murieron. |
PARA 22
The wound that I had done to my head soon healed itself. But the scar that I'm carefully hiding constantly brings to mind Cox City, the boreal necropolis and its frozen habitants that the cold keeps as they were the moment they fell, armed and wounded, eyes open, pockets full of the useless gold for which they died. |
PARA 22
La blessure que je m'étais faite à la tête fut bientôt guérie. Mais une cicatrice que je cache avec soin me rappelle sans cesse Cox-City, la nécropole boréale, et ses habitants glacés, que le froid garde ainsi qu'ils tombèrent, armés et blessés, les yeux ouverts, et les poches pleines de l'or inutile pour lequel ils moururent. |
THE END
La Fin
Booo! (got ya)
La Fin
Booo! (got ya)