| Autrefois, ma cousine Hortense
| Formerly, my cousin Hortense
|
| Arrivait de temps en temps
| Happened from time to time
|
| Chez mes parents;
| At my parents;
|
| Elle venait passer ses vacances
| She came to spend her holidays
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| Dans notre petite maison
| In our little house
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| Près de Toulon
| Near Toulon
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| C'était dans l’programme
| It was in the program
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| Quand nous recevions le télégramme
| When we received the telegram
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| Le bonheur dans l'âme
| Happiness in the soul
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| A la gare je courais comme un fou
| At the station I was running like crazy
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| Mais l’train arrivait tout à coup
| But the train suddenly arrived
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| En la voyant je criais: Zou… !
| Seeing her I shouted: Zou…!
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| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| T’es fraîche comme une praline
| You're fresh as a praline
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Coquin de sort, quelle bonne mine !
| Coquin de fate, what a good look!
|
| Et tu as bien dormi dans le train?
| And did you sleep well on the train?
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| J’espère que tu avais un coin?
| I hope you had a corner?
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Embrasse ton cousin germain !
| Kiss your first cousin!
|
| Chaque matin courant vers la grève
| Every morning running to the shore
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| Afin d’nous baigner tous deux
| In order to bathe us both
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| Dans les flots bleus
| In the blue waves
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| On s’déshabillait — quel beau rêve —
| We undressed — what a beautiful dream —
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| Sous l’ombrage hospitalier
| Under the hospitable shade
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| Des oliviers
| olive trees
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| Rouge comme une cerise
| Red like a cherry
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| Afin d’me cacher sa gorge exquise
| In order to hide her exquisite throat from me
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| Elle ram’nait sa ch’mise
| She was bringing back her shirt
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| Mais comme y avait de la dentelle partout
| But since there was lace everywhere
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| Souvent, je voyais par un trou
| Often I saw through a hole
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| Un sein qui montrait son p’tit bout
| A breast that showed its little end
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Qu’est-c'que j’vois sur ta poitrine?
| What do I see on your chest?
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| On dirait deux mandarines
| Looks like two tangerines
|
| Tu as les mandarines, c’est certain | You got the tangerines, that's for sure |
| Mais peuchère, c’qui m’en bouche un coin
| But cheap, what's stopping me a corner
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| C’est qu’c’est moi qui ai l’pépin !
| It's me who has the problem!
|
| Souvent, prenant sa main mignonne
| Often taking her cute hand
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| Je l’emmenais faire un tour
| I took her for a ride
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| Dans la basse-cour
| In the barnyard
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| Et tandis qu’pigeons et pigeonnes
| And while pigeons and pigeons
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| Faisaient l’amour sans pudeur
| Made love shamelessly
|
| On f’sait l’voyeur
| We know the voyeur
|
| La brise frivole
| The Frivolous Breeze
|
| Nous portait bientôt des chansons folles:
| We were soon wearing crazy songs:
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| «C'est la farandole
| "It's the farandole
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| Viens farandoler sur le gazon !»
| Come hang out on the lawn!"
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| «Plus tard (me disait-elle) Gaston
| "Later (she told me) Gaston
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| Quand t’auras du poil au menton !»
| When you've got hair on your chin!"
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| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Oui, l’amour me turlupine
| Yes, love bothers me
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Laisse-moi t’faire des p’tites machines
| Let me make you little machines
|
| Tu as peur que je te fasse un enfant?
| Are you afraid that I will make you a child?
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| Ne crains rien, je n’ai que dix-sept ans !
| Don't worry, I'm only seventeen!
|
| Cousine, cousine
| Cousin, cousin
|
| Viens faire tutu-panpan !
| Come and do tutu-thump!
|
| Mais elle m'écrivit l’autre année:
| But she wrote to me the other year:
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| «Cher cousin, je ne viendrai pas
| "Dear cousin, I will not come
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| Tu m’excus’ras
| You excuse me
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| Depuis huit jours, je suis mariée
| Eight days I've been married
|
| Et pour plaire à mon mari
| And to please my husband
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| J’reste à Paris»
| I'm staying in Paris"
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| La méchante lettre
| The bad letter
|
| En moi quel chagrin elle fit naître !
| In me what sorrow she caused!
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| Du fond de mon être
| From the bottom of my being
|
| Monta comme un frisson de rancœur;
| Arose like a shiver of resentment;
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| J’interrogeai dans ma douleur
| I questioned in my pain
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| Les arbres, la grève, les fleurs
| The trees, the strike, the flowers
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| Cousine, cousine | Cousin, cousin |