| Je sais, dans un quartier d? | I know, in a neighborhood of |
| sert
| serves
|
| Un coin qui se donne des airs
| A corner that gives itself airs
|
| De province aristocratique
| From aristocratic province
|
| J’y d? | I d? |
| couvris l’autre saison
| covered the other season
|
| Encastr? | recessed |
| e entre deux maisons
| e between two houses
|
| Une miniscule boutique
| A tiny shop
|
| Un beau chat noir? | A beautiful black cat? |
| tait vautr?
| was wallowing?
|
| Sur le seuil quand je suis entr? | On the threshold when I entered? |
| e
| and
|
| Il leva sur moi ses prunelles
| He looked up at me
|
| Puis il eut l’air en me voyant
| Then he looked upon seeing me
|
| De se dire: «Tiens ! | To think, "Hey! |
| Un client…
| A customer…
|
| Quelle chose sensationnelle !»
| What a sensational thing!”
|
| Ce magazin d’antiquit?s
| This antique store
|
| Excitait ma curiosit?
| Excited my curiosity?
|
| Par sa d? | By his d? |
| su?te apparence
| your appearance
|
| Une clochette au son f? | A bell with the sound f? |
| l?
| I?
|
| Se mit? | Began? |
| tintinnabuler
| tinkle
|
| Dans le calme et ti? | In the calm and ti? |
| de silence
| of silence
|
| Soudain, sorti je ne sais d’o?
| Suddenly, I don't know where?
|
| Un petit vieillard aux yeux doux
| A sweet-eyed little old man
|
| Me fit un grand salut baroque
| Gave me a grand baroque salute
|
| Et j’eus l'?trange sentiment
| And I had the strange feeling
|
| De vivre un tr? | To live a tr? |
| s ancien moment
| s old moment
|
| Fort? | Strong? |
| loign? | far? |
| de notre? | of our? |
| poque
| when
|
| Je marchandais un vieux bouquin
| I was haggling an old book
|
| Dont la reliure en maroquin
| Including the morocco binding
|
| Gardait l’odeur des chambres closes
| Kept the smell of closed rooms
|
| Lorsque, je ne sais trop comment
| When, I don't know how
|
| Je me mis, au bout d’un moment
| I got, after a while
|
| A parler de tout autre chose
| Talking about something else
|
| Mais le vieux ne connaissait rien
| But the old man knew nothing
|
| Quel? | What? |
| tonnement fut le mien
| astonishment was mine
|
| De constater que le bonhomme
| To realize that the man
|
| Ne savait rien, ?videmment
| Didn't know anything, of course
|
| Des faits et des? | Facts and? |
| v?nements
| events
|
| Qui passionnaient les autres hommes
| Who fascinated other men
|
| Il ignorait tout de ce temps
| He didn't know all about that time
|
| Aussi bien les gens importants
| Both important people
|
| Que les plus c? | What the most c? |
| l?bres affaires
| free business
|
| Et c'?tait peut-?tre cela
| And maybe that was it
|
| Qui, dans ce tranquille coin-l?
| Who in that quiet corner there?
|
| Cr? | Cr? |
| ait cette? | have this? |
| trange atmosph? | strange atmosphere |
| re
| D
|
| J’acquis le bouquin poussi? | I acquired the pousi book? |
| reux
| rousing
|
| Et je partis le c? | And I left the c? |
| ur heureux
| ur happy
|
| Le chat noir, toujours impassible
| The always impassive black cat
|
| Dans un petit clignement d’yeux
| In a blink of an eye
|
| Parut me dire, malicieux:
| Seemed to say to me, mischievously:
|
| «Tu ne croyais pas? | "Didn't you believe? |
| a possible …»
| has possible…”
|
| Je m’en allai, et puis voil?
| I left, and then voila?
|
| Mon anecdote finit l?
| My anecdote ends here
|
| Car cette histoire ne comprend
| 'Cause this story doesn't include
|
| Ni chute, ni moralit?
| Neither fall nor morality?
|
| Mais quand je suis trop affect? | But when I'm too affected? |
| e
| and
|
| Par le potins que l’on colporte
| By the gossip that we peddle
|
| Par les scandales d? | By the scandals of |
| go?tants
| tasty
|
| Par les proc? | By the proc? |
| d?s r? | from r? |
| voltants
| flywheels
|
| Des requins de la politique
| Political Sharks
|
| Afin de mieux m'?loigner d’eux
| To better get away from them
|
| Je vais passer une heure ou deux
| I'll spend an hour or two
|
| Dans cette petite boutique… | In this little shop... |