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460 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
丕賱噩夭亍 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賴賵 賮賷 丕賱氐乇丕毓 亘賷賳 廿賷賲丕賳 丕賱胤賯賵爻 賵 廿賷賲丕賳 丕賱乇乇賵丨 孬賲 丕賱氐乇丕毓 亘賷賳 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 賵 丕賱賲丕丿賷丞 賵 禺賱丕賱 匕賱賰 丕爻鬲賰卮丕賮賴丕 賱賱毓丕賱賲 賵 賱賱兀卮賷丕亍 賵 鬲睾賷乇 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇丐賷丞 賰賱 賲乇丞 亘鬲睾賷乇 賳馗乇鬲賴丕 丕賱賮賱爻賮賷丞.
匕賱賰 兀賳 兀亘賷 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷匕賴亘 廿賱賶 丕賱賯丿丕爻 賵 賰丕賳 賷亘鬲爻賲 丨賷賳 賰丕賳鬲 毓賲鬲賷 賲丕乇噩乇賷鬲 鬲毓賱賯 毓賱賶 賲毓噩夭丕鬲 賱賵乇丿 賵 賴匕丕 賷毓賳賷 兀賳賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲丐賲賳丕. 睾賷乇 兀賳 賴匕丕 丕賱鬲卮賰賰 賱賲 賷丐孬乇 毓賱賷 賱卮丿丞 廿賷賲丕賳賷 亘丕賱賱賴 .. 賵 賲毓 匕賱賰 賮賯丿 賰賳鬲 兀毓乇賮 兀賳 兀亘賷 賱丕 賷禺胤卅 賯胤. 賮賰賷賮 兀賮爻乇 丕乇鬲賷丕亘賴 亘兀賵囟丨 丕賱丨賯丕卅賯責 賵 賱賰賳 亘賲丕 兀賳 兀賲賷 丕賱鬲賯賷丞 鬲乇賶 賲賵賯賮賴 賴匕丕 胤亘賷毓賷丕 賮賱賲 賷賰賳 賱賷 賲賳丕氐 賲賳 鬲賯亘賱 賲賵賯賮 兀亘賷. 賵 賰丕賳 賲賳 賳鬲賷噩丞 匕賱賰 兀賳賷 丕毓鬲丿鬲 丕毓鬲亘丕乇 丨賷丕鬲賷 丕賱賮賰乇賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷噩爻丿賴丕 兀亘賷 賵 丨賷丕鬲賷 丕賱乇賵丨賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賵噩賴賴丕 兀賲賷 賲賷丿丕賳賷賳 賲禺鬲賱賮賷賳. 賮廿賳 丕賱賯丿丕爻丞 賱丕 鬲賲鬲 亘氐賱丞 廿賱賶 丕賱毓賯賱. 賵 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 賰丕賱孬賯丕賮丞 賵 丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 賵 丕賱毓丕丿丕鬲 賱丕 鬲鬲毓賱賯 亘丕賱丿賷賳. 賵 賴賰匕丕 丿賮毓鬲 丕賱賱賴 禺丕乇噩 丕賱毓丕賱賲.
毓賱賶 兀賳 賵噩賴 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賯丿 鬲睾賷乇 鬲丨鬲 賳丕馗乇賷. 賮賯丿 卮毓乇鬲 賮賷 丕賱兀賷丕賲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賱鬲 廿匕 賰賳鬲 噩丕賱爻丞 鬲丨鬲 卮噩乇丞 丕賱氐賮氐丕賮 丕賱賮囟賷. 賮乇丕睾 丕賱爻賲丕亍. 賵 丕賳鬲丕亘賳賷 賲賳 匕賱賰 丕賱囟賷賯. 賱賯丿 賰賳鬲 賮賷 丕賱賲丕囟賷 兀毓賷卮 賵爻胤 賱賵丨丞 丨賷丞 丕禺鬲丕乇 丕賱賱賴 賳賮爻賴 兀賱賵丕賳賴丕 賵 兀囟賵丕亍賴丕. 賵 賰丕賳 賰賱 卮賷亍 賷丿賲丿賲 賱賲噩丿賴 賵 毓馗賲鬲賴. 賵 賮噩兀丞 氐賲鬲 賰賱 卮賷亍. 賵 兀賷 氐賲鬲! 賱賯丿 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱兀乇囟 鬲丿賵乇 賮賷 丨賷夭 賱丕 鬲賳賮匕 賲賳賴 兀賷 毓賷賳. 賵 賵爻胤 丕賱兀孬賷乇 丕賱兀毓賲賶. 賰賳鬲 賵丨丿賷 囟丕卅毓丞 毓賱賶 爻胤丨賴丕 丕賱毓馗賷賲. 賵丨賷丿丞. 賱賯丿 賮賴賲鬲 賱賱賲乇丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賲毓賳賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賰賱賲丞 丕賱賮馗賷毓丞. 賵丨賷丿丞. 亘賱丕 卮丕賴丿. 賵 賱丕 賲丨丿孬. 賵 賱丕 賲賳 兀賱噩兀 廿賱賷賴. 廿賳 賳賮爻賷 賮賷 氐丿乇賷. 賵 丿賲賷 賮賷 毓乇賵賯賷. 賵 賴匕丕 丕賱禺賱賷胤 賮賷 乇兀爻賷. 廿賳 匕賱賰 賰賱賴 睾賷乇 賲賵噩賵丿 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱兀丨丿. 賵 賳賴囟鬲 賵 兀禺匕鬲 兀毓丿賵 賳丨賵 丕賱丨丿賷賯丞 賱兀噩賱爻 亘賷賳 兀賲賷 賵 毓賲鬲賷 賲丕乇噩乇賷鬲 賱卮丿丞 丨丕噩鬲賷 廿賱賶 兀賳 兀爻賲毓 丕賱兀氐賵丕鬲.鬲賯毓 賮賷 丕賱丨賷乇丞 賵 丕賱賮乇丕睾 亘毓丿 賮賯丿 廿賷賲丕賳賴丕 賵 賱丕 鬲噩丿 賲丕 鬲毓丕賱噩 亘賴 禺賵丕亍 丕賱乇賵丨 廿賱丕 丕賱賮賱爻賮丞.
賰賳鬲 兀噩丿 毓夭丕卅賷 賮賷 丿乇爻 丕賱賮賱爻賮丞 亘毓丿 匕賱賰. 賵 賲丕 賰丕賳 賷噩匕亘賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賮賱爻賮丞 禺氐賵氐丕 賴賵 賲丕 賰賳鬲 兀賮賰乇 亘賴 賲賳 兀賳賴丕 鬲賲囟賷 賲爻鬲賯賷賲丞 廿賱賶 丕賱噩賵賴乇賷. 賵 賱賲 兀賲賱 賷賵賲丕 廿賱賶 丕賱鬲賮氐賷賱賷丕鬲. 賵 賰賳鬲 兀丿乇賰 丕賱賲毓賳賶 丕賱毓丕賲 賱賱兀卮賷丕亍 兀賰孬乇 賲賲丕 兀丿乇賰 鬲賮乇賾丿丕鬲賴丕. 賵 賰賳鬲 兀賮囟賱 丕賱賮賴賲 毓賱賶 丕賱賳馗乇. 賵 賯丿 鬲賲賳賷鬲 兀亘丿丕 兀賳 兀毓乇賮 賰賱 卮賷亍. 賵 賱爻賵賮 鬲鬲賷丨 賱賷 丕賱賮賱爻賮丞 兀賳 兀乇賵賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇睾亘丞. 賱兀賳賴丕 鬲賯氐丿 賰賱賷丞 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞. 賮鬲賯賷賲 賮賷賴丕 賵 鬲賰卮賮 賱賷 賳馗丕賲丕 賵 爻亘亘丕 賵 囟乇賵乇丞. 亘丿賱丕 賲賳 丿賵丕賲丞 賲賳 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵 丕賱賯賵丕賳賷賳 丕賱丕毓鬲亘丕胤賷丞. 賵 賯丿 亘丿鬲 賱賷 丕賱毓賱賵賲 賵 丕賱兀丿亘 賵 噩賲賷毓 丕賱兀賳馗賲丞 丕賱兀禺乇賶 兀賯乇亘丕亍 賮賯乇丕亍 賱賱賮賱爻賮丞.賵 乇睾賲 匕賱賰 賷馗賱 卮亘丨 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 兀賵 胤賷賮賴 賷胤丕乇丿賴丕 賮賷 賰賱 賵賯鬲 賵 賮賷 賰賱 賲賰丕賳.
賵 賯丕賱 賱賷 賲乇丞 賲賳 睾賷乇 賲乇丨:兀賲丕 丕賱丨亘 賮賯丿 兀囟丕毓鬲 毓賲乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賳鬲馗丕乇賴 賴亘丕亍 賵 賰丕賳鬲 鬲乇亘賷鬲賴丕 丕賱氐丕乇賲丞 賵 賲鬲丕亘毓丞 兀賲賴丕 賱賰賱 爻賰賳丕鬲賴丕 賵 丨乇賰丕鬲賴丕 賲賳 兀賰亘乇 兀爻亘丕亘 丕賱卮賯丕亍.
兀鬲乇賷賳責 廿賳 賲丕 兀丨鬲丕噩 廿賱賷賴 賴賵 兀賳 兀丐賲賳 亘卮賷亍 賲丕!
賮爻兀賱鬲赖:
兀賱丕 賷賰賮賷 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 兀賳 賷毓賷卮.
匕賱賰 兀賳賳賷 兀賳丕 賰賳鬲 兀丐賲賳 亘丕賱丨賷丕丞. 賮賴夭 乇兀爻賴 賵 賯丕賱:
賱賷爻 賲賳 丕賱爻賴賱 兀賳 賷毓賷卮 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 廿匕丕 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲丐賲賳丕 亘卮賷亍.
賱賯丿 丕賳鬲馗乇鬲 兀爻丕亘賷毓 胤賵賷賱丞 賲孬賱 賴匕丕 丕賱賱賯丕亍 孬賲 賰丕賳鬲 賳夭賵丞 賲賳 賳夭賵丕鬲 兀賲賷 賰丕賮賷賴 賱鬲丨乇賲賳賷 賲賳賴. 賵 賴賰匕丕 鬲丨賯賯鬲 亘匕毓乇 賲賳 鬲亘毓賷鬲賷 賱賴丕. 丕賳賴賲 賱賲 賷賰鬲賮賵丕 亘兀賳 賷丨賰賲賵丕 毓賱賷 亘丕賱賳賮賷 賵 賱賰賳賴賲 賱賲 賷賰賵賳賵丕 賷鬲乇賰賵賳 賱賷 丕賱丨乇賷丞 兀賳 兀賯丕賵賲 賯爻賵丞 賲氐賷乇賷. 賱賯丿 賰丕賳鬲 兀毓賲丕賱賷 賵 丨乇賰丕鬲賷 賵 賰賱賲丕鬲賷 賲乇丕賯亘丞 賰賱賴丕. 賵 賰丕賳賵丕 賷乇氐丿賵賳 兀賮賰丕乇賷 賵 賰丕賳 亘賵爻毓賴賲 兀賳 賷噩賴囟賵丕 亘賰賱賲丞 賵丕丨丿丞 丌孬乇 丕賱賲卮丕乇賷毓 廿賱賶 賯賱亘賷. 賵 賴賰匕丕 賵噩丿鬲賳賷 噩丕賲丿丞 賵 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 丕賱噩賲賵丿 賷丿賮毓 賮賷 賯賱亘賷 丕賱賷兀爻.賵 毓賳丿賲丕 賷馗賴乇 爻丕乇鬲乇 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 鬲噩丿 賮賷 賰賳賮賴 丕賱丨亘 賵 丕賱兀賲丕賳 賵 丕賱毓夭丕亍 賲賳 賰賱 賲丕 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲賳 鬲毓丕爻丞 賵 卮賯丕亍.
兀賲丕 兀賳丕 賮賷禺賷賱 廿賱賶 兀賳 噩賲賷毓 丕賱兀賵賯丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 兀賯囟賴丕 賲毓賴 賰丕賳鬲 兀賵賯丕鬲丕 囟丕卅毓丞. 賵 賮賷 丕賱兀賷丕賲 丕賱禺賲爻丞 毓卮乇 丕賱鬲賷 丕爻鬲睾乇賯賴丕 丕賱丕爻鬲毓丿丕丿 賱賱丕賲鬲丨丕賳 丕賱卮賮賴賷 賱賲 賳賮鬲乇賯 廿賱丕 賱賱賳賵賲. 賵 賰賳丕 賳賯氐丿 丕賱爻賵乇亘賵賳 賱賳賯丿賲 丕賱丕賲鬲丨丕賳 賵 賳爻鬲賲毓 廿賱賶 丿乇賵爻 夭賲賱丕卅賳丕. 賵 賰賳丕 睾丕賱亘丕 賲丕 賳鬲賳夭賴 賲毓丕. 賵 賰丕賳 爻丕乇鬲乇 賷卮鬲乇賷 賱賷 毓賳丿 兀乇氐賮丞 丕賱爻賷賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳 賷賮囟賱賴丕. 賵 賷氐丨亘賳賷 賲爻丕亍 賱賲卮丕賴丿丞 丕賱兀賮賱丕賲 丕賱賰丕賵 亘賵賷 丕賱鬲賷 賰賳鬲 兀丨亘賴丕. 賵 賳噩賱爻 毓賱賶 兀乇氐賮丞 丕賱賲賯丕賴賷 賱賳鬲丨丿孬 爻丕毓丕鬲 胤賵賷賱丞.丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 亘賯氐丞 夭丕夭丕 賵 亘乇丕丿賷賱 賲丐賱賲丞 賵 睾乇賷亘丞 賮賷 丕賱賵賯鬲 匕丕鬲賴 賵 賰匕賱賰 廿賮乇丕丿 賲爻丕丨丕鬲 賰亘賷乇丞 賮賷 丕賱賲匕賰乇丕鬲 賱賯氐氐 丕賱兀氐丿賯丕亍 賵 丕賱禺胤丕亘丕鬲 丕賱賲鬲亘丕丿賱丞 亘賷賳賴賲 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳 丕賱爻賱亘賷丕鬲 丕賱賯賱賷賱丞 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賷乇丞 丕賱匕丕鬲賷丞 丕賱賲鬲賲賷夭丞 匕丕鬲 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賵 丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賲亘鬲賵乇丞 賵 賰兀賳 賴賳丕賰 亘賯賷丞 賱賲 鬲鬲乇噩賲 兀賵 賱賲 鬲胤亘毓 廿賱丕 兀賳 亘賴丕 賲賳 丕賱丨賲賷賲賷丞 賵 丕賱氐丿賯 賵 丕賱毓匕賵亘丞 丕賱賰孬賷乇.
Ils lisaient et ils parlaient de leurs lectures. On disait: "C'est bien 茅crit mais il y a des longueurs." Ou bien: "Il y a des longueurs, mais c'est bien 茅crit." Parfois, l'艙il r锚veur, la voix subtile, on nuan莽ait: "C'est curieux" ou d'un ton plus s茅v猫re: "C'est sp茅cial."Her mother had strict ideas about what Simone was allowed to read herself; many of the books had paperclips inserted to mark the forbidden pages. By the time she was 17, she'd read every single page they had at home. She removed the paperclips, then put them back in the same place when she was done. Apparently her mother never noticed.
They read, and they talked about what they'd been reading. They said "It's well-written but a bit boring." Or, perhaps, "It's a bit boring, but it's well-written." Sometimes, with a dreamy look and a hushed voice, they provided further details: "It's strange" or, in a more severe tone, "It's different."
[J]e contemplais l'image d'une vache, et les deux lettres, c, h, qui se pronon莽aient ch. J'ai compris soudain qu'elles ne possedaient pas un nom 脿 la mani猫re des objets, mais qu'elles repr茅sentaient un son: j'ai compris ce que c'est un signe. J'eus vite fait d'apprendre 脿 lire. Cependant ma pens茅e s'arr锚ta en chemin. Je voyais dans l'image graphique l'exacte doublure du son qui lui correspondait: ils 茅manaient ensemble de la chose qu'ils exprimaient si bien que leur relation ne comportait aucun arbitraire.
[I was looking at a picture of a cow [vache], and the two letters, c and h, that together were pronounced "ch." I understood suddenly that they had no name in the sense that objects do, but that they represented a sound: I understood what a sign is. It then took me very little time to learn to read. However, my ideas stopped there. I saw in the picture the exact double of the sound corresponding to it: they emanated together from the thing they expressed, so well that the relation between them involved nothing arbitrary.
Je regardais le fauteuil de maman et je pensais: "Je ne pourrai plus m'asseoir sur ses genoux." Soudain l'avenir existait: il me changerait en une autre qui dirait moi et ne serait plus moi. J'ai pressenti tous les sevrages, les reniements, les abandons et la succession de mes morts.
[I looked at maman's chair and I thought: "I won't be able to sit on her lap anymore." Suddnely the future existed: it would change me into someone else who would say "me" and would no longer be me. I sensed all the weanings, the renunciations, the abandonments and the whole progression of my deaths.
La litt茅rature prit dans mon existence la place qu'y avait occup茅e la religion: elle l'envahit tout enti猫re, et la transfigura. Les livres que j'aimais devinrent une Bible o霉 je puisais des conseils et des secours; j'en copiai de longs extraits; j'appris par coeur de nouveaux cantiques et de nouvelles litanies, des psaumes, des proverbes, des proph茅ties et je sanctifiai toutes les cironstances de ma vie en me recitant ces textes sacr茅s. [...] entre moi et les 芒mes soeurs qui existaient quelque part, hors d'atteinte, ils cr茅aient une sorte de communion; au lieu de vivre ma petite histoire particuli猫re, je participais 脿 une grande 茅pop茅e spirituelle.
[Literature took, in my life, the place that had formerly been occupied by religion: it overran everything, and transfigured it. The books I loved became a Bible from which I took advice and comfort; I copied long extracts from them; I learned by heart new hymns and new litanies, psalms, proverbs, prophecies, and I sanctified all the circumstances of my life by reciting these sacred texts. [...] Between me and these sister souls there existed something, out of reach; they created a sort of communion; instead of living my trivial individual story, I was participating in a grand spiritual saga.]
Ce que je comprenais le moins, c'est que la connaissance conduis卯t au d茅sespoir. Le pr茅dicateur n'avait pas dit que les mauvais livres peignaient la vie sous des couleurs fausses: en ce cas, il e没t facilement balay茅 leurs mensonges; le drame de l'enfant qu'il avait 茅chou茅 脿 sauver, c'est qu'elle avait d茅couvert pr茅matur茅ment l'authentique visage de la r茅alit茅. De toute fa莽on, me disais-je, un jour je la verrai moi aussi, face 脿 face, et je n'en mourrai pas.
[What I understood least, was the idea that knowledge led to despair. The priest hadn't said that the bad books painted life in false colors: in that case, it would have been easy to brush aside their lies; the tragedy of the girl he had failed to save was that she had prematurely discovered the true face of reality. In any case, I said to myself, one day I'll see it too, face to face, and I won't die.]