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Full Glossary
ad infinitum endlessly
alias an assumed name.
ami a friend.
Au reste besides.
bairn a child.
Bäuerinnen peasant women.
beau ideal the perfect type.
beauté mâle male beauty.
belle passion beautiful passion.
Bon jour, mesdames good day, ladies.
bon soir good evening.
bonne a nurse.
carte blanche complete authority.
C'est là ma gouvernante? Is this my governess?
charivari clatter; noise.
Chez maman . . . comme cela on apprend. At my mother's house . . . when we had company, I followed them everywhere, to the drawing-room and their bedrooms; often I watched the maids fixing their ladies' hair or helping them dress, and it was very entertaining; I learned to imitate them.
comme cela like that.
con spirito with spirit.
coney a rabbit.
conte de fée a fairy-tale.
croquant devouring.
Cui bono? To what good? [Latin]
Da trat hervor Einer, anzusehen wie sie Sternen Nacht. Only one person came forward, to be watched like a crystal clear night.
Deutsch German.
diablerie witchcraft
Donna Bianca Miss Blanche.
du reste, il n'y avait pas de fées, et quand même il y en avait besides, there were no fairies there, and even if there were.
Elles changent de toilettes The women are changing their clothes.
en règle in order.
Est-ce que je ne puis . . . ma toilette. Can't I take one of these magnificent flowers, miss? It would complete my outfit.
Est-ce que ma robe . . . vais danser! Do you like my dress? and my shoes? and my stockings? Watch, I'm going to dance!
et alors quel dommage! that's too bad.
Et cela doit . . . n'est-ce pas, mademoiselle? And this must mean there's a present inside for me, and perhaps for you also, miss. Mr. Rochester asked about you: He wanted to know the name of my governess, and if she was petite, rather thin, and a bit pale. I said yes: because it's true, isn't it, miss?
et j'y tiens and I firmly believe it.
faux air false appearance.
fillette a little girl.
Gardez-vous-en bien take care.
grande passion a great love.
hâuteur arrogance.
hummocks small hills.
Ich wäge . . . Grimms. I weigh my thoughts on a small scale, my temper and behavior with weights the size of my outburst.
ignis-fatuus a deceptive hope, goal, or influence; delusion. Literally, a strange light that sometimes appears over marshy ground.
Il faut que je l'essaie! et à l'instant même! I must try it on! right now!
jeune encore still young.
La Ligue des Rats: fable de La Fontaine "The Plot of the Rats": a fable by Jean de la Fontaine.
le cas an occasion.
lusus naturae a freak of nature; something with some abnormal characteristic. [Latin]
Ma boîte my box.
Mais oui, certainment. Yes, certainly.
Mais oui, mademoiselle: voilà cinq ou six heures que nous n'avons pas mangé. But of course, Miss: We haven't eaten for five or six hours.
Mesdames, vous êtes servies! J'ai bien faim, moi! Ladies, you are served! I am very hungry.
minois chiffonné darling; pretty face.
Mon ange my angel.
Monsieur, je vous . . . monsieur? Sir, I thank you a million times for your generosity. Mother did it like this, didn't she, Sir?
N'est-ce pas . . . petite coffre? Sir, isn't there a present for Miss Eyre in your little trunk?
nonnette nun.
Oh, ciel! Que c'est beau! Oh, heaven! Isn't it beautiful!
Oh, qu'elle y sera mal — peu confortable! Oh, things will be unpleasant for her there — uncomfortable!
par parenthèse by the way.
passées out-of-style.
paysannes peasant women.
père noble de théâtre a grand patriarch of the theatre.
petit coffre a small trunk.
porte cochère a carriage entranceway.
portent a supernatural warning or hint of danger.
pour me donner une contenance for me to give myself airs.
prête à croquer sa petite maman Anglaise ready to devour her little English mother.
Qu'avez-vous . . . des cerises! What's wrong, Miss? your fingers tremble like a leaf, and your cheeks are red: as red as cherries!
Qu'avez-vous donc? lui dit un de ces rats; parlez! "What do you have, then?" says one of the rats, "Speak!"
Rencontre a meeting.
Resurgam I will rise again.
Revenez bientôt, ma bonne amie, ma chère Mdlle Jeanette. Hurry back, my good friend, my dear Miss Jane.
sans mademoiselle? without Miss?
Signior mister.
surtout an overcoat.
taille d'athlète athletic build.
Tant pis too bad.
tête-à-tête an intimate conversation.
tête-à-tête in private conversation.
Tiens-toi tranquille, enfant; comprends-tu? Be quiet, child; do you understand?
un vrai menteur a real liar.
vicomte a viscount.
Voilà Monsieur Rochester, qui revient! Look, it's Mr. Rochester returning!
voiture a carriage.