Then he got angry. His son had told him my story. "What kind of fool runs away from a good father? What kind of fool throws away a comfortable life? I would not sail with you again for a thousand pounds! You bring bad luck! You cause death!"
2. Ses mots
His words
m'ont fait
hurt
mal.
me.
Mais
But
je n'ai
I
rien
nothing
dit.
said.
J'avais
I had
trop de
too much
fierté
pride
pour
to
admettre
admit
qu'il avait
he was
raison.
right.
Il a continué
He continued
à
to
parler.
speak.
"Marque
"Mark
mes mots.
my words.
Si
If
tu ne rentres pas
you don't go
à la maison
home
tu affronteras
you will face
désastre
disaster
après
after
désastre.
disaster.
La malédiction
The curse
de
of
ton père
your father
te suivra.
will follow you.
Tu souffriras
You will suffer
jusqu'à ce que
until
tu souhaites
you wish
être
to be
mort."
dead."
His words hurt me. But I said nothing. I had too much pride to admit he was right. He continued to speak. "Mark my words. If you don't go home you will face disaster after disaster. Your father's curse will follow you. You will suffer until you wish to be dead."
3. Nous nous sommes séparés.
We separated.
Je ne les ai
I
jamais
never
revus.
saw them again.
J'avais
I had
de l'argent
money
dans
in
ma poche
my pocket
des gentilles personnes
from the kind people
de Yarmouth.
of Yarmouth.
Je pouvais
I could
rentrer
go home
à York.
to York.
Ou
Or
je pouvais
I could
aller
go
à Londres
to London
et
and
trouver
find
un autre bateau.
another ship.
Le choix
The choice
était
was
à moi.
mine.
Mais
But
la honte
shame
a pris
made
ma décision
my decision
pour
for
moi.
me.
We separated. I never saw them again. I had money in my pocket from the kind people of Yarmouth. I could go home to York. Or I could go to London and find another ship. The choice was mine. But shame made my decision for me.
4. Comment
How
pouvais-je
could I
rentrer
go
à la maison ?
home?
Tout le monde
Everyone
rirait
would laugh
de
at
moi.
me.
"Voilà
"There's
le garçon
the boy
qui s'est enfui
who ran away
en mer !"
to sea!"
diraient-ils.
they would say.
"Une tempête
"One storm
et
and
il est rentré
he came home
en pleurant !"
crying!"
Je ne pouvais pas
I couldn't
faire face à
face
cette honte.
this shame.
Ma fierté
My pride
était
was
plus forte que
stronger than
mon bon sens.
my common sense.
C'est
It's
la folie
the folly
de
of
la jeunesse.
youth.
How could I go home? Everyone would laugh at me. "There's the boy who ran away to sea!" they would say. "One storm and he came home crying!" I couldn't face this shame. My pride was stronger than my common sense. It's the folly of youth.
5. Nous
We
n'avons pas
are not
honte
ashamed
de mal faire.
to do wrong.
Mais
But
nous
we
avons
are
honte
ashamed
de réparer.
to make things right.
Nous
We
n'avons pas
are not
honte
ashamed
d'être
to be
des fous.
fools.
Mais
But
nous
we
avons
are
honte
ashamed
de devenir
to become
sages.
wise.
Alors
So
je suis allé
I went
à Londres.
to London.
Sur
On
la route
the road
j'ai lutté
I struggled
avec
with
moi-même.
myself.
Mais
But
la fierté
pride
a gagné
won
chaque
every
argument.
argument.
We are not ashamed to do wrong. But we are ashamed to make things right. We are not ashamed to be fools. But we are ashamed to become wise. So I went to London. On the road I struggled with myself. But pride won every argument.
6. À Londres
In London
je suis resté
I stayed
quelque temps.
for some time.
Le souvenir
The memory
de
of
la tempête
the storm
a commencé
began
à s'effacer.
to fade.
Ma peur
My fear
est devenue
became
plus faible.
weaker.
Mon désir
My desire
d'aventure
for adventure
est devenu
became
plus fort.
stronger.
J'ai pensé
I thought
moins
less
à
about
la maison.
home.
J'ai pensé
I thought
moins
less
aux larmes
about the tears
de
of
mon père.
my father.
J'ai pensé
I thought
moins
less
aux avertissements
about the warnings
de Dieu.
of God.
In London I stayed for some time. The memory of the storm began to fade. My fear became weaker. My desire for adventure became stronger. I thought less about home. I thought less about my father's tears. I thought less about God's warnings.
7. Finalement
Finally
j'ai fait
I made
mon choix.
my choice.
Je trouverais
I would find
un autre bateau.
another boat.
J'essaierais
I would try
encore.
again.
Je prouverais
I would prove
que
that
je n'étais pas
I was not
un lâche.
a coward.
Je montrerais
I would show
à tout le monde
everyone
que
that
je pouvais
I could
être
be
un marin.
a sailor.
J'étais
I was
le plus grand fou
the biggest fool
qui ait jamais vécu.
who ever lived.
Et
And
je paierais
I would pay
cher
dearly
pour
for
ma folie.
my foolishness.
Finally I made my choice. I would find another boat. I would try again. I would prove that I was not a coward. I would show everyone that I could be a sailor. I was the biggest fool who ever lived. And I would pay dearly for my foolishness.
