Anna Karenina — Chapter 130 in French
By Leo Tolstoy
Vronskï et Anna voyageaient ensemble, en Europe, depuis déjà trois mois. Vronsky and Anna had been traveling together in Europe for three months. Ils avaient visité Venise, Rome, Naples et venaient d’arriver dans une petite ville italienne où ils comptaient séjourner quelque temps. They had visited Venice, Rome, Naples; and now they were just arrived at a small Italian city, where they intended to make a considerable stay.
Un important maître d’hôtel, dont les cheveux épais et bien pommadés étaient séparés par une raie qui partait de la nuque, vêtu d’un habit ouvert sur un large plastron blanc, et portant de nombreuses breloques se balançant sur un abdomen arrondi, les mains dans les poches, répondait négligemment, en clignant les yeux avec mépris, aux questions que lui adressait un monsieur. At the hotel the head butler, a regular Adonis of a man, who wore his thick pomaded hair parted behind from the neck, and a dress-coat with a wide expanse of white shirt-front and watch-charms over his rotund belly, was standing with his hands thrust into his pockets, scornfully blinking his eyes, and giving curt answers to a gentleman who had entered the hotel. Des pas qu’il entendit de l’autre côté du perron firent retourner le maître d’hôtel, et il aperçut le comte russe, qui occupait le plus bel appartement de l’hôtel. Hearing steps on the other side of the entrance, the head butler turned around, and, seeing the Russian count, who rented his most expensive apartments, he respectfully drew his hands out of his pockets, and, with a low bow, informed the count that a messenger had come to say that the palazzo was at his service. L'agent était prêt à signer l'accord. The agent was ready to sign the agreement.
tant mieux ! fit Vronskï. I am very glad," said Vronsky. Madame est-elle à la maison ? "Is madame at home?"
— Madame était sortie, mais elle vient de rentrer, répondit le maître d’hôtel. "She has been out, but she has returned," replied the butler.