Anna Karenina — Chapter 33 in French
By Leo Tolstoy
Alexis Alexandrovitch revint du ministère à quatre heures, mais, comme cela lui arrivait souvent, n’ayant pas le temps d’entrer chez Anna, il passa directement dans son cabinet pour recevoir les solliciteurs qui l’attendaient et signer quelques papiers apportés par son secrétaire. Alekseï Aleksandrovitch returned from the ministry about four o'clock; but, as often happened, he found no time to speak to Anna. He went directly to his private room to give audience to some petitioners who were waiting for him, and to sign some papers brought him by his chief secretary.
Pour le dîner (presque chaque jour trois personnes dînaient chez les Karénine), arrivèrent une vieille cousine d’Alexis Alexandrovitch, un directeur de département avec sa femme et un jeune homme recommandé à Alexis Alexandrovitch pour le service. The Karenins always had at least three visitors to dine with them; and that day there came an old lady, a cousin of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's, a department director with his wife, and a young man recommended to Alekseï Aleksandrovitch for employment. Anna se rendit au salon pour les recevoir. Anna came to the drawing-room to receive them at five o'clock precisely. Le dernier coup de cinq heures sonnait à peine à la vieille pendule de bronze du temps de Pierre Ier, lorsqu’Alexis Alexandrovitch parut, en habit noir et cravate blanche, avec deux décorations. Il était obligé de sortir aussitôt après le dîner. The great bronze clock, of the time of Peter the Great, had not yet finished its fifth stroke, when Alekseï Aleksandrovitch, in white cravat, and with two decorations on his dress-coat, left his dressing-room; he had an engagement immediately after dinner. Chaque instant de la vie d’Alexis Alexandrovitch était pris et compté, et pour parvenir à faire ce qu’il devait faire chaque jour, il s’était astreint à la plus stricte ponctualité. Every moment of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's life was counted and occupied; and in order to accomplish what he had to do every day, he was forced to use the strictest punctuality. « Sans hâte et sans repos », telle était sa devise. "Without haste, and without rest," was his motto. Il entra au salon, salua tout le monde, et s’assit hâtivement, en souriant à sa femme. He entered the dining-room, bowed to his guests, and, giving his wife a smile, hastily sat down.
— Oui, ma solitude a pris fin, dit-il. "Yes, my solitude is over! Tu ne croirais pas combien il est gênant de dîner seul ! You can't believe how irksome,"—he laid a special stress on the word nelovko, irksome,—"it is to dine alone!"
Pendant le repas, il causa à sa femme des affaires de Moscou. Il l’interrogeait, avec un sourire moqueur, sur Stepan Arkadiévitch ; mais la conversation roulait principalement sur le service et la société de Pétersbourg. During the dinner he talked with his wife about matters in Moscow, and, with his mocking smile, inquired especially about Stepan Arkadyevitch; but the conversation dwelt for the most part on common subjects, about official and social matters in Petersburg. Après le dîner, il passa une demi-heure avec les hôtes, puis, de nouveau, avec un sourire, il serra la main de sa femme et sortit pour aller au Conseil. After dinner he spent a half-hour with his guests, and then, giving his wife another smile, and pressing her hand, he left the room and went to the council.