Anna Karenina — Chapter 53 in French
By Leo Tolstoy
Le jour des courses à Krasnoié-Sélo, Vronskï vint plus tôt que d’habitude manger son bifteck dans la salle à manger commune des officiers de son régiment. On the day of the Krasno-Sielo races, Vronsky came earlier than usual to eat a beefsteak in the officers' common dining-hall. Il n’avait pas besoin d’un entraînement sévère, il avait juste le poids fixé, quatre pouds et demi, mais il lui importait de ne pas grossir, c’est pourquoi il évitait les farineux et le sucre. He was not at all constrained to limit himself, since his weight satisfied the 160 pounds required; but he did not want to get fat, and so he refrained from sweet and farinaceous foods. En veston déboutonné et gilet blanc, il était assis, les deux bras accoudés sur la table, attendant son bifteck, et il regardait un roman français posé sur son assiette. He sat down with his coat unbuttoned over his white waistcoat, and with both elbows resting on the table; while he was waiting for his beefsteak he kept his eyes on the pages of a French novel which lay on the plate. Il regardait le livre uniquement pour ne pas parler aux officiers qui entraient et sortaient. He looked at his book only so as not to talk with the officers as they went and came, but he was thinking.
Il pensait au rendez-vous qu'Anna avait promis de lui donner après les courses. He was thinking how Anna had promised to meet him after the races. Il pensait au rendez-vous qu’Anna avait promis de lui donner après les courses ; il ne l’avait pas vue depuis trois jours et, en raison du retour de son mari de l’étranger, il ne savait pas si oui ou non le rendez-vous serait possible aujourd’hui, mais il n’avait aucun moyen de se renseigner. But he had not seen her for three days; and he was wondering if she would be able to keep her appointment, as her husband had just returned to Petersburg from a journey abroad, and he was wondering how he could find out. Il l’avait vue pour la dernière fois dans la villa de sa cousine, la princesse Betsy ; il allait le plus rarement possible à la villa des Karénine. They had met for the last time at his cousin Betsy's datcha, or country-house. For he went to the Karenins' datcha as little as possible, and now he wanted to go there, and he was asking himself, "How can it be managed?"
« Je dirai que Betsy m’a envoyé lui demander si elle a l’intention d’aller aux courses. Oui, c’est cela », résolut-il, en relevant la tête de dessus son livre. "Of course, I will say that I am charged by Betsy to find whether she expects to attend the races,—yes, certainly, I will go," he said, raising his head from his book. Et se représentant vivement le bonheur de la voir, son visage devint rayonnant. And his face shone with the joy caused by his imagination of the forthcoming interview.
— Envoie chez moi, et qu’on attelle au plus vite la troïka, dit-il au domestique qui lui remit le bifteck sur un plat d’argent très chaud. "Send word that I wish my carriage and troïka harnessed and brought round," said he to the waiter who was bringing his beefsteak on a hot silver platter. Il commença à manger. Moving the platter toward him, he began his meal.