Translations:CP 05410/5/en: Difference between revisions

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It is not, I swear, any weakening of a gratitude that grows stronger each day, if I did not write to you straight away. Already embarrassed that you would, despite my entreaties, bother to write to me, while you are overworking yourself making ready for victories and while your correspondents expect from you not merely the general's "brevitas" but his "silentium"<ref name="n2" />, every day I believed that, come the next, I would be in a fit state to visit you. But my asthma attack has lasted longer than I could have imagined. I think I will be in a state to chat with you for a few seconds one day or another. It will be soon enough for what I have to ask you, but not too soon to express my gratitude. It saddened me to have kept silent up until this moment and that is why I am writing to you. You may know that your student, my brother, is not unworthy of such a mentor<ref name="n3" />. His nurses wrote to their president<ref name="n4" /> that he has earned the admiration of all, by his courage and his composure. Alas, when they say courage (they even wrote “heroism”) they mean danger faced<ref name="n5" />. And the news of the possible besieging of Verdun does nothing to lessen my anxiety<ref name="n6" />. But it is already too much to talk about it, since right now there is not a single Frenchman who does not have to fear for the lives of their dear ones and take pride in the lives offered in sacrifice. One last word, my dear Sir, it is of course as a patient that you allow me to come to you (thus you will be doing me a double service otherwise I would not dare ask). That will not deprive me in any way of the sweetness of being called “friend,” and that leaves things clear of any scruples I might feel. The terms “patient” and “friend” are not entirely incompatible. You know better than anyone by which noble methods such contradictions may be resolved, you who have so well set apart then reconciled “master” and “equal” in your response to the Court<ref name="n7" />.
It is not, I swear, any weakening of a gratitude that grows stronger each day, if I did not write to you straight away. Already embarrassed that you would, despite my entreaties, bother to write to me, while you are overworking yourself making ready for victories and while your correspondents expect from you not merely the general's "brevitas" but his "silentium"<ref name="n2" />, every day I believed that, come the next, I would be in a fit state to visit you. But my asthma attack has lasted longer than I could have imagined. I think I will be in a state to chat with you for a few seconds one day or another. It will be soon enough for what I have to ask you, but not soon enough to express my gratitude. It saddened me to have kept silent up until this moment and that is why I am writing to you. You may know that your student, my brother, is not unworthy of such a mentor<ref name="n3" />. His nurses wrote to their president<ref name="n4" /> that he has earned the admiration of all, by his courage and his composure. Alas, when they say courage (they even wrote “heroism”) they mean danger faced<ref name="n5" />. And the news of the possible besieging of Verdun does nothing to lessen my anxiety<ref name="n6" />. But it is already too much to talk about it, since right now there is not a single Frenchman who does not have to fear for the lives of his dear ones and take pride in the lives offered in sacrifice. One last word, my dear Sir, it is of course as a patient that you allow me to come to you (thus you will be doing me a double service otherwise I would not dare ask). That will not deprive me in any way of the sweetness of being called “friend,” and will leave things clear of any scruples I might feel. The terms “patient” and “friend” are not entirely incompatible. You know better than anyone by which noble methods such contradictions may be resolved, you who have so well set apart then reconciled “master” and “equal” in your response to the Court<ref name="n7" />.

Latest revision as of 07:45, 30 September 2021

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Message definition (CP 05410)
Ce n’est pas, je vous jure, fléchissement d’une gratitude que chaque jour grandit, si je ne vous ai pas écrit tout de suite. Déjà confus que vous eussiez, malgré mes recommandations, pris la peine de m'écrire, au moment où vous vous surmenez à préparer des victoires et où vos correspondants attendent de vous non pas même la « brevitas » mais le « silentium » du général<ref name="n2" />, chaque jour j’ai cru être le lendemain en état de passer chez vous. Mais ma crise s’est prolongée plus que je n’aurais cru. Je pense être en état de causer quelques secondes avec vous d’un jour à l’autre. Ce sera bien assez tôt pour ce que j’ai à vous demander, mais pas assez tôt pour vous dire ma reconnaissance. J’étais malheureux de l’avoir tue jusqu’ici et c’est pour cela que je vous écris. Vous savez peut-être que votre élève, mon frère, ne se montre pas indigne d’un tel maître<ref name="n3" />. Ses infirmières ont écrit à leur présidente<ref name="n4" /> qu’il faisait l’admiration de tous par son courage et son sang-froid. Hélas qui dit courage (elles ont même écrit « héroïsme ») dit danger couru<ref name="n5" />. Et les nouvelles de l’investissement possible de Verdun ne sont pas pour diminuer mon anxiété<ref name="n6" />. Mais c’est déjà trop d’en parler, puisque il n’y a pas en ce moment un Français qui n’ait à craindre pour des vies chères et à s’enorgueillir de vies offertes en sacrifice. Un dernier mot cher Monsieur, il est bien entendu que vous permettrez (vous me rendrez ainsi doublement service sans cela je n’oserais pas) que je vienne en client. Cela ne me privera en rien de la douceur d’être appelé « ami », et cela la laissera plus pure de scrupules. Les termes de client et d’ami n’ont rien d’inconciliable. Vous savez mieux que personne par quelles belles synthèses on peut résoudre de telles antithèses, vous qui avez si bien opposé puis réuni « maître » et « égal » dans votre réponse à la Barre<ref name="n7" />.

It is not, I swear, any weakening of a gratitude that grows stronger each day, if I did not write to you straight away. Already embarrassed that you would, despite my entreaties, bother to write to me, while you are overworking yourself making ready for victories and while your correspondents expect from you not merely the general's "brevitas" but his "silentium"[1], every day I believed that, come the next, I would be in a fit state to visit you. But my asthma attack has lasted longer than I could have imagined. I think I will be in a state to chat with you for a few seconds one day or another. It will be soon enough for what I have to ask you, but not soon enough to express my gratitude. It saddened me to have kept silent up until this moment and that is why I am writing to you. You may know that your student, my brother, is not unworthy of such a mentor[2]. His nurses wrote to their president[3] that he has earned the admiration of all, by his courage and his composure. Alas, when they say courage (they even wrote “heroism”) they mean danger faced[4]. And the news of the possible besieging of Verdun does nothing to lessen my anxiety[5]. But it is already too much to talk about it, since right now there is not a single Frenchman who does not have to fear for the lives of his dear ones and take pride in the lives offered in sacrifice. One last word, my dear Sir, it is of course as a patient that you allow me to come to you (thus you will be doing me a double service otherwise I would not dare ask). That will not deprive me in any way of the sweetness of being called “friend,” and will leave things clear of any scruples I might feel. The terms “patient” and “friend” are not entirely incompatible. You know better than anyone by which noble methods such contradictions may be resolved, you who have so well set apart then reconciled “master” and “equal” in your response to the Court[6].

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n2
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n3
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n4
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n5
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n6
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named n7
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