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Read Ball of Fat in French, with English beside it
Original title: Boule de Suif
by Guy de Maupassant · 1850–1893
"Boule de Suif" by Guy de Maupassant is a short story published in 1880. During the Franco-Prussian War, ten passengers flee occupied Rouen in a stagecoach, including a patriotic prostitute nicknamed Boule de Suif. When a Prussian officer demands she sleep with him before letting them continue, the travelers initially support her refusal. But as days pass, they pressure her to sacrifice herself for their freedom. Maupassant exposes the hypocrisy and cruelty of bourgeois society through this powerful tale of prejudice and ingratitude.
- Read time
- 164 min
- Words
- 36,052
- Chapters
- 17
- Paragraphs
- 1,140
- Price
- Free
- France -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
- Short stories, French
Le déjeuner fut bien triste; et il s'était produit comme un refroidissement vis-à-vis de Boule de Suif, car la nuit, qui porte conseil, avait un peu modifié les jugements.
The lunch was very sad;and it had occurred as a cooling-off vis-à-vis of Boule de Suif, for the night, which brings counsel, had a little modified the judgments.
On en voulait presque à cette fille, maintenant, de n'avoir pas été trouver secrètement le Prussien, afin de ménager, au réveil, une bonne surprise à ses compagnons.
One resented almost this girl, now, of not having gone to find secretly the Prussian, so as to spare, at the waking, a good surprise to her companions.
Quoi de plus simple?
What of more simple?
Qui l'eût su, d'ailleurs?
Who would have known it, besides?
Elle aurait pu sauver les apparences en faisant dire à l'officier qu'elle prenait en pitié leur détresse.
She could have saved the appearances in having said to the officer that she took in pity their distress.
Pour elle, ça avait si peu d'importance!
For her, it had so little importance!
More originally in French
Guides that recommend books in French
Book details
- Original language
- French
- Translation
- English
- Source text
- Project Gutenberg #10746
- Licence
- Public domain worldwide
Questions
What level do I need to read Ball of Fat here?
Lower than you would need alone. Both languages are on screen and aligned phrase by phrase, so you read at your own level and lean on the translation exactly as much as you need.
Is Ball of Fat really free to read?
Yes. The text is in the public domain, and the translation and alignment are ours to give. A free account opens the whole book; the paid tier is for unlimited explanations.
Can I read Ball of Fat in another language?
Not yet. Each language is its own translation and alignment run; signed-in readers can request one.
How long does Ball of Fat take to read?
About 3 hours at a normal pace, longer if you stop to look at the alignment, which is rather the point.
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