#et loin loin from home

[daltoncity]

Pour une fois que Luke en trouve une à son goût...

Il ne la laissera pas s'échapper.

[akwolfgrl]

Day 2 seasickness

Sanji awoke to crying. He rolled over and spotted the newest and youngest member of their crew curled up into a ball. Sanji sat up from where he was sleeping on the carpet he and Zoro usually slept there. To give the younger members of the crew the hammocks. Zoro was on night watch, or the green haired swordsman would have been up already. Sanji stood up and padded softly towards their little doctor. He placed his hand atop his soft head, the pink hat laying next to him.

“Chopper, are you okay?” Sanji whispered.

“Nooo, I don't feel good, and I don't wanna throw up, I'm dizzy, and my head hurts too,” Chopper listed off his symptoms.

“Sounds like seasickness,” Sanji slid his hands under the small doctor, lifting him up into his arms, rubbing a soothing hand down his back. “Let's get you some crackers,”

“Seasickness? That wasn't in any of my books,”

“Hmm maybe it was under a different term. You can look in the morning when you feel better,” Sanji climbed the ladder from the men's bunk room and onto the deck.

The sea wasn't too bad tonight, but this must be Chopper's first night on the sea. The moon hung in the sky, a waning gibbous only half full. There was nary a cloud in the sky. The stars shone brightly, blanketing the sky in little lights. The moon and sea went hand in hand, and the moon controlled the tides.

Sanji stepped inside the galley with Chopper on his hip. The reindeers little hooves clutched his shit tightly as he buried his small face into Sanji's chest. He opened a cupboard and grabbed the carkerks he kept inside. Usopp had gotten sea sick once or twice when the waves were particularly strong. He handed one to Chopper.

“Here this should help with the nausea,” As Chopper took the carker and began to nibble on it. Sanji carried the young doctor outside and stood at the bow of their ship. He pointed up at the moon. “Watch the moon chopper, watch the horizon, it will help,”

<>

Zoro heard the door to the men's bunk room open. He glanced down, expecting to see Luffy crawl up and try to get into the kitchen for a midnight snack. Instead, he spotted a blonde head of hair, Zoro huffed and was tempted to head down and bug the annoying blond unfairly pretty cook until he saw who was in his arms. Zoro watched as they headed to the kitchen. He at least got one part, right? He turned his attention back to the horizon until he heard them leave.

“Watch the moon Chopper, watch the horizon, it will help,” Curly spoke softly in a way Zoor had never heard before. Zoro began to climb down from the corws nest just as the cook began to sing.

“Loin sous les marées roulantes

Là où les rayons du soleil ne peuvent pas aller

Branchies et écailles avec des yeux sans vue”

Zoro didn't understand a word the blond sung, but it was soft and sweet. A lullaby, Zoro could only vaguely remember his own mother singing him to sleep before she died. His chest ached at the memory of her soft hands brushing back his hair as she sang above him, her eyes warm and loving. He couldn't recall her face. He didn't even know that he had remembered that about her. He came to stand next to Sanji and Chopper.

“Monstres en bas

Tapi dans les profondeurs glacées

Où la mer est noire comme de l'encre

Les horreurs de la natation dorment”

He watched as Chopper drifted asleep, the half eaten cracker in his hoof falling to the deck. Zoro picked it up and finished it off before Sanji could. There's no sense in wasting perfectly good food.

“Seasick?” Zoro asked, keeping his voice low.

“Mmhmm,” Sanji hmm in response.

“I was his age when I left home, my first night on the boat wasn't too bad, I thought I'd be fine. That seasickness was for the weak until the water began to rock and jerk the boat about. Until I nearly drowned in a storm, I was so sick and scared I was sure that I would die and my dreams would be for not,” Zoro wasn't sure why he was talking about this but it felt right as he watched Sanji stare up at the moon.

“I was eight, I ran from where I was born. I stowed away on a cruise ship called the Orbit. They found me because I was seasick, I couldn't keep the vomiting quiet. I was so sure that they would toss me overboard and leave me to the mercy of the sea. Instead, they put me to work as a chore boy. That lasted for two years until Zeff attacked the ship. Everyone drowned in the storm save the two of us,”

They stood together watching the moon fall and the sun rise, the sunrise bathed everyone in gold. Zoro couldn't help but stare at the man standing next to him. He had never seen someone look so beautiful before.

“Here, let me take him. I'll put him back to bed, and you can start on breakfast before Luffy wakes,“ Zoro swallowed down the stirring of feelings as he held out his hands to take Chopper.

He carried the small doctor down to the boys bunk room where Luffy and Usopp snored away, Zoro gently laid the reindeer down, he had seen another side to surly cook last night and he was unsure what to do with these feelings stirring inside of him.

[sagecodex]

When I'm putting together a project and I need to fill it with content that doesn't exist yet, I usually turn to the tried and true Lorem Ipsum generator. But sometimes, I want to have a little fun with my projects.

So here's a list of 60+ text generators (in alphabetical order) to zhuzh up your projects. Just don't be like me and forget to replace them with something appropriate when you share them with the world (a mistake I will likely continue to make).

Note: the following blocks of text are all pre-generated. Some of them may be offensive, though I am by no means endorsing any of them! They're just examples of of what these tools generate and I’m too lazy to edit.

Lorem Ipsum

Generates the standard lorem ipsum text.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

90s Ipsum

Generates a string of 90s text and -ism’s.

Charlotte hornets flip flops braveheart as I lay me down to sleep umbro shorts aviators, this is your brain on drugs speed tlc schindler’s list hot pink chronic. Extreme sports dennis rodman toy story choker necklace. Body piercings armageddon personalized mixtapes toyota supra, spiked hair I've fallen and I can't get up bowl cut dallas cowboys catsuit. Airwalk khaki roseanne leopard print instant messaging royal stewart tartan.

Bacon Ipsum

Generates a block of bacon and meat text.

Bacon ipsum dolor amet biltong rump bresaola kielbasa, pancetta shank shoulder turkey kevin meatloaf cow ground round. Jerky corned beef sausage, filet mignon chislic strip steak capicola porchetta shoulder. Biltong turkey brisket landjaeger, cupim pancetta ham hock pastrami short loin.

Baseball Ipsum

Generates baseball-themed text.

Runs leather fielder's choice center fielder slide perfect game glove leather grounder. Batter's box knuckleball club wild pitch butcher boy cellar win 4-6-3. Batting average petey relief pitcher wrigley hack, scorecard right fielder away. Cardinals bush league no decision home curve earned run flyout.

Bavaria Ipsum

GeneratesBavarian-themed text in Dutch.

Bavaria ipsum dolor sit amet Foidweg Biakriagal, guad o’ha Auffisteign? Ned Servas ognudelt Radi Charivari Griasnoggalsubbm kimmt auf gehds beim Schichtl Zidern. Deandlgwand oamoi und glei wirds no fui lustiga, de Sonn Engelgwand Maßkruag.

Beer Lorem Ipsum

Generates beer text that could almost be a real blog post.

The Mango Beer panics, and another cantankerous Coors goes to sleep; however, an Ellis Island IPA brainwashes a foreign wanker. Furthermore, a burly customer laughs out loud, and a Kashmir IPA of a Home brew avoids contact with an obsequious stein. A surly Pilsner often competes with a chain saw.

Birolipsum

Generates quotes from the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro (or Biroliro for those intimate). In Portuguese.

Marcos Valério alega que o corrupto presidiário Lula é um dos mandantes do assassinato de Celso Daniel! Surpreso? Não! Pela memória do coronel Brilhante Ustra, o pavor de Dilma Rousseff. Eu estou lutando contra um sistema, contra o establishment. Paulo fala: “venda suas capas e compre espadas".

Bluth Ipsum

Generates quotes from the TV show Arrested Development.

I'll be in the hospital bar. You know there isn't a hospital bar, Mother. Well, this is why people hate hospitals. They want to break his legs. It's a good thing he's already got that little scooter. A flower in my garden, a mystery in my panties.

Bob Ross Lipsum

Generates quotes from Bob Ross.

You can create beautiful things - but you have to see them in your mind first. If you don't think every day is a good day - try missing a few. You'll see. All you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind. And I will hypnotize that just a little bit. We spend so much of our life looking - but never seeing. The little tiny Tim easels will let you down.

Bro Ipsum

Generates “bro culture” text.

Bro ipsum dolor sit amet bunny slope free ride laps, liftie park beater frozen chicken heads Whistler skid lid huck ollie taco mitt. Nose bonk hardtail chain ring white room taco euro spin backside presta rigid giblets. Stunt free ride taco glove deck. White room death cookies park, tele giblets grab dope 360 corn table top spread eagle nose beater snake bite.

Busey Ipsum

Generates quotes from Gary Busey.

Go with the feeling of the nature. Take it easy. Know why you're here. And remember to balance your internal energy with the environment.Sometimes horses cough and fart at the same time, so stay out of the range of its butt muscle because a horses butt muscle is thick.

Cajun Ipsum

Generates cajun-inspired text.

Cayenne boiled crawfish bread pudding sauce piquante Boudreaux po-boy. Interstate envie Lafayette tasso lagniappe King Cake fishing iced tea. Po-boy bonjour smoked sausage trail ride beignet merci beaucoup cajun lagniappe hunting iced tea.

Cat Ipsum

Generates text as cat thoughts.

Stare at guinea pigs mmmmmmmmm eeeeeeee ooooooooo wwwwwwww run in circles, so loved it, hated it, loved it, hated it. Cough furball find box a little too small and curl up with fur hanging out. Kitty ipsum dolor sit amet, shed everywhere shed everywhere stretching attack your ankles chase the red dot, hairball run catnip eat the grass sniff.

Cheese Ipsum

Generates cheese and cheese-adjacent text.

Cow cheese triangles cheesy grin. Stinking bishop port-salut lancashire pecorino stinking bishop cheesy grin red leicester danish fontina. Stilton swiss bocconcini parmesan cottage cheese fondue parmesan hard cheese. Airedale everyone loves halloumi cheese triangles cut the cheese stilton stilton taleggio. Smelly cheese.

Cheesburger Ipsum

Generates actual cheeseburger copy. Limited in what it can give you.

The last time you had a cheeseburger was too long ago. Try not to drool when you think about the slightly charred, medium-rare meat nestled between soft brioche, cradled in crisp iceberg lettuce and flavour amplifying condiments. Why are you still reading this- go get a cheeseburger.

Chiquito Ipsum

I don’t speak Spanish, but it generates Spanish text. Also has a Latin option. Which I also don’t speak. Idk I'm very confused.

Lorem fistrum no puedor de la pradera tiene musho peligro diodenoo a wan. Ese hombree me cago en tus muelas qué dise usteer fistro. Mamaar no puedor al ataquerl ese hombree diodeno caballo blanco caballo negroorl. Ese que llega te va a hasé pupitaa la caidita te voy a borrar el cerito hasta luego Lucas se calle ustée.

Chuck Norris Facts

Generates Chuck Norris Facts. What did you expect XD

Chuck Norris doesn't churn butter. He roundhouse kicks the cows and the butter comes straight out If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever, Chuck Norris is the king of fighters, Chuck Norris originally appeared in the "Street Fighter II" video game, but was removed by Beta Testers because every button caused him to do a roundhouse kick. When asked bout this "glitch," Norris replied, "That's no glitch.".

Coffee Ipsum

Generates coffee-inspired text

Cultivar, strong carajillo whipped half and half irish galão. Id variety that, at redeye, trifecta variety crema robust con panna. Coffee ristretto, et milk, robust flavour cinnamon spoon cappuccino. Dripper, half and half cortado white extra milk medium.

Corporate Ipsum

Generates corporate-style jargon. Sounds like every sales meeting I’ve ever been in.

Leverage agile frameworks to provide a robust synopsis for high level overviews. Iterative approaches to corporate strategy foster collaborative thinking to further the overall value proposition. Organically grow the holistic world view of disruptive innovation via workplace diversity and empowerment.

Cupcake Ipsum

Generates pastry and dessert-inspired text.

Marshmallow lollipop apple pie bonbon pastry icing jujubes toffee jelly beans. Liquorice marzipan toffee candy canes bear claw tart lollipop apple pie. Tootsie roll cake gummies gingerbread wafer sesame snaps cupcake fruitcake sweet roll.

Dalaipsum

Generates quotes from His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama.

I love friends, I want more friends. I love smiles. That is a fact. How to develop smiles? There are a variety of smiles. Some smiles are sarcastic. Some smiles are artificial-diplomatic smiles. These smiles do not produce satisfaction, but rather fear or suspicion. But a genuine smile gives us hope, freshness. If we want a genuine smile, then first we must produce the basis for a smile to come.

DeLorean Ipsum

Generates quotes from the movie Back to the Future.

Hey, Doc? Doc. Hello, anybody home? Einstein, come here, boy. What's going on? Wha- aw, god. Aw, Jesus. Whoa, rock and roll. Yo C'mon, Mom, make it fast, I'll miss my bus. Hey see you tonight, Pop. Woo, time to change that oil. Hello. Tab?

Dino Ipsum

Generates names of dinosaurs!

Astrophocaudia Chaoyangsaurus Priconodon Amygdalodon Dracoraptor Mahakala Zalmoxes Anthodon Alocodon Lingyuanosaurus Kotasaurus Leinkupal Magnamanus Styracosaurus Atlasaurus Janenschia Drusilasaura Acristavus Leinkupal Bagaceratops Cedrorestes Batyrosaurus Sinornithoides Coelophysis Neuquensaurus Pachyspondylus Eurolimnornis Platyceratops Marisaurus Quilmesaurus.

Doggo Ipsum

Cat Ipsum but for dogs.

Doggo ipsum lotsa pats very taste wow lotsa pats extremely cuuuuuute, pats adorable doggo. heck very good spot heckin. Heckin good boys and girls clouds corgo sub woofer borking doggo, heckin angery woofer boof length boy. He made many woofs pats h*ck heckin good boys and girls pats boofers, you are doing me the shock the neighborhood pupper long bois.

Durham Ipsum

I don’t know where Durham is, but it generates text inspired by the city...county? 

Triangle localista dino trail jazz diamondview nccu the connecter historic preservation smoffice lemurs, bimbe scrap exchange trinity park brightleaf dance upcycled. Chapel hill street locavore wunc plaid, beer old five points 15-501, angier drive hipster.

Farm Animal Lorem Ipsum

Generates farm-inspired text. I hate that oink oink is in this.

Mallet herbs basil nest, in welding equipment pens quail. Fertilizer buzz, purr meow cheep chinchillas squeak, seeds maple syrup worms, potato alligators grunt are at bees. Apples ducks straw, quail a ostriches donkey, hay hook cucumbers. Post pounder calf, hay or duck is, tool shed horse. Grapes at yams mushrooms organic berries gobble. Mouse soybeans sweet corn hogs llamas or oink oink wind.

Fillerama

Generates quotes from the TV show Futurama.

OK, this has gotta stop. I'm going to remind Fry of his humanity the way only a woman can. In your time, yes, but nowadays shut up! Besides, these are adult stemcells, harvested from perfectly healthy adults whom I killed for their stemcells. I saw you with those two "ladies of the evening" at Elzars. Explain that.

Gangsta Lorem Ipsum

Generates “gangsta” inspired text.

Lorem ipsum dolizzle sit amet, consectetuer gizzle bow wow wow. Nullam sapizzle velit, get down get down volutpizzle, suscipit ma nizzle, gravida vel, mammasay mammasa mamma oo sa. Pellentesque crackalackin tortizzle. Yo eros. Fo shizzle at dolizzle dapibizzle turpizzle tempizzle da bomb.

Heisenberg Ipsum

Generates quotes from the TV show Breaking Bad. It lets you select the character (I’m assuming they’re all from the same show I haven’t seen it).

He has enough money to last forever. He knows he needs to keep moving. You'll never find him. He's out of the picture. I saved his life, I owed him that, but now he and I are done. Which is exactly what you wanted, isn't it. You've always struck me as a very pragmatic man so if I may, I would like to review options with you. Of which, it seems to me you have two.

Hillbilly Ipsum

Generates hillbilly-inspired text and -ism’s.

Chickens in the sack died when I was young rye whiskey steel driving crew? Going to town soldier's joy. One arm round my whiskey keg poor boy sugar baby soldier's joy, fiddle, coming down the track, hot corn nine-pound hammer cluck old hen run. Stranger? Pickle my bones in alcohol.

Hipster Ipsum

Generates hipster-inspired text.

I'm baby plaid umami kale chips, pinterest selvage microdosing gochujang Brooklyn small batch vinyl 3 wolf moon. VHS pinterest wayfarers normcore direct trade pickled lumbersexual vegan yuccie palo santo kickstarter crucifix 3 wolf moon. Vexillologist adaptogen try-hard, chicharrones hexagon vape polaroid.

Horror Lorem Ipsum

Generates horror-inspired text.

Gore at chainsaw knife crazed choking helpless. In willow trees, killer dolls are rotten teeth bite, sheep children virus nibh, in zombies brains unknown ghost creepy. Drenched scream scared dark. Creep cold graves, shadow non fear a, psychotic ashes ghost. Eerie needles edginess, graveyard on death rotten, disturbing non grave. 

Jipsum

A random lorem ipsum generator so not all your text is the same. It’s in German though.

Impensa quaeque mediocris elitr iactare Confirmat metu comit Explicatis civibus deterruisset Manus. Cupiditatum exedunt suaviter inveniri voluptas pauca Inter illa confirmavit. Reprehensiones rebus imperdiet etiam temporis Ornateque delectatio platonem nostris occulta Hausta intercapedo magni. Dicitis timeam Vocet faciendum consul Simulent chrysippe. Fortunae nostros arare Inter futurove.

Journo Ipsum

Generates some of the most common catchphrases, buzzwords, and bon mots of the future-of-news crowd. (Wow I hate that description)

future API Zite the notion of the public #twittermakesyoustupid election-night hologram Rupert Murdoch crowdfunding CPC nut graf gamification gotta grok it before you rock it rubber cement, Foursquare nonprofit Dan Fleckner WikiLeaks abundance libel lawyer Tim Carmody media bias.

Katy Perry Ipsum

Generates Katy Perry lyrics.

The boys break their necks try'na to creep a little sneak peek. Think the city towed my car, chandeliers on the floor. I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire. They say, be afraid you're not like the others, futuristic lover. You think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong. We'd keep all our promises be us against the world. Yeah, she's footloose and so fancy free. So I sat quietly, agreed politely.

Khaled Ipsum

Generates Khaled quotes...lyrics? Unclear.

Lorem Khaled Ipsum is a major key to success. The weather is amazing, walk with me through the pathway of more success. Take this journey with me, Lion! Look at the sunset, life is amazing, life is beautiful, life is what you make it. It’s on you how you want to live your life. Everyone has a choice.

Lancashire Ipsum

Generates colloquialisms that originate from the county of Lancashire.

Lancashire ipsum dolor amet gradely axin camp neaw cowd frit. Bellasses yer'sen unawl greaund peawnd. Camp Darrun geet, howd feyther clowt eyter. Vawse way'er clum nought. Gronny no nouse heawr beawnt, Keawyed City purring es'tin inth arrers bin diddy our Peg shoon. 

Liquor Ipsum

A boozy text generator.

Singapore sling old etonian aberlour missouri mule vodka sunrise two fingers shirley temple black pappy van winkle glenburgie. Paddy the last word, gibson vat 69, bruichladdich flirtini lejon hanky-panky drambuie finlandia tequila sunrise edradour!

Melbourne Ipsum

Honestly I have no idea what this is but I’m assuming it’s Australian.

Naked for satan street art, spiegeltent north of the river brunswick and brunswick st MSAC kylie minogue, swanston melb collingwood ferals spring racing carnival empire of the sun, the melbourne cup the hawks victory vs heart four seasons in one day the borek woman, avalon is so not melb the espy bill clinton ate two bowls.

Mid-century Ipsum

Generates mid-century-inspired text.

Hostess trolley bakelite selectric creative carport candy-ass, jazz whiskey beatnik creative. Tiki upswept frutiger googie drive-in futuristic highway jet-age television, herman miller danish modern jet-age. Ratpack ranch home whiskey candy-ass upswept saul bass jet-age hostess trolley?

Morse Code Lorem Ipsum

Generates random Morse Code.

.-.. --- .-. . -- .. .--. … ..- -- -.. --- .-.. --- .-. … .. - .- -- . - --..-- -.-. --- -. … . -.-. - . - ..- . .-. .- -.. .. .--. .. … -.-. .. -. --. . .-.. .. - .-.-.- ..- - --- -.. .. --- .-.-.- -. .- -- … . -.. . … - .-.-.- -. .- -- .- .-. .. … ..- … . - . … - .. .- -.-. ..- .-.. .. … .- -.. .. .--. .. … -.-. .. -. --. .-.-.- …- . … - .. -… ..- .-.. ..- -- .- -. - . .. .--. … ..- -- .--. .-. .. -- .. … .. -. ..-. .- ..- -.-. .. -… ..- … --- .-. -.-. .. .-.. ..- -.-. - ..- … . - ..- .-.. -

Mussem Ipsum

I don’t know who Mussem is but it’s in Portuguese. He looks friendly?

Mussum Ipsum, cacilds vidis litro abertis. A ordem dos tratores não altera o pão duris.Interessantiss quisso pudia ce receita de bolis, mais bolis eu num gostis.Suco de cevadiss, é um leite divinis, qui tem lupuliz, matis, aguis e fermentis.Admodum accumsan disputationi eu sit. Vide electram sadipscing et per.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Ipsum

Generates quotes from astrophysicist Niel deGrasse Tyson. 

As an educator, I try to get people to be fundamentally curious and to question ideas that they might have or that are shared by others. In that state of mind, they have earned a kind of inoculation against the fuzzy thinking of these weird ideas floating around out there.

Nietzsche Ipsum

Generates Nietzsche-inspired text.

Society depths ubermensch christianity sea enlightenment joy virtues decieve society good disgust selfish noble. Ascetic decieve pious play deceptions decieve decieve intentions self self ideal.

Ocean Creature Lorem Ipsum

Generates sea creature-inspired text.

Manta ray with lionfish ect. Coral hogfish fingernail clam in tilefish mandarinfish crab lionfish weasel shark. Yellow pseudochromis weasel shark shadow, darkness in deap ocean an, Motionless Wabash pigtoe Full moon. Colorful soldierfish banded sole jump. Nurse shark at goatfish grey whale.

Obama Ipsum

Generates quotes from former US President Barack Obama.

We are a better country than this. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.

Office Ipsum

Generates sentences you’ve heard in every meeting ever. Also has a client feedback version!

If you're not hurting you're not winning pivot, dear hiring manager:, for incentivization even dead cats bounce wiggle room, for one-sheet. Put a record on and see who dances high-level, but we've got to manage that low hanging fruit lift and shift. It just needs more cowbell make it a priority, but strategic high-level 30,000 ft view pro-sumer software, so golden goose low-hanging fruit can we parallel path. 

Pirate Ipsum

Generates pirate-inspired jargon.

Squiffy ballast maroon gangplank tackle grog scuppers driver barque tack. Yardarm mizzen barque capstan heave to hardtack Pieces of Eight port hulk parrel. Pinnace lass Jack Tar gabion Yellow Jack run a rig furl red ensign come about Brethren of the Coast.

Pizza Ipsum

I love pizza ?

Pizza ipsum dolor amet garlic sausage white pizza bianca hawaiian pizza meat lovers large onions. Banana peppers black olives stuffed crust, pizza steak bbq sauce chicken wing meatball garlic lasagna green bell peppers anchovies mushrooms extra cheese. Philly steak bianca pizza mayo, garlic sauce bbq rib platter. 

Placehodler

It’s crypto and I hate it.

Bitcoin could be many dormant accidental fork! Monero waited some efficient do your own research during lots of market cap. Since someone specialises in few quick coin in the difficulty, Litecoin limited a hot wallet at few smart contract, so although SHA 256 did lots of provably fair double spend behind many Lambo

Pommy Ipsum

“The official lorem ipsum filler text generator of the British Empire.”

Pommy ipsum knee high to a grasshopper i'll be a monkey's uncle sod's law knows bugger all about nowt one would like spend a penny grab a jumper, cheesed off that's ace shepherd's pie mince pies anorak because there was nothing on the gogglebox, what a load of guff chippy accordingly nosh on a stag do chin up.

Postmodernist Generator

Generates a whole meaningless essay of postmodernist jargon.

If one examines textual deappropriation, one is faced with a choice: either reject textual precapitalist theory or conclude that sexual identity has objective value. Lyotard uses the term ‘textual materialism’ to denote a mythopoetical paradox It could be said that the premise of textual precapitalist theory holds that narrative is a product of communication, given that narrativity is equal to language.

Ramen Ipsum

Ramen is love. Ramen is life.

Ginger sesame oil abura soba chopped onions chicken stock seasoned egg corn Nagoya pork bones soy sauce. Asahikawa flavoured oil scallions Kagoshima Tokushima abura soba Hakata Tokyo Nissin instant cup ramen soy sauce yuzu toasted sesame seeds ramen burger vinegar.

Rush Ipsum

Generates lyrics from the band Rush.

One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity. I wandered home though the silent streets and fell into a fitful sleep. I know it's most unusual to come before you so, but I've found an ancient miracle.

Sagan Ipsum

Generates text inspired by astronomer Carl Sagan.

Paroxysm of global death Drake Equation explorations another world from which we spring a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. Cosmos kindling the energy hidden in matter globular star cluster dream of the mind's eye ship of the imagination courage of our questions?

Samuel L. Ipsum

Generates quotes from actor Samuel L. Jackson. (Warning: inappropriate language)

Now that there is the Tec-9, a crappy spray gun from South Miami. This gun is advertised as the most popular gun in American crime. Do you believe that shit? It actually says that in the little book that comes with it: the most popular gun in American crime. Like they're actually proud of that shit.

Skate Ipsum

Generates skater lingo.

Skate ipsum dolor sit amet, Primo slide dude rock and roll mute-air 540 nose bump. Masonite locals egg plant trucks Saran Wrap camel back. Pool bigspin Paul Rodriguez no comply mini ramp nose slide feeble. 720 fakie out griptape Grind King mute-air regular footed bail. Pogo rail slide crail slide full-cab feeble concave Johnny Rad. 

Space Ipsum

Generates outer space-inspired text.

There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal?

Trump Ipsum

Generates text inspired by former US President Donald Trump.

You have so many different things placeholder text has to be able to do, and I don't believe Lorem Ipsum has the stamina. You have so many different things placeholder text has to be able to do, and I don't believe Lorem Ipsum has the stamina. He’s not a word hero. He’s a word hero because he was captured. I like text that wasn’t captured.

Web 2.0 Ipsum

Generates text from nonsensical Web 2.0 startup names, just for the heck of it. 

Webtwo ipsum sclipo zapier groupon blippy, wesabe. Empressr twitter groupon meebo joukuu doostang octopart, grockit spock doostang koofers. Scribd airbnb zoho insala gooru chartly yuntaa, odeo knewton koofers balihoo zlio. Wikia prezi zlio empressr glogster cloudera tivo kno, wufoo sifteo zimbra jiglu kippt.

Wine Ipsum

Generates actual filler copy about wine.

The aftertaste, or "finish," is the primary factor in judging the quality and character of wine. Tomato and cherry flavors nestle comfortably together with notes of leather and clay in Sangiovese. A lingering finish indicates a luscious vintage! If a husband found his wife drinking wine in the early Roman times, he was at liberty to kill her. Be not offended when your ex drinks wine.

Yolo Ipsum

I hate this and I will be using it for every project going forward.

Don’t trust anyone, cause you only live once. Aliquam imperdiet, ligula vehicula sodales lobortis, dui arcu ultricies libero, vitae tempor eros libero sed neque. Pop a molly, I’m sweatin’, consequat feugiat eros.  How you like your eggs, fried or fertilized? 

Zombie Ipsum

“A macabre feast of frightful filler.”

Zombie ipsum reversus ab viral inferno, nam rick grimes malum cerebro. De carne lumbering animata corpora quaeritis. Summus brains sit​​, morbo vel maleficia? De apocalypsi gorger omero undead survivor dictum mauris. Hi mindless mortuis soulless creaturas, imo evil stalking monstra adventus resi dentevil vultus comedat cerebella viventium.

[bitbybitwrites]

Hey look at me! I can actually do this on time!

Though am so not following the 6 sentence limit, bc I'm chaotic like that - 😂. I need to make some new banners . . .

Thanks for tagging me @welcometololaland and @blueeyedgrlwrites, @iboatedhere

Below the cut you will find bits from :

how ardently I admire and love you (RWRB online auction fic)

i know you want to bring me home (Klaine Valentines Challenge 2024/PrettyWoman!AU)

******

how ardently i admire and love you (RWRB online auction fic)

Huffing again, Alex took up his cause once more.  “But still, I want to find something that really wows him.  Surprises him.  He deserves it.” Alex pouts prettily and groans again in frustration, as he drops his head in his hands and pulls at his curls.  “No matter what I do, Pez I just can’t find that one thing.  It’s gotta be out there, right?” Pez had to grin at his friend, shaking his head at Alex’s despondency.  “Well Alejandro, my dearest, today is your lucky day.  For while perusing the interwebz, I have just stumbled upon a gift idea that may even rival the blessing of your loins that our dear Hazza cherishes so much. With a smirk, Pez picked his phone off his desk and with a few taps and swipes of his nimble fingers found what he was looking for.  He slid the phone across the table top over to Alex and then leaned back in his chair, waiting for the praises of gratitude he knew were coming his way. Alex dove for the phone, his eyes darting quickly over the screen.  His face quickly erupted into such a countenance of relief that Pez had to laugh out loud at the drastic change from the formerly morose individual that had been sitting in front of him. “Jesus tits,” Alex gasped as he stared slack-jawed at the phone.  “This . . this is perfect.  How the fuck did you find this?”

******

i know you want to take me home ( Klaine Valentine's Challenge 2024)

“So, staff member, part time bartender . .” Kurt asked as he shook the other man’s hand firmly.  “Any other roles I should know about?” “Unofficial Den mother, I guess,” Elliot shrugged.  “It’s my job to make sure all our boys are treated correctly by anyone who comes through those doors.  Contrary to popular belief, the young men here are all taken care of well.  They are all of age.  All clean and tested regularly.  They come into Dalton House of their own free will and sign their contracts with the company with full understanding of what is expected of them. How they are to conduct themselves.  How they are to uphold the Dalton name.” “But what’s the catch?” Kurt asked, his business acumen and instincts were on alert.  “There has to be a catch.” “The boys work off the amount of their signing contract. Half of anything their patrons gift them goes to their own savings, half goes back to the company paying for their room, board, uniforms, lessons, et cetera . .” “Lessons?” “Well, one doesn’t always come straight off the street knowing the ins and outs of macroeconomics or the finer points discussing portfolio diversification. “Interesting,” Kurt murmured.  “And the auction? You never mentioned what was being auctioned off tonight?” Elliot’s pursed lips immediately caught Kurt’s eye.  “The boys have refusal rights. “he explained “They do not have to accept every offer that comes their way.  But it can only go so far before the administration deems that enough is enough. It is a business transaction, after all. The contract, I mean.  If the boys don’t fulfill their part of the contract. . .” Elliot’s voice trails off.  “Well, let’s say its a part of the job that I do not enjoy being a part of.” “The auction.” Kurt’s mind puts two and two together.

Tagging ( and no pressure at all): @coffeegleek @myheartalivewrites @rockitmans @hkvoyage @14carrotghoul

@special-bc-ur-part-of-it @madas-ahatters-world

[pegasusdrawnchariots]

Lettre IV

@ninadove

Here it is! The whole letter was originally one massive paragraph. I have broken it up into chunks at full stops so as to engage with it more easily. I've also numbered each paragraph for ease of reference, with F for français & A for anglais :)

1F MADAME,

Bien loin d'avoir perdu le cœur quand je vous fis hommage de ma liberté, je me trouve au contraire depuis ce jour là, le cœur beaucoup plus grand: Je penſe qu'il s'eſt multiplié, & que comme s'il n'eſtoit pas aſſez d'un pour tous vos coups, il s'eſt efforcé de ſe reproduire en toutes mes arteres, où je le ſens palpiter, afin d'eſtre preſent en plus de lieux, & de devenir luy ſeul, le ſeul objet de tous vos traits.

1A MADAM,

Far from having lost my heart when I did you homage of my freedom, instead I find my heart even larger since that day. I believe it to have multiplied, and as if it wasn't enough of one for all your blows, it has endeavoured to reproduce itself in all my arteries, where I feel it beating, in order to be present in more places and to become itself alone the only object of all your [[[stinging words]]].

2F Cependant, Madame, la franchiſe, ce treſor precieux pour qui Rome autrefois a riſqué l’Empire du monde; Cette charmante liberté, vous me l'avez ravie; & rien de ce qui chez l'ame ſe gliſſe par les ſens, n'en a fait la conqueſte: Votre eſprit ſeul meritoit cette gloire; ſa vivacité, ſa douceur, ſon étenduë, & ſa force, valoient bien que je l'abandonnaſſe à de ſi nobles fers: Cette belle & grande ame élevée dans un Ciel, ſi fort au deſſus de la raiſonnable, & ſi proche de l'intelligible, qu'elle en poſſede éminemment tout le beau; Et je dirois meſme beaucoup du Souverain Createur qui l'a formée, ſi de tous les attributs, qui ſont eſſentiels à ſa perfection, il ne manquoit en elle celuy de miſericordieuſe; Oüy, ſi l'on peut imaginer dans une Divinité quelque défaut, je vous accuſe de celuy-là.

2A However, Madam, candour, that precious treasure for which Rome risked the whole world once upon a time, this charming liberty, you have stolen it from me, and nothing in the soul that glides by the senses has conquered it. Only your wit merited this glory. Its liveliness, its gentleness, its range, and its strength were well worth my abandoning it to such noble irons — this beautiful and great soul lifted in a heaven so far above the reasonable and so close to the intelligible that it eminently possesses all its beauty. And I would even say much of the Sovereign Creator who formed it if of all the attributes that are essential to its perfection he had not missed in it that of mercy. Yes, if a divinity with some flaw can be imagined, I accuse you of that one.

3F Ne vous ſouvient-il pas de ma derniere viſite, où me plaignant de vos rigueurs, vous me promiſtes au ſortir de chez vous, que je vous retrouverois plus humaine, ſi vous me retrouviez plus diſcret; & que je vinſſe, en me diſant adieu, le lendemain, parce que vous aviez reſolu d'en faire l'épreuve? Mais helas! demander l'eſpace d'un jour, pour appliquer le remede à des bleſſures qui sont au cœur! N'eſt-ce pas attendre, pour ſecourir un malade, qu'il ait ceſſé de vivre?

3A Don't you remember my last visit, where as I complained of your severity, you promised me as I left your home that I would find you more humane if you were to find me more discreet; and that I came bidding myself farewell the next day because you had resolved to put it to the test? But alas, to ask for the space of a day to apply salve to wounds of the heart! Is it not waiting until a sick man has ceased to live to save him?

4F & ce qui m'étonne encore davantage, c'eſt que vous défiant que ce miracle ne puiſſe arriver, vous fuyez de chez vous pour éviter ma rencontre funeſte: Hé bien! Madame, hé bien! ſuyez-moy, cachez-vous, meſme de mon ſouvenir; on doit prendre la ſuite, & l'on ſe doit cacher quand on a fait un meurtre.

4A And what surprises me still more is that you, distrustful that this miracle could happen, you fled your home to avoid my gruesome meeting. Very well, Madam! Very well! Follow me, hide yourself, even from my memory. One must take the consequence and one must hide oneself when one has committed a murder.

5F Que dis-je, grands Dieux: Ha! Madame, excuſez la fureur d'un deſeſperé; Non, non, paroiſſez, c'eſt une Loy pour les hommes, qui n'eſt pas faite pour vous, car il eſt inoüy que les Souverains ayent jamais rendu compte de la mort de leurs Eſclaves; Oüy je dois eſtimer mon ſort tres glorieux, d'avoir merité que vous priſſiez la peine de cauſer ſa ruine; car du moins puis que vous ayez daigné me haïr, ce fera un témoignage à la poſterité, que je ne vous eſtois pas indifferent.

5A What am I saying, great gods? Ah! Madam, excuse the rage of a man in despair. No, no, [[[appear]]], this is a law for man that was not made for you, for it is unheard of that sovereigns have ever noticed the death of their slaves. Yes, I must consider my lot glorious indeed to have merited you taking pains to cause its ruin — for at least since you have deigned to hate me, this will bear witness to posterity that you were not indifferent.

6F Auſſi la mort dont vous avez crû me punir, me cauſe de la joye; Et ſi vous avez de la peine à comprendre quelle peut eſtre cette joye, c'eſt la ſatisfaction ſecrete que je reſſens d’eſtre mort pour vous, en vous faiſent ingrate: Ouy, Madame, je ſuis mort, & je prevoy que vous aurez bien de la difficulté à concevoir, comment il ſe peut faire ſi ma mort eſt veritable, que moy même je vous en mande la nouvelle: Cependant il n'eſt rien de plus vray; mais apprenez que l'homme a deux trépas à ſouffrir ſur la terre, l'un violent, qui eſt l'Amour, & l'autre naturel qui nous rejoint à l'indolence de la matiere; Et cette mort qu'on appelle Amour, eſt d'autant plus cruelle, qu'en commençant d'aimer, on commence auſſi-toſt à mourir.

6A So the death that you believed would punish me brings me joy. And if you are at pains to understand which joy this can be, it is the secret satisfaction that I feel in being dead for you, in making you ungrateful. Yes, Madam, I am dead and I predict that you will have great difficulty in conceiving how this can be done, if my death is real, that I myself bring you news of it. Nevertheless, there is nothing truer, but understand that man has two deaths to suffer on the earth, the one violent, which is love, and the other natural, which reunites us to the indolence of matter. And this death called Love is crueller still, that in beginning to love, one immediately begins to die.

7F C'eſt le paſſage reciproque de deux ames qui ſe cherchent, pour animer en commun ce qu'elles aiment, & dont une moitié ne peut eſtre ſeparée de ſa moitié, ſans mourir, comme il eſt arrivé,

MADAME,

A Voſtre fidelle Serviteur.

7A It is the reciprocal passage of two souls who search for each other in order to animate in common what they love, and of which one half cannot be separated from its half without dying, as has happened,

MADAM,

To your faithful servant.

[empiredesimparte]

Mayor Gaston Temasong: I'm delighted to meet you, Your Imperial Majesties Napoléon V: Thank you again for your welcome and discretion

Temasong: Of course. If you'd like to follow me Napoléon V: We'll follow you

Temasong: How's your honeymoon going? Charlotte: It's wonderful. We'll remember it for the rest of our lives

Temasong: I'm delighted. Bora-Bora is the most beautiful place in Francesim and in the world, as you've seen Napoléon V: Certainly, it's like being in another idyllic world

Napoléon V: Is everything going well for you and your people? Temasong: Thank you for your concern, Sire

Temasong: Every day, the independentists undermine my mandate and threaten to overthrow me Charlotte: That's terrible, Monsieur le Maire

Napoléon V: If necessary, I can consult the Polynesians in a referendum. When the independentists lose, you won't have to worry about these ridiculous threats

Temasong: That would be appreciated, Sire. But it's risky, because I've been facing Oscar Sang, the leader of the independentists, for 3 terms. His late Majesty Napoléon IV's last nuclear tests caused a lot of unrest here Napoléon V: Would this Oscar Sang compete in the polls? Temasong: I don't think he has a majority, but his party has become very important in recent years. Some towns have even removed the French flag and official photos of the Emperor from their town halls

Napoléon V: That's unacceptable! Temasong: I share your anger, Sire

Temasong: I have a slim majority, but with your help, we can certainly nip the independentists in the bud!

Napoléon V: I will put the question of Bora-Bora on the agenda of my Council of State Charlotte: Do you fear for your life?

Temasong: No, Your Majesty. There have been no acts of vandalism at my home or at those close to me, nor any attacks. Sire, I'd like to renew the offer I made to your father. If you help me keep Bora-Bora in the empire and my place as President of Polynesia, I'll give you one of our most beautiful atolls

Napoléon V: Come on, Monsieur, there's no need to make such proposals. I'll listen to the French, to all the French, and I'll decide what's best for my people

Napoléon V: I refuse to let my politics be influenced by your shenanigans, however attractive your offers may be Gaston Temasong: I didn't mean to offend you, Sire. We have many atolls for sale, and I prefer that one of them belong to you, rather than to a foreign billionaire Charlotte: Thank you, Monsieur le Maire. We will consider your gracious proposal

⚜ Le Cabinet Noir | Bora-Bora, 14 Messidor An 230

Beginning ▬ Previous ▬ Next

The imperial couple met the mayor and deputy of Bora-Bora, Gaston Temasong. Temasong offered to guarantee the Emperor his place as head of French Polynesia, in exchange for a private atoll not far from Bora-Bora. Napoléon V was offended by this attempt at bribery, but worried about this independence movement, led by a certain Oscar Sang.

(An atoll is a coral island with a large lagoon at its center. These islands are part of archipelagos and are highly prized by certain billionaires)

⚜ Traduction française

Le couple impérial rencontre le maire et député de Bora-Bora, Gaston Temasong. Ce dernier propose à l'empereur de lui garantir sa place à la tête de la Polynésie française, en échange d'un atoll privé non loin de Bora-Bora. Napoléon V s'offusque de cette tentative de corruption, mais s'inquiète de ce mouvement indépendantiste, mené par un certain Oscar Sang.

Gaston Temasong : Je suis heureux de vous rencontrer, Vos Majestés Impériales Napoléon V : Merci encore pour votre accueil chez vous, et votre discrétion

Gaston Temasong : C'est bien naturel. Si vous voulez bien me suivre Napoléon V : Nous vous suivons

Gaston Temasong : Comment se déroule votre lune de miel ? Charlotte : C'est merveilleux, nous nous en souviendrons toute notre vie

Gaston Temasong : J'en suis ravi, Bora-Bora est le plus bel endroit de Francesim et du monde, comme vous avez pu le constater Napoléon V : Certainement, on se croirait dans un autre monde, idyllique

Napoléon V : Tout se passe bien pour vous et vos habitants ? Gaston Temasong : Merci de vous en inquiéter Sire.

Gaston Temasong : Les indépendantistes nuisent chaque jour à mon mandat et menacent de me renverser Charlotte : C'est terrible, Monsieur le Maire

Napoléon V : S'il le faut, je peux consulter les Polynésiens par référendum. Quand les indépendantistes perdront, vous n'aurez plus à vous soucier de ces menaces ridicules

Gaston Temasong : Ce serait apprécié Sire. C'est cependant risqué, cela fait 3 mandats que j'affronte Oscar Sang, le chef des indépendantistes. Les derniers essais nucléaires de feu Sa Majesté Napoléon IV ont causé beaucoup de troubles ici Napoléon V : Cet Oscar Sang rivaliserait dans les sondages ? Gaston Temasong : Je ne crois pas qu'il ait la majorité, mais son parti a pris beaucoup d'importance ces dernières années. Certaines villes ont même retiré le drapeau français et les photos officielles de l'Empereur des mairies

Napoléon V : C'est inadmissible ! Gaston Temasong : Je partage votre colère, Sire

Gaston Temasong : Je possède une faible majorité, mais avec votre aide, nous pouvons certainement étouffer les indépendantistes dans l'oeuf

Napoléon V : Je mettrai à l'ordre du jour la question de Bora-Bora auprès de mon Conseil d'Etat Charlotte : Craignez-vous pour votre vie ?

Gaston Temasong : Non non, il n'y a pas eu d'actes de vandalismes chez moi ou chez mes proches, ni d'attaques. Sire, j'aimerais renouveler l'offre que j'ai faite à votre père. Si vous m'aidez à conserver Bora-Bora dans l'empire ainsi que ma place en tant que président de Polynésie, je vous offrirai l'un de nos plus beaux atolls

Napoléon V : Allons, Monsieur le Maire, inutile d'en venir à ce genre de propositions. Je suis à l'écoute des Français, de tous les Français, je déciderai ce qui est le mieux pour mon peuple

Napoléon V : Je refuse que ma politique soit influencée par vos manigances, aussi attrayantes soient vos offres Gaston Temasong : Je ne souhaitais pas vous offenser Sire. Nous avons de nombreux atolls en vente, et je préfère que l'un d'eux vous appartiennent, plutôt qu'à un milliardaire étranger

Charlotte : Merci Monsieur le Maire. Nous réfléchirons à votre gracieuse proposition

[pompadourpink]

The Stranger

Aujourd'hui, maman est morte. Ou peut-être hier, je ne sais pas. J'ai reçu un télégramme de l'asile : « Mère décédée. Enterrement demain. Sentiments distingués. » Cela ne veut rien dire. C'était peut-être hier.

Today, Mum died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I got a telegram from the asylum: "Mother dead. Burial tomorrow. Sentiments distingués." It doesn't mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday.

L'asile de vieillards est à Marengo, à quatre-vingts kilomètres d'Alger. Je prendrai l'autobus à deux heures et j'arriverai dans l'après-midi. Ainsi, je pourrai veiller et je rentrerai demain soir. J'ai demandé deux jours de congé à mon patron et il ne pouvait pas me les refuser avec une excuse pareille. Mais il n'avait pas l'air content. Je lui ai même dit : « Ce n'est pas de ma faute. »

The old people's home is in Marengo, eighty kilometres from Algiers. I will take the bus at two o'clock and arrive in the afternoon. That way I can stay up and I'll be back tomorrow evening. I asked my boss for two days off and he couldn't refuse me with an excuse like that. But he didn't look happy. I even told him, "It's not my fault."

Il n'a pas répondu. J'ai pensé alors que je n'aurais pas dû lui dire cela. En somme, je n'avais pas à m'excuser. C'était plutôt à lui de me présenter ses condoléances. Mais il le fera sans doute après-demain, quand il me verra en deuil. Pour le moment, c'est un peu comme si maman n'était pas morte. Après l'enterrement, au contraire, ce sera une affaire classée et tout aura revêtu une allure plus officielle.

He did not answer. I thought then that I should not have told him that. In short, I had nothing to apologise for. It was rather for him to offer me his condolences. But he will probably do so the day after tomorrow, when he sees me in mourning. For the moment, it's as if Mum hasn't died. After the funeral, on the contrary, it will be a closed affair and everything will have taken on a more official air.

J'ai pris l'autobus à deux heures. Il faisait très chaud. J'ai mangé au restaurant, chez Céleste, comme d'habitude. Ils avaient tous beaucoup de peine pour moi et Céleste m'a dit : « On n'a qu'une mère. » Quand je suis parti, ils m'ont accompagné à la porte. J'étais un peu étourdi parce qu'il a fallu que je monte chez Emmanuel pour lui emprunter une cravate noire et un brassard. Il a perdu son oncle, il y a quelques mois.

I took the bus at two o'clock. It was very hot. I ate at the restaurant, at Céleste's, as usual. They all felt very sorry for me and Celeste said, "We only have one mother. When I left, they walked me to the door. I was a bit dizzy because I had to go up to Emmanuel's house to borrow a black tie and an armband. He lost his uncle a few months ago.

J'ai couru pour ne pas manquer le départ. Cette hâte, cette course, c'est à cause de tout cela sans doute, ajouté aux cahots, à l'odeur d'essence, à la réverbération de la route et du ciel, que je me suis assoupi. J'ai dormi pendant presque tout le trajet. Et quand je me suis réveillé, j'étais tassé contre un militaire qui m'a souri et qui m'a demandé si je venais de loin. J'ai dit « oui » pour n'avoir plus à parler.

I ran so as not to miss the start. This hurry, this race, it is because of all this no doubt, added to the bumps, the smell of petrol, the reverberation of the road and the sky, that I dozed off. I slept for most of the journey. And when I woke up, I was pressed up against a soldier who smiled at me and asked me if I had come from far away. I said "yes" so I wouldn't have to talk anymore.

L'asile est à deux kilomètres du village. J'ai fait le chemin à pied. J'ai voulu voir maman tout de suite. Mais le concierge m'a dit qu'il fallait que je rencontre le directeur. Comme il était occupé, j'ai attendu un peu. Pendant tout ce temps, le concierge a parlé et ensuite, j'ai vu le directeur : il m'a reçu dans son bureau. C'était un petit vieux, avec la Légion d'honneur. Il m'a regardé de ses yeux clairs. Puis il m'a serré la main qu'il a gardée si longtemps que je ne savais trop comment la retirer. Il a consulté un dossier et m'a dit :

The asylum is two kilometres from the village. I walked all the way. I wanted to see my mother straight away. But the caretaker told me I had to meet the director. As he was busy, I waited for a while. During all this time, the concierge talked and then I saw the director: he received me in his office. He was a little old man, with the Legion of Honour. He looked at me with his light eyes. Then he shook my hand, which he held for so long that I didn't know how to take it back. He consulted a file and said to me:

« Mme Meursault est entrée ici il y a trois ans. Vous étiez son seul soutien. » J'ai cru qu'il me reprochait quelque chose et j'ai commencé à lui expliquer. Mais il m'a interrompu : « Vous n'avez pas à vous justifier, mon cher enfant. J'ai lu le dossier de votre mère. Vous ne pouviez subvenir à ses besoins. Il lui fallait une garde. Vos salaires sont modestes. Et tout compte fait, elle était plus heureuse ici. » J'ai dit : « Oui, monsieur le Directeur. » Il a ajouté : « Vous savez, elle avait des amis, des gens de son âge. Elle pouvait partager avec eux des intérêts qui sont d'un autre temps. Vous êtes jeune et elle devait s'ennuyer avec vous. »

"Mme Meursault came here three years ago. You were her only support. I thought he was reproaching me for something and I started to explain. But he interrupted me: "You don't have to justify yourself, my dear child. I read your mother's file. You could not support her. She needed care. Your wages are modest. And all in all, she was happier here. I said, "Yes, Director." He added: "You know, she had friends, people her own age. She could share with them interests that are from another time. You are young and she must have been bored with you.

C'était vrai. Quand elle était à la maison, maman passait son temps à me suivre des yeux en silence. Dans les premiers jours où elle était à l'asile, elle pleurait souvent. Mais c'était à cause de l'habitude. Au bout de quelques mois, elle aurait pleuré si on l'avait retirée de l'asile. Toujours à cause de l'habitude. C'est un peu pour cela que dans la dernière année je n'y suis presque plus allé. Et aussi parce que cela me prenait mon dimanche - sans compter l'effort pour aller à l'autobus, prendre des tickets et faire deux heures de route.

It was true. When she was at home, Mum used to follow me with her eyes in silence. In the first days she was in the asylum, she often cried. But that was just habit. After a few months, she would have cried if she had been taken out of the asylum. Always because of habit. That's why in the last year I hardly went there anymore. And also because it took up my Sunday - not to mention the effort of going to the bus, getting tickets and driving two hours.

Le directeur m'a encore parlé. Mais je ne l'écoutais presque plus. Puis il m'a dit : « Je suppose que vous voulez voir votre mère. » Je me suis levé sans rien dire et il m'a précédé vers la porte. Dans l'escalier, il m'a expliqué : « Nous l'avons transportée dans notre petite morgue. Pour ne pas impressionner les autres. Chaque fois qu'un pensionnaire meurt, les autres sont nerveux pendant deux ou trois jours. Et ça rend le service difficile. »

The director spoke to me again. But I hardly listened to him anymore. Then he said, "I suppose you want to see your mother. I got up without saying anything and he preceded me to the door. On the stairs he explained, "We took her to our little mortuary. So as not to impress the others. Every time a resident dies, the others are nervous for two or three days. And that makes the service difficult.

Nous avons traversé une cour où il y avait beaucoup de vieillards, bavardant par petits groupes. Ils se taisaient quand nous passions. Et derrière nous, les conversations reprenaient. On aurait dit d'un jacassement assourdi de perruches. À la porte d'un petit bâtiment, le directeur m'a quitté : « Je vous laisse, monsieur Meursault. Je suis à votre disposition dans mon bureau. En principe, l'enterrement est fixé à dix heures du matin. Nous avons pensé que vous pourrez ainsi veiller la disparue. Un dernier mot : votre mère a, paraît-il, exprimé souvent à ses compagnons le désir d'être enterrée religieusement. J'ai pris sur moi, de faire le nécessaire. Mais je voulais vous en informer. » Je l'ai remercié. Maman, sans être athée, n'avait jamais pensé de son vivant à la religion.

We passed through a courtyard where there were many old men, chatting in small groups. They were silent as we passed. And behind us, the conversations started again. It sounded like the muffled chatter of parakeets. At the door of a small building, the director left me: "I leave you, Mr Meursault. I am at your disposal in my office. In principle, the funeral is scheduled for ten in the morning. We thought that you would be able to keep an eye on the deceased. One last word: your mother, it seems, often expressed to her companions the desire to be buried religiously. I have taken it upon myself to make the necessary arrangements. But I wanted to inform you. I thanked him. Mum, without being an atheist, had never thought about religion while she was alive.

Je suis entré. C'était une salle très claire, blanchie à la chaux et recouverte d'une verrière. Elle était meublée de chaises et de chevalets en forme de X. Deux d'entre eux, au centre, supportaient une bière recouverte de son couvercle. On voyait seulement des vis brillantes, à peine enfoncées, se détacher sur les planches passées au brou de noix. Près de la bière, il y avait une infirmière arabe en sarrau blanc, un foulard de couleur vive sur la tête.

I entered. It was a very bright room, whitewashed and covered with a glass roof. It was furnished with chairs and X-shaped trestles. Two of them, in the centre, held a bier with its lid on. Only shiny screws, barely sunken, could be seen sticking out of the boards, which had been painted with walnut stain. Next to the bier was an Arab nurse in a white smock, a brightly coloured scarf on her head.

À ce moment, le concierge est entré derrière mon dos. Il avait dû courir. Il a bégayé un peu : « On l'a couverte, mais je dois dévisser la bière pour que vous puissiez la voir. » Il s'approchait de la bière quand je l'ai arrêté. Il m'a dit : « Vous ne voulez pas ? » J'ai répondu : « Non. » Il s'est interrompu et j'étais gêné parce que je sentais que je n'aurais pas dû dire cela. Au bout d'un moment, il m'a regardé et il m'a demandé : « Pourquoi ? » mais sans reproche, comme s'il s'informait. J'ai dit : « Je ne sais pas. » Alors tortillant sa moustache blanche, il a déclaré sans me regarder : « Je comprends. »

At that moment, the caretaker came in behind my back. He must have been running. He stammered a little, "We've got it covered, but I've got to unscrew the bier so you can see it." He was approaching the bier when I stopped him. He said, "Don't you want to?" I said, "No." He paused and I was embarrassed because I felt I shouldn't have said that. After a while, he looked at me and asked, "Why?" but without reproach, as if he was inquiring. I said, "I don't know. Then twirling his white moustache, he said without looking at me, "I understand."

Il avait de beaux yeux, bleu clair, et un teint un peu rouge. Il m'a donné une chaise et lui-même s'est assis un peu en arrière de moi. La garde s'est levée et s'est dirigée vers la sortie. À ce moment, le concierge m'a dit : « C'est un chancre qu'elle a. » Comme je ne comprenais pas, j'ai regardé l'infirmière et j'ai vu qu'elle portait sous les yeux un bandeau qui faisait le tour de la tête.

À la hauteur du nez, le bandeau était plat. On ne voyait que la blancheur du bandeau dans son visage. Quand elle est partie, le concierge a parlé : « Je vais vous laisser seul. »

He had beautiful eyes, light blue, and a slightly red complexion. He gave me a chair and himself sat a little behind me. The guard got up and went to the exit. At that moment the caretaker said to me, "She has a canker. As I didn't understand, I looked at the nurse and saw that she was wearing a blindfold under her eyes that went around her head.

At the level of the nose, the blindfold was flat. All you could see was the white of the blindfold on her face. When she left, the caretaker spoke, "I will leave you alone."

Je ne sais pas quel geste j'ai fait, mais il est resté, debout derrière moi. Cette présence dans mon dos me gênait. La pièce était pleine d'une belle lumière de fin d'après-midi. Deux frelons bourdonnaient contre la verrière. Et je sentais le sommeil me gagner. J'ai dit au concierge, sans me retourner vers lui : « Il y a longtemps que vous êtes là ? » Immédiatement il a répondu : « Cinq ans » - comme s'il avait attendu depuis toujours ma demande.

I don't know what gesture I made, but he remained standing behind me. This presence at my back was bothering me. The room was full of a beautiful late afternoon light. Two hornets were buzzing against the canopy. And I could feel myself falling asleep. I said to the caretaker, without turning round, "Have you been here long? Immediately he replied, "Five years" - as if he had been waiting for my request all along.

Ensuite, il a beaucoup bavardé. On l'aurait bien étonné en lui disant qu'il finirait concierge à l'asile de Marengo. Il avait soixante-quatre ans et il était Parisien. À ce moment je l'ai interrompu : « Ah, vous n'êtes pas d'ici ? » Puis je me suis souvenu qu'avant de me conduire chez le directeur, il m'avait parlé de maman. Il m'avait dit qu'il fallait l'enterrer très vite, parce que dans la plaine il faisait chaud, surtout dans ce pays. C'est alors qu'il m'avait appris qu'il avait vécu à Paris et qu'il avait du mal à l'oublier. À Paris, on reste avec le mort trois, quatre jours quelquefois. Ici on n'a pas le temps, on ne s'est pas fait à l'idée que déjà il faut courir derrière le corbillard. Sa femme lui avait dit alors : « Tais-toi, ce ne sont pas des choses à raconter à Monsieur. » Le vieux avait rougi et s'était excusé. J'étais intervenu pour dire : « Mais non. Mais non. » Je trouvais ce qu'il racontait juste et intéressant.

Afterwards, he chatted a lot. He would have been surprised to be told that he would end up as a concierge at the Marengo asylum. He was sixty-four years old and a Parisian. At that moment I interrupted him: "Ah, you're not from here? Then I remembered that before taking me to the director, he had spoken to me about my mother. He had told me that she had to be buried very quickly, because it was hot on the plain, especially in this country. Then he told me that he had lived in Paris and that it was difficult to forget her. In Paris, you stay with the dead sometimes for three or four days. Here you don't have time, you haven't gotten used to the idea that you have to run after the hearse. His wife had said to him: "Shut up, these are not things to tell the gentleman." The old man blushed and apologised. I intervened to say: "No, no, no. No, I didn't." I thought what he was saying was right and interesting.

Dans la petite morgue, il m'a appris qu'il était entré à l'asile comme indigent. Comme il se sentait valide, il s'était proposé pour cette place de concierge. Je lui ai fait remarquer qu'en somme il était un pensionnaire. Il m'a dit que non. J'avais déjà été frappé par la façon qu'il avait de dire : « ils », « les autres », et plus rarement « les vieux », en parlant des pensionnaires dont certains n'étaient pas plus âgés que lui. Mais naturellement, ce n'était pas la même chose. Lui était concierge, et, dans une certaine mesure, il avait des droits sur eux. La garde est entrée à ce moment. Le soir était tombé brusquement. Très vite, la nuit s'était épaissie au-dessus de la verrière. Le concierge a tourné le commutateur et j'ai été aveuglé par l'éclaboussement soudain de la lumière. Il m'a invité à me rendre au réfectoire pour dîner. Mais je n'avais pas faim.

In the little morgue, he told me that he had entered the asylum as a pauper. As he felt able-bodied, he had offered himself for the position of caretaker. I pointed out to him that he was, in fact, a boarder. He told me that he was not. I had already been struck by the way he said: "they", "the others", and more rarely "the old", when talking about the boarders, some of whom were no older than he was. But of course, it was not the same thing. He was a caretaker, and to some extent, he had rights over them. The guard entered at that moment. The evening had fallen suddenly. Soon it had become darker over the canopy. The caretaker turned the switch and I was blinded by the sudden splash of light. He invited me to go to the refectory for dinner. But I was not hungry.

Il m'a offert alors d'apporter une tasse de café au lait. Comme j'aime beaucoup le café au lait, j'ai accepté et il est revenu un moment après avec un plateau. J'ai bu. J'ai eu alors envie de fumer. Mais j'ai hésité parce que je ne savais pas si je pouvais le faire devant maman. J'ai réfléchi, cela n'avait aucune importance. J'ai offert une cigarette au concierge et nous avons fumé.

He then offered to bring me a cup of coffee with milk. As I like coffee with milk very much, I accepted and he came back a moment later with a tray. I had a drink. Then I felt like smoking. But I hesitated because I didn't know if I could do it in front of my mother. I thought about it, it didn't matter. I offered the caretaker a cigarette and we smoked.

À un moment, il m'a dit : « Vous savez, les amis de Madame votre mère vont venir la veiller aussi. C'est la coutume. Il faut que j'aille chercher des chaises et du café noir. » Je lui ai demandé si on pouvait éteindre une des lampes. L'éclat de la lumière sur les murs blancs me fatiguait. Il m'a dit que ce n'était pas possible. L'installation était ainsi faite : c'était tout ou rien. Je n'ai plus beaucoup fait attention à lui. Il est sorti, est revenu, a disposé des chaises. Sur l'une d'elles, il a empilé des tasses autour d'une cafetière. Puis il s'est assis en face de moi, de l'autre côté de maman. La garde était aussi au fond, le dos tourné. Je ne voyais pas ce qu'elle faisait. Mais au mouvement de ses bras, je pouvais croire qu'elle tricotait. Il faisait doux, le café m'avait réchauffé et par la porte ouverte entrait une odeur de nuit et de fleurs. Je crois que j'ai somnolé un peu.

At one point he said to me, "You know, your mother's friends are going to come and watch her too. That's the custom. I have to go and get some chairs and black coffee. I asked him if we could turn off one of the lamps. The glare of the light on the white walls was making me tired. He told me it was not possible. The installation was like that: it was all or nothing. I didn't pay much attention to him anymore. He went out, came back in, arranged some chairs. On one of them, he stacked cups around a coffee pot. Then he sat down opposite me, on the other side of Mum. The guard was also at the back, with her back turned. I couldn't see what she was doing. But from the movement of her arms, I could tell she was knitting. It was a mild day, the coffee had warmed me up and through the open door came the smell of night and flowers. I think I dozed off a bit.

C'est un frôlement qui m'a réveillé. D'avoir fermé les yeux, la pièce m'a paru encore plus éclatante de blancheur. Devant moi, il n'y avait pas une ombre et chaque objet, chaque angle, toutes les courbes se dessinaient avec une pureté blessante pour les yeux. C'est à ce moment que les amis de maman sont entrés. Ils étaient en tout une dizaine, et ils glissaient en silence dans cette lumière aveuglante. Ils se sont assis sans qu'aucune chaise grinçât. Je les voyais comme je n'ai jamais vu personne et pas un détail de leurs visages ou de leurs habits ne m'échappait. Pourtant je ne les entendais pas et j'avais peine à croire à leur réalité.

It was a graze that woke me up. Having closed my eyes, the room seemed to me even more brilliantly white. There was not a shadow in front of me, and every object, every angle, every curve, was drawn with a purity that hurt the eyes. It was at this point that Mum's friends came in. There were about ten of them, and they glided silently through the blinding light. They sat down without a single chair creaking. I could see them as I have never seen anyone before, and not a detail of their faces or their clothes escaped me. Yet I could not hear them and could hardly believe their reality.

Presque toutes les femmes portaient un tablier et le cordon qui les serrait à la taille faisait encore ressortir leur ventre bombé. Je n'avais encore jamais remarqué à quel point les vieilles femmes pouvaient avoir du ventre. Les hommes étaient presque tous très maigres et tenaient des cannes. Ce qui me frappait dans leurs visages, c'est que je ne voyais pas leurs yeux, mais seulement une lueur sans éclat au milieu d'un nid de rides. Lorsqu'ils se sont assis, la plupart m'ont regardé et ont hoché la tête avec gêne, les lèvres toutes mangées par leur bouche sans dents, sans que je puisse savoir s'ils me saluaient ou s'il s'agissait d'un tic. Je crois plutôt qu'ils me saluaient. C'est à ce moment que je me suis aperçu qu'ils étaient tous assis en face de moi à dodeliner de la tête, autour du concierge. J'ai eu un moment l'impression ridicule qu'ils étaient là pour me juger.

Almost all the women wore aprons and the drawstring around their waists still showed their bulging bellies. I had never noticed before how much belly old women could have. The men were almost all very thin and held canes. What struck me about their faces was that I couldn't see their eyes, only a dull gleam in a nest of wrinkles. When they sat down, most of them looked at me and nodded awkwardly, their lips all eaten up by their toothless mouths, and I couldn't tell if they were greeting me or if it was a tic. I rather think they were greeting me. It was at this point that I realised that they were all sitting across from me nodding their heads, around the caretaker. For a moment I had the ridiculous impression that they were there to judge me.

Peu après, une des femmes s'est mise à pleurer. Elle était au second rang, cachée par une de ses compagnes, et je la voyais mal. Elle pleurait à petits cris, régulièrement : il me semblait qu'elle ne s'arrêterait jamais. Les autres avaient l'air de ne pas l'entendre. Ils étaient affaissés, mornes et silencieux. Ils regardaient la bière ou leur canne, ou n'importe quoi, mais ils ne regardaient que cela. La femme pleurait toujours. J'étais très étonné parce que je ne la connaissais pas. J'aurais voulu ne plus l'entendre. Pourtant je n'osais pas le lui dire. Le concierge s'est penché vers elle, lui a parlé, mais elle a secoué la tête, a bredouillé quelque chose, et a continué de pleurer avec la même régularité. Le concierge est venu alors de mon côté. Il s'est assis près de moi. Après un assez long moment, il m'a renseigné sans me regarder : « Elle était très liée avec Madame votre mère. Elle dit que c'était sa seule amie ici et que maintenant elle n'a plus personne. »

Shortly afterwards, one of the women started to cry. She was in the second row, hidden by one of her companions, and I could hardly see her. She was crying in small, regular cries: it seemed to me that she would never stop. The others didn't seem to hear her. They were slumped, dull and silent. They were looking at the bier or their cane, or whatever, but that was all they were looking at. The woman was still crying. I was very surprised because I didn't know her. I didn't want to hear her anymore. But I didn't dare tell her. The caretaker leaned over to her, spoke to her, but she shook her head, mumbled something, and continued to cry with the same regularity. The caretaker then came to my side. He sat down beside me. After a long time, he told me without looking at me: "She was very close to your mother. She says she was her only friend here and now she has no one."

Nous sommes restés un long moment ainsi. Les soupirs et les sanglots de la femme se faisaient plus rares. Elle reniflait beaucoup. Elle s'est tue enfin. Je n'avais plus sommeil, mais j'étais fatigué et les reins me faisaient mal. À présent c'était le silence de tous ces gens qui m'était pénible. De temps en temps seulement, j'entendais un bruit singulier et je ne pouvais comprendre ce qu'il était. À la longue, j'ai fini par deviner que quelques-uns d'entre les vieillards suçaient l'intérieur de leurs joues et laissaient échapper ces clappements bizarres. Ils ne s'en apercevaient pas tant ils étaient absorbés dans leurs pensées. J'avais même l'impression que cette morte, couchée au milieu d'eux, ne signifiait rien à leurs yeux. Mais je crois maintenant que c'était une impression fausse.

We stayed like that for a long time. The woman's sighs and sobs became less frequent. She sniffed a lot. At last, she fell silent. I was no longer sleepy, but I was tired and my kidneys ached. Now it was the silence of all these people that was painful for me. Only from time to time I heard a peculiar noise and I could not understand what it was. Eventually, I guessed that some of the old men were sucking the insides of their cheeks and letting out these strange popping sounds. They didn't realise it because they were so absorbed in their thoughts. I even had the impression that this dead woman, lying in their midst, meant nothing to them. But I now believe that this impression was wrong.

Nous avons tous pris du café, servi par le concierge. Ensuite, je ne sais plus. La nuit a passé. Je me souviens qu'à un moment j'ai ouvert les yeux et j'ai vu que les vieillards dormaient tassés sur eux-mêmes, à l'exception d'un seul qui, le menton sur le dos de ses mains agrippées à la canne, me regardait fixement comme s'il n'attendait que mon réveil. Puis j'ai encore dormi. Je me suis réveillé parce que j'avais de plus en plus mal aux reins. Le jour glissait sur la verrière. Peu après, l'un des vieillards s'est réveillé et il a beaucoup toussé. Il crachait dans un grand mouchoir à carreaux et chacun de ses crachats était comme un arrachement. Il a réveillé les autres et le concierge a dit qu'ils devraient partir. Ils se sont levés. Cette veille incommode leur avait fait des visages de cendre. En sortant, et à mon grand étonnement, ils m'ont tous serré la main - comme si cette nuit où nous n'avions pas échangé un mot avait accru notre intimité.

We all had coffee, served by the concierge. Then, I don't know. The night passed. I remember that at one point I opened my eyes and saw that the old men were asleep, all on top of each other, except for one who, with his chin on the back of his hands clutching the cane, was staring at me as if he was waiting for me to wake up. Then I slept again. I woke up because my back was getting worse and worse. The day was slipping by on the canopy. Shortly afterwards, one of the old men woke up and he coughed a lot. He was spitting into a large checked handkerchief and each spit was like a tear. He woke up the others and the caretaker said they should leave. They got up. This uncomfortable vigil had made their faces ashen. On the way out, and to my astonishment, they all shook hands with me - as if that night when we hadn't exchanged a word had increased our intimacy.

J'étais fatigué. Le concierge m'a conduit chez lui et j'ai pu faire un peu de toilette. J'ai encore pris du café au lait qui était très bon. Quand je suis sorti, le jour était complètement levé. Au-dessus des collines qui séparent Marengo de la mer, le ciel était plein de rougeurs. Et le vent qui passait au-dessus d'elles apportait ici une odeur de sel. C'était une belle journée qui se préparait. Il y avait longtemps que j'étais allé à la campagne et je sentais quel plaisir j'aurais pris à me promener s'il n'y avait pas eu maman.

I was tired. The concierge took me to his house and I was able to wash up a bit. I had some more coffee with milk, which was very good. When I came out, it was completely light. Over the hills that separate Marengo from the sea, the sky was full of redness. And the wind that passed over them brought here a smell of salt. It was a beautiful day ahead. I had been in the country for a long time and I could feel what a pleasure it would have been to go for a walk if it hadn't been for Mother.

Mais j'ai attendu dans la cour, sous un platane. Je respirais l'odeur de la terre fraîche et je n'avais plus sommeil. J'ai pensé aux collègues du bureau. À cette heure, ils se levaient pour aller au travail : pour moi c'était toujours l'heure la plus difficile. J'ai encore réfléchi un peu à ces choses, mais j'ai été distrait par une cloche qui sonnait à l'intérieur, des bâtiments. Il y a eu du remue-ménage derrière les fenêtres, puis tout s'est calmé. Le soleil était monté un peu plus dans le ciel : il commençait à chauffer mes pieds. Le concierge a traversé la cour et m'a dit que le directeur me demandait. Je suis allé dans son bureau. Il m'a fait signer un certain nombre de pièces. J'ai vu qu'il était habillé de noir avec un pantalon rayé. Il a pris le téléphone en main et il m'a interpellé : « Les employés des pompes funèbres sont là depuis un moment. Je vais leur demander de venir fermer la bière. Voulez-vous auparavant voir votre mère une dernière fois ? » J'ai dit non. Il a ordonné dans le téléphone en baissant la voix : « Figeac, dites aux hommes qu'ils peuvent aller. »

But I waited in the courtyard, under a plane tree. I breathed in the smell of fresh earth and I was no longer sleepy. I thought of my colleagues in the office. At that hour they were getting up to go to work: for me, it was always the most difficult hour. I thought about these things for a while longer, but I was distracted by a bell ringing inside the buildings. There was some commotion behind the windows, and then everything calmed down. The sun had risen a little higher in the sky: it was beginning to warm my feet. The caretaker came across the courtyard and told me that the director was asking for me. I went into his office. He made me sign a number of documents. I saw that he was dressed in black with striped trousers. He took the phone in his hand and called out to me: "The undertakers have been here for a while. I will ask them to come and close the coffin. Do you want to see your mother one last time before then?" I said no. He ordered into the phone, lowering his voice: "Figeac, tell the men they can go."

Ensuite il m'a dit qu'il assisterait à l'enterrement et je l'ai remercié. Il s'est assis derrière son bureau, il a croisé ses petites jambes. Il m'a averti que moi et lui serions seuls, avec l'infirmière de service. En principe, les pensionnaires ne devaient pas assister aux enterrements. Il les laissait seulement veiller : « C'est une question d'humanité », a-t-il remarqué. Mais en l'espèce, il avait accordé l'autorisation de suivre le convoi à un vieil ami de maman : « Thomas Pérez. » Ici, le directeur a souri. Il m'a dit : « Vous comprenez, c'est un sentiment un peu puéril. Mais lui et votre mère ne se quittaient guère. À l'asile, on les plaisantait, on disait à Pérez : « C'est votre fiancée. » Lui riait. Ça leur faisait plaisir. Et le fait est que la mort de Mme Meursault l'a beaucoup affecté. Je n'ai pas cru devoir lui refuser l'autorisation. Mais sur le conseil du médecin visiteur, je lui ai interdit la veillée d'hier. »

He then informed me that he was going to attend the funeral, and I thanked him. Sitting down behind his desk, he crossed his short legs and leaned back. Besides the nurse on duty, he told me, he and I would be the only mourners at the funeral. It was a rule of the Home that inmates shouldn’t attend funerals, though there was no objection to letting some of them sit up beside the coffin, the night before. “It’s for their own sakes,” he explained, “to spare their feelings. But in this particular instance I’ve given permission to an old friend of your mother to come with us. His name is Thomas Pérez.” The warden smiled. “It’s a rather touching little story in its way. He and your mother had become almost inseparable. The other old people used to tease Pérez about having a fiancée. ‘When are you going to marry her?’ they’d ask. He’d turn it with a laugh. It was a standing joke, in fact. So, as you can guess, he feels very badly about your mother’s death. I thought I couldn’t decently refuse him permission to attend the funeral. But, on our medical officer’s advice, I forbade him to sit up beside the body last night.”

Nous sommes restés silencieux assez longtemps. Le directeur s'est levé et a regardé par la fenêtre de son bureau. À un moment, il a observé : « Voilà déjà le curé de Marengo. Il est en avance. » Il m'a prévenu qu'il faudrait au moins trois quarts d'heure de marche pour aller à l'église qui est au village même. Nous sommes descendus. Devant le bâtiment, il y avait le curé et deux enfants de chœur. L'un de ceux-ci tenait un encensoir et le prêtre se baissait vers lui pour régler la longueur de la chaîne d'argent. Quand nous sommes arrivés, le prêtre s'est relevé. Il m'a appelé « mon fils » et m'a dit quelques mots. Il est entré ; je l'ai suivi.

For some time we sat there without speaking. Then the warden got up and went to the window. Presently he said: “Ah, there’s the padre from Marengo. He’s a bit ahead of time.” He warned me that it would take us a good three-quarter of an hour, to walk to the church, which was in the village. Then we went downstairs. The priest was waiting just outside the mortuary door. With him were two acolytes, one of whom had a censer. The priest was stooping over him, adjusting the length of the silver chain on which it hung. When he saw us he straightened up and said a few words to me, addressing me as, “My son.” Then he led the way into the mortuary.

J'ai vu d'un coup que les vis de la bière étaient enfoncées et qu'il y avait quatre hommes noirs dans la pièce. J'ai entendu en même temps le directeur me dire que la voiture attendait sur la route et le prêtre commencer ses prières. À partir de ce moment, tout est allé très vite. Les hommes se sont avancés vers la bière avec un drap. Le prêtre, ses suivants, le directeur et moi-même sommes sortis. Devant la porte, il y avait une dame que je ne connaissais pas : « M. Meursault », a dit le directeur. Je n'ai pas entendu le nom de cette dame et j'ai compris seulement qu'elle était infirmière déléguée. Elle a incliné sans un sourire son visage osseux et long. Puis nous nous sommes rangés pour laisser passer le corps.

I noticed at once that four men in black were standing behind the coffin and the screws in the lid had now been driven home. At the same moment I heard the warden remark that the hearse had arrived, and the priest starting his prayers. Then everybody made a move. Holding a strip of black cloth, the four men approached the coffin, while the priest, the boys, and myself filed out. A lady I hadn’t seen before was standing by the door. “This is Monsieur Meursault,” the warden said to her. I didn’t catch her name, but I gathered she was a nursing sister attached to the Home. When I was introduced, she bowed, without the trace of a smile on her long, gaunt face. We stood aside from the doorway to let the coffin by.

Nous avons suivi les porteurs et nous sommes sortis de l'asile. Devant la porte, il y avait la voiture. Vernie, oblongue et brillante, elle faisait penser à un plumier. À côté d'elle, il y avait l'ordonnateur, petit homme aux habits ridicules, et un vieillard à l'allure empruntée. J'ai compris que c'était M. Pérez. Il avait un feutre mou à la calotte ronde et aux ailes larges (il l'a ôté quand la bière a passé la porte), un costume dont le pantalon tirebouchonnait sur les souliers et un nœud d'étoffe noire trop petit pour sa chemise à grand col blanc. Ses lèvres tremblaient au-dessous d'un nez truffé de points noirs. Ses cheveux blancs assez fins laissaient passer de curieuses oreilles ballantes et mal ourlées dont la couleur rouge sang dans ce visage blafard me frappa.

L'ordonnateur nous donna nos places. Le curé marchait en avant, puis la voiture. Autour d'elle, les quatre hommes. Derrière, le directeur, moi-même et, fermant la marche, l'infirmière déléguée et M. Pérez.

Then, following the bearers down a corridor, we came to the front entrance, where a hearse was waiting. Oblong, glossy, varnished black all over, it vaguely reminded me of the pen trays in the office. Beside the hearse stood a quaintly dressed little -man, whose duty it was, I understood, to supervise the funeral, as a sort of master of ceremonies. Near him, looking constrained, almost bashful, was old M. Pérez, my mother’s special friend. He wore a soft felt hat with a pudding-basin crown and a very wide brim—he whisked it off the moment the coffin emerged from the doorway—trousers that concertina’d on his shoes, a black tie much too small for his high white double collar. Under a bulbous, pimply nose, his lips were trembling. But what caught my attention most was his ears; pendulous, scarlet ears that showed up like blobs of sealing wax on the pallor of his cheeks and were framed in wisps of silky white hair.

The undertaker’s factotum shepherded us to our seats, with the priest in front of the hearse, and the four men in black on each side of it. The warden and I came next, and, bringing up the rear, old Pérez and the nurse.

Le ciel était déjà plein de soleil. Il commençait à peser sur la terre et la chaleur augmentait rapidement. Je ne sais pas pourquoi nous avons attendu assez longtemps avant de nous mettre en marche. J'avais chaud sous mes vêtements sombres. Le petit vieux, qui s'était recouvert, a de nouveau ôté son chapeau. Je m'étais un peu tourné de son côté, et je le regardais lorsque le directeur m'a parlé de lui. Il m'a dit que souvent ma mère et M. Pérez allaient se promener le soir jusqu'au village, accompagnés d'une infirmière.

Je regardais la campagne autour de moi. À travers les lignes de cyprès qui menaient aux collines près du ciel, cette terre rousse et verte, ces maisons rares et bien dessinées, je comprenais maman. Le soir, dans ce pays, devait être comme une trêve mélancolique. Aujourd'hui, le soleil débordant qui faisait tressaillir le paysage le rendait inhumain et déprimant.

The sky was already a blaze of light, and the air stoking up rapidly. I felt the first waves of heat lapping my back, and my dark suit made things worse. I couldn’t imagine why we waited so long for getting under way. Old Pérez, who had put on his hat, took it off again. I had turned slightly in his direction and was looking at him when the warden started telling me more about him. I remember his saying that old Pérez and my mother used often to have a longish stroll together in the cool of the evening; sometimes they went as far as the village, accompanied by a nurse, of course.

I looked at the countryside, at the long lines of cypresses sloping up toward the skyline and the hills, the hot red soil dappled with vivid green, and here and there a lonely house sharply outlined against the light—and I could understand Mother’s feelings. Evenings in these parts must be a sort of mournful solace. Now, in the full glare of the morning sun, with everything shimmering in the heat haze, there was something inhuman, discouraging, about this landscape.

Nous nous sommes mis en marche. C'est à ce moment que je me suis aperçu que Pérez claudiquait légèrement. La voiture, peu à peu, prenait de la vitesse et le vieillard perdait du terrain. L'un des hommes qui entouraient la voiture s'était laissé dépasser aussi et marchait maintenant à mon niveau. J'étais surpris de la rapidité avec laquelle le soleil montait dans le ciel. Je me suis aperçu qu'il y avait déjà longtemps que la campagne bourdonnait du chant des insectes et de crépitements d'herbe. La sueur coulait sur mes joues. Comme je n'avais pas de chapeau, je m'éventais avec mon mouchoir.

At last, we made a move. Only then I noticed that Pérez had a slight limp. The old chap steadily lost ground as the hearse gained speed. One of the men beside it, too, fell back and drew level with me. I was surprised to see how quickly the sun was climbing up the sky, and just then it struck me that for quite a while the air had been throbbing with the hum of insects and the rustle of grass warming up. Sweat was running down my face. As I had no hat I tried to fan myself with my handkerchief.

L'employé des pompes funèbres m'a dit alors quelque chose que je n'ai pas entendu. En même temps, il s'essuyait le crâne avec un mouchoir qu'il tenait dans sa main gauche, la main droite soulevant le bord de sa casquette. Je lui ai dit : « Comment ? »Il a répété en montrant le ciel : « Ça tape. » J'ai dit : « Oui. » Un peu après, il m'a demandée : « C'est votre mère qui est là ? » J'ai encore dit : « Oui. » « Elle était vieille ? » J'ai répondu : « Comme ça », parce que je ne savais pas le chiffre exact. Ensuite, il s'est tu. Je me suis retourné et j'ai vu le vieux Pérez à une cinquantaine de mètres derrière nous. Il se hâtait en balançant son feutre à bout de bras. J'ai regardé aussi le directeur. Il marchait avec beaucoup de dignité, sans un geste inutile. Quelques gouttes de sueur perlaient sur son front, mais il ne les essuyait pas.

The undertaker then said something to me that I did not hear. At the same time, he was wiping his head with a handkerchief in his left hand, his right hand lifting the brim of his cap. I said, "How?" He repeated, pointing to the sky, "It's banging." I said, "Yes." A little later he asked me, "Is that your mother there? I said again, "Yes. "Was she old? I answered, "Like that," because I didn't know the exact number. Then he fell silent. I turned around and saw old Pérez about fifty metres behind us. He was hurrying along, swinging his felt at arm's length. I also looked at the director. He was walking with great dignity, without a single useless gesture. A few drops of sweat were beading on his forehead, but he did not wipe them off.

Il me semblait que le convoi marchait un peu plus vite. Autour de moi, c'était toujours la même campagne lumineuse gorgée de soleil. L'éclat du ciel était insoutenable. À un moment donné, nous sommes passés sur une partie de la route qui avait été récemment refaite. Le soleil avait fait éclater le goudron. Les pieds y enfonçaient et laissaient ouverte sa pulpe brillante. Au-dessus de la voiture, le chapeau du cocher, en cuir bouilli, semblait avoir été pétri dans cette boue noire. J'étais un peu perdu entre le ciel bleu et blanc et la monotonie de ces couleurs, noir gluant du goudron ouvert, noir terne des habits, noir laque de la voiture. Tout cela, le soleil, l'odeur de cuir et de crottin de la voiture, celle du vernis et celle de l'encens, la fatigue d'une nuit d'insomnie, me troublait le regard et les idées.

It seemed to me that the convoy was moving a little faster. All around me was the same bright, sun-drenched countryside. The brightness of the sky was unbearable. At one point we passed a section of road that had recently been resurfaced. The sun had blasted the tarmac. The feet sank into it and left its shiny pulp open. On top of the car, the coachman's hat, made of boiled leather, looked as if it had been kneaded in the black mud. I was a little lost between the blue and white sky and the monotony of these colours, the slimy black of the open tar, the dull black of the clothes, the black lacquer of the car. All this, the sun, the smell of leather and dung from the car, that of varnish and that of incense, the tiredness of a sleepless night, confused my eyes and my thoughts.

Je me suis retourné une fois de plus : Pérez m'a paru très loin, perdu dans une nuée de chaleur, puis je ne l'ai plus aperçu. Je l'ai cherché du regard et j'ai vu qu'il avait quitté la route et pris à travers champs. J'ai constaté aussi que devant moi la route tournait. J'ai compris que Pérez qui connaissait le pays coupait au plus court pour nous rattraper. Au tournant il nous avait rejoints. Puis nous l'avons perdu. Il a repris encore à travers champs et comme cela plusieurs fois. Moi, je sentais le sang qui me battait aux tempes.

I turned around once more: Pérez seemed very far away, lost in a cloud of heat, and then I didn't see him anymore. I looked for him and saw that he had left the road and gone across the fields. I also noticed that the road ahead of me was turning. I realised that Pérez, who knew the country, was cutting it as short as possible to catch up with us. At the bend, he had joined us. Then we lost him. He started again across the fields and like that several times. I could feel the blood pounding in my temples.

Tout s'est passé ensuite avec tant de précipitation, de certitude et de naturel, que je ne me souviens plus de rien. Une chose seulement : à l'entrée du village, l'infirmière déléguée m'a parlé. Elle avait une voix singulière qui n'allait pas avec son visage, une voix mélodieuse et tremblante. Elle m'a dit : « Si on va doucement, on risque une insolation. Mais si on va trop vite, on est en transpiration et dans l'église on attrape un chaud et froid. » Elle avait raison. Il n'y avait pas d'issue.

Everything happened afterwards with such haste, certainty and naturalness that I don't remember anything. Only one thing: at the entrance to the village, the nurse delegate spoke to me. She had a singular voice that did not match her face, a melodious and trembling voice. She said to me: "If we go slowly, we risk sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you get sweaty and in the church, you catch a hot and cold." She was right. There was no way out.

J'ai encore gardé quelques images de cette journée : par exemple, le visage de Pérez quand, pour la dernière fois, il nous a rejoints près du village. De grosses larmes d'énervement et de peine ruisselaient sur ses joues. Mais, à cause des rides, elles ne s'écoulaient pas. Elles s'étalaient, se rejoignaient et formaient un vernis d'eau sur ce visage détruit.

I still have some images of that day: for example, Pérez's face when, for the last time, he joined us near the village. Big tears of anger and sorrow were streaming down his cheeks. But, because of the wrinkles, they did not flow away. They spread out, joined together and formed a watery varnish on that destroyed face.

Il y a eu encore l'église et les villageois sur les trottoirs, les géraniums rouges sur les tombes du cimetière, l'évanouissement de Pérez (on eût dit un pantin disloqué), la terre couleur de sang qui roulait sur la bière de maman, la chair blanche des racines qui s'y mêlaient, encore du monde, des voix, le village, l'attente devant un café, l'incessant ronflement du moteur, et ma joie quand l'autobus est entré dans le nid de lumières d'Alger et que j'ai pensé que j'allais me coucher et dormir pendant douze heures.

There was still the church and the villagers on the pavements, the red geraniums on the graves in the cemetery, the fainting of Pérez (he looked like a dislocated puppet), the blood-coloured earth that rolled over Mama's bier, the white flesh of the roots that mingled there, more people, voices, the village, waiting in front of a café, the incessant hum of the engine, and my joy when the bus entered the nest of lights of Algiers and I thought I was going to lie down and sleep for twelve hours.

[musing-and-music]

@theaceofdragons you wanted to know more about "The Corporal and the General", so here are a few things about it!

First, this WIP hasn't been touched since last August, paused in the middle of a sentence said by Riza: "Brigadier General Mustang, may I introduce to you Corporal Mustang?"

Because yes, this WIP is about 03!Roy finding himself in the manga setting, post Promised Day (no exchange of Roys here 😉)

I'm having fun deciding how different both worlds are, and how Riza, Roy, and 03!Roy will react to them (especially concerning Berthold Hawkeye)

This fic came to me thanks to a few conversations about what could happen if manga!Roy and/or 03!Roy went to the other's world

Snippet time! Both in French and English!

French

Riza sursauta.

— Comment ça, mon père est alchimiste?

Si vraiment il venait d’un monde parallèle, ce “Roy Mustang” et sa version d’elle-même n’avaient pas le même passé, pas la même relation, et bien des événements devaient différer du monde qu’elle connaissait.

L’homme en uniforme lui lança un regard étonné.

— Il ne l’est pas ici? Vous–la version de vous que je connais–m’a dit qu’il donnait des cours dans les collèges et lycées de la région Est, et qu’il regrettait d’être souvent en déplacement, loin de sa femme.

Un rire incrédule échappa à Riza.

English

"What do you mean, my father is an alchemist?"

If this "Roy Mustang" really came from a parallel world, he and her version from that world didn't have the same past, the same relationship, and many event didn't happen the same way as in her own world.

The man in uniform shot her a surprised look. "He isn't here? You-the version of you I know-told me he was teaching in secondary and high schools in the Eastern region, and he regretted being so often far from his home, far from his wife.

Riza laughed, disbelieving.

[hopefulkidshark]

Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux

Lââm est l'une des chanteuses françaises qui a le plus marqué le début des années 2000. Si elle a arrêté de sortir des albums, l'artiste de 49 ans n'a pour autant pas tourné le dos à la musique.

Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux

Celui-là passe toute la nuit (This one goes all night)

A regarder les étoiles (To gaze at the stars)

En pensant qu’au bout du monde (Thinking that at the end of the world)

Y a quelqu’un qui pense à lui (There's someone thinking of him)

Et cette petite fille qui joue (And this little girl playing)

Qui ne veut plus jamais sourire (Who never wants to smile again)

Et qui voit son père partout (And who sees his father everywhere)

Qui s’est construit un empire (Who built an empire)

Où qu’ils aillent (wherever they go)

Ils sont tristes à la fête (They are sad at the party)

Où qu’ils aillent (wherever they go)

Ils sont seuls dans leur tête (They are alone in their head)

Je veux chanter pour ceux (I want to sing for those)

Qui sont loin de chez eux (Who are far from home)

Et qui ont dans leurs yeux (And who have in their eyes)

Quelque chose qui fait mal (something that hurts

Qui fait mal (That hurts)

Je veux chanter pour ceux (I want to sing for those)

Qu’on oublie peu à peu (That we forget little by little)

Et qui gardent au fond d’eux (And who keep deep inside)

Quelque chose qui fait mal (something that hurts)

Qui fait mal (That hurts)

Qui a volé leur histoire (Who stole their story)

Qui a volé leur mémoire (Who stole their memory)

Qui a piétiné leur vie (Who trampled their lives)

Comme on marche sur un miroir (Like walking on a mirror)

Celui-là voudra des bombes (This one will want bombs)

Celui-là comptera les jours (This one will count the days)

En alignant des bâtons (By lining up sticks)

Comme les barreaux d’une prison (Like the bars of a prison)

Où qu’ils aillent (wherever they go)

Ils sont tristes à la fête (They are sad at the party)

Où qu’ils aillent (wherever they go)

Ils sont seuls dans leur tête (They are alone in their head)

Je veux chanter pour ceux (I want to sing for those)

Qui sont loin de chez eux (Who are far from home)

Et qui ont dans leurs yeux (And who have in their eyes)

Quelque chose qui fait mal (something that hurts)

Qui fait mal (That hurts)

Je veux chanter pour ceux (I want to sing for those)

Qu’on oublie peu à peu (That we forget little by little)

Et qui gardent au fond d’eux (And who keep deep inside)

Quelque chose qui fait mal (something that hurts)

Qui fait mal (That hurts)

Je veux chanter pour ceux (I want to sing for those)

Qui sont loin de chez eux (Who are far from home)

Et qui ont dans leurs yeux (And who have in their eyes)

Quelque chose qui fait mal (something that hurts)

Qui fait mal (That hurts)

Quand je pense à eux (When I think of them)

Ça fait mal, ça fait mal (It hurts, it hurts)

Translation and text Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux - Lââm (muztext.com)

Que devient la chanteuse Lââm ? - Cosmopolitan.fr

Songwriters: Michel Berger

Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux lyrics © Apache France

[fritextramole]

Could you love this?

part 4 of a Blair Waldorf playlist - best heard in order

tracklist and quotes under the cut

Coin de rue ~ Juliette Gréco

Je me souviens d'un triste soir Où le cœur sans espoir ~ I remember a sad evening When my heart despaired

It’s Nice To Have A Friend ~ Taylor Swift

Something gave you the nerve To touch my hand It’s nice to have a friend

Needle In A Haystack ~ The Velvelettes

Still water sometimes runs very deep You'll be sorry when you just jump

Ready Now ~ dodie

Oh, it suits me To feel strong You said, "I will listen Tell me it all You don't like the ending Then we'll find one that's yours"

Autumn In New York ~ Jo Stafford

You'll need no castles in Spain Yes, lovers that bless the dark On the benches in central park Greet autumn in New York

You Can’t Hurry Love ~ The Supremes

You gotta trust, give it time No matter how long it takes But how many heartaches must I stand Before I find a love to let me live again

The Gentleman Is A Dope ~ BLOSSOM DEARIE

He's somebody else's problem She's welcome to the guy! She'll never understand him Half as well as I

You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To ~ Helen Merrill

Under stars chilled by the winter Under an August moon burning above You'd be so nice, you'd be paradise To come home to and love

I'm Not In Love ~ Kelsey Lu

I keep your picture up on the wall It hides a nasty stain that's lying there So don't you ask me to give it back I know you know it doesn't mean that much to me

ivy ~ Taylor Swift

My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand Taking mine, but it's been promised to another

distance ~ Christina Perri

I'll give you everything I am All my broken heartbeats Until I know you'll understand

Stupid Cupid ~ Connie Francis

I'm in love and it's a crying shame And I know that you're the one to blame

Sixteen Reasons ~ Connie Stevens

the way you comb your hair (Six) your freckled nose (Seven) the way you say you care (Eight) your crazy clothes

I’m Not Calling You A Liar ~ Florence + The Machine

There's a ghost in my mouth And it talks in my sleep Wraps itself around my tongue

Andante, Andante ~ Lily James

Let your body be the velvet of the night Touch my soul, you know how Andante, Andante Go slowly with me now

Moodswings (To Come At Me Like That) ~ Charlotte Church

You just want to see, see the other side of me

long story short ~ Taylor Swift

No more tug of war now I just know there's more

Jackie Onassis ~ ELIO

We can go to dinner in Paris and spend our advances Who cares about money and finances? I'll keep taking antidepressants and count my blessings I've learnt my lesson

You’ve Got What Gets Me ~ Ella Fitzgerald

But when you smile on me I get prouder and prouder My heart goes on a spree Beating louder and louder

pov ~ Ariana Grande

How you touch my soul from the outside? Permeate my ego and my pride I wanna love me The way that you love me

Sick of Losing Soulmates ~ dodie

God knows where I would be if you hadn't found me Sitting all alone in the dark

Crépuscule ~ Cœur De Pirate

À vif, nos vies, ne laissaient que nos cris Au loin, crédules, nos peaux au crépuscule Et pourtant, j'espère encore Que l'enfant que j'étais Retrouve enfin, une parcelle de paix ~ Raw, our lives, left only our cries In the distance, gullible, our skins at dusk And yet, I still hope That the child that I was Finally found a piece of peace

cardigan ~ Taylor Swift

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs The smell of smoke would hang around this long 'Cause I knew everything when I was young

There’ll Be Some Changes Made ~ Peggy Lee

My walk will be different, my talk and my name Nothin' about me is gonna be the same

Our Lips Are Sealed ~ The Go-Go’s

When you look at them Look right through them That's when they'll disappear That's when we'll be feared

Bags ~ Clairo

Savor this with everything I have inside of me I'm not the type to run, I know that we're having fun But what's the rush? Kissing, then my cheeks are so flushed

Le Printemps A Paris ~ Jacqueline Taieb

Entre tes doigts Qu’il est joli, cet accord J’aime ta voix Chante donc un peu plus fort ~ Between your fingers That is pretty this chord I love your voice Sing a little louder

My Baby Just Cares for Me ~ Nina Simone

Baby, my baby don't care for shows And he don't even care for clothes He cares for me

Love Is Here To Stay ~ BLOSSOM DEARIE

Together we're going a long, long way In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble They're only made of clay But our love is here to stay

If I’m Being Honest ~ dodie

All of my best bits pulled forward, collected, displayed Sadly, I just think that I was disgusting today You blew me up like a big balloon far too soon I'm left a stuttering teen

arms ~ Christina Perri

How many times will let you me change my mind and turn around I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown I hope that you see right through my walls I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling

Il Est Parti Comme Il Etait Venu ~ Zouzou

Il a fui sans savoir où aller Tout simplement pour oublier Que sa vie s'est juste un peu brisée ~ He walked away without knowing where to go In order to forget That his life has just been a little bit broken

Nicest Thing ~ Kate Nash

I wish I was your favorite girl I wish you thought I was the reason you are in the world I wish my smile was your favorite kind of smile I wish the way that I dressed was your favorite kind of style

Perfect ~ Selena Gomez

How does she touch you? Can I try it, too? I know you're twisted, but baby, I'm twisted, too I wanna know how she could make a man lose his mind

Sorry ~ Halsey

Don't realize how mean I can be 'Cause I can sometimes treat the people That I love like jewelry

[kilfeur]

Les erreurs de Rayla (Rayla's mistakes)

Oui vous avez bien lu, je vais parler de ses erreurs et pas de le sens que je vais la basher mais plutôt essayer d'apporter mon point de vue là dessus. Déjà j'aimerai parler du départ de Rayla, on pourrait croire ça comme un acte d'amour. Car elle souhaite protéger Callum et je peux comprendre mais de l'autre c'est un peu l'abandonner. Et comme je l'ai dit, je peux le comprendre Rayla s'est souvent montré protectrice envers ses proches. Mais le fait de partir comme ça en ne laissant qu'une lettre, c'est un peu vache.

Même quand elle revient, elle dit qu'elle sait que son absence l'a blessé. Mais se rend pas compte comment il est blessé par son départ. Après j'ai bien aimé son attitude envers Callum. Oui elle veut lui parler mais elle voit que ce dernier ne souhaite pas lui parler et n'insiste pas pour éviter qu'il y ait des tensions. Je la trouvais assez patiente bien qu'on sent que ses deux années sans le groupe l'a un peu changé. Quand elle a dit "On peut pas sauver tout le monde" à Soren. Je me demandais ce qui c'était passé pour qu'elle pense à ça. Mais apparemment elle aurait dit quelque chose qu'elle pensait pas vraiment d'après une interview. Dans les histoires courtes relatant ce qu'elle a fait pendant ces deux ans. On voit que la traque de Viren l'a fait souffrir. Elle est loin de ses amis, loin de Callum. Et ça lui fait mal surtout que pendant sa traque, elle n'a pas pu le retrouver. Et elle décide de rentrer chez elle, pas à Silvergroove mais à Katolis. Montrant que sa maison n'est plus à son village mais auprès de ses amis.

Lorsqu'elle vole la clé de Callum, ça m'avait choqué car j'aurai pensé qu'elle essaierait de lui parler mais bon après ça veut dire parler de sa famille. Et elle était pas prête pour ça ! Mais c'est un peu salaud de sa part, surtout quand Callum voit l'arc de Runaan, il va pas bien du tout. Quand Amaya lui parle, elle se défend en disant qu'elle a fait ça pour le protéger. Mais malgré des raisons compréhensibles, ça reste un abandon et cette décision les a tout les deux fait souffrir. Elle pensait qu'elle devenait forte toute seule. Mais c'est pas comme ça qu'on devient fort et Amaya l'a apprit à ses dépends mais aussi par le biais de l'amour alias Janai. Rayla alors comprend ce que veut dire Amaya par devenir plus forte. Ce qui la pousse à se confier à Callum. Et ça c'est bien, c'est un bon premier pas !

Rayla fait des erreurs mais elle apprend de ces derniers et essaie de faire de son mieux.

Yes, you read that right, I'm going to talk about her mistakes and not in the sense that I'm going to bash her but rather try to bring my point of view on it. First of all, I'd like to talk about Rayla's departure, which could be seen as an act of love. Because she wants to protect Callum and I can understand that, but on the other hand it's a bit like abandoning him. And as I said, I can understand that Rayla has often been protective of her loved ones. But to leave just like that, leaving only a letter, is a bit rude.

Even when she returns, she says she knows her absence has hurt him. But she doesn't realize how hurt he is by her leaving. Then I liked her attitude towards Callum. Yes, she wants to talk to him, but she sees that he doesn't want to talk to her and doesn't insist to avoid tension. I thought she was quite patient, although you can tell that two years without the band has changed her a bit. When she said "We can't save everyone" to Soren. I wondered what had happened to make her think that. But apparently she said something she didn't really mean it, according to an interview. In the short stories about what she did during those two years. We can see that tracking Viren has made her suffer. She's far from her friends, far from Callum. And that hurts her, especially since she hasn't been able to find Viren during her tracking. So she decides to return home, not to Silvergroove but to Katolis. Showing that her home is no longer in her village, but with her friends.

When she stole Callum's key, I was shocked because I thought she'd try to talk to him, but then that meant talking about her family. And she wasn't ready for that! But it's a bit dirty on her part, especially when Callum sees Runaan's bow, he's not doing well at all. When Amaya talks to him, she defends herself by saying she did it to protect him. But despite understandable reasons, it's still an abandonment, and this decision has made them both suffer. She thought she had to become strong on her own. But that's not how you become strong, and Amaya learned this the hard way, but also through love, aka Janai. Rayla then understands what Amaya means by becoming stronger. Which leads her to confide in Callum. And that's a good first step!

Rayla makes mistakes, but she learns from them and tries to do her best.

[samcatcher]

When in London.

Chapter 6. masterpost.

I awoke suddenly that same night and something dawned upon me to check my phone. It was 1:17 AM. After a few seconds of waking up, I discovered the urge I had was due to the constant vibrating, pinging and ringing from Jean. There was so many notifications everyone at home probably thought I had an alarm going off that I was sleeping through. It was just Jean obsessively ringing me over and over.

I turned towards the wall and tried to ignore the constant ringing, but I couldn’t. It had been ringing now for 20 minutes, and I know that everyone in the house could probably hear it, and even if I put it on just vibrate, the vibrating would be just as annoying.

I answered the phone, and just as I expected, there was shouting. I didn’t say a word, I just listened, analyzing what he had to say.

“Ces derniers jours, j'ai commencé à avoir l'impression de ne plus t'aimer du tout.” He stated. Monotone. It made my jaw drop in shock.

-These past few days, I've started to feel like I don't even love you at all.- is what he said.

I told him that he doesn’t mean that. I told him I hadn’t done anything but what I wanted to do, and I told him that if he can’t accept that, he should leave me. I opened up about the way he made me feel. Explaining that over the past few days, I have felt like he doesn’t know who I am. And he has surely been treating me like he didn't like me. After I had done absolutely nothing wrong. All I did to him was accidentally respond to a message in English. All I did was fall asleep without telling him. I knew there was other things I did which would cause him to be angry, but these things he did not know.

“Vous m'avez épuisé. Je ne suis loin de toi que depuis trois jours et je le préfère déjà. Je suis assez mature pour croire qu'on peut s'en sortir, donc je te demande, viens à Londres, je sais que tu as toujours un billet de train, et arrangé ça avec moi. Si tu ne veux pas faire ça, tu peux partir et ne plus jamais me parler.” I added.

He sighed as if I would never understand what he was trying to say. I had just told him that if he doesn’t come to London and try to speak with me, he could leave me and never speak to me again. Because it would be a perfect example of his immaturity, which I could deal with, but not on this level.

He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, then put the phone down on me. I layed there, numb, drained. He had never ever been this horrible to me, in the whole two years we had known each other. He was always controlling and hated it when things didn’t go his way but he was never so verbally horrible and disrespectful towards me. All of my opinions of him being a respectful gentleman was thrown out of the window. I don’t know how he managed to hold back this intense hatred for so long. I couldn’t help but think something had changed at home. Something for him to be guilty about. However I shook the thought because it was extremely unlikely.

I tried to get myself back to sleep, but failed, as my head was now pounding, from the restlessness of my emotions. I decided to go and get a drink, but as I stepped out of my room I was startled to see Danny standing in the kitchen, drinking a beer and looking through the cupboards. He turned around quickly, equally startled, and watched me carefully with narrow, tired eyes.

I ignored him.

“Hey stranger.” He said as I walked past him to get something out of the fridge, but I didn't say anything back.

“what’s happened?” he added after he didn’t see me politely smile or laugh.

I did a half smile out of politeness after he added the comment, then I shook my head.

“It’s nothing Danny, I’m just tired and my social battery is low. Thanks for the concern though.” I said as I pulled a can of beer out of the fridge and opened it. I began to walk to my room, but Danny touched my shoulder, which made me turn around.

“It’s been a while Lola. I still know you though.” He softly spoke to me. Expressing his disbelief at my excuse.

It reminded me of when we were younger and I’d always be upset about something small. I would go to Danny often when I was upset, he was one of those people that you just couldn’t help but be vulnerable with. He wasn’t judgemental or anything, he just listened.

Hearing his soft voice and recalling the memories of being young, I broke down. Suddenly tears were flowing down my face uncontrollably. Danny’s soft expression or voice didn’t change, he just stepped towards me and pulled me in for a hug, rubbing my back and softly shushing as I cried. It reminded me of when we were kids so much, it felt almost exactly the same. Although this time he was larger and warmer, he felt more aged and meaningful. He had grown up.

I tried to speak but couldn’t. I didn’t even want to. I didn’t want everyone to hate Jean. None of this was his fault. He just wasn’t used to being away from me for so long, everything would be okay in the end and he didn’t deserve to be alone in France while everyone was making a fuss of me back here in London.

“missing home?” Danny whispered after a while. I just nodded. I suppose I did miss home in a way, I miss when Jean felt like home.

“Me too.” Danny added after a few moments.

Danny hugged me tighter for another few minutes, then I decided to pull away, as his embrace had re-entered all tiredness in my body by making me feel safe and relaxed.

-I’m so glad you’re here.- I said to him as I grabbed my drink and began to walk to my room.

-See you in the morning.- He whispered, making his way back downstairs. I watched him walk away from my doorway, walking past a figure on the stairs. It was Sam, obviously, he had seen the entire thing.

I creeped into my bedroom, pretending that I didn’t see Sam on the stairs. I didn’t hear him walk back down though, he stayed still. Not a creek nor a step. I couldn’t even hear the light sounds of his bare feet gripping to the kitchen floor. I slipped into my bed and while I was adjusting the rustling covers and placing my head on the pillow, my ears were preoccupied. So I didn’t realize Sam had snuck in behind me.

I closed my eyes with the same numbing thoughts of Jean. The same pounding in my head from the crying.

“Lyla. I’ve never seen home sickness this bad. Plus, I keep hearing you shouting and speaking on the phone in French. Who is it?” Sam spoke from the foot of my bed. It scared me. I completely jumped out of my skin but Sam didn’t react. He just stood there concerned with his arms crossed.

“It’s-“ I started.

Sam waited for my reply. I looked at him in the cast of the moonlight shining from my window. His hair messily draped on his shoulders. His pajama shorts slipping past his hips ever so slightly, revealing slight belly hair. His tan skin, shining in the light and his big brown eyes staring at me with concern. More concern that Jean had ever felt for me. It was as if Sam had held this concern for years. I knew he had it at that moment. I felt it all.

“It doesn’t matter.” I rolled over, signaling to Sam that I didn't want to talk.

He just silently left the room.

I wanted to sleep but couldn’t. Two men had tried to help me get to sleep and be peaceful tonight, whereas one man had created it all. Something in me just felt so sorry for Jean yet something in me was shocked that he would take it out on me.

Having to rely on other men to console me was something I also felt guilty about. If Jean was here and saw me crying into another man's arms he wouldn't be happy, and I hated hiding things from him. Sometimes I just had to though. To avoid an argument.

I checked my phone once more, because Jean had put the phone down on me before confirming that he was still coming to London tomorrow but there was nothing from him. I prepared myself for either heartbreak tomorrow, or a surprise visit at the door at around 8 am. He was an early bird.

I put my phone down on the side table and told myself that was the last time I would touch it for the night. I needed to get some sleep.

I looked at the clock after another session of staring at the ceiling. It was 3:27am. I was so fucking frustrated. I wished Sam was in my room playing me to sleep again. I know he would if I asked but I didn’t want to disturb him. Even though I kept hearing him and Danny speaking, they must have got a burst of energy and woke up. I also wished I was in Jean’s arms. I wished I could smell his scent. It’s almost as though I could?

chapter 7.

[circe007]

It is regrettable that the idea and the cohesion created by Joseph Mawle were not followed by the directors because sociologically that would have been an interesting approach.

Mawle wanted to make his children refugees, who lived through tyranny and therefore became like their tyrants. They were designed as killing machines and are nothing but cannon fodder.

Adar saw in them children with hearts who deserved the warmth of a home, who deserved a little peace after all the horrors that had passed through over the millennia.

We can only draw a parallel with our time when certain countries are collapsing, throwing hundreds of thousands of migrants on the roads with nowhere to go and whom no one wants.

I am not saying that migrants are Uruks, far from it, but there is once again a resonance with our world today.

Adar had succeeded in seducing us with his dark wisdom and his love for his children.

Succeeding in opening our eyes, reflecting on our conceptions and rethinking the world, cinema is also used for this. There, it would have been a pure masterpiece !

C est regrettable que l'idée et la cohésion créés par Joseph Mawle n'aient pas été suivi par les réalisateurs car sociologiquement cela aurait été une approche très intéressante .

Mawle voulait faire de ses enfants des réfugiés, ayant vécues la tyrannie et par conséquent, devenant comme leurs tyrans. Ils ont été conçu comme des machines à tuer et ne représentent que de la chair à canon.

Adar voyait en eux des enfants avec un coeur qui méritaient la chaleur d'un foyer, qui avaient droit à un peu de paix après toutes les horreurs qui avaient traversé au fil des millénaires.

On ne peut que faire le parallèle avec notre époque où certains pays s'effondrent jetant sur les routes des centaines de milliers de migrants n' ayant nul part oû aller et dont personne ne veut.

Attention, je ne dis pas que les migrants sont des Uruks, loin de là, mais il y a une fois de plus une résonance avec notre monde d aujourd'hui.

Adar avait réussi à nous séduire par sa sagesse ténébreuse et son amour pour ses enfants.

Reussir à nous ouvrir les yeux , reflechir sur nos conceptions et repenser le monde,le cinéma sert à cela également. Là, ça aurait été un pur chef d'œuvre !

[thetruekyle]

In a world, designed for the women, I am the villain, because I still want to catch them all with their pants down, to put my seed deep within and create mother Gaia anew, over and again, to grow a reverberating kingdom by my own loins, and to subjugate this prejudiced and catering, wild, wily world of domesticated humanity, to make it 'my bitch' in all the dogged ways that matter, and to inflame the gravity from within her constrained belly, swelling it to the point of bursting, that it may break and flood with new life, teeming with possibility and good old fashioned room to breathe, damming artificial scarcity by taking the reins of natural reproductivity and purposeful husbandry et al by its gritty honchos; I will never be the nice guy ever again, even if I tried- and instead I shall sweep and infuse every wombun with this bread, rejoin flesh with my own flesh, and reunite every bone once more with my bone, instead -a volTRON gone Rinzler- turncoat and fighting for user numero uno, but standing up a solidly-founded home, heaven scent, a rent-to-own, and comprising a whole BLT sammich, without the lettuce, like I am a missing puzzle-piece of a man called B.T. Bruno... jogging left, looking after you, but as always, all love for the anchor dropping off that edge, with that cool splash in your see, with the sheer breadth and relative dimensions of my dreadNOughT on full display, I can be the bad guy, I always could, the real challenge is doing it scarily easy, while holding onto that slack line amid a freefall- and still somehow remaining 'me' . . .

Thus~!

[marshymindness]

Édouard m'a demandé ce qui n'allait pas.

《qu'est qui se passe mikey, t'as l'air triste.》

a small part of me was quite pleased. so often I am crushed by my thoughts and when I ask others if they can see the pain & exhaustion in my face, they say no, I just have my usual focused look.

I read somewhere that after being dealt 3 bad hands in succession, people tend to get depressed. certes je suis dégoûté, mais loin de me laisser stagner au lit. peut-être que j'ai trop l'habitude de ce sentiment d'écrasement dans mon quotidien pour baisser les bras, peut-être que ces sentiments m'ont juste toujours pas rattrapés et je m'écroulerai soudainement un jour.

I don't belong here. I haven't belonged anywhere since June 2010. I tie down friends & places and build new homes & families and then turn into the wolf and blow as hard as I can to see if they'll go with the wind. most often I don't even need to put in that much work ; the tides of time do it for me. this isn't a suicidal plea only an observation. to run off to the woods is pure cowardice.

I'm ashamed to be belong to a group known as men. ceux sont des lâches et des hypocrites et ça me dégoûte. work is work, my boss is a cunt & I'm learning about crapitalism. love is love, no matter how tender and kind you try to do things, putting forth the effort to do things right doesn't erase the fact that one day two people were close and the next they weren't. no wonder it's so much easier to do things the wrong way instead of delicately detangling & defusing this human bomb.

I want to build a world I want to live in. sure you can protect your peace/piece and keep moving forward but that's letting the selfish assholes win. I want to love men who love men. you can only lead by example. it would be so easy to let the bitter taste in my mouth become the only thing I know. it would be so easy to leave someone you hate. it would be so easy to erase politics from my concerns. it would be so easy to ignore the homeless man on the corner.

but doing things the easy way is lazy. doing things the easy way is selfish. doing things the easy way lets evil win. doing things the easy way isn't satisfying. doing things the easy way gets rid of all the beautiful nuance of this world. white isn't a color but all of them at once.

être grand frère c'est être mur porteur. milla said I do have something noble about me. I can't stand it here. even fixing it won't make me feel like I belong, but it's a sign that I'm grateful. I hate this world I love so much.

[helene-tolden]

🇫🇷 Café Gaudi Avril 2024. Jour 9. Ennuyé.

Définition : Lasser quelqu'un, ne provoquer chez lui aucun intérêt, lui causer un sentiment de fatigue. Errer comme une âme en peine, se morfondre, trouver le temps long.

😒

D'aussi loin que je me souvienne, c'est surtout durant l'enfance que j'ai vécu de longues périodes d'ennui. Je ne passais pas tout mon temps à regarder la télé car il n'y en avait qu'une à la maison donc chaque membre de la famille avait son créneau horaire pour en profiter. C'est pourquoi, après la diffusion des dessins animés, nous devions laisser la place et retourner jouer ensemble avec mes frères, à moins que le jeu ne m'intéresse pas ou qu'ils ne veuillent pas de ma participation.

🏸

Avant de savoir lire et de m'occuper en lisant des bandes-dessinées, j'ai commencé à dessiner. C'est donc pour tuer l'ennui que j'ai commencé à dessiner. L'ennui est souvent le point de départ de l'imagination et de la créativité. Je dessinais surtout les personnages des dessins animés que j'aimais pour leur inventer d'autres aventures. Puis je les ai déclinés en différentes variantes afin de me les approprier, au point de tellement les modifier qu'ils devenaient des personnages originaux. J'éprouvais alors une grande fierté face à mes créations que je m'empressais de montrer à mes parents dont j'attendais une critique positive pour flatter mon ego, développer ma confiance et rassurer mon besoin de validation.

🏆

L'ennui est important et nécessaire.

◽◽◽

🇬🇧 Café Gaudi April 2024. Day 9. Bored.

Definition: To bore someone, to arouse no interest in them, to cause them a feeling of fatigue. Wander like a lost soul, languish, find the time long.

😒

As far back as I can remember, it was especially during childhood that I experienced long periods of boredom. I didn't spend all my time watching TV because there was only one at home so each member of the family had their own time slot to enjoy it. That's why, after the cartoons were broadcast, we had to leave the room and go back to playing together with my brothers, unless I wasn't interested in the game or they didn't want my participation.

🏸

Before I knew how to read and occupied myself by reading comics, I started drawing. So it was to kill boredom that I started drawing. Boredom is often the starting point for imagination and creativity. I mainly drew the characters from the cartoons that I loved to invent other adventures for them. Then I declined them in different variations in order to make them my own, to the point of modifying them so much that they became original characters. I then felt great pride in my creations which I was quick to show to my parents from whom I expected a positive review to flatter my ego, develop my confidence and reassure my need for validation.

🏆

Boredom is important and necessary.

◽◽◽

🇪🇦Café Gaudí Abril 2024. Día 9. Aburrido.

Definición: Aburrir a alguien, no despertar ningún interés en él, provocarle sensación de cansancio. Vaga como un alma perdida, languidece, encuentra el tiempo largo.

😒

Hasta donde puedo recordar, fue especialmente durante la infancia cuando experimenté largos períodos de aburrimiento. No pasaba todo el tiempo viendo televisión porque en casa solo había una y cada miembro de la familia tenía su propio horario para disfrutarla. Por eso, después de que se transmitieran las caricaturas, teníamos que salir de la habitación y volver a jugar junto con mis hermanos, a menos que yo no estuviera interesado en el juego o ellos no quisieran mi participación.

🏸

Antes de saber leer y dedicarme a leer cómics, comencé a dibujar. Así que para matar el aburrimiento comencé a dibujar. El aburrimiento es muchas veces el punto de partida de la imaginación y la creatividad. Principalmente dibujaba los personajes de los dibujos animados que me encantaban para inventarles otras aventuras. Luego los rechacé en diferentes variaciones para hacerlos míos, hasta el punto de modificarlos tanto que se convirtieron en personajes originales. Entonces me sentí muy orgulloso de mis creaciones, que rápidamente enseñé a mis padres, de quienes esperaba una crítica positiva que halagara mi ego, desarrollara mi confianza y tranquilizara mi necesidad de validación.

🏆

El aburrimiento es importante y necesario.