One sentence of «La Dernière Classe»

Mais ce qui me surprit le plus, ce fut de voir au fond de la salle, sur les bancs qui restaient vides d’habitude, des gens du village assis et silencieux comme nous : le vieux Hauser avec son tricorne, l’ancien maire, l’ancien facteur, et puis d’autres personnes encore.

But what surprised me most was to see, at the back of the room, on the benches that were usually empty, people from the village sitting there as silent as we were: old Hauser with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postman, and other people besides.

Alors seulement, un peu remis de ma frayeur, je remarquai que notre maître avait sa belle redingote verte, son jabot plissé fin et la calotte de soie noire brodée qu’il ne mettait que les jours d’inspection ou de distribution de prix.

Only then, somewhat recovered from my fright, did I notice that our master had on his fine green frock coat, his finely pleated frill and the embroidered black silk skullcap that he wore only on inspection days or prize days.

Du reste, toute la classe avait quelque chose d’extraordinaire et de solennel.

Besides, the whole class had something strange and solemn about it.

Tout ce monde-là paraissait triste ; et Hauser avait apporté un vieil abécédaire mangé aux bords, qu’il tenait grand ouvert sur ses genoux, avec ses grosses lunettes posées en travers des pages.

All of them looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, chewed at the edges, which he held wide open on his knees, with his big spectacles laid across the pages.