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Jesse
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Jun 05, 2015 04:13AM
You're very welcome! Glad it was useful to you.
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Read this book twice, and as someone who speaks minimal French, I've always skipped this section. Thanks for adding depth to my third pass.
Thank you so much! I love how random Ellis' writing is sometimes... Starting a novel mid-sentence, throwing in a random French chapter and all kinds of other weird stuff. Gotta love him.
You have done a great translation. In case you are interested, here's mine (had it on tumblr a few years back but then shut down the account). Mine is at points slightly more literal (while still making sense of the slangy French in parts of the passage) but quite similar. At some points I actually I like yours a bit better :)"Bertrand: I couldn’t help but approach you at the party. I drank too much tequila and perhaps I smoked too much pot, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. However, after I told you this, I walked to the End of the World and I vomited. Yesterday, I broke up with my girlfriend Beba. You, you were one of the reasons why (Beba doesn’t know that I want you), but not the only one. It’s that I’ve felt seduced by you for a long time. I’m not crazy, but you interest me and I took some pictures of you, which I did when you were not looking. I can’t believe you didn’t notice me. If you had come with me last night, I would have made you happy. I could make you happy. I could make you happier than the guy you left with last night. At worst, I could always go back at Paris and live with my father. Anyway, America is boring. You and I would make love in my father’s house in Cannes. And I’d quit my job as editor for the Camden Courier. Maybe you saw my articles? “How to Prevent Herpes” and “The positive effects of ecstasy.” I’m not obsessed with you. I could have any girl I want here (and I almost have) but your legs are perfect, better than any of the other girls, and your hair is so blond and sweet, again better than all the other girls, and your face is perfect too. I don’t know if you had a nosejob, but your nose is perfect. Your features are really perfect. I’ll try again. But don’t leave next time. Remember that I could make you very happy. I know how to fuck well and I have an American Express Platinum Card. I suppose you have one too. Your legs are gorgeous, better than any other girl. What color are your eyes? The photos I took are all in black and white. I would take the same courses as you, but I’m doing photography and you… what? The fine arts? You are sexy. If I knew that someone was in love with you like I am, and you, you felt the same towards him, I would leave. I would return home. No doubt."










