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English Page · Branch 31 of 94
René · p. 146
French
p. 146victime les secrets d’un autre univers ? Pourquoi n’y auroit-il pas dans la tombe quelque grande vision de l’éternité ?
» Amélie, accablée de douleur, étoit retirée au fond d’une tour, d’où elle entendit retentir, sous les voûtes du château gothique, le chant des prêtres du convoi, et les sons de la cloche funèbre.
» J’accompagnai mon père à son dernier asile ; la terre se referma sur sa dépouille ; l’éternité et l’oubli le pressèrent de tout leur poids : le soir même l’indifférent passoit sur sa tombe ; hors pour sa fille et pour son fils, c’étoit déjà comme s’il n’avoit jamais été.
» Il fallut quitter le toit paternel, devenu l’héritage de mon frère : je me retirai avec Amélie chez de vieux parents.
» Arrêté à l’entrée des voies trompeuses de la vie, je les considérois l’une après l’autre sans m’y oser engager. Amélie m’entretenoit souvent du bonheur de la vie religieuse ; elle me disoit que j’étois le seul lien qui la retînt dans le monde, et ses yeux s’attachoient sur moi avec tristesse.
René
Source p. 146victim the secrets of another universe? Why should there not be in the tomb some great vision of eternity?
“Amélie, overwhelmed with grief, had shut herself away deep in a tower, from which she heard, resounding beneath the vaults of the Gothic château, the chanting of the priests of the funeral train and the sounds of the passing bell.
“I went with my father to his last refuge; the earth closed over his remains; eternity and oblivion pressed upon him with all their weight: that very evening the indifferent passer-by walked over his grave; save for his daughter and his son, it was already as though he had never been.
“My father’s roof had to be given up, now become my brother’s inheritance: I withdrew with Amélie to the house of some old relations.
“Halted at the entrance to life’s deceiving paths, I considered them one after another without daring to set foot on any. Amélie often spoke to me of the happiness of the religious life; she told me that I was the only tie that held her in the world, and her eyes would fasten upon me with sadness.
Socrates
Reading René · René · René · p. 146
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Chateaubriand’s tale of René and Amélie, with the Preface of 1805, two contemporary reviews, and the longer readings of 1802. This French–English edition preserves the 1826 printed pages, with a new English translation, author’s notes, variant readings, introduction and glossary.
Historical Text and Translation
François-René de Chateaubriand, Œuvres complètes, tome XVI (Paris: Ladvocat, 1826), pp. 1–16, 137–192 and 351–358, University of Toronto Library copy. Earlier witness: Génie du Christianisme, tome II (Paris: Migneret, 1802), pp. 158–216, Bibliothèque nationale de France copy.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The historical French source is in the public domain in the United States. New English translation and editorial matter © 2026 Diotimos Editions. Chateaubriand’s author notes and historical variants remain separately attributed.