Diotimos Library · Literary Fiction Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 55 of 94
René · p. 170
French
p. 170pendant il falloit partir….. Mon Dieu, ayez pitié de moi !
» Vous savez, René, que j’ai toujours eu du penchant pour la vie religieuse ; il est temps que je mette à profit les avertissements du ciel. Pourquoi ai-je attendu si tard ! Dieu m’en punit. J’étois restée pour vous dans le monde….. Pardonnez, je suis toute troublée par le chagrin que j’ai de vous quitter.
» C’est à présent, mon cher frère, que je sens bien la nécessité de ces asiles, contre lesquels je vous ai vu souvent vous élever. Il est des malheurs qui nous séparent pour toujours des hommes ; que deviendroient alors de pauvres infortunées !….. Je suis persuadée que vous-même, mon frère, vous trouveriez le repos dans ces retraites de la religion : la terre n’offre rien qui soit digne de vous.
» Je ne vous rappellerai point votre serment : je connois la fidélité de votre parole. Vous l’avez juré, vous vivrez pour moi. Y a-t-il rien de plus misérable que de songer sans cesse à quitter la vie ? Pour un homme de votre caractère, il est si aisé de mourir ! Croyez-en votre sœur, il est plus difficile de vivre.
René
Source p. 170I had to go….. My God, have pity on me!
’You know, René, that I have always had an inclination for the religious life; it is time I profited by the warnings of heaven. Why did I wait so long! God is punishing me for it. I had stayed in the world for your sake….. Forgive me, I am quite distraught with the grief of leaving you.
’It is now, my dear brother, that I truly feel the need of those refuges I have so often seen you inveigh against. There are misfortunes that part us for ever from men; what would become then of poor unfortunate women!….. I am convinced that you yourself, brother, would find rest in these retreats of religion: the earth offers nothing worthy of you.
’I will not remind you of your oath: I know the faithfulness of your word. You have sworn it; you will live for me. Is there anything more wretched than to think ceaselessly of leaving life? For a man of your character it is so easy to die! Believe your sister, it is harder to live.
Socrates
Reading René · René · René · p. 170
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.