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French Page · Branch 76 of 94
René · p. 191
French
p. 191homme, et il a raison. Oui, il faut que tu renonces à cette vie extraordinaire qui n’est pleine que de soucis ; il n’y a de bonheur que dans les voies communes.
» Un jour le Meschacebé, encore assez près de sa source, se lassa de n’être qu’un limpide ruisseau. Il demande des neiges aux montagnes, des eaux aux torrents, des pluies aux tempêtes, il franchit ses rives, et désole ses bords charmants. L’orgueilleux ruisseau s’applaudit d’abord de sa puissance ; mais voyant que tout devenoit désert sur son passage ; qu’il couloit, abandonné dans la solitude ; que ses eaux étoient toujours troublées, il regretta l’humble lit que lui avoit creusé la nature, les oiseaux, les fleurs, les arbres et les ruisseaux, jadis modestes compagnons de son paisible cours. »
Chactas cessa de parler, et l’on entendit la voix du Flammant qui, retiré dans les roseaux du Meschacebé, annonçoit un orage pour le milieu du jour. Les trois amis reprirent la route de leurs cabanes : René marchoit en silence entre le missionnaire qui prioit Dieu, et le Sachem aveugle qui cherchoit sa route. On dit que, pressé par les deux vieillards, il retourna chez
René
Source p. 191man, and he is right. Yes, you must renounce this extraordinary life, which is full of nothing but cares; there is no happiness except in the common ways.
“One day the Meschacebé, still quite near its source, grew weary of being only a limpid stream. It asks snows of the mountains, waters of the torrents, rains of the tempests; it overflows its banks and lays waste its charming shores. The proud stream at first applauded itself on its power; but seeing that everything became deserted in its path, that it flowed on, abandoned in solitude, that its waters were always troubled, it regretted the humble bed that nature had hollowed for it, the birds, the flowers, the trees and the brooks, once the modest companions of its peaceful course.”
Chactas ceased to speak, and the voice of the Flamingo was heard, which, hidden in the reeds of the Meschacebé, foretold a storm for the middle of the day. The three friends took the road back to their cabins: René walked in silence between the missionary, who was praying to God, and the blind Sachem, who was feeling for his way. It is said that, urged by the two old men, he returned to
Socrates
Reading René · René · René · p. 191
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.