A Woman Admiring Her Charms

[michael sanders]

An aging coquette sits in front of a mirror holding a nightshirt she is about to don. Suddenly, she drops it, examines herself and observes, "Un peu noir, mais toujours belle." (Written last quarter 19th century by a man, of course.)

 

What is she admiring, and what is the nuance of "un peu noir" that I am missing.

 

Seins would be plural,  so I am thinking "la poitrine".

 

Un peu noir: faded?

 

All thoughts appreciated.

[Chantal Savignat]

Hello

Is it exactly wroten like that ? it's weird

"Noir" wroten  N O I R  without E  

"la poitrine" would be feminine : with an E

[Chantal Savignat]

un peu noir

it could be many things :

1) she is in a dark room, she doesn't see clearly, but nevertheless she is seeing she is still beautilful

2) she has negative thoughts, black thoughts and when she is seeing his picture in the mirror, she is thinking that ???

[michael sanders]

Yes, "Un peu noir, mais toujours belle."

 

I like your suggestion of the dark, but feel it would be a stretch to translate this as, say, "A little dark, but she is still beautiful." particularly as you make the very good point, "noir" vs. belle.

 

I'm trying to remember if I've ever read anything where "noir" connotes things like age or maybe la pourriture?

 

The writer is not subtle enough for the second suggestion, as, shortly before, the woman "une coquette", is observed pinching lice from the folds of her nightshirt.

 

Good ideas! Thanks.

[Chantal Savignat]

Is she a white woman ?

"noir" doesn't connote things like "age" or "pourriture"

but it could be "black" for black humour

because "une coquette" means a pretty woman who takes care of her, and "lice" (it's small bugs, am I right ?) so "coquette" is opposed to "lice".

and "noir" could mean "very dirty", "grime" = "noir de crasse". I think it would be feminine (with an E) but it depends on the words before. no it's possible for "teint".

"teint" un peu noir, mais toujours belle

[michael sanders]

I looked at the passage again, and you are correct, it was "noire" so I believe she is referring to la poitrine. Littre has secondary meanings for noir of crasseux, sale, also morne,  triste, so I'm thinking "worn" or "tired." 

 

If you know of other good onlline 19th century translation sources, I 'd love to hear of them.

 

Et mille mercis pour l'effort.

 

[Chantal Savignat]

with the "E" "noire" could be many things too ;-) it depends on the context

- "la poitrine", yes it's good

- or herself, all her body if she is looking at herself and if she is naked.

and the most relevant meaning is about her skin  :

19th century + the lice  : I think it's more "noire"  for "crasseux" "sale",

but maybe because she also is too tanned (or damaged) by the sun or her difficult life and in the 19th century, women had to be pale to be pretty

"noir" used in the meaning of "morne" "triste" is used for ideas, mood

you have an other meaning for "noir", but here it's not relevant : it's "drunk"