1- MATHS DEMON-STRATION
Henri Blodgett looked at his wrist watch (1) and saw that it was two o?clock in the morning. In despair, he slammed (2) shut the textbook he?d been studying and let his head sink (3) onto his arms on the table in front of him. He knew he?d never pass that examination tomorrow ; the more he studied geometry the less he understood it. Mathematics in general had always been difficult for him and now ha was finding that geometry was impossible for him to learn.
And if he flunked (4) it, he was through his college ; he?d flunked three other courses in his first two years and another failure this year would, under college rules(6), cause automatic expulsion.
He wanted that college degree badly too, since it was indispensable for the career he?d chosen and worked toward. Only a miracle could save him now.
He sat up suddenly as an idea struck him. Why not try magic ? The occult had always interested him. He had books on it and he?d often read the simple instructions on how to conjure up(7) a demon and make it obey his will(8). Up to now, he?d always figured(9) that it was a bit risky and so had never actually tried it. But this was an emergency(10) and might be worth (11) the slight (12) risk. Only through black magic could he suddenly become an expert in a subject that had always been difficult for him.
From the shelf the quickly took out his best book on black magic, found the right page and refreshed his memory on the few simple things he had to do.
Enthusiastically, he cleared the floor by pushing the furniture against the walls. He drew the pentagram (13) figure on the carpet with chalk and stepped inside it. He then said the incantations.
The demon was considerably more horrible than he had anticipated. But he mustered(14) his courage and stardted to explain his delemma.
?I?ve always been poor at geometry,? he began...
?You?re telling me,?(15) said the demon gleefully (16)
Smiling flames, it came for him across the chalk lines of the useless hexagram(17) Henry had drawn by mistake instead of the protecting pentagram.
Frederic BROWN , Honeymoon in the hell (1958)
1- wrist watch : montre bracelet. 16- gleefully : joyeusement
2- to slam : claquer. 17- hexagram : hexagone.
3- (he) let his head sink : il enfouit sa tête.
4- to flunk (pop) : se faire recaler.
5- To be through with (pop) : en avoir fini avec.
6- Rule : règlement.
7- to conjure up : faire apparaître
8- will : volonté
9- to figure : s?imaginer
10- emergency : urgence
11- to be worth : valoir
12- slight : faible
13- pentagram : pentagone
14- to muster : assembler
15- you?re telling me : à qui le dis-tu !