Parley voo Fransay? A little translation help, see voo play.

I speak two languages.* As you have probably guessed, French isn’t one of them. So can any of you kindly Francophones out there help me translate this line from a book I’m reading?

“C’est par mon ordre et pour le bien de l’etat que le porteur du present a fait ce qu’il a fait.”

Thank you for your attention.

*English and American.

“It is by my command and for the good of the state which the carrier of present did what he did.”

  • courtesy of babelfish (I’m not qualified to translat French outside of a kitchen)

From the Three Musketeers, isn’t it?

Something to the effect of “it’s by my command and for the good of the state that the present messenger did what he did”.
*** warning: by a highschool french speaker who had to look up a couple words*** Not to be taken word-for-word.

** hey, after seeing the first post I wasn’t that far off!!**

Cool, thanks for the help, Ankh_Too and Mmmiiikkkeee.

Is it from Dumas originally? I’m reading Umberto Eco’s The Island of the Day Before, and the character who says this is speaking on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu. Interesting connection.

That’s the text of the letter [carte blanche?] written/authorized by Cardinal Richelieu, given to M’Lady deWinter, taken by Athos (Mr. deWinter), given to D’Artagnian, and returned to the Cardinal after the ‘demise’ of an afroementioned character.

Loved The Three Musketeers. Still do.

Change “by my command” in the aforementioned to “in accordance with my orders” (not necessarily specific instructions, think military/religious orders) and you’re pretty much there.

The translation I have of The Three Musketeers is something like “The bearer of this letter has acted by my orders and for the good of the state.”

Sadly, I did not need to look that up… :wink: