He ground his teeth and was silent: he arrested his step and struck his boot against the hard ground. Some hated thought seemed to have him in its grip, and to hold him so tightly that he could not advance.
Il serra les dents et se tut; il s'arrêta et frappa du pied le sol durci; une pensée fatale semblait l'étreindre si fortement qu'il ne pouvait faire un pas.