text_original: I did not wish to be taken by surprise if he insulted me, for that would have been a greater want of char  acter even than of wit ; and as nobody could be 7 Digitized by VjOOQIC 98 MADAME DE STAML sure of remaining at ease with such a man, I had prepared myself beforehand to defy him. For  tunately, it was unnecessary; he only put the most insignificant question in the world to me, for . . . he never attacks except where he feels himself to be the stronger."
text_transcription: I DID NOT WISH TO BE TAKEN BY SURPRISE IF HE INSULTED ME FOR THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREATER WANT OF CHARACTER EVEN THAN OF WIT AND AS NOBODY COULD BE SURE OF REMAINING AT EASE WITH SUCH A MAN I HAD PREPARED MYSELF BEFOREHAND TO DEFY HIM FORTUNATELY IT WAS UNNECESSARY HE ONLY PUT THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT QUESTION IN THE WORLD TO ME FOR HE NEVER ATTACKS EXCEPT WHERE HE FEELS HIMSELF TO BE THE STRONGER
phonemes: aɪ dɪdnˌɑːt wˈɪʃ təbi tˈeɪkən baɪ sɚpɹˈaɪz ɪf hiː ɪnsˈʌltᵻd mˌiː, fɔːɹ ðæt wʊdhɐv bˌɪn ɐ ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ wˈɔnt ʌv tʃˈɑːɹ ˈæktɚɹ ˈiːvən ðɐn ʌv wˈɪt ; ænd æz nˈoʊbɑːdi kʊd biː sˈɛvən dˈɪdʒɪtˌaɪzd baɪ vˌiːdʒˈeɪ ˈuːkɪk nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt mˈædəm dˌiːˈiː stˈæməl ʃˈʊɹ ʌv ɹᵻmˈeɪnɪŋ æɾ ˈiːz wɪð sˈʌtʃ ɐ mˈæn, aɪ hæd pɹɪpˈɛɹd maɪsˈɛlf bᵻfˈɔːɹhænd tə dᵻfˈaɪ hˌɪm. fɔːɹ tˈuːneɪtli, ɪt wʌz ʌnnˈɛsᵻsɚɹi; hiː ˈoʊnli pˌʊt ðə mˈoʊst ˌɪnsɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt kwˈɛstʃən ɪnðə wˈɜːld tə mˌiː, fɔːɹ . . . hiː nˈɛvɚɹ ɐtˈæks ɛksˈɛpt wˌɛɹ hiː fˈiːlz hɪmsˈɛlf təbi ðə stɹˈɔŋɡɚ."