ACTE II, SCÈNE V
1: Mais… sauvé: Why, to be sure he saved my life! Observe the cleverly graded symptoms of Perrichon's growing coolness towards Armand.
2: d'une modestie: so modest!
3: Dites donc: see List of Exclamations.
4: enfin: shows that Daniel is alive to Mr. Perrichon's change of feeling towards Armand. Tr., after all, or, as a matter of fact.
5: gentil: the absurdity of so weak a word in the circumstances makes him repeat it in amazement.
6: Par exemple: see List of Exclamations.
7: ça: for quant à ça! = as for that!
8: une tasse de thé: Daniel sneers at this handsome reward for saving a life.
9: mauvais pas: the technical name for several «dangerous places» in the Alps.
10: a beau dire: may say what she pleases. This idiom should be clearlyunderstood. It always means «to do a thing in vain,» to have «a fine time»doing it, but without achieving any result.—ça ne tient pas à, it is notthe fault of… Lit, «It does not depend upon,» «result from.»
11. on s'en retire parfaitement: it is easy to get out again. Observe the ingenuity with which Perrichon uses a form that leaves out all reference to help received from others.
12. Je le crois bien: I should think so!—ce que ça vaut: a very fairprice. Lit., «what it is worth.»
13. Je ne pars pas: Daniel sees the chance he spoke of, see acte I, scène IX.
14. être des nôtres: join our party. Note the change from «Armand» to «Mister Desroches.»
15. il paraît: it appears, or I am told. His own accident is actuallyfading into unreality. In the next sentence he shows the sameunconsciousness.
16. rêver: a poetical word. His affectations reappear: he is feeling better.