ACTE II, SCÈNE X
1: Le récit de Théramène: a famous piece of classical narrative in Racine's tragedy Phèdre, where Théramène relates the death of his master Hippolyte. Similar humor in English would make Perrichon say possibly, «Tocross or not to cross, that was the question!» when Daniel would contributeas an aside: «Hamlet's soliloquy!»
2: crevasses… de glace: the ridiculous rhyme, crevasse… de glace, is very funny in the French.
3: monsieur: this gentleman, i.e. Daniel.
4: Mon ami: she says this impatiently here because she wants him to get on with his story; lower down, in pure admiration.
5: à la face… à tous: into the light of the sun, the giver of all life! The delightful magniloquence of the peroration must be preserved at any cost. Notre père à tous, lit., «the father of us all.»
6: c'est juste: That's so. Juste here = «correct,» «true.»
7: Quoi donc: Wrote what?
8: un dévergondage grammatical: a piece of grammatical impertinence.
9: Combien tient-on… voiture: _How many is there room for in your carriage? Tient-on = sont tenus, «can be held, seated.»
10: Ah: this is the Oh! of indignation = «Fie!»
11: la corde: is here the rope marking the «infield» or «inside track» of a race-course, and therefore = «the better position.» I knew Ishould get the inside track again!