ACTE III, SCÈNE VII
1: Second: Second edition of.
2: je suis tombé du jury: I have been drawn for jury-duty. Tomber frequently expresses the result of lot, chance, or accident.—On nous écrit de Chamouny. Tr., From, our special correspondent in Chamouny.
3: Comment… permets: I should think I would allow it! Si = «(he asks) if.»
4: les gens de coeur, etc.: noble hearts in every land.
5: Trois francs la ligne: the price Daniel had to pay to get this puff into the paper.
6: la corde: see acte II, scène X, note 11.
7: révolutionnaire: during the reign of Napoleon III the daily press was largely opposed to the Emperor, and sought to overthrow him by a revolution. Perrichon disclaims any revolutionary tendencies, but must proclaim his approval of the press in the present circumstances.—la presse a du bon: ther's much to be said for the papers! du bon, lit.,«some good qualities.»
8: papier timbré: official paper. Government stamped paper has to be used for all legal documents, summons, warrants, etc.
9: agent de la force publique: public servant.
10: vu… dressé au: on complaint lodged with.—le sieur: technical in France, and not to be translated; lit., «the man,» «one.» Note Majorin's mean behavior throughout this scene: first, he walks away instead of standing by his friend; next, he makes things out as black as he can, emphasizing his pronouncement of the gravity of the case by taking up a position behind the table like a judge on the bench.
11: j'ai été trop vif: I lost my temper.
12: Injures qualifiées: specific abuse; lit., abuse legally qualified to be used as ground for prosecution.
13: le banc de l'infamie: a stock phrase in French for the «prisoners' dock.»
14: C'est bien fait: Serves him right! In the next sentence English idiom would omit the negation.
15: Daniel: observe this delightful slip of the tongue. Perrichon has Daniel on the brain. Cf. the slip he makes in the last words of the play.
16: je tombe sur un terre-neuve: I strike a regular Newfoundland dog (for rescuing people).
17: en ville: out. Majorin tells this lie to «save his face» after Perrichon's withdrawn invitation to dinner (see acte III, scène V.)
18: c'est-à-dire que: I say that.
19: je te retrouve: now you are yourself again! Lit., «I find you again (as I have always known you).»
20: l'envoi… part: till the wedding cards are out. French people mail notices of weddings, deaths, and even births to all their friends. Such notices are called billets de faire-part, or «cards of notification.»