ACTE IV, SCÈNE VIII
1: l'heure de la philosophie: i.e. the time to show that superiority to fortune's caprices which is given by philosophy, or the study of wisdom.
2: passion malheureuse: the regular phrase for an «unrequited attachment.»
3: j'ai vécu plus que vous: I have seen more of life than you have.—unmonde plus avancé: a more wide-awake crowd.
4: gens d'esprit: clever people, the opposite of imbéciles.
5: Vous voyez bien: supply: «that you do yourself what you blame me for doing.»
6: votre obligé: your debtor; lit., «he is under an obligation to you.»
7: un aimable philosophe: doubtless of the author's private acquaintance, as no such epigram is on record elsewhere.
8: Aussi: see acte II, scène IV, note 6.
9: il lui pousse des plumes de paon, etc.: a crop of peacock's feathers sprouts from his coat-tails.
10: gardez-moi le secret: don't give me away.
11: du haut… protège: a humorous parody of Napoleon I's famous address to his troops in Egypt: Du haut de ces pyramides quarante sièclesvous contemplent!