UN MARIAGE.
[51] 5-6. au beau milieu d'une affluence: right in the midst of a crowd, etc.
[51] 22. s'il en fut: as could be; the bridal procession was of the utmost simplicity.
[52] 8. caraco de mérinos noir: a black wool jacket.
[52] 30. contre-maître: overseer.
[52] 33. faut croire: I suppose.
[53] 4. on se passera bien de moi: they will get along all right without me.
[53] 8. "boraine de Nimy,"... "vaclette": boraine de Nimy, a kind of pipe; vaclette is explained by the words which follow.
[53] 11. cogna le sien contre le mien: clinked glasses with me.
[53] 11. le lampa tout d'une haleine: drank it all in one gulp.
[53] 20. du fin matin au brun soir: from early morning till late at night.
[53] 21-22. marteaux-pilons: trip hammers; the immense hammers of the iron works.
[54] 1. luron: a good fellow.
[54] 6. Pauvre fieu: (pauvre fils) poor fellow.
[54] 8-9. Une paille de fer rouge venait de lui crever l'œil droit: a spark of red-hot iron had just put out his right eye.
[54] 9. Le fourgon de l'hôpital: the hospital ambulance.
[54] 17. quinquets: lamps; here slang for eyes; "our two blinkers."
[54] 19. Que l'un s'en aille: que here means if,—if you lose one of them.
[54] 31. viveur et joueur: a high liver and gambler.
[54] 33-34. marchait cahin-caha, à la comme-je-te-pousse: got on any which way, just as luck would have it.
[55] 8. passif: a mercantile term,—liabilities. The assets of a concern are its actif.
[55] 12. sur le pavé: on the street, without work.
[55] 13. à tout jamais: forever.
[55] 17-18. qu'il n'attentât à ses jours: lest he might commit suicide.
[56] 4. fils d'acier et de laiton: steel and brass wire. Fil is wire, thread; le fils is the son.
[56] 22. un tronc: a charity box.
[56] 25. pancartes: notices, inscriptions.
[56] 34. dentellière de son état: a lace worker by trade.
[57] 3. au cliquetis de ses fuseaux: by the clicking of her embroidery needles.
[57] 24. demoiselle de comptoir: cashier.