Le Petit Chose (Histoire d'un Enfant) - Alphonse Daudet

2. Languedoc: an old province of the south of France, so called from the
name given to the language of its inhabitants, who used the word oc as an
affirmative, and were said to speak the langue d’oc as distinguished from the
dialect spoken north of the Loire, which expressed the affirmative by oïl and
was called the langue d’oïl.
5. Carmélites: nuns of the order of mount Carmel. Their congregation was
introduced into France in 1452.
13. aussi: note the inversion. In sentences beginning with aussi, ‘therefore,’ ‘so’;
à peine, ‘hardly’; peut-être, ‘perhaps’; toujours, ‘still’; au moins, ‘at least’;
encore, ‘yet,’ ‘even then,’ and a few more, the interrogative form of the
verb is used.
7. Marseille, ‘Marseilles,’ Note the difference in spelling. So also Lyon
(p. 9 l. 8.)
qui lui emportait plus de quarante mile francs, ‘who robbed him of more
than 40,000 francs.’ Why not plus que?
13. la grève des ourdisseuses, ‘the strike of the warping-women. ’La grève,
originally=‘the strand,’ ‘beach.’ La Place de Grève, situated on the banks
of the Seine, was the Tyburn of ancient Paris. It was also in olden times the
rendezvous for the unemployed, hence the meaning ‘strike.’ Cf. se mettre en
grève, faire grève, les grévistes.
16. la Révolution: i.e. the Revolution of February 24, 1848, which caused Louis-
Philippe, ‘king of the French,’ to abdicate and a republic to be proclaimed.
17. coup de grâce, ‘the finishing stroke.’ Learn the following:—
p. 3 l. 23, tout à coup, ‘suddenly.’
p. 5 l. 19, pour le coup, ‘this time.’
p. 21 l. 19, le coup de sonnette, ‘the ring at the bell.’
p. 72 l. 20, un coup de tête, ‘a rash act.’
p. 75 l. 18, à coup sûr, ‘to be sure,’ ‘certainly.’
p. 96 l. 22, un coup de théâtre, ‘a clap-trap,
transformation scene.’
p. 100 l. 12, un coup d’épée, ‘a sword-thrust.’
18. à partir de, ‘from,’ ‘beginning from.’
ne battit plus que d’une aile, ‘was on its last legs,’ i.e. like a bird that is
wounded and can fly with only one wing.
20. un métier bas, ‘one loom put aside.’
21. table d’impression, ‘printing-block,’
24. du second: sc. étage.
25. condamnée, ‘shut up.’ Pronounce condané.
27. agonisa, ‘was on the verge of ruin.’
13. assister à l’agonie: note assister à qc., ‘to be present at something’; assister
qn., to help some one.’ The original meaning of assister=‘to stand by,’ ‘to
be present’; then ‘to stand by a person,’ i.e. ‘to assist him.’ Les assistants,
‘those present,’ or ‘the bystanders.’
16. à ma guise, ‘to my heart’s content.’
22. par exemple, ‘however.’ The meaning of this expression varies according
to the context. It can mean ‘however,’ ‘indeed,’ ‘well now,’ ‘to be sure,’
‘bless me,’ etc.
24-29. c’était dans l’habitude . . à tout ce qui l’entourait, ‘his was usually a
fiery, violent, immoderate nature, given to shouting, breaking and storming.
In reality, he was an excellent man; quick, however, with his hands, loud in
his speech, and prompted by an imperious desire to make all those around
him tremble.’
31. à qui s’en prendre, ‘on whom to lay the blame.’ Note the expletive use of
en and cf.—
en vouloir à qn., ‘to have a grudge against some one.’
en venir aux mains, ‘to come to blows.’
il en est de même de . ., ‘it is the same with . .’
1. mistral: a dry cutting NW. wind which blows across the south coast of
France. It is especially prevalent in the Rhone valley.
6. n’étaient pas en odeur de sainteté, ‘were not looked upon with much
favour.’
19. à voix basse, ‘in a whisper’; but à haute voix, ‘in a loud voice.’
23. mon grand frère l’abbé, ‘my big brother the clergyman,’ i.e. Henri Daudet,
professor at the College of the Assumption at Nîmes. He died at the early
age of twenty-four. The term abbé originally meant the Superior of an abbey,
then was extended to any ecclesiastic.
31. un singulier enfant que mon frère Jacques: i.e. mon frère Jacques était
un singulier enfant. Note the que of emphatic inversion. It is a very
common type of construction. Cf. p. 73 l. 3, la jolie ville que ce Paris!
p. 100 l. 22, un singulier type d’homme que cet oncle Baptiste!
2. les yeux rouges et la joue ruisselante: note the absence of a preposition
corresponding to the English ‘with.’ It is a very characteristic French idiom.
12. que veux-tu, mon ami? ‘how can we help it, my dear?’ lit. ‘what would you
have (him do)?’
16. qu’avait cet étrange garçon: inversion frequently occurs in relative clauses,
especially when the subject is longer than the verb.
18. désolation, ‘distress’; désolé, ‘grieved,’ ‘disconsolate,’ not ‘desolate.’
19. c’est pour le coup . . à son aise, ‘this was a grand opportunity for him
to sob to his heart’s content.’
31. une douzaine d’années: the suffix -aine added to numerals generally implies
an approximate number; une quinzaine, ‘about fifteen.’
5. mon fidèle Vendredi: Robinson Crusoe’s servant and companion.
12. je le jouais, ‘I acted it.’
21. tenait son emploi, ‘played his part.’
24. toujours est-il que, ‘anyhow.’ Cf. note, p. 1 l. 13.
28. j’en avais quelquefois le cœur bouleversé, ‘my courage was sometimes
shaken.’
1. gros mots d’enfants de la rue, ‘coarse expressions of the street arabs.’
3. en pleine table, ‘before the whole table.’ Cf.—
p. 25 l. 11, en pleine montagne, ‘right on the hill side, ‘in the heart of the
mountains.’
p. 64 l. 20, en pleine révolte, ‘in open mutiny.’
p. 65 l. 30, en pleine étude, ‘before the whole class.’
So also—
en plein air, ‘in the open air.’
en pleine rue, ‘in the middle of the street.’
en plein hiver, ‘in the depths of winter.’
11. ukase: a Russian term for an ‘edict’ or imperial order.
13. loge, ‘porter’s lodge.’
du côté de, ‘somewhere about,’ ‘in the direction of. ’Note this use of de
of motion ‘towards,’ and cf. de mon côté (p. 8. l. 12), du côté de sa chère
fabrique (p. 10 l. 6), etc. Don’t confuse with à côté de; see note, p. 11 l. 3.
26. se dégoûta de, ‘became tired of.’
28. au fond de, ‘in the remotest parts of.’ Note il sait l’anglais a fond,
‘he knows English thoroughly.’
10. de bonne heure, ‘early’; à la bonne heure, ‘all right,’ ‘well done,’ ‘capital!’
Like par exemple (see note, p. 3 l. 22), the latter derives its meaning from
the context or tone in which it is said. Note sur l’heure (p. 78 l. 8),
‘immediately,’ ‘at once’; tout à l’heure, ‘a moment ago,’ ‘presently.’
14. juste Dieu! ‘good gracious!’ ‘gracious me!’ So also grand Dieu (l. 29).
These and similar exclamations, e.g. mon Dieu!—ah! mon Dieu!—mon
Dieu, oui! must not be translated literally. There is no idea of profanity
attached to them.
16. à plat ventre, ‘flat on my face.’
19. c’est égal, ‘all the same.’
30. il n’en fut rien, ‘nothing of the kind happened.’
1. dès qu’ils furent partis, je courus: after après que, aussitôt que, dès que,
à peine, quand, lorsque, the Past Anterior, not the Pluperfect, must be used
when the principal verb is in the preterite. In other words, the auxiliary of the
compound verb must be in the same tense as the verb in the principal
sentence.
22. il avait pris les devants, ‘he had gone on in front.’
26. Beaucaire: a fine town on the right bank of the Rhone. It is connected with
Tarascon by a splendid suspension-bridge, and is famous for its fair held
annually in July, and frequented by many thousands of people. Daudet gives
a graphic account of it in Numa Roumestan.
2. Un parapluie: note the gender; nouns ending in e mute preceded by a vowel
are usually feminine. Other exceptions are génie, incendie, lycée, musée.
3. tout de même, ‘all the same.’
(chapter ii. full=ii)
3. à côté de, ‘by the side of,’ ‘beside.’ Cf. note, p. 7 l. 13. Distinguish also
à côté and de côté; e.g. il demeure à côté, ‘he lives close by’; la maison
d’à côté ‘the next house’; le tableau est de côté ‘the picture is on one side’;
un regard de côté, ‘a side glance.’
7. large, ‘broad,’ never ‘large.’
8. le ciel riait, ‘the sky was radiant.’
9. descendaient au fil de l’eau, ‘were going down stream.’
19. ma foi! ‘upon my word!’ ‘faith!’ not ‘my faith!’ Never translate this
expression literally.
3. serrés les uns contre les autres, ‘closely packed.’
9. à tâtons, ‘groping his way along.’
qui vive? ‘who goes there?’ The challenge of a French sentinel.
14. et en route, ‘and moved off.’
21. ah! mon Dieu! see note, p. 8 l. 14.
23. me serra plus fort, ‘grasped my hand more firmly.’
29. s’il parlait, je crois bien: on l’entendait d’une lieue, ‘I should rather
think it was talking, you could hear it a mile off.’ The sentence is elliptical,
vous demandez being understood before s’il. Note the idiomatic use of
bien, and cf. je le veux bien, ‘I am perfectly willing’; voulez-vous bien vous
en aller, ‘won’t you go away!’ je donnerais bien un franc, ‘I shouldn’t
mind giving a franc.’
30. trouble, ‘agitation,’ ‘confusion,’ not ‘trouble,’ the French for which is
peine, chagrin, douleur. Les troubles=‘rebellion,’ ‘rising,’ e.g. des
troubles éclatèrent en France.
9. plus de Vendredi! plus de perroquet . . . plus possible: plus is often used
negatively without ne when the verb is understood. Trans. ‘without
a Friday, or a parrot, a Robinson would not be possible any longer.’
10. le moyen: elliptical for dites-moi le moyen. Trans. ‘how was it possible
to . . .’ or ‘how could one . . .’
11. d’ailleurs, ‘besides’; ailleurs=‘elsewhere.’
13. rue Lanterne: note omission of preposition and article.
28. le lendemain soir: note this is the correct way of expressing in French ‘next
evening’; cf. le lendemain matin.
17. s’y maria, ‘got married there.’ Note marier, ‘to give in marriage,’ or ‘to
perform the marriage ceremony’; e.g. le curé les a mariés; se marier avec,
‘to be married to,’ e.g. elle s’est mariée avec Monsieur B., or elle a épousé
Monsieur B.
20. gros ouvrage, ‘rough work.’
26. par exemple: see note, p. 3 l. 22.
27. lui non plus, ‘either,’ added for emphasis at the end of the sentence.
29. avait fini par le prendre en grippe, ‘had at length taken a dislike to him.’
l’abreuvait de taloches, ‘rapped his head at every turn.’
31. le fait est: a favourite expression of Daudet. It does not correspond to
the English ‘the fact is,’ which generally denotes a contradiction, but rather
strengthens what has been said. Trans. ‘indeed.’
2. perdait tous ses moyens, ‘completely lost his wits.’
9. le voilà qui prend: the use of le voilà is very emphatic; voi is the imperative of
voir, and le voilà=vois-le là.
18. tu as beau lui dire, ‘it is no use your telling him.’ Avoir beau + infinitive
is ironical, and elliptical for avoir beau temps pour, i.e. to have a fine
opportunity, but to no purpose; cf. the English ‘it is all very fine for you to
tell him.’
19. tout de même: see note, p. 10 l. 3.
30. pourvu qu’il ne lui soit rien arrivé, ‘I hope nothing has happened to him.’
31. parbleu: a euphemism for pardieu. Trans. ‘why, of course not.’
15. recteur: as far as education is concerned, France is divided into seventeen
académies, each under a recteur, who represents the Ministre de
l’instruction publique.
24. de bonne foi, ‘honestly’; cf. de bon cœur, ‘gladly’ (p. 35 l. 28); de meilleur
cœur, ‘more cheerfully,’ ‘more willingly’ (p. 49 l. 27).
28. non plus: see note, p. 14 l. 27.
1. gones: provincial slang, ‘street arabs.’
2. blouse à carreaux: note the French à of description where we say ‘with’;
cf.—
p. 33 l. 14, un personnage à favoris rouges.
p. 35 l. 20, la fée aux lunettes.
p. 35 l. 24, l’ homme aux moustaches.
p. 42 l. 20, l’ homme aux clefs.
p. 52 l. 28, ses souliers à boucles.
5. Tiens! expresses surprise and may be rendered, according to the context, by
‘here!’ ‘look here!’ ‘I say!’ ‘halloa!’ ‘well, I never!’ etc.
6. me prit en aversion, ‘took a violent dislike to me’; cf. note, p. 14 l. 29.
7. du bout des lèvres, ‘in a most casual manner’; cf. rire du tout des lèvres.
16. sentaient bon, ‘smelt very nice.’ For other adjectives used as adverbs cf.
parlant haut (p. 40 l. 27); il s’arrêta court (p. 43 l. 26); ne pas manger
tranquille (p 51 l. 23); prier ferme (p. 56 l. 2); il s’arrêta net (p. 98 l. 1).
20. moisis, fanés, sentant le rance, ‘mouldy, musty and frowsy.’ Sentir le
rance, ‘to smell rancid,’ lit. ‘to smell of rancidity’ (cf. sentir le vin, le tabac,
etc.). The term ‘rancid’ could not be applied here. In English it is only used
of oil and similar substances.
22. faisait bien de son mieux, ‘did indeed his very best.’
4. boursier, ‘foundation scholar’; cf. the Scotch ‘bursar.’
6. ma foi! see note, p. 11 l. 19.
10. le givre fouettait les vitres, ‘the frozen rain was beating against the
window-panes.’
13. j’ai reçu votre honorée du 8 courant, ‘I have received your favour of the
8th instant.
(chapter iii. full=iv)
6. fermer à double tour, ‘double-lock.’
16. pour toute réponse, ‘by way of answer.’
17. veste, ‘jacket’ gilet=‘vest,’ ‘waistcoat.’
7. songez donc! ‘just think!’
10. qu’il n’y avait encore de fait que les quatre premiers vers, ‘that the first
four lines only were done so far.’
17. jamais il n’en put venir a bout, ‘he could never get through.’ En is used
here as the object, ce reste, to which it refers, precedes the verb for the sake
of emphasis. Note n’en put, somewhat archaic for ne put en . . .
18. que voulez-vous? ‘there is no help for it!’ See note, p. 5 l. 12.
21. le poète eut beau faire: see note, p. 15 l. 18.
1. parbleu! ‘of course!’ See note, p. 15 l. 31.
3. si le lecteur le veut bien, ‘if the reader has an objection.’ Note lecteur,
lectrice, ‘reader’; lecture, ‘reading’; conférence, ‘lecture’; conférencier,
‘lecturer.’
4. est en train de: cf. être en train de travailler, ‘to be busy working.’
5. enjambée: the suffix -ée denotes quantity; e.g. p. 36 l. 5, poignée, ‘handful’;
p. 47 l. 2, nuée, ‘thick cloud,’ ‘swarm.’
12. la même chanson, ‘the same old tune.’
13. misère, ‘poverty,’ ‘want,’ not misery’; les misères, ‘hardships’; une misère,
‘a trifle.’
les affaires qui ne vont pas, ‘business not prospering.’
en retard, ‘in arrears,’ ‘to be paid up.’
15. l’argenterie au mont-de-piété, ‘the pawning of the family plate.’
Monts-de-piété, ‘pawnshops,’ were founded out of piety to enable people
in straitened circumstances to escape the exorbitant usury of the Jews, and
borrow money at a reasonable rate of interest. The most ancient of these
was established at Perugia, 1477, and situated on a mountain; hence its
name. The name and system were introduced into France, where these
institutions were put under Government control. Had such benevolent
establishments only been introduced into England under the same
conditions thousands of people might have been saved from utter ruin.
19. huissier, ‘bailiff,’ lit, one who keeps the huis or ‘door.’
23. achevait sa philosophie, ‘was finishing his course of philosophy,’ i.e. was
completing his school education. The order of the forms in a French school,
beginning with the lowest, is neuvième, huitième, septième, sixième,
cinquième, quatrième, troisième, seconde, première, philosophie.
29. Eyssette père, ‘Eyssette senior’ so Eyssette fils (p. 24 l. 21), ‘Eyssette
junior.’
20. un parti à prendre, ‘one decision to come to.’ Note prendre son parti,
‘to make up one’s mind’; épouser un bon parti, ‘to make a good match’;
tirer parti de, ‘to turn to account.’ Distinguish carefully from la part,
‘share,’ and la partie, ‘part,’ ‘portion,’ ‘game,’ etc.
22. de notre côté, ‘for ourselves.’ Cf. note, p. 7 l. 13.
28. jusqu’à nouvel ordre, ‘until matters improve.’
31. comme commis-voyageur à la société vinicole, ‘as a commercial traveller
for the wine-growers’ society.’
3. justement je reçois, ‘it just happens that I have received.’
4. maître d’étude, ‘usher.’
10. c’est bien, ‘very well.’
19. qu’on s’occupe de sa malle, ‘let some one see to his trunk being packed.’
23. fait au . ., ‘accustomed to . .’
28. Eyesette: names of persons or families are invariable in the plural, e.g. les
Corneille et les Racine, except certain well-known historical names, chiefly
of dynasties, e.g. les Césars, les Tudors, les Bourbons. But when used as
common nouns to denote ‘persons like’ or ‘works by’ those named, they are
variable. In the latter case, however, they only take the mark of the plural,
according to some grammarians, when speaking of different editions,
not of several copies of the same edition.
17. Académie: see note, p. 16 l. 15.
20. n’ayant rien qui sentît le pédant, ‘having nothing about him which savoured
of the pedant.’ Cf. note, p. 17 l. 20. Why is sentît subjunctive?
23. brave: note un brave homme, ‘a good, honest man’; un homme brave,
‘a brave, courageous man.’
25. ah! mon Dieu! ‘why!’ Cf. note, p. 8 l. 14.
27. mauviette, ‘delicate’; une mauviette, lit. ‘a lark.’
6. mais enfin, ‘however.’
9. baraque: slang for ‘school.’
10. collège communal, ‘communal’ or ‘municipal school.’ Distinguish carefully
between a lycée and a collège. The former is kept up entirely by the State;
the latter partly by the State, partly by the town. Both provide ‘secondary’
education.
11. Sarlande: a fictitious name. Alais was the place where Daudet really went.
en pleine montagne: see note, p. 7 l. 3. Alais is near the Cévennes mountains.
16. la lettre terminée: this construction of a noun or pronoun with a participle,
standing independently of any other word in the sentence, and representing a
subordinate clause, is very common in French. It is the exact equivalent of
the ablative absolute in Latin.
20. quatre à quatre, ‘four steps at a time,’ lit. ‘four by four.’ Cf. peu à peu
(p. 40 l. 25); goutte à goutte (p. 83 l. 1).
21. séculaire, ‘ancient,’ lit. ‘centuries old.’ ‘Secular’ in French is séculier.
28. cabaret: a small public-house where food and drink only are supplied,
not lodging, as in an auberge (p. 36 l. 9).
1. au compagnon du tour de France, ‘the Oddfellows’ Arms.’ A compagnon
was a workman affiliated to a ‘Trade Union’ (compagnonnage). As an
emblem of their association the compagnons carried long canes with ribbons
tied to them. Note that in French, as in German, the dative is used in the
signs of inns, shops, etc.; e.g. à la Toison d’or, au Cerf-Volant, à la ville
de Marseille; zum goldenen Löwen.
2. voici mon affaire, ‘this is just what I want.’
13. un vieux coureur de tavernes, ‘an habitué of public-houses.’
19. miséricorde! ‘gracious me!’
22. eh! mon Dieu, oui, ‘yes indeed.’
23. anciennement, ‘formerly.’ Cf. note, p. 28 l. 31.
12. justice divine! see note, p. 8 l. 14.
17. mouillettes: long narrow pieces of bread to dip into wine or boiled eggs.
19. Un vieux Château-Neuf-des-Papes: a famous wine, so called from the name
of a vineyard near Avignon.
25. va trinquer, ‘is going to have a friendly glass with us.’ Trinquer, ‘to touch
glasses,’ a continental fashion when drinking some one’s health. Cf. German
trinken, and English to ‘clink’ glasses.
29. à quoi encore? ‘and what next?’
9. enfin, ‘still,’ ‘however.’
21. que voulez-vous? see notes, p. 5 l. 12 and p. 20 l. 18.
31. ancien, ‘former.’ Cf. quelques anciens (p. 63 l. 14), ‘a few old boys (of the
school).’ So un nouveau (p. 30 l. 21), ‘a new boy.’
1. à toutes jambes, ‘as fast as he could.’
7. bout: trans. ‘vestige.’ Note—
un bout d’homme, ‘a little bit of a man.’
un bout de conversation, ‘a short chat.’
un bout de papier, ‘a scrap of paper.’
un bout de lettre, ‘a line.’
8. qui dépasse, ‘overhanging.’
plus . . plus: see note, p. 13 l. 9.
(chapter iv. full=v)
17. que la montagne enserre de partout, ‘which is closed in on all sides by the
mountains.’
21. tramontane, ‘north wind. A term used along the French Mediterranean.
It comes from the Italian tramontana, ‘on the other side the Alps.’
25. place d’armes, ‘parade-ground.’
3. impériale, ‘seat behind the driver.’ The stage-coach of olden times in France
was divided into four compartments—(1) le coupé ‘the seat facing the
horses,’ and hence the most expensive; (2) l’intérieur, the seat inside’;
(3) la rotonde, ‘the back seat’; (4) l’impériale, a word now used for the
top of an omnibus or tramway.
29. pour le quart d’heure, ‘at present,’ just now.’
M. le principal. ‘the headmaster.’ In French it is usual to prefix monsieur,
madame, mademoiselle, etc., when speaking of a person to whom respect is
due. Thus Monsieur votre père, Madame votre mère, but of course you
would not say Monsieur mon père.
9. Monsieur, ‘the young gentleman.’
11. le fait est que: see note, p. 14 l. 31.
14. Veillon l’aîné, ‘Veillon major.’
30. avant 89: i.e. before the French Revolution of 1789.
6. matelassée, ‘padded.’
10. tout au fond, ‘right at the end.’
22. pâlotte et sèche, ‘rather pale and wizen.’
27. pour le coup: see note, p. 5 l. 19.
2. finit par: see note, p. 14 l. 29.
16. surveillant général: the duty of this official is not to teach but to supervise,
i.e. to go round the school and see that masters and boys are doing their
respective duties.
21. grinçaient, ‘jingled.’ Lit. grincer=‘to grind,’ ‘gnash.’ frinc! ‘clink!’
26. s’agitèrent, ‘rattled.’
28. allons donc! ‘nonsense!’
3. veut bien, ‘will be kind enough.’ Cf. note, p. 12 l. 29.
4. tutelle, ‘protection.’ Tuteur, tutrice=‘guardian’; ‘tutor’=précepteur.
8. sa bienveillance m’était acquise, ‘I could certainly rely upon his kindness.’
11. il fallait les entendre, ‘you should have heard them.’
avec frénésie, ‘frantically.’
15. couchiez: note coucher, ‘to spend the night’; se coucher, ‘to go to bed.’
21. le règlement de la maison, ‘a copy of the school rules.’
28. un peu de lune, ‘a moonbeam.’
29. s’orienter, ‘to find one’s bearings’; lit. to find out where you are in relation
to the ‘orient’ or ‘east’ and the other cardinal points.
1. à mes côtés, ‘beside me.’ See note, p. 11 l. 3.
3. si rapide qu’elle eût été: note this use of si . . que instead of quelque . . que,
‘however.’ In all such concessive sentences the subjunctive is necessary.
7. lunettes, ‘spectacles’; la lunette=telescope.’
23. mince affaire, ‘easy matter.’
26. disposition, ‘disposal,’ not ‘disposition,’ which in French is generally
rendered by le caractère or le naturel.
29. avait l’air très bon enfant, ‘looked a very good fellow.’ Distinguish—
il a l’air bon, ‘he looks kind.’
il a bon air, ‘he looks gentlemanly.’
30. chemin faisant, ‘on the way.’
2. chasseurs d’Afrique, ‘African light cavalry.’ Cf. note, p. 85 l. 18.
acheva de: trans. by an adverb, ‘completely.’
5. force poignées de main, ‘a good deal of hand-shaking.’ What part of speech
is force?
16. plus de toit . . plus do foyer: see note, p. 13 l. 9. Foyer=‘hearth,’ and in
some phrases is used for ‘home.’
18. misère: not ‘misery.’
20. à lui tout seul, ‘all by himself.’
24. se mettre au courant de, ‘to post himself up in.’
26. de la propre main de M. Viot, ‘in M. Viot’s own hand-writing.’
5. appointements, ‘salaries.’ Traitement is generally used for the salary of civil
servants and professional men.
17. ou bien, ‘or else.’
3. un original, ‘an eccentric fellow.’
21. parbleu! c’est bien le cas de dire . . ‘by Jove! one may indeed say . .’
25. en rit: rire and sourire with à imply greeting, with de derision.
28. pour avoir seulement quelques pouces de plus, ‘to have been so much as
a few inches taller.’
30. ça ne fait rien, ‘never mind,’ ‘no matter.’
31. pour passer sous la même toise, ‘to be measured by the same standard.’
Toise ‘fathom,’ an old length measure about 6 ft. 5 in., used for measuring
the height of conscripts.
3. Je paye un punch d’adieu, ‘I’ll pay for a farewell glass of punch.’ Punch,
from an Indian word meaning ‘five,’ so called from its five ingredients,
viz. spirit, water, lemon, sugar and spice. It is also called ‘contradiction,’
because it is composed of spirit to make it strong, water to make it weak,
lemon juice to make it sour, and sugar to make it sweet.
4. je veux que vous en soyez: cf. êtes-vous des nôtres? ‘are you one of our
party?’ or ‘won’t you join us?’
14. le ban et l’arrière-ban des habitués, ‘the whole body of the frequenters.’
The ban in the Middle Ages=the immediate vassals of the king, i.e. those
under his banner; the arrière-ban=the reserve force, composed of
older citizens, who did not take up arms except in moments of peril.
17. à dire vrai, ‘to tell the truth.’ Cf. à tout prendre, ‘upon the whole’; à bien
regarder, ‘on close consideration.’
28. en somme, vous êtes bien tombé, ‘on the whole you have fallen on your
feet.’
29. absinthe: a plant having a somewhat strong smell and bitter taste. It is used
for medicinal purposes, and also for the preparation of the liqueur known as
‘absinthe.’
30. à la boîte: cf. baraque, p. 25 l. 9.
31. vous ne serez pas trop mal, ‘you will not be too badly off.’
2. l’étude des petits, ‘the junior school.’ So l’étude des moyens (p. 51 l. 5),
‘the middle school.’
3. qu’on mène à la baguette, ‘that you can rule with a rod of iron.’
4. méchant. Note—
un méchant homme, ‘a bad or wicked man.’
un homme méchant, ‘a mischievous or spiteful man.’
Cf. note, p. 24 l. 23.
6. père Viot, ‘old Viot.’
11. les fonctions d’économe, ‘the duties of a bursar.’
15. fée, ‘old hag’ or ‘old witch.’
24. confidences, ‘secrets.’
27. parlant haut: see note, p. 17 l. 16.
6. ce que c’est que de nous, pourtant! ‘and yet, what weak creatures we are!’
7. un file de famille en rupture de ban, ‘a youth of good family, who had gone
the pace a bit’; lit. ‘escaped from banishment.’
11. d’un meilleur œil, ‘more favourably.’
13. troublé, ‘disturbed in mind.’ Cf. note, p. 12 l. 30.
15. entre deux grands coups secs frappés, ‘between two loud sharp raps.’
(chapter v. full=vi)
23. ils ne sentaient pas encore le collège, ‘they were as yet untouched by the
moral atmosphere of the school. Cf. note, p. 17 l. 20.
25. pépialent, ‘chirped,’ i.e. ‘chattered.’
3. je vous demande! ‘just think of it!’
7. bon . . sages, ‘kind . . good.’
11. encriers, règles, porte plumes: note the frequent omission of the article in
enumerations.
13. grands yeux: cf. les fenêtres sont grandes ouvertes, ‘the windows are wide
open.’
14. à leur intention, ‘especially for them.’ Cf. à mon intention, p. 51 l. 2.
18. n’entendait pas, ‘did not want.’
de la sorte, ‘in this way.’
9. à la récréation de quatre heures, ‘at the 4 o’clock interval.’
16. Jean Lapin leur manquait, ‘they missed Jean Lapin.’ Note carefully—
vous me manquez, ‘I miss you.’
je vous manque, ‘you miss me.’
j’ai manqué le train, ‘I have missed the train,
il manque d’esprit, ‘he is wanting in brains.’
j’ai manqué de tomber, ‘I nearly fell.’
18. quartiers, ‘departments.’
les grands, les moyens, les petits, ‘the senior school, the middle school, the
junior school.’
23. avait beau me sourire, ‘might smile at me as much as he liked.’
See note, p. 15 l. 18.
28. le regardaient du haut de leur toque, ‘eyed him up and down.’ Toque=
‘college cap.’
3. m’en vouloir: see note, p. 3 l. 31.
8. sous les combles, ‘under the roof,’ ‘at the top of the house.’
c’est là que . ., ‘that was where . .’
14. criblé de taches d’encre et d’inscriptions au canif, ‘covered with
ink-spots and names carved with a penknife.’
17. pour le quart d’heure: see note, p. 30 l. 29.
18. passer licencié, ‘pass my Master of Arts degree.’ All university students in
France, who wish to become teachers in a lycée or collège, or professors
in a university, must pass several examinations before becoming qualified
for such posts. The Baccalauréat—sort of school-leaving certificate—
is followed by the licence, so-called because it gives the licence or
permission to one to teach in a lycée or collège. Upon those who have
passed these examinations the titles of Bachelier and Licencié ès lettres or
ès sciences (ès=en les) are respectively conferred. The Agrégation and
Doctorat, the passing of which confers the titles of agrégé and docteur,
are very stiff. The former is competitive, the number of places being strictly
limited, and allows the successful candidate to take a post in one of the
higher schools. For the Doctorat one must write a thesis on some original
subject, and no one can obtain a university professorship who has not
passed this examination.
1. sur les bras, ‘on my hands.’
6. emboîtaient le pas à merveille, ‘fell into step splendidly.’
8. jacassaient le long de la route, ‘chattered the whole way along.’
13. tunique: a sort of frock-coat formerly worn by lycéens.
14. marmaille folle, ‘unruly gang of ragamuffins.’
17. diablotine ébouriffés, ‘dishevelled imps.’
21. avorton, ‘shrimp of a fellow.’
23. sentant le ruisseau, ‘redolent of the gutter.’ See note, p. 17 l. 20.
pour que rien ne lui manquât, ‘to crown all.’
30. paye: used here in the restricted sense of ‘neighbourhood.’
2. à nos trousses, ‘at our heels.’
qui faisaient la roue sur nos derrières, ‘rolling along on their hands and feet
like a wheel behind us.’
5. bonnes singeries, ‘silly monkey-tricks.’
8. circonstancié, ‘detailed.’
16. dans un état de toilette tel que . ., ‘looking such a little pickle that . .’
24. je ne sais quoi always denotes the ‘indescribable’ in French.
Trans. ‘something about it.’
25. sentait les doigte matornels, ‘spoke loudly of his mother’s fingers.’
Cf. note, p. 17 l. 20.
29. comme si de rien n’était, ‘as if nothing were the matter.’
12. doublez le pas, ‘walk in double-quick time.’
14. filer d’un train d’enfer, ‘to go off at a frightful pace.’
7. sur son compte, ‘about him.’
9. se saignait les quatre membres, ‘was working himself to death.’
13. on lui avait donné un modèle de bâtons, ‘they had set him some pot-hooks
and hangers to copy.’
16. grand Dieu! see note, p. 12 l. 22.
22. à pleines mains, ‘tightly in his hand.’ Cf.— donner à pleines mains, ‘to give
generously.’
6. je serais venu à bout de lui apprendre . ., ‘I should have managed to teach
him . .’
11. rhétoricien, ‘sixth-form boy.’
16. à l’œuvre, ‘at their tricks.’
17. me serrait le cœur, ‘depressed me.’
(chapter vi. full=vii)
2. à mon intention: see note, p. 43 l. 14.
8. métayers: a métayer is a farmer who gives the owner of the land a certain part
of the produce of his métairie or ‘farm,’ keeping the rest for himself.
14. Pion: a term of contempt given by schoolboys to a maître d’étude or ‘usher.’
25. ah! mon Dieu! see note, p. 8 l. 14.
9. donnait sur: cf.—
la salle à manger donne sur le jardin, ‘the dining-room looks out on to
the garden.’
14. aux enfants trouvés, ‘at the Foundling Hospital.’
20. l’abbé Germane: see note, p. 4 l. 23.
25. d’une voix brève et cassante, ‘in a curt, gruff voice.’
2. un Mirabeau en soutane, ‘a regular Mirabeau in a cassock.’ Mirabeau
(1749-1791) was the greatest orator of the French Revolution, a man of
fearless temperament and a bold, impetuous disposition. He would have
enjoyed no small share of manly beauty had he not, when a little child,
been sorely disfigured for life by the smallpox.
28. Condillac: a celebrated French philosopher, born at Grenoble, 1715.
He died in 1780.
30. bibliothèque, ‘library’; librairie, ‘bookseller’s shop or trade.’
So bibliothécaire, ‘librarian’; libraire, ‘bookseller.’
1. tenir, ‘to keep in stock.’
5. diable d’homme, ‘terrible man.’ Note—
un bon diable, ‘a good fellow.’
c’est là le diable, ‘that’s the trouble.’
cela ne vaut pas le diable, ‘that is not worth anything.’
10. voix de Titan, ‘Titanic voice.’ The Titans in ancient mythology were
gigantic beings, representing the primitive powers of Nature.
17. brûle-gueule, ‘cutty.’
21. le tranchant de sa voix, ‘his peremptory voice.’
22. tapissée de, ‘lined with.’
25. tant bien que mal, ‘as well as I could.’
2. les Condillac: the plural would be preferable. See note, p. 23 l. 28.
4. tu ne veux pas? . . à ton aise, ‘you don’t care about
smoking? . . . well! just as you like.’ Note—
être à son aise, ‘to be in easy circumstances.’
ne pas se sentir à son aise, ‘to feel uncomfortable.’
6. surtout ne le gâte pas, ‘but be very careful and don’t spoil it.’
10. tu t’occupes donc de philosophie? ‘so you are busy reading philosophy,
are you?’
12. par hasard, ‘I wonder.’ A sarcastic colloquialism.
des histoires, mon cher, de pures histoires! ‘fables, my dear boy,
nothing but fables!’
14. je vous demande un peu! ‘just think of it!’
16. pendant qu’ils y étaient, ‘whilst they were at it.’
18. ah! misère de moi! ‘ah me!’
31. à propos, ‘by the bye.’ Note—
il est venu fort à propos, ‘he came very opportunely.’
à propos de, ‘with regard to.’
de propos délibéré, ‘on purpose.’
1. le bon Dieu: do not translate le bon. Cf. the German der liebe Gott.
2. sans quoi tu ne t’en tireras jamais, ‘or else you will never get over your
troubles.’
7. j’ai passé par là, ‘I have been through it all.’ Cf.—
il faut bien que j’en passe par là, ‘I must put up with it.’
9. monsieur l’abbé: simply ‘sir.’
19. le plus souvent, ‘more often than not.’
23. pattes de mouche, ‘scrawl.’
30. seulement, ‘even,’ ‘so much as.’ A quite common and classical use
of this word.
5. il était temps; je n’y pouvais plus tenir, ‘it was high time, I could stand
it no longer.’
10. au fond, ‘at the far end.’ Cf. note, p. 7 l. 28.
20. en serre-file, ‘bringing up the rear.’
21. le professeur de seconde, ‘the second-form master. He would
correspond to a fifth-form master in an English school. Cf. note, p. 21 l. 23.
30. la tête: note (1) the number, (2) the use of the definite article.
31. foulards ponceau, ‘flame-coloured silk handkerchiefs.’ Nouns serving
as adjectives of colour are generally invariable.
6. ne les laissait pas chômer, ‘did not allow them any rest’: chômer=‘to be
out of work,’ chômage, ‘want of work.’ ‘Unemployment’ would be the best
word were it English.
10. tohu-bohu: an onomatopoeia.
14. par ici! ‘this way!’ ‘along here!’ Cf. par là! par où?
16. faisaient froufrou, ‘rustled.’
22. au passage, ‘as they went along.’
23. à l’année prochaine! ‘good-bye till next year!’ Cf. à demain! à ce soir!
à bientôt! au revoir!
1. clic! clac! another onomatopoeia.
8. riant à belles dents, ‘laughing merrily’; lit. ‘showing their pretty teeth as
they laughed.’
12. chasser à la pipée, ‘to go bird-catching with a bird-call.’
(chapter vii. full=viii)
19. au fond d’un grand fauteuil, ‘comfortably seated in a big arm-chair.’
26. paillettes, ‘spangles.’
30. en, ‘on account of them.’
1. confidences: see note, p. 40 l. 24.
13. ou bien encore, ‘or else.’
16. ce n’est que cela? ‘is that all?’
22. de guerre lasse, ‘in utter despair.’
27. quelle est la lettre dont il s’agit, ‘what the letter in question is all about.’
25. non plus: see note, p. 14 l. 27.
31. pour comble de malheur, ‘to crown his misfortunes.’
1. la rentrée, ‘the first day of term.’
10. n’a qu’à bien se tenir, ‘must put himself on his best behaviour.’
14. berlines: a ‘berline’ is a large closed carriage of the chariot type, so called
from Berlin, where it was first made.
15. manquent à: cf. note, p. 44 l. 16.
(chapter viii. full=ix)
22. en train: sc. de travailler.
23. grands mois, ‘full months’; cf. au grand soleil.
24. son va-et-vient habituel, ‘its ordinary routine.’
4. litanies, ‘long files.’
14. de mon côté, ‘for my own part.’
24. cocorico! ‘cock-a-doodle-doo.’
26. les papiers mâchés, ‘chewed paper pellets.’
30. en désespoir de cause, ‘as a last shift.’
11. me faisait mauvais accueil, ‘always received me coldly.
17. tenait beaucoup à cet élève, ‘thought a great deal of this pupil.’ Note—
il tient de sa mère, ‘he takes after his mother.’
28. j’avais affaire à forte partie, ‘I had a difficult customer to deal with.’
Note—
avoir affaire de, ‘to have need of.’
avoir affaire avec, ‘to do business with.’
29. faquin de marquis, ‘puppy of a marquis.’
30. en pleine étude: see note, p. 7 l. 3.
7. je m’engageais dans une méchante affaire, ‘I was getting involved in
rather a critical business.’
14. il fallait voir de quel air, ‘you should have seen the air he put on.’
26. j’eus le geste de le prendre au collet, ‘I stretched out my hand as if to
seize him by the coat-collar.’
28. misérable, ‘wretch.’
3. pour le coup: see note, p. 2 l. 17.
12. mis à la raison par ce gringalet de pion, ‘brought to his senses by this
slip of an usher.’
24. troublèrent, ‘disturbed.’ See note, p. 12 l. 30.
1. j’en serais quitte pour la peur, ‘I should get off with a good fright.’
12. j’étais perdu, ‘it was all over with me.’
1. là-dessus le voilà parti à . ., ‘thereupon he began to. .’
12. réquisitoire, ‘indictment.’
21. On, ‘Someone,’
22. qu’On se le tint pour dit, ‘Someone must bear in mind that . .’
25. riaient sous cape, ‘were laughing in their sleeves.’ Cf. rire dans
sa barbe.
28. injures, ‘insults’: so injurieux, ‘insulting.’ What is the French for
‘injury’?
31. où aller? ‘where could he go?’ Interrogative infinitive, often used in
deliberative sentences.
1. ils furent à sec d’éloquence, ‘they were hard up for something more
to say.’
5. me riaient au nez, ‘laughed in my face.’
11. à faire dresser tes cheveux: for this use of it in the sense
of assez pour cf. p. 79 l. 8, me serrant les poignets à les
briser; p. 84 l. 19, les autres riaient à se tordre.
4. je finis par ne plus m’occuper d’eux, ‘after a time I no longer troubled
about them’; cf. note, p. 14 l. 29.
(chapter ix. full=xi)
18. maîtresse poutre, ‘kingpost.’
12. les enfants auraient . ., que je ne m’en fusse pas aperçu, ‘if the boys
had . . I should not have noticed.’
18. tu ne te doutais pas, hein? ‘you had no idea, eh?’
24. M. le curé de Saint-Nizier, ‘the vicar of Saint Nizier.’
Note curé=‘parson,’ i.e. either the ‘vicar’ or ‘rector’ of a parish,
but vicaire=‘curate.’
27. mémoires: note le mémoire, ‘memoir,’ ‘memorandum’; la mémoire,
‘memory.’
30. tout compte fait, ‘after reckoning everything up.’
1. sur mes économies, ‘out of my savings.’
3. la jolie ville que ce Paris! see note, p. 4 l. 31.
9. j’en étais là, de la lettre, ‘I had just come to that part of the letter.’
10. sourd: lit. ‘deaf.’ The word is often applied to sounds which are
indistinctly heard. Trans. ‘dull.’
12. à tue-tête, ‘at the top of their voices.’
14. sous-préfet, ‘sub-prefect.’ At the head of each département there is
a Préfet who represents the Ministre de l’intérieur (Home Secretary).
Under him are Sous-Préfets, who are responsible in each arrondissement
to the Préfet for the maintenance of law and order.
17. pour le quart d’heure: see note, p. 30 l. 29.
18. ce qui me tenait à cœur, ‘what I cared for.’
21. se culbutaient, ‘jostled one another.’
30. encore: idiomatic, ‘too,’ or ‘at that.’
6. bien, ‘really.’
10. Quartier Latin: a quarter of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine, where the
University is situated.
pense un peu! ‘just think of it!’
30. il me tardait d’être seul: note—
il me tarde de vous voir, ‘I am longing to see you.’
il ne tardera pas à venir, ‘he will not be long in coming.
11. fou: note—
il est fou, ‘he is mad.’
c’est un sot, une bête, un imbécile, ‘he is a fool.’
18. à coup sûr: see note, p. 2 l. 17.
9. c’est donc Monsieur, ‘so it is you, sir, is it?’
19. de quoi il s’agissait, ‘what he was driving at.’
28. sûr la tablette: note the preposition. The French look at the object before,
the English after it has been removed.
13. de près, ‘close to.’
18. miséricorde! ‘good gracious!’
1. je ne voulais pas répondre, ‘I was determined not to reply.’
8. sur l’heure: see note, p. 8 l. 10.
15. d’un trait, lit. ‘at a stretch,’ i.e. ‘without stopping.’
3. noble cœur, ‘fine fellow.’
8. me serrant les poignets à les briser: see note, p. 70 l. 11.
9. je ne vous dis que ça, ‘that is all I have to say.’
2. j’étais au service, ‘I was in the army.’ Être au service is used only
of military service. Distinguish from être de service, ‘to be on duty,’
‘be in attendance’; se mettre en service, ‘to go into service.’
3. par un coup de ma mauvaise tête, ‘by any quick-tempered act of mine.’
17. être à même de, ‘to be in a position to,’ ‘be able to.’
20. c’était bien le moins qu’on attendit, ‘the least one could do was to wait.’
27. ce que c’est que de nous! see note, p. 41 l. 6.
12. de quoi: cf.—
j’ai de quoi payer le voyage, ‘I have enough to pay for the journey.’
il n’y a pas de quoi rire, ‘it is no laughing matter.’
il n’y a pas de quoi! ‘don’t mention it!’
19. le moyen de: see note, p. 13 l. 10.
1. je pardonnai les arrêts des élèves, ‘I let the boys off detention.’
10. que diable pouvaient-ils faire? ‘whatever could they be doing?’
(chapter x. full=xii)
18. du train dont j’allais, ‘judging from the rate at which I
was walking’; cf.—
à fond de train ‘at full speed.’
il nous a menés bon train, ‘he brought us along at a great rate.’
je dus faire le trajet, ‘I must have covered the ground.’
10. le coup de l’étrier, ‘the stirrup-cup.’ A glass of liquor given in the
Highlands to a guest on leaving, when his feet are already in the stirrups.
It is sometimes called the ‘parting cup,’ or in the north of the Highlands
‘the cup at the door.’
12. et me voilà courant, ‘and I started to run.’
à perdre haleine: see note, p. 99 l. 12.
15. pourvu que: see note, p. 15 l. 30.
17. conduisit: remember that to ‘take’ a person somewhere is conduire
or mener, not prendre.
19. louche, ‘of doubtful reputation.’
8. à faire pleurer: see note, p. 70 l. 11.
11. la ripaille devait chauffer, ‘the revelry must have reached its climax.’
12. toutes grandes, ‘quite wide.’ When is the adverb tout variable?
19. riaient à se tordre, ‘were splitting with laughter’; see note, p. 70 l. 11.
25. fort à propos: see note, p. 55 l. 31.
14. devaient être, ‘must have been.’
15. auditoire, ‘audience’; the French audience=‘official reception,’ e.g. le roi
lui a donné audience.
18. des zouaves: the Zouaves are a body of French infantry serving in Algeria.
They are famous for their fearless courage.
19. la partie perdue, ‘the game was up.’
25. ayons l’œil, Roger, et en avant la grands scène! ‘come, Roger,
bestir yourself; now is the time for the grand scene.’
3. se roulait: same meaning as riait à se tordre.
7. avait fait exprès d’envoyer . . ., ‘had purposely sent . . .’
18. me mit hors de moi, ‘enraged me.’
24. je n’y tins plus: see note, p. 57 l. 5.
29. je ne sais quel: see note, p. 47 l. 24.
6. où trouver de l’argent? comment m’en aller? see note, p. 69 l. 31.
8. par exemple, ‘however’; cf, note, p. 3 l. 22.
21. j’en aurais encore long à te dire, ‘there is a good deal more I could say
to you.’
24. ou bien, ‘or else.’
26. ignorer: not ‘to ignore,’ which in French is méconnaître or faire semblant
de ne pas connaître.
5. vous couperez de mes cheveux: cf.—
j’ai de vos livres, ‘I have some of your books.’
22. attendant qu’ils soient...: note the subjunctive and the use of que instead
of jusqu’à ce que after attendre.
3. il se glisse à petits pas dans l’ombre des murs, ‘he steals along slowly
under cover of the walls.’
6. péristyle: a range of pillars surrounding a courtyard or an edifice.
14. un peu de lune descend et vient donner en plein sur . . ., ‘a moonbeam
comes down and shines full upon . . .’
16. ne fait qu’y penser depuis des heures, ‘has done nothing but think
about it for hours past’; note—
il ne fit que le toucher, ‘he only touched it.’
il ne fait que manger, ‘he does nothing but eat.’
il ne fait que de sortir, ‘he has just gone out.’
il n’a que faire de sortir, ‘he has no occasion to go out.’
1. en voilà une idée, de faire du trapèze, ‘that’s a queer idea, to practise
on the trapeze’; en is redundant, cf. note, p. 3 l. 31.
8. suicidé, ‘would-be suicide.’
2. c’est comme cela! ‘that’s your little game, is it?’
12. en finir, ‘to put an end to himself.’
13. a bien parlé, bien pleuré, bien dégonflé son pauvre cœur malade,
‘has sobbed and told all and unburdened his poor aching heart.’
19. un grand bonheur, ‘a great stroke of luck.’
20. sans attendre tes huit jours, ‘without waiting till your week’s notice
is up.’
4. au fond d’un bon lit, ‘ensconced in a comfortable bed.’
30. J’ai fait ton compte, ‘I have portioned it out for you.’
2. de côté: see note. p. 11 l. 3.
3. faire un remplaçant, ‘to provide a substitute.’ Formerly recruits were
taken by lot from the conscription-list, and anyone who drew a losing number
could pay another, who was called a remplaçant, to take his place. Under
the present law, however, every able-bodied Frenchman must serve as
a soldier.
ne tire au sort que dans six ans, ‘has not to draw lots for six years.’
4. d’ici là, ‘before that time.’
8. l’air de cette Bastille ne te vaut rien, ‘the air of this prison is not good
for you.’ The Bastille, the famous State prison in Paris, was stormed on
July 14, 1789, by the Revolutionists and razed to the ground.
9. ma place à retenir, ‘my seat to book.’
(chapter xi. full=xiii)
23. à grandes enjambées: cf. à grands pas. What does the suffix -ée
denote?
13. de ce pas, ‘immediately,’ ‘at once.’
19. à pleines mains: cf. note, p. 49 l. 22.
22. un coup de théâtre: an event which is quite unforeseen by the audience
and alters the whole course of a play. See note, p. 2 l. 17.
2. j’étais ferré à glace sur . ., ‘I was quite an expert in . .’: ferré à glace,
lit. ‘rough-shod.’ Cf.—
il est ferré sur la géographie, ‘he is well up in geography.
11. bureau des messageries, ‘coach-office.’
16. étaient au complet, ‘were all present.’
23. sur l’oreille, ‘on one side.’
1. net: see note, p. 17 l. 16.
6. flambant, ‘overbearing.’
11. va! ‘I tell you!’ ‘Va!’ like ‘allez!’ is often used emphatically, with the
meaning of ‘I can tell you!’ ‘indeed!’ ‘take my word for it!’ ‘depend on it!’
4. délices: this word is masculine in the singular and feminine in the plural.
Cf. amour and orgue.
12. d’une haleine: lit. ‘in one breath,’ i.e. ‘without stopping to take breath.’
Cf.—
j’ai couru à perte d’haleine, ‘I ran until I was out of breath.’
15. fais feu de tes quatre roues, ‘rattle along.’
18. et qu’ensuite il mette le cap sur Paris, ‘and then steer for Paris.’
A naval expression.
(chapter xii. full=xiv)
22. que: emphatic. See note, p. 4 l. 31.
24. à un grand gendarme de femme, ‘to a big masterful woman.’
25. convaincu, ‘confident.’
3. ne devait pas être, ‘was not likely to be,’ ‘could not be.’
7. avait l’air gênée, ‘seemed very uneasy.’ With the expression avoir l’air
the adjective may agree indifferently with the subject or with air when it refers
to either; but if it cannot refer to one of them it must agree with the other,
e.g. cette pomme a l’air mûre, not mûr, because the air cannot be ripe.
14. joli, le dîner! ‘a fine dinner it was, too!’
3. vieilles gens: attributive adjectives are generally feminine when preceding
and masculine when following gens.
7. lui coupe l’appétit, ‘has taken away her appetite.’
13. de quoi payer: cf. note, p. 81 l. 12.
15. encore si . ., ‘if only . .’
16. à mon aise: cf. note, p. 55 l. 4.
23. avait le cœur gros, ‘felt a sinking at the heart,’ ‘felt sad and oppressed.’

APPENDICES

THE GENERAL EDITORS

APPENDIX I.—W

ORDS AND

HRASES FOR VIVA VOCE