In Molière, Scapin, the amusing but rascally servant of farce, in order to obtain more money out of Géronte, the father of his young master, Léandre, pretends that the latter has been taken prisoner on board a Turkish galley and that the captain demands 500 crowns as ransom. Géronte in the dilemma of losing either his money or his son, at last parts with his treasured gold, but not without repeating several times in heartfelt sorrow, “Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?”]
*Il ne faut qu’une brebis galeuse pour infecter tout un troupeau = One scabby sheep will taint a whole flock.
*Qui se sent galeux, se gratte (fam.) = If the cap fits, wear it. (See [Morveux].)
Galon
Quand on prend du galon on n’en saurait trop prendre = As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb; One cannot make too much of a favourable opportunity.
[This is a parody of a line in Quinault’s Roland, ii. 5: “Quand on prend de l’amour, on n’en saurait trop prendre.”]
Gant
Il s’en donne les gants = He takes the credit of it.
[It was the custom to give a pair of gloves to the messenger who first brought a piece of good news.]