12 6 fermait la porte à double tour: 'double locked the gate', lit. 'with a double turn of the key' In the old lock a single turn of the key drove the bolt into the socket, a second turn drove it farther.
12 15 chaussée: 'highway,' the middle of a road or street, usually paved and arched, cf. 88 27.
12 21 cours: 'public promenade' "There is all round Tarascon a promenade (cours) lined with trees, which is called in the local dictionary le Tour de ville Every Sunday afternoon the Tarasconians, slaves to habit despite their imagination, make their circuit of the town (font leur tour de ville)" "Tartarin sur les Alpes," ch 11, p 42, cf. 23 10-11.
12 22 par le plus long: supply chemin.
12 25 coupe-gorge (plural and singular alike) 'haunts of cutthroats' Coupe jarret = 'cut throat' (jarret = 'ham string')--lui tomber sur le dos 'fall upon his back', cf. 18 33, 20 13, 28 8, 31 6, 65 11.
12 27 jamais, au grand jamais: 'never, NEVER'.
12 28 eut la chance: 'had the good luck' Engl 'chance' = French Occasion.
12 31 planté sur place: 'rooted to the spot', of en resta planté 44 11.
12 32 prenant le vent: 'sniffing the air,' used of hunting dogs, as a nautical expression = 'sailing near the wind'.