[100] un peu franc-maçonne, somewhat freemasonic, i.e., of widespread membership. The freemasons are very powerful in France and exert great political influence.—elle se retrouve partout, its members meet everywhere.
[101] un petit mot, a word in passing.
[102] du bon temps, of the good old times.—En France, 360 francs les 1000 kilos. La tonne anglaise, qui a 15 kilos de plus, vaut, franco, à bord, de 11 livres 10 schellings à 12 livres 5 schellings.
[103] toujours le même, always the same visionary inventor.
[104] marcher sur le pied, tread on his toes.
[105] Louis XVI, etc.; the lack of tastes commensurate with their exalted position is a well-known characteristic of the three monarchs here mentioned. The character of Henry the Third was particularly frivolous.
[106] ce fut à... de lui, there was a struggle to see who could get nearest him.
[107] avec ses droits, with his civil rights; the marquis cleverly avoids the exposition of his poverty by simply claiming his right to the separate administration of his own property.
[108] il vous en faudra beaucoup, you will need a good deal of it.
[109] n'avait pas la rage de le repeupler, was not madly anxious to repeople it.