9: mauvais pas: the technical name for several «dangerous places» in the Alps.
10: a beau dire: may say what she pleases. This idiom should be clearlyunderstood. It always means «to do a thing in vain,» to have «a fine time»doing it, but without achieving any result.—ça ne tient pas à, it is notthe fault of… Lit, «It does not depend upon,» «result from.»
11. on s'en retire parfaitement: it is easy to get out again. Observe the ingenuity with which Perrichon uses a form that leaves out all reference to help received from others.
12. Je le crois bien: I should think so!—ce que ça vaut: a very fairprice. Lit., «what it is worth.»
13. Je ne pars pas: Daniel sees the chance he spoke of, see acte I, scène IX.
14. être des nôtres: join our party. Note the change from «Armand» to «Mister Desroches.»
15. il paraît: it appears, or I am told. His own accident is actuallyfading into unreality. In the next sentence he shows the sameunconsciousness.
16. rêver: a poetical word. His affectations reappear: he is feeling better.
ACTE II, SCÈNE VI
1: article 716 du Code civil: the 716th paragraph of the French Code of Civil Law reads: «Treasure-trove belongs one-half to the finder, and one-half to the owner of the ground on which it is found.»