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_.
Page 14.
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.’
Page 15.
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.’
Page 16.
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.
Page 17.
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.’
Page 18.
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.
Page 19. (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.’
Page 20.
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.
Page 21.
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.’
Page 22.
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.’
Page 23.
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.
Page 24.
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.’
Page 25.
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).
Page 26.
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.
Page 27.
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?’
Page 28.
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.’
Page 29.
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.’
Page 30.
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_.
Page 31.
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.
Page 32.
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.
Page 33.
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!’
Page 34.
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.
Page 35.
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.’
Page 36.
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.’
Page 37.
5. appointements, ‘salaries.’ _Traitement_ is generally used
for the salary of civil servants and professional men.
17. ou bien, ‘or else.’
Page 38.
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.
Page 39.
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.’
Page 40.
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.
Page 41.
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.’
Page 42.
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.’
Page 43.
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.’
Page 44.
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.’
Page 45.
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.
Page 46.
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.’
Page 47.
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.’
Page 48.
12. doublez le pas, ‘walk in double-quick time.’
14. filer d’un train d’enfer, ‘to go off at a frightful pace.’
Page 49.
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.’
Page 50.
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.’
Page 51. (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.
Page 52.
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.’
Page 53.
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.’
Page 54.
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.’
Page 55.
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.’
Page 56.
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.
Page 57.
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.’