L. 473. mériterait assez, thinking of.' in the way that.' at one end'--that is, one at a etc. : 'would be well worth L. 480. avec elle—that is, as a bride; y, ll. 486, 493, has the same reference. L. 482. considérable : to be considered,'' worth considering. L. 487. regagner: to make up '-' on something else.' SCENE VI. L. 504. Voilà de: there is one of,' as 1. 257. damoiseau (fem. damoiselle-demoiselle, Lat. dominicellus) properly a youth not yet knighted-here, for an effeminate fop. flouet (dimin. of flou): mincing.'-non plus, rare, for pas plus. L. 516. ma mie: my love '-from the old form m'amie, now mon amie. L. 526. dès ce soir: this very evening.' L. 539. de la sorte, idiom: in that style." L. 550. j'en passerai—par: 'I will submit to.' Voilàfait Agreed!' SCENE VII. L. 553. de moi, etc., is idiomatic: I or my daughter.' L. 557. toute raison-all reason-' always right'—is not grammatical, as tout is here properly adverbial. But the like uses of toute, toutes, with adjectives (elle est toute triste, etc.) is equally illogical. See 1. 1094. L. 559. au nez-' to my face'-se moque: 'laughs at' (the idea of). L. 566. ne pouvez pas que—' cannot but be '— cannot help being,' etc. L. 572. mieux rencontrer: 'do better'-' meet with a better chance.' L. 577. vite aux cheveux: idiom. by the forelock.' 'that it is a question'-of, etc., L. 604. là-contre, for contre cela ; see 1. 108, and compare various similar uses, already, of où as relative pronoun. For diantre see 1. 252. etc. Ce n'est pas : 'Not (I do not say) that there are not,' L. 606. que l'argent connects with aimeraient mieux: ‘than (to have) the money'—referring to the dot. L. 614. Le moyen, elliptical: How resist,' etc.? L. 617. qu'on en voudrait: that somebody might have a design upon,' etc. The inimitable sans dot of this scene is imitated from Plautus, but with great improvement on the original. SCENE VIII. L. 622. En venir à bout (as below, à vos fins)—to reach an end- succeed.' L. 623. Heurter de front: 'to attack openly,' is of the same figure as en biaisant -as we say: 'by flanking.' The following expressions, rétifs, cabrer, roidissent, etc., are of a baulking horse. L. 634. trouver, elliptical infin., frequent in exclamation or question, as 1. 614. L. 640. Ý: about it.' quei mal, for quelque mal que: whatever disease.' Physicians were always favorite game for Molière's ridicule. SCENE IX. L. 646. VALÈRE continues without interruption. à couvert: furnish a refuge.' mettre L. 649. comme, as frequently, in the sense of comment. s'y rencontre-is found in him.' y as ll. 486, 493; i.e., au mari. L. 653. Voilà, etc.: ' that's well spoken.' L. 659. tu as beau faire-idiom: 'you may do as you will.' See 1. IOI. L. 662. Après cela, etc.: that is, if you dare. SCENE X. L. 666. la bride haute: to keep a tight rein upon her.' L. 675. ce que c'est que de-que pleonastic, as heretofore, 1. 191, and in many idioms. L. 678. tient lieu: takes the place of.' voilà parler: That's talking,' etc. Editions vary between parler and parlé, both here and 1. 653, with slight difference in meaning. ACT II., SCENE I. L. 683. alle fourrer: 'been hiding yourself." Note position of pronoun object, as heretofore. It is clear that, in such cases, the governing verb had sunk to the position of a mere auxiliary. L. 695. de quoi diable: 'what the devil is he thinking of.' See 1. 252. L. 708. fesse-matthieu. The origin of this term is doubtful-said to have reference to St. Matthew who was a publican, and sat 6 at the receipt of customs.' Here a vulgar name for usurers: skinflints.' L. 710. maître, a technical term in law, yet often usurped, or applied in jest, like similar titles in English, 'squire,' etc. L. 712. fait rage; idiom: 'worked like mad’—‘done wonders.' L. 719. cela ne va pas: 'these things are not done in that way.' L. 724. maison empruntée- a borrowed house-i.e., so that the affair may be conducted with due secrecy on both sides. L. 729. le bien-which belongs to C. in his own right. L. 738. qu'il se pourra: 'that can be found.' pour cet effet: for this intent.' L. 744. au denier dix-huit, as above, l. 433; here about 5 per cent.—that is to say, at about the legal rate of in terest. L. 751. sur le pied de: at the rate of 20 per cent.' que here stands for comme, preceding: ‘and as.' See 1. 219. L. 759. vous avez à voir-you have to see to that-that is for you to see to.' L. 765. The franc and the livre are equivalent_terms=3 écus. Note the studied legal phraseology of the “mémoire." L. 775. à bandes: with bands of Hungary point-lace.' L. 777. courte-pointe: 'coverlid of the same' (material). L. 778. changeant, etc. :' mixed red and blue.' L. 780. pavillon à queue: 'bed-tester'—for hanging curtains. rose sèche is the color ashes-of-roses.' 6 L. 785. tenture de tapisserie: a pattern of tapestry,' representing, etc. The loves of Gombaud and Macée' seem to be unknown. Such representations are still to be seen on the walls of some of our old-time houses. L. 788. se tire: 'draws out at each end.'-escabelles: 'footstools.' L. 793. fourchettes assortissantes- the rests corresponding.' The old heavy muskets were furnished with a forked rest, one end of which was fastened into the ground. It will be observed that the articles here enumerated, though useless and cumbersome, are costly. L. 799. luth de Bologne-These were the most costly. où peu s'en faut: 'or very nearly.' 96 L. 801. trou-madame: name of a game, for ladies especially, in which a ball was made to roll into little holes. Something similar was the 'jeu de l'oie :'' game of goose.' L. 802. renouvelé des Grecs is by way of irony, these games being especially stupid. L. 803. l'on n'a que faire: when one has nothing to do.' L. 807. ci-dessus : herein above,' etc., as in legal phrase. L. 815. de tout cela: I shall not get-' for all that.' L. 820. ne vous en déplaise: 'not to displease you'—' permit me to say.' le grand chemin. the high road.' Panurge is a character in the Pantagruel' of Rabelais, from which these words are almost exactly quoted. L. 824. son ble en herbe, as we say, 'one's seed-corn.' L. 830. le plus posé homme, humorously, for l'homme le plus posé. L. 831. patibulaires-no very patibulary inclinations-affectedly ironical for not much taste for being hanged.' L. 834. mon epingle du jeu : my finger out of the pie.' L. 835. qui sentent, etc., which smack ever so little of the gallows.' l'échelle, the ladder that leads to the scaffold. galanteries: 'scrapes.' 6 L. 838. croirais-faire: 'should think I was doing.' We shall see the outcome of this sentiment hereafter (Act IV., Scene VI.). SCENE II. See 550. L. 843. en passera. L. 854. La charité, etc. unconsciously, at himself. A fine stroke of satire, aimed, L. 858. veut dire : 'means.' qui parle: 'talking.' Note, 1. 2235. L. 860. serais-tu pour-for betraying me- can you mean to betray me?' 6 L. 863. pressés : very much in a hurry.' Simon supposes they are here to meet him, in violation of the appointment, 1. 724. SCENE III. L. 882. d'en venir à: to resort to.' Note use of tu and vous respectively. L. 889. et de renchérir, connects with de sacrifier, etc. en fait d'intérêt: in the matter of interest,' referring to the mémoire above quoted. Such reproaches, from his own son, belong to the miser's punishment. His insensibility (je ne suis pas faché, etc.) is still worse. L. 895. dont il n'a que faire: that he has no need of.' See 1. 100. Note the repetition of ou. L. 896. échauffe-les oreilles—that is, by your talk: 'don't talk me into a passion.' SCENE IV. L. 902. à propos : 'time for me to take a little turn after my money.' SCENE V. L. 906. reconnu—that is, as belonging to him. L. 914. du mieux qu': the best I can.' Compare de, I. 49. L. 925. touchent, as we say, touch the quick: tell.' 6 L. 930. serré: close.' L. 934. tant, more regularly, autant. 6 L. 935. point d'affaires: there's nothing to be done'-'it's no use.' Sec, compare sécheresse, 1. 204. L. 937. pour qui, more properly pour lequel. Many of the distinctions of modern grammar were not yet established —still less in the language of comedy. The student will note examples. L. 939. de traire: 'of coaxing.' posely coarse. The original is pur L. 941. par où, like par là, 1. 108: 'their tender spots.' See Note, 1. 604. L. 945. à désespérer-such as-' to drive everybody to despair.'-à, as heretofore, 1. 261. L. 947. l'on pourrait, etc. You might burst, and he would not move.' Note the use of que. SCENE VI. L. 959. Tout de bon: Really? H. quickly justifies F.'s boast, 1. 939, etc.; but how far-we shall see; vous, l. 958, is the ethical dative'-saw in you-' saw you with,' etc. |