éperdu, ‘losing his head

Page 12.

4. Je regarde le spectacle. Not ‘ I look at the pièce,* but, ‘ I look what the piece is.*

— . Le Prophète. One of the most famous of Meyerbeer’s opéras (1794-1864), familiar to every Parisian playgoer. He composed also Robert le Diable, Les Huguenots, etc.

12. il me donne un grand coup de coude, etc., ‘he digs his elbow violently into me, thinking it was you.*

15. Fo^7à papa qui devient rouge, ‘there was papa turning red.’ A not uncommon use of a relative clause in French, where we should use the présent participle.

18. Quelle grande œuvre que, etc., ‘what a great work The Prophet is I * Que is pleonastic and introduces the subject le Prophète — a common idiom.