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80 Contes Choisis Page 1iNK

Note that douter always requires the verb in the subordinate clause to be in the subjunctive mood, whilst se douter governs the indicative if the phrase is affirmative, the subjunctive if the phrase is interrogative or negative.

13. 18. leun: #» here receives a sort of semi-aspiration, in order to make the meaning clearer, and avoid confusion with /'#, meaning ‘the one‘ (of two things). Each Passenger has to take a numbered ticket at the bureau, and when the omnibus arrives the numbers are called in succession, and each Passenger has to wait until his number is called before entering the vehicle,

* 22. une sœur de Saint-Vincent de Pau): St, Vincent de Paul was born in 1576 and died in 1660. He did much humane work amongst the galley slaves, and established confréries de charité in various places. In 1625 he founded the ‘ Congrégation des Prêtres de la Mission,’ to supply the provinces with efficient religious teachers, in 1632 the order of the Lazarists, and in 1634 that of the ‘ Sœurs de la Charité’ or Sisters of Mercy. He also founded at Paris the hospitals ot ‘ La Salpétrière' and ‘Les Enfants Trouvés' or Foundling Hospital. Cf. note, p. 32 1. 18. He took an active part in the Controversy directed against the Jansenists, and Was canonised in 1737. The church of St Vincent de Paul is situated in the Place Lafayette, near the Gare du Nord.

14 1. correspondance : in Paris passengers are allowed to change

from one onnibus to another on making application for a ticket called correspondance while paying the fare to the conductor on entering the vehicle. This ticket must be given, at the office where the change takes place, to the conductor of the second omnibus. The offices or stations of correspondance are marked by a blue sign-board, bearing in white letters the words : Cor- agnie générale des omnibus.'

” 8. qui écarte la foule, ‘who makes her way through the crowd," lit. ‘ who makes the crowd give way.’

+. 10. abritant de son mieux, ‘dring her best to shelter.'

» 18. trois ans et demi: mi llaced before à substantive is invariable, Ex. — ve demi-dusaine. Placed after the substantive it agrees with it in gender, but always remains in the singular number. Ex.—une dousaine et demie: deux ans et demi (i.e. un demi-an). When used as a noun, it may take the sign of the plural. Cf. demi-voix, à, in Vocab.