l'un dragon, and 1. 2, l'autre mousquetaire. It has

already been explained in note to p. 1, 1. 7, that a noun standing, like a qualifying adjective, near (in apposition) to another noun, as a rule, takes no article in French, because it is rightly considered and treated as an adjective. Dragon means both dragon (its original signification) and dragoon, as hère. Originally mounted infantry established in France about 1550 ; so called, it is said, because they had a dragon on their standard.

4. avant qu'il pût ; the verb is in the subjunctive after the

coujunction avant que ; see note to p. 3, 1. 3.

5. ils lui passèrent leur épée au travers du corps ; ' passer, '

hère — to rua, transit. ; the construction lui ... le corps is virtually the sanie as the one explained in note to ji. 3, 1. 24, i.c. French personal pron. + definite art. = Engl. possessive adjective.

au travers de, througli, is used after verbs denoting an action requiring an effort, and is therefore more forcible than à travers.

8. il se trouva, cf. note to p. 2, 1. 11 ; freely — it turncd ont.

10-11. elle en employa une partie ; account for the use of en.