ne pas plus tôt . . . que, no sooner . . . tvhcn

26. que, conj., used hère for comme, to avoid its répétition;

see note to p. 3, 1. 3, and p. xi.

27. l'ordonnait ; ' le ' is hère, as in p. 3, 1. 13, neutral pers. pron.

s'en perça la main — (1) se ... la for sa; (2) en, complément of percer, instead of de lui (which could only be used in s])eaking of a 2}c^son). AVe hâve seen before, p. 12, 1. 26, that de is often used before a nouu denoting the instrument tcith which something is done.

28. bien, like fort, p. 2, 1. 10, is often iised in the sensé of très,

vcnj, or rc)-7j . . . indeed.

29. crier au secours, to cry for hclp; thus — au voleur, stop

thief I au feu, fire !