du blanc gras : ' White grease-paint

54.6. à l'encolure de, etc. : ' Looking more like.' ' L'encolure ' is the neck of a horse, and is used figuratively to mean the build or the gênerai appearance of a person.

54.7. à qui ... un cabas : ' Whom y ou could hâve pictured with a market-basket over her arm.'

54.8. la maîtresse ... au cachet: The teacher of music who gives fessons at the houses of her pupils. ' Le cachet ' is the card which serves to keep a record of the number of fessons given. ' Elle court le cachet ' means ' she earns her living by going out to give private lessons.'

54.9. vaudevilliste : Writer of a ' vaudeville,' any light, frivolous pièce not meant to be taken too seriously, and often not too austère. The name is said to be a corruption of Vau-de-Vire (in Normandy), the home, in the i5th century, of certain satirical songs that achieved popularity.