pouvaient, could do

11. n'. . . propre à rien, good for nothing.— e'etait à lui: see note on p. 7, 1. 28. — se tirer d*aiEaire, make his own way ; literally = get out of a scrape.

13. s'en fut, went away. Etre in the sensé of " to go " is used only in the past tenses.

16. pensant . ^ . à, thinking of. Note this use of i, and cf. river and songer.

19. bon à rien: cf. note on p. 11, 1. 11. — meure (from mourir)^ subjunctive with il faut.