Charles-le-Chauve, i.e. ' Charles IL

8. et quand ils . . : quand, which usually means 'when,' has sometimes (as hère) the meaning of 'although,' ' even if,' and in this sensé is always used with the conditional. ,, 10. eût pu se permettre . ., ' might hâve indulged in . .' ,, II. Mérovingien : the name of the first dynasty of the Franks, which reigned over France from 428-752. It was founded by Mérovée, or Merowig (i.e. ' eminent warrior'). g3. 2. tienne au sien, ' is anxious to keep his . .' Cf. —

il ne tient qu'à lui de réussir, ' it rests entirely with him

to succeed. ' il tient de son père, ' he takes after his father.' je /(' tiens de bonne source, ' I hâve it on good authority. '

, II. Monsieur de l'Étang . . de Lamare . . de Leau . . du Jonc . . de Labonde . . de Lîle . . du Brochet :

the particle de before a French family name is a sign of nobility, as von in German. Thèse made-up names form a play on the words Vitang (the pond), la mare (the pool), l'eau (the water), la bonde (the sluice), ///t'(the island), le brochet (the pike).

,, 12. à tout suzerain tout honnetir : the more usual form is à tout seigneur, tout honrieur, ' honour to whom honour is due.'

,, 16. faites-moi grâce du reste de la pêche, ' spare me the other fish.' Pêche (lit. 'fishing') continues the play on the word brochet (pike).

,, 21. armes, 'amis,' i.e. ' coat of arnis. ' Cf. — • hommes d'arfnes, ' men-at-arms.'

Notes 121

Page Li.NE

maître d armes, ' fencing-master. '

salk (farines, ' fencing-school.'

faire des armes, ' to fence. '

/aire /lasser par les armes, ' to order to be shot.'

84. 15. l'or, ce soleil monnayé, ' gold, which is the sun in specie."

,, 18. trempés, 'tempered,' 'stamped.' Cf. la trempe de T acier, ' the temper of steel. '

., 31. malappris, ' bad-mannered.'

85. 9. raide (formerly roide, Lat. rigidus) : notice that the pronun-

ciation raide is the only one used novv, whether the spelling is raide or roide.

87. 20. Spa, near Liège, in Belgium, celebrated for its ferruginous springs.