La refers to tentative

Page 70. — I. Fualdès ; Antoine Fualdès was a magistrate of Rodez, whose murder in 181 7 by a former friend started a trial famous ail over France. A poem, or lament, was written on this thème, and the scène of the murder was even enacted in the cheap shows ; it is to one of thèse performances that Champbourcy alludes.

2. Guillaume Tell, the last opéra of Rossini, 1782- 1868; the subjett was takeii from Schiller's VVilhelm Tell.

3 Air de Sologne ; the tune is that of a ditty of the Sologne région, the native place of Labiche ; the Sologne is a plain south of Orléans, formerly noted for its pestilential marshes, but now reclaimed.

4. Champenois, a native of Champagne, i. e., a bottle of wine.

Page 71. — I. Nomd'unnom; although in itself an euphemism, this oath is considered very vulgar. It might be rendered by Heavens and earth !

Page 73. — i. Caserne de municipaux, barracks of the city guard.

Page 74. — i. Grand-livre; note the hyphen.