Fond, back of the stage. — Premier plan, foreground

4. Bouillotte, a game of cards. The name is derived from bouillir, " to boil ", and is an allusion to the rapidity with which the game is played.

5. Sors ; the rules of the game require a settling up every halfhour, and, if necessary, a change of players ; one can drop out in the meantime if there is another to take his place. Ilere it is the turn of Félix to give up his place.

6. Parbleu, hère an exclamation of surprise, such as / déclare ! This, and many other words of similar formation, once oaths which originated during the Crusades, hâve lost their force and are now

Il8 NOTES II*. 4 -G

uscil frocly as harmless cjatiilatioiis. Bli-it is rcally a softcned form of Ih.u.

7. Quoi donc; in such phrases, which are at tlie same time exclanuilory and interrogative, liotu is used as a sort of formula, vcry nuich as we say in English, " Why, wliat ? "

S. Chez qui, /// Ti'/zc/// ; after a préposition, qui ahvays refers to a Personal antécédent.

Page 4. — I. Garçon hère means bachclor. Peu avancé en âgo would be expressed negatively in English, not yet past middlc-n}^e.

2. S'adresser ; the infinitive is used elliptically where the imperative is found in English, in written notices, warnings, etc.