Tout est pour le mieux. Ail is as it should be

68.— 15. . . .à peu de chose près, literally: within a trifle, transi, pretty nearly , or, more or less.

69. — 11. tout soldat qu'il était. . . soldier though he was.

70. — 8. Il en était de ceux qui. . . comme d'hommes qui sacrifieraient. . . Note that II is impersonal, and that en expresses the relation of the verb to its object (or adverbial élément) by anticipation. The use of *en' is peculiarly French and should receive careful attention. Transi. : It is with those who... as it is with men who...

70. — 12. où les fronts se heurtaient. .. , literally: where the brows were knocking againstrealities; transi.: when the minds were conf ronted with harsh realities. The vivid eftect of the original is, of course, lost in the translation.

22. le point d'appui, the pivotai point; transi.: the firm support, because *pivot' is used in the next line.