Depuis un mois paysans. ' For a month he has

done nothing but chat with the farmers.' In France paysan is about the équivalent of /armer in Canada ; sometimes cultivateur is used ; and fermier if 'tenant farmer ' is meant. For tense see note to line 23, page 2.

16. il a été, 'he was.' So, too, in the next line, est revenu,

' came back.' The use of this tense, for the past definite, has become very common, particularly in familiar discourse.