quand cela ne serait que, ' even if it were only

16. aller loin is a common phrase in French for ' make one's fortune,' *rise to a high position,' etc. Compare the phrase, ce jeune homme est laborieux, il ira loin, ' that young man is industrious, he will rise.'

18. conseil municipal. The municipal unit in France is the commune whose governing body is the conseil municipal, the chairman of which is the maire. The communes are united into cantons for which there is no council. The cantons are united into arrondissements whose council is

Notes.

called conseil d'arrondissement (see p. 6, 1., 10). The arrondissements are united into départements whose council is called conseil général (see p. 6, 1. 13).

est occupée, ' has been occupied. '

est là. See last note.

instruit, 'edueated.'

il ne sait pas le grec. This ridiculous speech, put into the mouth of Machut, is probably an echo of the famous passage, so well known to Frenchmen, found in Acte III. , scène 5, of les Femmes Savantes : Du grec ! 0 ciel ! du grec ! il sait du grec /

VOUS ceindrez Técharpe municipale, 'you will be

maire,^ literally *you will put on the municipal sash.' The maire wears a sash as a sign of his office.

Parbleu ! ' I should think so ! '

conseiller d'arrondissement. The next step in the

ladder above maire. See note to p. 5, 1. 18.

député, member of the chambre des députés^ which, along with the sénat, constitutes the suprême législative body of the nation. Député is équivalent to Member of Parliament.

16. la tribune here is the platform from which the députés address the Chamber. It corresponds to the English phrase ' floor of the House. ' aborderais la tribune is about équivalent to ' I should stand on the floor of the House. '