une troupe de chiens qui l'entourèrent ; note hère that

the verb is in the plural. When a collective is preceded by the definite article, the foUowing verb is put in the singular ; but when by an indefinite article, the following verb is then put in the plural, agreeing not with the collective but with the plural substantive that follows it. In the first case the collective expresses the principal idea, in the second it does not ; the main idea rests, as hère, upon the people or things, of which a part only is taken. The words la plupart, beaucoup, pe\i, etc., however, when used alone, form an exception to the first case, they being always followed by a verb in the plural. Collective nouns are sin^ar in French, and the noun that follows them, preceded by the préposition de, is put in the plural, except a few that are more frequently used in the singular — peuple, monde, etc.

23. le bas de sa robe, the lower part, the hem, of her dress ; seized hold of her dress by the hem and tore it.

1. 8. avançait ; lit. was advancîng ; mnter was coming fast. Saison = la fix>ide, la mauvaise saison.