à portée, within reach

au besoin, in case of need.

1. 19. que je fus à même, that I was able... Liter. that I was at that very identical point, namely, to judge. The French sentence is elliptical and can be supplemented thus: que je fus au même point (L. metipsissimum punctum), savoir: juger, etc.

1. 23. qui faillit..., which very nearly... ; liter. which just failed or missed...

L 29. que je ne jz^w.,.than I am. Ne is often used when the négative in the dépendent clause is contradicted by a négation implied or expressed in the principal clause.

LE LÉPREUX DE LA CLTÉ HAOSTE, 115

P. 91, 1. 3. pensa me perdre^ nearly ruined me ; hère penser is used in the sensé of " thought to do it," as we say, " was like to do it."