famille, i. e. of good family connections

4. billets de banque, i. e. of the bank of France. Though there are notes of many dénominations from 5000 to 20 francs, in literature a banknote seems usually to mean a 1000-franc note, and thèse are those most commonly seen. Observe that the doctor has cash in his desk, where an American would probably have a check-book; and note that private bankaccounts are still comparatively uncommon in France.