Scène IX
Les Mêmes, hors Jean
De Ron., à René, Mon fils, je suis bien heureux. Dur., à la comtesse. Nous avons de la chance d'en être quittes à si bon marché 1 L [145]
Math., après avoir serré la main d^Èlisa. Décidément, mon père, j'épouserai monsieur de Bourville.
Dur. Et le cousin de Batavia?
Math. Oh ! mon père, j'ai oublié de vous le dire : il est mort... 5
Dur. Je le sais bien ; comme il a vécu.
Mme. Dur., à son mari gui écrit. Qu'est-ce que vous ^tes là, mon ami?
Dur., / 'embrassant J'écris à mon agent de change de m'acheter du trois. lo
Notes
Page i. La Question d'argent, The Money Question^ Le, the part played by money in modem society. This play vvas produced, Jan. 31, 1857, at the Théâtre du Gymnase which ranks third in Paris, its only superiors being the Théâtre Français and the Odéon. For twenty years, from 1853 with Diane de lys to 1873 with Monsieur Alphonse^ ail the plays of Dumas fils were first acted hère; but after his élection to the Academy (see Introduction) he wrote for the Théâtre Français.
Page 3, Une 9. cela votis regarde, ihats your affair, 10. Naples, city in southern Italy. 12. me sauye, take refuge hère.
Page 4, Une 22. le plus beau de son affaire, the most attractive thing about him, Anatole, like many other names due to the classical enthusiasm of the last quarter of the eighteenth century, grates a Uttle on thèse aristocratie ears.
Page 5, line 3. bourgeois des bourgeois, a typical middleclass man, 6. hôtel Meurice, No. 226 Rue de Rivoli, opposite the gardens of the Tuileries, and fashionable now as then. From hère it is about ten minutes' walk by the Pont du Carrousel, or Pont des Saints-Pdres, as it is unofficially caUed, which was then a toU-bridge, to the Rue de Lille in the aristocratie Faubourg Saint-Germain. The countess chose this bridge for her " constitutional " promenade because of the beauty of the view from it. Either the Pont Royal or the Pont de Solférino would hâve been nearer. 12. SOU, I'47]
Act I, Se. ii -^ Notes
cefU, Popular name for the fiye-centime pièce. Properly the sûu or se/ is a pre-revolutionary coin. 13. invalide, ûe, the toll-taker. Disabled soldien are given such positions on the continent in lieu of pensions, to the advantage of their own self-respect and of the government they continue to serve. 33-24. In France it is thought courteous to assume that women of âge to be married are so. Hence to say mademoiselle was to imply extrême youth or a certain contemptuous condescension.
Page 6, line 25. bêta, stupid fellow. 26. raie. Fashionplates of this time, as well as the volumes of ** Punch," show this dandified continuation of the parting of the hair to the back of the neck. 28. Such promises to pay a sum on the death of a person from whom the drawer of the note hopes to inherit are known to English spendthrifts as " post-obits.''
Page 7, line i. croit, that is, he is so heedless that his travelling is not worthy of the name. 10. le chemin de fer de Lyon is the largest railway System of France (6057 miles). The othert are the Nord, Est, Ouest, Orléans, and Midi. 11. Lyon, L^ons on the Rhône. 13. La forêt de Fontainebleau is a forest park of over 42,000 acres, 37 miles Southwest of Paris. It is owned and maintained by the state (1. 14), and is the most beautifiil in France. 16. TEtat, c'est moi, originally said by the autocratie Louis XIV., but hère inverted to a démocratie or rather coUectivist meaning.
Page 8, line 13. nouveau Job, i.a abandoned by your friends; but the comparison is ill-chosen. Note that Dumas Jik refers to the Bible oftener than any other prominent modem French dramatist. 25. faire faire, maÂe me do, Cp. p. 28, 1. 15.
Page 9, line 6. Ah ça, IVeU, afier ail (with a sigh); but the
phrase has almost inBnite shades of meaning. 14. criblée, over-
whelmed. Properly of a sieve, " riddled " or " shaken." 15. VOUS
y êtes- VOUS prise, didyougo aàoul Uf 24. dois, etc. Thèse
Notes 8«- Act I, Se. u. iii, iv
sums may seem large even for a millionaire; but the Parisian man-milliner Worth told Mr. Adolphus (" Memories of Paris," p. 193) that several of his patrons had annual bills of ^20»ooo with him alone.
Page 10, line 3. me doute, hâve an idea, not ''doubt." 4. me revient à, represents an expense of.
Page ii, line S. rapport, source ofincome hère. 20. s^est fait tout seul, is a self-made man, 25. Poitou, an ancient duchy on the west coast of France, corresponding to the départments Vendée, Deux Sèvres, and Vienne. 29. mis en faillite, declared bankrupU
Page 12, Une 11. place de, situation with a salary of, 16. en seraient pour leurs frais, hâve their costs for their pains, i,e, recover not even their légal expenses. 28. vous en passer, get on without one.
Page 14, Une 2. monde, society, 5. a dû épouser, was to hâve married. 23. y mettre le prix, pay the price of a favorable social judgment. 24. comme je suis, the sort of man I am.
Page 15, Une 8. à quoi nous en tenir sur le monde, what to expect in society, 9. pruderie, false modesty.
Page 16, Une 18. mis, dressed. 20. Drake. Bhrler. Noted dealers of the time. Note the foreign names, — German for carriages, Ënglish for horses. Most French sporting terms connected with the turf are Ënglish. Observe throughout this scène, behind the ostentation and unintentional officions impertinence of Jean, a burly good-will that calls for sympathy. So, though we see from the start that spéculative success has blunted both his taste and his conscience, he evokes, even when he is to be condemned, more pity than indignation.
Page 18, Une 20. cassé ta poupée, said in teasing playfulness. 24. C'est cela, équivalent hère to Thank you, Cp. p. 72, 1. 7 and p. 138, 1. 6.
Act I, Se. iv ^ Notes
Page 19, Une 3. 8*en rappelle. Littré says : On ne dit pas : je me rappelle d'une chose ni je m'en rappelle, mais je me rappelle une chose, je me le rappelle. 6. sur la voie, on ihe track, Colloquial. 8. hôtel, mansion, as distinct from suite of rooms or *< flat." Champs-Elysées, the broadest avenue in Paris, leads from the Arc de Triomphe to the Rond Point, and thence as a park to the Place de la Concorde. The Jardin d'Hiyer of 1857 no longer exists; and indeed the whole district is much changed. 12. Louis treize, ùe, in the style of Louis XIII. (1610-1643). He was succeeded by his son, Louis XIV. (1643-1715), and he, not by his son, as Jean supposes, but by his great-grandson, Louis XV. (I7i5-I774)>
Page 20, line 9. diminution, réduction» She means that to accept the gift would put her under a greater burden of obligation than any money price. 17. monsieur. Well-bred servants use this indirect form in addressing their masters and their guests. 23. attendre, wait, attendez, see here^ ùe, pay attention.
Page 21, Une 12. moutard, lUtle chap, Familiar. See dietionary.
Page 22, Une 8. le père Giraud, famiUar and condescending; as we say " Uncle Tom," or in some country districts, " Old Man Smith." 22. Rubicon. In B.c. 49, Julius Caesar led his army across this river and so declared his purpose to assert his authority in Italy without regard to law or tradition. Hence to cross the Rubicon is to show courageous décision at a critical moment, as Jean does when, in spite of social préjudice, he avows his humble bîrth. Unfortunately, he presently goes to the other extrême and boasts of it.
Page 24, line 4. écus, money, Properly the écu is a prerevolutionary coin, and it is now sometimes coUoquially used for the five-franc pièce. 13. redeyenir Jean. The allusion is to [150J
Notes 9«- Act I, Se. iv
La Fontaine, ** Fables," vii. lo, which ends with the lines : Quelque accident fait que je rentre en moi-même ; Je suis Gros-Jean comme devant Allusions to La Fontaine are universally recognized in France and abound in ail French comedy. 14. The quarries of Montmartre are the original source of plaster of Paris. They are in the Butte Montmartre, so named because Saint Dénis (Dionysius) is said to hâve been martyred there about A.D. 272. It has played a considérable part in the history of Paris, notably in the years 978, 18 14, 1870, and 1871, and hence is frequently mentioned in French literature. 29. seulement, bta otUy hère.
Page 25, line 14. Franklin (i 706-1 790) is more familiar to Frenchmen than most American statesmen because of his long résidence (1776-1785) among them. 15. Shakspeare (1564- 161 6). The story of his holding horses is a discredited legend. 17. Machiavel, or Machiavelli (1469- 15 27), a noted Italian writer and statesman. 19. Raphaël (1483-1520), of Urbino, in the Marches of Ancona near the Adriatic, was the son of Giovanni Santi, who was not a dauber (barbouilleur), but a painter of some repute. 20. Rousseau (171 2-1778) was apprenticed to a notary in 1724, to an engraver in 1725, and for a time after 1741 supported himself at Paris by copying music. He was never independent and at times very poor. 22. Fnlton (i 765-1 778), who fîrst made the steamboat (vapeur, 1. 24) a practical invention, began life as a painter (rapin), and was not attracted to mechanics till his meeting with Watt, the inventor of the steam-engine, in 1787. His first successful cxperiments with the steamboat were made at Paris in 1804, his first practical test in 1806 on the Hudson.
Page 27, line 2. Crésus, Crœsus, semi-legendary king of Lydia, about B.c. 560, noted for his great wealth. 16. It is not clear whether De Cayolle is a railway director or an officiai in the government department of roads. 21. Je le crois» / should think you would, Sarcastic.
Act I, Se. iv-Act II, Se. i. -»8 NotCS
Page 28, Une 7. malin, smart
Page 30, Une 3. doit, mtist hère.
Page 31, Une 12. yotts mettrai au courant de, wiUteU you about.
Page 32, Une 10. les mettre au cornant, posf tàem (the accounts) up to date. See preceding note.
Page 33, Une i. Il pleut, bergère, first Une of a then popular song. 14. Jusque-là, Le, May I drive you to the station? Meaning to be kind he becomes intrusively officious.
Page 34, Une 3. gendres, etc., sons-in-law are expensive in times like thèse. Durieu means that to get a husband for Mathilde from his own social circle he must give her a large dowry. Marriage has always been regarded more as a business partnership in France than with us, but in 1857 the reckless luxury of the Empire had much increased the cost and standard of living and so imposed unexpected obstacles to marriage. 12. m'en direz des nouvelles, you will hâve news to tell me ofit, i,e. you will see what profit it will bring you.
Page 35, Une 10. On may be used for any personal pronoun in coUoquy. Say hère : / may be a Utile girl and y et I notice lots ofthings. 17. laissé traîner le verbe aimer, Ufi the verb " aimer " lying about, Verb-driU forms a larger part of French schooling than of ours. Hence the constant aUusions to it in French Ught comedy.
Page 38, Une 1 5 . du même lit, by the same moiher, 2 1 . bien en cour, infavor at court.
Page 39, Une 3. The Révolution of July in 1830 expeUed the Bourbons and made the Orleanist prince Louis Philippe constitutional king.
Page 40, Une 3. Marseille, MarsHlles^ French port on the Mediterranean. 4. cercle, club^ often a resort of sportingmen and gamblers.
Notes 8«- Act II, Se. ii, iii, ▼
Page 41, line 17. gilet de dessous, undervest. Note that in France laundry work is almost always done out of the bouse, as are baking and otber tbings tbat form a natural part of American housekeeping. 19. croisé de coton, mixed (wool and cotton) goods, 20. finette, ligkt wool. Tecbnically : ** étoffe croisée à l'endroit et tirée à poils à Tenvers." littré.
Page 42, line i. y aller par quatre chemins, beat around the busk, CoUoquial. 18. tirailleur, skirmisher^ *' picket" 20. à fond de train, at full gaîîop.
Page 43, line 2. aurait . . . que cela n^aurait, mi^ hâve . . . and that wotddnU hâve. 7. magnifique, magnanimous, Ironical. 19. René tbus mildly suggests that Durieu's loquacity is tedious. He takes it fatuously in the opposite sensé.
Page 44, line 20. parti, match, of course from a financial point of view.
Page 45, line 8. notaire. A légal contract drawn up by a notary accompanies most Frencb marriages and fixes tbe financial relations of tbe partnership. Hence the notary is a standing figure in tbe older comedy. 26. morales de rechanges, extra set of morals. Properly of a change of clothing. 28. Qu'est-ce, etc, IVhat else do I seek btUyour happiness!
Page 46, line 4. ne veux pas d'elle, do not care for her. 8. fin, délicate, Ironical. 10. censé ignoré, assumed to âe in ignorance, 15. Londres, Lottdon, 17. me flanquez à la porte, turn me out of doors. 27. pendant que yous y êtes, whileyou are about it.
Page 47, line 4. Note Durieu's cynical confidence in bis social wisdom.
Page 49, line 21. douté, suspected, not " doubted." Cp. p. 10, line 3. 26. quand, though bere.
Page 50, Une 15. Neuilly, a western suburb of Paris which one may reach from tbe Champs-Elysées (1. 27 and p. 19, 1. 8) [153]
Act II, Se. V, vii ^ Notes
by the Arc de Triomphe, the Avenue de la Grande-Armée, the Porte Maillot (1. i6), and the Avenue de NeuiUy, which extends for about two miles to the Pont de Nettilly (1. 19). 24. fête, i.i. of her baptism, corresponding to our birthday.
Page 51, Une 27. de côté-là. Note the colloquial omission oî ce.
Page 53, Une 17. un whist, agame of whist, 18. Marais, a district near the old BastiUe, around the présent Place des Vosges, which under the name of Place Royale was in the early seventeenth century the centre of fashion. It is now distinguished by quiet respectability. 19. Cela vous Ya-t-il, Does that appeal to you^ or " suit you " ?
Page 55, Une i. 1>otilette, blunder, Familiar. 7. ayiex des bontés pour, were^aying attentions to. 16. ça me pose, that gives me a certain distinction, Familiar. 25. brodé, overdressed. FamiUar.
Page 56, Une 3. comblez, overwhelm, Ironical. 10. cinq pour cent was then the rate paid on the best security, such as govemment bonds. Now ît is about three. 14. COUCOU, stage-coach, FamiUar. 16. sauter, being bloum up. Note that railways were stiU a novelty in France in 1857, for the admirable high-roads had delayed their introduction.
Page 57, Une i. faire woDUtx, jingUy i.e. parade. 4. Jean means that it would be as unnatural for him to cheat René as for one who was proud of being a self-made man to assume a mock title of nobility. 12. chemin de tout le monde, where everybody goes, i,e, convenient for callers.
Page 58, Une 4. chantage, properly <<blackmail." Hère letters threatening suicide if aid were denied. 19. tout bonnement, really andtruly, Familiar. béte, badm the colloquial sensé. 28. lancé, launched^ i.e. in society.
Page 59, Une i. y, 0» fV, i,e, on her influence, not "on her." 2. trop verts, as we say ** sour grapes." An allusion to La
Notes 8«- Act II, Se. vii, viu, x
Fontaine's Fables, iii. il. Cp. p. 24, line 13. 5. dans le vrai, on the right track, 15. pas pour mes beaux yeux, i,e, notfor my good looks^ but for my money. 17. fais la sourde oreille, prétend not ta hear. Cp. "Turn a deaf car." 25. sauter, etc. The metaphor is from cooking. Say: make my millions dance in a stew ofwoman^s finery while I hold the handle ofthe sauce-pan.
Page 60, line 12. ne YOit plus le monde, no longer moves in Society, 17. toquade, hobby, Familiar. 21. comme je suis. Cp. p. 14, 1. 24. He names the fîfteenth and thûrtieth of the month because thèse immediately précède the settling days on the Paris stock exchange. Its usages, which differ materially from our own, are well summarized in *'Almanach Hachette " for 1896, pp. 469-474. Cp. also p. 66, 1. 2, sqq.
Page 61, line 2. il n^y a que le premier qui coûte, only the first step cosis, A proverb of uncertain origin. tiens mon affaire, feei sure of my business success, 3. enfoncer, etc., beat or " break " ail the old-fashioned bankers, 28. malice, shrewdness, not "malice."
Page 62, line 3. It^s perfectly simple. Business isjust other peopWs money.
Page 63, line 11. lilas, lilacsy among the first flowers of spring. 20. timbre et courtage, stamp and brokerage, the former a state tax, the latter a commission, usually one-eighth per cent.
Page 66, Une 2. liquidation, settlement. Thèse are made on the first (and second) and on the sixteenth of the month. Cp. p. 60, 1. 21. It is diificult to understand the figures below. The gross profit is stated to be 6750 francs, the costs 297.85 and the net gain 6452.85, instead of 6452. 15. Then again, when Jean wishes 2.15 in change Durieu gives him 3.00 and announces that Jean owes him 2.15. It would seem that thèse speculators were careless in trifles. 28. nous nous constituerons, we will make a partner ship»
Act II, Se. x-Act III, Se. i -^ Notes
Page 67, line 19. une part dans des forges, part of your foundry stock. 20. TOUS rapportent sept, bringyou in seven per cent.
Page 69, line 5. brûleurs, rushers or hustUrs, Colloquial. 6. nottS antres, ùe, we business men, 8. bourgeois qui ont pris Tomnibus, i.e. " shw-coaches^^ 20. il ne manquerait plus que je, équivalent to " Perhaps you'd like to hâve me , , , ^' Ironical. 22. deux septembre au premier octobre. Cp. p. 66, 1. 2. 26. malices, shrewd notions. Ironical. 27. cousues de fil blanc, transparent^ i.e, easy to understand or see through. CoUoquial.
Page 70, line 13. rapportiez, bringme in someihing. 26. coup, spéculation. fin du mois, see p. 66, note 2. 27. en être, be in it. CoUoquial.
Page 71, line 15. dot. On French dowries, see p. 34, 1. 3.
Page 72, line 10. yous me faites trop de chagrin, / am reaUy too sorry for you. Ironical. 12. faites ' passer les écritures, ^^/ a formai receipt (on stamped paper). 18. s'en ▼a, closes his office.
Page 73, line 18. la Norma, a popular opéra by Bellini (1831}. 20. Ecosse, Scotland.
Page 74, line 6. embranchement, branck railway^ or highway. See p. 27, 1. 16. 19. coup de patte, "slap." Familiar. 29. Clichy, i.e, the debtors' prison, then situated in the Rue de Qichy. Imprisonment for debt is no longer légal in France.
Page 76, line 12. numéraire, circulating médium^ coin and bank-bills. What foUows is neither new nor profound. It is interesting because it illustrâtes how unfamiliar banking ideas were, and still are, to the ordinary Frenchman.
Page 78, line 2. lettre de change, bill of exchange. 18. ministre, i.e. of Commerce and Industry, one of the thirteen divisions of the French administration.
Page 79, Une 2. il s^en f autf not by a good deal. CoUoquial.
Notes 8t- Act III, Se. iii, îv, vi-Act IV, Se. i, U
Page 8i, Une 23. procédure en règle» regular suùj instead of the compromise they had offered.
Page 82, Une 13. pots-de-yin, dishonorabU indticimtnts^ bribes.
Page 86, Une 24. prix fait, price fixed by convention^ Uke that of confectioners* patties.
Page 87, Une 10. braise, charcoal extinguished when only partly bumed, as occurs regularly in French baking. It can stiU be used in the French ranges, which bave small, separate fires for each cooking vessel. 19. dix sous, not "ten sous,'' but the 50-centime pièce, the smaUest silver coin, équivalent to '* dimeP
Page 93, Une 29. dont la famille Tagréait, whom thefamily were willing to give him.
Page 94, Une 18. forts, smart. CoUoquial in this sensé. 19. mis dedans, trapped, or caught, Cp. p. 140, 1. 23.
Page 95, Une 24. Sologne, a sandy and stérile district at the head waters of the Cher, in the northwest of the department of Cher.
Page 97, Une 6. difficile, hard to suit, 22. majorât régnlier, Ugally entailed estate, 23. immeuble, landed property.
Page 98, Une 16. arrêté, detained, and also '' arrested." The pun is intended. Others may be found on p. 103, U. 20 and 26; p. 120, 1. 8; p. 140, 1. lo-ii; and p. 142, 1. ii.
Page 99, Une 16. A merveille, Jtist what I want hère, 23. Batavia. See p. 100, 1. 14. 27. s'en rapporte, relies.
Page 100, Une 22. coté, çuoted on the stock exchange. Jean's ignorance of geography wiU seem more lamentable than surprising to those who hâve Uved in France.
Page 102, Une 18. misère, wretched trifle, 22. gardes du commerce, bailiffs, '«Officier subalterne chargé de mettre à exécution les contraintes par corps." Littré. 23, Uathien
Act IV, Se. ii, m ^ NoteS
is the regular stage name for a nsarer or bailiff, from fesse- Mathieu, ** usurer," a term fréquent in Molière, and derived, probably, from /ester i^fiter) Mathieu, <<celebrate St. Matthew's day," since that saint had been himself a publican, and so seemed the natoral patron of bis dass.
Page 103, Une 20. actions, skares of stock, but secrètes puns on the other meaning of action. 26. raison sociale bas a double meaning : welfare ofsociety and *' welfare of the firm."
Page 104, line i. Plus les frais, Plus the expenses, f./. of the arrest and détention. 2. couYerture, security. Commercial.
Page 105, line 7. ce que c'est que Pamonr, what a strange thifig love is l 14. corbeille, giflt of the bridegroom to the bride, which convention has fixed at about one-tenth the value of the dot, ig. yalaque, Walachian, corresponding nearly to the présent " Roumanian."
Page 106, 21. The gender dépends on whether she means ** what mortal," or " what woman." 24. yent, ix. the attitude of Society. 25. bans, banns, or officiai announcement of marriage intentions, which must be published on two successive Sundays. Cp. Encyc, Brit, xv. 568.
Page 107, line 9. qu^ il, ungrammatical for quù 23. grandes, big girlsy upper class in schooL 24. petites, lowest class in ^x^oiA, juniors, 27. dans les soifs, in the tallow business, "as asoap-boiler.'' 29. bouts de manche, sleeve protectors.
Page 108, line i. écrivains publics, i.e, licensed copyists and writers of letters for the illiterate, who were more numerous in France at this time than since the diffusion of public instruction under the Third Republic. 2. receveur particulier, local tcuc receiver who tums over bis collections to a receveur général, II. a fait saisir chex nous, sued oui an attachment on our furniture, 18. de P importation, an imported article. Colloquial hère.
Notes 8t- Act IV, Se. iu, iv, v, vu
Page 109, Une 23. rails, i^. track. From the English. 26. feux de Bengale, Bengal lights. 27. féerie, spectacular drama.
Page iio, line 24. en mariée, in your wedding dress^ or simply " as a bride."
Page 112, line 15. contrat. In French society, marriage bas three stages, the signing of the contrat^ or légal agreement regarding the property of the contracting parties, which is done at the bride's bouse, the civil marriage at the mayor's office, and, on tbe day following, the marriage in church. Cp. p. 113, 11. 26, 27; 118,1.9.
Page i 14, line 4. Sologne. Cp. 95, 1. 24.
Page 115, line 28. tous fais sanyer, am drivingyou away.
Page 118, line 3. maître, title of a notary« in présence of whom tbe contrat must be executed. 9. séparation de biens. French law recognizes four kinds {régime^ 1. 11) of property relations in marriage: l. G>mmunity of goods. 2. Without community, the busband having ail goods, and assuming ail charges. 3. Séparation of goods. 4. The régime dotal, under which the busband administers and enjoys the dowry during the continuance of the relation, wbile the wife résumes her possession at its termination by death or séparation. For a summary of French law on marriage and divorce, see "Almanach Hachette," 1 896, p. 5 1 2 sqq. 1 6. Apport de. Portion contributed by, 18. se constitue, etc., assigns to herself personally as dffwry. Légal. 23. de un, for d'*un, emphasizes un, i.e, ofone insteadof "ofa." 24, Yaleura, securities, 27. reconnais, etc., i.e, I acknowUdge that I hâve received with youy etc. This sum she could claim, in case of his death or bankruptcy, before ail creditors. The trick of transferring property to one's wife in such cases was not invented by Jean, nor is it confined to France; indeed, the law regarding donations between busband and wife makes it more diffîcult there than with us.
Act IV, Se. vii-Act V, Se. vi -»8 Notes
Page 120, line 8. échelle, scaU and then « ladder." Another pun. See p. 98, 1. 16.
Page 121, line 2. se sauyer un beau jour, run offsomefine day. Note the ill-breeding of Jean's shrewd remark.
Page 123, line j. comment, etc., what do you think of this business? Familiar. 4. bonne may refer to histoire^ "a good one," or to Éliza, " goody-goody." Familiar in either case. 26. pas vrai, et pnis. Observe the contradiction.
Page 124, line 3. décottyertee, i^, invented. Jean floats mining propertie3 by false reports at a high figure, and when they faU seventy-five per cent in price buys them in, so th'at there are no holders to make légal complaint. Since the stock was worth nothing, Jean says they were lucky to sell at any price. 12. inutile, »ff^jt>a^/f, not "useless." Sarcastic.
Page 125, line 8. ennuyez, "/iW," in its coUoquial sensé. Was Jean altogether unjustified?
Page 127, line 10. m'en youloir, be hurtwith me for it or lay it up against me.
Page i 28, line 9. a à vous, hets ofyours» Inélégant, and marking thus Madame Durieu's social subordination. 25. Nous antres femmes, may be rendered by accent, ** We womeny
Page 130, line 22. Durieu. By this use of the family name the wife lends solemnity to her words, as she does also by the use of qui for celui qui in 1. 26.
Page 137, Hne 4. quatre mille francs. The gênerai rate of salary was much lower in- 1857 than nowadays, when $800, even if added to the $600 of p. 8, 1. 17, would by no means put a person of René's station en position de se marier (1. 12).
Page 138, line 6. C'est ça, That's right, Ironical. 18. filé, run away, " made off."
Page 140, line 3. Bourse, session of the stock exchange hère, lo-ii. Note the pun. Drew long faces — And packed their
Notes ^ Act V, Se. vi, vii, viu, ix
things, 13. en train, just in the humor for ii, Ironical. 16. en, i,e. damaging stories, scandalous reports. 20. reporter. If a speculator cannot meet his engagements on liquidation days (p. 66, 1. 2), he can, by a payment {reporf), secure a stay till the next liquidation day; but such a recourse naturally injures the speculator's crédit and , réputation. 23. mist dedans. Cp. p. 94, 1. 19. 28. du moment que c'est un parti pris de, since you hâve made up your minds to.
Page 142, Une 8. ministère might be the Italian Embassy or the offices of some cabinet minister. 9. au Havre, at The Havre, port of Paris, at the mouth of the Seine. 1 1. nouveau monde, New World (America) and " new-fashioned world." Cp. for the pun, p. 98, 1. 16.
Page 144, Une 4. fort, much or "steep." CoUoquial. 5. malice, trick. Cp. p. 61, 1. 28, and p. 69, 1. 26.
Page 145, Une 11. faites, i.e. wiîl make, René thus annoi^nces his will to marry Ëliza. 15. The speculator cannot see that it was dishonorable to enrich hfmself by pretended bankruptcy and ffight, but he can see that he will never convince thèse people that it was not so. He goes away puzzled, a little amused, and not at ail ashamed. 22. Nous avons, etc., We are lucky to get offso cheaply.
Page 146, Une 9. agent de change, broker, but not Uke ours. There are now sixty agents selected by the chamber of syndics and nominated by the Président of the Republic. They are under bonds and hâve sole right to deal on the Exchange in '' listed stocks"; but unUcensed brokers, cou/issiers, and courtiers are also tolerated. 10. trois, i.e, the then new government loan, regarded as even more secure than the government 5 's, because less Uable to payment or *' conversion " into a loan at a lower rate.
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