tête de ligne, terminus

Page 29. — I. ne laisse pas de, idiomatic = "does not fail to;"

lit., " leave undone." Hère, which is not withotU its difficulties for a carefuî observer.

Page 30. — I. les gares de ces plages, i. e., the Paris stations of the railroads leading to thèse seaside resorts.

Page 31. — I. francs-traqueurs, francs-fileurs, names formed on the analogy of francs-tireurs (" free shooters "), of the slang word le trac = " f ear," " scare " 2ixA filer ^ colloquial for " to be off in a hurry."

Page 33. — i. MacMahon détruit ; Bazaine. See Alphabetical List of Persons and Places.

Page 34. — i. la Baltique. The French fleet had proceeded to the North Sea and the German coast, but neither met the Prussians at sea nor did any damage to their Baltic provinces.

2. serrés de court, very close ; lit., " held tight with a short rope."

3. à terre, of course figurative. Their fuU-dress uniform includes a shiny [cirt^ black sailor hat.

Page 35. — i. filer leur nœud, a nautical term, sailing down the streets ; lit., " reeling off their knots."

2. yendus ou réengagés. The vendus were the men who sold themselves (the usual price was 15,000 fr.) to serve in the army as substitutes for those who had been drafted by lot. This practice of substitution was very prévalent during the Empire. The réengagés were those who, having served their compulsory term, re-enlisted of their own accord.

3. prétoriens. The praetorian bands in Rome were the Emperor*s bodyguard, and enjoyed important privilèges, on the strength of which they grew overbearing and rebellions. During the first centuries of the Christian era they made and unmade emperors, and on one occasion put up the throne for auction. The re-enlisted soldiers under the French Empire would develop some of the same characteristics owing to their seniority and expérience as vétérans.