à part moi, inwardly. Note that the prépositive phrase

à part differs in meaning from the adverbial phrase à part = de côté, séparément.

merci, monsieur le vicomte, many thanks, my lord. Merci is a féminine singular noun (having no plural) properly meaning grâce, merc}^ favour, and it has no other sensé in the phrase Dieu merci = par la merci, la grâce de Dieu, whicli never meant 'Thank God ;' but by an extension of meaning merci is used alone, and, like the phrase un grand merci, is masculine, to ex2:)ress thanks. The change of gender is due to the fact that grand, having origiually no féminine inflection, was mistaken for a masculine adjective in the sixteeuth century. Cf. grand'chose, grand'route, etc. Note also that titles, being in French regarded as naming the person, require the article and admit of the prefix monsieur, madame, etc. Ex. : Sir James Picton, Monsieur le Chevalier de Picton [de is usually placed before a knight's name] ; H. R. H. The Princess of Wales, Son Altesse Royale, Madame la Princesse de Galles.