ACT IV

52. On dit que si. — But they say she will be. Si is a much more empbatic affirmation than oui; see Note 48 to "Les Petits oiseaux.'*

53. Si fêtais de Madame. — If I were in your place, Madam. The ellipsis to be supplied is, à la place, si j'étais à la place de M. De vous: de toi, pieccded by que, are thus sometimes used for "in your place; " as, stfétaù que de vous, si j'étais que des médecins. (Molteke.)

54. Elle y tient ! — She cares about it ; or, She cïings to it.

66. A ravir. — Adverbial phrase équivalent to admirably, or to perfection.

56. Ou c'est tout comme. — Or as good as purchased; literally, or jusl the same.

57. Son. — The use of son, in the phrase Je ne franchis pas une fois son large escalier, is grammatically incorrect, as it is a rule of French grammar that son, sa, ses, leur, leurs, relating to things and not preceded by a préposition, can only be used when the noun to which they refer is the subject of the sentence. Thus it is correct to say, Paris a ses beautés, or Je parle de ses beautés; but, speakingof Paris, it would not be correct to say, J 'admire ses beautés. In the latter case, en and the article must bc used, and the phrase of HélèDe, corrected, would read, Je n' en franchis pas une fois le large escalier, — I never ascend its broad stairway.

58. llôtel. — Mansion, résidence. This is 8 àsual, though not the pnmi tive acceptation of the word hôtel from the Low Latin hospitale. Notice the beautini compound, Hôtel-Dieu^ hospital : " parce que les pauvres y sont reçus pour Dieu." (Nicot.)

59. Je ne t'en veux pas. I do not find fault with you. En vouloir a means, literally, to hâve a grudge against, to be vexed with.