an voleur, thief

- Pagre 26. — i. a Pair cavalier, has a graceful turn,

2, Tudieul for tue Dieu, corresponding somewhat to Zounds (God* s wounds), euphemistic oath common in i6th and 17th centuries. Translate Good heavens!

Pagre 27. — i. me dérobe mon coenr. The stealing of hearts was a favorite theme of the précieuses. Cf. the English expression, to lose one's heart, *

Pagre 28. — i. L'air que j'ai fait. The music employed here by Molière is not known.

2. Les gens de qualité savent tout. This was the pretentious claim of Mile de Scudéry for herself. Le Grand Cyrus, vol. X, 2 ; Crane: La Société Française, page 83.

3. de la chromatique. Larroumet makes chromatique an adjective and supplies mélodie or musique: it has plaintive turns. But Madelon probably used the word as a learned, fashionable term, without understanding its meaning.

Page 80. — I. aussi bien, the more so as.

6o NOTES [P. 30-34

2. je me sals engagé de. Cf. line lo, below, engager à. Both prepositions were allowed after engager in 17th century, but à was preferred, and is now the only permissible construction.

3. C'est la coutume. In Molière*s own case, Mascarille's remark is true in the sense that it was often necessary to gain the support of a distinguished patron, in order to counteract the influence of hostile factions. See Preface to Tartuffe and the "Petitions to the King."

if. le parterre, the ^it, whither humble people were attracted by the low price of admission, 1 5 sous.