boteglia, cf. Italian bottiglia and French bouteille

En famille first appeared in 1881 in the earliest collection of short stories published by Maupassant under the title of la Maison Tellier. According to Brunetière (Roman naturaliste ', p. 373) there is no closer imitation of Flaubert to be found than in this story. It was written shortly after Maupassant's release from his ten years' voluntary servitude as clerk in the government offices, where he learned to know the dreary, monotonous existence, herein described, " de ces tristes forçats rivés au carton vert." This may account for the. "quelques traces de sensibilité, de sympathie, d'émotion. . . dans En famille même." (Brunetière, Roman naturaliste, p. 320.)

Page 107. — 1. la grande avenue, i.e. the Avenue de Neuilly, continuation of the Champs Élysées and the Avenue de la Grande Armée.

Page 108. — 1. commis principal, etc. Maupassant had been himself a clerk in the office of the Department of the Navy. 2. faubourg, hère, as often, équivalent to rue du faubourg.

Page 109. — 1. commissaires de marine! navy commissaries

(with rank of captain). The commissariat de la marine has charge of the purchase and issue of provisions for the navy, and gênerai supervision of the ordnance store department.

2. pions, school slang for the maîtres d'étude who bave gênerai oversight of the scholars in the étude, or study hall.

Page 110. — 1. Il âyait dès lors, etc. From thattime he had ceased to wear trousers of any other color than blach, and coats of changing styles and patte rn s.