I. près de dix ans : notice that before a numéral presque

should be replaced by près de.

,, 14. si elle se fût épanouie: the subjunctive after si is only found when the verb is in the pluperfect, and even then its use is purely optional.

16. en herbe, en bouton, 'in embryo,' 'in expectation, ' 'in prospect.' £n herbe, lit. 'in the blade,' is often met with in this sensé of ' future. ' Cf. —

manger son blé en herbe, ' to anticipate one's revenues.* £n bouton is a happy création of the author to continue the metaphor.

, , 17. son parfum et sa grâce native : v^hen the quality expressed by an adjective refers to tv^^o or more nouns, the adjective agrées with the last only w^hen they are of différent genders and the last is féminine, if it has a distinct féminine termination and is not separated from the nouns by a verb. 24. au lieu de rendre la monnaie de leur pièce, ' instead of paying back in their own coin. ' Monnaie, ' change. '

5. 4. toutes de rire : the historical infinitive is always preceded

by de. Cf. La Fontaine' s line —

Ainsi dit le renard, et flatteurs d'applaudir.

6. au camp du Drap d'or, where the interview between Francis 1. and Henry VIII. took place in 1520 — an extensive plain between Ardres and Guines.

9. armes parlantes, ' canting arms.' ,, II. deux lièvres : an allusion to Laura's surname. Levraut, ' leveret. '

19. ce qu'on est convenu . . : with être y convenir— ' to agrée ' ; with avoir it means ' to suit. ' , , 26. rassise, ' sober. ' Du pain rassis, ' stale bread ' ; de sens rassis, (i) ' dispassionate, ' (2) ' dispassionately. '