la craie: See note to page 21, line

20. café: hreakfast., Coffee being the most important part of a French breakfast (rolls and coffee), the word café is often used for déjeuner (breakfast).

23, 13. qui avait dû rester: who had heen obliged to stay.

24, 15. dressé: standing.

20. des gerbes de feu: literally, sheaves of fire; freely, showers of sparks.

25, 5. ne put = ne put pas. The use of the particle pas is optional with a few verbs such as pouvoir (to be able, may, can), savoir (to know, to know how), cesser (to cease), and oser (to dare).

14. Plus que vingt-quatre heures avant la relève: an elliptic

sentence for (Il n’y avait ) plus que vingt-quatre heures à attendre la relève.

26, pas moyen = (il n’y a) pas moyen.

26, 4. Rien de cassé: Rien , quelque chose and ce que are

followed by de when preceding an adjective or a past participle used adjectively. Omit in translation.

27, 3. comme il faisait bon: how cozy it was! Note the position of the adjective in French after exclamatory comme or que.

15. Civils et militaires: Note the omission of the definite article.

28, 5. à se rompre: elliptic for comme s’il allait se rompre.

29, 7. que de: See note to page 6, line 18.

30, 7. Ça va = ça va-t-il? or comment ça va-t-il? How is everything? How are you?

vieux frères: a common colloquial greeting. Translate, dear old boys.