Le Petit Chose Part 28

3. la jolie ville que ce Paris! see note, p. 4 l. 31.

9. j'en etais la, de la lettre, 'I had just come to that part of the letter.'

10. sourd: lit. 'deaf.' The word is often applied to sounds which are indistinctly heard. Trans. 'dull.'

12. a tue-tete, 'at the top of their voices.'

14. sous-prefet, 'sub-prefect.' At the head of each _departement_ there is a _Prefet_ who represents the _Ministre de l'interieur_ (Home Secretary). Under him are _Sous-Prefets_, who are responsible in each _arrondiss.e.m.e.nt_ to the _Prefet_ for the maintenance of law and order.

17. pour le quart d'heure: see note, p. 30 l. 29.

18. ce qui me tenait a cur, 'what I cared for.'

21. se culbutaient, 'jostled one another.'

30. encore: idiomatic, 'too,' or 'at that.'

Page 74.

6. bien, 'really.'

10. Quartier Latin: a quarter of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine, where the University is situated.

pense un peu! 'just think of it!'

30. il me tardait d'etre seul: note-

_il me tarde de vous voir_, 'I am longing to see you.'

_il ne tardera pas a venir_, 'he will not be long in coming.

Page 75.

11. fou: note-

_il est fou_, 'he is mad.'

_c'est un sot, une bete, un imbecile_, 'he is a fool.'

18. a coup sur: see note, p. 2 l. 17.

Page 76.

9. c'est donc Monsieur, 'so it is you, sir, is it?'

19. de quoi il s'agissait, 'what he was driving at.'

28. sur la tablette: note the preposition. The French look at the object _before_, the English _after_ it has been removed.

Page 77.

13. de pres, 'close to.'

18. misericorde! 'good gracious!'

Page 78.

1. je ne voulais pas repondre, 'I was determined not to reply.'

8. sur l'heure: see note, p. 8 l. 10.

15. d'un trait, lit. 'at a stretch,' i.e. 'without stopping.'

Page 79.

3. n.o.ble cur, 'fine fellow.'

8. me serrant les poignets a les briser: see note, p. 70 l. 11.

9. je ne vous dis que ca, 'that is all I have to say.'

Page 80.

2. j'etais au service, 'I was in the army.' _etre au service_ is used only of military service. Distinguish from _etre de service_, 'to be on duty,' 'be in attendance'; _se mettre en service_, 'to go into service.'

3. par un coup de ma mauvaise tete, 'by any quick-tempered act of mine.'

17. etre a meme de, 'to be in a position to,' 'be able to.'

20. c'etait bien le moins qu'on attendit, 'the least one could do was to wait.'

27. ce que c'est que de nous! see note, p. 41 l. 6.

Page 81.

12. de quoi: cf.- _j'ai de quoi payer le voyage_, 'I have enough to pay for the journey.'

_il n'y a pas de quoi rire_, 'it is no laughing matter.'

_il n'y a pas de quoi!_ 'don't mention it!'

19. le moyen de: see note, p. 13 l. 10.

Page 82.

1. je pardonnai les arrets des eleves, 'I let the boys off detention.'

10. que diable pouvaient-ils faire? 'whatever could they be doing?'

(chapter x. full=xii)

18. du train dont j'allais, 'judging from the rate at which I was walking'; cf.- _a fond de train_ 'at full speed.'

_il nous a menes bon train_, 'he brought us along at a great rate.'