Le Voyage de Monsieur PerrichonParte 8 de 12

3: à point nommé: always = in the nick of time, never «at the appointed place.»

ACTE III, SCÈNE XII

1: il suffit… d'heure: supply: for a great misfortune.

2: porte du garde: i.e. at the park gate where the keeper's lodge stands, there being other entrances to the park.

3: Veuillez agréer: the first words of the most usual conclusion to a letter in French: Veuilles agréer mes salutations empressées. Tr., Yours, etc.

4: Il écrit: on the envelope. Such phrases as «Immediate,» «Important,» etc., are frequently written on the outside of envelopes in Europe.

ACTE III, SCÈNE XIII

1: comme le bronze: the usual simile with calme in such contexts. Use an equivalent: «Bold as brass.»

2: le terrain: the stock phrase for any place where a duel is fought. Tr., on the field of honor. This lets the secret out, at which Daniel uttersan exclamation of pain, since the ladies were not to be told.

3: faire prévenir: send word to. Lit., «get somebody to notify.»

ACTE QUATRIÈME

SCÈNE PREMIÈRE

1: practicable: the term «practicable» is technical in English stage parlance for any part of the scenery that is real enough to be used, A «practicable» door or window can be opened and shut, etc. Here the wing of the house can be entered.

2: si vous voulez: for the rest of this sentence see Daniel's last speech in the next scene.

ACTE IV, SCÈNE II

1: avec quoi: the same play on words is possible in both languages: And what with? Contrast Mme Perrichon's question, acte III, scène XIII.

2: On leur… témoins: Witnesses get into trouble with the law.

3: Encore un (ingrat): Perrichon of course is the first.

ACTE VI, SCÈNE III

1: Ce sont… renvoient: They are actually turning him out of the house.

ACTE VI, SCÈNE IV

1: très actif: a hustler.

2: mettait: for aurait mis. See acte II, scène III.—Mettre la main dessus: a familiar expression for «pounce down upon.»

3: Qui ça: Thank whom? Qui is accusative. Ça merely adds emphasis to the question. See acte IV, scène X.

4: c'est que: see acte III, scène XII. Here: «(I hardly think so) because…» Tr., I'm afraid…

ACTE VI, SCÈNE V

1: après: what of it?

2: plus les frais: when as here the mathematical plus is used, the final «s» is always sounded.

3: Je me plais à l'espérer: I should hope so, sir! Lit., «I fondly hope so.»

4: ils: the police of course.—M. Perrichon suddenly realizes that the police are not likely to be on hand two hours later than the appointedtime. Hence his immediate change of attitude.

5: Qu'avez-vous donc: this idiom, meaning of course «What is the matter?» must be so translated as to lead up to Perrichon's reply: What is it?—It is… it is… it is a noble thing, to my mind, toacknowledge, etc.

6: N'envenimez pas: Don't make matters worse!

7: de bonne grâce: of your own free will; lit., «with a goodgrace.»—échappées à votre improvisation: which fell from your unguardedpen; lit., «which escaped you while you were writing extempore,» withoutcareful consideration.

8: maintenant c'est la France: the ancient Duchy of Savoy had just (in 1860) been ceded to Napoleon III by the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel, in acknowledgment of help received. Perrichon responds with a cheer in the words of his bombastic farewell of the first act: any thing for a diversion. Jean makes a jokes to which there is some depth: it seems less far away if it is within the borders of your own country. Alaska seems nearer now than it did when belonging to Russia.

9: je me recommande à vous: I trust you will bear me in mind.

10: je te donne ton compte: I discharge you. His compte, i.e. «account,»«wages,» will be settled before he goes.

ACTE IV, SCÈNE VI

1: à la fin: our anyhow.

2: c'est… envahissez: it is intrusion, positive invasion!—On ne me domine pas! No, sir! You don't lord it over me, sir!

ACTE IV, SCÈNE VIII

1: l'heure de la philosophie: i.e. the time to show that superiority to fortune's caprices which is given by philosophy, or the study of wisdom.

2: passion malheureuse: the regular phrase for an «unrequited attachment.»

3: j'ai vécu plus que vous: I have seen more of life than you have.—unmonde plus avancé: a more wide-awake crowd.

4: gens d'esprit: clever people, the opposite of imbéciles.

5: Vous voyez bien: supply: «that you do yourself what you blame me for doing.»

6: votre obligé: your debtor; lit., «he is under an obligation to you.»

7: un aimable philosophe: doubtless of the author's private acquaintance, as no such epigram is on record elsewhere.

8: Aussi: see acte II, scène IV, note 6.

9: il lui pousse des plumes de paon, etc.: a crop of peacock's feathers sprouts from his coat-tails.

10: gardez-moi le secret: don't give me away.

11: du haut… protège: a humorous parody of Napoleon I's famous address to his troops in Egypt: Du haut de ces pyramides quarante sièclesvous contemplent!

ACTE IV, SCÈNE IX

ACTE VI, SCÈNE X

1: Attrape: Stung! Lit., «Take that!» addressed to himself. Attrape! is used as an exclamation accompanying a cuff, a kick, etc. Daniel means that this speech is «a slap for him.»

2: Je vous en prie: Please don't.

ACTE VI, SCÈNE X

1: J'ai gardé la voiture de monsieur. Observe Majorin's meanness to the end, and his lame excuse for driving about at Daniel's expense.

2: comme ça: i.e. unable to «bear the burden» of gratitude.

3: le numéro, etc.: a Paris cabman delivers to his fare a paper (carte) on which are printed the number of the cab and a tariff of prices. He is engaged either à la course, i.e. at one fare (generally thirty cents) between any two points within the city limits, or à l'heure, i.e. by the hour at a rate of generally forty cents for the first hour, and so much for each additional quarter of an hour.

4: vous n'y pensez pas: that's out of the question!—Et = «And (what about)…»

5: commandant… commandé: a slip of the tongue showing that Perrichon has the Major «on the brain.» Cf. acte III, scène VII. Try to devise some equivalent pleasantry in English.

EXERCISES FOR COMPOSITION

I

ACT I, SCENE I

1. There are many railroad stations in Paris. 2. They are like the railroad stations in America. 3. There are time-tables, ticket-windows, seats, and bookstalls. 4. An official stands at the waiting-room door and asks to see the passengers' tickets. 5. Another official is near the ticket-window to assist the passengers who are purchasing their tickets before the departure of the express trains. 6. The officials of the great companies are very polite when people are polite to them.

[1: ressembler à.] [2: se tenir.] [3: un autre.] [4: aider.] [5: prendre.] [6: on, followed by the singular.] [7: envers.]

II

ACT I, SCENE I

1. Majorin thinks himself one of those hard-working, clever clerks who are always at their desks. 2. But he asks for a day off when he pleases, and says that he is summoned for guard duty, which is not true. 3. He speaks like a boor of his friend Perrichon, and yet he is going to ask him to lend him some money. 4. Clerks in offices in France often look down upon tradesmen, even when the tradesmen have incomes of several thousand francs.

[1: croire.] [2: vouloir.] [3: ce qui.] [4: vrai.] [5: comme.] [6: pourtant.] [7: argent, m.] [8: souvent.] [9: mépriser.] [10: commerçant.] [11: même.] [12: plusieurs.]

III

ACT I, SCENE II

1. A family arrives at the station in a cab. 2. They call aporter, who comes with a truck for the baggage. 3. Then a heap of overcoats, umbrellas, and handbags are taken out of the cab, and the father goes to the ticket-window to buy the tickets. 4. They are generally ahead of time, but they have hurried and are hot. 5. Perhaps they have not had time to finish their lunch, and the French do not like to miss their half-cup of coffee after their meals. 6. When the tickets have been purchased, the baggage can be checked.

[1: famille, f.] [2: Use on here and wherever possible instead of the passive voice.] [3: alors.] [4: tas, m.] [5: tirer.] [6: généralement.] [7: se presser.] [8: peut-être, and put subject-pronoun immediately after the verb.] [9: le temps de.] [10: demi-tasse, f.] [11: repas, m.]

IV

ACT I, SCENES III AND IV

1. If a trunk is small, the porter can carry it on his shoulder and follow his «boss» to the ticket-office and baggage-room. 2. Then the trunk is sure not to get lost and the passenger not to make amistake. 3. If he is going to Marseilles, his trunk will not go to Nice, which is the main thing when you travel with baggage. 4. If you do nottake a good deal of trouble you must thank your lucky stars if your trunks go with you. 5. But then, you must always take trouble or you will do nothing well. 6. There are twenty wards in Paris, and each one has its town-hall where balls are given occasionally.

[1: épaule, f.] [2: sûr de.] [3: se perdre.] [4: ce qui.] [5: vous devrez.] [6: partir.] [7: il faut.] [8: rien de bon.] [9: chacun.] [10: Use the reflexive form.] [11: de temps à autre.]

V

ACT I, SCENE V

1. Those who hurry and run are soon in a perspiration. 2. When the ticket-office is not open, passengers sit down and wait. 3. All right! I will see to the tickets first and the baggage afterwards. 4. Why! There's my old friend Majorin! 5. These friends are very kind to come and see us off. 6. There she is at last! 7. Come, don't hurry so. 8. See, there are some seats over there: if you will kindly wipe one of them, I will sit down.

[1: bientôt.] [2: Tr. «not to let us leave without bidding us good-by.»] [3: tant.] [4: vouloir bien.]

VI

ACT I, SCENE VI

1. It takes money to change houses. 2. You are thrifty and I shall be very glad[l] to advance you your quarter's salary. 3. You have several shares in a steamboat company, but do not give me the certificates as security. 4. I am no usurer and will only charge you two per cent per annum; that will not kill you. 5. «You will get your dividend next month and can repay me then what you owe me.» 6. «Nonsense! That is too generous.» 7. «No. I am not grasping and I trust you.» 8. «Very well, then, shall repay you soon the money I owe you. Thank you. Good-by!» 9. This little business having been settled, he goes to take his place among the passengers who are lined up at the ticket-window.

[1: heureux.] [2: généreux.] [3: bientôt.] [4: parmi.]

VII

ACT I, SCENE VII

1. «When you are in Lyons, shall I write to you at the Post Office?» 2. «Of course! But I shall be back soon.» 3. «If you think you will be back within a week, you might as well not go away at all.» 4. «That will do! I am going to-night. Let me know about my mother's health.» 5. There is a man who is running off with my valise. 6. What a business it is to travel! 7. «Where is my panama?» «I don't know!» «Oh, here it is!» 8. I was sorry to hear that you had not made it up with your old friend. 9. I find it is expensive to patch up quarrels.

[1: Use the future.] [2: Tr. «Give me news of.»] [3: Omit «it is» and insert que.]

VIII

ACT I, SCENE VIII

1. In France, when you check your baggage, they give you a paper slip. 2. A bell rings when the train is about to start. 3. Thrifty people put down their traveling expenses in a note-book. 4. Those who forget where they have put their things often scold others. 5. «What is the proper tip for a porter?» «We might give him four cents, but let us make it ten cents.» 6. «I must have left my valise in the waiting-room. I will go after it. 7. At last I have found it.» «It is time you had!» 8. When the bell rings, passengers run up, are stopped by the man at the waiting-room door who wants to see their tickets, and pass in.

[1: papier, m.] [2: sonner.] [3: aller.] [4: gens, pl.] [5: Tr.«write».] [6: affaire, f.] [7: les autres.] [8: aller chercher.]

IX

ACT I, SCENE IX

1. Two young men have just taken their tickets. 2. One bumps into the other and exclaims, «Hello, Daniel!» «Hello, Armand!» exclaims the other, «you should look out!» «You were not paying attention yourself!» 3. But they do not scold one another long. 4. They discover that they are about to travel together. 5. They are in attendance upon a charming young lady whom they both of them love andwish to marry. 6. As they cannot both marry her, they decide then and there, on the step of the railroad car, to go on merrily with their trip and in friendly competition to try to win her affection each one for himself.

[1: gens.] [2: s'écrier.] [3: Il faut.] [4: découvrir.] [5: aller.] [6: séance tenante.]

X

Act II, SCENE I

1. The French like to take coffee after lunch and dinner. 2. There are several inns at Montanvert in Switzerland. 3. From this window you can see a snow-covered mountain. 4. Will you have an omelet, ladies? 5. Standing by the open fireplace were several travelers, and among them a young nobleman who had just come in followed by two guides. 6. A war to the death is sometimes a loyal struggle. 7. It is greedy to eat too many chocolate wafers. 8. Why can't you sit still? 9. The spring of a railroad-car window-shade often gets out of order. 10. The travels of leisured people may last a long time.

[1: parmi.] [2: venir de.] [3: Use reflexive form.]

XI

ACT II, SCENE III

1. A traveler in Switzerland went up to Montanvert on horseback. 2. He rode a shying horse which reared when he touched it with his spurs. 3. The rider took a bad tumble and came near losing his life. 4. Fortunately a young man who was there leapt forward and saved the poor traveler. 5. With water, vinegar, and smelling-salts he was soon brought round. 6. When he had drunk some sugar and water, he was able to add his thanks to those of his sobbing wife and daughter. 7. He shook his savior's hand vigorously, and ordered the horse to be led down to Chamouny. 8. The whole family drove back aftere resting a short time. 9. The lesson of this story is that poor riders should not wear spurs.

[1: monter.] [2: faire.] [3: Heureusement.] [4: Use reflexive form.] [5: Tr. «who were sobbing.»] [6: après and infinitive.] [7: Tr. «having rested themselves.»] [8: morale, f.]

XII

ACT II, SCENE IV

1. «You have some[l] chance of success; I have none, so I am going away.» «Nonsense!» 2. «I am in dead earnest. It can't be helped! You have all the luck. I give way to you.» 3. «Do you really think that you have lost Henrietta?' 4. «I withdraw because I think so: I am not making you any sacrifice at all.» 5. «Then may I ask a favor of you?» «Why, certainly.» 6. «Go to her father and tell him that I wish to marry his daughter. I shall owe you such gratitude!» 7. «My! but that is a queer request to make! Anyhow, don't worry! Being a nice little rival, I will do as you say. 8. Your rival wishes you better luck than he has had himself.»

[1: quelque.] [2: le.] [3: avoir.] [4: Tr. «so much.»] [5: Tr. «what you ask.»] [6: Tr. «more.'] [7: Insert ne (without pas).] [8: lui-même.]

XIII

ACT II, SCENE V

1. The Mer de Glace is full of holes, crevasses, and dangerous places. 2. «You may say what you please, I had not lost my presence of mind.» «You don't say?» 3. Do not take an aversion to anybody. 4. Here, take this book and write something pretty in it. 5. I have just put on my overshoes to go for a walk on the ice. 6. As I was rolling down, I spied a little tree, which I caught hold of. 7. I was fished up by an innkeeper whom I gave two hundred francs to: a fair price. 8. Gratitude is due to those who have done you a service. 9. «Say, will you join us?» «Thank you. Our guide is outside. I hope to see you again later.10. It will be very nice to drink a cap of tea together next winter.»

[1: plein.] [2: personne.] [3: me promener.] [4: se doit.] [5: plus tard.] [6: ensemble.]

XIV

ACT II, SCENES VI AND VII

1. When you go to Switzerland, don't forget your overshoes and alpenstocks. 2. Never mind me! Go alone. I will stay here. 3. He who takes the shortest road does not always get there first. 4. When you have finished writing, always take care not to shut the book while the ink is wet. 5. We will carry out the contest as we have pledged ourselves to do. 6. «I mean to beg leave to go with you.» «That's right! Off we go!» 7. I have changed my mind for weighty reasons. 8. Success belongs to those who believe they will succeed. 9. The road you are following is not the highway, but I think you will succeed none the less for that. 10. When Daniel has finished speaking, he goes back.