[42] EN PARTIE DE MASQUE, ‘For a masquerade.’  It was a common practice in the circles of the Court, and of the richer bourgeoisie to get up masquerade parties and dances.  There are frequent references to this in the Memoirs of Dangeau, Saint-Simon, and other writers.

[43] ARTICLE = Passage d’un ecrit quelconque (Littre, “article,” 3 deg.).

[44] IMAGINATION.  Used here in the sense of pensee or idee.

[45] FIGURE, ‘Character,’ which is also the meaning of personnage in the next line.

[46] PLAISANT.  See note 37.

[47] NOTRE FUTURE.  The notre refers to Dorante and his father.  Silvia is the future bride of the one, and the future daughter-in-law of the other.  The expression is not a usual one with notre.

[48] LE TOUT.  In modern usage the article has disappeared.

[49] SUR LE CHAPITRE, ‘About.’

[50] INSPIREE. Venue has replaced this verb in some of the later editions, and would certainly be the more natural expression.

[51] LES AVERTIROIT.  Modern syntax requires the future after the imperative, instead of the conditional present.

[52] SE TIRERA D’INTRIGUE.  Used in the sense of se tirera d’affaire.

[53] AGACER, ‘Tease.’ Taquiner would be the modern word in this sense. Agacer has now more the meaning of ‘irritate.’

[54] C’EST AUTANT DE PRIS QUE LE VALET, ’The valet is as good as caught (captivated).’

[55] L’ETOURDIR, ‘To make him forget.’

[56] CROCHETEUR, ‘Porter.’  The name is derived from the crochet (hook) which they use in lifting or carrying heavy weights.  Another and more common meaning of the word is ‘picklock,’ or ‘housebreaker,’ from crocheter. Crochet must have given crochetier.  It is probably due to paronymy that crocheteur and not crochetier has come to be used for ‘porter’ (Littre).

[57] DANS SON MIROIR.  An elliptical form for Quand elle se regarde dans son miroir.

[58] TOUJOURS, ‘In the meantime.’

[59] BIEN VENU.  Now written in one word as a noun and with the article.

[60] TON COEUR N’A QU’A SE BIEN TENIR, ‘Your heart must be on its guard.’

[61] C’EST BIEN DES AFFAIRES, ‘What nonsense!’

[62] NE M’EN FAIT POINT ACCROIRE, ‘Does not make me overrate myself.’  (Littre, “Accroire,” 3 deg..}

[63] SERIEUX, ‘Formal.’

[64] SUR LE QUI-VIVE, ‘Standing on ceremony.’

[65] PLUS COMMODEMENT, ‘With less ceremony.’

[66] TU AS NOM.  A Latin construction frequently used even nowadays.

[67] VA DONC POUR LISETTE, ‘Lisette be it, then.’