of _vertu (de) Dieu_.

[24] CE SUPERFLU-LA SERA MON NECESSAIRE. Voltaire, in his _Mondain_ (1736),
lines 22-23, repeated the same idea: "Le superflu, chose tres necessaire, A
reuni l'un et l'autre hemisphere."

[25] SE CONTREFONT-ILS, 'Disguise themselves.'

[26] AUSSI L'EST-IL. The modern form is _Il l'est en effet_.

[27] NE ... MENT PAS D'UN MOT, 'Is not at all deceitful.'

[28] NI QUI NE GRONDE. The repetition of the relative _qui_ is contrary to
modern usage.

[29] AME, 'Being.'

[30] This whole scene recalls the dialogue between Angelique and Lisette in
the first scene of Dancourt's _l'Ete des Coquettes_ (July 12, 1690), and may
be a clever amplification of the same.

[31] PORTE ... UNE GRIMACE. A metonymy not accepted in common usage.

[32] DE TOUT CELA == _Dans tout cela_.

[33] A CONDITION QUE, 'Provided that.' Governs either the indicative,
conditional, or subjunctive.

[34] UN NOTAIRE. The notary is a frequent figure in French comedy in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and appears also in that of the
nineteenth century. It is he who draws up the marriage settlements; he acts
usually as banker and trustee as well as legal adviser. He is a sworn officer
of the government, and nowadays is subject to inspection by officials
appointed for the purpose.

[35] SUR TOUT LE BIEN. The modern form would be _d'apres tout
le bien_.

[36] QUE VOUS VOUS REMERCIIEZ, 'That either of you will reject the other.'
See Littre, "remercier," 5 deg..

[37] PLAISANTE, 'Amusing.'

[38] M'EN CONTER, 'To make love to me.'

[39] DES BONS AIRS, 'Kindly reception.' An example of a very common
antiphrasis, although the expression in itself is antiquated.

[40] IL NE ME FAUT PRESQUE QU'UN TABLIER. An evidence of the similarity in
dress of maid and mistress.

[41] NE L'AMUSEZ PAS, 'Do not detain her.' _Amuser_ is sometimes used in this
sense, 'to detain by idle words.'

[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