Chapter XXIV: Introduction: 1 Larroumet, Marivaux, p. 564 (1)

[2] Palissot, p. 3, quoting evidently from de La Porte, p. 1.

[3] D'Alembert, p. 209.

[4] Fournier, _Notice_, p. 2.

[5] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 17, note 3.

[6] Gossot, _Marivaux moraliste_, p. 11.

[7] "Pierre Carlet de Marivaux naquit a Paris sur la Paroisse de Saint- Gervais en 1688, et non en Auvergne, comme on le trouve ecrit en plusieurs endroits." De La Porte, p. 1.

[8] De La Porte, p. 1.

[9] Lesbros de la Versane, p. 5.

[10] "M. de Marivaux, a ce qu'on peut juger [note that Palissot draws his own conclusions and does not state a fact], n'avait point fait de bonnes etudes; on pourrait meme soupconner qu'il n'en avait fait aucunes." Palissot, pp. 4-5.

[11] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 210.

[12] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 7e feuille. OEuvres, tome IX, p. 62.

[13] Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome IX, pp. 9-11. This anecdote has been narrated by all of Marivaux's biographers, but sometimes so fancifully, as in the case of Houssaye [_Galerie du XVIIIe siecle_, premiere serie pp. 94-95], that it has seemed well to give the author's own account.

[14] Houssaye, _Galerie du XVIIIe siecle_, premiere serie, p. 95.

[15] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 242.

[16] According to d'Alembert, p. 214. L'abbe de La Porte does not mention his age.

[17 D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 215.

[18] Fontenelle, _Oeuvres_, tome VII, p. 546 (_Eloge de Mme. de Lambert_).

[19] Lucien Brunel, in Petit de Julleville's _Histoire de la langue et de la litterature francaise_, tome vi, p. 396.

[20] Palissot, p. 10.

[21] Marmontel, _Memoires_, livre IV, tome I, pp. 232-233.

[22] Marivaux, _La Vie de Marianne_, 4e partie. Oeuvres, tome VI, p. 275.

[23] Marivaux, ibid., tome VI, p. 276.

[24] Deschamps, _Marivaux_, p. 87.

[25] Marmontel, _Memoires_, livre VI, tome II, p. 88.

[26] Ibid., p. 90.

[27] "Sensible, et meme ombrageux dans la societe, sur les discours qui pouvaient avoir rapport a lui, il avait souvent le malheur de ne pouvoir cacher cette disposition, aussi importune pour lui que pour les autres; il la decelait quelquefois au point d'etre vivement blesse de ce qu'on n'avait pas dit." D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 244.

"Il etait repli d'amour-propre lui-meme, et je n'ai vu de mes jours a cet egard personne d'aussi chatouilleux que lui. Il fallait le louer et le caresser continuellement comme une jolie femme." Colle, _Journal et memoires_, p. 289.

"Marivaux etait honnete homme, mais d'un caractere ombrageux et d'un commerce difficile; il entendait finesse a tout; les mots les plus innocents le blessaient, et il supposait volontiers qu'on cherchait a le mortifier: ce qui l'a rendu malheureux, et son commerce epineux et insupportable." Grimm, _Correspondance litteraire_, tome III, p. 183.

[28] De La Porte, pp.6-7. Lebros de la Versane, pp. 20-21, repeats the words of de La Porte, without, however, acknowledging the quotation.

[29] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 242.

[30] Marmontel, _Memoires_, livre VII, tome II, pp. 222-224.

[31] There is little, if any, doubt that Marivaux was the author of all three of these productions, as well as of the _Telemaque travesti_, the authorship of which he denied. For a discussion of the matter, see Larroumet, _Marivaux_, edition of 1894, p. 25, note 2, pp. 29, 30, notes 1 and 2; Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, pp. 14, 16, 17, 18; _Bibliotheque francaise, ou Histoire litteraire de la France_, Amsterdam, H. Du Sauzet, in-12, t. XXII, derniere partie, 1736, p. 249, etc.

[32] Fournier, Theatre complet de Marivaux, Notice, p. 6.

[33] Sainte-Beuve, _Causeries du lundi_, tome IX, p. 275.

[34] See note, p. xxxvi.

[35] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 1e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, p. 8.

[36] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 1e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, p. 36.

[37] Ibid., 3e feuille, p. 21.

[38] Ibid., 1e feuille, p. 4.

[39] Lesbros de la Versane, pp. 29, 30.

[40] See Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 1e feuille. Oeuvres, tome XX, p. 9.

[41] Charles Colle, in his _Journal et Memoires_, tome II, p. 288, gives the following bit of testimony along this line: "Marivaux etait curieux en ligne et en habits; il etait friand et aimait les bons morceaux; il etait tres difficile a nourrir."

[42] Lebros de la Versane, pp. 37-38.

[43] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 237.

[44] Lebros de la Versane, pp. 27-28. D'Alembert, _Eloge_, pp. 256-257.

[45] De La Porte, p. 8, and Lesbros de la Versane, p. 26, are agreed as to her name and place of residence. Houssaye, p. 97, gives her name as Mlle. Julie Duriez, but cites no authority.

[46] Reference as above to de La Porte and Lesbros de la Versane.

[47] De La Porte, p. 8, and Lesbros, p. 27. Houssaye, pp. 100-106, relates a pathetic and perhaps wholly fanciful romance, in which Guillaume de Bez and Mlle. Marivaux were the chief actors; but, contrary to the custom of Marivaux's comedies, love did not triumph; the worldly mother married her son unhappily, and the blind father, who thought that he could read so well the heart of woman, immured his daughter in a convent.

[48] Lesbros de la Versane, p. 27.

[49] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 258.

[50] See Lesbros de la Versane, p. 36, and d'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 258.

[51] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p. 241.

[52] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 1e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, p. 6.

[53] See Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p. 63.

[54] It was not, however, until 1689 that the _Hotel des comediens du Roi, entretenus par Sa Majeste_ installed itself on the rue des Fosses-Saint- Germain, and took the title of Comedie-Francaise.

[55] As early as 1548 a troupe of Italian comedians had performed at Lyons, for the entrance of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici.

[56] On Oct. 12, 1707, their ranks were increased by Dominique fils, particularly clever in the roles of Trivelin.

[57] "The name indicates a type. It is, moreover, about the same with the Theatre-Francais of this epoch. The mothers are called Argante; the widows, Araminte; the artless girls, Angelique or Lucile; the lovers, Dorante, Eraste, Ergaste; the old men, Geronte; the valets, Crispin, Frontin, Trivelin; the peasants, Blaise, etc." Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, pp. 63-64.

[58] See Larousse, Article _Comedie-Italienne_.

[59] There was a brief period, from 1717 to 1726, in which Crebillon withdrew in discouragement from the theatre.

[60] Other writers for the Theatre-Italien at this time were Autreau, Delisle, Fuzelier, none of whom is very famous.

[61] "On lui en connait au moins trois pour ces sortes de couplets, alors a la mode, chantes et danses, soit entre les divers actes, soit a la fin de la piece. Ces collaborateurs sont l'aine des deux freres Parfaict pour le divertissement de la _Fausse suivante_ (_Anecdotes dramatiques_, t. II, p. 345), Riccoboni pour celui de la _Joie imprevue_, le chansonnier Panard pour celui du _Triomphe de Plutus_ (_Journal de police_, dans _le Journal de Barbier_, t. VIII, p. 205) et pour celui de la _Colonie_ (_Nouveau theatre italien_, t. I, p. 336). Suivant le _Dictionnaire des Theatres_ (supplement, p. 470), le meme Francois Parfaict, dans un moment ou Marivaux avait hate de donner a la Comedie-Francaise son _Denouement imprevu_ (un acte, 10 decembre 1724), l'aida a en "degrossir quelques scenes." Larroumet, _Marivaux_, edition of 1894, p. 33, note 1.

[62] Jules Lemaitre, _Impressions de theatre_, 4e serie, p. 77.

[63] La Harpe, _Cours de litterature ancienne et moderne_, tome XIV, p. 477.

[64] Jules Lemaitre, _Imprressions de theatre, 2e serie, p. 28.

[65] Lesbros de la Versane, p. 6.

[66] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 63.

[67] De La Porte, p. 3. Lebros de la Versane repeats the same idea, p. 8.

[68] See Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 63-64.

[69] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 220.

[70] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 220.

[71] Ibid, p. 219.

[72] Both Lesbros de la Versane, pp. 14-17, and d'Alembert, pp. 218-219, relate the anecdote, and in much the same way. I follow, in the main, the account given by Lebros.

[73] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 60.

[74] Lesbros de la Versane, p. 19. D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 291, note 19.

[75] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 237.

[76] _Le Spectateur francais_, 4e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, pp. 30-31.

[77] Found in the twelfth leaflet of the _Spectateur_. See d'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 235.

[78] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, note 15.

[79] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 16e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, p. 160.

[80] Sarcey, (_Quarante ans de theatre_, tome II, pp. 265-266) argues against this conception.

[81] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p. 59.

[82] Lavollee, _Marivaux inconnu, p. 61.

[83] See Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage, p. 167.

[84] Ibid., pp. 192-202.

[85] "La premiere moitie seule fut inseree dans le _Monde_, parce que ce recueil cessa de vivre. La seconde moitie parut pour la premiere fois dans un volume de nouvelles de Mme. Riccoboni." Ibid., p. 202, note I.

[86] "Nous ajouterons que M. de Climal est un Tartuffe de cour, un hypocrite de _bonne compagnie_, mais en meme temps d'une hypocrisie trop deliee pour etre mise sur le theatre et saisie par la foule des spectateurs." D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 238.

[87] The attitude of Marianne towards her faithless lover and his ultimate return are foreshadowed in the early part of the story, although Marivaux leaves the breach unclosed. In fact, the opportunity for dramatic action is neglected by Marivaux, whose genius led him to analyses of motives rather than to portrayals of deep feeling or strong emotion.

[88] La Harpe, _Cours de litterature ancienne et moderne_, tome XVI, p. 273.

[89] Marivaux, _Vie de Marianne_, 4e partie. Oeuvres, tome VI, p. 212.

[90] Ibid., 5e partie. Oeuvres, tome VI, p. 285.

[91] Marivaux, _Le Paysan parvenu_, 4e partie. Oeuvres, tome VIII, pp. 136-137.

[92] An exception must be made in the case of the _Iliade travestie_, in which work his pen is needlessly wanton. See Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 517.

[93] _Impressions de theatre_, 2e serie, p. 29.

[94] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p. 214.

[95] Grimm et Diderot, _Correspondence litteraire_, tome 1, p. 41.

[96] Marivaux, _le Spectateur francais_, 19e feuille. Oeuvres, tome IX, p. 190.

[97] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 259.

[98] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 259.

[99] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 260.

[100] For an excellent comparison of Marivaux and the English novelists see Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 348-364.

[101] See d'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 229, and Colle, _Journal historique_, fevrier, 1763, tome II, p. 290.

[102] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, edition of 1894, pp. 293-294.

[103] _Causeries du lundi_, tome IX, p. 286 and p. 296. His criticism of Marivaux as novelist is rather harsh.

[104] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 221.

[105] La Harpe criticises Marivaux for this peculiarity. "Le noeud de ses pieces n'est autre chose qu'un mot qu'on s'obstine a ne dire qu'a la fin, et que tout le monde sait des le commencement." _Cours de litterature_, etc., tome XIII, p. 336.

[106] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 222.

[107] Deschamps, _Marivaux_, p. 186.

[108] Deschamps, _Marivaux_, p. 52.

[109] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 282, note 12.

[110] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 292.

[111] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 293.]

[112] _L'Ile de la Raison, La Reunion des Amours, la Dispute, Felicie, Arlequin poli par l'Amour, le Prince travesti, l'Ile des Esclaves, le Triomphe de Plutus, le Triomphe de l'Amour, la Colonie._ Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 252, note 2.

[113] Jules Lemaitre, _Impressions de theatre_, 2e serie, p. 27. Larroumet, pp. 292-297, gives a most interesting comparison of Marivaux with Shakespeare, and in note 2, p. 292, gives a brief sketch of the origin of this comparison and of its opponents.

[114] For a more complete idea of his drama one may have recourse to Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 157-320, Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, pp. 66-146, or Printzen, _Marivaux_, pp.41-38, who gives resumes of his comedies.

[115] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 319.

[116] Marivaux, _Theatre choisi_, Paris, Librairie des Bibliophiles, 1892. Preface by F. Sarcey, pp. 7 and 15-17.

[117] J. Lemaitre, _Impressions de theatre_, 2e serie, p. 23.

[118] See Lesbros de la Versane, p. 9, who adds: "Ce qui prouve combien son gout etait sur, puisque ce sont ses meilleures pieces."

De La Porte, p. 3, gives a list of Marivaux's plays most popular with his contemporaries: "Celles qui reparaissent le plus souvent a la Comedie- Francaise sont _la Surprise de l'Amour_, _le Legs_ et _le Prejuge vaincu_; et aux Italiens, _la Mere confidente_, _l'Ecole des Meres_, _l'Heureux Stratageme_, _les Fausses Confidences_, _l'Epreuve_, _Arlequin poli par l'Amour_, _la Double Inconstance_, _le Fausse Suivante_, _l'Ile des Esclaves_, _le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard_."

[119] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p 129.

[120] Lonient, _la Comedie en France au XVIIIe siecle_, p. 367.

[121] Sarcey, in _le Temps_ of April 4, 1881 (see _Quarante ans de theatre_, tome 11, p. 262), gives an interesting comparison between _les Fausses Confidences_ and Octave Feuillet's _Roman d'un jeune homme pauvre_, in which he gives all credit to the former. "M. Octave Feuillet," says he, "a recrit (le roman des _Fausses Confidences_) et lui a donne je ne sais quoi de plus sombre. Son jeune homme pauvre est fier, cassant, et tombe parfois dans le melodrame; sa jeune fille riche est agitee et nerveuse; leurs debats sont souvent violents et tristes. Le roman des _Fausses Confidences_ se joue au contraire dans le pays lumineux des songes, et Dorante et Araminte charmeront encore les generations futures quand deja il ne sera plus parle du Maxime Odiot de M. Feuillet et de sa Marguerite Laroque." Vitet seems to have given an anticipatory reply to this severe criticism in his _Discours de reception d'Octave Feuillet a l'Academie francaise_ (March 26, 1863), and Larroumet (p. 197, note 2) supports the latter's view.

[122] _Causeries du lundi_, tome IX, p. 299.

[123] Acte I, scene VIII.

[124] Colle, _Journal et memoires_, tome II, p. 289. Fevrier 1763.

[125] La Harpe, _Cours de litterature ancienne et moderne_, tome XIII, p. 381.

[126] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 329.]

[127] Consult chapter III, on _les Personnages_ (pp. 150-153), of Fleury's _Marivaux et le marivaudage_ for a brief and happy summing up of these various differences, or part II, chapter I (pp. 93-155) of Deschamps' _Marivaux_, for a more extensive development.

[128] Brunetiere, _Nouvelles etudes critiques_, pp. 151-152.

[129] Lescure, _Eloge de Marivaux_, p. 27.

[130] Frontin, of _la Meprise_, is a noteworthy exception. His wit is decidedly superior to that of his master Ergate.

[131] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 225-226.

[132] See Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, 73-75, and Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 227-229.

[133] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, p. 284.

[134] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 366-370.

[135] "Il habille a la moderne _les Surprises de l'Amour_, refait _le Legs_ dans _l'Ane et le Ruisseau_, _l'Heureux Stratageme_ dans _le Caprice_, _le Petit-Maitre corrige_ dans _On ne badine pas avec l'amour_." Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 369.

[136] Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 395, note I.

[137] Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome VII, p. 41.

[138] Ibid., tome VII, p. 237.

[139] Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome VI, p. 393.

[140] Ibid., tome VI, p. 345.

[141] Sainte-Beuve, _Causeries du lundi_, tome IX, p. 393.

[142] Deschamps, _Marivaux_, pp. 182-183.

[143] See La Harpe, _Cours de litterature ancienne et moderne_, tome XVI, p. 272.

[144] Avertissement des _Serments indiscrets_. Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome II, p. 7.

[145] On this subject consult Larroumet, _Marivaux_, pp. 541-561.

[146] Palissot (pp. 8-9) speaks of it as "un reste du jargon proscrit dans _les Precieuses_ de Moliere." "En effet," he continues, "les deux filles de _Gorgibus_ n'auraient peut-etre pas defini le sentiment d'une maniere plus etrange que M. de Marivaux ne l'a fait dans ce passage tire de _Marianne_: Qu'est-ce que le sentiment? c'est l'utile enjolive de l'honnete; malheureusement dans ce siecle, on n'enjolive plus." The passage is from the fifth part of _le Paysan parvenu_ (_Oeuvres_, tome VIII, p. 177) and not from _Marianne_, and is, exactly quoted, as follows: "Mais c'est la nature qui nous rend amoureux; nous tenons d'elle l'utile que nous enjolivons de l'honnete; j'appelle ainsi le sentiment; on n'enjolive pourtant plus guere; la mode en est aussi passee dans ce temps ou j'ecris."

[147] Among the words mentioned by Desfontaines as neologisms perpetrated by Marivaux, none can be considered as coined words, and but very few, such as _disciplinable_, _fictivement_, _sceleratesse_, as obsolete or unusual.

[148] Fleury, _Marivaux et le marivaudage_, pp. 281-283.

[149] See Sarcey, _Quarante ans de theatre_, tome II, p. 268.

[150] _Mercure_ for 1719.

[151] _Le Spectateur francais_, 3e feuille.

[152] _Le Spectateur francais_, 20e feuille.

[153] _Le Spectateur francais_, 8e feuille.

[154] After the outrageous reception of his _Serments indiscrets_ by the public, Marivaux contented himself by saying: "Au reste, la representation de cette piece-ci n'a pas ete achevee; elle demande de l'attention; il y avait beaucoup de monde, et bien des gens ont pretendu qu'il y avait une cabale pour la faire tomber; mais je n'en crois rien: elle est d'un genre dont la simplicite aurait pu toute seule lui tenir lieu de cabale, surtout dans le tumulte d'une premiere representation. D'ailleurs, je ne supposerai jamais qu'il y ait des hommes capables de n'aller a un spectacle que pour y livrer une honteuse guerre a un ouvrage fait pour les amuser. Non, c'est la piece meme qui ne plut pas ce jour-la." _Les Serments indiscrets_: Avertissement. Marivaux. _Oeuvres_, tome II, pp. 7- 8.

[155] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, pp. 248-249. The play was _l'Amour et la Verite_. See Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 37, note 1.

[156] Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome IX, pp. 55, 56, 59.

[157] The one exception is in the case of Crebillon, already noted.

[158] De La Porte, p. 8. D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 298, note 25.

[159] See Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome X, p. 547.

[160] Ibid., pp. 550-551.

[161] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, pp. 295-296, note 23.

[162] Marivaux, _Oeuvres_, tome X, p. 552.

[163] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 239.

[164] The registers of the French Academy (see Larroumet, _Marivaux_, p. 629) and d'Alembert (_Eloge_, p. 261) assign as the date of his death February 12; but l'Abbe de La Porte, p. 10), Lesbros de la Versane (p. 40), and Colle (_Journal historique_, tome II, p. 288) give the date as February 11.

[165] D'Alembert, _Eloge_, p. 261.

[166] Colle, _Journal historique_, tome II, p. 288.

[167] De La Porte, p. 10.

LE JEU DE L'AMOUR ET DU HASARD.

[1] SILVIA. The 'ideal type' of Marivaux's women. "Young, alert, lively, yet compliant, already competent, reasonable, and energetic, without her reason, deliberative as it is, excluding for a moment wit, sprightliness, and charm. Give her more reserve, more dignity, more tender kindliness, and also more indulgent experience and you will have, scarcely any older, and already a widow, Araminte of _les Fausses Confidences_" (Henri Lion, in _Histoire de la langue et de la litterature francaise_ Petit de Julleville, tome VI, p. 587).

[2] ARLEQUIN. One of the brightest and merriest of roles. In passing to the Comedie-Francaise, this role, which at the Comedie-Italienne was played by Harlequin, was introduced under the name of Pasquin. It is possible that the personage of Harlequin has descended from the Greek plays, in which there appeared an actor filling a similar role and dressed in the skin of a goat or a tiger; but so early an origin, even if it could be proved, would not serve to explain the costume in which he now appears, and which is itself a modification of that worn by Harlequin in the sixteenth century.

The part of Harlequin, in the Italian comedy, appears to have originated in the role of the _zanni_, or clown, which comprised several varieties, such as Scapino, Coviello, etc. The costume of the part, whether the _zanni_ represented a stupid lout or a bright and resourceful valet, consisted of a loose jacket, very full trousers, a small cape, a broad-brimmed hat with feathers, and a wooden sword. This dress was varied later for the parts of Sganarelle and Pierrot, and the Harlequin dress itself was changed to a certain extent in the sixteenth century.

A description of his costume has come down to us from the time of Henry IV. "It is composed of a jacket open in front and fastened by cheap ribbons; of tight-fitting pantaloons, covered with pieces of cloth of different colors, placed at random. The jacket also is patched. He has a stiff, black beard, the black half-mask, and a cap shaped like those of the time of Francis I; no linen; the belt, the pouch, and the wooden sword. His feet are clad in very thin foot-gear, covered at the ankles by the pantaloons, which serve as gaiters" (Maurice Sand, _Masques et Bouffons_, p. 72). It was further changed, as well as the character itself, by the famous Dominique, of the Italian comedians to King Louis XIV. He made of Harlequin a clever and witty personage, instead of a stupid lout, and this change was accepted by the writers of plays for that particular troupe. The dress is greatly modified. The jacket is closer fitting; the trousers less full and shorter in the leg, coming down to just below the calf; the patches, still much larger than in the modern dress, are arranged symmetrically; the hat is soft, with a brim and a small plume; the shoes are of the ordinary seventeenth century shape, with the bow of ribbon on the instep. The wooden sword remains, as well as the half-mask, but with a moustache in the place of the former stiff beard.

The part was then played more and more as one calling for much spirit and endless fun-making powers,--so much so that when it was admitted to the stage of the Comedie-Francaise it evoked very strong condemnation as being unworthy of the gravity of the place.

The modern dress of Harlequin, rarely seen save in pantomimes, is a very brilliant close-fitting costume, composed of small triangles of bright cloth covered with spangles.

[3] QU'OUI. The correct form would be que oui, as the initial vowel of oui is now treated as an aspirate.

[4] CELA VA TOUT DE SUITE, 'That is a matter of course.' 'That is the natural conclusion' (judging from the desire of most girls to marry). The expression _tout de suite_ now means 'at once,' 'immediately.' It is not in that sense that it is used here. Read, _cela va de suite_, considering the adverb _tout_ as simply adding emphasis to the expression. The word _suite_ was taken in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in the sense of 'consequence' or 'order.'

[5] DE FILLE. A peculiar use of the substantive after the preposition _de_, similar to the ordinary participial or adjectival use, as in the expression: _Il n'y a que vous de serieux_. Compare "Je n'ai qu'elle de fille" (Moliere, _le Medecin malgre lui_, II, 4). These, and similar expressions, are an outgrowth of the partitive genitive, usually found after an indefinite: _II n'y a rien de nouveau_ (that is to say, _parmi les choses nouvelles_). _Quelque chose de nouveau. Qu'y a-t-il de nouveau? Cent soldats de prisonniers. Y a-t-il personne d'assez hardi?_ etc. Compare the Latin, _Quid novi?_

[6] ALLEZ REPONDRE VOS IMPERTINENCES AILLEURS. This is not a modern form. The meaning is, 'Keep your irrelevant remarks for people of your own class.' _Impertinences_ has here the meaning of 'irrelevant remarks.'

[7] CE N'EST PAS A VOUS A JUGER. An infinitive after _c'est a_ (_moi_, _vous_, _lui_, etc.) may be introduced by either the preposition _a_ or _de_, but a difference is felt to-day between the two locutions, the first signifying 'it is your turn,' and the second, 'it is your right or duty.'

[8] UNE ORIGINALE, 'eccentric.' "Il n'y a qu'en France que le mot _original_ applique a un individu, soit presque injurieux."-- Theophile Gautier, _les Grotesques_.

[9] CELA EST ENCORE TOUT NEUF, 'That is another strange idea.' Bear in mind that Silvia had already expressed a distaste for marriage.

[10] AIMABLE, 'Fitted to inspire love,' 'worthy of love.'

[11] DE MARIAGE ... D'UNION. A peculiar use of the preposition _de_, allied to, and possibly derived from, the partitive after a negative: _Il n'y a pas de mariage_. It would be more natural today to say _un mariage ... une union_. The use of the form _de mariage_ is easily explained by the ellipsis of the concluding words, _que celui-ci_.

[12] DELICIEUSE. Compare: "Il y a de bons mariages; mais il n'y en a point de delicieux" (La Rochefoucauld, _Reflexion_, 113).

[13] DANS LES FORMES, 'Legally.'

[14] DE QUOI VIVRE, 'Food.'

[15] PARDI, 'Indeed.' An alteration of _par Dieu_. Though still used, _parbleu_, likewise a euphemism for _par Dieu_, has largely replaced it. It is not in the Dictionary of the Academy, 1878.

[16] TOUT EN SERA BON. The _en_ refers apparently to the divers qualities of Dorante which Lisette has just enumerated, though it is difficult to see the connection clearly.

[17] TOUT S'Y TROUVE. The modern form would be, _se trouve en lui_, the _y_ not being now used of persons.

[18] HETEROCLITE. Used familiarly and figuratively for 'strange,' 'odd,' 'peculiar.'

[19] UN PENSEE DE TRES BON SENS--_Pleine de sens_. VOLONTIERS, 'Frequently,' 'usually.' 'is usually inclined to be ...'

[20] PASSE, 'We'll let that pass.' Used familiarly for _soit_.

[21] OUI-DA, 'Truly,' 'certainly,' or, more freely and familiarly, 'I should think so.' _Da_ is, according to Diez, a shortened form of _diva_, an exclamation composed of the two imperatives _dis_ and _va_: _diva > dea > da_. It may be added to either the affirmative or the negative (_non-da_), or stand alone. In any case it adds force to the expression. Its use is becoming obsolete, especially in the negative.

[22] DE BEAUTE. _Quant a la beaute_ would convey the idea, better to the modern ear. The construction is the genitive after _dispenser_. The pronominal _en_ is. therefore, redundant.

[23] VERTUCHOUX, written usually _vertuchou_, 'Bless me,' A euphemism like _vertubleu_, which is similarly a corruption 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. 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.'

[68] J'EN VEUX AU COEUR DE LISETTE, 'I have designs upon Lisette's heart.' The more common modern meaning of the idiom _en vouloir a_ is, 'to have a grudge against'; but the expression used in the text is also frequent with the meaning here given. Corneille has, "Alidor en voulait a Celie" (_la Veuve_, I. 181). "Poppee etait une infidele qui n'en voulait qu'au trone" (_Othon_, I. 194). "Je n'en veux pas, Cleone, au sceptre d'Armenie" (_Nicomede_, I. 347). And La Fontaine: "Comme il en voulait a l'argent" (_les deux Mulets_, I. 8). The Academy gives the locution in its Dictionary, with the remark: "signifie aussi familierement, Avoir quelque pretention sur cette personne, sur cette chose, en avoir quelque desir. _Il en veut a cette fille. Il en veut a cette charge._"

[69] AILLE SUR MES BRISEES, 'Be my rival.' _Les brisees_. Branches broken off by a hunter to recognize the hiding-place of the game, hence 'traces.' _Suivre les brisees de quelqu'un_, 'To follow someone's example.' _Aller sur les brisees de quelqu'un_, 'To contest with (or rival) someone' (Littre, "brisees," 1 deg. and 2 deg.).

[70] VOUS PERDREZ VOTRE PROCES, 'You will get the worst of it.'

[71] ILS SE DONNENT LA COMEDIE, 'They are making fun at my expense.'

[72] QUI L'AURA, 'Who wins his love.'

[73] M'EN CONTER. See note 38.

[74] NOUS SOMMES DANS LE STYLE AMICAL. An expression derived from the _precieuses_.

[75] OTER MON CHAPEAU. It was still customary to wear the hat in the house, even in the presence of ladies, though the habit was dying out.

[76] JOUE. The edition of 1732, as well as that edited by Duviquet, gives _joue_. Some later editions give _jure_, in the sense of 'blaspheme.'

[77] PLAISANT. See note 37.

[78] ME FASSE MON PROCES, 'Destroys my hopes.' Compare note 70.

[79] D'ABORD QUE. Used for the more modern _des que_ (Littre, 10 deg.).

[80] MALGRE QUE J'EN AIE, 'In spite of myself.' _Malgre que_ in this sense is used only with the verb _avoir_ (Littre, 5 deg.).

[81] A TORT AVEC TOI. The modern form is _envers toi_.

[82] A PLUS DE TORT. The _de_ has since been dropped in locutions of this sort.

[83] JE CROIS QU'IL M'AMUSE, 'I think that he strikes my fancy.'

[84] JE ME RAPPELLE DE. In modern French the _de_ is omitted.

[85] CONFIDEMMENT. _Confidentiellement_ the more common form.

[86] NE PRENDRE PAS GARDE. The modern construction of the negative with an infinitive requires both parts of the negative to precede the verb.

[87] EN FAVEUR DE = _Dans l'interet de_.

[88] MON PORTE-MANTEAU. Refers not to the valise, but to the _crocheteur_ who carried it. The office of _porte-manteau_ was an honourable one at the French court. Twelve officers of the household bore the title and discharged the duties of the office, which consisted in taking care of the king's hat, gloves, stick, and sword, and in handing them to his majesty when called for. One of these officers always accompanied the king when hunting, with a valise containing raiment. See A. Cheruel, _Dictionnaire historique des institutions, moeurs et coutumes de la France_.

[89] AUTANT VAUT, 'That's the same thing.' 'That's just as good.'

[90] LA BELLE. The use of the article is here indicative of familiarity. Used in this way towards inferiors.

[91] JE VAIS FAIRE DESCENDRE. On the part of a supposed servant, a somewhat free and easy expression.

[92] UN BEAU-PERE DE LA VEILLE OU DU LENDEMAIN, 'A man who is as good as my father-in-law.'

[93] AVANT QUE DE. _Avant de_ is more modern.

[94] L'HOTEL. In the meaning attached to the word in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, that is, 'mansion,' 'residence.' Originally applied specifically to the king's residence, it soon was used of the mansions of the nobility in Paris or other towns. Later, the habit arose among the nobility of renting rooms and apartments within their mansions when the family was not in residence, and gradually the word assumed its present more extended meaning. But _hotel_ is still used to denote strictly a residence.

[95] PLAISANT. One must understand here a double meaning, Silvia uses it evidently in the sense of 'amusing,' 'ridiculous' (see note 37), while Harlequin fails to catch the point, and, as his reply shows, takes it in its earlier sense of 'agreeable.' It is scarcely used to-day in this latter sense.

[96] M'EN ETRE FIE A TOI. The _en_ here is difficult to construe. It refers to the whole of the preceding clauses. In modern construction it would be omitted.

[97] DANS LES SUITES. 'After this,' 'henceforth.' For _dans la suite_.

[98] DONNERAI DU MELANCOLIQUE. The more ordinary form is _donnerai dans le melancolique_.

[99] PLAISANTE, 'Agreeable.' See note 95.

[100] QUE DE CET INSTANT. The modern form would be _qu'a l'instant_.

[101] SI MAL BATI, 'In such a bad state.' Colloquial.

[102] RAGOUTANT, 'Tempting,' 'pleasing.' Its earlier and more common meaning is, 'tempting to the palate.' As used here it is familiar, and corresponds with the rest of Harlequin's expressions, though it is by no means an expression confined by Marivaux to servants. Compare: "Ne voila-t-il pas un amant bien ragoutant!" (_Marianne_, 3e partie). "Cependant comme cette personne etait fraiche et ragoutante..." (_Le Paysan parvenu_, 1re partie). "Et a quel age est-on meilleure et plus ragoutante, s'il vous plait?" (id., 5e partie).

[103] TRINQUER, 'To drink a toast.' From the German _trinken_, Italian _trincare_. This verb shows a much more jovial spirit than would the verb _boire_, and, in this case, is more familiar and inelegant.

[104] SI VOUS NE METTEZ ORDRE. After the conjunctions _a moins que_ (unless), and _si_, in the same sense, the second part of the negation (_pas_) is omitted. The idiom _mettre ordre a_ means 'to look after.'

[105] VOTRE PRETENDU GENDRE, 'Intended son-in-law.' The word _pretendu_ is commonly used alone, and then means 'intended.' The usage is derived from the meaning of the verb _pretendre a_, 'to aspire to,' 'to desire.' Here, therefore, 'the man who aspires to become your son-in-law.'

[106] VONT LEUR TRAIN, 'Are doing their work,' 'are producing their effect.'

[107] NOUS Y VOILA, 'Just what I feared.'

[108] IL EST DE MAUVAIS GOUT. The _il_ refers not to Arlequin, whom Lisette takes for Dorante, but to the idea that she should be loved by one so much her superior socially.

[109] CELA NE LAISSERA PAS QUE D'ETRE, 'It will be no less true.' The idiom may be expressed more logically by the omission of the _que_ (Littre, "laisser," 20 deg.).

[110] D'HOMME D'HONNEUR. An ellipsis for the more complete expression which later editions print, _foi d'homme d'honneur_.

[111] J'AI MENAGE SA TETE, 'I have spared his mind,' 'I have handled him carefully.'

[112] LE MOMENT. For _l'occasion_.

[113] A VUE DE PAYS, 'From the looks of things.'

[114] FAIT. Some later editions print _tourne_. The idea is the same.

[115] JUSQUE LA, 'To such a degree.'

[116] A LA BONNE HEURE, 'As you please.'

[117] AVANT QUE DE. See note 93.

[118] DE VOTRE FACON, 'Brought forth by you.' The whole figure is both trivial and bombastic, in perfect accord with the role of Harlequin.

[119] ROQUILLE. An ancient wine measure amounting to a quarter of a _setier_. A _setier_, in the current use of the word, was equal to half a _pinte_. A _pinte_ was a little less than a _litre_ (Hatzfeld and Darmesteter). Hence a _roquille_ would be less than an eighth of a _litre_. A synonym for any small measure.

[120] COMME UN PERDU, 'Desperately.'

[121] VALETAILLE, 'Whole set of valets,' Composed of _valet_ and the pejorative ending _aille_ (Littre).

[122] SERA. The text of 1732 has _fera_, but this is likely a misprint, as the f's and long s's were easily confounded.

[123] IMPERTINENT. Here the actor taking the part of Dorante, profiting by the inattention of Lisette, administers to Harlequin a vigorous kick, which the latter is obliged to receive with equanimity, much to the amusement of the spectators. This byplay is also a reminiscence of the habits of the early _comediens italiens_, who indulged to excess in _lazzi_, which originally meant, not witticisms, but tricks more or less buffoon in their nature, such as circus clowns still indulge in. We know that Marivaux objected to any liberty being taken with the roles by the actors. It may well be questioned whether the above-mentioned gesture would have met his approval. In a letter written to Sarcey (published in _Quarante ans de theatre_, tome II, pp. 271- 275), Larroumet writes as follows upon this subject: "Pour ma part, une longue etude de Marivaux m'a prouve que lazzis et jeux de scene n'etaient nullement le fait des premiers interpretes qui jouerent sous la direction de l'auteur, mais bien des troupes de petits theatres qui, apres la disparition de la comedie italienne, en 1782, recueillirent plusieurs pieces de Marivaux et les jouerent un peu partout, jusqu'a ce que Mlle. Contat les fit entrer, vers 1794 et 1796, au Theatre de la Republique."

[124] DEBARRASSE-MOI DE TOUT CECI. A contemptuous expression by which Dorante designates Lisette. It is entirely in keeping with the manners of the day.

[125] NE TE LIVRE POINT. _Livrer_ is here taken in the sense of 'betray.'

[126] LA QUESTION EST VIVE, 'That is a leading question.'

[127] UN PETIT BRIN. Equivalent to _un petit peu_. _Brin_ means 'spear' (of grass, etc.), and, as in the case of _goutte_ (drop) and of _mie_ (crumb), has come to indicate any small particle. Often idiomatically translated by 'bit.'

[128] J'AI PEUR D'EN COURIR LES CHAMPS, 'I am afraid of losing my reason.' Compare the expression, _etre fou a courir les rues, a courir les champs_, 'to be stark mad ' (Littre, "courir," 23 deg.).

[129] DECOMPTER, 'Deduct.' Still used, though not commonly, for _rabattre_.

[130] LES MAITRES. _On_ may be followed by the plural, if taken in a plural sense, although some later editions give the singular, _le maitre_. In fact, after this indefinite pronoun, a noun, adjective, or participle may agree in gender and number with the person or persons to whom the indefinite refers.

[131] FONT ... A LEUR TETE, 'Have their own way.' The idiom _faire a sa tete_ means 'to do as one pleases.'

[132] BEAU JEU. The idiom _avoir beau jeu_ is a card term, and means first, 'to hold the best cards,' and hence, 'to have a good opportunity.'

[133] PERRETTE OU MARGOT. Names of the lower classes among servants. The idea is carried out by the reference to the visit to the cellar and the flat candlestick. Compare: "Ne semble-t-il pas qu'il faille tant de ceremonies pour parler a madame? On parle bien a Perrette" (_Marianne_, 2e partie). _Perrette_, from the well-known fable of La Fontaine, _Perrette et le pot at lait_, has come down to us as the personification of the dreamer, the builder of air-castles. _Margot_, a diminutive of Marguerite, is a common term for the chatterbox.

[134] FAUTES D'ORTHOGRAPHE, 'Misapprehensions as to real rank.' The ordinary meaning of the expression, used figuratively, is _fautes de conduite_.

[135] NE VOILA-T-IL PAS! An exclamation of surprise. It might here be translated, 'Just listen to that.' It is more correctly expressed by _ne voila pas_, the barbarism resulting from the consideration of _voila_ as a verb and the introduction of the euphonic _t_ and the _il_ of impersonal verbs (Littre, "voila," 10 deg.),

[136] MA MIE. A curious example of deformation. Originally feminine nouns beginning with a vowel took the feminine _ma_ before them, the vowel of _ma_ being elided. Thus, _m'amie_; but later the word was modified to its present form.

[137] QU'ON NE LES APPELLE. _Que_ in the sense of _sans que_ requires the negative particle _ne_. It is less frequently used to-day than in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. _Sans qu'on les appelle_ might replace this expression.

[138] PUISQUE LE DIABLE LE VEUT. An uncomplimentary variant of the proverb. "Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut."

[139] JE VOUS TROUVE ADMIRABLE, 'I think it is very surprising on your part.'

[140] GATE L'ESPRIT SUR SON COMPTE, 'Prejudiced you against him.'

[141] ON N'EN A QUE FAIRE, 'We have no need of them.'

[142] EN QUOI DONC. The _en_ here must refer to _comme elle tourne les choses_, in Silvia's last remark.

[143] TOUJOURS, 'Still.'

[144] ME NOIRCIR L'IMAGINATION, 'Soil my thoughts.' Marivaux has very consistently preserved the character of the high-born lady that Silvia is, in the remarks he puts into her mouth. It is impossible for her to forget her real rank, or to forget her usual way of considering menials as of an inferior race.

[145] OBJET. Usually, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, denotes a woman loved. Occasionally Corneille, like Marivaux here, employs it to denote a man loved. This, however, is infrequent.

[146] A MOI. There is an ellipsis at the end of Silvia's remark, which, completed, would read: _Il n'y aurait pas grande perte a cela_. Dorante's reply, which is not strictly grammatical, even in the use of the time, would certainly nowadays be constructed differently, e.g., _Non plus que si je m'en allais aussi, moi_.

[147] NE SONT BONNES QU'EN PASSANT, 'Can only be indulged in once in a while.'

[148] JE NE SUIS PAS FAITE POUR ME RASSURER TOUJOURS, 'I do not feel that I could always be sure of...'

[149] CELA NE RESSEMBLEROIT PLUS A RIEN. The sense is: "My attitude towards you would be so extraordinary that it might become compromising" (Larroumet).

[150] IL N'EN SEROIT NI PLUS NI MOINS = _Cela ne changerait rien_.' It would make no difference.'

[151] J'AMUSERAI, 'Shall I flatter with vain hopes?' Compare: "Il veut que je l'amuse, et ne veut rien de plus" (Corneille, _Sertorius_, II, 3). "Car vous lui promettez tous les huit jours de l'epouser dans la semaine, et il y a pres d'un an que vous l'amusez" (Dancourt, _Le Chevalier a la Mode_, I, 7).

[152] JE T'EN ASSURE. The _en_ here is unconnected with any other part of the sentence. In modern construction it would not be used.

[153] TE RENDRE SENSIBLE. An expression very frequently, indeed generally, used in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for _me faire aimer de toi_. A reminiscence of the days and modes of thought of the _precieuses_ and the whole tribe of writers of novels after the manner of _l'Astree_.

[154] SANS DIFFICULTE, 'Undoubtedly.'

[155] IL NE MANQUOIT PLUS QUE CETTE FACON-LA, 'This is the finishing stroke.'

[156] DANS LE RESPECT. The modern form is _par le respect_.

[157] POUR DANS. An awkward expression. The _pour_ might better have been omitted. Later editions give simply _dans_.

[158] HUMEUR. 'Temper,'

[159] SI FORT SUR LE QUI-VIVE, 'Take offence so readily.'

[160] DANS QUELLE IDEE. _De would be used nowadays instead of _dans.

[161] QUI NE ME CHOQUE. In relative clauses depending upon a negative antecedent, the second part of the negative (_pas_) in the relative clause is generally omitted.

[162] CES MOUVEMENTS-LA. 'Emotion.' Compare: "D'un mouvement jaloux je ne fus pas maitresse" (Racine. _Bajazet_. I. 4). "L'ame n'est qu'une suite continuelle d'idees et de sentiments qui se succedent et se detruisent: les mouvements qui reviennent le plus souvent forment ce qu'on appelle le caractere" (Voltaire, _Supplement au siecle de Louis XIV_. 2e partie).

[163] QUERELLEE, 'Taken her to task.'

[164] UN ESPRIT. In ordinary French of the present day the _un_ would be omitted.

[165] SURPRISE. The feminine form of the participle is admissible after _on_.

[166] UN MAUVAIS ESPRIT. Referring to Silvia, although the idea is clear, grammatical consistency is overthrown in the next line when the pronoun _la_ is used instead of _le_.

[167] DE LA CONSEQUENCE, 'What may be inferred.'

[168] EST. Some later editions give _soit_. This difference in the mode used in various editions is but another proof of the elasticity of the subjunctive in French. Either mode is here correct, the indicative expressing greater positiveness, and the subjunctive more doubt, in the supposition.

[169] J'Y METS BON ORDRE, 'I look after that,' or 'I see that he doesn't. See note 104.

[170] APOSTILLE, 'Observation.' Literally 'postscript,' from _ad_ and _postillam_ (low Latin for 'explanation,' 'note.' Littre).

[171] AIMABLE, 'Courteous.'

[172] QUE TU NE ME CHAGRINES. See note 137.

[173] JE T'EN OFFRE AUTANT, 'I can say the same to you.'

[174] MOUVEMENTS. See note 159.

[175] OU. Later editions give _que_, which is preferable in modern French. The relative pronoun should not follow a construction similar to that of its antecedent placed in the clause immediately preceding. The same is true of the conjunctive adverb _ou_ (P. Larousse). One should not, therefore, say: _C'est_ a vous a qui _je parle_. _C'est_ dans cette maison ou _je suis ne_. _C'est_ ici ou _je l'ai trouve_. _C'est_ de toi dont _il ecrit_. _Que_ preferred in each case.

[176] A QUI. See preceding note. A construction much blamed by all modern authorities, although common to Marivaux, and used also by Boileau, Moliere, and others. "C'est _a vous_, mon Esprit, _a qui_ je veux parler" (Boileau, _Satire IX_, 1. i). "Mais, madame, puis-je au moins croire que ce soit _a vous a qui_ je doive la pensee de cet heureux stratageme..." (Moliere, _L'Amour medecin_, III, vi). In this case _que_ would be better than a qui, and is so printed in most of the later editions.

[177] PENETRER = _Decouvrir_.

[178] AVANT QUE DE. See note 93.

[179] NEUVE, 'Novel.' Compare: "C'etait bien le plan le plus original, le plus beau, le plus neuf!" (Merimee, _la Guzla, avertissement_).

[180] IRREGULIER, 'Unseemly,' 'impolite.'

[181] JUSQUE LA. See note 115.

[182] LUI FEROIT TORT. Here modern usage requires the partitive _du_.

[183] SUR L'ARTICLE DE, 'Concerning,' 'in the matter of.'

[184] LUI. Marivaux felt the charm of this artless reply, and repeated it in _l'Epreuve_ (see Introduction, p. lxiii), with the added epigram of Lisette: "Et quel est donc cet homme qui s'appelle lui par excellence?"

[185] GUIGNON, 'Bad luck.' From _guigner_ ('to ogle,' 'to peep'), and has some connection with the idea of the evil eye (Littre).

[186] CELA N'EST POINT CONTRAIRE A FAIRE FORTUNE. _Cela n'empeche pas de faire fortune_ is more modern and better French.

[187] IMAGINATION. See note 44.

[188] IL LUI PREND. _Il_ is redundant, and in some of the later editions is omitted.

[189] ACCOMMODONS-NOUS, 'Let us compromise.' Compare: "Le Ciel defend, de vrai, certains contentements; mais on trouve avec lui des accommodements." (Moliere, _le Tartuffe_).

[190] FRIAND, 'Eager.' Primarily _friand_ signified the gift of a delicate taste, and a rare appreciation of dainties. As used by Harlequin it recalls his _ragoutant_. Cf. note 132.

[191] HABIT DE CARACTERE. Garb which designates, which characterizes any particular profession. As used here, it signifies Harlequin's livery as valet.

[192] GALON DE COULEUR, 'The fact that I wear livery.' The reference is to the braiding on the livery-coats worn by the retainers and domestics of the nobility in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as at the present day. "Apres son deuil (the author speaks of Lauzun, who had gone into mourning for the Grande Mademoiselle), il ne voulut pas reprendre sa livree, et s'en fit une de brun presque noir, avec des galons bleus et blancs" (Saint-Simon, _Memoires_, I).

[193] BUFFET, Side-table, on which are placed the dishes destined for table service, and on which they may be left after clearing the table. The servants probably often ate the 'leavings' at this table, which may have given rise to the term _buffet_ for the servants' eating-room, which is the sense in which the word is used here. Compare: "Je suis las d'etre bien battu et mal nourri... Je suis las enfin d'avoir de la condescendance pour vos debauches, et de m'enivrer au _buffet_, pendant que vous vous enivrez a table" (Regnard, _Attendez-moi sous l'orme_, Sc. l).

[194] SUCCES = _Resultat_.

[195] EN CONTEZ A. See note 38.

[196] LE LANGAGE BIEN PRECIEUX. The use of the expression _du gout_, in the sense of 'a liking,' 'a fancy,' was much more _recherche_ in the eighteenth century than now. Hence Mario's feigned surprise at hearing such words from the lips of a supposed valet. Compare: "Gout, en galanterie, simple inclination, amusement passager, mot des gens de cour" (De Caillieres, 1690).

[197] A LE BIEN PRENDRE, 'If you look at things rightly.'

[198] PASSEZ, 'Overlook.'

[199] LES, in later editions _mes_, which is evidently the better form.

[200] EST BIEN AUSSI, for _tout aussi_.

[201] QUE JE NE L'AIME. See note 137.

[202] TON COEUR A DE CAQUET, 'How effusive your heart is.'

[203] CELA VAUT FAIT = _C'est comme si c'etait fait: Regardez la chose comme faite_ (Dict. of the Academy, 1878).

[204] IMPERTINENCE = _Mesalliance_.

[205] ET IL EST TOUT AU PLUS UNI. The edition of Duviquet renders this passage as follows: "Et il est tout des plus unis." Larroumet explains it: "Et il est des plus ordinaires, c'est a dire que toute femme a un amour- propre semblable a celui-la." Translate: 'And it is the commonest (most ordinary) kind.' For _uni_ in this sense see Littre, 10 deg.. Compare: "Elle aurait cru se degrader par le soin de son menage, et elle ne donnait pas dans une piete si vulgaire et si _unie_" (_le Paysan parvenu_, 4e partie).

[206] BIEN CONDITIONNEE, 'In pretty good condition,' 'pretty well turned (upset).' A peculiar use of this past participle. Duviquet translates it, "Une tete qui reunit toutes les conditions necessaires pour etre reputee sage, forte, bien puissante." I prefer to construe it: 'brought into the condition which Lisette desires,' that is to say, 'subject to her charms.' If the context were not clear enough, its use in line 13, below, would suffice to explain it.

[207] LE, referring, of course, to Dorante, and not to tete, as the gender of the pronoun shows.

[208] PRENDRAI DE PART, 'Care for.'

[209] QU'IL S'ACCOMMODE, for the more modern _qu'il s'arrange_.

[210] SI JE LUI DIS, for si je _le_ lui dis. Marivaux often omits the direct object pronoun in similar constructions. See _le Legs_, note 25, and _les Fausses Confidences_, note 127.

[211] LE, see note 207.

[212] J'AI TROP PATI D'AVOIR MANQUE DE VOTRE PRESENCE, ET J'AI CRU QUE VOUS ESQUIVIEZ LA MIENNE. An absurd metonymy, perfectly consistent, however, with Harlequin's jargon, and very similar to the fifth example of _Marivaudage_, Introduction, p. lxxiv.

[213] IL EN ETOIT QUELQUE CHOSE, 'That is about the truth.'

[214] ENTREPRIS LA FIN DE MA VIE, 'Do you intend to make me die?'

[215] AVANT QUE JE LA DEMANDE A LUI, etc. The modern construction of this sentence would be: _Avant que je ne la lui demande, souffrez que je vous la demande a vous._

[216] RENDRE MES GRACES. In modern usage the _mes_ is omitted in this locution.

[217] NENNI, 'No.' An antiquated negative particle, coming from _non illud_, as _hoc illud_ gave oil > oui (Littre).

[218] IL This second _il_ refers to _present_.

[219] NE FAITES POINT DEPENSE D'EMBARRAS, 'Don't waste your confusion,' 'keep such feelings for a more fitting occasion.'

[220] D'OU VIENT ME DITES-VOUS CELA? 'Why do you tell me that?' A strange wording for _D'ou vient que vous me dites cela? D'ou vient,_ as used by Marivaux, is generally synonymous with _pourquoi._

[221] VOILA OU GIT LE LIEVRE, 'That's where the secret lies.' A well-known proverbial expression, worded also, "C'est la que git le lievre."

[222] A TIRER, 'To be allowed for.'

[223] GLOIRE, 'Rank,' 'show.'

[224] J'ENTRE EN CONFUSION DE MA MISERE, 'To whom I have been ashamed to reveal my lowly station.'

[225] PARDI. See note 15.

[226] FAUTES D'ORTHOGRAPHE. See note 134.

[227] N'APPRETONS POINT A RIRE, 'Let us give them no occasion to laugh at us.' _Appreter a rire_, Littre, 8 deg., also Dict. de l'Acad., 1878.