istorique 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