and britschkas! Oh, dear William, send off the French gentleman and the outlandish carriage-run into the coppice and put on the shooting-dress!" 66 Oh, Susan!" began William; but Susan having once summoned up courage sufficient1 to put her remonstrances into words, followed up the attack with an earnestness that did not admit a moment's interruption. My father hates finery even more than Harebell or Hector would do. You know his country notions, dear William; and I think that latterly he has hated everything that looks Londonish and new-fangled worse than ever. We are old-fashioned people at Rutherford. There's your pretty old friend Mary Arnott can't2 abide gewgaws any more than my father.” 66 Mary Arnott! You mean Mrs. Giles. What do I care for 3 her likes and dislikes?" exclaimed William, haughtily. "I mean Mary Arnott, and not Mrs. Giles, and you do care for her likes and dislikes a great deal,” replied his sister, with some archness. "Poor Mary, when the week before that fixed for the wedding arrived, felt that she could not marry Master Jacob Giles; so she found an opportunity of speaking to him alone, and told him the truth. I even believe, although I have no warrant for saying so, that she confessed she could not love him because she loved another.4 Master Giles behaved like a wise man, and told her father that it would be very wrong to force her inclinations. He behaved kindly as well as wisely, for he endeavoured to reconcile all parties, and put matters in train for the wedding that had hindered his. This, at that time, Master Arnott would not hear of, and therefore we did not tell you that the marriage, which you took for granted, had gone off. Till about three months ago, that odious lawsuit was in full action, and Master Arnott as violently set against my father as ever. Then, however, he was taken 5 ill, and, upon his death-bed, he sent for his old friend, begged his pardon, and appointed him guardian 1 'to summor up. . . . &c.,' moque bien de; or, Je m'inquiètes'armer d'assez de courage. fort peu de. 4 See page 158, note 10. 5 he fell.' 2 'who can't.' 3 Que me font, à moi; or, Je me to Mary. And there she is at home-for she would not come to meet you-but there she is, hoping to find you just what you were when you went away, and hating britschkas, and finery, and the smell of musk, just as if she were my father's daughter in good earnest. And now, dear William, I know what has been passing in your mind, quite as well as if hearts were peep-shows,1 and one could see to the bottom of them at the rate of a penny a look. I know that you went away for love of Mary, and flung yourself into the finery of London to try to get rid of the thought of her, and came down with all this nonsense of britschkas, and whiskers, and waistcoats, and rings, just to show her what a beau she had lost in losing you-Did not you now? Well! don't stand squeezing my hand, but go and meet your French friend, who has got a man, I see, to help to pick up the fallen equipage. Go and get rid of him," quoth Susan. "How can I?" exclaimed William, in laughing perplexity. "Give him the britschka!" responded his sister, “and send them off together as fast as may be. That will be a magnificent farewell. And then take your portmanteau into the copse, and change all this trumpery for the shooting-jacket and its belongings; and come back and let me trim these whiskers as closely as scissors can trim them, and then we'll go to the farm, to gladden the hearts of Harebell, Hector, my dear father, and-somebody else;" and it will not be that somebody's fault if ever you go to London again, or get into a britschka, or put on a chain, or a ring, or write with blue ink upon pink paper, as long as you live. Now go and dismiss your friend," added Susan, laughing, "and we'll walk home together the happiest brother and sister in Christendom."-(MISS MITFORD, Country Stories.) 1 des optiques. 2 quelqu'un encore. BATTLES. THE BATTLE OF PHARSALIA. (48 B. C.) CESAR had employed all his art for some time1 in sounding the inclinations of his men ; 2 and finding them once more resolute and vigorous, he advanced towards the plains of Pharsalia, where Pompey was encamped. The approach of the two armies, composed of the best and bravest troops in the world, together with 3 the greatness of the prize for which they contended, filled every mind with anxiety, though with different expectation. Pompey's army being most numerous, turned 4 all their thoughts to the enjoyment of the victory; Cæsar's, with better aim,5 considered only the means of obtaining it. Pompey's army depended upon their numbers, and their many generals; Cæsar's upon their discipline, and the conduct of their single commander. Pompey's partisans hoped much from the justice of their cause; Cæsar's alleged the frequent proposals which they had made for peace 7 without effect. Thus the views, hopes, and motives of both s 6 1 See page 38, note 7. 2 Simply, des siens. The disjunctive possessive pronouns, le mien, le tien, le sien, &c., are so used in the plural, in various senses they mean, according to circumstances, 'relatives,' 'race,' 'fellow-country men,' 6 subjects (people),' 'men (soldiers),' &c. See TELEMAQUE (edition annotated by my late friend, M. C. J. Delille, London, Bell and Daldy,) "Idoménée craignait d'arriver parmi les siens (his people),"-page 79. And farther on, page 90, "Les tiens (thy dynasty) cesseront de régner," &c. See also my annotated edition of LA FONTAINE, page 15, note 5, and page 32, note 7.-When 'men' is used, in a 4 See page 41, note 8. Observe, here, that ennemi, used collectively, follows the same rule. 5 mieux avisée. 8 7 but seemed different, while their hatred and ambition were the same. Cæsar, who was ever foremost in offering battle,1 led out his army to meet the enemy,2 Pompey, either suspecting the troops or dreading the event, kept his advantageous situation, at the foot of the hill near which he was posted. Caesar, unwilling to attack him at a5 disadvantage, resolved to decamp the next day, hoping to weary out his antagonist, who was not a match for him in sustaining the fatigues of duty.6 Accordingly, the order for marching was given, and the tents struck, when word was brought him, that Pompey's army had now quitted their entrenchments, and advanced farther into the plain than usual; 10 so that he might engage them at less disadvantage. Upon this, he caused his troops to halt,11 and with a countenance of joy informed them that the happy time was at last come which they had so long wished for,12 and which was to crown their glory, and terminate their fatigues. He drew up his troops in order,13 and advanced towards the place of battle.14 His forces did not amount to half those of Pompey; the army of the one forty-five ellipsis as in the text (tents struck). 1 qui prenait toujours l'initiative du combat; or, more literally, qui était toujours le premier à livrer (or, donner) bataille. Simply, enemy.' 'marched to the 3 soit qu'il ne se fiât pas à (or, qu'il doutât de) ses. 4 You may here translate literally, or use the military expression, se couvrir (d'un bois, d'une rivière, d'une colline,-to post oneself near a wood, or a river, or a hill, so as not to be easily attacked on that side). 5 avec, followed by no article. 6 qui n'était pas de même force que lui à (or, qui n'était pas capable au même degré que lui de or, again, qui le lui cédait quand il s'agissait de) supporter les fatigues de la guerre (or, d'une campagne). 7 he gave his orders for marching (partir); and put a full stop here, to avoid the same vicious was about 15 8 "They (On) had already struck the tents (plié les tentes—or, levé le camp).' We also say, planter le piquet (or, asseoir un camp), 'to pitch a camp to camp;' dresser une tente, to pitch a tent;' and lever le piquet (i. e., décamper), 'to decamp.' 9 'when he heard,'-to avoid the ungrammatical repetition of on (see page 167, note 4). 1 See page 3, note 18-usual,' here, de coutume; or, à l'ordinaire. 11 See page 9, note 14, and page 108, note to halt' (neuter), faire halte. 12 See p. 38, n. 7. 13 to draw up one's troops in order,' ranger ses troupes en bataille (or, en ordre de bataille); or, simply, former sa bataille. 14 combat, to avoid repeating bataille at so short an interval. 15 of about.' thousand foot and seven thousand horse;1 that of the other, not exceeding twenty-two thousand foot, and about a thousand horse. This disproportion, particularly in the cavalry, had filled Cæsar with apprehensions; he therefore had, some days before, picked out the strongest and nimblest of his foot-soldiers, and accustomed them to fight between the ranks of his cavalry. By their assistance, his thousand horse was a match for1 Pompey's seven thousand, and had actually got the better in a skirmish that happened between them some days before. Pompey, on the other hand, had a strong expectation of success; he boasted that he could put Cæsar's legions to flight, without striking a single blow; presuming that, as soon as the armies formed,10 his cavalry, on which he placed his greatest expectations,11 would outflank and surround the enemy. In this disposition 12 Pompey led his troops to battle. As the armies approached, the two generals went from rank to 13 rank encouraging their men, warming their 14 hopes, and lessening their apprehensions.15 ... There was no more space between both armies than to give room 16 for fighting: Pompey therefore ordered his men to receive the first shock without moving from their places, expecting the enemy's ranks to be put into disorder. 1 foot,' fantassins, or, hommes d'infanterie, or, hommes de pied.'horse;' chevaux, or, cavaliers, or, hommes de cavalerie. 2 among.' 3 By this means." 4 étaient à même de tenir (or faire) tête à.-'match,' in this sense, is variously translated, according to the phrase: for another rendering, see preceding page, note 6. 5 et avaient effectivement (the French adjective actuel commonly means 'present,' and the adverb actuellement, at present,' 'now') eu le dessus (or, remporté l'avantage). 6 had happened.' scarcely doubted.' 8 See page 7, note 7. 9 You may either translate literally, or use the made-up expres sion sans coup férir. 10 would form :' this instance is connected with the rule given at page 52, note 2; see also page 178, note, and page 210, note 7. 11 he chiefly (principally) relied' (p. 19, n. 5, and p. 254 n. 1). 12 It was in this disposition of mind that.' 13 en (page 165, note 7). 14 leur monde, animant les,-so as to avoid both the awkward repetition of leurs, and also ambiguity. 15 rassurant les esprits. 16 no more space (or room) than to give room,' is a shocking redundancy (see page 60, note 2): turn, "There was now (ne... plus) between both armies but just (que tout juste) space enough.' |