6. =Si=: ‘Yes.’ _Si_ is used instead of _oui_ as an affirmation in contradiction to a preceding negation.
11. =vous ne vous en doutez pas=: ‘you do not suspect it.’
22. =je suis de toutes ses parties=: ‘I join in all his pleasure parties.’
23. =l’Opéra.= The grand opera house was from 1683 to 1787 at the Palais Royal, later at the Porte St. Martin, and from 1821 to 1874 in the rue Le Peletier. The present splendid edifice, at the Place de l’Opéra, was begun in 1861 and completed in 1874.
24. =l’Académie des Sciences=: one of the five academies of the Institut de France. These five “academies” or associations of savants include the Académie Française, the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, the Académie des Sciences, the Académie des Beaux-Arts, and the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques.
=9=, 11. =l’on vous a souvent donné, à vous autres abbés de boudoir=: ‘favors have often been granted to you boudoir abbés.’ Notice the idiomatic use of _autres_, which is not to be translated.
12. =dussiez-vous crier à l’ingratitude=: ‘even if you must complain of my ingratitude.’
28. =C’est jouer de malheur=: ‘You are unlucky.’
=10=, 15. =le cardinal de Fleury=: André-Hercule (1653-1743). In 1726 he succeeded the duc de Bourbon as prime minister of France.
22. =Voltaire.= The comment ascribed to Voltaire is, of course, sarcastic, as is the remark of the princess, “moi aussi.”
24. =je le crois de bonne foi=: ‘I believe he is sincere.’
=11=, 12. =poudre dite de succession=: ‘so-called inheritance powder.’ The practice of poisoning spread from Italy to France. During the latter part of the reign of Louis XIV there were numerous cases of poisoning among the French nobles. The name “inheritance powder” was applied to poison used to remove a person in order to gain possession of his inheritance.
14. =chevalier d’Effiat=: Antoine de Ruze, marquis d’Effiat (1638-1719). He was an equerry of Monsieur, brother of Louis XIV, and later held the same position under the Regent. He was accused of being one of the murderers of Madame, Henrietta of England. Louis XIV is said to have had proof of his guilt but to have permitted his escape.
22. =rien qu’une pincée de cette poudre.= Compare the symptoms produced by this poison, which is now available to the princess, with the account of the death of Adrienne (Act V, Scenes II-V.)