Part 14

*_Ce que c’est que la vie!_ = What a strange thing life is! What poor mortals we are! (See _Ce_.)

_Ses louanges ne laissent pas que de me faire plaisir_ = I cannot help feeling pleased at his kind words.

Quelconque

_La pièce n’est que quelconque_ = The piece (_i.e._ the play) is quite an ordinary one.

Quenouille

_C’est une famille où l’esprit est tombé en quenouille_ = In that family only the women are clever; In that family the brains are on the distaff side.

Querelle

_N’épousez pas sa querelle_ = Do not take up his quarrel.

_Ils veulent vider leur querelle_ = They want to fight it out.

Quérir

_Il serait bon à aller quérir la mort_ = He is very slow.

Question

_Mettre en question_ = To call in question; To doubt.

_Mettre à la question_ = To put to the torture.

_Qu’il n’en soit plus question_ = Do not bother me about it any more; Let bygones be bygones. (See _Oublier_.)

Queue

_J’ai fait queue au théâtre pendant une heure_ = I waited outside the theatre for an hour (before I could get in).

_On fait queue au théâtre_ = There is a crowd at the door of the theatre (waiting for admittance).

_À la queue gît le venin_ = The sting is in the tail.

_Aller à la queue leu-leu_ = To go in Indian file.

[_Leu_ was the old French form of _loup_, so the phrase means to walk as wolves do, one after the other.]

_Tenir la queue de la poêle_ = To be the leading spirit in an affair.

Qui

_Pour qui connaît_ = To any one who knows.

_Ils s’échappèrent qui par la porte, qui par les fenêtres_ = Some escaped through the door, others through the windows.

*_Qui s’excuse s’accuse_ = A guilty conscience needs no accuser.

_C’est à qui le fera_ = They all wish to do it; They vie with one another to do it. (See _Mieux_.)

Quia

_Être réduit à quia_ = To be reduced to “because....”; To be nonplussed.

Quitte

_Me voilà quitte envers lui_ = I owe him nothing now.

_Vous en êtes quitte à bon marché_ = You come off cheap.

_J’en ai été quitte pour la peur_ = I escaped with a good fright.

_J’irai, quitte à être grondé_ = I shall go, even if I am scolded; I shall go, and chance the scolding.

Quoi

_J’ai de quoi payer_ = I have enough to pay.

_Il n’y a pas là de quoi pleurer_ = It is not worth crying about.

_Il n’y a pas de quoi rire_ = It is no laughing matter.

_Il n’y a pas de quoi_ (fam.) = Pray don’t mention it; There is no necessity to apologise. (See _Avoir_.)

_De quoi vous mêlez-vous?_ = What business is that of yours?

_Un je ne sais quoi_ = A “something” (I know not what).

[_Elle avait je ne sais quoi de charmant_ = She had a vague, indescribable charm.]

_C’est un filou, quoi!_ (pop.) = In a word, he’s a scamp.

R.

Rabais

_Vente au rabais_ = Sale at reduced prices; “Selling off.”

Rabattre

_Rabattre le caquet à quelqu’un_ (pop.) = To take a person down a peg; To stop his jaw; To cut his cackle.

Radis

_Il n’a pas un radis_ (fam.) = He has not a brass farthing. (See _Liard_.)

Raillerie

_Cela passe la raillerie_ = That is beyond a joke. (See _Entendre_.)

Raison

_Il n’entend pas raison là-dessus_ = He will not listen to reason on that point.

_Se faire raison à soi-même_ = To take the law into one’s own hands.

_Comme de raison_ = Rightly enough; As might be expected.

_Plus que de raison_ = More than is reasonable.

_Raison de plus_ = All the more reason.

_Avoir des raisons avec quelqu’un_ = To have words with any one; To quarrel with any one.

_Il faut se faire une raison_ = We must be guided by reason; We must look at things from a reasonable point of view.

[_E.g._ not go on worrying after a great loss.]

_Donner raison à quelqu’un_ = To say any one is right; To give satisfaction to any one (either legally or by a duel).

Rancart

_On l’a mis au rancart_ = He has been put on the shelf.

[Also: _Il est sous la remise._]

Rang

*_Tel qui brille au second rang s’éclipse au premier_ = A good subordinate often makes a bad leader.

Ranger

_Il s’est rangé_ = He has settled down (after sowing his wild oats).

Rare

_Vous devenez bien rare_ = You are quite a stranger.

Raseur

_C’est un raseur_ (fam.) = He is a bore.

[_Une bassinoire_ = a passive bore.]

Rat

_Il est gueux comme un rat d’église_ = He is as poor as a church mouse.

Rate

_Il ne se foule pas la rate_ (pop.) = He does not overwork himself; He takes things easily.

[Also: _Il ne se foule pas le poignet._]

_Cela lui désopilera la rate_ = That will cheer him up.

Râtelier

_Il mange à plus d’un râtelier_ = He has more than one string to his bow; He gains money from different sources.

Rattraper

*_Bien fin qui me rattrapera_ = Once bit, twice shy; They won’t catch me doing that again.

Rebours

_Il prend les choses à rebours_ = He misconstrues everything.

Rebrousse

_À rebrousse poil_ = Against the grain; (To rub) the wrong way.

Reconnaître

_Je vous reconnais bien là_ = That is just like you.

_Je ne m’y reconnais plus_ = I don’t know where I am, what I am about; I am quite at sea.

Reculer

_Il a reculé pour mieux sauter_ = 1. He waited for something better. 2. (ironic.) He avoided a small evil to fall into a greater.

[Compare: _Mieux reculer que mal assaillir._]

_Marcher à reculons_ = To walk backwards.

Redire

_Il trouve toujours à redire_ = He is always finding fault.

_Il n’y a rien à redire à cela_ = There is no fault to be found with that; That is quite all right.

Réflexion

_Réflexion faite_ = After due reflection; On second thoughts.

Refrain

_C’est le refrain de la ballade_ = It is the old story over again.

[“C’est toujours le refrain qu’ils font à leur ballade.”--RÉGNIER, _Sat._ i.]

Refus

_Cela n’est pas de refus_ (fam.) = That is very acceptable; I won’t say no to that.

Refuser

*_Qui refuse muse_ =

“He who will not when he may, When he will he shall have nay.”

Regarder

_N’y regardez pas de si près_ = Do not be so particular.

_Cela ne me regarde pas_ = That is not my business; That does not concern me.

_J’y regarderai à deux fois_ = I shall think twice before doing it.

Régler

_Il est réglé comme un papier de musique_ = He is as regular as clockwork.

Rein

_Nous poursuivîmes l’ennemi l’épée dans les reins_ = We followed the enemy close at his heels.

_Il s’est donné un tour de reins_ = He sprained his back.

_Il a les reins solides_ = (lit.) He is strong; (fig.) He has a long purse.

Réjouir

_C’est un gros réjoui_ = He is a big jolly fellow.

Remède

*_À chose faite point de remède_ = What is done cannot be undone.

[“Factum est illud: fieri infectum non potest.”--PLAUTUS.]

Remontrer

_Gros Jean qui en remontre à son curé_ = Hodge tries to teach the Parson how to preach; He teaches his grandmother to suck eggs.

Remporter

_Il a remporté la victoire_ = He carried the day.

Renard

*_Renard qui dort la matinée N’a pas la gueule emplumée_ =

’Tis the early bird that catches the worm.

Renchérir

_Il renchérit sur tout ce qu’il entend dire_ = He caps every story he hears told.

Rencontrer

_Les beaux esprits se rencontrent_ = Great wits jump together.

[When two persons happen to say the same thing at the same time.]

Renfort

_Pour renfort de potage_ = Into the bargain; In addition. [MOLIÈRE, _Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme_, iii. 3.]

Rengaine

_C’est toujours la même rengaine_ (fam.) = It is always the same old story.

Renommée

*_Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée_ = A good name is better than riches. (See _Ceinture_.)

Répandre

_C’est un homme très répandu_ = He is a man who goes into society a great deal.

Repentir

*_Le repentir vient ordinairement trop tard_ = Do a thing in haste and repent at leisure.

Répondre

_Je vous en réponds!_ = I will be bound it is; I should think so, indeed! You take my word for it.

Reprise

_J’ai appelé mon domestique à plusieurs reprises_ = I called my servant several times.

Reprocher

_Il me reproche les morceaux_ = He grudges me the very food I eat.

Résoudre

_Je ne puis m’y résoudre_ = I cannot make up my mind to do it.

Ressort

_Ce n’est pas de mon ressort_ = That is not within my province, “not in my line.”

_Il a fait jouer tous les ressorts_ = He used all the means in his power.

_Ce tribunal juge en dernier ressort_ = This court tries without appeal; There is no appeal from the findings of this court.

Reste

_Je ne veux pas être en reste avec vous_ = I do not want to do less for you than you have done for me.

_J’en ai de reste_ = I have more than enough.

_Il n’a pas demandé son reste!_ = He soon took himself off, I can tell you! He soon shut up, I can tell you!

Retour

_Il est perdu sans retour_ = He is past all hope.

_Il demeure à l’étranger sans esprit de retour_ = He is living abroad without thinking of returning.

_Il me paie de retour_ = He loves (_or_, hates) me as much as I love (_or_ hate) him.

[_E.g._ “Vous dites que vous aimez votre mère, mais elle vous paie bien de retour.”]

Retourner

_Je sais de quoi il retourne_ = I know how matters stand.

Retraite

_Battre la retraite_ = To beat tattoo (_or_, the retreat.)

_Battre en retraite_ = To retreat.

Retrouver

_Je le retrouverai bien_ = He will not escape me.

Revendre

_Avoir d’une chose à revendre_ = To have more than enough of a thing.

Revenir

*_Revenons à nos moutons_ = But to return to our subject. (See _Mouton_.)

_Vous en revenez toujours là_ = You are always harping on that string.

_Je n’en reviens pas_ = I cannot get over it (astonishment).

[Or, pop., “j’en suis baba.”]

_N’y revenez pas_ = (lit.) Do not come here again; (fig.) Do not do that again.

_Cela revient à dire_ = That amounts to saying.

_Cela revient au même_ = That is just the same thing.

_Je reviens de loin_ = (lit.) I come from a long distance; (fig.) I am recovering from a long illness.

_Son nom ne me revient pas_ = I do not recollect his name.

_Sa figure me revient_ = I like his face.

_Je suis bien revenu sur le compte de votre frère_ = I have lost all the illusions I had of your brother.

Rêver

_Cet homme rêve tout éveillé_ = That man dreams with his eyes open.

Revers

*_Toute médaille a son revers_ = There is a dark side to every picture.

Revoir

_À revoir_ = To be revised.

_Au revoir!_ = Till we meet again.

Richesse

_La richesse rend honnête_ = Rich men have no faults.

[The bishop’s pun may be repeated: “Get on, get honour, get honest.”

“Quand on est couronnée, on a toujours le nez bien fait.”--PERRAULT, _Les Souhaits ridicules_.]

Rien

“Dans le siècle où nous sommes, On ne donne rien pour rien”

= At the present day people give nothing for nothing, and precious little for sixpence. [MOLIÈRE, _École des Femmes_, iii. 2. _Rien_ here shows its derivation from _rem_ (a thing). It was not always used with _ne_.]

_Ne faites semblant de rien_ = Look as if nothing were the matter.

_Comme si de rien n’était_ = As if nothing were the matter.

*_Qui ne risque rien n’a rien_ = Nothing venture, nothing win.

[“Qui ne s’aventure perd cheval et mule.”]

*_Qui ne demande rien n’a rien_ = Lose nothing for want of asking; If you do not ask, you will not get.

_Il ne sait rien de rien_ = 1. He knows absolutely nothing. 2. He is quite in the dark.

_En un rien de temps_ = In a trice.

_En moins de rien_ = In less than no time.

_Pas plus gros que rien_ = Next to nothing.

_Il n’est rien moins que courageux_ = He is anything but courageous.

_Pour rien au monde_ = Not for the life of me.

Rincer

_Se rincer la dalle_ (pop.) = To wet one’s whistle.

Rire

*_Rira bien qui rira le dernier_ = They have most to laugh at who laugh last; Let them laugh that win.

*_Tel qui rit vendredi dimanche pleurera_ = Sorrow treads on the heels of mirth; Laugh to-day and cry to-morrow.

*_Marchand qui perd ne peut rire_ = Let those laugh who win.

_Il a toujours le mot pour rire_ = He is ever ready with a joke; He is full of fun.

_Il m’a ri au nez_ = He laughed in my face.

_Rire aux éclats_ = To roar with laughter.

_Je me tordais de rire_ (fam.) = I was splitting my sides with laughter.

_Il riait à gorge déployée_ = He was roaring with laughter.

_Rire dans sa barbe_ (or, _sous cape_) = To laugh in one’s sleeve. (See _Cape_.)

_Rire du bout des dents_ = To force a laugh.

_Rire jaune_ = To laugh on the wrong side of one’s mouth.

_Rire aux anges_ = 1. To laugh immoderately; 2. To laugh to oneself.

_C’est un pince-sans-rire_ = He is a dry joker.

Risée

_Il est la risée de tout le monde_ = He is the laughing-stock of every one.

Roche

_C’est un homme de la vieille roche_ = He belongs to the good old stock; He is a man of the old school.

_Clair comme de l’eau de roche_ = As clear as crystal.

Roi

_C’est la cour du roi Pétaud_ = This is bedlam let loose; Dover Court--all speakers, no hearers.

[Le roi Pétaud (Lat. _peto_ = I ask) was the chief that beggars used to choose for themselves. As he had no more authority than his subjects, the name is given to a house where every one is master. Comp. MOLIÈRE, _Tartufe_, i. 1.--

“On n’y respecte rien, chacun y parle haut, Et c’est tout justement la cour du roi Pétaud.”

A variant is: “C’est une vraie pétaudière.”]

_Le roi n’est pas son cousin_ = He is very haughty (so that he would not acknowledge the king as his cousin).

Rompre

_Applaudir un acteur à tout rompre_ = To applaud an actor so as to bring the house down (to lift the roof).

Rondement

_Il y va rondement_ = He acts frankly and quickly.

_Il mènera cette affaire rondement_ = He will not dally about that matter.

Rose

_Il n’est point de rose sans épines_ = Every rose has its thorn; No rose without a thorn.

Rôti

_Il ne faut pas s’endormir sur le rôti_ = We must keep our wits about us; We must not neglect our work; We must not be too slow over it; We must not rest on our laurels.

[Literally, to go to sleep whilst cooking the meat.]

Roue

_Il fait la roue_ = He shows off.

Rouge

_Se fâcher tout rouge_ = To get into a passion.

_Voir rouge_ = To be seized with a sudden thirst for blood.

Roulette

_Cela marche comme sur des roulettes_ = That is getting on swimmingly.

Royaliste

_Être plus royaliste que le roi (plus catholique que le pape)_ = To out-Herod Herod.

Royauté

“_La royauté, place noyée de lumière où toute tache paraît une fange sordide_” = “In that fierce light which beats upon a throne And blackens every blot.” [TENNYSON, _Idylls of the King_, Dedication.]

Rubis

_Faire_ (or, _payer_) _rubis sur l’ongle_ = To pay to the last farthing.

[This expression means literally to drain a tumbler so completely that there just remains in it one drop of wine, which being put on the nail looks like a ruby.

“Je sirote mon vin, quel qu’il soit, vieux, nouveau; Je fais rubis sur l’ongle, et n’y mets jamais d’eau.” REGNARD, _Folies Amoureuses_, iii. 4.]

Ruisseau

*_Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières_ = Many a little makes a mickle.

S.

Sac

*_Autant pèche celui qui tient le sac que celui qui met dedans_ = The receiver is as bad as the thief.

[_Wer die Letter hält ist so schuldig wie der Dieb._]

_Tu sais que je n’ai plus le sac_ = You know I have no more money.

_Un homme de sac et de corde_ = A regular ruffian.

_Prendre quelqu’un la main dans le sac_ = To catch any one in the very act.

_Il m’a laissé voir le fond du sac_ = I guessed his intentions in spite of him.

_Juger sur l’étiquette du sac_ = To judge by appearances.

*_Dans les petits sacs sont les fines épices_ = Little fellows are often great wits; Small parcels hold fine wares. (See _Aune_ and _Onguent_.)

Saint

_Tout le saint-frusquin_ (fam.) = The whole jolly lot (referring to money or clothes).

_Toute la sainte journée_ = The whole blessed (_or_, livelong) day.

Salut

*_À bon entendeur salut_ = A word to the wise is enough. _Verb. sap._ (See _Avis_.)

Sang

_Cela fait faire du mauvais sang_ = That causes one to worry.

_Suer sang et eau_ (fam.) = To strain every nerve.

*_Bon sang ne peut mentir_ = Good breeding always shows itself; Like father, like son.

Sapin

_Sa toux sent le sapin_ = He has a churchyard cough.

[_Sapin_ = deal, of which coffins are made.]

Sauce

_On ne sait à quelle sauce le mettre_ = There is no knowing what to do with him.

*_Trop de cuisiniers gâtent la sauce_ = Too many cooks spoil the broth.

[Although this may be but a translation of the English proverb, it is of constant use in France.]

Saut

_Il fait tout par sauts et par bonds_ = He does everything by fits and starts.

Sauter

_Il s’est fait sauter la tête_ (or, _la cervelle_, more fam. _le caisson_) = He blew his brains out.

_Faire sauter la banque_ = To break the bank (gambling).

Sauver

*_Sauve qui peut_ = Every one for himself; Run for your lives.

_Je me sauve_ = I must be off.

Savoir

_Je ne sais comment cela est arrivé_ = I am at a loss to explain how it happened.

_Pas que je sache_ = Not to my knowledge.

_Je suis tout je ne sais comment_ = I am out of sorts.

_C’est à savoir_ = That remains to be seen.

_Il en sait plus d’une_ (fam.) = He knows more than one trick; He knows a trick or two.

_Il a beaucoup de savoir faire_ = He has his wits about him; He knows how to manage people.

_Il a du savoir vivre_ = He knows how to behave; He is well bred.

_Un je ne sais quoi_ = A “something” (I know not what).

*_De savoir vient avoir_ = Knowledge is power.

*_Qui plus sait plus se tait_ = A still tongue shows a wise head.

*_Qui rien ne sait, de rien ne doute_ = Who knows nothing, doubts nothing; Ignorance is bliss.

Savon

_Je lui donnerai un savon_ (fam.) = I will blow him up.

[German: _Ich werde ihm den Kopf waschen._]

Scène

_Je lui ai fait une scène_ = 1. I had a row with him. 2. I reproached (_or_, abused) him violently.

Scie

_Quelle scie!_ (fam.) = What a bother!

Séance

_Séance tenante_ = Forthwith; There and then.

Sec

_C’est un grand sec_ = He is a tall, spare man.

_Sec comme un pendu_ = As thin as a lath.

_Boire sec_ = To drink hard.

_Il est à sec_ (pop.) = He is hard up, broke, in low water.

Sécher

_Sécher sur pied_ = To pine away.

Secours

_Crier au secours_ = To cry for help.

Secret

*_Secret de deux, secret de Dieu, Secret de trois, secret de tous_ = No secret but between two.

Seigneur

*_À tout seigneur tout honneur_ = Honour to whom honour is due.

Sel

_Mettre du sel sous la queue d’un oiseau_ = To put salt on a bird’s tail.

Sellette

_Mettre sur la sellette_ = To cross-question; To haul over the coals (fam.).

[_La sellette_ was the small wooden seat on which a culprit sat during his trial.]

Semaine

_Cet officier est de semaine_ = He is officer of the week.

_Il dépensa toute sa semaine_ = He spent all his week’s wages (_or_, pocket-money).

_Je le ferai la semaine des trois (quatre) jeudis_ = I shall do it in a week of Sundays (_i.e._ never).

[Also: _Je le ferai quand les poules auront des dents._]

_Prêter à la petite semaine_ = To lend money at high interest for a short time.

Semblable

_A-t-on jamais vu rien de semblable?_ = Did you ever see such a thing?

_Rien de semblable_ = Nothing of the sort.

Sembler

_Comme bon vous semble_ = Just as you please.

_Si bon vous semble_ = If you think fit.

Semelle

_Lever la semelle devant quelqu’un_ = To show any one a clean pair of heels.

Sens

_Cela tombe sous le sens_ = That is self-evident, obvious.

_Sens dessus dessous_ = Upside down; Topsy-turvy.

_Sens devant derrière_ = Wrong side first.

_À contresens_ = Contrary to the meaning; In the wrong way.

Sentir

_Cela ne sent pas bon_ = (fig.) I don’t like the look of that.

_Je ne me sens pas de joie_ = I am beside myself with joy.

Service

_Qu’y a-t-il pour votre service?_ = What can I do for you?

Servir

_Madame est servie_ = Dinner is served.

*_À quoi sert de vous mettre en colère?_ = What is the use of getting angry?

Seul

_Cela va tout seul_ = That is no trouble; That works of its own accord.

Si

_Il n’y a pas de si qui fasse_ = There is no excuse for it.

_Avec un si on mettrait Paris dans une bouteille_ = Such suppositions are idle; If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

_Il n’est pas riche._--_Oh! que si_ = He is not rich.--Isn’t he, though!

Sien

*_Chacun le sien n’est pas trop_ = Let each have his own, then all is fair.

_Il fait des siennes_ = He is up to his old tricks again.

_Il en sera du sien_ = He will be a loser by it.

_On n’est jamais trahi que par les siens_ = It is always one’s friends (_or_, confederates) who betray one.

Singe

_Le singe est toujours singe, fût-il vêtu de pourpre_ =

An ape’s an ape, a varlet’s a varlet, Though they be clad in silk or scarlet.

_Il l’a payé en monnaie de singe_ = He paid him with promises; He jeered at him instead of paying him.

[This expression originated in the ordinance of St. Louis regulating the payment of the tolls at the gates of Paris. Showmen were exempted from payment on causing their apes to skip and dance in front of the toll-keeper. Comp. ESTIENNE BOILEAU, _Establissements des métiers de Paris_, Chapitre del péage de Petit Pont:--“Li singes au marchant doibt quatre deniers, se il por vendre le porte: se li singes est a homme qui l’aist acheté por son déduit, si est quites, et se li singes est au joueur, jouer en doibt devant le péagier, et por son jeu doibt estre quites de toute la chose qu’il achète à son usage et aussitôt le jongleur sont quite por un ver de chanson.”]

Soif

*_On ne saurait faire boire un âne s’il n’a soif_ = One man can take a horse to the water, but twenty cannot make him drink.

Solide

_Il songe au solide_ = He has an eye to the main chance.

Soleil

_Montrer le soleil avec un flambeau_ = To hold a farthing rushlight to the sun; To paint the lily.

Somme (_m._)

_Je n’ai fait qu’un somme_ = I never woke all night.

Somme (_f._)

_Somme toute_ = After all; Taking everything into consideration; To conclude.

_En somme_ = On the whole; In the main.

Songe

“_Puisqu’en vous il est faux que songes sont mensonges_” = Since with you, it is untrue that dreams go by contraries. [MOLIÈRE, _Étourdi_, iv. 3.]

*_Mal d’autrui n’est que songe_ = Other people’s woes do not affect us much.

_C’est un songe-creux_ = He is full of idle fancies (or, day dreams); He is a wool-gatherer.

Sonner

_Elle a quarante ans bien sonnés_ = She is over forty.

_Il est trois heures sonnées_ = It has struck three.

_Payer en bonnes espèces sonnantes (et trébuchantes)_ = To pay in hard cash.

Sornette

_Il nous berce de sornettes_ = He puts us off with silly tales.

Sort

_Le sort en est jeté_ = The die is cast; _Alea jacta est._

_Elle lui a jeté un sort_ = She cast a spell over him; He is infatuated with her.

_Tirer au sort_ = To draw lots (for the army, etc.).

Sorte

_Je lui ai parlé de la bonne sorte_ = I gave it him soundly; I gave him a piece of my mind.

Sortie

_Il a fait une sortie_ = He flew into a passion.

Sot

_C’est un sot en trois lettres_ = He is a thorough fool.

_Quelque sot le ferait_ = One would be a fool to do that.

*_A sotte question point de réponse_ = Answer a fool according to his folly; A silly question needs no answer.

_Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire_ = Even a fool will always find admirers. [BOILEAU, _Art Poétique_, 1.]

_Il n’y a pas de sots métiers, il n’y a que de sottes gens_ = People may be petty, but work never is.

Sou

_Il a fait de cent sous quatre livres, et de quatre livres rien_ = He has brought his noble to ninepence, and his ninepence to nothing.

[_Livre_ here has nothing to do with our English pound sterling. It is practically the equivalent of the modern franc. Hence the proverb means: He reduced 100 sous to 80 sous.]

_Une affaire de deux sous_ = A twopenny-halfpenny affair.