p 202 | The Gentiles: In this rant, used to mean "barbarians," actually referring to aristos & salonistes.
p 202 | The Terror:: The Reign of Terror (5 September 1793 – 28 July 1794) also known simply as The Terror (French: la Terreur), was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of the revolution."
Cherry trees (top); Pear trees (bottom)
p 206 | Boucheron : very exclusive Parisian jewelry store (scroll down to 1900 on the right)
p 207 | Pythia: (Greek mythology) the priestess of Apollo at Delphi who transmitted the oracles.
p 213 | Counter-jumper: (Old-fashioned derogatory) a sales assistant in a shop.
p 213 | Louis: The Louis d'or (French money) issued under Louis XVIII of France was a 20 franc coin.
p 214 | Exiguous = extremely scanty; meager
p 215 | Place Pigalle: the (former) red-light district in Paris; now it's more hip.
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| poster by Jules Cheret, c. 1896-99 |
p 217 | Devil's Island: French penal colony off the coast of French Guiana in South America.
p 218 | College of Augurs: Roman augurs were part of a collegium of priests who shared te duties and responsibilities of the position. The augur was a priest & official in the classical world, especially ancient Rome and Etruria, whose role was to interpret the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds: flying in groups or alone, what noises they make, direction of flight and type of bird. This was known as "taking the auspices." The ceremony and function of the augur was central to any major undertaking in Roman society — public or private — including matters of war, commerce, and religion, e.g., "This augers well for us."
p 219 | Prince Eugène
