1.1.1-Marsmeadow

Club Ninety-Three 1.1.1: Le bois de la Saudraie
Let’s try this!

Michelle Fléchard learned to speak French at a convent, she says. So she’s actually having this conversation in her second language (maybe? She did say she entered the convent very young) while hungry and exhausted, with a group of Parisian soldiers who were about to shoot her and her children. No wonder she seems a bit lost.

"Quelle est ta patrie?" We had a pretty neat discussion about this exact scene in class. I’m Breton, you’re from France, Michelle says. But Radoub is from Paris. Markedly so. And as my Catalan teacher said, Paris has a history of going HELLO I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT ALL FRENCHMEN ARE EQUAL CITIZENS OF THE PATRIE NO YOU DO NOT GET A SAY IN THIS.

…I would be confused by “ou on en a eu” too, yeah.

It’s interesting how she says “qu’il avait recu des coups de baton que le seigneur, son seigneur, notre seigneur lui avait fait donner.” First it’s le seigneur, most of her life she’s lived in a place where there’s only one seigneur to be referred to. Then she remembers who she’s talking to, and explains that it’s son seigneur, that is, the seigneur of her father. And then, finally, she includes herself, and her community: notre seigneur. She’s definitely out of the - I hesitate to say comfort zone - the usual context of her life. Will that lead to a reexamination of established truths, or will she be too busy staying alive?

People have been pointing out that names are rarely mentioned in the narration. Cool! Never would have noticed that. Anyway. Names.

Michelle Fléchard: There’s a pun ; “qu’est-ce qu’ils fléchardaient, tes Fléchard?” Which I hope is equivalent to the English verb to fletch, otherwise I’m completely lost.

Furthermore, Michelle derives from Michael and Fléchard from flèche, arrow. Flécher means “to mark the route with arrows.” So… vanquishing evil, and following a route. She’s running, at the moment, but her name indicates an EPIC QUEST.

Radoub: Well, radouber means “to repair.” The notes point out a resemblance to adoubement, the ceremony that confers knighthood, when the company adopts the three children. And he does “knight” Michelle as “Citoyenne.”

Houzarde: Not a clue. But her mother’s name, Bicorneau, resembles bigorneau - a type of snail. I’d want to change it, too.

Commentary
Shirley-keeldar I’d assumed Michelle would have spoken Breton or Gallo growing up? Since those were still the languages spoken in Brittany mainly until the 19th century. So, yes, carrying on an already confusing conversation in her second language while starving and terrified. I continue to be so upset.

Yeah, I was thinking the Fléchard thing was basically “what did they fletch, your Fletchers.” Because Radoub thinks he’s a bit clever.

And re: Radoub’s name: OH THAT’S COOL. (Nothing further. Just v. cool.)

Marsmeadow (reply to Shirley-keeldar) Yeah, I thought Breton (didn’t know about Gallo), but depending on when she entered than convent and how she was taught she may well be bilingual?

God, I hope so. I’m living in France now, and can certainly attest to how incredibly difficult it can be to keep up with conversation in a foreign language, nevermind while starving and exhausted… And with a bunch of Parisians, no less!

Pilferingapples Ooooh, that’s neat about Michelle’s name! And yeah, the Flecher pun is supposed to be FLETCHER, which seems PRETTY OBVIOUS, which is why I don’t understand the T. Nelson edition translating it as “what did they flesh, your flesh-hards” which is nonsensical and KIND OF ALARMING.

Awww for Radoub though. I don’t know what’s going to happen with him but so far I really like him!

Also AW for Houzard, and her poor maiden name. XD

I’m very interested to see if/how these competing ideas of place-loyalty— pays vs. patrie— are going to play out in the book. I’m getting the idea that Paris is sort of the driving cultural force of shared Frenchness at this point? Which, I am very carefully NOT going to draw philosophical connections to other trends in other countries at the time yet, because I don’t know enough, but: HUH.

Dingelchen (reply to Pilferingapples) About the name Houzarde: In the German translation at least it is rendered as ‘Husarin’ i.e. ‘Hussar-ess’ (as in the cavalry). Wikipedia gives the French equivalent spelled as ‘Hussard’, which to me sounds like ‘Houzarde’ albeit spelled differently. And considering it’s the nickname of a woman following around an army that also fits.

Bobcatmoran (reply to Pilferingapples) I am definitely getting the feeling already that the T. Nelson translation is going to have a lot of “who proofread this” moments.