The so-called
"Parlements" (not to be confounded with our Parliament) had had,
up to the time of the French Revolution, very large powers indeed.
They were originally Supreme Courts of Justice, but by the
fifteenth century they could not only make, on their own account,
regulations having the force of laws, but had acquired independent
administrative powers. Originally the "Parlement de Paris" stood
alone, but as time went on, in addition to this, thirteen or
fourteen local "Parlements" administered France. After the
Revolution, the term was only applied to Supreme Courts, without
administrative powers. M. Ducros was Assistant Judge of the Nyons
Tribunal, and the Ducros were rather fond of insisting that they
belonged to the old noblesse de robe.
As a child I could speak French as easily as English, and even
after eight years of French lessons at school, my French was still
tucked away in some corner of my head; but I had, of course, only
a child's vocabulary, sufficient for a child's simple wants. Under
Madame Ducros' skilful tuition I soon began to acquire an adult
vocabulary, and it became no effort to me whatever to talk.
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