6
brougham – a closed horse-drawn four-wheeled carriage with the driver’s seat outside in the front. It was named after Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux who is believed to invent it.
7
Boswell, James (1740–1795) – a biographer of famous English writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson. Boswell’s “Life of Samuel Johnson” is claimed to be the greatest life story ever written in English. The name of Boswell has become a household name for a very scrupulous diarist.
8
Astrakhan – a karakul lambskin. King’s clothes looked exotic and vulgar in Victorian Britain.
9
Langham – a luxury hotel founded in 1865 as the largest and most modern hotel in London. It still exists as a luxury hotel.
10
bijou villa – “bijou” is a French term for “jewel.” Bijou villa is a French-style small pretty cottage.
11
Chubb lock – a prominent British brand of locks. In the 19th century Chubb locks were widely known for their high security and were used by General Post Office and Her Majesty’s Prison Service.
12
ostlers – it’s a cockney pronunciation of “hostlers”
13
half-and-half – a cocktail, consists of half ale half bitter beer
14
Inner Temple – The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple is one of four London professional associations for barristers providing education and training for its members. The headquarters of the Society are situated near the Temple Church. The area surrounding the Temple church is known as the Temple.
15
Hansom cab – a closed horse-drawn two-wheeled carriage with the driver’s seat above and behind the passengers. Hansom cab had a low centre of gravity to provide safer cornering. It was named after Joseph Hansom who patented it in 1834.
16
license – marriage license, a document issued by ecclesiastical or civil authorities permitting a couple to get married
17
John Hare (1844–1921) – a famous stage actor
18
Ulster – a long loose overcoat made of heavy fabric (tweed, herringbones etc), its name refers to Ulster where it was originally produced. In Victorian Britain it was an informal daytime overcoat.
19
Charing Cross – Charring Cross railway station, a railway terminus opened in 1864 in the City of Westminster. Now it is one of the busiest railway terminals in London.
20
née – born (French). The word is put before maiden name mentioned after the surname of a married woman.
21
shepherd’s check trousers – trousers made of fabric (usually wool) woven in small black-and-white checks
22
Albert chain – a kind of watch chain named after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband
23
Freemason (or Mason) – a member of the secret fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons. Originated in the Middle Ages from the guilds of stonemasons that built cathedrals and castles, Freemasonry is now the largest worldwide “secret” society.
24
Omne ignotum pro magnifico – Everything unknown is taken for magnificent. (Latin)
25
The Morning Chronicle – a daily newspaper famous for having among the staff Charles Dickens and Henry Mayhew.
26
foolscap (folio) – a traditional large size of paper (8½ in x 13½ in)
27
de Sarasate y Navascués, Pablo Martín Melitón (1844–1908) – a famous Spanish violinist and composer who toured a lot and performed at the best stages
28
St. James’s Hall – a concert hall opened in 1858; till the 1900s it was the principal concert hall of London.
29
Aldersgate – one of the 25 wards of the City of London (about 3 miles from Baker Street)
30
Scotland-yard – a household name of the Metropolitan Police headquarters. When founded in 1829, the Metropolitan Police occupied the building 4 Whitehall Place which backed onto Great Scotland Yard Street.
31
napoleons – an informal name of French golden coins. In different periods of time their value varied from from 5 to 100 francs.
32
partie carrée — foursome (French)
33
L’homme c’est rien – l’œuvre c’est tout – The man is nothing, the work is everything! (French)
34
as Gustave Flaubert wrote to Georges Sand – it is really a quotation from the letter of famous author Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) to another famous author, Georges Sand (1804–1876, real name Aurore Dupin), though the original phrase was “L’homme n’est rien, l’oeuvre – tout.”
35
affaire de coeur – love affair (French)
36
King’s Cross – an area of central London. The name of the district is due to a monument to George IV erected there in the 1830s. The monument was demolished in 1845, but the area still keeps its name. In 1852 there was opened King’s Cross railway station.
37
four-wheeler