Note 5 — PREMIER ÉPISODE
Reading edition · Edition 2
4 6 Si ... que + subjunctive = 'however ', cf. 67 12-13, 78 18-19 --bête: a pun on the word bête, which means as a noun 'animal,' as an adjective 'foolish'--vous pensez bien: 'you can readily imagine', cf. 7 10, 9 7, 12 3, 23 7, 56 17.