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        Nobles — The Very Strict Hierarchy

        宫廷贵族 —— 森严的等级制度

        There are five ranks of nobility (from the highest to the lowest): Duke; Marquis; Count (‘Earl’ in British English); Viscount (or Vicomte) and Baron.

        Not all of the nobles were invited to attend the court ball or other events like royal weddings or funerals. But when they were in the Versailles, they had to remember their titles every second! The very strict hierarchy was everywhere in the court. Your title would decide whom you could talk to and whom you had to wait until being talked to! Whom you needed to give way to and who would give way to you!

        The very famous battle between Marie Antoinette and Madam Du Barry is a good example! At French court, one shouldn’t talk to someone who had a higher title actively until being acknowledged first. Marie Antoinette, at the time was the Dauphine, held the highest feminine title. She had not talked to Madam Du Barry for two years since the young princess did not like the idea of being a friend with the king’s mistress. In the end, the unofficial queen won the battle. Marie said nine words to her on the New Year day in 1776. (“There are a lot of people in Versailles today.”) However, we could imagine that even Madam Du Barry had the king as her backup, she still needed to wait to be talked. The etiquette did not listen to the king.

        国王日子不好过，贵族大臣们也并不轻松，如同每个发展到高峰的封建社会，等级制度都细碎繁琐且森严不可抗逆，在当时的欧洲，贵族有公爵、侯爵、伯爵、子爵、男爵各种等级。在任何场合，贵族们必须牢记自己的身份，该和谁说话、谁先开口，该为谁让路，又该被谁让路，都有严格的指示，稍有差错，影响的可能就是整个政治局势了。

        最著名的例子莫过于当年凡尔赛宫内两大著名美女——国王路易十五的情人杜巴丽夫人和未来国王路易十六的王后玛丽•安托瓦内特——之间夹杂着历史的纷争与较量。当年17岁尚未登基的法国未来皇后对权倾一时的国王的情人杜巴利夫人很是不屑，在众多场合都不愿与其说话，后来受到来自国王和母亲的压力，最终在一场宴会上被迫向杜巴丽开口：“今天凡尔赛人真多啊。”这是年仅17岁尚未登基的法国未来皇后对当时法国国王的情妇说的第一句话，也是最后一句话。 就因为这一句话，整个欧洲的局势改变了。 当这句话从法国大革命前最后一任皇后——奥地利女王的小女儿嘴里说出的时候，不仅满足了杜巴丽夫人的心愿，还保住了法奥同盟。整个欧洲的局势因为区区几个字而改变了。

        宫廷礼仪所反映到整个欧洲的政治局势，法国的礼仪中所代表的内涵真是写一部书都不嫌多。

        People today could hardly understand the French etiquette. I believe that because the nobles at the time did not have to work, they drew up a few of proper social manners in order to make life easier and more comfortable, most importantly, not being bored. The etiquette developed fast and became more complicated and more completed. This code of manners soon spread to other European countries and became fashionable. Most of them seem silly today but this was the indispensable part of life three hundred years ago in Europe! I just feel lucky enough to live in this modern new century!

        或许开始是因为贵族们闲来无事弄点规矩以享受，后来盲目的跟风让礼节愈发复杂，总之法国宫廷礼仪发展到后来简直看着令人发指，也着实让生于现代的我等老百姓有幸感叹：礼仪诚可贵，身份价更高，若为自由故，二者皆可抛！（文/亦心）

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    生词表

    etiquette  n 礼节,规矩

    tedious    a 乏味的,单调的

    sovereign    n/a 统治者,君主;统治的, 有主权的

    Versailles                                n 凡尔赛

    ridiculous a 可笑的

    hierarchy  n 等级制度

    duke n 公爵

    earl   n 伯爵

    complicated    a 复杂的,难解的

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