Chapter One - Maman

"giving the King his sword in the morning"

Attending the King's levee, or morning dressing, was a big deal and seen as a great honor and to put on or give the King his items to wear or taking them off at the end of the day. The highest ranking would put on the King's shirt - this usually fell to his brother.

"his stuffy mediocre apartments was all he had to show for his service"

Even though Versailles is known as a palace of luxury, the accommodations for servants and even nobility could be sub-par at best. Only favorite nobles and royalty of the King were given the best rooms in the palace and anyone but the King and Queen could have their accommodation taken away or moved. Many nobles were given rooms too small to live in, but having rooms at all was a status symbol and a sign of royal favor. Many nobles built hotels, and it was even encouraged by King Louis XIV who promised it couldn't be taken away by debt collectors, in the town of Versailles and travelled back and forth between. Getting apartments repaired was never a guarantee and the worst accommodations were known to get stuffy in the summer and cold in the winters.

"the bourgeois"

During this time there was a jumpstart in the number of wealthy commoners buying noble titles. These nobility of the robe as they were called were hated by the ancient nobility of the sword, which were nobles who could trace their noble lineage to at least the 1400s, such as the Artois's. Often the new nobility and wealthy commoners had more money than the old, who lost their over generations. Despite being class enemies, many old nobility married these nouveau riche (Men could marry commoners without the loss of nobility for their children, but not vice-versa). These nouveau riche were hated for taking positions in government that the old nobility felt entitled to, as they didn't think one could just buy nobility.

"Seniority of his title"

There were court honors that some were entitled to depending on the status of one's family. Such as the Honors of the Court or Honors of the Louvre. Having either was a sign you were the creme de la creme of the nobility. The Honors of the Court were given to aristocracy that could prove nobility since the 1400s, descendants of the Marshal's of France, ministers or knights of the King's orders, or anyone the King decided. For women, this entitled them to a formal presentation to the King and Queen. For men, they were also entitled to a presentation (though less formal) and permitted to follow the King on hunts. Both included the right to be invited to royal balls.

Though most families that received honors took no special place in Court and most of the time financially incapable of holding a place at court. Honors did not mean familiarity with the King. Court honors were also not automatic. Families had to apply to be approved and the Court Genealogist had to confirm noble lineage. The King could also deny a family honors if he wanted to. Noble ranking in the palace was also more centered on age of family and court position than the title itself, except Ducs were always at the head. For example, though feudally a Marquis is above a Comte, a Comte of an older family would rank higher than a Marquis. But in the end closeness with the King mattered most, and the age of one's peerage if they had it.

"neither poor or sentimental"

Since society centered around the Court, nobles who lived outside of Paris or Versailles were seen to be poor, out of touch, or unfashionable. Those who lived in the provinces either couldn't afford to live in Paris or attend court, or they were actually attached to their lands and preferred the country, rather than handing off its management to stewards.

"while she worked on her parfilage"

Parfilage or drizzling was a popular pastime, especially for upper class women, of taking silver or gold embroidery off of clothing. The silver or gold embroidery was then sold for pin money.

"Laudanum"

A tincture of opium, was a common aid for many illnesses and medical problems such as for pain, sleep aid, colds, nervous diseases, melancholia, etc. The reason it says poison is because it is deadly in large quantities. It's most infamous in the Victorian era but it was used since the 17th century.

Chapter Two - The Fool

"I am not intelligent enough for anything in government, not clever enough for court life, nor brave enough for the military"

Court, church, military, or government service were seen as the only acceptable career choices for nobles. Titled nobles could lose their nobility if they engaged in professions deemed beneath them. Though there is evidence of impoverished nobles, in the Northern provinces, who "suspended" their nobility in order to practice certain professions and then reclaim their nobility later when they acquired back their wealth. Untitled nobles could engage in those professions as well, as they couldn't lose a title though that doesn't mean it was socially acceptable.

"Monseigneur"

Literally "my lord" is a proper form of address for a high noble, especially a Peer of France. It is also a well known address for the King's eldest brother. It isn't completely off that the Comte d'Artois doesn't want his children to address him as father. The children of Louis XV always addressed him as 'your majesty' but I can't say that was the norm for every noble family. In an 18th century etiquette manual I found that it was proper etiquette to refer to your noble husband/wife by their title such as "the Comtesse", "the Comte" instead of "my wife/husband" in polite society.

"I knew what happened to disappointing spares"

Even after the age of majority of 25 for both sexes (depending on the region) (I will speak more on the age of majority and what it meant in this period of France later), the family could send the sons that tarnished the family name to institutions that locked them up. This could include debt, unauthorized marriage, etc. This could also be accomplished by a lettre de cachet, which imprisoned anyone to anywhere on the King's orders (famously in the Bastille) and could be easily gotten if you knew how.

"Louis Antoine Xavier d'Artois"

At this period it was more common for one to use their last first name. For example, Marie Antoinette did not go by Marie, she went by Antoinette (or Antonia). Previous names were used to pay homage to family members. Empress Maria Theresa named all her daughters with the first name Maria after the Virgin Mary.

"two-hundred livres"

200 livres is around the yearly income of a shop girl for a fashion merchant. A servant made around 30-60 livres a year. A well off family could make around 100,000-150,000 a year, the Artois's make much more than that. The Polignac had around 700,000 livres a year in royal pensions

"...wrong with you"

Suicide was very taboo and basically seen as a criminal action against God. The Catholic church excommunicated people who attempted suicide and whose who died by suicide were buried outside of consecrated graveyards. A criminal ordinance issued by Louis XIV of France in 1670 declared the dead persons body was to be drawn in the streets, face down, and then hung or thrown on a garbage heap with all of the person's property confiscated. Though I do not know how much that law was enforced. Execution could also be a punishment for attempted suicide, though I also have not done any research yet on how much that law was enforced.

"Maybe that's what I deserved"

Many people deemed insane were sent to asylums where they could be treated as Charles has just described as there are instances of prisoners being chained to the walls and the prisoners abused and in terrible conditions, though the wealth of a person could change how one was treated though. The asylum of Chatenton in Saint-Maurice was actually known for its more humanitarian treatment and would try to treat prisoners with art. The Marquis de Sade was allowed to direct plays as a way to express his suppressed feelings, though not all patients lived pleasant in that asylum as one complained of the sub-par living conditions and tortuous therapy. Asylums were also used to get rid of unwanted family members such as the Comte de Sanois who was unjustly went by his wife through a lettre de cachet, and there are more cases of families sending members to asylums to get their estates or annulments, such as men using hysteria against their wives. Private madhouses were usually better but in the end many were still abused and abandoned by their caretakers who were not trained to handle mental disorders with many inmates treated like animals. In another more famous asylum, La Bicetre, inmates were shackled to the walls with very little room to move, not well fed, rooms not cleaned, and only visited when brought food. Another famous asylum in England was Bedlam, whose 'violent' inmates were put on display while their calmer were forced to beg on the streets. Families often begged their family members to be released only for it the be ignored.

Treatments could included purging, bloodletting, blistering, dousing patients in hot or cold water to shock them, sedatives, and use of physical restraints like straitjackets (called straight waists). Though there were physicians who had better treatments like listening to music, going travelling, doing things you like, etc so it wasn't all bad but I don't think anything about being mentally ill in this time period is "good".In the end, just like real life, how a person was treated in a private asylum depended on how much money the family was giving to keep them there. Other times, mentally ill had to be cared for by their families and others beggars on the street.

There was another way to deal with noble mentally ill. While not an official mental asylum, noble families could arrange a lettre de catchet to send their family member to the Bastille, which if you had enough money one could live relatively comfortable in and definitely better than the conditions described above.

I will talk more about how mental illness was seen in a future footnote but in general mental illness was associated with demonic possession and weakness. Cures ranged from prayers, treatments described below, and many didn't think there was any cure. Some believed that mental illness was hereditary. Physicians did acknowledge things like financial problems, unrequited love, etc also. Other theories were faulty blood flow, "untuned nerves", comfort and luxuries of the high class or city life and "nervous disorders" were a mark of upper class sensitivity that could be helped with hard labor.

Chapter III - City of Mud

"the city of mud"

A nickname for Paris as it was quite dirty in the streets. Victor Hugo pointed out that there's a Latin word 'lutim" closely related to the Roman naming of the city, Lutetia, which means mud and given the Seine's high probability of flooding it's plausible. Also due to the fact that it is an over-populated 18th century city there is likely a lot of mud, and other substances, in the streets as well. Paris was not known for being a clean city at the time.

"The Faubourg"

that is the Faubourg Saint-German, the successor of the Marais for the most fashionable part of the city to live. French high nobility started to move from the Marais as it was clearer and less polluted. The district became so fashionable that the phrase 'le Faubourg" has been used to describe French nobility since. Many of the oldest and prestigious families of the nobility built their residences in the area. The Marais, which translate to the "swamp" was the most fashionable place for the aristocracy to live but it eventually became more populated and polluted they had to move, though it still had it's aristocratic reputation and some nobles still lived there.

"Hôtel"

A Hôtel in his context means a building similar to that of a mansion or a townhouse. A Parisian hotel, usually square shaped, had a façade facing the street with an inner courtyard in the middle. They were usually named after the family that owned it such as the Hôtel de Rohan.

"Rue....le Prince."

This is the historic street name of the current Rue Monsieur-Le-Prince.

"Vicomte d'Artois....Comte de Rochefort"

This is a customary title. Customary titles were titles assumed by younger members of a noble family but that weren't legal or carried any land or inheritance attached with it. Usually the customary title was a lesser title of the head of the family. One real world example would be the Comte d'Artois, brother of King Louis XVI, while Artois was held by the King of France. He was given that title because after Louis XV's assassination attempt by an Artesian, the government of Artois apologized. In gratitude, he gave his grandson the title of the Comte d'Artois. Though unlike the Artois's in this story, the real life Comte d'Artois did not have any control over Artois itself. It was just honorary.

While customary titles usually do not share the shame name as the head of the household, to avoid confusion, it sometimes a custom for the youngest son of a Comte to be called a Vicomte of that title. One real life example of this is the Comte du Barry's brother, the pimp/lover of Madame du Barry, was called the Vicomte du Barry.

"Of the sword"

Nobility of the Sword means that the family has been noble since at least the 1400s.

"I wish to work for the Minister of Finance."

Nobody asks you questions when you say you're an accountant

"Though, to be fair, neither does the Minister."

Clément Charles François de Laverdy was the Controller-General of Finances in 1763 but he was widely known for his incompetence. He used all means, sometimes illicit ones, to replenish the treasury and was even was accused of a conspiracy called the "starvation pact" to profit from high wheat prices by creating a wheat scarcity causing starvation but though there's no proof of it. Eventually a court intrigue led to his dismissal in 1768. During the French Revolution he was charged with the contribution to the "starvation pact" and was guillotined.

Chapter IV- City of Light

"Dominos"

Dominos were the classic masquerade costume which was a hooded robe-like garment, usually black, which was worn with a mask. It helped conceal the identity of the wearer.

"Palais-Royal"

At the time of the events in the chapter the Palais-Royal has one of the most important theatres in Paris which was used used by the Paris Opera until the theatre was destroyed in a fire.

Chapter VI - Redundant

"Cabbage"

Cabbage, gabbage, or rarely garbage is the term for bits of fabric left over after cutting.

Chapter VII - The Ties that Bind

"Gentlemen"

At the time the word gentleman (or gentilhomme) was only used for old nobility, because the recently ennobled were not born noble.

"After our official betrothal"

The bride and groom would not be present at the official betrothal.

"St.Cyr"

A school for noble girls started by Madame de Maintenon in the 17th century. It was intended for poor noble girls.

"grand habit"

A large dress reserved for court events. Not sure yet if it would be worn on this occasion but I've decided yes until I learn otherwise.

"I plight thee my troth"

I believe these are the official vows that would be used at this time according to an English book of common prayer written in the 17th century. I have yet to read through a French 18th century book on the matter.

Chapter VIII - King of Wands

"To Her Majesty"

It was custom to be presented to the Queen after a noblewoman got married.

Chapter X: The End

“It was the end of the world.”

Funny enough, the song that I had on loop while writing the end scene was In My Head by Bedroom, from a video edit on Youtube for the TV Show called End of the Fucking World

ENDNOTES

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