and they still had these atavisms,

而且他们保留了旧政体的陋习
these throwbacks to the old regime where it was said near Toulouse

据说以前在图卢兹一带
that if the noble announced after mass

如果一个贵族唱完弥撒曲之后宣称
that it'd be good to have a little firewood,

最好能有一点木柴
that he could look out from the ponderosa and see peasants,

他就可以越过松木林看到农民们
obedient peasants carrying large stacks of wood up to the big house; and,

唯命是从的农民们把大捆木头驮到他家
maybe they'd get a little something on Easter from the big guy.

在复活节那天这大人物或许会赏点小钱
But,basically the State was winning the battle against the nobles,

不过总体上这个国家还是战胜了贵族
and you could still be the Count of anywhere,or the Duke of anywhere,

而且你仍可以当任何地方的伯爵或公爵
and you can't mobilize goodies

你不能把任意调集物资
to give to local people except on a very local scale.

给当地人除非是地方标准之下
And the state is winning out.

这个阶级获得了成功