雙語+MP3|美國學生世界歷史72 紅帽子和紅鞋跟

72
Red Cap and Red Heels
紅帽子和紅鞋跟

     THE last Louis I told you about was a saint-the Louis who went on the last Crusade.
     I'm going to tell you now about two kings named Louis who were not saints-not by any means.
     They were Louis XIII and Louis XIV and they ruled France while the Stuarts were reigning in the seventeenth century in England.
     Louis XIII was king in name only. Another man told him what to do, and he did it. Strange to say, this other man was a great ruler of the church called a cardinal, who wore a red cap and a red gown. The cardinal's name was Richelieu.
     Now, you are probably sick and tired of hearing about wars, but during the reign of Louis XIII, another long war started, and I must tell you something about it, for it lasted thirty years. It was therefore called the Thirty Years' War. It was different from most wars. It was not a war of one country against another. It was a war between the Protestants and Catholics.
     Cardinal Richelieu was of course a Catholic and the real ruler of France, which was a Catholic country. Nevertheless, he took sides with the Protestants, for they were fighting a Catholic country called Austria, and he wanted to beat Austria. Most of the countries in Europe took part in this war, but Germany was the battleground where most of the fighting was done. Even Sweden, a northern country of Europe which we have not mentioned before, took part. The king of Sweden at this time was named Gustavus Adolphus, and he was called the Snow King because he was king of such a cold country, and also the Lion of the North, for he was such a brave fighter. I am mentioning him particularly because of all kings and rulers in Europe at this time he was the finest character. Indeed, most of the other rulers thought only of themselves, and they would lie and cheat and steal and even murder to get what they wanted, but Gustavus Adolphus was fighting for what he thought was right. Gustavus Adolphus was a Protestant, and so he came down into Germany and fought on the side of the Protestants. He was a great general, and his army won. Unfortunately he himself was killed in battle. The Protestants came out ahead in the Thirty Years' War, and at last a famous treaty of peace was made called the Treaty of Westphalia. By this treaty it was agreed that each country should have whatever religion its ruler had; it could be Protestant or Catholic, as the ruler wished.
     During the Thirty Years' War, the plague, that old deadly contagious disease we have heard of before, broke out in Germany. A little town named Oberammergau prayed that it might be spared. The townspeople vowed that if they were spared they would give a play of Christ's life once every ten years. They were spared, and so every ten years, ever since then, with only a few exceptions, they have been giving what is called the Passion Play. Tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world travel to this little out-of-the-way town to see the townspeople act the story of Christ's life. The play is given on Sundays during the summer of the tenth year and lasts all day long. About seven hundred people take part. It is a great honor to be chosen to play the part of a saint, and it is the highest honor to be selected to play the part of Christ.
     The next French king to rule after Louis XIII and Richelieu was Louis XIV.
     The people in England had at last succeeded in getting the power to rule themselves through their Parliament. But in France, Louis would let no one rule but himself. He said, "I am the state," and he would let no one have a say in the government. This was the same as the Stuarts' Divine Right of Kings that the English people had put an end to. Louis ruled for more than seventy years. This is the longest time that anyone in history has ever ruled.
     Louis XIV was called the Grand Monarch, and everything he did was to show off. He was always parading and strutting about as if he were the leading character in a play and not just an ordinary human being. He wore corsets and a huge powdered wig and shoes with very high red heels, to make himself appear taller. He carried a long cane, stuck out his elbows, turned out his toes, and strutted up and down, for he thought these things made him seem grand, important, imposing.

Louis XIV（路易十四）
     All this may sound as if Louis were a strange person with no sense, but you must not get that idea. In spite of his absurd manners, he made France the chief power in Europe. He was almost constantly fighting other countries, trying to increase the size of France and to add to his kingdom, but I have already told you so much about so many fights, that I'm not going to tell you any more about his just now, for you would probably not read it if I did. So France had her turn as leader of all the other countries, as Spain and England had had theirs as well.
     Louis built a magnificent palace at Versailles in which were marble halls, beautiful paintings, and many huge mirrors in which he could see himself as he strutted along. The palace was surrounded by a park with wonderful fountains. The water for the fountains had to be brought a long distance, and it cost thousands of dollars to have the fountains play just for a few minutes. Even today sightseers visit Versailles to see the magnificent palace rooms and to watch the fountains play.

Louis XIV getting ready for bed（路易十四準備就寢）
     But Louis surrounded himself not only with beautiful things. He also surrounded himself with all the most interesting men and women of his time. All those who could do anything exceptionally well, all those who could paint well or write well or talk well or play well or look well, he brought together to live with him or near by him. This was called his court. They were the chosen few who looked down on all the others.
     This was all very fine for the people who were lucky enough to be in Louis's court. But the poor people of France, ordinary farmers and the men and women who worked in the towns, were the ones who had to pay Louis's expenses and those of his court. They were the ones who had to pay for his parties and balls and feasts and for all sorts of presents that he gave his friends. We shall soon see what happened. The poor people would not stand that sort of thing forever. "The worm will turn," we say.