Standesgebühr

12:37 Aug 15, 2006 

Thanks to everyone who helped with this. Much appreciated! I think we've figured out the meaning now so I'm going to close. Thanks again!

11:52 Aug 15, 2006 

My understanding was as in your last comment, Lisa. Perhaps even "and, depending on rank, ..."

11:51 Aug 15, 2006 

Lisa - a good point. Certainly. I forgot about the note you added later with the servants. Also possible.

11:45 Aug 15, 2006 

Surely it would still be relevant, because depending on the guest's status he either accompanies him to his room himself (if the person is of equal standing) or greets the guest, but leaves the servant to take him to his room (if the person is of a lower rank).

It might be seen as demeaning for a knight to take someone of lower rank to their room, and also insulting if the care of someone of equal or higher rank were left solely to his servants. The way I'm looking at it is that it's a comment on social behaviour at the time. I could be wrong though!

11:26 Aug 15, 2006 

If the prince meets each one alone and leads him to his room, then he can't do it in accordance with rank/guest's status, etc. because that would only be relevant if he chose to escort the Count Lev Nikolaevich before Lord Byron, or am I missing something

11:12 Aug 15, 2006 

It doesn't really say, but the impression I get from it is that the guests arrive at different times and are therefore shown to their rooms separately. Thanks guys, you're all being really helpful!

17:10 Aug 14, 2006 

Hey, Henry: Your answer also appears under my name! What's happening here?

16:27 Aug 14, 2006 

I agree also - it's the guest's status/rank which leads to different treatments.
I changed my answer a bit.

16:04 Aug 14, 2006 

Lisa - Are multiple guests in one place at the same time, so that the knight meets a group of people and leads them out one after the other, or does "each guest" come at different times? Is there any indication of that in you tale?

16:02 Aug 14, 2006  

Lisa - Are multiple guests in one place at the same time, so that the knight meets a group of people and leads them out one after the other, or does "each guest" come at different times? Is there any indication of that in you tale?

15:54 Aug 14, 2006 

Yes, definitely: Depending on the guest's status (I'd still prefer "order" in this literary context), the Knight showed him to his room personally, or let his servants look after him.

15:43 Aug 14, 2006 

On reflection I think the second part of the sentence is important to the context. It goes on: ... in das Gastzimmer oder befahl ihn seinen Knechten zur Pflege.

Could "nach Standesgebühr" be to do with the status of the guest, instead of the knight? Could it be saying that it depended on the status of the guest whether he was accompanied to his room by the knight or by his servants? What do you think?