How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Between the pride and intellectuality of his mother and the sensuality and irresponsibility of his father, poor Prince Fabrizio lived in perpetual discontent under his Jovelike frown, watching the ruin of his own class and his own inheritance without ever making, still less wanting to make, any move toward saving it. (1.12)
Here's the central conflict of this story: Fabrizio sees his entire social class going into the toilet of history, but he can't bring himself to do anything to stop it. His two main reasons for doing nothing are: 1) He can't stop history even if he wanted to, and 2) There's not much about the lazy, entitled aristocracy that's worth saving. After all, it's hard to argue that you deserve all the money and power in the world because you were born into the right family.
Quote #2
"For the King, who stands for order, continuity, decency, honor, right; for the King, who is sole defender of the Church, sole bulwark against the dispersal of property." (1.22)
When asked what a young Sicilian soldier has died for, Fabrizio's friend answers that the young man died for order and decency, which are just general concepts that don't really mean a whole lot to Fabrizio. This friend is obviously just anti-democratic, meaning that he doesn't think the opinion of the masses should decide important issues. That, plus he doesn't want all the aristocrats' property to be divided up more equally among people. That's what you call looking out for yourself.
Quote #3
The Prince gave a start of annoyance; so touchy is the pride of class, even in a moment of decline, that these orgiastic praises of the beauties of his future niece offended him. (3.52)
Fabrizio knows his class is dying, but that doesn't mean his pride is completely gone. He still gets really annoyed when people speak a little too candidly to him. It's as if he's saying, "Hey, I'm still entitled to a little respect!"