a family name that betrays?

[KuaiLe]

Read this from Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire:
"de Nevada, the father's family name, betraying his own humble status in the outlands of Aragon, but pertinent here: of the snowy slopes."
Betraying his status in Aragon but pertinent here? Snowy slopes?
I am completely lost about what it's talking about...

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by KuaiLe

Read this from Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire:
"de Nevada, the father's family name, betraying his own humble status in the outlands of Aragon, but pertinent here: of the snowy slopes."
Betraying his status in Aragon but pertinent here? Snowy slopes?
I am completely lost about what it's talking about...

'Betraying' in this context is just a way of saying 'indicating' or 'pointing to'. His father's family name, 'de Nevada' is Spanish for 'of the snowy region', and Aragon is a province in Spain known for its snowy hills, so the author is saying that his father's name indicates his origins in a snowy region of Spain.

[KuaiLe]

Thanks for your reply. Now I understand.