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occupies and； accordingly； suffers through a thousand petty grievances
it would not； formerly； have noticed。 On discovering that he is a
citizen a man is irritated at being treated as a subject； no one
accepting an inferior position alongside of one of whom he believes
himself the equal。 Hence； during a period of twenty years； the
ancient régime while attempting to grow easier； appear to be still
more burdensome； and its pinpricks exasperate as if they were so many
wounds。 Countless instances might be quoted instead of one。 At
the theater in Grenoble； Barnave；＇36＇ a child； is with his mother in a
box which the Duc de Tonnerre； governor of the province； had assigned
to one of his satellites。 The manager of the theater； and next an
officer of the guard； request Madame Barnave to withdraw。 She
refuses； whereupon the governor orders four fusiliers to force her
out。 The audience in the stalls had already taken the matter up； and
violence was feared； when M。 Barnave； advised of the affront； entered
and led his wife away； exclaiming aloud； 〃I leave by order of the
governor。〃 The indignant public； all the bourgeoisie； agreed among
themselves not to enter the theater again without an apology being
made； the theater； in fact； remaining empty several months； until
Madame Barnave consented to reappear there。 This outrage afterwards
recurred to the future deputy； and he then swore 〃to elevate the caste
to which he belonged out of the humiliation to which it seemed
condemned。〃 In like manner Lacroix； the future member of the
Convention；＇37＇ on leaving a theater； and jostled by a gentleman who
was giving his arm to a lady； utters a loud complaint。 〃Who are you？
〃 says the person。 Still the provincial； he is simple enough to give
his name； surname； and qualifications in full。 〃Very well；〃 says the
other man； 〃good for you I am the Comte de Chabannes； and I am in
a hurry；〃 saying which； 〃laughing heartily；〃 he jumps into his
vehicle。 〃Ah； sir； exclaimed Lacroix； still much excited by his
misadventure； 〃pride and prejudice establish an awful gulf between man
and man ！〃 We may rest assured that； with Marat； a veterinary surgeon
in the Comte d'Artois's stables； with Robespierre； a protégé of the
bishop of Arras； with Danton； an insignificant lawyer in Mery…sur…
Seine； and with many others beside； self…esteem； in frequent
encounters； bled in the same fashion。 The concentrated bitterness
with which Madame Roland's memoirs are imbued has no other cause。
〃She could not forgive society＇38＇ for the inferior position she had
so long occupied in it。〃＇39＇ Thanks to Rousseau； vanity； so natural to
man； and especially sensitive with a Frenchman； becomes still more
sensitive。 The slightest discrimination； a tone of the voice； seems a
mark of disdain。 〃One day；＇40＇ on alluding； before the minister of
war； to a general officer who had obtained his rank through his merit；
he exclaimed； 'Oh； yes； an officer of luck。' This expression； being
repeated and commented on； does much mischief。〃 In vain do the
grandees show their condescending spirit； 〃welcoming with equal
kindness and gentleness all who are presented to them。〃 In the mansion
of the Due de Penthièvre the nobles eat at the table of the master of
the house； the commoners dine with his first gentleman and only enter
the drawing room when coffee is served。 There they find 〃in full
force and with a superior tone〃 the others who had the honor of dining
with His Highness； and 〃who do not fail to salute the new arrivals
with an obliging civility indicating patronage。〃＇41＇ No more is
required； in vain does the Duke 〃carry his attentions to an extreme；〃
Beugnot； so pliable； has no desire to return。 They bear them ill…
will； not only on account of their slight bows but again on account of
their over…politeness。 Champfort acrimoniously relates that
d'Alembert； at the height of his reputation； being in Madame du
Deffant's drawing room with President Hénault and M。 de Pont…de…Veyle；
a physician enters named Fournier； and he； addressing Madame du
Deffant； says； 〃Madame； I have the honor of presenting you with my
very humble respects；'' turning to President Hénault； 〃I have the
honor to be your obedient servant；〃 and then to M。 de Pont…de…Veyle；
〃Sir； your most obedient；〃 and to d'Alembert； 〃Good day； sir。〃＇42＇ To
a rebellious heart everything is an object of resentment。 The Third…
Estate； following Rousseau's example； cherishes ill…feeling against
the nobles for what they do； and yet again； for what they are； for
their luxury； their elegance； their insincerity； their refined and
brilliant behavior。 Champfort is embittered against them on account
of the polite attentions with which they overwhelm him。 Sieyès bears
them a grudge on account of a promised abbey which he did not obtain。
Each individual； besides the general grievances； has his personal
grievance。 Their coolness； like their familiarity； attentions and
inattentions； is an offense； and； under these millions of needle…
thrusts； real or imaginary； the mind gets to be full of gall。 In
1789； it is full to overflowing。
〃The most honorable title of the French nobility；〃 writes
Champfort； 〃is a direct descent from some 30；000 armed； helmeted；
armletted and armored men who； on heavy horses sheathed in armor； trod
under foot 8 or 10 millions of naked men； the ancestors of the actual
nation。 Behold these well…established claims to the respect and
affection of their descendants！ And； to complete the respectability of
this nobility； it is recruited and regenerated by the adoption of
those who have acquired fortune by plundering the cabins of the poor
who are unable to pay its impositions。〃＇43＇
〃Why should not the Third…Estate send back；〃 says Sieyès； 〃into
the forests of Franconia every family that maintains its absurd
pretension of having sprung from the loins of a race of conquerors；
and of having succeeded to the rights of conquest？ ＇44＇ I can well
imagine； were there no police； every Cartouche＇45＇ firmly establishing
himself on the high…road would that give him a right to levy
toll？ Suppose him to sell a monopoly of this kind； once common enough；
to an honest successor； would the right become any more respectable in
the hands of the purchaser？ 。 。 。 Every privilege； in its nature；
is unjust； odious； and against the social compact。 The blood boils at
the thought of its ever having been possible to legally consecrate
down to the eighteenth century the abominable fruits of an abominable
feudal system。 。 。 。 The caste of nobles is really a population
apart； a fraudulent population； however； which； for lack of
serviceable faculties； and unable to exist alone； fastens itself upon
a living nation； like the vegetable tumors that support themselves on
the sap of the plants to which they are a burden； and which wither
beneath the load。〃 They suck all； everything being for them。
〃Every branch of the executive power has fallen into the hands of this
caste； which staffed （already） the church； the robe and the sword。 A
sort of confraternity or joint paternity leads the nobles each to
prefer the other and all to the rest of the nation。 。 。 。 The
Court reigns； and not the monarch。 The Court creates and distributes
offices。 And what is the Court but the head of this vast aristocracy
that covers all parts of France； and which； through its members；
attains to and exercises everywhere whatever is requisite in all
branches of the public administration？〃 Let us put an end to 〃this
social crime； this long parricide which one class does itself the
honor to commit daily against the others。 。 。 。 Ask no longer what
place the privileged shall occupy in the social order； it is simply
asking what place in a sick man's body must be assigned to a malignant
ulcer that is undermining and tormenting it 。 。 。 to the loathsome
disease that is consuming the living flesh。〃 The solution is self…
evident： let us eradicate the ulcer； or at least sweep away the
vermin。 The Third…Estate； in itself and by itself； is 〃a complete
nation；〃 requiring no organ； needing no aid to subsist or to govern
itself； and which will recover its health on ridding itself of the
parasites infesting its skin。
〃What is the Third…Estate？〃 says Sieyès； 〃everything。 What；
thus far； is it in the political body？＇46＇ Nothing。 What does it
demand？ To become something。〃
Not something but actually everything。 Its political ambition
is as great as its social ambition； and it aspires to authority as
well as to equality。 If privileges are an evil that of the king is
the worst for it is the greatest； and human dignity； wounded by the
prerogative of the noble； perishes under the absolutism of the king。
Of little consequence is it that he scarcely uses it； and that his
government； deferential to public opinion； is that of a hesitating and
indulgent parent。 E