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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。 Emancipated from real despotism； the Third…Estate
becomes excited against possible despotism； imagining itself in
slavery in consenting to remain subject。 A proud spirit has recovered
itself； become erect； and； the better to secure its rights； is going
to claim all rights。 To the people who since antiquity has been
subject to masters； it is so sweet； so intoxicating to put themselves
in their places； to put the former masters in their place； to say to
himself； they are my representatives； to regard himself a member of
the sovereign power； king of France in his individual sphere； the sole
legitimate author of all rights and of all functions！ In
conformity with the doctrines of Rousseau the registers of the Third…
Estate unanimously insist on a constitution for France； none exists；
or at least the one she possesses is of no value。 Thus far 〃the
conditions of the social compact have been ignored；〃＇47＇ now that they
have been discovered they must be written out。 To say； with the
nobles according to Montesquieu； that the constitution exists； that
its great features need not be changed； that it is necessary only to
reform abuses； that the States…General exercise only limited power；
that they are incompetent to substitute another regime for the
monarchy； is not true。 Tacitly or expressly； the Third…Estate refuses
to restrict its mandate and allows no barriers to be interposed
against it。 It requires its deputies accordingly to vote 〃not by
orders but each by himself and conjointly。〃 〃In case the
deputies of the clergy or of the nobility should refuse to deliberate
in common and individually； the deputies of the Third…Estate；
representing twenty…four millions of men； able and obliged to declare
itself the National Assembly not…withstanding the scission of the
representation of 400；000 persons； will propose to the King in concert
with those among the Clergy and the Nobility disposed to join them；
their assistance in providi