Supposethat，seeingthisabuseofhisname，theseigniorisdesirousofwithdrawingtheadministrationofhisdomainsfromthesemercenaryhands。Inmostcasesheisunabletodoit:hetoodeeplyindebt，havingappropriatedtohiscreditorsacertainportionofhisland，acertainbranchofhisincome。Forcenturies，thenoblesareinvolvedthroughtheirluxury，theirprodigality，theircarelessness，andthroughthatfalsesenseofhonor，whichconsistsinlookinguponattentiontoaccountsastheoccupationofanaccountant。Theytakeprideintheirnegligence，regardingit，astheysay，livingnobly。[47]\"Monsieurthearchbishop，\"saidLouisXVI。toM。deDillon，。\"theysaythatyouareindebt，andevenlargely。\"\"Sire，\"repliedtheprelate，withtheironyofagrandseignior，\"IwillaskmyintendantandinformYourMajesty。\"MarshaldeSoubisehasfivehundredthousandlivresincome，whichisnotsufficientforhim。WeknowthedebtsoftheCardinaldeRohanandoftheComteArtois；[48]
theirmillionsofincomewerevainlythrownintothisgulf。ThePrincedeGuémenéehappenstobecomebankruptonthirty—fivemillions。TheDukeofOrleans，therichestproprietorinthekingdom，owedathisdeathseventy—fourmillions。Whenbecamenecessarytopaythecreditorsoftheemigrantsoutoftheproceedsoftheirpossessions，itwasprovedthatmostofthelargefortuneswereeatenupwithmortgages。[49]Readersofthevariousmemoirsknowthat，fortwohundredyears，thedeficienciesbadtobesuppliedbymarriagesformoneyandbythefavorsoftheking。—Thisexplainswhy，followingtheking’sexample，thenoblesconvertedeverythingintomoney，andespeciallytheplacesattheirdisposition，and，inrelaxingauthorityforprofit，whytheyalienatedthelastfragmentofgovernmentremainingintheirhands。Everywheretheythuslaidasidetheveneratedcharacterofachieftoputontheodiouscharacterofatrafficker。\"Notonly，\"saysacontemporary，[50]\"dotheygivenopaytotheirofficersofjustice，ortakethematadiscount，but，whatisworse，thegreaterportionofthemmakeasaleoftheseoffices。\"Inspiteoftheedictof1693，thejudgesthusappointedtakenostepstobeadmittedintotheroyalcourtsandtheytakenooaths。\"Whatistheresult？Justice，toooftenadministeredbyknaves，degeneratesintobrigandageorintoafrightfulimpunity。\"—Ordinarilytheseigniorwhosellstheofficeonafinancialbasis，deducts，inaddition，thehundredth，thefiftieth，thetenthoftheprice，whenitpassesintootherhands；andatothertimeshedisposesofthesurvivorship。Hecreatestheseofficesandsurvivorshipspurposelytosellthem。\"Alltheseigniorialcourts，saytheregisters，areinfestedwithacrowdofofficialsofeverydescription，seigniorialsergeants，mountedandunmountedofficers，keepersoftheprovostshipofthefunds，guardsoftheconstabulary。Itisbynomeansraretofindasmanyasteninanarrondissementwhichcouldhardlymaintaintwoiftheyconfinedthemselveswithinthelimitsoftheirduties。\"Also\"theyareatthesametimejudges，attorneys，fiscal—attorneys，registrars，notaries，\"
eachinadifferentplace，eachpracticinginseveralseignioriesundervarioustitles，allperambulating，allinleaguelikethievesatafair，andassemblingtogetherinthetavernstoplan，prosecuteanddecide。Sometimestheseignior，toeconomize，confersthetitleononeofhisowndependents:\"AtHautemont，inHainaut，thefiscal—attorneyisadomestic。\"Morefrequentlyhenominatessomestarvelingadvocateofapettyvillageintheneighborhoodonwageswhichwouldnotsufficetokeephimaliveaweek。\"Heindemnifieshimselfoutofthepeasants。Processesofchicanery，delaysandwillfulcomplicationsintheproceedings，sittingsatthreelivresthehourfortheadvocateandthreelivresthehourforthebailiff。Theblackbroodofjudicialleechessucksomuchthemoreeagerly，becausethemorenumerous，astillmorescrawnyprey，havingpaidfortheprivilegeofsuckingit。[51]Thearbitrariness，thecorruption，thelaxityofsucharégimecanbedivined。\"Impunity，\"saysRenauldon，\"isnowheregreaterthanintheseigniorialtribunals……Thefoulestcrimesobtainnoconsiderationthere，\"fortheseigniordreadssupplyingthemeansforacriminaltrial，whilehisjudgesorprosecutingattorneysfearthattheywillnotbepaidfortheirproceedings。Moreover，hisjailisoftenacellarunderthechateau；\"thereisnotonetribunaloutofahundredinconformitywiththelawinrespectofprisons；\"theirkeepersshuttheireyesorstretchouttheirhands。Henceitisthat\"hisestatesbecometherefugeofallthescoundrelsinthecanton。\"
Theeffectofhisindifferenceisterribleanditistoreactagainsthim:to—morrow，attheclub，theattorneyswhomhehasmultipliedwilldemandhishead，andthebanditswhomhehastoleratedwillplaceitontheendofapike。
One—pointremains，thechase，whereinthenoble’sjurisdictionisstillactiveandsevere，anditisjustthepointwhichisfoundthemostoffensive。Formerly，whenone—halfofthecantonconsistedofforest，orwasteland，whiletheotherhalfwasbeingravagedbywildbeasts，hewasjustifiedinreservingtherighttohuntthem；itenteredintohisfunctionaslocalcaptain。Hewasthehereditarygendarme，alwaysarmed，alwaysonhorseback，aswellagainstwildboarsandwolvesasagainstroversandbrigands。Nowthatnothingislefttohimofthegendarmebutthetitleandtheepauletteshemaintainshisprivilegethroughtradition，thusconvertingaserviceintoanannoyance。Hunthemust，andhealonemusthunt；itisaphysicalnecessityand，itthesametime，asignofhisblood。A