the hunchback of notre dame-第101章

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〃Stay！〃　said　Gringoire；　〃one　has　one's　pleasures！〃　He　took　the　arm　of　the　priest；　who　let　him　have　his　way；　and　made　him　enter　the　staircase　turret　of　For…l'Evêque。　　〃Here　is　a　staircase！　every　time　that　I　see　it　I　am　happy。　　It　is　of　the　simplest　and　rarest　manner　of　steps　in　Paris。　　All　the　steps　are　bevelled　underneath。　　Its　beauty　and　simplicity　consist　in　the　interspacing　of　both；　being　a　foot　or　more　wide；　which　are　interlaced；　interlocked；　fitted　together；　enchained　enchased；　interlined　one　upon　another；　and　bite　into　each　other　in　a　manner　that　is　truly　firm　and　graceful。〃

〃And　you　desire　nothing？〃

〃No。〃

〃And　you　regret　nothing？〃

〃Neither　regret　nor　desire。　　I　have　arranged　my　mode　of　life。〃

〃What　men　arrange；〃　said　Claude；　〃things　disarrange。〃

〃I　am　a　Pyrrhonian　philosopher；〃　replied　Gringoire；　〃and　I　hold　all　things　in　equilibrium。〃

〃And　how　do　you　earn　your　living？〃

〃I　still　make　epics　and　tragedies　now　and　then；　but　that　which　brings　me　in　most　is　the　industry　with　which　you　are　acquainted；　master；　carrying　pyramids　of　chairs　in　my　teeth。〃

〃The　trade　is　but　a　rough　one　for　a　philosopher。〃

〃'Tis　still　equilibrium；〃　said　Gringoire。　　〃When　one　has　an　idea；　one　encounters　it　in　everything。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　replied　the　archdeacon。

After　a　silence；　the　priest　resumed；

〃You　are；　nevertheless；　tolerably　poor？〃

〃Poor；　yes；　unhappy；　no。〃

At　that　moment；　a　trampling　of　horses　was　heard；　and　our　two　interlocutors　beheld　defiling　at　the　end　of　the　street；　a　company　of　the　king's　unattached　archers；　their　lances　borne　high；　an　officer　at　their　head。　　The　cavalcade　was　brilliant；　and　its　march　resounded　on　the　pavement。

〃How　you　gaze　at　that　officer！〃　said　Gringoire；　to　the　archdeacon。

〃Because　I　think　I　recognize　him。〃

〃What　do　you　call　him？〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Claude；　〃that　his　name　is　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers。〃

〃Phoebus！　　A　curious　name！　　There　is　also　a　Phoebus；　Comte　de　Foix。　　I　remember　having　known　a　wench　who　swore　only　by　the　name　of　Phoebus。〃

〃Come　away　from　here；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃

From　the　moment　of　that　troop's　passing；　some　agitation　had　pierced　through　the　archdeacon's　glacial　envelope。　　He　walked　on。　　Gringoire　followed　him；　being　accustomed　to　obey　him；　like　all　who　had　once　approached　that　man　so　full　of　ascendency。　　They　reached　in　silence　the　Rue　des　Bernardins；　which　was　nearly　deserted。　　Here　Dom　Claude　paused。

〃What　have　you　to　say　to　me；　master？〃　Gringoire　asked　him。

〃Do　you　not　think　that　the　dress　of　those　cavaliers　whom　we　have　just　seen　is　far　handsomer　than　yours　and　mine？〃

Gringoire　tossed　his　head。

〃I'　faith！　　I　love　better　my　red　and　yellow　jerkin；　than　those　scales　of　iron　and　steel。　　A　fine　pleasure　to　produce；　when　you　walk；　the　same　noise　as　the　Quay　of　Old　Iron；　in　an　earthquake！〃

〃So；　Gringoire；　you　have　never　cherished　envy　for　those　handsome　fellows　in　their　military　doublets？〃

〃Envy　for　what；　monsieur　the　archdeacon？　their　strength；　their　armor；　their　discipline？　　Better　philosophy　and　independence　in　rags。　　I　prefer　to　be　the　head　of　a　fly　rather　than　the　tail　of　a　lion。〃

〃That　is　singular；〃　said　the　priest　dreamily。　　〃Yet　a　handsome　uniform　is　a　beautiful　thing。〃

Gringoire；　perceiving　that　he　was　in　a　pensive　mood；　quitted　him　to　go　and　admire　the　porch　of　a　neighboring　house。　　He　came　back　clapping　his　hands。

〃If　you　were　less　engrossed　with　the　fine　clothes　of　men　of　war；　monsieur　the　archdeacon；　I　would　entreat　you　to　come　and　see　this　door。　　I　have　always　said　that　the　house　of　the　Sieur　Aubry　had　the　most　superb　entrance　in　the　world。〃

〃Pierre　Gringoire；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　〃What　have　you　done　with　that　little　gypsy　dancer？〃

〃La　Esmeralda？　　You　change　the　conversation　very　abruptly。〃

〃Was　she　not　your　wife？〃

〃Yes；　by　virtue　of　a　broken　crock。　　We　were　to　have　four　years　of　it。　　By　the　way；〃　added　Gringoire；　looking　at　the　archdeacon　in　a　half　bantering　way；　〃are　you　still　thinking　of　her？〃

〃And　you　think　of　her　no　longer？〃

〃Very　little。　　I　have　so　many　things。　　Good　heavens；　how　pretty　that　little　goat　was！〃

〃Had　she　not　saved　your　life？〃

〃'Tis　true；　pardieu！〃

〃Well；　what　has　become　of　her？　　What　have　you　done　with　her？〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you。　　I　believe　that　they　have　hanged　her。〃

〃You　believe　so？〃

〃I　am　not　sure。　　When　I　saw　that　they　wanted　to　hang　people；　I　retired　from　the　game。〃

〃That　is　all　you　know　of　it？〃

〃Wait　a　bit。　　I　was　told　that　she　had　taken　refuge　in　Notre…Dame；　and　that　she　was　safe　there；　and　I　am　delighted　to　hear　it；　and　I　have　not　been　able　to　discover　whether　the　goat　was　saved　with　her；　and　that　is　all　I　know。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　more；〃　cried　Dom　Claude；　and　his　voice；　hitherto　low；　slow；　and　almost　indistinct；　turned　to　thunder。　〃She　has　in　fact；　taken　refuge　in　Notre…Dame。　　But　in　three　days　justice　will　reclaim　her；　and　she　will　be　hanged　on　the　Grève。　　There　is　a　decree　of　parliament。〃

〃That's　annoying；〃　said　Gringoire。

The　priest；　in　an　instant；　became　cold　and　calm　again。

〃And　who　the　devil；〃　resumed　the　poet；　〃has　amused　himself　with　soliciting　a　decree　of　reintegration？　　Why　couldn't　they　leave　parliament　in　peace？　　What　harm　does　it　do　if　a　poor　girl　takes　shelter　under　the　flying　buttresses　of　Notre…　Dame；　beside　the　swallows'　nests？〃

〃There　are　satans　in　this　world；〃　remarked　the　archdeacon。

〃'Tis　devilish　badly　done；〃　observed　Gringoire。

The　archdeacon　resumed　after　a　silence；

〃So；　she　saved　your　life？〃

〃Among　my　good　friends　the　outcasts。　　A　little　more　or　a　little　less　and　I　should　have　been　hanged。　　They　would　have　been　sorry　for　it　to…day。〃

〃Would　not　you　like　to　do　something　for　her？〃

〃I　ask　nothing　better；　Dom　Claude；　but　what　if　I　entangle　myself　in　some　villanous　affair？〃

〃What　matters　it？〃

〃Bah！　　what　matters　it？　　You　are　good；　master；　that　you　are！　　I　have　two　great　works　already　begun。〃

The　priest　smote　his　brow。　　In　spite　of　the　calm　which　he　affected；　a　violent　gesture　betrayed　his　internal　convulsions　from　time　to　time。

〃How　is　she　to　be　saved？〃

Gringoire　said　to　him；　〃Master；　I　will　reply　to　you；　~Il　padelt~；　which　means　in　Turkish；　'God　is　our　hope。'〃

〃How　is　she　to　be　saved？〃　repeated　Claude　dreamily。

Gringoire　smote　his　brow　in　his　turn。

〃Listen；　master。　　I　have　imagination；　I　will　devise　expedients　for　you。　　What　if　one　were　to　ask　her　pardon　from　the　king？〃

〃Of　Louis　XI。！　　A　pardon！〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃To　take　the　tiger's　bone　from　him！〃

Gringoire　began　to　seek　fresh　expedients。

〃Well；　stay！　　Shall　I　address　to　the　midwives　a　request　accompanied　by　the　declaration　that　the　girl　is　with　child！〃

This　made　the　priest's　hollow　eye　flash。

〃With　child！　　knave！　do　you　know　anything　of　this？〃

Gringoire　was　alarmed　by　his　air。　　He　hastened　to　say；　〃Oh；　no；　not　I！　　Our　marriage　was　a　real　~forismaritagium~。　　I　stayed　outside。　　But　one　might　obtain　a　respite；　all　the　same。〃

〃Madness！　　Infamy！　　Hold　your　tongue！〃

〃You　do　wrong　to　get　angry；〃　muttered　Gringoire。　　〃One　obtains　a　respite；　that　does　no　harm　to　any　one；　and　allows　the　midwives；　who　are　poor　women；　to　earn　forty　deniers　parisis。〃

The　priest　was　not　listening　to　him！

〃But　she　must　leave　that　place；　nevertheless！〃　he　murmured；　〃the　decree　is　to　be　executed　within　three　days。　　Moreover；　there　will　be　no　decree；　that　Quasimodo！　　Women　have　very　depraved　tastes！〃　He　raised　his　voice：　〃Master　Pierre；　I　have　reflected　well；　there　is　but　one　means　of　safety　for　her。〃

〃What？　　I　see　none　myself。〃

〃Listen；　Master　Pierre；　remember　that　you　owe　your　life　to　her。　　I　will　tell　you　my　idea　frankly。　　The　church　is　watched　night　and　day；　only　those　are　allowed　to　come　out；　who　have　been　seen　to　enter。　　Hence　you　can　enter。　　You　will　come。　　I　will　lead　you　to　her。　　You　will　change　clothes　with　her。　　She　will　take　your　doublet；　you　will　take　her　petticoat。〃

〃So　far；　it　goes　well；〃　remarked　the　philosopher；　〃and　then？〃

〃And　then？　she　will　go　forth　in　your　garments；　you　will　remain　with　hers。　　You　will　be　hanged；　perhaps；　but　she　will　be　saved。〃

Gringoire　scratched　his　ear；　with　a　very　serious　air。　〃Stay！〃　said　he；　〃that　is　an　idea　which　would　neve