the hunchback of notre dame-第107章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Quasimodo could not； unfortunately； hear these words uttered with a sort of sombre and savage majesty。 A vagabond presented his banner to Clopin； who planted it solemnly between two paving…stones。 It was a pitchfork from whose points hung a bleeding quarter of carrion meat。
That done； the King of Thunes turned round and cast his eyes over his army； a fierce multitude whose glances flashed almost equally with their pikes。 After a momentary pause；〃Forward； my Sons！〃 he cried； 〃to work； locksmiths！〃
Thirty bold men； square shouldered； and with pick…lock faces； stepped from the ranks； with hammers； pincers； and bars of iron on their shoulders。 They betook themselves to the principal door of the church； ascended the steps； and were soon to be seen squatting under the arch； working at the door with pincers and levers； a throng of vagabonds followed them to help or look on。 The eleven steps before the portal were covered with them。
But the door stood firm。 〃The devil！ 'tis hard and obstinate！〃 said one。 〃It is old； and its gristles have become bony；〃 said another。 〃Courage； comrades！〃 resumed Clopin。 〃I wager my head against a dipper that you will have opened the door； rescued the girl； and despoiled the chief altar before a single beadle is awake。 Stay！ I think I hear the lock breaking up。〃
Clopin was interrupted by a frightful uproar which re… sounded behind him at that moment。 He wheeled round。 An enormous beam had just fallen from above； it had crushed a dozen vagabonds on the pavement with the sound of a cannon； breaking in addition； legs here and there in the crowd of beggars； who sprang aside with cries of terror。 In a twinkling； the narrow precincts of the church parvis were cleared。 The locksmiths； although protected by the deep vaults of the portal； abandoned the door and Clopin himself retired to a respectful distance from the church。
〃I had a narrow escape！〃 cried Jehan。 〃I felt the wind； of it； ~tête…de…boeuf~！ but Pierre the Slaughterer is slaughtered！〃
It is impossible to describe the astonishment mingled with fright which fell upon the ruffians in company with this beam。
They remained for several minutes with their eyes in the air； more dismayed by that piece of wood than by the king's twenty thousand archers。
〃Satan！〃 muttered the Duke of Egypt； 〃this smacks of magic！〃
〃'Tis the moon which threw this log at us；〃 said Andry the Red。
〃Call the moon the friend of the Virgin； after that！〃 went on Francois Chanteprune。
〃A thousand popes！〃 exclaimed Clopin； 〃you are all fools！〃 But he did not know how to explain the fall of the beam。
Meanwhile； nothing could be distinguished on the fa？ade； to whose summit the light of the torches did not reach。 The heavy beam lay in the middle of the enclosure； and groans were heard from the poor wretches who had received its first shock； and who had been almost cut in twain； on the angle of the stone steps。
The King of Thunes； his first amazement passed； finally found an explanation which appeared plausible to his companions。
〃Throat of God！ are the canons defending themselves？ To the sack； then！ to the sack！〃
〃To the sack！〃 repeated the rabble； with a furious hurrah。 A discharge of crossbows and hackbuts against the front of the church followed。
At this detonation； the peaceable inhabitants of the surrounding houses woke up； many windows were seen to open； and nightcaps and hands holding candles appeared at the casements。
〃Fire at the windows；〃 shouted Clopin。 The windows were immediately closed； and the poor bourgeois； who had hardly had time to cast a frightened glance on this scene of gleams and tumult； returned； perspiring with fear to their wives； asking themselves whether the witches' sabbath was now being held in the parvis of Notre…Dame； or whether there was an assault of Burgundians； as in '64。 Then the husbands thought of theft； the wives； of rape； and all trembled。
〃To the sack！〃 repeated the thieves' crew； but they dared not approach。 They stared at the beam； they stared at the church。 The beam did not stir； the edifice preserved its calm and deserted air； but something chilled the outcasts。
〃To work； locksmiths！〃 shouted Trouillefou。 〃Let the door be forced！〃
No one took a step。
〃Beard and belly！〃 said Clopin； 〃here be men afraid of a beam。〃
An old locksmith addressed him
〃Captain； 'tis not the beam which bothers us； 'tis the door； which is all covered with iron bars。 Our pincers are powerless against it。〃
〃What more do you want to break it in？〃 demanded Clopin。
〃Ah！ we ought to have a battering ram。〃
The King of Thunes ran boldly to the formidable beam； and placed his foot upon it： 〃Here is one！〃 he exclaimed； 〃'tis the canons who send it to you。〃 And； making a mocking salute in the direction of the church； 〃Thanks； canons！〃
This piece of bravado produced its effects；the spell of the beam was broken。 The vagabonds recovered their courage； soon the heavy joist； raised like a feather by two hundred vigorous arms； was flung with fury against the great door which they had tried to batter down。 At the sight of that long beam； in the half…light which the infrequent torches of the brigands spread over the Place； thus borne by that crowd of men who dashed it at a run against the church； one would have thought that he beheld a monstrous beast with a thousand feet attacking with lowered head the giant of stone。
At the shock of the beam； the half metallic door sounded like an immense drum； it was not burst in； but the whole cathedral trembled； and the deepest cavities of the edifice were heard to echo。
At the same moment； a shower of large stones began to fall from the top of the fa？ade on the assailants。
〃The devil！〃 cried Jehan； 〃are the towers shaking their balustrades down on our heads？〃
But the impulse had been given； the King of Thunes had set the example。 Evidently； the bishop was defending himself； and they only battered the door with the more rage； in spite of the stones which cracked skulls right and left。
It was remarkable that all these stones fell one by one； but they followed each other closely。 The thieves always felt two at a time； one on their legs and one on their heads。 There were few which did not deal their blow； and a large layer of dead and wounded lay bleeding and panting beneath the feet of the assailants who； now grown furious； replaced each other without intermission。 The long beam continued to belabor the door； at regular intervals； like the clapper of a bell； the stones to rain down； the door to groan。
The reader has no doubt divined that this unexpected resistance which had exasperated the outcasts came from Quasimodo。
Chance had； unfortunately； favored the brave deaf man。
When he had descended to the platform between the towers； his ideas were all in confusion。 He had run up and down along the gallery for several minutes like a madman； surveying from above； the compact mass of vagabonds ready to hurl itself on the church； demanding the safety of the gypsy from the devil or from God。 The thought had occurred to him of ascending to the southern belfry and sounding the alarm； but before he could have set the bell in motion； before Marie's voice could have uttered a single clamor； was there not time to burst in the door of the church ten times over？ It was precisely the moment when the locksmiths were advancing upon it with their tools。 What was to be done？
All at once； he remembered that some masons had been at work all day repairing the wall； the timber…work； and the roof of the south tower。 This was a flash of light。 The wall was of stone； the roof of lead； the timber…work of wood。 （That prodigious timber…work； so dense that it was called 〃the forest。〃）
Quasimodo hastened to that tower。 The lower chambers were； in fact； full of materials。 There were piles of rough blocks of stone； sheets of lead in rolls； bundles of laths； heavy beams already notched with the saw； heaps of plaster。
Time was pressing； The pikes and hammers were at work below。 With a strength which the sense of danger increased tenfold； he seized one of the beamsthe longest and heaviest； he pushed it out through a loophole； then； grasping it agai
