the hunchback of notre dame-第123章

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hanged！〃

She　turned　a　dying　look　towards　the　window；　and　she　beheld　the　fierce　face　of　the　sacked　nun　through　the　bars。

〃What　have　I　done　to　you？〃　she　said；　almost　lifeless。

The　recluse　did　not　reply；　but　began　to　mumble　with　a　singsong　irritated；　mocking　intonation：　〃Daughter　of　Egypt！　daughter　of　Egypt！　daughter　of　Egypt！〃

The　unhappy　Esmeralda　dropped　her　head　beneath　her　flowing　hair；　comprehending　that　it　was　no　human　being　she　had　to　deal　with。

All　at　once　the　recluse　exclaimed；　as　though　the　gypsy's　question　had　taken　all　this　time　to　reach　her　brain；〃'What　have　you　done　to　me？'　you　say！　　Ah！　what　have　you　done　to　me；　gypsy！　　Well！　listen。I　had　a　child！　you　see！　　I　had　a　child！　a　child；　I　tell　you！a　pretty　little　girl！my　Agnes！〃　she　went　on　wildly；　kissing　something　in　the　dark。〃Well！　do　you　see；　daughter　of　Egypt？　they　took　my　child　from　me；　they　stole　my　child；　they　ate　my　child。　　That　is　what　you　have　done　to　me。〃

The　young　girl　replied　like　a　lamb；

〃Alas！　perchance　I　was　not　born　then！〃

〃Oh！　yes！〃　returned　the　recluse；　〃you　must　have　been　born。　　You　were　among　them。　　She　would　be　the　same　age　as　you！　so！I　have　been　here　fifteen　years；　fifteen　years　have　I　suffered；　fifteen　years　have　I　prayed；　fifteen　years　have　I　beat　my　head　against　these　four　wallsI　tell　you　that　'twas　the　gypsies　who　stole　her　from　me；　do　you　hear　that？　and　who　ate　her　with　their　teeth。Have　you　a　heart？　imagine　a　child　playing；　a　child　sucking；　a　child　sleeping。　　It　is　so　innocent　a　thing！Well！　that；　that　is　what　they　took　from　me；　what　they　killed。　　The　good　God　knows　it　well！　　To…day；　it　is　my　turn；　I　am　going　to　eat　the　gypsy。Oh！　　I　would　bite　you　well；　if　the　bars　did　not　prevent　me！　　My　head　is　too　large！Poor　little　one！　while　she　was　asleep！　　And　if　they　woke　her　up　when　they　took　her；　in　vain　she　might　cry；　I　was　not　there！Ah！　gypsy　mothers；　you　devoured　my　child！　come　see　your　own。〃

Then　she　began　to　laugh　or　to　gnash　her　teeth；　for　the　two　things　resembled　each　other　in　that　furious　face。　　The　day　was　beginning　to　dawn。　　An　ashy　gleam　dimly　lighted　this　scene；　and　the　gallows　grew　more　and　more　distinct　in　the　square。　　On　the　other　side；　in　the　direction　of　the　bridge　of　Notre…Dame；　the　poor　condemned　girl　fancied　that　she　heard　the　sound　of　cavalry　approaching。

〃Madam；〃　she　cried；　clasping　her　hands　and　falling　on　her　knees；　dishevelled；　distracted；　mad　with　fright；　〃madam！　have　pity！　　They　are　coming。　　I　have　done　nothing　to　you。　　Would　you　wish　to　see　me　die　in　this　horrible　fashion　before　your　very　eyes？　　You　are　pitiful；　I　am　sure。　　It　is　too　frightful。　Let　me　make　my　escape。　　Release　me！　　Mercy。　　I　do　not　wish　to　die　like　that！〃

〃Give　me　back　my　child！〃　said　the　recluse。

〃Mercy！　　Mercy！〃

〃Give　me　back　my　child！〃

〃Release　me；　in　the　name　of　heaven！〃

〃Give　me　back　my　child！〃

Again　the　young　girl　fell；　exhausted；　broken；　and　having　already　the　glassy　eye　of　a　person　in　the　grave。

〃Alas！〃　she　faltered；　〃you　seek　your　child；　I　seek　my　parents。〃

〃Give　me　back　my　little　Agnes！〃　pursued　Gudule。　　〃You　do　not　know　where　she　is？　　Then　die！I　will　tell　you。　　I　was　a　woman　of　the　town；　I　had　a　child；　they　took　my　child。　It　was　the　gypsies。　　You　see　plainly　that　you　must　die。　When　your　mother；　the　gypsy；　comes　to　reclaim　you；　I　shall　say　to　her：　'Mother；　look　at　that　gibbet！Or；　give　me　back　my　child。　　Do　you　know　where　she　is；　my　little　daughter？　Stay！　　I　will　show　you。　　Here　is　her　shoe；　all　that　is　left　me　of　her。　　Do　you　know　where　its　mate　is？　　If　you　know；　tell　me；　and　if　it　is　only　at　the　other　end　of　the　world；　I　will　crawl　to　it　on　my　knees。〃

As　she　spoke　thus；　with　her　other　arm　extended　through　the　window；　she　showed　the　gypsy　the　little　embroidered　shoe。　It　was　already　light　enough　to　distinguish　its　shape　and　its　colors。

〃Let　me　see　that　shoe；〃　said　the　gypsy；　quivering。　　〃God！　God！〃

And　at　the　same　time；　with　her　hand　which　was　at　liberty；　she　quickly　opened　the　little　bag　ornamented　with　green　glass；　which　she　wore　about　her　neck。

〃Go　on；　go　on！〃　grumbled　Gudule；　〃search　your　demon's　amulet！〃

All　at　once；　she　stopped　short；　trembled　in　every　limb；　and　cried　in　a　voice　which　proceeded　from　the　very　depths　of　her　being：　〃My　daughter！〃

The　gypsy　had　just　drawn　from　the　bag　a　little　shoe　absolutely　similar　to　the　other。　　To　this　little　shoe　was　attached　a　parchment　on　which　was　inscribed　this　charm；


　　　　　　　　　~Quand　le　parell　retrouveras　　　　　　　　　　Ta　mere　te　tendras　les　bras~。*


*　When　thou　shalt　find　its　mate；　thy　mother　will　stretch　out　her　arms　to　thee。


Quicker　than　a　flash　of　lightning；　the　recluse　had　laid　the　two　shoes　together；　had　read　the　parchment　and　had　put　close　to　the　bars　of　the　window　her　face　beaming　with　celestial　joy　as　she　cried；

〃My　daughter！　　my　daughter！〃

〃My　mother！〃　said　the　gypsy。

Here　we　are　unequal　to　the　task　of　depicting　the　scene。　The　wall　and　the　iron　bars　were　between　them。　　〃Oh！　the　wall！〃　cried　the　recluse。　　〃Oh！　to　see　her　and　not　to　embrace　her！　　Your　hand！　your　hand！〃

The　young　girl　passed　her　arm　through　the　opening；　the　recluse　threw　herself　on　that　hand；　pressed　her　lips　to　it　and　there　remained；　buried　in　that　kiss；　giving　no　other　sign　of　life　than　a　sob　which　heaved　her　breast　from　time　to　time。　In　the　meanwhile；　she　wept　in　torrents；　in　silence；　in　the　dark；　like　a　rain　at　night。　　The　poor　mother　poured　out　in　floods　upon　that　adored　hand　the　dark　and　deep　well　of　tears；　which　lay　within　her；　and　into　which　her　grief　had　filtered；　drop　by　drop；　for　fifteen　years。

All　at　once　she　rose；　flung　aside　her　long　gray　hair　from　her　brow；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　began　to　shake　the　bars　of　her　cage　cell；　with　both　hands；　more　furiously　than　a　lioness。　The　bars　held　firm。　　Then　she　went　to　seek　in　the　corner　of　her　cell　a　huge　paving　stone；　which　served　her　as　a　pillow；　and　launched　it　against　them　with　such　violence　that　one　of　the　bars　broke；　emitting　thousands　of　sparks。　　A　second　blow　completely　shattered　the　old　iron　cross　which　barricaded　the　window。　　Then　with　her　two　hands；　she　finished　breaking　and　removing　the　rusted　stumps　of　the　bars。　　There　are　moments　when　woman's　hands　possess　superhuman　strength。

A　passage　broken；　less　than　a　minute　was　required　for　her　to　seize　her　daughter　by　the　middle　of　her　body；　and　draw　her　into　her　cell。　　〃Come　let　me　draw　you　out　of　the　abyss；〃　she　murmured。

When　her　daughter　was　inside　the　cell；　she　laid　her　gently　on　the　ground；　then　raised　her　up　again；　and　bearing　her　in　her　arms　as　though　she　were　still　only　her　little　Agnes；　she　walked　to　and　fro　in　her　little　room；　intoxicated；　frantic；　joyous；　crying　out；　singing；　kissing　her　daughter；　talking　to　her；　bursting　into　laughter；　melting　into　tears；　all　at　once　and　with　vehemence。

〃My　daughter！　my　daughter！〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　my　daughter！　here　she　is！　　The　good　God　has　given　her　back　to　me！　Ha　you！　come　all　of　you！　　Is　there　any　one　there　to　see　that　I　have　my　daughter？　　Lord　Jesus；　how　beautiful　she　is！　　You　have　made　me　wait　fifteen　years；　my　good　God；　but　it　was　in　order　to　give　her　back　to　me　beautiful。Then　the　gypsies　did　not　eat　her！　　Who　said　so？　　My　little　daughter！　my　little　daughter！　　Kiss　me。　　Those　good　gypsies！　　I　love　the　gypsies！It　is　really　you！　　That　was　what　made　my　heart　leap　every　time　that　you　passed　by。　　And　I　took　that　for　hatred！　　Forgive　me；　my　Agnes；　forgive　me。　　You　thought　me　very　malicious；　did　you　not？　　I　love　you。　　Have　you　still　the　little　mark　on　your　neck？　　Let　us　see。　　She　still　has　it。　Oh！　you　are　beautiful！　　It　was　I　who　gave　you　those　big　eyes；　mademoiselle。　　Kiss　me。　　I　love　you。　　It　is　nothing　to　me　that　other　mothers　have　children；　I　scorn　them　now。　They　have　only　to　come　and　see。　　Here　is　mine。　　See　her　neck；　her　eyes；　her　hair；　her　hands。　　Find　me　anything　as　beautiful　as　that！　　Oh！　　I　promise　you　she　will　have　lovers；　that　she　will！　　I　have　wept　for　fifteen　years。　　All　my　beauty　has　departed　and　has　fallen　to　her。　　Kiss　me。〃

She　addressed　to　her　a　thousand　other　extravagant　remarks；　whose　accent　constituted　their　sole　beauty；　disarranged　the　poor　girl's　garments　even　to　the　point　of　making　her　blush；　smoothed　her　silky　hair　with　her　hand；　kissed　her　foot；　he