the hunchback of notre dame-第125章

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〃'Tis　true；〃　said　another　archer；　〃I　was　there。〃

Always　and　everywhere　people　are　to　be　found　who　have　seen　everything。　　This　unexpected　testimony　from　the　archer　re…encouraged　the　recluse；　whom　this　interrogatory　was　forcing　to　cross　an　abyss　on　the　edge　of　a　knife。　　But　she　was　condemned　to　a　perpetual　alternative　of　hope　and　alarm。

〃If　it　was　a　cart　which　did　it；〃　retorted　the　first　soldier；　〃the　stumps　of　the　bars　should　be　thrust　inwards；　while　they　actually　are　pushed　outwards。〃

〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　Tristan　to　the　soldier；　〃you　have　the　nose　of　an　inquisitor　of　the　Chatelet。　　Reply　to　what　he　says；　old　woman。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　driven　to　bay；　and　in　a　voice　that　was　full　of　tears　in　despite　of　her　efforts；　〃I　swear　to　you；　monseigneur；　that　'twas　a　cart　which　broke　those　bars。　You　hear　the　man　who　saw　it。　　And　then；　what　has　that　to　do　with　your　gypsy？〃

〃Hum！〃　growled　Tristan。

〃The　devil！〃　went　on　the　soldier；　flattered　by　the　provost's　praise；　〃these　fractures　of　the　iron　are　perfectly　fresh。〃

Tristan　tossed　his　head。　　She　turned　pale。

〃How　long　ago；　say　you；　did　the　cart　do　it？〃

〃A　month；　a　fortnight；　perhaps；　monseigheur；　I　know　not。〃

〃She　first　said　more　than　a　year；〃　observed　the　soldier。

〃That　is　suspicious；〃　said　the　provost。

〃Monseigneur！〃　she　cried；　still　pressed　against　the　opening；　and　trembling　lest　suspicion　should　lead　them　to　thrust　their　heads　through　and　look　into　her　cell；　〃monseigneur；　I　swear　to　you　that　'twas　a　cart　which　broke　this　grating。　　I　swear　it　to　you　by　the　angels　of　paradise。　　If　it　was　not　a　cart；　may　I　be　eternally　damned；　and　I　reject　God！〃

〃You　put　a　great　deal　of　heat　into　that　oath；〃　said　Tristan；　with　his　inquisitorial　glance。

The　poor　woman　felt　her　assurance　vanishing　more　and　more。　　She　had　reached　the　point　of　blundering；　and　she　comprehended　with　terror　that　she　was　saying　what　she　ought　not　to　have　said。

Here　another　soldier　came　up；　crying；

〃Monsieur；　the　old　hag　lies。　　The　sorceress　did　not　flee　through　the　Rue　de　Mouton。　　The　street　chain　has　remained　stretched　all　night；　and　the　chain　guard　has　seen　no　one　pass。〃

Tristan；　whose　face　became　more　sinister　with　every　moment；　addressed　the　recluse；

〃What　have　you　to　say　to　that？〃

She　tried　to　make　head　against　this　new　incident；

〃That　I　do　not　know；　monseigneur；　that　I　may　have　been　mistaken。　　I　believe；　in　fact；　that　she　crossed　the　water。〃

〃That　is　in　the　opposite　direction；〃　said　the　provost；　〃and　it　is　not　very　likely　that　she　would　wish　to　re…enter　the　city；　where　she　was　being　pursued。　　You　are　lying；　old　woman。〃

〃And　then；〃　added　the　first　soldier；　〃there　is　no　boat　either　on　this　side　of　the　stream　or　on　the　other。〃

〃She　swam　across；〃　replied　the　recluse；　defending　her　ground　foot　by　foot。

〃Do　women　swim？〃　said　the　soldier。

〃~Tête　Dieu~！　old　woman！　　You　are　lying！〃　repeated　Tristan　angrily。　　〃I　have　a　good　mind　to　abandon　that　sorceress　and　take　you。　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　of　torture　will；　perchance；　draw　the　truth　from　your　throat。　　Come！　　You　are　to　follow　us。〃

She　seized　on　these　words　with　avidity。

〃As　you　please；　monseigneur。　　Do　it。　　Do　it。　　Torture。　　I　am　willing。　　Take　me　away。　　Quick；　quick！　let　us　set　out　at　once！During　that　time；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃my　daughter　will　make　her　escape。〃

〃'S　death！〃　said　the　provost；　〃what　an　appetite　for　the　rack！　　I　understand　not　this　madwoman　at　all。〃

An　old；　gray…haired　sergeant　of　the　guard　stepped　out　of　the　ranks；　and　addressing　the　provost；

〃Mad　in　sooth；　monseigneur。　　If　she　released　the　gypsy；　it　was　not　her　fault；　for　she　loves　not　the　gypsies。　　I　have　been　of　the　watch　these　fifteen　years；　and　I　hear　her　every　evening　cursing　the　Bohemian　women　with　endless　imprecations。　　If　the　one　of　whom　we　are　in　pursuit　is；　as　I　suppose；　the　little　dancer　with　the　goat；　she　detests　that　one　above　all　the　rest。〃

Gudule　made　an　effort　and　said；

〃That　one　above　all。〃

The　unanimous　testimony　of　the　men　of　the　watch　confirmed　the　old　sergeant's　words　to　the　provost。　　Tristan　l'Hermite；　in　despair　at　extracting　anything　from　the　recluse；　turned　his　back　on　her；　and　with　unspeakable　anxiety　she　beheld　him　direct　his　course　slowly　towards　his　horse。

〃Come！〃　he　said；　between　his　teeth；　〃March　on！　let　us　set　out　again　on　the　quest。　　I　shall　not　sleep　until　that　gypsy　is　hanged。〃

But　he　still　hesitated　for　some　time　before　mounting　his　horse。　　Gudule　palpitated　between　life　and　death；　as　she　beheld　him　cast　about　the　Place　that　uneasy　look　of　a　hunting　dog　which　instinctively　feels　that　the　lair　of　the　beast　is　close　to　him；　and　is　loath　to　go　away。　　At　length　he　shook　his　head　and　leaped　into　his　saddle。　　Gudule's　horribly　compressed　heart　now　dilated；　and　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　as　she　cast　a　glance　at　her　daughter；　whom　she　had　not　ventured　to　look　at　while　they　were　there；　〃Saved！〃

The　poor　child　had　remained　all　this　time　in　her　corner；　without　breathing；　without　moving；　with　the　idea　of　death　before　her。　　She　had　lost　nothing　of　the　scene　between　Gudule　and　Tristan；　and　the　anguish　of　her　mother　had　found　its　echo　in　her　heart。　　She　had　heard　all　the　successive　snappings　of　the　thread　by　which　she　hung　suspended　over　the　gulf；　twenty　times　she　had　fancied　that　she　saw　it　break；　and　at　last　she　began　to　breathe　again　and　to　feel　her　foot　on　firm　ground。　At　that　moment　she　heard　a　voice　saying　to　the　provost：　〃~Corboeuf~！　　Monsieur　le　Prev？t；　'tis　no　affair　of　mine；　a　man　of　arms；　to　hang　witches。　　The　rabble　of　the　populace　is　suppressed。　　I　leave　you　to　attend　to　the　matter　alone。　You　will　allow　me　to　rejoin　my　company；　who　are　waiting　for　their　captain。〃

The　voice　was　that　of　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers；　that　which　took　place　within　her　was　ineffable。　　He　was　there；　her　friend；　her　protector；　her　support；　her　refuge；　her　Phoebus。　　She　rose；　and　before　her　mother　could　prevent　her；　she　had　rushed　to　the　window；　crying；

〃Phoebus！　aid　me；　my　Phoebus！〃

Phoebus　was　no　longer　there。　　He　had　just　turned　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Coutellerie　at　a　gallop。　　But　Tristan　had　not　yet　taken　his　departure。

The　recluse　rushed　upon　her　daughter　with　a　roar　of　agony。　She　dragged　her　violently　back；　digging　her　nails　into　her　neck。　　A　tigress　mother　does　not　stand　on　trifles。　　But　it　was　too　late。　　Tristan　had　seen。

〃Hé！　hé！〃　he　exclaimed　with　a　laugh　which　laid　bare　all　his　teeth　and　made　his　face　resemble　the　muzzle　of　a　wolf；　〃two　mice　in　the　trap！〃

〃I　suspected　as　much；〃　said　the　soldier。

Tristan　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder；

〃You　are　a　good　cat！　　Come！〃　he　added；　〃where　is　Henriet　Cousin？〃

A　man　who　had　neither　the　garments　nor　the　air　of　a　soldier；　stepped　from　the　ranks。　　He　wore　a　costume　half　gray；　half　brown；　flat　hair；　leather　sleeves；　and　carried　a　bundle　of　ropes　in　his　huge　hand。　　This　man　always　attended　Tristan；　who　always　attended　Louis　XI。

〃Friend；〃　said　Tristan　l'Hermite；　〃I　presume　that　this　is　the　sorceress　of　whom　we　are　in　search。　　You　will　hang　me　this　one。　　Have　you　your　ladder？〃

〃There　is　one　yonder；　under　the　shed　of　the　Pillar…House；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃Is　it　on　this　justice　that　the　thing　is　to　be　done？〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　stone　gibbet。

〃Yes。〃

〃Ho；　hé！〃　continued　the　man　with　a　huge　laugh；　which　was　still　more　brutal　than　that　of　the　provost；　〃we　shall　not　have　far　to　go。〃

〃Make　haste！〃　said　Tristan；　〃you　shall　laugh　afterwards。〃

In　the　meantime；　the　recluse　had　not　uttered　another　word　since　Tristan　had　seen　her　daughter　and　all　hope　was　lost。　She　had　flung　the　poor　gypsy；　half　dead；　into　the　corner　of　the　cellar；　and　had　placed　herself　once　more　at　the　window　with　both　hands　resting　on　the　angle　of　the　sill　like　two　claws。　　In　this　attitude　she　was　seen　to　cast　upon　all　those　soldiers　her　glance　which　had　become　wild　and　frantic　once　more。　　At　the　moment　when　Rennet　Cousin　approached　her　cell；　she　showed　him　so　savage　a　face　that　he　shrank　back。

〃Monseigneur；〃　he　said；　returning　to　the　provost；　〃which　am　I　to　take？〃

〃The　young　one。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　for　the　old　one　seemeth　difficult。〃

〃Poor　little　dancer　with　the　goat！〃　said　the　old　sergeant　of　the　watch。

Rennet　Cousin　approached　the　window