the hunchback of notre dame-第128章

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　its　silence。　　The　archers　had　quitted　it　to　track　the　sorceress　in　the　city。　　Quasimodo；　left　alone　in　that　vast　Notre…Dame；　so　besieged　and　tumultuous　but　a　short　time　before；　once　more　betook　himself　to　the　cell　where　the　gypsy　had　slept　for　so　many　weeks　under　his　guardianship。

As　he　approached　it；　he　fancied　that　he　might；　perhaps；　find　her　there。　　When；　at　the　turn　of　the　gallery　which　opens　on　the　roof　of　the　side　aisles；　he　perceived　the　tiny　cell　with　its　little　window　and　its　little　door　crouching　beneath　a　great　flying　buttress　like　a　bird's　nest　under　a　branch；　the　poor　man's　heart　failed　him；　and　he　leaned　against　a　pillar　to　keep　from　falling。　　He　imagined　that　she　might　have　returned　thither；　that　some　good　genius　had；　no　doubt；　brought　her　back；　that　this　chamber　was　too　tranquil；　too　safe；　too　charming　for　her　not　to　be　there；　and　he　dared　not　take　another　step　for　fear　of　destroying　his　illusion。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃perchance　she　is　sleeping；　or　praying。　　I　must　not　disturb　her。〃

At　length　he　summoned　up　courage；　advanced　on　tiptoe；　looked；　entered。　　Empty。　　The　cell　was　still　empty。　　The　unhappy　deaf　man　walked　slowly　round　it；　lifted　the　bed　and　looked　beneath　it；　as　though　she　might　be　concealed　between　the　pavement　and　the　mattress；　then　he　shook　his　head　and　remained　stupefied。　　All　at　once；　he　crushed　his　torch　under　his　foot；　and；　without　uttering　a　word；　without　giving　vent　to　a　sigh；　he　flung　himself　at　full　speed；　head　foremost　against　the　wall；　and　fell　fainting　on　the　floor。

When　he　recovered　his　senses；　he　threw　himself　on　the　bed　and　rolling　about；　he　kissed　frantically　the　place　where　the　young　girl　had　slept　and　which　was　still　warm；　he　remained　there　for　several　moments　as　motionless　as　though　he　were　about　to　expire；　then　he　rose；　dripping　with　perspiration；　panting；　mad；　and　began　to　beat　his　head　against　the　wall　with　the　frightful　regularity　of　the　clapper　of　his　bells；　and　the　resolution　of　a　man　determined　to　kill　himself。　　At　length　he　fell　a　second　time；　exhausted；　he　dragged　himself　on　his　knees　outside　the　cell；　and　crouched　down　facing　the　door；　in　an　attitude　of　astonishment。

He　remained　thus　for　more　than　an　hour　without　making　a　movement；　with　his　eye　fixed　on　the　deserted　cell；　more　gloomy；　and　more　pensive　than　a　mother　seated　between　an　empty　cradle　and　a　full　coffin。　　He　uttered　not　a　word；　only　at　long　intervals；　a　sob　heaved　his　body　violently；　but　it　was　a　tearless　sob；　like　summer　lightning　which　makes　no　noise。

It　appears　to　have　been　then；　that；　seeking　at　the　bottom　of　his　lonely　thoughts　for　the　unexpected　abductor　of　the　gypsy；　he　thought　of　the　archdeacon。　　He　remembered　that　Dom　Claude　alone　possessed　a　key　to　the　staircase　leading　to　the　cell；　he　recalled　his　nocturnal　attempts　on　the　young　girl；　in　the　first　of　which　he；　Quasimodo；　had　assisted；　the　second　of　which　he　had　prevented。　　He　recalled　a　thousand　details；　and　soon　he　no　longer　doubted　that　the　archdeacon　had　taken　the　gypsy。　　Nevertheless；　such　was　his　respect　for　the　priest；　such　his　gratitude；　his　devotion；　his　love　for　this　man　had　taken　such　deep　root　in　his　heart；　that　they　resisted；　even　at　this　moment；　the　talons　of　jealousy　and　despair。

He　reflected　that　the　archdeacon　had　done　this　thing；　and　the　wrath　of　blood　and　death　which　it　would　have　evoked　in　him　against　any　other　person；　turned　in　the　poor　deaf　man；　from　the　moment　when　Claude　Frollo　was　in　question；　into　an　increase　of　grief　and　sorrow。

At　the　moment　when　his　thought　was　thus　fixed　upon　the　priest；　while　the　daybreak　was　whitening　the　flying　buttresses；　he　perceived　on　the　highest　story　of　Notre…Dame；　at　the　angle　formed　by　the　external　balustrade　as　it　makes　the　turn　of　the　chancel；　a　figure　walking。　　This　figure　was　coming　towards　him。　　He　recognized　it。　　It　was　the　archdeacon。

Claude　was　walking　with　a　slow；　grave　step。　　He　did　not　look　before　him　as　he　walked；　he　was　directing　his　course　towards　the　northern　tower；　but　his　face　was　turned　aside　towards　the　right　bank　of　the　Seine；　and　he　held　his　head　high；　as　though　trying　to　see　something　over　the　roofs。　　The　owl　often　assumes　this　oblique　attitude。　　It　flies　towards　one　point　and　looks　towards　another。　　In　this　manner　the　priest　passed　above　Quasimodo　without　seeing　him。

The　deaf　man；　who　had　been　petrified　by　this　sudden　apparition；　beheld　him　disappear　through　the　door　of　the　staircase　to　the　north　tower。　　The　reader　is　aware　that　this　is　the　tower　from　which　the　H？tel…de…Ville　is　visible。　Quasimodo　rose　and　followed　the　archdeacon。

Quasimodo　ascended　the　tower　staircase　for　the　sake　of　ascending　it；　for　the　sake　of　seeing　why　the　priest　was　ascending　it。　　Moreover；　the　poor　bellringer　did　not　know　what　he　（Quasimodo）　should　do；　what　he　should　say；　what　he　wished。　He　was　full　of　fury　and　full　of　fear。　　The　archdeacon　and　the　gypsy　had　come　into　conflict　in　his　heart。

When　he　reached　the　summit　of　the　tower；　before　emerging　from　the　shadow　of　the　staircase　and　stepping　upon　the　platform；　he　cautiously　examined　the　position　of　the　priest。　The　priest's　back　was　turned　to　him。　　There　is　an　openwork　balustrade　which　surrounds　the　platform　of　the　bell　tower。　The　priest；　whose　eyes　looked　down　upon　the　town；　was　resting　his　breast　on　that　one　of　the　four　sides　of　the　balustrades　which　looks　upon　the　Pont　Notre…Dame。

Quasimodo；　advancing　with　the　tread　of　a　wolf　behind　him；　went　to　see　what　he　was　gazing　at　thus。

The　priest's　attention　was　so　absorbed　elsewhere　that　he　did　not　hear　the　deaf　man　walking　behind　him。

Paris　is　a　magnificent　and　charming　spectacle；　and　especially　at　that　day；　viewed　from　the　top　of　the　towers　of　Notre…　Dame；　in　the　fresh　light　of　a　summer　dawn。　　The　day　might　have　been　in　July。　　The　sky　was　perfectly　serene。　　Some　tardy　stars　were　fading　away　at　various　points；　and　there　was　a　very　brilliant　one　in　the　east；　in　the　brightest　part　of　the　heavens。　　The　sun　was　about　to　appear；　Paris　was　beginning　to　move。　　A　very　white　and　very　pure　light　brought　out　vividly　to　the　eye　all　the　outlines　that　its　thousands　of　houses　present　to　the　east。　　The　giant　shadow　of　the　towers　leaped　from　roof　to　roof；　from　one　end　of　the　great　city　to　the　other。　There　were　several　quarters　from　which　were　already　heard　voices　and　noisy　sounds。　　Here　the　stroke　of　a　bell；　there　the　stroke　of　a　hammer；　beyond；　the　complicated　clatter　of　a　cart　in　motion。

Already　several　columns　of　smoke　were　being　belched　forth　from　the　chimneys　scattered　over　the　whole　surface　of　roofs；　as　through　the　fissures　of　an　immense　sulphurous　crater。　The　river；　which　ruffles　its　waters　against　the　arches　of　so　many　bridges；　against　the　points　of　so　many　islands；　was　wavering　with　silvery　folds。　　Around　the　city；　outside　the　ramparts；　sight　was　lost　in　a　great　circle　of　fleecy　vapors　through　which　one　confusedly　distinguished　the　indefinite　line　of　the　plains；　and　the　graceful　swell　of　the　heights。　　All　sorts　of　floating　sounds　were　dispersed　over　this　half…awakened　city。　　Towards　the　east；　the　morning　breeze　chased　a　few　soft　white　bits　of　wool　torn　from　the　misty　fleece　of　the　hills。

In　the　Parvis；　some　good　women；　who　had　their　milk　jugs　in　their　hands；　were　pointing　out　to　each　other；　with　astonishment；　the　singular　dilapidation　of　the　great　door　of　Notre…Dame；　and　the　two　solidified　streams　of　lead　in　the　crevices　of　the　stone。　　This　was　all　that　remained　of　the　tempest　of　the　night。　　The　bonfire　lighted　between　the　towers　by　Quasimodo　had　died　out。　　Tristan　had　already　cleared　up　the　Place；　and　had　the　dead　thrown　into　the　Seine。　　Kings　like　Louis　XI。　are　careful　to　clean　the　pavement　quickly　after　a　massacre。

Outside　the　balustrade　of　the　tower；　directly　under　the　point　where　the　priest　had　paused；　there　was　one　of　those　fantastically　carved　stone　gutters　with　which　Gothic　edifices　bristle；　and；　in　a　crevice　of　that　gutter；　two　pretty　wallflowers　in　blossom；　shaken　out　and　vivified；　as　it　were；　by　the　breath　of　air；　made　frolicsome　salutations　to　each　other。　　Above　the　towers；　on　high；　far　away　in　the　depths　of　the　sky；　the　cries　of　little　birds　were　heard。

But　the　priest　was　not　listening　to；　was　not　looking　at；　anything　of　all　this。　　He　was　one　o