the hunchback of notre dame-第13章

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〃Whew！〃

The　men；　on　the　contrary；　were　delighted　and　applauded。　Quasimodo；　the　object　of　the　tumult；　still　stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　chapel；　sombre　and　grave；　and　allowed　them　to　admire　him。

One　scholar　（Robin　Poussepain；　I　think）；　came　and　laughed　in　his　face；　and　too　close。　　Quasimodo　contented　himself　with　taking　him　by　the　girdle；　and　hurling　him　ten　paces　off　amid　the　crowd；　all　without　uttering　a　word。

Master　Coppenole；　in　amazement；　approached　him。

〃Cross　of　God！　　Holy　Father！　you　possess　the　handsomest　ugliness　that　I　have　ever　beheld　in　my　life。　　You　would　deserve　to　be　pope　at　Rome；　as　well　as　at　Paris。〃

So　saying；　he　placed　his　hand　gayly　on　his　shoulder。　　Quasimodo　did　not　stir。　　Coppenole　went　on；

〃You　are　a　rogue　with　whom　I　have　a　fancy　for　carousing；　were　it　to　cost　me　a　new　dozen　of　twelve　livres　of　Tours。　How　does　it　strike　you？〃

Quasimodo　made　no　reply。

〃Cross　of　God！〃　said　the　hosier；　〃are　you　deaf？〃

He　was；　in　truth；　deaf。

Nevertheless；　he　began　to　grow　impatient　with　Coppenole's　behavior；　and　suddenly　turned　towards　him　with　so　formidable　a　gnashing　of　teeth；　that　the　Flemish　giant　recoiled；　like　a　bull…dog　before　a　cat。

Then　there　was　created　around　that　strange　personage；　a　circle　of　terror　and　respect；　whose　radius　was　at　least　fifteen　geometrical　feet。　　An　old　woman　explained　to　Coppenole　that　Quasimodo　was　deaf。

〃Deaf！〃　said　the　hosier；　with　his　great　Flemish　laugh。　〃Cross　of　God！　　He's　a　perfect　pope！〃

〃He！　　I　recognize　him；〃　exclaimed　Jehan；　who　had；　at　last；　descended　from　his　capital；　in　order　to　see　Quasimodo　at　closer　quarters；　〃he's　the　bellringer　of　my　brother；　the　archdeacon。　Good…day；　Quasimodo！〃

〃What　a　devil　of　a　man！〃　said　Robin　Poussepain　still　all　bruised　with　his　fall。　　〃He　shows　himself；　he's　a　hunchback。　He　walks；　he's　bandy…legged。　　He　looks　at　you；　he's　one…eyed。　You　speak　to　him；　he's　deaf。　　And　what　does　this　Polyphemus　do　with　his　tongue？〃

〃He　speaks　when　he　chooses；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃he　became　deaf　through　ringing　the　bells。　　He　is　not　dumb。〃

〃That　he　lacks；〃　remarks　Jehan。

〃And　he　has　one　eye　too　many；〃　added　Robin　Poussepain。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Jehan　wisely。　　〃A　one…eyed　man　is　far　less　complete　than　a　blind　man。　　He　knows　what　he　lacks。〃

In　the　meantime；　all　the　beggars；　all　the　lackeys；　all　the　cutpurses；　joined　with　the　scholars；　had　gone　in　procession　to　seek；　in　the　cupboard　of　the　law　clerks'　company；　the　cardboard　tiara；　and　the　derisive　robe　of　the　Pope　of　the　Fools。　　Quasimodo　allowed　them　to　array　him　in　them　without　wincing；　and　with　a　sort　of　proud　docility。　　Then　they　made　him　seat　himself　on　a　motley　litter。　　Twelve　officers　of　the　fraternity　of　fools　raised　him　on　their　shoulders；　and　a　sort　of　bitter　and　disdainful　joy　lighted　up　the　morose　face　of　the　cyclops；　when　he　beheld　beneath　his　deformed　feet　all　those　heads　of　handsome；　straight；　well…made　men。　　Then　the　ragged　and　howling　procession　set　out　on　its　march；　according　to　custom；　around　the　inner　galleries　of　the　Courts；　before　making　the　circuit　of　the　streets　and　squares。




CHAPTER　VI。

ESMERALDA。



We　are　delighted　to　be　able　to　inform　the　reader；　that　during　the　whole　of　this　scene；　Gringoire　and　his　piece　had　stood　firm。　　His　actors；　spurred　on　by　him；　had　not　ceased　to　spout　his　comedy；　and　he　had　not　ceased　to　listen　to　it。　　He　had　made　up　his　mind　about　the　tumult；　and　was　determined　to　proceed　to　the　end；　not　giving　up　the　hope　of　a　return　of　attention　on　the　part　of　the　public。　　This　gleam　of　hope　acquired　fresh　life；　when　he　saw　Quasimodo；　Coppenole；　and　the　deafening　escort　of　the　pope　of　the　procession　of　fools　quit　the　hall　amid　great　uproar。　　The　throng　rushed　eagerly　after　them。　　〃Good；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃there　go　all　the　mischief…　makers。〃　　Unfortunately；　all　the　mischief…makers　constituted　the　entire　audience。　　In　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　the　grand　hall　was　empty。

To　tell　the　truth；　a　few　spectators　still　remained；　some　scattered；　others　in　groups　around　the　pillars；　women；　old　men；　or　children；　who　had　had　enough　of　the　uproar　and　tumult。　　Some　scholars　were　still　perched　astride　of　the　window…sills；　engaged　in　gazing　into　the　Place。

〃Well；〃　thought　Gringoire；　〃here　are　still　as　many　as　are　required　to　hear　the　end　of　my　mystery。　　They　are　few　in　number；　but　it　is　a　choice　audience；　a　lettered　audience。〃

An　instant　later；　a　symphony　which　had　been　intended　to　produce　the　greatest　effect　on　the　arrival　of　the　Virgin；　was　lacking。　　Gringoire　perceived　that　his　music　had　been　carried　off　by　the　procession　of　the　Pope　of　the　Fools。　　〃Skip　it；〃　said　he；　stoically。

He　approached　a　group　of　bourgeois；　who　seemed　to　him　to　be　discussing　his　piece。　　This　is　the　fragment　of　conversation　which　he　caught；

〃You　know；　Master　Cheneteau；　the　H？tel　de　Navarre；　which　belonged　to　Monsieur　de　Nemours？〃

〃Yes；　opposite　the　Chapelle　de　Braque。〃

〃Well；　the　treasury　has　just　let　it　to　Guillaume　Alixandre；　historian；　for　six　hivres；　eight　sols；　parisian；　a　year。〃

〃How　rents　are　going　up！〃

〃Come；〃　said　Gringoire　to　himself；　with　a　sigh；　〃the　others　are　listening。〃

〃Comrades；〃　suddenly　shouted　one　of　the　young　scamps　from　the　window；　〃La　Esmeralda！　　La　Esmeralda　in　the　Place！〃

This　word　produced　a　magical　effect。　　Every　one　who　was　left　in　the　hall　flew　to　the　windows；　climbing　the　walls　in　order　to　see；　and　repeating；　〃La　Esmeralda！　　La　Esmeralda？〃　At　the　same　time；　a　great　sound　of　applause　was　heard　from　without。

〃What's　the　meaning　of　this；　of　the　Esmeralda？〃　said　Gringoire；　wringing　his　hands　in　despair。　　〃Ah；　good　heavens！　it　seems　to　be　the　turn　of　the　windows　now。〃

He　returned　towards　the　marble　table；　and　saw　that　the　representation　had　been　interrupted。　　It　was　precisely　at　the　instant　when　Jupiter　should　have　appeared　with　his　thunder。　　But　Jupiter　was　standing　motionless　at　the　foot　of　the　stage。

〃Michel　Giborne！〃　cried　the　irritated　poet；　〃what　are　you　doing　there？　　Is　that　your　part？　　Come　up！〃

〃Alas！〃　said　Jupiter；　〃a　scholar　has　just　seized　the　ladder。〃

Gringoire　looked。　　It　was　but　too　true。　　All　communication　between　his　plot　and　its　solution　was　intercepted。

〃The　rascal；〃　he　murmured。　　〃And　why　did　he　take　that　ladder？〃

〃In　order　to　go　and　see　the　Esmeralda；〃　replied　Jupiter　piteously。　　〃He　said；　'Come；　here's　a　ladder　that's　of　no　use！'　and　he　took　it。〃

This　was　the　last　blow。　　Gringoire　received　it　with　resignation。

〃May　the　devil　fly　away　with　you！〃　he　said　to　the　comedian；　〃and　if　I　get　my　pay；　you　shall　receive　yours。〃

Then　he　beat　a　retreat；　with　drooping　head；　but　the　last　in　the　field；　like　a　general　who　has　fought　well。

And　as　he　descended　the　winding　stairs　of　the　courts：　〃A　fine　rabble　of　asses　and　dolts　these　Parisians！〃　he　muttered　between　his　teeth；　〃they　come　to　hear　a　mystery　and　don't　listen　to　it　at　all！　　They　are　engrossed　by　every　one；　by　Chopin　Trouillefou；　by　the　cardinal；　by　Coppenole；　by　Quasimodo；　by　the　devil！　but　by　Madame　the　Virgin　Mary；　not　at　all。　　If　I　had　known；　I'd　have　given　you　Virgin　Mary；　you　ninnies！　　And　I！　to　come　to　see　faces　and　behold　only　backs！　to　be　a　poet；　and　to　reap　the　success　of　an　apothecary！　　It　is　true　that　Homerus　begged　through　the　Greek　towns；　and　that　Naso　died　in　exile　among　the　Muscovites。　　But　may　the　devil　flay　me　if　I　understand　what　they　mean　with　their　Esmeralda！　What　is　that　word；　in　the　first　place？'tis　Egyptian！〃





BOOK　SECOND。






CHAPTER　I。

FROM　CHARYBDIS　TO　SCYLLA。


Night　comes　on　early　in　January。　　The　streets　were　already　dark　when　Gringoire　issued　forth　from　the　Courts。　　This　gloom　pleased　him；　he　was　in　haste　to　reach　some　obscure　and　deserted　alley；　in　order　there　to　meditate　at　his　ease；　and　in　order　that　the　philosopher　might　place　the　first　dressing　upon　the　wound　of　the　poet。　　Philosophy；　moreover；　was　his　sole　refuge；　for　he　did　not　know　where　he　was　to　lodge　for　the　night。　　After　the　brilliant　failure　of　his　first　theatrical　venture；　he　dared　not　return　to　the　lodging　which　he　occupied　in　the　Rue　Grenier…sur…l'Eau；　opposite　to　the　Port…au…Foin；　having　depended　upon　receiving　from　monsieur　the　provost　for　his　epithalamium；　the　wherewithal　to　pay　Mas