the hunchback of notre dame-第15章

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l　of　Dominique　Bocador；　which　has　replaced　the　Pillared　House。　　It　must　be　admitted　that　a　permanent　gibbet　and　a　pillory；　〃a　justice　and　a　ladder；〃　as　they　were　called　in　that　day；　erected　side　by　side　in　the　centre　of　the　pavement；　contributed　not　a　little　to　cause　eyes　to　be　turned　away　from　that　fatal　place；　where　so　many　beings　full　of　life　and　health　have　agonized；　where；　fifty　years　later；　that　fever　of　Saint　Vallier　was　destined　to　have　its　birth；　that　terror　of　the　scaffold；　the　most　monstrous　of　all　maladies　because　it　comes　not　from　God；　but　from　man。

It　is　a　consoling　idea　（let　us　remark　in　passing）；　to　think　that　the　death　penalty；　which　three　hundred　years　ago　still　encumbered　with　its　iron　wheels；　its　stone　gibbets；　and　all　its　paraphernalia　of　torture；　permanent　and　riveted　to　the　pavement；　the　Grève；　the　Halles；　the　Place　Dauphine；　the　Cross　du　Trahoir；　the　Marché　aux　Pourceaux；　that　hideous　Montfau？on；　the　barrier　des　Sergents；　the　Place　aux　Chats；　the　Porte　Saint…Denis；　Champeaux；　the　Porte　Baudets；　the　Porte　Saint　Jacques；　without　reckoning　the　innumerable　ladders　of　the　provosts；　the　bishop　of　the　chapters；　of　the　abbots；　of　the　priors；　who　had　the　decree　of　life　and　death；without　reckoning　the　judicial　drownings　in　the　river　Seine；　it　is　consoling　to…day；　after　having　lost　successively　all　the　pieces　of　its　armor；　its　luxury　of　torment；　its　penalty　of　imagination　and　fancy；　its　torture　for　which　it　reconstructed　every　five　years　a　leather　bed　at　the　Grand　Chatelet；　that　ancient　suzerain　of　feudal　society　almost　expunged　from　our　laws　and　our　cities；　hunted　from　code　to　code；　chased　from　place　to　place；　has　no　longer；　in　our　immense　Paris；　any　more　than　a　dishonored　corner　of　the　Grève；than　a　miserable　guillotine；　furtive；　uneasy；　shameful；　which　seems　always　afraid　of　being　caught　in　the　act；　so　quickly　does　it　disappear　after　having　dealt　its　blow。




CHAPTER　III。

KISSES　FOR　BLOWS。



When　Pierre　Gringoire　arrived　on　the　Place　de　Grève；　he　was　paralyzed。　　He　had　directed　his　course　across　the　Pont　aux　Meuniers；　in　order　to　avoid　the　rabble　on　the　Pont　au　Change；　and　the　pennons　of　Jehan　Fourbault；　but　the　wheels　of　all　the　bishop's　mills　had　splashed　him　as　he　passed；　and　his　doublet　was　drenched；　it　seemed　to　him　besides；　that　the　failure　of　his　piece　had　rendered　him　still　more　sensible　to　cold　than　usual。　　Hence　he　made　haste　to　draw　near　the　bonfire；　which　was　burning　magnificently　in　the　middle　of　the　Place。　　But　a　considerable　crowd　formed　a　circle　around　it。

〃Accursed　Parisians！〃　he　said　to　himself　（for　Gringoire；　like　a　true　dramatic　poet；　was　subject　to　monologues）　〃there　they　are　obstructing　my　fire！　　Nevertheless；　I　am　greatly　in　need　of　a　chimney　corner；　my　shoes　drink　in　the　water；　and　all　those　cursed　mills　wept　upon　me！　　That　devil　of　a　Bishop　of　Paris；　with　his　mills！　　I'd　just　like　to　know　what　use　a　bishop　can　make　of　a　mill！　　Does　he　expect　to　become　a　miller　instead　of　a　bishop？　　If　only　my　malediction　is　needed　for　that；　I　bestow　it　upon　him！　and　his　cathedral；　and　his　mills！　　Just　see　if　those　boobies　will　put　themselves　out！　Move　aside！　　I'd　like　to　know　what　they　are　doing　there！　They　are　warming　themselves；　much　pleasure　may　it　give　them！　　They　are　watching　a　hundred　fagots　burn；　a　fine　spectacle！〃

On　looking　more　closely；　he　perceived　that　the　circle　was　much　larger　than　was　required　simply　for　the　purpose　of　getting　warm　at　the　king's　fire；　and　that　this　concourse　of　people　had　not　been　attracted　solely　by　the　beauty　of　the　hundred　fagots　which　were　burning。

In　a　vast　space　left　free　between　the　crowd　and　the　fire；　a　young　girl　was　dancing。

Whether　this　young　girl　was　a　human　being；　a　fairy；　or　an　angel；　is　what　Gringoire；　sceptical　philosopher　and　ironical　poet　that　he　was；　could　not　decide　at　the　first　moment；　so　fascinated　was　he　by　this　dazzling　vision。

She　was　not　tall；　though　she　seemed　so；　so　boldly　did　her　slender　form　dart　about。　　She　was　swarthy　of　complexion；　but　one　divined　that；　by　day；　her　skin　must　possess　that　beautiful　golden　tone　of　the　Andalusians　and　the　Roman　women。　　Her　little　foot；　too；　was　Andalusian；　for　it　was　both　pinched　and　at　ease　in　its　graceful　shoe。　　She　danced；　she　turned；　she　whirled　rapidly　about　on　an　old　Persian　rug；　spread　negligently　under　her　feet；　and　each　time　that　her　radiant　face　passed　before　you；　as　she　whirled；　her　great　black　eyes　darted　a　flash　of　lightning　at　you。

All　around　her；　all　glances　were　riveted；　all　mouths　open；　and；　in　fact；　when　she　danced　thus；　to　the　humming　of　the　Basque　tambourine；　which　her　two　pure；　rounded　arms　raised　above　her　head；　slender；　frail　and　vivacious　as　a　wasp；　with　her　corsage　of　gold　without　a　fold；　her　variegated　gown　puffing　out；　her　bare　shoulders；　her　delicate　limbs；　which　her　petticoat　revealed　at　times；　her　black　hair；　her　eyes　of　flame；　she　was　a　supernatural　creature。

〃In　truth；〃　said　Gringoire　to　himself；　〃she　is　a　salamander；　she　is　a　nymph；　she　is　a　goddess；　she　is　a　bacchante　of　the　Menelean　Mount！〃

At　that　moment；　one　of　the　salamander's　braids　of　hair　became　unfastened；　and　a　piece　of　yellow　copper　which　was　attached　to　it；　rolled　to　the　ground。

〃Hé；　no！〃　said　he；　〃she　is　a　gypsy！〃

All　illusions　had　disappeared。

She　began　her　dance　once　more；　she　took　from　the　ground　two　swords；　whose　points　she　rested　against　her　brow；　and　which　she　made　to　turn　in　one　direction；　while　she　turned　in　the　other；　it　was　a　purely　gypsy　effect。　　But；　disenchanted　though　Gringoire　was；　the　whole　effect　of　this　picture　was　not　without　its　charm　and　its　magic；　the　bonfire　illuminated；　with　a　red　flaring　light；　which　trembled；　all　alive；　over　the　circle　of　faces　in　the　crowd；　on　the　brow　of　the　young　girl；　and　at　the　background　of　the　Place　cast　a　pallid　reflection；　on　one　side　upon　the　ancient；　black；　and　wrinkled　fa？ade　of　the　House　of　Pillars；　on　the　other；　upon　the　old　stone　gibbet。

Among　the　thousands　of　visages　which　that　light　tinged　with　scarlet；　there　was　one　which　seemed；　even　more　than　all　the　others；　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　the　dancer。　　It　was　the　face　of　a　man；　austere；　calm；　and　sombre。　　This　man；　whose　costume　was　concealed　by　the　crowd　which　surrounded　him；　did　not　appear　to　be　more　than　five　and　thirty　years　of　age；　nevertheless；　he　was　bald；　he　had　merely　a　few　tufts　of　thin；　gray　hair　on　his　temples；　his　broad；　high　forehead　had　begun　to　be　furrowed　with　wrinkles；　but　his　deep…set　eyes　sparkled　with　extraordinary　youthfulness；　an　ardent　life；　a　profound　passion。　　He　kept　them　fixed　incessantly　on　the　gypsy；　and；　while　the　giddy　young　girl　of　sixteen　danced　and　whirled；　for　the　pleasure　of　all；　his　revery　seemed　to　become　more　and　more　sombre。　　From　time　to　time；　a　smile　and　a　sigh　met　upon　his　lips；　but　the　smile　was　more　melancholy　than　the　sigh。

The　young　girl；　stopped　at　length；　breathless；　and　the　people　applauded　her　lovingly。

〃Djali！〃　said　the　gypsy。

Then　Gringoire　saw　come　up　to　her；　a　pretty　little　white　goat；　alert；　wide…awake；　glossy；　with　gilded　horns；　gilded　hoofs；　and　gilded　collar；　which　he　had　not　hitherto　perceived；　and　which　had　remained　lying　curled　up　on　one　corner　of　the　carpet　watching　his　mistress　dance。

〃Djali！〃　said　the　dancer；　〃it　is　your　turn。〃

And；　seating　herself；　she　gracefully　presented　her　tambourine　to　the　goat。

〃Djali；〃　she　continued；　〃what　month　is　this？〃

The　goat　lifted　its　fore　foot；　and　struck　one　blow　upon　the　tambourine。　　It　was　the　first　month　in　the　year；　in　fact。

〃Djali；〃　pursued　the　young　girl；　turning　her　tambourine　round；　〃what　day　of　the　month　is　this？〃

Djali　raised　his　little　gilt　hoof；　and　struck　six　blows　on　the　tambourine。

〃Djali；〃　pursued　the　Egyptian；　with　still　another　movement　of　the　tambourine；　〃what　hour　of　the　day　is　it？〃

Djali　struck　seven　blows。　　At　that　moment；　the　clock　of　the　Pillar　House　rang　out　seven。

The　people　were　amazed。

〃There's　sorcery　at　the　bottom　of　it；〃　said　a　sinister　voice　in　the　crowd。　　It　was　that　of　the　bald　man；　who　never　removed　his　eyes　from　the　gypsy。

She　shuddered　and　turned　round；　but　applause　broke　forth　and　drowned　the　morose　exclamation。

It　even　effaced　it　so　completely　from　her　mind；　that　she　continued