the hunchback of notre dame-第18章

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me　scraps　of　their　conversation；　which　broke　the　thread　of　his　pleasant　hypotheses。

Now　it　was　two　old　men　accosting　each　other。

〃Do　you　know　that　it　is　cold；　Master　Thibaut　Fernicle？〃　（Gringoire　had　been　aware　of　this　since　the　beginning　of　the　winter。）

〃Yes；　indeed；　Master　Boniface　Disome！　　Are　we　going　to　have　a　winter　such　as　we　had　three　years　ago；　in　'80；　when　wood　cost　eight　sous　the　measure？〃

〃Bah！　that's　nothing；　Master　Thibaut；　compared　with　the　winter　of　1407；　when　it　froze　from　St。　Martin's　Day　until　Candlemas！　and　so　cold　that　the　pen　of　the　registrar　of　the　parliament　froze　every　three　words；　in　the　Grand　Chamber！　which　interrupted　the　registration　of　justice。〃

Further　on　there　were　two　female　neighbors　at　their　windows；　holding　candles；　which　the　fog　caused　to　sputter。

〃Has　your　husband　told　you　about　the　mishap；　Mademoiselle　la　Boudraque？〃

〃No。　　What　is　it；　Mademoiselle　Turquant？〃

〃The　horse　of　M。　Gilles　Godin；　the　notary　at　the　Chatelet；　took　fright　at　the　Flemings　and　their　procession；　and　overturned　Master　Philippe　Avrillot；　lay　monk　of　the　Célestins。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Actually。〃

〃A　bourgeois　horse！　'tis　rather　too　much！　　If　it　had　been　a　cavalry　horse；　well　and　good！〃

And　the　windows　were　closed。　　But　Gringoire　had　lost　the　thread　of　his　ideas；　nevertheless。

Fortunately；　he　speedily　found　it　again；　and　he　knotted　it　together　without　difficulty；　thanks　to　the　gypsy；　thanks　to　Djali；　who　still　walked　in　front　of　him；　two　fine；　delicate；　and　charming　creatures；　whose　tiny　feet；　beautiful　forms；　and　graceful　manners　he　was　engaged　in　admiring；　almost　confusing　them　in　his　contemplation；　believing　them　to　be　both　young　girls；　from　their　intelligence　and　good　friendship；　regarding　them　both　as　goats；so　far　as　the　lightness；　agility；　and　dexterity　of　their　walk　were　concerned。

But　the　streets　were　becoming　blacker　and　more　deserted　every　moment。　　The　curfew　had　sounded　long　ago；　and　it　was　only　at　rare　intervals　now　that　they　encountered　a　passer…by　in　the　street；　or　a　light　in　the　windows。　　Gringoire　had　become　involved；　in　his　pursuit　of　the　gypsy；　in　that　inextricable　labyrinth　of　alleys；　squares；　and　closed　courts　which　surround　the　ancient　sepulchre　of　the　Saints…Innocents；　and　which　resembles　a　ball　of　thread　tangled　by　a　cat。　　〃Here　are　streets　which　possess　but　little　logic！〃　said　Gringoire；　lost　in　the　thousands　of　circuits　which　returned　upon　themselves　incessantly；　but　where　the　young　girl　pursued　a　road　which　seemed　familiar　to　her；　without　hesitation　and　with　a　step　which　became　ever　more　rapid。　　As　for　him；　he　would　have　been　utterly　ignorant　of　his　situation　had　he　not　espied；　in　passing；　at　the　turn　of　a　street；　the　octagonal　mass　of　the　pillory　of　the　fish　markets；　the　open…work　summit　of　which　threw　its　black；　fretted　outlines　clearly　upon　a　window　which　was　still　lighted　in　the　Rue　Verdelet。

The　young　girl's　attention　had　been　attracted　to　him　for　the　last　few　moments；　she　had　repeatedly　turned　her　head　towards　him　with　uneasiness；　she　had　even　once　come　to　a　standstill；　and　taking　advantage　of　a　ray　of　light　which　escaped　from　a　half…open　bakery　to　survey　him　intently；　from　head　to　foot；　then；　having　cast　this　glance；　Gringoire　had　seen　her　make　that　little　pout　which　he　had　already　noticed；　after　which　she　passed　on。

This　little　pout　had　furnished　Gringoire　with　food　for　thought。　　There　was　certainly　both　disdain　and　mockery　in　that　graceful　grimace。　　So　he　dropped　his　head；　began　to　count　the　paving…stones；　and　to　follow　the　young　girl　at　a　little　greater　distance；　when；　at　the　turn　of　a　street；　which　had　caused　him　to　lose　sight　of　her；　he　heard　her　utter　a　piercing　cry。

He　hastened　his　steps。

The　street　was　full　of　shadows。　　Nevertheless；　a　twist　of　tow　soaked　in　oil；　which　burned　in　a　cage　at　the　feet　of　the　Holy　Virgin　at　the　street　corner；　permitted　Gringoire　to　make　out　the　gypsy　struggling　in　the　arms　of　two　men；　who　were　endeavoring　to　stifle　her　cries。　　The　poor　little　goat；　in　great　alarm；　lowered　his　horns　and　bleated。

〃Help！　gentlemen　of　the　watch！〃　shouted　Gringoire；　and　advanced　bravely。　　One　of　the　men　who　held　the　young　girl　turned　towards　him。　　It　was　the　formidable　visage　of　Quasimodo。

Gringoire　did　not　take　to　flight；　but　neither　did　he　advance　another　step。

Quasimodo　came　up　to　him；　tossed　him　four　paces　away　on　the　pavement　with　a　backward　turn　of　the　hand；　and　plunged　rapidly　into　the　gloom；　bearing　the　young　girl　folded　across　one　arm　like　a　silken　scarf。　　His　companion　followed　him；　and　the　poor　goat　ran　after　them　all；　bleating　plaintively。

〃Murder！　murder！〃　shrieked　the　unhappy　gypsy。

〃Halt；　rascals；　and　yield　me　that　wench！〃　suddenly　shouted　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　a　cavalier　who　appeared　suddenly　from　a　neighboring　square。

It　was　a　captain　of　the　king's　archers；　armed　from　head　to　foot；　with　his　sword　in　his　hand。

He　tore　the　gypsy　from　the　arms　of　the　dazed　Quasimodo；　threw　her　across　his　saddle；　and　at　the　moment　when　the　terrible　hunchback；　recovering　from　his　surprise；　rushed　upon　him　to　regain　his　prey；　fifteen　or　sixteen　archers；　who　followed　their　captain　closely；　made　their　appearance；　with　their　two…edged　swords　in　their　fists。　　It　was　a　squad　of　the　king's　police；　which　was　making　the　rounds；　by　order　of　Messire　Robert　d'Estouteville；　guard　of　the　provostship　of　Paris。

Quasimodo　was　surrounded；　seized；　garroted；　he　roared；　he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　he　bit；　and　had　it　been　broad　daylight；　there　is　no　doubt　that　his　face　alone；　rendered　more　hideous　by　wrath；　would　have　put　the　entire　squad　to　flight。　　But　by　night　he　was　deprived　of　his　most　formidable　weapon；　his　ugliness。

His　companion　had　disappeared　during　the　struggle。

The　gypsy　gracefully　raised　herself　upright　upon　the　officer's　saddle；　placed　both　hands　upon　the　young　man's　shoulders；　and　gazed　fixedly　at　him　for　several　seconds；　as　though　enchanted　with　his　good　looks　and　with　the　aid　which　he　had　just　rendered　her。　　Then　breaking　silence　first；　she　said　to　him；　making　her　sweet　voice　still　sweeter　than　usual；

〃What　is　your　name；　monsieur　le　gendarme？〃

〃Captain　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers；　at　your　service；　my　beauty！〃　replied　the　officer；　drawing　himself　up。

〃Thanks；〃　said　she。

And　while　Captain　Phoebus　was　turning　up　his　moustache　in　Burgundian　fashion；　she　slipped　from　the　horse；　like　an　arrow　falling　to　earth；　and　fled。

A　flash　of　lightning　would　have　vanished　less　quickly。

〃Nombrill　of　the　Pope！〃　said　the　captain；　causing　Quasimodo's　straps　to　be　drawn　tighter；　〃I　should　have　preferred　to　keep　the　wench。〃

〃What　would　you　have；　captain？〃　said　one　gendarme。　　〃The　warbler　has　fled；　and　the　bat　remains。〃




CHAPTER　V。

RESULT　OF　THE　DANGERS。


Gringoire；　thoroughly　stunned　by　his　fall；　remained　on　the　pavement　in　front　of　the　Holy　Virgin　at　the　street　corner。　Little　by　little；　he　regained　his　senses；　at　first；　for　several　minutes；　he　was　floating　in　a　sort　of　half…somnolent　revery；　which　was　not　without　its　charm；　in　which　aeriel　figures　of　the　gypsy　and　her　goat　were　coupled　with　Quasimodo's　heavy　fist。　　This　state　lasted　but　a　short　time。　　A　decidedly　vivid　sensation　of　cold　in　the　part　of　his　body　which　was　in　contact　with　the　pavement；　suddenly　aroused　him　and　caused　his　spirit　to　return　to　the　surface。

〃Whence　comes　this　chill？〃　he　said　abruptly；　to　himself。　He　then　perceived　that　he　was　lying　half　in　the　middle　of　the　gutter。

〃That　devil　of　a　hunchbacked　cyclops！〃　he　muttered　between　his　teeth；　and　he　tried　to　rise。　　But　he　was　too　much　dazed　and　bruised；　he　was　forced　to　remain　where　he　was。　Moreover；　his　hand　was　tolerably　free；　he　stopped　up　his　nose　and　resigned　himself。

〃The　mud　of　Paris；〃　he　said　to　himselffor　decidedly　he　thought　that　he　was　sure　that　the　gutter　would　prove　his　refuge　for　the　night；　and　what　can　one　do　in　a　refuge；　except　dream？〃the　mud　of　Paris　is　particularly　stinking；　it　must　contain　a　great　deal　of　volatile　and　nitric　salts。　　That；　moreover；　is　the　opinion　of　Master　Nicholas　Flamel；　and　of　the　alchemists〃

The　word　〃alchemists〃　suddenly　suggested　to　his　mind　the　idea　of　Archdeacon　Claude　Frollo。　　He　recalled　the　violent　scene　which　he　had　just　witnessed　in　par