the hunchback of notre dame-第23章

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Clopin　tossed　his　head。

〃Hark　ye；　my　friend；　you　talk　too　much。　　Here's　the　gist　of　the　matter　in　two　words：　you　are　to　rise　on　tiptoe；　as　I　tell　you；　in　that　way　you　will　be　able　to　reach　the　pocket　of　the　manikin；　you　will　rummage　it；　you　will　pull　out　the　purse　that　is　there；and　if　you　do　all　this　without　our　hearing　the　sound　of　a　bell；　all　is　well：　you　shall　be　a　vagabond。　All　we　shall　then　have　to　do；　will　be　to　thrash　you　soundly　for　the　space　of　a　week。〃

〃~Ventre…Dieu~！　　I　will　be　careful；〃　said　Gringoire。　　〃And　suppose　I　do　make　the　bells　sound？〃

〃Then　you　will　be　hanged。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃I　don't　understand　at　all；〃　replied　Gringoire。

〃Listen；　once　more。　　You　are　to　search　the　manikin；　and　take　away　its　purse；　if　a　single　bell　stirs　during　the　operation；　you　will　be　hung。　　Do　you　understand　that？〃

〃Good；〃　said　Gringoire；　〃I　understand　that。　　And　then？〃

〃If　you　succeed　in　removing　the　purse　without　our　hearing　the　bells；　you　are　a　vagabond；　and　you　will　be　thrashed　for　eight　consecutive　days。　　You　understand　now；　no　doubt？〃

〃No；　monseigneur；　I　no　longer　understand。　　Where　is　the　advantage　to　me？　hanged　in　one　case；　cudgelled　in　the　other？〃

〃And　a　vagabond；〃　resumed　Clopin；　〃and　a　vagabond；　is　that　nothing？　　It　is　for　your　interest　that　we　should　beat　you；　in　order　to　harden　you　to　blows。〃

〃Many　thanks；〃　replied　the　poet。

〃Come；　make　haste；〃　said　the　king；　stamping　upon　his　cask；　which　resounded　like　a　huge　drum！　　Search　the　manikin；　and　let　there　be　an　end　to　this！　　I　warn　you　for　the　last　time；　that　if　I　hear　a　single　bell；　you　will　take　the　place　of　the　manikin。〃

The　band　of　thieves　applauded　Clopin's　words；　and　arranged　themselves　in　a　circle　round　the　gibbet；　with　a　laugh　so　pitiless　that　Gringoire　perceived　that　he　amused　them　too　much　not　to　have　everything　to　fear　from　them。　　No　hope　was　left　for　him；　accordingly；　unless　it　were　the　slight　chance　of　succeeding　in　the　formidable　operation　which　was　imposed　upon　him；　he　decided　to　risk　it；　but　it　was　not　without　first　having　addressed　a　fervent　prayer　to　the　manikin　he　was　about　to　plunder；　and　who　would　have　been　easier　to　move　to　pity　than　the　vagabonds。　　These　myriad　bells；　with　their　little　copper　tongues；　seemed　to　him　like　the　mouths　of　so　many　asps；　open　and　ready　to　sting　and　to　hiss。

〃Oh！〃　he　said；　in　a　very　low　voice；　〃is　it　possible　that　my　life　depends　on　the　slightest　vibration　of　the　least　of　these　bells？　　Oh！〃　he　added；　with　clasped　hands；　〃bells；　do　not　ring；　hand…bells　do　not　clang；　mule…bells　do　not　quiver！〃

He　made　one　more　attempt　upon　Trouillefou。

〃And　if　there　should　come　a　gust　of　wind？〃

〃You　will　be　hanged；〃　replied　the　other；　without　hesitation。

Perceiving　that　no　respite；　nor　reprieve；　nor　subterfuge　was　possible；　he　bravely　decided　upon　his　course　of　action；　he　wound　his　right　foot　round　his　left　leg；　raised　himself　on　his　left　foot；　and　stretched　out　his　arm：　but　at　the　moment　when　his　hand　touched　the　manikin；　his　body；　which　was　now　supported　upon　one　leg　only；　wavered　on　the　stool　which　had　but　three；　he　made　an　involuntary　effort　to　support　himself　by　the　manikin；　lost　his　balance；　and　fell　heavily　to　the　ground；　deafened　by　the　fatal　vibration　of　the　thousand　bells　of　the　manikin；　which；　yielding　to　the　impulse　imparted　by　his　hand；　described　first　a　rotary　motion；　and　then　swayed　majestically　between　the　two　posts。

〃Malediction！〃　he　cried　as　he　fell；　and　remained　as　though　dead；　with　his　face　to　the　earth。

Meanwhile；　he　heard　the　dreadful　peal　above　his　head；　the　diabolical　laughter　of　the　vagabonds；　and　the　voice　of　Trouillefou　saying；

〃Pick　me　up　that　knave；　and　hang　him　without　ceremony。〃　He　rose。　　They　had　already　detached　the　manikin　to　make　room　for　him。

The　thieves　made　him　mount　the　stool；　Clopin　came　to　him；　passed　the　rope　about　his　neck；　and；　tapping　him　on　the　shoulder；

〃Adieu；　my　friend。　　You　can't　escape　now；　even　if　you　digested　with　the　pope's　guts。〃

The　word　〃Mercy！〃　died　away　upon　Gringoire's　lips。　　He　cast　his　eyes　about　him；　but　there　was　no　hope：　all　were　laughing。

〃Bellevigne　de　l'Etoile；〃　said　the　King　of　Thunes　to　an　enormous　vagabond；　who　stepped　out　from　the　ranks；　〃climb　upon　the　cross　beam。〃

Bellevigne　de　l'Etoile　nimbly　mounted　the　transverse　beam；　and　in　another　minute；　Gringoire；　on　raising　his　eyes；　beheld　him；　with　terror；　seated　upon　the　beam　above　his　head。

〃Now；〃　resumed　Clopin　Trouillefou；　〃as　soon　as　I　clap　my　hands；　you；　Andry　the　Red；　will　fling　the　stool　to　the　ground　with　a　blow　of　your　knee；　you；　Fran？ois　Chante…Prune；　will　cling　to　the　feet　of　the　rascal；　and　you；　Bellevigne；　will　fling　yourself　on　his　shoulders；　and　all　three　at　once；　do　you　hear？〃

Gringoire　shuddered。

〃Are　you　ready？〃　said　Clopin　Trouillefou　to　the　three　thieves；　who　held　themselves　in　readiness　to　fall　upon　Gringoire。　　A　moment　of　horrible　suspense　ensued　for　the　poor　victim；　during　which　Clopin　tranquilly　thrust　into　the　fire　with　the　tip　of　his　foot；　some　bits　of　vine　shoots　which　the　flame　had　not　caught。　　〃Are　you　ready？〃　he　repeated；　and　opened　his　hands　to　clap。　　One　second　more　and　all　would　have　been　over。

But　he　paused；　as　though　struck　by　a　sudden　thought。

〃One　moment！〃　said　he；　〃I　forgot！　　It　is　our　custom　not　to　hang　a　man　without　inquiring　whether　there　is　any　woman　who　wants　him。　　Comrade；　this　is　your　last　resource。　　You　must　wed　either　a　female　vagabond　or　the　noose。〃

This　law　of　the　vagabonds；　singular　as　it　may　strike　the　reader；　remains　to…day　written　out　at　length；　in　ancient　English　legislation。　　（See　_Burington's　Observations_。）

Gringoire　breathed　again。　　This　was　the　second　time　that　he　had　returned　to　life　within　an　hour。　　So　he　did　not　dare　to　trust　to　it　too　implicitly。

〃Holà！〃　cried　Clopin；　mounted　once　more　upon　his　cask；　〃holà！　women；　females；　is　there　among　you；　from　the　sorceress　to　her　cat；　a　wench　who　wants　this　rascal？　　Holà；　Colette　la　Charonne！　　Elisabeth　Trouvain！　　Simone　Jodouyne！　Marie　Piédebou！　　Thonne　la　Longue！　　Bérarde　Fanouel！　　Michelle　Genaille！　　Claude　Ronge…oreille！　　Mathurine　Girorou！Holà！　Isabeau…la…Thierrye！　　Come　and　see！　　A　man　for　nothing！　Who　wants　him？〃

Gringoire；　no　doubt；　was　not　very　appetizing　in　this　miserable　condition。　　The　female　vagabonds　did　not　seem　to　be　much　affected　by　the　proposition。　　The　unhappy　wretch　heard　them　answer：　〃No！　no！　hang　him；　there'll　be　the　more　fun　for　us　all！〃

Nevertheless；　three　emerged　from　the　throng　and　came　to　smell　of　him。　　The　first　was　a　big　wench；　with　a　square　face。　She　examined　the　philosopher's　deplorable　doublet　attentively。　His　garment　was　worn；　and　more　full　of　holes　than　a　stove　for　roasting　chestnuts。　　The　girl　made　a　wry　face。　　〃Old　rag！〃　she　muttered；　and　addressing　Gringoire；　〃Let's　see　your　cloak！〃　〃I　have　lost　it；〃　replied　Gringoire。　　〃Your　hat？〃　　〃They　took　it　away　from　me。〃　　〃Your　shoes？〃　　〃They　have　hardly　any　soles　left。〃　　〃Your　purse？〃　　〃Alas！〃　stammered　Gringoire；　〃I　have　not　even　a　sou。〃　　〃Let　them　hang　you；　then；　and　say　'Thank　you！'〃　retorted　the　vagabond　wench；　turning　her　back　on　him。

The　second；old；　black；　wrinkled；　hideous；　with　an　ugliness　conspicuous　even　in　the　Cour　des　Miracles；　trotted　round　Gringoire。　He　almost　trembled　lest　she　should　want　him。　　But　she　mumbled　between　her　teeth；　〃He's　too　thin；〃　and　went　off。

The　third　was　a　young　girl；　quite　fresh；　and　not　too　ugly。　〃Save　me！〃　said　the　poor　fellow　to　her；　in　a　low　tone。　　She　gazed　at　him　for　a　moment　with　an　air　of　pity；　then　dropped　her　eyes；　made　a　plait　in　her　petticoat；　and　remained　in　indecision。　He　followed　all　these　movements　with　his　eyes；　it　was　the　last　gleam　of　hope。　　〃No；〃　said　the　young　girl；　at　length；　〃no！　　Guillaume　Longuejoue　would　beat　me。〃　　She　retreated　into　the　crowd。

〃You　are　unlucky；　comrade；〃　said　Clopin。

Then　rising　to　his　feet；　upon　his　hogshead。　　〃No　one　wants　him；〃　he　exclaimed；　imitating　the　accent　of　an　auctioneer；　to　the　great　delight　of　all；　〃no　one　wants　him？　once；　twice；　three　times！〃　and；　turning　towards　the　gibbet　with　a　sign　of　his　hand；　〃Gone！〃

Bellevigne　de　l'Etoile；　Andry　the　Red；　Fran？ois　Chante…Prune；　stepped　up　to　Gringoire。

At　that　moment　a　cry　arose　among　the　thieves：