the hunchback of notre dame-第3章

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e　the　place　of　dressing…rooms　for　the　personages　of　the　piece。　　A　ladder；　naively　placed　on　the　outside；　was　to　serve　as　means　of　communication　between　the　dressing…room　and　the　stage；　and　lend　its　rude　rungs　to　entrances　as　well　as　to　exits。　There　was　no　personage；　however　unexpected；　no　sudden　change；　no　theatrical　effect；　which　was　not　obliged　to　mount　that　ladder。　　Innocent　and　venerable　infancy　of　art　and　contrivances！

Four　of　the　bailiff　of　the　palace's　sergeants；　perfunctory　guardians　of　all　the　pleasures　of　the　people；　on　days　of　festival　as　well　as　on　days　of　execution；　stood　at　the　four　corners　of　the　marble　table。

The　piece　was　only　to　begin　with　the　twelfth　stroke　of　the　great　palace　clock　sounding　midday。　　It　was　very　late；　no　doubt；　for　a　theatrical　representation；　but　they　had　been　obliged　to　fix　the　hour　to　suit　the　convenience　of　the　ambassadors。

Now；　this　whole　multitude　had　been　waiting　since　morning。　A　goodly　number　of　curious；　good　people　had　been　shivering　since　daybreak　before　the　grand　staircase　of　the　palace；　some　even　affirmed　that　they　had　passed　the　night　across　the　threshold　of　the　great　door；　in　order　to　make　sure　that　they　should　be　the　first　to　pass　in。　　The　crowd　grew　more　dense　every　moment；　and；　like　water；　which　rises　above　its　normal　level；　began　to　mount　along　the　walls；　to　swell　around　the　pillars；　to　spread　out　on　the　entablatures；　on　the　cornices；　on　the　window…sills；　on　all　the　salient　points　of　the　architecture；　on　all　the　reliefs　of　the　sculpture。　　Hence；　discomfort；　impatience；　weariness；　the　liberty　of　a　day　of　cynicism　and　folly；　the　quarrels　which　break　forth　for　all　sorts　of　causesa　pointed　elbow；　an　iron…shod　shoe；　the　fatigue　of　long　waitinghad　already；　long　before　the　hour　appointed　for　the　arrival　of　the　ambassadors；　imparted　a　harsh　and　bitter　accent　to　the　clamor　of　these　people　who　were　shut　in；　fitted　into　each　other；　pressed；　trampled　upon；　stifled。　　Nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　imprecations　on　the　Flemish；　the　provost　of　the　merchants；　the　Cardinal　de　Bourbon；　the　bailiff　of　the　courts；　Madame　Marguerite　of　Austria；　the　sergeants　with　their　rods；　the　cold；　the　heat；　the　bad　weather；　the　Bishop　of　Paris；　the　Pope　of　the　Fools；　the　pillars；　the　statues；　that　closed　door；　that　open　window；　all　to　the　vast　amusement　of　a　band　of　scholars　and　lackeys　scattered　through　the　mass；　who　mingled　with　all　this　discontent　their　teasing　remarks；　and　their　malicious　suggestions；　and　pricked　the　general　bad　temper　with　a　pin；　so　to　speak。

Among　the　rest　there　was　a　group　of　those　merry　imps；　who；　after　smashing　the　glass　in　a　window；　had　seated　themselves　hardily　on　the　entablature；　and　from　that　point　despatched　their　gaze　and　their　railleries　both　within　and　without；　upon　the　throng　in　the　hall；　and　the　throng　upon　the　Place。　It　was　easy　to　see；　from　their　parodied　gestures；　their　ringing　laughter；　the　bantering　appeals　which　they　exchanged　with　their　comrades；　from　one　end　of　the　hall　to　the　other；　that　these　young　clerks　did　not　share　the　weariness　and　fatigue　of　the　rest　of　the　spectators；　and　that　they　understood　very　well　the　art　of　extracting；　for　their　own　private　diversion　from　that　which　they　had　under　their　eyes；　a　spectacle　which　made　them　await　the　other　with　patience。

〃Upon　my　soul；　so　it's　you；　'Joannes　Frollo　de　Molendino！'〃　cried　one　of　them；　to　a　sort　of　little；　light…haired　imp；　with　a　well…favored　and　malign　countenance；　clinging　to　the　acanthus　leaves　of　a　capital；　〃you　are　well　named　John　of　the　Mill；　for　your　two　arms　and　your　two　legs　have　the　air　of　four　wings　fluttering　on　the　breeze。　　How　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃By　the　mercy　of　the　devil；〃　retorted　Joannes　Frollo；　〃these　four　hours　and　more；　and　I　hope　that　they　will　be　reckoned　to　my　credit　in　purgatory。　　I　heard　the　eight　singers　of　the　King　of　Sicily　intone　the　first　verse　of　seven　o'clock　mass　in　the　Sainte…Chapelle。〃

〃Fine　singers！〃　replied　the　other；　〃with　voices　even　more　pointed　than　their　caps！　　Before　founding　a　mass　for　Monsieur　Saint　John；　the　king　should　have　inquired　whether　Monsieur　Saint　John　likes　Latin　droned　out　in　a　Proven？al　accent。〃

〃He　did　it　for　the　sake　of　employing　those　accursed　singers　of　the　King　of　Sicily！〃　cried　an　old　woman　sharply　from　among　the　crowd　beneath　the　window。　　〃I　just　put　it　to　you！　　A　thousand　~livres　parisi~　for　a　mass！　and　out　of　the　tax　on　sea　fish　in　the　markets　of　Paris；　to　boot！〃

〃Peace；　old　crone；〃　said　a　tall；　grave　person；　stopping　up　his　nose　on　the　side　towards　the　fishwife；　〃a　mass　had　to　be　founded。　　Would　you　wish　the　king　to　fall　ill　again？〃

〃Bravely　spoken；　Sire　Gilles　Lecornu；　master　furrier　of　king's　robes！〃　cried　the　little　student；　clinging　to　the　capital。

A　shout　of　laughter　from　all　the　students　greeted　the　unlucky　name　of　the　poor　furrier　of　the　king's　robes。

〃Lecornu！　　Gilles　Lecornu！〃　said　some。

〃~Cornutus　et　hirsutus~；　horned　and　hairy；〃　another　went　on。

〃He！　of　course；〃　continued　the　small　imp　on　the　capital；　〃What　are　they　laughing　at？　　An　honorable　man　is　Gilles　Lecornu；　brother　of　Master　Jehan　Lecornu；　provost　of　the　king's　house；　son　of　Master　Mahiet　Lecornu；　first　porter　of　the　Bois　de　Vincennes；all　bourgeois　of　Paris；　all　married；　from　father　to　son。〃

The　gayety　redoubled。　　The　big　furrier；　without　uttering　a　word　in　reply；　tried　to　escape　all　the　eyes　riveted　upon　him　from　all　sides；　but　he　perspired　and　panted　in　vain；　like　a　wedge　entering　the　wood；　his　efforts　served　only　to　bury　still　more　deeply　in　the　shoulders　of　his　neighbors；　his　large；　apoplectic　face；　purple　with　spite　and　rage。

At　length　one　of　these；　as　fat；　short；　and　venerable　as　himself；　came　to　his　rescue。

〃Abomination！　scholars　addressing　a　bourgeois　in　that　fashion　in　my　day　would　have　been　flogged　with　a　fagot；　which　would　have　afterwards　been　used　to　burn　them。〃

The　whole　band　burst　into　laughter。

〃Holà　hé！　who　is　scolding　so？　　Who　is　that　screech　owl　of　evil　fortune？〃

〃Hold；　I　know　him〃　said　one　of　them；　〃'tis　Master　Andry　Musnier。〃

〃Because　he　is　one　of　the　four　sworn　booksellers　of　the　university！〃　said　the　other。

〃Everything　goes　by　fours　in　that　shop；〃　cried　a　third；　〃the　four　nations；　the　four　faculties；　the　four　feasts；　the　four　procurators；　the　four　electors；　the　four　booksellers。〃

〃Well；〃　began　Jean　Frollo　once　more；〃　we　must　play　the　devil　with　them。〃*


*　　~Faire　le　diable　a　quatre~。


〃Musnier；　we'll　burn　your　books。〃

〃Musnier；　we'll　beat　your　lackeys。〃

〃Musnier；　we'll　kiss　your　wife。〃

〃That　fine；　big　Mademoiselle　Oudarde。〃

〃Who　is　as　fresh　and　as　gay　as　though　she　were　a　widow。〃

〃Devil　take　you！〃　growled　Master　Andry　Musnier。

〃Master　Andry；〃　pursued　Jean　Jehan；　still　clinging　to　his　capital；　〃hold　your　tongue；　or　I'll　drop　on　your　head！〃

Master　Andry　raised　his　eyes；　seemed　to　measure　in　an　instant　the　height　of　the　pillar；　the　weight　of　the　scamp；　mentally　multiplied　that　weight　by　the　square　of　the　velocity　and　remained　silent。

Jehan；　master　of　the　field　of　battle；　pursued　triumphantly：

〃That's　what　I'll　do；　even　if　I　am　the　brother　of　an　archdeacon！〃

〃Fine　gentry　are　our　people　of　the　university；　not　to　have　caused　our　privileges　to　be　respected　on　such　a　day　as　this！　However；　there　is　a　maypole　and　a　bonfire　in　the　town；　a　mystery；　Pope　of　the　Fools；　and　Flemish　ambassadors　in　the　city；　and；　at　the　university；　nothing！〃

〃Nevertheless；　the　Place　Maubert　is　sufficiently　large！〃　interposed　one　of　the　clerks　established　on　the　window…sill。

〃Down　with　the　rector；　the　electors；　and　the　procurators！〃　cried　Joannes。

〃We　must　have　a　bonfire　this　evening　in　the　Champ…Gaillard；〃　went　on　the　other；　〃made　of　Master　Andry's　books。〃

〃And　the　desks　of　the　scribes！〃　added　his　neighbor。

〃And　the　beadles'　wands！〃

〃And　the　spittoons　of　the　deans！〃

〃And　the　cupboards　of　the　procurators！〃

〃And　the　hutches　of　the　electors！〃

〃And　the　stools　of　the　rector！〃

〃Down　with　them！〃　put　in　little　Jehan；　as　counterpoint；　〃down　with　Master　Andry；　the　beadles　and　the　scribes；　the　theologians；　the　doctors　and　the　decretists；　the　procurators；　the　electors　and　the　rector！〃

〃The　end　of　the　world　has　come！；'　muttered　Master　Andry；　stopping　up　his　ear