the hunchback of notre dame-第35章

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sance　by　virtue　of　its　flattened　vault；　it　is　indubitably　a　very　correct　and　very　pure　monument；　the　proof　is　that　it　is　crowned　with　an　attic；　such　as　was　never　seen　in　Athens；　a　beautiful；　straight　line；　gracefully　broken　here　and　there　by　stovepipes。　　Let　us　add　that　if　it　is　according　to　rule　that　the　architecture　of　a　building　should　be　adapted　to　its　purpose　in　such　a　manner　that　this　purpose　shall　be　immediately　apparent　from　the　mere　aspect　of　the　building；　one　cannot　be　too　much　amazed　at　a　structure　which　might　be　indifferentlythe　palace　of　a　king；　a　chamber　of　communes；　a　town…hall；　a　college；　a　riding…school；　an　academy；　a　warehouse；　a　court…house；　a　museum；　a　barracks；　a　sepulchre；　a　temple；　or　a　theatre。　　However；　it　is　an　Exchange。　　An　edifice　ought　to　be；　moreover；　suitable　to　the　climate。　　This　one　is　evidently　constructed　expressly　for　our　cold　and　rainy　skies。　It　has　a　roof　almost　as　flat　as　roofs　in　the　East；　which　involves　sweeping　the　roof　in　winter；　when　it　snows；　and　of　course　roofs　are　made　to　be　swept。　　As　for　its　purpose；　of　which　we　just　spoke；　it　fulfils　it　to　a　marvel；　it　is　a　bourse　in　France　as　it　would　have　been　a　temple　in　Greece。　　It　is　true　that　the　architect　was　at　a　good　deal　of　trouble　to　conceal　the　clock　face；　which　would　have　destroyed　the　purity　of　the　fine　lines　of　the　fa？ade；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　we　have　that　colonnade　which　circles　round　the　edifice　and　under　which；　on　days　of　high　religious　ceremony；　the　theories　of　the　stock…brokers　and　the　courtiers　of　commerce　can　be　developed　so　majestically。

These　are　very　superb　structures。　　Let　us　add　a　quantity　of　fine；　amusing；　and　varied　streets；　like　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　and　I　do　not　despair　of　Paris　presenting　to　the　eye；　when　viewed　from　a　balloon；　that　richness　of　line；　that　opulence　of　detail；　that　diversity　of　aspect；　that　grandiose　something　in　the　simple；　and　unexpected　in　the　beautiful；　which　characterizes　a　checker…board。

However；　admirable　as　the　Paris　of　to…day　may　seem　to　you；　reconstruct　the　Paris　of　the　fifteenth　century；　call　it　up　before　you　in　thought；　look　at　the　sky　athwart　that　surprising　forest　of　spires；　towers；　and　belfries；　spread　out　in　the　centre　of　the　city；　tear　away　at　the　point　of　the　islands；　fold　at　the　arches　of　the　bridges；　the　Seine；　with　its　broad　green　and　yellow　expanses；　more　variable　than　the　skin　of　a　serpent；　project　clearly　against　an　azure　horizon　the　Gothic　profile　of　this　ancient　Paris。　　Make　its　contour　float　in　a　winter's　mist　which　clings　to　its　numerous　chimneys；　drown　it　in　profound　night　and　watch　the　odd　play　of　lights　and　shadows　in　that　sombre　labyrinth　of　edifices；　cast　upon　it　a　ray　of　light　which　shall　vaguely　outline　it　and　cause　to　emerge　from　the　fog　the　great　heads　of　the　towers；　or　take　that　black　silhouette　again；　enliven　with　shadow　the　thousand　acute　angles　of　the　spires　and　gables；　and　make　it　start　out　more　toothed　than　a　shark's　jaw　against　a　copper…colored　western　sky；and　then　compare。

And　if　you　wish　to　receive　of　the　ancient　city　an　impression　with　which　the　modern　one　can　no　longer　furnish　you；　climbon　the　morning　of　some　grand　festival；　beneath　the　rising　sun　of　Easter　or　of　Pentecostclimb　upon　some　elevated　point；　whence　you　command　the　entire　capital；　and　be　present　at　the　wakening　of　the　chimes。　　Behold；　at　a　signal　given　from　heaven；　for　it　is　the　sun　which　gives　it；　all　those　churches　quiver　simultaneously。　　First　come　scattered　strokes；　running　from　one　church　to　another；　as　when　musicians　give　warning　that　they　are　about　to　begin。　　Then；　all　at　once；　behold！for　it　seems　at　times；　as　though　the　ear　also　possessed　a　sight　of　its　own；behold；　rising　from　each　bell　tower；　something　like　a　column　of　sound；　a　cloud　of　harmony。　　First；　the　vibration　of　each　bell　mounts　straight　upwards；　pure　and；　so　to　speak；　isolated　from　the　others；　into　the　splendid　morning　sky；　then；　little　by　little；　as　they　swell　they　melt　together；　mingle；　are　lost　in　each　other；　and　amalgamate　in　a　magnificent　concert。　It　is　no　longer　anything　but　a　mass　of　sonorous　vibrations　incessantly　sent　forth　from　the　numerous　belfries；　floats；　undulates；　bounds；　whirls　over　the　city；　and　prolongs　far　beyond　the　horizon　the　deafening　circle　of　its　oscillations。

Nevertheless；　this　sea　of　harmony　is　not　a　chaos；　great　and　profound　as　it　is；　it　has　not　lost　its　transparency；　you　behold　the　windings　of　each　group　of　notes　which　escapes　from　the　belfries。　　You　can　follow　the　dialogue；　by　turns　grave　and　shrill；　of　the　treble　and　the　bass；　you　can　see　the　octaves　leap　from　one　tower　to　another；　you　watch　them　spring　forth；　winged；　light；　and　whistling；　from　the　silver　bell；　to　fall；　broken　and　limping　from　the　bell　of　wood；　you　admire　in　their　midst　the　rich　gamut　which　incessantly　ascends　and　re…ascends　the　seven　bells　of　Saint…Eustache；　you　see　light　and　rapid　notes　running　across　it；　executing　three　or　four　luminous　zigzags；　and　vanishing　like　flashes　of　lightning。　　Yonder　is　the　Abbey　of　Saint…Martin；　a　shrill；　cracked　singer；　here　the　gruff　and　gloomy　voice　of　the　Bastille；　at　the　other　end；　the　great　tower　of　the　Louvre；　with　its　bass。　　The　royal　chime　of　the　palace　scatters　on　all　sides；　and　without　relaxation；　resplendent　trills；　upon　which　fall；　at　regular　intervals；　the　heavy　strokes　from　the　belfry　of　Notre…Dame；　which　makes　them　sparkle　like　the　anvil　under　the　hammer。　　At　intervals　you　behold　the　passage　of　sounds　of　all　forms　which　come　from　the　triple　peal　of　Saint…Germaine　des　Prés。　　Then；　again；　from　time　to　time；　this　mass　of　sublime　noises　opens　and　gives　passage　to　the　beats　of　the　Ave　Maria；　which　bursts　forth　and　sparkles　like　an　aigrette　of　stars。　　Below；　in　the　very　depths　of　the　concert；　you　confusedly　distinguish　the　interior　chanting　of　the　churches；　which　exhales　through　the　vibrating　pores　of　their　vaulted　roofs。

Assuredly；　this　is　an　opera　which　it　is　worth　the　trouble　of　listening　to。　　Ordinarily；　the　noise　which　escapes　from　Paris　by　day　is　the　city　speaking；　by　night；　it　is　the　city　breathing；　in　this　case；　it　is　the　city　singing。　　Lend　an　ear；　then；　to　this　concert　of　bell　towers；　spread　over　all　the　murmur　of　half　a　million　men；　the　eternal　plaint　of　the　river；　the　infinite　breathings　of　the　wind；　the　grave　and　distant　quartette　of　the　four　forests　arranged　upon　the　hills；　on　the　horizon；　like　immense　stacks　of　organ　pipes；　extinguish；　as　in　a　half　shade；　all　that　is　too　hoarse　and　too　shrill　about　the　central　chime；　and　say　whether　you　know　anything　in　the　world　more　rich　and　joyful；　more　golden；　more　dazzling；　than　this　tumult　of　bells　and　chimes；than　this　furnace　of　music；than　these　ten　thousand　brazen　voices　chanting　simultaneously　in　the　flutes　of　stone；　three　hundred　feet　high；than　this　city　which　is　no　longer　anything　but　an　orchestra；than　this　symphony　which　produces　the　noise　of　a　tempest。





BOOK　FOURTH。






CHAPTER　I。

GOOD　SOULS。



Sixteen　years　previous　to　the　epoch　when　this　story　takes　place；　one　fine　morning；　on　Quasimodo　Sunday；　a　living　creature　had　been　deposited；　after　mass；　in　the　church　of　Notre…　Dame；　on　the　wooden　bed　securely　fixed　in　the　vestibule　on　the　left；　opposite　that　great　image　of　Saint　Christopher；　which　the　figure　of　Messire　Antoine　des　Essarts；　chevalier；　carved　in　stone；　had　been　gazing　at　on　his　knees　since　1413；　when　they　took　it　into　their　heads　to　overthrow　the　saint　and　the　faithful　follower。　　Upon　this　bed　of　wood　it　was　customary　to　expose　foundlings　for　public　charity。　　Whoever　cared　to　take　them　did　so。　　In　front　of　the　wooden　bed　was　a　copper　basin　for　alms。

The　sort　of　living　being　which　lay　upon　that　plank　on　the　morning　of　Quasimodo；　in　the　year　of　the　Lord；　1467；　appeared　to　excite　to　a　high　degree；　the　curiosity　of　the　numerous　group　which　had　congregated　about　the　wooden　bed。　　The　group　was　formed　for　the　most　part　of　the　fair　sex。　　Hardly　any　one　was　there　except　old　women。

In　the　first　row；　and　among　those　who　were　most　bent　over　the　bed；　four　were　noticeable；　who；　from　their　gray　~cagoule~；　a　sort　of　cassock；　were　recognizable　as　attached　to　some　devout　sisterhood。　　I　do　not　see　why　history　has　not　transmitted　to　posterity　the　names　of　these　four　discreet　and　venerable　damsels。