the hunchback of notre dame-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Upon　my　soul；〃　said　Claude　at　length；　pressing　his　hand；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　and　in　such　good　health。〃

〃Thanks；　Master　Claude。〃

〃By　the　way；〃　exclaimed　Dom　Claude；　〃how　is　your　royal　patient？〃

〃He　payeth　not　sufficiently　his　physician；〃　replied　the　doctor；　casting　a　side　glance　at　his　companion。

〃Think　you　so；　Gossip　Coictier；〃　said　the　latter。

These　words；　uttered　in　a　tone　of　surprise　and　reproach；　drew　upon　this　unknown　personage　the　attention　of　the　archdeacon　which；　to　tell　the　truth；　had　not　been　diverted　from　him　a　single　moment　since　the　stranger　had　set　foot　across　the　threshold　of　his　cell。　　It　had　even　required　all　the　thousand　reasons　which　he　had　for　handling　tenderly　Doctor　Jacques　Coictier；　the　all…powerful　physician　of　King　Louis　XI。；　to　induce　him　to　receive　the　latter　thus　accompanied。　　Hence；　there　was　nothing　very　cordial　in　his　manner　when　Jacques　Coictier　said　to　him；

〃By　the　way；　Dom　Claude；　I　bring　you　a　colleague　who　has　desired　to　see　you　on　account　of　your　reputation。〃

〃Monsieur　belongs　to　science？〃　asked　the　archdeacon；　fixing　his　piercing　eye　upon　Coictier's　companion。　　He　found　beneath　the　brows　of　the　stranger　a　glance　no　less　piercing　or　less　distrustful　than　his　own。

He　was；　so　far　as　the　feeble　light　of　the　lamp　permitted　one　to　judge；　an　old　man　about　sixty　years　of　age　and　of　medium　stature；　who　appeared　somewhat　sickly　and　broken　in　health。　　His　profile；　although　of　a　very　ordinary　outline；　had　something　powerful　and　severe　about　it；　his　eyes　sparkled　beneath　a　very　deep　superciliary　arch；　like　a　light　in　the　depths　of　a　cave；　and　beneath　his　cap　which　was　well　drawn　down　and　fell　upon　his　nose；　one　recognized　the　broad　expanse　of　a　brow　of　genius。

He　took　it　upon　himself　to　reply　to　the　archdeacon's　question；

〃Reverend　master；〃　he　said　in　a　grave　tone；　〃your　renown　has　reached　my　ears；　and　I　wish　to　consult　you。　　I　am　but　a　poor　provincial　gentleman；　who　removeth　his　shoes　before　entering　the　dwellings　of　the　learned。　　You　must　know　my　name。　　I　am　called　Gossip　Tourangeau。〃

〃Strange　name　for　a　gentleman；〃　said　the　archdeacon　to　himself。

Nevertheless；　he　had　a　feeling　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　a　strong　and　earnest　character。　　The　instinct　of　his　own　lofty　intellect　made　him　recognize　an　intellect　no　less　lofty　under　Gossip　Tourangeau's　furred　cap；　and　as　he　gazed　at　the　solemn　face；　the　ironical　smile　which　Jacques　Coictier's　presence　called　forth　on　his　gloomy　face；　gradually　disappeared　as　twilight　fades　on　the　horizon　of　night。　Stern　and　silent；　he　had　resumed　his　seat　in　his　great　armchair；　his　elbow　rested　as　usual；　on　the　table；　and　his　brow　on　his　hand。　　After　a　few　moments　of　reflection；　he　motioned　his　visitors　to　be　seated；　and；　turning　to　Gossip　Tourangeau　he　said；

〃You　come　to　consult　me；　master；　and　upon　what　science？〃

〃Your　reverence；〃　replied　Tourangeau；　〃I　am　ill；　very　ill。　You　are　said　to　be　great　AEsculapius；　and　I　am　come　to　ask　your　advice　in　medicine。〃

〃Medicine！〃　said　the　archdeacon；　tossing　his　head。　　He　seemed　to　meditate　for　a　moment；　and　then　resumed：　〃Gossip　Tourangeau；　since　that　is　your　name；　turn　your　head；　you　will　find　my　reply　already　written　on　the　wall。〃

Gossip　Tourangeau　obeyed；　and　read　this　inscription　engraved　above　his　head：　〃Medicine　is　the　daughter　of　dreams。JAMBLIQUE。〃

Meanwhile；　Doctor　Jacques　Coictier　had　heard　his　companion's　question　with　a　displeasure　which　Dom　Claude's　response　had　but　redoubled。　　He　bent　down　to　the　ear　of　Gossip　Tourangeau；　and　said　to　him；　softly　enough　not　to　be　heard　by　the　archdeacon：　〃I　warned　you　that　he　was　mad。　You　insisted　on　seeing　him。〃

〃'Tis　very　possible　that　he　is　right；　madman　as　he　is；　Doctor　Jacques；〃　replied　his　comrade　in　the　same　low　tone；　and　with　a　bitter　smile。

〃As　you　please；〃　replied　Coictier　dryly。　　Then；　addressing　the　archdeacon：　〃You　are　clever　at　your　trade；　Dom　Claude；　and　you　are　no　more　at　a　loss　over　Hippocrates　than　a　monkey　is　over　a　nut。　　Medicine　a　dream！　　I　suspect　that　the　pharmacopolists　and　the　master　physicians　would　insist　upon　stoning　you　if　they　were　here。　　So　you　deny　the　influence　of　philtres　upon　the　blood；　and　unguents　on　the　skin！　　You　deny　that　eternal　pharmacy　of　flowers　and　metals；　which　is　called　the　world；　made　expressly　for　that　eternal　invalid　called　man！〃

〃I　deny；〃　said　Dom　Claude　coldly；　〃neither　pharmacy　nor　the　invalid。　　I　reject　the　physician。〃

〃Then　it　is　not　true；〃　resumed　Coictier　hotly；　〃that　gout　is　an　internal　eruption；　that　a　wound　caused　by　artillery　is　to　be　cured　by　the　application　of　a　young　mouse　roasted；　that　young　blood；　properly　injected；　restores　youth　to　aged　veins；　it　is　not　true　that　two　and　two　make　four；　and　that　emprostathonos　follows　opistathonos。〃

The　archdeacon　replied　without　perturbation：　〃There　are　certain　things　of　which　I　think　in　a　certain　fashion。〃

Coictier　became　crimson　with　anger。

〃There；　there；　my　good　Coictier；　let　us　not　get　angry；〃　said　Gossip　Tourangeau。　　〃Monsieur　the　archdeacon　is　our　friend。〃

Coictier　calmed　down；　muttering　in　a　low　tone；

〃After　all；　he's　mad。〃

〃~Pasque…dieu~；　Master　Claude；〃　resumed　Gossip　Tourangeau；　after　a　silence；　〃You　embarrass　me　greatly。　　I　had　two　things　to　consult　you　upon；　one　touching　my　health　and　the　other　touching　my　star。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　returned　the　archdeacon；　〃if　that　be　your　motive；　you　would　have　done　as　well　not　to　put　yourself　out　of　breath　climbing　my　staircase。　　I　do　not　believe　in　Medicine。　I　do　not　believe　in　Astrology。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　the　man；　with　surprise。

Coictier　gave　a　forced　laugh。

〃You　see　that　he　is　mad；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone；　to　Gossip　Tourangeau。　　〃He　does　not　believe　in　astrology。〃

〃The　idea　of　imagining；〃　pursued　Dom　Claude；　〃that　every　ray　of　a　star　is　a　thread　which　is　fastened　to　the　head　of　a　man！〃

〃And　what　then；　do　you　believe　in？〃　exclaimed　Gossip　Tourangeau。

The　archdeacon　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　he　allowed　a　gloomy　smile　to　escape；　which　seemed　to　give　the　lie　to　his　response：　〃~Credo　in　Deum~。〃

〃~Dominum　nostrum~；〃　added　Gossip　Tourangeau；　making　the　sign　of　the　cross。

〃Amen；〃　said　Coictier。

〃Reverend　master；〃　resumed　Tourangeau；　〃I　am　charmed　in　soul　to　see　you　in　such　a　religious　frame　of　mind。　　But　have　you　reached　the　point；　great　savant　as　you　are；　of　no　longer　believing　in　science？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　grasping　the　arm　of　Gossip　Tourangeau；　and　a　ray　of　enthusiasm　lighted　up　his　gloomy　eyes；　〃no；　I　do　not　reject　science。　　I　have　not　crawled　so　long；　flat　on　my　belly；　with　my　nails　in　the　earth；　through　the　innumerable　ramifications　of　its　caverns；　without　perceiving　far　in　front　of　me；　at　the　end　of　the　obscure　gallery；　a　light；　a　flame；　a　something；　the　reflection；　no　doubt；　of　the　dazzling　central　laboratory　where　the　patient　and　the　wise　have　found　out　God。〃

〃And　in　short；〃　interrupted　Tourangeau；　〃what　do　you　hold　to　be　true　and　certain？〃

〃Alchemy。〃

Coictier　exclaimed；　〃Pardieu；　Dom　Claude；　alchemy　has　its　use；　no　doubt；　but　why　blaspheme　medicine　and　astrology？〃

〃Naught　is　your　science　of　man；　naught　is　your　science　of　the　stars；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　commandingly。

〃That's　driving　Epidaurus　and　Chaldea　very　fast；〃　replied　the　physician　with　a　grin。

〃Listen；　Messire　Jacques。　　This　is　said　in　good　faith。　　I　am　not　the　king's　physician；　and　his　majesty　has　not　given　me　the　Garden　of　Daedalus　in　which　to　observe　the　constellations。　　Don't　get　angry；　but　listen　to　me。　　What　truth　have　you　deduced；　I　will　not　say　from　medicine；　which　is　too　foolish　a　thing；　but　from　astrology？　　Cite　to　me　the　virtues　of　the　vertical　boustrophedon；　the　treasures　of　the　number　ziruph　and　those　of　the　number　zephirod！〃

〃Will　you　deny；〃　said　Coictier；　〃the　sympathetic　force　of　the　collar　bone；　and　the　cabalistics　which　are　derived　from　it？〃

〃An　error；　Messire　Jacques！　　None　of　your　formulas　end　in　reality。　　Alchemy　on　the　other　hand　has　its　discoveries。　　Will　you　contest　results　like　this？　　Ice　confined　beneath　the　earth　for　a　thousand　years　is　transformed　into　rock　crystals。　　Lead　is　the　ancestor　of　all　metals。　　For　gold　is　not　a　metal；　gold　is　light。　　Lead　requires　only　four　periods　of　two　hundred　years　each；　to　pass　in