the hunchback of notre dame-第53章

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In　accordance　with　the　fashion　of　the　epoch；　a　Latin　inscription　on　the　wall　indicated　to　the　learned　passer…by　the　pious　purpose　of　this　cell。　　The　custom　was　retained　until　the　middle　of　the　sixteenth　century　of　explaining　an　edifice　by　a　brief　device　inscribed　above　the　door。　　Thus；　one　still　reads　in　France；　above　the　wicket　of　the　prison　in　the　seignorial　mansion　of　Tourville；　~Sileto　et　spera~；　in　Ireland；　beneath　the　armorial　bearings　which　surmount　the　grand　door　to　Fortescue　Castle；　~Forte　scutum；　salus　ducum~；　in　England；　over　the　principal　entrance　to　the　hospitable　mansion　of　the　Earls　Cowper：　~Tuum　est~。　　At　that　time　every　edifice　was　a　thought。

As　there　was　no　door　to　the　walled　cell　of　the　Tour…Roland；　these　two　words　had　been　carved　in　large　Roman　capitals　over　the　window；


　　　TU；　ORA。


And　this　caused　the　people；　whose　good　sense　does　not　perceive　so　much　refinement　in　things；　and　likes　to　translate　_Ludovico　Magno_　by　〃Porte　Saint…Denis；〃　to　give　to　this　dark；　gloomy；　damp　cavity；　the　name　of　〃The　Rat…Hole。〃　　An　explanation　less　sublime；　perhaps；　than　the　other；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　more　picturesque。



CHAPTER　III。

HISTORY　OF　A　LEAVENED　CAKE　OF　MAIZE。



At　the　epoch　of　this　history；　the　cell　in　the　Tour…Roland　was　occupied。　　If　the　reader　desires　to　know　by　whom；　he　has　only　to　lend　an　ear　to　the　conversation　of　three　worthy　gossips；　who；　at　the　moment　when　we　have　directed　his　attention　to　the　Rat…Hole；　were　directing　their　steps　towards　the　same　spot；　coming　up　along　the　water's　edge　from　the　Chatelet；　towards　the　Grève。

Two　of　these　women　were　dressed　like　good　~bourgeoises~　of　Paris。　　Their　fine　white　ruffs；　their　petticoats　of　linsey…　woolsey；　striped　red　and　blue；　their　white　knitted　stockings；　with　clocks　embroidered　in　colors；　well　drawn　upon　their　legs；　the　square…toed　shoes　of　tawny　leather　with　black　soles；　and；　above　all；　their　headgear；　that　sort　of　tinsel　horn；　loaded　down　with　ribbons　and　laces；　which　the　women　of　Champagne　still　wear；　in　company　with　the　grenadiers　of　the　imperial　guard　of　Russia；　announced　that　they　belonged　to　that　class　wives　which　holds　the　middle　ground　between　what　the　lackeys　call　a　woman　and　what　they　term　a　lady。　　They　wore　neither　rings　nor　gold　crosses；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that；　in　their　ease；　this　did　not　proceed　from　poverty；　but　simply　from　fear　of　being　fined。　　Their　companion　was　attired　in　very　much　the　same　manner；　but　there　was　that　indescribable　something　about　her　dress　and　bearing　which　suggested　the　wife　of　a　provincial　notary。　　One　could　see；　by　the　way　in　which　her　girdle　rose　above　her　hips；　that　she　had　not　been　long　in　Paris。Add　to　this　a　plaited　tucker；　knots　of　ribbon　on　her　shoesand　that　the　stripes　of　her　petticoat　ran　horizontally　instead　of　vertically；　and　a　thousand　other　enormities　which　shocked　good　taste。

The　two　first　walked　with　that　step　peculiar　to　Parisian　ladies；　showing　Paris　to　women　from　the　country。　　The　provincial　held　by　the　hand　a　big　boy；　who　held　in　his　a　large；　flat　cake。

We　regret　to　be　obliged　to　add；　that；　owing　to　the　rigor　of　the　season；　he　was　using　his　tongue　as　a　handkerchief。

The　child　was　making　them　drag　him　along；　~non　passibus　Cequis~；　as　Virgil　says；　and　stumbling　at　every　moment；　to　the　great　indignation　of　his　mother。　　It　is　true　that　he　was　looking　at　his　cake　more　than　at　the　pavement。　　Some　serious　motive；　no　doubt；　prevented　his　biting　it　（the　cake）；　for　he　contented　himself　with　gazing　tenderly　at　it。　　But　the　mother　should　have　rather　taken　charge　of　the　cake。　　It　was　cruel　to　make　a　Tantalus　of　the　chubby…checked　boy。

Meanwhile；　the　three　demoiselles　（for　the　name　of　dames　was　then　reserved　for　noble　women）　were　all　talking　at　once。

〃Let　us　make　haste；　Demoiselle　Mahiette；〃　said　the　youngest　of　the　three；　who　was　also　the　largest；　to　the　provincial；　〃I　greatly　fear　that　we　shall　arrive　too　late；　they　told　us　at　the　Chatelet　that　they　were　going　to　take　him　directly　to　the　pillory。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　what　are　you　saying；　Demoiselle　Oudarde　Musnier？〃　interposed　the　other　Parisienne。　　〃There　are　two　hours　yet　to　the　pillory。　　We　have　time　enough。　　Have　you　ever　seen　any　one　pilloried；　my　dear　Mahiette？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　provincial；　〃at　Reims。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　　What　is　your　pillory　at　Reims？　　A　miserable　cage　into　which　only　peasants　are　turned。　　A　great　affair；　truly！〃

〃Only　peasants！〃　said　Mahiette；　〃at　the　cloth　market　in　Reims！　　We　have　seen　very　fine　criminals　there；　who　have　killed　their　father　and　mother！　　Peasants！　　For　what　do　you　take　us；　Gervaise？〃

It　is　certain　that　the　provincial　was　on　the　point　of　taking　offence；　for　the　honor　of　her　pillory。　　Fortunately；　that　discreet　damoiselle；　Oudarde　Musnier；　turned　the　conversation　in　time。

〃By　the　way；　Damoiselle　Mahiette；　what　say　you　to　our　Flemish　Ambassadors？　　Have　you　as　fine　ones　at　Reims？〃

〃I　admit；〃　replied　Mahiette；　〃that　it　is　only　in　Paris　that　such　Flemings　can　be　seen。〃

〃Did　you　see　among　the　embassy；　that　big　ambassador　who　is　a　hosier？〃　asked　Oudarde。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mahiette。　　〃He　has　the　eye　of　a　Saturn。〃

〃And　the　big　fellow　whose　face　resembles　a　bare　belly？〃　resumed　Gervaise。　　〃And　the　little　one；　with　small　eyes　framed　in　red　eyelids；　pared　down　and　slashed　up　like　a　thistle　head？〃

〃'Tis　their　horses　that　are　worth　seeing；〃　said　Oudarde；　〃caparisoned　as　they　are　after　the　fashion　of　their　country！〃

〃Ah　my　dear；〃　interrupted　provincial　Mahiette；　assuming　in　her　turn　an　air　of　superiority；　〃what　would　you　say　then；　if　you　had　seen　in　'61；　at　the　consecration　at　Reims；　eighteen　years　ago；　the　horses　of　the　princes　and　of　the　king's　company？　　Housings　and　caparisons　of　all　sorts；　some　of　damask　cloth；　of　fine　cloth　of　gold；　furred　with　sables；　others　of　velvet；　furred　with　ermine；　others　all　embellished　with　goldsmith's　work　and　large　bells　of　gold　and　silver！　　And　what　money　that　had　cost！　　And　what　handsome　boy　pages　rode　upon　them！〃

〃That；〃　replied　Oudarde　dryly；　〃does　not　prevent　the　Flemings　having　very　fine　horses；　and　having　had　a　superb　supper　yesterday　with　monsieur；　the　provost　of　the　merchants；　at　the　H？tel…de…Ville；　where　they　were　served　with　comfits　and　hippocras；　and　spices；　and　other　singularities。〃

〃What　are　you　saying；　neighbor！〃　exclaimed　Gervaise。　〃It　was　with　monsieur　the　cardinal；　at　the　Petit　Bourbon　that　they　supped。〃

〃Not　at　all。　　At　the　H？tel…de…Ville。

〃Yes；　indeed。　　At　the　Petit　Bourbon！〃

〃It　was　at　the　H？tel…de…Ville；〃　retorted　Oudarde　sharply；　〃and　Dr。　Scourable　addressed　them　a　harangue　in　Latin；　which　pleased　them　greatly。　　My　husband；　who　is　sworn　bookseller　told　me。〃

〃It　was　at　the　Petit　Bourbon；〃　replied　Gervaise；　with　no　less　spirit；　〃and　this　is　what　monsieur　the　cardinal's　procurator　presented　to　them：　twelve　double　quarts　of　hippocras；　white；　claret；　and　red；　twenty…four　boxes　of　double　Lyons　marchpane；　gilded；　as　many　torches；　worth　two　livres　a　piece；　and　six　demi…queues*　of　Beaune　wine；　white　and　claret；　the　best　that　could　be　found。　　I　have　it　from　my　husband；　who　is　a　cinquantenier**；　at　the　Parloir…aux　Bourgeois；　and　who　was　this　morning　comparing　the　Flemish　ambassadors　with　those　of　Prester　John　and　the　Emperor　of　Trebizond；　who　came　from　Mesopotamia　to　Paris；　under　the　last　king；　and　who　wore　rings　in　their　ears。〃


*　　A　Queue　was　a　cask　which　held　a　hogshead　and　a　half。

**　　A　captain　of　fifty　men。


〃So　true　is　it　that　they　supped　at　the　H？tel…de…Ville；〃　replied　Oudarde　but　little　affected　by　this　catalogue；　〃that　such　a　triumph　of　viands　and　comfits　has　never　been　seen。〃

〃I　tell　you　that　they　were　served　by　Le　Sec；　sergeant　of　the　city；　at　the　H？tel　du　Petit…Bourbon；　and　that　that　is　where　you　are　mistaken。〃

〃At　the　H？tel…de…Ville；　I　tell　you！〃

〃At　the　Petit…Bourbon；　my　dear！　and　they　had　illuminated　with　magic　glasses　the　word　hope；　which　is　written　on　the　grand　portal。〃

〃At　the　H？tel…de…Ville！　　At　the　H？tel…de…Ville！　　And　Husson…le…Voir　played　the　flute！〃

〃I　tell　you；　no！〃

〃I　tell　you；　yes！〃

〃I　say；　no！〃

Plump　and　worthy　Oudarde　was　preparing　to　retort；　and　the　quarrel　might；　perhaps；　have　proceeded　to　a　pulling　of　caps；　had　not　Mahiette　suddenly　exclaimed；〃Look　at　those　pe