the hunchback of notre dame-第57章

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This　question；　highly　imprudent　at　the　moment　when　Eustache　put　it；　aroused　Mahiette's　attention。

〃By　the　way；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃we　are　forgetting　the　recluse！　　Show　me　the　Rat…Hole；　that　I　may　carry　her　her　cake。〃

〃Immediately；〃　said　Oudarde；　〃'tis　a　charity。〃

But　this　did　not　suit　Eustache。

〃Stop！　my　cake！〃　said　he；　rubbing　both　ears　alternatively　with　his　shoulders；　which；　in　such　cases；　is　the　supreme　sign　of　discontent。

The　three　women　retraced　their　steps；　and；　on　arriving　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Tour…Roland；　Oudarde　said　to　the　other　two；

〃We　must　not　all　three　gaze　into　the　hole　at　once；　for　fear　of　alarming　the　recluse。　　Do　you　two　pretend　to　read　the　_Dominus_　in　the　breviary；　while　I　thrust　my　nose　into　the　aperture；　the　recluse　knows　me　a　little。　　I　will　give　you　warning　when　you　can　approach。〃

She　proceeded　alone　to　the　window。　　At　the　moment　when　she　looked　in；　a　profound　pity　was　depicted　on　all　her　features；　and　her　frank；　gay　visage　altered　its　expression　and　color　as　abruptly　as　though　it　had　passed　from　a　ray　of　sunlight　to　a　ray　of　moonlight；　her　eye　became　humid；　her　mouth　contracted；　like　that　of　a　person　on　the　point　of　weeping。　　A　moment　later；　she　laid　her　finger　on　her　lips；　and　made　a　sign　to　Mahiette　to　draw　near　and　look。

Mahiette；　much　touched；　stepped　up　in　silence；　on　tiptoe；　as　though　approaching　the　bedside　of　a　dying　person。

It　was；　in　fact；　a　melancholy　spectacle　which　presented　itself　to　the　eyes　of　the　two　women；　as　they　gazed　through　the　grating　of　the　Rat…Hole；　neither　stirring　nor　breathing。

The　cell　was　small；　broader　than　it　was　long；　with　an　arched　ceiling；　and　viewed　from　within；　it　bore　a　considerable　resemblance　to　the　interior　of　a　huge　bishop's　mitre。　　On　the　bare　flagstones　which　formed　the　floor；　in　one　corner；　a　woman　was　sitting；　or　rather；　crouching。　　Her　chin　rested　on　her　knees；　which　her　crossed　arms　pressed　forcibly　to　her　breast。　Thus　doubled　up；　clad　in　a　brown　sack；　which　enveloped　her　entirely　in　large　folds；　her　long；　gray　hair　pulled　over　in　front；　falling　over　her　face　and　along　her　legs　nearly　to　her　feet；　she　presented；　at　the　first　glance；　only　a　strange　form　outlined　against　the　dark　background　of　the　cell；　a　sort　of　dusky　triangle；　which　the　ray　of　daylight　falling　through　the　opening；　cut　roughly　into　two　shades；　the　one　sombre；　the　other　illuminated。　　It　was　one　of　those　spectres；　half　light；　half　shadow；　such　as　one　beholds　in　dreams　and　in　the　extraordinary　work　of　Goya；　pale；　motionless；　sinister；　crouching　over　a　tomb；　or　leaning　against　the　grating　of　a　prison　cell。

It　was　neither　a　woman；　nor　a　man；　nor　a　living　being；　nor　a　definite　form；　it　was　a　figure；　a　sort　of　vision；　in　which　the　real　and　the　fantastic　intersected　each　other；　like　darkness　and　day。　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　one　distinguished；　beneath　her　hair　which　spread　to　the　ground；　a　gaunt　and　severe　profile；　her　dress　barely　allowed　the　extremity　of　a　bare　foot　to　escape；　which　contracted　on　the　hard；　cold　pavement。　The　little　of　human　form　of　which　one　caught　a　sight　beneath　this　envelope　of　mourning；　caused　a　shudder。

That　figure；　which　one　might　have　supposed　to　be　riveted　to　the　flagstones；　appeared　to　possess　neither　movement；　nor　thought；　nor　breath。　　Lying；　in　January；　in　that　thin；　linen　sack；　lying　on　a　granite　floor；　without　fire；　in　the　gloom　of　a　cell　whose　oblique　air…hole　allowed　only　the　cold　breeze；　but　never　the　sun；　to　enter　from　without；　she　did　not　appear　to　suffer　or　even　to　think。　　One　would　have　said　that　she　had　turned　to　stone　with　the　cell；　ice　with　the　season。　　Her　hands　were　clasped；　her　eyes　fixed。　　At　first　sight　one　took　her　for　a　spectre；　at　the　second；　for　a　statue。

Nevertheless；　at　intervals；　her　blue　lips　half　opened　to　admit　a　breath；　and　trembled；　but　as　dead　and　as　mechanical　as　the　leaves　which　the　wind　sweeps　aside。

Nevertheless；　from　her　dull　eyes　there　escaped　a　look；　an　ineffable　look；　a　profound；　lugubrious；　imperturbable　look；　incessantly　fixed　upon　a　corner　of　the　cell　which　could　not　be　seen　from　without；　a　gaze　which　seemed　to　fix　all　the　sombre　thoughts　of　that　soul　in　distress　upon　some　mysterious　object。

Such　was　the　creature　who　had　received；　from　her　habitation；　the　name　of　the　〃recluse〃；　and；　from　her　garment；　the　name　of　〃the　sacked　nun。〃

The　three　women；　for　Gervaise　had　rejoined　Mahiette　and　Oudarde；　gazed　through　the　window。　　Their　heads　intercepted　the　feeble　light　in　the　cell；　without　the　wretched　being　whom　they　thus　deprived　of　it　seeming　to　pay　any　attention　to　them。　　〃Do　not　let　us　trouble　her；〃　said　Oudarde；　in　a　low　voice；　〃she　is　in　her　ecstasy；　she　is　praying。〃

Meanwhile；　Mahiette　was　gazing　with　ever…increasing　anxiety　at　that　wan；　withered；　dishevelled　head；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　　〃This　is　very　singular；〃　she　murmured。

She　thrust　her　head　through　the　bars；　and　succeeded　in　casting　a　glance　at　the　corner　where　the　gaze　of　the　unhappy　woman　was　immovably　riveted。

When　she　withdrew　her　head　from　the　window；　her　countenance　was　inundated　with　tears。

〃What　do　you　call　that　woman？〃　she　asked　Oudarde。

Oudarde　replied；

〃We　call　her　Sister　Gudule。〃

〃And　I；〃　returned　Mahiette；　〃call　her　Paquette　la　Chantefleurie。〃

Then；　laying　her　finger　on　her　lips；　she　motioned　to　the　astounded　Oudarde　to　thrust　her　head　through　the　window　and　look。

Oudarde　looked　and　beheld；　in　the　corner　where　the　eyes　of　the　recluse　were　fixed　in　that　sombre　ecstasy；　a　tiny　shoe　of　pink　satin；　embroidered　with　a　thousand　fanciful　designs　in　gold　and　silver。

Gervaise　looked　after　Oudarde；　and　then　the　three　women；　gazing　upon　the　unhappy　mother；　began　to　weep。

But　neither　their　looks　nor　their　tears　disturbed　the　recluse。　Her　hands　remained　clasped；　her　lips　mute；　her　eyes　fixed；　and　that　little　shoe；　thus　gazed　at；　broke　the　heart　of　any　one　who　knew　her　history。

The　three　women　had　not　yet　uttered　a　single　word；　they　dared　not　speak；　even　in　a　low　voice。　　This　deep　silence；　this　deep　grief；　this　profound　oblivion　in　which　everything　had　disappeared　except　one　thing；　produced　upon　them　the　effect　of　the　grand　altar　at　Christmas　or　Easter。　　They　remained　silent；　they　meditated；　they　were　ready　to　kneel。　　It　seemed　to　them　that　they　were　ready　to　enter　a　church　on　the　day　of　Tenebrae。

At　length　Gervaise；　the　most　curious　of　the　three；　and　consequently　the　least　sensitive；　tried　to　make　the　recluse　speak：

〃Sister！　　Sister　Gudule！〃

She　repeated　this　call　three　times；　raising　her　voice　each　time。　　The　recluse　did　not　move；　not　a　word；　not　a　glance；　not　a　sigh；　not　a　sign　of　life。

Oudarde；　in　her　turn；　in　a　sweeter；　more　caressing　voice；〃Sister！〃　said　she；　〃Sister　Sainte…Gudule！〃

The　same　silence；　the　same　immobility。

〃A　singular　woman！〃　exclaimed　Gervaise；　〃and　one　not　to　be　moved　by　a　catapult！〃

〃Perchance　she　is　deaf；〃　said　Oudarde。

〃Perhaps　she　is　blind；〃　added　Gervaise。

〃Dead；　perchance；〃　returned　Mahiette。

It　is　certain　that　if　the　soul　had　not　already　quitted　this　inert；　sluggish；　lethargic　body；　it　had　at　least　retreated　and　concealed　itself　in　depths　whither　the　perceptions　of　the　exterior　organs　no　longer　penetrated。

〃Then　we　must　leave　the　cake　on　the　window；〃　said　Oudarde；　〃some　scamp　will　take　it。　　What　shall　we　do　to　rouse　her？〃

Eustache；　who；　up　to　that　moment　had　been　diverted　by　a　little　carriage　drawn　by　a　large　dog；　which　had　just　passed；　suddenly　perceived　that　his　three　conductresses　were　gazing　at　something　through　the　window；　and；　curiosity　taking　possession　of　him　in　his　turn；　he　climbed　upon　a　stone　post；　elevated　himself　on　tiptoe；　and　applied　his　fat；　red　face　to　the　opening；　shouting；　〃Mother；　let　me　see　too！〃

At　the　sound　of　this　clear；　fresh；　ringing　child's　voice；　the　recluse　trembled；　she　turned　her　head　with　the　sharp；　abrupt　movement　of　a　steel　spring；　her　long；　fleshless　hands　cast　aside　the　hair　from　her　brow；　and　she　fixed　upon　the　child；　bitter；　astonished；　desperate　eyes。　　This　glance　was　but　a　lightning　flash。

〃Oh　my　God！〃　she　suddenly　exclaimed；　hiding　her　head　on　her　knees；　and　it　seemed　as　though　her　hoarse　voice　tore　her　chest　as　it　passed　from　it；　〃do　not　show　me　those　of　others！〃

〃Good