the hunchback of notre dame-第68章

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ing　in　good　faith　to　the　peal　from　above　the　Pont　du　Change；　and　who　went　away　dumbfounded；　like　a　dog　who　has　been　offered　a　bone　and　given　a　stone。




CHAPTER　IV。

~ANArKH~。


It　chanced　that　upon　a　fine　morning　in　this　same　month　of　March；　I　think　it　was　on　Saturday　the　29th；　Saint　Eustache's　day；　our　young　friend　the　student；　Jehan　Frollo　du　Moulin；　perceived；　as　he　was　dressing　himself；　that　his　breeches；　which　contained　his　purse；　gave　out　no　metallic　ring。　　〃Poor　purse；〃　he　said；　drawing　it　from　his　fob；　〃what！　not　the　smallest　parisis！　how　cruelly　the　dice；　beer…pots；　and　Venus　have　depleted　thee！　　How　empty；　wrinkled；　limp；　thou　art！　　Thou　resemblest　the　throat　of　a　fury！　　I　ask　you；　Messer　Cicero；　and　Messer　Seneca；　copies　of　whom；　all　dog's…eared；　I　behold　scattered　on　the　floor；　what　profits　it　me　to　know；　better　than　any　governor　of　the　mint；　or　any　Jew　on　the　Pont　aux　Changeurs；　that　a　golden　crown　stamped　with　a　crown　is　worth　thirty…five　unzains　of　twenty…five　sous；　and　eight　deniers　parisis　apiece；　and　that　a　crown　stamped　with　a　crescent　is　worth　thirty…six　unzains　of　twenty…six　sous；　six　deniers　tournois　apiece；　if　I　have　not　a　single　wretched　black　liard　to　risk　on　the　double…six！　　Oh！　　Consul　Cicero！　this　is　no　calamity　from　which　one　extricates　one's　self　with　periphrases；　~quemadmodum~；　and　~verum　enim　vero~！〃

He　dressed　himself　sadly。　　An　idea　had　occurred　to　him　as　he　laced　his　boots；　but　he　rejected　it　at　first；　nevertheless；　it　returned；　and　he　put　on　his　waistcoat　wrong　side　out；　an　evident　sign　of　violent　internal　combat。　　At　last　he　dashed　his　cap　roughly　on　the　floor；　and　exclaimed：　〃So　much　the　worse！　Let　come　of　it　what　may。　　I　am　going　to　my　brother！　　I　shall　catch　a　sermon；　but　I　shall　catch　a　crown。〃

Then　be　hastily　donned　his　long　jacket　with　furred　half…　sleeves；　picked　up　his　cap；　and　went　out　like　a　man　driven　to　desperation。

He　descended　the　Rue　de　la　Harpe　toward　the　City。　　As　he　passed　the　Rue　de　la　Huchette；　the　odor　of　those　admirable　spits；　which　were　incessantly　turning；　tickled　his　olfactory　apparatus；　and　he　bestowed　a　loving　glance　toward　the　Cyclopean　roast；　which　one　day　drew　from　the　Franciscan　friar；　Calatagirone；　this　pathetic　exclamation：　~Veramente；　queste　rotisserie　sono　cosa　stupenda~！*　　But　Jehan　had　not　the　wherewithal　to　buy　a　breakfast；　and　he　plunged；　with　a　profound　sigh；　under　the　gateway　of　the　Petit…Chatelet；　that　enormous　double　trefoil　of　massive　towers　which　guarded　the　entrance　to　the　City。


*　　Truly；　these　roastings　are　a　stupendous　thing！


He　did　not　even　take　the　trouble　to　cast　a　stone　in　passing；　as　was　the　usage；　at　the　miserable　statue　of　that　Périnet　Leclerc　who　had　delivered　up　the　Paris　of　Charles　VI。　to　the　English；　a　crime　which　his　effigy；　its　face　battered　with　stones　and　soiled　with　mud；　expiated　for　three　centuries　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Harpe　and　the　Rue　de　Buci；　as　in　an　eternal　pillory。

The　Petit…Pont　traversed；　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Geneviève　crossed；　Jehan　de　Molendino　found　himself　in　front　of　Notre…　Dame。　　Then　indecision　seized　upon　him　once　more；　and　he　paced　for　several　minutes　round　the　statue　of　M。　Legris；　repeating　to　himself　with　anguish：　〃The　sermon　is　sure；　the　crown　is　doubtful。〃

He　stopped　a　beadle　who　emerged　from　the　cloister；〃Where　is　monsieur　the　archdeacon　of　Josas？〃

〃I　believe　that　he　is　in　his　secret　cell　in　the　tower；〃　said　the　beadle；　〃I　should　advise　you　not　to　disturb　him　there；　unless　you　come　from　some　one　like　the　pope　or　monsieur　the　king。〃

Jehan　clapped　his　hands。

〃~Bécliable~！　here's　a　magnificent　chance　to　see　the　famous　sorcery　cell！〃

This　reflection　having　brought　him　to　a　decision；　he　plunged　resolutely　into　the　small　black　doorway；　and　began　the　ascent　of　the　spiral　of　Saint…Gilles；　which　leads　to　the　upper　stories　of　the　tower。　　〃I　am　going　to　see；〃　he　said　to　himself　on　the　way。　　〃By　the　ravens　of　the　Holy　Virgin！　it　must　needs　be　a　curious　thing；　that　cell　which　my　reverend　brother　hides　so　secretly！　　'Tis　said　that　he　lights　up　the　kitchens　of　hell　there；　and　that　he　cooks　the　philosopher's　stone　there　over　a　hot　fire。　　~Bédieu~！　　I　care　no　more　for　the　philosopher's　stone　than　for　a　pebble；　and　I　would　rather　find　over　his　furnace　an　omelette　of　Easter　eggs　and　bacon；　than　the　biggest　philosopher's　stone　in　the　world。〃'

On　arriving　at　the　gallery　of　slender　columns；　he　took　breath　for　a　moment；　and　swore　against　the　interminable　staircase　by　I　know　not　how　many　million　cartloads　of　devils；　then　he　resumed　his　ascent　through　the　narrow　door　of　the　north　tower；　now　closed　to　the　public。　　Several　moments　after　passing　the　bell　chamber；　he　came　upon　a　little　landing…place；　built　in　a　lateral　niche；　and　under　the　vault　of　a　low；　pointed　door；　whose　enormous　lock　and　strong　iron　bars　he　was　enabled　to　see　through　a　loophole　pierced　in　the　opposite　circular　wall　of　the　staircase。　　Persons　desirous　of　visiting　this　door　at　the　present　day　will　recognize　it　by　this　inscription　engraved　in　white　letters　on　the　black　wall：　〃J'ADORE　CORALIE；　1823。　　SIGNE　UGENE。〃　　〃Signé〃　stands　in　the　text。

〃Ugh！〃　said　the　scholar；　〃'tis　here；　no　doubt。〃

The　key　was　in　the　lock；　the　door　was　very　close　to　him；　he　gave　it　a　gentle　push　and　thrust　his　head　through　the　opening。

The　reader　cannot　have　failed　to　turn　over　the　admirable　works　of　Rembrandt；　that　Shakespeare　of　painting。　　Amid　so　many　marvellous　engravings；　there　is　one　etching　in　particular；　which　is　supposed　to　represent　Doctor　Faust；　and　which　it　is　impossible　to　contemplate　without　being　dazzled。　　It　represents　a　gloomy　cell；　in　the　centre　is　a　table　loaded　with　hideous　objects；　skulls；　spheres；　alembics；　compasses；　hieroglyphic　parchments。　　The　doctor　is　before　this　table　clad　in　his　large　coat　and　covered　to　the　very　eyebrows　with　his　furred　cap。　　He　is　visible　only　to　his　waist。　　He　has　half　risen　from　his　immense　arm…chair；　his　clenched　fists　rest　on　the　table；　and　he　is　gazing　with　curiosity　and　terror　at　a　large　luminous　circle；　formed　of　magic　letters；　which　gleams　from　the　wall　beyond；　like　the　solar　spectrum　in　a　dark　chamber。　This　cabalistic　sun　seems　to　tremble　before　the　eye；　and　fills　the　wan　cell　with　its　mysterious　radiance。　　It　is　horrible　and　it　is　beautiful。

Something　very　similar　to　Faust's　cell　presented　itself　to　Jehan's　view；　when　he　ventured　his　head　through　the　half…　open　door。　　It　also　was　a　gloomy　and　sparsely　lighted　retreat。　There　also　stood　a　large　arm…chair　and　a　large　table；　compasses；　alembics；　skeletons　of　animals　suspended　from　the　ceiling；　a　globe　rolling　on　the　floor；　hippocephali　mingled　promiscuously　with　drinking　cups；　in　which　quivered　leaves　of　gold；　skulls　placed　upon　vellum　checkered　with　figures　and　characters；　huge　manuscripts　piled　up　wide　open；　without　mercy　on　the　cracking　corners　of　the　parchment；　in　short；　all　the　rubbish　of　science；　and　everywhere　on　this　confusion　dust　and　spiders'　webs；　but　there　was　no　circle　of　luminous　letters；　no　doctor　in　an　ecstasy　contemplating　the　flaming　vision；　as　the　eagle　gazes　upon　the　sun。

Nevertheless；　the　cell　was　not　deserted。　　A　man　was　seated　in　the　arm…chair；　and　bending　over　the　table。　　Jehan；　to　whom　his　back　was　turned；　could　see　only　his　shoulders　and　the　back　of　his　skull；　but　he　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　that　bald　head；　which　nature　had　provided　with　an　eternal　tonsure；　as　though　desirous　of　marking；　by　this　external　symbol；　the　archdeacon's　irresistible　clerical　vocation。

Jehan　accordingly　recognized　his　brother；　but　the　door　had　been　opened　so　softly；　that　nothing　warned　Dom　Claude　of　his　presence。　　The　inquisitive　scholar　took　advantage　of　this　circumstance　to　examine　the　cell　for　a　few　moments　at　his　leisure。　　A　large　furnace；　which　he　had　not　at　first　observed；　stood　to　the　left　of　the　arm…chair；　beneath　the　window。　　The　ray　of　light　which　penetrated　through　this　aperture　made　its　way　through　a　spider's　circular　web；　which　tastefully　inscribed　its　delicate　rose　in　the　arch　of　the　window；　and　in　the　centre　of　which　the　insect　architect　hung　motionless；　like　the　hub　of　this　wheel　of　lace。　　Upon　the　furnace　were　accumulated　in　disorder；　all　sorts　of　vases；　earthenware　bottles；　glass　retort