the hunchback of notre dame-第70章

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f　great　emotions　was　always　dry；　so　freely　did　he　let　it　off　each　day　by　fresh　drains；he　did　not　know　with　what　fury　the　sea　of　human　passions　ferments　and　boils　when　all　egress　is　denied　to　it；　how　it　accumulates；　how　it　swells；　how　it　overflows；　how　it　hollows　out　the　heart；　how　it　breaks　in　inward　sobs；　and　dull　convulsions；　until　it　has　rent　its　dikes　and　burst　its　bed。　　The　austere　and　glacial　envelope　of　Claude　Frollo；　that　cold　surface　of　steep　and　inaccessible　virtue；　had　always　deceived　Jehan。　　The　merry　scholar　had　never　dreamed　that　there　was　boiling　lava；　furious　and　profound；　beneath　the　snowy　brow　of　AEtna。

We　do　not　know　whether　he　suddenly　became　conscious　of　these　things；　but；　giddy　as　he　was；　he　understood　that　he　had　seen　what　he　ought　not　to　have　seen；　that　he　had　just　surprised　the　soul　of　his　elder　brother　in　one　of　its　most　secret　altitudes；　and　that　Claude　must　not　be　allowed　to　know　it。　Seeing　that　the　archdeacon　had　fallen　back　into　his　former　immobility；　he　withdrew　his　head　very　softly；　and　made　some　noise　with　his　feet　outside　the　door；　like　a　person　who　has　just　arrived　and　is　giving　warning　of　his　approach。

〃Enter！〃　cried　the　archdeacon；　from　the　interior　of　his　cell；　〃I　was　expecting　you。　　I　left　the　door　unlocked　expressly；　enter　Master　Jacques！〃

The　scholar　entered　boldly。　　The　archdeacon；　who　was　very　much　embarrassed　by　such　a　visit　in　such　a　place；　trembled　in　his　arm…chair。　　〃What！　'tis　you；　Jehan？〃

〃'Tis　a　J；　all　the　same；〃　said　the　scholar；　with　his　ruddy；　merry；　and　audacious　face。

Dom　Claude's　visage　had　resumed　its　severe　expression。

〃What　are　you　come　for？〃

〃Brother；〃　replied　the　scholar；　making　an　effort　to　assume　a　decent；　pitiful；　and　modest　mien；　and　twirling　his　cap　in　his　hands　with　an　innocent　air；　〃I　am　come　to　ask　of　you〃

〃What？〃

〃A　little　lecture　on　morality；　of　which　I　stand　greatly　in　need；〃　Jehan　did　not　dare　to　add　aloud；〃and　a　little　money　of　which　I　am　in　still　greater　need。〃　　This　last　member　of　his　phrase　remained　unuttered。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　in　a　cold　tone；　〃I　am　greatly　displeased　with　you。〃

〃Alas！〃　sighed　the　scholar。

Dom　Claude　made　his　arm…chair　describe　a　quarter　circle；　and　gazed　intently　at　Jehan。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you。〃

This　was　a　formidable　exordium。　　Jehan　braced　himself　for　a　rough　encounter。

〃Jehan；　complaints　are　brought　me　about　you　every　day。　What　affray　was　that　in　which　you　bruised　with　a　cudgel　a　little　vicomte；　Albert　de　Ramonchamp？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Jehan；　〃a　vast　thing　that！　　A　malicious　page　amused　himself　by　splashing　the　scholars；　by　making　his　horse　gallop　through　the　mire！〃

〃Who；〃　pursued　the　archdeacon；　〃is　that　Mahiet　Fargel；　whose　gown　you　have　torn？　　~Tunicam　dechiraverunt~；　saith　the　complaint。〃

〃Ah　bah！　a　wretched　cap　of　a　Montaigu！　　Isn't　that　it？〃

〃The　complaint　says　~tunicam~　and　not　~cappettam~。　　Do　you　know　Latin？〃

Jehan　did　not　reply。

〃Yes；〃　pursued　the　priest　shaking　his　head；　〃that　is　the　state　of　learning　and　letters　at　the　present　day。　　The　Latin　tongue　is　hardly　understood；　Syriac　is　unknown；　Greek　so　odious　that　'tis　accounted　no　ignorance　in　the　most　learned　to　skip　a　Greek　word　without　reading　it；　and　to　say；　'~Groecum　est　non　legitur~。'〃

The　scholar　raised　his　eyes　boldly。　　〃Monsieur　my　brother；　doth　it　please　you　that　I　shall　explain　in　good　French　vernacular　that　Greek　word　which　is　written　yonder　on　the　wall？〃

〃What　word？〃

〃'~ANArKH~。〃

A　slight　flush　spread　over　the　cheeks　of　the　priest　with　their　high　bones；　like　the　puff　of　smoke　which　announces　on　the　outside　the　secret　commotions　of　a　volcano。　　The　student　hardly　noticed　it。

〃Well；　Jehan；〃　stammered　the　elder　brother　with　an　effort；　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　yonder　word？〃

〃FATE。〃

Dom　Claude　turned　pale　again；　and　the　scholar　pursued　carelessly。

〃And　that　word　below　it；　graved　by　the　same　hand；　'~Ayáyvela~；　signifies　'impurity。'　　You　see　that　people　do　know　their　Greek。〃

And　the　archdeacon　remained　silent。　　This　Greek　lesson　had　rendered　him　thoughtful。

Master　Jehan；　who　possessed　all　the　artful　ways　of　a　spoiled　child；　judged　that　the　moment　was　a　favorable　one　in　which　to　risk　his　request。　　Accordingly；　he　assumed　an　extremely　soft　tone　and　began；

〃My　good　brother；　do　you　hate　me　to　such　a　degree　as　to　look　savagely　upon　me　because　of　a　few　mischievous　cuffs　and　blows　distributed　in　a　fair　war　to　a　pack　of　lads　and　brats；　~quibusdam　marmosetis~？　　You　see；　good　Brother　Claude；　that　people　know　their　Latin。〃

But　all　this　caressing　hypocrisy　did　not　have　its　usual　effect　on　the　severe　elder　brother。　　Cerberus　did　not　bite　at　the　honey　cake。　　The　archdeacon's　brow　did　not　lose　a　single　wrinkle。

〃What　are　you　driving　at？〃　he　said　dryly。

〃Well；　in　point　of　fact；　this！〃　replied　Jehan　bravely；　〃I　stand　in　need　of　money。〃

At　this　audacious　declaration；　the　archdeacon's　visage　assumed　a　thoroughly　pedagogical　and　paternal　expression。

〃You　know；　Monsieur　Jehan；　that　our　fief　of　Tirecbappe；　putting　the　direct　taxes　and　the　rents　of　the　nine　and　twenty　houses　in　a　block；　yields　only　nine　and　thirty　livres；　eleven　sous；　six　deniers；　Parisian。　　It　is　one　half　more　than　in　the　time　of　the　brothers　Paclet；　but　it　is　not　much。〃

〃I　need　money；〃　said　Jehan　stoically。

〃You　know　that　the　official　has　decided　that　our　twenty…one　houses　should　he　moved　full　into　the　fief　of　the　Bishopric；　and　that　we　could　redeem　this　homage　only　by　paying　the　reverend　bishop　two　marks　of　silver　gilt　of　the　price　of　six　livres　parisis。　　Now；　these　two　marks　I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　get　together。　　You　know　it。〃

〃I　know　that　I　stand　in　need　of　money；〃　repeated　Jehan　for　the　third　time。

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　it？〃

This　question　caused　a　flash　of　hope　to　gleam　before　Jehan's　eyes。　　He　resumed　his　dainty；　caressing　air。

〃Stay；　dear　Brother　Claude；　I　should　not　come　to　you；　with　any　evil　motive。　　There　is　no　intention　of　cutting　a　dash　in　the　taverns　with　your　unzains；　and　of　strutting　about　the　streets　of　Paris　in　a　caparison　of　gold　brocade；　with　a　lackey；　~cum　meo　laquasio~。　　No；　brother；　'tis　for　a　good　work。〃

〃What　good　work？〃　demanded　Claude；　somewhat　surprised。

〃Two　of　my　friends　wish　to　purchase　an　outfit　for　the　infant　of　a　poor　Haudriette　widow。　　It　is　a　charity。　　It　will　cost　three　forms；　and　I　should　like　to　contribute　to　it。〃

〃What　are　names　of　your　two　friends？〃

〃Pierre　l'Assommeur　and　Baptiste　Croque…Oison*。〃


*　　Peter　the　Slaughterer；　and　Baptist　Crack…Gosling。


〃Hum；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　〃those　are　names　as　fit　for　a　good　work　as　a　catapult　for　the　chief　altar。〃

It　is　certain　that　Jehan　had　made　a　very　bad　choice　of　names　for　his　two　friends。　　He　realized　it　too　late。

〃And　then；〃　pursued　the　sagacious　Claude；　〃what　sort　of　an　infant's　outfit　is　it　that　is　to　cost　three　forms；　and　that　for　the　child　of　a　Haudriette？　　Since　when　have　the　Haudriette　widows　taken　to　having　babes　in　swaddling…clothes？〃

Jehan　broke　the　ice　once　more。

〃Eh；　well！　yes！　　I　need　money　in　order　to　go　and　see　Isabeau　la　Thierrye　to…night；　in　the　Val…d'　Amour！〃

〃Impure　wretch！〃　exclaimed　the　priest。

〃~Avayveia~！〃　said　Jehan。

This　quotation；　which　the　scholar　borrowed　with　malice；　perchance；　from　the　wall　of　the　cell；　produced　a　singular　effect　on　the　archdeacon。　　He　bit　his　lips　and　his　wrath　was　drowned　in　a　crimson　flush。

〃Begone；〃　he　said　to　Jehan。　　〃I　am　expecting　some　one。〃

The　scholar　made　one　more　effort。

〃Brother　Claude；　give　me　at　least　one　little　parisis　to　buy　something　to　eat。〃

〃How　far　have　you　gone　in　the　Decretals　of　Gratian？〃　demanded　Dom　Claude。

〃I　have　lost　my　copy　books。

〃Where　are　you　in　your　Latin　humanities？〃

〃My　copy　of　Horace　has　been　stolen。〃

〃Where　are　you　in　Aristotle？〃

〃I'　faith！　brother　what　father　of　the　church　is　it；　who　says　that　the　errors　of　heretics　have　always　had　for　their　lurking　place　the　thickets　of　Aristotle's　metaphysics？　　A　plague　on　Aristotle！　　I　care　not　to　tear　my　religion　on　his　metaphysics。〃

〃Young　man；〃　resumed　the　archdeacon；　〃at　the　king's　last　entry；　there　was　a　young　gentleman；　named　Philippe　de　Comines；　who　wore　embroidered　on　the　housings　of　his　hors