the hunchback of notre dame-第71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！



〃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　horse　this　device；　upon　which　I　counsel　you　to　meditate：　~Qui　non　laborat；　non　manducet~。〃

The　scholar　remained　silent　for　a　moment；　with　his　finger　in　his　ear；　his　eyes　on　the　ground；　and　a　discomfited　mien。

All　at　once　he　turned　round　to　Claude　with　the　agile　quickness　of　a　wagtail。

〃So；　my　good　brother；　you　refuse　me　a　sou　parisis；　wherewith　to　buy　a　crust　at　a　baker's　shop？〃

〃~Qui　non　laborat；　non　manducet~。〃

At　this　response　of　the　inflexible　archdeacon；　Jehan　hid　his　head　in　his　hands；　like　a　woman　sobbing；　and　exclaimed　with　an　expression　of　despair：　〃~Orororororoi~。〃

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this；　sir？〃　demanded　Claude；　surprised　at　this　freak。

〃What　indeed！〃　said　the　scholar；　and　he　lifted　to　Claude　his　impudent　eyes　into　which　he　had　just　thrust　his　fists　in　order　to　communicate　to　them　the　redness　of　tears；　〃'tis　Greek！　'tis　an　anapaest　of　AEschylus　which　expresses　grief　perfectly。〃

And　here　he　burst　into　a　laugh　so　droll　and　violent　that　it　made　the　archdeacon　smile。　　It　was　Claude's　fault；　in　fact：　why　had　he　so　spoiled　that　child？

〃Oh！　good　Brother　Claude；〃　resumed　Jehan；　emboldened　by　this　smile；　〃look　at　my　worn　out　boots。　　Is　there　a　cothurnus　in　the　world　more　tragic　than　these　boots；　whose　soles　are　hanging　out　their　tongues？〃

The　archdeacon　promptly　returned　to　his　original　severity。

〃I　will　send　you　some　new　boots；　but　no　money。〃

〃Only　a　poor　little　parisis；　brother；〃　continued　the　suppliant　Jehan。　　〃I　will　learn　Gratian　by　heart；　I　will　believe　firmly　in　God；　I　will　be　a　regular　Pythagoras　of　science　and　virtue。　　But　one　little　parisis；　in　mercy！　　Would　you　have　famine　bite　me　with　its　jaws　which　are　gaping　in　front　of　me；　blacker；　deeper；　and　more　noisome　than　a　Tartarus　or　the　nose　of　a　monk？〃

Dom　Claude　shook　his　wrinkled　head：　〃~Qui　non　laborat~〃

Jehan　did　not　allow　him　to　finish。

〃Well；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃to　the　devil　then！　　Long　live　joy！　　I　will　live　in　the　tavern；　I　will　fight；　I　will　break　pots　and　I　will　go　and　see　the　wenches。〃　　And　thereupon；　he　hurled　his　cap　at　the　wall；　and　snapped　his　fingers　like　castanets。

The　archdeacon　surveyed　him　with　a　gloomy　air。

〃Jehan；　you　have　no　soul。〃

〃In　that　case；　according　to　Epicurius；　I　lack　a　something　made　of　another　something　which　has　no　name。〃

〃Jehan；　you　must　think　seriously　of　amending　your　ways。〃

〃Oh；　come　now；〃　cried　the　student；　gazing　in　turn　at　his　brother　and　the　alembics　on　the　furnace；　〃everything　is　preposterous　here；　both　ideas　and　bottles！〃

〃Jehan；　you　are　on　a　very　slippery　downward　road。　　Do　you　know　whither　you　are　going？〃

〃To　the　wine…shop；〃　said　Jehan。

〃The　wine…shop　leads　to　the　pillory。〃

〃'Tis　as　good　a　lantern　as　any　other；　and　perchance　with　that　one；　Diogenes　would　have　found　his　man。〃

〃The　pillory　leads　to　the　gallows。〃

〃The　gallows　is　a　balance　which　has　a　man　at　one　end　and　the　whole　earth　at　the　other。　　'Tis　fine　to　be　the　man。〃

〃The　gallows　leads　to　hell。〃

〃'Tis　a　big　fire。〃。

〃Jehan；　Jehan；　the　end　will　be　bad。〃

〃The　beginning　will　have　been　good。〃

At　that　moment；　the　sound　of　a　footstep　was　heard　on　the　staircase。

〃Silence！〃　said　the　archdeacon；　laying　his　finger　on　his　mouth；　〃here　is　Master　Jacques。　　Listen；　Jehan；〃　he　added；　in　a　low　voice；　〃have　a　care　never　to　speak　of　what　you　shall　have　seen　or　heard　here。　　Hide　yourself　quickly　under　the　furnace；　and　do　not　breathe。〃

The　scholar　concealed　himself；　just　then　a　happy　idea　occurred　to　him。

〃By　the　way；　Brother　Claude；　a　form　for　not　breathing。〃

〃Silence！　　I　promise。〃

〃You　must　give　it　to　me。〃

〃Take　it；　then！〃　said　the　archdeacon　angrily；　flinging　his　purse　at　him。

Jehan　darted　under　the　furnace　again；　and　the　door　opened。




CHAPTER　V。

THE　TWO　MEN　CLOTHED　IN　BLACK。



The　personage　who　entered　wore　a　black　gown　and　a　gloomy　mien。　　The　first　point　which　struck　the　eye　of　our　Jehan　（who；　as　the　reader　will　readily　surmise；　had　ensconced　himself　in　his　nook　in　such　a　manner　as　to　enable　him　to　see　and　hear　everything　at　his　good　pleasure）　was　the　perfect　sadness　of　the　garments　and　the　visage　of　this　new…corner。　There　was；　nevertheless；　some　sweetness　diffused　over　that　face；　but　it　was　the　sweetness　of　a　cat　or　a　judge；　an　affected；　treacherous　sweetness。　　He　was　very　gray　and　wrinkled；　and　not　far　from　his　sixtieth　year；　his　eyes　blinked；　his　eyebrows　were　white；　his　lip　pendulous；　and　his　hands　large。　　When　Jehan　saw　that　it　was　only　this；　that　is　to　say；　no　doubt　a　physician　or　a　magistrate；　and　that　this　man　had　a　nose　very　far　from　his　mouth；　a　sign　of　stupidity；　he　nestled　down　in　his　hole；　in　despair　at　being　obliged　to　pass　an　indefinite　time　in　such　an　uncomfortable　attitude；　and　in　such　bad　company。

The　archdeacon；　in　the　meantime；　had　not　even　risen　to　receive　this　personage。　　He　had　made　the　latter　a　sign　to　seat　himself　on　a　stool　near　the　door；　and；　after　several　moments　of　a　silence　which　appeared　to　be　a　continuation　of　a　preceding　meditation；　he　said　to　him　in　a　rather　patronizing　way；　〃Good　day；　Master　Jacques。〃

〃Greeting；　master；〃　replied　the　man　in　black。

There　was　in　the　two　ways　in　which　〃Master　Jacques〃　was　pronounced　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　〃master〃　by　preeminence　on　the　other；　the　difference　between　monseigneur　and　monsieur；　between　~domine~　and　~domne~。　　It　was　evidently　the　meeting　of　a　teacher　and　a　disciple。

〃Well！〃　resumed　the　archdeacon；　after　a　fresh　silence　which　Master　Jacques　took　good　care　not　to　disturb；　〃how　are　you　succeeding？〃

〃Alas！　master；〃　said　the　other；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃I　am　still　seeking　the　stone。　　Plenty　of　ashes。　　But　not　a　spark　of　gold。〃

Dom　Claude　made　a　gesture　of　impatience。　　〃I　am　not　talking　to　you　of　that；　Master　Jacques　Charmolue；　but　of　the　trial　of　your　magician。　　Is　it　not　Marc　Cenaine　that　you　call　him？　the　butler　of　the　Court　of　Accounts？　　Does　he　confess　his　witchcraft？　　Have　you　been　successful　with　the　torture？〃

〃Alas！　no；〃　replied　Master　Jacques；　still　with　his　sad　smile；　〃we　have　not　that　consolation。　　That　man　is　a　stone。　We　might　have　him　boiled　in　the　Marché　aux　Pourceaux；　before　he　would　say　anything。　　Nevertheless；　we　are　sparing　nothing　for　the　sake　of　getting　at　the　truth；　he　is　already　thoroughly　dislocated；　we　are　applying　all　the　herbs　of　Saint　John's　day；　as　saith　the　old　comedian　Plautus；


　　　　　　　　~'Advorsum　stimulos；　laminas；　crucesque；　compedesque；　　　　　　　　　Nerros；　catenas；　carceres；　numellas；　pedicas；　boias~。'


Nothing　answers；　that　man　is　terrible。　　I　am　at　my　wit's　end　over　him。〃

〃You　have　found　nothing　new　in　his　house？〃

〃I'　faith；　yes；〃　said　Master　Jacques；　fumbling　in　his　pouch；　〃this　parchment。　　There　are　words　in　it　which　we　cannot　comprehend。　　The　criminal　advocate；　Monsieur　Philippe　Lheulier；　nevertheless；　knows　a　little　Hebrew；　which　he　learned　in　that　matter　of　the　Jews　of　the　Rue　Kantersten；　at　Brussels。〃

So　saying；　Master　Jacques　unrolled　a　parchment。　　〃Give　it　here；〃　said　the　archdeacon。　　And　casting　his　eyes　upon　this　writing：　〃Pure　magic；　Master　Jacques！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃'Emen…Hétan！'　　'Tis　the　cry　of　the　vampires　when　they　arrive　at　the　witches'　sabbath。　　~Per　ipsum；　et　cum　ipso；　et　in　ipso~！　　'Tis　the　command　which　chains　the　devil　in　hell。　~Hax；　pax；　max~！　that　refers　to　medicine。　　A　formula　against　the　bite　of　mad　dogs。　　Master　Jacques！　you　are　procurator　to　the　king　in　the　Ecclesiastical　Courts：　this　parchment　is　abominable。〃

〃We　will　put　the　man　to　the　torture　once　more。　　Here　again；〃　added　Master　Jacques；　fumbling　afresh　in　his　pouch；　〃is　something　that　we　have　found　at　Marc　Cenaine's　house。〃

It　was　a　vessel　belonging　to　the　same　family　as　those　which　covered　Dom　Claude's　furnace。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　archdeacon；　〃a　crucible　for　alchemy。〃

〃I　will　confess　to　you；〃　continued　Master　Jacques；　with　his　timid　and　awkward　smile；　〃that　I　have　tried　it　over　the　furnace；　but　I　have　succeeded　no　better　than　with　my　own。〃

The　archdeacon　began　an　examination　of　the　vessel。　〃What　has　he　engraved　on　his　crucible？　　~Och！　och~！　the　word　which　expels　fleas！