the hunchback of notre dame-第78章

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〃Maledictions！〃　said　the　captain；　and　fell。

She　fainted。

At　the　moment　when　her　eyes　closed；　when　all　feeling　vanished　in　her；　she　thought　that　she　felt　a　touch　of　fire　imprinted　upon　her　lips；　a　kiss　more　burning　than　the　red…hot　iron　of　the　executioner。

When　she　recovered　her　senses；　she　was　surrounded　by　soldiers　of　the　watch　they　were　carrying　away　the　captain；　bathed　in　his　blood　the　priest　had　disappeared；　the　window　at　the　back　of　the　room　which　opened　on　the　river　was　wide　open；　they　picked　up　a　cloak　which　they　supposed　to　belong　to　the　officer　and　she　heard　them　saying　around　her；

〃'Tis　a　sorceress　who　has　stabbed　a　captain。〃





BOOK　EIGHTH。






CHAPTER　I。

THE　CROWN　CHANGED　INTO　A　DRY　LEAF。



Gringoire　and　the　entire　Court　of　Miracles　were　suffering　mortal　anxiety。　　For　a　whole　month　they　had　not　known　what　had　become　of　la　Esmeralda；　which　greatly　pained　the　Duke　of　Egypt　and　his　friends　the　vagabonds；　nor　what　had　become　of　the　goat；　which　redoubled　Gringoire's　grief。　　One　evening　the　gypsy　had　disappeared；　and　since　that　time　had　given　no　signs　of　life。　　All　search　had　proved　fruitless。　　Some　tormenting　bootblacks　had　told　Gringoire　about　meeting　her　that　same　evening　near　the　Pont　Saint…Michel；　going　off　with　an　officer；　but　this　husband；　after　the　fashion　of　Bohemia；　was　an　incredulous　philosopher；　and　besides；　he；　better　than　any　one　else；　knew　to　what　a　point　his　wife　was　virginal。　　He　had　been　able　to　form　a　judgment　as　to　the　unconquerable　modesty　resulting　from　the　combined　virtues　of　the　amulet　and　the　gypsy；　and　he　had　mathematically　calculated　the　resistance　of　that　chastity　to　the　second　power。　　Accordingly；　he　was　at　ease　on　that　score。

Still　he　could　not　understand　this　disappearance。　　It　was　a　profound　sorrow。　　He　would　have　grown　thin　over　it；　had　that　been　possible。　　He　had　forgotten　everything；　even　his　literary　tastes；　even　his　great　work；　~De　figuris　regularibus　et　irregularibus~；　which　it　was　his　intention　to　have　printed　with　the　first　money　which　he　should　procure　（for　he　had　raved　over　printing；　ever　since　he　had　seen　the　〃Didascalon〃　of　Hugues　de　Saint　Victor；　printed　with　the　celebrated　characters　of　Vindelin　de　Spire）。

One　day；　as　he　was　passing　sadly　before　the　criminal　Tournelle；　he　perceived　a　considerable　crowd　at　one　of　the　gates　of　the　Palais　de　Justice。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　inquired　of　a　young　man　who　was　coming　out。

〃I　know　not；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　man。　　〃'Tis　said　that　they　are　trying　a　woman　who　hath　assassinated　a　gendarme。　It　appears　that　there　is　sorcery　at　the　bottom　of　it；　the　archbishop　and　the　official　have　intervened　in　the　case；　and　my　brother；　who　is　the　archdeacon　of　Josas；　can　think　of　nothing　else。　　Now；　I　wished　to　speak　with　him；　but　I　have　not　been　able　to　reach　him　because　of　the　throng；　which　vexes　me　greatly；　as　I　stand　in　need　of　money。〃

〃Alas！　sir；〃　said　Gringoire；　〃I　would　that　I　could　lend　you　some；　but；　my　breeches　are　worn　to　holes；　and　'tis　not　crowns　which　have　done　it。〃

He　dared　not　tell　the　young　man　that　he　was　acquainted　with　his　brother　the　archdeacon；　to　whom　he　had　not　returned　after　the　scene　in　the　church；　a　negligence　which　embarrassed　him。

The　scholar　went　his　way；　and　Gringoire　set　out　to　follow　the　crowd　which　was　mounting　the　staircase　of　the　great　chamber。　　In　his　opinion；　there　was　nothing　like　the　spectacle　of　a　criminal　process　for　dissipating　melancholy；　so　exhilaratingly　stupid　are　judges　as　a　rule。　　The　populace　which　he　had　joined　walked　and　elbowed　in　silence。　　After　a　slow　and　tiresome　march　through　a　long；　gloomy　corridor；　which　wound　through　the　court…house　like　the　intestinal　canal　of　the　ancient　edifice；　he　arrived　near　a　low　door；　opening　upon　a　hall　which　his　lofty　stature　permitted　him　to　survey　with　a　glance　over　the　waving　heads　of　the　rabble。

The　hall　was　vast　and　gloomy；　which　latter　fact　made　it　appear　still　more　spacious。　　The　day　was　declining；　the　long；　pointed　windows　permitted　only　a　pale　ray　of　light　to　enter；　which　was　extinguished　before　it　reached　the　vaulted　ceiling；　an　enormous　trellis…work　of　sculptured　beams；　whose　thousand　figures　seemed　to　move　confusedly　in　the　shadows；　many　candles　were　already　lighted　here　and　there　on　tables；　and　beaming　on　the　heads　of　clerks　buried　in　masses　of　documents。　The　anterior　portion　of　the　ball　was　occupied　by　the　crowd；　on　the　right　and　left　were　magistrates　and　tables；　at　the　end；　upon　a　platform；　a　number　of　judges；　whose　rear　rank　sank　into　the　shadows；　sinister　and　motionless　faces。　　The　walls　were　sown　with　innumerable　fleurs…de…lis。　　A　large　figure　of　Christ　might　be　vaguely　descried　above　the　judges；　and　everywhere　there　were　pikes　and　halberds；　upon　whose　points　the　reflection　of　the　candles　placed　tips　of　fire。

〃Monsieur；〃　Gringoire　inquired　of　one　of　his　neighbors；　〃who　are　all　those　persons　ranged　yonder；　like　prelates　in　council？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　neighbor；　〃those　on　the　right　are　the　counsellors　of　the　grand　chamber；　those　on　the　left；　the　councillors　of　inquiry；　the　masters　in　black　gowns；　the　messires　in　red。〃

〃Who　is　that　big　red　fellow；　yonder　above　them；　who　is　sweating？〃　pursued　Gringoire。

〃It　is　monsieur　the　president。〃

〃And　those　sheep　behind　him？〃　continued　Gringoire；　who　as　we　have　seen；　did　not　love　the　magistracy；　which　arose；　possibly；　from　the　grudge　which　he　cherished　against　the　Palais　de　Justice　since　his　dramatic　misadventure。

〃They　are　messieurs　the　masters　of　requests　of　the　king's　household。〃

〃And　that　boar　in　front　of　him？〃

〃He　is　monsieur　the　clerk　of　the　Court　of　Parliament。〃

〃And　that　crocodile　on　the　right？〃

〃Master　Philippe　Lheulier；　advocate　extraordinary　of　the　king。〃

〃And　that　big；　black　tom…cat　on　the　left？〃

〃Master　Jacques　Charmolue；　procurator　of　the　king　in　the　Ecclesiastical　Court；　with　the　gentlemen　of　the　officialty。〃

〃Come　now；　monsieur；　said　Gringoire；　〃pray　what　are　all　those　fine　fellows　doing　yonder？〃

〃They　are　judging。〃

〃Judging　whom？　　I　do　not　see　the　accused。〃

〃'Tis　a　woman；　sir。　　You　cannot　see　her。　　She　has　her　back　turned　to　us；　and　she　is　hidden　from　us　by　the　crowd。　Stay；　yonder　she　is；　where　you　see　a　group　of　partisans。〃

〃Who　is　the　woman？〃　asked　Gringoire。　　〃Do　you　know　her　name？〃

〃No；　monsieur；　I　have　but　just　arrived。　　I　merely　assume　that　there　is　some　sorcery　about　it；　since　the　official　is　present　at　the　trial。〃

〃Come！〃　said　our　philosopher；　〃we　are　going　to　see　all　these　magistrates　devour　human　flesh。　　'Tis　as　good　a　spectacle　as　any　other。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　remarked　his　neighbor；　〃think　you　not；　that　Master　Jacques　Charmolue　has　a　very　sweet　air？〃

〃Hum！〃　replied　Gringoire。　　〃I　distrust　a　sweetness　which　hath　pinched　nostrils　and　thin　lips。〃

Here　the　bystanders　imposed　silence　upon　the　two　chatterers。　They　were　listening　to　an　important　deposition。

〃Messeigneurs；〃　said　an　old　woman　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　whose　form　was　so　concealed　beneath　her　garments　that　one　would　have　pronounced　her　a　walking　heap　of　rags；　〃Messeigneurs；　the　thing　is　as　true　as　that　I　am　la　Falourdel；　established　these　forty　years　at　the　Pont　Saint　Michel；　and　paying　regularly　my　rents；　lord's　dues；　and　quit　rents；　at　the　gate　opposite　the　house　of　Tassin…Caillart；　the　dyer；　which　is　on　the　side　up　the　rivera　poor　old　woman　now；　but　a　pretty　maid　in　former　days；　my　lords。　　Some　one　said　to　me　lately；　'La　Falourdel；　don't　use　your　spinning…wheel　too　much　in　the　evening；　the　devil　is　fond　of　combing　the　distaffs　of　old　women　with　his　horns。　　'Tis　certain　that　the　surly　monk　who　was　round　about　the　temple　last　year；　now　prowls　in　the　City。　Take　care；　La　Falourdel；　that　he　doth　not　knock　at　your　door。'　One　evening　I　was　spinning　on　my　wheel；　there　comes

a　knock　at　my　door；　I　ask　who　it　is。　　They　swear。　　I　open。　Two　men　enter。　　A　man　in　black　and　a　handsome　officer。　　Of　the　black　man　nothing　could　be　seen　but　his　eyes；　two　coals　of　fire。　　All　the　rest　was　hat　and　cloak。　　They　say　to　me；'The　Sainte…Marthe　chamber。''Tis　my　upper　chamber；　my　lords；　my　cleanest。　　They　give　me　a　crown。　　I　put　the　crown　in　my　drawer；　and　I　say：　'This　shall　go　to　buy　tripe　at　the　slaughter…house　of　la　Gloriette　to…morrow。'