the hunchback of notre dame-第79章

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y：　'This　shall　go　to　buy　tripe　at　the　slaughter…house　of　la　Gloriette　to…morrow。'　We　go　up　stairs。　On　arriving　at　the　upper　chamber；　and　while　my　back　is　turned；　the　black　man　disappears。　　That　dazed　me　a　bit。　　The　officer；　who　was　as　handsome　as　a　great　lord；　goes　down　stairs　again　with　me。　　He　goes　out。　　In　about　the　time　it　takes　to　spin　a　quarter　of　a　handful　of　flax；　be　returns　with　a　beautiful　young　girl；　a　doll　who　would　have　shone　like　the　sun　had　she　been　coiffed。　　She　had　with　her　a　goat；　a　big　billy…　goat；　whether　black　or　white；　I　no　longer　remember。　　That　set　me　to　thinking。　　The　girl　does　not　concern　me；　but　the　goat！　　I　love　not　those　beasts；　they　have　a　beard　and　horns。　They　are　so　like　a　man。　　And　then；　they　smack　of　the　witches；　sabbath。　　However；　I　say　nothing。　　I　had　the　crown。　　That　is　right；　is　it　not；　Monsieur　Judge？　　I　show　the　captain　and　the　wench　to　the　upper　chamber；　and　I　leave　them　alone；　that　is　to　say；　with　the　goat。　　I　go　down　and　set　to　spinning　againI　must　inform　you　that　my　house　has　a　ground　floor　and　story　above。　　I　know　not　why　I　fell　to　thinking　of　the　surly　monk　whom　the　goat　had　put　into　my　head　again；　and　then　the　beautiful　girl　was　rather　strangely　decked　out。　　All　at　once；　I　hear　a　cry　upstairs；　and　something　falls　on　the　floor　and　the　window　opens。　　I　run　to　mine　which　is　beneath　it；　and　I　behold　a　black　mass　pass　before　my　eyes　and　fall　into　the　water。　　It　was　a　phantom　clad　like　a　priest。　　It　was　a　moonlight　night。　　I　saw　him　quite　plainly。　　He　was　swimming　in　the　direction　of　the　city。　　Then；　all　of　a　tremble；　I　call　the　watch。　　The　gentlemen　of　the　police　enter；　and　not　knowing　just　at　the　first　moment　what　the　matter　was；　and　being　merry；　they　beat　me。　　I　explain　to　them。　　We　go　up　stairs；　and　what　do　we　find？　my　poor　chamber　all　blood；　the　captain　stretched　out　at　full　length　with　a　dagger　in　his　neck；　the　girl　pretending　to　be　dead；　and　the　goat　all　in　a　fright。　'Pretty　work！'　I　say；　'I　shall　have　to　wash　that　floor　for　more　than　a　fortnight。　　It　will　have　to　be　scraped；　it　will　be　a　terrible　job。'　　They　carried　off　the　officer；　poor　young　man；　and　the　wench　with　her　bosom　all　bare。　　But　wait；　the　worst　is　that　on　the　next　day；　when　I　wanted　to　take　the　crown　to　buy　tripe；　I　found　a　dead　leaf　in　its　place。〃

The　old　woman　ceased。　　A　murmur　of　horror　ran　through　the　audience。

〃That　phantom；　that　goat；all　smacks　of　magic；〃　said　one　of　Gringoire's　neighbors。

〃And　that　dry　leaf！〃　added　another。

〃No　doubt　about　it；〃　joined　in　a　third；　〃she　is　a　witch　who　has　dealings　with　the　surly　monk；　for　the　purpose　of　plundering　officers。〃

Gringoire　himself　was　not　disinclined　to　regard　this　as　altogether　alarming　and　probable。

〃Goody　Falourdel；〃　said　the　president　majestically；　〃have　you　nothing　more　to　communicate　to　the　court？〃

〃No；　monseigneur；〃　replied　the　crone；　〃except　that　the　report　has　described　my　house　as　a　hovel　and　stinking；　which　is　an　outrageous　fashion　of　speaking。　　The　houses　on　the　bridge　are　not　imposing；　because　there　are　such　multitudes　of　people；　but；　nevertheless；　the　butchers　continue　to　dwell　there；　who　are　wealthy　folk；　and　married　to　very　proper　and　handsome　women。〃

The　magistrate　who　had　reminded　Gringoire　of　a　crocodile　rose；

〃Silence！〃　said　he。　　〃I　pray　the　gentlemen　not　to　lose　sight　of　the　fact　that　a　dagger　was　found　on　the　person　of　the　accused。　　Goody　Falourdel；　have　you　brought　that　leaf　into　which　the　crown　which　the　demon　gave　you　was　transformed？

〃Yes；　monseigneur；〃　she　replied；　〃I　found　it　again。　　Here　it　is。〃

A　bailiff　banded　the　dead　leaf　to　the　crocodile；　who　made　a　doleful　shake　of　the　head；　and　passed　it　on　to　the　president；　who　gave　it　to　the　procurator　of　the　king　in　the　ecclesiastical　court；　and　thus　it　made　the　circuit　of　the　hail。

〃It　is　a　birch　leaf；〃　said　Master　Jacques　Charmolue。　　〃A　fresh　proof　of　magic。

A　counsellor　took　up　the　word。

〃Witness；　two　men　went　upstairs　together　in　your　house：　the　black　man；　whom　you　first　saw　disappear　and　afterwards　swimming　in　the　Seine；　with　his　priestly　garments；　and　the　officer。　　Which　of　the　two　handed　you　the　crown？〃　The　old　woman　pondered　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃The　officer。〃

A　murmur　ran　through　the　crowd。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Gringoire；〃　this　makes　some　doubt　in　my　mind。〃

But　Master　Philippe　Lheulier；　advocate　extraordinary　to　the　king；　interposed　once　more。

〃I　will　recall　to　these　gentlemen；　that　in　the　deposition　taken　at　his　bedside；　the　assassinated　officer；　while　declaring　that　he　had　a　vague　idea　when　the　black　man　accosted　him　that　the　latter　might　be　the　surly　monk；　added　that　the　phantom　had　pressed　him　eagerly　to　go　and　make　acquaintance　with　the　accused；　and　upon　his；　the　captain's；　remarking　that　he　had　no　money；　he　had　given　him　the　crown　which　the　said　officer　paid　to　la　Falourdel。　　Hence；　that　crown　is　the　money　of　hell。〃

This　conclusive　observation　appeared　to　dissipate　all　the　doubts　of　Gringoire　and　the　other　sceptics　in　the　audience。

〃You　have　the　documents；　gentlemen；〃　added　the　king's　advocate；　as　he　took　his　seat；　〃you　can　consult　the　testimony　of　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers。〃

At　that　name；　the　accused　sprang　up；　her　head　rose　above　the　throng。　　Gringoire　with　horror　recognized　la　Esmeralda。

She　was　pale；　her　tresses；　formerly　so　gracefully　braided　and　spangled　with　sequins；　hung　in　disorder；　her　lips　were　blue；　her　hollow　eyes　were　terrible。　　Alas！

〃Phoebus！〃　she　said；　in　bewilderment；　〃where　is　he？　　O　messeigneurs！　before　you　kill　me；　tell　me；　for　pity　sake；　whether　he　still　lives？〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　woman；〃　replied　the　president；　〃that　is　no　affair　of　ours。〃

〃Oh！　　for　mercy's　sake；　tell　me　if　he　is　alive！〃　she　repeated；　clasping　her　beautiful　emaciated　hands；　and　the　sound　of　her　chains　in　contact　with　her　dress；　was　heard。

〃Well！〃　said　the　king's　advocate　roughly；　〃he　is　dying。　Are　you　satisfied？〃

The　unhappy　girl　fell　back　on　her　criminal's　seat；　speechless；　tearless；　white　as　a　wax　figure。

The　president　bent　down　to　a　man　at　his　feet；　who　wore　a　gold　cap　and　a　black　gown；　a　chain　on　his　neck　and　a　wand　in　his　hand。

〃Bailiff；　bring　in　the　second　accused。〃

All　eyes　turned　towards　a　small　door；　which　opened；　and；　to　the　great　agitation　of　Gringoire；　gave　passage　to　a　pretty　goat　with　horns　and　hoofs　of　gold。　　The　elegant　beast　halted　for　a　moment　on　the　threshold；　stretching　out　its　neck　as　though；　perched　on　the　summit　of　a　rock；　it　had　before　its　eyes　an　immense　horizon。　　Suddenly　it　caught　sight　of　the　gypsy　girl；　and　leaping　over　the　table　and　the　head　of　a　clerk；　in　two　bounds　it　was　at　her　knees；　then　it　rolled　gracefully　on　its　mistress's　feet；　soliciting　a　word　or　a　caress；　but　the　accused　remained　motionless；　and　poor　Djali　himself　obtained　not　a　glance。

〃Eh；　why'tis　my　villanous　beast；〃　said　old　Falourdel；　〃I　recognize　the　two　perfectly！〃

Jacques　Charmolue　interfered。

〃If　the　gentlemen　please；　we　will　proceed　to　the　examination　of　the　goat。〃　He　was；　in　fact；　the　second　criminal。　Nothing　more　simple　in　those　days　than　a　suit　of　sorcery　instituted　against　an　animal。　　We　find；　among　others　in　the　accounts　of　the　provost's　office　for　1466；　a　curious　detail　concerning　the　expenses　of　the　trial　of　Gillet…Soulart　and　his　sow；　〃executed　for　their　demerits；〃　at　Corbeil。　　Everything　is　there；　the　cost　of　the　pens　in　which　to　place　the　sow；　the　five　hundred　bundles　of　brushwood　purchased　at　the　port　of　Morsant；　the　three　pints　of　wine　and　the　bread；　the　last　repast　of　the　victim　fraternally　shared　by　the　executioner；　down　to　the　eleven　days　of　guard　and　food　for　the　sow；　at　eight　deniers　parisis　each。　　Sometimes；　they　went　even　further　than　animals。　The　capitularies　of　Charlemagne　and　of　Louis　le　Débonnaire　impose　severe　penalties　on　fiery　phantoms　which　presume　to　appear　in　the　air。

Meanwhile　the　procurator　had　exclaimed：　〃If　the　demon　which　possesses　this　goat；　and　which　has　resisted　all　exorcisms；　persists　in　its　deeds　of　witchcraft；　if　it　alarms　the　court　with　them；　we　warn　it　that　we　shall　be　forced　to　put　in　requisition　against　it　the　gallows　or　the　stake。　Gringoire　broke　out　into　a　cold　perspiration。　　Charmolue　took　from　the　table　the　gypsy's　tambourine；　and　presenting　it　to　the　g