the hunchback of notre dame-第94章
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This fever or madness had reached such a degree of intensity that the external world was no longer anything more for the unhappy man than a sort of Apocalypse；… visible； palpable； terrible。
For one moment； he was relieved。 As he plunged into the side aisles； he perceived a reddish light behind a cluster of pillars。 He ran towards it as to a star。 It was the poor lamp which lighted the public breviary of Notre…Dame night and day； beneath its iron grating。 He flung himself eagerly upon the holy book in the hope of finding some consolation； or some encouragement there。 The hook lay open at this passage of Job； over which his staring eye glanced；
〃And a spirit passed before my face； and I heard a small voice； and the hair of my flesh stood up。〃
On reading these gloomy words； he felt that which a blind man feels when he feels himself pricked by the staff which he has picked up。 His knees gave way beneath him； and he sank upon the pavement； thinking of her who had died that day。 He felt so many monstrous vapors pass and discharge themselves in his brain； that it seemed to him that his head had become one of the chimneys of hell。
It would appear that he remained a long time in this attitude； no longer thinking； overwhelmed and passive beneath the hand of the demon。 At length some strength returned to him； it occurred to him to take refuge in his tower beside his faithful Quasimodo。 He rose； and； as he was afraid； he took the lamp from the breviary to light his way。 It was a sacrilege； but he had got beyond heeding such a trifle now。
He slowly climbed the stairs of the towers； filled with a secret fright which must have been communicated to the rare passers…by in the Place du Parvis by the mysterious light of his lamp； mounting so late from loophole to loophole of the bell tower。
All at once； he felt a freshness on his face； and found himself at the door of the highest gallery。 The air was cold； the sky was filled with hurrying clouds； whose large； white flakes drifted one upon another like the breaking up of river ice after the winter。 The crescent of the moon； stranded in the midst of the clouds； seemed a celestial vessel caught in the ice…cakes of the air。
He lowered his gaze； and contemplated for a moment； through the railing of slender columns which unites the two towers； far away； through a gauze of mists and smoke； the silent throng of the roofs of Paris； pointed； innumerable； crowded and small like the waves of a tranquil sea on a sum… mer night。
The moon cast a feeble ray； which imparted to earth and heaven an ashy hue。
At that moment the clock raised its shrill； cracked voice。 Midnight rang out。 The priest thought of midday； twelve o'clock had come back again。
〃Oh！〃 he said in a very low tone； 〃she must be cold now。〃
All at once； a gust of wind extinguished his lamp； and almost at the same instant； he beheld a shade； a whiteness； a form； a woman； appear from the opposite angle of the tower。 He started。 Beside this woman was a little goat； which mingled its bleat with the last bleat of the clock。
He had strength enough to look。 It was she。
She was pale； she was gloomy。 Her hair fell over her shoulders as in the morning； but there was no longer a rope on her neck； her hands were no longer bound； she was free； she was dead。
She was dressed in white and had a white veil on her head。
She came towards him； slowly； with her gaze fixed on the sky。 The supernatural goat followed her。 He felt as though made of stone and too heavy to flee。 At every step which she took in advance； he took one backwards； and that was all。 In this way he retreated once more beneath the gloomy arch of the stairway。 He was chilled by the thought that she might enter there also； had she done so； he would have died of terror。
She did arrive； in fact； in front of the door to the stairway； and paused there for several minutes； stared intently into the darkness； but without appearing to see the priest； and passed on。 She seemed taller to him than when she had been alive； he saw the moon through her white robe； he heard her breath。
When she had passed on； he began to descend the staircase again； with the slowness which he had observed in the spectre； believing himself to be a spectre too； haggard； with hair on end； his extinguished lamp still in his hand； and as he descended the spiral steps； he distinctly heard in his ear a voice laughing and repeating；
〃A spirit passed before my face； and I heard a small voice； and the hair of my flesh stood up。〃
CHAPTER II。
HUNCHBACKED； ONE EYED； LAME。
Every city during the Middle Ages； and every city in France down to the time of Louis XII。 had its places of asylum。 These sanctuaries； in the midst of the deluge of penal and barbarous jurisdictions which inundated the city； were a species of islands which rose above the level of human justice。 Every criminal who landed there was safe。 There were in every suburb almost as many places of asylum as gallows。 It was the abuse of impunity by the side of the abuse of punishment； two bad things which strove to correct each other。 The palaces of the king； the hotels of the princes； and especially churches； possessed the right of asylum。 Sometimes a whole city which stood in need of being repeopled was temporarily created a place of refuge。 Louis XI。 made all Paris a refuge in 1467。
His foot once within the asylum； the criminal was sacred； but he must beware of leaving it； one step outside the sanctuary； and he fell back into the flood。 The wheel； the gibbet； the strappado； kept good guard around the place of refuge； and lay in watch incessantly for their prey； like sharks around a vessel。 Hence； condemned men were to be seen whose hair had grown white in a cloister； on the steps of a palace； in the enclosure of an abbey； beneath the porch of a church； in this manner the asylum was a prison as much as any other。 It sometimes happened that a solemn decree of parliament violated the asylum and restored the condemned man to the executioner； but this was of rare occurrence。 Parliaments were afraid of the bishops； and when there was friction between these two robes； the gown had but a poor chance against the cassock。 Sometimes； however； as in the affair of the assassins of Petit…Jean； the headsman of Paris； and in that of Emery Rousseau； the murderer of Jean Valleret； justice overleaped the church and passed on to the execution of its sentences； but unless by virtue of a decree of Parliament； woe to him who violated a place of asylum with armed force！ The reader knows the manner of death of Robert de Clermont； Marshal of France； and of Jean de Chalons； Marshal of Champagne； and yet the question was only of a certain Perrin Marc； the clerk of a money…changer； a miserable assassin； but the two marshals had broken the doors of St。 Méry。 Therein lay the enormity。
Such respect was cherished for places of refuge that； according to tradition； animals even felt it at times。 Aymoire relates that a stag； being chased by Dagobert； having taken refuge near the tomb of Saint…Denis； the pack of hounds stopped short and barked。
Churches generally had a small apartment prepared for the reception of supplicants。 In 1407； Nicolas Flamel caused to be built on the vaults of Saint…Jacques de la Boucherie； a chamber which cost him four livres six sous； sixteen farthings； parisis。
At Notre…Dame it was a tiny cell situated on the roof of the side aisle； beneath the flying buttresses； precisely at the spot where the wife of the present janitor of the towers has made for herself a garden； which is to the hanging gardens of Babylon what a lettuce is to a palm…tree； what a porter's wife is to a Semiramis。
It was here that Quasimodo had deposited la Esmeralda； after his wild and triumphant course。 As long as that course lasted； the young girl had been unable to recover her senses； half unconscious； half awake； no longer feeling anything； except that she was mounting through the air； floating in it； flying in it； that something was raising her above the earth。 From time to time she heard the loud laughter； the noisy voice of Quasimodo in her ear； she half opened her eyes； then below her she confusedly behe
