the hunchback of notre dame-第13章

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He　made　one　bound　as　far　as　the　priest；　looked　at　him；　and　fell　upon　his　knees。

The　priest　tore　off　his　tiara；　broke　his　crozier；　and　rent　his　tinsel　cope。

Quasimodo　remained　on　his　knees；　with　head　bent　and　hands　clasped。　　Then　there　was　established　between　them　a　strange　dialogue　of　signs　and　gestures；　for　neither　of　them　spoke。　The　priest；　erect　on　his　feet；　irritated；　threatening；　imperious；　Quasimodo；　prostrate；　humble；　suppliant。　　And；　nevertheless；　it　is　certain　that　Quasimodo　could　have　crushed　the　priest　with　his　thumb。

At　length　the　archdeacon；　giving　Quasimodo's　powerful　shoulder　a　rough　shake；　made　him　a　sign　to　rise　and　follow　him。

Quasimodo　rose。

Then　the　Brotherhood　of　Fools；　their　first　stupor　having　passed　off；　wished　to　defend　their　pope；　so　abruptly　dethroned。　The　Egyptians；　the　men　of　slang；　and　all　the　fraternity　of　law　clerks；　gathered　howling　round　the　priest。

Quasimodo　placed　himself　in　front　of　the　priest；　set　in　play　the　muscles　of　his　athletic　fists；　and　glared　upon　the　assailants　with　the　snarl　of　an　angry　tiger。

The　priest　resumed　his　sombre　gravity；　made　a　sign　to　Quasimodo；　and　retired　in　silence。

Quasimodo　walked　in　front　of　him；　scattering　the　crowd　as　he　passed。

When　they　had　traversed　the　populace　and　the　Place；　the　cloud　of　curious　and　idle　were　minded　to　follow　them。　　Quasimodo　then　constituted　himself　the　rearguard；　and　followed　the　archdeacon；　walking　backwards；　squat；　surly；　monstrous；　bristling；　gathering　up　his　limbs；　licking　his　boar's　tusks；　growling　like　a　wild　beast；　and　imparting　to　the　crowd　immense　vibrations；　with　a　look　or　a　gesture。

Both　were　allowed　to　plunge　into　a　dark　and　narrow　street；　where　no　one　dared　to　venture　after　them；　so　thoroughly　did　the　mere　chimera　of　Quasimodo　gnashing　his　teeth　bar　the　entrance。

〃Here's　a　marvellous　thing；〃　said　Gringoire；　〃but　where　the　deuce　shall　I　find　some　supper？〃




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　INCONVENIENCES　OF　FOLLOWING　A　PRETTY　WOMAN　THROUGH　THE　STREETS　IN　THE　EVENING。



Gringoire　set　out　to　follow　the　gypsy　at　all　hazards。　　He　had　seen　her；　accompanied　by　her　goat；　take　to　the　Rue　de　la　Coutellerie；　he　took　the　Rue　de　la　Coutellerie。

〃Why　not？〃　he　said　to　himself。

Gringoire；　a　practical　philosopher　of　the　streets　of　Paris；　had　noticed　that　nothing　is　more　propitious　to　revery　than　following　a　pretty　woman　without　knowing　whither　she　is　going。　　There　was　in　this　voluntary　abdication　of　his　freewill；　in　this　fancy　submitting　itself　to　another　fancy；　which　suspects　it　not；　a　mixture　of　fantastic　independence　and　blind　obedience；　something　indescribable；　intermediate　between　slavery　and　liberty；　which　pleased　Gringoire；a　spirit　essentially　compound；　undecided；　and　complex；　holding　the　extremities　of　all　extremes；　incessantly　suspended　between　all　human　propensities；　and　neutralizing　one　by　the　other。　　He　was　fond　of　comparing　himself　to　Mahomet's　coffin；　attracted　in　two　different　directions　by　two　loadstones；　and　hesitating　eternally　between　the　heights　and　the　depths；　between　the　vault　and　the　pavement；　between　fall　and　ascent；　between　zenith　and　nadir。

If　Gringoire　had　lived　in　our　day；　what　a　fine　middle　course　he　would　hold　between　classicism　and　romanticism！

But　he　was　not　sufficiently　primitive　to　live　three　hundred　years；　and　'tis　a　pity。　　His　absence　is　a　void　which　is　but　too　sensibly　felt　to…day。

Moreover；　for　the　purpose　of　thus　following　passers…by　（and　especially　female　passers…by）　in　the　streets；　which　Gringoire　was　fond　of　doing；　there　is　no　better　disposition　than　ignorance　of　where　one　is　going　to　sleep。

So　he　walked　along；　very　thoughtfully；　behind　the　young　girl；　who　hastened　her　pace　and　made　her　goat　trot　as　she　saw　the　bourgeois　returning　home　and　the　tavernsthe　only　shops　which　had　been　open　that　dayclosing。

〃After　all；〃　he　half　thought　to　himself；　〃she　must　lodge　somewhere；　gypsies　have　kindly　hearts。　　Who　knows？〃

And　in　the　points　of　suspense　which　he　placed　after　this　reticence　in　his　mind；　there　lay　I　know　not　what　flattering　ideas。

Meanwhile；　from　time　to　time；　as　he　passed　the　last　groups　of　bourgeois　closing　their　doors；　he　caught　some　scraps　of　their　conversation；　which　broke　the　thread　of　his　pleasant　hypotheses。

Now　it　was　two　old　men　accosting　each　other。

〃Do　you　know　that　it　is　cold；　Master　Thibaut　Fernicle？〃　（Gringoire　had　been　aware　of　this　since　the　beginning　of　the　winter。）

〃Yes；　indeed；　Master　Boniface　Disome！　　Are　we　going　to　have　a　winter　such　as　we　had　three　years　ago；　in　'80；　when　wood　cost　eight　sous　the　measure？〃

〃Bah！　that's　nothing；　Master　Thibaut；　compared　with　the　winter　of　1407；　when　it　froze　from　St。　Martin's　Day　until　Candlemas！　and　so　cold　that　the　pen　of　the　registrar　of　the　parliament　froze　every　three　words；　in　the　Grand　Chamber！　which　interrupted　the　registration　of　justice。〃

Further　on　there　were　two　female　neighbors　at　their　windows；　holding　candles；　which　the　fog　caused　to　sputter。

〃Has　your　husband　told　you　about　the　mishap；　Mademoiselle　la　Boudraque？〃

〃No。　　What　is　it；　Mademoiselle　Turquant？〃

〃The　horse　of　M。　Gilles　Godin；　the　notary　at　the　Chatelet；　took　fright　at　the　Flemings　and　their　procession；　and　overturned　Master　Philippe　Avrillot；　lay　monk　of　the　Célestins。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Actually。〃

〃A　bourgeois　horse！　'tis　rather　too　much！　　If　it　had　been　a　cavalry　horse；　well　and　good！〃

And　the　windows　were　closed。　　But　Gringoire　had　lost　the　thread　of　his　ideas；　nevertheless。

Fortunately；　he　speedily　found　it　again；　and　he　knotted　it　together　without　difficulty；　thanks　to　the　gypsy；　thanks　to　Djali；　who　still　walked　in　front　of　him；　two　fine；　delicate；　and　charming　creatures；　whose　tiny　feet；　beautiful　forms；　and　graceful　manners　he　was　engaged　in　admiring；　almost　confusing　them　in　his　contemplation；　believing　them　to　be　both　young　girls；　from　their　intelligence　and　good　friendship；　regarding　them　both　as　goats；so　far　as　the　lightness；　agility；　and　dexterity　of　their　walk　were　concerned。

But　the　streets　were　becoming　blacker　and　more　deserted　every　moment。　　The　curfew　had　sounded　long　ago；　and　it　was　only　at　rare　intervals　now　that　they　encountered　a　passer…by　in　the　street；　or　a　light　in　the　windows。　　Gringoire　had　become　involved；　in　his　pursuit　of　the　gypsy；　in　that　inextricable　labyrinth　of　alleys；　squares；　and　closed　courts　which　surround　the　ancient　sepulchre　of　the　Saints…Innocents；　and　which　resembles　a　ball　of　thread　tangled　by　a　cat。　　〃Here　are　streets　which　possess　but　little　logic！〃　said　Gringoire；　lost　in　the　thousands　of　circuits　which　returned　upon　themselves　incessantly；　but　where　the　young　girl　pursued　a　road　which　seemed　familiar　to　her；　without　hesitation　and　with　a　step　which　became　ever　more　rapid。　　As　for　him；　he　would　have　been　utterly　ignorant　of　his　situation　had　he　not　espied；　in　passing；　at　the　turn　of　a　street；　the　octagonal　mass　of　the　pillory　of　the　fish　markets；　the　open…work　summit　of　which　threw　its　black；　fretted　outlines　clearly　upon　a　window　which　was　still　lighted　in　the　Rue　Verdelet。

The　young　girl's　attention　had　been　attracted　to　him　for　the　last　few　moments；　she　had　repeatedly　turned　her　head　towards　him　with　uneasiness；　she　had　even　once　come　to　a　standstill；　and　taking　advantage　of　a　ray　of　light　which　escaped　from　a　half…open　bakery　to　survey　him　intently；　from　head　to　foot；　then；　having　cast　this　glance；　Gringoire　had　seen　her　make　that　little　pout　which　he　had　already　noticed；　after　which　she　passed　on。

This　little　pout　had　furnished　Gringoire　with　food　for　thought。　　There　was　certainly　both　disdain　and　mockery　in　that　graceful　grimace。　　So　he　dropped　his　head；　began　to　count　the　paving…stones；　and　to　follow　the　young　girl　at　a　little　greater　distance；　when；　at　the　turn　of　a　street；　which　had　caused　him　to　lose　sight　of　her；　he　heard　her　utter　a　piercing　cry。

He　hastened　his　steps。

The　street　was　full　of　shadows。　　Nevertheless；　a　twist　of　tow　soaked　in　oil；　which　burned　in　a　cage　at　the　feet　of　the　Holy　Virgin　at　the　street　corner；　permitted　Gringoire　to　make　out　the　gypsy　struggling　in　the　arms　of　two　men；　who　were　endeavoring　to　stifle　her　cries。　　The　poor　little　goat；　in　great　alarm；　lowered　his　horns　and　bleated。

〃Help！　gentlemen　of　the　watch！〃　shouted　Gringoire；　and　advanced　bravely。　　One　of　the　men　who　held　the　young　girl　turned　towards　him。　　It　was　the　formidable　visage　of　Quasimodo。

Gringoire　did　not　take　to　flight；　but　neither　did　he　advance　another　step。

Quasimodo　came　up　to　him；　tossed　him　four　paces　away　on　the　pavement　with　a　backward　turn　of　the　hand；　and　plunged　rapidly　into　the　gloom；　bearing　the　young　girl　folded　across　one　arm　like　a　silken　scarf。　　His　companion　followed　him；　and　the　poor　goat　ran　after　them　all；　bleating　plaintively。

〃Murder！　murder！〃　shrieked　the　unhappy　gypsy。

〃Halt；　rascals；　and　yield　me　that　wench！〃　suddenly　shouted　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　a　cavalier　who　appeared　suddenly　from　a　neighboring　square。

It　was　a　captain　of　the　king's　archers；　armed　from　head　to　foot；　with　his　sword　in　his　hand。

He　tore　the　gypsy　from　the　arms　of　the　dazed　Quasimodo；　threw　her　across　his　saddle；　and　at　the　moment　when　the　terrible　hunchback；　recovering　from　his　surprise；　rushed　upon　him　to　regain　his　prey；　fifteen　or　sixteen　archers；　who　followed　their　captain　closely；　made　their　appearance；　with　their　two…edged　swords　in　their　fists。　　It　was　a　squad　of　the　king's　police；　which　was　making　the　rounds；　by　order　of　Messire　Robert　d'Estouteville；　guard　of　the　provostship　of　Paris。

Quasimodo　was　surrounded；　seized；　garroted；　he　roared；　he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　he　bit；　and　had　it　been　broad　daylight；　there　is　no　doubt　that　his　face　alone；　rendered　more　hideous　by　wrath；　would　have　put　the　entire　squad　to　flight。　　But　by　night　he　was　deprived　of　his　most　formidable　weapon；　his　ugliness。

His　companion　had　disappeared　during　the　struggle。

The　gypsy　gracefully　raised　herself　upright　upon　the　officer's　saddle；　placed　both　hands　upon　the　young　man's　shoulders；　and　gazed　fixedly　at　him　for　several　seconds；　as　though　enchanted　with　his　good　looks　and　with　the　aid　which　he　had　just　rendered　her。　　Then　breaking　silence　first；　she　said　to　him；　making　her　sweet　voice　still　sweeter　than　usual；

〃What　is　your　name；　monsieur　le　gendarme？〃

〃Captain　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers；　at　your　service；　my　beauty！〃　replied　the　officer；　drawing　himself　up。

〃Thanks；〃　said　she。

And　while　Captain　Phoebus　was　turning　up　his　moustache　in　Burgundian　fashion；　she　slipped　from　the　horse；　like　an　arrow　falling　to　earth；　and　fled。

A　flash　of　lightning　would　have　vanished　less　quickly。

〃Nombrill　of　the　Pope！〃　said　the　captain；　causing　Quasimodo's　straps　to　be　drawn　tighter；　〃I　should　have　preferred　to　keep　the　wench。〃

〃What　would　you　have；　captain？〃　said　one　gendarme。　　〃The　warbler　has　fled；　and　the　bat　remains。〃




CHAPTER　V。

RESULT　OF　THE　DANGERS。


Gringoire；　thoroughly　stunned　by　his　fall；　remained　on　the　pavement　in　front　of　the　Holy　Virgin　at　the　street　corner。　Little　by　little；　he　regained　his　senses；　at　first；　for　several　minutes；　he　was　floating　in　a　sort　of　half…somnolent　revery；　which　was　not　without　its　charm；　in　which　aeriel　figures　of　the　gypsy　and　her　goat　were　coupled　with　Quasimodo's　heavy　fist