the hunchback of notre dame-第2章

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standing　still；　with　its　ancient　grand　hall；　I　should　be　able　to　say　to　the　reader；　〃Go　and　look　at　it；〃　and　we　should　thus　both　escape　the　necessity；I　of　making；　and　he　of　reading；　a　description　of　it；　such　as　it　is。　Which　demonstrates　a　new　truth：　that　great　events　have　incalculable　results。

It　is　true　that　it　may　be　quite　possible；　in　the　first　place；　that　Ravaillac　had　no　accomplices；　and　in　the　second；　that　if　he　had　any；　they　were　in　no　way　connected　with　the　fire　of　1618。　　Two　other　very　plausible　explanations　exist：　First；　the　great　flaming　star；　a　foot　broad；　and　a　cubit　high；　which　fell　from　heaven；　as　every　one　knows；　upon　the　law　courts；　after　midnight　on　the　seventh　of　March；　second；　Théophile's　quatrain；


　　　　〃Sure；　'twas　but　a　sorry　game　　　　　When　at　Paris；　Dame　Justice；　　　　　Through　having　eaten　too　much　spice；　　　　　Set　the　palace　all　aflame。〃


Whatever　may　be　thought　of　this　triple　explanation；　political；　physical；　and　poetical；　of　the　burning　of　the　law　courts　in　1618；　the　unfortunate　fact　of　the　fire　is　certain。　　Very　little　to…day　remains；　thanks　to　this　catastrophe；thanks；　above　all；　to　the　successive　restorations　which　have　completed　what　it　spared；very　little　remains　of　that　first　dwelling　of　the　kings　of　France；of　that　elder　palace　of　the　Louvre；　already　so　old　in　the　time　of　Philip　the　Handsome；　that　they　sought　there　for　the　traces　of　the　magnificent　buildings　erected　by　King　Robert　and　described　by　Helgaldus。　　Nearly　everything　has　disappeared。　　What　has　become　of　the　chamber　of　the　chancellery；　where　Saint　Louis　consummated　his　marriage？　the　garden　where　he　administered　justice；　〃clad　in　a　coat　of　camelot；　a　surcoat　of　linsey…woolsey；　without　sleeves；　and　a　sur…mantle　of　black　sandal；　as　he　lay　upon　the　carpet　with　Joinville？〃　　Where　is　the　chamber　of　the　Emperor　Sigismond？　and　that　of　Charles　IV。？　that　of　Jean　the　Landless？　Where　is　the　staircase；　from　which　Charles　VI。　promulgated　his　edict　of　pardon？　the　slab　where　Marcel　cut　the　throats　of　Robert　de　Clermont　and　the　Marshal　of　Champagne；　in　the　presence　of　the　dauphin？　the　wicket　where　the　bulls　of　Pope　Benedict　were　torn；　and　whence　those　who　had　brought　them　departed　decked　out；　in　derision；　in　copes　and　mitres；　and　making　an　apology　through　all　Paris？　and　the　grand　hall；　with　its　gilding；　its　azure；　its　statues；　its　pointed　arches；　its　pillars；　its　immense　vault；　all　fretted　with　carvings？　and　the　gilded　chamber？　and　the　stone　lion；　which　stood　at　the　door；　with　lowered　head　and　tail　between　his　legs；　like　the　lions　on　the　throne　of　Solomon；　in　the　humiliated　attitude　which　befits　force　in　the　presence　of　justice？　and　the　beautiful　doors？　and　the　stained　glass？　and　the　chased　ironwork；　which　drove　Biscornette　to　despair？　and　the　delicate　woodwork　of　Hancy？　　What　has　time；　what　have　men　done　with　these　marvels？　　What　have　they　given　us　in　return　for　all　this　Gallic　history；　for　all　this　Gothic　art？　　The　heavy　flattened　arches　of　M。　de　Brosse；　that　awkward　architect　of　the　Saint…Gervais　portal。　　So　much　for　art；　and；　as　for　history；　we　have　the　gossiping　reminiscences　of　the　great　pillar；　still　ringing　with　the　tattle　of　the　Patru。

It　is　not　much。　　Let　us　return　to　the　veritable　grand　hall　of　the　veritable　old　palace。　　The　two　extremities　of　this　gigantic　parallelogram　were　occupied；　the　one　by　the　famous　marble　table；　so　long；　so　broad；　and　so　thick　that；　as　the　ancient　land　rollsin　a　style　that　would　have　given　Gargantua　an　appetitesay；　〃such　a　slice　of　marble　as　was　never　beheld　in　the　world〃；　the　other　by　the　chapel　where　Louis　XI。　had　himself　sculptured　on　his　knees　before　the　Virgin；　and　whither　he　caused　to　be　brought；　without　heeding　the　two　gaps　thus　made　in　the　row　of　royal　statues；　the　statues　of　Charlemagne　and　of　Saint　Louis；　two　saints　whom　he　supposed　to　be　great　in　favor　in　heaven；　as　kings　of　France。　This　chapel；　quite　new；　having　been　built　only　six　years；　was　entirely　in　that　charming　taste　of　delicate　architecture；　of　marvellous　sculpture；　of　fine　and　deep　chasing；　which　marks　with　us　the　end　of　the　Gothic　era；　and　which　is　perpetuated　to　about　the　middle　of　the　sixteenth　century　in　the　fairylike　fancies　of　the　Renaissance。　　The　little　open…work　rose　window；　pierced　above　the　portal；　was；　in　particular；　a　masterpiece　of　lightness　and　grace；　one　would　have　pronounced　it　a　star　of　lace。

In　the　middle　of　the　hall；　opposite　the　great　door；　a　platform　of　gold　brocade；　placed　against　the　wall；　a　special　entrance　to　which　had　been　effected　through　a　window　in　the　corridor　of　the　gold　chamber；　had　been　erected　for　the　Flemish　emissaries　and　the　other　great　personages　invited　to　the　presentation　of　the　mystery　play。

It　was　upon　the　marble　table　that　the　mystery　was　to　be　enacted；　as　usual。　　It　had　been　arranged　for　the　purpose；　early　in　the　morning；　its　rich　slabs　of　marble；　all　scratched　by　the　heels　of　law　clerks；　supported　a　cage　of　carpenter's　work　of　considerable　height；　the　upper　surface　of　which；　within　view　of　the　whole　hall；　was　to　serve　as　the　theatre；　and　whose　interior；　masked　by　tapestries；　was　to　take　the　place　of　dressing…rooms　for　the　personages　of　the　piece。　　A　ladder；　naively　placed　on　the　outside；　was　to　serve　as　means　of　communication　between　the　dressing…room　and　the　stage；　and　lend　its　rude　rungs　to　entrances　as　well　as　to　exits。　There　was　no　personage；　however　unexpected；　no　sudden　change；　no　theatrical　effect；　which　was　not　obliged　to　mount　that　ladder。　　Innocent　and　venerable　infancy　of　art　and　contrivances！

Four　of　the　bailiff　of　the　palace's　sergeants；　perfunctory　guardians　of　all　the　pleasures　of　the　people；　on　days　of　festival　as　well　as　on　days　of　execution；　stood　at　the　four　corners　of　the　marble　table。

The　piece　was　only　to　begin　with　the　twelfth　stroke　of　the　great　palace　clock　sounding　midday。　　It　was　very　late；　no　doubt；　for　a　theatrical　representation；　but　they　had　been　obliged　to　fix　the　hour　to　suit　the　convenience　of　the　ambassadors。

Now；　this　whole　multitude　had　been　waiting　since　morning。　A　goodly　number　of　curious；　good　people　had　been　shivering　since　daybreak　before　the　grand　staircase　of　the　palace；　some　even　affirmed　that　they　had　passed　the　night　across　the　threshold　of　the　great　door；　in　order　to　make　sure　that　they　should　be　the　first　to　pass　in。　　The　crowd　grew　more　dense　every　moment；　and；　like　water；　which　rises　above　its　normal　level；　began　to　mount　along　the　walls；　to　swell　around　the　pillars；　to　spread　out　on　the　entablatures；　on　the　cornices；　on　the　window…sills；　on　all　the　salient　points　of　the　architecture；　on　all　the　reliefs　of　the　sculpture。　　Hence；　discomfort；　impatience；　weariness；　the　liberty　of　a　day　of　cynicism　and　folly；　the　quarrels　which　break　forth　for　all　sorts　of　causesa　pointed　elbow；　an　iron…shod　shoe；　the　fatigue　of　long　waitinghad　already；　long　before　the　hour　appointed　for　the　arrival　of　the　ambassadors；　imparted　a　harsh　and　bitter　accent　to　the　clamor　of　these　people　who　were　shut　in；　fitted　into　each　other；　pressed；　trampled　upon；　stifled。　　Nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　imprecations　on　the　Flemish；　the　provost　of　the　merchants；　the　Cardinal　de　Bourbon；　the　bailiff　of　the　courts；　Madame　Marguerite　of　Austria；　the　sergeants　with　their　rods；　the　cold；　the　heat；　the　bad　weather；　the　Bishop　of　Paris；　the　Pope　of　the　Fools；　the　pillars；　the　statues；　that　closed　door；　that　open　window；　all　to　the　vast　amusement　of　a　band　of　scholars　and　lackeys　scattered　through　the　mass；　who　mingled　with　all　this　discontent　their　teasing　remarks；　and　their　malicious　suggestions；　and　pricked　the　general　bad　temper　with　a　pin；　so　to　speak。

Among　the　rest　there　was　a　group　of　those　merry　imps；　who；　after　smashing　the　glass　in　a　window；　had　seated　themselves　hardily　on　the　entablature；　and　from　that　point　despatched　their　gaze　and　their　railleries　both　within　and　without；　upon　the　throng　in　the　hall；　and　the　throng　upon　the　Place。　It　was　easy　to　see；　from　their　parodied　gestures；　their　ringing　laughter；　the　bantering　appeals　which　they　exchanged　with　their　comrades；　from　one　end　of　the　hall　to　the　other；　that　these　young　clerks　did　not　share　the　weariness　and　fatigue　of　the　rest　of　the　spectators；　and　that　they　understood　very　well　the　art　of　extracting；　for　their　own　private　diversion　from　that　which　they　had　under　their　eyes；　a　spectacle　which　made　them　await　the　other　with　patience。

〃Upon　my　soul；　so　it's　you；　'Joannes　Frollo　de　Molendino！'〃　cried　one　of　them；　to　a　sort　of　little；　light…haired　imp；　with　a　well…favored　and　malign　countenance；　clinging　to　the　acanthus　leaves　of　a　capital；　〃you　are　well　named　John　of　the　Mill；　for　your　two　arms　and　your　two　legs　have　the　air　of　four　wings　fluttering　on　the　breeze。　　How　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃By　the　mercy　of　the　devil；〃　retorted　Joannes　Frollo；　〃these　four　hours　and　more；　and　I　hope　that　they　will　be　reckoned　to　my　credit　in　purgatory。　　I　heard　the　eight　singers　of　the　King　of　Sicily　intone　the　first　verse　of　seven　o'clock　mass　in　the　Sainte…Chapelle。〃

〃Fine　singers！〃　replied　the　other；　〃with　voices　even　more　pointed　than　their　caps！　　Before　founding　a　mass　for　Monsieur　Saint　John；　the　king　should　have　inquired　whether　Monsieur　Saint　John　likes　Latin　droned　out　in　a　Proven？al　accent。〃

〃He　did　it　for　the　sake　of　employing　those　accursed　singers　of　the　King　of　Sicily！〃　cried　an　old　woman　sharply　from　among　the　crowd　beneath　the　window。　　〃I　just　put　it　to　you！　　A　thousand　~livres　parisi~　for　a　mass！　and　out　of　the　tax　on　sea　fish　in　the　markets　of　Paris；　to　boot！〃

〃Peace；　old　crone；〃　said　a　tall；　grave　person；　stopping　up　his　nose　on　the　side　towards　the　fishwife；　〃a　mass　had　to　be　founded。　　Would　you　wish　the　king　to　fall　ill　again？〃

〃Bravely　spoken；　Sire　Gilles　Lecornu；　master　furrier　of　king's　robes！〃　cried　the　little　student；　clinging　to　the　capital。

A　shout　of　laughter　from　all　the　students　greeted　the　unlucky　name　of　the　poor　furrier　of　the　king's　robes。

〃Lecornu！　　Gilles　Lecornu！〃　said　some。

〃~Cornutus　et　hirsutus~；　horned　and　hairy；〃　another　went　on。

〃He！　of　course；〃　continued　the　small　imp　on　the　capital；　〃What　are　they　laughing　at？　　An　honorable　man　is　Gilles　Lecornu；　brother　of　Master　Jehan　Lecornu；　provost　of　the　king's　house；　son　of　Master　Mahiet　Lecornu；　first　porter　of　the　Bois　de　Vincennes；all　bourgeois　of　Paris；　all　married；　from　father　to　son。〃

The　gayety　redoubled。　　The　big　furrier；　without　uttering　a　word　in　reply；　tried　to　escape　all　the　eyes　riveted　upon　him　from　all　sides；　but　he　perspired　and　panted　in　vain；　like　a　wedge　entering　the　wood；　his　efforts　served　only　to　bury　still　more　deeply　in　the　shoulders　of　his　neighbors；　his　large；　apoplectic　face；　purple　with　spite　and　rage。

At　length　one　of　these；　as　fat；　short；　and　venerable　as　himself；　came　to　his　rescue。

〃Abomination！　scholars　addressing　a　bourgeois　in　that　fashion　in　my　day　would　have　been　flogged　with　a　fagot；　which　would　have　afterwards　been　used　to　burn　them。〃

The　whole　band　burst　into　laughter。

〃Holà　hé！　who　is　scolding　so？　　Who　is　that　screech　owl　of　evil　fortune？〃

〃Hold；　I　know　him〃　said　one　of　them；　〃'tis　Master　Andry　Musnier。〃

〃Because　he　is　one　of　the　four　sworn　booksellers　of　the　university！〃　said　the　other。

〃Everything　goes　by　fours　in　that　shop；〃　cried　a　third；　〃the　four　nations