the hunchback of notre dame-第66章

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gered；　passed　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　looked　again；　muttered　a　curse；　and　all　his　features　were　violently　contorted。

〃Well；　die　then！〃　he　hissed　between　his　teeth。　　〃No　one　shall　have　you。〃　　Then；　raising　his　hand　over　the　gypsy；　he　exclaimed　in　a　funereal　voice：〃~I　nunc；　anima　anceps；　et　sit　tibi　Deus　misenicors~！〃*


*　　〃Go　now；　soul；　trembling　in　the　balance；　and　God　have　mercy　upon　thee。〃


This　was　the　dread　formula　with　which　it　was　the　custom　to　conclude　these　gloomy　ceremonies。　　It　was　the　signal　agreed　upon　between　the　priest　and　the　executioner。

The　crowd　knelt。

〃~Kyrie　eleison~；〃*　said　the　priests；　who　had　remained　beneath　the　arch　of　the　portal。


*　　〃Lord　have　mercy　upon　us。〃


〃~Kyrie　eleison~；〃　repeated　the　throng　in　that　murmur　which　runs　over　all　heads；　like　the　waves　of　a　troubled　sea。

〃Amen；〃　said　the　archdeacon。

He　turned　his　back　on　the　condemned　girl；　his　head　sank　upon　his　breast　once　more；　he　crossed　his　hands　and　rejoined　his　escort　of　priests；　and　a　moment　later　he　was　seen　to　disappear；　with　the　cross；　the　candles；　and　the　copes；　beneath　the　misty　arches　of　the　cathedral；　and　his　sonorous　voice　was　extinguished　by　degrees　in　the　choir；　as　he　chanted　this　verse　of　despair；

〃~Omnes　gurgites　tui　et　fluctus　tui　super　me　transierunt。〃*


*　　〃All　thy　waves　and　thy　billows　have　gone　over　me。〃

At　the　same　time；　the　intermittent　clash　of　the　iron　butts　of　the　beadles'　halberds；　gradually　dying　away　among　the　columns　of　the　nave；　produced　the　effect　of　a　clock　hammer　striking　the　last　hour　of　the　condemned。

The　doors　of　Notre…Dame　remained　open；　allowing　a　view　of　the　empty　desolate　church；　draped　in　mourning；　without　candles；　and　without　voices。

The　condemned　girl　remained　motionless　in　her　place；　waiting　to　be　disposed　of。　　One　of　the　sergeants　of　police　was　obliged　to　notify　Master　Charmolue　of　the　fact；　as　the　latter；　during　this　entire　scene；　had　been　engaged　in　studying　the　bas…relief　of　the　grand　portal　which　represents；　according　to　some；　the　sacrifice　of　Abraham；　according　to　others；　the　philosopher's　alchemical　operation：　the　sun　being　figured　forth　by　the　angel；　the　fire；　by　the　fagot；　the　artisan；　by　Abraham。

There　was　considerable　difficulty　in　drawing　him　away　from　that　contemplation；　but　at　length　he　turned　round；　and；　at　a　signal　which　he　gave；　two　men　clad　in　yellow；　the　executioner's　assistants；　approached　the　gypsy　to　bind　her　hands　once　more。

The　unhappy　creature；　at　the　moment　of　mounting　once　again　the　fatal　cart；　and　proceeding　to　her　last　halting…place；　was　seized；　possibly；　with　some　poignant　clinging　to　life。　She　raised　her　dry；　red　eyes　to　heaven；　to　the　sun；　to　the　silvery　clouds；　cut　here　and　there　by　a　blue　trapezium　or　triangle；　then　she　lowered　them　to　objects　around　her；　to　the　earth；　the　throng；　the　houses；　all　at　once；　while　the　yellow　man　was　binding　her　elbows；　she　uttered　a　terrible　cry；　a　cry　of　joy。　　Yonder；　on　that　balcony；　at　the　corner　of　the　Place；　she　had　just　caught　sight　of　him；　of　her　friend；　her　lord；　Phoebus；　the　other　apparition　of　her　life！

The　judge　had　lied！　the　priest　had　lied！　it　was　certainly　he；　she　could　not　doubt　it；　he　was　there；　handsome；　alive；　dressed　in　his　brilliant　uniform；　his　plume　on　his　head；　his　sword　by　his　side！

〃Phoebus！〃　she　cried；　〃my　Phoebus！〃

And　she　tried　to　stretch　towards　him　arms　trembling　with　love　and　rapture；　but　they　were　bound。

Then　she　saw　the　captain　frown；　a　beautiful　young　girl　who　was　leaning　against　him　gazed　at　him　with　disdainful　lips　and　irritated　eyes；　then　Phoebus　uttered　some　words　which　did　not　reach　her；　and　both　disappeared　precipitately　behind　the　window　opening　upon　the　balcony；　which　closed　after　them。

〃Phoebus！〃　she　cried　wildly；　〃can　it　be　you　believe　it？〃　A　monstrous　thought　had　just　presented　itself　to　her。　　She　remembered　that　she　had　been　condemned　to　death　for　murder　committed　on　the　person　of　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers。

She　had　borne　up　until　that　moment。　　But　this　last　blow　was　too　harsh。　　She　fell　lifeless　on　the　pavement。

〃Come；〃　said　Charmolue；　〃carry　her　to　the　cart；　and　make　an　end　of　it。〃

No　one　had　yet　observed　in　the　gallery　of　the　statues　of　the　kings；　carved　directly　above　the　arches　of　the　portal；　a　strange　spectator；　who　had；　up　to　that　time；　observed　everything　with　such　impassiveness；　with　a　neck　so　strained；　a　visage　so　hideous　that；　in　his　motley　accoutrement　of　red　and　violet；　he　might　have　been　taken　for　one　of　those　stone　monsters　through　whose　mouths　the　long　gutters　of　the　cathedral　have　discharged　their　waters　for　six　hundred　years。　　This　spectator　had　missed　nothing　that　had　taken　place　since　midday　in　front　of　the　portal　of　Notre…Dame。　　And　at　the　very　beginning　he　had　securely　fastened　to　one　of　the　small　columns　a　large　knotted　rope；　one　end　of　which　trailed　on　the　flight　of　steps　below。　　This　being　done；　he　began　to　look　on　tranquilly；　whistling　from　time　to　time　when　a　blackbird　flitted　past。　Suddenly；　at　the　moment　when　the　superintendent's　assistants　were　preparing　to　execute　Charmolue's　phlegmatic　order；　he　threw　his　leg　over　the　balustrade　of　the　gallery；　seized　the　rope　with　his　feet；　his　knees　and　his　hands；　then　he　was　seen　to　glide　down　the　fa？ade；　as　a　drop　of　rain　slips　down　a　window…　pane；　rush　to　the　two　executioners　with　the　swiftness　of　a　cat　which　has　fallen　from　a　roof；　knock　them　down　with　two　enormous　fists；　pick　up　the　gypsy　with　one　hand；　as　a　child　would　her　doll；　and　dash　back　into　the　church　with　a　single　bound；　lifting　the　young　girl　above　his　head　and　crying　in　a　formidable　voice；

〃Sanctuary！〃

This　was　done　with　such　rapidity；　that　had　it　taken　place　at　night；　the　whole　of　it　could　have　been　seen　in　the　space　of　a　single　flash　of　lightning。

〃Sanctuary！　　Sanctuary！〃　repeated　the　crowd；　and　the　clapping　of　ten　thousand　hands　made　Quasimodo's　single　eye　sparkle　with　joy　and　pride。

This　shock　restored　the　condemned　girl　to　her　senses。　　She　raised　her　eyelids；　looked　at　Quasimodo；　then　closed　them　again　suddenly；　as　though　terrified　by　her　deliverer。

Charmolue　was　stupefied；　as　well　as　the　executioners　and　the　entire　escort。　　In　fact；　within　the　bounds　of　Notre…Dame；　the　condemned　girl　could　not　be　touched。　　The　cathedral　was　a　place　of　refuge。　　All　temporal　jurisdiction　expired　upon　its　threshold。

Quasimodo　had　halted　beneath　the　great　portal；　his　huge　feet　seemed　as　solid　on　the　pavement　of　the　church　as　the　heavy　Roman　pillars。　　His　great；　bushy　head　sat　low　between　his　shoulders；　like　the　heads　of　lions；　who　also　have　a　mane　and　no　neck。　　He　held　the　young　girl；　who　was　quivering　all　over；　suspended　from　his　horny　hands　like　a　white　drapery；　but　he　carried　her　with　as　much　care　as　though　he　feared　to　break　her　or　blight　her。　　One　would　have　said　that　he　felt　that　she　was　a　delicate；　exquisite；　precious　thing；　made　for　other　hands　than　his。　　There　were　moments　when　he　looked　as　if　not　daring　to　touch　her；　even　with　his　breath。　　Then；　all　at　once；　he　would　press　her　forcibly　in　his　arms；　against　his　angular　bosom；　like　his　own　possession；　his　treasure；　as　the　mother　of　that　child　would　have　done。　　His　gnome's　eye；　fastened　upon　her；　inundated　her　with　tenderness；　sadness；　and　pity；　and　was　suddenly　raised　filled　with　lightnings。　　Then　the　women　laughed　and　wept；　the　crowd　stamped　with　enthusiasm；　for；　at　that　moment　Quasimodo　had　a　beauty　of　his　own。　　He　was　handsome；　he；　that　orphan；　that　foundling；　that　outcast；　he　felt　himself　august　and　strong；　he　gazed　in　the　face　of　that　society　from　which　he　was　banished；　and　in　which　he　had　so　powerfully　intervened；　of　that　human　justice　from　which　he　had　wrenched　its　prey；　of　all　those　tigers　whose　jaws　were　forced　to　remain　empty；　of　those　policemen；　those　judges；　those　executioners；　of　all　that　force　of　the　king　which　he；　the　meanest　of　creatures；　had　just　broken；　with　the　force　of　God。

And　then；　it　was　touching　to　behold　this　protection　which　had　fallen　from　a　being　so　hideous　upon　a　being　so　unhappy；　a　creature　condemned　to　death　saved　by　Quasimodo。　　They　were　two　extremes　of　natural　and　social　wretchedness；　coming　into　contact　and　aiding　each　other。

Meanwhile；　after　several　moments　of　triumph；　Quasimodo　had　plunged　abruptly　into　the　church　with　his　burden。　　The　populace；　fond　of　all　prowess；　sought　him　with　their　eyes；　beneath　the　gloomy　nave；　regretting　that　he　had　so　speedily　disappeared　from　their　acclamations。　　All　at　once；　he　was　seen　to　re…appear　at　one　of　the　extremities　of　the　gallery　of　the　kings　of　France；　he　traversed　it；　running　like　a　madman；　raising　his　conquest　high　in　his　arms　and　shouting：　〃Sanctuary！〃　The　crowd　broke　forth　into　fresh　applause。　　The　gallery　passed；　he　plunged　once　more　into　the　interior　of　the　church。　　A　moment　later；　he　re…appeared　upon　the　upper　platform；　with　the　gypsy　still　in　his　arms；　still　running　madly；　still　crying；　〃Sanctuary！〃　and　the　throng　applauded。　Finally；　he　made　his　appearance　for　the　third　time　upon　the　summit　of　the　tower　where　hung　the　great　bell；　from　that　point　he　seemed　to　be　showing　to　the　entire　city　the　girl　whom　he　had　saved；　and　his　voice　of　thunder；　that　voice　which　was　so　rarely　heard；　and　which　he　never　heard　himself；　repeated　thrice　with　frenzy；　even　to　the　clouds：　〃Sanctuary！　Sanctuary！　　Sanctuary！〃

〃Noel！　　Noel！〃　shouted　the　populace　in　its　turn；　and　that　immense　acclamation　flew　to　astonish　the　crowd　assembled　at　the　Grève　on　the　other　bank；　and　the　recluse　who　was　still　waiting　with　her　eyes　riveted　on　the　gibbet。





BOOK　NINTH。






CHAPTER　I。

DELIRIUM。



Claude　Frollo　was　no　longer　in　Notre…Dame　when　his　adopted　son　so　abruptly　cut　the　fatal　web　in　which　the　archdeacon　and　the　gypsy　were　entangled。　　On　returning　to　the　sacristy　he　had　torn　off　his　alb；　cope；　and　stole；　had　flung　all　into　the　hands　of　the　stupefied　beadle；　had　made　his　escape　through　the　private　door　of　the　cloister；　had　ordered　a　boatman　of　the　Terrain　to　transport　him　to　the　left　bank　of　the　Seine；　and　had　plunged　into　the　hilly　streets　of　the　University；　not　knowing　whither　he　was　going；　encountering　at　every　step　groups　of　men　and　women　who　were　hurrying　joyously　towards　the　Pont　Saint…Michel；　in　the　hope　of　still　arriving　in　time　to　see　the　witch　hung　there；pale；　wild；　more　troubled；　more　blind　and　more　fierce　than　a　night　bird　let　loose　and　pursued　by　a　troop　of　children　in　broad　daylight。　　He　no　longer　knew　where　he　was；　what　he　thought；　or　whether　he　were　dreaming。　　He　went　forward；　walking；　running；　taking　any　street　at　haphazard；　making　no　choice；　only　urged　ever　onward　away　from　the　Grève；　the　horrible　Grève；　which　he　felt　confusedly；　to　be　behind　him。

In　this　manner　he　skirted　Mount　Sainte…Geneviève；　and　finally　emerged　from　the　town　by　the　Porte　Saint…Victor。　He　continued　his　flight　as　long　as　he　could　see；　when　he　turned　round；　the　turreted　enclosure　of　the　University；　and　the　rare　houses　of　the　suburb；　but；　when；　at　length；　a　rise　of　ground　had　completely　concealed　from　him　that　odious　Paris；　when　he　could　believe　himself　to　be　a　hundred　leagues　distant　from　it；　in　the　fields；　in　the　desert；　he　halted；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　breathed　more　freely。

Then　frightful　ideas　thronged　his　mind。　　Once　more　he　could　see　clearly　into　his　soul；　an