the hunchback of notre dame-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　he　was　appreciated　by　the　〃miner〃　of　Europe；　he　plotted　familiarly　with　Louis　XI。；　and　often　lent　a　hand　to　the　king's　secret　jobs。　　All　which　things　were　quite　unknown　to　that　throng；　who　were　amazed　at　the　cardinal's　politeness　to　that　frail　figure　of　a　Flemish　bailiff。




CHAPTER　IV。

MASTER　JACQUES　COPPENOLE。



While　the　pensioner　of　Ghent　and　his　eminence　were　exchanging　very　low　bows　and　a　few　words　in　voices　still　lower；　a　man　of　lofty　stature；　with　a　large　face　and　broad　shoulders；　presented　himself；　in　order　to　enter　abreast　with　Guillaume　Rym；　one　would　have　pronounced　him　a　bull…dog　by　the　side　of　a　fox。　　His　felt　doublet　and　leather　jerkin　made　a　spot　on　the　velvet　and　silk　which　surrounded　him。　Presuming　that　he　was　some　groom　who　had　stolen　in；　the　usher　stopped　him。

〃Hold；　my　friend；　you　cannot　pass！〃

The　man　in　the　leather　jerkin　shouldered　him　aside。

〃What　does　this　knave　want　with　me？〃　said　he；　in　stentorian　tones；　which　rendered　the　entire　hall　attentive　to　this　strange　colloquy。　　〃Don't　you　see　that　I　am　one　of　them？〃

〃Your　name？〃　demanded　the　usher。

〃Jacques　Coppenole。〃

〃Your　titles？〃

〃Hosier　at　the　sign　of　the　'Three　Little　Chains；'　of　Ghent。〃

The　usher　recoiled。　　One　might　bring　one's　self　to　announce　aldermen　and　burgomasters；　but　a　hosier　was　too　much。　　The　cardinal　was　on　thorns。　　All　the　people　were　staring　and　listening。　　For　two　days　his　eminence　had　been　exerting　his　utmost　efforts　to　lick　these　Flemish　bears　into　shape；　and　to　render　them　a　little　more　presentable　to　the　public；　and　this　freak　was　startling。　　But　Guillaume　Rym；　with　his　polished　smile；　approached　the　usher。

〃Announce　Master　Jacques　Coppenole；　clerk　of　the　aldermen　of　the　city　of　Ghent；〃　he　whispered；　very　low。

〃Usher；〃　interposed　the　cardinal；　aloud；　〃announce　Master　Jacques　Coppenole；　clerk　of　the　aldermen　of　the　illustrious　city　of　Ghent。〃

This　was　a　mistake。　　Guillaume　Rym　alone　might　have　conjured　away　the　difficulty；　but　Coppenole　had　heard　the　cardinal。

〃No；　cross　of　God？〃　he　exclaimed；　in　his　voice　of　thunder；　〃Jacques　Coppenole；　hosier。　　Do　you　hear；　usher？　　Nothing　more；　nothing　less。　　Cross　of　God！　hosier；　that's　fine　enough。　Monsieur　the　Archduke　has　more　than　once　sought　his　~gant~*　in　my　hose。〃


*　　Got　the　first　idea　of　a　timing。


Laughter　and　applause　burst　forth。　　A　jest　is　always　understood　in　Paris；　and；　consequently；　always　applauded。

Let　us　add　that　Coppenole　was　of　the　people；　and　that　the　auditors　which　surrounded　him　were　also　of　the　people。　　Thus　the　communication　between　him　and　them　had　been　prompt；　electric；　and；　so　to　speak；　on　a　level。　　The　haughty　air　of　the　Flemish　hosier；　by　humiliating　the　courtiers；　had　touched　in　all　these　plebeian　souls　that　latent　sentiment　of　dignity　still　vague　and　indistinct　in　the　fifteenth　century。

This　hosier　was　an　equal；　who　had　just　held　his　own　before　monsieur　the　cardinal。　　A　very　sweet　reflection　to　poor　fellows　habituated　to　respect　and　obedience　towards　the　underlings　of　the　sergeants　of　the　bailiff　of　Sainte…Geneviève；　the　cardinal's　train…bearer。

Coppenole　proudly　saluted　his　eminence；　who　returned　the　salute　of　the　all…powerful　bourgeois　feared　by　Louis　XI。　Then；　while　Guillaume　Rym；　a　〃sage　and　malicious　man；〃　as　Philippe　de　Comines　puts　it；　watched　them　both　with　a　smile　of　raillery　and　superiority；　each　sought　his　place；　the　cardinal　quite　abashed　and　troubled；　Coppenole　tranquil　and　haughty；　and　thinking；　no　doubt；　that　his　title　of　hosier　was　as　good　as　any　other；　after　all；　and　that　Marie　of　Burgundy；　mother　to　that　Marguerite　whom　Coppenole　was　to…day　bestowing　in　marriage；　would　have　been　less　afraid　of　the　cardinal　than　of　the　hosier；　for　it　is　not　a　cardinal　who　would　have　stirred　up　a　revolt　among　the　men　of　Ghent　against　the　favorites　of　the　daughter　of　Charles　the　Bold；　it　is　not　a　cardinal　who　could　have　fortified　the　populace　with　a　word　against　her　tears　and　prayers；　when　the　Maid　of　Flanders　came　to　supplicate　her　people　in　their　behalf；　even　at　the　very　foot　of　the　scaffold；　while　the　hosier　had　only　to　raise　his　leather　elbow；　in　order　to　cause　to　fall　your　two　heads；　most　illustrious　seigneurs；　Guy　d'Hymbercourt　and　Chancellor　Guillaume　Hugonet。

Nevertheless；　all　was　over　for　the　poor　cardinal；　and　he　was　obliged　to　quaff　to　the　dregs　the　bitter　cup　of　being　in　such　bad　company。

The　reader　has；　probably；　not　forgotten　the　impudent　beggar　who　had　been　clinging　fast　to　the　fringes　of　the　cardinal's　gallery　ever　since　the　beginning　of　the　prologue。　　The　arrival　of　the　illustrious　guests　had　by　no　means　caused　him　to　relax　his　hold；　and；　while　the　prelates　and　ambassadors　were　packing　themselves　into　the　stallslike　genuine　Flemish　herringshe　settled　himself　at　his　ease；　and　boldly　crossed　his　legs　on　the　architrave。　　The　insolence　of　this　proceeding　was　extraordinary；　yet　no　one　noticed　it　at　first；　the　attention　of　all　being　directed　elsewhere。　　He；　on　his　side；　perceived　nothing　that　was　going　on　in　the　hall；　he　wagged　his　head　with　the　unconcern　of　a　Neapolitan；　repeating　from　time　to　time；　amid　the　clamor；　as　from　a　mechanical　habit；　〃Charity；　please！〃　　And；　assuredly；　he　was；　out　of　all　those　present；　the　only　one　who　had　not　deigned　to　turn　his　head　at　the　altercation　between　Coppenole　and　the　usher。　　Now；　chance　ordained　that　the　master　hosier　of　Ghent；　with　whom　the　people　were　already　in　lively　sympathy；　and　upon　whom　all　eyes　were　rivetedshould　come　and　seat　himself　in　the　front　row　of　the　gallery；　directly　above　the　mendicant；　and　people　were　not　a　little　amazed　to　see　the　Flemish　ambassador；　on　concluding　his　inspection　of　the　knave　thus　placed　beneath　his　eyes；　bestow　a　friendly　tap　on　that　ragged　shoulder。　　The　beggar　turned　round；　there　was　surprise；　recognition；　a　lighting　up　of　the　two　countenances；　and　so　forth；　then；　without　paying　the　slightest　heed　in　the　world　to　the　spectators；　the　hosier　and　the　wretched　being　began　to　converse　in　a　low　tone；　holding　each　other's　hands；　in　the　meantime；　while　the　rags　of　Clopin　Trouillefou；　spread　out　upon　the　cloth　of　gold　of　the　dais；　produced　the　effect　of　a　caterpillar　on　an　orange。

The　novelty　of　this　singular　scene　excited　such　a　murmur　of　mirth　and　gayety　in　the　hall；　that　the　cardinal　was　not　slow　to　perceive　it；　he　half　bent　forward；　and；　as　from　the　point　where　he　was　placed　he　could　catch　only　an　imperfect　view　of　Trouillerfou's　ignominious　doublet；　he　very　naturally　imagined　that　the　mendicant　was　asking　alms；　and；　disgusted　with　his　audacity；　he　exclaimed：　〃Bailiff　of　the　Courts；　toss　me　that　knave　into　the　river！〃

〃Cross　of　God！　monseigneur　the　cardinal；〃　said　Coppenole；　without　quitting　Clopin's　hand；　〃he's　a　friend　of　mine。〃

〃Good！　good！〃　shouted　the　populace。　　From　that　moment；　Master　Coppenole　enjoyed　in　Paris　as　in　Ghent；　〃great　favor　with　the　people；　for　men　of　that　sort　do　enjoy　it；〃　says　Philippe　de　Comines；　〃when　they　are　thus　disorderly。〃　The　cardinal　bit　his　lips。　　He　bent　towards　his　neighbor；　the　Abbé　of　Saint　Geneviéve；　and　said　to　him　in　a　low　tone；〃Fine　ambassadors　monsieur　the　archduke　sends　here；　to　announce　to　us　Madame　Marguerite！〃

〃Your　eminence；〃　replied　the　abbé；　〃wastes　your　politeness　on　these　Flemish　swine。　　~Margaritas　ante　porcos~；　pearls　before　swine。〃

〃Say　rather；〃　retorted　the　cardinal；　with　a　smile；　〃~Porcos　ante　Margaritam~；　swine　before　the　pearl。〃

The　whole　little　court　in　cassocks　went　into　ecstacies　over　this　play　upon　words。　　The　cardinal　felt　a　little　relieved；　he　was　quits　with　Coppenole；　he　also　had　had　his　jest　applauded。

Now；　will　those　of　our　readers　who　possess　the　power　of　generalizing　an　image　or　an　idea；　as　the　expression　runs　in　the　style　of　to…day；　permit　us　to　ask　them　if　they　have　formed　a　very　clear　conception　of　the　spectacle　presented　at　this　moment；　upon　which　we　have　arrested　their　attention；　by　the　vast　parallelogram　of　the　grand　hall　of　the　palace。

In　the　middle　of　the　hall；　backed　against　the　western　wall；　a　large　and　magnificent　gallery　draped　with　cloth　of　gold；　into　which　enter　in　procession；　through　a　small；　arched　door；　grave　personages；　announced　successively　by　the　shrill　voice　of　an　usher。　　On　the　front　benches　were　already　a　number　of　venerable　figures；　muffled　in　ermine；　velvet；　and　scarlet。　　Around　the　daiswhich　remains　silent　and　dignifiedbelow；　opposite；　everywhere；　a　great　crowd　and　a　great　murmur。　　Thousands　of　glances　directed　by　the　people　on　each　face　upon　the　dais；　a　thousand　whispers　over　each　name。　　Certainly；　the　spectacle　is　curious；　and　well　deserves　the　attention　of　the　spectators。　　But　yonder；　quite　at　the　end；　what　is　that　sort　of　trestle　work　with　four　motley　puppets　upon　it；　and　more　below？　　Who　is　that　man　beside　the　trestle；　with　a　black　doublet　and　a　pale　face？　　Alas！　my　dear　reader；　it　is　Pierre　Gringoire　and　his　prologue。

We　have　all　forgotten　him　completely。

This　is　precisely　what　he　feared。

From　the　moment　of　the　cardinal's　entrance；　Gringoire　had　never　ceased　to　tremble　for　the　safety　of　his　prologue。　　At　first　he　had　enjoined　the　actors；　who　had　stopped　in　suspense；　to　continue；　and　to　raise　their　voices；　then；　perceiving　that　no　one　was　listening；　he　had　stopped　them；　and；　during　the　entire　quarter　of　an　hour　that　the　interruption　lasted；　he　had　not　ceased　to　stamp；　to　flounce　about；　to　appeal　to　Gisquette　and　Liénarde；　and　to　urge　his　neighbors　to　the　continuance　of　the　prologue；　all　in　vain。　　No　one　quitted　the　cardinal；　the　embassy；　and　the　gallerysole　centre　of　this　vast　circle　of　visual　rays。　　We　must　also　believe；　and　we　say　it　with　regret；　that　the　prologue　had　begun　slightly　to　weary　the　audience　at　the　moment　when　his　eminence　had　arrived；　and　created　a　diversion　in　so　terrible　a　fashion。　　After　all；　on　the　gallery　as　well　as　on　the　marble　table；　the　spectacle　was　the　same：　the　conflict　of　Labor　and　Clergy；　of　Nobility　and　Merchandise。　　And　many　people　preferred　to　see　them　alive；　breathing；　moving；　elbowing　each　other　in　flesh　and　blood；　in　this　Flemish　embassy；　in　this　Episcopal　court；　under　the　cardinal's　robe；　under　Coppenole's　jerkin；　than　painted；　decked　out；　talking　in　verse；　and；　so　to　speak；　stuffed　beneath　the　yellow　amid　white　tunics　in　which　Gringoire　had　so　ridiculously　clothed　them。

Nevertheless；　when　our　poet　beheld　quiet　reestablished　to　some　extent；　he　devised　a　stratagem　which　might　have　redeemed　all。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　turning　towards　one　of　his　neighbors；　a　fine；　big　man；　with　a　patient　face；　〃suppose　we　begin　again。〃

〃What？〃　said　his　neighbor。

〃Hé！　the　Mystery；〃　said　Gringoire。

〃As　you　like；〃　returned　his　neighbor。

This　semi…approbation　sufficed　for　Gringoire；　and；　conducting　his　own　affairs；　he　began　to　shout；　confounding　himself　with　the　crowd　as　much　as　possible：　〃Begin　the　mystery　again！　begin　again！〃

〃The　devil！〃　said　Joannes　de　Molendino；　〃what　are　they　jabbering　down　yonder；　at　the　end　of　the　hall？〃　（for　Gringoire　was　making　noise　enough　for　four。）　　〃Say；　comrades；　isn't　that　mystery　finished？　　They　want　to　begin　it　all　over　again。　　That's　not　fair！〃

〃No；　no！〃　shouted　all　the　scholars。　　〃Down　with　the　mystery！　　Down　with　it！〃

But　Gringoire　had　multiplied　himself；　and　only　shouted　the　more　vigorously：　〃Begin　again！　begin　a