the hunchback of notre dame-第86章

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Olivier　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。

〃Sire〃

〃On　your　knees！〃　interrupted　the　king　violently。　　〃Tristan；　have　an　eye　to　this　man。〃

Olivier　knelt　down　and　said　coldly；

〃Sire；　a　sorceress　was　condemned　to　death　by　your　court　of　parliament。　　She　took　refuge　in　Notre…Dame。　　The　people　are　trying　to　take　her　from　thence　by　main　force。　　Monsieur　the　provost　and　monsieur　the　chevalier　of　the　watch；　who　have　just　come　from　the　riot；　are　here　to　give　me　the　lie　if　this　is　not　the　truth。　　The　populace　is　besieging　Notre…Dame。〃

〃Yes；　indeed！〃　said　the　king　in　a　low　voice；　all　pale　and　trembling　with　wrath。　　〃Notre…Dame！　　They　lay　siege　to　our　Lady；　my　good　mistress　in　her　cathedral！Rise；　Olivier。　You　are　right。　　I　give　you　Simon　Radin's　charge。　　You　are　right。　　'Tis　I　whom　they　are　attacking。　　The　witch　is　under　the　protection　of　this　church；　the　church　is　under　my　protection。　And　I　thought　that　they　were　acting　against　the　bailiff！　'Tis　against　myself！〃

Then；　rendered　young　by　fury；　he　began　to　walk　up　and　down　with　long　strides。　　He　no　longer　laughed；　he　was　terrible；　he　went　and　came；　the　fox　was　changed　into　a　hyaena。　He　seemed　suffocated　to　such　a　degree　that　he　could　not　speak；　his　lips　moved；　and　his　fleshless　fists　were　clenched。　All　at　once　he　raised　his　head；　his　hollow　eye　appeared　full　of　light；　and　his　voice　burst　forth　like　a　clarion：　〃Down　with　them；　Tristan！　　A　heavy　hand　for　these　rascals！　　Go；　Tristan；　my　friend！　slay！　slay！〃

This　eruption　having　passed；　he　returned　to　his　seat；　and　said　with　cold　and　concentrated　wrath；

〃Here；　Tristan！　　There　are　here　with　us　in　the　Bastille　the　fifty　lances　of　the　Vicomte　de　Gif；　which　makes　three　hundred　horse：　you　will　take　them。　　There　is　also　the　company　of　our　unattached　archers　of　Monsieur　de　Chateaupers：　you　will　take　it。　　You　are　provost　of　the　marshals；　you　have　the　men　of　your　provostship：　you　will　take　them。　　At　the　H？tel　Saint…Pol　you　will　find　forty　archers　of　monsieur　the　dauphin's　new　guard：　you　will　take　them。　　And；　with　all　these；　you　will　hasten　to　Notre…Dame。　　Ah！　messieurs；　louts　of　Paris；　do　you　fling　yourselves　thus　against　the　crown　of　France；　the　sanctity　of　Notre…Dame；　and　the　peace　of　this　commonwealth！　　Exterminate；　Tristan！　exterminate！　and　let　not　a　single　one　escape；　except　it　be　for　Montfau？on。〃

Tristan　bowed。　　〃'Tis　well；　sire。〃

He　added；　after　a　silence；　〃And　what　shall　I　do　with　the　sorceress？〃

This　question　caused　the　king　to　meditate。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃the　sorceress！　　Monsieur　d'Estouteville；　what　did　the　people　wish　to　do　with　her？〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　provost　of　Paris；　〃I　imagine　that　since　the　populace　has　come　to　tear　her　from　her　asylum　in　Notre…　Dame；　'tis　because　that　impunity　wounds　them；　and　they　desire　to　hang　her。〃

The　king　appeared　to　reflect　deeply：　then；　addressing　Tristan　l'Hermite；　〃Well！　gossip；　exterminate　the　people　and　hang　the　sorceress。〃

〃That's　it；〃　said　Rym　in　a　low　tone　to　Coppenole；　〃punish　the　people　for　willing　a　thing；　and　then　do　what　they　wish。〃

〃Enough；　sire；〃　replied　Tristan。　　〃If　the　sorceress　is　still　in　Notre…Dame；　must　she　be　seized　in　spite　of　the　sanctuary？〃

〃~Pasque…Dieu~！　the　sanctuary！〃　said　the　king；　scratching　his　ear。　　〃But　the　woman　must　be　hung；　nevertheless。〃

Here；　as　though　seized　with　a　sudden　idea；　he　flung　himself　on　his　knees　before　his　chair；　took　off　his　hat；　placed　it　on　the　seat；　and　gazing　devoutly　at　one　of　the　leaden　amulets　which　loaded　it　down；　〃Oh！〃　said　he；　with　clasped　hands；　〃our　Lady　of　Paris；　my　gracious　patroness；　pardon　me。　　I　will　only　do　it　this　once。　　This　criminal　must　be　punished。　　I　assure　you；　madame　the　virgin；　my　good　mistress；　that　she　is　a　sorceress　who　is　not　worthy　of　your　amiable　protection。　You　know；　madame；　that　many　very　pious　princes　have　overstepped　the　privileges　of　the　churches　for　the　glory　of　God　and　the　necessities　of　the　State。　　Saint　Hugues；　bishop　of　England；　permitted　King　Edward　to　hang　a　witch　in　his　church。　　Saint…Louis　of　France；　my　master；　transgressed；　with　the　same　object；　the　church　of　Monsieur　Saint…Paul；　and　Monsieur　Alphonse；　son　of　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　the　very　church　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre。　　Pardon　me；　then；　for　this　once。　　Our　Lady　of　Paris；　I　will　never　do　so　again；　and　I　will　give　you　a　fine　statue　of　silver；　like　the　one　which　I　gave　last　year　to　Our　Lady　of　Ecouys。　　So　be　it。〃

He　　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　rose；　donned　his　hat　once　more；　and　said　to　Tristan；

〃Be　diligent；　gossip。　　Take　Monsieur　Chateaupers　with　you。　　You　will　cause　the　tocsin　to　be　sounded。　　You　will　crush　the　populace。　　You　will　seize　the　witch。　　'Tis　said。　And　I　mean　the　business　of　the　execution　to　be　done　by　you。　You　will　render　me　an　account　of　it。　　Come；　Olivier；　I　shall　not　go　to　bed　this　night。　　Shave　me。〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　bowed　and　departed。　　Then　the　king；　dismissing　Rym　and　Coppenole　with　a　gesture；

〃God　guard　you；　messieurs；　my　good　friends　the　Flemings。　Go；　take　a　little　repose。　　The　night　advances；　and　we　are　nearer　the　morning　than　the　evening。〃

Both　retired　and　gained　their　apartments　under　the　guidance　of　the　captain　of　the　Bastille。　　Coppenole　said　to　Guillaume　Rym；

〃Hum！　　I　have　had　enough　of　that　coughing　king！　　I　have　seen　Charles　of　Burgundy　drunk；　and　he　was　less　malignant　than　Louis　XI。　when　ailing。〃

〃Master　Jacques；〃　replied　Rym；　〃'tis　because　wine　renders　kings　less　cruel　than　does　barley　water。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

LITTLE　SWORD　IN　POCKET。



On　emerging　from　the　Bastille；　Gringoire　descended　the　Rue　Saint…Antoine　with　the　swiftness　of　a　runaway　horse。　　On　arriving　at　the　Baudoyer　gate；　he　walked　straight　to　the　stone　cross　which　rose　in　the　middle　of　that　place；　as　though　he　were　able　to　distinguish　in　the　darkness　the　figure　of　a　man　clad　and　cloaked　in　black；　who　was　seated　on　the　steps　of　the　cross。

〃Is　it　you；　master？〃　said　Gringoire。

The　personage　in　black　rose。

〃Death　and　passion！　　You　make　me　boil；　Gringoire。　　The　man　on　the　tower　of　Saint…Gervais　has　just　cried　half…past　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

〃Oh；〃　retorted　Gringoire；　〃'tis　no　fault　of　mine；　but　of　the　watch　and　the　king。　　I　have　just　had　a　narrow　escape。　　I　always　just　miss　being　hung。　　'Tis　my　predestination。〃

〃You　lack　everything；〃　said　the　other。　　〃But　come　quickly。　Have　you　the　password？〃

〃Fancy；　master；　I　have　seen　the　king。　　I　come　from　him。　He　wears　fustian　breeches。　　'Tis　an　adventure。〃

〃Oh！　distaff　of　words！　what　is　your　adventure　to　me！　Have　you　the　password　of　the　outcasts？〃

〃I　have　it。　　Be　at　ease。　　'Little　sword　in　pocket。'〃

〃Good。　　Otherwise；　we　could　not　make　our　way　as　far　as　the　church。　　The　outcasts　bar　the　streets。　　Fortunately；　it　appears　that　they　have　encountered　resistance。　　We　may　still　arrive　in　time。〃

〃Yes；　master；　but　how　are　we　to　get　into　Notre…Dame？〃

〃I　have　the　key　to　the　tower。〃

〃And　how　are　we　to　get　out　again？〃

〃Behind　the　cloister　there　is　a　little　door　which　opens　on　the　Terrain　and　the　water。　　I　have　taken　the　key　to　it；　and　I　moored　a　boat　there　this　morning。〃

〃I　have　had　a　beautiful　escape　from　being　hung！〃　Gringoire　repeated。

〃Eh；　quick！　　come！〃　said　the　other。

Both　descended　towards　the　city　with　long　strides。




CHAPTER　VII。

CHATEAUPERS　TO　THE　RESCUE。



The　reader　will；　perhaps；　recall　the　critical　situation　in　which　we　left　Quasimodo。　　The　brave　deaf　man；　assailed　on　all　sides；　had　lost；　if　not　all　courage；　at　least　all　hope　of　saving；　not　himself　（he　was　not　thinking　of　himself）；　but　the　gypsy。　　He　ran　distractedly　along　the　gallery。　　Notre…Dame　was　on　the　point　of　being　taken　by　storm　by　the　outcasts。　All　at　once；　a　great　galloping　of　horses　filled　the　neighboring　streets；　and；　with　a　long　file　of　torches　and　a　thick　column　of　cavaliers；　with　free　reins　and　lances　in　rest；　these　furious　sounds　debouched　on　the　Place　like　a　hurricane；

〃France！　　France！　　cut　down　the　louts！　　Chateaupers　to　the　rescue！　　Provostship！　　Provostship！〃

The　frightened　vagabonds　wheeled　round。

Quasimodo　who　did　not　hear；　saw　the　naked　swords；　the　torches；　the　irons　of　the　pikes；　all　that　cavalry；　at　the　head　of　which　he　recognized　Captain　Phoebus；　he　beheld　the　confusion　of　the　outcasts；　the　terror　of　some；　the　disturbance　among　the　bravest　of　them；　and　from　this　unexpected　succor　he　recovered　so　much　strength；　that　he　hurled　from　the　church　the　first　assailants　who　were　already　climbing　into　the　gallery。

It　was；　in　fact；　the　king's　troops　who　had　arrived。　The　vagabonds　behaved　bravely。　　They　defended　themselves　like　desperate　men。　　Caught　on　the　flank；　by　the　Rue　Saint…　Pierre…aux…Boeufs；　and　in　the　rear　through　the　Rue　du　Parvis；　driven　to　bay　against　Notre…Dame；　which　they　still　assailed　and　Quasimodo　defended；　at　the　same　time　besiegers　and　besieged；　they　were　in　the　singular　situation　in　which　Comte　Henri　Harcourt；　~Taurinum　obsessor　idem　et　obsessus~；　as　his　epitaph　says；　found　himself　later　on；　at　the　famous　siege　of　Turin；　in　1640；　between　Prince　Thomas　of　Savoy；　whom　he　was　besieging；　and　the　Marquis　de　Leganez；　who　was　blockading　him。

The　battle　was　frightful。　　There　was　a　dog's　tooth　for　wolf's　flesh；　as　P。　Mathieu　says。　　The　king's　cavaliers；　in　whose　midst　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers　bore　himself　valiantly；　gave　no　quarter；　and　the　slash　of　the　sword　disposed　of　those　who　escaped　the　thrust　of　the　lance。　　The　outcasts；　badly　armed　foamed　and　bit　with　rage。　　Men；　women；　children；　hurled　themselves　on　the　cruppers　and　the　breasts　of　the　horses；　and　hung　there　like　cats；　with　teeth；　finger　nails　and　toe　nails。　Others　struck　the　archers'　in　the　face　with　their　torches。　Others　thrust　iron　hooks　into　the　necks　of　the　cavaliers　and　dragged　them　down。　　They　slashed　in　pieces　those　who　fell。

One　was　noticed　who　had　a　large；　glittering　scythe；　and　who；　for　a　long　time；　mowed　the　legs　of　the　horses。　　He　was　frightful。　　He　was　singing　a　ditty；　with　a　nasal　intonation；　he　swung　and　drew　back　his　scythe　incessantly。　　At　every　blow　he　traced　around　him　a　great　circle　of　severed　limbs。　　He　advanced　thus　into　the　very　thickest　of　the　cavalry；　with　the　tranquil　slowness；　the　lolling　of　the　head　and　the　regular　breathing　of　a　harvester　attacking　a　field　of　wheat。　　It　was　Chopin　Trouillefou。　　A　shot　from　an　arquebus　laid　him　low。

In　the　meantime；　windows　had　been　opened　again。　　The　neighbors　hearing　the　war　cries　of　the　king's　troops；　had　mingled　in　the　affray；　and　bullets　rained　upon　the　outcasts　from　every　story。　　The　Parvis　was　filled　with　a　thick　smoke；　which　the　musketry　streaked　with　flame。　　Through　it　one　could　confusedly　distinguish　the　front　of　Notre…Dame；　and　the　decrepit　H？tel…Dieu　with　some　wan　invalids　gazing　down　from　the　heights　of　its　roof　all　checkered　with　dormer　windows。

At　length　the　vagabonds　gave　way。　　Weariness；　the　lack　of　good　weapons；　the　fright　of　this　surprise；　the　musketry　from　the　windows；　the　valiant　attack　of　the　king's　troops；　all　overwhelmed　them。　　They　forced　the　line　of　assailants；　and　fled　in　every　direction；　leaving　the　Parvis　encumbered　with　dead。

When　Quasimodo；　who　had　not　ceased　to　fight　for　a　moment；　beheld　this　rout；　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　raised　his　hands　to　heaven；　then；　intoxicated　with　joy；　he　ran；　he　ascended　with　the　swiftness　of　a　bird　to　that　cell；　the　approaches　to　w