the hunchback of notre dame-第102节

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！


ds　at　the　Porte　Sainte…Jacques。　　Of　these　divers　places　he　is　voyer；　high；　middle；　and　low；　justiciary；　full　seigneur。〃

〃Bless　me！〃　said　the　king；　scratching　his　left　ear　with　his　right　hand；　〃that　makes　a　goodly　bit　of　my　city！　　Ah！　monsieur　the　bailiff　was　king　of　all　that。〃

This　time　he　did　not　correct　himself。　　He　continued　dreamily；　and　as　though　speaking　to　himself；

〃Very　fine；　monsieur　the　bailiff！　　You　had　there　between　your　teeth　a　pretty　slice　of　our　Paris。〃

All　at　once　he　broke　out　explosively；　〃~Pasque…Dieu~！〃　What　people　are　those　who　claim　to　be　voyers；　justiciaries；　lords　and　masters　in　our　domains？　who　have　their　tollgates　at　the　end　of　every　field？　their　gallows　and　their　hangman　at　every　cross…road　among　our　people？　　So　that　as　the　Greek　believed　that　he　had　as　many　gods　as　there　were　fountains；　and　the　Persian　as　many　as　he　beheld　stars；　the　Frenchman　counts　as　many　kings　as　he　sees　gibbets！　　Pardieu！　'tis　an　evil　thing；　and　the　confusion　of　it　displeases　me。　　I　should　greatly　like　to　know　whether　it　be　the　mercy　of　God　that　there　should　be　in　Paris　any　other　lord　than　the　king；　any　other　judge　than　our　parliament；　any　other　emperor　than　ourselves　in　this　empire！　　By　the　faith　of　my　soul！　the　day　must　certainly　come　when　there　shall　exist　in　France　but　one　king；　one　lord；　one　judge；　one　headsman；　as　there　is　in　paradise　but　one　God！〃

He　lifted　his　cap　again；　and　continued；　still　dreamily；　with　the　air　and　accent　of　a　hunter　who　is　cheering　on　his　pack　of　hounds：　〃Good；　my　people！　　bravely　done！　　break　these　false　lords！　do　your　duty！　at　them！　have　at　them！　pillage　them！　take　them！　sack　them！。。。。Ah！　　you　want　to　be　kings；　messeigneurs？　On；　my　people　on！〃

Here　he　interrupted　himself　abruptly；　bit　his　lips　as　though　to　take　back　his　thought　which　had　already　half　escaped；　bent　his　piercing　eyes　in　turn　on　each　of　the　five　persons　who　surrounded　him；　and　suddenly　grasping　his　hat　with　both　hands　and　staring　full　at　it；　he　said　to　it：　〃Oh！　　I　would　burn　you　if　you　knew　what　there　was　in　my　head。〃

Then　casting　about　him　once　more　the　cautious　and　uneasy　glance　of　the　fox　re…entering　his　hole；

〃No　matter！　we　will　succor　monsieur　the　bailiff。　Unfortunately；　we　have　but　few　troops　here　at　the　present　moment；　against　so　great　a　populace。　　We　must　wait　until　to…morrow。　The　order　will　be　transmitted　to　the　City　and　every　one　who　is　caught　will　be　immediately　hung。〃

〃By　the　way；　sire；〃　said　Gossip　Coictier；　〃I　had　forgotten　that　in　the　first　agitation；　the　watch　have　seized　two　laggards　of　the　band。　　If　your　majesty　desires　to　see　these　men；　they　are　here。〃

〃If　I　desire　to　see　them！〃　cried　the　king。　　〃What！　　~Pasque…　Dieu~！　　You　forget　a　thing　like　that！　　Run　quick；　you；　Olivier！　Go；　seek　them！〃

Master　Olivier　quitted　the　room　and　returned　a　moment　later　with　the　two　prisoners；　surrounded　by　archers　of　the　guard。　　The　first　had　a　coarse；　idiotic；　drunken　and　astonished　face。　　He　was　clothed　in　rags；　and　walked　with　one　knee　bent　and　dragging　his　leg。　　The　second　had　a　pallid　and　smiling　countenance；　with　which　the　reader　is　already　acquainted。

The　king　surveyed　them　for　a　moment　without　uttering　a　word；　then　addressing　the　first　one　abruptly；

〃What's　your　name？〃

〃Gieffroy　Pincebourde。〃

〃Your　trade。〃

〃Outcast。〃

〃What　were　you　going　to　do　in　this　damnable　sedition？〃　The　outcast　stared　at　the　king；　and　swung　his　arms　with　a　stupid　air。

He　had　one　of　those　awkwardly　shaped　heads　where　intelligence　is　about　as　much　at　its　ease　as　a　light　beneath　an　extinguisher。

〃I　know　not；〃　said　he。　　〃They　went；　I　went。〃

〃Were　you　not　going　to　outrageously　attack　and　pillage　your　lord；　the　bailiff　of　the　palace？〃

〃I　know　that　they　were　going　to　take　something　from　some　one。　That　is　all。〃

A　soldier　pointed　out　to　the　king　a　billhook　which　he　had　seized　on　the　person　of　the　vagabond。

〃Do　you　recognize　this　weapon？〃　demanded　the　king。

〃Yes；　'tis　my　billhook；　I　am　a　vine…dresser。〃

〃And　do　you　recognize　this　man　as　your　companion？〃　added　Louis　XI。；　pointing　to　the　other　prisoner。

〃No；　I　do　not　know　him。〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　king；　making　a　sign　with　his　finger　to　the　silent　personage　who　stood　motionless　beside　the　door；　to　whom　we　have　already　called　the　reader's　attention。

〃Gossip　Tristan；　here　is　a　man　for　you。〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　bowed。　　He　gave　an　order　in　a　low　voice　to　two　archers；　who　led　away　the　poor　vagabond。

In　the　meantime；　the　king　had　approached　the　second　prisoner；　who　was　perspiring　in　great　drops：　〃Your　name？〃

〃Sire；　Pierre　Gringoire。〃

〃Your　trade？〃

〃Philosopher；　sire。〃

〃How　do　you　permit　yourself；　knave；　to　go　and　besiege　our　friend；　monsieur　the　bailiff　of　the　palace；　and　what　have　you　to　say　concerning　this　popular　agitation？〃

〃Sire；　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

〃Come；　now！　　you　wanton　wretch；　were　not　you　apprehended　by　the　watch　in　that　bad　company？〃

〃No；　sire；　there　is　a　mistake。　　'Tis　a　fatality。　　I　make　tragedies。　　Sire；　I　entreat　your　majesty　to　listen　to　me。　　I　am　a　poet。　　'Tis　the　melancholy　way　of　men　of　my　profession　to　roam　the　streets　by　night。　　I　was　passing　there。　　It　was　mere　chance。　　I　was　unjustly　arrested；　I　am　innocent　of　this　civil　tempest。　　Your　majesty　sees　that　the　vagabond　did　not　recognize　me。　　I　conjure　your　majesty〃

〃Hold　your　tongue！〃　said　the　king；　between　two　swallows　of　his　ptisan。　　〃You　split　our　head！〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　advanced　and　pointing　to　Gringoire；

〃Sire；　can　this　one　be　hanged　also？〃

This　was　the　first　word　that　he　had　uttered。

〃Phew！〃　replied　the　king；　〃I　see　no　objection。〃

〃I　see　a　great　many！〃　said　Gringoire。

At　that　moment；　our　philosopher　was　greener　than　an　olive。　He　perceived　from　the　king's　cold　and　indifferent　mien　that　there　was　no　other　resource　than　something　very　pathetic；　and　he　flung　himself　at　the　feet　of　Louis　XI。；　exclaiming；　with　gestures　of　despair：

〃Sire！　will　your　majesty　deign　to　hear　me。　　Sire！　break　not　in　thunder　over　so　small　a　thing　as　myself。　　God's　great　lightning　doth　not　bombard　a　lettuce。　　Sire；　you　are　an　august　and；　very　puissant　monarch；　have　pity　on　a　poor　man　who　is　honest；　and　who　would　find　it　more　difficult　to　stir　up　a　revolt　than　a　cake　of　ice　would　to　give　out　a　spark！　　Very　gracious　sire；　kindness　is　the　virtue　of　a　lion　and　a　king。　Alas！　rigor　only　frightens　minds；　the　impetuous　gusts　of　the　north　wind　do　not　make　the　traveller　lay　aside　his　cloak；　the　sun；　bestowing　his　rays　little　by　little；　warms　him　in　such　ways　that　it　will　make　him　strip　to　his　shirt。　　Sire；　you　are　the　sun。　　I　protest　to　you；　my　sovereign　lord　and　master；　that　I　am　not　an　outcast；　thief；　and　disorderly　fellow。　　Revolt　and　brigandage　belong　not　to　the　outfit　of　Apollo。　　I　am　not　the　man　to　fling　myself　into　those　clouds　which　break　out　into　seditious　clamor。　　I　am　your　majesty's　faithful　vassal。　　That　same　jealousy　which　a　husband　cherisheth　for　the　honor　of　his　wife；　the　resentment　which　the　son　hath　for　the　love　of　his　father；　a　good　vassal　should　feel　for　the　glory　of　his　king；　he　should　pine　away　for　the　zeal　of　this　house；　for　the　aggrandizement　of　his　service。　　Every　other　passion　which　should　transport　him　would　be　but　madness。　　These；　sire；　are　my　maxims　of　state：　then　do　not　judge　me　to　be　a　seditious　and　thieving　rascal　because　my　garment　is　worn　at　the　elbows。　　If　you　will　grant　me　mercy；　sire；　I　will　wear　it　out　on　the　knees　in　praying　to　God　for　you　night　and　morning！　　Alas！　　I　am　not　extremely　rich；　'tis　true。　　I　am　even　rather　poor。　　But　not　vicious　on　that　account。　　It　is　not　my　fault。　　Every　one　knoweth　that　great　wealth　is　not　to　be　drawn　from　literature；　and　that　those　who　are　best　posted　in　good　books　do　not　always　have　a　great　fire　in　winter。　　The　advocate's　trade　taketh　all　the　grain；　and　leaveth　only　straw　to　the　other　scientific　professions。　　There　are　forty　very　excellent　proverbs　anent　the　hole…ridden　cloak　of　the　philosopher。　　Oh；　sire！　clemency　is　the　only　light　which　can　enlighten　the　interior　of　so　great　a　soul。　　Clemency　beareth　the　torch　before　all　the　other　virtues。　　Without　it　they　are　but　blind　men　groping　after　God　in　the　dark。　　Compassion；　which　is　the　same　thing　as　clemency；　causeth　the　love　of　subjects；　which　is　the　most　powerful　bodyguard　to　a　prince。　　What　matters　it　to　your　majesty；　who　dazzles　all　faces；　if　there　is　one　poor　man　more　on　earth；　a　poor　innocent　philosopher　spluttering　amid　the　shadows　of　calamity；　with　an　empty　pocket　which　resounds　against　his　hollow　belly？　　Moreover；　sire；　I　am　a　man　of　letters。　　Great　kings　make　a　pearl　for　their　crowns　by　protecting　letters。　　Hercules　did　not　disdain　the　title　of　Musagetes。　Mathias　Corvin　favored　Jean　de　Monroyal；　the　ornament　of　mathematics。　　Now；　'tis　an　ill　way　to　protect　letters　to　hang　men　of　letters。　　What　a　stain　on　Alexander　if　he　had　hung　Aristoteles！　　This　act　would　not　be　a　little　patch　on　the　face　of　his　reputation　to　embellish　it；　but　a　very　malignant　ulcer　to　disfigure　it。　　Sire！　　I　made　a　very　proper　epithalamium　for　Mademoiselle　of　Flanders　and　Monseigneur　the　very　august　Dauphin。　　That　is　not　a　firebrand　of　rebellion。　　Your　majesty　sees　that　I　am　not　a　scribbler　of　no　reputation；　that　I　have　studied　excellently　well；　and　that　I　pos