the hunchback of notre dame-第106节

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eld　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　which　he　had　so　intrepidly　defended。　　He　had　but　one　thought　now；　it　was　to　kneel　before　her　whom　he　had　just　saved　for　the　second　time。

When　he　entered　the　cell；　he　found　it　empty。





BOOK　ELEVENTH。






CHAPTER　I。

THE　LITTLE　SHOE。



La　Esmeralda　was　sleeping　at　the　moment　when　the　outcasts　assailed　the　church。

Soon　the　ever…increasing　uproar　around　the　edifice；　and　the　uneasy　bleating　of　her　goat　which　had　been　awakened；　had　roused　her　from　her　slumbers。　　She　had　sat　up；　she　had　listened；　she　had　looked；　then；　terrified　by　the　light　and　noise；　she　had　rushed　from　her　cell　to　see。　　The　aspect　of　the　Place；　the　vision　which　was　moving　in　it；　the　disorder　of　that　nocturnal　assault；　that　hideous　crowd；　leaping　like　a　cloud　of　frogs；　half　seen　in　the　gloom；　the　croaking　of　that　hoarse　multitude；　those　few　red　torches　running　and　crossing　each　other　in　the　darkness　like　the　meteors　which　streak　the　misty　surfaces　of　marshes；　this　whole　scene　produced　upon　her　the　effect　of　a　mysterious　battle　between　the　phantoms　of　the　witches'　sabbath　and　the　stone　monsters　of　the　church。　Imbued　from　her　very　infancy　with　the　superstitions　of　the　Bohemian　tribe；　her　first　thought　was　that　she　had　caught　the　strange　beings　peculiar　to　the　night；　in　their　deeds　of　witchcraft。　　Then　she　ran　in　terror　to　cower　in　her　cell；　asking　of　her　pallet　some　less　terrible　nightmare。

But　little　by　little　the　first　vapors　of　terror　had　been　dissipated；　from　the　constantly　increasing　noise；　and　from　many　other　signs　of　reality；　she　felt　herself　besieged　not　by　spectres；　but　by　human　beings。　　Then　her　fear；　though　it　did　not　increase；　changed　its　character。　　She　had　dreamed　of　the　possibility　of　a　popular　mutiny　to　tear　her　from　her　asylum。　The　idea　of　once　more　recovering　life；　hope；　Phoebus；　who　was　ever　present　in　her　future；　the　extreme　helplessness　of　her　condition；　flight　cut　off；　no　support；　her　abandonment；　her　isolation；these　thoughts　and　a　thousand　others　overwhelmed　her。　　She　fell　upon　her　knees；　with　her　head　on　her　bed；　her　hands　clasped　over　her　head；　full　of　anxiety　and　tremors；　and；　although　a　gypsy；　an　idolater；　and　a　pagan；　she　began　to　entreat　with　sobs；　mercy　from　the　good　Christian　God；　and　to　pray　to　our　Lady；　her　hostess。　　For　even　if　one　believes　in　nothing；　there　are　moments　in　life　when　one　is　always　of　the　religion　of　the　temple　which　is　nearest　at　hand。

She　remained　thus　prostrate　for　a　very　long　time；　trembling　in　truth；　more　than　praying；　chilled　by　the　ever…closer　breath　of　that　furious　multitude；　understanding　nothing　of　this　outburst；　ignorant　of　what　was　being　plotted；　what　was　being　done；　what　they　wanted；　but　foreseeing　a　terrible　issue。

In　the　midst　of　this　anguish；　she　heard　some　one　walking　near　her。　　She　turned　round。　　Two　men；　one　of　whom　carried　a　lantern；　had　just　entered　her　cell。　　She　uttered　a　feeble　cry。

〃Fear　nothing；〃　said　a　voice　which　was　not　unknown　to　her；　〃it　is　I。〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked。

〃Pierre　Gringoire。〃

This　name　reassured　her。　　She　raised　her　eyes　once　more；　and　recognized　the　poet　in　very　fact。　　But　there　stood　beside　him　a　black　figure　veiled　from　head　to　foot；　which　struck　her　by　its　silence。

〃Oh！〃　continued　Gringoire　in　a　tone　of　reproach；　〃Djali　recognized　me　before　you！〃

The　little　goat　had　not；　in　fact；　waited　for　Gringoire　to　announce　his　name。　　No　sooner　had　he　entered　than　it　rubbed　itself　gently　against　his　knees；　covering　the　poet　with　caresses　and　with　white　hairs；　for　it　was　shedding　its　hair。　　Gringoire　returned　the　caresses。

〃Who　is　this　with　you？〃　said　the　gypsy；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Be　at　ease；〃　replied　Gringoire。　　〃'Tis　one　of　my　friends。〃　Then　the　philosopher　setting　his　lantern　on　the　ground；　crouched　upon　the　stones；　and　exclaimed　enthusiastically；　as　he　pressed　Djali　in　his　arms；

〃Oh！　'tis　a　graceful　beast；　more　considerable　no　doubt；　for　it's　neatness　than　for　its　size；　but　ingenious；　subtle；　and　lettered　as　a　grammarian！　　Let　us　see；　my　Djali；　hast　thou　forgotten　any　of　thy　pretty　tricks？　　How　does　Master　Jacques　Charmolue？。。。〃

The　man　in　black　did　not　allow　him　to　finish。　　He　approached　Gringoire　and　shook　him　roughly　by　the　shoulder。

Gringoire　rose。

〃'Tis　true；〃　said　he：　〃I　forgot　that　we　are　in　haste。　　But　that　is　no　reason　master；　for　getting　furious　with　people　in　this　manner。　　My　dear　and　lovely　child；　your　life　is　in　danger；　and　Djali's　also。　　They　want　to　hang　you　again。　　We　are　your　friends；　and　we　have　come　to　save　you。　　Follow　us。〃

〃Is　it　true？〃　she　exclaimed　in　dismay。

〃Yes；　perfectly　true。　　Come　quickly！〃

〃I　am　willing；〃　she　stammered。　　〃But　why　does　not　your　friend　speak？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Gringoire；　〃'tis　because　his　father　and　mother　were　fantastic　people　who　made　him　of　a　taciturn　temperament。〃

She　was　obliged　to　content　herself　with　this　explanation。　Gringoire　took　her　by　the　hand；　his　companion　picked　up　the　lantern　and　walked　on　in　front。　　Fear　stunned　the　young　girl。　She　allowed　herself　to　be　led　away。　　The　goat　followed　them；　frisking；　so　joyous　at　seeing　Gringoire　again　that　it　made　him　stumble　every　moment　by　thrusting　its　horns　between　his　legs。

〃Such　is　life；〃　said　the　philosopher；　every　time　that　he　came　near　falling　down；　〃'tis　often　our　best　friends　who　cause　us　to　be　overthrown。〃

They　rapidly　descended　the　staircase　of　the　towers；　crossed　the　church；　full　of　shadows　and　solitude；　and　all　reverberating　with　uproar；　which　formed　a　frightful　contrast；　and　emerged　into　the　courtyard　of　the　cloister　by　the　red　door。　The　cloister　was　deserted；　the　canons　had　fled　to　the　bishop's　palace　in　order　to　pray　together；　the　courtyard　was　empty；　a　few　frightened　lackeys　were　crouching　in　dark　corners。　　They　directed　their　steps　towards　the　door　which　opened　from　this　court　upon　the　Terrain。　　The　man　in　black　opened　it　with　a　key　which　he　had　about　him。　　Our　readers　are　aware　that　the　Terrain　was　a　tongue　of　land　enclosed　by　walls　on　the　side　of　the　City　and　belonging　to　the　chapter　of　Notre…Dame；　which　terminated　the　island　on　the　east；　behind　the　church。　　They　found　this　enclosure　perfectly　deserted。　　There　was　here　less　tumult　in　the　air。　　The　roar　of　the　outcasts'　assault　reached　them　more　confusedly　and　less　clamorously。　　The　fresh　breeze　which　follows　the　current　of　a　stream；　rustled　the　leaves　of　the　only　tree　planted　on　the　point　of　the　Terrain；　with　a　noise　that　was　already　perceptible。　　But　they　were　still　very　close　to　danger。　　The　nearest　edifices　to　them　were　the　bishop's　palace　and　the　church。　　It　was　plainly　evident　that　there　was　great　internal　commotion　in　the　bishop's　palace。　　Its　shadowy　mass　was　all　furrowed　with　lights　which　flitted　from　window　to　window；　as；　when　one　has　just　burned　paper；　there　remains　a　sombre　edifice　of　ashes　in　which　bright　sparks　run　a　thousand　eccentric　courses。　　Beside　them；　the　enormous　towers　of　Notre…Dame；　thus　viewed　from　behind；　with　the　long　nave　above　which　they　rise　cut　out　in　black　against　the　red　and　vast　light　which　filled　the　Parvis；　resembled　two　gigantic　andirons　of　some　cyclopean　fire…grate。

What　was　to　be　seen　of　Paris　on　all　sides　wavered　before　the　eye　in　a　gloom　mingled　with　light。　　Rembrandt　has　such　backgrounds　to　his　pictures。

The　man　with　the　lantern　walked　straight　to　the　point　of　the　Terrain。　　There；　at　the　very　brink　of　the　water；　stood　the　wormeaten　remains　of　a　fence　of　posts　latticed　with　laths；　whereon　a　low　vine　spread　out　a　few　thin　branches　like　the　fingers　of　an　outspread　hand。　　Behind；　in　the　shadow　cast　by　this　trellis；　a　little　boat　lay　concealed。　　The　man　made　a　sign　to　Gringoire　and　his　companion　to　enter。　　The　goat　followed　them。　　The　man　was　the　last　to　step　in。　　Then　he　cut　the　boat's　moorings；　pushed　it　from　the　shore　with　a　long　boat…　hook；　and；　seizing　two　oars；　seated　himself　in　the　bow；　rowing　with　all　his　might　towards　midstream。　　The　Seine　is　very　rapid　at　this　point；　and　he　had　a　good　deal　of　trouble　in　leaving　the　point　of　the　island。

Gringoire's　first　care　on　entering　the　boat　was　to　place　the　goat　on　his　knees。　　He　took　a　position　in　the　stern；　and　the　young　girl；　whom　the　stranger　inspired　with　an　indefina