the hunchback of notre dame-第11节

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amor；　great　as　that　was　but　because　it　attained；　no　doubt；　the　limit　of　perceptible　sharp　sounds；　the　thousand　vibrations　of　Sauveur；　or　the　eight　thousand　of　Biot。

As　for　Gringoire；　the　first　moment　of　depression　having　passed；　he　had　regained　his　composure。　　He　had　hardened　himself　against　adversity。…〃Continue！〃　he　had　said　for　the　third　time；　to　his　comedians；　speaking　machines；　then　as　he　was　marching　with　great　strides　in　front　of　the　marble　table；　a　fancy　seized　him　to　go　and　appear　in　his　turn　at　the　aperture　of　the　chapel；　were　it　only　for　the　pleasure　of　making　a　grimace　at　that　ungrateful　populace。〃But　no；　that　would　not　be　worthy　of　us；　no；　vengeance！　let　us　combat　until　the　end；〃　he　repeated　to　himself；　〃the　power　of　poetry　over　people　is　great；　I　will　bring　them　back。　　We　shall　see　which　will　carry　the　day；　grimaces　or　polite　literature。〃

Alas！　he　had　been　left　the　sole　spectator　of　his　piece。　It　was　far　worse　than　it　had　been　a　little　while　before。　　He　no　longer　beheld　anything　but　backs。

I　am　mistaken。　　The　big；　patient　man；　whom　he　had　already　consulted　in　a　critical　moment；　had　remained　with　his　face　turned　towards　the　stage。　　As　for　Gisquette　and　Liénarde；　they　had　deserted　him　long　ago。

Gringoire　was　touched　to　the　heart　by　the　fidelity　of　his　only　spectator。　　He　approached　him　and　addressed　him；　shaking　his　arm　slightly；　for　the　good　man　was　leaning　on　the　balustrade　and　dozing　a　little。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gringoire；　〃I　thank　you！〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　big　man　with　a　yawn；　〃for　what？〃

〃I　see　what　wearies　you；〃　resumed　the　poet；　〃'tis　all　this　noise　which　prevents　your　hearing　comfortably。　　But　be　at　ease！　your　name　shall　descend　to　posterity！　　Your　name；　if　you　please？〃

〃Renauld　Chateau；　guardian　of　the　seals　of　the　Chatelet　of　Paris；　at　your　service。〃

〃Monsieur；　you　are　the　only　representive　of　the　muses　here；〃　said　Gringoire。

〃You　are　too　kind；　sir；〃　said　the　guardian　of　the　seals　at　the　Chatelet。

〃You　are　the　only　one；〃　resumed　Gringoire；　〃who　has　listened　to　the　piece　decorously。　　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃He！　he！〃　replied　the　fat　magistrate；　half　aroused；　〃it's　tolerably　jolly；　that's　a　fact。〃

Gringoire　was　forced　to　content　himself　with　this　eulogy；　for　a　thunder　of　applause；　mingled　with　a　prodigious　acclamation；　cut　their　conversation　short。　　The　Pope　of　the　Fools　had　been　elected。

〃Noel！　　Noel！　　Noel！〃*　shouted　the　people　on　all　sides。　That　was；　in　fact；　a　marvellous　grimace　which　was　beaming　at　that　moment　through　the　aperture　in　the　rose　window。　After　all　the　pentagonal；　hexagonal；　and　whimsical　faces；　which　had　succeeded　each　other　at　that　hole　without　realizing　the　ideal　of　the　grotesque　which　their　imaginations；　excited　by　the　orgy；　had　constructed；　nothing　less　was　needed　to　win　their　suffrages　than　the　sublime　grimace　which　had　just　dazzled　the　assembly。　　Master　Coppenole　himself　applauded；　and　Clopin　Trouillefou；　who　had　been　among　the　competitors　（and　God　knows　what　intensity　of　ugliness　his　visage　could　attain）；　confessed　himself　conquered：　We　will　do　the　same。　　We　shall　not　try　to　give　the　reader　an　idea　of　that　tetrahedral　nose；　that　horseshoe　mouth；　that　little　left　eye　obstructed　with　a　red；　bushy；　bristling　eyebrow；　while　the　right　eye　disappeared　entirely　beneath　an　enormous　wart；　of　those　teeth　in　disarray；　broken　here　and　there；　like　the　embattled　parapet　of　a　fortress；　of　that　callous　lip；　upon　which　one　of　these　teeth　encroached；　like　the　tusk　of　an　elephant；　of　that　forked　chin；　and　above　all；　of　the　expression　spread　over　the　whole；　of　that　mixture　of　malice；　amazement；　and　sadness。　　Let　the　reader　dream　of　this　whole；　if　he　can。


*　　The　ancient　French　hurrah。


The　acclamation　was　unanimous；　people　rushed　towards　the　chapel。　　They　made　the　lucky　Pope　of　the　Fools　come　forth　in　triumph。　　But　it　was　then　that　surprise　and　admiration　attained　their　highest　pitch；　the　grimace　was　his　face。

Or　rather；　his　whole　person　was　a　grimace。　　A　huge　head；　bristling　with　red　hair；　between　his　shoulders　an　enormous　hump；　a　counterpart　perceptible　in　front；　a　system　of　thighs　and　legs　so　strangely　astray　that　they　could　touch　each　other　only　at　the　knees；　and；　viewed　from　the　front；　resembled　the　crescents　of　two　scythes　joined　by　the　handles；　large　feet；　monstrous　hands；　and；　with　all　this　deformity；　an　indescribable　and　redoubtable　air　of　vigor；　agility；　and　courage；strange　exception　to　the　eternal　rule　which　wills　that　force　as　well　as　beauty　shall　be　the　result　of　harmony。　　Such　was　the　pope　whom　the　fools　had　just　chosen　for　themselves。

One　would　have　pronounced　him　a　giant　who　had　been　broken　and　badly　put　together　again。

When　this　species　of　cyclops　appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the　chapel；　motionless；　squat；　and　almost　as　broad　as　he　was　tall；　squared　on　the　base；　as　a　great　man　says；　with　his　doublet　half　red；　half　violet；　sown　with　silver　bells；　and；　above　all；　in　the　perfection　of　his　ugliness；　the　populace　recognized　him　on　the　instant；　and　shouted　with　one　voice；

〃'Tis　Quasimodo；　the　bellringer！　'tis　Quasimodo；　the　hunchback　of　Notre…Dame！　　Quasimodo；　the　one…eyed！　　Quasimodo；　the　bandy…legged！　　Noel！　　Noel！〃

It　will　be　seen　that　the　poor　fellow　had　a　choice　of　surnames。

〃Let　the　women　with　child　beware！〃　shouted　the　scholars。

〃Or　those　who　wish　to　be；〃　resumed　Joannes。

The　women　did；　in　fact；　hide　their　faces。

〃Oh！　the　horrible　monkey！〃　said　one　of　them。

〃As　wicked　as　he　is　ugly；〃　retorted　another。

〃He's　the　devil；〃　added　a　third。

〃I　have　the　misfortune　to　live　near　Notre…Dame；　I　hear　him　prowling　round　the　eaves　by　night。〃

〃With　the　cats。〃

〃He's　always　on　our　roofs。〃

〃He　throws　spells　down　our　chimneys。〃

〃The　other　evening；　he　came　and　made　a　grimace　at　me　through　my　attic　window。　　I　thought　that　it　was　a　man。　Such　a　fright　as　I　had！〃

〃I'm　sure　that　he　goes　to　the　witches'　sabbath。　　Once　he　left　a　broom　on　my　leads。〃

〃Oh！　what　a　displeasing　hunchback's　face！〃

〃Oh！　what　an　ill…favored　soul！〃

〃Whew！〃

The　men；　on　the　contrary；　were　delighted　and　applauded。　Quasimodo；　the　object　of　the　tumult；　still　stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　chapel；　sombre　and　grave；　and　allowed　them　to　admire　him。

One　scholar　（Robin　Poussepain；　I　think）；　came　and　laughed　in　his　face；　and　too　close。　　Quasimodo　contented　himself　with　taking　him　by　the　girdle；　and　hurling　him　ten　paces　off　amid　the　crowd；　all　without　uttering　a　word。

Master　Coppenole；　in　amazement；　approached　him。

〃Cross　of　God！　　Holy　Father！　you　possess　the　handsomest　ugliness　that　I　have　ever　beheld　in　my　life。　　You　would　deserve　to　be　pope　at　Rome；　as　well　as　at　Paris。〃

So　saying；　he　placed　his　hand　gayly　on　his　shoulder。　　Quasimodo　did　not　stir。　　Coppenole　went　on；

〃You　are　a　rogue　with　whom　I　have　a　fancy　for　carousing；　were　it　to　cost　me　a　new　dozen　of　twelve　livres　of　Tours。　How　does　it　strike　you？〃

Quasimodo　made　no　reply。

〃Cross　of　God！〃　said　the　hosier；　〃are　you　deaf？〃

He　was；　in　truth；　deaf。

Nevertheless；　he　began　to　grow　impatient　with　Coppenole's　behavior；　and　suddenly　turned　towards　him　with　so　formidable　a　gnashing　of　teeth；　that　the　Flemish　giant　recoiled；　like　a　bull…dog　before　a　cat。

Then　there　was　created　around　that　strange　personage；　a　circle　of　terror　and　respect；　whose　radius　was　at　least　fifteen　geometrical　feet。　　An　old　woman　explained　to　Coppenole　that　Quasimodo　was　deaf。

〃Deaf！〃　said　the　hosier；　with　his　great　Flemish　laugh。　〃Cross　of　God！　　He's　a　perfect　pope！〃

〃He！　　I　recognize　him；〃　exclaimed　Jehan；　who　had；　at　last；　descended　from　his　capital；　in　order　to　see　Quasimodo　at　closer　quarters；　〃he's　the　bellringer　of　my　brother；　the　archdeacon。　Good…day；　Quasimodo！〃

〃What　a　devil　of　a　man！〃　said　Robin　Poussepain　still　all　bruised　with　his　fall。　　〃He　shows　himself；　he's　a　hunchback。　He　walks；　he's　bandy…legged。　　He　looks　at　you；　he's　one…eyed。　You　speak　to　him；　he's　deaf。　　And　what　does　this　Polyphemus　do　with　his　tongue？〃

〃He　speaks　when　he　chooses；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃he　became　deaf　through　ringing　the　bells。　　He　is　not　dumb。〃

〃That　he　lacks；〃　remarks　Jehan。

〃And　he　has　one　eye　too　many；〃　added　Robin　Poussepain。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Jehan　wisely。　　〃A　one…eyed　man　is　far　less　complete　than　a　blind　man。　　He　knows　what　he　lacks。〃

In　the　meantime；　all　the　beggars；　all　the　lackeys；　all　the　cutpurses；　joined　with　the　scholars；　had　gone　in　procession　to　seek；　in　the　cupboard　of　the　law　clerks'　company；　the　cardboard　tiara；　and　the　derisive　robe　of　the　Pope　of　the　Fools。　　Quasimodo　allowed　them　to　array　him　in　them　without　wincing；　and　with　a　sort　of　proud　docility。　　Then　they　made　him　seat　himself　on　a　motley　litter。　　Twelve　officers　of　the　fraternity　of　fools　raised　him　on　their　shoulders；　and　a　sort　of　bitter　and　disdainful　joy　lighted　up　the　morose　face　of　the　cyclops；　when　he　beheld　beneath　his　deformed　feet　all　those　heads　of　handsome；　straight；　well…made　men。　　Then　the　ragged　and　howling　procession　set　out　on　its　march；　according　to　custom；　around　the　inner　galleries　of　the　Courts；　before　making　the　circuit　of　the　streets　and　squares。




CHAPTER　VI。

ESMERALDA。



We　are　delighted　to　be　able　to　inform　the　reader；　that　during　the　whole　of　this　scene；　Gringo