the hunchback of notre dame-第49节

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r。　　I　will　not　speak　to　you　of　her　joy；　it　was　a　fury　of　tears；　and　caresses；　and　kisses。　　She　nursed　her　child　herself；　made　swaddling…bands　for　it　out　of　her　coverlet；　the　only　one　which　she　had　on　her　bed；　and　no　longer　felt　either　cold　or　hunger。　　She　became　beautiful　once　more；　in　consequence　of　it。　　An　old　maid　makes　a　young　mother。　　Gallantry　claimed　her　once　more；　men　came　to　see　la　Chantefleurie；　she　found　customers　again　for　her　merchandise；　and　out　of　all　these　horrors　she　made　baby　clothes；　caps　and　bibs；　bodices　with　shoulder…straps　of　lace；　and　tiny　bonnets　of　satin；　without　even　thinking　of　buying　herself　another　coverlet。Master　Eustache；　I　have　already　told　you　not　to　eat　that　cake。It　is　certain　that　little　Agnes；　that　was　the　child's　name；　a　baptismal　name；　for　it　was　a　long　time　since　la　Chantefleurie　had　had　any　surnameit　is　certain　that　that　little　one　was　more　swathed　in　ribbons　and　embroideries　than　a　dauphiness　of　Dauphiny！　　Among　other　things；　she　had　a　pair　of　little　shoes；　the　like　of　which　King　Louis　XI。　certainly　never　had！　　Her　mother　had　stitched　and　embroidered　them　herself；　she　had　lavished　on　them　all　the　delicacies　of　her　art　of　embroideress；　and　all　the　embellishments　of　a　robe　for　the　good　Virgin。　　They　certainly　were　the　two　prettiest　little　pink　shoes　that　could　be　seen。　　They　were　no　longer　than　my　thumb；　and　one　had　to　see　the　child's　little　feet　come　out　of　them；　in　order　to　believe　that　they　had　been　able　to　get　into　them。　　'Tis　true　that　those　little　feet　were　so　small；　so　pretty；　so　rosy！　rosier　than　the　satin　of　the　shoes！　　When　you　have　children；　Oudarde；　you　will　find　that　there　is　nothing　prettier　than　those　little　hands　and　feet。〃

〃I　ask　no　better；〃　said　Oudarde　with　a　sigh；　〃but　I　am　waiting　until　it　shall　suit　the　good　pleasure　of　M。　Andry　Musnier。〃

〃However；　Paquette's　child　had　more　that　was　pretty　about　it　besides　its　feet。　　I　saw　her　when　she　was　only　four　months　old；　she　was　a　love！　　She　had　eyes　larger　than　her　mouth；　and　the　most　charming　black　hair；　which　already　curled。　　She　would　have　been　a　magnificent　brunette　at　the　age　of　sixteen！　Her　mother　became　more　crazy　over　her　every　day。　　She　kissed　her；　caressed　her；　tickled　her；　washed　her；　decked　her　out；　devoured　her！　　She　lost　her　head　over　her；　she　thanked　God　for　her。　　Her　pretty；　little　rosy　feet　above　all　were　an　endless　source　of　wonderment；　they　were　a　delirium　of　joy！　She　was　always　pressing　her　lips　to　them；　and　she　could　never　recover　from　her　amazement　at　their　smallness。　　She　put　them　into　the　tiny　shoes；　took　them　out；　admired　them；　marvelled　at　them；　looked　at　the　light　through　them；　was　curious　to　see　them　try　to　walk　on　her　bed；　and　would　gladly　have　passed　her　life　on　her　knees；　putting　on　and　taking　off　the　shoes　from　those　feet；　as　though　they　had　been　those　of　an　Infant　Jesus。〃

〃The　tale　is　fair　and　good；〃　said　Gervaise　in　a　low　tone；　〃but　where　do　gypsies　come　into　all　that？〃

〃Here；〃　replied　Mahiette。　　〃One　day　there　arrived　in　Reims　a　very　queer　sort　of　people。　　They　were　beggars　and　vagabonds　who　were　roaming　over　the　country；　led　by　their　duke　and　their　counts。　　They　were　browned　by　exposure　to　the　sun；　they　had　closely　curling　hair；　and　silver　rings　in　their　ears。　　The　women　were　still　uglier　than　the　men。　　They　had　blacker　faces；　which　were　always　uncovered；　a　miserable　frock　on　their　bodies；　an　old　cloth　woven　of　cords　bound　upon　their　shoulder；　and　their　hair　hanging　like　the　tail　of　a　horse。　　The　children　who　scrambled　between　their　legs　would　have　frightened　as　many　monkeys。　　A　band　of　excommunicates。　All　these　persons　came　direct　from　lower　Egypt　to　Reims　through　Poland。　　The　Pope　had　confessed　them；　it　was　said；　and　had　prescribed　to　them　as　penance　to　roam　through　the　world　for　seven　years；　without　sleeping　in　a　bed；　and　so　they　were　called　penancers；　and　smelt　horribly。　　It　appears　that　they　had　formerly　been　Saracens；　which　was　why　they　believed　in　Jupiter；　and　claimed　ten　livres　of　Tournay　from　all　archbishops；　bishops；　and　mitred　abbots　with　croziers。　A　bull　from　the　Pope　empowered　them　to　do　that。　　They　came　to　Reims　to　tell　fortunes　in　the　name　of　the　King　of　Algiers；　and　the　Emperor　of　Germany。　　You　can　readily　imagine　that　no　more　was　needed　to　cause　the　entrance　to　the　town　to　be　forbidden　them。　　Then　the　whole　band　camped　with　good　grace　outside　the　gate　of　Braine；　on　that　hill　where　stands　a　mill；　beside　the　cavities　of　the　ancient　chalk　pits。　　And　everybody　in　Reims　vied　with　his　neighbor　in　going　to　see　them。　They　looked　at　your　hand；　and　told　you　marvellous　prophecies；　they　were　equal　to　predicting　to　Judas　that　he　would　become　Pope。　　Nevertheless；　ugly　rumors　were　in　circulation　in　regard　to　them；　about　children　stolen；　purses　cut；　and　human　flesh　devoured。　　The　wise　people　said　to　the　foolish：　〃Don't　go　there！〃　and　then　went　themselves　on　the　sly。　　It　was　an　infatuation。　　The　fact　is；　that　they　said　things　fit　to　astonish　a　cardinal。　　Mothers　triumphed　greatly　over　their　little　ones　after　the　Egyptians　had　read　in　their　hands　all　sorts　of　marvels　written　in　pagan　and　in　Turkish。　　One　had　an　emperor；　another；　a　pope；　another；　a　captain。　　Poor　Chantefleurie　was　seized　with　curiosity；　she　wished　to　know　about　herself；　and　whether　her　pretty　little　Agnes　would　not　become　some　day　Empress　of　Armenia；　or　something　else。　　So　she　carried　her　to　the　Egyptians；　and　the　Egyptian　women　fell　to　admiring　the　child；　and　to　caressing　it；　and　to　kissing　it　with　their　black　mouths；　and　to　marvelling　over　its　little　band；　alas！　to　the　great　joy　of　the　mother。　　They　were　especially　enthusiastic　over　her　pretty　feet　and　shoes。　　The　child　was　not　yet　a　year　old。　　She　already　lisped　a　little；　laughed　at　her　mother　like　a　little　mad　thing；　was　plump　and　quite　round；　and　possessed　a　thousand　charming　little　gestures　of　the　angels　of　paradise。

She　was　very　much　frightened　by　the　Egyptians；　and　wept。　But　her　mother　kissed　her　more　warmly　and　went　away　enchanted　with　the　good　fortune　which　the　soothsayers　had　foretold　for　her　Agnes。　　She　was　to　be　a　beauty；　virtuous；　a　queen。　So　she　returned　to　her　attic　in　the　Rue　Folle…Peine；　very　proud　of　bearing　with　her　a　queen。　　The　next　day　she　took　advantage　of　a　moment　when　the　child　was　asleep　on　her　bed；　（for　they　always　slept　together）；　gently　left　the　door　a　little　way　open；　and　ran　to　tell　a　neighbor　in　the　Rue　de　la　Séchesserie；　that　the　day　would　come　when　her　daughter　Agnes　would　be　served　at　table　by　the　King　of　England　and　the　Archduke　of　Ethiopia；　and　a　hundred　other　marvels。　　On　her　return；　hearing　no　cries　on　the　staircase；　she　said　to　herself：　'Good！　the　child　is　still　asleep！'　　She　found　her　door　wider　open　than　she　had　left　it；　but　she　entered；　poor　mother；　and　ran　to　the　bed。…The　child　was　no　longer　there；　the　place　was　empty。　　Nothing　remained　of　the　child；　but　one　of　her　pretty　little　shoes。　　She　flew　out　of　the　room；　dashed　down　the　stairs；　and　began　to　beat　her　head　against　the　wall；　crying：　'My　child！　who　has　my　child？　　Who　has　taken　my　child？'　　The　street　was　deserted；　the　house　isolated；　no　one　could　tell　her　anything　about　it。　　She　went　about　the　town；　searched　all　the　streets；　ran　hither　and　thither　the　whole　day　long；　wild；　beside　herself；　terrible；　snuffing　at　doors　and　windows　like　a　wild　beast　which　has　lost　its　young。　　She　was　breathless；　dishevelled；　frightful　to　see；　and　there　was　a　fire　in　her　eyes　which　dried　her　tears。　　She　stopped　the　passers…by　and　cried：　'My　daughter！　my　daughter！　my　pretty　little　daughter！　If　any　one　will　give　me　back　my　daughter；　I　will　he　his　servant；　the　servant　of　his　dog；　and　he　shall　eat　my　heart　if　he　will。'　　She　met　M。　le　Curé　of　Saint…　Remy；　and　said　to　him：　'Monsieur；　I　will　till　the　earth　with　my　finger…nails；　but　give　me　back　my　child！'　　It　was　heartrending；　Oudarde；　and　IL　saw　a　very　hard　man；　Master　Ponce　Lacabre；　the　procurator；　weep。　　Ah！　poor　mother！　　In　the　evening　she　returned　home。　　During　her　absence；　a　neighbor　had　seen　two　gypsies　ascend　up　to　it　with　a　bundle　in　their　arms；　then　descend　again；　after　closing　the　door。　　After　their　departure；　something　like　the　cries　of　a　child　were　heard　in　Paquette's　room。　　The　mother；　burst　into　shrieks　of　laughter；　ascended　the　stairs　as　though　on　wings；　and　entered。A　frightful　thing　to　tell；　Oudarde！　　Instead　of　her　pretty　little　Agnes；　so　rosy　and　so　fresh；　who　was　a　gift　of　the　good　God；　a　sort　of　hideous　little　monster；　lame；　one…eyed；　deformed；　was　crawling　and　squalling　over　the　floor。　　She　hid　her　eyes　in　horror。　　'Oh！'　said　she；　'have　the　witches　transformed　my　daughter　into　this　horrible　animal？'　　They　hastened　to　carry　away　the　little　club…foot；　he　would　have　driven　her　mad。　　It　was　the　monstrous　child　of　some　gypsy　woman；　who　had　given　herself　to　the　devil。　　He　appeared　to　be　about　four　years　old；　and　talked　a　language　which　was　no　human　tongue；　there　were　words　in　it　which　were　impossible。　　La　Chantefleurie　flung　herself　upon　the　little　shoe；　all　that　remained　to　her　of　all　that　she　loved。　　She　remained　so　long　motionless　over　it；　mute；　and　without　breath；　that　they　thought　she　was　dead。　Suddenly　she　trembled　all　over；　covered　her　relic　with　furious　kisses；　and　burst　out　sobbing　as　though　her　heart　were　broken。　I　assure　you