the hunchback of notre dame-第60节

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〃Go　to　the　devil！〃　cried　the　priest；　with　a　terrible　look；　and；　giving　the　amazed　Gringoire　a　push　on　the　shoulders；　he　plunged；　with　long　strides；　under　the　gloomiest　arcades　of　the　cathedral。




CHAPTER　III。

THE　BELLS。



After　the　morning　in　the　pillory；　the　neighbors　of　Notre…　Dame　thought　they　noticed　that　Quasimodo's　ardor　for　ringing　had　grown　cool。　　Formerly；　there　had　been　peals　for　every　occasion；　long　morning　serenades；　which　lasted　from　prime　to　compline；　peals　from　the　belfry　for　a　high　mass；　rich　scales　drawn　over　the　smaller　bells　for　a　wedding；　for　a　christening；　and　mingling　in　the　air　like　a　rich　embroidery　of　all　sorts　of　charming　sounds。　　The　old　church；　all　vibrating　and　sonorous；　was　in　a　perpetual　joy　of　bells。　　One　was　constantly　conscious　of　the　presence　of　a　spirit　of　noise　and　caprice；　who　sang　through　all　those　mouths　of　brass。　　Now　that　spirit　seemed　to　have　departed；　the　cathedral　seemed　gloomy；　and　gladly　remained　silent；　festivals　and　funerals　had　the　simple　peal；　dry　and　bare；　demanded　by　the　ritual；　nothing　more。　　Of　the　double　noise　which　constitutes　a　church；　the　organ　within；　the　bell　without；　the　organ　alone　remained。　　One　would　have　said　that　there　was　no　longer　a　musician　in　the　belfry。　　Quasimodo　was　always　there；　nevertheless；　what；　then；　had　happened　to　him？　　Was　it　that　the　shame　and　despair　of　the　pillory　still　lingered　in　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　that　the　lashes　of　his　tormentor's　whip　reverberated　unendingly　in　his　soul；　and　that　the　sadness　of　such　treatment　had　wholly　extinguished　in　him　even　his　passion　for　the　bells？　or　was　it　that　Marie　had　a　rival　in　the　heart　of　the　bellringer　of　Notre…Dame；　and　that　the　great　bell　and　her　fourteen　sisters　were　neglected　for　something　more　amiable　and　more　beautiful？

It　chanced　that；　in　the　year　of　grace　1482；　Annunciation　Day　fell　on　Tuesday；　the　twenty…fifth　of　March。　　That　day　the　air　was　so　pure　and　light　that　Quasimodo　felt　some　returning　affection　for　his　bells。　　He　therefore　ascended　the　northern　tower　while　the　beadle　below　was　opening　wide　the　doors　of　the　church；　which　were　then　enormous　panels　of　stout　wood；　covered　with　leather；　bordered　with　nails　of　gilded　iron；　and　framed　in　carvings　〃very　artistically　elaborated。〃

On　arriving　in　the　lofty　bell　chamber；　Quasimodo　gazed　for　some　time　at　the　six　bells　and　shook　his　head　sadly；　as　though　groaning　over　some　foreign　element　which　had　interposed　itself　in　his　heart　between　them　and　him。　　But　when　he　had　set　them　to　swinging；　when　he　felt　that　cluster　of　bells　moving　under　his　hand；　when　he　saw；　for　he　did　not　hear　it；　the　palpitating　octave　ascend　and　descend　that　sonorous　scale；　like　a　bird　hopping　from　branch　to　branch；　when　the　demon　Music；　that　demon　who　shakes　a　sparkling　bundle　of　strette；　trills　and　arpeggios；　had　taken　possession　of　the　poor　deaf　man；　he　became　happy　once　more；　he　forgot　everything；　and　his　heart　expanding；　made　his　face　beam。

He　went　and　came；　he　beat　his　hands　together；　he　ran　from　rope　to　rope；　he　animated　the　six　singers　with　voice　and　gesture；　like　the　leader　of　an　orchestra　who　is　urging　on　intelligent　musicians。

〃Go　on；〃　said　he；　〃go　on；　go　on；　Gabrielle；　pour　out　all　thy　noise　into　the　Place；　'tis　a　festival　to…day。　　No　laziness；　Thibauld；　thou　art　relaxing；　go　on；　go　on；　then；　art　thou　rusted；　thou　sluggard？　　That　is　well！　quick！　quick！　let　not　thy　clapper　be　seen！　　Make　them　all　deaf　like　me。　　That's　it；　Thibauld；　bravely　done！　　Guillaume！　　Guillaume！　thou　art　the　largest；　and　Pasquier　is　the　smallest；　and　Pasquier　does　best。　　Let　us　wager　that　those　who　hear　him　will　understand　him　better　than　they　understand　thee。　　Good！　good！　my　Gabrielle；　stoutly；　more　stoutly！　　Eli！　　what　are　you　doing　up　aloft　there；　you　two　Moineaux　（sparrows）？　　I　do　not　see　you　making　the　least　little　shred　of　noise。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　those　beaks　of　copper　which　seem　to　be　gaping　when　they　should　sing？　　Come；　work　now；　'tis　the　Feast　of　the　Annunciation。　　The　sun　is　fine；　the　chime　must　be　fine　also。　　Poor　Guillaume！　thou　art　all　out　of　breath；　my　big　fellow！〃

He　was　wholly　absorbed　in　spurring　on　his　bells；　all　six　of　which　vied　with　each　other　in　leaping　and　shaking　their　shining　haunches；　like　a　noisy　team　of　Spanish　mules；　pricked　on　here　and　there　by　the　apostrophes　of　the　muleteer。

All　at　once；　on　letting　his　glance　fall　between　the　large　slate　scales　which　cover　the　perpendicular　wall　of　the　bell　tower　at　a　certain　height；　he　beheld　on　the　square　a　young　girl；　fantastically　dressed；　stop；　spread　out　on　the　ground　a　carpet；　on　which　a　small　goat　took　up　its　post；　and　a　group　of　spectators　collect　around　her。　　This　sight　suddenly　changed　the　course　of　his　ideas；　and　congealed　his　enthusiasm　as　a　breath　of　air　congeals　melted　rosin。　　He　halted；　turned　his　back　to　the　bells；　and　crouched　down　behind　the　projecting　roof　of　slate；　fixing　upon　the　dancer　that　dreamy；　sweet；　and　tender　look　which　had　already　astonished　the　archdeacon　on　one　occasion。　　Meanwhile；　the　forgotten　bells　died　away　abruptly　and　all　together；　to　the　great　disappointment　of　the　lovers　of　bell　ringing；　who　were　listening　in　good　faith　to　the　peal　from　above　the　Pont　du　Change；　and　who　went　away　dumbfounded；　like　a　dog　who　has　been　offered　a　bone　and　given　a　stone。




CHAPTER　IV。

~ANArKH~。


It　chanced　that　upon　a　fine　morning　in　this　same　month　of　March；　I　think　it　was　on　Saturday　the　29th；　Saint　Eustache's　day；　our　young　friend　the　student；　Jehan　Frollo　du　Moulin；　perceived；　as　he　was　dressing　himself；　that　his　breeches；　which　contained　his　purse；　gave　out　no　metallic　ring。　　〃Poor　purse；〃　he　said；　drawing　it　from　his　fob；　〃what！　not　the　smallest　parisis！　how　cruelly　the　dice；　beer…pots；　and　Venus　have　depleted　thee！　　How　empty；　wrinkled；　limp；　thou　art！　　Thou　resemblest　the　throat　of　a　fury！　　I　ask　you；　Messer　Cicero；　and　Messer　Seneca；　copies　of　whom；　all　dog's…eared；　I　behold　scattered　on　the　floor；　what　profits　it　me　to　know；　better　than　any　governor　of　the　mint；　or　any　Jew　on　the　Pont　aux　Changeurs；　that　a　golden　crown　stamped　with　a　crown　is　worth　thirty…five　unzains　of　twenty…five　sous；　and　eight　deniers　parisis　apiece；　and　that　a　crown　stamped　with　a　crescent　is　worth　thirty…six　unzains　of　twenty…six　sous；　six　deniers　tournois　apiece；　if　I　have　not　a　single　wretched　black　liard　to　risk　on　the　double…six！　　Oh！　　Consul　Cicero！　this　is　no　calamity　from　which　one　extricates　one's　self　with　periphrases；　~quemadmodum~；　and　~verum　enim　vero~！〃

He　dressed　himself　sadly。　　An　idea　had　occurred　to　him　as　he　laced　his　boots；　but　he　rejected　it　at　first；　nevertheless；　it　returned；　and　he　put　on　his　waistcoat　wrong　side　out；　an　evident　sign　of　violent　internal　combat。　　At　last　he　dashed　his　cap　roughly　on　the　floor；　and　exclaimed：　〃So　much　the　worse！　Let　come　of　it　what　may。　　I　am　going　to　my　brother！　　I　shall　catch　a　sermon；　but　I　shall　catch　a　crown。〃

Then　be　hastily　donned　his　long　jacket　with　furred　half…　sleeves；　picked　up　his　cap；　and　went　out　like　a　man　driven　to　desperation。

He　descended　the　Rue　de　la　Harpe　toward　the　City。　　As　he　passed　the　Rue　de　la　Huchette；　the　odor　of　those　admirable　spits；　which　were　incessantly　turning；　tickled　his　olfactory　apparatus；　and　he　bestowed　a　loving　glance　toward　the　Cyclopean　roast；　which　one　day　drew　from　the　Franciscan　friar；　Calatagirone；　this　pathetic　exclamation：　~Veramente；　queste　rotisserie　sono　cosa　stupenda~！*　　But　Jehan　had　not　the　wherewithal　to　buy　a　breakfast；　and　he　plunged；　with　a　profound　sigh；　under　the　gateway　of　the　Petit…Chatelet；　that　enormous　double　trefoil　of　massive　towers　which　guarded　the　entrance　to　the　City。


*　　Truly；　these　roastings　are　a　stupendous　thing！


He　did　not　even　take　the　trouble　to　cast　a　stone　in　passing；　as　was　the　usage；　at　the　miserable　statue　of　that　Périnet　Leclerc　who　had　delivered　up　the　Paris　of　Charles　VI。　to　the　English；　a　crime　which　his　effigy；　its　face　battered　with　stones　and　soiled　with　mud；　expiated　for　three　centuries　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Harpe　and　the　Rue　de　Buci；　as　in　an　eternal　pillory。

The　Petit…Pont　traversed；　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Geneviève　crossed；　Jehan　de　Molendino　found　himself　in　front　of　Notre…　Dame。　　Then　indecision　seized　upon　him　once　more；　and　he　paced　for　several　minutes　round　the　statue　of　M。　Legris；　repeating　to　himself　with　anguish：　〃The　sermon　is　sure；　the　crown　is　doubtful。〃

He　stopped　a　beadle　who　emerged　from　the　cloister；〃Where　is　monsieur　the　archdeacon　of　Josas？〃

〃I　believe　that　he　is　in　his　secret　cell　in　the　tower；〃　said　the　beadle；　〃I　should　advise　you　not　to　disturb　him　there；　unless　you　come　from　some　one　like　the　pope　or　monsieur　the　king。〃

Jehan　clapped　his　hands。

〃~Bécliable~！　here's　a　magnificent　chance　to　see　the　famous　sorcery　cell！〃

This　reflection　having　brought　him　to　a　decision；　he　plunged　resolutely　into　the　small　black　doorway；　and　began　the　ascent　of　the　spiral　of　Saint…Gilles；　which　leads　to　the　upper　stories　of　the　tower。　　〃I　am　going　to　see；〃　he　said　to　himself　on　the　way。　　〃By　the　ravens　of　the　Holy　Virgin！　it　must　needs　be　a　curious　thing；　that　cell　which　my　reverend　brother　hides　so　secretly！　　'Tis　said　that　he　lights　up　the　kitchens　of　hell　there；　and　that　he　cooks　the