the hunchback of notre dame-第75节
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my revery； I glanced into the Square。 What I beheld； others saw beside myself； and yet it was not a spectacle made for human eyes。 There； in the middle of the pavement；it was midday； the sun was shining brightly；a creature was dancing。 A creature so beautiful that God would have preferred her to the Virgin and have chosen her for his mother and have wished to be born of her if she had been in existence when he was made man！ Her eyes were black and splendid； in the midst of her black locks； some hairs through which the sun shone glistened like threads of gold。 Her feet disappeared in their movements like the spokes of a rapidly turning wheel。 Around her head； in her black tresses； there were disks of metal； which glittered in the sun； and formed a coronet of stars on her brow。 Her dress thick set with spangles； blue； and dotted with a thousand sparks； gleamed like a summer night。 Her brown； supple arms twined and untwined around her waist； like two scarfs。 The form of her body was surprisingly beautiful。 Oh！ what a resplendent figure stood out； like something luminous even in the sunlight！ Alas； young girl； it was thou！ Surprised； intoxicated； charmed； I allowed myself to gaze upon thee。 I looked so long that I suddenly shuddered with terror； I felt that fate was seizing hold of me。〃
The priest paused for a moment； overcome with emotion。 Then he continued；
〃Already half fascinated； I tried to cling fast to something and hold myself back from falling。 I recalled the snares which Satan had already set for me。 The creature before my eyes possessed that superhuman beauty which can come only from heaven or hell。 It was no simple girl made with a little of our earth； and dimly lighted within by the vacillating ray of a woman's soul。 It was an angel！ but of shadows and flame； and not of light。 At the moment when I was meditating thus； I beheld beside you a goat； a beast of witches； which smiled as it gazed at me。 The midday sun gave him golden horns。 Then I perceived the snare of the demon； and I no longer doubted that you had come from hell and that you had come thence for my perdition。 I believed it。〃
Here the priest looked the prisoner full in the face； and added； coldly；
〃I believe it still。 Nevertheless； the charm operated little by little； your dancing whirled through my brain； I felt the mysterious spell working within me。 All that should have awakened was lulled to sleep； and like those who die in the snow； I felt pleasure in allowing this sleep to draw on。 All at once； you began to sing。 What could I do； unhappy wretch？ Your song was still more charming than your dancing。 I tried to flee。 Impossible。 I was nailed； rooted to the spot。 It seemed to me that the marble of the pavement had risen to my knees。 I was forced to remain until the end。 My feet were like ice； my head was on fire。 At last you took pity on me； you ceased to sing； you disappeared。 The reflection of the dazzling vision； the reverberation of the enchanting music disappeared by degrees from my eyes and my ears。 Then I fell back into the embrasure of the window； more rigid； more feeble than a statue torn from its base。 The vesper bell roused me。 I drew myself up； I fled； but alas！ something within me had fallen never to rise again； something had come upon me from which I could not flee。〃
He made another pause and went on；
〃Yes； dating from that day； there was within me a man whom I did not know。 I tried to make use of all my remedies。 The cloister； the altar； work； books；follies！ Oh； how hollow does science sound when one in despair dashes against it a head full of passions！ Do you know； young girl； what I saw thenceforth between my book and me？ You； your shade； the image of the luminous apparition which had one day crossed the space before me。 But this image had no longer the same color； it was sombre； funereal； gloomy as the black circle which long pursues the vision of the imprudent man who has gazed intently at the sun。
〃Unable to rid myself of it； since I heard your song humming ever in my head； beheld your feet dancing always on my breviary； felt even at night； in my dreams； your form in contact with my own； I desired to see you again； to touch you； to know who you were； to see whether I should really find you like the ideal image which I had retained of you； to shatter my dream； perchance； with reality。 At all events； I hoped that a new impression would efface the first； and the first had become insupportable。 I sought you。 I saw you once more。 Calamity！ When I had seen you twice； I wanted to see you a thousand times； I wanted to see you always。 Thenhow stop myself on that slope of hell？then I no longer belonged to myself。 The other end of the thread which the demon had attached to my wings he had fastened to his foot。 I became vagrant and wandering like yourself。 I waited for you under porches； I stood on the lookout for you at the street corners； I watched for you from the summit of my tower。 Every evening I returned to myself more charmed； more despairing； more bewitched； more lost！
〃I had learned who you were； an Egyptian； Bohemian； gypsy； zingara。 How could I doubt the magic？ Listen。 I hoped that a trial would free me from the charm。 A witch enchanted Bruno d'Ast； he had her burned； and was cured。 I knew it。 I wanted to try the remedy。 First I tried to have you forbidden the square in front of Notre…Dame； hoping to forget you if you returned no more。 You paid no heed to it。 You returned。 Then the idea of abducting you occurred to me。 One night I made the attempt。 There were two of us。 We already had you in our power； when that miserable officer came up。 He delivered you。 Thus did he begin your unhappiness； mine； and his own。 Finally； no longer knowing what to do； and what was to become of me； I denounced you to the official。
〃I thought that I should be cured like Bruno d'Ast。 I also had a confused idea that a trial would deliver you into my hands； that； as a prisoner I should hold you； I should have you； that there you could not escape from me； that you had already possessed me a sufficiently long time to give me the right to possess you in my turn。 When one does wrong； one must do it thoroughly。 'Tis madness to halt midway in the monstrous！ The extreme of crime has its deliriums of joy。 A priest and a witch can mingle in delight upon the truss of straw in a dungeon！
〃Accordingly； I denounced you。 It was then that I terrified you when we met。 The plot which I was weaving against you； the storm which I was heaping up above your head； burst from me in threats and lightning glances。 Still； I hesitated。 My project had its terrible sides which made me shrink back。
〃Perhaps I might have renounced it； perhaps my hideous thought would have withered in my brain； without bearing fruit。 I thought that it would always depend upon me to follow up or discontinue this prosecution。 But every evil thought is inexorable； and insists on becoming a deed； but where I believed myself to be all powerful； fate was more powerful than I。 Alas！ 'tis fate which has seized you and delivered you to the terrible wheels of the machine which I had constructed doubly。 Listen。 I am nearing the end。
〃One day；again the sun was shining brilliantlyI behold man pass me uttering your name and laughing； who carries sensuality in his eyes。 Damnation！ I followed him； you know the rest。〃
He ceased。
The young girl could find but one word：
〃Oh； my Phoebus！〃
〃Not that name！〃 said the priest； grasping her arm violently。 〃Utter not that name！ Oh！ miserable wretches that we are； 'tis that name which has ruined us！ or； rather we have ruined each other by the inexplicable play of fate！ you are suffering； are you not？ you are cold； the night makes you blind； the dungeon envelops you； but perhaps you still have some light in the bottom of your soul； were it only your childish love for that empty man who played with your heart； while I bear the dungeon within me； within me there is winter； ice； despair； I have night in my soul。
〃Do you know what I have suffered？ I was present at your trial。 I was seated on the official's bench。 Yes； under one of the priests' cowls； there were the contortions of the damned。 When you were brought in； I was there； when you were questioned； I was there。Den of wolves！It was my crime； it was my gallows that I beheld being slowly reared over your head。 I was there for every witness； every proof； every plea； I could count each of your steps in the painful path； I was still there when that ferocious beastoh！ I had not foreseen torture！ Listen。 I followed you to that chamber of anguish。 I beheld you stripped and handled； half naked； by the infamous hands of the tormentor。 I beheld your foot； that foot which I would have given an empire to kiss and die； that foot； beneath which to have had my head crushed I should have felt such rapture；I beheld it encased in that horrible boot； which converts the limbs of a living being into one bloody clod。 Oh； wretch！ while I looked on at that； I held beneath my shroud a dagger； with which I lacerated my breast。 When you uttered that cry； I plunged it into my flesh； at a second cry； it would have entered my heart。 Look！
