the hunchback of notre dame-第102部分

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ssible；　is　it　not？　　My　child；　my　child！〃

We　will　not　try　to　give　an　idea　of　her　gestures；　her　tone；　of　the　tears　which　she　swallowed　as　she　spoke；　of　the　hands　which　she　clasped　and　then　wrung；　of　the　heart…breaking　smiles；　of　the　swimming　glances；　of　the　groans；　the　sighs；　the　miserable　and　affecting　cries　which　she　mingled　with　her　disordered；　wild；　and　incoherent　words。　　When　she　became　silent　Tristan　l'Hermite　frowned；　but　it　was　to　conceal　a　tear　which　welled　up　in　his　tiger's　eye。　　He　conquered　this　weakness；　however；　and　said　in　a　curt　tone；

〃The　king　wills　it。〃

Then　he　bent　down　to　the　ear　of　Rennet　Cousin；　and　said　to　him　in　a　very　low　tone；

〃Make　an　end　of　it　quickly！〃　Possibly；　the　redoubtable　provost　felt　his　heart　also　failing　him。

The　executioner　and　the　sergeants　entered　the　cell。　　The　mother　offered　no　resistance；　only　she　dragged　herself　towards　her　daughter　and　threw　herself　bodily　upon　her。　The　gypsy　beheld　the　soldiers　approach。　　The　horror　of　death　reanimated　her；

〃Mother！〃　she　shrieked；　in　a　tone　of　indescribable　distress；　〃Mother！　they　are　coming！　defend　me！〃

〃Yes；　my　love；　I　am　defending　you！〃　replied　the　mother；　in　a　dying　voice；　and　clasping　her　closely　in　her　arms；　she　covered　her　with　kisses。　　The　two　lying　thus　on　the　earth；　the　mother　upon　the　daughter；　presented　a　spectacle　worthy　of　pity。

Rennet　Cousin　grasped　the　young　girl　by　the　middle　of　her　body；　beneath　her　beautiful　shoulders。　　When　she　felt　that　hand；　she　cried；　〃Heuh！〃　and　fainted。　　The　executioner　who　was　shedding　large　tears　upon　her；　drop　by　drop；　was　about　to　bear　her　away　in　his　arms。　　He　tried　to　detach　the　mother；　who　had；　so　to　speak；　knotted　her　hands　around　her　daughter's　waist；　but　she　clung　so　strongly　to　her　child；　that　it　was　impossible　to　separate　them。　　Then　Rennet　Cousin　dragged　the　young　girl　outside　the　cell；　and　the　mother　after　her。　　The　mother's　eyes　were　also　closed。

At　that　moment；　the　sun　rose；　and　there　was　already　on　the　Place　a　fairly　numerous　assembly　of　people　who　looked　on　from　a　distance　at　what　was　being　thus　dragged　along　the　pavement　to　the　gibbet。　　For　that　was　Provost　Tristan's　way　at　executions。　　He　had　a　passion　for　preventing　the　approach　of　the　curious。

There　was　no　one　at　the　windows。　　Only　at　a　distance；　at　the　summit　of　that　one　of　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame　which　commands　the　Grève；　two　men　outlined　in　black　against　the　light　morning　sky；　and　who　seemed　to　be　looking　on；　were　visible。

Rennet　Cousin　paused　at　the　foot　of　the　fatal　ladder；　with　that　which　he　was　dragging；　and；　barely　breathing；　with　so　much　pity　did　the　thing　inspire　him；　he　passed　the　rope　around　the　lovely　neck　of　the　young　girl。　　The　unfortunate　child　felt　the　horrible　touch　of　the　hemp。　　She　raised　her　eyelids；　and　saw　the　fleshless　arm　of　the　stone　gallows　extended　above　her　head。　　Then　she　shook　herself　and　shrieked　in　a　loud　and　heartrending　voice：　〃No！　no！　　I　will　not！〃　Her　mother；　whose　head　was　buried　and　concealed　in　her　daughter's　garments；　said　not　a　word；　only　her　whole　body　could　be　seen　to　quiver；　and　she　was　heard　to　redouble　her　kisses　on　her　child。　　The　executioner　took　advantage　of　this　moment　to　hastily　loose　the　arms　with　which　she　clasped　the　condemned　girl。　　Either　through　exhaustion　or　despair；　she　let　him　have　his　way。　　Then　he　took　the　young　girl　on　his　shoulder；　from　which　the　charming　creature　hung；　gracefully　bent　over　his　large　head。　　Then　he　set　his　foot　on　the　ladder　in　order　to　ascend。

At　that　moment；　the　mother　who　was　crouching　on　the　pavement；　opened　her　eyes　wide。　　Without　uttering　a　cry；　she　raised　herself　erect　with　a　terrible　expression；　then　she　flung　herself　upon　the　hand　of　the　executioner；　like　a　beast　on　its　prey；　and　bit　it。　　It　was　done　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　　The　headsman　howled　with　pain。　　Those　near　by　rushed　up。　With　difficulty　they　withdrew　his　bleeding　hand　from　the　mother's　teeth。　　She　preserved　a　profound　silence。　　They　thrust　her　back　with　much　brutality；　and　noticed　that　her　head　fell　heavily　on　the　pavement。　　They　raised　her；　she　fell　back　again。　　She　was　dead。

The　executioner；　who　had　not　loosed　his　hold　on　the　young　girl；　began　to　ascend　the　ladder　once　more。




CHAPTER　II。

THE　BEAUTIFUL　CREATURE　CLAD　IN　WHITE。　　（Dante。）



When　Quasimodo　saw　that　the　cell　was　empty；　that　the　gypsy　was　no　longer　there；　that　while　he　had　been　defending　her　she　had　been　abducted；　he　grasped　his　hair　with　both　hands　and　stamped　with　surprise　and　pain；　then　he　set　out　to　run　through　the　entire　church　seeking　his　Bohemian；　howling　strange　cries　to　all　the　corners　of　the　walls；　strewing　his　red　hair　on　the　pavement。　　It　was　just　at　the　moment　when　the　king's　archers　were　making　their　victorious　entrance　into　Notre…Dame；　also　in　search　of　the　gypsy。　　Quasimodo；　poor；　deaf　fellow；　aided　them　in　their　fatal　intentions；　without　suspecting　it；　he　thought　that　the　outcasts　were　the　gypsy's　enemies。　　He　himself　conducted　Tristan　l'Hermite　to　all　possible　hiding…places；　opened　to　him　the　secret　doors；　the　double　bottoms　of　the　altars；　the　rear　sacristries。　　If　the　unfortunate　girl　had　still　been　there；　it　would　have　been　he　himself　who　would　have　delivered　her　up。

When　the　fatigue　of　finding　nothing　had　disheartened　Tristan；　who　was　not　easily　discouraged；　Quasimodo　continued　the　search　alone。　　He　made　the　tour　of　the　church　twenty　times；　length　and　breadth；　up　and　down；　ascending　and　descending；　running；　calling；　sbouting；　peeping；　rummaging；　ransacking；　thrusting　his　head　into　every　hole；　pushing　a　torch　under　every　vault；　despairing；　mad。　　A　male　who　has　lost　his　female　is　no　more　roaring　nor　more　haggard。

At　last　when　he　was　sure；　perfectly　sure　that　she　was　no　longer　there；　that　all　was　at　an　end；　that　she　had　been　snatched　from　him；　he　slowly　mounted　the　staircase　to　the　towers；　that　staircase　which　he　had　ascended　with　so　much　eagerness　and　triumph　on　the　day　when　he　had　saved　her。　He　passed　those　same　places　once　more　with　drooping　head；　voiceless；　tearless；　almost　breathless。　　The　church　was　again　deserted；　and　had　fallen　back　into　its　silence。　　The　archers　had　quitted　it　to　track　the　sorceress　in　the　city。　　Quasimodo；　left　alone　in　that　vast　Notre…Dame；　so　besieged　and　tumultuous　but　a　short　time　before；　once　more　betook　himself　to　the　cell　where　the　gypsy　had　slept　for　so　many　weeks　under　his　guardianship。

As　he　approached　it；　he　fancied　that　he　might；　perhaps；　find　her　there。　　When；　at　the　turn　of　the　gallery　which　opens　on　the　roof　of　the　side　aisles；　he　perceived　the　tiny　cell　with　its　little　window　and　its　little　door　crouching　beneath　a　great　flying　buttress　like　a　bird's　nest　under　a　branch；　the　poor　man's　heart　failed　him；　and　he　leaned　against　a　pillar　to　keep　from　falling。　　He　imagined　that　she　might　have　returned　thither；　that　some　good　genius　had；　no　doubt；　brought　her　back；　that　this　chamber　was　too　tranquil；　too　safe；　too　charming　for　her　not　to　be　there；　and　he　dared　not　take　another　step　for　fear　of　destroying　his　illusion。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃perchance　she　is　sleeping；　or　praying。　　I　must　not　disturb　her。〃

At　length　he　summoned　up　courage；　advanced　on　tiptoe；　looked；　entered。　　Empty。　　The　cell　was　still　empty。　　The　unhappy　deaf　man　walked　slowly　round　it；　lifted　the　bed　and　looked　beneath　it；　as　though　she　might　be　concealed　between　the　pavement　and　the　mattress；　then　he　shook　his　head　and　remained　stupefied。　　All　at　once；　he　crushed　his　torch　under　his　foot；　and；　without　uttering　a　word；　without　giving　vent　to　a　sigh；　he　flung　himself　at　full　speed；　head　foremost　against　the　wall；　and　fell　fainting　on　the　floor。

When　he　recovered　his　senses；　he　threw　himself　on　the　bed　and　rolling　about；　he　kissed　frantically　the　place　where　the　young　girl　had　slept　and　which　was　still　warm；　he　remained　there　for　several　moments　as　motionless　as　though　he　were　about　to　expire；　then　he　rose；　dripping　with　perspiration；　panting；　mad；　and　began　to　beat　his　head　against　the　wall　with　the　frightful　regularity　of　the　clapper　of　his　bells；　and　the　resolution　of　a　man　determined　to　kill　himself。　　At　length　he　fell　a　second　time；　exhausted；　he　dragged　himself　on　his　knees　outside　the　cell；　and　crouched　down　facing　the　door；　in　an　attitude　of　astonishment。

He　remained　thus　for　more　than　an　hour　without　making　a　movement；　with　his　eye　fixed　on　the　deserted　cell；　more　gloomy；　and　more　pensive　than　a　mother　seated　between　an　empty　cradle　and　a　full　coffin。　　He　uttered　not　a　word；　only　at　long　intervals；　a　sob　heaved　his　body　violently；　but　it　was　a　tearless　sob；　like　summer　lightning　which　makes　no　noise。

It　appears　to　have　been　then；　that；　seeking　at　the　bottom　of　his　lonely　thoughts　for　the　unexpected　abductor　of　the　gypsy；　he　thought　of　the　archdeacon。　　He　remembered　that　Dom　Claude　alone　possessed　a　key　to　the　staircase　leading　to　the　cell；　he　recalled　his　nocturnal　attempts　on　the　young　girl；　in　the　first　of　which　he；　Quasimodo；　had　assisted；　the　second　of　which　he　had　prevented。　　He　recalled　a　thousand　details；　and　soon　he　no　longer　doubted　that　the　archdeacon　had　taken　the　gypsy。　　Nevertheless；　such　was　his　respect　for　the　priest；　such　his　gratitude；　his　devotion；　his　love　for　this　man　had　taken　such　deep　root　in　his　heart；　that　they　resisted；　even　at　this　moment；　the　talons　of　jealousy　and　despair。

He　reflected　that　the　archdeacon　had　done　this　thing；　and　the　wrath　of　blood　and　death　which　it　would　have　evoked　in　him　against　any　other　person；　turned　in　the　poor　deaf　man；　from　the　moment　when　Claude　Frollo　was　in　question；　into　an　increase　of　grief　and　sorrow。

At　the　moment　when　his　thought　was　thus　fixed　upon　the　priest；　while　the　daybreak　was　whitening　the　flying　buttresses；　he　perceived　on　the　highest　story　of　Notre…Dame；　at　the　angle　formed　by　the　external　balustrade　as　it　makes　the　turn　of　the　chancel；　a　figure　walking。　　This　figure　was　coming　towards　him。　　He　recognized　it。　　It　was　the　archdeacon。

Claude　was　walking　with　a　slow；　grave　step。　　He　did　not　look　before　him　as　he　walked；　he　was　directing　his　course　towards　the　northern　tower；　but　his　face　was　turned　aside　towards　the　right　bank　of　the　Seine；　and　he　held　his　head　high；　as　though　trying　to　see　something　over　the　roofs。　　The　owl　often　assumes　this　obliq