the hunchback of notre dame-第35部分

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d　insist　upon　stoning　you　if　they　were　here。　　So　you　deny　the　influence　of　philtres　upon　the　blood；　and　unguents　on　the　skin！　　You　deny　that　eternal　pharmacy　of　flowers　and　metals；　which　is　called　the　world；　made　expressly　for　that　eternal　invalid　called　man！〃

〃I　deny；〃　said　Dom　Claude　coldly；　〃neither　pharmacy　nor　the　invalid。　　I　reject　the　physician。〃

〃Then　it　is　not　true；〃　resumed　Coictier　hotly；　〃that　gout　is　an　internal　eruption；　that　a　wound　caused　by　artillery　is　to　be　cured　by　the　application　of　a　young　mouse　roasted；　that　young　blood；　properly　injected；　restores　youth　to　aged　veins；　it　is　not　true　that　two　and　two　make　four；　and　that　emprostathonos　follows　opistathonos。〃

The　archdeacon　replied　without　perturbation：　〃There　are　certain　things　of　which　I　think　in　a　certain　fashion。〃

Coictier　became　crimson　with　anger。

〃There；　there；　my　good　Coictier；　let　us　not　get　angry；〃　said　Gossip　Tourangeau。　　〃Monsieur　the　archdeacon　is　our　friend。〃

Coictier　calmed　down；　muttering　in　a　low　tone；

〃After　all；　he's　mad。〃

〃~Pasque…dieu~；　Master　Claude；〃　resumed　Gossip　Tourangeau；　after　a　silence；　〃You　embarrass　me　greatly。　　I　had　two　things　to　consult　you　upon；　one　touching　my　health　and　the　other　touching　my　star。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　returned　the　archdeacon；　〃if　that　be　your　motive；　you　would　have　done　as　well　not　to　put　yourself　out　of　breath　climbing　my　staircase。　　I　do　not　believe　in　Medicine。　I　do　not　believe　in　Astrology。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　the　man；　with　surprise。

Coictier　gave　a　forced　laugh。

〃You　see　that　he　is　mad；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone；　to　Gossip　Tourangeau。　　〃He　does　not　believe　in　astrology。〃

〃The　idea　of　imagining；〃　pursued　Dom　Claude；　〃that　every　ray　of　a　star　is　a　thread　which　is　fastened　to　the　head　of　a　man！〃

〃And　what　then；　do　you　believe　in？〃　exclaimed　Gossip　Tourangeau。

The　archdeacon　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　he　allowed　a　gloomy　smile　to　escape；　which　seemed　to　give　the　lie　to　his　response：　〃~Credo　in　Deum~。〃

〃~Dominum　nostrum~；〃　added　Gossip　Tourangeau；　making　the　sign　of　the　cross。

〃Amen；〃　said　Coictier。

〃Reverend　master；〃　resumed　Tourangeau；　〃I　am　charmed　in　soul　to　see　you　in　such　a　religious　frame　of　mind。　　But　have　you　reached　the　point；　great　savant　as　you　are；　of　no　longer　believing　in　science？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　grasping　the　arm　of　Gossip　Tourangeau；　and　a　ray　of　enthusiasm　lighted　up　his　gloomy　eyes；　〃no；　I　do　not　reject　science。　　I　have　not　crawled　so　long；　flat　on　my　belly；　with　my　nails　in　the　earth；　through　the　innumerable　ramifications　of　its　caverns；　without　perceiving　far　in　front　of　me；　at　the　end　of　the　obscure　gallery；　a　light；　a　flame；　a　something；　the　reflection；　no　doubt；　of　the　dazzling　central　laboratory　where　the　patient　and　the　wise　have　found　out　God。〃

〃And　in　short；〃　interrupted　Tourangeau；　〃what　do　you　hold　to　be　true　and　certain？〃

〃Alchemy。〃

Coictier　exclaimed；　〃Pardieu；　Dom　Claude；　alchemy　has　its　use；　no　doubt；　but　why　blaspheme　medicine　and　astrology？〃

〃Naught　is　your　science　of　man；　naught　is　your　science　of　the　stars；〃　said　the　archdeacon；　commandingly。

〃That's　driving　Epidaurus　and　Chaldea　very　fast；〃　replied　the　physician　with　a　grin。

〃Listen；　Messire　Jacques。　　This　is　said　in　good　faith。　　I　am　not　the　king's　physician；　and　his　majesty　has　not　given　me　the　Garden　of　Daedalus　in　which　to　observe　the　constellations。　　Don't　get　angry；　but　listen　to　me。　　What　truth　have　you　deduced；　I　will　not　say　from　medicine；　which　is　too　foolish　a　thing；　but　from　astrology？　　Cite　to　me　the　virtues　of　the　vertical　boustrophedon；　the　treasures　of　the　number　ziruph　and　those　of　the　number　zephirod！〃

〃Will　you　deny；〃　said　Coictier；　〃the　sympathetic　force　of　the　collar　bone；　and　the　cabalistics　which　are　derived　from　it？〃

〃An　error；　Messire　Jacques！　　None　of　your　formulas　end　in　reality。　　Alchemy　on　the　other　hand　has　its　discoveries。　　Will　you　contest　results　like　this？　　Ice　confined　beneath　the　earth　for　a　thousand　years　is　transformed　into　rock　crystals。　　Lead　is　the　ancestor　of　all　metals。　　For　gold　is　not　a　metal；　gold　is　light。　　Lead　requires　only　four　periods　of　two　hundred　years　each；　to　pass　in　succession　from　the　state　of　lead；　to　the　state　of　red　arsenic；　from　red　arsenic　to　tin；　from　tin　to　silver。　　Are　not　these　facts？　　But　to　believe　in　the　collar　bone；　in　the　full　line　and　in　the　stars；　is　as　ridiculous　as　to　believe　with　the　inhabitants　of　Grand…Cathay　that　the　golden　oriole　turns　into　a　mole；　and　that　grains　of　wheat　turn　into　fish　of　the　carp　species。〃

〃I　have　studied　hermetic　science！〃　exclaimed　Coictier；　〃and　I　affirm〃

The　fiery　archdeacon　did　not　allow　him　to　finish：　〃And　I　have　studied　medicine；　astrology；　and　hermetics。　　Here　alone　is　the　truth。〃　（As　he　spoke　thus；　he　took　from　the　top　of　the　coffer　a　phial　filled　with　the　powder　which　we　have　mentioned　above）；　〃here　alone　is　light！　　Hippocrates　is　a　dream；　Urania　is　a　dream；　Hermes；　a　thought。　　Gold　is　the　sun；　to　make　gold　is　to　be　God。　　Herein　lies　the　one　and　only　science。　I　have　sounded　the　depths　of　medicine　and　astrology；　I　tell　you！　　Naught；　nothingness！　　The　human　body；　shadows！　the　planets；　shadows！〃

And　he　fell　back　in　his　armchair　in　a　commanding　and　inspired　attitude。　　Gossip　Touraugeau　watched　him　in　silence。　Coictier　tried　to　grin；　shrugged　his　shoulders　imperceptibly；　and　repeated　in　a　low　voice；

〃A　madman！〃

〃And；〃　said　Tourangeau　suddenly；　〃the　wondrous　result；　have　you　attained　it；　have　you　made　gold？〃

〃If　I　had　made　it；〃　replied　the　archdeacon；　articulating　his　words　slowly；　like　a　man　who　is　reflecting；　〃the　king　of　France　would　be　named　Claude　and　not　Louis。〃

The　stranger　frowned。

〃What　am　I　saying？〃　resumed　Dom　Claude；　with　a　smile　of　disdain。　　〃What　would　the　throne　of　France　be　to　me　when　I　could　rebuild　the　empire　of　the　Orient？〃

〃Very　good！〃　said　the　stranger。

〃Oh；　the　poor　fool！〃　murmured　Coictier。

The　archdeacon　went　on；　appearing　to　reply　now　only　to　his　thoughts；

〃But　no；　I　am　still　crawling；　I　am　scratching　my　face　and　knees　against　the　pebbles　of　the　subterranean　pathway。　　I　catch　a　glimpse；　I　do　not　contemplate！　　I　do　not　read；　I　spell　out！〃

〃And　when　you　know　how　to　read！〃　demanded　the　stranger；　〃will　you　make　gold？〃

〃Who　doubts　it？〃　said　the　archdeacon。

〃In　that　case　Our　Lady　knows　that　I　am　greatly　in　need　of　money；　and　I　should　much　desire　to　read　in　your　books。　　Tell　me；　reverend　master；　is　your　science　inimical　or　displeasing　to　Our　Lady？〃

〃Whose　archdeacon　I　am？〃　Dom　Claude　contented　himself　with　replying；　with　tranquil　hauteur。

〃That　is　true；　my　master。　　Well！　will　it　please　you　to　initiate　me？　　Let　me　spell　with　you。〃

Claude　assumed　the　majestic　and　pontifical　attitude　of　a　Samuel。

〃Old　man；　it　requires　longer　years　than　remain　to　you；　to　undertake　this　voyage　across　mysterious　things。　　Your　head　is　very　gray！　　One　comes　forth　from　the　cavern　only　with　white　hair；　but　only　those　with　dark　hair　enter　it。　　Science　alone　knows　well　how　to　hollow；　wither；　and　dry　up　human　faces；　she　needs　not　to　have　old　age　bring　her　faces　already　furrowed。　　Nevertheless；　if　the　desire　possesses　you　of　putting　yourself　under　discipline　at　your　age；　and　of　deciphering　the　formidable　alphabet　of　the　sages；　come　to　me；　'tis　well；　I　will　make　the　effort。　　I　will　not　tell　you；　poor　old　man；　to　go　and　visit　the　sepulchral　chambers　of　the　pyramids；　of　which　ancient　Herodotus　speaks；　nor　the　brick　tower　of　Babylon；　nor　the　immense　white　marble　sanctuary　of　the　Indian　temple　of　Eklinga。　　I；　no　more　than　yourself；　have　seen　the　Chaldean　masonry　works　constructed　according　to　the　sacred　form　of　the　Sikra；　nor　the　temple　of　Solomon；　which　is　destroyed；　nor　the　stone　doors　of　the　sepulchre　of　the　kings　of　Israel；　which　are　broken。　　We　will　content　ourselves　with　the　fragments　of　the　book　of　Hermes　which　we　have　here。　I　will　explain　to　you　the　statue　of　Saint　Christopher；　the　symbol　of　the　sower；　and　that　of　the　two　angels　which　are　on　the　front　of　the　Sainte…Chapelle；　and　one　of　which　holds　in　his　hands　a　vase；　the　other；　a　cloud〃

Here　Jacques　Coictier；　who　had　been　unhorsed　by　the　archdeacon's　impetuous　replies；　regained　his　saddle；　and　interrupted　him　with　the　triumphant　tone　of　one　learned　man　correcting　another；〃~Erras　amice　Claudi~。　　The　symbol　is　not　the　number。　　You　take　Orpheus　for　Hermes。〃

〃'Tis　you　who　are　in　error；〃　replied　the　archdeacon；　gravely。　〃Daedalus　is　the　base；　Orpheus　is　the　wall；　Hermes　is　the　edifice；that　is　all。　　You　shall　come　when　you　will；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　Tourangeau；　〃I　will　show　you　the　little　parcels　of　gold　which　remained　at　the　bottom　of　Nicholas　Flamel's　alembic；　and　you　shall　compare　them　with　the　gold　of　Guillaume　de　Paris。　　I　will　teach　you　the　secret　virtues　of　the　Greek　word；　~peristera~。　　But；　first　of　all；　I　will　make　you　read；　one　after　the　other；　the　marble　letters　of　the　alphabet；　the　granite　pages　of　the　book。　　We　shall　go　to　the　portal　of　Bishop　Guillaume　and　of　Saint…Jean　le　Rond　at　the　Sainte…　Chapelle；　then　to　the　house　of　Nicholas　Flamel；　Rue　Manvault；　to　his　tomb；　which　is　at　the　Saints…Innocents；　to　his　two　hospitals；　Rue　de　Montmorency。　　I　will　make　you　read　the　hieroglyphics　which　cover　the　four　great　iron　cramps　on　the　portal　of　the　hospital　Saint…Gervais；　and　of　the　Rue　de　la　Ferronnerie。　　We　will　spell　out　in　company；　also；　the　fa？ade　of　Saint…Come；　of　Sainte…Geneviève…des…Ardents；　of　Saint　Martin；　of　Saint…Jacques　de　la　Boucherie。〃

For　a　long　time；　Gossip　Tourangeau；　intelligent　as　was　his　glance；　had　appeared　not　to　understand　Dom　Claude。　　He　interrupted。

〃~Pasque…dieu~！　what　are　your　books；　then？〃

〃Here　is　one　of　them；〃　said　the　archdeacon。

And　opening　the　window　of　his　cell　he　pointed　out　with　his　finger　the　immense　church　of　Notre…Dame；　which；　outlining　against　the　starry　sky　the　black　silhouette　of　its　two　towers；　its　stone　flanks；　its　monstrous　haunches；　seemed　an　enormous　two…headed　sphinx；　seated　in　the　middle　of　the　city。

The　archdeacon　gazed　at　the　gigantic　edifice　for　some　time　in　silence；　then　extending　his　right　hand；　with　a　sigh；　towards　the　printed　book　which　lay　open　on　the　table；　and　his　left　towards　Notre…Dame；　and　turning　a　sad　glance　from　the　book　to　the　church；〃Alas；〃　he　said；　〃this　will