the hunchback of notre dame-第63部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ed　ceiling；　an　enormous　trellis…work　of　sculptured　beams；　whose　thousand　figures　seemed　to　move　confusedly　in　the　shadows；　many　candles　were　already　lighted　here　and　there　on　tables；　and　beaming　on　the　heads　of　clerks　buried　in　masses　of　documents。　The　anterior　portion　of　the　ball　was　occupied　by　the　crowd；　on　the　right　and　left　were　magistrates　and　tables；　at　the　end；　upon　a　platform；　a　number　of　judges；　whose　rear　rank　sank　into　the　shadows；　sinister　and　motionless　faces。　　The　walls　were　sown　with　innumerable　fleurs…de…lis。　　A　large　figure　of　Christ　might　be　vaguely　descried　above　the　judges；　and　everywhere　there　were　pikes　and　halberds；　upon　whose　points　the　reflection　of　the　candles　placed　tips　of　fire。

〃Monsieur；〃　Gringoire　inquired　of　one　of　his　neighbors；　〃who　are　all　those　persons　ranged　yonder；　like　prelates　in　council？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　neighbor；　〃those　on　the　right　are　the　counsellors　of　the　grand　chamber；　those　on　the　left；　the　councillors　of　inquiry；　the　masters　in　black　gowns；　the　messires　in　red。〃

〃Who　is　that　big　red　fellow；　yonder　above　them；　who　is　sweating？〃　pursued　Gringoire。

〃It　is　monsieur　the　president。〃

〃And　those　sheep　behind　him？〃　continued　Gringoire；　who　as　we　have　seen；　did　not　love　the　magistracy；　which　arose；　possibly；　from　the　grudge　which　he　cherished　against　the　Palais　de　Justice　since　his　dramatic　misadventure。

〃They　are　messieurs　the　masters　of　requests　of　the　king's　household。〃

〃And　that　boar　in　front　of　him？〃

〃He　is　monsieur　the　clerk　of　the　Court　of　Parliament。〃

〃And　that　crocodile　on　the　right？〃

〃Master　Philippe　Lheulier；　advocate　extraordinary　of　the　king。〃

〃And　that　big；　black　tom…cat　on　the　left？〃

〃Master　Jacques　Charmolue；　procurator　of　the　king　in　the　Ecclesiastical　Court；　with　the　gentlemen　of　the　officialty。〃

〃Come　now；　monsieur；　said　Gringoire；　〃pray　what　are　all　those　fine　fellows　doing　yonder？〃

〃They　are　judging。〃

〃Judging　whom？　　I　do　not　see　the　accused。〃

〃'Tis　a　woman；　sir。　　You　cannot　see　her。　　She　has　her　back　turned　to　us；　and　she　is　hidden　from　us　by　the　crowd。　Stay；　yonder　she　is；　where　you　see　a　group　of　partisans。〃

〃Who　is　the　woman？〃　asked　Gringoire。　　〃Do　you　know　her　name？〃

〃No；　monsieur；　I　have　but　just　arrived。　　I　merely　assume　that　there　is　some　sorcery　about　it；　since　the　official　is　present　at　the　trial。〃

〃Come！〃　said　our　philosopher；　〃we　are　going　to　see　all　these　magistrates　devour　human　flesh。　　'Tis　as　good　a　spectacle　as　any　other。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　remarked　his　neighbor；　〃think　you　not；　that　Master　Jacques　Charmolue　has　a　very　sweet　air？〃

〃Hum！〃　replied　Gringoire。　　〃I　distrust　a　sweetness　which　hath　pinched　nostrils　and　thin　lips。〃

Here　the　bystanders　imposed　silence　upon　the　two　chatterers。　They　were　listening　to　an　important　deposition。

〃Messeigneurs；〃　said　an　old　woman　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　whose　form　was　so　concealed　beneath　her　garments　that　one　would　have　pronounced　her　a　walking　heap　of　rags；　〃Messeigneurs；　the　thing　is　as　true　as　that　I　am　la　Falourdel；　established　these　forty　years　at　the　Pont　Saint　Michel；　and　paying　regularly　my　rents；　lord's　dues；　and　quit　rents；　at　the　gate　opposite　the　house　of　Tassin…Caillart；　the　dyer；　which　is　on　the　side　up　the　rivera　poor　old　woman　now；　but　a　pretty　maid　in　former　days；　my　lords。　　Some　one　said　to　me　lately；　'La　Falourdel；　don't　use　your　spinning…wheel　too　much　in　the　evening；　the　devil　is　fond　of　combing　the　distaffs　of　old　women　with　his　horns。　　'Tis　certain　that　the　surly　monk　who　was　round　about　the　temple　last　year；　now　prowls　in　the　City。　Take　care；　La　Falourdel；　that　he　doth　not　knock　at　your　door。'　One　evening　I　was　spinning　on　my　wheel；　there　comes

a　knock　at　my　door；　I　ask　who　it　is。　　They　swear。　　I　open。　Two　men　enter。　　A　man　in　black　and　a　handsome　officer。　　Of　the　black　man　nothing　could　be　seen　but　his　eyes；　two　coals　of　fire。　　All　the　rest　was　hat　and　cloak。　　They　say　to　me；'The　Sainte…Marthe　chamber。''Tis　my　upper　chamber；　my　lords；　my　cleanest。　　They　give　me　a　crown。　　I　put　the　crown　in　my　drawer；　and　I　say：　'This　shall　go　to　buy　tripe　at　the　slaughter…house　of　la　Gloriette　to…morrow。'　We　go　up　stairs。　On　arriving　at　the　upper　chamber；　and　while　my　back　is　turned；　the　black　man　disappears。　　That　dazed　me　a　bit。　　The　officer；　who　was　as　handsome　as　a　great　lord；　goes　down　stairs　again　with　me。　　He　goes　out。　　In　about　the　time　it　takes　to　spin　a　quarter　of　a　handful　of　flax；　be　returns　with　a　beautiful　young　girl；　a　doll　who　would　have　shone　like　the　sun　had　she　been　coiffed。　　She　had　with　her　a　goat；　a　big　billy…　goat；　whether　black　or　white；　I　no　longer　remember。　　That　set　me　to　thinking。　　The　girl　does　not　concern　me；　but　the　goat！　　I　love　not　those　beasts；　they　have　a　beard　and　horns。　They　are　so　like　a　man。　　And　then；　they　smack　of　the　witches；　sabbath。　　However；　I　say　nothing。　　I　had　the　crown。　　That　is　right；　is　it　not；　Monsieur　Judge？　　I　show　the　captain　and　the　wench　to　the　upper　chamber；　and　I　leave　them　alone；　that　is　to　say；　with　the　goat。　　I　go　down　and　set　to　spinning　againI　must　inform　you　that　my　house　has　a　ground　floor　and　story　above。　　I　know　not　why　I　fell　to　thinking　of　the　surly　monk　whom　the　goat　had　put　into　my　head　again；　and　then　the　beautiful　girl　was　rather　strangely　decked　out。　　All　at　once；　I　hear　a　cry　upstairs；　and　something　falls　on　the　floor　and　the　window　opens。　　I　run　to　mine　which　is　beneath　it；　and　I　behold　a　black　mass　pass　before　my　eyes　and　fall　into　the　water。　　It　was　a　phantom　clad　like　a　priest。　　It　was　a　moonlight　night。　　I　saw　him　quite　plainly。　　He　was　swimming　in　the　direction　of　the　city。　　Then；　all　of　a　tremble；　I　call　the　watch。　　The　gentlemen　of　the　police　enter；　and　not　knowing　just　at　the　first　moment　what　the　matter　was；　and　being　merry；　they　beat　me。　　I　explain　to　them。　　We　go　up　stairs；　and　what　do　we　find？　my　poor　chamber　all　blood；　the　captain　stretched　out　at　full　length　with　a　dagger　in　his　neck；　the　girl　pretending　to　be　dead；　and　the　goat　all　in　a　fright。　'Pretty　work！'　I　say；　'I　shall　have　to　wash　that　floor　for　more　than　a　fortnight。　　It　will　have　to　be　scraped；　it　will　be　a　terrible　job。'　　They　carried　off　the　officer；　poor　young　man；　and　the　wench　with　her　bosom　all　bare。　　But　wait；　the　worst　is　that　on　the　next　day；　when　I　wanted　to　take　the　crown　to　buy　tripe；　I　found　a　dead　leaf　in　its　place。〃

The　old　woman　ceased。　　A　murmur　of　horror　ran　through　the　audience。

〃That　phantom；　that　goat；all　smacks　of　magic；〃　said　one　of　Gringoire's　neighbors。

〃And　that　dry　leaf！〃　added　another。

〃No　doubt　about　it；〃　joined　in　a　third；　〃she　is　a　witch　who　has　dealings　with　the　surly　monk；　for　the　purpose　of　plundering　officers。〃

Gringoire　himself　was　not　disinclined　to　regard　this　as　altogether　alarming　and　probable。

〃Goody　Falourdel；〃　said　the　president　majestically；　〃have　you　nothing　more　to　communicate　to　the　court？〃

〃No；　monseigneur；〃　replied　the　crone；　〃except　that　the　report　has　described　my　house　as　a　hovel　and　stinking；　which　is　an　outrageous　fashion　of　speaking。　　The　houses　on　the　bridge　are　not　imposing；　because　there　are　such　multitudes　of　people；　but；　nevertheless；　the　butchers　continue　to　dwell　there；　who　are　wealthy　folk；　and　married　to　very　proper　and　handsome　women。〃

The　magistrate　who　had　reminded　Gringoire　of　a　crocodile　rose；

〃Silence！〃　said　he。　　〃I　pray　the　gentlemen　not　to　lose　sight　of　the　fact　that　a　dagger　was　found　on　the　person　of　the　accused。　　Goody　Falourdel；　have　you　brought　that　leaf　into　which　the　crown　which　the　demon　gave　you　was　transformed？

〃Yes；　monseigneur；〃　she　replied；　〃I　found　it　again。　　Here　it　is。〃

A　bailiff　banded　the　dead　leaf　to　the　crocodile；　who　made　a　doleful　shake　of　the　head；　and　passed　it　on　to　the　president；　who　gave　it　to　the　procurator　of　the　king　in　the　ecclesiastical　court；　and　thus　it　made　the　circuit　of　the　hail。

〃It　is　a　birch　leaf；〃　said　Master　Jacques　Charmolue。　　〃A　fresh　proof　of　magic。

A　counsellor　took　up　the　word。

〃Witness；　two　men　went　upstairs　together　in　your　house：　the　black　man；　whom　you　first　saw　disappear　and　afterwards　swimming　in　the　Seine；　with　his　priestly　garments；　and　the　officer。　　Which　of　the　two　handed　you　the　crown？〃　The　old　woman　pondered　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃The　officer。〃

A　murmur　ran　through　the　crowd。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Gringoire；〃　this　makes　some　doubt　in　my　mind。〃

But　Master　Philippe　Lheulier；　advocate　extraordinary　to　the　king；　interposed　once　more。

〃I　will　recall　to　these　gentlemen；　that　in　the　deposition　taken　at　his　bedside；　the　assassinated　officer；　while　declaring　that　he　had　a　vague　idea　when　the　black　man　accosted　him　that　the　latter　might　be　the　surly　monk；　added　that　the　phantom　had　pressed　him　eagerly　to　go　and　make　acquaintance　with　the　accused；　and　upon　his；　the　captain's；　remarking　that　he　had　no　money；　he　had　given　him　the　crown　which　the　said　officer　paid　to　la　Falourdel。　　Hence；　that　crown　is　the　money　of　hell。〃

This　conclusive　observation　appeared　to　dissipate　all　the　doubts　of　Gringoire　and　the　other　sceptics　in　the　audience。

〃You　have　the　documents；　gentlemen；〃　added　the　king's　advocate；　as　he　took　his　seat；　〃you　can　consult　the　testimony　of　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers。〃

At　that　name；　the　accused　sprang　up；　her　head　rose　above　the　throng。　　Gringoire　with　horror　recognized　la　Esmeralda。

She　was　pale；　her　tresses；　formerly　so　gracefully　braided　and　spangled　with　sequins；　hung　in　disorder；　her　lips　were　blue；　her　hollow　eyes　were　terrible。　　Alas！

〃Phoebus！〃　she　said；　in　bewilderment；　〃where　is　he？　　O　messeigneurs！　before　you　kill　me；　tell　me；　for　pity　sake；　whether　he　still　lives？〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　woman；〃　replied　the　president；　〃that　is　no　affair　of　ours。〃

〃Oh！　　for　mercy's　sake；　tell　me　if　he　is　alive！〃　she　repeated；　clasping　her　beautiful　emaciated　hands；　and　the　sound　of　her　chains　in　contact　with　her　dress；　was　heard。

〃Well！〃　said　the　king's　advocate　roughly；　〃he　is　dying。　Are　you　satisfied？〃

The　unhappy　girl　fell　back　on　her　criminal's　seat；　speechless；　tearless；　white　as　a　wax　figure。

The　president　bent　down　to　a　man　at　his　feet；　who　wore　a　gold　cap　and　a　black　gown；　a　chain　on　his　neck　and　a　wand　in　his　hand。

〃Bailiff；　bring　in　the　second　accused。〃

All　eyes　turned　towards　a　small　do