the hunchback of notre dame-第70部分

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THREE　HUMAN　HEARTS　DIFFERENTLY　CONSTRUCTED。



Phoebus　was　not　dead；　however。　　Men　of　that　stamp　die　hard。　　When　Master　Philippe　Lheulier；　advocate　extraordinary　of　the　king；　had　said　to　poor　Esmeralda；　〃He　is　dying；〃　it　was　an　error　or　a　jest。　　When　the　archdeacon　had　repeated　to　the　condemned　girl；　〃He　is　dead；〃　the　fact　is　that　he　knew　nothing　about　it；　but　that　he　believed　it；　that　he　counted　on　it；　that　he　did　not　doubt　it；　that　he　devoutly　hoped　it。　　It　would　have　been　too　hard　for　him　to　give　favorable　news　of　his　rival　to　the　woman　whom　he　loved。　Any　man　would　have　done　the　same　in　his　place。

It　was　not　that　Phoebus's　wound　had　not　been　serious；　but　it　had　not　been　as　much　so　as　the　archdeacon　believed。　　The　physician；　to　whom　the　soldiers　of　the　watch　had　carried　him　at　the　first　moment；　had　feared　for　his　life　during　the　space　of　a　week；　and　had　even　told　him　so　in　Latin。　　But　youth　had　gained　the　upper　hand；　and；　as　frequently　happens；　in　spite　of　prognostications　and　diagnoses；　nature　had　amused　herself　by　saving　the　sick　man　under　the　physician's　very　nose。　　It　was　while　he　was　still　lying　on　the　leech's　pallet　that　he　had　submitted　to　the　interrogations　of　Philippe　Lheulier　and　the　official　inquisitors；　which　had　annoyed　him　greatly。　　Hence；　one　fine　morning；　feeling　himself　better；　he　had　left　his　golden　spurs　with　the　leech　as　payment；　and　had　slipped　away。　　This　had　not；　however；　interfered　with　the　progress　of　the　affair。　　Justice；　at　that　epoch；　troubled　itself　very　little　about　the　clearness　and　definiteness　of　a　criminal　suit。　　Provided　that　the　accused　was　hung；　that　was　all　that　was　necessary。　　Now　the　judge　had　plenty　of　proofs　against　la　Esmeralda。　　They　had　supposed　Phoebus　to　be　dead；　and　that　was　the　end　of　the　matter。

Phoebus；　on　his　side；　had　not　fled　far。　　He　had　simply　rejoined　his　company　in　garrison　at　Queue…en…Brie；　in　the　Isle…de…France；　a　few　stages　from　Paris。

After　all；　it　did　not　please　him　in　the　least　to　appear　in　this　suit。　　He　had　a　vague　feeling　that　be　should　play　a　ridiculous　figure　in　it。　　On　the　whole；　he　did　not　know　what　to　think　of　the　whole　affair。　　Superstitious；　and　not　given　to　devoutness；　like　every　soldier　who　is　only　a　soldier；　when　he　came　to　question　himself　about　this　adventure；　he　did　not　feel　assured　as　to　the　goat；　as　to　the　singular　fashion　in　which　he　had　met　La　Esmeralda；　as　to　the　no　less　strange　manner　in　which　she　had　allowed　him　to　divine　her　love；　as　to　her　character　as　a　gypsy；　and　lastly；　as　to　the　surly　monk。　He　perceived　in　all　these　incidents　much　more　magic　than　love；　probably　a　sorceress；　perhaps　the　devil；　a　comedy；　in　short；　or　to　speak　in　the　language　of　that　day；　a　very　disagreeable　mystery；　in　which　he　played　a　very　awkward　part；　the　role　of　blows　and　derision。　　The　captain　was　quite　put　out　of　countenance　about　it；　he　experienced　that　sort　of　shame　which　our　La　Fontaine　has　so　admirably　defined；


　　　　　　　　Ashamed　as　a　fox　who　has　been　caught　by　a　fowl。


Moreover；　he　hoped　that　the　affair　would　not　get　noised　abroad；　that　his　name　would　hardly　be　pronounced　in　it；　and　that　in　any　case　it　would　not　go　beyond　the　courts　of　the　Tournelle。　　In　this　he　was　not　mistaken；　there　was　then　no　〃Gazette　des　Tribunaux；〃　and　as　not　a　week　passed　which　had　not　its　counterfeiter　to　boil；　or　its　witch　to　hang；　or　its　heretic　to　burn；　at　some　one　of　the　innumerable　justices　of　Paris；　people　were　so　accustomed　to　seeing　in　all　the　squares　the　ancient　feudal　Themis；　bare　armed；　with　sleeves　stripped　up；　performing　her　duty　at　the　gibbets；　the　ladders；　and　the　pillories；　that　they　hardly　paid　any　heed　to　it。　　Fashionable　society　of　that　day　hardly　knew　the　name　of　the　victim　who　passed　by　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　and　it　was　the　populace　at　the　most　who　regaled　themselves　with　this　coarse　fare。　　An　execution　was　an　habitual　incident　of　the　public　highways；　like　the　braising…pan　of　the　baker　or　the　slaughter…house　of　the　knacker。　　The　executioner　was　only　a　sort　of　butcher　of　a　little　deeper　dye　than　the　rest。

Hence　Phoebus's　mind　was　soon　at　ease　on　the　score　of　the　enchantress　Esmeralda；　or　Similar；　as　he　called　her；　concerning　the　blow　from　the　dagger　of　the　Bohemian　or　of　the　surly　monk　（it　mattered　little　which　to　him）；　and　as　to　the　issue　of　the　trial。　　But　as　soon　as　his　heart　was　vacant　in　that　direction；　Fleur…de…Lys　returned　to　it。　　Captain　Phoebus's　heart；　like　the　physics　of　that　day；　abhorred　a　vacuum。

Queue…en…Brie　was　a　very　insipid　place　to　stay　at　then；　a　village　of　farriers；　and　cow…girls　with　chapped　hands；　a　long　line　of　poor　dwellings　and　thatched　cottages；　which　borders　the　grand　road　on　both　sides　for　half　a　league；　a　tail　（queue）；　in　short；　as　its　name　imports。

Fleur…de…Lys　was　his　last　passion　but　one；　a　pretty　girl；　a　charming　dowry；　accordingly；　one　fine　morning；　quite　cured；　and　assuming　that；　after　the　lapse　of　two　months；　the　Bohemian　affair　must　be　completely　finished　and　forgotten；　the　amorous　cavalier　arrived　on　a　prancing　horse　at　the　door　of　the　Gondelaurier　mansion。

He　paid　no　attention　to　a　tolerably　numerous　rabble　which　had　assembled　in　the　Place　du　Parvis；　before　the　portal　of　Notre…Dame；　he　remembered　that　it　was　the　month　of　May；　he　supposed　that　it　was　some　procession；　some　Pentecost；　some　festival；　hitched　his　horse　to　the　ring　at　the　door；　and　gayly　ascended　the　stairs　to　his　beautiful　betrothed。

She　was　alone　with　her　mother。

The　scene　of　the　witch；　her　goat；　her　cursed　alphabet；　and　Phoebus's　long　absences；　still　weighed　on　Fleur…de…Lys's　heart。　Nevertheless；　when　she　beheld　her　captain　enter；　she　thought　him　so　handsome；　his　doublet　so　new；　his　baldrick　so　shining；　and　his　air　so　impassioned；　that　she　blushed　with　pleasure。　The　noble　damsel　herself　was　more　charming　than　ever。　　Her　magnificent　blond　hair　was　plaited　in　a　ravishing　manner；　she　was　dressed　entirely　in　that　sky　blue　which　becomes　fair　people　so　well；　a　bit　of　coquetry　which　she　had　learned　from　Colombe；　and　her　eyes　were　swimming　in　that　languor　of　love　which　becomes　them　still　better。

Phoebus；　who　had　seen　nothing　in　the　line　of　beauty；　since　he　left　the　village　maids　of　Queue…en…Brie；　was　intoxicated　with　Fleur…de…Lys；　which　imparted　to　our　officer　so　eager　and　gallant　an　air；　that　his　peace　was　immediately　made。　　Madame　de　Gondelaurier　herself；　still　maternally　seated　in　her　big　arm…　chair；　had　not　the　heart　to　scold　him。　　As　for　Fleur…de…Lys's　reproaches；　they　expired　in　tender　cooings。

The　young　girl　was　seated　near　the　window　still　embroidering　her　grotto　of　Neptune。　　The　captain　was　leaning　over　the　back　of　her　chair；　and　she　was　addressing　her　caressing　reproaches　to　him　in　a　low　voice。

〃What　has　become　of　you　these　two　long　months；　wicked　man？〃

〃I　swear　to　you；〃　replied　Phoebus；　somewhat　embarrassed　by　the　question；　〃that　you　are　beautiful　enough　to　set　an　archbishop　to　dreaming。〃

She　could　not　repress　a　smile。

〃Good；　good；　sir。　　Let　my　beauty　alone　and　answer　my　question。　　A　fine　beauty；　in　sooth！〃

〃Well；　my　dear　cousin；　I　was　recalled　to　the　garrison。

〃And　where　is　that；　if　you　please？　　and　why　did　not　you　come　to　say　farewell？〃

〃At　Queue…en…Brie。〃

Phoebus　was　delighted　with　the　first　question；　which　helped　him　to　avoid　the　second。

〃But　that　is　quite　close　by；　monsieur。　　Why　did　you　not　come　to　see　me　a　single　time？〃

Here　Phoebus　was　rather　seriously　embarrassed。

〃Becausethe　serviceand　then；　charming　cousin；　I　have　been　ill。〃

〃Ill！〃　she　repeated　in　alarm。

〃Yes；　wounded！〃

〃Wounded！〃

She　poor　child　was　completely　upset。

〃Oh！　do　not　be　frightened　at　that；〃　said　Phoebus；　carelessly；　〃it　was　nothing。　　A　quarrel；　a　sword　cut；　what　is　that　to　you？〃

〃What　is　that　to　me？〃　exclaimed　Fleur…de…Lys；　raising　her　beautiful　eyes　filled　with　tears。　　〃Oh！　you　do　not　say　what　you　think　when　you　speak　thus。　　What　sword　cut　was　that？　I　wish　to　know　all。〃

〃Well；　my　dear　fair　one；　I　had　a　falling　out　with　Mahè　Fédy；　you　know？　　the　lieutenant　of　Saint…Germain…en…Laye；　and　we　ripped　open　a　few　inches　of　skin　for　each　other。　　That　is　all。〃

The　mendacious　captain　was　perfectly　well　aware　that　an　affair　of　honor　always　makes　a　man　stand　well　in　the　eyes　of　a　woman。　　In　fact；　Fleur…de…Lys　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　all　agitated　with　fear；　pleasure；　and　admiration。　　Still；　she　was　not　completely　reassured。

〃Provided　that　you　are　wholly　cured；　my　Phoebus！〃　said　she。　　〃I　do　not　know　your　Mahè　Fédy；　but　he　is　a　villanous　man。　　And　whence　arose　this　quarrel？〃

Here　Phoebus；　whose　imagination　was　endowed　with　but　mediocre　power　of　creation；　began　to　find　himself　in　a　quandary　as　to　a　means　of　extricating　himself　for　his　prowess。

〃Oh！　how　do　I　know？a　mere　nothing；　a　horse；　a　remark！　Fair　cousin；〃　he　exclaimed；　for　the　sake　of　changing　the　conversation；　〃what　noise　is　this　in　the　Cathedral　Square？〃

He　approached　the　window。

〃Oh！　　~Mon　Dieu~；　fair　cousin；　how　many　people　there　are　on　the　Place！〃

〃I　know　not；〃　said　Fleur…de…Lys；　〃it　appears　that　a　witch　is　to　do　penance　this　morning　before　the　church；　and　thereafter　to　be　hung。〃

The　captain　was　so　thoroughly　persuaded　that　la　Esmeralda's　affair　was　concluded；　that　he　was　but　little　disturbed　by　Fleur…　de…Lys's　words。　　Still；　he　asked　her　one　or　two　questions。

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　witch？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　replied。

〃And　what　is　she　said　to　have　done？〃

She　shrugged　her　white　shoulders。

〃I　know　not。〃

〃Oh；　~mon　Dieu~　Jesus！〃　said　her　mother；　〃there　are　so　many　witches　nowadays　that　I　dare　say　they　burn　them　without　knowing　their　names。　　One　might　as　well　seek　the　name　of　every　cloud　in　the　sky。　　After　all；　one　may　be　tranquil。　The　good　God　keeps　his　register。〃　　Here　the　venerable　dame　rose　and　came　to　the　window。　　〃Good　Lord！　　you　are　right；　Phoebus；〃　said　she。　　〃The　rabble　is　indeed　great。　　There　are　people　on　all　the　roofs；　blessed　be　God！　　Do　you　know；　Phoebus；　this　reminds　me　of　my　best　days。　　The　entrance　of　King　Charles　VII。；　when；　also；　there　were　many　people。　　I　no　longer　remember　in　what　year　that　was。　　When　I　speak　of　this　to　you；　it　produces　upon　you　the　effect；does　it　not？the　effect　of　something　very　old；　and　upon　me　of　something　very　young。　　Oh！　the　crowd　was　far　finer　than　at　the　pr