the hunchback of notre dame-第94部分

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ndsome　duke　with　his　battle…club　and　his　people；　and　when　the　glittering　Burgundian　army　came　in　contact　with　these　peasants　in　bull　hides；　it　flew　in　pieces　like　a　pane　of　glass　at　the　blow　of　a　pebble。　　Many　lords　were　then　slain　by　low…born　knaves；　and　Monsieur　de　Chateau…Guyon；　the　greatest　seigneur　in　Burgundy；　was　found　dead；　with　his　gray　horse；　in　a　little　marsh　meadow。〃

〃Friend；〃　returned　the　king；　〃you　are　speaking　of　a　battle。　The　question　here　is　of　a　mutiny。　　And　I　will　gain　the　upper　hand　of　it　as　soon　as　it　shall　please　me　to　frown。〃

The　other　replied　indifferently；

〃That　may　be；　sire；　in　that　case；　'tis　because　the　people's　hour　hath　not　yet　come。〃

Guillaume　Rym　considered　it　incumbent　on　him　to　intervene；

〃Master　Coppenole；　you　are　speaking　to　a　puissant　king。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　replied　the　hosier；　gravely。

〃Let　him　speak；　Monsieur　Rym；　my　friend；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　love　this　frankness　of　speech。　　My　father；　Charles　the　Seventh；　was　accustomed　to　say　that　the　truth　was　ailing；　I　thought　her　dead；　and　that　she　had　found　no　confessor。　　Master　Coppenole　undeceiveth　me。〃

Then；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　on　Coppenole's　shoulder；

〃You　were　saying；　Master　Jacques？〃

〃I　say；　sire；　that　you　may　possibly　be　in　the　right；　that　the　hour　of　the　people　may　not　yet　have　come　with　you。〃

Louis　XI。　　gazed　at　him　with　his　penetrating　eye；

〃And　when　will　that　hour　come；　master？〃

〃You　will　hear　it　strike。〃

〃On　what　clock；　if　you　please？〃

Coppenole；　with　his　tranquil　and　rustic　countenance；　made　the　king　approach　the　window。

〃Listen；　sire！　　There　is　here　a　donjon　keep；　a　belfry；　cannons；　bourgeois；　soldiers；　when　the　belfry　shall　hum；　when　the　cannons　shall　roar；　when　the　donjon　shall　fall　in　ruins　amid　great　noise；　when　bourgeois　and　soldiers　shall　howl　and　slay　each　other；　the　hour　will　strike。〃

Louis's　face　grew　sombre　and　dreamy。　　He　remained　silent　for　a　moment；　then　he　gently　patted　with　his　hand　the　thick　wall　of　the　donjon；　as　one　strokes　the　haunches　of　a　steed。

〃Oh！　no！〃　said　he。　　〃You　will　not　crumble　so　easily；　will　you；　my　good　Bastille？〃

And　turning　with　an　abrupt　gesture　towards　the　sturdy　Fleming；

〃Have　you　never　seen　a　revolt；　Master　Jacques？〃

〃I　have　made　them；〃　said　the　hosier。

〃How　do　you　set　to　work　to　make　a　revolt？〃　said　the　king。

〃Ah！〃　replied　Coppenole；　〃'tis　not　very　difficult。　　There　are　a　hundred　ways。　　In　the　first　place；　there　must　be　discontent　in　the　city。　　The　thing　is　not　uncommon。　　And　then；　the　character　of　the　inhabitants。　　Those　of　Ghent　are　easy　to　stir　into　revolt。　　They　always　love　the　prince's　son；　the　prince；　never。　　Well！　　One　morning；　I　will　suppose；　some　one　enters　my　shop；　and　says　to　me：　'Father　Coppenole；　there　is　this　and　there　is　that；　the　Demoiselle　of　Flanders　wishes　to　save　her　ministers；　the　grand　bailiff　is　doubling　the　impost　on　shagreen；　or　something　else；'what　you　will。　　I　leave　my　work　as　it　stands；　I　come　out　of　my　hosier's　stall；　and　I　shout：　'To　the　sack？'　There　is　always　some　smashed　cask　at　hand。　I　mount　it；　and　I　say　aloud；　in　the　first　words　that　occur　to　me；　what　I　have　on　my　heart；　and　when　one　is　of　the　people；　sire；　one　always　has　something　on　the　heart：　Then　people　troop　up；　they　shout；　they　ring　the　alarm　bell；　they　arm　the　louts　with　what　they　take　from　the　soldiers；　the　market　people　join　in；　and　they　set　out。　　And　it　will　always　be　thus；　so　long　as　there　are　lords　in　the　seignories；　bourgeois　in　the　bourgs；　and　peasants　in　the　country。〃

〃And　against　whom　do　you　thus　rebel？〃　inquired　the　king；　〃against　your　bailiffs？　　against　your　lords？〃

〃Sometimes；　that　depends。　　Against　the　duke；　also；　sometimes。〃

Louis　XI。　　returned　and　seated　himself；　saying；　with　a　smile；

〃Ah！　　here　they　have　only　got　as　far　as　the　bailiffs。〃

At　that　instant　Olivier　le　Daim　returned。　　He　was　followed　by　two　pages；　who　bore　the　king's　toilet　articles；　but　what　struck　Louis　XI。　was　that　he　was　also　accompanied　by　the　provost　of　Paris　and　the　chevalier　of　the　watch；　who　appeared　to　be　in　consternation。　　The　spiteful　barber　also　wore　an　air　of　consternation；　which　was　one　of　contentment　beneath；　however。　It　was　he　who　spoke　first。

〃Sire；　I　ask　your　majesty's　pardon　for　the　calamitous　news　which　I　bring。〃

The　king　turned　quickly　and　grazed　the　mat　on　the　floor　with　the　feet　of　his　chair；

〃What　does　this　mean？〃

〃Sire；〃　resumed　Olivier　le　Daim；　with　the　malicious　air　of　a　man　who　rejoices　that　he　is　about　to　deal　a　violent　blow；　〃'tis　not　against　the　bailiff　of　the　courts　that　this　popular　sedition　is　directed。〃

〃Against　whom；　then？〃

〃Against　you；　sire？'

The　aged　king　rose　erect　and　straight　as　a　young　man；

〃Explain　yourself；　Olivier！　　And　guard　your　head　well；　gossip；　for　I　swear　to　you　by　the　cross　of　Saint…L？　that；　if　you　lie　to　us　at　this　hour；　the　sword　which　severed　the　head　of　Monsieur　de　Luxembourg　is　not　so　notched　that　it　cannot　yet　sever　yours！〃

The　oath　was　formidable；　Louis　XI。　had　only　sworn　twice　in　the　course　of　his　life　by　the　cross　of　Saint…L？。

Olivier　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。

〃Sire〃

〃On　your　knees！〃　interrupted　the　king　violently。　　〃Tristan；　have　an　eye　to　this　man。〃

Olivier　knelt　down　and　said　coldly；

〃Sire；　a　sorceress　was　condemned　to　death　by　your　court　of　parliament。　　She　took　refuge　in　Notre…Dame。　　The　people　are　trying　to　take　her　from　thence　by　main　force。　　Monsieur　the　provost　and　monsieur　the　chevalier　of　the　watch；　who　have　just　come　from　the　riot；　are　here　to　give　me　the　lie　if　this　is　not　the　truth。　　The　populace　is　besieging　Notre…Dame。〃

〃Yes；　indeed！〃　said　the　king　in　a　low　voice；　all　pale　and　trembling　with　wrath。　　〃Notre…Dame！　　They　lay　siege　to　our　Lady；　my　good　mistress　in　her　cathedral！Rise；　Olivier。　You　are　right。　　I　give　you　Simon　Radin's　charge。　　You　are　right。　　'Tis　I　whom　they　are　attacking。　　The　witch　is　under　the　protection　of　this　church；　the　church　is　under　my　protection。　And　I　thought　that　they　were　acting　against　the　bailiff！　'Tis　against　myself！〃

Then；　rendered　young　by　fury；　he　began　to　walk　up　and　down　with　long　strides。　　He　no　longer　laughed；　he　was　terrible；　he　went　and　came；　the　fox　was　changed　into　a　hyaena。　He　seemed　suffocated　to　such　a　degree　that　he　could　not　speak；　his　lips　moved；　and　his　fleshless　fists　were　clenched。　All　at　once　he　raised　his　head；　his　hollow　eye　appeared　full　of　light；　and　his　voice　burst　forth　like　a　clarion：　〃Down　with　them；　Tristan！　　A　heavy　hand　for　these　rascals！　　Go；　Tristan；　my　friend！　slay！　slay！〃

This　eruption　having　passed；　he　returned　to　his　seat；　and　said　with　cold　and　concentrated　wrath；

〃Here；　Tristan！　　There　are　here　with　us　in　the　Bastille　the　fifty　lances　of　the　Vicomte　de　Gif；　which　makes　three　hundred　horse：　you　will　take　them。　　There　is　also　the　company　of　our　unattached　archers　of　Monsieur　de　Chateaupers：　you　will　take　it。　　You　are　provost　of　the　marshals；　you　have　the　men　of　your　provostship：　you　will　take　them。　　At　the　H？tel　Saint…Pol　you　will　find　forty　archers　of　monsieur　the　dauphin's　new　guard：　you　will　take　them。　　And；　with　all　these；　you　will　hasten　to　Notre…Dame。　　Ah！　messieurs；　louts　of　Paris；　do　you　fling　yourselves　thus　against　the　crown　of　France；　the　sanctity　of　Notre…Dame；　and　the　peace　of　this　commonwealth！　　Exterminate；　Tristan！　exterminate！　and　let　not　a　single　one　escape；　except　it　be　for　Montfau？on。〃

Tristan　bowed。　　〃'Tis　well；　sire。〃

He　added；　after　a　silence；　〃And　what　shall　I　do　with　the　sorceress？〃

This　question　caused　the　king　to　meditate。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃the　sorceress！　　Monsieur　d'Estouteville；　what　did　the　people　wish　to　do　with　her？〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　provost　of　Paris；　〃I　imagine　that　since　the　populace　has　come　to　tear　her　from　her　asylum　in　Notre…　Dame；　'tis　because　that　impunity　wounds　them；　and　they　desire　to　hang　her。〃

The　king　appeared　to　reflect　deeply：　then；　addressing　Tristan　l'Hermite；　〃Well！　gossip；　exterminate　the　people　and　hang　the　sorceress。〃

〃That's　it；〃　said　Rym　in　a　low　tone　to　Coppenole；　〃punish　the　people　for　willing　a　thing；　and　then　do　what　they　wish。〃

〃Enough；　sire；〃　replied　Tristan。　　〃If　the　sorceress　is　still　in　Notre…Dame；　must　she　be　seized　in　spite　of　the　sanctuary？〃

〃~Pasque…Dieu~！　the　sanctuary！〃　said　the　king；　scratching　his　ear。　　〃But　the　woman　must　be　hung；　nevertheless。〃

Here；　as　though　seized　with　a　sudden　idea；　he　flung　himself　on　his　knees　before　his　chair；　took　off　his　hat；　placed　it　on　the　seat；　and　gazing　devoutly　at　one　of　the　leaden　amulets　which　loaded　it　down；　〃Oh！〃　said　he；　with　clasped　hands；　〃our　Lady　of　Paris；　my　gracious　patroness；　pardon　me。　　I　will　only　do　it　this　once。　　This　criminal　must　be　punished。　　I　assure　you；　madame　the　virgin；　my　good　mistress；　that　she　is　a　sorceress　who　is　not　worthy　of　your　amiable　protection。　You　know；　madame；　that　many　very　pious　princes　have　overstepped　the　privileges　of　the　churches　for　the　glory　of　God　and　the　necessities　of　the　State。　　Saint　Hugues；　bishop　of　England；　permitted　King　Edward　to　hang　a　witch　in　his　church。　　Saint…Louis　of　France；　my　master；　transgressed；　with　the　same　object；　the　church　of　Monsieur　Saint…Paul；　and　Monsieur　Alphonse；　son　of　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　the　very　church　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre。　　Pardon　me；　then；　for　this　once。　　Our　Lady　of　Paris；　I　will　never　do　so　again；　and　I　will　give　you　a　fine　statue　of　silver；　like　the　one　which　I　gave　last　year　to　Our　Lady　of　Ecouys。　　So　be　it。〃

He　　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　rose；　donned　his　hat　once　more；　and　said　to　Tristan；

〃Be　diligent；　gossip。　　Take　Monsieur　Chateaupers　with　you。　　You　will　cause　the　tocsin　to　be　sounded。　　You　will　crush　the　populace。　　You　will　seize　the　witch。　　'Tis　said。　And　I　mean　the　business　of　the　execution　to　be　done　by　you。　You　will　render　me　an　account　of　it。　　Come；　Olivier；　I　shall　not　go　to　bed　this　night。　　Shave　me。〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　bowed　and　departed。　　Then　the　king；　dismissing　Rym　and　Coppenole　with　a　gesture；

〃God　guard　you；　messieurs；　my　good　friends　the　Flemings。　Go；　take　a　little　repose。　　The　night　advances；　and　we　are　nearer　the　morning　than　the　evening。〃

Both　retired　and　gained　their　apartments　under　the　guidance　of　the　captain　of　the　Bastille。　　Coppenole　said　to　Guillaume　Rym；

〃Hum！　　I　have　had　enough　of　that