English
WhilethepensionerofGhentandhiseminencewereexchangingverylowbowsandafewwordsinvoicesstilllower,amanofloftystature,withalargefaceandbroadshoulders,presentedhimself,inordertoenterabreastwithGuillaumeRym;onewouldhavepronouncedhimabull–dogbythesideofafox.
Hisfeltdoubletandleatherjerkinmadeaspotonthevelvetandsilkwhichsurroundedhim.
Presumingthathewassomegroomwhohadstolenin,theusherstoppedhim.
"Hold,myfriend,youcannotpass!"
Themanintheleatherjerkinshoulderedhimaside.
"Whatdoesthisknavewantwithme?"saidhe,instentoriantones,whichrenderedtheentirehallattentivetothisstrangecolloquy."Don'tyouseethatIamoneofthem?"
"Yourname?"demandedtheusher.
"JacquesCoppenole."
"Yourtitles?"
"Hosieratthesignofthe'ThreeLittleChains,'ofGhent."
Theusherrecoiled.Onemightbringone'sselftoannouncealdermenandburgomasters,butahosierwastoomuch.Thecardinalwasonthorns.
Allthepeoplewerestaringandlistening.
FortwodayshiseminencehadbeenexertinghisutmosteffortstolicktheseFlemishbearsintoshape,andtorenderthemalittlemorepresentabletothepublic,andthisfreakwasstartling.
ButGuillaumeRym,withhispolishedsmile,approachedtheusher.
"AnnounceMasterJacquesCoppenole,clerkofthealdermenofthecityofGhent,"hewhispered,verylow.
"Usher,"interposedthecardinal,aloud,"announceMasterJacquesCoppenole,clerkofthealdermenoftheillustriouscityofGhent."
Thiswasamistake.GuillaumeRymalonemighthaveconjuredawaythedifficulty,butCoppenolehadheardthecardinal.
"No,crossofGod?"heexclaimed,inhisvoiceofthunder,"JacquesCoppenole,hosier.Doyouhear,usher?Nothingmore,nothingless.CrossofGod!hosier;that'sfineenough.
MonsieurtheArchdukehasmorethanoncesoughthis~gant~*inmyhose."
*Gotthefirstideaofatiming.
Laughterandapplauseburstforth.AjestisalwaysunderstoodinParis,and,consequently,alwaysapplauded.
LetusaddthatCoppenolewasofthepeople,andthattheauditorswhichsurroundedhimwerealsoofthepeople.
Thusthecommunicationbetweenhimandthemhadbeenprompt,electric,and,sotospeak,onalevel.
ThehaughtyairoftheFlemishhosier,byhumiliatingthecourtiers,hadtouchedinalltheseplebeiansoulsthatlatentsentimentofdignitystillvagueandindistinctinthefifteenthcentury.
Thishosierwasanequal,whohadjustheldhisownbeforemonsieurthecardinal.
AverysweetreflectiontopoorfellowshabituatedtorespectandobediencetowardstheunderlingsofthesergeantsofthebailiffofSainte–Geneviéve,thecardinal'strain–bearer.
Coppenoleproudlysalutedhiseminence,whoreturnedthesaluteoftheall–powerfulbourgeoisfearedbyLouisXI.
Then,whileGuillaumeRym,a"sageandmaliciousman,"asPhilippedeCominesputsit,watchedthembothwithasmileofrailleryandsuperiority,eachsoughthisplace,thecardinalquiteabashedandtroubled,Coppenoletranquilandhaughty,andthinking,nodoubt,thathistitleofhosierwasasgoodasanyother,afterall,andthatMarieofBurgundy,mothertothatMargueritewhomCoppenolewasto–daybestowinginmarriage,wouldhavebeenlessafraidofthecardinalthanofthehosier;foritisnotacardinalwhowouldhavestirreduparevoltamongthemenofGhentagainstthefavoritesofthedaughterofCharlestheBold;itisnotacardinalwhocouldhavefortifiedthepopulacewithawordagainsthertearsandprayers,whentheMaidofFlanderscametosupplicateherpeopleintheirbehalf,evenattheveryfootofthescaffold;whilethehosierhadonlytoraisehisleatherelbow,inordertocausetofallyourtwoheads,mostillustriousseigneurs,Guyd'HymbercourtandChancellorGuillaumeHugonet.
Nevertheless,allwasoverforthepoorcardinal,andhewasobligedtoquafftothedregsthebittercupofbeinginsuchbadcompany.
Thereaderhas,probably,notforgottentheimpudentbeggarwhohadbeenclingingfasttothefringesofthecardinal'sgalleryeversincethebeginningoftheprologue.
Thearrivaloftheillustriousguestshadbynomeanscausedhimtorelaxhishold,and,whiletheprelatesandambassadorswerepackingthemselvesintothestalls—likegenuineFlemishherrings—hesettledhimselfathisease,andboldlycrossedhislegsonthearchitrave.
Theinsolenceofthisproceedingwasextraordinary,yetnoonenoticeditatfirst,theattentionofallbeingdirectedelsewhere.
He,onhisside,perceivednothingthatwasgoingoninthehall;hewaggedhisheadwiththeunconcernofaNeapolitan,repeatingfromtimetotime,amidtheclamor,asfromamechanicalhabit,"Charity,please!"
And,assuredly,hewas,outofallthosepresent,theonlyonewhohadnotdeignedtoturnhisheadatthealtercationbetweenCoppenoleandtheusher.
Now,chanceordainedthatthemasterhosierofGhent,withwhomthepeoplewerealreadyinlivelysympathy,anduponwhomalleyeswereriveted—shouldcomeandseathimselfinthefrontrowofthegallery,directlyabovethemendicant;andpeoplewerenotalittleamazedtoseetheFlemishambassador,onconcludinghisinspectionoftheknavethusplacedbeneathhiseyes,bestowafriendlytaponthatraggedshoulder.
Thebeggarturnedround;therewassurprise,recognition,alightingupofthetwocountenances,andsoforth;then,withoutpayingtheslightestheedintheworldtothespectators,thehosierandthewretchedbeingbegantoconverseinalowtone,holdingeachother'shands,inthemeantime,whiletheragsofClopinTrouillefou,spreadoutupontheclothofgoldofthedais,producedtheeffectofacaterpillaronanorange.
Thenoveltyofthissingularsceneexcitedsuchamurmurofmirthandgayetyinthehall,thatthecardinalwasnotslowtoperceiveit;hehalfbentforward,and,asfromthepointwherehewasplacedhecouldcatchonlyanimperfectviewofTrouillerfou'signominiousdoublet,heverynaturallyimaginedthatthemendicantwasaskingalms,and,disgustedwithhisaudacity,heexclaimed:"BailiffoftheCourts,tossmethatknaveintotheriver!"
"CrossofGod!monseigneurthecardinal,"saidCoppenole,withoutquittingClopin'shand,"he'safriendofmine."
"Good!good!"shoutedthepopulace.
Fromthatmoment,MasterCoppenoleenjoyedinParisasinGhent,"greatfavorwiththepeople;formenofthatsortdoenjoyit,"saysPhilippedeComines,"whentheyarethusdisorderly."Thecardinalbithislips.
Hebenttowardshisneighbor,theAbbéofSaintGeneviéve,andsaidtohiminalowtone,—"Fineambassadorsmonsieurthearchdukesendshere,toannouncetousMadameMarguerite!"
"Youreminence,"repliedtheabbé,"wastesyourpolitenessontheseFlemishswine.~Margaritasanteporcos~,pearlsbeforeswine."
"Sayrather,"retortedthecardinal,withasmile,"~PorcosanteMargaritam~,swinebeforethepearl."
Thewholelittlecourtincassockswentintoecstaciesoverthisplayuponwords.Thecardinalfeltalittlerelieved;hewasquitswithCoppenole,healsohadhadhisjestapplauded.
Now,willthoseofourreaderswhopossessthepowerofgeneralizinganimageoranidea,astheexpressionrunsinthestyleofto–day,permitustoaskthemiftheyhaveformedaveryclearconceptionofthespectaclepresentedatthismoment,uponwhichwehavearrestedtheirattention,bythevastparallelogramofthegrandhallofthepalace.
Inthemiddleofthehall,backedagainstthewesternwall,alargeandmagnificentgallerydrapedwithclothofgold,intowhichenterinprocession,throughasmall,archeddoor,gravepersonages,announcedsuccessivelybytheshrillvoiceofanusher.
Onthefrontbencheswerealreadyanumberofvenerablefigures,muffledinermine,velvet,andscarlet.
Aroundthedais—whichremainssilentanddignified—below,opposite,everywhere,agreatcrowdandagreatmurmur.
Thousandsofglancesdirectedbythepeopleoneachfaceuponthedais,athousandwhispersovereachname.
Certainly,thespectacleiscurious,andwelldeservestheattentionofthespectators.
Butyonder,quiteattheend,whatisthatsortoftrestleworkwithfourmotleypuppetsuponit,andmorebelow?
Whoisthatmanbesidethetrestle,withablackdoubletandapaleface?Alas!
mydearreader,itisPierreGringoireandhisprologue.
Wehaveallforgottenhimcompletely.
Thisispreciselywhathefeared.
Fromthemomentofthecardinal'sentrance,Gringoirehadneverceasedtotrembleforthesafetyofhisprologue.
Atfirsthehadenjoinedtheactors,whohadstoppedinsuspense,tocontinue,andtoraisetheirvoices;then,perceivingthatnoonewaslistening,hehadstoppedthem;and,duringtheentirequarterofanhourthattheinterruptionlasted,hehadnotceasedtostamp,toflounceabout,toappealtoGisquetteandLiénarde,andtourgehisneighborstothecontinuanceoftheprologue;allinvain.
Noonequittedthecardinal,theembassy,andthegallery—solecentreofthisvastcircleofvisualrays.
Wemustalsobelieve,andwesayitwithregret,thattheprologuehadbegunslightlytowearytheaudienceatthemomentwhenhiseminencehadarrived,andcreatedadiversioninsoterribleafashion.
Afterall,onthegalleryaswellasonthemarbletable,thespectaclewasthesame:theconflictofLaborandClergy,ofNobilityandMerchandise.
Andmanypeoplepreferredtoseethemalive,breathing,moving,elbowingeachotherinfleshandblood,inthisFlemishembassy,inthisEpiscopalcourt,underthecardinal'srobe,underCoppenole'sjerkin,thanpainted,deckedout,talkinginverse,and,sotospeak,stuffedbeneaththeyellowamidwhitetunicsinwhichGringoirehadsoridiculouslyclothedthem.
Nevertheless,whenourpoetbeheldquietreestablishedtosomeextent,hedevisedastratagemwhichmighthaveredeemedall.
"Monsieur,"hesaid,turningtowardsoneofhisneighbors,afine,bigman,withapatientface,"supposewebeginagain."
"What?"saidhisneighbor.
"Hé!theMystery,"saidGringoire.
"Asyoulike,"returnedhisneighbor.
Thissemi–approbationsufficedforGringoire,and,conductinghisownaffairs,hebegantoshout,confoundinghimselfwiththecrowdasmuchaspossible:"Beginthemysteryagain!beginagain!"
"Thedevil!"saidJoannesdeMolendino,"whataretheyjabberingdownyonder,attheendofthehall?"
(forGringoirewasmakingnoiseenoughforfour.)
"Say,comrades,isn'tthatmysteryfinished?Theywanttobeginitalloveragain.That'snotfair!"
"No,no!"shoutedallthescholars."Downwiththemystery!Downwithit!"
ButGringoirehadmultipliedhimself,andonlyshoutedthemorevigorously:"Beginagain!beginagain!"
Theseclamorsattractedtheattentionofthecardinal.
"MonsieurBailiffoftheCourts,"saidhetoatall,blackman,placedafewpacesfromhim,"arethoseknavesinaholy–watervessel,thattheymakesuchahellishnoise?"
Thebailiffofthecourtswasasortofamphibiousmagistrate,asortofbatofthejudicialorder,relatedtoboththeratandthebird,thejudgeandthesoldier.
Heapproachedhiseminence,andnotwithoutagooddealoffearofthelatter'sdispleasure,heawkwardlyexplainedtohimtheseemingdisrespectoftheaudience:thatnoondayhadarrivedbeforehiseminence,andthatthecomedianshadbeenforcedtobeginwithoutwaitingforhiseminence.
Thecardinalburstintoalaugh.
"Onmyfaith,therectoroftheuniversityoughttohavedonethesame.Whatsayyou,MasterGuillaumeRym?"
"Monseigneur,"repliedGuillaumeRym,"letusbecontentwithhavingescapedhalfofthecomedy.Thereisatleastthatmuchgained."
"Cantheserascalscontinuetheirfarce?"askedthebailiff.
"Continue,continue,"saidthecardinal,"it'sallthesametome.I'llreadmybreviaryinthemeantime."
Thebailiffadvancedtotheedgeoftheestrade,andcried,afterhavinginvokedsilencebyawaveofthehand,—
"Bourgeois,rustics,andcitizens,inordertosatisfythosewhowishtheplaytobeginagain,andthosewhowishittoend,hiseminenceordersthatitbecontinued."
Bothpartieswereforcedtoresignthemselves.Butthepublicandtheauthorlongcherishedagrudgeagainstthecardinal.
Sothepersonagesonthestagetookuptheirparts,andGringoirehopedthattherestofhiswork,atleast,wouldbelistenedto.
Thishopewasspeedilydispelledlikehisotherillusions;silencehadindeed,beenrestoredintheaudience,afterafashion;butGringoirehadnotobservedthatatthemomentwhenthecardinalgavetheordertocontinue,thegallerywasfarfromfull,andthataftertheFlemishenvoystherehadarrivednewpersonagesformingpartofthecortege,whosenamesandranks,shoutedoutinthemidstofhisdialoguebytheintermittentcryoftheusher,producedconsiderableravagesinit.
Letthereaderimaginetheeffectinthemidstofatheatricalpiece,oftheyelpingofanusher,flinginginbetweentworhymes,andofteninthemiddleofaline,parentheseslikethefollowing,—
"MasterJacquesCharmolue,procuratortothekingintheEcclesiasticalCourts!"
"JehandeHarlay,equerryguardianoftheofficeofchevalierofthenightwatchofthecityofParis!"
"MessireGaliotdeGenoilhac,chevalier,seigneurdeBrussac,masteroftheking'sartillery!"
"MasterDreux–Raguier,surveyorofthewoodsandforestsofthekingoursovereign,inthelandofFrance,ChampagneandBrie!"
"MessireLouisdeGraville,chevalier,councillor,andchamberlainoftheking,admiralofFrance,keeperoftheForestofVincennes!"
"MasterDenisleMercier,guardianofthehouseoftheblindatParis!"etc.,etc.,etc.
Thiswasbecomingunbearable.
Thisstrangeaccompaniment,whichrendereditdifficulttofollowthepiece,madeGringoireallthemoreindignantbecausehecouldnotconcealfromhimselfthefactthattheinterestwascontinuallyincreasing,andthatallhisworkrequiredwasachanceofbeingheard.
Itwas,infact,difficulttoimagineamoreingeniousandmoredramaticcomposition.
Thefourpersonagesoftheprologuewerebewailingthemselvesintheirmortalembarrassment,whenVenusinperson,(~veraincessapatuitdea~)presentedherselftothem,cladinafinerobebearingtheheraldicdeviceoftheshipofthecityofParis.
Shehadcomeherselftoclaimthedolphinpromisedtothemostbeautiful.
Jupiter,whosethundercouldbeheardrumblinginthedressing–room,supportedherclaim,andVenuswasonthepointofcarryingitoff,—thatistosay,withoutallegory,ofmarryingmonsieurthedauphin,whenayoungchildcladinwhitedamask,andholdinginherhandadaisy(atransparentpersonificationofMademoiselleMargueriteofFlanders)cametocontestitwithVenus.
Theatricaleffectandchange.
Afteradispute,Venus,Marguerite,andtheassistantsagreedtosubmittothegoodjudgmentoftimeholyVirgin.
Therewasanothergoodpart,thatofthekingofMesopotamia;butthroughsomanyinterruptions,itwasdifficulttomakeoutwhatendheserved.
Allthesepersonshadascendedbytheladdertothestage.
Butallwasover;noneofthesebeautieshadbeenfeltnorunderstood.
Ontheentranceofthecardinal,onewouldhavesaidthataninvisiblemagicthreadhadsuddenlydrawnallglancesfromthemarbletabletothegallery,fromthesoutherntothewesternextremityofthehall.
Nothingcoulddisenchanttheaudience;alleyesremainedfixedthere,andthenew–comersandtheiraccursednames,andtheirfaces,andtheircostumes,affordedacontinualdiversion.Thiswasverydistressing.
WiththeexceptionofGisquetteandLiénarde,whoturnedroundfromtimetotimewhenGringoirepluckedthembythesleeve;withtheexceptionofthebig,patientneighbor,noonelistened,noonelookedatthepoor,desertedmoralityfullface.Gringoiresawonlyprofiles.
Withwhatbitternessdidhebeholdhiswholeerectionofgloryandofpoetrycrumbleawaybitbybit!
Andtothinkthatthesepeoplehadbeenuponthepointofinstitutingarevoltagainstthebailiffthroughimpatiencetohearhiswork!
nowthattheyhadittheydidnotcareforit.
Thissamerepresentationwhichhadbeenbegunamidsounanimousanacclamation!Eternalfloodandebbofpopularfavor!
Tothinkthattheyhadbeenonthepointofhangingthebailiff'ssergeant!
Whatwouldhenothavegiventobestillatthathourofhoney!
Buttheusher'sbrutalmonologuecametoanend;everyonehadarrived,andGringoirebreathedfreelyoncemore;theactorscontinuedbravely.
ButMasterCoppenole,thehosier,mustneedsriseofasudden,andGringoirewasforcedtolistentohimdeliver,amiduniversalattention,thefollowingabominableharangue.
"MessieursthebourgeoisandsquiresofParis,Idon'tknow,crossofGod!whatwearedoinghere.
Icertainlydoseeyonderinthecorneronthatstage,somepeoplewhoappeartobefighting.
Idon'tknowwhetherthatiswhatyoucalla"mystery,"butitisnotamusing;theyquarrelwiththeirtonguesandnothingmore.
Ihavebeenwaitingforthefirstblowthisquarterofanhour;nothingcomes;theyarecowardswhoonlyscratcheachotherwithinsults.
YououghttosendforthefightersofLondonorRotterdam;and,Icantellyou!
youwouldhavehadblowsofthefistthatcouldbeheardinthePlace;butthesemenexciteourpity.
Theyoughtatleast,togiveusamoorishdance,orsomeothermummer!
Thatisnotwhatwastoldme;Iwaspromisedafeastoffools,withtheelectionofapope.
WehaveourpopeoffoolsatGhentalso;we'renotbehindhandinthat,crossofGod!
Butthisisthewaywemanageit;wecollectacrowdlikethisonehere,theneachpersoninturnpasseshisheadthroughahole,andmakesagrimaceattherest;timeonewhomakestheugliest,iselectedpopebygeneralacclamation;that'sthewayitis.Itisverydiverting.
Wouldyouliketomakeyourpopeafterthefashionofmycountry?
Atallevents,itwillbelesswearisomethantolistentochatterers.
Iftheywishtocomeandmaketheirgrimacesthroughthehole,theycanjointhegame.Whatsayyou,Messieurslesbourgeois?
Youhavehereenoughgrotesquespecimensofbothsexes,toallowoflaughinginFlemishfashion,andthereareenoughofusuglyincountenancetohopeforafinegrinningmatch."
Gringoirewouldhavelikedtoretort;stupefaction,rage,indignation,deprivedhimofwords.
Moreover,thesuggestionofthepopularhosierwasreceivedwithsuchenthusiasmbythesebourgeoiswhowereflatteredatbeingcalled"squires,"thatallresistancewasuseless.
Therewasnothingtobedonebuttoallowone'sselftodriftwiththetorrent.
Gringoirehidhisfacebetweenhistwohands,notbeingsofortunateastohaveamantlewithwhichtoveilhishead,likeAgamemnonofTimantis.
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