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Now,in1482,Quasimodohadgrownup.HehadbecomeafewyearspreviouslythebellringerofNotre–Dame,thankstohisfatherbyadoption,ClaudeFrollo,—whohadbecomearchdeaconofJosas,thankstohissuzerain,MessireLouisdeBeaumont,—whohadbecomeBishopofParis,atthedeathofGuillaumeChartierin1472,thankstohispatron,OlivierLeDaim,barbertoLouisXI.,kingbythegraceofGod.
SoQuasimodowastheringerofthechimesofNotre–Dame.
Inthecourseoftimetherehadbeenformedacertainpeculiarlyintimatebondwhichunitedtheringertothechurch.
Separatedforeverfromtheworld,bythedoublefatalityofhisunknownbirthandhisnaturaldeformity,imprisonedfromhisinfancyinthatimpassabledoublecircle,thepoorwretchhadgrownusedtoseeingnothinginthisworldbeyondthereligiouswallswhichhadreceivedhimundertheirshadow.
Notre–Damehadbeentohimsuccessively,ashegrewupanddeveloped,theegg,thenest,thehouse,thecountry,theuniverse.
Therewascertainlyasortofmysteriousandpre–existingharmonybetweenthiscreatureandthischurch.
When,stillalittlefellow,hehaddraggedhimselftortuouslyandbyjerksbeneaththeshadowsofitsvaults,heseemed,withhishumanfaceandhisbestiallimbs,thenaturalreptileofthathumidandsombrepavement,uponwhichtheshadowoftheRomanesquecapitalscastsomanystrangeforms.
Lateron,thefirsttimethathecaughthold,mechanically,oftheropestothetowers,andhungsuspendedfromthem,andsetthebelltoclanging,itproduceduponhisadoptedfather,Claude,theeffectofachildwhosetongueisunloosedandwhobeginstospeak.
Itisthusthat,littlebylittle,developingalwaysinsympathywiththecathedral,livingthere,sleepingthere,hardlyeverleavingit,subjecteveryhourtothemysteriousimpress,hecametoresembleit,heincrustedhimselfinit,sotospeak,andbecameanintegralpartofit.
Hissalientanglesfittedintotheretreatinganglesofthecathedral(ifwemaybeallowedthisfigureofspeech),andheseemednotonlyitsinhabitantbutmorethanthat,itsnaturaltenant.
Onemightalmostsaythathehadassumeditsform,asthesnailtakesontheformofitsshell.
Itwashisdwelling,hishole,hisenvelope.
Thereexistedbetweenhimandtheoldchurchsoprofoundaninstinctivesympathy,somanymagneticaffinities,somanymaterialaffinities,thatheadheredtoitsomewhatasatortoiseadherestoitsshell.
Theroughandwrinkledcathedralwashisshell.
Itisuselesstowarnthereadernottotakeliterallyallthesimileswhichweareobligedtoemployheretoexpressthesingular,symmetrical,direct,almostconsubstantialunionofamanandanedifice.
Itisequallyunnecessarytostatetowhatadegreethatwholecathedralwasfamiliartohim,aftersolongandsointimateacohabitation.Thatdwellingwaspeculiartohim.
IthadnodepthstowhichQuasimodohadnotpenetrated,noheightwhichhehadnotscaled.
Heoftenclimbedmanystonesupthefront,aidedsolelybytheunevenpointsofthecarving.
Thetowers,onwhoseexteriorsurfacehewasfrequentlyseenclambering,likealizardglidingalongaperpendicularwall,thosetwogigantictwins,solofty,somenacing,soformidable,possessedforhimneithervertigo,norterror,norshocksofamazement.
Toseethemsogentleunderhishand,soeasytoscale,onewouldhavesaidthathehadtamedthem.
Bydintofleaping,climbing,gambollingamidtheabyssesofthegiganticcathedralhehadbecome,insomesort,amonkeyandagoat,liketheCalabrianchildwhoswimsbeforehewalks,andplayswiththeseawhilestillababe.
Moreover,itwasnothisbodyalonewhichseemedfashionedaftertheCathedral,buthismindalso.Inwhatconditionwasthatmind?
Whatbenthaditcontracted,whatformhaditassumedbeneaththatknottedenvelope,inthatsavagelife?Thisitwouldbehardtodetermine.
Quasimodohadbeenbornone–eyed,hunchbacked,lame.
Itwaswithgreatdifficulty,andbydintofgreatpatiencethatClaudeFrollohadsucceededinteachinghimtotalk.
Butafatalitywasattachedtothepoorfoundling.
BellringerofNotre–Dameattheageoffourteen,anewinfirmityhadcometocompletehismisfortunes:thebellshadbrokenthedrumsofhisears;hehadbecomedeaf.
Theonlygatewhichnaturehadleftwideopenforhimhadbeenabruptlyclosed,andforever.
Inclosing,ithadcutofftheonlyrayofjoyandoflightwhichstillmadeitswayintothesoulofQuasimodo.Hissoulfellintoprofoundnight.
Thewretchedbeing'smiserybecameasincurableandascompleteashisdeformity.
Letusaddthathisdeafnessrenderedhimtosomeextentdumb.
For,inordernottomakeotherslaugh,theverymomentthathefoundhimselftobedeaf,heresolveduponasilencewhichheonlybrokewhenhewasalone.
HevoluntarilytiedthattonguewhichClaudeFrollohadtakensomuchpainstounloose.
Hence,itcameabout,thatwhennecessityconstrainedhimtospeak,histonguewastorpid,awkward,andlikeadoorwhosehingeshavegrownrusty.
IfnowweweretotrytopenetratetothesoulofQuasimodothroughthatthick,hardrind;ifwecouldsoundthedepthsofthatbadlyconstructedorganism;ifitweregrantedtoustolookwithatorchbehindthosenon–transparentorganstoexploretheshadowyinteriorofthatopaquecreature,toelucidatehisobscurecorners,hisabsurdno–thoroughfares,andsuddenlytocastavividlightuponthesoulenchainedattheextremityofthatcave,weshould,nodoubt,findtheunhappyPsycheinsomepoor,cramped,andrickettyattitude,likethoseprisonersbeneaththeLeadsofVenice,whogrewoldbentdoubleinastoneboxwhichwasbothtoolowandtooshortforthem.
Itiscertainthatthemindbecomesatrophiedinadefectivebody.
Quasimodowasbarelyconsciousofasoulcastinhisownimage,movingblindlywithinhim.
Theimpressionsofobjectsunderwentaconsiderablerefractionbeforereachinghismind.
Hisbrainwasapeculiarmedium;theideaswhichpassedthroughitissuedforthcompletelydistorted.
Thereflectionwhichresultedfromthisrefractionwas,necessarily,divergentandperverted.
Henceathousandopticalillusions,athousandaberrationsofjudgment,athousanddeviations,inwhichhisthoughtstrayed,nowmad,nowidiotic.
Thefirsteffectofthisfatalorganizationwastotroubletheglancewhichhecastuponthings.
Hereceivedhardlyanyimmediateperceptionofthem.
Theexternalworldseemedmuchfartherawaytohimthanitdoestous.
Thesecondeffectofhismisfortunewastorenderhimmalicious.
Hewasmalicious,infact,becausehewassavage;hewassavagebecausehewasugly.Therewaslogicinhisnature,asthereisinours.
Hisstrength,soextraordinarilydeveloped,wasacauseofstillgreatermalevolence:"~Maluspuerrobustus~,"saysHobbes.
Thisjusticemust,howeverberenderedtohim.
Malevolencewasnot,perhaps,innateinhim.
Fromhisveryfirststepsamongmen,hehadfelthimself,lateronhehadseenhimself,spewedout,blasted,rejected.
Humanwordswere,forhim,alwaysarailleryoramalediction.
Ashegrewup,hehadfoundnothingbuthatredaroundhim.Hehadcaughtthegeneralmalevolence.
Hehadpickeduptheweaponwithwhichhehadbeenwounded.
Afterall,heturnedhisfacetowardsmenonlywithreluctance;hiscathedralwassufficientforhim.
Itwaspeopledwithmarblefigures,—kings,saints,bishops,—whoatleastdidnotburstoutlaughinginhisface,andwhogazeduponhimonlywithtranquillityandkindliness.
Theotherstatues,thoseofthemonstersanddemons,cherishednohatredforhim,Quasimodo.Heresembledthemtoomuchforthat.
Theyseemedrather,tobescoffingatothermen.
Thesaintswerehisfriends,andblessedhim;themonsterswerehisfriendsandguardedhim.Soheheldlongcommunionwiththem.
Hesometimespassedwholehourscrouchingbeforeoneofthesestatues,insolitaryconversationwithit.
Ifanyonecame,hefledlikealoversurprisedinhisserenade.
Andthecathedralwasnotonlysocietyforhim,buttheuniverse,andallnaturebeside.
Hedreamedofnootherhedgerowsthanthepaintedwindows,alwaysinflower;noothershadethanthatofthefoliageofstonewhichspreadout,loadedwithbirds,inthetuftsoftheSaxoncapitals;ofnoothermountainsthanthecolossaltowersofthechurch;ofnootheroceanthanParis,roaringattheirbases.
Whathelovedaboveallelseinthematernaledifice,thatwhicharousedhissoul,andmadeitopenitspoorwings,whichitkeptsomiserablyfoldedinitscavern,thatwhichsometimesrenderedhimevenhappy,wasthebells.
Helovedthem,fondledthem,talkedtothem,understoodthem.
Fromthechimeinthespire,overtheintersectionoftheaislesandnave,tothegreatbellofthefront,hecherishedatendernessforthemall.
Thecentralspireandthetwotowersweretohimasthreegreatcages,whosebirds,rearedbyhimself,sangforhimalone.
Yetitwastheseverybellswhichhadmadehimdeaf;butmothersoftenlovebestthatchildwhichhascausedthemthemostsuffering.
Itistruethattheirvoicewastheonlyonewhichhecouldstillhear.
Onthisscore,thebigbellwashisbeloved.
Itwasshewhomhepreferredoutofallthatfamilyofnoisygirlswhichbustledabovehim,onfestivaldays.ThisbellwasnamedMarie.
Shewasaloneinthesoutherntower,withhersisterJacqueline,abelloflessersize,shutupinasmallercagebesidehers.
ThisJacquelinewassocalledfromthenameofthewifeofJeanMontagu,whohadgivenittothechurch,whichhadnotpreventedhisgoingandfiguringwithouthisheadatMontfauon.
Inthesecondtowerthereweresixotherbells,and,finally,sixsmalleronesinhabitedthebelfryoverthecrossing,withthewoodenbell,whichrangonlybetweenafterdinneronGoodFridayandthemorningofthedaybeforeEaster.
SoQuasimodohadfifteenbellsinhisseraglio;butbigMariewashisfavorite.
Noideacanbeformedofhisdelightondayswhenthegrandpealwassounded.
Atthemomentwhenthearchdeacondismissedhim,andsaid,"Go!"
hemountedthespiralstaircaseoftheclocktowerfasterthananyoneelsecouldhavedescendedit.
Heenteredperfectlybreathlessintotheaerialchamberofthegreatbell;hegazedatheramoment,devoutlyandlovingly;thenhegentlyaddressedherandpattedherwithhishand,likeagoodhorse,whichisabouttosetoutonalongjourney.
Hepitiedherforthetroublethatshewasabouttosuffer.
Afterthesefirstcaresses,heshoutedtohisassistants,placedinthelowerstoryofthetower,tobegin.
Theygraspedtheropes,thewheelcreaked,theenormouscapsuleofmetalstartedslowlyintomotion.
Quasimodofolloweditwithhisglanceandtrembled.
Thefirstshockoftheclapperandthebrazenwallmadetheframeworkuponwhichitwasmountedquiver.Quasimodovibratedwiththebell.
"Vah!"hecried,withasenselessburstoflaughter.
However,themovementofthebasswasaccelerated,and,inproportionasitdescribedawiderangle,Quasimodo'seyeopenedalsomoreandmorewidely,phosphoricandflaming.
Atlengththegrandpealbegan;thewholetowertrembled;woodwork,leads,cutstones,allgroanedatonce,fromthepilesofthefoundationtothetrefoilsofitssummit.
ThenQuasimodoboiledandfrothed;hewentandcame;hetrembledfromheadtofootwiththetower.
Thebell,furious,runningriot,presentedtothetwowallsofthetoweralternatelyitsbrazenthroat,whenceescapedthattempestuousbreath,whichisaudibleleaguesaway.
Quasimodostationedhimselfinfrontofthisopenthroat;hecrouchedandrosewiththeoscillationsofthebell,breathedinthisoverwhelmingbreath,gazedbyturnsatthedeepplace,whichswarmedwithpeople,twohundredfeetbelowhim,andatthatenormous,brazentonguewhichcame,secondaftersecond,tohowlinhisear.
Itwastheonlyspeechwhichheunderstood,theonlysoundwhichbrokeforhimtheuniversalsilence.
Heswelledoutinitasabirddoesinthesun.
Allofasudden,thefrenzyofthebellseizeduponhim;hislookbecameextraordinary;helayinwaitforthegreatbellasitpassed,asaspiderliesinwaitforafly,andflunghimselfabruptlyuponit,withmightandmain.
Then,suspendedabovetheabyss,bornetoandfrobytheformidableswingingofthebell,heseizedthebrazenmonsterbytheear–laps,presseditbetweenbothknees,spurreditonwithhisheels,andredoubledthefuryofthepealwiththewholeshockandweightofhisbody.
Meanwhile,thetowertrembled;heshriekedandgnashedhisteeth,hisredhairroseerect,hisbreastheavinglikeabellows,hiseyeflashedflames,themonstrousbellneighed,panting,beneathhim;andthenitwasnolongerthegreatbellofNotre–DamenorQuasimodo:itwasadream,awhirlwind,atempest,dizzinessmountedastrideofnoise;aspiritclingingtoaflyingcrupper,astrangecentaur,halfman,halfbell;asortofhorribleAstolphus,borneawayuponaprodigioushippogriffoflivingbronze.
Thepresenceofthisextraordinarybeingcaused,asitwere,abreathoflifetocirculatethroughouttheentirecathedral.
Itseemedasthoughthereescapedfromhim,atleastaccordingtothegrowingsuperstitionsofthecrowd,amysteriousemanationwhichanimatedallthestonesofNotre–Dame,andmadethedeepbowelsoftheancientchurchtopalpitate.
Itsufficedforpeopletoknowthathewasthere,tomakethembelievethattheybeheldthethousandstatuesofthegalleriesandthefrontsinmotion.
Andthecathedraldidindeedseemadocileandobedientcreaturebeneathhishand;itwaitedonhiswilltoraiseitsgreatvoice;itwaspossessedandfilledwithQuasimodo,aswithafamiliarspirit.
Onewouldhavesaidthathemadetheimmenseedificebreathe.
Hewaseverywhereaboutit;infact,hemultipliedhimselfonallpointsofthestructure.
Nowoneperceivedwithaffrightattheverytopofoneofthetowers,afantasticdwarfclimbing,writhing,crawlingonallfours,descendingoutsideabovetheabyss,leapingfromprojectiontoprojection,andgoingtoransackthebellyofsomesculpturedgorgon;itwasQuasimododislodgingthecrows.
Again,insomeobscurecornerofthechurchonecameincontactwithasortoflivingchimera,crouchingandscowling;itwasQuasimodoengagedinthought.
Sometimesonecaughtsight,uponabelltower,ofanenormousheadandabundleofdisorderedlimbsswingingfuriouslyattheendofarope;itwasQuasimodoringingvespersortheAngelus.
Oftenatnightahideousformwasseenwanderingalongthefrailbalustradeofcarvedlacework,whichcrownsthetowersandbordersthecircumferenceoftheapse;againitwasthehunchbackofNotre–Dame.
Then,saidthewomenoftheneighborhood,thewholechurchtookonsomethingfantastic,supernatural,horrible;eyesandmouthswereopened,hereandthere;oneheardthedogs,themonsters,andthegargoylesofstone,whichkeepwatchnightandday,withoutstretchedneckandopenjaws,aroundthemonstrouscathedral,barking.
And,ifitwasaChristmasEve,whilethegreatbell,whichseemedtoemitthedeathrattle,summonedthefaithfultothemidnightmass,suchanairwasspreadoverthesombrefaadethatonewouldhavedeclaredthatthegrandportalwasdevouringthethrong,andthattherosewindowwaswatchingit.AndallthiscamefromQuasimodo.
Egyptwouldhavetakenhimforthegodofthistemple;theMiddleAgesbelievedhimtobeitsdemon:hewasinfactitssoul.
TosuchanextentwasthisdiseasethatforthosewhoknowthatQuasimodohasexisted,Notre–Dameisto–daydeserted,inanimate,dead.
Onefeelsthatsomethinghasdisappearedfromit.
Thatimmensebodyisempty;itisaskeleton;thespirithasquittedit,oneseesitsplaceandthatisall.
Itislikeaskullwhichstillhasholesfortheeyes,butnolongersight.
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