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Afterthemorninginthepillory,theneighborsofNotre–DamethoughttheynoticedthatQuasimodo'sardorforringinghadgrowncool.
Formerly,therehadbeenpealsforeveryoccasion,longmorningserenades,whichlastedfromprimetocompline;pealsfromthebelfryforahighmass,richscalesdrawnoverthesmallerbellsforawedding,forachristening,andminglingintheairlikearichembroideryofallsortsofcharmingsounds.
Theoldchurch,allvibratingandsonorous,wasinaperpetualjoyofbells.
Onewasconstantlyconsciousofthepresenceofaspiritofnoiseandcaprice,whosangthroughallthosemouthsofbrass.
Nowthatspiritseemedtohavedeparted;thecathedralseemedgloomy,andgladlyremainedsilent;festivalsandfuneralshadthesimplepeal,dryandbare,demandedbytheritual,nothingmore.
Ofthedoublenoisewhichconstitutesachurch,theorganwithin,thebellwithout,theorganaloneremained.
Onewouldhavesaidthattherewasnolongeramusicianinthebelfry.
Quasimodowasalwaysthere,nevertheless;what,then,hadhappenedtohim?
Wasitthattheshameanddespairofthepillorystilllingeredinthebottomofhisheart,thatthelashesofhistormentor'swhipreverberatedunendinglyinhissoul,andthatthesadnessofsuchtreatmenthadwhollyextinguishedinhimevenhispassionforthebells?
orwasitthatMariehadarivalintheheartofthebellringerofNotre–Dame,andthatthegreatbellandherfourteensisterswereneglectedforsomethingmoreamiableandmorebeautiful?
Itchancedthat,intheyearofgrace1482,AnnunciationDayfellonTuesday,thetwenty–fifthofMarch.
ThatdaytheairwassopureandlightthatQuasimodofeltsomereturningaffectionforhisbells.
Hethereforeascendedthenortherntowerwhilethebeadlebelowwasopeningwidethedoorsofthechurch,whichwerethenenormouspanelsofstoutwood,coveredwithleather,borderedwithnailsofgildediron,andframedincarvings"veryartisticallyelaborated."
Onarrivingintheloftybellchamber,Quasimodogazedforsometimeatthesixbellsandshookhisheadsadly,asthoughgroaningoversomeforeignelementwhichhadinterposeditselfinhisheartbetweenthemandhim.
Butwhenhehadsetthemtoswinging,whenhefeltthatclusterofbellsmovingunderhishand,whenhesaw,forhedidnothearit,thepalpitatingoctaveascendanddescendthatsonorousscale,likeabirdhoppingfrombranchtobranch;whenthedemonMusic,thatdemonwhoshakesasparklingbundleofstrette,trillsandarpeggios,hadtakenpossessionofthepoordeafman,hebecamehappyoncemore,heforgoteverything,andhisheartexpanding,madehisfacebeam.
Hewentandcame,hebeathishandstogether,heranfromropetorope,heanimatedthesixsingerswithvoiceandgesture,liketheleaderofanorchestrawhoisurgingonintelligentmusicians.
"Goon,"saidhe,"goon,goon,Gabrielle,pouroutallthynoiseintothePlace,'tisafestivalto–day.
Nolaziness,Thibauld;thouartrelaxing;goon,goon,then,artthourusted,thousluggard?Thatiswell!quick!quick!letnotthyclapperbeseen!Makethemalldeaflikeme.That'sit,Thibauld,bravelydone!Guillaume!Guillaume!
thouartthelargest,andPasquieristhesmallest,andPasquierdoesbest.
Letuswagerthatthosewhohearhimwillunderstandhimbetterthantheyunderstandthee.Good!good!myGabrielle,stoutly,morestoutly!Eli!
whatareyoudoingupaloftthere,youtwoMoineaux(sparrows)?
Idonotseeyoumakingtheleastlittleshredofnoise.
Whatisthemeaningofthosebeaksofcopperwhichseemtobegapingwhentheyshouldsing?
Come,worknow,'tistheFeastoftheAnnunciation.
Thesunisfine,thechimemustbefinealso.PoorGuillaume!
thouartalloutofbreath,mybigfellow!"
Hewaswhollyabsorbedinspurringonhisbells,allsixofwhichviedwitheachotherinleapingandshakingtheirshininghaunches,likeanoisyteamofSpanishmules,prickedonhereandtherebytheapostrophesofthemuleteer.
Allatonce,onlettinghisglancefallbetweenthelargeslatescaleswhichcovertheperpendicularwallofthebelltoweratacertainheight,hebeheldonthesquareayounggirl,fantasticallydressed,stop,spreadoutonthegroundacarpet,onwhichasmallgoattookupitspost,andagroupofspectatorscollectaroundher.
Thissightsuddenlychangedthecourseofhisideas,andcongealedhisenthusiasmasabreathofaircongealsmeltedrosin.
Hehalted,turnedhisbacktothebells,andcroucheddownbehindtheprojectingroofofslate,fixinguponthedancerthatdreamy,sweet,andtenderlookwhichhadalreadyastonishedthearchdeaconononeoccasion.
Meanwhile,theforgottenbellsdiedawayabruptlyandalltogether,tothegreatdisappointmentoftheloversofbellringing,whowerelisteningingoodfaithtothepealfromabovethePontduChange,andwhowentawaydumbfounded,likeadogwhohasbeenofferedaboneandgivenastone.
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