English
"~TeDeumLaudamus~!"exclaimedMasterJehan,creepingoutfromhishole,"thescreech–owlshavedeparted.Och!och!Hax!pax!max!fleas!maddogs!thedevil!
Ihavehadenoughoftheirconversation!Myheadishumminglikeabelltower.Andmouldycheesetoboot!Comeon!
Letusdescend,takethebigbrother'spurseandconvertallthesecoinsintobottles!"
Hecastaglanceoftendernessandadmirationintotheinteriorofthepreciouspouch,readjustedhistoilet,rubbeduphisboots,dustedhispoorhalfsleeves,allgraywithashes,whistledanair,indulgedinasportivepirouette,lookedabouttoseewhethertherewerenotsomethingmoreinthecelltotake,gathereduphereandthereonthefurnacesomeamuletinglasswhichmightservetobestow,intheguiseofatrinket,onIsabeaulaThierrye,finallypushedopenthedoorwhichhisbrotherhadleftunfastened,asalastindulgence,andwhichhe,inhisturn,leftopenasalastpieceofmalice,anddescendedthecircularstaircase,skippinglikeabird.
Inthemidstofthegloomofthespiralstaircase,heelbowedsomethingwhichdrewasidewithagrowl;hetookitforgrantedthatitwasQuasimodo,anditstruckhimassodrollthathedescendedtheremainderofthestaircaseholdinghissideswithlaughter.
OnemerginguponthePlace,helaughedyetmoreheartily.
Hestampedhisfootwhenhefoundhimselfonthegroundonceagain."Oh!"
saidhe,"goodandhonorablepavementofParis,cursedstaircase,fittoputtheangelsofJacob'sladderoutofbreath!
WhatwasIthinkingoftothrustmyselfintothatstonegimletwhichpiercesthesky;allforthesakeofeatingbeardedcheese,andlookingatthebell–towersofParisthroughaholeinthewall!"
Headvancedafewpaces,andcaughtsightofthetwoscreechowls,thatistosay,DomClaudeandMasterJacquesCharmolue,absorbedincontemplationbeforeacarvingonthefaade.
Heapproachedthemontiptoe,andheardthearchdeaconsayinalowtonetoCharmolue:"'TwasGuillaumedePariswhocausedaJobtobecarveduponthisstoneofthehueoflapis–lazuli,gildedontheedges.
Jobrepresentsthephilosopher'sstone,whichmustalsobetriedandmartyrizedinordertobecomeperfect,assaithRaymondLulle:~Subconservationeformoespeciftoesalvaanima~."
"Thatmakesnodifferencetome,"saidJehan,"'tisIwhohavethepurse."
Atthatmomentheheardapowerfulandsonorousvoicearticulatebehindhimaformidableseriesofoaths."~SangDieu!Ventre–.Dieu!Bédieu!CorpsdeDieu!NombrildeBelzebuth!Nomd'unpape!Comeettonnerre~."
"Uponmysoul!"exclaimedJehan,"thatcanonlybemyfriend,CaptainPhoebus!"
ThisnameofPhoebusreachedtheearsofthearchdeaconatthemomentwhenhewasexplainingtotheking'sprocuratorthedragonwhichishidingitstailinabath,fromwhichissuesmokeandtheheadofaking.
DomClaudestarted,interruptedhimselfand,tothegreatamazementofCharmolue,turnedroundandbeheldhisbrotherJehanaccostingatallofficeratthedooroftheGondelauriermansion.
Itwas,infact,CaptainPhoebusdeChâteaupers.Hewasbackedupagainstacornerofthehouseofhisbetrothedandswearinglikeaheathen.
"Bymyfaith!CaptainPhoebus,"saidJehan,takinghimbythehand,"youarecursingwithadmirablevigor."
"Hornsandthunder!"repliedthecaptain.
"Hornsandthunderyourself!"repliedthestudent."Comenow,faircaptain,whencecomesthisoverflowoffinewords?"
"Pardonme,goodcomradeJehan,"exclaimedPhoebus,shakinghishand,"ahorsegoingatagallopcannothaltshort.Now,Iwasswearingatahardgallop.
Ihavejustbeenwiththoseprudes,andwhenIcomeforth,Ialwaysfindmythroatfullofcurses,Imustspitthemoutorstrangle,~ventreettonnerre~!"
"Willyoucomeanddrink?"askedthescholar.
Thispropositioncalmedthecaptain.
"I'mwilling,butIhavenomoney."
"ButIhave!"
"Bah!let'sseeit!"
Jehanspreadoutthepursebeforethecaptain'seyes,withdignityandsimplicity.
Meanwhile,thearchdeacon,whohadabandonedthedumbfoundedCharmoluewherehestood,hadapproachedthemandhaltedafewpacesdistant,watchingthemwithouttheirnoticinghim,sodeeplyweretheyabsorbedincontemplationofthepurse.
Phoebusexclaimed:"Apurseinyourpocket,Jehan!
'tisthemooninabucketofwater,oneseesittherebut'tisnotthere.Thereisnothingbutitsshadow.Pardieu!letuswagerthatthesearepebbles!"
Jehanrepliedcoldly:"HerearethepebbleswherewithIpavemyfob!"
Andwithoutaddinganotherword,heemptiedthepurseonaneighboringpost,withtheairofaRomansavinghiscountry.
"TrueGod!"mutteredPhoebus,"targes,big–blanks,littleblanks,mailles,*everytwoworthoneofTournay,farthingsofParis,realeagleliards!'Tisdazzling!"
*Anancientcoppercoin,theforty–fourthpartofasouorthetwelfthpartofafarthing.
Jehanremaineddignifiedandimmovable.Severalliardshadrolledintothemud;thecaptaininhisenthusiasmstoopedtopickthemup.Jehanrestrainedhim.
"Fye,CaptainPhoebusdeChâteaupers!"
Phoebuscountedthecoins,andturningtowardsJehanwithsolemnity,"Doyouknow,Jehan,thattherearethreeandtwentysousparisis!whomhaveyouplunderedto–night,intheStreetCut–Weazand?"
Jehanflungbackhisblondeandcurlyhead,andsaid,half–closinghiseyesdisdainfully,—
"Wehaveabrotherwhoisanarchdeaconandafool."
"~CornedeDieu~!"exclaimedPhoebus,"theworthyman!"
"Letusgoanddrink,"saidJehan.
"Whereshallwego?"saidPhoebus;"'ToEve'sApple.'"
"No,captain,to'AncientScience.'Anoldwomansawingabaskethandle*;'tisarebus,andIlikethat."
*~Uneviellequiscieuneanse~.
"Aplagueonrebuses,Jehan!thewineisbetterat'Eve'sApple';andthen,besidethedoorthereisavineinthesunwhichcheersmewhileIamdrinking."
"Well!heregoesforEveandherapple,"saidthestudent,andtakingPhoebus'sarm.
"Bytheway,mydearcaptain,youjustmentionedtheRueCoupe–Gueule*Thatisaverybadformofspeech;peoplearenolongersobarbarous.Theysay,Coupe–Gorge**."
*Cut–WeazandStreet.
**Cut–ThroatStreet.
Thetwofriendssetouttowards"Eve'sApple."Itisunnecessarytomentionthattheyhadfirstgatheredupthemoney,andthatthearchdeaconfollowedthem.
Thearchdeaconfollowedthem,gloomyandhaggard.
WasthisthePhoebuswhoseaccursednamehadbeenmingledwithallhisthoughtseversincehisinterviewwithGringoire?
Hedidnotknowit,butitwasatleastaPhoebus,andthatmagicnamesufficedtomakethearchdeaconfollowthetwoheedlesscomradeswiththestealthytreadofawolf,listeningtotheirwordsandobservingtheirslightestgestureswithanxiousattention.
Moreover,nothingwaseasierthantoheareverythingtheysaid,astheytalkedloudly,notintheleastconcernedthatthepassers–byweretakenintotheirconfidence.
Theytalkedofduels,wenches,winepots,andfolly.
Attheturningofastreet,thesoundofatambourinereachedthemfromaneighboringsquare.DomClaudeheardtheofficersaytothescholar,—
"Thunder!Letushastenoursteps!"
"Why,Phoebus?"
"I'mafraidlesttheBohemianshouldseeme."
"WhatBohemian?"
"Thelittlegirlwiththegoat."
"LaSmeralda?"
"That'sit,Jehan.Ialwaysforgetherdevilofaname.Letusmakehaste,shewillrecognizeme.Idon'twanttohavethatgirlaccostmeinthestreet."
"Doyouknowher,Phoebus?"
HerethearchdeaconsawPhoebussneer,benddowntoJehan'sear,andsayafewwordstohiminalowvoice;thenPhoebusburstintoalaugh,andshookhisheadwithatriumphantair.
"Truly?"saidJehan.
"Uponmysoul!"saidPhoebus.
"Thisevening?"
"Thisevening."
"Areyousurethatshewillcome?"
"Areyouafool,Jehan?Doesonedoubtsuchthings?"
"CaptainPhoebus,youareahappygendarme!"
Thearchdeaconheardthewholeofthisconversation.
Histeethchattered;avisibleshiverranthroughhiswholebody.
Hehaltedforamoment,leanedagainstapostlikeadrunkenman,thenfollowedthetwomerryknaves.
Atthemomentwhenheovertookthemoncemore,theyhadchangedtheirconversation.Heheardthemsingingatthetopoftheirlungstheancientrefrain,—
~LesenfantsdesPetits–Carreaux
Sefontpendrecornmedesveaux~*.
*ThechildrenofthePetitsCarreauxletthemselvesbehunglikecalves.
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