English
ClaudeFrollo(forwepresumethatthereader,moreintelligentthanPhoebus,hasseeninthiswholeadventurenoothersurlymonkthanthearchdeacon),ClaudeFrollogropedaboutforseveralmomentsinthedarklairintowhichthecaptainhadboltedhim.
Itwasoneofthosenookswhicharchitectssometimesreserveatthepointofjunctionbetweentheroofandthesupportingwall.
Averticalsectionofthiskennel,asPhoebushadsojustlystyledit,wouldhavemadeatriangle.
Moreover,therewasneitherwindownorair–hole,andtheslopeoftheroofpreventedonefromstandingupright.
Accordingly,Claudecroucheddowninthedust,andtheplasterwhichcrackedbeneathhim;hisheadwasonfire;rummagingaroundhimwithhishands,befoundonthefloorabitofbrokenglass,whichhepressedtohisbrow,andwhosecool–nessaffordedhimsomerelief.
Whatwastakingplaceatthatmomentinthegloomysoulofthearchdeacon?Godandhimselfcouldaloneknow.
InwhatorderwashearranginginhismindlaEsmeralda,Phoebus,JacquesCharmolue,hisyoungbrothersobeloved,yetabandonedbyhiminthemire,hisarchdeacon'scassock,hisreputationperhapsdraggedtolaFalourdel's,alltheseadventures,alltheseimages?Icannotsay.
Butitiscertainthattheseideasformedinhismindahorriblegroup.
Hehadbeenwaitingaquarterofanhour;itseemedtohimthathehadgrownacenturyolder.
Allatoncebeheardthecreakingoftheboardsofthestairway;someonewasascending.
Thetrapdooropenedoncemore;alightreappeared.
Therewasatolerablylargecrackintheworm–eatendoorofhisden;heputhisfacetoit.
Inthismannerhecouldseeallthatwentonintheadjoiningroom.
Thecat–facedoldcronewasthefirsttoemergefromthetrap–door,lampinhand;thenPhoebus,twirlinghismoustache,thenathirdperson,thatbeautifulandgracefulfigure,laEsmeralda.
Thepriestbeheldherrisefrombelowlikeadazzlingapparition.
Claudetrembled,acloudspreadoverhiseyes,hispulsesbeatviolently,everythingrustledandwhirledaroundhim;henolongersawnorheardanything.
Whenherecoveredhimself,PhoebusandEsmeraldawerealoneseatedonthewoodencofferbesidethelampwhichmadethesetwoyouthfulfiguresandamiserablepalletattheendoftheatticstandoutplainlybeforethearchdeacon'seyes.
Besidethepalletwasawindow,whosepanesbrokenlikeaspider'swebuponwhichrainhasfallen,allowedaview,throughitsrentmeshes,ofacornerofthesky,andthemoonlyingfarawayonaneiderdownbedofsoftclouds.
Theyounggirlwasblushing,confused,palpitating.
Herlong,droopinglashesshadedhercrimsoncheeks.
Theofficer,towhomshedarednotlifthereyes,wasradiant.
Mechanically,andwithacharminglyunconsciousgesture,shetracedwiththetipofherfingerincoherentlinesonthebench,andwatchedherfinger.Herfootwasnotvisible.Thelittlegoatwasnestlinguponit.
Thecaptainwasverygallantlyclad;hehadtuftsofembroideryathisneckandwrists;agreateleganceatthatday.
ItwasnotwithoutdifficultythatDomClaudemanagedtohearwhattheyweresaying,throughthehummingoftheblood,whichwasboilinginhistemples.
(Aconversationbetweenloversisaverycommonplaceaffair.Itisaperpetual"Iloveyou."
Amusicalphrasewhichisveryinsipidandverybaldforindifferentlisteners,whenitisnotornamentedwithsome~fioriture~;butClaudewasnotanindifferentlistener.)
"Oh!"saidtheyounggirl,withoutraisinghereyes,"donotdespiseme,monseigneurPhoebus.IfeelthatwhatIamdoingisnotright."
"Despiseyou,myprettychild!"repliedtheofficerwithanairofsuperioranddistinguishedgallantry,"despiseyou,~tte–Dieu~!andwhy?"
"Forhavingfollowedyou!"
"Onthatpoint,mybeauty,wedon'tagree.Ioughtnottodespiseyou,buttohateyou."
Theyounggirllookedathiminaffright:"Hateme!whathaveIdone?"
"Forhavingrequiredsomuchurging."
"Alas!"saidshe,"'tisbecauseIambreakingavow.Ishallnotfindmyparents!Theamuletwillloseitsvirtue.Butwhatmattersit?WhatneedhaveIoffatherormothernow?"
Sosaying,shefixeduponthecaptainhergreatblackeyes,moistwithjoyandtenderness.
"DeviltakemeifIunderstandyou!"exclaimedPhoebus.
LaEsmeraldaremainedsilentforamoment,thenateardroppedfromhereyes,asighfromherlips,andshesaid,—"Oh!monseigneur,Iloveyou."
Suchaperfumeofchastity,suchacharmofvirtuesurroundedtheyounggirl,thatPhoebusdidnotfeelcompletelyathiseasebesideher.
Butthisremarkemboldenedhim:"Youloveme!"
hesaidwithrapture,andhethrewhisarmroundthegypsy'swaist.
Hehadonlybeenwaitingforthisopportunity.
Thepriestsawit,andtestedwiththetipofhisfingerthepointofaponiardwhichheworeconcealedinhisbreast.
"Phoebus,"continuedtheBohemian,gentlyreleasingherwaistfromthecaptain'stenacioushands,"Youaregood,youaregenerous,youarehandsome;yousavedme,mewhoamonlyapoorchildlostinBohemia.
Ihadlongbeendreamingofanofficerwhoshouldsavemylife.
'TwasofyouthatIwasdreaming,beforeIknewyou,myPhoebus;theofficerofmydreamhadabeautifuluniformlikeyours,agrandlook,asword;yournameisPhoebus;'tisabeautifulname.Iloveyourname;Iloveyoursword.
Drawyoursword,Phoebus,thatImayseeit."
"Child!"saidthecaptain,andheunsheathedhisswordwithasmile.
Thegypsylookedatthehilt,theblade;examinedthecipherontheguardwithadorablecuriosity,andkissedthesword,saying,—
Youaretheswordofabraveman.Ilovemycaptain."
Phoebusagainprofitedbytheopportunitytoimpressuponherbeautifulbentneckakisswhichmadetheyounggirlstraightenherselfupasscarletasapoppy.
Thepriestgnashedhisteethoveritinthedark.
"Phoebus,"resumedthegypsy,"letmetalktoyou.Praywalkalittle,thatImayseeyouatfullheight,andthatImayhearyourspursjingle.Howhandsomeyouare!"
Thecaptainrosetopleaseher,chidingherwithasmileofsatisfaction,—
"Whatachildyouare!Bytheway,mycharmer,haveyouseenmeinmyarcher'sceremonialdoublet?"
"Alas!no,"shereplied.
"Itisveryhandsome!"
Phoebusreturnedandseatedhimselfbesideher,butmuchcloserthanbefore.
"Listen,mydear—"
Thegypsygavehimseverallittletapswithherprettyhandonhismouth,withachildishmirthandgraceandgayety.
"No,no,Iwillnotlistentoyou.Doyouloveme?Iwantyoutotellmewhetheryouloveme."
"DoIlovethee,angelofmylife!"exclaimedthecaptain,halfkneeling."Mybody,myblood,mysoul,allarethine;allareforthee.Ilovethee,andIhaveneverlovedanyonebutthee."
Thecaptainhadrepeatedthisphrasesomanytimes,inmanysimilarconjunctures,thathedelivereditallinonebreath,withoutcommittingasinglemistake.
Atthispassionatedeclaration,thegypsyraisedtothedirtyceilingwhichservedfortheskiesaglancefullofangelichappiness.
"Oh!"shemurmured,"thisisthemomentwhenoneshoulddie!"
Phoebusfound"themoment"favorableforrobbingherofanotherkiss,whichwenttotorturetheunhappyarchdeaconinhisnook."Die!"
exclaimedtheamorouscaptain,"Whatareyousaying,mylovelyangel?
'Tisatimeforliving,orJupiterisonlyascamp!
Dieatthebeginningofsosweetathing!~Corne–de–boeuf~,whatajest!Itisnotthat.
Listen,mydearSimilar,Esmenarda—Pardon!
youhavesoprodigiouslySaracenanamethatInevercangetitstraight.'Tisathicketwhichstopsmeshort."
"Goodheavens!"saidthepoorgirl,"andIthoughtmynameprettybecauseofitssingularity!Butsinceitdispleasesyou,IwouldthatIwerecalledGoton."
"Ah!donotweepforsuchatrifle,mygracefulmaid!
'tisanametowhichonemustgetaccustomed,thatisall.
WhenIonceknowitbyheart,allwillgosmoothly.
Listenthen,mydearSimilar;Iadoreyoupassionately.
Iloveyousothat'tissimplymiraculous.
Iknowagirlwhoisburstingwithrageoverit—"
Thejealousgirlinterruptedhim:"Who?"
"Whatmattersthattous?"saidPhoebus;"doyouloveme?"
"Oh!"—saidshe.
"Well!thatisall.YoushallseehowIloveyoualso.
MaythegreatdevilNeptunusspearmeifIdonotmakeyouthehappiestwomanintheworld.
Wewillhaveaprettylittlehousesomewhere.
Iwillmakemyarchersparadebeforeyourwindows.
Theyareallmounted,andsetatdefiancethoseofCaptainMignon.
Thereare~voulgiers,cranequiniers~andhand~couleveiniers~*.
IwilltakeyoutothegreatsightsoftheParisiansatthestorehouseofRully.
Eightythousandarmedmen,thirtythousandwhiteharnesses,shortcoatsorcoatsofmail;thesixty–sevenbannersofthetrades;thestandardsoftheparliaments,ofthechamberofaccounts,ofthetreasuryofthegenerals,oftheaidesofthemint;adevilishfinearray,inshort!
IwillconductyoutoseethelionsoftheHôtelduRoi,whicharewildbeasts.Allwomenlovethat."
*Varietiesofthecrossbow.
Forseveralmomentstheyounggirl,absorbedinhercharmingthoughts,wasdreamingtothesoundofhisvoice,withoutlisteningtothesenseofhiswords.
"Oh!howhappyyouwillbe!"continuedthecaptain,andatthesametimehegentlyunbuckledthegypsy'sgirdle.
"Whatareyoudoing?"shesaidquickly.This"actofviolence"hadrousedherfromherrevery.
"Nothing,"repliedPhoebus,"Iwasonlysayingthatyoumustabandonallthisgarboffolly,andthestreetcornerwhenyouarewithme."
"WhenIamwithyou,Phoebus!"saidtheyounggirltenderly.
Shebecamepensiveandsilentoncemore.
Thecaptain,emboldenedbyhergentleness,claspedherwaistwithoutresistance;thenbegansoftlytounlacethepoorchild'scorsage,anddisarrangedhertuckertosuchanextentthatthepantingpriestbeheldthegypsy'sbeautifulshoulderemergefromthegauze,asroundandbrownasthemoonrisingthroughthemistsofthehorizon.
TheyounggirlallowedPhoebustohavehisway.Shedidnotappeartoperceiveit.Theeyeoftheboldcaptainflashed.
Suddenlysheturnedtowardshim,—
"Phoebus,"shesaid,withanexpressionofinfinitelove,"instructmeinthyreligion."
"Myreligion!"exclaimedthecaptain,burstingwithlaughter,"Iinstructyouinmyreligion!~Corneettonnerre~!Whatdoyouwantwithmyreligion?"
"Inorderthatwemaybemarried,"shereplied.
Thecaptain'sfaceassumedanexpressionofmingledsurpriseanddisdain,ofcarelessnessandlibertinepassion.
"Ah,bah!"saidhe,"dopeoplemarry?"
TheBohemianturnedpale,andherheaddroopedsadlyonherbreast.
"Mybeautifullove,"resumedPhoebus,tenderly,"whatnonsenseisthis?Agreatthingismarriage,truly!oneisnonethelesslovingfornothavingspitLatinintoapriest'sshop!"
Whilespeakingthusinhissoftestvoice,heapproachedextremelynearthegypsy;hiscaressinghandsresumedtheirplacearoundhersuppleanddelicatewaist,hiseyeflashedmoreandmore,andeverythingannouncedthatMonsieurPhoebuswasonthevergeofoneofthosemomentswhenJupiterhimselfcommitssomanyfolliesthatHomerisobligedtosummonacloudtohisrescue.
ButDomClaudesaweverything.Thedoorwasmadeofthoroughlyrottencaskstaves,whichleftlargeaperturesforthepassageofhishawklikegaze.
Thisbrown–skinned,broad–shoulderedpriest,hithertocondemnedtotheausterevirginityofthecloister,wasquiveringandboilinginthepresenceofthisnightsceneofloveandvoluptuousness.
Thisyoungandbeautifulgirlgivenoverindisarraytotheardentyoungman,mademeltedleadflowinhis–veins;hiseyesdartedwithsensualjealousybeneathallthoseloosenedpins.
Anyonewhocould,atthatmoment,haveseenthefaceoftheunhappymangluedtothewormeatenbars,wouldhavethoughtthathebeheldthefaceofatigerglaringfromthedepthsofacageatsomejackaldevouringagazelle.
Hiseyeshonelikeacandlethroughthecracksofthedoor.
Allatonce,Phoebus,witharapidgesture,removedthegypsy'sgorgerette.
Thepoorchild,whohadremainedpaleanddreamy,awokewithastart;sherecoiledhastilyfromtheenterprisingofficer,and,castingaglanceatherbareneckandshoulders,red,confused,mutewithshame,shecrossedhertwobeautifularmsonherbreasttoconcealit.
Haditnotbeenfortheflamewhichburnedinhercheeks,atthesightofhersosilentandmotionless,onewouldhave.declaredherastatueofModesty.Hereyeswerelowered.
Butthecaptain'sgesturehadrevealedthemysteriousamuletwhichsheworeaboutherneck.
"Whatisthat?"hesaid,seizingthispretexttoapproachoncemorethebeautifulcreaturewhomhehadjustalarmed.
"Don'ttouchit!"shereplied,quickly,"'tismyguardian.
Itwillmakemefindmyfamilyagain,ifIremainworthytodoso.Oh,leaveme,monsieurlecapitaine!Mymother!Mypoormother!Mymother!Whereartthou?Cometomyrescue!
Havepity,MonsieurPhoebus,givemebackmygorgerette!"
Phoebusretreatedamidsaidinacoldtone,—
"Oh,mademoiselle!Iseeplainlythatyoudonotloveme!"
"Idonotlovehim!"exclaimedtheunhappychild,andatthesametimesheclungtothecaptain,whomshedrewtoaseatbesideher."Idonotlovethee,myPhoebus?
Whatartthousaying,wickedman,tobreakmyheart?Oh,takeme!takeall!dowhatyouwillwithme,Iamthine.Whatmatterstometheamulet!Whatmatterstomemymother!
'TisthouwhoartmymothersinceIlovethee!
Phoebus,mybelovedPhoebus,dostthouseeme?
'TisI.Lookatme;'tisthelittleonewhomthouwiltsurelynotrepulse,whocomes,whocomesherselftoseekthee.
Mysoul,mylife,mybody,myperson,allisonething—whichisthine,mycaptain.Well,no!
Wewillnotmarry,sincethatdispleasesthee;andthen,whatamI?
amiserablegirlofthegutters;whilstthou,myPhoebus,artagentleman.Afinething,truly!Adancerwedanofficer!Iwasmad.
No,Phoebus,no;Iwillbethymistress,thyamusement,thypleasure,whenthouwilt;agirlwhoshallbelongtothee.
Iwasonlymadeforthat,soiled,despised,dishonored,butwhatmattersit?—beloved.
Ishallbetheproudestandthemostjoyousofwomen.
AndwhenIgrowoldorugly,Phoebus,whenIamnolongergoodtoloveyou,youwillsuffermetoserveyoustill.
Otherswillembroiderscarfsforyou;'tisI,theservant,whowillcareforthem.
Youwillletmepolishyourspurs,brushyourdoublet,dustyourriding–boots.
Youwillhavethatpity,willyounot,Phoebus?Meanwhile,takeme!
here,Phoebus,allthisbelongstothee,onlyloveme!Wegypsiesneedonlyairandlove."
Sosaying,shethrewherarmsroundtheofficer'sneck;shelookedupathim,supplicatingly,withabeautifulsmile,andallintears.
Herdelicateneckrubbedagainsthisclothdoubletwithitsroughembroideries.
Shewrithedonherknees,herbeautifulbodyhalfnaked.
TheintoxicatedcaptainpressedhisardentlipstothoselovelyAfricanshoulders.
Theyounggirl,hereyesbentontheceiling,assheleanedbackwards,quivered,allpalpitating,beneaththiskiss.
Allatonce,abovePhoebus'sheadshebeheldanotherhead;agreen,livid,convulsedface,withthelookofalostsoul;nearthisfacewasahandgraspingaponiard.
—Itwasthefaceandhandofthepriest;hehadbrokenthedoorandhewasthere.Phoebuscouldnotseehim.
Theyounggirlremainedmotionless,frozenwithterror,dumb,beneaththatterribleapparition,likeadovewhichshouldraiseitsheadatthemomentwhenthehawkisgazingintohernestwithitsroundeyes.
Shecouldnotevenutteracry.ShesawtheponiarddescenduponPhoebus,andriseagain,reeking.
"Maledictions!"saidthecaptain,andfell.
Shefainted.
Atthemomentwhenhereyesclosed,whenallfeelingvanishedinher,shethoughtthatshefeltatouchoffireimprinteduponherlips,akissmoreburningthanthered–hotironoftheexecutioner.
Whensherecoveredhersenses,shewassurroundedbysoldiersofthewatchtheywerecarryingawaythecaptain,bathedinhisbloodthepriesthaddisappeared;thewindowatthebackoftheroomwhichopenedontheriverwaswideopen;theypickedupacloakwhichtheysupposedtobelongtotheofficerandsheheardthemsayingaroundher,
"'Tisasorceresswhohasstabbedacaptain."
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