Onthefollowingmorning,sheperceivedonawaking,thatshehadbeenasleep.Thissingularthingastonishedher. Shehadbeensolongunaccustomedtosleep! Ajoyousrayoftherisingsunenteredthroughherwindowandtouchedherface. Atthesametimewiththesun,shebeheldatthatwindowanobjectwhichfrightenedher,theunfortunatefaceofQuasimodo. Sheinvoluntarilyclosedhereyesagain,butinvain;shefanciedthatshestillsawthroughtherosylidsthatgnome'smask,one–eyedandgap–toothed. Then,whileshestillkepthereyesclosed,sheheardaroughvoicesaying,verygently,— "Benotafraid.Iamyourfriend.Icametowatchyousleep. ItdoesnothurtyouifIcometoseeyousleep,doesit? WhatdifferencedoesitmaketoyouifIamherewhenyoureyesareclosed!NowIamgoing. Stay,Ihaveplacedmyselfbehindthewall.Youcanopenyoureyesagain." Therewassomethingmoreplaintivethanthesewords,andthatwastheaccentinwhichtheywereuttered. Thegypsy,muchtouched,openedhereyes. Hewas,infact,nolongeratthewindow. Sheapproachedtheopening,andbeheldthepoorhunchbackcrouchinginanangleofthewall,inasadandresignedattitude. Shemadeanefforttosurmounttherepugnancewithwhichheinspiredher."Come,"shesaidtohimgently. Fromthemovementofthegypsy'slips,Quasimodothoughtthatshewasdrivinghimaway;thenheroseandretiredlimping,slowly,withdroopinghead,withoutevendaringtoraisetotheyounggirlhisgazefullofdespair. "Docome,"shecried,buthecontinuedtoretreat. Thenshedartedfromhercell,rantohim,andgraspedhisarm. Onfeelinghertouchhim,Quasimodotrembledineverylimb. Heraisedhissupplianteye,andseeingthatshewasleadinghimbacktoherquarters,hiswholefacebeamedwithjoyandtenderness. Shetriedtomakehimenterthecell;buthepersistedinremainingonthethreshold. "No,no,"saidhe;"theowlentersnotthenestofthelark." Thenshecroucheddowngracefullyonhercouch,withhergoatasleepatherfeet. Bothremainedmotionlessforseveralmoments,consideringinsilence,shesomuchgrace,hesomuchugliness. EverymomentshediscoveredsomefreshdeformityinQuasimodo. Herglancetravelledfromhisknockkneestohishumpedback,fromhishumpedbacktohisonlyeye. Shecouldnotcomprehendtheexistenceofabeingsoawkwardlyfashioned. Yettherewassomuchsadnessandsomuchgentlenessspreadoverallthis,thatshebegantobecomereconciledtoit. Hewasthefirsttobreakthesilence."Soyouweretellingmetoreturn?" Shemadeanaffirmativesignofthehead,andsaid,"Yes." Heunderstoodthemotionofthehead."Alas!"hesaid,asthoughhesitatingwhethertofinish,"Iam—Iamdeaf." "Poorman!"exclaimedtheBohemian,withanexpressionofkindlypity. "YouthinkthatthatwasallthatIlacked,doyounot?Yes,Iamdeaf,thatisthewayIammade.'Tishorrible,isitnot?Youaresobeautiful!" Therelayintheaccentsofthewretchedmansoprofoundaconsciousnessofhismisery,thatshehadnotthestrengthtosayaword.Besides,hewouldnothaveheardher.Hewenton,— "NeverhaveIseenmyuglinessasatthepresentmoment. WhenIcomparemyselftoyou,Ifeelaverygreatpityformyself,poorunhappymonsterthatIam! Tellme,Imustlooktoyoulikeabeast. You,youarearayofsunshine,adropofdew,thesongofabird! Iamsomethingfrightful,neithermannoranimal,Iknownotwhat,harder,moretrampledunderfoot,andmoreunshapelythanapebblestone!" Thenhebegantolaugh,andthatlaughwasthemostheartbreakingthingintheworld.Hecontinued,— "Yes,Iamdeaf;butyoushalltalktomebygestures,bysigns. Ihaveamasterwhotalkswithmeinthatway. Andthen,Ishallverysoonknowyourwishfromthemovementofyourlips,fromyourlook." "Well!"sheinterposedwithasmile,"tellmewhyyousavedme." Hewatchedherattentivelywhileshewasspeaking. "Iunderstand,"hereplied."YouaskmewhyIsavedyou. Youhaveforgottenawretchwhotriedtoabductyouonenight,awretchtowhomyourenderedsuccoronthefollowingdayontheirinfamouspillory. Adropofwaterandalittlepity,—thatismorethanIcanrepaywithmylife. Youhaveforgottenthatwretch;butheremembersit." Shelistenedtohimwithprofoundtenderness.Atearswamintheeyeofthebellringer,butdidnotfall.Heseemedtomakeitasortofpointofhonortoretainit. "Listen,"heresumed,whenhewasnolongerafraidthatthetearwouldescape;"ourtowershereareveryhigh,amanwhoshouldfallfromthemwouldbedeadbeforetouchingthepavement;whenitshallpleaseyoutohavemefall,youwillnothavetoutterevenaword,aglancewillsuffice." Thenherose.UnhappyaswastheBohemian,thiseccentricbeingstillarousedsomecompassioninher.Shemadehimasigntoremain. "No,no,"saidhe;"Imustnotremaintoolong.Iamnotatmyease. Itisoutofpitythatyoudonotturnawayyoureyes. IshallgotosomeplacewhereIcanseeyouwithoutyourseeingme:itwillbebetterso." Hedrewfromhispocketalittlemetalwhistle. "Here,"saidhe,"whenyouhaveneedofme,whenyouwishmetocome,whenyouwillnotfeeltooranchhorroratthesightofme,usethiswhistle.Icanhearthissound." Helaidthewhistleonthefloorandfled. 
