English
ThereaderhasprobablynotforgottenthatapartoftheCourdeMiracleswasenclosedbytheancientwallwhichsurroundedthecity,agoodlynumberofwhosetowershadbegun,evenatthatepoch,tofalltoruin.
Oneofthesetowershadbeenconvertedintoapleasureresortbythevagabonds.
Therewasadrain–shopintheundergroundstory,andtherestintheupperstories.
Thiswasthemostlively,andconsequentlythemosthideous,pointofthewholeoutcastden.
Itwasasortofmonstroushive,whichbuzzedtherenightandday.
Atnight,whentheremainderofthebeggarhordeslept,whentherewasnolongerawindowlightedinthedingyfaadesofthePlace,whennotacrywasanylongertobeheardproceedingfromthoseinnumerablefamilies,thoseant–hillsofthieves,ofwenches,andstolenorbastardchildren,themerrytowerwasstillrecognizablebythenoisewhichitmade,bythescarletlightwhich,flashingsimultaneouslyfromtheair–holes,thewindows,thefissuresinthecrackedwalls,escaped,sotospeak,fromitseverypore.
Thecellarthen,wasthedram–shop.ThedescenttoitwasthroughalowdoorandbyastaircaseassteepasaclassicAlexandrine.
Overthedoor,bywayofasigntherehungamarvellousdaub,representingnewsonsanddeadchickens,*withthis,punbelow:~Auxsonneurspourlestrépassés~,—Thewringersforthedead.
*~Solsneufs:pouletstués~.
OneeveningwhenthecurfewwassoundingfromallthebelfriesinParis,thesergeantsofthewatchmighthaveobserved,haditbeengrantedtothemtoentertheformidableCourtofMiracles,thatmoretumultthanusualwasinprogressinthevagabonds'tavern,thatmoredrinkingwasbeingdone,andlouderswearing.
OutsideinthePlace,there,weremanygroupsconversinginlowtones,aswhensomegreatplanisbeingframed,andhereandthereaknavecrouchingdownengagedinsharpeningavillanousironbladeonapaving–stone.
Meanwhile,inthetavernitself,wineandgamingofferedsuchapowerfuldiversiontotheideaswhichoccupiedthevagabonds'lairthatevening,thatitwouldhavebeendifficulttodivinefromtheremarksofthedrinkers,whatwasthematterinhand.
Theymerelyworeagayerairthanwastheirwont,andsomeweaponcouldbeseenglitteringbetweenthelegsofeachofthem,—asickle,anaxe,abigtwo–edgedswordorthehookofanoldhackbut.
Theroom,circularinform,wasveryspacious;butthetablesweresothicklysetandthedrinkerssonumerous,thatallthatthetaverncontained,men,women,benches,beer–jugs,allthatweredrinking,allthatweresleeping,allthatwereplaying,thewell,thelame,seemedpileduppell–mell,withasmuchorderandharmonyasaheapofoystershells.
Therewereafewtallowdipslightedonthetables;buttherealluminaryofthistavern,thatwhichplayedthepartinthisdram–shopofthechandelierofanoperahouse,wasthefire.
Thiscellarwassodampthatthefirewasneverallowedtogoout,eveninmidsummer;animmensechimneywithasculpturedmantel,allbristlingwithheavyironandironsandcookingutensils,withoneofthosehugefiresofmixedwoodandpeatwhichatnight,invillagestreetsmakethereflectionofforgewindowsstandoutsoredontheoppositewalls.
Abigdoggravelyseatedintheasheswasturningaspitloadedwithmeatbeforethecoals.
Greataswastheconfusion,afterthefirstglanceonecoulddistinguishinthatmultitude,threeprincipalgroupswhichthrongedaroundthreepersonagesalreadyknowntothereader.
Oneofthesepersonages,fantasticallyaccoutredinmanyanorientalrag,wasMathiasHungadiSpicali,DukeofEgyptandBohemia.
Theknavewasseatedonatablewithhislegscrossed,andinaloudvoicewasbestowinghisknowledgeofmagic,bothblackandwhite,onmanyagapingfacewhichsurroundedhim.
Anotherrabblepressedclosearoundouroldfriend,thevaliantKingofThunes,armedtotheteeth.
ClopinTrouillefou,withaveryseriousairandinalowvoice,wasregulatingthedistributionofanenormouscaskofarms,whichstoodwideopeninfrontofhimandfromwhencepouredoutinprofusion,axes,swords,bassinets,coatsofmail,broadswords,lance–heads,arrows,andviretons,*likeapplesandgrapesfromahornofplenty.
Everyonetooksomethingfromthecask,oneamorion,anotheralong,straightsword,anotheradaggerwithacross—shapedhilt.
Theverychildrenwerearmingthemselves,andtherewereevencripplesinbowlswho,inarmorandcuirass,madetheirwaybetweenthelegsofthedrinkers,likegreatbeetles.
*Anarrowwithapyramidalheadofironandcopperspiralwings,bywhicharotatorymotionwascommunicated.
Finally,athirdaudience,themostnoisy,themostjovial,andthemostnumerous,encumberedbenchesandtables,inthemidstofwhichharanguedandsworeaflute–likevoice,whichescapedfrombeneathaheavyarmor,completefromcasquetospurs.
Theindividualwhohadthusscrewedawholeoutfituponhisbody,wassohiddenbyhiswarlikeaccoutrementsthatnothingwastobeseenofhispersonsaveanimpertinent,red,snubnose,arosymouth,andboldeyes.
Hisbeltwasfullofdaggersandponiards,ahugeswordonhiship,arustedcross–bowathisleft,andavastjugofwineinfrontofhim,withoutreckoningonhisright,afatwenchwithherbosomuncovered.
Allmouthsaroundhimwerelaughing,cursing,anddrinking.
Addtwentysecondarygroups,thewaiters,maleandfemale,runningwithjugsontheirheads,gamblerssquattingovertaws,merelles,*dice,vachettes,theardentgameoftringlet,quarrelsinonecorner,kissesinanother,andthereaderwillhavesomeideaofthiswholepicture,overwhichflickeredthelightofagreat,flamingfire,whichmadeathousandhugeandgrotesqueshadowsdanceoverthewallsofthedrinkingshop.
*Agameplayedonachecker–boardcontainingthreeconcentricsetsofsquares,withsmallstones.Thegameconsistedingettingthreestonesinarow.
Asforthenoise,itwasliketheinsideofabellatfullpeal.
Thedripping–pan,wherecrackledarainofgrease,filledwithitscontinualsputteringtheintervalsofthesethousanddialogues,whichintermingledfromoneendoftheapartmenttotheother.
Inthemidstofthisuproar,attheextremityofthetavern,onthebenchinsidethechimney,sataphilosophermeditatingwithhisfeetintheashesandhiseyesonthebrands.ItwasPierreGringoire.
"Bequick!makehaste,armyourselves!wesetoutonthemarchinanhour!"saidClopinTrouillefoutohisthieves.
Awenchwashumming,—
"~Bonsoirmonpreetmamere,Lesdernierscouvrentlefeu~."*
*Goodnight,fatherandmother,thelastcoverupthefire.
Twocardplayersweredisputing,—
"Knave!"criedthereddestfacedofthetwo,shakinghisfistattheother;"I'llmarkyouwiththeclub.YoucantaketheplaceofMistigriinthepackofcardsofmonseigneurtheking."
"Ugh!"roaredaNorman,recognizablebyhisnasalaccent;"wearepackedinherelikethesaintsofCaillouville!"
"Mysons,"theDukeofEgyptwassayingtohisaudience,inafalsettovoice,"sorceressesinFrancegotothewitches'sabbathwithoutbroomsticks,orgrease,orsteed,merelybymeansofsomemagicwords.
ThewitchesofItalyalwayshaveabuckwaitingforthemattheirdoor.
Allareboundtogooutthroughthechimney."
Thevoiceoftheyoungscamparmedfromheadtofoot,dominatedtheuproar.
"Hurrah!hurrah!"hewasshouting."Myfirstdayinarmor!Outcast!Iamanoutcast.Givemesomethingtodrink.
Myfriends,mynameisJehanFrolloduMoulin,andIamagentleman.
MyopinionisthatifGodwerea~gendarme~,hewouldturnrobber.
Brothers,weareabouttosetoutonafineexpedition.
Laysiegetothechurch,burstinthedoors,dragoutthebeautifulgirl,saveherfromthejudges,saveherfromthepriests,dismantlethecloister,burnthebishopinhispalace—allthiswewilldoinlesstimethanittakesforaburgomastertoeataspoonfulofsoup.
Ourcauseisjust,wewillplunderNotre–Dameandthatwillbetheendofit.WewillhangQuasimodo.DoyouknowQuasimodo,ladies?
HaveyouseenhimmakehimselfbreathlessonthebigbellonagrandPentecostfestival!~CorneduPre~!'tisveryfine!
Onewouldsayhewasadevilmountedonaman.
Listentome,myfriends;Iamavagabondtothebottomofmyheart,Iamamemberoftheslangthiefganginmysoul,Iwasbornanindependentthief.
Ihavebeenrich,andIhavedevouredallmyproperty.
Mymotherwantedtomakeanofficerofme;myfather,asub–deacon;myaunt,acouncillorofinquests;mygrandmother,prothonotarytotheking;mygreataunt,atreasureroftheshortrobe,—andIhavemademyselfanoutcast.
Isaidthistomyfather,whospithiscurseinmyface;tomymother,whosettoweepingandchattering,pooroldlady,likeyonderfagotontheand–irons.Longlivemirth!IamarealBictre.Waitress,mydear,morewine.Ihavestillthewherewithaltopay.IwantnomoreSurnewine.Itdistressesmythroat.I'daslief,~corboeuf~!garglemythroatwithabasket."
Meanwhile,therabbleapplaudedwithshoutsoflaughter;andseeingthatthetumultwasincreasingaroundhim,thescholarcried,—.
"Oh!whatafinenoise!
~Populidebacchantispopulosadebacchatio~!"
Thenhebegantosing,hiseyeswimminginecstasy,inthetoneofacanonintoningvespers,~Quoecantica!quoeorgana!quoecantilenoe!
quoemeloclioehicsinefinedecantantur!
Sonantmellifluahymnorumorgana,suavissimaangelorummelodia,canticacanticorummira~!
Hebrokeoff:"Tavern–keeperofthedevil,givemesomesupper!"
Therewasamomentofpartialsilence,duringwhichthesharpvoiceoftheDukeofEgyptrose,ashegaveinstructionstohisBohemians.
"TheweaseliscalledAdrune;thefox,Blue–foot,ortheRaceroftheWoods;thewolf,Gray–foot,orGold–foot;thebeartheOldMan,orGrandfather.
Thecapofagnomeconfersinvisibility,andcausesonetobeholdinvisiblethings.
Everytoadthatisbaptizedmustbecladinredorblackvelvet,abellonitsneck,abellonitsfeet.
Thegodfatherholdsitshead,thegodmotheritshinderparts.
'TisthedemonSidragasumwhohaththepowertomakewenchesdancestarknaked."
"Bythemass!"interruptedJehan,"IshouldliketobethedemonSidragasum."
Meanwhile,thevagabondscontinuedtoarmthemselvesandwhisperattheotherendofthedram–shop.
"ThatpoorEsmeralda!"saidaBohemian."Sheisoursister.Shemustbetakenawayfromthere."
"IsshestillatNotre–Dame?"wentonamerchantwiththeappearanceofaJew.
"Yes,pardieu!"
"Well!comrades!"exclaimedthemerchant,"toNotre–Dame!
Somuchthebetter,sincethereareinthechapelofSaintsFéréolandFerrutiontwostatues,theoneofJohntheBaptist,theotherofSaint–Antoine,ofsolidgold,weighingtogethersevenmarksofgoldandfifteenestellins;andthepedestalsareofsilver–gilt,ofseventeenmarks,fiveounces.Iknowthat;Iamagoldsmith."
HeretheyservedJehanwithhissupper.Ashethrewhimselfbackonthebosomofthewenchbesidehim,heexclaimed,—
"BySaintVoult–de–Lucques,whompeoplecallSaintGoguelu,Iamperfectlyhappy.
Ihavebeforemeafoolwhogazesatmewiththesmoothfaceofanarchduke.
Hereisoneonmyleftwhoseteetharesolongthattheyhidehis
chin.Andthen,IamliketheMarshaldeGiéatthesiegeofPontoise,Ihavemyrightrestingonahillock.~Ventre–Mahom~!Comrade!
youhavetheairofamerchantoftennis–balls;andyoucomeandsityourselfbesideme!Iamanobleman,myfriend!Tradeisincompatiblewithnobility.Getoutofthat!Holahé!Youothers,don'tfight!
What,BaptisteCroque–Oison,youwhohavesuchafinenosearegoingtoriskitagainstthebigfistsofthatlout!Fool!
~Noncuiquamdatumesthaberenasum~—noteveryoneisfavoredwithanose.
Youarereallydivine,JacquelineRonge–Oreille!'tisapitythatyouhavenohair!Holá!
mynameisJehanFrollo,andmybrotherisanarchdeacon.Maythedevilflyoffwithhim!AllthatItellyouisthetruth.
Inturningvagabond,Ihavegladlyrenouncedthehalfofahousesituatedinparadise,whichmybrotherhadpromisedme.~Dimidiamdomuminparadiso~.Iquotethetext.
IhaveafiefintheRueTirechappe,andallthewomenareinlovewithme,astrueasSaintEloywasanexcellentgoldsmith,andthatthefivetradesofthegoodcityofParisarethetanners,thetawers,themakersofcross–belts,thepurse–makers,andthesweaters,andthatSaintLaurentwasburntwitheggshells.Isweartoyou,comrades.
"~Quejenebeuvraidepiment,
Devantunan,sijecyment~.*
*ThatIwilldrinknospicedandhoneyedwineforayear,ifIamlyingnow.
"'Tismoonlight,mycharmer;seeyonderthroughthewindowhowthewindistearingthecloudstotatters!EventhuswillIdotoyourgorget.
—Wenches,wipethechildren'snosesandsnuffthecandles.—ChristandMahom!WhatamIeatinghere,Jupiter?Ohé!innkeeper!
thehairwhichisnotontheheadsofyourhussiesonefindsinyouromelettes.Oldwoman!Ilikebaldomelettes.Maythedevilconfoundyou!
—AfinehostelryofBeelzebub,wherethehussiescombtheirheadswiththeforks!
"~Etjen'aimoi,
Parlasang–Dieu!
Nifoi,niloi,Nifeu,nilieu,
Niroi,
NiDieu."*
*AndbythebloodofGod,Ihaveneitherfaithnorlaw,norfirenordwelling–place,norkingnorGod.
Inthemeantime,ClopinTrouillefouhadfinishedthedistributionofarms.HeapproachedGringoire,whoappearedtobeplungedinaprofoundrevery,withhisfeetonanandiron.
"FriendPierre,"saidtheKingofThunes,"whatthedevilareyouthinkingabout?"
Gringoireturnedtohimwithamelancholysmile.
"Ilovethefire,mydearlord.Notforthetrivialreasonthatfirewarmsthefeetorcooksoursoup,butbecauseithassparks.
SometimesIpasswholehoursinwatchingthesparks.
Idiscoverathousandthingsinthosestarswhicharesprinkledovertheblackbackgroundofthehearth.Thosestarsarealsoworlds."
"Thunder,ifIunderstandyou!"saidtheoutcast."Doyouknowwhato'clockitis?"
"Idonotknow,"repliedGringoire.
ClopinapproachedtheDukeofEgypt.
"ComradeMathias,thetimewehavechosenisnotagoodone.KingLouisXI.issaidtobeinParis."
"Anotherreasonforsnatchingoursisterfromhisclaws,"repliedtheoldBohemian.
"Youspeaklikeaman,Mathias,"saidtheKingofThunes."Moreover,wewillactpromptly.
Noresistanceistobefearedinthechurch.
Thecanonsarehares,andweareinforce.
Thepeopleoftheparliamentwillbewellbalkedto–morrowwhentheycometoseekher!
GutsofthepopeIdon'twantthemtohangtheprettygirl!"
Chopinquittedthedram–shop.
Meanwhile,Jehanwasshoutinginahoarsevoice:
"Ieat,Idrink,Iamdrunk,IamJupiter!Eh!Pierre,theSlaughterer,ifyoulookatmelikethatagain,I'llfillipthedustoffyournoseforyou."
Gringoire,tornfromhismeditations,begantowatchthewildandnoisyscenewhichsurroundedhim,mutteringbetweenhisteeth:"~Luxuriosaresvinumettumultuosaebrietas~.Alas!
whatgoodreasonIhavenottodrink,andhowexcellentlyspokeSaint–Benoit:'~Vinumapostatarefacitetiamsapientes!'"
Atthatmoment,Clopinreturnedandshoutedinavoiceofthunder:"Midnight!"
Atthisword,whichproducedtheeffectofthecalltobootandsaddleonaregimentatahalt,alltheoutcasts,men,women,children,rushedinamassfromthetavern,withgreatnoiseofarmsandoldironimplements.
Themoonwasobscured.
TheCourdesMiracleswasentirelydark.Therewasnotasinglelight.
Onecouldmakeoutthereathrongofmenandwomenconversinginlowtones.
Theycouldbeheardbuzzing,andagleamofallsortsofweaponswasvisibleinthedarkness.Clopinmountedalargestone.
"Toyourranks,Argot!"*hecried."Fallintoline,Egypt!Formranks,Galilee!"
*Menofthebrotherhoodofslang:thieves.
Amovementbeganinthedarkness.Theimmensemultitudeappearedtoforminacolumn.Afterafewminutes,theKingofThunesraisedhisvoiceoncemore,—
"Now,silencetomarchthroughParis!Thepasswordis,'Littleswordinpocket!'ThetorcheswillnotbelightedtillwereachNotre–Dame!Forward,march!"
Tenminuteslater,thecavaliersofthewatchfledinterrorbeforealongprocessionofblackandsilentmenwhichwasdescendingtowardsthePontanChange,throughthetortuousstreetswhichpiercetheclose–builtneighborhoodofthemarketsineverydirection.
Share this article to
FINISH