English
Thereaderwill,perhaps,recallthecriticalsituationinwhichweleftQuasimodo.
Thebravedeafman,assailedonallsides,hadlost,ifnotallcourage,atleastallhopeofsaving,nothimself(hewasnotthinkingofhimself),butthegypsy.Herandistractedlyalongthegallery.
Notre–Damewasonthepointofbeingtakenbystormbytheoutcasts.
Allatonce,agreatgallopingofhorsesfilledtheneighboringstreets,and,withalongfileoftorchesandathickcolumnofcavaliers,withfreereinsandlancesinrest,thesefurioussoundsdebouchedonthePlacelikeahurricane,—
"France!France!cutdownthelouts!Châteauperstotherescue!Provostship!Provostship!"
Thefrightenedvagabondswheeledround.
Quasimodowhodidnothear,sawthenakedswords,thetorches,theironsofthepikes,allthatcavalry,attheheadofwhichherecognizedCaptainPhoebus;hebeheldtheconfusionoftheoutcasts,theterrorofsome,thedisturbanceamongthebravestofthem,andfromthisunexpectedsuccorherecoveredsomuchstrength,thathehurledfromthechurchthefirstassailantswhowerealreadyclimbingintothegallery.
Itwas,infact,theking'stroopswhohadarrived.Thevagabondsbehavedbravely.
Theydefendedthemselveslikedesperatemen.
Caughtontheflank,bytheRueSaint–Pierre–aux–Boeufs,andintherearthroughtheRueduParvis,driventobayagainstNotre–Dame,whichtheystillassailedandQuasimododefended,atthesametimebesiegersandbesieged,theywereinthesingularsituationinwhichComteHenriHarcourt,~Taurinumobsessoridemetobsessus~,ashisepitaphsays,foundhimselflateron,atthefamoussiegeofTurin,in1640,betweenPrinceThomasofSavoy,whomhewasbesieging,andtheMarquisdeLeganez,whowasblockadinghim.
Thebattlewasfrightful.Therewasadog'stoothforwolf'sflesh,asP.Mathieusays.
Theking'scavaliers,inwhosemidstPhoebusdeChâteaupersborehimselfvaliantly,gavenoquarter,andtheslashofthesworddisposedofthosewhoescapedthethrustofthelance.
Theoutcasts,badlyarmedfoamedandbitwithrage.
Men,women,children,hurledthemselvesonthecruppersandthebreastsofthehorses,andhungtherelikecats,withteeth,fingernailsandtoenails.
Othersstruckthearchers'inthefacewiththeirtorches.
Othersthrustironhooksintothenecksofthecavaliersanddraggedthemdown.Theyslashedinpiecesthosewhofell.
Onewasnoticedwhohadalarge,glitteringscythe,andwho,foralongtime,mowedthelegsofthehorses.Hewasfrightful.
Hewassingingaditty,withanasalintonation,heswunganddrewbackhisscytheincessantly.
Ateveryblowhetracedaroundhimagreatcircleofseveredlimbs.
Headvancedthusintotheverythickestofthecavalry,withthetranquilslowness,thelollingoftheheadandtheregularbreathingofaharvesterattackingafieldofwheat.ItwasChopinTrouillefou.Ashotfromanarquebuslaidhimlow.
Inthemeantime,windowshadbeenopenedagain.
Theneighborshearingthewarcriesoftheking'stroops,hadmingledintheaffray,andbulletsrainedupontheoutcastsfromeverystory.
TheParviswasfilledwithathicksmoke,whichthemusketrystreakedwithflame.
ThroughitonecouldconfusedlydistinguishthefrontofNotre–Dame,andthedecrepitHôtel–Dieuwithsomewaninvalidsgazingdownfromtheheightsofitsroofallcheckeredwithdormerwindows.
Atlengththevagabondsgaveway.Weariness,thelackofgoodweapons,thefrightofthissurprise,themusketryfromthewindows,thevaliantattackoftheking'stroops,alloverwhelmedthem.
Theyforcedthelineofassailants,andfledineverydirection,leavingtheParvisencumberedwithdead.
WhenQuasimodo,whohadnotceasedtofightforamoment,beheldthisrout,hefellonhiskneesandraisedhishandstoheaven;then,intoxicatedwithjoy,heran,heascendedwiththeswiftnessofabirdtothatcell,theapproachestowhichhehadsointrepidlydefended.
Hehadbutonethoughtnow;itwastokneelbeforeherwhomhehadjustsavedforthesecondtime.
Whenheenteredthecell,hefounditempty.
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