the hunchback of notre dame-第86部分

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gn　tranquillizer。　　The　solemn　lines　of　that　architecture；　the　religious　attitude　of　all　the　objects　which　surrounded　the　young　girl；　the　serene　and　pious　thoughts　which　emanated；　so　to　speak；　from　all　the　pores　of　that　stone；　acted　upon　her　without　her　being　aware　of　it。　The　edifice　had　also　sounds　fraught　with　such　benediction　and　such　majesty；　that　they　soothed　this　ailing　soul。　　The　monotonous　chanting　of　the　celebrants；　the　responses　of　the　people　to　the　priest；　sometimes　inarticulate；　sometimes　thunderous；　the　harmonious　trembling　of　the　painted　windows；　the　organ；　bursting　forth　like　a　hundred　trumpets；　the　three　belfries；　humming　like　hives　of　huge　bees；　that　whole　orchestra　on　which　bounded　a　gigantic　scale；　ascending；　descending　incessantly　from　the　voice　of　a　throng　to　that　of　one　bell；　dulled　her　memory；　her　imagination；　her　grief。　　The　bells；　in　particular；　lulled　her。　　It　was　something　like　a　powerful　magnetism　which　those　vast　instruments　shed　over　her　in　great　waves。

Thus　every　sunrise　found　her　more　calm；　breathing　better；　less　pale。　　In　proportion　as　her　inward　wounds　closed；　her　grace　and　beauty　blossomed　once　more　on　her　countenance；　but　more　thoughtful；　more　reposeful。　　Her　former　character　also　returned　to　her；　somewhat　even　of　her　gayety；　her　pretty　pout；　her　love　for　her　goat；　her　love　for　singing；　her　modesty。　She　took　care　to　dress　herself　in　the　morning　in　the　corner　of　her　cell　for　fear　some　inhabitants　of　the　neighboring　attics　might　see　her　through　the　window。

When　the　thought　of　Phoebus　left　her　time；　the　gypsy　sometimes　thought　of　Quasimodo。　　He　was　the　sole　bond；　the　sole　connection；　the　sole　communication　which　remained　to　her　with　men；　with　the　living。　　Unfortunate　girl！　she　was　more　outside　the　world　than　Quasimodo。　　She　understood　not　in　the　least　the　strange　friend　whom　chance　had　given　her。　She　often　reproached　herself　for　not　feeling　a　gratitude　which　should　close　her　eyes；　but　decidedly；　she　could　not　accustom　herself　to　the　poor　bellringer。　　He　was　too　ugly。

She　had　left　the　whistle　which　he　had　given　her　lying　on　the　ground。　　This　did　not　prevent　Quasimodo　from　making　his　appearance　from　time　to　time　during　the　first　few　days。　　She　did　her　best　not　to　turn　aside　with　too　much　repugnance　when　he　came　to　bring　her　her　basket　of　provisions　or　her　jug　of　water；　but　he　always　perceived　the　slightest　movement　of　this　sort；　and　then　he　withdrew　sadly。

Once　he　came　at　the　moment　when　she　was　caressing　Djali。　　He　stood　pensively　for　several　minutes　before　this　graceful　group　of　the　goat　and　the　gypsy；　at　last　he　said；　shaking　his　heavy　and　ill…formed　head；

〃My　misfortune　is　that　I　still　resemble　a　man　too　much。　　I　should　like　to　be　wholly　a　beast　like　that　goat。〃

She　gazed　at　him　in　amazement。

He　replied　to　the　glance；

〃Oh！　　I　well　know　why；〃　and　he　went　away。

On　another　occasion　he　presented　himself　at　the　door　of　the　cell　（which　he　never　entered）　at　the　moment　when　la　Esmeralda　was　singing　an　old　Spanish　ballad；　the　words　of　which　she　did　not　understand；　but　which　had　lingered　in　her　ear　because　the　gypsy　women　had　lulled　her　to　sleep　with　it　when　she　was　a　little　child。　　At　the　sight　of　that　villanous　form　which　made　its　appearance　so　abruptly　in　the　middle　of　her　song；　the　young　girl　paused　with　an　involuntary　gesture　of　alarm。　　The　unhappy　bellringer　fell　upon　his　knees　on　the　threshold；　and　clasped　his　large；　misshapen　hands　with　a　suppliant　air。　　〃Oh！〃　he　said；　sorrowfully；　〃continue；　I　implore　you；　and　do　not　drive　me　away。〃　　She　did　not　wish　to　pain　him；　and　resumed　her　lay；　trembling　all　over。　　By　degrees；　however；　her　terror　disappeared；　and　she　yielded　herself　wholly　to　the　slow　and　melancholy　air　which　she　was　singing。　He　remained　on　his　knees　with　hands　clasped；　as　in　prayer；　attentive；　hardly　breathing；　his　gaze　riveted　upon　the　gypsy's　brilliant　eyes。

On　another　occasion；　he　came　to　her　with　an　awkward　and　timid　air。　　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　with　an　effort；　〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃　　She　made　him　a　sign　that　she　was　listening。　　Then　he　began　to　sigh；　half　opened　his　lips；　appeared　for　a　moment　to　be　on　the　point　of　speaking；　then　he　looked　at　her　again；　shook　his　head；　and　withdrew　slowly；　with　his　brow　in　his　hand；　leaving　the　gypsy　stupefied。　Among　the　grotesque　personages　sculptured　on　the　wall；　there　was　one　to　whom　he　was　particularly　attached；　and　with　which　he　often　seemed　to　exchange　fraternal　glances。　Once　the　gypsy　heard　him　saying　to　it；

〃Oh！　why　am　not　I　of　stone；　like　you！〃

At　last；　one　morning；　la　Esmeralda　had　advanced　to　the　edge　of　the　roof；　and　was　looking　into　the　Place　over　the　pointed　roof　of　Saint…Jean　le　Rond。　　Quasimodo　was　standing　behind　her。　　He　had　placed　himself　in　that　position　in　order　to　spare　the　young　girl；　as　far　as　possible；　the　displeasure　of　seeing　him。　　All　at　once　the　gypsy　started；　a　tear　and　a　flash　of　joy　gleamed　simultaneously　in　her　eyes；　she　knelt　on　the　brink　of　the　roof　and　extended　her　arms　towards　the　Place　with　anguish；　exclaiming：　〃Phoebus！　come！　come！　a　word；　a　single　word　in　the　name　of　heaven！　　Phoebus！　Phoebus！〃　　Her　voice；　her　face；　her　gesture；　her　whole　person　bore　the　heartrending　expression　of　a　shipwrecked　man　who　is　making　a　signal　of　distress　to　the　joyous　vessel　which　is　passing　afar　off　in　a　ray　of　sunlight　on　the　horizon。

Quasimodo　leaned　over　the　Place；　and　saw　that　the　object　of　this　tender　and　agonizing　prayer　was　a　young　man；　a　captain；　a　handsome　cavalier　all　glittering　with　arms　and　decorations；　prancing　across　the　end　of　the　Place；　and　saluting　with　his　plume　a　beautiful　lady　who　was　smiling　at　him　from　her　balcony。　　However；　the　officer　did　not　hear　the　unhappy　girl　calling　him；　he　was　too　far　away。

But　the　poor　deaf　man　heard。　　A　profound　sigh　heaved　his　breast；　he　turned　round；　his　heart　was　swollen　with　all　the　tears　which　he　was　swallowing；　his　convulsively…clenched　fists　struck　against　his　head；　and　when　he　withdrew　them　there　was　a　bunch　of　red　hair　in　each　hand。

The　gypsy　paid　no　heed　to　him。　　He　said　in　a　low　voice　as　he　gnashed　his　teeth；

〃Damnation！　　That　is　what　one　should　be　like！　　'Tis　only　necessary　to　be　handsome　on　the　outside！〃

Meanwhile；　she　remained　kneeling；　and　cried　with　extraor…　dinary　agitation；　〃Oh！　there　he　is　alighting　from　his　horse！　　He　is　about　to　enter　that　house！Phoebus！He　does　not　hear　me！　　Phoebus！How　wicked　that　woman　is　to　speak　to　him　at　the　same　time　with　me！　　Phoebus！　　Phoebus！〃

The　deaf　man　gazed　at　her。　　He　understood　this　pantomime。　The　poor　bellringer's　eye　filled　with　tears；　but　he　let　none　fall。　　All　at　once　he　pulled　her　gently　by　the　border　of　her　sleeve。　　She　turned　round。　　He　had　assumed　a　tranquil　air；　he　said　to　her；

〃Would　you　like　to　have　me　bring　him　to　you？〃

She　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。

〃Oh！　go！　hasten！　run！　quick！　that　captain！　that　captain！　bring　him　to　me！　　I　will　love　you　for　it！〃

She　clasped　his　knees。　　He　could　not　refrain　from　shaking　his　head　sadly。

〃I　will　bring　him　to　you；〃　he　said；　in　a　weak　voice。　　Then　he　turned　his　head　and　plunged　down　the　staircase　with　great　strides；　stifling　with　sobs。

When　he　reached　the　Place；　he　no　longer　saw　anything　except　the　handsome　horse　hitched　at　the　door　of　the　Gondelaurier　house；　the　captain　had　just　entered　there。

He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　roof　of　the　church。　　La　Esmeralda　was　there　in　the　same　spot；　in　the　same　attitude。　　He　made　her　a　sad　sign　with　his　head；　then　he　planted　his　back　against　one　of　the　stone　posts　of　the　Gondelaurier　porch；　determined　to　wait　until　the　captain　should　come　forth。

In　the　Gondelaurier　house　it　was　one　of　those　gala　days　which　precede　a　wedding。　　Quasimodo　beheld　many　people　enter；　but　no　one　come　out。　　He　cast　a　glance　towards　the　roof　from　time　to　time；　the　gypsy　did　not　stir　any　more　than　himself。　　A　groom　came　and　unhitched　the　horse　and　led　it　to　the　stable　of　the　house。

The　entire　day　passed　thus；　Quasimodo　at　his　post；　la　Esmeralda　on　the　roof；　Phoebus；　no　doubt；　at　the　feet　of　Fleur…de…Lys。

At　length　night　came；　a　moonless　night；　a　dark　night。　Quasimodo　fixed　his　gaze　in　vain　upon　la　Esmeralda；　soon　she　was　no　more　than　a　whiteness　amid　the　twilight；　then　nothing。　　All　was　effaced；　all　was　black。

Quasimodo　beheld　the　front　windows　from　top　to　bottom　of　the　Gondelaurier　mansion　illuminated；　he　saw　the　other　casements　in　the　Place　lighted　one　by　one；　he　also　saw　them　extinguished　to　the　very　last；　for　he　remained　the　whole　evening　at　his　post。　　The　officer　did　not　come　forth。　　When　the　last　passers…by　had　returned　home；　when　the　windows　of　all　the　other　houses　were　extinguished；　Quasimodo　was　left　entirely　alone；　entirely　in　the　dark。　　There　were　at　that　time　no　lamps　in　the　square　before　Notre…Dame。

Meanwhile；　the　windows　of　the　Gondelaurier　mansion　remained　lighted；　even　after　midnight。　　Quasimodo；　motionless　and　attentive；　beheld　a　throng　of　lively；　dancing　shadows　pass　athwart　the　many…colored　painted　panes。　　Had　he　not　been　deaf；　he　would　have　heard　more　and　more　distinctly；　in　proportion　as　the　noise　of　sleeping　Paris　died　away；　a　sound　of　feasting；　laughter；　and　music　in　the　Gondelaurier　mansion。

Towards　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　guests　began　to　take　their　leave。　　Quasimodo；