the hunchback of notre dame-第92节

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CHAPTER　III。

LONG　LIVE　MIRTH。



The　reader　has　probably　not　forgotten　that　a　part　of　the　Cour　de　Miracles　was　enclosed　by　the　ancient　wall　which　surrounded　the　city；　a　goodly　number　of　whose　towers　had　begun；　even　at　that　epoch；　to　fall　to　ruin。　　One　of　these　towers　had　been　converted　into　a　pleasure　resort　by　the　vagabonds。　　There　was　a　drain…shop　in　the　underground　story；　and　the　rest　in　the　upper　stories。　　This　was　the　most　lively；　and　consequently　the　most　hideous；　point　of　the　whole　outcast　den。　　It　was　a　sort　of　monstrous　hive；　which　buzzed　there　night　and　day。　At　night；　when　the　remainder　of　the　beggar　horde　slept；　when　there　was　no　longer　a　window　lighted　in　the　dingy　fa？ades　of　the　Place；　when　not　a　cry　was　any　longer　to　be　heard　proceeding　from　those　innumerable　families；　those　ant…hills　of　thieves；　of　wenches；　and　stolen　or　bastard　children；　the　merry　tower　was　still　recognizable　by　the　noise　which　it　made；　by　the　scarlet　light　which；　flashing　simultaneously　from　the　air…holes；　the　windows；　the　fissures　in　the　cracked　walls；　escaped；　so　to　speak；　from　its　every　pore。

The　cellar　then；　was　the　dram…shop。　　The　descent　to　it　was　through　a　low　door　and　by　a　staircase　as　steep　as　a　classic　Alexandrine。　　Over　the　door；　by　way　of　a　sign　there　hung　a　marvellous　daub；　representing　new　sons　and　dead　chickens；*　with　this；　pun　below：　~Aux　sonneurs　pour　les　trépassés~；The　wringers　for　the　dead。


*　　~Sols　neufs：　poulets　tués~。

One　evening　when　the　curfew　was　sounding　from　all　the　belfries　in　Paris；　the　sergeants　of　the　watch　might　have　observed；　had　it　been　granted　to　them　to　enter　the　formidable　Court　of　Miracles；　that　more　tumult　than　usual　was　in　progress　in　the　vagabonds'　tavern；　that　more　drinking　was　being　done；　and　louder　swearing。　　Outside　in　the　Place；　there；　were　many　groups　conversing　in　low　tones；　as　when　some　great　plan　is　being　framed；　and　here　and　there　a　knave　crouching　down　engaged　in　sharpening　a　villanous　iron　blade　on　a　paving…stone。

Meanwhile；　in　the　tavern　itself；　wine　and　gaming　offered　such　a　powerful　diversion　to　the　ideas　which　occupied　the　vagabonds'　lair　that　evening；　that　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　divine　from　the　remarks　of　the　drinkers；　what　was　the　matter　in　hand。　　They　merely　wore　a　gayer　air　than　was　their　wont；　and　some　weapon　could　be　seen　glittering　between　the　legs　of　each　of　them；a　sickle；　an　axe；　a　big　two…edged　sword　or　the　hook　of　an　old　hackbut。

The　room；　circular　in　form；　was　very　spacious；　but　the　tables　were　so　thickly　set　and　the　drinkers　so　numerous；　that　all　that　the　tavern　contained；　men；　women；　benches；　beer…jugs；　all　that　were　drinking；　all　that　were　sleeping；　all　that　were　playing；　the　well；　the　lame；　seemed　piled　up　pell…mell；　with　as　much　order　and　harmony　as　a　heap　of　oyster　shells。　　There　were　a　few　tallow　dips　lighted　on　the　tables；　but　the　real　luminary　of　this　tavern；　that　which　played　the　part　in　this　dram…shop　of　the　chandelier　of　an　opera　house；　was　the　fire。　This　cellar　was　so　damp　that　the　fire　was　never　allowed　to　go　out；　even　in　midsummer；　an　immense　chimney　with　a　sculptured　mantel；　all　bristling　with　heavy　iron　andirons　and　cooking　utensils；　with　one　of　those　huge　fires　of　mixed　wood　and　peat　which　at　night；　in　village　streets　make　the　reflection　of　forge　windows　stand　out　so　red　on　the　opposite　walls。　　A　big　dog　gravely　seated　in　the　ashes　was　turning　a　spit　loaded　with　meat　before　the　coals。

Great　as　was　the　confusion；　after　the　first　glance　one　could　distinguish　in　that　multitude；　three　principal　groups　which　thronged　around　three　personages　already　known　to　the　reader。　One　of　these　personages；　fantastically　accoutred　in　many　an　oriental　rag；　was　Mathias　Hungadi　Spicali；　Duke　of　Egypt　and　Bohemia。　　The　knave　was　seated　on　a　table　with　his　legs　crossed；　and　in　a　loud　voice　was　bestowing　his　knowledge　of　magic；　both　black　and　white；　on　many　a　gaping　face　which　surrounded　him。　　Another　rabble　pressed　close　around　our　old　friend；　the　valiant　King　of　Thunes；　armed　to　the　teeth。　Clopin　Trouillefou；　with　a　very　serious　air　and　in　a　low　voice；　was　regulating　the　distribution　of　an　enormous　cask　of　arms；　which　stood　wide　open　in　front　of　him　and　from　whence　poured　out　in　profusion；　axes；　swords；　bassinets；　coats　of　mail；　broadswords；　lance…heads；　arrows；　and　viretons；*　like　apples　and　grapes　from　a　horn　of　plenty。　　Every　one　took　something　from　the　cask；　one　a　morion；　another　a　long；　straight　sword；　another　a　dagger　with　a　crossshaped　hilt。　　The　very　children　were　arming　themselves；　and　there　were　even　cripples　in　bowls　who；　in　armor　and　cuirass；　made　their　way　between　the　legs　of　the　drinkers；　like　great　beetles。


*　　An　arrow　with　a　pyramidal　head　of　iron　and　copper　spiral　wings；　by　which　a　rotatory　motion　was　communicated。


Finally；　a　third　audience；　the　most　noisy；　the　most　jovial；　and　the　most　numerous；　encumbered　benches　and　tables；　in　the　midst　of　which　harangued　and　swore　a　flute…like　voice；　which　escaped　from　beneath　a　heavy　armor；　complete　from　casque　to　spurs。　　The　individual　who　had　thus　screwed　a　whole　outfit　upon　his　body；　was　so　hidden　by　his　warlike　accoutrements　that　nothing　was　to　be　seen　of　his　person　save　an　impertinent；　red；　snub　nose；　a　rosy　mouth；　and　bold　eyes。　　His　belt　was　full　of　daggers　and　poniards；　a　huge　sword　on　his　hip；　a　rusted　cross…bow　at　his　left；　and　a　vast　jug　of　wine　in　front　of　him；　without　reckoning　on　his　right；　a　fat　wench　with　her　bosom　uncovered。　　All　mouths　around　him　were　laughing；　cursing；　and　drinking。

Add　twenty　secondary　groups；　the　waiters；　male　and　female；　running　with　jugs　on　their　heads；　gamblers　squatting　over　taws；　merelles；*　dice；　vachettes；　the　ardent　game　of　tringlet；　quarrels　in　one　corner；　kisses　in　another；　and　the　reader　will　have　some　idea　of　this　whole　picture；　over　which　flickered　the　light　of　a　great；　flaming　fire；　which　made　a　thousand　huge　and　grotesque　shadows　dance　over　the　walls　of　the　drinking　shop。


*　　A　game　played　on　a　checker…board　containing　three　concentric　sets　of　squares；　with　small　stones。　　The　game　consisted　in　getting　three　stones　in　a　row。


As　for　the　noise；　it　was　like　the　inside　of　a　bell　at　full　peal。

The　dripping…pan；　where　crackled　a　rain　of　grease；　filled　with　its　continual　sputtering　the　intervals　of　these　thousand　dialogues；　which　intermingled　from　one　end　of　the　apartment　to　the　other。

In　the　midst　of　this　uproar；　at　the　extremity　of　the　tavern；　on　the　bench　inside　the　chimney；　sat　a　philosopher　meditating　with　his　feet　in　the　ashes　and　his　eyes　on　the　brands。　　It　was　Pierre　Gringoire。

〃Be　quick！　　make　haste；　arm　yourselves！　we　set　out　on　the　march　in　an　hour！〃　said　Clopin　Trouillefou　to　his　thieves。

A　wench　was　humming；

　　　　　　　　　〃~Bonsoir　mon　père　et　ma　mere；　　　　　　　　　　Les　derniers　couvrent　le　feu~。〃*


*　Good　night；　father　and　mother；　the　last　cover　up　the　fire。


Two　card　players　were　disputing；

〃Knave！〃　cried　the　reddest　faced　of　the　two；　shaking　his　fist　at　the　other；　〃I'll　mark　you　with　the　club。　　You　can　take　the　place　of　Mistigri　in　the　pack　of　cards　of　monseigneur　the　king。〃

〃Ugh！〃　roared　a　Norman；　recognizable　by　his　nasal　accent；　〃we　are　packed　in　here　like　the　saints　of　Caillouville！〃

〃My　sons；〃　the　Duke　of　Egypt　was　saying　to　his　audience；　in　a　falsetto　voice；　〃sorceresses　in　France　go　to　the　witches'　sabbath　without　broomsticks；　or　grease；　or　steed；　merely　by　means　of　some　magic　words。　　The　witches　of　Italy　always　have　a　buck　waiting　for　them　at　their　door。　　All　are　bound　to　go　out　through　the　chimney。〃

The　voice　of　the　young　scamp　armed　from　head　to　foot；　dominated　the　uproar。

〃Hurrah！　hurrah！〃　he　was　shouting。　　〃My　first　day　in　armor！　　Outcast！　　I　am　an　outcast。　　Give　me　something　to　drink。　　My　friends；　my　name　is　Jehan　Frollo　du　Moulin；　and　I　am　a　gentleman。　　My　opinion　is　that　if　God　were　a　~gendarme~；　he　would　turn　robber。　　Brothers；　we　are　about　to　set　out　on　a　fine　expedition。　　Lay　siege　to　the　church；　burst　in　the　doors；　drag　out　the　beautiful　girl；　save　her　from　the　judges；　save　her　from　the　priests；　dismantle　the　cloister；　burn　the　bishop　in　his　palaceall　this　we　will　do　in　less　time　than　it　takes　for　a　burgomaster　to　eat　a　spoonful　of　soup。　　Our　cause　is　just；　we　will　plunder　Notre…Dame　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　it。　　We　will　hang　Quasimodo。　　Do　you　know　Quasimodo；　ladies？　　Have　you　seen　him　make　himself　breathless　on　the　big　bell　on　a　grand　Pentecost　festival！　　~Corne　du　Père~！　　'tis　very　fine！　　One　would　say　he　was　a　devil　mounted　on　a　man。　　Listen　to　me；　my　friends；　I　am　a　vagabond　to　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　I　am　a　member　of　the　slang　thief　gang　in　my　soul；　I　was　born　an　independent　thief。　　I　have　been　rich；　and　I　have　devoured　all　my　property。　　My　mother　wanted　to　make　an　officer　of　me；　my　father；　a　sub…deacon；　my　aunt；　a　councillor　of　inquests；　my　grandmother；　prothonotary　to　the　king；　my　great　aunt；　a　treasurer　of　the　short　robe；and　I　have　made　myself　an　outcast。　　I　said　this　to　my　father；　who　spit　his　curse　in　my　face；　to　my　mother；　who　set　to　weeping　and　chattering；　poor　old　lady；　like　yonder　fagot　on　the　and…irons。　　Long　live　mirth！　　I　am　a　real　Bicêtre。　　Waitress；　my　dear；　more　wine。　　I　have　still　the　wherewithal　to　pay。　　I　want　no　more　Surène　wine。　　It