the hunchback of notre dame-第115章

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　smiling　countenance；　with　which　the　reader　is　already　acquainted。

The　king　surveyed　them　for　a　moment　without　uttering　a　word；　then　addressing　the　first　one　abruptly；

〃What's　your　name？〃

〃Gieffroy　Pincebourde。〃

〃Your　trade。〃

〃Outcast。〃

〃What　were　you　going　to　do　in　this　damnable　sedition？〃　The　outcast　stared　at　the　king；　and　swung　his　arms　with　a　stupid　air。

He　had　one　of　those　awkwardly　shaped　heads　where　intelligence　is　about　as　much　at　its　ease　as　a　light　beneath　an　extinguisher。

〃I　know　not；〃　said　he。　　〃They　went；　I　went。〃

〃Were　you　not　going　to　outrageously　attack　and　pillage　your　lord；　the　bailiff　of　the　palace？〃

〃I　know　that　they　were　going　to　take　something　from　some　one。　That　is　all。〃

A　soldier　pointed　out　to　the　king　a　billhook　which　he　had　seized　on　the　person　of　the　vagabond。

〃Do　you　recognize　this　weapon？〃　demanded　the　king。

〃Yes；　'tis　my　billhook；　I　am　a　vine…dresser。〃

〃And　do　you　recognize　this　man　as　your　companion？〃　added　Louis　XI。；　pointing　to　the　other　prisoner。

〃No；　I　do　not　know　him。〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　king；　making　a　sign　with　his　finger　to　the　silent　personage　who　stood　motionless　beside　the　door；　to　whom　we　have　already　called　the　reader's　attention。

〃Gossip　Tristan；　here　is　a　man　for　you。〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　bowed。　　He　gave　an　order　in　a　low　voice　to　two　archers；　who　led　away　the　poor　vagabond。

In　the　meantime；　the　king　had　approached　the　second　prisoner；　who　was　perspiring　in　great　drops：　〃Your　name？〃

〃Sire；　Pierre　Gringoire。〃

〃Your　trade？〃

〃Philosopher；　sire。〃

〃How　do　you　permit　yourself；　knave；　to　go　and　besiege　our　friend；　monsieur　the　bailiff　of　the　palace；　and　what　have　you　to　say　concerning　this　popular　agitation？〃

〃Sire；　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

〃Come；　now！　　you　wanton　wretch；　were　not　you　apprehended　by　the　watch　in　that　bad　company？〃

〃No；　sire；　there　is　a　mistake。　　'Tis　a　fatality。　　I　make　tragedies。　　Sire；　I　entreat　your　majesty　to　listen　to　me。　　I　am　a　poet。　　'Tis　the　melancholy　way　of　men　of　my　profession　to　roam　the　streets　by　night。　　I　was　passing　there。　　It　was　mere　chance。　　I　was　unjustly　arrested；　I　am　innocent　of　this　civil　tempest。　　Your　majesty　sees　that　the　vagabond　did　not　recognize　me。　　I　conjure　your　majesty〃

〃Hold　your　tongue！〃　said　the　king；　between　two　swallows　of　his　ptisan。　　〃You　split　our　head！〃

Tristan　l'Hermite　advanced　and　pointing　to　Gringoire；

〃Sire；　can　this　one　be　hanged　also？〃

This　was　the　first　word　that　he　had　uttered。

〃Phew！〃　replied　the　king；　〃I　see　no　objection。〃

〃I　see　a　great　many！〃　said　Gringoire。

At　that　moment；　our　philosopher　was　greener　than　an　olive。　He　perceived　from　the　king's　cold　and　indifferent　mien　that　there　was　no　other　resource　than　something　very　pathetic；　and　he　flung　himself　at　the　feet　of　Louis　XI。；　exclaiming；　with　gestures　of　despair：

〃Sire！　will　your　majesty　deign　to　hear　me。　　Sire！　break　not　in　thunder　over　so　small　a　thing　as　myself。　　God's　great　lightning　doth　not　bombard　a　lettuce。　　Sire；　you　are　an　august　and；　very　puissant　monarch；　have　pity　on　a　poor　man　who　is　honest；　and　who　would　find　it　more　difficult　to　stir　up　a　revolt　than　a　cake　of　ice　would　to　give　out　a　spark！　　Very　gracious　sire；　kindness　is　the　virtue　of　a　lion　and　a　king。　Alas！　rigor　only　frightens　minds；　the　impetuous　gusts　of　the　north　wind　do　not　make　the　traveller　lay　aside　his　cloak；　the　sun；　bestowing　his　rays　little　by　little；　warms　him　in　such　ways　that　it　will　make　him　strip　to　his　shirt。　　Sire；　you　are　the　sun。　　I　protest　to　you；　my　sovereign　lord　and　master；　that　I　am　not　an　outcast；　thief；　and　disorderly　fellow。　　Revolt　and　brigandage　belong　not　to　the　outfit　of　Apollo。　　I　am　not　the　man　to　fling　myself　into　those　clouds　which　break　out　into　seditious　clamor。　　I　am　your　majesty's　faithful　vassal。　　That　same　jealousy　which　a　husband　cherisheth　for　the　honor　of　his　wife；　the　resentment　which　the　son　hath　for　the　love　of　his　father；　a　good　vassal　should　feel　for　the　glory　of　his　king；　he　should　pine　away　for　the　zeal　of　this　house；　for　the　aggrandizement　of　his　service。　　Every　other　passion　which　should　transport　him　would　be　but　madness。　　These；　sire；　are　my　maxims　of　state：　then　do　not　judge　me　to　be　a　seditious　and　thieving　rascal　because　my　garment　is　worn　at　the　elbows。　　If　you　will　grant　me　mercy；　sire；　I　will　wear　it　out　on　the　knees　in　praying　to　God　for　you　night　and　morning！　　Alas！　　I　am　not　extremely　rich；　'tis　true。　　I　am　even　rather　poor。　　But　not　vicious　on　that　account。　　It　is　not　my　fault。　　Every　one　knoweth　that　great　wealth　is　not　to　be　drawn　from　literature；　and　that　those　who　are　best　posted　in　good　books　do　not　always　have　a　great　fire　in　winter。　　The　advocate's　trade　taketh　all　the　grain；　and　leaveth　only　straw　to　the　other　scientific　professions。　　There　are　forty　very　excellent　proverbs　anent　the　hole…ridden　cloak　of　the　philosopher。　　Oh；　sire！　clemency　is　the　only　light　which　can　enlighten　the　interior　of　so　great　a　soul。　　Clemency　beareth　the　torch　before　all　the　other　virtues。　　Without　it　they　are　but　blind　men　groping　after　God　in　the　dark。　　Compassion；　which　is　the　same　thing　as　clemency；　causeth　the　love　of　subjects；　which　is　the　most　powerful　bodyguard　to　a　prince。　　What　matters　it　to　your　majesty；　who　dazzles　all　faces；　if　there　is　one　poor　man　more　on　earth；　a　poor　innocent　philosopher　spluttering　amid　the　shadows　of　calamity；　with　an　empty　pocket　which　resounds　against　his　hollow　belly？　　Moreover；　sire；　I　am　a　man　of　letters。　　Great　kings　make　a　pearl　for　their　crowns　by　protecting　letters。　　Hercules　did　not　disdain　the　title　of　Musagetes。　Mathias　Corvin　favored　Jean　de　Monroyal；　the　ornament　of　mathematics。　　Now；　'tis　an　ill　way　to　protect　letters　to　hang　men　of　letters。　　What　a　stain　on　Alexander　if　he　had　hung　Aristoteles！　　This　act　would　not　be　a　little　patch　on　the　face　of　his　reputation　to　embellish　it；　but　a　very　malignant　ulcer　to　disfigure　it。　　Sire！　　I　made　a　very　proper　epithalamium　for　Mademoiselle　of　Flanders　and　Monseigneur　the　very　august　Dauphin。　　That　is　not　a　firebrand　of　rebellion。　　Your　majesty　sees　that　I　am　not　a　scribbler　of　no　reputation；　that　I　have　studied　excellently　well；　and　that　I　possess　much　natural　eloquence。　　Have　mercy　upon　me；　sire！　　In　so　doing　you　will　perform　a　gallant　deed　to　our　Lady；　and　I　swear　to　you　that　I　am　greatly　terrified　at　the　idea　of　being　hanged！〃

So　saying；　the　unhappy　Gringoire　kissed　the　king's　slippers；　and　Guillaume　Rym　said　to　Coppenole　in　a　low　tone：　〃He　doth　well　to　drag　himself　on　the　earth。　　Kings　are　like　the　Jupiter　of　Crete；　they　have　ears　only　in　their　feet。〃　　And　without　troubling　himself　about　the　Jupiter　of　Crete；　the　hosier　replied　with　a　heavy　smile；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　Gringoire：　〃Oh！　that's　it　exactly！　　I　seem　to　hear　Chancellor　Hugonet　craving　mercy　of　me。〃

When　Gringoire　paused　at　last；　quite　out　of　breath；　he　raised　his　head　tremblingly　towards　the　king；　who　was　engaged　in　scratching　a　spot　on　the　knee　of　his　breeches　with　his　finger…　nail；　then　his　majesty　began　to　drink　from　the　goblet　of　ptisan。　　But　he　uttered　not　a　word；　and　this　silence　tortured　Gringoire。　　At　last　the　king　looked　at　him。　　〃Here　is　a　terrible　bawler！〃　said；　he。　　Then；　turning　to　Tristan　l'Hermite；　〃Bali！　let　him　go！〃

Gringoire　fell　backwards；　quite　thunderstruck　with　joy。

〃At　liberty！〃　growled　Tristan　〃Doth　not　your　majesty　wish　to　have　him　detained　a　little　while　in　a　cage？〃

〃Gossip；〃　retorted　Louis　XI。；　〃think　you　that　'tis　for　birds　of　this　feather　that　we　cause　to　be　made　cages　at　three　hundred　and　sixty…seven　livres；　eight　sous；　three　deniers　apiece？　Release　him　at　once；　the　wanton　（Louis　XI。　was　fond　of　this　word　which　formed；　with　~Pasque…Dieu~；　the　foundation　of　his　joviality）；　and　put　him　out　with　a　buffet。〃

〃Ugh！〃　cried　Gringoire；　〃what　a　great　king　is　here！〃

And　for　fear　of　a　counter　order；　he　rushed　towards　the　door；　which　Tristan　opened　for　him　with　a　very　bad　grace。　　The　soldiers　left　the　room　with　him；　pushing　him　before　them　with　stout　thwacks；　which　Gringoire　bore　like　a　true　stoical　philosopher。

The　king's　good　humor　since　the　revolt　against　the　bailiff　had　been　announced　to　him；　made　itself　apparent　in　every　way。　　This　unwonted