the hunchback of notre dame- 第91部分

〃Sire！　　sire！〃　be　cried　in　despair。

The　door　closed　again。　　He　no　longer　saw　anything；　and　heard　only　the　hoarse　voice　of　the　turnkey；　singing　in　his　ears　this　ditty；


　　　　　　　　　〃~Ma？tre　Jean　Balue；　　　　　　　　　　A　perdu　la　vue　　　　　　　　　　De　ses　évêchés。　　　　　　　　　　Monsieur　de　Verdun。　　　　　　　　　　N'en　a　plus　pas　un；　　　　　　　　　　Tous　sont　dépêchés~。〃*


*　Master　Jean　Balue　has　lost　sight　of　his　bishoprics。　Monsieur　of　Verdun　has　no　longer　one；　all　have　been　killed　off。


The　king　reascended　in　silence　to　his　retreat；　and　his　suite　followed　him；　terrified　by　the　last　groans　of　the　condemned　man。　　All　at　once　his　majesty　turned　to　the　Governor　of　the　Bastille；

〃By　the　way；〃　said　he；　〃was　there　not　some　one　in　that　cage？〃

〃Pardieu；　yes　sire！〃　replied　the　governor；　astounded　by　the　question。

〃And　who　was　it？〃

〃Monsieur　the　Bishop　of　Verdun。〃

The　king　knew　this　better　than　any　one　else。　　But　it　was　a　mania　of　his。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　with　the　innocent　air　of　thinking　of　it　for　the　first　time；　〃Guillaume　de　Harancourt；　the　friend　of　Monsieur　the　Cardinal　Balue。　　A　good　devil　of　a　bishop！〃

At　the　expiration　of　a　few　moments；　the　door　of　the　retreat　had　opened　again；　then　closed　upon　the　five　personages　whom　the　reader　has　seen　at　the　beginning　of　this　chapter；　and　who　resumed　their　places；　their　whispered　conversations；　and　their　attitudes。

During　the　king's　absence；　several　despatches　had　been　placed　on　his　table；　and　he　broke　the　seals　himself。　　Then　he　began　to　read　them　promptly；　one　after　the　other；　made　a　sign　to　Master　Olivier　who　appeared　to　exercise　the　office　of　minister；　to　take　a　pen；　and　without　communicating　to　him　the　contents　of　the　despatches；　he　began　to　dictate　in　a　low　voice；　the　replies　which　the　latter　wrote；　on　his　knees；　in　an　inconvenient　attitude　before　the　table。

Guillaume　Rym　was　on　the　watch。

The　king　spoke　so　low　that　the　Flemings　heard　nothing　of　his　dictation；　except　some　isolated　and　rather　unintelligible　scraps；　such　as；

〃To　maintain　the　fertile　places　by　commerce；　and　the　sterile　by　manufactures。。。。To　show　the　English　lords　our　four　bombards；　London；　Brabant；　Bourg…en…Bresse；　Saint…　Omer。。。。Artillery　is　the　cause　of　war　being　made　more　judiciously　now。。。。To　Monsieur　de　Bressuire；　our　friend。。。。Armies　cannot　be　maintained　without　tribute；　etc。

Once　he　raised　his　voice；

〃~Pasque　Dieu~！　　Monsieur　the　King　of　Sicily　seals　his　letters　with　yellow　wax；　like　a　king　of　France。　　Perhaps　we　are　in　the　wrong　to　permit　him　so　to　do。　　My　fair　cousin　of　Burgundy　granted　no　armorial　bearings　with　a　field　of　gules。　The　grandeur　of　houses　is　assured　by　the　integrity　of　prerogatives。　　Note　this；　friend　Olivier。〃

Again；

〃Oh！　　oh！〃　said　he；　〃What　a　long　message！　　What　doth　our　brother　the　emperor　claim？〃　　And　running　his　eye　over　the　missive　and　breaking　his　reading　with　interjection：　〃Surely！　the　Germans　are　so　great　and　powerful；　that　it　is　hardly　credibleBut　let　us　not　forget　the　old　proverb：　'The　finest　county　is　Flanders；　the　finest　duchy；　Milan；　the　finest　kingdom；　France。'　Is　it　not　so；　Messieurs　Flemings？〃

This　time　Coppenole　bowed　in　company　with　Guillaume　Rym。　　The　hosier's　patriotism　was　tickled。

The　last　despatch　made　Louis　XI。　frown。

〃What　is　this？〃　be　said；　〃Complaints　and　fault　finding　against　our　garrisons　in　Picardy！　　Olivier；　write　with　diligence　to　M。　the　Marshal　de　Rouault：That　discipline　is　relaxed。　That　the　gendarmes　of　the　unattached　troops；　the　feudal　nobles；　the　free　archers；　and　the　Swiss　inflict　infinite　evils　on　the　rustics。That　the　military；　not　content　with　what　they　find　in　the　houses　of　the　rustics；　constrain　them　with　violent　blows　of　cudgel　or　of　lash　to　go　and　get　wine；　spices；　and　other　unreasonable　things　in　the　town。That　monsieur　the　king　knows　this。　　That　we　undertake　to　guard　our　people　against　inconveniences；　larcenies　and　pillage。That　such　is　our　will；　by　our　Lady！That　in　addition；　it　suits　us　not　that　any　fiddler；　barber；　or　any　soldier　varlet　should　be　clad　like　a　prince；　in　velvet；　cloth　of　silk；　and　rings　of　gold。That　these　vanities　are　hateful　to　God。That　we；　who　are　gentlemen；　content　ourselves　with　a　doublet　of　cloth　at　sixteen　sols　the　ell；　of　Paris。That　messieurs　the　camp…followers　can　very　well　come　down　to　that；　also。Command　and　ordain。To　Monsieur　de　Rouault；　our　friend。Good。〃

He　dictated　this　letter　aloud；　in　a　firm　tone；　and　in　jerks。　At　the　moment　when　he　finished　it；　the　door　opened　and　gave　passage　to　a　new　personage；　who　precipitated　himself　into　the　chamber；　crying　in　affright；

〃Sire！　　sire！　　there　is　a　sedition　of　the　populace　in　Paris！〃　Louis　XI。's　grave　face　contracted；　but　all　that　was　visible　of　his　emotion　passed　away　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　　He　controlled　himself　and　said　with　tranquil　severity；

〃Gossip　Jacques；　you　enter　very　abruptly！〃

〃Sire！　sire！　there　is　a　revolt！〃　repeated　Gossip　Jacques　breathlessly。

The　king；　who　had　risen；　grasped　him　roughly　by　the　arm；　and　said　in　his　ear；　in　such　a　manner　as　to　be　heard　by　him　alone；　with　concentrated　rage　and　a　sidelong　glance　at　the　Flemings；

〃Hold　your　tongue！　　or　speak　low！〃

The　new　comer　understood；　and　began　in　a　low　tone　to　give　a　very　terrified　account；　to　which　the　king　listened　calmly；　while　Guillaume　Rym　called　Coppenole's　attention　to　the　face　and　dress　of　the　new　arrival；　to　his　furred　cowl；　（~caputia　fourrata~）；　his　short　cape；　（~epitogia　curta~）；　his　robe　of　black　velvet；　which　bespoke　a　president　of　the　court　of　accounts。

Hardly　had　this　personage　given　the　king　some　explanations；　when　Louis　XI。　　exclaimed；　bursting　into　a　laugh；

〃In　truth？　　Speak　aloud；　Gossip　Coictier！　　What　call　is　there　for　you　to　talk　so　low？　　Our　Lady　knoweth　that　we　conceal　nothing　from　our　good　friends　the　Flemings。〃

〃But　sire。。。〃

〃Speak　loud！〃

Gossip　Coictier　was　struck　dumb　with　surprise。

〃So；〃　resumed　the　king；〃speak　sir；there　is　a　commotion　among　the　louts　in　our　good　city　of　Paris？〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃And　which　is　moving　you　say；　against　monsieur　the　bailiff　of　the　Palais…de…Justice？〃

〃So　it　appears；〃　said　the　gossip；　who　still　stammered；　utterly　astounded　by　the　abrupt　and　inexplicable　change　which　had　just　taken　place　in　the　king's　thoughts。

Louis　XI。　continued：　〃Where　did　the　watch　meet　the　rabble？〃

〃Marching　from　the　Grand　Truanderie；　towards　the　Pont…aux…　Changeurs。　　I　met　it　myself　as　I　was　on　my　way　hither　to　obey　your　majesty's　commands。　　I　heard　some　of　them　shouting：　'Down　with　the　bailiff　of　the　palace！'〃

〃And　what　complaints　have　they　against　the　bailiff？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Gossip　Jacques；　〃because　he　is　their　lord。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Yes；　sire。　　They　are　knaves　from　the　Cour…des…Miracles。　They　have　been　complaining　this　long　while；　of　the　bailiff；　whose　vassals　they　are。　　They　do　not　wish　to　recognize　him　either　as　judge　or　as　voyer？〃*


*　One　in　charge　of　the　highways。


〃Yes；　certainly！〃　retorted　the　king　with　a　smile　of　satis…　faction　which　he　strove　in　vain　to　disguise。

〃In　all　their　petitions　to　the　Parliament；　they　claim　to　have　but　two　masters。　　Your　majesty　and　their　God；　who　is　the　devil；　I　believe。〃

〃Eh！　eh！〃　said　the　king。

He　rubbed　his　hands；　he　laughed　with　that　inward　mirth　which　makes　the　countenance　beam；　he　was　unable　to　dissimulate　his　joy；　although　he　endeavored　at　moments　to　compose　himself。　　No　one　understood　it　in　the　least；　not　even　Master　Olivier。　　He　remained　silent　for　a　moment；　with　a　thoughtful　but　contented　air。

〃Are　they　in　force？〃　he　suddenly　inquired。

〃Yes；　assuredly；　sire；〃　replied　Gossip　Jacques。

〃How　many？〃

〃Six　thousand　at　the　least。〃

The　king　could　not　refrain　from　saying：　〃Good！〃　he　went　on；

〃Are　they　armed？〃

〃With　scythes；　pikes；　hackbuts；　pickaxes。　　All　sorts　of　very　violent　weapons。〃

The　king　did　not　appear　in　the　least　disturbed　by　this　list。　Jacques　considered　it　his　duty　to　add；

〃If　your　majesty　does　not　send　prompt　succor　to　the　bailiff；　he　is　lost。〃

〃We　will　send；〃　said　the　king　with　an　air　of　false　seriousness。　〃It　is　well。　　Assuredly　we　will　send。　　Monsieur　the　bailiff　is　our　friend。　　Six　thousand！　　They　are　desperate　scamps！　Their　audacity　is　marvellous；　and　we　are　greatly　enraged　at　it。　But　we　have　only　a　few　people　about　us　to…night。　　To…morrow　morning　will　be　time　enough。〃

Gossip　Jacques　exclaimed；　〃Instantly；　sire！　there　will　be　time　to　sack　the　bailiwick　a　score　of　times；　to　violate　the　seignory；　to　hang　the　bailiff。　　For　God's　sake；　sire！　send　before　to…morrow　morning。〃

The　king　looked　him　full　in　the　face。　　〃I　have　told　you　to…morrow　morning。〃

It　was　one　Of　those　looks　to　which　one　does　not　reply。　After　a　silence；　Louis　XI。　raised　his　voice　once　more；

〃You　should　know　that；　Gossip　Jacques。　　What　was〃

He　corrected　himself。　　〃What　is　the　bailiff's　feudal　jurisdiction？〃

〃Sire；　the　bailiff　of　the　palace　has　the　Rue　Calendre　as　far　as　the　Rue　de　l'Herberie；　the　Place　Saint…Michel；　and　the　localities　vulgarly　known　as　the　Mureaux；　situated　near　the　church　of　Notre…Dame　des　Champs　（here　Louis　XI。　raised　the　brim　of　his　hat）；　which　hotels　number　thirteen；　plus　the　Cour　des　Miracles；　plus　the　Maladerie；　called　the　Banlieue；　plus　the　whole　highway　which　begins　at　that　Maladerie　and　ends　at　the　Porte　Sainte…Jacques。　　Of　these　divers　places　he　is　voyer；　high；　middle；　and　low；　justiciary；　full　seigneur。〃

〃Bless　me！〃　said　the　king；　scratching　his　left　ear　with　his　right　hand；　〃that　makes　a　goodly　bit　of　my　city！　　Ah！　monsieur　the　bailiff　was　king　of　all　that。〃

This　time　he　did　not　correct　himself。　　He　continued　dreamily；　and　as　though　speaking　to　himself；

〃Very　fine；　monsieur　the　bailiff！　　You　had　there　between　your　teeth　a　pretty　slice　of　our　Paris。〃

All　at　once　he　broke　out　explosively；　〃~Pasque…Dieu~！〃　What　people　are　those　who　claim　to　be　voyers；　justiciaries；　lords　and　masters　in　our　domains？　who　have　their　tollgates　at　the　end　of　every　field？　their　gallows　and　their　hangman　at　every　cross…road　among　our　people？　　So　that　as　the　Greek　believed　that　he　had　as　many　gods　as　there　were　fountains；　and　the　Persian　as　many　as　he　beheld　stars；　the　Frenchman　counts　as　many　kings　as　he　sees　gibbets！　　Pardieu！　'tis　an　evil　thing；　and　the　confusion　of　it　displeases　me。　　I　should　greatly　like　to　know　whether