Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 144 — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME. “You must have good eyes to know him at this dis- tance,’”’ observed Gaillefontaine. “ How he looke at the dancing girl!’ exclaimed Diane de Christeuil. ‘Let the Egyptian take care of herself!" said Fleur de Lye. “ The archdeacon is not fond of Egypt.” 6 # pity that man looks at her so,” added Amelotte Montmichel; “for she dances delight- fully.” “ Good Cousin Phebus,” abruptly cried Fleur de Lys, ‘‘since you know this Bohemian, just call her up. It will amuse us.”’ "Yea, do!” exclaimed all the young ladies, clapping their hands. “ Where is the We of it?’ rejoined Phebus. “She hae no doubt forgotten me,and I know not even her mame. However,as you wish it, ladies, I will try.’’ loners the balustrade of the balcony, he called out: ‘‘ My girl!” The dancer had paused for a moment. She turned her head in the direction from which the yoice pro- ceeded ; her sparkling eye fell upon Phoebus, and she stood motionless. My girll’’ repeated the captain, beckoning her to come to him. The girl still looked steadfastly at him; she then biushed deeply, as if every drop of her blood had rushed to her cheeks, and’ — her tambourine under her arm, she made her way through the circle of astonished spectators toward the house to which she was summoned, with slow, faltering step, and with the agitated look of a bird unable to withstand the tascination of a serpent, Amoment afterward, the tapestry hung before the door was raised, and the Bohemian appeared at the threshold of the apartment, out of eo flushed, flurried, with her large eyes fixed on the floor; she dure: not advance a step further. Berangere clapped her hands. Meanwhile the dancer stood motionless at the door of the room. Her appearance had produced a singular effect upon the party of young ladies. It is certain that all of them were more or less influenced bya certain vague and indistinct desire of pleasing the handsome officer ; that the splendid uniform was the point at-which all their coquetries were aimed; and that ever since his entrance there had been a sort of secret rivalry among them, of which they were them- selver scarcely conscious, but which nevertheless be- trayed iteelf every momentin what they said and did. As, however, they all possessed nearly the same degree of beauty, they fought with equal weapons, and each might cherish s hope of victory. The coming of the Bohemian suddenly destroyed this equilibrium. Her beauty was 60 surpassing that at the moment when she ap at the entrance of the room she seemed to shed over it a sort of light peculiar to herself. In this close apartment, overshadowed by hangings and varvings, she appearel incomparably more beautitul und radiant than in the public place—like a torch which is carried out of the broad daylight into the dark. In apite ot themselves, the ig es were dazzled. Each felt wounded, ag it were, in her beauty. Their battle-tront—reader, excuse the term—was changed accordingly, though not asingle word passed between them. The instincts of women apprehend and answer one another much more readily than the understandings of men. An enemy had come upon them ; of this they were all sensible, and there- ture they all rallied. One drop of wine is sufficient to redden a whole glass of water; to tinge a whole com- y of handsome women with a certain degree of li-humor merély introduce a female of superior a especially whem there is but one man in the The reception of the Bohemian was, of course, mar- velously cold, They surveyed her from head to foot, then looked at each other with an expression which told their meaning as plainly as words could have done. Meanwhile the « er, daunted to such a degree that she durst not ralse her eyes, stood waiting to be epo- ken to. The captain was the firet to break silence “Acharm- ing creature, by my fay!’ cried he, in his straightfor- ward, blundering manner. “What think you of her, my pretty cousin ?” This ejaculation which a more delicate admirer would at lensat have uttered'in alexa xndible tone, was not likely to disperwe the feminine jealousies arrayed ayninat the Bohemian. “Not amiss,”’ replied Fleur de Lys to the captain's question, with affected disdain. The others whispered tuyether. t length, Madame Aloise, who felt not the less jeal- ous because she was jeslous on behalf of her daughter, accosted the dancer. ‘‘Come hither, my ygirl,”’ said she. The Egyptian advanced to the lady, ““My pretty girl,’’ said Phoebus, taking @ few steps toward her, "I ow not whether you recollect ine" —— “Oh, yes!’ said she, interrupting him, with a emile am a look of inexpressible kindness. ‘‘Bhe has # good memory,” observed Fleur de Lye. “ How was it,” resumed Phabus, “ that you slipped away in suche burry the othernight? DidI frighten on?” , ‘Oh, no!” said the Bohemian. in. the accént with wich this “Oh, no!” was uttered, immediately after the “Oh, yes !"’ there was av indefinable something which wounded Fleur de Lys & the quick. “Im your stead,’ continued the captain, whose tongue ran giibly enongh in talking to one whom, from her occupstion, he took to be of loose manners “you left me a grim-laced, one-eyed, hunchbacked ow—the bishop's bell-ringer, I think they say. Mome will have it that the deacon, and others that the dovil, ie his Sther. He hae & comical name—I have quite forgot what—taken from some festival or | other, What the devil did that owl of a fellow want with you, hey ?’”’ “I don't know,”’ answered she. “Curse his impudence—a rascally bell-ringer run away with a girl like a viscount! A common fellow poach on the game of gentlemen! Whoever heard of such a thing! But he paid dearly for it. trimmed a varlet ; and I assure you, if that can do yeu any good, he curried the bell-ringer’s hide most soundly.”’ “ Poor fellow !’’ said the Bohemian, who at the cap- tain’s words could not help calling to mind the scene at the pillory. “Zoundse !” cried the captain, laughing outright, “that pity is as well bestowed as a feather on a pig's tail. May I be’—— He stopped short. “I beg par- don, ladies, I had like to have forgotten myself.’’ “ Fje, sir !'’ said Gaillefontaine. “He is only talking to that creature in her own lan- guage,” said Fleur de Lys, in an undertone, her vexa- tion increasing every moment. Nor wasit diminished when she saw the captain, enchanted with the Bohe- mian and still more with himself, making a pirouette, repeating with blunt soldierlike gallantry. ‘‘A fine girl, upon my soul!” | “ But very uncouthly dressed,’’ said Diane de Chris- | teuil, grinning and showing her beautiful teeth. This remark was a new light to her companions. showed them the assailable side of the Egyptian; as they could not carp at her beauty, they fell foul of her dress. “How comes it; my girl,” said Montmichel, “ that. yourun about the streeta in thie manner, without neckerchief, or stumacher ?’’ “And then what a short petticoat!’ exclaimed Gail- lefontaine. ‘‘ Quite shocking, I declare!" ‘*My dear,” said Fleur de Lys, in a tone of anything | but kindness, “the officers of the Chatelet will take you up for wearing that gilt belt.’’ ‘My girl,” resumed Christeui:, with a bitter smile, “if you were to cover your arms decently with sleeves, they would not be so sunburnt,” It was in truth a sight worthy of a more intelligent spectator than Phoebus, to see how these fair damsels with their keen and envenomed tongues, twisted, glided, and writhed, around the dancing-girl; they wére at once cruel and graceful; they spitefully fel. foul of her r, but whimsical toilet or tinsel and Bpanglea, ‘There was no end to their laughs, and jeers, and sarcasms. You would have taken them for some of those young Roman ladies, who amused themselves with thrusting gold pina.into the breasts of a beautiful slave; or they might be likened to elegant greyhounds, turning, with distended nostrile and glaring eyes, round a poor fawn, which the look of their master for- bids them to devour. What atter all was a poor etreet-danceér to these scions of distinguished families? They seemed to take no ac- count of her presence, and talked of her before her face, and even to herseli, as of an object at once very dis- gusting, very mean, and very pretty.” The Bohemian was not insensible to their stinging remarks. From time to timethe glow of shame or flash of anger flushed her cheek or lit up her eye; a disdainful word seemed to hover upon her lips; her ut with which the a contempt expressed itself in that reader is already acquainted; but she stood motionless, fixing upon Phebus a look of resignation, sadneks, and g nature. In that look there was also an ex- pression of tenderness and anxiety. You would have said that she restrained her feelings for fear of being turned out. Meanwhile Phebus laughed and began to take the part of the Bohemian, with a mixture of impertinence and pity. “Let them talk as they like, my dear,” said he, clanking his gold spurs; “your dress is cer- tainly somewhat whimsical and out of the way, but, tor such a charming creature as you are, what does that signify ?"’ ‘Dear me!’ exclaimed the fair Gaillefontaine, brid- ling up, with a sarcastic smile, “how soon the gentle- men archers of the king’s ordnance take fire at bright Egyptian eyes I” “Why not?” said Phebus. At this reply, carelessly uttered by the captain, Co- lombe laughed, so did Diane, so did Amélotte, so did Fleur.de Lys, though it is true that a tear etarted at the same time into the eye of the latter. The Bohemian, who had hung down her head at the remark of Colombe de Gaillefontaine, raised her eyes glistening with joy and pride, and aysin fixed them on Phebus. passing beautitul at that moment. The old lady, who watched this seene, felt offended, | though sheknew not why. ‘* Holy Virgin!’ cried she all at once,“ whathave I got about me? Ah! the nasty | beast 1" | It waa tlie goat which, in springing toward her mis- | tress, had entangled her horns in the load of drapery which fell upon the feet of the noble lady when she | was seated. This was a diversion. The Bohemian, with- out saying a word. disengaged the animal. “Oh! there is the pretty little goat with golden feet!" cried Berangere, leaping tor joy. * The Bohemian crouched upon her knees, and pressed | her cheek againgt the head of the fondling goat, while | Diane, stooping to the ear of Colombe, whispered; | OOOO rr She was “ How very stupid of me not to think of it sooner. | Why, it is the Bey’ tian with the goat. It is reported that she is a witch, and that her goat performs tricks absolutely miraculous.” “ Well,” said Colombe, “ the goat must perform one of ite miracles and amuse us in ite turn.’ | Diane and Colombe eagerly addressed the My girl,”’ said they, “* m acle for ua.”’ “ [know not whet you mean,” replied the dancer. a we. miracle, a piece of magic, or witchcraft, in short ’’—— “I don't understand you,” she rejoined, and again | began fondling the pretty creature, repeating, ‘ Djali! Djali !’’ . At this moment Fleur de Lys remarked a small em- _broidered leathern bag hung around the neck of the Master | Pierrat Torterue is the roughest groom that ever | goat. ‘ What is that ?” she asked the Egyptian. ‘ The girl raised her large eyes toward her and grave- ly anewered » “‘ That is my secret.” I should like to know what your secret is, thought Fleur de Lys. The good Jady had meanwhile risen. “ Girl,” said she sharply, “if neither you nor your goat have any dance to show us, why do you stay here ?”’ The Bohemian, without making any reply, drew leis- urely toward the door. ‘The nearer she approached it, the .more slowly she moved. An invincible load- stone seemed to detain her. All at once she turned her eyes glistening with tears toward Phebus and stood still. *-By my fay!'’ cried the captain, “ you abha‘n’t get off thus. Come back and give us adance. By-the-ly, what is your name, my pretty dear ?’’ “La Esmeralda,” said the dancing-girl, whose eyes were still tixed upon him, At this strange name the young ladies burst into a loud laugh. “A terrible name that for a damoiselle!" eaid It Diane. “You see plainly enough,” “that she isa witch.” “My girl,’ said Dame Aloise in 8, solemn tone, r TONE parents.never found that name for you in the out.’’ While this scene was passing, Berangeré had enticed the goat into a corner of the room with a sweet cake. They were at once the best friends in the world. The inquisitive girl loosed the little bag from the neck of the animal, opened it, and emptied its contents upon the mat; they consisted of an alphabet, each letter scare | separately inscribed upon a smull piece of box- wood, No soouer were thesé playthings spread out upon the mat than, to the astonishment of the child, the goat—one of whose miracles this, no doubt, was— sorted out certain letters with her golden foot, ar- ranged them and shuffled them ently together in a particular order, so as to make a word, which the ani- inal formed with such readiness that she seemed to observed Amelotte, ‘ _ have had a good deal of practice in putting it together. Berangere, clapping her hands in admiration, suddenly exclaimed: “‘Godmother Fleur de Lys, come and see what the goat has done!” . Fleur de Lys ran to her and shuddered. The letters which the gout had arranged upon the floor formed the °* name PHOEBUS. “Was it the goat that did this ?*’ she asked in a trem- ulons voice, ‘* ¥es, indeed it was, godmother,” replied Berangere. It was impossible to doubt the fact. “ The secrét is out,” thought Fleur de Lys. At the outcry of the child, all who were present, the mother aud the young ladies, and the Bohemian, and the officer, hastened tu the spot. The dancing-girl saw ' at once what aslippery trick the goat had played her, | She changed color, and began to tremble, like one who had committed some crime, before the captain, whe gree her with a smile of astonishmentand gratifica on. Fors moment the young ladies were struck dumb. “Phoebus!” they at length whispered one another, “why, that is the name of the captain!” “You have a wonderful memory,” said Fleur de Lys to the petrified Bohemian, Then bursting into sobs, Ob 1" she stammered in a tone of anguish, covering her face with both her fair hands, ‘‘she is asorceress !”’ the while @ voice, in still more thrilling accents, cried in the recesses of her heart: “Shé is arival!’ She sank fainting on the floor. ansata oe come aA Pm, ante !’ shrieked the af- rt mother. “Ge ee gone, child of a said she to the Bohemian. ° . eae ; La Esmeralda picked up the unlucky letters din the twinkling of an eye, made a’sign to her Djali, and re- tired at one door, while Fleur de Lys was borne away by another. Captain Phabur, being left by himself, wavered for a moment between the two doors,and then followe2 the gipey girl. CHAPTER II. 4 PRIEST AND A PHILOSOPRER ARE TWO DIFFERENT PERSONS, THE priest, whom the young ladies had obsérved on ne - of it ay yo tine Aaa 2 over the Place, and ntently wate 6 motions of the Bohemian, 78 the Archdeacon ome Frollo, shag ur ers have not forgetten the myateri which the archdeacon had reserved tor hituselfin her tower. I know not, be it remarked, by the way whether this is not the sume ¢ell, the interior of which may etill be seen through # small, square aperture on the east side, at about the height of a man, on the plat- form from which the towers rise. It is a small roon., naked, empty, dilapidated, the i)l-plastered walle ot | which are at the present day adorned with yellow en- gravings representing the fronts of cathedrals. Thies bole is, 1 presume, inhabited conjointly by bate and iders, and consequently a double war of extermina- tion ix carried on there against the unsortunate flies. Every day, an hour before sunset, the archdeacon as- tian, | cended the étaircase of the tower, and shut bimsel! up e your goat pertorm a mir- | iv this cell, where he frequently passed whole nights, On this day, just as he had reached the low door ot bis retreat, and put «Ato the lock the little complicated Gomicbooks. co