Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 144 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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40 off from the world than Quasimodo. As for the | enter, but nobody came out. Every now and then he | am going to be married, and that she may go strange triend whom chance had given her, she knew not what to make of him. She would frequently re- | proach herself for not feeling sufficient gratitude to blind her to his imperfections; but decidedly she could not accustom herself to the poor bell-ringer. He was too hideous. She had left on the floor the whistle that he had given her. Quasimodo, nevertheless, looked in from time to time, on the suceetding days. She strove as much as she could to conceal her aversion, when he brought hér the basket of provisions or the pitcher of | water; but he was sure to perceive the shgehtest movement of that kind, and then he went sorrowfully away. One day he came just at the moment when she was fondling Djali. For a while he stood full of thought before the graceful group of the goat and the Egyptian. At length, shaking his huge, misshapen head: ** My misfortune,” said he, ‘is that I am too much Dike'a humian creature. Would to God that I had been a downright beast, like that goat!” She cast on him a@look of astonishment. “Oh!"’ he. replied to that look—* well do I know why,” and im- mediately retired. Another time, when he came to the door of the cell, which he never entered, La Esmeralda was singing an old Spanish ballad ; she knew not the meaning ot the words, but it. dwelt upon her ear because the Bohemian women had lulled her sar t doy quite Aa 9 At the abrupt appearance 0 ugly face the damsel stopved icy with af ivaludtary start, in the middle of her song. The unhappy bell-ringer dro his k pane the lot the door, and with a be- G) 14 clumsy, shapeless hands. “Oh?!” said he, sorrowfully, ‘go, on, 1 pray you, and drive not away.” Not wishing to yex him, the trembl a continued the ballad, By i es her alarm subsided, and she gave herself up impression of the melancholy tune which she wag sing WwW he remained upon his knees, with his hands j as in prayer, scarcely breathing, his look tly on the sparkling orbs of the Bohem would have said that he was listening to her song occasion, he came’to her with an awkward ‘* Hearken to me,”’ said he, with effort; o say to you,’’ She made a sign to ce then began to sigh, half ) t oe fg ke. head, and slowly retired, to his brow, and leaving the Egyp- | d ae grot e spends, sculptured in the wall there was one e vhich e. showed a perce pre- dilection, and wi which he seemed to exchange brother); ks. e. tian once heard him ad- dress it ta these B+ “Ob | why am I not of stone, like thee?” At lemgth, one morning, La Esmeralda, having ad-. vanced apet of the root, was looking at the Place, - A tt root of St. Jean “ve Rond. Quasi- modo was behind her, stationed himeeclf there on to spare the damsel the disagreeable spectacle a un inl person. On p sudden the Bohemian sh ed; a tear and 4@ flash of joy sparkléd at once in she fell on her knees, and extended her arms uish toward the Place, crying, ‘‘ Phoebus ! come ! | one word, a single word, for God's sake ! ! Phebus !’’ Her voice, her face, her attitude, ole figure, had the agonizing expression ing signals of dis- of a shipwrecked person who is ong in the sun- tress to a distant vessel sailing gayly ine. ' o modo, hending Sequn. perceived that the ob- of this wild und tender appeal was a young and handsome horseman, @ captain, grskenng with arms and accouterments, who caracol ng through r lady smiling in the Place, and bowing to a her bal- cony: The officer was too far off to hear the call of the ne r deaf bell-ringer understood it. A deep sigh he his breast; he turned round; his heart was swollen with the tears which herepressed; he dashed hie*convulsive fists against hia head; and when he re- moved them there was ineach of them a handful of The Egyptian paid no attention to him, Gnashing his rete he a | in a low tone, ‘ Perdition! That is how one ovight to look, then! One need but have a handsome outside !"’ She continued meanwhile upon her knees, and cried, with vehement ayitation, ‘‘Oh! there he alighte | He is going into that house! Phabus! Phebus! He does not hear me! Plcebus! Oh, the spiteful. woman to talk to him at thesume time that I do! Phebus! Phoebus |" The deaf bell-ringer watched her. He comprehended this pantomime. The poor fellow’s eye ed with tears, bat he suffered none of them to All at once he gently pulled her sleeve. She turned round. He had assumed.a look of composure, and sajd to her, “Shall I go and fetch him ?”’ She acry of joy. ‘*Oh! go, gol run! quick! that n! that captain! bring him tome! I will love thee!’’ Sle clasped his knees. Heconldnot help shaking*his head sorrowfully. ‘‘I will go and wang him to you,’ said’he, ina faint voice. He then reti and hurried the staircase stifled with sobeg sito the gate of the Gonda- s captain had just entered, He of ee aa te a a ,in the | ature. He hfe hiead, and tebe with his _of the porch, determined at ho was of those festive daya which precede a wedding. Quasimodo saw many persons é 7, = éd upon | , havesaid that they were the cobwebs of the. firma- | «to refuse such a trifle as " THE HUNCHBACK QF NOTRE-DAME. a ee ———-o-° ——————— 7 — - looked up to the roof; the Egyptian did not stir any , devil.’ more than he. Agroom came and untied the borse, and led him to the stable. The whole day passed in | with aword to-overcome his hesitation! ‘’tis the this manner, Quasimodo at the pillar, La Esmeralda Egyptian whom you are acquainted with,” on the roof, and Phebusno doubt at the feet of Fleur- This intimation made by a strong impression up. de-Lys. Phebus, but not of the kind that tne speaker inti, At length night arrived, a night without a moon, a pated, It will be recollected that our gallant officer dark night. To no ptirpose did Quasimodo keep his had retired with Fleur-de-Lys a few moments befor. eye fixed on La Esmeralda; she soon appeared to be! Quasimodo rescued the condemned girl from the but a white spot in the twilight, which became more | clutches of Charmolue. In all his sbacatant Visits and more indistinct, tlllit was no longer discernible | to the logis Gondalaurier, he had carefully abstained amid the darkness. from mentioning that female, the recollection of whum | Quasimodo saw the front windows of the Gondalau- | was, besides, painful to him; and Fleur-de-Lys, on her rier mansion lighted up from top to bottom; he saw part, had not deemed it politic to tell him that the theother windows of the Place lighted up one after an- | Egyptian wae alive. Phebus believed, therefore, that other; he saw them darkened again to the very last of poor Similar was dead, and that she must haye been so them, for he remained the whole evening at his post. | foramonth ortwo. Add to this that for some mo- Still the officer came uot forth. When all the passen- | ments the captain had been pondering on the me gers had retired to their homes, and nota light was to | darkness of the night, on the gugptaatarel ngllness be seen in any of the ‘windows, Quasimodo was left | aud sepulchral voice of the strange wasscnanie s was quite alone, in absolute darkness. past midnight; the street was.as. nel ae on the even- The windows of the Gondalaurier mansion, however, | ‘28 that the specter-monk had accosted him, and hie continued lighted, even after midnizht. Quasimodo, horse snorted at the sight of Quasimodo. motionless and attentive, saw a multitude of livin “The Egyptian |’ he exclaimed, with | Sen a feel- ‘and dancing shadows aalitae over the matty colored (im of terror. ‘ What then, art thou from the other worli? At the same time he clapped his handto the panes. Had he not been deaf, in proportion as the | Lilt of his dagger. | P noises Of Paris subsided, he would have heard more , *"! ye ao ; and more distinctly sounds of festivity, mirth and Quick! quick ! said the dwarf, striving to lead the horse; “ this way |” “music, within the mansion. : | Pheb | Aboutonein the morning the company began to boy on Sa |B ren pee | ge tye e 9 break up. Quasimodo, enyeloped in darkness, watched | movement, as. if to rush upon the » bi all the guestsas they came out under the porch stantly restraining himself, he said: “O t how am with torches. The ,captain was not among | ou are since there is somebody ho loves yout” Jay- He was filled with sad thoughts. Ever and anon he yee Bee TT mated he leoena the - Seanad G8 looked up atthe sky, as.if tired ot waitings Large, ; at, in- happy | Phoebus clapped spurs to his horse, at the e. he . heavy, ragged, black clouds hung like crape-ham- | swearing lustily. Quasinode looked after ers he ow, mocks beneath the starry,cope of night. You would! was lost in the darkness. “Ob !"’ suid the poor ment, In one of thosémmoments:hé all at-once saw the He returned to mers = 4 ‘ ian P., : glazed door of the baleony mysteriously open. Two persons came forth, and shutit after them without he 9 fn a ore: mayne . metit glie, saw bits ‘noise. It was amananda woman. It was withsome | ,), to i anarg te VX gs) @, saw ll difficulty that Quasimn she ran to meet him. ' Alobe!”” she exclaimed, so odo recognized in the one: the | rowfally clasping her hands. handsome ciptaih, in the otber the young lady whom x “J ce aoe pir with. him.” said “Quasimodo he had seen in ine ing woe neem ory ~ - wen dryly. ' nO» the window. ace was quite dark; andadouble; «¥ : he crimson curtain, which hadcollapsed again behind the | gp ao should Rave, waited 0 mighs,”; Bho replied, ' door at the moment of its shutting, scarcely suffered a gleam of light from the apartment to reach the bal-| tne repeonoh, oL will wate hun bottos baie bade Hog head. hay trp tw nich te efshe, .. | r cony: time ” yup The young po andthe Jady, as far as our deaf = « G bee watchman could judge—tor he could not heara word | , Sha ed with hin. fle Had _ they said—appeared to indulge in a very tender fele-a- | pat be ill-used y : ve-her ain. Het iy. tele. The young lady seenred to have permitted the | fore kept all the mor ion. to i are o | officer to w bis arm around her waist, and feebly | From that d ided the presence of Te shueeed’s kins 4 rom that day pare eM | a of the Pay ! odo witnessed from below this svene,; which | scnbtleine sda akt a Din phe of thie ell fi erat the it wagthe more delightful to see, inasmuch as it was | top of a tower, with his eye fixed in a melancholy mood not intendéd to be witnessed. He, however, contem- ; . ‘he m nt : plated, hat ha nhds that beau ty wi oh i r ferneas o F | ¥ trig paged Seki ft e APPS he wus aware that she sed soul, Afterall, Nature was not silentimthe poor fel-) Trnth obliges us to state that she grieved ve low, and, defornied as he was, his heart nevertheless anout’? Lis euhtery absence of mi or abe Va had affections. He thought of the miserable portion | 4¢ the bottom of her heart she wieyind of it. Quusi- which Providence had allotted to him ; that woman, | modo did not deceive himeselt on this point. love, and its pleasures, would be forever passing be-| she saw him not, but she felt the oat & fore his eyes, but that he should never do more than | genfus around her. Her fresh supplies of Mioné witness the felicity of others. But what afflicted him | were brought by an invisible hand emeull | most in this-sight, and mingled with his vexa| asleep. One morning she found over ‘her Wa tion, was, to think-what the must suffer it she | cave with birds. Above her cell there was a sculptu beheld it: To be sure, the ni was yery dark; La | 4 Which frightened her, as duvted theredieereane Esmeralda, if she sad staid in the same erage | he,| signified to Quasimddo, One morningfor all these’ had no doubt of that—was at a considerable distance ; tiv’ were done at night—it was gone ; it had been and it was quite a8 much as he could do himself to dis-| broken off. Whoever had elambered up to this piece singoney tbe lovers in the balcony. This was some | ofgeulpture must have risked his lifer y ere consolation. Someti , in th { : y Meanwhilé their conversation became more and | gonie "andiéeh pendiéas ‘Dembdiih: tnd:teanthounyr omeue more animated. The young Jady appeared to ad-| perry sipging a wild, sad, strain, as if to lull ber to dress the officer’ in a ber ng attitude. Quasi- seep. They were versés without rhyme; such as a modo — pene po ~ _ i dent. man might make. : 24 smiles mingled w ears, her looks uplit © One niorning, on opening her eyes, shes one- heaven, and the eager eyes of the captain bent down | ays standing in her winter, y was tts e+ t. upon her. | [handsome crystal vase but cracked... The water with The door of the balcony suddenly opened; an aged which it was filled had run out, and the flowers were lady appeared; the fair one looked confused, the officer | gaged. The dther ie of course, common stone- vexed, and all three went in. -waré, but which re ‘all the water; and the flowere | | _ A moment afterward a horse was practicing beneath | in it were fresly and fragrant. I know not whether it the porch, brilliant officer, wrapped in iis | was done ‘intentionally, but La du’ took the cloak, passed 8% Quasimodo. The bell-ringer | faded nosegay, and carried it all day at her bosom, On suffered him to pio 4 the corner of the street, and then | that day she heard not the voice singing from the ran after him with the agility of a monkey, crying, | tower—a circumstance that gave her very little «on- cern. She passed whole days in Top dit watching the door of the logis dalatirier, in ) “Ho! captain!’ The captain. pulled up. ‘‘ What would the varlet with me?” said be, on sying in the dark the uncouth figure | to herself of Phasbus, and in feeding the swallows wi limping toward him, crumbs of bread. Quasimodo, on coming up to him, boldly Jaid hold of | For some time she had neither seen or heard Quasi- the horse's bridle.. ‘Follow me, captain,’ said he; | modo, The poor bell-ringer seemed. to have « ly “there is one who would speak with you.” forsaken the church. One: night, however, unable to : | rf . me. | Sleep for thinking of her handsome captain, she he By Mahound’s horns !’’ muttered Phasbus; *me- | eC et ee Gomonhatn Seoue vail ann thinks I have seen this rascally scarecrow somewbere by the light of the moon she saw a shapeless maag and or other, Halloo! fellow! let go the bridle.” lying “Captain,” replied the deaf bell-ringer; ‘ask me not eeiarenialates ae doorway. It was Quasimode Sheek who.it is.’’ “Loose my horse,1 tell you,” cried Phebus, an- . “ What means the rogue, hanging thus from my le-rein. Dost thou take my horse for a gallows, knave?”? Quasimodo, so far relaxing his hold of the bridle, Was preparing to turn the horse’s head the contrary way. able to account for the opposition of the cap- shdeacon the miraculous manner in which n tian had been sayed. Wien apprised © up CHAPTER Y. THE KEY OF THE PORTE ROUGE,. of this, he } tainy, he hastened to give him thisexplanation. ‘ Come, ny, he gi exp not how he feit. He ‘ mn its mit captain, "tis a temale who is waiting for you—a female who loves you.” | ““A pare varlet!” said the captain. “To suppose that I am obliged to yo to all the women who love me, or say’they do. Afterall, perhaps she is like myself with that owl’s face, Tell her who sent thee that I | La Esmers d was therefore ena: int; he had drained the cup of mise The human heart—Dom,.Claude had deep on these matterse—cannot contain more than a quantity of despair, When a sponge is thoro to the ‘Hark ye, Monseigneur,” cried Quasimodo, thinking MEANWHILE publi¢ rumor had oe es to tha ‘ EOMMICOOOKS, (EC)