Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 144 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

% THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME. 47 — -_—— “To Henriet Cousin, master executioner of Paris, | the sum of sixty sous Parisis, to him adjudged and or- dered by Monseignéur the provost of »Paris, tor that he id buy, at the command of the said Sieur the provost, a great sword for executing and beheading persons con- dusmned by justice for their misdeeds, and did provide +» sheath and all thereunto appertaining, and likewise did get the old sword ground and repaired, by reason that it was broken and notched in, doing justice upon — Messire Louis, of Luxembourg, as may moretully ap- ear?’ — , The king interrupted the reader. “ That is enough; I order that sum with all my heart. penses which I think not of. I never grudge moneys so laid out—Go on.” ‘‘For new-making a great cage’’—— “Ah !” said thé king, grasping the arms of his chair with both hands, “ I knew that I had come to this Bastile for something; stop, Master Olivier, I will Jook at that eage myself. You shall read the items, while I ex- amineit. Gentlemen of Flanders, come and look at it —’'tis a curious thing.” He then rose, and feant upon the arm af the reader, motioned to the kind of mute standiny before the door to precede him, to.the two Flemings to follow, and left the chamber. The royal party was re-enforced at the door of the retreat by men-at-arms encumbered with iron, and slender pages bearing torches. It pursued its way for some time through the interior of the somber keep, perforated with staircases and corridors even into the substance of the walls. The.captain of the Bastile went first, to get the wickets opened forthe old, king, who, bent with age and infirmity, coughed as he walked along. ’ ry aah wicket every head was obliged to stoop ex- cepting that of the old monarch. “Hum !’’ muttered he betwee his gums—tor he had lost all his teeth— “we are already not far from the door of the tomb. At alow door the passenger must stoop.”’ . At length, haying passed the last wicket, so encum- bered with locks and fastenings that it took nearly a quartér of an hour to open it, they entered a lofty and spacious hall, in the middle of which was discovered, by the tight of the torches, a massive cube of masonry, ort Se tn for ners of state which ° ) 80 were CP ne idiftg’é daugh rs.’" In the sides of it were wo or 1 win ty a a yws, 80 closely latticed with thick iron that the could not be seen. The door was a large stone slab, like those which are laid upon graves; one of those doors which are never used but to enter; only im this case the buried person was yet living. , The king began to walk slowly round the little edi- fice, examining it with care, while Master Olivier, who followed him, read aloud to this effect: “For havin new-made a great wooden cage of thick joists, girde antl blade, Deine nine eons by eight , and seven fee m floor to ceil g. laned and clamped with strong iron clamps, the hath been setin a chamber si = - by of — rt = rey St. Antoine, in the whic 8 put and kept, by com- mand of our lotd the Kin , & prisoner who aforetime The interior was hollow. It was one dwelt in a cage that was old, crazy,and decayed. ‘There were used for the said new cage ninety-six joists, fifty- two uprights, ten girders, three fathoms in length; and there were employed nineteen carpenters, in squar- ing, cutting, and working all said timber in the court of the Bastile for twenty days’’— “ Capital heart of oak!” said the king, rapping the wood with his knuckles. “There were used for this cage,”’ continued the read- er, “two hundred and twenty thick iron clamps, of eight and nine feet, the rest of middle length, with the screws, nuts and bands to the said clamps; the whole of the said iron weighing three thousand seven hun- dred and thirty-five pounds; besides eight stout hold- fasts to fasten the said e, With the bails weighing together two htndred and eighteen pounds; without reckoning the iron grating to the windows of the cham- ber in which the cage is placed, the iron doors of that chamber, and other things’’—— “A great deal of iron,’’ said the king, “‘ to repress the levity ofone mind!” ‘ The whole amounts to three hundred and seventeen livres five sous seven deniers.’’ “ ue-Diew!"’ exclaimed the king: “At this imprecation, which was the favorite oath of: the ¢age. Chains were heard trailing upon the floor, and a faint voice, which seemed to issue from a tomb, | of ordinance, tlie London, the Brabant, the Bourge-en- | “The artillery causes | cried, * Mercy, sire! mercy !’* The person who thus spoke could not be seen. “Three hundred seventeen livres five sous seven deniers !’’ repeated Louis XI. ped The lamentable voice which issued from the cage had thrilled all present, including Master Olivier himself. command, Master Olivier began reading and his These are ex- | ate joiner is dear,’’ observed the king. “Is that “No, sire. Toa glazier, for the windows of the said chamber, forty-six sons eight deniers Parisis.”’ “Pardon, sire! pardon! Is it not enough’ that all my goods have been given to my Judges, my plate to | Monsieur de Torcy, my library to Master Pierre Doriolle, my tapestry to the Governor of Rousillon? I am inno- cent. For fourteen years [ have pined in an iron cage. | Mercy, sire! mercy! You will be rewarded for it in | heaven.” **Master Olivier,’’ said the king, * the total ?’’ ‘*Three hundred sixty-seyen livres eight sous three deniers Parisis.”’ ‘*« By our lady !’’ returned the king, “an extravagant cage.’’ Baatehise the paper from the hand of Olivier, he looked by turns on the account and at the cage, and began to reckon up himself upor his fingers. Mean- while the prisoner continued wailing and sobbing. It was truly dolefulin the dark. The bystanders looked at each other aud turned pale. | “Fourteen years, sire! fourteen long years! ever | since the month of April, 1649. In the name of the Blessed Mother, sire, hearken to me. has all this time been enjoying the warmth of the sun. Am I never more to see day-light? Be merciful, sire! Clemency is a right royal virtue, which turneth aside | the current of wrath. Doth your majesty ‘believe that at the hour of death.it is a great consolation to a king not to have left any offense ‘unpunished? | Besides, sire, it was not J, but Monsieur d’Auges, Who was guilty of the treachery against your va, a Bo Would that you Saw the thick chain fastened to my leg, and the great iron ball at the endof it, much heavier than it heed be! Ah, sire! take pity on me!” ‘Olivier,’ sald the king, shaking bis head, “‘I per- ceive that I am Sipe its twenty sous’ by the load for lime, though it may be bought for twelve. Send back this account.”’ Turning from the cage, he began to move toward the ‘door of the chamber, The wretched prisoner judged from the receding torches and noise that the king was oing. P “give | sire!’ cried he in tones of despair. The door shut. Hesaw nothing, he heard nothing, save the husky voice of the jailer chanting a stanza of a song of that day on the subject of his misfor- tunes: f ; ' Maitre Jean Balue A perdu la yue De ses eveches Monsieur de Verdun N’en a plus pas un, Tous sont depeches. | : . The king,returned in silence to his retreat, followed y his abruptly toward the govegnor of the Bastile. the-by,”’ said he, ‘‘ was there not some one in that “In good sooth, sire, there was,” replied the gov- ernor, astonished at the question. * Who, then ?’’ “The bishop of Verdun.”’ The king knew that better than anybody else. But this was way. ‘**Ah!” said he, as naturally as if he had but just thought of it; ‘‘Guillaume de Harancourt, a friend | lord. ‘of Monsieur the Cardinal Balue's. A good fellow of a | bishop [”’ The door of the retreat presently opened, and again closed upon the five personages to whom the reader was introduced at the beginning of this chapter, and who resumed their places, their whispering conversa- tion, and their attitudes. . Your majesty | _calm austerity: ‘ Compere Jacques, you come in»rather -penole to the face and dress o , who ‘were thrilled by the last heart- | rending wailings of the prisoner. His majesty we | y- | ters.”’ | the soldier, not content with the provisions which he finds in the houses of the farmers, drives them out with grievous blows of sticks and staves to the city in quest of wine, fish, groceries, and other luxurious things—that Monsieur the king is acquainted with these proceedings—that it is our intention to protect our people from molestation, robbery, and plunder— thatitis our will, by Our Lady! that, moreover, it | pleaseth us not that any musician, ehirurgeon, or man- /at-arms shall be attired like a prince in velvet, silks, and rings ot gold—that these vanities are. hateful to God—that we ourselves, who are gentlemen, are con- tent with a doublet of cloth at sixteen sous the Paris ell—the Messieurs the soldiers’ boys may even come down to that price, too—Order and command — To Monsieur de Roualt, oftr friend—Right !"’ | This letter he dictated aloud, in a firm tone, and by fitsand starts. At the moment when he had finished, the door,opened, and a personage whose look bespoke vehement terror rushed into the chamber, crying: ‘*Sire! sire! there is a sedition of the | Paris !’’ The stern featuresof Monsieur Louis were contracted; but all the visible signs of his emotion passed away like lightning. Herestrained himself, and observed with populace in abruptly !”’ | “Sire! sire! the mob is in rebellion !’’ replied Com- pere Jacques, breathless with haste and alarm. The king, who had risen, seized him roughly by the arm, and whispered so as to be heard by him alone, | with coneentrated anger and a sidelong glance at the | Flemings: : ** Be silent, or speak low 1’’ The newcomer comprehended his meaning, afd be- ganinalowtoue ascoherent a narrative as his fears would permit.. The king listened with composure, while Guillaume Rym directed ‘ e attention of Cop- 3 the speaker, to his turred hood, his short cloak, and his black velvet gown, which bespoke a president of the Court of Accounts. | No sooner had this personage communicated a few particulars to the king, than Monsieur Louis burst into aloud laugh, exclaiming: “Is that all? Speak up, Compere Coictier! Be not afraid to open your mouth! Our Lady knows that I havé no secrets fonout good friends of Flanders.’ wt “ But, sire ”’ “Speak wp, I tell you, man!" . Compere Coictier was dumbfeunded. a 7s “Come!” resumed the king, “ speak, sir—there is a riot of the rabble in our good city of Paris?’ “Yes, site.” wey “Directed, you say, against Monsieur the bailiff of the Palace of Justice ?”’ ‘It is, apparently,” said the Compere, still stammer- ing, quite disconcerted at the abrupt and unaceouut- able change which had taken place in thesentiments of the king. _— h & “Where did the watch fall in with this mob ?”’ in- _ quired Louis. ee |, “Going along the great Traunderie toward the Pont- _ #ux-Changeurs. I met it myself, as I was coming hither in obedience to the commands of your majesty: I heard some of them shouting: ‘Down with the bailiir of the Palace!’ ”’ | ee EE CUE have they to make against the iliff ? ’ j “Why,” said Compere Jacques,“ he is their licge- ~ . ‘* Indeed !”’ ; F | “Yes, sire. They are the of the Cour des Miracles; they have long been complaining of the bailiff whose vassals they are: They qill not acknow- ledge his authority either in criminal or in civil mat- “Ay, marry !”’ ejaculated the with a smile of During the king’s absence, several dispatches had | satisfaction, which he strove in vain to disguise. been laid upon his table. He broke the seals of them himself and hastily ran over one atter another. He then made a sign to Master Olivier, who appeared to perform the office of minister, to»take a pen, and, without communicating to him the contents of the dispatches, began in a low tone to dictate his answers which Olivier wrote kneeling very incommodiously at the table. Guillaume Rym watched him closely. The king spoke so low that the Flemings could catch no more than a few detached and scarcely intelligible fray- ments of his dictation, such as; “To m tures.”’ see, and the St. Omer.” war now to be carried on more judiciously.”” “To our friend, Monsieur Bressuire.’’ ‘‘ Armies cannot be kept without taxes '’—— By-and-by he raised his voice. permit this. The greatness of houses is assure majesty coolly continued his examination of the cage. | the integrity of their prerogatives. Note this, Compere “ Besides the above, there had been paid to a mason who tnade the holes to receive the bars of the windows, and tue floor of the chamber where the cage is, because the'floor con!d not have borne this cage by reason of its weight—twenty-seven livres fourteen sous Parisis.’’ The voice again began moaning. I assure your ae , for Heaven's sake, sire! ’ . imijoaty that it was thé Cardinal of Anges who did the ., not I." ” “The mason is high,” said the king. “ Proceed, Olivier.” : Olivier continued : ‘To'a joiner for windows, bedstead, and other things —twenty livres’ two sous Parisis.” The voice likewise continued : ‘ “Alas, sire! will you not hear me? TI protest that it was not I who wrote that thing to Monseigneur de Guyenne, but Cardinal Balue !” | Olivier.” _ Presently. What would our brother the emperor!” Bunning . his eyes over the missive, he ever and anon interrupted |. his reading 7 interjections—“ Certes, the Allmains | are so great and 80 mighty that ‘tis scarcely credible.” | But we forgot the old gaying,; the finest county is | Flanders ; the fimest duchy, Milan; the finest king- dom, France.’ ‘1s it not so, my Flemish friends ? | excepting “ Master Olivier himself.” He tain the | for a moment, witha look of deep thought, but also of Louis XI., 8ome person appeared to rouse up, within | fertile places by commerce, the barren by manufac. | “To show the English lords our four pieces | - “ Pasque-Dieu! Mon- | sieur the King ot Sicily seals his letters with yellow | The king alone appeared not to have heard it. At his |\wax, likea king of France. Perhaps we are wron fe y | “Oho!” said he, ‘‘the big Message! | “In all their petitions tothe Parliament,” replied | the Compere Jacques, “ they pretend that they have but two misters; your majesty and their Ged—who, I verily b-léve, is the déyil.”’ ‘““Eigal eigh!’’ said the king. He rubbed his hands, with an inward exultation, | Which beamedforth from his face: he conld not dis- semble his joy, though h pose himself. endeavored at times to com- He completely puzzled all present, not it silence satasfaction. “Are they numerous ?” he all at once in d. “Indeed they are, sire,’ then ansyw Compere Jacques. . “* How, many ?” — thousand, at least,” . he king could not help ejaculating, ‘Good! He then asked, “Are they armed ?’’ a “With scythes, pikes, spades, arquebusses—all sorta of very dangerous weapons.” apitu- The king appeared not at all uneasy at this rec lation. Compere Jacques deemed it his ops majesty send not prompt succor to the bailiff, he 8 lost.”’ ; ’ i604 “We will send,” said the king, with a look of affected | rayity. ‘Tis well. Certes, we willsend. Monsieur e bailiff is our friend, Six thousand! They are aaucy rascals. Their boldness is maryelous, and hath sorely offendeius. But we have few people about us ‘to-night. It will be time enough in the morning.” “Instantly, sire!’ exclaimed | Compere Ja . “or This time Coppenole bowed as well as Rym. The pa-| they will have leisure to plunder the bailiffs house sm of the hosier waa tickled. , “ The last dispateh made, Monsieur Louis knit his brow. ‘“ What is this?’ he exclaimed, “Grievances and. complaints against our garrisons in Picardy! Oliver, write ees " Roualt—that discipline is relaxed—that the gendarmes _twentr times over. to Monsieur the Marshal de the morning.” to pull down the oer the 1 and to hang the bailif or the love of sire, be- fore morning !”’ FES ws .. The ooked him full in the face: “I Pate It was one of thove jocks tow sjhore is no replying. an rd, the nobles of the ban,the yeomen archers, |. For some moments Louis was silent, ten me, eho Switeers, do infinite mischiet to our lieges—that | Compere Jacques,” he again began, ‘1 FE YOu po EGOmichboo toaudd: “If _