Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 144 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

LS ee ~~ THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME. 40 Wincennes, in the room of Gilbert Acle, Esquire ; in '75,| fessor. Master Coppenole is making me sensible of my | knaves in pieces! Go, my friend Tristan! slay, and tanger of the forest of Rouvray-lez St. Cloud, in the | mistake.” ; room of ues le Maire; in ‘78, we were graciously pleased, by wax, ta yearly sum of ten livres Parisis to you and your wife; upon the Place aux Marchands, situate tters-patent with double seal of green shoulder, he proceeded: Then, laying his hand familiarly upon Coppenole’s | “You were saying, Master Jac —— “I was saying, sire, that perhaps you are right—that at the sohool of St. Germain; in’79 we made you the hour of the people here is not yet come.’ J Daiz; then captain of the castleof Boches, governor ef St. : then captain of the bridge of Moulan, from which you have taken the style of count, Out ofthe fine of five sous, jpaid by every barber who shayes on a holiday, three sous goto you, and we have your ey We have been 6 from auvais, which accorded but pleased to) | tanger of theforest of Senart, in the room of wed Louis fixed upon him his piercing eye. “ And when | en | W ill that hour arrive ?’”’ ‘* You will hear it strike.” ‘“* By what clock, pray ?’’ | Coppenole, with grave but tranquil look, drew the king close to the window. “Listen, sire, Here is a one e-keep, there a bell-tower, cannon, burghers, sol- ers. cannon shall roar, when the keep shall fall with a mighty crash, when the Dangers and the soldiers shall | shout and slay one another, then shall the hour haye | our mien. In '74, wegranted you, to the great dis re ofour nobility, coat-armor of a thousand colors, which makes yon a breast like a pea- coek’s. Diew! are you not content yet? Is not | struck.” the daught of fishes miraculousenough? Are you not afraid ba ab a salmon should sink your boat? Pride wil be your downfall, Compere. fuin and shame close at its heels. et.” Theas words, uttered with a stern look, caused the Then turning sharply toward the bold Fleming: r Olivier to resumeits former in- | ‘ Master Jacques,” said he, “have you ever seen an = oakass. ,” murmu Weed ill to-day. He gives everyting to the an. Louis, so. far from being exasperated at this im- pertinence, again began with a deyree of mildness; “ Hold ; I forgot that t made you my ambassador to Ghent to Madame Marie. Yes’ gentlemen,” added the king, turning toward the Flomings, “ this man was my ambassador. There now, Compere;’ continued he, ad- Master Olivier, ‘‘ we will not fall out ; we are old . Itis very late; we have finished our busi- mess. ve me.” Our readers were agen | not prepared till this mo- ment to recognize in “Master Olivier’ that terrible Figaro whom Providence, the great dramatist, so curi- ously | d up with the long and bloody comely of Fn shall not here attempt to portray that cou red he, almost aloud, e face. This ro al barber three names. At politely cal Olivier le Delmas 4 the livier, the Devil. His real name was Olivier re) . To Maa Sha i vier le Mauvais, shes. , Le -Fm pe gue tee edly at the king, and 8 ng sidelong ces he Coictier. ‘‘ Yes, yes! the physician |” he mut- tered between his teeth. 4 “ Ah, yes, the physician !'’ repeated Louis XI., with singular mildness, “the physician has more influence than thou. very naturally. He has our whole Rody in his grip, while thou layest hold of ts by the chin only. Some; my poor barber, think no more of it. What wouldst thou say, and what would become of thy office, ifl were a king like Chilperic, who had a beard which he wasinu the habit of grasping in his hand ? Now, Compere, fetch your things, and shave mie.’ Olivier, seeing that the king was determined not to be put out of temper, left the room grumbling to com- ply with his orders. , The king rose, went to the window, and hastily open- ing it, cried, clapping his hands, and with extraordin- ary agitation: “ yes! the sky over the city is allin a@ glow. e bailiff’s hotise must be on fire. Itcannot be anything else. Well done, -— food people—at length ye lend mea hand to cru eir lordships.”’ Thén turning toward the Flemings—* Only come and look, gentlemen, Is not that a fire yonder?” Pride always has | his hand Think of this, aud | been the flank of a favorite charger. “Oh, no!” said | The face of Louis XI. became gloomy and thonght- | ful. For a moment he was silent; he then patted with | he, “thou wilt not fall so easily, my Bastile |” insurrection ?’’ ; ; “I have made one,"’ answered tho hosier. “ How do you set about making an insurrection ?”’ inquired the king. : “* Why,” replied Coppenole, “ the thing is not at all dificult. There are a hundred ways. In the first place the city must be discontented. That is not a. rare circumstance. Those of Ghent are disposed to sedi- tion. They are slways attached to the son of the re g prince, but never to the prince himself. | Well, I will su © that one mo some One | comesinto my shop and says to me: ‘Father Cop- rubbing his forehead. ‘ penole, here is this, that, and the other; the demoi-| selle of Flanders is determined to save her minis- | ters ; the high bailiff has doubled the toll for grind- | ing corn '—or anything else—no matter what. Incon- | tinently Ileave my work, and go out into the street | and shout,‘Toarms!’ There is always some cask or | hogshead lying about. I leap upon it, and tell,in the, first words that come, what, I have upon my heart; and when one belongs to the people, sire, one always has something upon the heart. Then the lieges | sear they shout, they ri the alarm-bell, they | arm themselves with weapons from the soldiers, | the market-people join them, and they to yee And this will always be the way, while there are lords | en the bell-tower shall buzz, when the | peace of this co e thick wall of the tower, as though it had | cereas ! spare not !’’ This explosion over, he returned to his seat, and said, with cold, concentrated rage: “ Here, tan! We have with us in this Baastile the Vicomte de fifty lances, making together three hundred horse; take them. There is also Captain de Chateaupers’ company of the archers of our ordinance; take them. You are provost of the farriers; you have your own people ; take them, At the Hotel St. Pol you will find forty hers of the new guard of Monsieur the ; take them. And with all this force hasten to Notre- Dame—So, so, Messieurs of the mob of Paris, it is at the crown of France, at the sanctity of Our Lady, and at the onwealth, that your blows aré aim- ed! Exterminate, Tristan! extermizate. Spare not one of them but for Montfaucon !” Tristan bowed. ‘‘It shall be done, sire.” Aftor s pause, he asked, “What shall [ do with the sorcer- ess ?” “Ah! gaid he, musing at this question, “the sor- Monsieur d’Estouterville, what would the people with her?” : “Sire,” replied the provost of Paris, “I should im- agine that, as the people are gone to take from her sanctuary in Notre’Dame, they are ed beeause she is unpunished, and mean to beng her.” For a while the king appeared to be lost in thought; then turning to Tri “* Compere,” said hoe, ‘‘ exter- minate the people, and h ge sorceress.” “Excellent !” witispered m to Coppenole; “ pun- ish the people for the intention, and carry that inten- tion into effect |’ “’Tis enough, sire,” answered Tristan. “But if the sorceress be still in Notre-Dame, is she to be removed in despite of sanctuary ?” ice . a -Dicu ! vr tage 4” ejacu the ‘And yet the witch must hanged. : Here, as if actuated by a sudden idea, he fell upon his knees before his chair, took off his hat, Maia st on his seat, and devoutly fixed his eyes on one of the leaden figures with which he was ed. “Oh!” he — with clasped hands, “‘my gracious patronoess, r Lady of Paris, forgive me. Iwill do it but this once, That criminal must be punished. I assure you, Holy A a my good mie that she is a sorce- ress who not worthy of your kind on. You know madame, that very many piots princes have tra assed tha privilege of churches for ity of the State. St. the glory of God and the ne lowed Kin Hugh, a bishop of England, in the seignories, burghera in the burghs, and peasants | take a m 2 in his church. St. Lou in the country.” . my master, violated for the same p he Church “ And against whom do.ye thug rebel?" inquired the | of Monsieur St. Paul ; and Monsieur ho gon of king. “Against your bailiffs? against your liege- | the King of Jerusalem, the church of the Holy Sepul- lords ?” : cher itself, Forgive me, then, for this time, “ Sometimes one, sometimes the other, just as it happens; sometimes, too, aguinst the duke.” Monsieur Louis returned to hischair. “Aha!” said he with a smile; “ here they have got no further than the bailiffs |’’ At that moment Olivier le Daim returned. He was followed by two pages me 5, Jem ot tor the | king's toilet; but what struck. Louis XI. was the cir- | cumatance of his being accompanied by the Provost of Paris and the officer of the watch, whose countenances bespoke alarm. The face of the spiteful barber also | wore @ look of dismay, but an expression of pleasure | lurked beneath it. He it was who spoke. “ Begyiny. rear majesty’s pardon,” said he, “I bring | calamitous tidinys.’’ The king, turning sharply round, tore the mat tial of Paris! I will never do so again, and I i you a goodly statue of silver, like that which I gave last year to Our Lady of Ecouys. Amen!” He made the sign of the cross, rose, put on his hat, and said to Tristan: ‘‘Lose not a moment, et. g the the alarm-bell be rumg. Quell the rabble. sorceress. That is settled. I expect you to work Bn 4 costs of the execution. Report te me upon it. Olivier, I shall not get to bed to-night. Shave me.”’ Tristan, the Hermit, bowed and retired. then motioned Rym and Coppenole to withdraw. “ keep you, my good friends of Flanders. Go, take a little rest ; the night is tar spent ; indéed we are to morning than evening.” . Both accordingly retired, and on reschiee Seas Moos an |Take Monsieur de Chateaupers se with we The two citizens of Ghent approached. “’Tis -a/ the floor with the legs of his chair, ‘‘ What have you ments, to which they were escorted by th fire too,” said Guillaume Rym. , to say ?’ . 'the Bastile, Coppenole said to Guillaume _— “ By the rood!" cried eagenwes. whose eyes all at | “Sire,” replicd Olivier le Daim, with the malignant the rood! I have had enough of this coug king. once sparkled, “ that reminds me of the burning of ; look of a nian who rejoices in the opportunity of strik- I have seen Charles ey drunk ; he was hot so the Seigneur d’Hymbercourt’s house. There mitist be , ing a severe blow, “it isnot against the bailiff of the ill-conditioned as Louis XI. sick.” — , & fine insurrection yonder.”’ “ Think you so, Master Copponole?’” said the king, with alvok of scarcely less delight than that of the hosier. “Twill be difficult to quell, no doubt.” “By ‘the mass, sire, your majesty will get 4 great Many companies of men-at-arms thinnedin doing it. “Ah! I! That alters the case!" rejoined the king, “If I pleased "’— “If this riot be what I suppose,” boldly replied the hosier, “ your se gnee.| will be to no purpose.” ‘« Compere,” said Louis XI.” “with two companies of my e and one piece of ce, one might svon put down the rabble.” ‘The hosier, regardless of the signs made to him by his c eegue. a ed determined to contradict the king, “The Switzers. too, were rabble,” said he “The Duke of Burgundy, beings proud gentleman, held this rabble dog-cheap. At the battle of Grandson, he cried, ‘Gunners, fire on your base-born varlets !”’ and he swore by St. George. But Scharnachthal, the avenger, rushed upon the goodly duke with his mace and his men ; and, at the onslaught of peasants clad in buffalo-hides, the shining Burgundian army was shiv- ered like « pane of glass by astone. I know not how many knights were slain by the rabble ; and Monsieur de Chateau-Guyon, the most illustrious of the Bur- gundian nobles, was found dead with his tall, gray charger in 8 small meadow.” ts friend,’’ rejoined the king, “you are talkin of a battle; wehave todo with ariot. Why, I woul put an end to it in the twinkling of an éye.” “ It may be, sire,” replied the other with inuifferance ; “ but in that case the people's time is not come.” Guillaume Rym thought it right to interfere. “ Master Coppenole, you are speaking to a mighty monarch.” “ I know it,” vely replied the hosier. “Let him away, my friend Rym,” said the king. “I like thisfrankness. My father, Charles VIL., was accustomed to say that Truth was sick. Nowl fancied that she was dead,and had not found a con- *|@ young man, ' ware of thy head Palace that the insurrection of thé populace is di- | rected,” . . } ’“ And against whom, then ?’’ | “ Avainst yourself, sire !” The aged monarch started u tas | = * ee O be- “ re; for [swear by the cross of St. Lo that if thou liest, the sword that cut off the | head of Monsieur de Luxembourg is not so notched but. it shall hack off thine!” | This was aformidable oath. In all his life Louis XI. | hal sworn but twice by the cross of St. Lo. Olivier | opened his lips to reply. ‘‘Sire’’ “Down on thy knees!"’ cried the king, vehemently, | interrupting him. ‘Tristan, look to this mant” . | Olivier fell on his knees ‘Sire,’ said he, coldly, a_ witch has been sentenced to death by your court of Parliament. She has taken sanctuary in Notre-Dame, The people have risen to remove her by force. The provost and the officer of the watch, who have just come froin the spot, are here to contradict me if I speak not the truth. It is to Notre-Dame that the rabble are — laying siege.” “Soho! ejaculated the king, in a low tone, trembling with rage: “ Notre-Dame, is it? besieging Our y, my good mistress, in her own cathedral! Rise, Olivier. Thou art right. It is myself) whom they are assailipg. The watek is under the safeguard of the church, the chureh is under my safe- | uard. I verily believed that the bailiff was the object | of their attack. It is myself aiter all. | Then, as if his passion had suddenly restored to him | the vigor of youth, he began to n his feet, uprigh vier, eepleia t And ale and pace the floor with | hasty strides, He no longer laughed; he was terrible to behold as he stalked to and fro. The fox was turned intoa hyena. He seemed to be cheked, and incapable | of utterance ; his lips moved, and his scraggy fists were clenched, All at once he raised his h : his hollow eyes glared, and his voice burst ferth like the blast of a trumpet: “Cut them in pieces, Tristan! cut all these | » escape. predestined to it, I fancy.” hey are jnst come from him. He wears fustian br es. ‘*Master Jacques,’ replied, Rym, “tis — the wine ot kings is not so cruel their diet-drin o A NARROW ESCAPE. Ow leaving the Bastile, Gringoire scudded down the Rue St. Antoine with the swiftness of a runaway horse. When he had reached the the Baudoyer gate, he walked straight up to the stone cross which 6 int | (le of the open space, as though he had been able to discern in the dark the figure of & man in a black dresa and cowl, seated on the steps of the cross. “Is it yeu, master ?”’ said Gringoire. The black figure started up. “ Death and perdition! You make my blood boil, Gringoire. The warder on the tower of St. Gervais has just cried half-past one.’’ “Why,” replied Gringoire, “’tis not my fault, but that of the watch and the king. I have had ppeerew I was on the point of being hanged. lam “Thou art never in time for anything,” said the other; “but let us be gone. Hast thou the watch- word ?”’ “Only think, master—I have seen the king! I — Tis quite an adventure !”’ “Eternal babbler! What care Ifor thy adventure! Hast thou the watch-word of the Vagabonds ?”’ “ Be easy; I have.” “"Tig well. We should not else be able to reach the church. The rabble block up all the streets. Luckily, they seem to have met with resistance. We sball per- haps yet arrive ia time.” ‘‘Yes, master, but how are we to get itato the church ?” ‘I have a key to the towers.” « And how shall we get out ?” “ Behind the cloisters there is a postern opemne Ls op the Terrain, and so to the river. I have tah o key of it, and moored a boat there this morning.” Ehboo —— PR a ell ~~