While the pensioner1 of Ghent and his eminence2 were exchanging very low bows and a few words in voices still lower, a man of lofty stature3, with a large face and broad shoulders, presented himself, in order to enter abreast4 with Guillaume Rym; one would have pronounced him a bull-dog by the side of a fox. His felt doublet and leather jerkin made a spot on the velvet5 and silk which surrounded him. Presuming that he was some groom6 who had stolen in, the usher7 stopped him.
"Hold, my friend, you cannot pass!"
The man in the leather jerkin shouldered him aside.
"What does this knave8 want with me?" said he, in stentorian9 tones, which rendered the entire hall attentive10 to this strange colloquy11. "Don't you see that I am one of them?"
"Your name?" demanded the usher.
"Jacques Coppenole."
"Your titles?"
"Hosier at the sign of the 'Three Little Chains,' of Ghent."
The usher recoiled12. One might bring one's self to announce aldermen and burgomasters, but a hosier was too much. The cardinal13 was on thorns. All the people were staring and listening. For two days his eminence had been exerting his utmost efforts to lick these Flemish bears into shape, and to render them a little more presentable to the public, and this freak was startling. But Guillaume Rym, with his polished smile, approached the usher.
"Announce Master Jacques Coppenole, clerk of the aldermen of the city of Ghent," he whispered, very low.
"Usher," interposed the cardinal, aloud, "announce Master Jacques Coppenole, clerk of the aldermen of the illustrious city of Ghent."
This was a mistake. Guillaume Rym alone might have conjured14 away the difficulty, but Coppenole had heard the cardinal.
"No, cross of God?" he exclaimed, in his voice of thunder, "Jacques Coppenole, hosier. Do you hear, usher? Nothing more, nothing less. Cross of God! hosier; that's fine enough. Monsieur the Archduke has more than once sought his ~gant~* in my hose."
* Got the first idea of a timing15.
Laughter and applause burst forth16. A jest is always understood in Paris, and, consequently, always applauded.
Let us add that Coppenole was of the people, and that the auditors17 which surrounded him were also of the people. Thus the communication between him and them had been prompt, electric, and, so to speak, on a level. The haughty18 air of the Flemish hosier, by humiliating the courtiers, had touched in all these plebeian19 souls that latent sentiment of dignity still vague and indistinct in the fifteenth century.
This hosier was an equal, who had just held his own before monsieur the cardinal. A very sweet reflection to poor fellows habituated to respect and obedience20 towards the underlings of the sergeants21 of the bailiff of Sainte-Geneviève, the cardinal's train-bearer.
Coppenole proudly saluted24 his eminence, who returned the salute23 of the all-powerful bourgeois25 feared by Louis XI. Then, while Guillaume Rym, a "sage26 and malicious27 man," as Philippe de Comines puts it, watched them both with a smile of raillery and superiority, each sought his place, the cardinal quite abashed28 and troubled, Coppenole tranquil29 and haughty, and thinking, no doubt, that his title of hosier was as good as any other, after all, and that Marie of Burgundy, mother to that Marguerite whom Coppenole was to-day bestowing30 in marriage, would have been less afraid of the cardinal than of the hosier; for it is not a cardinal who would have stirred up a revolt among the men of Ghent against the favorites of the daughter of Charles the Bold; it is not a cardinal who could have fortified32 the populace with a word against her tears and prayers, when the Maid of Flanders came to supplicate33 her people in their behalf, even at the very foot of the scaffold; while the hosier had only to raise his leather elbow, in order to cause to fall your two heads, most illustrious seigneurs, Guy d'Hymbercourt and Chancellor34 Guillaume Hugonet.
Nevertheless, all was over for the poor cardinal, and he was obliged to quaff35 to the dregs the bitter cup of being in such bad company.
The reader has, probably, not forgotten the impudent36 beggar who had been clinging fast to the fringes of the cardinal's gallery ever since the beginning of the prologue37. The arrival of the illustrious guests had by no means caused him to relax his hold, and, while the prelates and ambassadors were packing themselves into the stalls--like genuine Flemish herrings--he settled himself at his ease, and boldly crossed his legs on the architrave. The insolence38 of this proceeding39 was extraordinary, yet no one noticed it at first, the attention of all being directed elsewhere. He, on his side, perceived nothing that was going on in the hall; he wagged his head with the unconcern of a Neapolitan, repeating from time to time, amid the clamor, as from a mechanical habit, "Charity, please!" And, assuredly, he was, out of all those present, the only one who had not deigned40 to turn his head at the altercation41 between Coppenole and the usher. Now, chance ordained42 that the master hosier of Ghent, with whom the people were already in lively sympathy, and upon whom all eyes were riveted--should come and seat himself in the front row of the gallery, directly above the mendicant43; and people were not a little amazed to see the Flemish ambassador, on concluding his inspection44 of the knave thus placed beneath his eyes, bestow31 a friendly tap on that ragged45 shoulder. The beggar turned round; there was surprise, recognition, a lighting46 up of the two countenances47, and so forth; then, without paying the slightest heed49 in the world to the spectators, the hosier and the wretched being began to converse50 in a low tone, holding each other's hands, in the meantime, while the rags of Clopin Trouillefou, spread out upon the cloth of gold of the dais, produced the effect of a caterpillar51 on an orange.
The novelty of this singular scene excited such a murmur52 of mirth and gayety in the hall, that the cardinal was not slow to perceive it; he half bent53 forward, and, as from the point where he was placed he could catch only an imperfect view of Trouillerfou's ignominious54 doublet, he very naturally imagined that the mendicant was asking alms, and, disgusted with his audacity55, he exclaimed: "Bailiff of the Courts, toss me that knave into the river!"
"Cross of God! monseigneur the cardinal," said Coppenole, without quitting Clopin's hand, "he's a friend of mine."
"Good! good!" shouted the populace. From that moment, Master Coppenole enjoyed in Paris as in Ghent, "great favor with the people; for men of that sort do enjoy it," says Philippe de Comines, "when they are thus disorderly." The cardinal bit his lips. He bent towards his neighbor, the Abbé of Saint Geneviéve, and said to him in a low tone,--"Fine ambassadors monsieur the archduke sends here, to announce to us Madame Marguerite!"
"Your eminence," replied the abbé, "wastes your politeness on these Flemish swine. ~Margaritas ante porcos~, pearls before swine."
"Say rather," retorted the cardinal, with a smile, "~Porcos ante Margaritam~, swine before the pearl."
The whole little court in cassocks went into ecstacies over this play upon words. The cardinal felt a little relieved; he was quits with Coppenole, he also had had his jest applauded.
Now, will those of our readers who possess the power of generalizing an image or an idea, as the expression runs in the style of to-day, permit us to ask them if they have formed a very clear conception of the spectacle presented at this moment, upon which we have arrested their attention, by the vast parallelogram of the grand hall of the palace.
In the middle of the hall, backed against the western wall, a large and magnificent gallery draped with cloth of gold, into which enter in procession, through a small, arched door, grave personages, announced successively by the shrill56 voice of an usher. On the front benches were already a number of venerable figures, muffled57 in ermine, velvet, and scarlet58. Around the dais--which remains59 silent and dignified--below, opposite, everywhere, a great crowd and a great murmur. Thousands of glances directed by the people on each face upon the dais, a thousand whispers over each name. Certainly, the spectacle is curious, and well deserves the attention of the spectators. But yonder, quite at the end, what is that sort of trestle work with four motley puppets upon it, and more below? Who is that man beside the trestle, with a black doublet and a pale face? Alas60! my dear reader, it is Pierre Gringoire and his prologue.
We have all forgotten him completely.
This is precisely61 what he feared.
From the moment of the cardinal's entrance, Gringoire had never ceased to tremble for the safety of his prologue. At first he had enjoined62 the actors, who had stopped in suspense63, to continue, and to raise their voices; then, perceiving that no one was listening, he had stopped them; and, during the entire quarter of an hour that the interruption lasted, he had not ceased to stamp, to flounce about, to appeal to Gisquette and Liénarde, and to urge his neighbors to the continuance of the prologue; all in vain. No one quitted the cardinal, the embassy, and the gallery--sole centre of this vast circle of visual rays. We must also believe, and we say it with regret, that the prologue had begun slightly to weary the audience at the moment when his eminence had arrived, and created a diversion in so terrible a fashion. After all, on the gallery as well as on the marble table, the spectacle was the same: the conflict of Labor64 and Clergy65, of Nobility and Merchandise. And many people preferred to see them alive, breathing, moving, elbowing each other in flesh and blood, in this Flemish embassy, in this Episcopal court, under the cardinal's robe, under Coppenole's jerkin, than painted, decked out, talking in verse, and, so to speak, stuffed beneath the yellow amid white tunics66 in which Gringoire had so ridiculously clothed them.
Nevertheless, when our poet beheld67 quiet reestablished to some extent, he devised a stratagem68 which might have redeemed69 all.
"Monsieur," he said, turning towards one of his neighbors, a fine, big man, with a patient face, "suppose we begin again."
"What?" said his neighbor.
"Hé! the Mystery," said Gringoire.
"As you like," returned his neighbor.
This semi-approbation sufficed for Gringoire, and, conducting his own affairs, he began to shout, confounding himself with the crowd as much as possible: "Begin the mystery again! begin again!"
"The devil!" said Joannes de Molendino, "what are they jabbering70 down yonder, at the end of the hall?" (for Gringoire was making noise enough for four.) "Say, comrades, isn't that mystery finished? They want to begin it all over again. That's not fair!"
"No, no!" shouted all the scholars. "Down with the mystery! Down with it!"
But Gringoire had multiplied himself, and only shouted the more vigorously: "Begin again! begin again!"
These clamors attracted the attention of the cardinal.
"Monsieur Bailiff of the Courts," said he to a tall, black man, placed a few paces from him, "are those knaves71 in a holy-water vessel72, that they make such a hellish noise?"
The bailiff of the courts was a sort of amphibious magistrate73, a sort of bat of the judicial74 order, related to both the rat and the bird, the judge and the soldier.
He approached his eminence, and not without a good deal of fear of the latter's displeasure, he awkwardly explained to him the seeming disrespect of the audience: that noonday had arrived before his eminence, and that the comedians75 had been forced to begin without waiting for his eminence.
The cardinal burst into a laugh.
"On my faith, the rector of the university ought to have done the same. What say you, Master Guillaume Rym?"
"Monseigneur," replied Guillaume Rym, "let us be content with having escaped half of the comedy. There is at least that much gained."
"Can these rascals76 continue their farce77?" asked the bailiff.
"Continue, continue," said the cardinal, "it's all the same to me. I'll read my breviary in the meantime."
The bailiff advanced to the edge of the estrade, and cried, after having invoked78 silence by a wave of the hand,--
"Bourgeois, rustics79, and citizens, in order to satisfy those who wish the play to begin again, and those who wish it to end, his eminence orders that it be continued."
Both parties were forced to resign themselves. But the public and the author long cherished a grudge80 against the cardinal.
So the personages on the stage took up their parts, and Gringoire hoped that the rest of his work, at least, would be listened to. This hope was speedily dispelled81 like his other illusions; silence had indeed, been restored in the audience, after a fashion; but Gringoire had not observed that at the moment when the cardinal gave the order to continue, the gallery was far from full, and that after the Flemish envoys82 there had arrived new personages forming part of the cortege, whose names and ranks, shouted out in the midst of his dialogue by the intermittent83 cry of the usher, produced considerable ravages84 in it. Let the reader imagine the effect in the midst of a theatrical85 piece, of the yelping86 of an usher, flinging in between two rhymes, and often in the middle of a line, parentheses87 like the following,--
"Master Jacques Charmolue, procurator to the king in the Ecclesiastical Courts!"
"Jehan de Harlay, equerry guardian88 of the office of chevalier of the night watch of the city of Paris!"
"Messire Galiot de Genoilhac, chevalier, seigneur de Brussac, master of the king's artillery89!"
"Master Dreux-Raguier, surveyor of the woods and forests of the king our sovereign, in the land of France, Champagne90 and Brie!"
"Messire Louis de Graville, chevalier, councillor, and chamberlain of the king, admiral of France, keeper of the Forest of Vincennes!"
"Master Denis le Mercier, guardian of the house of the blind at Paris!" etc., etc., etc.
This was becoming unbearable91.
This strange accompaniment, which rendered it difficult to follow the piece, made Gringoire all the more indignant because he could not conceal92 from himself the fact that the interest was continually increasing, and that all his work required was a chance of being heard.
It was, in fact, difficult to imagine a more ingenious and more dramatic composition. The four personages of the prologue were bewailing themselves in their mortal embarrassment93, when Venus in person, (~vera incessa patuit dea~) presented herself to them, clad in a fine robe bearing the heraldic device of the ship of the city of Paris. She had come herself to claim the dolphin promised to the most beautiful. Jupiter, whose thunder could be heard rumbling94 in the dressing-room, supported her claim, and Venus was on the point of carrying it off,--that is to say, without allegory, of marrying monsieur the dauphin, when a young child clad in white damask, and holding in her hand a daisy (a transparent95 personification of Mademoiselle Marguerite of Flanders) came to contest it with Venus.
Theatrical effect and change.
After a dispute, Venus, Marguerite, and the assistants agreed to submit to the good judgment96 of time holy Virgin97. There was another good part, that of the king of Mesopotamia; but through so many interruptions, it was difficult to make out what end he served. All these persons had ascended98 by the ladder to the stage.
But all was over; none of these beauties had been felt nor understood. On the entrance of the cardinal, one would have said that an invisible magic thread had suddenly drawn99 all glances from the marble table to the gallery, from the southern to the western extremity100 of the hall. Nothing could disenchant the audience; all eyes remained fixed101 there, and the new-comers and their accursed names, and their faces, and their costumes, afforded a continual diversion. This was very distressing102. With the exception of Gisquette and Liénarde, who turned round from time to time when Gringoire plucked them by the sleeve; with the exception of the big, patient neighbor, no one listened, no one looked at the poor, deserted103 morality full face. Gringoire saw only profiles.
With what bitterness did he behold104 his whole erection of glory and of poetry crumble105 away bit by bit! And to think that these people had been upon the point of instituting a revolt against the bailiff through impatience106 to hear his work! now that they had it they did not care for it. This same representation which had been begun amid so unanimous an acclamation! Eternal flood and ebb107 of popular favor! To think that they had been on the point of hanging the bailiff's sergeant22! What would he not have given to be still at that hour of honey!
But the usher's brutal108 monologue109 came to an end; every one had arrived, and Gringoire breathed freely once more; the actors continued bravely. But Master Coppenole, the hosier, must needs rise of a sudden, and Gringoire was forced to listen to him deliver, amid universal attention, the following abominable110 harangue111.
"Messieurs the bourgeois and squires112 of Paris, I don't know, cross of God! what we are doing here. I certainly do see yonder in the corner on that stage, some people who appear to be fighting. I don't know whether that is what you call a "mystery," but it is not amusing; they quarrel with their tongues and nothing more. I have been waiting for the first blow this quarter of an hour; nothing comes; they are cowards who only scratch each other with insults. You ought to send for the fighters of London or Rotterdam; and, I can tell you! you would have had blows of the fist that could be heard in the Place; but these men excite our pity. They ought at least, to give us a moorish113 dance, or some other mummer! That is not what was told me; I was promised a feast of fools, with the election of a pope. We have our pope of fools at Ghent also; we're not behindhand in that, cross of God! But this is the way we manage it; we collect a crowd like this one here, then each person in turn passes his head through a hole, and makes a grimace114 at the rest; time one who makes the ugliest, is elected pope by general acclamation; that's the way it is. It is very diverting. Would you like to make your pope after the fashion of my country? At all events, it will be less wearisome than to listen to chatterers. If they wish to come and make their grimaces115 through the hole, they can join the game. What say you, Messieurs les bourgeois? You have here enough grotesque116 specimens117 of both sexes, to allow of laughing in Flemish fashion, and there are enough of us ugly in countenance48 to hope for a fine grinning match."
Gringoire would have liked to retort; stupefaction, rage, indignation, deprived him of words. Moreover, the suggestion of the popular hosier was received with such enthusiasm by these bourgeois who were flattered at being called "squires," that all resistance was useless. There was nothing to be done but to allow one's self to drift with the torrent118. Gringoire hid his face between his two hands, not being so fortunate as to have a mantle119 with which to veil his head, like Agamemnon of Timantis.
当这位刚城养老金领取人同红衣主教交换着低低的鞠躬和更低的谈话之际，一个高身材大脸盘宽肩膀的人凑了过来，打算同居约姆·韩并肩走进大厅。这真象是一条大狗站在一只狐狸旁边。他的毡帽和皮外衣在四周那些穿天鹅绒衣服的人当中显得非常触目。守门人以为他是个走错了路的马夫，把他拦住了。“喂，朋友！这儿是不让走的！”
那穿皮外衣的人把他的肩膀一推。
“这家伙想把我怎么样？”他大声嚷道，使得整座大厅里都开始注意这奇怪的对话来了。“你没有看见我是同他们一道的吗？”
“你的姓名叫什么？”
“雅克·科勃诺尔。”
“你的身份是什么？”
“袜店商人，刚城的三链记袜店。”
守门人犹豫起来。通报执政官和市政官们，那还说得过去，但是要通报一个袜店商人，可就困难了。红衣主教如坐针毡，所有的人观看着，倾听着。
为了对付这些弗朗德勒狗熊，使他们在公众面前象样一点，红衣主教大人两天来费尽了心血，但这种无理太难堪了。这时居约姆·韩带着文雅的笑容向守门人走过去，用极低的声音对他说：“给刚城执政官的秘书雅克·科勃诺尔通报。”
“守门人，”红衣主教高声说道：“给著名的刚城执政官的秘书雅克·科勃诺尔通报！”
这是一个误会。居约姆·韩以为他个人就能把这个困难搪塞过去，可是雅克·科勃诺尔听出了红衣主教的声音。
“不！凭十字架发誓！”他用打雷般的声音喊道，“你听清了吗？我是刚城的袜店商人雅克·科勃诺尔，一个字不多，一个字不少！凭十字架发誓！
袜店商人，这是够漂亮的！大公爵殿下不只一次在我的袜子堆里寻找他的手套呢！”
爆发了一阵哄笑和赞叹。俏皮话在巴黎是马上就会被人听懂的，当然也总是受到喝采的。
何况科勃诺尔是平民出身，他周围的群众也是来自民间，他们之间感情的交流是敏捷的，迅速的，甚至可以说是坦然的。弗朗德勒袜店商人的高傲语气，虽然羞辱了那些宫廷显贵，却在全体平民的心里唤起了某种庄严的感情，这种感情在十五世纪还是模糊不清的。刚才向红衣主教挑战的这个袜店商人原来是同他们一样的平民呀！这给了那些可怜虫很好的印象。他们向来习惯于尊敬与服从圣热纳维埃夫学院大僧正（给红衣主教牵衣裾的角色）的侍卫们的奴才。
科勃诺尔傲慢地向红衣主教施礼，红衣主教向这位使路易十一畏服的威风凛凛的老板还礼。同时，被菲立浦·德·果明称作“聪明而狠毒的人”的居约姆·韩，带着意味深长的、充满优越感的笑容看着他俩，他俩于是各就各位。红衣主教困窘不安，科勃诺尔安静而高傲，而且当然在想着他那袜店商人的称号也同别的称号一样是非常美妙的。玛丽·德·勃艮第（科勃诺尔今天特意来参加其婚礼的那个玛格丽特的母亲）对这个商人比对一位红衣主教还要敬畏呢！因为煽动民众起来反抗勇敢的查理的女儿的宠臣们的，并不是一位红衣主教。而当弗朗德勒的公主跑到绞刑台下用眼泪和哀恳，为她的宠臣们的性命向民众求情的时候，一句话就鼓动起刚城市民反对她的，也不是一位红衣主教。只要这位袜店商人抬一抬他皮外衣里面的胳膊，显赫的居耶·德·安倍古老爷和居约姆·雨果奈老爷呀，你俩的脑袋就得掉下来！
可是对于可怜的红衣主教，一切还没有完结，既然陪着那样的客人，他就得尝尽辛酸。
读者也许没有忘记戏剧开场时爬到红衣主教的看台栏杆突出部分的那个莽撞的乞丐吧。贵宾们的到来并没有引起他丝毫注意，当教士们和使臣们象真正的弗朗德勒青鱼一般涌进来的时候，他自由自在地坐在那里，还大胆地把两条腿在他坐的地方架成十字。这种少见的傲慢举动，人们起先都没有看见，他们正注意着别的事情。可是在他那方面，却根本不明白大厅里发生了什么事，他若无其事地摇着头，仿佛由于机械的习惯，在一片喧闹当中时不时地喊道：“请行行好吧！”真的，所有在场的人里面，可能只有他是独一无二不屑于回过头去注意科勃诺尔与守门人的争论的人了。已经迅速获得了人们的同情，吸引住人们眼光的这位刚城袜店老板，这时候偏偏走来坐在看台第一排的座位上，恰巧是在那个乞丐的头顶上。这位弗朗德勒使臣一看见在他下面的那个乞丐，便友好地拍拍他那全是补丁的肩膀，人们不免吃了一惊。乞丐回过头去，两人脸上都现出惊异、熟识和兴高采烈的样子。于是这个袜店商人毫不在乎观众会怎样想，就同那生疮的乞丐握着手低声交谈起来。克洛潘·图意弗的破衣烂衫衬在看台的金色帷幔上，就跟青虫爬在桔柑上一样。
这件不寻常的新鲜事激起了大厅里一阵疯狂的欢乐的喧闹，弄得红衣主教急不可待地想要看清楚是怎么回事。他半侧着身子，但从他的座位上只看得见图意弗的破衣服边儿，他想当然地以为是乞丐在乞求施舍，这种冒失激怒了他，他喊道：“司法官先生，请把这家伙给我抛到河里去！”
“凭十字架的名义，红衣主教大人，”科勃诺尔依旧握着克洛潘的手说：“他是我的朋友呀！”
“好极了，好极了！”群众叫嚷道。从这个时刻起，科勃诺尔在巴黎也象在刚城一样“得到了群众的爱戴”，就象菲立浦·德·果明说的：“因为在这样混乱的场合，这种性格的人一定会受人拥护。”
红衣主教咬着嘴唇，低声向身边的圣热纳维埃夫的大僧正说：“为了通知我们玛格丽特夫人的光临，大公爵先生竟把这些有趣的使臣送来了。”
“大人，”大僧正回答道，“你在对这些弗朗德勒的蠢猪白糟蹋礼貌哪。
珍珠在猪的前边呀。”
“不如这样说吧，”红衣主教微笑着回答，“猪在珍珠前边。”
穿长袍的那一小群人都很欣赏这个文字游戏。红衣主教感到了一点安慰，他到底对科勃诺尔进行了报复，因为他的俏皮话也赢得了赞赏。
现在，请让我们问一问读者中间那些能用现今人们的方法把概念和想象综合起来的人，在我们请他们注意的时刻，从我们提供的情景，他们对那巨大的长方形的司法宫大厅是否能有个清楚的印象。大厅中央有一座宽大美观的看台，背靠西墙，它有着金色帷幔，重要人物随着守门人的大声通报不断成队地从一道小小的尖拱门向里面走进去。第一排上已经坐着许多尊严的人，穿着貂皮和天鹅绒衣服以及主教的袈裟。在依然肃静的看台的前面和两侧，到处是人群和喧闹。人们的上千道眼光投向看台上每个人的面孔，上千种声音在低声谈论他们的姓名。那景象的确很热闹，很值得一看。可是在那边，在大厅的尽里头，那上下各站着四个彩色木偶般人物的是个什么台子呀？
台子旁边那个穿黑衣服的脸色发白的人又是谁呀？哎哟，亲爱的读者，那就是比埃尔·甘果瓦同他的序幕。
我们几乎完全把他忘记啦。
这却正是他所担心的。
自从红衣主教进了大厅，甘果瓦就不断地努力抢救他的序幕。他首先吩咐那些犹豫不决的演员们继续演下去并且把他的嗓门提得很高，随后发现并没有一个观众在听，他又阻止了他们。这种停顿一直继续了大约一刻钟之久，这当儿他手忙脚乱，不断地恳求吉斯盖特和丽埃纳德叫她们旁边的人继续把戏看下去。但这一切都是白费力气。没有一个人不掉头去看红衣主教，看那些使臣和看台，那是大厅里唯一吸引注意力的地方。我们只好抱歉地说，这也是应该相信的，正是在序幕稍稍引起观众厌烦的当儿，红衣主教的到来才造成了那样可怕的骚动。何况那戏台或大理石台子上又老是同一个场景：工人和教士的纠纷，贵妇和商女的纠纷。大多数人宁愿看见他们穿着红衣主教的袍子，科勃诺尔的皮外衣，在这群弗朗德勒使臣中间，在这帮教士中间，善良地、摩肩擦背地、有血有肉地生活，呼吸和行动，却不愿看着他们象稻草人一样穿着甘果瓦设计的黄白两色的衣服，粉墨登场，讲着有韵的对话。
然而当我们的诗人看见人们稍为安静了一点，他就又想出了一个补救的办法。
“先生，”他侧身向旁边一个样子很耐心的正派的胖子问道，“还要演下去吗？”
“什么？”那人说。
“哎，圣迹剧呀！”
“随您的便吧。”那人马上回答。
这句半带赞同的回答对于甘果瓦就已经足够了，他便亲自出马，尽可能让自己夹杂在观众的呼声里喊道：“重新开演圣迹剧呀，重新开演呀！”
“见鬼！”若望·德·梅朗狄诺说，“他在那边唱些什么，在那尽里头？
（因为甘果瓦装出四个人的声音在喊。）说呀，同学们，圣迹剧不是还没有演完吗？他们倒想重新开演。这可不对呀。”
“不对！不对！”全体学生一齐嚷道，“打倒圣迹剧！打倒！”
但这却使甘果瓦更加活跃起来，喊得更响了：“重新开演！重新开演！”
这些叫嚷引起了红衣主教的注意。
“司法官先生，”他向离他几步远的一个阴沉沉的高个儿说：“难道这些家伙是在圣水盆里吗？竟弄出这种可恶的怪叫？”
那个司法官是个两栖类，是司法界的蝙蝠那一类的人物，他又是老鼠又是鸟雀，又是审判官又是士兵。
他唯恐红衣主教发脾气，便走到主教跟前，结结巴巴地向他说明群众的轻举妄动：由于正午在他殿下莅临之前就到来了，演员们没等他殿下来到就被迫开演了。
红衣主教哈哈大笑起来。
“其实，就是大学校长也只能这样办呢！你的意见怎样，居约姆·韩阁下？”
“大人，”居约姆·韩回答道，“我们倒应该高兴逃过了半场戏呢。真是因祸得福了。”
“还让这些家伙演下去么？”司法官问。
“演下去吧，演下去吧！”红衣主教说，“这对于我都是一样的，我要趁这当儿读我的祈祷书。”
司法官走到看台边做了个手势叫大家肃静以后，喊道：“乡里和城里的公民们，为了让希望重新开演的人和希望马上结束的人都满意，主教殿下吩咐接着演下去！”
双方只好让步。因此戏剧的作者和观众都把红衣主教埋怨了一阵。
台上的演员重新打起精神，甘果瓦巴望着自己的作品的其余部分还能被观众听到。这个希望也象他别的幻梦一样很快就落了空。观众的确有好一会相当安静，可是甘果瓦并没有发现，当红衣主教吩咐继续演下去的当儿，看台上还远没有坐满，在那些弗朗德勒使者就座以后，他们那边人还在不断到来，守门人还在断断续续地大声通报他们的姓名和职务，这些通报穿插在戏剧的对话中，造成了相当的混乱。读者请想象一下，一场戏剧刚演到半当中，守门人就朝两个诗韵或者往往是两个音缀当中扔进去这样一些象连珠炮似的插曲：“雅克·沙尔莫吕阁下，国王的宗教法庭检察官！”
“若望·德·阿雷，巴黎巡夜骑兵队办事处的守卫和武官！”
“加约·德·吉诺亚克老爷，骑士，布鲁沙的爵士，国王的炮兵队长！”
“德厄·阿盖阁下，归法兰西国王管辖的香槟省和勃里省的森林与水泽管理人！”
“路易·德·格拉维尔老爷，国王的骑士、顾问和管家，法兰西海军总司令，凡赛纳森林的护林官！”
“德里·勒·梅西耶阁下，巴黎盲人院监督！”
等等，等等，等等。
简直是难以忍受。
这种让戏很难演下去的奇怪的伴奏使甘果瓦非常生气，他不能装不知道观众对他的戏兴趣越来越大，以及他的作品就只差给人听到。实在再也没有一出戏能比这出戏更富于戏剧性的了。当那位外套上绣有船形巴黎纹章的维纳斯走到序幕的四个角色跟前时，这些角色却因为要命的窘困而叹息起来。
维纳斯亲自走到那条大鱼面前要他承认她是最美的美人。朱比特——他那响雷般的声音一直传到了更衣室——支持她，眼看那位女神要把大鱼抢去了，这就是说，一点也不假，她就要嫁给太子殿下了，这时一个身穿白衣，手拿一朵白菊花（它象征着弗朗德勒公主）的姑娘，前来同维纳斯竞争。剧情急转直下，竞争结果，维纳斯、玛格丽特和全体人员一致同意去请求圣母公正裁判。另外还有一个漂亮角色，扮的是美索不达米亚的国王堂·倍德尔。可是经过这样长久的停顿之后，已经不容易弄清楚他和剧情有什么联系，虽然全体人员都是从楼梯登上戏台去的。
然而情况就是这样，谁都对那些美妙演出不感兴趣，也不理解。自从红衣主教到场之后，可以说象是有一根看不见的魔线把所有的眼光从大理石台子上拉到看台上去了，从大厅的南边拉到西头去了。什么也不能打破观众的着了魔似的情绪，新到的人和他们杂乱的名字，他们的面貌，他们的服装，都接连不断地吸引着观众的注意。这实在遗憾。除了吉斯盖特和丽埃纳德由于甘果瓦拉她们的衣袖才时时转过头来之外，除了他旁边那耐心的胖子之外，再也没有谁在听，也没有谁在看那遭到遗弃的可怜的圣迹剧了。甘果瓦只看见人们的侧面。
他用怎样的悲痛的心情看着自己那座光荣的诗歌的高台逐渐在倾塌！请想一想，观众等候他的作品开演等得不耐烦的时候，竟还反对过司法官先生呢！现在他们看见戏已经开演就不在乎了，这就是那开演时获得了一致赞赏的演出呀！群众的好意老是一变再变！试想，他们还曾经要吊死司法官先生的几个卫士呢！假若还能回复到那个甜蜜的时刻去，他真不惜献出一切！
守门人粗声粗气的独唱终于停止了，所有的人都已到齐，甘果瓦又呼吸自如了，演员们起劲地继续表演。那个袜店商人科勃诺尔老板不知为什么突然站了起来，在全场专心听戏的当儿，发表了一通讨厌的议论：“巴黎的士绅先生们和乡绅先生们，凭十字架发誓，我不明白我们在这儿干些啥名堂！我看得很清楚，在那个角落里，那个台子上，有几个人好象是要打起来了。我不知这是不是你们所谓的圣迹剧，但这可一点都不好玩，他们不过是在耍嘴皮罢了。我等他们打第一拳已经等了一刻钟，可是根本没有打起来。这是些胆小鬼，只会互相咒骂。应该把伦敦或是鹿特丹的斗士请来。那才妙呢！那你们就会有几下子连广场上都听得见的拳击可看了。这些家伙真没用，他们至少也该给我们表演个化装舞或别的假面舞，人们告诉我的并不是那个戏。人们约我来庆祝愚人节，说要选举愚人王。我们在刚城也选举愚人王，在这方面我们也不落后。凭十字架发誓！不过我们是这么办的：我们聚集起一大堆人，象这儿一样。然后每个人轮流从一个雕花窗洞里伸出头来朝其余的人扮一个怪笑。谁笑得最难看，谁就在一片欢呼声里当选为愚人王。就是这样，真是挺有意思。你们愿意照我国的方法来选举你们的愚人王吗？那可不象听这些家伙讲废话这么讨厌了。要是他们乐意在窗洞口扮怪笑，就让他们试试。你们以为怎样，市绅先生们？这里我们有够多的男女滑稽标本来照弗朗德勒方式取乐一番。我们也有够难看的脸，一定会扮出漂亮的怪笑来的。”
甘果瓦本来想要答话，可是恼怒、昏乱和愤慨使他说不出话来。何况那平民出身的袜店商人的提议，受到了因为被他称为乡绅而得意非凡的居民的热烈拥护，什么反对都是徒然的。除了听之任之，没有别的办法。甘果瓦用双手捂着脸，因为他没有那样的幸运，他缺少一件外套把头蒙起来，就象第芒特画的阿加曼农一样。
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pensioner
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| n.领养老金的人 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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stentorian
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| adj.大声的，响亮的 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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timing
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| n.时间安排，时间选择 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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auditors
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| n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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plebeian
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| adj.粗俗的；平民的；n.平民；庶民 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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saluted
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bourgeois
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| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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supplicate
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| v.恳求；adv.祈求地，哀求地，恳求地 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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quaff
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| v.一饮而尽；痛饮 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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prologue
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| n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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mendicant
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| n.乞丐；adj.行乞的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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50
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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51
caterpillar
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| n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫 | |
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52
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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53
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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54
ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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55
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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56
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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57
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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58
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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59
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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60
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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61
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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62
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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64
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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65
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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66
tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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67
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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68
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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69
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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70
jabbering
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
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71
knaves
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| n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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72
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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73
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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comedians
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| n.喜剧演员，丑角( comedian的名词复数 ) | |
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76
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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77
farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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79
rustics
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| n.有农村或村民特色的( rustic的名词复数 )；粗野的；不雅的；用粗糙的木材或树枝制作的 | |
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80
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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81
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
envoys
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| 使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份 | |
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83
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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84
ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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86
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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87
parentheses
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| n.圆括号，插入语，插曲（ parenthesis的名词复数 ） | |
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88
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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89
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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90
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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91
unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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92
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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93
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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95
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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96
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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97
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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98
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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100
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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101
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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102
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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103
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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104
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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105
crumble
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| vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁 | |
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106
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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107
ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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108
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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109
monologue
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| n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白 | |
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110
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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111
harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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112
squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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113
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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114
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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115
grimaces
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| n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 ) | |
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116
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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117
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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118
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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119
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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