That night, Quasimodo did not sleep. He had just made his last round of the church. He had not noticed, that at the moment when he was closing the doors, the archdeacon had passed close to him and betrayed some displeasure on seeing him bolting and barring with care the enormous iron locks which gave to their large leaves the solidity of a wall. Dom Claude's air was even more preoccupied1 than usual. Moreover, since the nocturnal adventure in the cell, he had constantly abused Quasimodo, but in vain did he ill treat, and even beat him occasionally, nothing disturbed the submission2, patience, the devoted3 resignation of the faithful bellringer. He endured everything on the part of the archdeacon, insults, threats, blows, without murmuring a complaint. At the most, he gazed uneasily after Dom Claude when the latter ascended4 the staircase of the tower; but the archdeacon had abstained6 from presenting himself again before the gypsy's eyes.
On that night, accordingly, Quasimodo, after having cast a glance at his poor bells which he so neglected now, Jacqueline, Marie, and Thibauld, mounted to the summit of the Northern tower, and there setting his dark lanturn, well closed, upon the leads, he began to gaze at Paris. The night, as we have already said, was very dark. Paris which, so to speak was not lighted at that epoch7, presented to the eye a confused collection of black masses, cut here and there by the whitish curve of the Seine. Quasimodo no longer saw any light with the exception of one window in a distant edifice8, whose vague and sombre profile was outlined well above the roofs, in the direction of the Porte Sainte-Antoine. There also, there was some one awake.
As the only eye of the bellringer peered into that horizon of mist and night, he felt within him an inexpressible uneasiness. For several days he had been upon his guard. He had perceived men of sinister9 mien10, who never took their eyes from the young girl's asylum11, prowling constantly about the church. He fancied that some plot might be in process of formation against the unhappy refugee. He imagined that there existed a popular hatred12 against her, as against himself, and that it was very possible that something might happen soon. Hence he remained upon his tower on the watch, "dreaming in his dream-place," as Rabelais says, with his eye directed alternately on the cell and on Paris, keeping faithful guard, like a good dog, with a thousand suspicions in his mind.
All at once, while he was scrutinizing13 the great city with that eye which nature, by a sort of compensation, had made so piercing that it could almost supply the other organs which Quasimodo lacked, it seemed to him that there was something singular about the Quay14 de la Vieille-Pelleterie, that there was a movement at that point, that the line of the parapet, standing16 out blackly against the whiteness of the water was not straight and tranquil17, like that of the other quays18, but that it undulated to the eye, like the waves of a river, or like the heads of a crowd in motion.
This struck him as strange. He redoubled his attention. The movement seemed to be advancing towards the City. There was no light. It lasted for some time on the quay; then it gradually ceased, as though that which was passing were entering the interior of the island; then it stopped altogether, and the line of the quay became straight and motionless again.
At the moment when Quasimodo was lost in conjectures19, it seemed to him that the movement had re-appeared in the Rue20 du Parvis, which is prolonged into the city perpendicularly21 to the fa?ade of Notre-Dame22. At length, dense24 as was the darkness, he beheld25 the head of a column debouch26 from that street, and in an instant a crowd--of which nothing could be distinguished27 in the gloom except that it was a crowd--spread over the Place.
This spectacle had a terror of its own. It is probable that this singular procession, which seemed so desirous of concealing28 itself under profound darkness, maintained a silence no less profound. Nevertheless, some noise must have escaped it, were it only a trampling29. But this noise did not even reach our deaf man, and this great multitude, of which he saw hardly anything, and of which he heard nothing, though it was marching and moving so near him, produced upon him the effect of a rabble31 of dead men, mute, impalpable, lost in a smoke. It seemed to him, that he beheld advancing towards him a fog of men, and that he saw shadows moving in the shadow.
Then his fears returned to him, the idea of an attempt against the gypsy presented itself once more to his mind. He was conscious, in a confused way, that a violent crisis was approaching. At that critical moment he took counsel with himself, with better and prompter reasoning than one would have expected from so badly organized a brain. Ought he to awaken32 the gypsy? to make her escape? Whither? The streets were invested, the church backed on the river. No boat, no issue!--There was but one thing to be done; to allow himself to be killed on the threshold of Notre-Dame, to resist at least until succor33 arrived, if it should arrive, and not to trouble la Esmeralda's sleep. This resolution once taken, he set to examining the enemy with more tranquillity34.
The throng35 seemed to increase every moment in the church square. Only, he presumed that it must be making very little noise, since the windows on the Place remained closed. All at once, a flame flashed up, and in an instant seven or eight lighted torches passed over the heads of the crowd, shaking their tufts of flame in the deep shade. Quasimodo then beheld distinctly surging in the Parvis a frightful36 herd37 of men and women in rags, armed with scythes38, pikes, billhooks and partisans39, whose thousand points glittered. Here and there black pitchforks formed horns to the hideous40 faces. He vaguely41 recalled this populace, and thought that he recognized all the heads who had saluted43 him as Pope of the Fools some months previously44. One man who held a torch in one hand and a club in the other, mounted a stone post and seemed to be haranguing45 them. At the same time the strange army executed several evolutions, as though it were taking up its post around the church. Quasimodo picked up his lantern and descended46 to the platform between the towers, in order to get a nearer view, and to spy out a means of defence.
Clopin Trouillefou, on arriving in front of the lofty portal of Notre-Dame had, in fact, ranged his troops in order of battle. Although he expected no resistance, he wished, like a prudent47 general, to preserve an order which would permit him to face, at need, a sudden attack of the watch or the police. He had accordingly stationed his brigade in such a manner that, viewed from above and from a distance, one would have pronounced it the Roman triangle of the battle of Ecnomus, the boar's head of Alexander or the famous wedge of Gustavus Adolphus. The base of this triangle rested on the back of the Place in such a manner as to bar the entrance of the Rue du Parvis; one of its sides faced H?tel-Dieu, the other the Rue Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeufs. Clopin Trouillefou had placed himself at the apex48 with the Duke of Egypt, our friend Jehan, and the most daring of the scavengers.
An enterprise like that which the vagabonds were now undertaking49 against Notre-Dame was not a very rare thing in the cities of the Middle Ages. What we now call the "police" did not exist then. In populous50 cities, especially in capitals, there existed no single, central, regulating power. Feudalism had constructed these great communities in a singular manner. A city was an assembly of a thousand seigneuries, which divided it into compartments52 of all shapes and sizes. Hence, a thousand conflicting establishments of police; that is to say, no police at all. In Paris, for example, independently of the hundred and forty-one lords who laid claim to a manor53, there were five and twenty who laid claim to a manor and to administering justice, from the Bishop54 of Paris, who had five hundred streets, to the Prior of Notre- Dame des Champs, who had four. All these feudal51 justices recognized the suzerain authority of the king only in name. All possessed55 the right of control over the roads. All were at home. Louis XI., that indefatigable56 worker, who so largely began the demolition57 of the feudal edifice, continued by Richelieu and Louis XIV. for the profit of royalty58, and finished by Mirabeau for the benefit of the people,--Louis XI. had certainly made an effort to break this network of seignories which covered Paris, by throwing violently across them all two or three troops of general police. Thus, in 1465, an order to the inhabitants to light candles in their windows at nightfall, and to shut up their dogs under penalty of death; in the same year, an order to close the streets in the evening with iron chains, and a prohibition59 to wear daggers60 or weapons of offence in the streets at night. But in a very short time, all these efforts at communal61 legislation fell into abeyance62. The bourgeois63 permitted the wind to blow out their candles in the windows, and their dogs to stray; the iron chains were stretched only in a state of siege; the prohibition to wear daggers wrought64 no other changes than from the name of the Rue Coupe-Gueule to the name of the Rue-Coupe-Gorge* which is an evident progress. The old scaffolding of feudal jurisdictions65 remained standing; an immense aggregation66 of bailiwicks and seignories crossing each other all over the city, interfering67 with each other, entangled68 in one another, enmeshing each other, trespassing69 on each other; a useless thicket70 of watches, sub-watches and counter-watches, over which, with armed force, passed brigandage71, rapine, and sedition72. Hence, in this disorder73, deeds of violence on the part of the populace directed against a palace, a hotel, or house in the most thickly populated quarters, were not unheard-of occurrences. In the majority of such cases, the neighbors did not meddle74 with the matter unless the pillaging75 extended to themselves. They stopped up their ears to the musket76 shots, closed their shutters77, barricaded78 their doors, allowed the matter to be concluded with or without the watch, and the next day it was said in Paris, "Etienne Barbette was broken open last night. The Marshal de Clermont was seized last night, etc." Hence, not only the royal habitations, the Louvre, the Palace, the Bastille, the Tournelles, but simply seignorial residences, the Petit-Bourbon, the H?tel de Sens, the H?tel d' Angoulême, etc., had battlements on their walls, and machicolations over their doors. Churches were guarded by their sanctity. Some, among the number Notre-Dame, were fortified79. The Abbey of Saint-German-des-Pres was castellated like a baronial mansion80, and more brass81 expended82 about it in bombards than in bells. Its fortress83 was still to be seen in 1610. To-day, barely its church remains84.
* Cut-throat. Coupe-gueule being the vulgar word for cut-weazand.
Let us return to Notre-Dame.
When the first arrangements were completed, and we must say, to the honor of vagabond discipline, that Clopin's orders were executed in silence, and with admirable precision, the worthy85 chief of the band, mounted on the parapet of the church square, and raised his hoarse86 and surly voice, turning towards Notre-Dame, and brandishing87 his torch whose light, tossed by the wind, and veiled every moment by its own smoke, made the reddish fa?ade of the church appear and disappear before the eye.
"To you, Louis de Beaumont, bishop of Paris, counsellor in the Court of Parliament, I, Clopin Trouillefou, king of Thunes, grand Co?sre, prince of Argot88, bishop of fools, I say: Our sister, falsely condemned89 for magic, hath taken refuge in your church, you owe her asylum and safety. Now the Court of Parliament wishes to seize her once more there, and you consent to it; so that she would be hanged to-morrow in the Grève, if God and the outcasts were not here. If your church is sacred, so is our sister; if our sister is not sacred, neither is your church. That is why we call upon you to return the girl if you wish to save your church, or we will take possession of the girl again and pillage90 the church, which will be a good thing. In token of which I here plant my banner, and may God preserve you, bishop of Paris,"
Quasimodo could not, unfortunately, hear these words uttered with a sort of sombre and savage91 majesty92. A vagabond presented his banner to Clopin, who planted it solemnly between two paving-stones. It was a pitchfork from whose points hung a bleeding quarter of carrion93 meat.
That done, the King of Thunes turned round and cast his eyes over his army, a fierce multitude whose glances flashed almost equally with their pikes. After a momentary94 pause,--"Forward, my Sons!" he cried; "to work, locksmiths!"
Thirty bold men, square shouldered, and with pick-lock faces, stepped from the ranks, with hammers, pincers, and bars of iron on their shoulders. They betook themselves to the principal door of the church, ascended the steps, and were soon to be seen squatting95 under the arch, working at the door with pincers and levers; a throng of vagabonds followed them to help or look on. The eleven steps before the portal were covered with them.
But the door stood firm. "The devil! 'tis hard and obstinate96!" said one. "It is old, and its gristles have become bony," said another. "Courage, comrades!" resumed Clopin. "I wager97 my head against a dipper that you will have opened the door, rescued the girl, and despoiled98 the chief altar before a single beadle is awake. Stay! I think I hear the lock breaking up."
Clopin was interrupted by a frightful uproar99 which re- sounded behind him at that moment. He wheeled round. An enormous beam had just fallen from above; it had crushed a dozen vagabonds on the pavement with the sound of a cannon100, breaking in addition, legs here and there in the crowd of beggars, who sprang aside with cries of terror. In a twinkling, the narrow precincts of the church parvis were cleared. The locksmiths, although protected by the deep vaults101 of the portal, abandoned the door and Clopin himself retired102 to a respectful distance from the church.
"I had a narrow escape!" cried Jehan. "I felt the wind, of it, ~tête-de-boeuf~! but Pierre the Slaughterer103 is slaughtered104!"
It is impossible to describe the astonishment105 mingled106 with fright which fell upon the ruffians in company with this beam.
They remained for several minutes with their eyes in the air, more dismayed by that piece of wood than by the king's twenty thousand archers107.
"Satan!" muttered the Duke of Egypt, "this smacks108 of magic!"
"'Tis the moon which threw this log at us," said Andry the Red.
"Call the moon the friend of the Virgin109, after that!" went on Francois Chanteprune.
"A thousand popes!" exclaimed Clopin, "you are all fools!" But he did not know how to explain the fall of the beam.
Meanwhile, nothing could be distinguished on the fa?ade, to whose summit the light of the torches did not reach. The heavy beam lay in the middle of the enclosure, and groans111 were heard from the poor wretches112 who had received its first shock, and who had been almost cut in twain, on the angle of the stone steps.
The King of Thunes, his first amazement113 passed, finally found an explanation which appeared plausible114 to his companions.
"Throat of God! are the canons defending themselves? To the sack, then! to the sack!"
"To the sack!" repeated the rabble, with a furious hurrah115. A discharge of crossbows and hackbuts against the front of the church followed.
At this detonation116, the peaceable inhabitants of the surrounding houses woke up; many windows were seen to open, and nightcaps and hands holding candles appeared at the casements117.
"Fire at the windows," shouted Clopin. The windows were immediately closed, and the poor bourgeois, who had hardly had time to cast a frightened glance on this scene of gleams and tumult118, returned, perspiring119 with fear to their wives, asking themselves whether the witches' sabbath was now being held in the parvis of Notre-Dame, or whether there was an assault of Burgundians, as in '64. Then the husbands thought of theft; the wives, of rape15; and all trembled.
"To the sack!" repeated the thieves' crew; but they dared not approach. They stared at the beam, they stared at the church. The beam did not stir, the edifice preserved its calm and deserted120 air; but something chilled the outcasts.
"To work, locksmiths!" shouted Trouillefou. "Let the door be forced!"
No one took a step.
"Beard and belly121!" said Clopin, "here be men afraid of a beam."
An old locksmith addressed him--
"Captain, 'tis not the beam which bothers us, 'tis the door, which is all covered with iron bars. Our pincers are powerless against it."
"What more do you want to break it in?" demanded Clopin.
"Ah! we ought to have a battering123 ram30."
The King of Thunes ran boldly to the formidable beam, and placed his foot upon it: "Here is one!" he exclaimed; "'tis the canons who send it to you." And, making a mocking salute42 in the direction of the church, "Thanks, canons!"
This piece of bravado124 produced its effects,--the spell of the beam was broken. The vagabonds recovered their courage; soon the heavy joist, raised like a feather by two hundred vigorous arms, was flung with fury against the great door which they had tried to batter122 down. At the sight of that long beam, in the half-light which the infrequent torches of the brigands125 spread over the Place, thus borne by that crowd of men who dashed it at a run against the church, one would have thought that he beheld a monstrous126 beast with a thousand feet attacking with lowered head the giant of stone.
At the shock of the beam, the half metallic127 door sounded like an immense drum; it was not burst in, but the whole cathedral trembled, and the deepest cavities of the edifice were heard to echo.
At the same moment, a shower of large stones began to fall from the top of the fa?ade on the assailants.
"The devil!" cried Jehan, "are the towers shaking their balustrades down on our heads?"
But the impulse had been given, the King of Thunes had set the example. Evidently, the bishop was defending himself, and they only battered129 the door with the more rage, in spite of the stones which cracked skulls131 right and left.
It was remarkable132 that all these stones fell one by one; but they followed each other closely. The thieves always felt two at a time, one on their legs and one on their heads. There were few which did not deal their blow, and a large layer of dead and wounded lay bleeding and panting beneath the feet of the assailants who, now grown furious, replaced each other without intermission. The long beam continued to belabor133 the door, at regular intervals134, like the clapper of a bell, the stones to rain down, the door to groan110.
The reader has no doubt divined that this unexpected resistance which had exasperated135 the outcasts came from Quasimodo.
Chance had, unfortunately, favored the brave deaf man.
When he had descended to the platform between the towers, his ideas were all in confusion. He had run up and down along the gallery for several minutes like a madman, surveying from above, the compact mass of vagabonds ready to hurl136 itself on the church, demanding the safety of the gypsy from the devil or from God. The thought had occurred to him of ascending137 to the southern belfry and sounding the alarm, but before he could have set the bell in motion, before Marie's voice could have uttered a single clamor, was there not time to burst in the door of the church ten times over? It was precisely138 the moment when the locksmiths were advancing upon it with their tools. What was to be done?
All at once, he remembered that some masons had been at work all day repairing the wall, the timber-work, and the roof of the south tower. This was a flash of light. The wall was of stone, the roof of lead, the timber-work of wood. (That prodigious139 timber-work, so dense that it was called "the forest.")
Quasimodo hastened to that tower. The lower chambers140 were, in fact, full of materials. There were piles of rough blocks of stone, sheets of lead in rolls, bundles of laths, heavy beams already notched142 with the saw, heaps of plaster.
Time was pressing, The pikes and hammers were at work below. With a strength which the sense of danger increased tenfold, he seized one of the beams--the longest and heaviest; he pushed it out through a loophole, then, grasping it again outside of the tower, he made it slide along the angle of the balustrade which surrounds the platform, and let it fly into the abyss. The enormous timber, during that fall of a hundred and sixty feet, scraping the wall, breaking the carvings143, turned many times on its centre, like the arm of a windmill flying off alone through space. At last it reached the ground, the horrible cry arose, and the black beam, as it rebounded144 from the pavement, resembled a serpent leaping.
Quasimodo beheld the outcasts scatter145 at the fall of the beam, like ashes at the breath of a child. He took advantage of their fright, and while they were fixing a superstitious146 glance on the club which had fallen from heaven, and while they were putting out the eyes of the stone saints on the front with a discharge of arrows and buckshot, Quasimodo was silently piling up plaster, stones, and rough blocks of stone, even the sacks of tools belonging to the masons, on the edge of the balustrade from which the beam had already been hurled147.
Thus, as soon as they began to batter the grand door, the shower of rough blocks of stone began to fall, and it seemed to them that the church itself was being demolished148 over their heads.
Any one who could have beheld Quasimodo at that moment would have been frightened. Independently of the projectiles149 which he had piled upon the balustrade, he had collected a heap of stones on the platform itself. As fast as the blocks on the exterior150 edge were exhausted151, he drew on the heap. Then he stooped and rose, stooped and rose again with incredible activity. His huge gnome's head bent152 over the balustrade, then an enormous stone fell, then another, then another. From time to time, he followed a fine stone with his eye, and when it did good execution, he said, "Hum!"
Meanwhile, the beggars did not grow discouraged. The thick door on which they were venting154 their fury had already trembled more than twenty times beneath the weight of their oaken battering-ram, multiplied by the strength of a hundred men. The panels cracked, the carved work flew into splinters, the hinges, at every blow, leaped from their pins, the planks155 yawned, the wood crumbled156 to powder, ground between the iron sheathing157. Fortunately for Quasimodo, there was more iron than wood.
Nevertheless, he felt that the great door was yielding. Although he did not hear it, every blow of the ram reverberated158 simultaneously159 in the vaults of the church and within it. From above he beheld the vagabonds, filled with triumph and rage, shaking their fists at the gloomy fa?ade; and both on the gypsy's account and his own he envied the wings of the owls160 which flitted away above his head in flocks.
His shower of stone blocks was not sufficient to repel161 the assailants.
At this moment of anguish162, he noticed, a little lower down than the balustrade whence he was crushing the thieves, two long stone gutters163 which discharged immediately over the great door; the internal orifice of these gutters terminated on the pavement of the platform. An idea occurred to him; he ran in search of a fagot in his bellringer's den23, placed on this fagot a great many bundles of laths, and many rolls of lead, munitions164 which he had not employed so far, and having arranged this pile in front of the hole to the two gutters, he set it on fire with his lantern.
During this time, since the stones no longer fell, the outcasts ceased to gaze into the air. The bandits, panting like a pack of hounds who are forcing a boar into his lair165, pressed tumultuously round the great door, all disfigured by the battering ram, but still standing. They were waiting with a quiver for the great blow which should split it open. They vied with each other in pressing as close as possible, in order to dash among the first, when it should open, into that opulent cathedral, a vast reservoir where the wealth of three centuries had been piled up. They reminded each other with roars of exultation166 and greedy lust128, of the beautiful silver crosses, the fine copes of brocade, the beautiful tombs of silver gilt167, the great magnificences of the choir168, the dazzling festivals, the Christmasses sparkling with torches, the Easters sparkling with sunshine,--all those splendid solemneties wherein chandeliers, ciboriums, tabernacles, and reliquaries, studded the altars with a crust of gold and diamonds. Certainly, at that fine moment, thieves and pseudo sufferers, doctors in stealing, and vagabonds, were thinking much less of delivering the gypsy than of pillaging Notre-Dame. We could even easily believe that for a goodly number among them la Esmeralda was only a pretext169, if thieves needed pretexts170.
All at once, at the moment when they were grouping themselves round the ram for a last effort, each one holding his breath and stiffening171 his muscles in order to communicate all his force to the decisive blow, a howl more frightful still than that which had burst forth172 and expired beneath the beam, rose among them. Those who did not cry out, those who were still alive, looked. Two streams of melted lead were falling from the summit of the edifice into the thickest of the rabble. That sea of men had just sunk down beneath the boiling metal, which had made, at the two points where it fell, two black and smoking holes in the crowd, such as hot water would make in snow. Dying men, half consumed and groaning173 with anguish, could be seen writhing174 there. Around these two principal streams there were drops of that horrible rain, which scattered175 over the assailants and entered their skulls like gimlets of fire. It was a heavy fire which overwhelmed these wretches with a thousand hailstones.
The outcry was heartrending. They fled pell-mell, hurling176 the beam upon the bodies, the boldest as well as the most timid, and the parvis was cleared a second time.
All eyes were raised to the top of the church. They beheld there an extraordinary sight. On the crest177 of the highest gallery, higher than the central rose window, there was a great flame rising between the two towers with whirlwinds of sparks, a vast, disordered, and furious flame, a tongue of which was borne into the smoke by the wind, from time to time. Below that fire, below the gloomy balustrade with its trefoils showing darkly against its glare, two spouts178 with monster throats were vomiting179 forth unceasingly that burning rain, whose silvery stream stood out against the shadows of the lower fa?ade. As they approached the earth, these two jets of liquid lead spread out in sheaves, like water springing from the thousand holes of a watering-pot. Above the flame, the enormous towers, two sides of each of which were visible in sharp outline, the one wholly black, the other wholly red, seemed still more vast with all the immensity of the shadow which they cast even to the sky.
Their innumerable sculptures of demons181 and dragons assumed a lugubrious182 aspect. The restless light of the flame made them move to the eye. There were griffins which had the air of laughing, gargoyles183 which one fancied one heard yelping184, salamanders which puffed185 at the fire, tarasques* which sneezed in the smoke. And among the monsters thus roused from their sleep of stone by this flame, by this noise, there was one who walked about, and who was seen, from time to time, to pass across the glowing face of the pile, like a bat in front of a candle.
* The representation of a monstrous animal solemnly drawn186 about in Tarascon and other French towns.
Without doubt, this strange beacon187 light would awaken far away, the woodcutter of the hills of Bicêtre, terrified to behold188 the gigantic shadow of the towers of Notre-Dame quivering over his heaths.
A terrified silence ensued among the outcasts, during which nothing was heard, but the cries of alarm of the canons shut up in their cloister189, and more uneasy than horses in a burning stable, the furtive190 sound of windows hastily opened and still more hastily closed, the internal hurly-burly of the houses and of the H?tel-Dieu, the wind in the flame, the last death-rattle of the dying, and the continued crackling of the rain of lead upon the pavement.
In the meanwhile, the principal vagabonds had retired beneath the porch of the Gondelaurier mansion, and were holding a council of war.
The Duke of Egypt, seated on a stone post, contemplated191 the phantasmagorical bonfire, glowing at a height of two hundred feet in the air, with religious terror. Clopin Trouillefou bit his huge fists with rage.
"Impossible to get in!" he muttered between his teeth.
"An old, enchanted192 church!" grumbled193 the aged153 Bohemian, Mathias Hungadi Spicali.
"By the Pope's whiskers!" went on a sham194 soldier, who had once been in service, "here are church gutters spitting melted lead at you better than the machicolations of Lectoure."
"Do you see that demon180 passing and repassing in front of the fire?" exclaimed the Duke of Egypt.
"Pardieu, 'tis that damned bellringer, 'tis Quasimodo," said Clopin.
The Bohemian tossed his head. "I tell you, that 'tis the spirit Sabnac, the grand marquis, the demon of fortifications. He has the form of an armed soldier, the head of a lion. Sometimes he rides a hideous horse. He changes men into stones, of which he builds towers. He commands fifty legions 'Tis he indeed; I recognize him. Sometimes he is clad in a handsome golden robe, figured after the Turkish fashion."
"Where is Bellevigne de l'Etoile?" demanded Clopin.
"He is dead."
Andry the Red laughed in an idiotic195 way: "Notre-Dame is making work for the hospital," said he.
"Is there, then, no way of forcing this door," exclaimed the King of Thunes, stamping his foot.
The Duke of Egypt pointed196 sadly to the two streams of boiling lead which did not cease to streak197 the black facade198, like two long distaffs of phosphorus.
"Churches have been known to defend themselves thus all by themselves," he remarked with a sigh. "Saint-Sophia at Constantinople, forty years ago, hurled to the earth three times in succession, the crescent of Mahom, by shaking her domes199, which are her heads. Guillaume de Paris, who built this one was a magician."
"Must we then retreat in pitiful fashion, like highwaymen?" said Clopin. "Must we leave our sister here, whom those hooded200 wolves will hang to-morrow."
"And the sacristy, where there are wagon-loads of gold!" added a vagabond, whose name, we regret to say, we do not know.
"Beard of Mahom!" cried Trouillefou.
"Let us make another trial," resumed the vagabond.
Mathias Hungadi shook his head.
"We shall never get in by the door. We must find the defect in the armor of the old fairy; a hole, a false postern, some joint201 or other."
"Who will go with me?" said Clopin. "I shall go at it again. By the way, where is the little scholar Jehan, who is so encased in iron?"
"He is dead, no doubt," some one replied; "we no longer hear his laugh."
The King of Thunes frowned: "So much the worse. There was a brave heart under that ironmongery. And Master Pierre Gringoire?"
"Captain Clopin," said Andry the Red, "he slipped away before we reached the Pont-aux-Changeurs,"
Clopin stamped his foot. "Gueule-Dieu! 'twas he who pushed us on hither, and he has deserted us in the very middle of the job! Cowardly chatterer, with a slipper202 for a helmet!"
"Captain Clopin," said Andry the Red, who was gazing down Rue du Parvis, "yonder is the little scholar."
"Praised be Pluto203!" said Clopin. "But what the devil is he dragging after him?"
It was, in fact, Jehan, who was running as fast as his heavy outfit204 of a Paladin, and a long ladder which trailed on the pavement, would permit, more breathless than an ant harnessed to a blade of grass twenty times longer than itself.
"Victory! ~Te Deum~!" cried the scholar. "Here is the ladder of the longshoremen of Port Saint-Landry."
Clopin approached him.
"Child, what do you mean to do, ~corne-dieu~! with this ladder?"
"I have it," replied Jehan, panting. "I knew where it was under the shed of the lieutenant's house. There's a wench there whom I know, who thinks me as handsome as Cupido. I made use of her to get the ladder, and I have the ladder, ~Pasque-Mahom~! The poor girl came to open the door to me in her shift."
"Yes," said Clopin, "but what are you going to do with that ladder?"
Jehan gazed at him with a malicious205, knowing look, and cracked his fingers like castanets. At that moment he was sublime206. On his head he wore one of those overloaded207 helmets of the fifteenth century, which frightened the enemy with their fanciful crests208. His bristled209 with ten iron beaks210, so that Jehan could have disputed with Nestor's Homeric vessel211 the redoubtable212 title of ~dexeubolos~.
"What do I mean to do with it, august king of Thunes? Do you see that row of statues which have such idiotic expressions, yonder, above the three portals?"
"Yes. Well?"
"'Tis the gallery of the kings of France."
"What is that to me?" said Clopin.
"Wait! At the end of that gallery there is a door which is never fastened otherwise than with a latch213, and with this ladder I ascend5, and I am in the church."
"Child let me be the first to ascend."
"No, comrade, the ladder is mine. Come, you shall be the second."
"May Beelzebub strangle you!" said surly Clopin, "I won't be second to anybody."
"Then find a ladder, Clopin!"
Jehan set out on a run across the Place, dragging his ladder and shouting: "Follow me, lads!"
In an instant the ladder was raised, and propped214 against the balustrade of the lower gallery, above one of the lateral215 doors. The throng of vagabonds, uttering loud acclamations, crowded to its foot to ascend. But Jehan maintained his right, and was the first to set foot on the rungs. The passage was tolerably long. The gallery of the kings of France is to-day about sixty feet above the pavement. The eleven steps of the flight before the door, made it still higher. Jehan mounted slowly, a good deal incommoded by his heavy armor, holding his crossbow in one hand, and clinging to a rung with the other. When he reached the middle of the ladder, he cast a melancholy216 glance at the poor dead outcasts, with which the steps were strewn. "Alas217!" said he, "here is a heap of bodies worthy of the fifth book of the Iliad!" Then he continued his ascent218. The vagabonds followed him. There was one on every rung. At the sight of this line of cuirassed backs, undulating as they rose through the gloom, one would have pronounced it a serpent with steel scales, which was raising itself erect219 in front of the church. Jehan who formed the head, and who was whistling, completed the illusion.
The scholar finally reached the balcony of the gallery, and climbed over it nimbly, to the applause of the whole vagabond tribe. Thus master of the citadel220, he uttered a shout of joy, and suddenly halted, petrified221. He had just caught sight of Quasimodo concealed222 in the dark, with flashing eye, behind one of the statues of the kings.
Before a second assailant could gain a foothold on the gallery, the formidable hunchback leaped to the head of the ladder, without uttering a word, seized the ends of the two uprights with his powerful hands, raised them, pushed them out from the wall, balanced the long and pliant223 ladder, loaded with vagabonds from top to bottom for a moment, in the midst of shrieks224 of anguish, then suddenly, with superhuman force, hurled this cluster of men backward into the Place. There was a moment when even the most resolute225 trembled. The ladder, launched backwards226, remained erect and standing for an instant, and seemed to hesitate, then wavered, then suddenly, describing a frightful arc of a circle eighty feet in radius227, crashed upon the pavement with its load of ruffians, more rapidly than a drawbridge when its chains break. There arose an immense imprecation, then all was still, and a few mutilated wretches were seen, crawling over the heap of dead.
A sound of wrath228 and grief followed the first cries of triumph among the besiegers. Quasimodo, impassive, with both elbows propped on the balustrade, looked on. He had the air of an old, bushy-headed king at his window.
As for Jehan Frollo, he was in a critical position. He found himself in the gallery with the formidable bellringer, alone, separated from his companions by a vertical229 wall eighty feet high. While Quasimodo was dealing230 with the ladder, the scholar had run to the postern which he believed to be open. It was not. The deaf man had closed it behind him when he entered the gallery. Jehan had then concealed himself behind a stone king, not daring to breathe, and fixing upon the monstrous hunchback a frightened gaze, like the man, who, when courting the wife of the guardian231 of a menagerie, went one evening to a love rendezvous232, mistook the wall which he was to climb, and suddenly found himself face to face with a white bear.
For the first few moments, the deaf man paid no heed233 to him; but at last he turned his head, and suddenly straightened up. He had just caught sight of the scholar.
Jehan prepared himself for a rough shock, but the deaf man remained motionless; only he had turned towards the scholar and was looking at him.
"Ho ho!" said Jehan, "what do you mean by staring at me with that solitary234 and melancholy eye?"
As he spoke235 thus, the young scamp stealthily adjusted his crossbow.
"Quasimodo!" he cried, "I am going to change your surname: you shall be called the blind man."
The shot sped. The feathered vireton* whizzed and entered the hunchback's left arm. Quasimodo appeared no more moved by it than by a scratch to King Pharamond. He laid his hand on the arrow, tore it from his arm, and tranquilly236 broke it across his big knee; then he let the two pieces drop on the floor, rather than threw them down. But Jehan had no opportunity to fire a second time. The arrow broken, Quasimodo breathing heavily, bounded like a grasshopper237, and he fell upon the scholar, whose armor was flattened238 against the wall by the blow.
* An arrow with a pyramidal head of iron and copper239 spiral wings by which a rotatory motion was communicated,
Then in that gloom, wherein wavered the light of the torches, a terrible thing was seen.
Quasimodo had grasped with his left hand the two arms of Jehan, who did not offer any resistance, so thoroughly240 did he feel that he was lost. With his right hand, the deaf man detached one by one, in silence, with sinister slowness, all the pieces of his armor, the sword, the daggers, the helmet, the cuirass, the leg pieces. One would have said that it was a monkey taking the shell from a nut. Quasimodo flung the scholar's iron shell at his feet, piece by piece. When the scholar beheld himself disarmed241, stripped, weak, and naked in those terrible hands, he made no attempt to speak to the deaf man, but began to laugh audaciously in his face, and to sing with his intrepid242 heedlessness of a child of sixteen, the then popular ditty:-
"~Elle est bien habillée, La ville de Cambrai; Marafin l'a pillée~..."*
* The city of Cambrai is well dressed. Marafin plundered243 it.
He did not finish. Quasimodo was seen on the parapet of the gallery, holding the scholar by the feet with one hand and whirling him over the abyss like a sling244; then a sound like that of a bony structure in contact with a wall was heard, and something was seen to fall which halted a third of the way down in its fall, on a projection245 in the architecture. It was a dead body which remained hanging there, bent double, its loins broken, its skull130 empty.
A cry of horror rose among the vagabonds.
"Vengeance246!" shouted Clopin. "To the sack!" replied the multitude. "Assault! assault!"
There came a tremendous howl, in which were mingled all tongues, all dialects, all accents. The death of the poor scholar imparted a furious ardor247 to that crowd. It was seized with shame, and the wrath of having been held so long in check before a church by a hunchback. Rage found ladders, multiplied the torches, and, at the expiration248 of a few minutes, Quasimodo, in despair, beheld that terrible ant heap mount on all sides to the assault of Notre-Dame. Those who had no ladders had knotted ropes; those who had no ropes climbed by the projections249 of the carvings. They hung from each other's rags. There were no means of resisting that rising tide of frightful faces; rage made these fierce countenances250 ruddy; their clayey brows were dripping with sweat; their eyes darted251 lightnings; all these grimaces252, all these horrors laid siege to Quasimodo. One would have said that some other church had despatched to the assault of Notre-Dame its gorgons, its dogs, its drées, its demons, its most fantastic sculptures. It was like a layer of living monsters on the stone monsters of the fa?ade.
Meanwhile, the Place was studded with a thousand torches. This scene of confusion, till now hid in darkness, was suddenly flooded with light. The parvis was resplendent, and cast a radiance on the sky; the bonfire lighted on the lofty platform was still burning, and illuminated253 the city far away. The enormous silhouette254 of the two towers, projected afar on the roofs of Paris, and formed a large notch141 of black in this light. The city seemed to be aroused. Alarm bells wailed255 in the distance. The vagabonds howled, panted, swore, climbed; and Quasimodo, powerless against so many enemies, shuddering256 for the gypsy, beholding257 the furious faces approaching ever nearer and nearer to his gallery, entreated258 heaven for a miracle, and wrung259 his arms in despair.
那天夜里伽西莫多并没有睡觉，他刚刚把教堂巡视了最后一遍，关那些大门的时候，他没有注意到副主教从他近旁走过，也没注意到他露出讽刺的神色看着自己把那道大铁门关紧并且加上铁闩，这根铁闩使那两扇大门坚固得跟墙一样。堂·克洛德似乎比往常更加满腹心事，自从那次在小屋里的黑夜冒险之后，他待伽西莫多就一直非常苛刻，可是尽管他经常威胁甚至打骂伽西莫多，却丝毫不能动摇那忠实的敲钟人的决心、耐心和坚定，他忍受着副主教的咒骂、恫吓和拳打脚踢，毫无怨言也不叹息一声，只是每当副主教爬上钟塔的楼梯时，他就用不安的眼光跟随着，但是副主教也留心着不让自己再在那埃及姑娘面前出现了。
那天晚上，伽西莫多向他那些被遗弃的钟雅克琳、玛丽、蒂波看了一眼之后，爬到靠北边那座钟塔的屋顶，把关得严严的有遮光装置的提灯放在铅皮上，就开始瞭望巴黎的景色。我们已经说过，夜色很黑，巴黎在那段时间可以说是完全没有灯光的，呈现到眼前的是一些杂乱的黑堆，被发白的塞纳河到处截断，露出些缺口。伽西莫多没有看到一点亮光，除了远处一座建筑的窗户还有一星灯火，使那座建筑模糊阴暗的轮廓耸立在圣安东尼门那边的许多屋顶之上。那里也有人彻夜不眠。
敲钟人让自己的独眼游荡在夜晚雾濛濛的天边，他觉得心头有一种莫名其妙的骚动，几天以来他一直提防着，他看见教堂周围有些相貌凶恶的人不断在那里走来走去，眼睛牢牢盯着那个姑娘避居的小屋。他猜想那些人多半在策划着某种不利于那个避难人的阴谋诡计，他猜想大家也憎恨那个姑娘，就象憎恨他本人一样。他料到马上会发生什么事，于是他在钟楼上站岗，象拉伯雷说的“在梦中做梦”，眼睛一会儿看着那间小屋，一会儿望着巴黎，怀着满肚子疑问，象条忠实的狗一般守卫在那里。
当伽西莫多用大自然为了补偿他而使之敏锐得能替代他所缺少的别种器官的那只独眼仔细观察那座大城市的时候，他忽然隐约看见老皮货店码头的形状有些特别，那地方似乎有些骚动，那黑黝黝地突出在白色河面上的栏杆的轮廓，不象别的码头的栏杆那么挺直和平静，它象河里的波浪似的在那里波动，又象是那些正在行进的人们的脑袋。
这使他觉得非常奇怪，他加倍留神起来了。那波动的人群似乎在朝旧城区这边移动，何况到处一片漆黑，那移动的人群似乎在码头上停留了一下，接着就逐渐走远了，似乎走进了小岛，随后就完全不动了，码头的栏杆又恢复了原先的挺直和平静。
伽西莫多正在多方寻思时，那移动的人群仿佛走进了巴尔维街，这条街是从圣母院前面一直伸展到旧城区里的。最后，他看见在一片黑暗中有一队人已经走出了那条街，一会儿巴尔维广场上就布满了一大群人，广场上什么也看不清楚，只看得出是一大群人罢了。
这个景象异常骇人。可能因为这奇怪的行列为了避免暴露，一直小心地保持着肃静，这当儿却难免有了些声音，虽然不过是脚步声，可是这种声音钻不进我们这位聋子的耳朵，他只隐约看得见但什么也听不见的这一大群人在离他很近的地方骚动和行走，使他觉得好象是静悄悄的一群死人隐藏在雾气里。他觉得好象看见一层布满了人的雾气在向他迫近，看见阴影中移动着一群人影。
于是他又恐惧起来，又想到那埃及姑娘可能会遭受侮辱，他隐约感觉到面临着一场大祸。在这危急之际，他用他那简单头脑里意外的机智考虑着应该采取什么行动。他要唤醒埃及姑娘吗？要让她逃走吗？从哪里逃走呢？街道都被包围了，教堂背后就是一条河，没有船只，没有出口。只有一个办法，就是单枪匹马地在教堂门槛上拚死抵抗，至少抵抗到有援军到来，但不必去惊扰拉·爱斯梅拉达的睡梦，那不幸的人还有足够的时间，她要等睡够了才死呢。下了这个决心之后，他就更加安心地观察着“敌人”。
巴尔维广场上的人群好象每时每刻都在增多，但他猜想他们大概只弄出了极小的声响，因为广场四周街道上的窗户都还好好地关闭着。忽然亮起了一个火把，马上就有七八个火把高举在人们的头顶，火光摇曳，照亮了周围的黑暗。伽西莫多这时才看清了广场上骚动的情景，有一大群破衣烂衫的男女，都拿着镰刀、枪、矛、锄、戟之类，这些兵器的尖头闪闪发亮。到处有一些黑黑的铁叉从那些可怕的头上伸出来，象犄角似的。他模糊地想起了这群人，认出了他们，几个月以前他们还向愚人王致过敬呢。有一个一手拿火炬一手拿短棒的人爬到了一个木桩上，好象在向他们讲话。同时那奇怪的队伍改变了队形，好象分别在教堂周围站立停当了。伽西莫多拿起灯笼下楼到了两座钟塔当中的平台上，更近些去观察并且考虑抵抗的办法。
到达了圣母院高高的大门前的克洛潘·图意弗，真的已经把队伍排成了阵势。他虽然估计不会有什么抵抗，但仍然象谨慎的将领那样情愿严阵以待，以便在必要时抵御从守门人或从二百二十人的夜巡队方面来的任何袭击。他把他的队伍排得那么整齐，从高处或远处望去，很象埃克罗姆战役的罗马三角阵，亚历山大的猪头阵或居斯达夫·阿道尔夫著名的楔形阵。那个三角形的底边在广场最远的一端，一边正对着大医院，另一边对着圣比埃尔·俄·倍甫街。图意弗、埃及公爵和我们的老朋友若望以及几个最勇敢的乞丐，站在三角形的顶端。
在中世纪的城市里，乞丐在这种时辰袭击圣母院之类，并非罕见的事。
现在所谓的“警察局”，那时候是没有的。那些普通城市，尤其是那些首都，并没有常规的独一无二的集中的武装力量。封建制度是用奇怪的方式来形成它的那些大的市镇的，每座城市里都有几千个领地，把城市划分为许多大大小小的各种形状的区域。有一千个互相搞磨擦的警察局，那就等于一个警察局都没有。就拿巴黎说吧，从拥有一百五十条街道的巴黎主教到拥有四条街道的郊区圣母院的长老，它一共有一百四十一位各自为政的领主要求着领地权，二十五个领主要求司法权和领地权。封建时代所有的司法官都只承认国王的无上权威，他们管理着交通，一切都各自为政。路易十一这位不倦的工人开始大规模地捣毁封建制度那座大厦，黎世留和路易十四为着王室的利益接着干下去，米拉波为了人民的利益完成了那个工作。路易十一曾经尝试着打破那种遍布巴黎的领地网，胡乱在这里那里设置两三个警察局，于是在一四六五年命令居民天一黑就要在窗口点上蜡烛，把他们的狗关在家里，违者要处绞刑。同年又命令居民每晚都要用铁链把街道封锁起来，禁止夜晚带着匕首或别种武器上街。可是不久这些规定又不执行了，市民听任晚风吹灭他们窗口的蜡烛，让他们的狗在外面游逛，铁链只有在围城期间才用上。禁止带着匕首上街的命令并未引起什么改变，只是把割嘴街的名字改成了割喉街，就算是明显的进步了。各种封建裁判权依然屹立不动，领地把城市划分成无数区域，一个个互相妨碍，磕碰，纠缠，穿插，大量的盗窃抢劫和暴动事件都被那些卫队下卫队和近卫队放过。在这种混乱状态中，一群强盗在人烟稠密的地带袭击宫殿、府邸、民房之类的事件并不罕见。邻居一般都不干预这类事，除非抢到了他们自己家里。他们对于枪声充耳不闻，只是关上自家的窗板，封住自家的大门，听任事情在有夜巡队或没有夜巡队的情况下自行解决，第二天巴黎就到处传说：“昨晚艾丁·巴尔倍特家被抢了”或是“克雷蒙元帅被捉去了”等等。所以，不仅是王家宫室如卢浮宫、王宫、巴士底和杜尔内尔宫，就连纯粹的领主宅邸如小波旁宫、桑斯大厦、安古勒姆府邸等，墙头上也都有雉堞，大门上也都有枪眼。而教堂则用自己的神圣来自卫。
也有几座教堂有自己的防卫设备，但圣母院是没有的。圣日尔曼·代·勃雷修道院有男爵城堡一般的雉堞，它用来造钟的铜还不及用来制造大炮的铜多呢。一六一○年还能看到它的炮台，如今连修道院本身都几乎不见了。
咱们还是来谈圣母院吧。
最初的安排结束以后，我们必须指出，由于乞丐们严守纪律，克洛潘的命令都被他们悄悄地极准确地执行了，最前面的一排人便爬到巴尔维广场的栏杆上，用嘶哑粗糙的声音叫喊着，向圣母院摇动着火把，火把被风吹得忽闪忽闪的，同时被它自己的烟遮住，使教堂的淡红色前墙时隐时现。
“告诉你，巴黎的大主教，大理院的议员路易·德·波蒙，我，土恩的王，大加约斯，黑话王国的君主，愚人们的大主教克洛潘·图意弗，我告诉你，我们的被错判了巫术罪的妹妹躲在你的教堂里，你应该是保护她和打救她的人。可是大理院法庭又想去逮捕她，你却表示同意。要是没有上帝和我们这些乞丐，她明天就得被绞死在格雷沃广场。因此我们找你来了，大主教。
假若你的教堂是神圣不可侵犯的，我们的妹妹同样是神圣不可侵犯；假若我们的妹妹不是神圣不可侵犯的，那你的教堂也不是神圣不可侵犯的哪。因此我们劝你把那位姑娘交还给我们，假若你愿意救你的教堂，不然我们就要把她带走，还要抢劫你的教堂，那就更好啦。我为此竖起我的旗帜宣誓。但愿上帝保佑你，巴黎大主教！”
可惜伽西莫多听不见这些用阴沉粗犷的庄严态度讲出来的话，一个乞丐把旗帜递给克洛潘，后者便严肃地把它插在两块石板之间。那是一把铁叉，铁叉上叉着一块带血的兽肉。
竖起旗之后，这位土恩王就转过身来巡视他的队伍，那是些眼睛跟枪矛一般闪亮的人。他顿了一下喊道：“向前冲呀，小子们！干吧，硬汉们！”
三十个腿胫粗大脸如黑铁的壮汉从行列里跳出来，肩头上扛着大锤锄头和铁钎。他们向教堂正中那道大门冲去，爬上了台阶，马上就看见他们全都伏在尖拱顶下用锄头和铁钎敲打大门了。一群流浪汉走去帮忙或者观看，大门前的十一级台阶上全都站满了人。
可是大门非常牢固。“见鬼，它又结实又固执！”一个乞丐说道。“它老了，关节都变硬了！”另一个说。“加油呀，弟兄们！”克洛潘喊道，“我敢用我的脑袋去碰拖鞋打赌，不用惊醒一个仆役你们就能把大门打开，把那个姑娘救出来，把主神坛抢空。使劲！我相信门锁已经松动啦！”
克洛潘的话突然被他背后一个可怕的响声打断了，他转过身来，看见空中掉下了一根大梁，把教堂石阶上的流浪汉压死了十二个。这根大梁弹到石板路上还发出大炮般的响声，又打伤了好些流浪汉的腿，使他们惊恐地呼号着逃开去，一转眼巴尔维广场便空了。那些壮汉虽然躲在深深的门廊里，这时也弃门而逃。克洛潘自己也退避到了离开教堂很远的地方。
“我正好躲过了它！”若望嚷道，“我感觉到它旋起的一阵风呢，我敢打赌！可是屠夫比埃尔给打死了！”
要描写怎样的惊慌恐怖同那根梁木一齐落到了这群乞丐中间，那是不可能的。他们好一阵把眼睛盯着空中，他们害怕那根木头远甚于害怕两万名王室弓箭手。“撒旦啊，”埃及公爵抱怨道，“真象演魔术一般！”“这是月亮扔下来的一根木头吧，”红脸安德里说。“那么，”法朗索瓦·尚特普津尼说，“可以说月亮是圣母的朋友了！”“一千个教皇作证！”克洛潘喊道，“你们全都是些笨蛋！”但是他自己也不明白掉下梁木来是怎么回事。
这时教堂前墙上什么也看不见了，火炬照不到教堂顶上。那可怕的梁柱躺在广场中央，只听见在它掉下时挨了一记或者肚皮在石阶角上碰破了的人们在呻吟。
一阵惊惶之后，土恩王终于想起了一个能使同伴们信服的解释。“天罚的！是不是那些议事司铎在进行自卫呀？那么，抢吧！抢吧！”
“抢吧！”人们狂怒地喊道。箭头与火绳枪朝着教堂前墙射击起来。
在一片惊呼声中，四周那些静悄悄的住户给吵醒了，有些窗户打开了，戴着睡帽的脑袋和举着蜡烛的手出现在窗口上。“向窗口射击！”克洛潘喊道。那些窗户马上又关上了，可怜的居民还没有来得及惊恐地看一眼这暴怒的人群，就吓得满头大汗地回到妻子身边，互相询问巴尔维广场上是否在举行安息日会，或者是否勃艮第人又来袭击，象六四年那样。于是丈夫们想到了抢劫，妻子们想到了暴行，彼此都吓得哆嗦。
“抢呀！”黑话王国的人们吼道，可是他们不敢前进。他们望望教堂又望望梁木，梁木一动不动地躺在地上。那座建筑依旧保持着寂静和安宁，可是仍然有点什么在使乞丐们胆寒。
“干呀，硬汉们！”克洛潘喊道，“冲开大门呀！”
谁也不肯向前走一步。
“胡须和肚子啊，”克洛潘说，“这些男子汉竟害怕一根椽子。”
一个年老的汉子答话了：“头目，让我们发愁的并不是那根椽子，是大门用铁闩闩上了，锄头对它无可奈何。”
“要用什么东西才能冲开它呢？”克洛潘问道。
“啊，得用一根破城锤。”
土恩王勇敢地跑到梁柱跟前，把一只脚踏着它。“这里就是一根，”他喊道，“这是那些议事司铎送给你们的。”于是他嘲笑地向教堂行了一个礼说：“谢谢哪，议事司铎们！”
这个英勇的举动产生了好效果，梁柱的魔力被打破了，乞丐们重新鼓起勇气。马上那笨重的柱子就象羽毛似的被两百来只强壮的手臂抬了起来，向着他们曾经枉然想打开的大门猛烈地撞去。在照着广场的火炬的微弱光亮中看去，那根大柱子同抬着它的人们，就象一个百足巨兽低着头在向一位石头的巨人进攻。
柱子撞过去，那半金属的大门就象一面大鼓似的响起来。大门还没有撞开，但那座教堂整个儿给震动了，听得到那座建筑的胸膛深深地在叹气。同时，一阵大石块象下雨似的落在攻打它的人们头上。“见鬼！”若望喊道，“是不是那两座钟塔把它们栏杆上的柱子扔到我们头上来了？”可是已经有了些进展。土恩王说得对，一定是主教在进行自卫了。于是人们不顾石头从左右两边打到他们头上，更加勇猛地攻打着大门。
可惊的是石头下落得那么快，而且接二连三一直落个不停。黑话王国的人有时一下子挨到两块石头，一块打在腿上，一块打在头上，很少没有被打中的。进攻的人们脚前已经躺着一大堆打死了的和打伤了的以及还在流血和扭动的人体，于是他们盛怒之下不断振作精神，用那根大梁柱一下接一下象敲钟一样以同样的间歇撞那道大门。石块象雨点般打来，大门号叫着。
不用说，我们的读者一定猜想得到，把乞丐们惹恼了的这种意外的抵抗是来自伽西莫多。
不幸的是时机正好有利于那勇敢的聋子。
他走到两座钟楼当间的平台上时，头脑里一片混乱。他象疯子似的沿着楼廊来回跑了一圈，从高处看着乞丐们准备冲进教堂，不知应该请求上帝还是请求魔鬼来援救那个埃及姑娘。他忽然想爬上当中那座钟楼去敲响那口警钟，可是又想到在他能够把玛丽敲响一下之前，恐怕教堂已经被冲破十次以上了。这当儿铁匠们已经搭着凳子爬上了大门。怎么办呀？
他忽然想起泥瓦匠成天都在修理南边那座钟塔的墙壁、屋架和屋顶，这是一线光明。墙是石头的，屋顶是铅皮的，屋架是木头的。那个屋架的柱子又大又密，人们称之为森林。
伽西莫多朝那座钟塔跑去，那座塔里的确堆满了建筑器材，有成堆的石头，成卷的铅皮，一捆捆锯好的木头，一堆堆汞砂。简直象一座工厂。
情况危急了，锄头和铁锤在下面攻打着，他用临近危险时那种巨大力气在那些柱子当中扛起一根最大最长的，从一个窗口上抛了出去，随后又在窗外抓住它，把它从绕着平台的栏杆角上滑出，让它从半空中落下去。那根大木柱从一百六十呎的高处擦过墙，撞碎了一些雕刻，穿过空间时象风磨的轮子一般旋转了几下，最后碰到地面，引起一片惊恐的叫喊。那黑黑的木柱在石板地上蹦了几下，好象一条蟒蛇在那里跳动。
伽西莫多看到乞丐们一见木柱掉落便象孩子吹散的灰尘一般四散奔逃，他就利用他们的惊惶失措，趁他们用迷信的眼光望着从天而降的木柱，趁他们用箭和火绳枪把大门上那些石雕圣徒像弄成独眼的时候，他就悄悄地搬来许多石块瓦片和小石子，还搬了泥瓦匠的一袋袋工具，一齐堆到他抛下那根大木柱的栏杆角上。
正当他们攻打大门的当儿，石块象雨点似的掉下来，乞丐们以为是教堂倒坍在他们头顶上了。
谁要是在那个时刻看见伽西莫多，那真要吓一大跳，他除开堆了许多东西在栏杆角上之外，还堆了一大堆石头在平台上，前一堆用完了，就用后一堆来补充，他用难以相信的敏捷不断地蹲下去又站起来，他那侏儒般的大脑袋多次伸到栏杆外面看看，随后就扔下去一大块石头，接着又是一块，接着是第三块，他的眼睛看着他扔出去的石头，石头打中了，他就吼一声：“嗯！”
乞丐们也不气馁，被他们攻打的那道厚厚的大门，在几百人用那根大椽木柱撞击之下已经晃动了二十多次，嵌板裂开了，雕刻四散飞落，每撞击一下，那些铰链就在枢轴上跳起来，门板就震动起来，嵌在铁条当中的木头就成了碎屑。门上的铁比木料多，这对伽西莫多来说真是好运气。
可是他依然感到大门在晃动，虽然他听不见，可是那根梁柱每次碰击所引起的教堂内部的震动，也同时震动了他的肺腑。他从高处看见愤怒的乞丐们充满了胜利的信心，他们向阴暗的教堂前墙高举着拳头。为了埃及姑娘和自己，他多么希望能象头顶上飞过的猫头鹰那样长着翅膀。
雨点般打下去的石头并没有使进攻的人们后退。
正在危急之际，他注意到在那段栏杆下面不远的地方，就是从那里滑出梁木去打死乞丐的，有两个长长的石头水槽，不偏不倚正好在那道大门顶端。
这两个水槽朝里的开口处正好同平台在一个水平线上。于是他想出了一个主意。他跑回他那间敲钟人的小屋里找来了一把柴火，又放了几块木板和几卷铅皮——那是他还没有动用的武器——在柴火上，把这些通通放在水槽口之后，他就用灯笼把柴火燃起来。
这当儿石头不再往下掉了，乞丐们也不再望着空中了，他们象一群朝着躲在洞里的野猪狂吠的猎狗那样挤在大门口，大门已被那根梁柱撞得变了形，但还没有被撞开。他们气得发抖地准备使劲再撞一下，把它完全撞垮。
每个人都愿意站得近些，以便在大门被撞开后第一个冲进去。教堂是藏着三百年来一切宝物的大宝库呀，他们快活地贪婪地怒吼着，想起了那些漂亮的银十字架，富丽的织锦，漂亮的银边墓石，宏伟的唱诗室；想起了在烛光辉煌的圣诞节和阳光灿烂的复活节等光辉的节日
收听单词发音 |
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preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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abstained
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| v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票） | |
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epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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rape
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| n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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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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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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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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debouch
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| v.流出，进入 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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scythes
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| n.（长柄）大镰刀( scythe的名词复数 )v.（长柄）大镰刀( scythe的第三人称单数 ) | |
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partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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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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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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haranguing
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| v.高谈阔论( harangue的现在分词 ) | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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populous
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| adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的 | |
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feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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compartments
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| n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层 | |
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53
manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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54
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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55
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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56
indefatigable
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| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
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57
demolition
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| n.破坏,毁坏,毁坏之遗迹 | |
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58
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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59
prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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60
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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61
communal
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| adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的 | |
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62
abeyance
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| n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定 | |
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63
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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64
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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65
jurisdictions
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| 司法权( jurisdiction的名词复数 )； 裁判权； 管辖区域； 管辖范围 | |
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66
aggregation
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| n.聚合，组合；凝聚 | |
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67
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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68
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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70
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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71
brigandage
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| n.抢劫；盗窃；土匪；强盗 | |
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72
sedition
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| n.煽动叛乱 | |
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73
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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74
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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75
pillaging
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| v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 ) | |
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76
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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77
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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78
barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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79
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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80
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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81
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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82
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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83
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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84
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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85
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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86
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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87
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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88
argot
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| n.隐语，黑话 | |
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89
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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90
pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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91
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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92
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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93
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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94
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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95
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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96
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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97
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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98
despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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100
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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101
vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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102
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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103
slaughterer
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| 屠夫，刽子手 | |
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104
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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106
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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107
archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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108
smacks
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| 掌掴（声）( smack的名词复数 )； 海洛因； （打的）一拳； 打巴掌 | |
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109
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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110
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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111
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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112
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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113
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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114
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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115
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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116
detonation
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| n.爆炸；巨响 | |
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117
casements
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| n.窗扉( casement的名词复数 ) | |
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118
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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119
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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120
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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121
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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122
batter
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| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
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123
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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124
bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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125
brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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126
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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127
metallic
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|
| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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128
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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129
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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130
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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131
skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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132
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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133
belabor
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| vt.痛斥；作过长说明 | |
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134
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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135
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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136
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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137
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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138
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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139
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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140
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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141
notch
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| n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级 | |
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142
notched
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| a.有凹口的，有缺口的 | |
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143
carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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144
rebounded
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| 弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效 | |
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145
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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146
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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147
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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148
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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149
projectiles
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| n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器 | |
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150
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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151
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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152
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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153
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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154
venting
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| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
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155
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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156
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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157
sheathing
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| n.覆盖物，罩子v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的现在分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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158
reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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159
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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160
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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161
repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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162
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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163
gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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164
munitions
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| n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品 | |
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165
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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166
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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167
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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168
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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169
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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170
pretexts
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| n.借口，托辞( pretext的名词复数 ) | |
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171
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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172
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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173
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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174
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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175
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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176
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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177
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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178
spouts
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| n.管口( spout的名词复数 )；（喷出的）水柱；（容器的）嘴；在困难中v.（指液体）喷出( spout的第三人称单数 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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179
vomiting
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| 吐 | |
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180
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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181
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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182
lugubrious
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| adj.悲哀的，忧郁的 | |
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183
gargoyles
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| n.怪兽状滴水嘴( gargoyle的名词复数 ) | |
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184
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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185
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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186
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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187
beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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188
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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189
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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190
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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191
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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192
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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193
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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194
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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195
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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196
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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197
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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198
facade
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| n.(建筑物的)正面，临街正面；外表 | |
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199
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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200
hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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201
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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202
slipper
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| n.拖鞋 | |
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203
Pluto
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| n.冥王星 | |
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204
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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205
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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206
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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207
overloaded
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| a.超载的，超负荷的 | |
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208
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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209
bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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210
beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
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211
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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212
redoubtable
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| adj.可敬的；可怕的 | |
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213
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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214
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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215
lateral
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| adj.侧面的，旁边的 | |
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216
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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217
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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218
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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219
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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220
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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221
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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222
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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223
pliant
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| adj.顺从的；可弯曲的 | |
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224
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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225
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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226
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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227
radius
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| n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限 | |
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228
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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229
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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230
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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231
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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232
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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233
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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234
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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235
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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236
tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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237
grasshopper
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| n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱 | |
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238
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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239
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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240
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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241
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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242
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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243
plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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244
sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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245
projection
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| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
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246
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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247
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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248
expiration
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| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
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249
projections
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| 预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物 | |
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250
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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251
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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252
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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253
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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254
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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255
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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256
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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257
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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258
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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259
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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