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〃And who the devil；〃 resumed the poet； 〃has amused himself with soliciting a decree of reintegration？ Why couldn't they leave parliament in peace？ What harm does it do if a poor girl takes shelter under the flying buttresses of Notre… Dame； beside the swallows' nests？〃
〃There are satans in this world；〃 remarked the archdeacon。
〃'Tis devilish badly done；〃 observed Gringoire。
The archdeacon resumed after a silence；
〃So； she saved your life？〃
〃Among my good friends the outcasts。 A little more or a little less and I should have been hanged。 They would have been sorry for it to…day。〃
〃Would not you like to do something for her？〃
〃I ask nothing better； Dom Claude； but what if I entangle myself in some villanous affair？〃
〃What matters it？〃
〃Bah！ what matters it？ You are good； master； that you are！ I have two great works already begun。〃
The priest smote his brow。 In spite of the calm which he affected； a violent gesture betrayed his internal convulsions from time to time。
〃How is she to be saved？〃
Gringoire said to him； 〃Master； I will reply to you； ~Il padelt~； which means in Turkish； 'God is our hope。'〃
〃How is she to be saved？〃 repeated Claude dreamily。
Gringoire smote his brow in his turn。
〃Listen； master。 I have imagination； I will devise expedients for you。 What if one were to ask her pardon from the king？〃
〃Of Louis XI。！ A pardon！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃To take the tiger's bone from him！〃
Gringoire began to seek fresh expedients。
〃Well； stay！ Shall I address to the midwives a request accompanied by the declaration that the girl is with child！〃
This made the priest's hollow eye flash。
〃With child！ knave！ do you know anything of this？〃
Gringoire was alarmed by his air。 He hastened to say； 〃Oh； no； not I！ Our marriage was a real ~forismaritagium~。 I stayed outside。 But one might obtain a respite； all the same。〃
〃Madness！ Infamy！ Hold your tongue！〃
〃You do wrong to get angry；〃 muttered Gringoire。 〃One obtains a respite； that does no harm to any one； and allows the midwives； who are poor women； to earn forty deniers parisis。〃
The priest was not listening to him！
〃But she must leave that place； nevertheless！〃 he murmured； 〃the decree is to be executed within three days。 Moreover； there will be no decree； that Quasimodo！ Women have very depraved tastes！〃 He raised his voice： 〃Master Pierre； I have reflected well； there is but one means of safety for her。〃
〃What？ I see none myself。〃
〃Listen； Master Pierre； remember that you owe your life to her。 I will tell you my idea frankly。 The church is watched night and day； only those are allowed to come out； who have been seen to enter。 Hence you can enter。 You will come。 I will lead you to her。 You will change clothes with her。 She will take your doublet； you will take her petticoat。〃
〃So far； it goes well；〃 remarked the philosopher； 〃and then？〃
〃And then？ she will go forth in your garments； you will remain with hers。 You will be hanged； perhaps； but she will be saved。〃
Gringoire scratched his ear； with a very serious air。 〃Stay！〃 said he； 〃that is an idea which would never have occurred to me unaided。〃
At Dom Claude's proposition； the open and benign face of the poet had abruptly clouded over； like a smiling Italian landscape； when an unlucky squall comes up and dashes a cloud across the sun。
〃Well！ Gringoire； what say you to the means？〃
〃I say； master； that I shall not be hanged； perchance； but that I shall be hanged indubitably。
〃That concerns us not。〃
〃The deuce！〃 said Gringoire。
〃She has saved your life。 'Tis a debt that you are discharging。〃
〃There are a great many others which I do not discharge。〃
〃Master Pierre； it is absolutely necessary。〃
The archdeacon spoke imperiously。〃
〃Listen； Dom Claude；〃 replied the poet in utter consternation。 You cling to that idea； and you are wrong。 I do not see why I should get myself hanged in some one else's place。〃
〃What have you； then； which attaches you so strongly to life？〃
〃Oh！ a thousand reasons！〃
〃What reasons； if you please？〃
〃What？ The air； the sky； the morning； the evening； the moonlight； my good friends the thieves； our jeers with the old hags of go…betweens； the fine architecture of Paris to study； three great books to make； one of them being against the bishops and his mills； and how can I tell all？ Anaxagoras said that he was in the world to admire the sun。 And then； from morning till night； I have the happiness of passing all my days with a man of genius； who is myself； which is very agreeable。〃
〃A head fit for a mule bell！〃 muttered the archdeacon。 〃Oh！ tell me who preserved for you that life which you render so charming to yourself？ To whom do you owe it that you breathe that air； behold that sky； and can still amuse your lark's mind with your whimsical nonsense and madness？ Where would you be； had it not been for her？ Do you then desire that she through whom you are alive； should die？ that she should die； that beautiful； sweet； adorable creature； who is necessary to the light of the world and more divine than God； while you； half wise； and half fool； a vain sketch of something； a sort of vegetable； which thinks that it walks； and thinks that it thinks； you will continue to live with the life which you have stolen from her； as useless as a candle in broad daylight？ Come； have a little pity； Gringoire； be generous in your turn； it was she who set the example。〃
The priest was vehement。 Gringoire listened to him at first with an undecided air； then he became touched； and wound up with a grimace which made his pallid face resemble that of a new…born infant with an attack of the colic。
〃You are pathetic！〃 said he； wiping away a tear。 〃Well！ I will think about it。 That's a queer idea of yours。After all；〃 he continued after a pause； 〃who knows？ perhaps they will not hang me。 He who becomes betrothed does not always marry。 When they find me in that little lodging so grotesquely muffled in petticoat and coif； perchance they will burst with laughter。 And then； if they do hang me；well！ the halter is as good a death as any。 'Tis a death worthy of a sage who has wavered all his life； a death which is neither flesh nor fish； like the mind of a veritable sceptic； a death all stamped with Pyrrhonism and hesitation； which holds the middle station betwixt heaven and earth； which leaves you in suspense。 'Tis a philosopher's death； and I was destined thereto； perchance。 It is magnificent to die as one has lived。〃
The priest interrupted him： 〃Is it agreed。〃
〃What is death； after all？〃 pursued Gringoire with exaltation。 〃A disagreeable moment； a toll…gate； the passage of little to nothingness。 Some one having asked Cercidas； the Megalopolitan； if he were willing to die： 'Why not？' he replied； 'for after my death I shall see those great men； Pythagoras among the philosophers； Hecataeus among historians； Homer among poets； Olympus among musicians。'〃
The archdeacon gave him his hand： 〃It is settled； then？ You will come to…morrow？〃
This gesture recalled Gringoire to reality。
〃Ah！ i' faith no！〃 he said in the tone of a man just waking up。 〃Be hanged！ 'tis too absurd。