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ike to know whether it be the mercy of God that there should be in Paris any other lord than the king； any other judge than our parliament； any other emperor than ourselves in this empire！ By the faith of my soul！ the day must certainly come when there shall exist in France but one king； one lord； one judge； one headsman； as there is in paradise but one God！〃
He lifted his cap again； and continued； still dreamily； with the air and accent of a hunter who is cheering on his pack of hounds： 〃Good； my people！ bravely done！ break these false lords！ do your duty！ at them！ have at them！ pillage them！ take them！ sack them！。。。。Ah！ you want to be kings； messeigneurs？ On； my people on！〃
Here he interrupted himself abruptly； bit his lips as though to take back his thought which had already half escaped； bent his piercing eyes in turn on each of the five persons who surrounded him； and suddenly grasping his hat with both hands and staring full at it； he said to it： 〃Oh！ I would burn you if you knew what there was in my head。〃
Then casting about him once more the cautious and uneasy glance of the fox re…entering his hole；
〃No matter！ we will succor monsieur the bailiff。 Unfortunately； we have but few troops here at the present moment； against so great a populace。 We must wait until to…morrow。 The order will be transmitted to the City and every one who is caught will be immediately hung。〃
〃By the way； sire；〃 said Gossip Coictier； 〃I had forgotten that in the first agitation； the watch have seized two laggards of the band。 If your majesty desires to see these men； they are here。〃
〃If I desire to see them！〃 cried the king。 〃What！ ~Pasque… Dieu~！ You forget a thing like that！ Run quick； you； Olivier！ Go； seek them！〃
Master Olivier quitted the room and returned a moment later with the two prisoners； surrounded by archers of the guard。 The first had a coarse； idiotic； drunken and astonished face。 He was clothed in rags； and walked with one knee bent and dragging his leg。 The second had a pallid and smiling countenance； with which the reader is already acquainted。
The king surveyed them for a moment without uttering a word； then addressing the first one abruptly；
〃What's your name？〃
〃Gieffroy Pincebourde。〃
〃Your trade。〃
〃Outcast。〃
〃What were you going to do in this damnable sedition？〃 The outcast stared at the king； and swung his arms with a stupid air。
He had one of those awkwardly shaped heads where intelligence is about as much at its ease as a light beneath an extinguisher。
〃I know not；〃 said he。 〃They went； I went。〃
〃Were you not going to outrageously attack and pillage your lord； the bailiff of the palace？〃
〃I know that they were going to take something from some one。 That is all。〃
A soldier pointed out to the king a billhook which he had seized on the person of the vagabond。
〃Do you recognize this weapon？〃 demanded the king。
〃Yes； 'tis my billhook； I am a vine…dresser。〃
〃And do you recognize this man as your companion？〃 added Louis XI。； pointing to the other prisoner。
〃No； I do not know him。〃
〃That will do；〃 said the king； making a sign with his finger to the silent personage who stood motionless beside the door； to whom we have already called the reader's attention。
〃Gossip Tristan； here is a man for you。〃
Tristan l'Hermite bowed。 He gave an order in a low voice to two archers； who led away the poor vagabond。
In the meantime； the king had approached the second prisoner； who was perspiring in great drops： 〃Your name？〃
〃Sire； Pierre Gringoire。〃
〃Your trade？〃
〃Philosopher； sire。〃
〃How do you permit yourself； knave； to go and besiege our friend； monsieur the bailiff of the palace； and what have you to say concerning this popular agitation？〃
〃Sire； I had nothing to do with it。〃
〃Come； now！ you wanton wretch； were not you apprehended by the watch in that bad company？〃
〃No； sire； there is a mistake。 'Tis a fatality。 I make tragedies。 Sire； I entreat your majesty to listen to me。 I am a poet。 'Tis the melancholy way of men of my profession to roam the streets by night。 I was passing there。 It was mere chance。 I was unjustly arrested； I am innocent of this civil tempest。 Your majesty sees that the vagabond did not recognize me。 I conjure your majesty〃
〃Hold your tongue！〃 said the king； between two swallows of his ptisan。 〃You split our head！〃
Tristan l'Hermite advanced and pointing to Gringoire；
〃Sire； can this one be hanged also？〃
This was the first word that he had uttered。
〃Phew！〃 replied the king； 〃I see no objection。〃
〃I see a great many！〃 said Gringoire。
At that moment； our philosopher was greener than an olive。 He perceived from the king's cold and indifferent mien that there was no other resource than something very pathetic； and he flung himself at the feet of Louis XI。； exclaiming； with gestures of despair：
〃Sire！ will your majesty deign to hear me。 Sire！ break not in thunder over so small a thing as myself。 God's great lightning doth not bombard a lettuce。 Sire； you are an august and； very puissant monarch； have pity on a poor man who is honest； and who would find it more difficult to stir up a revolt than a cake of ice would to give out a spark！ Very gracious sire； kindness is the virtue of a lion and a king。 Alas！ rigor only frightens minds； the impetuous gusts of the north wind do not make the traveller lay aside his cloak； the sun； bestowing his rays little by little； warms him in such ways that it will make him strip to his shirt。 Sire； you are the sun。 I protest to you； my sovereign lord and master； that I am not an outcast； thief； and disorderly fellow。 Revolt and brigandage belong not to the outfit of Apollo。 I am not the man to fling myself into those clouds which break out into seditious clamor。 I am your majesty's faithful vassal。 That same jealousy which a husband cherisheth for the honor of his wife； the resentment which the son hath for the love of his father； a good vassal should feel for the glory of his king； he should pine away for the zeal of this house； for the aggrandizement of his service。 Every other passion which should transport him would be but madness。 These； sire； are my maxims of state： then do not judge me to be a seditious and thieving rascal because my garment is worn at the elbows。 If you will grant me mercy； sire； I will wear it out on the knees in praying to God for you night and morning！ Alas！ I am not extremely rich； 'tis true。 I am even rather poor。 But not vicious on that account。 It is not my fault。 Every one knoweth that great wealth is not to be drawn from literature； and that those who are best posted in good books do not always have a great fire in winter。 The advocate's trade taketh all the grain； and leaveth only straw to the other scientific professions。 There are forty very excellent proverbs anent the hole…ridden cloak of the philosopher。 Oh； sire！ clemency is the only light which can enlighten the interior of so great a soul。 Clemency beareth the torch before all the other virtues。 Without it they are but blind men groping after God in the dark。 Compassion； which is the same thing as clemency； causeth the love of subjec