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atly had the hermetics and the alchemists of all countries wasted away the walls； merely by carving their names upon them。 Some neighbors even affirm that they had once seen； through an air…hole； Archdeacon Claude excavating； turning over； digging up the earth in the two cellars； whose supports had been daubed with numberless couplets and hieroglyphics by Nicolas Flamel himself。 It was supposed that Flamel had buried the philosopher's stone in the cellar； and the alchemists； for the space of two centuries； from Magistri to Father Pacifique； never ceased to worry the soil until the house； so cruelly ransacked and turned over； ended by falling into dust beneath their feet。
Again； it is certain that the archdeacon had been seized with a singular passion for the symbolical door of Notre… Dame； that page of a conjuring book written in stone； by Bishop Guillaume de Paris； who has； no doubt； been damned for having affixed so infernal a frontispiece to the sacred poem chanted by the rest of the edifice。 Archdeacon Claude had the credit also of having fathomed the mystery of the colossus of Saint Christopher； and of that lofty； enigmatical statue which then stood at the entrance of the vestibule； and which the people； in derision； called 〃Monsieur Legris。〃 But； what every one might have noticed was the interminable hours which he often employed； seated upon the parapet of the area in front of the church； in contemplating the sculptures of the front； examining now the foolish virgins with their lamps reversed； now the wise virgins with their lamps upright； again； calculating the angle of vision of that raven which belongs to the left front； and which is looking at a mysterious point inside the church； where is concealed the philosopher's stone； if it be not in the cellar of Nicolas Flamel。
It was； let us remark in passing； a singular fate for the Church of Notre…Dame at that epoch to be so beloved； in two different degrees； and with so much devotion； by two beings so dissimilar as Claude and Quasimodo。 Beloved by one； a sort of instinctive and savage half…man； for its beauty； for its stature； for the harmonies which emanated from its magnificent ensemble； beloved by the other； a learned and passionate imagination； for its myth； for the sense which it contains； for the symbolism scattered beneath the sculptures of its front；like the first text underneath the second in a palimpsest；in a word； for the enigma which it is eternally propounding to the understanding。
Furthermore； it is certain that the archdeacon had established himself in that one of the two towers which looks upon the Grève； just beside the frame for the bells； a very secret little cell； into which no one； not even the bishop； entered without his leave； it was said。 This tiny cell had formerly been made almost at the summit of the tower； among the ravens' nests； by Bishop Hugo de Besan？on* who had wrought sorcery there in his day。 What that cell contained； no one knew； but from the strand of the Terrain； at night； there was often seen to appear； disappear； and reappear at brief and regular intervals； at a little dormer window opening upon the back of the tower； a certain red； intermittent； singular light which seemed to follow the panting breaths of a bellows； and to proceed from a flame； rather than from a light。 In the darkness； at that height； it produced a singular effect； and the goodwives said： 〃There's the archdeacon blowing！ hell is sparkling up yonder！〃
* Hugo II。 de Bisuncio； 1326…1332。
There were no great proofs of sorcery in that； after all； but there was still enough smoke to warrant a surmise of fire； and the archdeacon bore a tolerably formidable reputation。 We ought to mention however； that the sciences of Egypt； that necromancy and magic； even the whitest； even the most innocent； had no more envenomed enemy； no more pitiless denunciator before the gentlemen of the officialty of Notre…Dame。 Whether this was sincere horror； or the game played by the thief who shouts； 〃stop thief！〃 at all events； it did not prevent the archdeacon from being considered by the learned heads of the chapter； as a soul who had ventured into the vestibule of hell； who was lost in the caves of the cabal； groping amid the shadows of the occult sciences。 Neither were the people deceived thereby； with any one who possessed any sagacity； Quasimodo passed for the demon； Claude Frollo； for the sorcerer。 It was evident that the bellringer was to serve the archdeacon for a given time； at the end of which he would carry away the latter's soul； by way of payment。 Thus the archdeacon； in spite of the excessive austerity of his life； was in bad odor among all pious souls； and there was no devout nose so inexperienced that it could not smell him out to be a magician。
And if； as he grew older； abysses had formed in his science； they had also formed in his heart。 That at least； is what one had grounds for believing on scrutinizing that face upon which the soul was only seen to shine through a sombre cloud。 Whence that large； bald brow？ that head forever bent？ that breast always heaving with sighs？ What secret thought caused his mouth to smile with so much bitterness； at the same moment that his scowling brows approached each other like two bulls on the point of fighting？ Why was what hair he had left already gray？ What was that internal fire which sometimes broke forth in his glance； to such a degree that his eye resembled a hole pierced in the wall of a furnace？
These symptoms of a violent moral preoccupation； had acquired an especially high degree of intensity at the epoch when this story takes place。 More than once a choir…boy had fled in terror at finding him alone in the church； so strange and dazzling was his look。 More than once； in the choir； at the hour of the offices； his neighbor in the stalls had heard him mingle with the plain song； ~ad omnem tonum~； unintelligible parentheses。 More than once the laundress of the Terrain charged 〃with washing the chapter〃 had observed； not without affright； the marks of nails and clenched fingers on the surplice of monsieur the archdeacon of Josas。
However； he redoubled his severity； and had never been more exemplary。 By profession as well as by character； he had always held himself aloof from women； he seemed to hate them more than ever。 The mere rustling of a silken petticoat caused his hood to fall over his eyes。 Upon this score he was so jealous of austerity and reserve； that when the Dame de Beaujeu； the king's daughter； came to visit the cloister of Notre…Dame； in the month of December； 1481； he gravely opposed her entrance； reminding the bishop of the statute of the Black Book； dating from the vigil of Saint…Barthélemy； 1334； which interdicts access to the cloister to 〃any woman whatever； old or young； mistress or maid。〃 Upon which the bishop had been constrained to recite to him the ordinance of Legate Odo； which excepts certain great dames； ~aliquoe magnates mulieres； quoe sine scandalo vitari non possunt~。 And again the archdeacon had protested； objecting that the ordinance of the legate； which dated back to 1207； was anterior by a hundred and twenty…seven years to the Black Book； and consequent