Chapter 44 Notre Dame de Paris (3) Volume VII Fate (3)

three bells Since his execution that morning at the Column of Infamy, the neighbors of Notre-Dame believed that they had found Quasimodo's enthusiasm for ringing the bell much less.Until then, the bells are always ringing, the melodious morning and evening prayer bells, the thundering mass bells, the melodious wedding bells and baptismal bells, this series of bells lingers in the air, as if it is moving to the ear. A cloud brocade woven by various voices.The whole ancient church trembled, the sound echoed endlessly, and was forever immersed in the joyful ringing of the bells. People always feel that there are elves who are unique and noisy, singing through these copper mouths.Now the spirit seemed to have vanished, and the cathedral seemed morose, preferring to be silent.Only festivals and funerals can still hear the monotonous bells, dry and tasteless, nothing more than the need for etiquette, and they have to be struck.In every church there are two sounds, the organ inside and the bell outside, and now only the organ is left.It was as if there were no more musicians in the bell tower of Notre-Dame.In fact Quasimodo has been in the bell tower.What was on his mind?Could it be that the humiliation and despair suffered on the pillar of shame are still unforgettable?Could it be that the executioner's lashes echoed endlessly in his soul?Could it be that such a punishment made him so sad that he lost all thoughts, even his love for the big clock?Otherwise, Mary the Bell met her rival, and the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame had another love in his heart, fell in love with something more lovely and beautiful, and neglected the Bell and its fourteen sisters?

In 1482 A.D., the Annunciation arrived, which happened to be Tuesday, March 25.The air was so pure and soft that day that Quasimodo suddenly felt a little love for the clocks again, and climbed up the north tower, while the church footman was opening every door below. .The gates of Notre Dame at that time were all made of very hard large wooden boards, covered with leather, with gilded iron nails nailed around them, and the borders were decorated with "well-designed" carvings. Arriving at the tall bell cage on the top of the tower, Quasimodo shook his head sadly, and looked at the six bells for a while, as if some strange thing in his mind separated him from them, and he could not help lamenting. .However, he shook them vigorously, felt the group of bells swaying under his hand, saw - because he couldn't hear - the vibrating octaves up and down on the loud scale, as if A bird hopped to and fro on a branch, and the spirit of the carillon, that patron saint who shakes golden beams, strikes trills, arpeggios, and chords, had long ago put the poor deaf man's soul Check it off.At this moment, Quasimodo became happy again, forgot everything, his heart was full of joy, and his face was radiant.

He walked up and down clapping his hands, running from one bell to the other, shouting and gesticulating, encouraging the six singers as a conductor encourages a clever player. "Play it," he said, "play it, Gabrielle! Pour all your voice into the square. It's a holiday!"—"Tibor, don't be lazy. You slow down. Come on, come on!" Come on! Aren't you rusty, lazy bastard?"—"Yes! Quick! Quick! Don't let anyone see the hammer swing! Make them all deaf like me! That's it, Tibor Well done!"—"Guillaume! Guillaume! You're the fattest, Pasquier the smallest, but Pasquier is the loudest. Let's bet anyone who can hear knows it's louder than You're much louder."—"Great! Great! My Gabrielle, louder and louder!"—"Hey! What are you two sparrows doing up there? I don't see you making a sound sound."—"What's the matter with those copper mouths that seem to yawn when they should be singing? Come, work hard! A nice carillon will do." "Poor Guillaume! Look at you out of breath, my plump!"

With all his attention, he was busy motivating the big clocks, and the six big clocks jumped up and down one by one, swinging their shiny buttocks, just like several Spanish mules harnessed together, shouting at the mule driver from time to time. Under the impetus, he ran noisily and wildly. The straight walls of the bell tower are covered at a certain height by patches of wide slate tiles.Suddenly, Quasimodo inadvertently looked down from among the slate tiles, and saw a strangely dressed girl coming to the square. She stopped and spread a blanket on the ground, and then a kid came and stood on the blanket. A group of spectators immediately gathered around.Seeing this, Quasimodo suddenly changed his mind, and his enthusiasm for music suddenly froze, as if molten resin was blown by the wind and suddenly froze.He stopped, turned his back on the clocks, crouched behind the slate canopy, and gazed fixedly at the dancing girl with the same bewildered, affectionate, tender gaze that once surprised the archdeacon. .At this moment, the forgotten bells fell silent for a moment, to the great disappointment of those carnival lovers who had stood on the bridge of the money exchange and listened sincerely to the bells of Notre-Dame. Shi had no choice but to go away disgruntled, like a dog who is shown a bone but thrown a stone.