The Dramas of Victor Hugo: Mary Tudor, Marion de Lorme, Esmeralda Part 111

Hold yourselves close!

CLOPIN.

Yes.

CLAUDE FROLLO.

Hide your arms, Not to excite suspicion!

CLOPIN.

Master, you shall see!

CLAUDE FROLLO.

But h.e.l.l may take her quick, With my good-will, If now this insane creature Refuses still!

Destiny! Oh, fatal stroke!

Friend, I count on thee!

On this my only chance I wait With fierce anxiety.

CLOPIN.

Fear nothing terrible, my lord, Count faithfully on me, And on this last and only chance Rely courageously!

[_They go out hurriedly. The populace begin to enter the square._

SCENE IV

_The populace; Quasimodo; afterward Esmeralda, and her escort; then Claude Frollo, Phoebus, Clopin Frouillefou, priests, archers, officers of the law_

CHORUS.

To Notre Dame Come, get a sight Of the young woman Who dies to-night!

This gypsy woman Who stabbed, they say, The handsomest officer In the King's pay.

In vain did Heaven Beauty lend her!

Is it possible-- G.o.d defend her!-- A soul so black, An eye so tender!

A frightful thing, Human nature is so!

The poor unfortunate!

Come, let us go To Notre Dame To get a sight Of the young woman Who dies to-night!

_The crowd increases; noise; a gloomy procession begins to appear on the Place du Parvis. Rows of black penitents. Banners of La Misericorde.

Torches, archers, officers of the law and the watch. The soldiers disperse the crowd. Esmeralda appears. She wears a chemise; a rope is around her neck; her feet are bare, and she is covered with a long black veil of c.r.a.pe. Following her, come the executioners and the King's officers. As the prisoner reaches the front of the church, a somber chant is heard in the distance, coming from the interior of the church, whose doors are closed._

CHORUS (_in the church_).

Omnes fluctus fluminis Transierunt super me In imo voraginis Ubi plorant animae.

[_The chant draws nearer. It bursts forth, at length, when near the doors, which open suddenly and discover the interior of the church. It is filled with a long procession of priests in their robes of ceremony; banners are borne before them. Claude Frollo, in sacerdotal costume, leads the procession. He goes toward the criminal._

THE PEOPLE.

Alive to-day, to-morrow dead!

Heaven! thy wings around her spread!

ESMERALDA.

It is Phoebus who calls me Unto our home eternal, Where G.o.d will hold us in His arms, Safe from misfortunes cruel.

Though plunged in the abyss of woe, A joyful hope is given: I am to die upon the earth To be re-born in heaven!

CLAUDE FROLLO.

To die so young, so beautiful!

Alas! the guilty priest Must suffer greater woe than she; He ne'er will be released.

Oh, hapless child of sorrow, Lost through my infamy, You only die from off this earth, While heaven is lost to me!

THE PEOPLE.

Alas! she is an infidel.

G.o.d's words, unto us spoken, Say that in heaven for such as she No blessed gate shall open.

Death holds her fast, what misery!

She can escape it, never!

She dies unto the world this day, And unto heaven forever!

[_The procession approaches. Claude accosts Esmeralda._

ESMERALDA (_frozen with terror_).

It is the priest!

CLAUDE FROLLO (_low_).

Yes, it is I! I love you, I entreat you!

Say but one word! 'Tis not too late; I can yet save you!

Say, I love you!

ESMERALDA.

I abhor you! Go!

CLAUDE FROLLO.

Then die! I'll go where I can find you!