In the meantime, Clopin Trouillefou had finished the distribution ofarms. He approached Gringoire, who appeared to be plunged in a profoundrevery, with his feet on an andiron.
"Friend Pierre," said the King of Thunes, "what the devil are youthinking about?"
Gringoire turned to him with a melancholy smile.
"I love the fire, my dear lord. Not for the trivial reason that firewarms the feet or cooks our soup, but because it has sparks. Sometimes Ipass whole hours in watching the sparks. I discover a thousand things inthose stars which are sprinkled over the black background of the hearth.Those stars are also worlds."
"Thunder, if I understand you!" said the outcast. "Do you know whato'clock it is?"
"I do not know," replied Gringoire.
Clopin approached the Duke of Egypt.
"Comrade Mathias, the time we have chosen is not a good one. King LouisXI. is said to be in Paris."
"Another reason for snatching our sister from his claws," replied theold Bohemian.
"You speak like a man, Mathias," said the King of Thunes. "Moreover,we will act promptly. No resistance is to be feared in the church. Thecanons are hares, and we are in force. The people of the parliament willbe well balked to-morrow when they come to seek her! Guts of the pope Idon't want them to hang the pretty girl!"
Chopin quitted the dram-shop.
Meanwhile, Jehan was shouting in a hoarse voice:
"I eat, I drink, I am drunk, I am Jupiter! Eh! Pierre, the Slaughterer,if you look at me like that again, I'll fillip the dust off your nosefor you."
Gringoire, torn from his meditations, began to watch the wild and noisyscene which surrounded him, muttering between his teeth: "_Luxuriosares vinum et tumultuosa ebrietas_. Alas! what good reason I have not todrink, and how excellently spoke Saint-Benoit: '_Vinum apostatare facitetiam sapientes!_'"
At that moment, Clopin returned and shouted in a voice of thunder:"Midnight!"
At this word, which produced the effect of the call to boot and saddleon a regiment at a halt, all the outcasts, men, women, children,rushed in a mass from the tavern, with great noise of arms and old ironimplements.
The moon was obscured.
The Cour des Miracles was entirely dark. There was not a single light.One could make out there a throng of men and women conversing in lowtones. They could be heard buzzing, and a gleam of all sorts of weaponswas visible in the darkness. Clopin mounted a large stone.
"To your ranks, Argot!"* he cried. "Fall into line, Egypt! Form ranks,Galilee!"
* Men of the brotherhood of slang: thieves.
A movement began in the darkness. The immense multitude appeared to formin a column. After a few minutes, the King of Thunes raised his voiceonce more,--
"Now, silence to march through Paris! The password is, 'Little swordin pocket!' The torches will not be lighted till we reach Notre-Dame!Forward, march!"
Ten minutes later, the cavaliers of the watch fled in terror before along procession of black and silent men which was descending towardsthe Pont an Change, through the tortuous streets which pierce theclose-built neighborhood of the markets in every direction.
CHAPTER IV. AN AWKWARD FRIEND.