The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

By 1482, Robert d’Estouteville has been the provost of Paris for 17 years, retaining the position despite widespread upheaval. The position provides money and respect, placing him in charge of a retinue of city guards. He spends the day sentencing criminals and the evening relaxing in the post’s luxurious house. Among the condemned prisoners whom he leads from the Bastille prison to their execution are political prisoners who insulted the king in some way. D’Estouteville rises one day in a foul mood, which he is likely to take out on those who sit before him in judgment. Since he is late to the first trial of the day, his lieutenant, Florian Barbedienne, takes his place. Barbedienne is completely deaf yet passes sentences without hearing the arguments in the trials. Jehan sits in the courtroom, watching a trial with his friend Robin. They see the guards place Quasimodo before Barbedienne. The crowd mocks Quasimodo. Since both Quasimodo and Barbedienne are deaf, the trial is a farce. Only d’Estouteville’s arrival puts an end to the court crowd’s uproarious laughter. Quasimodo is sentenced to a public pillory: He will be publicly beaten and shamed. When Jehan calls out to the provost, d’Estouteville mistakes his shout for Quasimodo’s and extends the punishment, as does Barbedienne. Quasimodo is led away.

The Place de Grève is still covered in the previous day’s litter. In the corner of the square is a small cell, named the rathole, designed by Madame de Roland. After her father died, she built the small cell so that she could “shut herself up forever” (219) as a demonstration of grief. She spent 20 years in the rathole. Since then, “many women” have occupied the rathole, seeking refuge from their suffering. They survive on whatever scraps the public throws into the cell, and they are treated as near-saintly exemplars of piety, though the public has little sympathy for the occupants. Throughout Medieval Paris are many similar cells.

Three women named Gervaise, Oudarde, and Mahiette walk through the Place de Grève. The former two are Parisian, and Mahiette is from Riems. Mahiette is with her son, Eustache, who stares at a cake as the three women discuss the person to be placed in the pillory. Hearing a tambourine, they hurry to see Esmeralda perform. Mahiette, however, fears that “these gypsy vagabonds” (227) will steal Eustache, a belief that the woman currently occupying the rathole shares.

Mahiette tells a story about a woman named Paquette, who was forced to become a sex worker even though she was from a wealthy family. Paquette gave birth to a daughter and bought the young girl the “daintiest little pink shoes” (230). One day, Paquette visited roaming Romany fortune tellers with her daughter, and that night her daughter disappeared. All that was left was a single pink shoe. Later, a neighbor claimed to have seen two Romany people enter Paquette’s house. In her house, Paquette found a deformed child, and she believed that the Romany people stole her baby girl and then killed and ate her. Paquette disappeared shortly thereafter, while the deformed baby was sent to Paris to be put up for adoption.

The three women pass the rathole, telling Eustache to leave his cake for the woman inside. They see that the woman is dressed in rags and sits very still, though she is shivering. Mahiette recognizes her as Paquette, pointing at the little pink shoe in the corner of the cell as proof. The women weep for Paquette, who hears Eustache’s voice and cries at God’s cruelty in showing her other children. She refuses food from the three women and beats her head against the cell wall in grief. When Mahiette uses the name Paquette, however, she stands up, clinging to the bars and crying out that “the gypsy woman” (243) is calling to her.

The “well-trained” crowd gathers as Quasimodo is placed inside the pillory. The people exalted the man they elected as the Fool’s Pope but now laugh at him as he awaits public flogging. Quasimodo seems confused about what is happening. Pierrat Torterue, the Royal Torturer, begins to flog Quasimodo, who is shocked at the violent beating. The crowd cheers. When the flogging finishes, Quasimodo is left in the pillory. The crowd feels satisfied that he has been punished; one by one, they approach and insult him to his face. Quasimodo cannot hear the insults but knows that people hate him. He strains against his bonds and hangs his head in silent remorse. When Frollo rides into the square, Quasimodo briefly hopes that he will be saved. Frollo, however, scorns Quasimodo and rides away.

After half an hour, Quasimodo strains against his bindings and begs for a drink. No one in the pitiless crowd helps him until Esmeralda steps forward, accompanied by Djali. Quasimodo watches her approach him and kneel before him, offering a drink. Quasimodo is shocked. A tear rolls down his face. After drinking, he tries to kiss her hand in thanks. Esmeralda instinctually pulls back her hand. The crowd, moved by the scene, begins to cheer, but Paquette interrupts the cheers, insulting the “accursed” (253) Esmeralda from inside her cell.

Paquette’s insult shocks Esmeralda, and she runs away. The crowd begins to leave the square. No one says anything to Paquette, since she is considered devout and holy. Eustache reveals to his mother that a dog ate the cake intended for Paquette, so Mahiette hurries her son away.