talking to himself and touching

I do not want that devil of a man to find me," thought Gringoire; and he ran after Dom Claude."Stay, monsieur the archdeacon, no ill-feeling between old friends!You take an interest in that girl, my wife, I mean, and 'tis well.You have devised a scheme to get her out of Notre-Dame, but your way is extremely disagreeable to me, Gringoire.If I had only another one myself!I beg to say that a luminous inspiration has just occurred to me.If I possessed an expedient for extricating her from a dilemma, without compromising my own neck to the extent of a single running knot, what would you say to it?Will not that suffice you?Is it absolutely necessary that I should be hanged, in order that you may be content ?"































































































































The priest tore out the buttons of his cassock with impatience: "Stream of words!What is your plan?"































































































































"Yes," resumed Gringoire, his nose with his forefinger in sign of meditation,--"that's it!--The thieves are brave fellows!--The tribe of Egypt love her!--They will rise at the first word!--Nothing easier!--A sudden stroke.--Under cover of the disorder, they will easily carry her off!--Beginning to-morrow evening. They will ask nothing better.































































































































"The plan! speak," cried the archdeacon shaking him.































































































































Gringoire turned majestically towards him: "Leave me! You see that I am composing." He meditated for a few moments more, then began to clap his hands over his thought, crying: "Admirable!success is sure!"































































































































"The plan!" repeated Claude in wrath .































































































































Gringoire was radiant.































































































































"Come, that I may tell you that very softly.'Tis a truly gallant counter-plot, which will extricate us all from the matter. pardieu, it must be admitted that I am no fool."































































































































He broke off.































































































































"Oh, by the way!is the little goat with the wench?"































































































































"Yes.The devil take you!"































































































































"They would have hanged it also, would they not?"































































































































"What is that to me?"































































































































"Yes, they would have hanged it.They hanged a sow last month.The headsman loveth that; he eats the beast afterwards. Take my pretty Djali!poor little lamb!"































































































































"Malediction!" exclaimed Dom Claude."You are the executioner.What means of safety have you found, knave? Must your idea be extracted with the forceps?"































































































































"Very fine, master, this is it."































































































































Gringoire bent his head to the archdeacon's head and spoke to him in a very low voice, casting an uneasy glance the while from one end to the other of the street, though no one was passing.When he had finished , Dom Claude took his hand and said coldly : "'Tis well.Farewell until to-morrow."