not even take the trouble to cast a stone in passing, as was the
usage, at the miserable statue of that Perinet Leclerc who had delivered
up the Paris of Charles VI. to the English, a crime which his effigy,
its face battered with stones and soiled with mud, expiated for three
centuries at the corner of the Rue de la Harpe and the Rue de Buci, as
in an eternal pillory.

The Petit-Pont traversed, the Rue Neuve-Sainte-Genevieve crossed, Jehan
de Molendino found himself in front of Notre-Dame. Then indecision
seized upon him once more, and he paced for several minutes round the
statue of M. Legris, repeating to himself with anguish: "The sermon is
sure, the crown is doubtful."

He stopped a beadle who emerged from the cloister,--"Where is monsieur
the archdeacon of Josas?"

"I believe that he is in his secret cell in the tower," said the beadle;
"I should advise you not to disturb him there, unless you come from some
one like the pope or monsieur the king."

Jehan clapped his hands.

"_Becliable_! here's a magnificent chance to see the famous sorcery
cell!"

This reflection having brought him to a decision, he plunged resolutely
into the small black doorway, and began the ascent of the spiral of
Saint-Gilles, which leads to the upper stories of the tower. "I am
going to see," he said to himself on the way. "By the ravens of the Holy
Virgin! it must needs be a curious thing, that cell which my reverend
brother hides so secretly! 'Tis said that he lights up the kitchens of
hell there, and that he cooks the philosopher's stone there over a hot
fire. _Bedieu_! I care no more for the philosopher's stone than for a
pebble, and I would rather find over his furnace an omelette of Easter
eggs and bacon, than the biggest philosopher's stone in the world."'

On arriving at the gallery of slender columns, he took breath for a
moment, and swore against the interminable staircase by I know not how
many million cartloads of devils; then he resumed his ascent through
the narrow door of the north tower, now closed to the public.
Several moments after passing the bell chamber, he came upon a little
landing-place, built in a lateral niche, and under the vault of a low,
pointed door, whose enormous lock and strong iron bars he was enabled
to see through a loophole pierced in the opposite circular wall of the
staircase. Persons desirous of visiting this door at the present day
will recognize it by this inscription engraved in white le