Summary
In 1482 Quasimodo was about twenty years old and Claude Frollo was thirty-six. Frollo had many responsibilities and had grown serious and grave. His younger brother Jehan, despite Claude's encouragement, had become full of idleness, ignorance and debauchery. He was consigned to College de Torchi where he distinguished himself as a prankster and reveler. Jehan was droll and clever, however, and he often succeeded in amusing his older brother who never desisted from reading him long lectures after some mischief had gotten him in trouble. Having to a certain extent given up on his young brother, Claude Frollo devoted himself to science. He delved deep into alchemy and became obsessed with finding the mythical philosopher's stone which was reputed to have the power to turn lead into gold. He frequented graveyards and spent countless hours pouring over the hieroglyphics emblazoned on the front of the church, trying to deduce where in the structure the elusive philosopher's stone might be hidden. He fixed a small chamber at the top of one of the church's spires for his experiments and often at night a reddish glow was seen to emanate from its single small window. Claude Frollo was an ardent persecutor of Egyptians and others accused of practicing black magic, but many people assumed that Frollo himself was a sorcerer and that Quasimodo was a demon that would eventually carry his soul off to hell as payment. Most people instinctively feared the priest. His dislike for women was extreme and his hatred for gypsy women was particularly intense.
|
