Itwastheonlyspeechwhichheunderstood，theonlysoundwhichbrokeforhimtheuniversalsilence。Heswelledoutinitasabirddoesinthesun。Allofasudden，thefrenzyofthebellseizeduponhim；hislookbecameextraordinary；
helayinwaitforthegreatbellasitpassed，asaspiderliesinwaitforafly，andflunghimselfabruptlyuponit，withmightandmain。Then，suspendedabovetheabyss，bornetoandfrobytheformidableswingingofthebell，heseizedthebrazenmonsterbytheear-laps，presseditbetweenbothknees，spurreditonwithhisheels，andredoubledthefuryofthepealwiththewholeshockandweightofhisbody。Meanwhile，thetowertrembled；heshriekedandgnashedhisteeth，hisredhairroseerect，hisbreastheavinglikeabellows，hiseyeflashedflames，themonstrousbellneighed，panting，beneathhim；andthenitwasnolongerthegreatbellofNotre-
DamenorQuasimodo:itwasadream，awhirlwind，atempest，dizzinessmountedastrideofnoise；aspiritclingingtoaflyingcrupper，astrangecentaur，halfman，halfbell；asortofhorribleAstolphus，borneawayuponaprodigioushippogriffoflivingbronze。
Thepresenceofthisextraordinarybeingcaused，asitwere，abreathoflifetocirculatethroughouttheentirecathedral。
Itseemedasthoughthereescapedfromhim，atleastaccordingtothegrowingsuperstitionsofthecrowd，amysteriousemanationwhichanimatedallthestonesofNotre-Dame，andmadethedeepbowelsoftheancientchurchtopalpitate。Itsufficedforpeopletoknowthathewasthere，tomakethembelievethattheybeheldthethousandstatuesofthegalleriesandthefrontsinmotion。Andthecathedraldidindeedseemadocileandobedientcreaturebeneathhishand；itwaitedonhiswilltoraiseitsgreatvoice；itwaspossessedandfilledwithQuasimodo，aswithafamiliarspirit。Onewouldhavesaidthathemadetheimmenseedificebreathe。Hewaseverywhereaboutit；infact，hemultipliedhimselfonallpointsofthestructure。Nowoneperceivedwithaffrightattheverytopofoneofthetowers，afantasticdwarfclimbing，writhing，crawlingonallfours，descendingoutsideabovetheabyss，leapingfromprojectiontoprojection，andgoingtoransackthebellyofsomesculpturedgorgon；itwasQuasimododislodgingthecrows。Again，insomeobscurecornerofthechurchonecameincontactwithasortoflivingchimera，crouchingandscowling；itwasQuasimodoengagedinthought。