Or Else Let Her Be Mine And Mine Alone

To Be Two And Yet Be One

'Frollo.'

This made the girl quieten. Gudule pulled her close. 'Don't be upset; it melts my heart to see you happy again. But you talked to Phoebus for five minutes and he got so enraged. It's better to not imagine how he would act if he gets to know this. I just don't want you to suffer like last time, you understand, surely? I shall not be able to bear seeing you heartbroken once he returns.'

'But what should I do? I don't want to waste this time. Who knows when I shall be free again.'

'I'm not saying that you shouldn't meet him,' said Gudule. 'Just don't grow too attached. Let it remain "two fingers that touch without mingling", as you say. When the goodbye is too painful, you develop the false hope that it wasn't goodbye after all. And that sweet lie prevents you from living the truth.'

'I'm mindful of that,' Esmeralda said gloomily. 'Of course, I won't risk it after what happened with Phoebus. What makes you concerned that I will?'

The recluse gave a bittersweet smile. 'Because you're my daughter.'

--

Standing on a wooden stool, Quasimodo eyed the garter hole and meticulously compared it to the width of the splice in his hand. The rope holding Jaqueline had worn out. With practice he had become skilled in preparing new ropes for the bells, but inserting them was no easy task. His spirits leapt with satisfaction at seeing the strands almost go inside, when the pretty face of Esmeralda emerged behind the bell. He dropped the rope. She smiled. 'Busy?'

'I'm sorry. This bell- it fell from its ropes today, so I'm putting a new one. I forgot that you were coming.'

'I see,' she said, stepping closer. 'What's its name?'

'Jaqueline.'

'Your favorite?'

'Hmm.'

"She remembers."

His face burned recalling her lips on it last night. 'Can you hand me that?' he asked, pointing to the rope. She looked where he pointed, then picked it up. 'Do you make these yourself?'

'Yes, you have to measure them well. The garter hole is quite small,' he explained, taking the rope and craning his neck towards the bell. She stepped closer. 'Can I help?'

He paused to consider it. Having learned most of the work by himself, he never asked for help in maintaining the bells. Although he could get a little assistance from Frollo or the archdeacon, he didn't trust anyone to care for them as he did. That was a part of his life nobody was allowed in, until now. 'Just keep an eye on the other side of the hole. As soon as the rope passes even a bit, pull it towards you.'

She went to the other side. Her able back allowed her hands to reach the top of the bell without having to use a stool. She squinted and closed one eye to view the garter hole properly- a feat Quasimodo was naturally gifted in. He withheld his laughter and tried pushing the rope in. 'How are you so patient?' she mused.

'I don't know. Perhaps because I have no shortage of time,' he laughed nervously. Her eyes watching him were proving to be a distraction. He couldn't help but admire them whenever he looked through the hole.

'I wish I could be this absorbed,' she said, then looked upwards to examine the bell chamber. It was remarkably clean, even cleaner than his own chamber.

'Esmeralda, the rope.'

She turned to the bell and indeed, a tiny bit of cord was slipping out. She tugged its end. He jumped down the stool. 'Here,' he said. Taking the rope, he leaped on the bell to finish the procedure, much to her astonishment. She watched in awe as he strung it, then chuckled.