The next morning,Clopin,Paulette and Esmeralda rode into the town square in Clopin's puppet wagon. They were all preparing to perform for anyone who cared to come by and watch them and Cherelle and Hubert lay on top of the wagon,basking together in the morning sun and licking each other adoringly.
Many children in Paris that morning had their attention caught by the sound of a guitar playing a joyous ditty with a tambourine keeping an upbeat rhythm and came to see who was playing such wonderful music. A number of children formed an audience and laughingly clapped along as they watched Esmeralda dance to the song Paulette played on her guitar. Clopin peeped out from his puppet theater and laughed as he happily watched the throng of children make merry at the sight of the well accomplished little gypsy dancer.
When Esmeralda had finished her dance,Clopin,Paulette and all of the children applauded for her. Esmeralda curtsied cheerfully. Then,she and Paulette put up their instruments and sat down with the other youngsters to watch Clopin's puppet show.
"Where have you been,Clopin?" one little girl asked. "We haven't seen you in a while."
"I was just spending some time with my dear friend,Paulette," Clopin explained. "who now happens to be an honorary gypsy."
All of the kids oohed and ahhed at the sound of it.
"That's good!" a little boy said to Paulette. "Now,you don't have to be pushed around by your nasty stepmother anymore."
"I sure hope not." Paulette giggled.
"Alright," Clopin exclaimed,silencing his audience. "Who's ready for the show?"
"I am!" They all cried in unison.
"Wonderful!" Clopin said with a laugh. "And I have just the story. It is about another young girl who also had a wicked stepmother she wanted to get away from. How would you little ones like to hear the story of Snow White?"
"No way!" A little boy cried. "There's kissing in that story!"
"Eww!" some other kids chimed in.
"That's one of my favorite fairy tales." Paulette said.
"Yeah,I like it,too." Esmeralda said. "And besides,since Paulette is around,Clopin might as well do that one for her. So,if you could all just tolerate the kissing parts."
All the other kids shrugged and nodded.
"Good!" Clopin said happily. "It's agreed then."
So,Clopin ducked below the curtain and the audience silenced as he began his performance.
In the middle of the show,a butterfly flew above the caravan and caught Cherelle's attention. Hubert was asleep. At being spotted by Cherelle's bright sea green eyes,the butterfly turned around and flitted the other way. Curious to know where the it was going,adventurous Cherelle jumped down from Clopin's caravan and frolicked off after the butterfly. Esmeralda noticed Cherelle wandering off and grew very concerned for the kitten. She didn't want her to get hurt. So,Esmeralda quietly left the puppet show and went after Cherelle.
In the meantime,Paulette and the rest of Clopin's audience enjoyed the show. The best part had finally come when the Prince had awoken Snow White from her deep slumber with true love's kiss and they both rode away to his kingdom to live happily ever after. But,just when Clopin was about to end the story,they all heard someone cry for help in the distance. Esmeralda was running their way with Cherelle by her side,both looked panicked.
"Big brother! Big brother!" Esmeralda shrieked,running up to Clopin.
Cherelle leaped into Paulette's arms.
"What is it,Cherelle?" Paulette asked. "Are you alright?"
Esmeralda held tight to Clopin,quivering with fear.
"Esmeralda,what happened?" Clopin asked.
"I think Frollo knows were here." Esmeralda replied.
They all gasped.
"He's coming this way," she continued. "and there's a snobby-looking lady with him."
Paulette's heart jumped in fear. Could that "snobby-looking lady" be Madame Ferregal?
"Run along,little ones!" Clopin exclaimed quickly. "Show's over!"
The children dispersed and Clopin led Paulette,Esmeralda,Cherelle and Hubert all the way to the front door of Notre Dame.
So traumatized by the sudden approach of Frollo and Madame Ferregal and desperate to find shelter were they that they couldn't help banging rapidly on the door and screaming,"Sanctuary!"
The archdeacon rushed to the door,opened it and let the young gypsies run inside.
Though they were safe from being found by any enemies,Esmeralda was very ashamed for the commotion she had caused.
"I'm sorry,Clopin." she sobbed. "I feel like it's my fault for running off or Frollo wouldn't of spotted me and come our way."
"Aww,Esmeralda." Clopin whispered as he knelt down to hug her. "It could be Frollo might have planned coming here anyway. Besides,you were just concerned about Cherelle and I'm sure Paulette is grateful to you for caring for her kitten. And if not for you,we would have been caught for sure. But,I'm glad you're alright. You don't know how upset I'd be if I had lost you."
Esmeralda dried her tears away and looked into Clopin's warm,dark eyes.
"But,from now on," Clopin concluded gently. "if you ever feel like you have to leave in the middle of my shows,just let me know first. Okay?"
"Okay." Esmeralda sniffled.
They embraced each other once more and then Clopin looked over to see Paulette sitting in a corner,discussing her troubles to the archdeacon as he lit the church candelabrums. Remembering how cruelly Madame Ferregal had treated her and how she hadn't a smidgen of sympathy for those poorer than she just made Paulette start to cry over knowing she could actually be nearby with the most ruthless man in all of Paris. Cherelle saw Paulette's pain,meowed sweetly and nudged her owner's hand in comfort.
Grateful for Cherelle's sympathy,Paulette gave her kind-hearted kitten a gentle stroke on the head.
Clopin came forward to the archdeacon,asking,"What do they have against people who are different anyway?"
"You can't right all the world's wrongs alone,my child." the archdeacon replied.
"Well,who can possibly help us?" Clopin asked.
"No earthly being,I can assure you that." said the archdeacon gently. "But,there is someone in here who can. Someone who is always watching you and will listen to whatever you have to say. You might not think he can hear you but he can. Just try talking to him. He's there."
Before Clopin could ask any more questions,the archdeacon was gone. Clopin,with the girls and kittens following him,walked down the halls of Notre Dame. He stopped to look at a light shining down on a statue of a woman holding a baby. Clopin didn't know who the statue was of but he felt like the light was shining down from heaven.
On the other side of the room,the gypsies could see a group of people praying in a sanctuary. What if those people have suffered hard lives as well?
Clopin turned to Paulette.
"Do you think God would actually listen to me?" He asked softly.
"Of course." Paulette replied quietly. "Just try praying to him. You might not think it will do any good but it will. He's sure to answer your prayers somehow."
Clopin stood there,thinking. He was confused and a little nervous. He had no idea what to say,especially being in the house of God. And how could God possibly hear,listen to or understand someone like him? Clopin was unsure about all this yet,at the same time,it was possible that this would be a good opportunity to actually speak to God whether or not he WOULD listen.
After a quiet,deep train of thought and without any further questions,Clopin set his gaze at the heavenly looking light and couldn't help but start to sing,
"I don't know if you can hear me
or if you're even there.
I don't know if you would listen
to a gypsy's prayer.
Yes,I know I'm just an outcast.
I shouldn't speak to you.
Still,I see your face and wonder,
Were you once and outcast,too?"
Then,Paulette,Esmeralda and the two kittens followed Clopin down the hallways of the church as he continued to sing,
"God,help the outcasts
hungry from birth.
Show them the mercy
they don't find on earth.
God,help my people.
We look to you still.
God,help the outcasts
or nobody will."
Her heart being filled with bliss at the sound of Clopin's beautiful voice,Paulette started to sing,
"I ask for nothing
I can get by.
But I know so many
less lucky than I.
God,help the outcasts,
the poor and down trod.
I thought we all were
the children of God."
Then,Clopin started to sing,
"I don't know if there's a reason
why some are blessed,some not.
Why the few you seem to favor,
They fear us,flee us,
try not to see us."
Paulette sang,
"God,help the outcasts,
the tattered,the torn,
seeking an answer
to why they were born."
Clopin joined her in harmony,
"Winds of misfortune
had blown them about.
You've made the outcasts.
Don't cast them out."
They'd made there way to a large room with a stain-glassed window where a big beam of sunlight shone through it like a heavenly light.
Paulette sang,
"The poor and unlucky."
Clopin sang,
"The weak and the odd."
Then,they both concluded the song in harmony,
"I thought we all were
the children of God."
Their voices echoed throughout the room like those of angels.
The kittens came rubbing their faces up to their owners' legs. Paulette knelt down,picked up Cherelle who began to purr and lovingly held her close to her heart. Clopin knelt down and picked up Hubert who climbed onto his his shoulder and gave his master a kiss. Clopin stroked Hubert under the chin and Esmeralda gently rubbed the kitten's head. Then,Hubert purred very loudly as he watched Clopin and Esmeralda hug each other.