Suddenly,the silence in Notre Dame was killed by the sound of doors bursting open.
"Archdeacon!" Frollo could be heard booming. "Some gypsies were out in the town square this morning. I saw one of their carts."
Clopin gulped,his eyes widened. That cart mentioned had to be his puppet wagon.
"I know they're in here somewhere." Frollo demanded. "Tell me where they are! You can't lie!"
"No,I cannot lie." the Archdeacon explained coolly. "They are somewhere in this church."
The young gypsies felt lurches of fear in their hearts.
"But,you will not get near them." the Archdeacon continued. "They have claimed sanctuary and you must respect that."
The gypsies sighed with relief,feeling safe once again.
"Curses!" Frollo growled quietly as he angrily left the church.
Though Frollo was gone,Esmeralda still clutched Clopin's hand tightly.
"Big brother,I'm still nervous." Esmeralda whispered,her eyes shining up at Clopin.
The young man knelt down and hugged his adopted little sister.
"Don't be afraid." He said softly. "It's going to be alright. I promise."
"When can we go back home?" asked Esmeralda.
"As soon as Frollo has left the town square." Clopin answered.
Unfortunately,they had to wait until nightfall to leave Notre Dame. There were guards at every door. But,two of the guards had fallen asleep by one door that led out safely. The Archdeacon quietly opened the door and looked around to see if the coast was clear.
"You may leave now." he whispered to the young gypsies. "But,be careful."
"Thank you." Clopin said quietly to the Archdeacon as he,Paulette,Esmeralda,Hubert and Cherelle ran out of the church and stealthily into the darkness of night.
As they quickly and quietly made their way back to the Court of Miracles,Paulette felt a hand grab her arms and another hold her mouth. While Clopin and Esmeralda went on with Hubert bounding by their side,Cherelle stopped and investigated Paulette's captor. It was Madame Ferregal!
"You have defied me for the last time." Ferregal hissed. "Come home with me at once,or else,I'll..." She was interrupted by Paulette giving her a bite on the hand. Ferregal groaned and let Paulette free.
"I'll never come with you." Paulette whispered angrily. "You never cared for me or my father. You just wanted to torment me the rest of my life and I've done nothing to deserve that. "
"Be quiet!" Ferregal hissed,her temper rising.
"You be quiet!" Paulette's voice started to raise a little. "My father trusted you to take care of me but you only treat me as if I'm nothing. The gypsies never treat me that way. They know I'm somebody and they are all kind to me."
"Silence!" Ferregal growled,her voice also starting to raise.
But,Paulette continued,"That's who I want to live with. Some people who actually care about me and who I can actually call family. I shouldn't have my life wasted with an arrogant,heartless witch!"
"SHUT UP!" Madame Ferregal roared,slapping poor Paulette to the ground.
The young girl looked up at her furious stepmother while trying to get up. She had a few scratches and got a little dirty.
"If that's the way it must be," Madame Ferregal whispered in a threatening tone. "I'll have to get you back by force. Either,you'll lead me to the Court of Miracles and help me end the reign of gypsies or you can go home and stay in your cold,dark room for the rest of your life."
Paulette hesitated. Then,replied,"Why don't you just kill me instead?"
"As you wish." Ferregal said gruffly.
She grabbed Paulette by the wrists once more and lifted a shiny,razor-sharp knife up in readiness to murder the young lady.
"May you burn!" Ferregal shouted.
But,just when she was about to stab Paulette right in the heart,Cherelle leaped into the air,screeching as she spread out her claws and began to scratch Madame Ferregal's face repeatedly.
Paulette made her escape and once Cherelle was done giving Ferregal what she deserved,she darted after her mistress.
Ferregal got up to find the two youngsters gone. She glared. And yet,straight ahead she could see the light of a torch over in a graveyard. Could that be Paulette? The wicked woman got to her feet and went to investigate.
Meanwhile,Paulette held her torch in the darkness of the catacombs with Cherelle staying close to her at all times. But,soon enough,before they could even make it into the Court of Miracles,Paulette heard footsteps. Cherelle hid behind her as the footsteps got louder. Paulette felt fear in her heart as the stalker came closer and closer to her. She could hear Madame Ferregal whispering,"There you are,you little wretch!"
Immediately,Paulette alerted the gypsies,crying,"Help! Spy! Spy!"
The flame of her torch went out and the room grew bright again from the lights of even more torches as a big group of gypsies dressed as skeletons emerged from their hiding places and grabbed hold of Madame Ferregal. Stepping forward was their leader,eying Paulette's stepmother with a look of suspicion.
"Well,well,well!" He said. "What have we here?"
"A trespasser!" One gypsy cried.
"A spy!" another one added.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ferregal yelled at them. "What do you horrid gypsy vermin have up your..."
She was interrupted by one of the gypsies gagging her.
"And not just any spy." Paulette exclaimed. "It's my stepmother. She has joined Frollo in trying to terminate the gypsies."
All the gypsies gasped and each gave Madame Ferregal an angry look. Even Cherelle held back her ears and hissed at the cruel woman.
Ferregal,being all tied up,growled from behind her gag and struggled furiously trying to get unbound.
"I see." Clopin said,his hands on his hips. "Well,Madame Ferregal,how very clever of you to have found our hideaway. Yet,you will not live to tell the tale."
Then he gestured to the way to the court,crying to the other gypsies,"Take her away!"
They carried her up to the gallows where a noose awaited her. As Clopin announced a hanging to the whole court,one of the gypsies rung the noose around Amella's neck. She glared at Paulette. What she said behind that gag,Paulette dared not know.
Paulette folded her arms,saying,"Sorry,Stepmother! But,you're getting your just desserts."
Then,Paulette came closer to her stepmother and tossed an apple pie into her face.
"Get it?" Paulette cried. "Just...Desserts?"
They all started to laugh.
"Like my mother used to tell me," Paulette said,picking an apple chunk out of the pie filling leaking down Madame Ferregal's face. "Always beware...bad apples!"
The laughter grew louder.
"Aww!" Clopin giggled. "Isn't that just the SWEETEST thing?"
Soon,the whole court was roaring with laughter.
Madame Ferregal could take no more. She started to jolt back and forth,her face flushed with fury.
"Well,guess we'd better get on with our duty." Clopin exclaimed. "Paulette,would you like to do the honors?"
Paulette suddenly snapped into silence.
"What honors?" She asked.
"Why,hanging her,of course." Clopin replied,pointing to the lever.
Paulette was hesitant. She had never before killed anyone in her life and she didn't feel right about doing it. Of course,Amella deserved it,but,what would happen if Paulette had actually killed her? Would she become a criminal? Or would she earn the honor and respect of every person in Paris who disliked the horrible lady?
Paulette's silence caused a great chatter of mumbling to the whole throng of gypsies.
"Well,Paulette?" Clopin said. "Go ahead!"
"I-I can't." Paulette stammered. "I-I've never killed anyone before. It dosn't seem right."
"You'll be doing it for your own good,Paulette." Clopin explained. "And for the good of the whole clan. It would have even been the best thing for your papa if he knew she would be so bad to you."
Paulette thought about it for a while,when,suddenly,she could actually make out something Madame Ferregal said to her behind the gag,"What's the problem,Paulette? Are you not tough enough to take on your mean,ol' stepmother? You little daddy's girl! You COWARD!"
When hearing the cruel jeer of her stepmother,something snapped inside of Paulette and she almost went insane.
"Nobody lives through calling the queen of gypsies a coward!" Paulette screeched.
She lunged for the lever and,with one strong yank,Madame Ferregal was dead.
The whole court began to cheer for Paulette who started shaking her head and looking at what she had done. What was her problem? Had she gone totally crazy? And about calling herself "queen of gypsies" in front of the whole court,how could she do that when she and Clopin weren't even married? Feeling humiliated and like some sort of murderous mad woman,Paulette felt her heart racing as well as aching for what she had done.
"You did it,Paulette!" Clopin cried,happily. "Now,we're all sure that Madame Ferregal is out of your life forever and she'll never bother you again."
Paulette had her mind more on her sudden reaction in front of everyone and looked more frightened than happy. She had just killed someone. What would her parents think if they saw what she'd done? And could the gypsies actually trust her any more after she had gone so crazy and acted so rashly?
"What's the matter?" Clopin asked,confused by the look on Paulette's face.
Paulette didn't answer. She just fled off of the gallows and into her caravan,covering herself under her blanket in shame.