Come one, come all
Leave your loops and milking stools
Coop the hens and pen the mules
Come one, come all
Close the churches and the schools
It's the day for breaking rules
Come and join the feast of
Fools!
Clopin grinned as he slid out from between the dark robed figures and the festival began. Oh how he loved this day. Seeing a cloaked figure trying to avoid being seen Clopin grabbed him and tried to pull him into the fun.
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Every man's a king and every king's a clown
Once again it's topsy turvy day
It's the day the devil in us gets released
It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest
Everything is topsy turvy at the feast of fools
Clopin continued capering around the crowd as he sang keeping an eye out for Madeleine as he performed his acrobatic tricks. Finally he spotted her in the crowd wearing a black and white dress and mask with elbow length gloves, one white one black.
Topsy turvy!
Everything is upsy daysy
Topsy turvy
Everyone is acting crazy
Dross is gold and and weeds are a bouquet
That's the way on topsy turvy day
He handed Madeleine a picking of dandilions and other weeds causing her to laugh as he winked at her.
Topsy turvy
Beat the drums and blow the trumpets
Topsy turvy
Join the bums and thieves and strumpets
Streaming in from Chartres to Calais
Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy
On the sixth of January
All because it's topsy turvy day
Clopin jumped up on the stage that had been set up holding a smoke bomb in his fist.
Come one, come all
Hurry, hurry here's your chance
See the mystery and romance
Come one, come all
See the finest girl in France
Make an entrance to entrance
Dance, la Esmeralda
Dance!
He dropped the smoke bomb and used the distraction to get out of the way so Esmerelda could replace him. He then moved so he was right behind Madeleine as they watched Esmerelda dance.
"So you found me," she said with a grin.
"I told you I'd look for the prettiest girl in France."
"And here I thought that was Esmerelda," joked Madeleine.
"Not in my eyes," Clopin whispered in her ear. He winced as he saw Esmerelda tease Frollo. That girl was playing with fire and he didn't like the lustful look Frollo gave her. But now it was time for the king of fools. Clopin leapt back on the stage as Esmerelda finished.
Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for
Here it is, you know exactly what's in store
Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore
Now's the time we crown the King of Fools
You all remember last year's king?
So make a face that's horrible and frightening
Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing
For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools
Why?
Topsy turvy!
Ugly folks, forget your shyness
Topsy turvy!
You could soon be called Your Highness
Put your foulest features on display
Be the king of topsy turvy day
One by one masks were pulled off the contestants for the King of Fools until they reached the cloaked figure on the end but when Esmerelda tried to remove the mask to his horror Clopin realized it was actually the deformed bellringer. As people began to cry out Clopin thought fast before jumping to the bellringer's side.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Don't panic! We asked for the ugliest face in France and here it is! Quasimodo the hunchback of Notre Dame!" Clopin placed a crown on Quasimodo's head and the crowd immediately swarmed him and put Quasi on their shoulders as Clopin led the parade.
Everybody!
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Hail to the king
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Oh, what a king!
Once a year the ugliest will wear a crown
Girls, give a kiss!
Once a year on topsy turvy day
We've never had a king like this
And it's the day we do the things that we deplore
On the other three hundred and sixty-four
Once a year we love to drop in
Where the beer is never stoppin'
For the chance to pop some popinjay
And pick a king who'll put the top
In Topsy Turvy
Topsy turvy
Mad and crazy, upsy daysy, Topsy Turvy Day!
Quasimodo was put on a platform as people cheered and threw confetti. Clopin returned to Madeleine's side and she smiled at him.
"Thank you for doing that," she told him.
"Well, the poor fellow deserves some fun," replied Clopin as he joined in the cheering. That was when things went horribly wrong. Someone threw a tomato at Quasimodo and the cheering turned to jeering as people called him names and threw rotten fruit. Ropes were thrown on him to tie him down and the platform he was on was spun in circles.
Clopin was at a loss at what to do. He hated to see cruelty like this but if he interfered it could put his people in danger. Before he could do anything he saw that Esmerelda had jumped up to the platform and groaned internally. Now things really were going to hell. He noticed Madeleine trying to move forward to help Esmerelda and he held her back.
"Let me go!"
"Esmerelda's already in trouble you don't need to draw Frollo's attention too," hissed Clopin.
"You gypsy girl! Get down!" Frollo called to Esmerelda.
"Yes your honor! Just as soon as I free this poor creature!" Esmerelda called.
"I forbid it!" Frollo yelled but Esmerelda ignored him. Clopin watched as she cut the ropes holding Quasimodo.
"How dare you defy me!" Esmerelda turned to look at Frollo and Clopin saw a mixture of distain and bravery on her face.
"You mistreat this boy just as you mistreat my people! You speak of justice yet you are cruel to those who are most in need of your help!
"Silence!" bellowed Frollo.
"Justice!" called Esmerelda.
"Mark my words gypsy, you will pay for this," Frollo threatened.
"Then it appears we crowned the wrong fool," said Esmerelda with bow. She grabbed the crown on Quasimodo and threw it at Frollo's feet.
"The only fool I see is you!" Clopin was torn between fear for Esmerelda and his people, exasperation at her actions, and pride.
"Arrest her!" Frollo ordered. The guards moved in and Esmerelda used another smoke bomb to disappear before being carried away by the crowd. Chaos erupted.
"Meet me at the Court!" Clopin told Madeleine who nodded. With that Clopin hurried off to round up his people and get them to safety.
HoND
Madeleine pushed through the crowd looking for Quasimodo. The poor boy hadn't done anything wrong and they had humiliated him. If she didn't already hate the city guards this would have made her do so.
She suddenly saw a hunched figure in an alley. It backed away as she approached and she stopped.
"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you Quasi," she said gently as she removed her mask.
"May I come closer?" she asked softly.
"Why would you want to?" asked Quasi and Madeleine was immediately reminded of her first meeting with Clopin.
"Because you didn't deserve to be treated like that. What they did was horrible," she told him approaching gently and removing Quasi's hand's which covered his face. "There, not so terrifying after all."
"I have to get back to the Cathedral, but I don't want any more people seeing me," said Quasi and Madeleine smiled.
"I can help with that. I've had my fair share of time spent navigating back alleys. Follow me," she led the way through the series of alleys. After a while Quasi spoke.
"You're the woman who's in love with the storyteller." It took Madeleine a moment to realize who he meant.
"Oh, you mean Clopin."
"Yes, why did he have to pull me up there? I suppose he got the spectacle he wanted," said Quasi.
"I can assure Clopin meant no harm. I believe that he didn't realize who you were until the unmasking and likely hoped that on a day when people tend to be more accepting, that you would be treated with kindness."
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, my Master was right. The world is cruel and will never accept a hideous monster like me."
"Now that's enough of that Quasimodo. You are NOT a monster. Whatever that fool Frollo says. You really shouldn't listen to him."
"But my Master is always right and he's always protected me, besides you saw how the crowd reacted." Quasi protested.
"No, Frollo is not always right if ever and he shouldn't be filling your head with such cruel nonsense. Anyway, just because people say something doesn't make it true. For instance, as you so rightly said I am in love with Clopin. However, we are forced to hide it for our own safety. Your Master would have Clopin and I killed if he found out. And if society knew, the crowds would likely call me a wicked whore and a harlot."
"But you aren't," said Quasimodo in confusion.
"Precisely, my point. People might say that but it doesn't make it true. Likewise just because your Master says that you are a monster doesn't make it true," she turned to face him as they reached the side of Notre Dame.
"We aren't defined by how we look on the outside. But what lies within. Sometimes the handsomest man can be the cruelest and sometimes the ugliest one is the kindest," she stroked Quasi's cheek. "The world isn't as black and white as you might think," she said gesturing to her outfit with a wry smile.
"I can see you have a kind and pure heart. Which makes you the opposite of a monster. Don't believe everything Frollo tells you, especially when it's about yourself."
"But what about the crowds. They were as cruel as my Master said," Quasi asked. Madeleine sighed.
"I won't deny that the society can be rather superficial. Crowds tend to follow a herd mentality. Going with whatever sentiment occurs at the time. But it doesn't mean that every individual in the world believes the same thing. Tell me, before everything went wrong, were you happy?"
"Yes, I've never felt so excited and joyful in my life!"
"Well then hold onto that memory and think about what I said," Madeleine told him as she kissed his forehead. Quasi looked up at her in wonder.
"Thank you, Miss?"
"Madeleine. Madeleine Clement," she told him with a smile. "Who knows maybe next time I'm in Notre Dame I'll stop by the bell tower.
"I'd like that very much," Quasimodo told her and Madeleine felt her heart warm. He really was a sweet boy.
"Goodbye," she said waving her hand.
"Goodbye," replied Quasi before climbing up the side of Notre Dame.
Author's note: This is a particularly long chapter but I wanted to include the full song. Thanks to all my readers and please drop a note in the comments with your thoughts on the story. It really helps! Until next week!