Chapter 59: The Arrest
Claude realized it had been a while since he'd gone out in his judge's robes. He hadn't needed the outfit recently, but he did today. Unfortunately.
He'd never felt more out of place in this attire. It was supposed to make him look important, but he didn't feel important. He felt pathetic due to his current loneliness and hangover symptoms. As another pain pierced his head, Claude mentally reprimanded himself for drinking so much. He groaned in misery.
"Sir? Are you feeling alright?"
The captain's concerned voice shook Claude out of his distraction. Claude wished he didn't have to meet with the man today, but certain pressing matters couldn't wait for this ridiculous hangover to end.
"I am fine." He insisted.
"Alright..." The captain said doubtfully. "Anyway..."
The soldier started to give his reports again, but Claude again found himself drifting away in pain. He started thinking of the events that had compelled him to drink the night before. He barely managed to hear the captain's words.
Quasimodo's parents... Esmeralda... Heartbreak... Being alone...
"So, this afternoon-"
"Wait." Claude interrupted.
The captain stopped midsentence.
"I have a confession," Claude announced. "I am not fine. The woman I love is avoiding me, and the boy I raised hates me, which I fully deserve. And to make matters worse, I had too much to drink last night and I am currently paying the price. So no, I'm not alright. I'm really not feeling well at all."
The captain silently gaped at him. Claude immediately regretted his words.
What had he just done? It wasn't like him. He hardly ever shared with people about his life, and he certainly never overshared! But somehow, frustration had led him to blurt out all of his problems on someone who had nothing to do with them. This was such an unnecessary embarrassment. The captain was the last person in the world who needed to hear Claude unload.
"I'm sorry." Claude apologized. "Please, ignore everything I just said."
"...Yes, Sir." The captain replied. "I was about to say, I found the man we need to question."
Every possible distraction left Claude's mind in an instant.
"Tell me what you're planning." He ordered.
There was time to pass before carrying out the plan, so Claude took Geoffrey for a ride around the city. The construction was finished, so Claude went to each site to check that all the repairs had been made adequately. He found himself pleased with the results, and the fresh air thankfully helped to ease his dazed state.
He eventually arrived at the place where all the fires had started. The miller's house was finely rebuilt, but Claude could still picture the flames that had been there before. He dismounted his horse to walk a little closer, observing all the features of the building.
It was good to see, but Claude wished this project hadn't been necessary. He couldn't believe he'd gone insane enough to try to burn a whole family alive. What a horrific memory...
The miller came out of the house with a bucket in hand, probably going to the well. He immediately noticed Claude and stopped.
"Judge Frollo," He acknowledged.
An awkward expression came over Claude's face.
"...Hello." He greeted. "I... Just came to check on your house."
"It is perfect." The miller assured. "We're very grateful for the extra space. My wife and I are having another child, so we certainly needed that."
Claude didn't know whether he should laugh or cry at the idea that a helpful renovation had happened under such horrible circumstances.
"I've been wanting to apologize." He shared. "I'm truly sorry for the fire."
"I've been wanting to thank you." The miller confessed. "You rebuilt our house, and quite nicely at that. I forgive you."
The word "forgive" hit Claude powerfully. Was this real? He thought it was a wonder to hear such gratitude from someone who had suffered so much at his hands, let alone forgiveness. How was this possible?
"You... Forgive me?" He asked in disbelief.
"Completely!" The miller insisted with a smile. "I say you've earned it. You've been making things right, and not just with my family. I never expected to see the Minister of Justice working manual labor. I never even expected that I could speak to you without fear. I don't know why you've made such a change, but I'm quite glad of it."
"That..." Claude struggled. "Means more than you know... Thank you."
The miller nodded.
"I wish you well!" He said as he continued on his way to the well.
Claude took Geoffrey back toward the bridge. He couldn't believe what he'd just been told. Being forgiven had started to feel impossible.
Loud sobs interrupted Claude's thoughts. He looked at the area below the bridge and saw something unsettling.
Quasimodo was there, accompanied by Jean and Elaine, crying in front of what had to be the grave of his parents...
Claude stopped and watched for a moment, but then turned his eyes away and crossed the bridge. This wasn't for him to see. The sad moment Quasimodo was having was none of his business.
Sorrow struck Claude as he thought of the grief he'd caused. It was a great injustice that Quasimodo had lost his parents. Parents who had loved him, and who would have raised him so much better than Claude had. By now Claude strongly doubted that Quasimodo would ever cease to hate him, and that was only fair.
But after his encounter with the miller, Claude started to rethink his doubt. If the miller could forgive his savage violence, then maybe forgiveness wasn't the craziest thing to hope for. Even if it was unlikely, maybe it was too soon to give up.
Claude waited, hidden in the alley. His fists were clenched in rage at what was to come. Soon the captain would "run into" the suspect and attempt to get him to confess to the crime. Claude prayed that he would be able to hold himself back until he heard the whole thing. If this man was responsible for hurting Esmeralda, Claude would be hard-pressed not to immediately beat him to a pulp.
But he had to wait. He had to hear the whole story, and he had to keep this man alive so that Esmeralda could decide what to do with him. That was her prerogative.
He soon heard the encounter start. The captain made brief small talk before bringing up the incident. The other soldier was all too quick to confirm his role in it.
"Oh yeah, I gave her a nasty cut." He said proudly. "But the damn gypsy started hitting me, so I called my pals over to help."
"And what did you do?" The captain asked.
"Taught her a lesson." The other soldier bragged. "She definitely learned when we all kicked her around."
Claude felt his blood boil. He urged to choke this man already.
"That must have been... Fun." The captain managed.
"It was. But it would have been more fun if we weren't in public."
Claude's fists clenched harder at the implication. His fingernails threatened to break the skin of his palms.
Perhaps it wasn't his place to judge this, since he himself had once been guilty of seeing Esmeralda that way... Wanting to use her...
But regardless of whether it was fair, Claude was furious. The image of her was strong in his mind. Claude didn't know a more wonderful person, or a person who less deserved such objectification.
"She had a real nice body." The man went on. "Oh, the things I could have done with that..."
Claude couldn't take it anymore. The image sickened and tortured him. His anger overflowed.
In an instant, he drew his knife, whipped around the corner, and grabbed the soldier, dragging him into the alley and throwing him against the wall.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Claude thundered.
The soldier was paralyzed in terror, eyes widened at the sight of the indignant judge.
"Judge Frollo..." He whispered.
"You disgusting bastard..." Claude growled through gritted teeth. "This violence will not go unpunished!"
"But..." The soldier attempted.
"You think you have an excuse?!" Claude snapped. "Assault is a crime!"
"I... I didn't think it was anything you would disapprove of!"
"Is that what determines your morals? The opinion of an unjust judge?!"
Claude sharply punched the man in the stomach, causing him to grunt and collapse. He pinned the soldier to the ground and shoved the knife against his neck.
"Name the others who were involved!" Claude demanded. "OR I'LL SLIT YOUR THROAT!"
The man was trembling and sweating in fear. Mere feet away, the captain was watching in shock. He'd seen the judge violently angry before, but he'd never expected it to happen like this. This wasn't about his ego or some twisted idea of righteousness.
This was about someone he loved.
