sides of the church. But Quasimodo is as strong as a hundred men. He throws men off the building and pushes ladders into the square below. He pours red hot metal on their heads, but the gypsies and thieves continue to attack. Poor Quasimodo! He needs help. Suddenly, he sees soldiers on horses arriving at the square. The King's Guard, with Officer Phoebus de Cháteaupers at the head, have come to stop the fight. The gypsies and thieves disappear down every narrow street near the cathedral, leaving a pile of dead bodies in the square.
Quasimodo cannot believe his luck. He falls to his knees and thanks God for this help. Esmeralda is safe again and he runs to her room. But when he gets to the girl's sanctuary, it is empty.
When the King of Thieves and his men began their attack on the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Esmeralda was sleeping. But the noise outside soon woke her. She ran to the window, and in the moonlight she saw the crowd of men. Some were trying to break down the doors of the church. Others were climbing the walls. The noise became louder and the gypsy girl was afraid. She believed that the men wanted to take her from the church. They wanted to hang her. She hurried back to her room and hid from these enemies.
As she shook with fear on her bed, Esmeralda heard the sound of footsteps coming toward her room. Suddenly, two men walked through her door. The girl cried out for help.
"Don't be afraid," said one of the men. "It's me, Pierre Gringoire, your husband and your friend."
Esmeralda was calmer when she heard this name. She looked up and saw the writer. But she also saw the other man behind Gringoire. He was dressed in black from head to toe and his face was covered.
"Who's that with you?" Esmeralda asked.
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