The Hunchback of Notre-Dame: Novel Summary: Book X Chapter 4

Summary
That same night, Quasimodo was uneasy and sat to ponder the city from one of Notre Dame's ledges. Ever since the night he had prevented the archdeacon from raping Esmeralda the priest had treated him harshly but nothing could shake Quasimodo's servility to his master. As he pondered the situation he was surprised to see a large group of people approaching the church. He imagines that they are coming to seize Esmeralda in order to hang her and he decides not to wake the girl but to defend the church until help arrives. When the Truands reach the square they silently prepare themselves for battle. Clopin comes forward and announces that they have come to rescue Esmeralda and pillage the church. Quasimodo can't hear him and persists in believing they have come to harm Esmeralda. Before the Truands can break down the door he hurls a huge timber and kills a dozen of them and the rest retreat from the door. Clopin believes that the priests are defending the church and orders his men to use the timber as a battering ram. While they assault the door Quasimodo rains stones upon them. Quasimodo builds a fire and heats some laths and balls of lead until they are hot liquid and then pours it down a gutter over the door. The great sluice of deadly liquid drops into the center of the assailants and those who survive run screaming from the door. The brigands are horrified to see a fire burning among the seemingly animated gargoyles atop Notre Dame and they perceive that one of the misshapen creatures is moving around the fire. Clopin is in favor of pressing their attack but the other kings are not so anxious. Clopin is vexed to learn that Pierre Gringoire abandoned them before they got to the church. Jehan approaches with a large ladder he has stolen and explains that he will use it to mount to the gallery where he knows of a door that will be open. The ladder is placed and Jehan ascends with the other Truands behind him. When he reaches the top, however, he is horrified to see Quasimodo step from the shadows and throw the ladder full of Truands away from the church. Quasimodo grabs Jehan, strips him of his armor weapons while Jehan begins maniacally singing. Quasimodo swings the man through the air and Jehan's lifeless body catches on one of the church's projections. Jehan's violent death angers and inspires the other Truand's who redouble their assault on the church. They begin to climb the walls and Quasimodo prays to heaven for deliverance. Tocsins begin to sound in the distance.