After the Death of Quasimodo
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:02 am
After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of the Cathedral of Notre
Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell
ringer was needed.
The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews
personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process.
After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he
decided to call it a day when a lone, armless man approached him and
announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringers job.
The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!"
"No matter," said the man, "Observe!" He then began striking the
bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon.
The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced that he had
finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
Suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man
tripped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his
death in the street below.
The stunned bishop rushed to his side. When he reached the
street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by
the beautiful music they had heard only moments before.
As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of
them asked, "Bishop, who was this man?"
"I don't know his name," the bishop said with furrowed brow, "
-
but his face rings a bell."
(but wait, there's more.....)
The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on
his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless
campanologist (now there's a trivia question), the bishop continued his
interviews for the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame.
The first man to approach him said, "Your Excellency, I am
the brother of the poor, armless wretch that fell to his death from this
very belfry yesterday.
I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in
this duty."
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and as the
armless man's brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first
bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the spot.
Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this second
tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.
"What has happened?"
The first monk breathlessly asked, "Who is this man?"
[Wait for it.....]
"I don't know his name," said the distraught bishop, "but
he's a dead ringer for his brother."
Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell
ringer was needed.
The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews
personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process.
After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he
decided to call it a day when a lone, armless man approached him and
announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringers job.
The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!"
"No matter," said the man, "Observe!" He then began striking the
bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon.
The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced that he had
finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
Suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man
tripped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his
death in the street below.
The stunned bishop rushed to his side. When he reached the
street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by
the beautiful music they had heard only moments before.
As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of
them asked, "Bishop, who was this man?"
"I don't know his name," the bishop said with furrowed brow, "
-
but his face rings a bell."
(but wait, there's more.....)
The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on
his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless
campanologist (now there's a trivia question), the bishop continued his
interviews for the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame.
The first man to approach him said, "Your Excellency, I am
the brother of the poor, armless wretch that fell to his death from this
very belfry yesterday.
I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in
this duty."
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and as the
armless man's brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first
bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the spot.
Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this second
tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.
"What has happened?"
The first monk breathlessly asked, "Who is this man?"
[Wait for it.....]
"I don't know his name," said the distraught bishop, "but
he's a dead ringer for his brother."
