The Hunchback of Notre Dame Book 1 Chapter VI - Esmeralda

In which a beleaguered poet perseveres with his play amid the uproarious distractions of a raucous crowd more captivated by the antics of colourful characters and the promise of a mysterious figure than by his solemn storytelling. The audience’s fickle attentions, drawn irresistibly to a captivating presence outside, leave our would-be dramatist lamenting the fickleness of Parisian taste and yearning for the nobler appreciation of art.