NovelGuide: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame: Novel Summary: Book I Chapter 3

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Book I Chapter 3

Summary
To Pierre Gringoire's annoyance the Cardinal's entrance interrupts the prologue a second time and the crowd clamors to get a better view of that exalted personage. The Flemish ambassadors follow the Cardinal into the hall. The Cardinal is irked to have to show respect for the notoriously uncouth Flemish but he yields to their arrival as the usher announces each of the forty-eight members of the foreign envoy. All the Flemish ambassadors have severe and respectful countenances except for one whose face is a mixture of craft and intelligence who is identified only as William Rym, counselor and pensionary of the town of Ghent. The author observes that this person was deeply embedded in the politics of the day and the Cardinal showed more than usual respect to him.