“Belle!”

Against a clap of lightening that illuminated the cathedral in an eerily witchy manner, Clopin appeared in the doorway, looking as though he had just run a hundred yard sprint. Belle felt a rush of relief at seeing him and then the relief died as Frollo grabbed her por the back of her neck and spun her around to face Clopin.

“None of your black magic tricks, gypsy scum,” he snarled, pressing Belle back against the railing. “Or she goes over.”

“Clopin, he means it,” Belle whispered, fearfully.

“I know.” Clopin narrowed his eyes at Frollo. “He doesn’t tend to bluff in these situations.”

“Then you’d do best not to cruzar, cruz me, gypsy,” Frollo hissed. His grip tightened on Belle’s neck and she whimpered.

“Look,” Clopin said, trying to think of a way to rescue Belle that wouldn’t end with her being pushed to her death, “you got what tu wanted. tu found the Court of Miracles. Kill me if tu must, but let Belle go. She’s done nothing.”

“Hasn’t she?” Frollo’s eyes were manic. “Consorting with the impure scum like you? She is corrupted with sin! Just like you!”

“Perhaps,” Clopin agreed, still trying to work out how to save Belle, “but that doesn’t mean she deserves this.”

“All sin must be purged!”

Belle wriggled in his grip. “Clopin, please, just go. Save yourself.”

Clopin shook his head. “Forget it, Belle. I’m not leaving you.”

Frollo gave him a twisted smile. “Then you’ll registrarse her soon enough, gypsy.”

“Why are tu doing this?” Belle moaned.

“Because it is my duty to purge the world of vice and sin!”

“But love,” Clopin exclaimed, suddenly seeing what he hoped was a way out, “isn’t a sin, is it? It’s the complete opposite! It’s a virtue! And virtues aren’t supposed to be purged!”

Frollo hesitated, and in doing so, he loosened his grip on Belle ever so slightly. It was enough. Belle wrenched herself free of him and ran to Clopin’s side, just as Frollo whipped his sword from his belt.

“Love is a virtue,” he hissed, “but NOT for gypsies and those they corrupt!”

Belle turned to the doorway behind them, in time to see flames licking at the beams. They were trapped between Frollo and the fire. She quickly gripped his arm.

“No way out,” Frollo whispered, seeing her fear. He raised the sword. “And only one of us with a weapon.”

“You think so?” Clopin whipped out his batons and they lit automatically. “Have tu never heard the saying “fight fuego with fire?”

“Your corrupt magic’s no power for the will of God!” Frollo shouted, advancing on the gypsy.

Belle felt herself shoved to one side as Clopin held up the batons. Sparks flew as metal hit wood, and what solid wood those batons must have been made from, Belle thought, as the fight raged on, not to be quickly sliced in two por the fierce metal of the blade. Scrabbling to the end of the balcony, Belle looked around, desperately, for a way to quench the fire. Then, remembering that the gutters sometimes got blocked up with leaves and filled up with water, she scrabbled up onto the stone bench and stripped her delantal off, filling it up like a sack with the grubby rain water. Then, with al her strength, she flung the water onto the flames, extinguishing them.

The fight came to abrupt halt as Frollo leapt onto the ledge and took a violent oscilación with his sword. Clopin ducked, but as Frollo brought his hand down, the hilt of the sword struck him a blow that knocked him down, stunned. The batons fell to the floor and extinguished themselves.

“Clopin!” Belle threw herself down beside him and was relieved to see that he’d only been knocked for six, not killed.

“And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!” Frollo shouted, raising the sword above his head. But in his passion, he stumbled and fell over the side of the ledge. Belle ran to the ledge in time to see him drop the sword as he caught hold of one of the stone gargoyles protruding below the balcony. corazón racing, Belle realised he had grabbed one that was crumbling away from the wall.

She reached down her hand to him. “Frollo, hurry. It’s not going to hold you. Take my hand.”

Frollo glared at her as he gripped the gargoyle. “Never!”

“But you’ll fall!” Belle cried. “Take my hand! Frollo, tu have to trust me! God would want me to save you, wouldn’t he? Just take my hand!”

Frollo looked for a segundo as though he might. In fact, his hand even shifted slightly on the gargoyle, like he was going to grab her hand. And then the gargoyle gave a terrifying crack.

“Frollo, please,” Belle begged. “You have to trust me!”

Even as she dicho it, the old man threw back his head with a laugh of disbelief as the gargoyle finally gave way. Then his laughter turned to sheer terror as he plummeted downwards into the fiery furnace of Paris below.

Belle slowly withdrew her hand, unable to believe it. The man who had haunted her life for so long was gone...and yet, in those last few moments she had felt sorry for him. His devotion to religion and doing what he thought was the right thing had driven him mad.

“Belle?”

She turned in relief to see Clopin on his feet, rubbing his head.

“Are tu alright?” she asked, going up to him.

Clopin sighed. “Belle, I thought I told tu not to come back here until I came for you.”

“Did tu really think I wouldn’t?” Belle asked, looking into his eyes.

Clopin managed a smile. “Not really, no.”

In relief, Belle fell against him and Clopin held her tightly. “It’s all over now, isn’t it?” she murmured. “He’s gone. Frollo is gone.”

Clopin nodded. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore, Belle. But I can’t believe that tu tried to help him just now. The man hurt you.”

“I know,” Belle murmured, “but...I felt like I needed to. Like I’d be no better off than him if I didn’t try.”

Clopin kissed the side of her head. “You’ll never be anything like him, Belle. Never.”

Belle smiled and looked up at him. “I’m glad.”

He kissed her and she felt completely at ease, forgetting everything for the moment. Then, as they broke apart, she remembered that she had something to tell him.

“Clopin, you’ll never believe it!” She seized his hands. “I found my parents!”

“What?” Clopin blinked at her. “They’re alive?”

“Yes! They survived that shipwreck after all, but they couldn’t come inicial because they were ill and a ship wouldn’t take them inicial whilst they were in quarantine and they’ve been living in Arica, for years, trying to find a way home-”

“Belle, breathe!”

She took a deep breath and then flung her arms around his neck in delight. “But they’re here now! They’re alive and-and so are you! Everything’s wonderful!”

Clopin smiled. “I’m happy for you, Belle, really.”

“Come and meet them.” Belle took his hand and pulled him through the doorway. As they went, the found several flames that had not yet been extinguished, but were able to put them out and the cathedral seemed none the worse for wear as they exited it.

“Oh, Belle!” exclaimed Sarah, hurrying up the steps and engulfing her in a hug that almost asphyxiated her. “Oh, darling, I know you’re not a child anymore, but don’t scare us like that again!”

“That God you’re alive!” Clayton added, hugging them both.

Belle closed her eyes and hugged them both back. Then, as they separated, she turned to Clopin, her eyes shining. “Mama, Papa, this is Clopin.”

Clopin took off his hat and held out his hand to Clayton. “It’s a pleasure to meet tu again, sir. Of course, I recognise tu now, and I’ve been meaning to say thank tu for your kindness all those years ago.”

Clayton grasped his hand back. “I feel it’s I who should be thanking you, young man, for looking after our daughter.”

“Please, think nothing of it,” Clopin insisted.

“Belle!”

Belle turned to see Esmeralda and Pocahontas running towards her. Both of them enveloped her in a hug, which she was only too happy to return. “Oh, it’s great to see tu guys again,” she said.

“We thought Frollo had tu for sure,” Pocahontas said, releasing her.

Belle smiled. “I don’t think he’ll be hurting anyone else from now on.”

“Yeah, tu hear that?” aladdín crowed to the guards who had surrendered. “Your master’s not coming back! Ever!”

A cheer rippled through the crowd as townspeople and gypsies alike celebrated their freedom.

“At last!” exclaimed Facilier, picking up Lilo. “The town is seguro from that awful menace!”

The Archdeacon stepped out of the cathedral, none the worse for wear, and Belle hurried up to him. “Are tu alright?”

“I’m fine,” he smiled, “and, much as God may hate me for admitting it, you’re right, sir,” he added to Facilier. “The man was wicked...and pray the world will be better without him in it.”

Belle patted his arm, gently. “God can forgive tu for thinking that about someone so evil.”

The Archdeacon acknowledged her point with a smile and a nod, and then turned to greet Clayton and Sarah. Belle felt Clopin slid his hand into hers, and she turned to him with a smile.

“Let’s go home,” she whispered.