Two months later, she dances in the square when she's called up by Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus to her home. There, they find Djali spells Phoebus' name, and she's thrown out. Frollo questions Gringoire in the square about Esme, as he's helping her.
Jehan goes to see his brother, Frollo, who gives him money. Jehan then meets up with Phoebus outside, and Frollo follows them. Frollo meets up with Phoebus and pays him in order to spy on his rendez-vous with Esmeralda. In the tavern, Phoebus tries to have his way with Esme, while Frollo watches. Frollo jumps out and stabs Phoebus.
One month later, Esmeralda is charged with Phoebus' murder. She confesses under torture and thrown into an oubliette, where Frollo visits her and professes his love. She denounces him. The next day, when she's taken in front of Notre Dame, Frollo offers her again the chance to be his and escape death. She refuses and discovers Phoebus still lives. Quasi rescues her.
Frollo finds out that Esme still lives. Quasi brings her clothing, food, and gives her a cell to live in (she claims asylum). He also gives her a whistle so she can call him. When he sees she wants Phoebus, he goes to fetch the captain, but Phoebus will have nothing to do with him. Esme is upset with Quasi for this.
One night, Frollo sneaks to Esme's chamber and tries to rape her, but Quasi stops him. Frollo then finds Gringoire and they devise a plan to save Esme. Gringoire goes to the Truants and urges them to attack Notre Dame. With the aid of Jehan (who had joined with them) they do so. Quasi defends Notre Dame against them. At one point, Jehan shoots him with an arrow, and he bashes in Jehan's head. Gringoire and Frollo find Esme while he's distracted, and they sneak her out. Gringoire runs away with Djali. Frollo asks Esme to be his once more, and she chooses death instead. He hands her over to the Sachette.
Meanwhile, the king's guard show up, stop the Truants, and Quasi discovers Esmeralda gone.
The Sachette and Esmeralda, through matching shoes, discover they are mother and daughter. The Sachette hides Esme in her cell. The provost shows up and discovers Esme. The guards then break in the cell and drag her and her mother off. While they're ascending the ladder of the gibbet, Esme's mother bites the hangman's hand, and is thrown to the ground, where she hits her head and dies.
Back at Notre Dame, Quasi, distraught, follows Frollo up to the North Tower, where he sees them hang Esmeralda. He then throws Frollo to his death.
Gringoire continued his life as a tragedian with Djali, and Phoebus got married. Two years later, at Montfaucon, they found two skeletons entwined, that of Esme and Quasi (who supposedly died holding her). When they tried to separate Quasi's skeleton from hers, it crumbled to dust.
