Призрак Оперы
I Is It A Ghost?
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Thischiefscene-shifterwasaserious,sober,steadyman,veryslowatimaginingthings.Hiswordswerereceivedwithinterestandamazement;andsoontherewereotherpeopletosaythattheytoohadmetamanindress-clotheswithadeath’sheadonhisshoulders.SensiblemenwhohadwindofthestorybeganbysayingthatJosephBuquethadbeenthevictimofajokeplayedbyoneofhisassistants.Andthen,oneaftertheother,therecameaseriesofincidentssocuriousandsoinexplicablethattheveryshrewdestpeoplebegantofeeluneasy.
Forinstance,afiremanisabravefellow!Hefearsnothing,leastofallfire!Well,thefiremaninquestion,whohadgonetomakearoundofinspectioninthecellarsandwho,itseems,hadventuredalittlefartherthanusual,suddenlyreappearedonthestage,pale,scared,trembling,withhiseyesstartingoutofhishead,andpracticallyfaintedinthearmsoftheproudmotheroflittleJammes.Andwhy?Becausehehadseencomingtowardhim,ATTHELEVELOFHISHEAD,BUTWITHOUTABODYATTACHEDTOIT,AHEADOFFIRE!And,asIsaid,afiremanisnotafraidoffire.
Thefireman’snamewasPampin.
Thecorpsdeballetwasflungintoconsternation.Atfirstsight,thisfieryheadinnowaycorrespondedwithJosephBuquet’sdescriptionoftheghost.Buttheyoungladiessoonpersuadedthemselvesthattheghosthadseveralheads,whichhechangedaboutashepleased.And,ofcourse,theyatonceimaginedthattheywereinthegreatestdanger.
