Призрак Оперы
IX At The Masked Ball
AndmeanwhileMammaValeriuslieswaitingforyouathomeandappealingtoyour’goodgenius!’...Explainyourself,Christine,Ibegofyou!AnyonemighthavebeendeceivedasIwas.Whatisthisfarce?"
Christinesimplytookoffhermaskandsaid:"Dear,itisatragedy!"
Raoulnowsawherfaceandcouldnotrestrainanexclamationofsurpriseandterror.Thefreshcomplexionofformerdayswasgone.Amortalpallorcoveredthosefeatures,whichhehadknownsocharmingandsogentle,andsorrowhadfurrowedthemwithpitilesslinesandtraceddarkandunspeakablysadshadowsunderhereyes.
"Mydearest!Mydearest!"hemoaned,holdingouthisarms."Youpromisedtoforgiveme..."
"Perhaps!...Someday,perhaps!"shesaid,resuminghermask;andshewentaway,forbiddinghim,withagesture,tofollowher.
Hetriedtodisobeyher;butsheturnedroundandrepeatedhergestureoffarewellwithsuchauthoritythathedarednotmoveastep.
Hewatchedhertillshewasoutofsight.Thenhealsowentdownamongthecrowd,hardlyknowingwhathewasdoing,withthrobbingtemplesandanachingheart;and,ashecrossedthedancing-floor,heaskedifanybodyhadseenRedDeath.Yes,everyonehadseenRedDeath;butRaoulcouldnotfindhim;and,attwoo’clockinthemorning,heturneddownthepassage,behindthescenes,thatledtoChristineDaae’sdressing-room.
Hisfootstepstookhimtothatroomwherehehadfirstknownsuffering.Hetappedatthedoor.Therewasnoanswer.Heentered,ashehadenteredwhenhelookedeverywherefor"theman’svoice."Theroomwasempty.
