Призрак Оперы

           Agas-jetwasburning,turneddownlow.Hesawsomewriting-paperonalittledesk.HethoughtofwritingtoChristine,butheheardstepsinthepassage.Hehadonlytimetohideintheinnerroom,whichwasseparatedfromthedressing-roombyacurtain.

           Christineentered,tookoffhermaskwithawearymovementandflungitonthetable.Shesighedandletherprettyheadfallintohertwohands.Whatwasshethinkingof?OfRaoul?No,forRaoulheardhermurmur:"PoorErik!"

           Atfirst,hethoughthemustbemistaken.Tobeginwith,hewaspersuadedthat,ifanyonewastobepitied,itwashe,Raoul.Itwouldhavebeenquitenaturalifshehadsaid,"PoorRaoul,"afterwhathadhappenedbetweenthem.But,shakingherhead,sherepeated:"PoorErik!"

           WhathadthisEriktodowithChristine’ssighsandwhywasshepityingErikwhenRaoulwassounhappy?

           Christinebegantowrite,deliberately,calmlyandsoplacidlythatRaoul,whowasstilltremblingfromtheeffectsofthetragedythatseparatedthem,waspainfullyimpressed.

           "Whatcoolness!"hesaidtohimself.

           Shewroteon,fillingtwo,three,foursheets.Suddenly,sheraisedherheadandhidthesheetsinherbodice...Sheseemedtobelistening...Raoulalsolistened...Whencecamethatstrangesound,thatdistantrhythm?...Afaintsingingseemedtoissuefromthewalls...yes,itwasasthoughthewallsthemselvesweresinging!...Thesongbecameplainer...thewordswerenowdistinguishable...heheardavoice,averybeautiful,verysoft,verycaptivatingvoice...but,forallitssoftness,itremainedamalevoice...