Призрак Оперы
XIII A Master-stroke Of The Trap-door Lover
thegoldringhegaveme."
"Oh,soErikgaveyouthatring!"
"Youknowhedid,Raoul!Butwhatyoudon’tknowisthat,whenhegaveittome,hesaid,’Igiveyoubackyourliberty,Christine,onconditionthatthisringisalwaysonyourfinger.Aslongasyoukeepit,youwillbeprotectedagainstalldangerandErikwillremainyourfriend.Butwoetoyouifyoueverpartwithit,forErikwillhavehisrevenge!’...Mydear,mydear,theringisgone!...Woetousboth!"
Theybothlookedforthering,butcouldnotfindit.Christinerefusedtobepacified.
"ItwaswhileIgaveyouthatkiss,upabove,underApollo’slyre,"shesaid."Theringmusthaveslippedfrommyfingeranddroppedintothestreet!Wecanneverfindit.Andwhatmisfortunesareinstoreforusnow!Oh,torunaway!"
"Letusrunawayatonce,"Raoulinsisted,oncemore.
Shehesitated.Hethoughtthatshewasgoingtosayyes...Thenherbrightpupilsbecamedimmedandshesaid:
"No!To-morrow!"
Andshelefthimhurriedly,stillwringingandrubbingherfingers,asthoughshehopedtobringtheringbacklikethat.
Raoulwenthome,greatlyperturbedatallthathehadheard.
"IfIdon’tsaveherfromthehandsofthathumbug,"hesaid,aloud,ashewenttobed,"sheislost.ButIshallsaveher."
HeputouthislampandfeltaneedtoinsultErikinthedark.Thriceover,heshouted:
"Humbug!...Humbug!...Humbug!"
But,suddenly,heraisedhimselfonhiselbow.Acoldsweatpouredfromhistemples.Twoeyes,likeblazingcoals,hadappearedatthefootofhisbed.Theystaredathimfixedly,terribly,inthedarknessofthenight.
