Призрак Оперы
XIII A Master-stroke Of The Trap-door Lover
Atbreakfast—theearlymorningbreakfast,whichthecounttookinhisstudy—Philippesentforhisbrother.Raoularrivedsilentandgloomy.Thescenewasaveryshortone.PhilippehandedhisbrotheracopyoftheEpoqueandsaid:
"Readthat!"
Theviscountread:
"ThelatestnewsintheFaubourgisthatthereisapromiseofmarriagebetweenMlle.ChristineDaae,theopera-singer,andM.leVicomteRaouldeChagny.Ifthegossipsaretobecredited,CountPhilippehasswornthat,forthefirsttimeonrecord,theChagnysshallnotkeeptheirpromise.But,asloveisall-powerful,attheOperaas—andevenmorethan—elsewhere,wewonderhowCountPhilippeintendstopreventtheviscount,hisbrother,fromleadingthenewMargaritatothealtar.Thetwobrothersaresaidtoadoreeachother;butthecountiscuriouslymistakenifheimaginesthatbrotherlylovewilltriumphoverlovepureandsimple."
"Yousee,Raoul,"saidthecount,"youaremakingusridiculous!Thatlittlegirlhasturnedyourheadwithherghost-stories."
TheviscounthadevidentlyrepeatedChristine’snarrativetohisbrother,duringthenight.Allthathenowsaidwas:
"Good-by,Philippe."
"Haveyouquitemadeupyourmind?Youaregoingto-night?Withher?"
Noreply.
"Surelyyouwillnotdoanythingsofoolish?ISHALLknowhowtopreventyou!"
"Good-by,Philippe,"saidtheviscountagainandlefttheroom.
Thisscenewasdescribedtotheexamining-magistratebythecounthimself,whodidnotseeRaoulagainuntilthatevening,attheOpera,afewminutesbeforeChristine’sdisappearance.
