Призрак Оперы
XIV The Singular Attitude Of A Safety-pin
"
"BACKWARD?"
"AndMoncharmin,behindRichard,alsoturnedabout;thatis,hedescribedasemicirclebehindRichardandalsoWALKEDBACKWARD!...AndtheywentLIKETHATtothestaircaseleadingtothemanagers’office:BACKWARD,BACKWARD,BACKWARD!...Well,iftheyarenotmad,willyouexplainwhatitmeans?"
"Perhapstheywerepractisingafigureintheballet,"suggestedGabriel,withoutmuchconvictioninhisvoice.
Thesecretarywasfuriousatthiswretchedjoke,madeatsodramaticamoment.Heknithisbrowsandcontractedhislips.ThenheputhismouthtoGabriel’sear:
"Don’tbesosly,Gabriel.TherearethingsgoingonforwhichyouandMercierarepartlyresponsible."
"Whatdoyoumean?"askedGabriel.
"ChristineDaaeisnottheonlyonewhosuddenlydisappearedto-night."
"Oh,nonsense!"
"There’snononsenseaboutit.Perhapsyoucantellmewhy,whenMotherGirycamedowntothefoyerjustnow,Merciertookherbythehandandhurriedherawaywithhim?"
"Really?"saidGabriel,"Ineversawit."
"Youdidseeit,Gabriel,foryouwentwithMercierandMotherGirytoMercier’soffice.Sincethen,youandMercierhavebeenseen,butnoonehasseenMotherGiry."
"Doyouthinkwe’veeatenher?"
"No,butyou’velockedherupintheoffice;andanyonepassingtheofficecanhearheryelling,’Oh,thescoundrels!Oh,thescoundrels!’"
Atthispointofthissingularconversation,Mercierarrived,alloutofbreath.
"There!"hesaid,inagloomyvoice."It’sworsethanever!...Ishouted,’It’saseriousmatter!Openthedoor!It’sI,Mercier.’Iheardfootsteps
