Призрак Оперы

           Giry,whohadbeenreinstatedinherfunctions.Thebox-keeperdisplayednoastonishment.Ineedhardlysaythatshewaswellwatched.Shewentstraighttotheghost’sboxandplacedthepreciousenvelopeonthelittleshelfattachedtotheledge.Thetwomanagers,aswellasGabrielandMercier,werehiddeninsuchawaythattheydidnotlosesightoftheenvelopeforasecondduringtheperformanceandevenafterward,for,astheenvelopehadnotmoved,thosewhowatcheditdidnotmoveeither;andMme.Girywentawaywhilethemanagers,GabrielandMercierwerestillthere.Atlast,theybecametiredofwaitingandopenedtheenvelope,afterascertainingthatthesealshadnotbeenbroken.

           Atfirstsight,RichardandMoncharminthoughtthatthenoteswerestillthere;butsoontheyperceivedthattheywerenotthesame.Thetwentyrealnotesweregoneandhadbeenreplacedbytwentynotes,ofthe"BankofSt.Farce"!

           Themanagers’rageandfrightwereunmistakable.Moncharminwantedtosendforthecommissaryofpolice,butRichardobjected.Henodoubthadaplan,forhesaid:

           "Don’tletusmakeourselvesridiculous!AllPariswouldlaughatus.O.G.haswonthefirstgame:wewillwinthesecond."

           Hewasthinkingofthenextmonth’sallowance.

           Nevertheless,theyhadbeensoabsolutelytrickedthattheywereboundtosufferacertaindejection.And,uponmyword,itwasnotdifficulttounderstand.