Призрак Оперы
XVII The Safety-pin Again
Onreachingthehalf-darkpassage,RichardsaidtoMoncharmin,inalowvoice:
"Iamsurethatnobodyhastouchedme...YouhadnowbetterkeepatsomedistancefrommeandwatchmetillIcometodooroftheoffice:itisbetternottoarousesuspicionandwecanseeanythingthathappens."
ButMoncharminreplied."No,Richard,no!YouwalkaheadandI’llwalkimmediatelybehindyou!Iwon’tleaveyoubyastep!"
"But,inthatcase,"exclaimedRichard,"theywillneverstealourtwenty-thousandfrancs!"
"Ishouldhopenot,indeed!"declaredMoncharmin.
"Thenwhatwearedoingisabsurd!"
"Wearedoingexactlywhatwedidlasttime...Lasttime,Ijoinedyouasyouwereleavingthestageandfollowedclosebehindyoudownthispassage."
"That’strue!"sighedRichard,shakinghisheadandpassivelyobeyingMoncharmin.
Twominuteslater,thejointmanagerslockedthemselvesintotheiroffice.Moncharminhimselfputthekeyinhispocket:
"Weremainedlockeduplikethis,lasttime,"hesaid,"untilyoulefttheOperatogohome."
"That’sso.Noonecameanddisturbedus,Isuppose?"
"Noone."
"Then,"saidRichard,whowastryingtocollecthismemory,"thenImustcertainlyhavebeenrobbedonmywayhomefromtheOpera."
"No,"saidMoncharmininadriertonethanever,"no,that’simpossible.ForIdroppedyouinmycab.Thetwenty-thousandfrancsdisappearedatyourplace:there’snotashadowofadoubtaboutthat."
"It’sincredible!"protestedRichard."Iamsureofmyservants...andifoneofthemhaddoneit,hewouldhavedisappearedsince.
