Призрак Оперы
XVII The Safety-pin Again
Asafety-pin!"
"Youwanttofastenmewithasafety-pin?"
"Yes,tofastenyoutothetwenty-thousandfrancs!Then,whetherit’shere,oronthedrivefromheretoyourplace,oratyourplace,youwillfeelthehandthatpullsatyourpocketandyouwillseeifit’smine!Oh,soyou’resuspectingmenow,areyou?Asafety-pin!"
AndthatwasthemomentwhenMoncharminopenedthedooronthepassageandshouted:
"Asafety-pin!...somebodygivemeasafety-pin!"
Andwealsoknowhow,atthesamemoment,Remy,whohadnosafety-pin,wasreceivedbyMoncharmin,whileaboyprocuredthepinsoeagerlylongedfor.Andwhathappenedwasthis:Moncharminfirstlockedthedooragain.ThenhekneltdownbehindRichard’sback.
"Ihope,"hesaid,"thatthenotesarestillthere?"
"SodoI,"saidRichard.
"Therealones?"askedMoncharmin,resolvednottobe"had"thistime.
"Lookforyourself,"saidRichard."Irefusetotouchthem."
MoncharmintooktheenvelopefromRichard’spocketanddrewoutthebank-noteswithatremblinghand,for,thistime,inorderfrequentlytomakesureofthepresenceofthenotes,hehadnotsealedtheenvelopenorevenfastenedit.Hefeltreassuredonfindingthattheywereallthereandquitegenuine.Heputthembackinthetail-pocketandpinnedthemwithgreatcare.ThenhesatdownbehindRichard’scoat-tailsandkepthiseyesfixedonthem,whileRichard,sittingathiswriting-table,didnotstir.
"Alittlepatience,Richard,"saidMoncharmin."Wehaveonlyafewminutestowait...Theclockwillsoonstriketwelve.Lasttime,weleftatthelaststrokeoftwelve.
