Призрак Оперы
XVII The Safety-pin Again
"
"Oh,Ishallhaveallthepatiencenecessary!"
Thetimepassed,slow,heavy,mysterious,stifling.Richardtriedtolaugh.
"Ishallendbybelievingintheomnipotenceoftheghost,"hesaid."Justnow,don’tyoufindsomethinguncomfortable,disquieting,alarmingintheatmosphereofthisroom?"
"You’requiteright,"saidMoncharmin,whowasreallyimpressed.
"Theghost!"continuedRichard,inalowvoice,asthoughfearinglestheshouldbeoverheardbyinvisibleears."Theghost!Suppose,allthesame,itwereaghostwhoputsthemagicenvelopesonthetable...whotalksinBoxFive...whokilledJosephBuquet...whounhookedthechandelier...andwhorobsus!For,afterall,afterall,afterall,thereisnoonehereexceptyouandme,and,ifthenotesdisappearandneitheryounorIhaveanythingtodowithit,well,weshallhavetobelieveintheghost...intheghost."
Atthatmoment,theclockonthemantlepiecegaveitswarningclickandthefirststrokeoftwelvestruck.
Thetwomanagersshuddered.Theperspirationstreamedfromtheirforeheads.Thetwelfthstrokesoundedstrangelyintheirears.
Whentheclockstopped,theygaveasighandrosefromtheirchairs.
"Ithinkwecangonow,"saidMoncharmin.
"Ithinkso,"Richardaagreed.
"Beforewego,doyoumindifIlookinyourpocket?"
"But,ofcourse,Moncharmin,YOUMUST!...Well?"heasked,asMoncharminwasfeelingatthepocket.
"Well,Icanfeelthepin."
"Ofcourse,asyousaid,wecan’tberobbedwithoutnoticingit
