Призрак Оперы
XVII The Safety-pin Again
"
ButMoncharmin,whosehandswerestillfumbling,bellowed:
"Icanfeelthepin,butIcan’tfeelthenotes!"
"Come,nojoking,Moncharmin!...Thisisn’tthetimeforit."
"Well,feelforyourself."
Richardtoreoffhiscoat.Thetwomanagersturnedthepocketinsideout.THEPOCKETWASEMPTY.Andthecuriousthingwasthatthepinremained,stuckinthesameplace.
RichardandMoncharminturnedpale.Therewasnolongeranydoubtaboutthewitchcraft.
"Theghost!"mutteredMoncharmin.
ButRichardsuddenlyspranguponhispartner.
"Noonebutyouhastouchedmypocket!Givemebackmytwenty-thousandfrancs!...Givemebackmytwenty-thousandfrancs!..."
"Onmysoul,"sighedMoncharmin,whowasreadytoswoon,"onmysoul,IswearthatIhaven’tgotit!"
Thensomebodyknockedatthedoor.Moncharminopeneditautomatically,seemedhardlytorecognizeMercier,hisbusiness-manager,exchangedafewwordswithhim,withoutknowingwhathewassayingand,withanunconsciousmovement,putthesafety-pin,forwhichhehadnofurtheruse,intothehandsofhisbewilderedsubordinate...
