Призрак Оперы
II The New Margarita
AndithadneededCarlotta’sincomprehensibleandinexcusableabsencefromthisgalanightforthelittleDaae,atamoment’swarning,toshowallthatshecoulddoinapartoftheprogramreservedfortheSpanishdiva!Well,whatthesubscriberswantedtoknowwas,whyhadDebienneandPolignyappliedtoDaae,whenCarlottawastakenill?Didtheyknowofherhiddengenius?And,iftheyknewofit,whyhadtheykeptithidden?Andwhyhadshekeptithidden?Oddlyenough,shewasnotknowntohaveaprofessorofsingingatthatmoment.Shehadoftensaidshemeanttopractisealoneforthefuture.Thewholethingwasamystery.
TheComtedeChagny,standingupinhisbox,listenedtoallthisfrenzyandtookpartinitbyloudlyapplauding.PhilippeGeorgesMarieComtedeChagnywasjustforty-oneyearsofage.Hewasagreataristocratandagood-lookingman,abovemiddleheightandwithattractivefeatures,inspiteofhishardforeheadandhisrathercoldeyes.Hewasexquisitelypolitetothewomenandalittlehaughtytothemen,whodidnotalwaysforgivehimforhissuccessesinsociety.Hehadanexcellentheartandanirreproachableconscience.OnthedeathofoldCountPhilibert,hebecametheheadofoneoftheoldestandmostdistinguishedfamiliesinFrance,whosearmsdatedbacktothefourteenthcentury.TheChagnysownedagreatdealofproperty;and,whentheoldcount,whowasawidower,died,itwasnoeasytaskforPhilippetoacceptthemanagementofsolargeanestate.
