Призрак Оперы

           Histwosistersandhisbrother,Raoul,wouldnothearofadivisionandwaivedtheirclaimtotheirshares,leavingthemselvesentirelyinPhilippe’shands,asthoughtherightofprimogeniturehadneverceasedtoexist.Whenthetwosistersmarried,onthesameday,theyreceivedtheirportionfromtheirbrother,notasathingrightfullybelongingtothem,butasadowryforwhichtheythankedhim.

           TheComtessedeChagny,needeMoerogisdeLaMartyniere,haddiedingivingbirthtoRaoul,whowasborntwentyyearsafterhiselderbrother.Atthetimeoftheoldcount’sdeath,Raoulwastwelveyearsofage.Philippebusiedhimselfactivelywiththeyoungster’seducation.Hewasadmirablyassistedinthisworkfirstbyhissistersandafterwardbyanoldaunt,thewidowofanavalofficer,wholivedatBrestandgaveyoungRaoulatasteforthesea.TheladenteredtheBordatraining-ship,finishedhiscoursewithhonorsandquietlymadehistriproundtheworld.Thankstopowerfulinfluence,hehadjustbeenappointedamemberoftheofficialexpeditiononboardtheRequin,whichwastobesenttotheArcticCircleinsearchofthesurvivorsoftheD’Artoi’sexpedition,ofwhomnothinghadbeenheardforthreeyears.Meanwhile,hewasenjoyingalongfurloughwhichwouldnotbeoverforsixmonths;andalreadythedowagersoftheFaubourgSaint-Germainwerepityingthehandsomeandapparentlydelicatestriplingforthehardworkinstoreforhim.

           Theshynessofthesailor-lad—Iwasalmostsayinghisinnocence—wasremarkable.Heseemedtohavebutjustleftthewomen’sapron-strings.