Призрак Оперы
XX In The Cellars Of The Opera
Afterafewseconds,thatseemedtothemlikelongminutes,theystopped.
"Hedoesn’toftencomethisway,"saidthePersian."Thissidehasnothingtodowithhim.Thissidedoesnotleadtothelakenortothehouseonthelake...Butperhapsheknowsthatweareathisheels...althoughIpromisedhimtoleavehimaloneandnevertomeddleinhisbusinessagain!"
Sosaying,heturnedhisheadandRaoulalsoturnedhishead;andtheyagainsawtheheadoffirebehindtheirtwoheads.Ithadfollowedthem.Anditmusthaverunalso,andperhapsfasterthanthey,foritseemedtobenearertothem.
Atthesametime,theybegantoperceiveacertainnoiseofwhichtheycouldnotguessthenature.Theysimplynoticedthatthesoundseemedtomoveandtoapproachwiththefieryface.Itwasanoiseasthoughthousandsofnailshadbeenscrapedagainstablackboard,theperfectlyunendurablenoisethatissometimesmadebyalittlestoneinsidethechalkthatgratesontheblackboard.
Theycontinuedtoretreat,butthefieryfacecameon,cameon,gainingonthem.Theycouldseeitsfeaturesclearlynow.Theeyeswereroundandstaring,thenosealittlecrookedandthemouthlarge,withahanginglowerlip,veryliketheeyes,noseandlipofthemoon,whenthemoonisquitered,brightred.
