Призрак Оперы

           Lastly,PhilippewouldperhapsnothavetakenhisbrotherbehindthescenesoftheOperaifRaoulhadnotbeenthefirsttoaskhim,repeatedlyrenewinghisrequestwithagentleobstinacywhichthecountrememberedatalaterdate.

           Onthatevening,Philippe,afterapplaudingtheDaae,turnedtoRaoulandsawthathewasquitepale.

           "Don’tyousee,"saidRaoul,"thatthewoman’sfainting?"

           "Youlooklikefaintingyourself,"saidthecount."What’sthematter?"

           ButRaoulhadrecoveredhimselfandwasstandingup.

           "Let’sgoandsee,"hesaid,"sheneversanglikethatbefore."

           Thecountgavehisbrotheracurioussmilingglanceandseemedquitepleased.Theyweresoonatthedoorleadingfromthehousetothestage.Numbersofsubscriberswereslowlymakingtheirwaythrough.RaoultorehisgloveswithoutknowingwhathewasdoingandPhilippehadmuchtookindahearttolaughathimforhisimpatience.ButhenowunderstoodwhyRaoulwasabsent-mindedwhenspokentoandwhyhealwaystriedtoturneveryconversationtothesubjectoftheOpera.

           Theyreachedthestageandpushedthroughthecrowdofgentlemen,scene-shifters,supersandchorus-girls,Raoulleadingtheway,feelingthathisheartnolongerbelongedtohim,hisfacesetwithpassion,whileCountPhilippefollowedhimwithdifficultyandcontinuedtosmile.Atthebackofthestage,Raoulhadtostopbeforetheinrushofthelittletroopofballet-girlswhoblockedthepassagewhichhewastryingtoenter.