Призрак Оперы
XXI Interesting Vicissitudes
Afterpuffingandblowinglikeawalrus,heputhishorriblethoughtintowords:
"Yes,youmustlearn,onceandforall—onceandforall,Isay—totakeahint!Itellyouthat,withyourrecklessness—foryouhavealreadybeentwicearrestedbytheshadeinthefelthat,whodidnotknowwhatyouweredoinginthecellarsandtookyoutothemanagers,wholookeduponyouasaneccentricPersianinterestedinstagemechanismandlifebehindthescenes:Iknowallaboutit,Iwasthere,intheoffice;youknowIameverywhere—well,Itellyouthat,withyourrecklessness,theywillendbywonderingwhatyouareafterhere...andtheywillendbyknowingthatyouareafterErik...andthentheywillbeafterErikthemselvesandtheywilldiscoverthehouseonthelake...Iftheydo,itwillbeabadlookoutforyou,oldchap,abadlookout!...Iwon’tanswerforanything."
Againhepuffedandblewlikeawalrus.
"Iwon’tanswerforanything!...IfErik’ssecretsceasetobeErik’ssecrets,ITWILLBEABADLOOKOUTFORAGOODLYNUMBEROFTHEHUMANRACE!That’sallIhavetotellyou,andunlessyouareagreatbooby,itoughttobeenoughforyou...exceptthatyoudon’tknowhowtotakeahint."
Hehadsatdownonthesternofhisboatandwaskickinghisheelsagainsttheplanks,waitingtohearwhatIhadtoanswer.Isimplysaid:
"It’snotErikthatI’mafterhere!"
"Whothen?"
"YouknowaswellasIdo:it’sChristineDaae,"Ianswered.
Heretorted:"Ihaveeveryrighttoseeherinmyownhouse.Iamlovedformyownsake."
"That’snottrue,"Isaid.
