XXII In The Torture Chamber

           THEPERSIAN’SNARRATIVECONTINUED

           Wewereinthemiddleofalittlesix-corneredroom,thesidesofwhichwerecoveredwithmirrorsfromtoptobottom.Inthecorners,wecouldclearlyseethe"joins"intheglasses,thesegmentsintendedtoturnontheirgear;yes,IrecognizedthemandIrecognizedtheirontreeinthecorner,atthebottomofoneofthosesegments...theirontree,withitsironbranch,forthehangedmen.

           Iseizedmycompanion’sarm:theVicomtedeChagnywasalla-quiver,eagertoshouttohisbetrothedthathewasbringingherhelp.Ifearedthathewouldnotbeabletocontainhimself.

           Suddenly,weheardanoiseonourleft.Itsoundedatfirstlikeadooropeningandshuttinginthenextroom;andthentherewasadullmoan.IclutchedM.deChagny’sarmmorefirmlystill;andthenwedistinctlyheardthesewords:

           "Youmustmakeyourchoice!Theweddingmassortherequiemmass!"Irecognizedthevoiceofthemonster.

           Therewasanothermoan,followedbyalongsilence.

           Iwaspersuadedbynowthatthemonsterwasunawareofourpresenceinhishouse,forotherwisehewouldcertainlyhavemanagednottoletushearhim.Hewouldonlyhavehadtoclosethelittleinvisiblewindowthroughwhichthetorture-loverslookdownintothetorture-chamber.Besides,Iwascertainthat,ifhehadknownofourpresence,thetortureswouldhavebegunatonce.

           Theimportantthingwasnottolethimknow;andIdreadednothingsomuchastheimpulsivenessoftheVicomtedeChagny,whowantedtorushthroughthewallstoChristineDaae,whosemoanswecontinuedtohearatintervals.