Призрак Оперы
XXII In The Torture Chamber
andheshallunbindyou.Youhaveonlytoplaythenecessarypart!Rememberthathelovesyou!"
"Alas!"weheard."AmIlikelytoforgetit!"
"Rememberitandsmiletohim...entreathim...tellhimthatyourbondshurtyou."
ButChristineDaaesaid:
"Hush!...Ihearsomethinginthewallonthelake!...Itishe!...Goaway!Goaway!Goaway!"
"Wecouldnotgoaway,evenifwewantedto,"Isaid,asimpressivelyasIcould."Wecannotleavethis!Andweareinthetorture-chamber!"
"Hush!"whisperedChristineagain.
Heavystepssoundedslowlybehindthewall,thenstoppedandmadethefloorcreakoncemore.Nextcameatremendoussigh,followedbyacryofhorrorfromChristine,andweheardErik’svoice:
"Ibegyourpardonforlettingyouseeafacelikethis!WhatastateIamin,amInot?It’sTHEOTHERONE’SFAULT!Whydidhering?DoIaskpeoplewhopasstotellmethetime?Hewillneveraskanybodythetimeagain!Itisthesiren’sfault."
Anothersigh,deeper,moretremendousstill,camefromtheabysmaldepthsofasoul.
"Whydidyoucryout,Christine?"
"BecauseIaminpain,Erik."
"IthoughtIhadfrightenedyou."
"Erik,unloosemybonds...AmInotyourprisoner?"
"Youwilltrytokillyourselfagain."
"Youhavegivenmetilleleveno’clockto-morrowevening,Erik."
Thefootstepsdraggedalongtheflooragain.
"Afterall,aswearetodietogether...andIamjustaseagerasyou...yes,Ihavehadenoughofthislife,youknow...Wait,don’tmove,Iwillreleaseyou...Youhaveonlyonewordtosay:’NO!’AnditwillatoncebeoverWITHEVERYBODY!..
