XXIII The Tortures Begin

           THEPERSIAN’SNARRATIVECONTINUED.

           Thevoicerepeatedangrily:"Whathaveyoudonewithmybag?Soitwastotakemybagthatyouaskedmetoreleaseyou!"

           Weheardhurriedsteps,ChristinerunningbacktotheLouis-Philipperoom,asthoughtoseekshelterontheothersideofourwall.

           "Whatareyourunningawayfor?"askedthefuriousvoice,whichhadfollowedher."Givemebackmybag,willyou?Don’tyouknowthatitisthebagoflifeanddeath?"

           "Listentome,Erik,"sighedthegirl."Asitissettledthatwearetolivetogether...whatdifferencecanitmaketoyou?"

           "Youknowthereareonlytwokeysinit,"saidthemonster."Whatdoyouwanttodo?"

           "IwanttolookatthisroomwhichIhaveneverseenandwhichyouhavealwayskeptfromme...It’swoman’scuriosity!"shesaid,inatonewhichshetriedtorenderplayful.

           ButthetrickwastoochildishforEriktobetakeninbyit.

           "Idon’tlikecuriouswomen,"heretorted,"andyouhadbetterrememberthestoryofBLUE-BEARDandbecareful...Come,givemebackmybag!...Givemebackmybag!...Leavethekeyalone,willyou,youinquisitivelittlething?"

           Andhechuckled,whileChristinegaveacryofpain.Erikhadevidentlyrecoveredthebagfromher.

           Atthatmoment,theviscountcouldnothelputteringanexclamationofimpotentrage.

           "Why,what’sthat?"saidthemonster."Didyouhear,Christine?"

           "No,no,"repliedthepoorgirl."Iheardnothing."

           "IthoughtIheardacry."

           "Acry!Areyougoingmad,Erik?Whomdoyouexpecttogiveacry,inthishouse?...Icriedout,becauseyouhurtme!Iheardnothing.