Призрак Оперы

           Here,shallIshowyousomecard-tricks?Thatwillhelpustopassafewminutes,whilewaitingforeleveno’clockto-morrowevening...MydearlittleChristine!...Areyoulisteningtome?...Tellmeyouloveme!...No,youdon’tloveme...butnomatter,youwill!...Once,youcouldnotlookatmymaskbecauseyouknewwhatwasbehind...Andnowyoudon’tmindlookingatitandyouforgetwhatisbehind!...Onecangetusedtoeverything...ifonewishes...Plentyofyoungpeoplewhodidnotcareforeachotherbeforemarriagehaveadoredeachothersince!Oh,Idon’tknowwhatIamtalkingabout!Butyouwouldhavelotsoffunwithme.Forinstance,Iamthegreatestventriloquistthateverlived,Iamthefirstventriloquistintheworld!...You’relaughing...Perhapsyoudon’tbelieveme?Listen."

           Thewretch,whoreallywasthefirstventriloquistintheworld,wasonlytryingtodivertthechild’sattentionfromthetorture-chamber;butitwasastupidscheme,forChristinethoughtofnothingbutus!Sherepeatedlybesoughthim,inthegentlesttoneswhichshecouldassume:

           "Putoutthelightinthelittlewindow!...Erik,doputoutthelightinthelittlewindow!"

           Forshesawthatthislight,whichappearedsosuddenlyandofwhichthemonsterhadspokeninsothreateningavoice,mustmeansomethingterrible.Onethingmusthavepacifiedherforamoment;andthatwasseeingthetwoofus,behindthewall,inthemidstofthatresplendentlight,aliveandwell.Butshewouldcertainlyhavefeltmucheasierifthelighthadbeenputout.