Призрак Оперы
XXIII The Tortures Begin
Meantime,theotherhadalreadybeguntoplaytheventriloquist.Hesaid:
"Here,Iraisemymaskalittle...Oh,onlyalittle!...Youseemylips,suchlipsasIhave?They’renotmoving!...Mymouthisclosed—suchmouthasIhave—andyetyouhearmyvoice...Wherewillyouhaveit?Inyourleftear?Inyourrightear?Inthetable?Inthoselittleebonyboxesonthemantelpiece?...Listen,dear,it’sinthelittleboxontherightofthemantelpiece:whatdoesitsay?’SHALLITURNTHESCORPION?’...Andnow,crack!Whatdoesitsayinthelittleboxontheleft?’SHALLITURNTHEGRASSHOPPER?’...Andnow,crack!Hereitisinthelittleleatherbag...Whatdoesitsay?’IAMTHELITTLEBAGOFLIFEANDDEATH!’...Andnow,crack!ItisinCarlotta’sthroat,inCarlotta’sgoldenthroat,inCarlotta’scrystalthroat,asIlive!Whatdoesitsay?Itsays,’It’sI,Mr.Toad,it’sIsinging!IFEELWITHOUTALARM—CO-ACK—WITHITSMELODYENWINDME—CO-ACK!’...Andnow,crack!Itisonachairintheghost’sboxanditsays,’MADAMECARLOTTAISSINGINGTO-NIGHTTOBRINGTHECHANDELIERDOWN!’...Andnow,crack!Aha!WhereisErik’svoicenow?Listen,Christine,darling!Listen!Itisbehindthedoorofthetorture-chamber!Listen!It’smyselfinthetorture-chamber!AndwhatdoIsay?Isay,’Woetothemthathaveanose,arealnose,andcometolookroundthetorture-chamber!Aha,aha,aha!’"
Oh,theventriloquist’sterriblevoice!Itwaseverywhere,everywhere.Itpassedthroughthelittleinvisiblewindow,throughthewalls.Itranaroundus,betweenus
