Призрак Оперы

           deChagnyseemedtomequite"gone."Hepretendedthathehadbeenwalkinginthatforestforthreedaysandnights,withoutstopping,lookingforChristineDaae!Fromtimetotime,hethoughthesawherbehindthetrunkofatree,orglidingbetweenthebranches;andhecalledtoherwithwordsofsupplicationthatbroughtthetearstomyeyes.Andthen,atlast:

           "Oh,howthirstyIam!"hecried,indeliriousaccents.

           Itoowasthirsty.Mythroatwasonfire.And,yet,squattingonthefloor,Iwentonhunting,hunting,huntingforthespringoftheinvisibledoor...especiallyasitwasdangeroustoremainintheforestaseveningdrewnigh.Alreadytheshadesofnightwerebeginningtosurroundus.Ithadhappenedveryquickly:nightfallsquicklyintropicalcountries...suddenly,withhardlyanytwilight.

           Nownight,intheforestsoftheequator,isalwaysdangerous,particularlywhen,likeourselves,onehasnotthematerialsforafiretokeepoffthebeastsofprey.Ididindeedtryforamomenttobreakoffthebranches,whichIwouldhavelitwithmydarklantern,butIknockedmyselfalsoagainstthemirrorsandremembered,intime,thatwehadonlyimagesofbranchestodowith.

           Theheatdidnotgowiththedaylight;onthecontrary,itwasnowstillhotterundertheblueraysofthemoon.Iurgedtheviscounttoholdourweaponsreadytofireandnottostrayfromcamp,whileIwentonlookingformyspring.

           Suddenly,weheardalionroaringafewyardsaway.

           "Oh,"whisperedtheviscount,"heisquiteclose!...Don’tyouseehim?...There...throughthetrees...