Призрак Оперы
XXIV Barrels! Barrels!
hehadbeenallovertheplace!
Andhedraggedhimselfalong,saying:"Water!Water!"
Andhismouthwasopen,asthoughheweredrinking.
Andmymouthwasopentoo,asthoughIweredrinking.
Forwenotonlysawthewater,butWEHEARDIT!...Wehearditflow,wehearditripple!...Doyouunderstandthatword"ripple?"...ITISASOUNDWHICHYOUHEARWITHYOURTONGUE!...Youputyourtongueoutofyourmouthtolistentoitbetter!
Lastly—andthiswasthemostpitilesstortureofall—weheardtherainanditwasnotraining!Thiswasaninfernalinvention...Oh,IknewwellenoughhowErikobtainedit!Hefilledwithlittlestonesaverylongandnarrowbox,brokenupinsidewithwoodenandmetalprojections.Thestones,infalling,struckagainsttheseprojectionsandreboundedfromonetoanother;andtheresultwasaseriesofpatteringsoundsthatexactlyimitatedarainstorm.
Ah,youshouldhaveseenusputtingoutourtonguesanddraggingourselvestowardtheripplingriver-bank!Oureyesandearswerefullofwater,butourtongueswerehardanddryashorn!
Whenwereachedthemirror,M.deChagnylickedit...andIalsolickedtheglass.
Itwasburninghot!
Thenwerolledonthefloorwithahoarsecryofdespair.M.deChagnyputtheonepistolthatwasstillloadedtohistemple;andIstaredatthePunjablassoatthefootoftheirontree.Iknewwhytheirontreehadreturned,inthisthirdchangeofscene!...Theirontreewaswaitingforme!...
But,asIstaredatthePunjablasso,IsawathingthatmademestartsoviolentlythatM.deChagnydelayedhisattemptatsuicide.Itookhisarm.
