XXV The Scorpion Or The Grasshopper: Which

           THEPERSIAN’SNARRATIVECONCLUDED

           Thediscoveryflungusintoastateofalarmthatmadeusforgetallourpastandpresentsufferings.WenowknewallthatthemonstermeanttoconveywhenhesaidtoChristineDaae:

           "Yesorno!Ifyouranswerisno,everybodywillbedeadANDBURIED!"

           Yes,buriedundertheruinsoftheParisGrandOpera!

           Themonsterhadgivenheruntileleveno’clockintheevening.Hehadchosenhistimewell.Therewouldbemanypeople,many"membersofthehumanrace,"upthere,intheresplendenttheater.Whatfinerretinuecouldbeexpectedforhisfuneral?Hewouldgodowntothetombescortedbythewhitestshouldersintheworld,deckedwiththerichestjewels.

           Eleveno’clockto-morrowevening!

           Wewerealltobeblownupinthemiddleoftheperformance...ifChristineDaaesaidno!

           Eleveno’clockto-morrowevening!...

           AndwhatelsecouldChristinesaybutno?Wouldshenotprefertoespousedeathitselfratherthanthatlivingcorpse?Shedidnotknowthatonheracceptanceorrefusaldependedtheawfulfateofmanymembersofthehumanrace!

           Eleveno’clockto-morrowevening!

           Andwedraggedourselvesthroughthedarkness,feelingourwaytothestonesteps,forthelightinthetrap-dooroverheadthatledtotheroomofmirrorswasnowextinguished;andwerepeatedtoourselves:

           "Eleveno’clockto-morrowevening!"

           Atlast,Ifoundthestaircase.But,suddenlyIdrewmyselfuponthefirststep,foraterriblethoughthadcometomymind:

           "Whatisthetime?"

           Ah,whatwasthetime?...