Призрак Оперы
III The Mysterious Reason
Andthoselittlekeys,theobjectofgeneralcuriosity,werebeingpassedfromhandtohand,whentheattentionofsomeoftheguestswasdivertedbytheirdiscovery,attheendofthetable,ofthatstrange,wanandfantasticface,withtheholloweyes,whichhadalreadyappearedinthefoyeroftheballetandbeengreetedbylittleJammes’exclamation:
"TheOperaghost!"
Theresattheghost,asnaturalascouldbe,exceptthatheneitheratenordrank.Thosewhobeganbylookingathimwithasmileendedbyturningawaytheirheads,forthesightofhimatonceprovokedthemostfunerealthoughts.Noonerepeatedthejokeofthefoyer,nooneexclaimed:
"There’stheOperaghost!"
Hehimselfdidnotspeakawordandhisveryneighborscouldnothavestatedatwhatprecisemomenthehadsatdownbetweenthem;buteveryonefeltthatifthedeaddidevercomeandsitatthetableoftheliving,theycouldnotcutamoreghastlyfigure.ThefriendsofFirminRichardandArmandMoncharminthoughtthatthisleanandskinnyguestwasanacquaintanceofDebienne’sorPoligny’s,whileDebienne’sandPoligny’sfriendsbelievedthatthecadaverousindividualbelongedtoFirminRichardandArmandMoncharmin’sparty.
Theresultwasthatnorequestwasmadeforanexplanation;nounpleasantremark;nojokeinbadtaste,whichmighthaveoffendedthisvisitorfromthetomb.
