Призрак Оперы
III The Mysterious Reason
Afewofthosepresentwhoknewthestoryoftheghostandthedescriptionofhimgivenbythechiefscene-shifter—theydidnotknowofJosephBuquet’sdeath—thought,intheirownminds,thatthemanattheendofthetablemighteasilyhavepassedforhim;andyet,accordingtothestory,theghosthadnonoseandthepersoninquestionhad.ButM.Moncharmindeclares,inhisMemoirs,thattheguest’snosewastransparent:"long,thinandtransparent"arehisexactwords.I,formypart,willaddthatthismightverywellapplytoafalsenose.M.Moncharminmayhavetakenfortransparencywhatwasonlyshininess.Everybodyknowsthatorthopaedicscienceprovidesbeautifulfalsenosesforthosewhohavelosttheirnosesnaturallyorastheresultofanoperation.
Didtheghostreallytakeaseatatthemanagers’supper-tablethatnight,uninvited?AndcanwebesurethatthefigurewasthatoftheOperaghosthimself?Whowouldventuretoassertasmuch?Imentiontheincident,notbecauseIwishforasecondtomakethereaderbelieve—oreventotrytomakehimbelieve—thattheghostwascapableofsuchasublimepieceofimpudence;butbecause,afterall,thethingisimpossible.
M.ArmandMoncharmin,inchapterelevenofhisMemoirs,says:
"WhenIthinkofthisfirstevening,IcannotseparatethesecretconfidedtousbyMM.DebienneandPolignyintheirofficefromthepresenceatoursupperofthatGHOSTLYpersonwhomnoneofusknew."
Whathappenedwasthis:Mm.DebienneandPoligny,sittingatthecenterofthetable,hadnotseenthemanwiththedeath’shead.Suddenlyhebegantospeak.
