Призрак Оперы
III The Mysterious Reason
However,inspiteofallourefforts,wecouldnot,atthefinish,helpburstingoutlaughinginthefacesofMM.DebienneandPoligny,who,seeinguspassstraightfromthegloomieststateofmindtooneofthemostinsolentmerriment,actedasthoughtheythoughtthatwehadgonemad.
"Thejokebecamealittletedious;andRichardaskedhalf-seriouslyandhalfinjest:
"’But,afterall,whatdoesthisghostofyourswant?’
"M.Polignywenttohisdeskandreturnedwithacopyofthememorandum-book.Thememorandum-bookbeginswiththewell-knownwordssayingthat’themanagementoftheOperashallgivetotheperformanceoftheNationalAcademyofMusicthesplendorthatbecomesthefirstlyricstageinFrance’andendswithClause98,whichsaysthattheprivilegecanbewithdrawnifthemanagerinfringestheconditionsstipulatedinthememorandum-book.Thisisfollowedbytheconditions,whicharefourinnumber.
"ThecopyproducedbyM.Polignywaswritteninblackinkandexactlysimilartothatinourpossession,exceptthat,attheend,itcontainedaparagraphinredinkandinaqueer,laboredhandwriting,asthoughithadbeenproducedbydippingtheheadsofmatchesintotheink,thewritingofachildthathasnevergotbeyondthedown-strokesandhasnotlearnedtojoinitsletters.Thisparagraphran,wordforword,asfollows:
"’5.Orifthemanager,inanymonth,delayformorethanafortnightthepaymentoftheallowancewhichheshallmaketotheOperaghost,anallowanceoftwentythousandfrancsamonth,saytwohundredandfortythousandfrancsayear.’
"M.
