Призрак Оперы
IV Box Five
Whenallissaid,youarefreetoconductyourlittlebusinessasyouthinkbest,areyounot?
Allthesame,IshouldliketotakeadvantageofthefactthatyouhavenotyetturnedChristineDaaeoutofdoorsbyhearingherthiseveninginthepartofSiebel,asthatofMargaritahasbeenforbiddenhersincehertriumphoftheotherevening;andIwillaskyounottodisposeofmyboxto-daynorontheFOLLOWINGDAYS,forIcannotendthisletterwithouttellingyouhowdisagreeablysurprisedIhavebeenonceortwice,tohear,onarrivingattheOpera,thatmyboxhadbeensold,atthebox-office,byyourorders.
Ididnotprotest,first,becauseIdislikescandal,and,second,becauseIthoughtthatyourpredecessors,MM.DebienneandPoligny,whowerealwayscharmingtome,hadneglected,beforeleaving,tomentionmylittlefadstoyou.Ihavenowreceivedareplyfromthosegentlementomyletteraskingforanexplanation,andthisreplyprovesthatyouknowallaboutmyMemorandum-Bookand,consequently,thatyouaretreatingmewithoutrageouscontempt.IFYOUWISHTOLIVEINPEACE,YOUMUSTNOTBEGINBYTAKINGAWAYMYPRIVATEBOX.
Believemetobe,dearMr.Manager,withoutprejudicetotheselittleobservations,
YourMostHumbleandObedientServant,
OPERAGHOST.
Theletterwasaccompaniedbyacuttingfromtheagony-columnoftheRevueTheatrale,whichran:
O.G.—ThereisnoexcuseforR.andM.Wetoldthemandleftyourmemorandum-bookintheirhands.Kindregards.
M.FirminRichardhadhardlyfinishedreadingthisletterwhenM.ArmandMoncharminentered,carryingoneexactlysimilar.
