Призрак Оперы
IV Box Five
Themanagergaveordersthathewastohaveitateachperformance.And,wheneverhecame,heaskedmeforafootstool."
"Tut,tut!Aghostaskingforafootstool!Thenthisghostofyoursisawoman?"
"No,theghostisaman."
"Howdoyouknow?"
"Hehasaman’svoice,oh,suchalovelyman’svoice!Thisiswhathappens:Whenhecomestotheopera,it’susuallyinthemiddleofthefirstact.HegivesthreelittletapsonthedoorofBoxFive.ThefirsttimeIheardthosethreetaps,whenIknewtherewasnooneinthebox,youcanthinkhowpuzzledIwas!Iopenedthedoor,listened,looked;nobody!AndthenIheardavoicesay,’Mme.Jules’mypoorhusband’snamewasJules—’afootstool,please.’Savingyourpresence,gentlemen,itmademefeelall-overishlike.Butthevoicewenton,’Don’tbefrightened,Mme.Jules,I’mtheOperaghost!’AndthevoicewassosoftandkindthatIhardlyfeltfrightened.THEVOICEWASSITTINGINTHECORNERCHAIR,ONTHERIGHT,INTHEFRONTROW."
"WasthereanyoneintheboxontherightofBoxFive?"askedMoncharmin.
"No;BoxSeven,andBoxThree,theoneontheleft,werebothempty.Thecurtainhadonlyjustgoneup."
"Andwhatdidyoudo?"
"Well,Ibroughtthefootstool.Ofcourse,itwasn’tforhimselfhewantedit,butforhislady!ButIneverheardhernorsawher."
"Eh?What?Sonowtheghostismarried!"TheeyesofthetwomanagerstraveledfromMme.Girytotheinspector,who,standingbehindthebox-keeper,waswavinghisarmstoattracttheirattention.
