Призрак Оперы

           Richardsaidnothing,norIeither.Butwespontaneouslyseizedeachother’shand.Westoodlikethatforsomeminutes,withoutmoving,withoureyesfixedonthesamepoint;butthefigurehaddisappeared.Thenwewentoutand,inthelobby,communicatedourimpressionstoeachotherandtalkedabout’theshape.’ThemisfortunewasthatmyshapewasnotintheleastlikeRichard’s.Ihadseenathinglikeadeath’sheadrestingontheledgeofthebox,whereasRichardsawtheshapeofanoldwomanwholookedlikeMme.Giry.Wesoondiscoveredthatwehadreallybeenthevictimsofanillusion,whereupon,withoutfurtherdelayandlaughinglikemadmen,werantoBoxFiveonthegrandtier,wentinsideandfoundnoshapeofanykind."

           BoxFiveisjustlikealltheothergrandtierboxes.Thereisnothingtodistinguishitfromanyoftheothers.M.MoncharminandM.Richard,ostensiblyhighlyamusedandlaughingateachother,movedthefurnitureofthebox,liftedtheclothsandthechairsandparticularlyexaminedthearm-chairinwhich"theman’svoice"usedtosit.Buttheysawthatitwasarespectablearm-chair,withnomagicaboutit.Altogether,theboxwasthemostordinaryboxintheworld,withitsredhangings,itschairs,itscarpetanditsledgecoveredinredvelvet.After,feelingthecarpetinthemostseriousmannerpossible,anddiscoveringnothingmorehereoranywhereelse,theywentdowntothecorrespondingboxonthepittierbelow.InBoxFiveonthepittier,whichisjustinsidethefirstexitfromthestallsontheleft,theyfoundnothingworthmentioningeither