Призрак Оперы
VII Faust And What Followed
Lastly,inthetheateritself,thecelebrated,butheartlessandsoullessdivamadethemostscandalousremarksaboutChristineandtriedtocauseherendlessminorunpleasantnesses.
WhenCarlottahadfinishedthinkingoverthethreatcontainedinthestrangeletter,shegotup.
"Weshallsee,"shesaid,addingafewoathsinhernativeSpanishwithaverydeterminedair.
Thefirstthingshesaw,whenlookingoutofherwindow,wasahearse.Shewasverysuperstitious;andthehearseandtheletterconvincedherthatshewasrunningthemostseriousdangersthatevening.Shecollectedallhersupporters,toldthemthatshewasthreatenedatthatevening’sperformancewithaplotorganizedbyChristineDaaeanddeclaredthattheymustplayatrickuponthatchitbyfillingthehousewithher,Carlotta’s,admirers.Shehadnolackofthem,hadshe?Sherelieduponthemtoholdthemselvespreparedforanyeventualityandtosilencetheadversaries,if,asshefeared,theycreatedadisturbance.
M.Richard’sprivatesecretarycalledtoaskafterthediva’shealthandreturnedwiththeassurancethatshewasperfectlywellandthat,"wereshedying,"shewouldsingthepartofMargaritathatevening.Thesecretaryurgedher,inhischief’sname,tocommitnoimprudence,tostayathomealldayandtobecarefulofdrafts;andCarlottacouldnothelp,afterhehadgone,comparingthisunusualandunexpectedadvicewiththethreatscontainedintheletter.
Itwasfiveo’clockwhenthepostbroughtasecondanonymousletterinthesamehandasthefirst.Itwasshortandsaidsimply:
Youhaveabadcold.
