Призрак Оперы
I Is It A Ghost?
Andthosewholaughedtheloudestwerenotthemostatease.Whenhedidnotshowhimself,hebetrayedhispresenceorhispassingbyaccident,comicorserious,forwhichthegeneralsuperstitionheldhimresponsible.Hadanyonemetwithafall,orsufferedapracticaljokeatthehandsofoneoftheothergirls,orlostapowderpuff,itwasatoncethefaultoftheghost,oftheOperaghost.
Afterall,whohadseenhim?Youmeetsomanymenindress-clothesattheOperawhoarenotghosts.Butthisdress-suithadapeculiarityofitsown.Itcoveredaskeleton.Atleast,sotheballet-girlssaid.And,ofcourse,ithadadeath’shead.
Wasallthisserious?ThetruthisthattheideaoftheskeletoncamefromthedescriptionoftheghostgivenbyJosephBuquet,thechiefscene-shifter,whohadreallyseentheghost.Hehadrunupagainsttheghostonthelittlestaircase,bythefootlights,whichleadsto"thecellars."Hehadseenhimforasecond—fortheghosthadfled—andtoanyonewhocaredtolistentohimhesaid:
"Heisextraordinarilythinandhisdress-coathangsonaskeletonframe.Hiseyesaresodeepthatyoucanhardlyseethefixedpupils.Youjustseetwobigblackholes,asinadeadman’sskull.Hisskin,whichisstretchedacrosshisboneslikeadrumhead,isnotwhite,butanastyyellow.Hisnoseissolittleworthtalkingaboutthatyoucan’tseeitside-face;andTHEABSENCEofthatnoseisahorriblethingTOLOOKAT.Allthehairhehasisthreeorfourlongdarklocksonhisforeheadandbehindhisears.
