Призрак Оперы
VII Faust And What Followed
Buteverybodyknewhowperfectaninstrumenthervoicewas;andtherewasnodisplayofanger,butonlyofhorroranddismay,thesortofdismaywhichmenwouldhavefeltiftheyhadwitnessedthecatastrophethatbrokethearmsoftheVenusdeMilo...Andeventhentheywouldhaveseen...andunderstood...
Butherethattoadwasincomprehensible!Somuchsothat,aftersomesecondsspentinaskingherselfifshehadreallyheardthatnote,thatsound,thatinfernalnoiseissuefromherthroat,shetriedtopersuadeherselfthatitwasnotso,thatshewasthevictimofanillusion,anillusionoftheear,andnotofanactoftreacheryonthepartofhervoice....
Meanwhile,inBoxFive,MoncharminandRichardhadturnedverypale.Thisextraordinaryandinexplicableincidentfilledthemwithadreadwhichwasthemoremysteriousinasmuchasforsomelittlewhile,theyhadfallenwithinthedirectinfluenceoftheghost.Theyhadfelthisbreath.Moncharmin’shairstoodonend.Richardwipedtheperspirationfromhisforehead.Yes,theghostwasthere,aroundthem,behindthem,besidethem;theyfelthispresencewithoutseeinghim,theyheardhisbreath,close,close,closetothem!...Theyweresurethattherewerethreepeopleinthebox...Theytrembled...Theythoughtofrunningaway...Theydarednot...Theydarednotmakeamovementorexchangeawordthatwouldhavetoldtheghostthattheyknewthathewasthere!...Whatwasgoingtohappen?
Thishappened.
"Co-ack!"Theirjointexclamationofhorrorwasheardalloverthehouse.THEYFELTTHATTHEYWERESMARTINGUNDERTHEGHOST’SATTACKS.
