Привид Опери
XI Above The Trap-doors
Shecried,"Thisway,"and"Thisway,"and"Thisway,"laughingabreathlesslaughthatoftenendedintears.ThenRaoultriedtospeak,toquestionher,inspiteofhispromises.But,evenbeforehehadwordedhisquestion,sheansweredfeverishly:
"Nothing...Iswearitisnothing."
Once,whentheywerepassingbeforeanopentrapdooronthestage,Raoulstoppedoverthedarkcavity.
"Youhaveshownmeovertheupperpartofyourempire,Christine,buttherearestrangestoriestoldofthelowerpart.Shallwegodown?"
Shecaughthiminherarms,asthoughshefearedtoseehimdisappeardowntheblackhole,and,inatremblingvoice,whispered:
"Never!...Iwillnothaveyougothere!...Besides,it’snotmine...EVERYTHINGTHATISUNDERGROUNDBELONGSTOHIM!"
Raoullookedherintheeyesandsaidroughly:
"Sohelivesdownthere,doeshe?"
"Ineversaidso...Whotoldyouathinglikethat?Comeaway!Isometimeswonderifyouarequitesane,Raoul...Youalwaystakethingsinsuchanimpossibleway...Comealong!Come!"
Andsheliterallydraggedhimaway,forhewasobstinateandwantedtoremainbythetrap-door;thatholeattractedhim.
Suddenly,thetrap-doorwasclosedandsoquicklythattheydidnotevenseethehandthatworkedit;andtheyremainedquitedazed.
"PerhapsHEwasthere,"Raoulsaid,atlast.
Sheshruggedhershoulders,butdidnotseemeasy.
"No,no,itwasthe’trap-door-shutters.’Theymustdosomething,youknow...Theyopenandshutthetrap-doorswithoutanyparticularreason...It’slikethe’door-shutters:’theymustspendtheirtimesomehow.
