Привид Опери
XIII A Master-stroke Of The Trap-door Lover
Raoul,infact,devotedthewholedaytohispreparationsfortheflight.Thehorses,thecarriage,thecoachman,theprovisions,theluggage,themoneyrequiredforthejourney,theroadtobetaken(hehadresolvednottogobytrain,soastothrowtheghostoffthescent):allthishadtobesettledandprovidedfor;anditoccupiedhimuntilnineo’clockatnight.
Atnineo’clock,asortoftraveling-barouchewiththecurtainsofitswindowsclose-down,tookitsplaceintherankontheRotundaside.Itwasdrawnbytwopowerfulhorsesdrivenbyacoachmanwhosefacewasalmostconcealedinthelongfoldsofamuffler.Infrontofthistraveling-carriagewerethreebroughams,belongingrespectivelytoCarlotta,whohadsuddenlyreturnedtoParis,toSorelliand,attheheadoftherank,toComtePhilippedeChagny.Nooneleftthebarouche.Thecoachmanremainedonhisbox,andthethreeothercoachmenremainedontheirs.
AshadowinalongblackcloakandasoftblackfelthatpassedalongthepavementbetweentheRotundaandthecarriages,examinedthebarouchecarefully,wentuptothehorsesandthecoachmanandthenmovedawaywithoutsayingaword,ThemagistrateafterwardbelievedthatthisshadowwasthatoftheVicomteRaouldeChagny;butIdonotagree,seeingthatthatevening,aseveryevening,theVicomtedeChagnywaswearingatallhat,whichhat,besides,wassubsequentlyfound.Iammoreinclinedtothinkthattheshadowwasthatoftheghost,whoknewallaboutthewholeaffair,asthereaderwillsoonperceive.
TheyweregivingFAUST,asithappened,beforeasplendidhouse.
