Привид Опери
XVII The Safety-pin Again
Only,thoughthesemarksofpolitenesswouldhavecreatednoastonishmentiftheunder-secretaryofstatehadreallybeeninfrontofM.Richard,theycausedaneasilycomprehensibleamazementtothespectatorsofthisverynaturalbutquiteinexplicablescenewhenM.Richardhadnobodyinfrontofhim.
M.Richardbowed...tonobody;benthisback...beforenobody;andwalkedbackward...beforenobody...And,afewstepsbehindhim,M.MoncharmindidthesamethingthathewasdoinginadditiontopushingawayM.RemyandbeggingM.deLaBorderie,theambassador,andthemanageroftheCreditCentral"nottotouchM.leDirecteur."
Moncharmin,whohadhisownideas,didnotwantRichardtocometohimpresently,whenthetwenty-thousandfrancsweregone,andsay:
"Perhapsitwastheambassador...orthemanageroftheCreditCentral...orRemy."
Themoresoas,atthetimeofthefirstscene,asRichardhimselfadmitted,RichardhadmetnobodyinthatpartofthetheaterafterMme.Giryhadbrushedupagainsthim...
Havingbegunbywalkingbackwardinordertobow,Richardcontinuedtodosofromprudence,untilhereachedthepassageleadingtotheofficesofthemanagement.Inthisway,hewasconstantlywatchedbyMoncharminfrombehindandhimselfkeptaneyeonanyoneapproachingfromthefront.Oncemore,thisnovelmethodofwalkingbehindthescenes,adoptedbythemanagersofourNationalAcademyofMusic,attractedattention;butthemanagersthemselvesthoughtofnothingbuttheirtwenty-thousandfrancs.
