Привид Опери

           Iworkedthestone,andwejumpedintothehousewhichErikhadbuilthimselfinthedoublecaseofthefoundation-wallsoftheOpera.Andthiswastheeasiestthingintheworldforhimtodo,becauseErikwasoneofthechiefcontractorsunderPhilippeGarnier,thearchitectoftheOpera,andcontinuedtoworkbyhimselfwhentheworkswereofficiallysuspended,duringthewar,thesiegeofParisandtheCommune.

           IknewmyEriktoowelltofeelatallcomfortableonjumpingintohishouse.IknewwhathehadmadeofacertainpalaceatMazenderan.Frombeingthemosthonestbuildingconceivable,hesoonturneditintoahouseoftheverydevil,whereyoucouldnotutterawordbutitwasoverheardorrepeatedbyanecho.Withhistrap-doorsthemonsterwasresponsibleforendlesstragediesofallkinds.Hehituponastonishinginventions.Ofthese,themostcurious,horribleanddangerouswastheso-calledtorture-chamber.Exceptinspecialcases,whenthelittlesultanaamusedherselfbyinflictingsufferinguponsomeunoffendingcitizen,noonewasletintoitbutwretchescondemnedtodeath.And,eventhen,whenthesehad"hadenough,"theywerealwaysatlibertytoputanendtothemselveswithaPunjablassoorbowstring,leftfortheiruseatthefootofanirontree.

           Myalarm,therefore,wasgreatwhenIsawthattheroomintowhichM.leVicomtedeChagnyandIhaddroppedwasanexactcopyofthetorture-chamberoftherosyhoursofMazenderan.Atourfeet,IfoundthePunjablassowhichIhadbeendreadingalltheevening