Привид Опери
Epilogue
Healreadysangasnobodyonthisearthhadeversungbefore;hepractisedventriloquismandgavedisplaysoflegerdemainsoextraordinarythatthecaravansreturningtoAsiatalkedaboutitduringthewholelengthoftheirjourney.Inthisway,hisreputationpenetratedthewallsofthepalaceatMazenderan,wherethelittlesultana,thefavoriteoftheShah-in-Shah,wasboringherselftodeath.Adealerinfurs,returningtoSamarkandfromNijni-Novgorod,toldofthemarvelswhichhehadseenperformedinErik’stent.ThetraderwassummonedtothepalaceandthedarogaofMazenderanwastoldtoquestionhim.NextthedarogawasinstructedtogoandfindErik.HebroughthimtoPersia,whereforsomemonthsErik’swillwaslaw.Hewasguiltyofnotafewhorrors,forheseemednottoknowthedifferencebetweengoodandevil.Hetookpartcalmlyinanumberofpoliticalassassinations;andheturnedhisdiabolicalinventivepowersagainsttheEmirofAfghanistan,whowasatwarwiththePersianempire.TheShahtookalikingtohim.
ThiswasthetimeoftherosyhoursofMazenderan,ofwhichthedaroga’snarrativehasgivenusaglimpse.Erikhadveryoriginalideasonthesubjectofarchitectureandthoughtoutapalacemuchasaconjurorcontrivesatrick-casket.TheShahorderedhimtoconstructanedificeofthiskind.Erikdidso;andthebuildingappearstohavebeensoingeniousthatHisMajestywasabletomoveaboutinitunseenandtodisappearwithoutapossibilityofthetrick’sbeingdiscovered.
