During this conversation, M. Mifroid did not take his eyes off Raoul.

At last, addressing him, he said: "Monsieur, we have talked enough about the ghost. We will now talk

about yourself a little, if you have no objection: you were to carry

off Mlle. Christine Daae to-night?"

"Yes, M. le Commissaire."

"After the performance?"

"Yes, M. le Commissaire."

"All your arrangements were made?"

"Yes, M. le Commissaire."

"The carriage that brought you was to take you both away... There were

fresh horses in readiness at every stage ..."

"That is true, M. le Commissaire."

"And nevertheless your carriage is still outside the Rotunda awaiting

your orders, is it not?"

"Yes, M. le Commissaire."

"Did you know that there were three other carriages there, in addition

to yours?"

"I did not pay the least attention."

"They were the carriages of Mlle. Sorelli, which could not find room in

the Cour de l'Administration; of Carlotta; and of your brother, M. le

Comte de Chagny..."

"Very likely..."

"What is certain is that, though your carriage and Sorelli's and

Carlotta's are still there, by the Rotunda pavement, M. le Comte de

Chagny's carriage is gone."

"This has nothing to say to ..."

"I beg your pardon. Was not M. le Comte opposed to your marriage with

Mlle. Daae?"

"That is a matter that only concerns the family."

"You have answered my question: he was opposed to it ... and that was

why you were carrying Christine Daae out of your brother's reach...

Well, M. de Chagny, allow me to inform you that your brother has been

smarter than you! It is he who has carried off Christine Daae!"

"Oh, impossible!" moaned Raoul, pressing his hand to his heart. "Are

you sure?"

"Immediately after the artist's disappearance, which was procured by

means which we have still to ascertain, he flung into his carriage,

which drove right across Paris at a furious pace."

"Across Paris?" asked poor Raoul, in a hoarse voice. "What do you mean

by across Paris?"

"Across Paris and out of Paris ... by the Brussels road."

"Oh," cried the young man, "I shall catch them!" And he rushed out of

the office.

"And bring her back to us!" cried the commisary gaily ... "Ah, that's

a trick worth two of the Angel of Music's!"

And, turning to his audience, M. Mifroid delivered a little lecture on

police methods.

"I don't know for a moment whether M. le Comte de Chagny has really

carried Christine Daae off or not ... but I want to know and I believe

that, at this moment, no one is more anxious to inform us than his

brother ... And now he is flying in pursuit of him! He is my chief

auxiliary! This, gentlemen, is the art of the police, which is

believed to be so complicated and which, nevertheless appears so simple

as soon its you see that it consists in getting your work done by

people who have nothing to do with the police."




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