Then we heard Christine's voice of anguish: "No! ... I'm frightened! ... I tell you, I'm afraid of the dark! ... I

don't care about that room now ... You're always frightening me, like

a child, with your torture-chamber! ... And so I became inquisitive...

But I don't care about it now ... not a bit ... not a bit!"

And that which I feared above all things began, AUTOMATICALLY. We were

suddenly flooded with light! Yes, on our side of the wall, everything

seemed aglow. The Vicomte de Chagny was so much taken aback that he

staggered. And the angry voice roared: "I told you there was some one! Do you see the window now? The

lighted window, right up there? The man behind the wall can't see it!

But you shall go up the folding steps: that is what they are there

for! ... You have often asked me to tell you; and now you know! ...

They are there to give a peep into the torture-chamber ... you

inquisitive little thing!"

"What tortures? ... Who is being tortured? ... Erik, Erik, say you are

only trying to frighten me! ... Say it, if you love me, Erik! ... There

are no tortures, are there?"

"Go and look at the little window, dear!"

I do not know if the viscount heard the girl's swooning voice, for he

was too much occupied by the astounding spectacle that now appeared

before his distracted gaze. As for me, I had seen that sight too

often, through the little window, at the time of the rosy hours of

Mazenderan; and I cared only for what was being said next door, seeking

for a hint how to act, what resolution to take.

"Go and peep through the little window! Tell me what he looks like!"

We heard the steps being dragged against the wall.

"Up with you! ... No! ... No, I will go up myself, dear!"

"Oh, very well, I will go up. Let me go!"

"Oh, my darling, my darling! ... How sweet of you! ... How nice of you

to save me the exertion at my age! ... Tell me what he looks like!"

At that moment, we distinctly heard these words above our heads: "There is no one there, dear!"

"No one? ... Are you sure there is no one?"

"Why, of course not ... no one!"

"Well, that's all right! ... What's the matter, Christine? You're not

going to faint, are you ... as there is no one there? ... Here ...

come down ... there! ... Pull yourself together ... as there is no one

there! ... BUT HOW DO YOU LIKE THE LANDSCAPE?"




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