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Leroux, Gaston, 1868-1927

"The Phantom of the Opera"

..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.


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