Unfortunately, if I do not tell you the strangest story that ever was from the beginning, you will not believe me.I will tell you all I know about the Opera ghost, M.Commissary.Alas, I do not know much!...""Never mind, go on, go on!" exclaimed Richard and Moncharmin, suddenly greatly interested.
Unfortunately for their hopes of learning some detail that could put them on the track of their hoaxer, they were soon compelled to accept the fact that M.Raoul de Chagny had completely lost his head.
All that story about Perros-Guirec, death's heads and enchanted violins, could only have taken birth in the disordered brain of a youth mad with love.It was evident, also, that Mr.Commissary Mifroid shared their view; and the magistrate would certainly have cut short the incoherent narrative if circumstances had not taken it upon themselves to interrupt it.
The door opened and a man entered, curiously dressed in an enormous frock-coat and a tall hat, at once shabby and shiny, that came down to his ears.He went up to the commissary and spoke to him in a whisper.
It was doubtless a detective come to deliver an important communication.
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 I'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 Ibelieve 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."But M.le Commissaire de Police Mifroid would not have been quite so satisfied with himself if he had known that the rush of his rapid emissary was stopped at the entrance to the very first corridor.
A tall figure blocked Raoul's way.
"Where are you going so fast, M.de Chagny?" asked a voice.
Raoul impatiently raised his eyes and recognized the astrakhan cap of an hour ago.He stopped:
"It's you!" he cried, in a feverish voice."You, who know Erik's secrets and don't want me to speak of them.Who are you?""You know who I am!...I am the Persian!"
