第46章 A Master-Stroke of the Trap-Door Lover (3)

"The latest news in the Faubourg is that there is a promise of marriage between Mlle.Christine Daae, the opera-singer, and M.le Vicomte Raoul de Chagny.If the gossips are to be credited, Count Philippe has sworn that, for the first time on record, the Chagnys shall not keep their promise.But, as love is all-powerful, at the Opera as--and even more than--elsewhere, we wonder how Count Philippe intends to prevent the viscount, his brother, from leading the new Margarita to the altar.The two brothers are said to adore each other;but the count is curiously mistaken if he imagines that brotherly love will triumph over love pure and simple.""You see, Raoul," said the count, "you are making us ridiculous!

That little girl has turned your head with her ghost-stories."The viscount had evidently repeated Christine's narrative to his brother, during the night.All that he now said was:

"Good-by, Philippe."

"Have you quite made up your mind? You are going to-night? With her?"No reply.

"Surely you will not do anything so foolish? I SHALL know how to prevent you!""Good-by, Philippe," said the viscount again and left the room.

This scene was described to the examining-magistrate by the count himself, who did not see Raoul again until that evening, at the Opera, a few minutes before Christine's disappearance.

Raoul, in fact, devoted the whole day to his preparations for the flight.The horses, the carriage, the coachman, the provisions, the luggage, the money required for the journey, the road to be taken (he had resolved not to go by train, so as to throw the ghost off the scent): all this had to be settled and provided for;and it occupied him until nine o'clock at night.

At nine o'clock, a sort of traveling-barouche with the curtains of its windows close-down, took its place in the rank on the Rotunda side.

It was drawn by two powerful horses driven by a coachman whose face was almost concealed in the long folds of a muffler.

In front of this traveling-carriage were three broughams, belonging respectively to Carlotta, who had suddenly returned to Paris, to Sorelli and, at the head of the rank, to Comte Philippe de Chagny.

No one left the barouche.The coachman remained on his box, and the three other coachmen remained on theirs.

A shadow in a long black cloak and a soft black felt hat passed along the pavement between the Rotunda and the carriages, examined the barouche carefully, went up to the horses and the coachman and then moved away without saying a word, The magistrate afterward believed that this shadow was that of the Vicomte Raoul de Chagny; but I do not agree, seeing that that evening, as every evening, the Vicomte de Chagny was wearing a tall hat, which hat, besides, was subsequently found.

I am more inclined to think that the shadow was that of the ghost, who knew all about the whole affair, as the reader will soon perceive.

They were giving FAUST, as it happened, before a splendid house.

The Faubourg was magnificently represented; and the paragraph in that morning's EPOQUE had already produced its effect, for all eyes were turned to the box in which Count Philippe sat alone, apparently in a very indifferent and careless frame of mind.

The feminine element in the brilliant audience seemed curiously puzzled;and the viscount's absence gave rise to any amount of whispering behind the fans.Christine Daae met with a rather cold reception.

That special audience could not forgive her for aiming so high.

The singer noticed this unfavorable attitude of a portion of the house and was confused by it.