Page 71 - Phantom of the Opera
P. 71

"OK,"  said  Mifroid. "The  singer  first,  then  the  20,000  francs.  to  the  other  men, Monsieur  Mifroid  told  them  that  no  one  was
    Monsieur  Chagny,  you  believe  that  Christine  Daae  was  carried  more  anxious  to  find  Christine  than  the  younger  Monsieur
    off by  an  individual  called Erik. Do  you  know  this  person?  Have  Chagny.  He  smiled. "This  is,  gentlemen,  the  art  of the  police.  It
    you  seen him?"                                                      consists  of getting police  work done  by  other people!"
       "Yes."                                                              But  Monsieur  Mifroid  would  not  have  been  quite  so  satisfied
       "Where?"                                                          with  himself if he  had known that  his  assistant  was  stopped at the
       "In  a  churchyard."                                              entrance  to  the  first  passage.  A  tall  figure  blocked  Raoul's  way.
      Raoul  told  them  about  Perros-Guirec,  the  face  of Death,  the  "Where  are you going so  fast, Monsieur Chagny?"
    violin.  They  all  thought  he  was  completely  mad. Just  as  Raoul  "It's you!" he  cried in  a  feverish voice. "You, who know Erik's
    finished, the  door  opened  and  a  man  entered.  It  was  a  detective  secrets  and don't want me  to  speak of them!  Who  are you?"
    with  an  important  message  for  Mifroid,  who  listened  to  the    "You know who  I  am!  I  am the Persian!"
    detective without  taking  his  eyes  off Raoul.                       The  man  with  the  dark  skin  and  green  eyes,  wearing  a  wool
       "Monsieur,"  said  Mifroid  to  Raoul, "let's  talk  about  you  now.  cap,  bent  over  Raoul.  Raoul  remembered  that  his  brother  had
    Were  you  planning  to  carry  off  Mademoiselle  Christine  Daae   once pointed  to  this  mysterious person  and told him  that  he  was
    tonight?"                                                            a Persian who lived in an apartment in the  Rue de Rivoli.  Again,
       "Yes, sir."                                                       the  Persian  asked Raoul where he  was  going.
       "After  the  performance?"                                          "To  Christine  Daae's  assistance!"
       "Yes, sir."                                                         "Then, sir, stay here. Christine Daae is here!"
       "All your arrangements were  made?"                                 "With  Erik?"
       "Yes, sir."                                                         "With  Erik."
       Mifroid  continued  his  questioning.  He  asked  Raoul  if  his    "How  do  you know?"
    brother were  opposed  to  these  arrangements, and  if Raoul  knew    "I  was  at  the  performance  and  no  one  in  the  world  except
    that  his  brother's  carriage  was  no  longer  in  front  of the  opera  Erik  could  steal someone  like  that!"
    house. "Monsieur  Chagny,  I  must  inform  you  that  your  brother   "Can you help  me  find her?"
                                                                                                     .
    has  been  smarter  than  you!"  the  detective  said. "He  is  the  one  "I  can  try to  take you  to  her .. and to  him."
    who  carried  off Christine  Daae!"                                    "How   can  I  not  believe  you,  when  you  are  the  only  one  to
                                                                                   .
       "Oh, impossible!  Are you  sure?" the poor young man  asked.      believe  me ..  when  you  are  the  only  one  not  to  smile  when
       "He  has  taken  her  in  his  carriage  across  Paris  and  out  of  Erik's name is mentioned?" said Raoul.
         .
    Paris .. by the  Brussels  road."                                      "We must not mention that name here. Let's  say 'he' and 'him;'
       "I  shall  catch  them!"  cried  Raoul,  and  he  rushed  out  of the   there  will be  less  danger  of attracting  his  attention."
    office.                                                                "Do you think he  is near us?"
       "And  bring  her  back  to  us!"  cried  the  detective  happily.   "It  is  quite  possible,  sir,  if he  is  not  at  this  moment  with  his
    "That's  a trick worth two  of the  Angel  of Music's!" And, turning   prisoner, in the house on the lake!'


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