Page 78 - Phantom of the Opera

decided to take that poor little desperate viscount, and I sent my The room was full of mirrors and we could hear Erik's voice
servant for my guns. The viscount trusted me completely, but my as he spoke to Christine Daae. I was certain that Erik did not
fear was great that Erik was near and preparing the Punjab rope. know of our presence because if he had, the tortures would have
No one knows better than Erik how to throw the Punjab begun at once. I feared that Viscount Chagny, who wanted to
rope. He used to amuse the Persian princess in her palace, rush through the walls to Christine, might not be able to control
Mazenderan, with his rope-throwing tricks. He had lived in himself.
India, where he learned to throw a rope like a cowboy and could We heard Erik say to her, "Don Juan Triumphant is finished, and
use it to kill men. This is why I told the viscount to hold his gun now I want to live like everybody else. I want to have a wife like
up in front of his face. I knew that it would be very difficult for everybody else. I have invented a mask that makes me look like
Erik to throw his rope around our necks if our arms were held anybody else. People will not even turn around in the streets. You
up in front of them. will be the happiest of women. You are crying! You are afraid of
When the viscount and I arrived at last in the third cellar, I me! But I am not really cruel. Love me and you will see! If you
moved the stone and we jumped into the house which Erik had loved me, I would be very gentle, and you could do anything
built himself in the walls of the Opera. Erik had worked under with me that you pleased."
Philippe Gamier, the architect of the Opera, after returning to We heard desperate cries, which we soon realized were from
France. He continued to work by himself when the building of Erik. Christine seemed to be standing dumb with horror,
the Opera was stopped during the war. without the strength to cry out, while the monster was on his
I knew what this house was probably like because I had seen knees in front of her.
what he had done in Mazenderan. With his trap doors, the "You don't love me!" he cried three times.
monster was responsible for endless tragedies of all kinds. He Then, strangely, there was the sound of an electric bell. Erik
made unbelievable inventions, but the most curious and terrible got up and walked across the room. We heard a door close.
was the torture room. If the princess wanted someone killed, she Christine was now alone, behind the wall! The viscount called to
sent them to Erik's torture room. her," Christine! Christine!"
The room Monsieur Chagny and I dropped into was exactly Her faint voice reached us. "I am dreaming!" she said.
the same as Erik's previous torture room. At our feet was the Raoul told her that we were there to save her. She said that
Punjab rope which I had been worrying about all evening. I Erik had gone mad with love. He would kill everybody
suspected that it was this rope that killed Joseph Buquet, probably including himself if she did not agree to become his wife. He had
when he found Erik moving the stone in the third cellar. Erik told her that if her answer was no, everybody would be dead and
probably dragged Buquet's body to where it was found, and buried. He had given her until eleven o'clock the next evening
threw the rope down into the torture room to hide it. to think about it. She had to choose the music — wedding music
I am not a coward, but when I found it ... I felt sick. or funeral music.
Monsieur Chagny noticed and asked me what was wrong. I put I asked her if she knew where Erik had gone. She thought he
my finger to my lips to warn him to be silent. had left the house.

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