On the other hand, I soon discovered the curious moral traffic
established between the monster and Christine Daae. Hiding in the
lumber-room next to the young prima donna's dressing-room, I listened
to wonderful musical displays that evidently flung Christine into
marvelous ecstasy; but, all the same, I would never have thought that
Erik's voice--which was loud as thunder or soft as angels' voices, at
will--could have made her forget his ugliness. I understood all when I
learned that Christine had not yet seen him! I had occasion to go to
the dressing-room and, remembering the lessons he had once given me, I
had no difficulty in discovering the trick that made the wall with the
mirror swing round and I ascertained the means of hollow bricks and so
on--by which he made his voice carry to Christine as though she heard
it close beside her. In this way also I discovered the road that led
to the well and the dungeon--the Communists' dungeon--and also the
trap-door that enabled Erik to go straight to the cellars below the
stage.
A few days later, what was not my amazement to learn by my own eyes and
ears that Erik and Christine Daae saw each other and to catch the
monster stooping over the little well, in the Communists' road and
sprinkling the forehead of Christine Daae, who had fainted. A white
horse, the horse out of the PROFETA, which had disappeared from the
stables under the Opera, was standing quietly beside them. I showed
myself. It was terrible. I saw sparks fly from those yellow eyes and,
before I had time to say a word, I received a blow on the head that
stunned me.
When I came to myself, Erik, Christine and the white horse had
disappeared. I felt sure that the poor girl was a prisoner in the
house on the lake. Without hesitation, I resolved to return to the
bank, notwithstanding the attendant danger. For twenty-four hours, I
lay in wait for the monster to appear; for I felt that he must go out,
driven by the need of obtaining provisions. And, in this connection, I
may say, that, when he went out in the streets or ventured to show
himself in public, he wore a pasteboard nose, with a mustache attached
to it, instead of his own horrible hole of a nose. This did not quite
take away his corpse-like air, but it made him almost, I say almost,
endurable to look at.
I therefore watched on the bank of the lake and, weary of long waiting,
was beginning to think that he had gone through the other door, the
door in the third cellar, when I heard a slight splashing in the dark,
I saw the two yellow eyes shining like candles and soon the boat
touched shore. Erik jumped out and walked up to me: "You've been here for twenty-four hours," he said, "and you're annoying
me. I tell you, all this will end very badly. And you will have
brought it upon yourself; for I have been extraordinarily patient with
you. You think you are following me, you great booby, whereas it's I
who am following you; and I know all that you know about me, here. I
spared you yesterday, in MY COMMUNISTS' ROAD; but I warn you,
seriously, don't let me catch you there again! Upon my word, you don't
seem able to take a hint!"