But here that toad was incomprehensible! So much so that, after some
seconds spent in asking herself if she had really heard that note, that
sound, that infernal noise issue from her throat, she tried to persuade
herself that it was not so, that she was the victim of an illusion, an
illusion of the ear, and not of an act of treachery on the part of her
voice....
Meanwhile, in Box Five, Moncharmin and Richard had turned very pale.
This extraordinary and inexplicable incident filled them with a dread
which was the more mysterious inasmuch as for some little while, they
had fallen within the direct influence of the ghost. They had felt his
breath. Moncharmin's hair stood on end. Richard wiped the
perspiration from his forehead. Yes, the ghost was there, around them,
behind them, beside them; they felt his presence without seeing him,
they heard his breath, close, close, close to them! ... They were sure
that there were three people in the box ... They trembled ... They
thought of running away ... They dared not ... They dared not make a
movement or exchange a word that would have told the ghost that they
knew that he was there! ... What was going to happen?
This happened.
"Co-ack!" Their joint exclamation of horror was heard all over the
house. THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE SMARTING UNDER THE GHOST'S ATTACKS.
Leaning over the ledge of their box, they stared at Carlotta as though
they did not recognize her. That infernal girl must have given the
signal for some catastrophe. Ah, they were waiting for the
catastrophe! The ghost had told them it would come! The house had a
curse upon it! The two managers gasped and panted under the weight of
the catastrophe. Richard's stifled voice was heard calling to Carlotta: "Well, go on!"
No, Carlotta did not go on ... Bravely, heroically, she started afresh
on the fatal line at the end of which the toad had appeared.
An awful silence succeeded the uproar. Carlotta's voice alone once
more filled the resounding house: "I feel without alarm ..."
The audience also felt, but not without alarm. ..
"I feel without alarm ...
I feel without alarm--co-ack!
With its melody enwind me--co-ack!
And all my heart sub--co-ack!"
The toad also had started afresh!
The house broke into a wild tumult. The two managers collapsed in
their chairs and dared not even turn round; they had not the strength;
the ghost was chuckling behind their backs! And, at last, they
distinctly heard his voice in their right ears, the impossible voice,
the mouthless voice, saying: "SHE IS SINGING TO-NIGHT TO BRING THE CHANDELIER DOWN!"
With one accord, they raised their eyes to the ceiling and uttered a
terrible cry. The chandelier, the immense mass of the chandelier was
slipping down, coming toward them, at the call of that fiendish voice.
Released from its hook, it plunged from the ceiling and came smashing
into the middle of the stalls, amid a thousand shouts of terror. A
wild rush for the doors followed.