Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-24
CHAPTER XXI.
In the Torture Chamber.

Z me PerSian'S Narrative Continued.
We were in the middle OF a little .
igix-cornered room. the sides OF which |
were covered with mirrors from top |
10 bottom. In the corners, we could .
clearly see the ''joins" in the glasses. |
the segnents intended 10 turn on !
their gear; yes, ] recognized them |
and ] recognized the iron tree in the
corner. al the bottom OF one OF those ]
eegments the iron tree, with
"a iron branch. for the hanged men. (
1 seized my companions arm: the
fVicomte de Chagny was all a-quiver.
eager 70 shout 10 his betrothed that
ihe was bringing her help. feared
that he would not be able 10 contain
himself.
Suddenly, We heard a noise on our
left II sounded at first like q door
opening and shutting in the next
room, and then there was a dull
moan clutched NJ. de Chaguys
arm more firmly st!ll; and then we
distinctly heard these words:
You must make your choice! The
wedding mass or the requiem mass"
! recognized the voice OF the mon
Bter.
There was another moan, followed
BY long silence.
/ was persuaded by now that the
monster was unaware OF our pres
ence In his house. for otherwise ne
would certainly have managed not TO
let us hear him. He would only have
had to close the little invisible win
dow through which the torture-lovers
book down into the tortuEe-chamber
Resides, / was certain that. II he had
known OF our presence the tortures
would have begun at once.
The important thing was not TO let
him know, and ! dreaded nothing 30
much as dhe impulsiveness OF the
Vicomte de Chagny. who wanted TO
rush through the walls to Christine
Daae, whose means we continued TO
hear at intervals.
The requiem mass is not at all
gay" Erik's voice resumed. whereas
the wedding mass-you can take my
word for it's magnificent. You
must take a resolution and know your
own mind, ] cant 90 on living like
this, like d mole In a burrow, Don
Juan Triumphant is finished; and
now ] want to live like everybody
else. want to have a wife like
everybody else and 10 take her out
on Sundays. / have invented a mask
that makes me look like anybody.
People will not even turn round in
the streets. You will be the happiest
OF women. And we will sing, all by
ourselves, till We swoon away with
delight You are crying! You are
afraid OF me! And yet / am not real
~ wicked. Love me and you shah
see! All / wanted was to be loved
for myself II you loved me / should
be as gentle as lamb: and you could
do anything with me that you
BAsased."
Soon the means that accompanied
Ais sort OF loves ntany increased
and increased. / have never heard
anything more despairing; and NJ do
Chagny and ! recognized that thi.
terrible lamentation came from Eril
Aimself Christine seemed to b,
standing dumb with horror, without
the strength to cry oIt, while tn,
monster was on his knees before her
Three times over. Erik tercely be
walled his. fate:
You don't love me! You don
love me! You don't love mel"
And then, more gently:
why 90 you cry? You know 4
gives me pain to see you cry"
A silence.
Each silence gave US fresh hope
We said 70 ourselves:
WDarhana. h.
hind the wall"
And we thought only OF the posi-
bility OF warning Christine Daae o
our presence. unknown TO the mon
Ster. We were unable to leave tn
torture-chamber now. unless Chris
tine opened the door TO us; and
: was only on this condition that W.
could hope to help her. for We di,
not even know where the door nigh
be-
Suddenly. the silence in the mex
room was disturbed by the ringing q
an electric bell. There was a boun
on the other side OF the wall an,
Eriks voice OF thunder:
Somebody ringing. Walk IN
please"
A sinister chuckle.
Who has come bothering now
Wait for me here. am goin
70 tell the siren 10 open the door"
Steps moved away. s door closed
had no time 20 think OF the fires
horror that was preparing: forge
that the monster was only going ou
perhaps to perpetrate a fresh crime
understood but one thing: Christin
vas alone behind the WALL
The Vicomte de Chagny was a
ready calling TO her:
Christine Christine,"
AS We could hear what was said
the next room. there was no reaso
Why my companion should not b
heard In his turn. Nevertheless. tn
viscOunt had to repeat his cry tim
after time.
At last. a faint voice reached Us.
\ RD dreaminE!" II aaiA