Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-06-20


/, The, End Of che ohesro cove storyss
tThe previous chapter mafks. the
conclusion OF the written narrative
which the Persian left behind him.
Notwithstauding the horrors OF q
situation which seemed definitely TO
abandon them 70 their deaths. NJ. de
Chagny and his companion were saved
by ths sublime devotion Of Christine
DaaS. And j had the rest Of the story
nom che fps of the daroga himself.
? When went 20 see him. he was
stiII living in his little nat in the
Rue de Riyoli. opposite the Tuileries.
He was very iii. and It required all
my ardor es an historian pledged to
the truth TO persuade him TO live the
Incredible tragedy over again for my
benefit. His faithful old servant Da-
RUS showed me In to him. The daroga
received me at a window overlooking
the garden Of the Tuileries. He still
had his magnificent eyes. but his poor
face looked very worn. He had shaved
the whole Of his head, which was
usually covered with an astrakhan
cap; he was dressed in long. plain
coat and amused himself by uncon-
sciously twisting his thumbs inside
the sleeves; but his mind was quite
clear, and he told me his story with
perfect lucidity.
II seems that, when he opened his
eyes, the daroga found himself lying
on a bed. M. de Chagny was on
sofa. beside the wardrobe. An angel
and q devil were watching over them.
After the receptions and illusions
of the torture-chamber, the precision
Of the details of that quiet little mid
dle-class room seemed to have been
invented for the express purpose OF
puzzling the mind of the mortal rash
enough to stray into that abode, OF
living nightmare. The wooden bed
stead, the waxed mahogany chairs,
the chest OF drawers, those brasses,
the little square antimacassars care
fully placed on the backs OF the chairs,
the clock on the mantelpiece and the
Misunderstanding ebony caskets at
either end, lastly, the whatnot filled
with shells, with red pin-cushions,
with mother-of-pearl boats and an
enormous ostrich-egg, the whole, dis
creetly lighted by shaded lamp
standing on o small round table: this
collection of ugly, peaceable, reason
able furniture, at the bottom Of the
opera cellars, bewildered the ima9ina-
ton more than all the late fantastic
happenings.
And the figure Of the masked man
seemed all the more formidable in
this old.fashioned, neat and trim lit
tie frame. 1t bent down over the Per
sian and said, in his ear:
Are you better, daroga? 49,.
You are looking at my furniturer
It is all that / have left OF
my poor unhappy mother"
Christine Daae did not say word;
she moved about noiselessly, Mka9a
sister OF charity, who had taken
vow Of silence. She brought cup OF
cordial, or Of hot tea, he did not re-
member which. The man in the mask
took 1t from her hands and gave it to
the Persian. M. de Chagny was stili
sleeping. "a
Erik poured drop Of rum into the
daroga's cup and, pointing to the via-
count, said:
HE came to himself long before
we knew II you were still alive.
daroga. He IL quite well. He -
asleep. We must not wake him" s.
Erik left the room for moment,
and the Persian raised himself on hts
elbow, looked around him and saw
Christine Daae sitting by the Preside.
He spoke to her, called her, but he
was still very weak and fell back on
his pillow. Christine came to hin.
laid her hand on his forehead and
went away again. And the Persian
remembered that, as she went, she did
not give a glance at M. de Chagny,
who, it is true, was sleeping peace
fully; and she sat down again in her
chair by the chimney-corner, silent as
a sister OF charity who had taken q
vow of silence.
Erik returned with some little bot
ties which he placed on the mantel-
piece. And, again In a whisper, 80 as
not to wake M. de Chagny, he said
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