Gilpin observer., 1913-07-10


thought exceedingly humorous.
mo, sir, it was M. Maniera him
SELF So"
But you have spoken to the ghost,
my good lady?'
las I'm speaking to you now. my
good sir!" Name Giry replied.
And when the ghost speaks to you,
what does he say?"
We'll, he tells me to bring him a
footstool!"
This time. Richard burst out laugh
ing. as did Moncharmin and Remy,
the secretary. Only the inspector,
warned by experience. was careful not
to laugh, while Name Giry ventured
to adopt an attitude that was positive
ly threatening.
Instead OF laughing" she cried In
dignantly. you'd do better to do as M.
Poligny did, who found out for him
SELF"
Found out about what?" asked
Moncharmin, who had never been SO
much amused in his life.
About the ghost, of course!
Look here
She suddenly calmed herself, feel.
ing that this was a solemn moment in
her life:
Look here" she repeated, They
were playing La Juive. M. Poligny
thought he would watch the perform.
ance from the ghosts box. Well,
when Leopold cries. Let US ny!'-you
know-and Eleazer stops them and
says, Whittier go ye? well,
M. Poligny-I was watching him from
the back OF the next box, which was
empty-M. Poligny got up and walked
out quite stifly, like a statue, and be.
fore l had time to ask him, Whittier
90 ye? like Eleazer, he was down the
staircase. but without breaking his
leg.
still, that doesn't let US know how
the opera ghost came to ask you for
a footstool." insisted M. Moncharmin.
We'll, from that evening. no one
tried to take the ghosts private box
from him. The manager gave orders
that he was to have it at each per-
formance. And, whenever he came.
he asked me for footstool."
Tut, tut! A ghost asking for a
footstool! Then this ghost Of yours
is a woman?"
mo. the ghost is a man.
How do you known"
He has a mans voice, oh, such a
lovely mans voice! This is what
happens: When he comes to the
opera, it's usually in the middle OF
the first act. He gives three little
taps on the door OF Box Five. The
first time l heard those three taps.
when / knew there was no one in
the box, you can think how puzzled /
was! l opened the door. listened,
looked; nobody! And then heard a
voice say. Name Jules'-my poor
husbands name was Jules-'a foot
stool, please Saving your presence,
gentlemen, it made me feel all-over-
ish like. But the voice went on.
Don't be frightened, Name Jules, I'm
the opera ghost!' And the voice was
SO soft and kind that l hardly felt
frightened. The voice was sitting in
the corner chair. on the right, in the
front row."
Was there any one in the box on
the right of Box F1ve?" asked Mon
charmin.
mo; Box Seven. and Box Three, the
one on the left. were both empty. The
curtain had only Just gone up"
And what did you do?"
We'll. l brought the footstool. or
course, it wasn't for himself he want
ed it. but for his lady! But l never
heard her nor saw her.
"Eh? What? So now the ghost is
married." The eyes Of the two man
ayers travelled from Name Giry to
the inspector. who. standing behind
the box-keeper, was waving his arms
to attract their attention. He tapped
his forehead with distressful fore
finger. to convey his opinion that the
widow Jules Giry was most certainly
mad, a piece Of pantomime which
confirmed M. Richard in his determi-
nation to get rid of an inspector who
kept lunatic In his service.
AT the end of the performance, he
always gives me two francs. some
times five, sometimes even ten, when
he has been many days without COM
ing. Only. since people have begun
to annoy him again. he gives me
nothing at all. :"
Excuse me, my good woman said
Moncharmin. while Name Giry tossed
the feathers in her dingy hat at this
persistent familiarity. excuse me.
how does the ghost manage to give
you your two francs?
why. he leaves them on the little
shelf in the box. OF course. | find
them with the program. which | al
ways give him. Some evenings,
find flowers in the box, rose that
must have dropped from his lady's
bodice for he brings a lady
with him sometimes; one day, they
left fan behind them"
"Oh. the ghost left a fan. did he?
And what did you do with IT."
We'll. brought 1t back to the box