The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-07-11

IL.
Christine and ! will go and have a
look round. Then you can hide in
the lumber-room and you shall see
Christine, who will have gone to her
dressing-room, delighted TO come back
by the Communists road. :.
And, now, be off, for 1 must go and
do some shopping"
To my intense establishment, things
happened as he had announced. Chris
tine Daae left the house on the lake
and returned to 1t several times, with
out, apparently, being forced to do so.
1t was very difficult for me to clear
my mind of Erik. However, | resolved
to be extremely prudent, and did not
make the mistake of returning to the
shore of the lake, or of going by the
Communists road. But the idea of
the secret entrance in the third cellar
haunted me, and | repeatedly went
and waited for hours behind scene
from the Roi de Lahore, which had
been left there for some reason or
other. At last my patience was re-
warded. One day, | saw the monster
| come toward me, on his knees. l was
certain that he could not see me. He
passed between the scene behind
which | stood and a set piece, went
to the wall and pressed on spring
| that moved a stone and afforded him
an ingress. He passed through this.
and the stone closed behind him.
/ waited for at least thirty minutes
| and then pressed the spring in my
turn. Everything happened as with
Erik But | was careful not to go
through the hole myself, for l knew
that Erik was inside On the other
hand, the idea that I might be caught
by Erik suddenly made me think OF
the death Of Joseph Buquet. | did not
wish to jeopardize the advantages OF
so great a discovery which might be
useful to many people, ito goodly
| number of the human race" in Erik's
| words; and | left the cellars OF the
opera after carefully replacing the
stone.
I continued to be greatly interested
in the relations between Erik and
| Christine Daae, not from any morbid
| curiosity, but because of the terrible
| thought which obsessed my mind that
Erik was capable of anything, If he
| once discovered that he was not loved
| for his own sake, as he imagined. 1
| continued to wander, very cautiously
| about the opera and soon learned the
| truth about the monsters dreary love
| affair
He filled ChristiEe's mind, through
| the terror with, which he inspired her,
| but the dear child's heart belonged
| wholly to the Vicomte Raoul de Cnag-
| ny. While they played about, like an
| innocent engaged couple, on the up
per floors Of the opera, to avoid the
monster, they little suspected that
some one was watching over them.
was prepared to do anything; to kill
the monster, If necessary, and ex-
plain to the police afterward. But
Erik did not show HIMSELF and [ felt
none the more comfortable for that.
I must explain my whole plan. L
thought tit the monster, being driven
from his house by jealousy, would
thus enable me 70 enter it, without
third cellar It was important. for
everybody's sake, that | should know
exactly what was inside. One day,
tired OF waiting for an opportunity,
I moved the stone and at once heard
an astounding music: the monster
was working at his Don Juan Tr1-
umphant, with every door in his
house wide open. l knew that this
was the work of his life. | was care
full not to stir and remained pru-
IDENTIFY in my dark hole.
He stopped playing, for a moment,
and began walking about his place,
like a mailman. And he said aloud,
at the top of his voice:
1T must be finished first! Quite
finished"
This speech was not calculated to
reassure me and, when the music
recommended, | closed the stone very
softly.
On the day OF the abduction of
Christine Daae, | did not come to the
theater until rather late in the eve
ming. trembling lest / should hear
bad news. | had spent horrible day,
for. after reading in a morning paper
the announcement of a forthcoming
marriage between Christine and the
Vicomte de Chagny, | wondered
whether, after all, | should not do
better and den ounce the monster. But
reason returned to me, and | was
persuaded that this action could only
precipitate a possible catastrophe.
When my cab set me down before
the opera, | was really almost as
tonished to see it still standing! But
I am something of a fatalist, like all
good Orientals, and 1 entered ready
for anything.
Christine Daae's abduction in the
Prison Act, which naturally surprised
everybody, found me prepared. | was
quite certain that she had been Jug
gled away by Erik, that prince Of
conjurors. And | thought positively
that this was the end of Christine
and perhaps of everybody, SO much
so that / thought of advising all these
people who were staying On at the
theater to make good their escape. [
felt, however, that they would be sure
to look upon me- as mad and l re-
Trained.
On the other hand, resolved to act
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