10 Madame Giry visits the Persian 
　  
　　For weeks，all Paris talked about that night at the opera．Everybody asked questions，but nobody knew the answers．Where was Christine Daaé？ Where was the Vi comte de Chagny？ Were they alive，or dead？ 
　　And the Phantom of the Opera…？ 
　　Some weeks after that famous night Madame Giry went out one afternoon to a small house near the Rivoli Gardens．She went in and up the stairs to some rooms at the top of the house．The Persian opened the door． 
　　Madame Giry looked at him．'My friend， you know the an swers．Please tell me．Are they alive or dead？' 
　　'Come in，'the Persian said quietly． 
　　They sat down on some chairs by the window，and looked out across the Rivoli Gardens． 
　　'Yes，'the Persian said slowly，'The Phantom is dead now．He did not want to live any longer．I saw his body three days ago，and because of that， I can talk to you about him．He can not kill me now．' 
　　'So the Phantom was really a man？' Madame Giry asked． 
　　'Yes，his name was Erik．That was not his real name，of course．He was born in France，but I knew him in Persia．He was a famous builder and I worked with him there．For a time I was his friend，but not for long．When he came to Paris， I came after him-I wanted to watch him. He was a very clever，very dangerous man．He could be in two，or three，places at the same time． He could be in one place，and his voice could come from another place．He could do many clever things with ropes，and mirrors，and secret doors．You see，he helped to build the Opera House．He built secret passages underground，and his secret house on the lake．He could not live in the outside world， because of his terrible， ugly face． Unhappy Erik！ We can feel sorry for him， Madame Giry．He was so clever…and so ugly．People screamed when they saw his face．And so he lived this strange life half-man，half-phantom．But he was a man，in the end．He wanted a woman's love…' 
　　He stopped，and Madame Giry asked quietly，'And Christine Daaé and Vicomte Raoul？What happened to them？' 
　　The Persian smiled．'Ah yes！What happened to young Raoul and the beautiful Christine…？Who knows？' 
　　　  
　　Nobody in Paris ever saw Raoul and Christine again.Perhaps they took a train to the north，and lived a quiet，happy life to gether there．Perhaps Christine's wonderful voice is still singing，somewhere in the cold and beautiful mountains of Norway．Who knows？ 
10．吉丽夫人拜访波斯人 
　  
　　几个星期以来，整个巴黎都在谈论歌剧院的那个夜晚。每个人都问这问那，但是没有人知道问题的答案。克丽斯廷·达埃哪儿去了？沙尼家族的子爵哪儿去了？他们是活着，还是死了？ 
　　还有那歌剧院的幽灵……？ 
　　在那个出名的夜晚过去几个星期以后的一天下午，吉丽夫人出门去了里沃利花园附近的一座小房子。她进门上了楼梯来到房子顶层的几个房间前，波斯人打开了房门。 
　　吉丽夫人看着他。“我的朋友，你知道结果。请告诉我，他们是活着还是死了？” 
　　“进来。”波斯人轻声说。 
　　他们在靠近窗口的椅子上坐下，看着窗外的里沃利花园。 
　　“是的，”波斯人缓缓地说，“那个幽灵现在已经死了。他不想再活下去了。我三天前见到了他的尸体，正因为如此，我才可以告诉你他的事。他现在不能杀我了。” 
　　“那么那个幽灵真的是一个男人吗？”吉丽夫人问。 
　　“对，他的名字叫埃里克。当然，那不是他的真名。他出生在法国，不过我是在波斯认识他的。他是一位著名的建筑师，我在那儿跟他工作。我一度是他的朋友，但是并不长久。当他来巴黎时，我跟随他来了——我想监视他。他是一个非常聪明、非常危险的人物。他能够同时在两个或三个地方出现。他能够做到身在一个地方，而他的声音来自另一个地力。他能利用绳子、镜子和秘密的门做许多巧妙的事情。你看，他帮助建造了歌剧院。他建造了地下秘密通道和他的湖上秘密居所。他不能生活在外面的世界，因为他的可怕、丑陋的脸。不幸的埃里克！我们为他感到难过，吉丽夫人。他是如此聪明……而又如此丑陋。人们看到他的脸就尖叫起来。所以他过着这种怪异的生活——半人半鬼。但是他终究是个男人。他需要女人的爱……” 
　　他话一停，吉丽夫人轻声问：“那克丽斯廷·达埃和拉乌尔子爵呢？他们怎么样了？” 
　　波斯人微笑着。“啊，对了！年轻的拉乌尔和美丽的克丽斯廷怎么样了……？谁知道呢？” 
　　　  
　　巴黎没有人再见过拉乌尔和克丽斯廷。也许他们坐上了北去的火车，在那里一起过着平静、快乐的生活。也许克丽斯廷那美妙的歌喉依然在歌唱，在挪威寒冷而美丽的山里的某一个地方。谁知道呢？  
　　　    


 