When the lights came on， Raoul ran．He ran down stairs and along passages，through the Opera House to the back of the stage．In the passage outside Christine's dressing room，a hand took his arm． 'What's the matter，my young friend？Where are you run ning to，so quickly？'

　　Raoul turned and saw the long face of the Persian under his black hat．

　　'Christine！'Raoul said quickly．'Erik's got her．Where is she？Help me！ How do I get to his house on the lake？'

　　'Come with me，'said the Persian．They went quickly into Christine's dressing－room.The Persian closed the door and went to the big mirror on one wall．

　　'There's only one door into this room，'Raoul began．

　　'Wait，'the Persian said．He put his hands on the big mirror， first here， then there．For a minute nothing happened．Then the mirror began to move and turn，and a big dark hole opened in it．Raoul stared．

　　'Quick！Come with me，but be careful，'the Persian said．'I know Erik．I understand his secrets．Put your right hand up near your head，like this，and keep it there all the time．' 'But why？'Raoul asked．

　　'Remember Joseph Buquet，and the rope around his neck？Erik is a clever man with ropes in the dark．'

　　They went down， down， down，under the Opera House．They went through secret doors in the floors， then along pas sages and down dark stairs. The Persian listened carefully all the time for strange noises．

　　'When do we get to the lake？' Raoul whispered．

　　'We're not going by the lake．Erik watches it all the time．No，we go round the lake and get into Erik's house from the back．I know some secret doors．'

　　Soon they were there．In the dark，the Persian felt the wall carefully with his hands．'Ah，here it is，'he whispered．The wall moved under his hands and a small door opened．Very qui etly，they went through，and then the door closed behind them． They could not get out．

　　Inside the room it was very dark．They waited and listened．The Persian put his hands on the wall．

　　'Oh no！'he whispered．'It was the wrong door！ This is Erik's torture room-the room of mirrors！We are dead men，Vicomte de Chagny，dead men！'

　　At first Raoul did not understand．But he soon learnt．The lights came on， and they heard a man's laugh．Erik knew they were there．

　　The room was all mirrors-walls，floor，ceiling．There were pictures in the mirrors of trees and flowers and rivers. The pic tures moved and danced in front of their eyes． And the room was hot． It got hotter and hotter and hotter．Raoul was thirsty，hot and thirsty，and the rivers in the pictures danced and laughed at him．He closed his eyes，but the rivers still danced．Water，he needed water，but the mirrors laughed at him．Soon he could not move or speak， or open his eyes．He was not thirsty now，just tired，so tired．'Oh Christine， I'm sorry，'he thought．'I wanted to help you，and now I'm dying…'

　　Through a mirror in the wall Christine watched her lover in the torture room．Behind her Erik stood，with his hands on her arms．

　　'He's dying，Christine，dying．Watch him carefully．No，don't close your eyes．Watch him！'

　　Christine could not speak．She wanted to scream，but no words came．Then she found her voice again．

　　How can you do this，Erik！ Why don't you kill me？'

　　'Because I love you，Christine．Marry me，be my wife，and love me．Then Raoul and the Persian can live．'

　　Slowly，Christine turned．She looked into Erok's terrible，ug ly face，and spoke again，very quietly．

　　'Yes，Erik．From this minute I am your wife．'She put her arms around Erik's neck，and kissed him-kissed him slowly and lovingly on his ugly mouth．Then she took her arms away and said slowly，'Poor，unhappy Erik．'

　　Erik stared at her．You kissed me! he whispered．' I didn't ask you，but you kissed me-freely！Oh Christine，my angel！That was my first kiss from a woman．Even my mother never kissed mee! She gave me my first mask when I was two years old．She turned her face away from me every time I came near her.'

　　Erik put his ugly face in his hands and cried．Then he went down on the floor at Christine's feet．'You are free，Christine，free！Go away and marry your Raoul，and be happy．But re member Erik，sometimes．Go now，quickly！Take Raoul and the Persian，and go！'

　　9．湖面上的房子

　　当灯亮起的时候，拉乌尔跑了。他跑下楼梯，沿着走廊，穿过歌剧院来到舞台的背后。在克丽斯廷的化妆室的门外的走廊上，一只手抓住了他的手臂。

　　“怎么了，我的年轻的朋友？你跑得这么快要去哪儿？”

　　拉乌尔转过身来看到了那张黑色帽子下的波斯人的长脸。

　　“克丽斯廷！”拉乌尔急急地说，“埃里克把她掳走了。她在哪里？帮帮我！我怎么去他湖上的房子？”

　　“跟我来。”波斯人说。他们飞快地进了克丽斯廷的化妆室。波斯人把门关上，朝墙上的那面大镜子走去。

　　“进这个房间只有一扇门啊。”拉乌尔忍不住说。

　　“等一会儿，”波斯人说。他把手放在大镜子上，先从这儿，再从那儿。过了一会儿并没有什么动静。接着镜子开始转动起来，里面出现了一个大的黑洞。拉乌尔目瞪口呆。

　　“快！跟我来，不过小心点，”波斯人说，“我了解埃里克。我知道他的秘密。把你的右手举起来靠近你的头，像这样，并且要一直保持那样。”

　　“这是为什么？”拉乌尔问。

　　“还记得约瑟夫·比凯和绕在他脖子上的绳子吗？埃里克是个聪明人，善于在黑暗中使用绳子。”

　　他们往歌剧院的底下走，往下，一直往下。他们通过一层层密门，接着沿着走廊走下黑暗的楼梯。波斯人一直仔细倾听着有无异样的声音。

　　“我们什么时候才能到湖边？”拉乌尔轻声问。

　　“我们不从湖上走。埃里克一直在那儿看守着。不，我们绕过那湖从背后进入埃里克的房子。我知道一些秘密的门。”

　　不久他们到了那里。黑暗中，波斯人用手仔细地在墙上摸索。“啊，在这里。”他低声道。墙在他手下动起来并且出现了一道小门。他们脚步很轻地走进去，然后门在他们的身后关上了。他们不能出去了。

　　房间里很黑。他们等待着、倾听着。波斯人把手放到墙上。

　　“哦，不对！”他低声道，“我们走错了一道门！这是埃里克的拷问室——那个都是镜子的房间！我们成了死人了，沙尼家族的子爵，死人！”

　　一开始拉乌尔还没有明白是怎么回事，但是不久他就意识到了。灯亮了，而且他们听到一个男人的笑声。埃里克知道他们在那里。

　　这个房间里全是镜子——墙，地板，天花板。镜子里有树、鲜花、河流的图画。这些图画在他们的眼前跳动着。而且房间里热烘烘的。它变得越来越热。拉乌尔觉得渴，又热又渴，而图画上的河流跳动着仿佛在嘲笑他。他闭上眼睛，但是河流依旧在晃动着。水，他需要水，但是镜子在嘲笑他。不久他就不能动不能说话，也不能睁眼了。他现在不觉得渴了，只觉得累，累极了。“哦！克丽斯廷，对不起，”他想，“我想帮助你，而现在我快要死了……”

　　透过墙里的镜子克丽斯廷看着在拷问室里的她的情人。她的身后站着埃里克，他的双手放在她的手臂上。

　　“他快要死了，克丽斯廷，快要死了。仔细地看着他。不，不许闭上眼睛，看着他！”

　　克丽斯廷说不出话来。她想尖叫，但发不出声音。接着她发现自己又能说话了。

　　“你怎么能这样做，埃里克！你为什么不杀了我？”

　　“因为我爱你，克丽斯廷。和我结婚吧，做我的妻子，并且爱我。这样拉乌尔和波斯人就能活下来。”

　　慢慢地，克丽斯廷转过身来。她看着埃里克那可怕、丑陋的脸，又一次开口说话了，非常温和地说。

　　“好的，埃里克。从这一刻起我就是你的妻子了。”她张开双臂搂住埃里克的脖子，并且吻了他——缓慢地充满爱意地吻了他那丑陋的嘴。随后她放下手臂缓缓地说：“可怜的不幸的埃里克。”

　　埃里克凝视着她。“你吻了我！”他轻声道，“我没有要求你，但是你吻了我——自愿地！哦！克丽斯廷，我的天使！这是我从女人那儿得到的第一个吻。即便我的母亲也从来没有吻过我！当我2岁的时候，她给了我第一个面罩。每次我走近她，她都把脸从我那儿转开去。”

　　埃里克把他那丑陋的脸埋进双手哭了起来。随后他伏到克丽斯廷的脚下。“你自由了，克丽斯廷，自由了！去和你的拉乌尔结婚吧，祝你们快乐。不过有的时候不要忘记埃里克。现在就走吧，快！带上拉乌尔和波斯人，走吧！”