his presence without seeing him, they heard his breath, close, close, close to them! … They were sure that there were three people in the box. … They trembled. … They thought of running away. … They dared not. … They dared not make a movement or exchange a word that would have told the ghost that they knew that he was there! … What was going to happen?
This happened.
“ Co-ack! ”
Their joint exclamation of horror was heard all over the house. They felt that they were smarting under the ghost’s attacks.
Leaning over the ledge of their box, they stared at Carlotta as though they did not recognize her. That infernal girl must have given the signal for some catastrophe.
Ah, they were waiting for the catastrophe! The ghost had told them it would come! The house had a curse upon it! The two managers gasped and panted under the weight of the catastrophe.
Richard’s stifled voice was heard calling to Carlotta:
“Well, go on!”
No, Carlotta did not go on. … Bravely, heroically, she started afresh on the fatal line at the end of which the toad had appeared.
An awful silence succeeded the uproar. Carlotta’s voice alone once more filled the resounding house:
“I feel without alarm …”
The audience also felt, but not without alarm …
“I feel without alarm … I feel without alarm—