People pushed him aside, laughing. They made fun of him. They thought the poor lover’s brain was gone!

By what mad road, through what passages of mystery and darkness known to him alone had Erik dragged that pure-souled child to the awful haunt, with the Louis-Philippe room, opening out on the lake?

“Christine! Christine!⁠ ⁠… Why don’t you answer?⁠ ⁠… Are you alive?⁠ ⁠…”

Hideous thoughts flashed through Raoul’s congested brain. Of course, Erik must have discovered their secret, must have known that Christine had played him false. What a vengeance would be his!