, I don't know what I am talking about! But you would
have lots of fun with me. For instance, I am the greatest
ventriloquist that ever lived, I am the first ventriloquist in the
world! ... You're laughing ... Perhaps you don't believe me? Listen."

The wretch, who really was the first ventriloquist in the world, was
only trying to divert the child's attention from the torture-chamber;
but it was a stupid scheme, for Christine thought of nothing but us!
She repeatedly besought him, in the gentlest tones which she could
assume:

"Put out the light in the little window! ... Erik, do put out the light
in the little window!"

For she saw that this light, which appeared so suddenly and of which
the monster had spoken in so threatening a voice, must mean something
terrible. One thing must have pacified her for a moment; and that was
seeing the two of us, behind the wall, in the midst of that resplendent
light, alive and well. But she would certainly have felt much easier
if the light had been put out.

Meantime, the other had already begun to play the ventriloquist. He
said:

"Here, I raise my mask a little ... Oh, only a little! ... You see my
lips, such lips as I have? They're not moving! ... My mouth is
closed--such mouth as I have--and yet you hear my voice... Where will
you have it? In your left ear? In your right ear? In the table? In
those little ebony boxes on the mantelpiece? ... Listen, dear, it's in
the little box on the right of the mantelpiece: what does it say?
'SHALL I TURN THE SCORPION?' ... And now, crack! What does it say in
the little box on the left? 'SHALL I TURN THE GRASSHOPPER?' ... And
now, crack! Here it is in the little leather bag ... What does it
say? 'I AM THE LITTLE BAG OF LIFE AND DEATH!' ... And now, crack! It
is in Carlotta's throat, in Carlotta's golden throat, in Carlotta's
crystal throat, as I live! What does it say? It says, 'It's I, Mr.
Toad, it's I singing! I FEEL WITHOUT ALARM--CO-ACK--WITH ITS MELODY
ENWIND ME--CO-ACK!' ... And now, crack! It is on a chair in the
ghost's box and it says, 'MADAME CARLOTTA IS SINGING TO-NIGHT TO BRING
THE CHANDELIER DOWN!' ... And now, crack! Aha! Where is Erik's voice
now? Listen, Christine, darling! Listen! It is behind the door of
the torture-chamber! Listen! It's myself in the torture-chamber! And
what do I say? I say, 'Woe to them that have a nose, a real nose, and
come to look round the torture-chamber! Aha,