erish voice. "You, who know Erik's
secrets and don't want me to speak of them. Who are you?"

"You know who I am! ... I am the Persian!"

Chapter XIX The Viscount and the Persian

Raoul now remembered that his brother had once shown him that
mysterious person, of whom nothing was known except that he was a
Persian and that he lived in a little old-fashioned flat in the Rue de
Rivoli.

The man with the ebony skin, the eyes of jade and the astrakhan cap
bent over Raoul.

"I hope, M. de Chagny," he said, "that you have not betrayed Erik's
secret?"

"And why should I hesitate to betray that monster, sir?" Raoul rejoined
haughtily, trying to shake off the intruder. "Is he your friend, by
any chance?"

"I hope that you said nothing about Erik, sir, because Erik's secret is
also Christine Daae's and to talk about one is to talk about the other!"

"Oh, sir," said Raoul, becoming more and more impatient, "you seem to
know about many things that interest me; and yet I have no time to
listen to you!"

"Once more, M. de Chagny, where are you going so fast?"

"Can not you guess? To Christine Daae's assistance..."

"Then, sir, stay here, for Christine Daae is here!"

"With Erik?"

"With Erik."

"How do you know?"

"I was at the performance and no one in the world but Erik could
contrive an abduction like that! ... Oh," he said, with a deep sigh, "I
recognized the monster's touch! ..."

"You know him then?"

The Persian did not reply, but heaved a fresh sigh.

"Sir," said Raoul, "I do not know what your intentions are, but can you
do anything to help me? I mean, to help Christine Daae?"

"I think so, M. de Chagny, and that is why I spoke to you."

"What can you do?"

"Try to take you to her ... and to him."

"If you can do me that service, sir, my life is yours! ... One word
more: the commissary of police tells me that Christine Daae has been
carried off by my brother, Count Philippe."

"Oh, M. de Chagny, I don't believe a word of it."

"It's not possible, is it?"

"I don't know if it is possible or not; but there are ways and ways of
carrying people off; and M. le Comte Philippe has never, as far as I
know, had anything to do with witchcraft."

"Your arguments are convincing, sir, and I am a fool! ... Oh, let us
make haste! I place myself entirely in your hands! ... How should I
not believe you, when you are the only one to believe me ... when you
are the only one not to smile when E