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Monsieur Richard and Monsieur Moncharmin continued to manage the Opera House. They investigated Box 5, but there was nothing unusual in it. They began to think the story of the ghost was finished. Then, one day they received another letter in the same handwriting.

Gentlemen,

Do you want a war between us? If you want peace, you must meet the following conditions:

1. Give back box 5

2. Christine Daae must sing the role of Margherita tonight

3. My box-keeper must return to work

4. You must pay me my money every month

If you do not do these things, I will put a curse① on tonight performance of Faust!

'I'm sick of② this ghost!' exclaimed Monsieur Richard impatiently.

There were other problems as well. The head groom③ of the Opera came to make a report.

'Someone has stolen one of the horses,' he said. 'I think it was the ghost.'

'Ghost!' cried Monsieur Richard. 'Why do you think the ghost took the horse?'

'I saw a dark figure riding the horse away in the darkness.

I'm sure it was the ghost.'

While the managers were considering the mystery of the stolen horse, one of the Opera's singers was reading a strange letter written in red ink.

Dear Carlotta,

If you sing at tonight's performance of Faust, there will be a tragedy. It will be worse than death.

Carlotta read the letter thoughtfully④. She knew that if she did not sing that night, Christine would sing in her place —and she was jealous of Christine. The letter made her nervous, but she was determined⑤ to sing at the performance of Faust.

The Opera House was crowded for the performance. The two managers waited for the performance to begin. They were sitting comfortably in Box 5.

Carlotta was still a little nervous, but she began to sing as usual. She received a lot of applause⑥. Soon she forgot the mysterious letter. She gave all her thought to her singing.

Suddenly, in the middle of a difficult passage⑦, Carlotta's voice changed.

'Croak⑧!'

She sounded exactly like a frog⑨ croaking. She was astonished at the noise she had made, and she stood in horror on the stage. The audience, too, was shocked. There was a terrible, stunned⑩ silence in the huge auditorium⑪. Everyone felt that some kind of terrible magic was responsible for the incident. There was fear in the Opera House audience.

The two managers in Box 5 sat perfectly still⑫. They were very pale and they looked terrified. They could hear the ghost breathing behind their chairs, and they did not dare to move.

Then Monsieur Richard recovered his courage.

'Go on,' he cried to the unfortunate Carlotta. 'Go on, try again!'

The poor singer took a deep breath, and tried to sing again.

She sang half a line, but then the terrible noise came from her again.

'Croak!'

The managers were in despair⑬. Then the breathing behind them changed, and they heard a voice whisper:

'She will make the chandelier⑭ fall down with her singing.'

Monsieur Richard and Monsieur Moncharmin looked up at the great chandelier in horror. The huge chandelier began to fall, slowly at first. Then it crashed into the audience. There were screams of terror, and the crowd ran away from the Opera House.

A woman was killed that night.

旺

财

旺

福

Words

① I will put a curse on：我要诅咒。

② I'm sick of：我已经受够了。

③ groom：马车夫。

④ thoughtfully：仔细的。

⑤ determined：坚决。

⑥ applause：鼓掌喝彩。

⑦ passage：乐章立的一小段。

⑧ croak：青蛙的叫声。

⑨ frog：青蛙。

⑩ stunned：震惊的。

⑪ auditorium：观众席。

⑫ still：不动。

⑬ in despair：绝望。

⑭ chandelier: 吊灯。

“占坑式辩护”，侵犯了谁？

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