It was a snowy night when she was walking to the opera house. Her carriage had broken down on her way into town. Desperately needing to make it to the opera that night, she paid her coachman ten francs and ran furiously into the heart of Paris.
"I cannot believe this," she cursed, "all I wanted was to see this damn opera! What a fool I am making of myself. This is so uncivilized. So….unladylike!"
Finally reaching the gilded steps of the grand Opera Populaire, she stopped to catch her breath. After a few moments, she adjusted her cape, pressed her hair into place, wiped the tears from her freezing eyes, puckered her lips, and began her ascent up toward the grand doors. She could hear the muffled sounds of talking and the tuning of instruments. Wonderful! It has not yet began! Hardly being able to control her excitement, she walked through the galient doors and smiled daintily at the usher.
"Bonne Nuit Madamoiselle," he exclaimed recognizing her the moment she lifted her bold blue eyes to his face, "your box is this way." She regally nodded to him as he removed her black velvet cape and accepted his bent arm in order to escort her to her box. It did not feel the same since her father had died. Oh daddy…how I wish you were here with me right now.
As she neared the staircase, a familiar man hurriedly came towards her. Why did he have to be here tonight! I am sure he brought his precious Suzette with him.
" Merci, Monsier. I can walk alone from here." she said halting to a stop and allowing the usher to kiss her dainty white gloved hand.
"Enjoy the show, Mademoiselle." he said as he stood back upright and galiently walked down the staircase.
"Cecilia!" the hurried gentleman yelled running up to her and halting short of breath, "I just wanted to tell you that I am so sorry about Charles. He was a good and decent man. Unlike you Fredrick. She thought to herself. Are you alright? If there is anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call upon my home. My mother rather misses seeing your sweet face."
"Merci Fredrick for your sympathies..." she mournfully replied "I am quite alright. Please do give my best to Danielle and also to your beloved Suzette." He winced at the sound of Suzette's name rolling off of her tongue. "Bonne Nuit," she ended courteously as she began to enter her box.
The tears began to flow the moment she heard the red velvet curtain close. She was proud of herself for maintaining such composure in Fredrick's presence. Her father's memory and the sight of him in one night was almost too much for her to handle. She put her hand on her mouth to cover the low sobs she could not contain within. Mon Dieu, Cecilia. It has been over a year and still you cannot get over him! Come to your senses.
Her conscience was right. She had to forget about him. At least until the opera was over. She slowly began to reach composure again. Her flushed cheeks and red eyes began to sooth, and she adjusted her back to her usual ladylike posture once again. Her blue eyes were suddenly drawn to the stage. Oh how marvelous it looked decorated in deep fabrics of crimson and ebony. The entire room began to warm with the lighting of the stage lanterns properly setting the warm yet sinister mood of the Opera Populaire's newest opera Don Juan Triumphant.
Upon seeing Carlotta's presence on the stage, she frown in utter dismay. I thought they finally sacked her. After the embarrassment she was during the last opera, one would assume that she would never be able to sing in Paris again! Yet still, she was determined to enjoy this opera. This was her first opera completely alone. Opera, the one thing she had left in her life worth holding onto.
Finally, she thought. Diva Christine Daae is back. This might be worthwhile afterall.
Odd. Who is this man walking onto the stage? Certainly it isn't the famous tenor M. Piangi! She questioned flipping curiously through her program. Nonetheless, he certainly is dashing.
She watched attentively at the heat that began to generate during the duet. She began to become entranced with this new tenor. His words wrapping around her body calling her towards him. She moved to the edge of her seat in order to get a better look. She was so close to the balcony of her box, one more inch would cause her to fall into the also entranced crowd below. Her eyes were not blinking for hopes to not miss anything.
Suddenly, the diva removed the new tenor's mask. Hearing the crowd shriek in fear, she suddenly stirred from her trance. What are they screaming at? she questioned as she looked down into the crowd below completely missing the terror of the new tenor's face. Suddenly, she looked up again as the enormous chandelier started falling towards her box. She immediately tried to get out of her chair when it hit and broke her balcony sending her plummeting towards the ground of the audience below. During her fall, the balcony itself broke apart from the wall and too came crashing down just inches away from her unconscious body.
The whole audience was running for their loves towards the grand doors, while the stage actors were furiously screaming at the night of M. Piangi's strangled corpse. All the while, they tripped and trampled her poor unconscious body. Even the sympathetic Fredrick was too busy ensuring his bride's safety to notice the badly bruised Cecilia laying helplessly on the ground.
As the opera house slowly began to quiet, Cecilia stirred briefly to see the shadows of a young man and an older woman hurrying toward the back of the stage. She could make out a faint whisper "Come with me monsieur" before she again lost consciousness.