"Christine, I love you..."
As the boat drifted away, Christine looked up at Raoul, then back at the labyrinth. Tears stung her eyes. Another mournful "I love you" floated over the lake and echoed against the walls of the cellars. She glanced down at her hand, at the pale stripe where the ring had been, and suddenly felt horribly, sickeningly guilty.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.." she whispered.
Raoul heard her and smiled, misunderstanding. Christine did not look at him. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't there.
"Say the word and I will follow you.."
Raoul turned her face up to his. "Share each day with me.."
Christine was still looking at the lair. "Each night.."
She and Raoul whispered the same words at once:
"Each morning.."
An enormous, despairing cry rose out of the lair. Unable to control herself any longer, Christine stood up, kissed Raoul's cheek, pulled up her skirt, and jumped into the lake.
"Christine!" Raoul cried out.
Christine's head came up from under the freezing water.
"I'm sorry, Raoul!" she told him. "Look happy, look happy! There will be another! Row off!"
Puzzled and wondering about Christine's sanity, Raoul rowed on. Christine blew hima a kiss and swam toward the opposite shore, the train of her ruined wedding gown floating behind her. When she arrived in the lair, Erik was still stroking the veil. He was crying.
He looked up. In spite of being soaking wet and shivering, Christine smiled at him.
Too stunned for words, Erik set the veil down, crossed to her, put the ring back on her finger, and put his arm around her shoulder.
Ignoring the sound of the mob overhead, they walked off into the darkness together.
Neither was ever found.
As the boat drifted away, Christine looked up at Raoul, then back at the labyrinth. Tears stung her eyes. Another mournful "I love you" floated over the lake and echoed against the walls of the cellars. She glanced down at her hand, at the pale stripe where the ring had been, and suddenly felt horribly, sickeningly guilty.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.." she whispered.
Raoul heard her and smiled, misunderstanding. Christine did not look at him. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't there.
"Say the word and I will follow you.."
Raoul turned her face up to his. "Share each day with me.."
Christine was still looking at the lair. "Each night.."
She and Raoul whispered the same words at once:
"Each morning.."
An enormous, despairing cry rose out of the lair. Unable to control herself any longer, Christine stood up, kissed Raoul's cheek, pulled up her skirt, and jumped into the lake.
"Christine!" Raoul cried out.
Christine's head came up from under the freezing water.
"I'm sorry, Raoul!" she told him. "Look happy, look happy! There will be another! Row off!"
Puzzled and wondering about Christine's sanity, Raoul rowed on. Christine blew hima a kiss and swam toward the opposite shore, the train of her ruined wedding gown floating behind her. When she arrived in the lair, Erik was still stroking the veil. He was crying.
He looked up. In spite of being soaking wet and shivering, Christine smiled at him.
Too stunned for words, Erik set the veil down, crossed to her, put the ring back on her finger, and put his arm around her shoulder.
Ignoring the sound of the mob overhead, they walked off into the darkness together.
Neither was ever found.