The Trials and Tribulations of Raoul
What if Raoul had decided to go after Christine without the help of the Persian?
Raoul rushed out of the auditorium as soon as Christine was snatched off the
stage. He knew it was that monster that had done, the demon who called to Christine from
her dressing room for voice lessons. He was resolute to save her from his evil clutches,
even if it meant risking his own precious life for her.
He made his way to Christine's dressing room. The mirror stood out menacingly
before him and he became a bit scared. It looked like a giant mouth ready to swallow him
up alive. Raoul unconsciously stepped backward and into the closed door.
"Who closed the door?" He wondered aloud, forgetting that he himself had shut
the door on the way in. Shaking his head, he moved closer to the mirror.
"Now, I wonder how to open this darn thing," Raoul mumbled, groping at the
glass in a most curious fashion. "Blast it! I'll have to break it down!"
He retreated to the front of the dressing room and stood facing the mirror. He
decided to ram it full on and then he could rescue Christine! Taking a deep breath, he
rolled up his sleeves and planted his aristocratic feet into the worn carpet of the dressing
room.
"On the count of three," Raoul said. "One, two, three!" Running full force, he hit
the mirror with a crash and landed on the floor. "Oh, my poor head," he moaned, pitying
himself. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he could see an awful welt rising on his
forehead.
Wanting desperately to leave the room, go home, and let his manservant to nurse
him back to health, he stood up. He tottered from side to side, but changed his mind.
Christine must be rescued! Raoul decided to try a different approach. He walked calmly
up the mirror and started to pound on it with his fists.
"Open up mirror! I must save Christine before bed-time! You must comply to my
instructions at once, or I'll have to break you down!" But the mirror did not listen to
Raoul's demands. How could it? It was inanimate.
Slightly shocked when the mirror did not listen to him, Raoul decided he must
break it down. Perhaps after the thirty seconds of his beating the poor mirror, it would
comply and open up. He took up his previous stance at the door and looked his reflection
full in the eye.
"Come on, handsome chap, you can do it! For Christine!" Raoul called out
encouragement to his reflection and ran full force toward the mirror. He tripped over a
chair in the dressing room and fell flat on his face, hitting his head on the mirror.
"Oh! Why do you have to be so wilful?" Raoul desperately questioned the cool
glass. He could see yet another bump rising on his beautiful pale forehead. He sat up with
his back against the mirror and rubbed his temples. He would have to find a more clever
plan to defeat this mirror.
Raoul decided the mirror was too hard to conquer so he got up to leave when the
mirror spun open and caught his legs. He fell backward into the cold darkness, landing
hard on his posterior.
"Oh, that's going to leave a mark," groaned Raoul. He was in complete black, for
the mirror had closed, shutting off the light. He was sitting on the damp stone floor with
his new trousers soaked, two welts on his head, and a bruised rear.
"Why is nothing ever fair for me?' He cried. "Nothing ever goes right!"
Raoul pouted for a while, drowning in self-pity. By this time, he had a splitting
headache and his bottom throbbed from his fall. He realised nothing was going to happen
with him sitting there crying so he stood up very slowly. He couldn't see an inch in front
of him and he didn't want to risk any more injuries. Christine must be saved! he thought.
After all, he had come this far, and why stop now?
Keeping one hand along the wall, he blundered down through the dark. The wall
was cold and slimy, and before long, his hand became rather soiled. He shuddered. Raoul
couldn't possibly continue with dirty hands now, could he? He reached inside his coat
pocket and pulled out - nothing. His handkerchief must have fallen out in Christine's
dressing room.
"Now what am I going to do?" Raoul whined, waving his hand delicately in the
air, trying to rid it of the muck. He had no choice but to wipe his filthy hand on his pants
leg. The slime soaked through and the pants stuck to his leg. "Ew, these are my new dress
pants!"
Raoul stuck out his bottom lip in a pout and continued along until he came to a
bubbling well. It was a bit lighter here, thanks to a lone lantern next to the well. Raoul
walked to the well and sat down. His thought were about washing his grimy fingers.
"Ah, lovely water," Raoul said before he dipped his fingers in. The moment he
did, he instantly regretted it. The water was icy cold, freezing his poor fingers. Well sure,
the grime came off, but now his fingers were frozen stiff. And he didn't have anything to
dry his hand off with but his other pant leg.
Raoul was now shivering from the damp cold, and the pain in his bottom and head
didn't help ease him. But he still had to rescue Christine! Shaking off his agony, Raoul
stood up and started a brisk walk down the path, forgetting to pick up the lantern. Before
long, he was in total blackness.
"Oh bother, I forgot the light! Now I'll never find Christine!" But before he could
have to pity himself even more, he heard a curious scratching noise. It was coming closer
and closer, and with it came a red lantern light.
"Now someone can help me!" Raoul murmured hopefully. "Christine will be
saved!" Calling out to the red light, Raoul said, "You there yonder! You can help me! I -
ah!" Raoul's calls turned to yells as the scratching sound came over his legs and feet and
brushed his ankles.
He began hopping up and down, sometimes stepping on the things. He pushed
them away with his frigid fingers and suddenly, he was bitten.
"Ouch, you little devil! What are you?" Raoul asked the thing.
The red light answered in raspy voice, "I am the rat-catcher with my rats! Let me
pass! Don't follow me!"
With fright afresh, Raoul shrieked in terror. "Rats! My God, rats! I'll be eaten
alive! They'll take me to their king and eat me!" Raoul continued on in a ranting and
raving manner until he realised he was by himself again, all alone in the dark. Convinced
he was the reason they had left, he grew triumphant.
"Well, then, I scared them away! I showed them! Never step out of line with a
Chagny!" He brushed his hands together and strolled off down the passage. He was
getting closer and closer to Christine, he could feel it! And soon, he would rescue her!
Before long, he saw a bluish glow and the air became thick with moisture. He
realised he must be near the lake Christine spoke of and beyond that-Erik's house! The
house beyond the lake! Raoul began running toward the light and came upon an immense
lake.
Gasping for breath, Raoul panted wearily, "I've got you now Christine! Don't
fear! I shall dispose of the demon!"
He continued trotting toward the shores of the underground lake until it was too
late to stop. He blundered straight into the water and fell. The icy water closed above his
head, soaking his evening clothes.
Thinking it was the end, but still not giving up, Raoul gathered his strength and
pushed his head above the water. Splashing around wildly, he yelled, "Help me!
Somebody help me! I'm drowning! Help!"
Losing all hope, Raoul stopped splashing and said goodbye to the world. He
waited for his body to sink to the bottom. After a minute or two of waiting in soaked
clothes, he didn't sink anywhere. Why? Raoul kicked his heel. It struck the bottom of the
lake with a crack.
Raoul realised he was sitting in waist deep water. Standing up sheepishly, he
shook off the excess water like a dog. He managed this without success, for his opera
clothing had soaked up the water like a sponge. Now he was completely soaking wet.
But he forgot his wetness when he remembered the boat in the lake Christine had
told him about. All he had to do was row across and confront Erik! Sloshing out of the
shallows, he came back ashore. He circled around the lake until he came to a dock.
Scratching his head, he stared in consternation at the empty dock.
"Hmm, where could the boat be? I know there is a boat! Christine told me so!"
Raoul insisted to nobody in particular.
He stomped his foot childishly and whined, "Now how am I going to get across?"
Raoul made the mistake of stomping his foot again, and this time it went through the old
wood of the dock. His leg stuck there tightly.
"Blast!" Raoul muttered. This was just not going to be his night. He pulled and
tugged, and tugged and pulled, until his foot finally came loose. On the way, he managed
to rip his trousers and lose his shiny black shoe. He looked down at his foot and a large
pout covered his face.
"Christine! Do you hear me? I am still coming! Don't worry! And you! Erik! I
hope you're happy!" Raoul shouted insanely into the dark. Then he trudged off of the
planks of the dock and onto solid ground.
Speaking to himself once more, he said, "There is no way I am going to swim
across this god-forsaken lake! I must find another way to get to the house beyond the
lake!"
But there was no other way Raoul could think of to get to the house beyond the
lake. It was completely dark and Raoul was already cold and wet, so what did it matter if
he just swam across a cold and wet lake?
Jumping into the inky black waters, Raoul paddled as best as he could. He was, in
fact, a very good swimmer, and made it across the lake in no time at all. Of course, he
was still exhausted and freezing cold when he got out. Noticing the boat floating gently
on this side of the lake, Raoul's eyes started out of his head.
"Ah, so now I find the boat! Well, I shall use it on the way back, after I save
Christine. Oh yes! Christine! I'm here!" Raoul called out. But he couldn't see very much
at all in the dark, except a small slit of light near the ground.
Crawling on his hands and knees toward the light, Raoul began to think that the
sliver of light must be coming out from below a door.
"Hullo! This must be a door! The door to Erik's house!" Raoul started to sit back
on his heels when the door opened up and conked him on the noggin. He fell to the side
unconsciously.
When he woke up, he found himself lying on the cold ground, half in the water,
and half out. The dock was to his right and the door was no where to be seen. Someone
had deposited him back on the other side of the lake.
"Oh no! I have to cross the lake again?" Raoul whined incredulously. He gingerly
touched his forehead, feeling he had a third bump. His head throbbed and he was
shivering from the water. His pants were ripped and his shoe was missing.
"Bother! I must save Christine! And I know it is past bed-time by now!" He shook
his head sadly and looked for the boat. It was gone, probably back by the house beyond
the lake. Though he was past dead tired, he jumped back into the lake.
About halfway across, he heard the swishing noise of someone paddling a boat.
The monster must be rowing across to get me! Raoul thought. He remained as quiet as he
could and saw the boat with a small lantern approaching. A tall figure in a long cloak was
rowing the boat with a steady arm. Raoul watched in awe of the magnificent creature with
a formidable presence, stupefied. Before he could make a move, an oar came done upon
his hand.
Raoul held back a yelp of pain and quickly swam away. Erik and his boat rowed
off in the opposite direction, and Raoul beached himself on the bank. He was now again
before the house beyond the lake. He stood up, not wanting to make the same mistake as
he had already done. No one would catch him in the head with a door again!
Raoul straightened his soaking wet dress coat and walked stiffly to the door. His
remaining shoe made a funny squish squish noise, and Raoul would've laughed madly if
it were not for his headache. Coming upon the door, he found that it was slightly ajar.
Light was streaming forth from it, so delicious looking in warmth that Raoul could not
restrain himself. He wildly pushed the door open and stumbled into a brightly lit drawing
room.
Shielding his eyes, Raoul looked around the room madly in search of Christine.
Where was she? Raoul spun around, taking in the room. It was decorated in ridiculous
flowers, the colours so bright they made his headache worse. The couch in the room
looked so inviting, Raoul decided he would lie down just for a minute to rest.
Raoul closed his eyes and his sighed deeply. All this work for nothing. Christine
was nowhere to be found. Maybe she would find him lying on the couch. Raoul started to
drift off into sleep when a slam of the front door jolted him awake. Blinking in the light,
Raoul made out the tall figure of the demon in expensive opera clothes. Raoul squinted.
Even more expensive than his own!
Shaking his head and emerging from his reverie, Raoul stood up, not able to walk
straight. His head was pounding and his eyes were cross-eyed, but he must confront Erik!
He took a few drunken steps toward his rival.
"Surrender Christine, monster! I shan't leave without her!" Raoul demanded
bravely, waving his arms comically. "I say, what have you done with her?"
Erik took one look at the character in his house and burst out laughing. Holding
his stomach, he laughed so hard he fell into a chair, breathless. Straightening up for a
minute and forgetting his laughter, Erik asked dangerously, "How did you get in my
house?"
"I tell you, I'm not leaving without Christine! Bring her to me or I shall bring the
police!" Raoul commanded, pointing at Erik.
Sniggering again uncontrollably, Erik shook his head in between bouts of
chuckles. He rolled around in his chair, tears of laughter emerging from under the mask.
Erik was doubled over in laughter. The thought of the Vicomte actually doing something
like that was just too hilarious.
Raoul narrowed his eyes and raised his voice. "I shan't stand for it! I demand that
you show me Christine!"
Erik shook his head, still chortling. Raoul stomped his foot without a shoe and
water squished through his sock. Erik laughed even harder, unable to control his laughter.
Then a door in the wall opened and Christine appeared.
"Christine! I've saved you! I shall take you up to the surface and away from this
monster forever!" Raoul proclaimed, striding up to Christine to give her a hug. She turned
away, and ran to Erik, who was lying on the floor, shaking with laughter.
"Erik, Erik, are you hurt?" Christine touched his arm and he shook her away.
"I'm fine Christine, it's just..." Erik took one look at Raoul and burst into tears of
laughter. Gesturing with a long slim hand, Erik choked out, "Him!"
Raoul glanced around and didn't see anyone remotely funny. He did not realise
Erik meant him. Christine looked at Raoul and covered her mouth with her hand. She
turned to Erik and the two of them burst into wild giggles. Raoul glared at them and
began whining. He didn't think he was a riot.
"Why am I so hilariously funny? What is wrong with me? I came to save you
Christine, from his evil clutches and you laugh at me! I nearly died! You know that?"
Raoul shook his head sadly.
Christine stopped laughing for a minute and motioned for Erik to stop too. He did,
but still stifled a laugh then and again. She became serious and asked Raoul, "Tell us
what happened."
Raoul's eyes bugged out of his head, and began. "Well! Since you insist! First,
that infernal mirror of yours [here he pointed an accusing finger at Erik] banged my head!
Twice!"
Erik let out a large and uncalled for guffaw, but clapped his hand over his mouth
when Christine gave him a stern look. Christine nodded for Raoul to go on.
"Then, I got some slimy muck all over me! From the walls!" Raoul shuddered and
Christine tried to keep a straight face. Erik had his hands over his mask, rocking back and
forth on the floor, snickering.
"And the water in the little well was frigid! I'll be darned if I don't have frostbite!
Next, I was attacked by killer rats! You hear me? Rats!" Raoul shrieked insanely,
unconsciously doing a little dance, as if to brush off rats.
"Oh my...that must have been simply...horrid, " Christine interjected, quite sure
that Raoul was not right in the head.
Raoul's eyes started madly out of his head for the umpteenth time that night.
"Yes, yes! It was! You can't imagine! To continue along, I soon came upon the lake. And
there I nearly drowned! For you Christine! All for you!"
Christine stared at him, not sure whether to cry or to laugh. "Raoul," she said
gently, "you graduated from a naval academy and you almost drowned in a lake?"
Erik was roaring with laughter and rolling around on the floor wildly. Christine
patted his shoulder adoringly and said, "Now dear, compose yourself. We must hear the
end of Raoul's tale." Erik shook his head, but stopped rolling around.
"Go on, Raoul, we're listening."
"Yes, yes! And that's not the worst of it! Oh no! The boat was not docked and the
wood planking is not good at all! Not good at all..." Raoul rambled. "My foot went clear
through it!" He waved his foot in the air, showing he was missing a shoe and his pant leg
was torn. "I'm missing a shoe! And my best trousers are torn! And my clothes are
soaked! Ruined! All ruined!"
Christine opened her mouth to soothe him, but Raoul went on. "But still! I was
intent on saving you! I jumped back into the lake and swam across. Of course I was
freezing to death, but I only thought of you! Then someone hit me on the head with the
door!" Raoul jabbed a finger at his head, gesturing mercilessly at the bruises.
Christine could no longer hold back her giggles and joined in with Erik's wild
laughter. Obviously it had been Erik who managed to knock out Raoul with the front door
and left him on the opposite bank.
"I don't see anything amusing about it! It's my welfare we're talking about!"
Raoul shouted.
He was answered by Erik chuckling crazily. Indeed, Erik had hit Raoul on the
head with the door, and was then, too, laughing. What a great source of entertainment the
little Vicomte is! Erik thought. How very droll!
"Really, if you insist, Monsieur le Vicomte! We shall try to be more considerate
of your feelings, " Erik replied, not trying to keep a straight face. Raoul couldn't see it
under the mask anyway.
"Well, yes! I should think so! And still! There's more!"
Erik didn't think he could bear much more of this. He had cried what he had
thought all of his tears, and yet, there were still more coming! Christine tried to put on
what she thought was a sorry face, but inwardly she was laughing just as hard as Erik.
"Again, I jumped back into the lake for you, my dear Christine. I was fine and
dandy until someone [here he glared at Erik] happened to come along in a boat and hit me
with an oar!"
This sent Erik into a fit of laughter. He hadn't seen the Vicomte in the water, but
all the same, he had wondered what in the world had he hit.
"Ah, Monsieur le Vicomte, so that was you! My sincerest condolences to you,"
Erik solemnly mock apologising to the boy.
"Yes, you should be sorry! Because once I get Christine out of here, I shall have
you thrown into the penitentiary!" Raoul stated.
Erik just rolled his eyes at the dandy standing in his drawing room and said to
Christine, "Dear, is he going to really 'rescue' you from me?"
Christine smiled and turned to Raoul. "Raoul, you see, Erik didn't steal me away.
It was planned."
Raoul realised with alarm that Christine must be mad. "Christine darling, no! You
are raving! He has drugged you and now I have saved you. Come along, we shall be
going!"
Raoul ran over to the door and motioned for Christine to follow. Christine shook
her head. "Raoul, I am not going with you. I am staying with Erik. If you haven't already
guessed, we are getting married tomorrow."
"No, I say you aren't! You're going to marry me!" Raoul insisted stubbornly,
refusing to give up Christine.
Christine and Erik looked at each other for a moment and both knew exactly what
to do. Christine walked slowly up to Raoul, with Erik trailing behind.
"Oh fine, Raoul, you win!" Christine uttered dramatically. "Take me away from
my love! Oh Erik! Whatever shall I do? I shan't live without you!" At that, Christine
pretended to faint into Erik's arms.
"Look what you've gone and done, you fop! Poor Christine, fainted dead away at
the thought of leaving her love! You shan't get away with this!" Erik carried on the
pretence in an aristocratic tone of voice, sounding quite like Raoul. He took a step toward
Raoul, raising his arms high in the air for effect.
"Leave! Before I dispose of you!" Growled Erik, pouncing on Raoul. Raoul fell
backwards out of the door, and before he could blink, Erik had slammed the door shut
and locked it.
**********
Of course, in the end, Erik and Christine lived happily ever after. Raoul on the
other hand, returned from the Opera that night in a state of lunacy. No one believed his
wild tale of a monster in the Paris Opera. They all took him for a rich aristocrat who had
been tipping one too many after the night's opera. It appeared someone had beaten him,
stolen his shoe, and thrown a bucket of water over him. He spent the rest of his life
confined to a small, padded room, cared for by his manservant. Sometimes, he would talk
to nobody in particular, addressing them as Christine.
"Christine who?" The attendant would ask.
Raoul's eyes would start out of his head and he would laugh maniacally, "The one
I must rescue from Erik's evil clutches!"
What if Raoul had decided to go after Christine without the help of the Persian?
Raoul rushed out of the auditorium as soon as Christine was snatched off the
stage. He knew it was that monster that had done, the demon who called to Christine from
her dressing room for voice lessons. He was resolute to save her from his evil clutches,
even if it meant risking his own precious life for her.
He made his way to Christine's dressing room. The mirror stood out menacingly
before him and he became a bit scared. It looked like a giant mouth ready to swallow him
up alive. Raoul unconsciously stepped backward and into the closed door.
"Who closed the door?" He wondered aloud, forgetting that he himself had shut
the door on the way in. Shaking his head, he moved closer to the mirror.
"Now, I wonder how to open this darn thing," Raoul mumbled, groping at the
glass in a most curious fashion. "Blast it! I'll have to break it down!"
He retreated to the front of the dressing room and stood facing the mirror. He
decided to ram it full on and then he could rescue Christine! Taking a deep breath, he
rolled up his sleeves and planted his aristocratic feet into the worn carpet of the dressing
room.
"On the count of three," Raoul said. "One, two, three!" Running full force, he hit
the mirror with a crash and landed on the floor. "Oh, my poor head," he moaned, pitying
himself. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he could see an awful welt rising on his
forehead.
Wanting desperately to leave the room, go home, and let his manservant to nurse
him back to health, he stood up. He tottered from side to side, but changed his mind.
Christine must be rescued! Raoul decided to try a different approach. He walked calmly
up the mirror and started to pound on it with his fists.
"Open up mirror! I must save Christine before bed-time! You must comply to my
instructions at once, or I'll have to break you down!" But the mirror did not listen to
Raoul's demands. How could it? It was inanimate.
Slightly shocked when the mirror did not listen to him, Raoul decided he must
break it down. Perhaps after the thirty seconds of his beating the poor mirror, it would
comply and open up. He took up his previous stance at the door and looked his reflection
full in the eye.
"Come on, handsome chap, you can do it! For Christine!" Raoul called out
encouragement to his reflection and ran full force toward the mirror. He tripped over a
chair in the dressing room and fell flat on his face, hitting his head on the mirror.
"Oh! Why do you have to be so wilful?" Raoul desperately questioned the cool
glass. He could see yet another bump rising on his beautiful pale forehead. He sat up with
his back against the mirror and rubbed his temples. He would have to find a more clever
plan to defeat this mirror.
Raoul decided the mirror was too hard to conquer so he got up to leave when the
mirror spun open and caught his legs. He fell backward into the cold darkness, landing
hard on his posterior.
"Oh, that's going to leave a mark," groaned Raoul. He was in complete black, for
the mirror had closed, shutting off the light. He was sitting on the damp stone floor with
his new trousers soaked, two welts on his head, and a bruised rear.
"Why is nothing ever fair for me?' He cried. "Nothing ever goes right!"
Raoul pouted for a while, drowning in self-pity. By this time, he had a splitting
headache and his bottom throbbed from his fall. He realised nothing was going to happen
with him sitting there crying so he stood up very slowly. He couldn't see an inch in front
of him and he didn't want to risk any more injuries. Christine must be saved! he thought.
After all, he had come this far, and why stop now?
Keeping one hand along the wall, he blundered down through the dark. The wall
was cold and slimy, and before long, his hand became rather soiled. He shuddered. Raoul
couldn't possibly continue with dirty hands now, could he? He reached inside his coat
pocket and pulled out - nothing. His handkerchief must have fallen out in Christine's
dressing room.
"Now what am I going to do?" Raoul whined, waving his hand delicately in the
air, trying to rid it of the muck. He had no choice but to wipe his filthy hand on his pants
leg. The slime soaked through and the pants stuck to his leg. "Ew, these are my new dress
pants!"
Raoul stuck out his bottom lip in a pout and continued along until he came to a
bubbling well. It was a bit lighter here, thanks to a lone lantern next to the well. Raoul
walked to the well and sat down. His thought were about washing his grimy fingers.
"Ah, lovely water," Raoul said before he dipped his fingers in. The moment he
did, he instantly regretted it. The water was icy cold, freezing his poor fingers. Well sure,
the grime came off, but now his fingers were frozen stiff. And he didn't have anything to
dry his hand off with but his other pant leg.
Raoul was now shivering from the damp cold, and the pain in his bottom and head
didn't help ease him. But he still had to rescue Christine! Shaking off his agony, Raoul
stood up and started a brisk walk down the path, forgetting to pick up the lantern. Before
long, he was in total blackness.
"Oh bother, I forgot the light! Now I'll never find Christine!" But before he could
have to pity himself even more, he heard a curious scratching noise. It was coming closer
and closer, and with it came a red lantern light.
"Now someone can help me!" Raoul murmured hopefully. "Christine will be
saved!" Calling out to the red light, Raoul said, "You there yonder! You can help me! I -
ah!" Raoul's calls turned to yells as the scratching sound came over his legs and feet and
brushed his ankles.
He began hopping up and down, sometimes stepping on the things. He pushed
them away with his frigid fingers and suddenly, he was bitten.
"Ouch, you little devil! What are you?" Raoul asked the thing.
The red light answered in raspy voice, "I am the rat-catcher with my rats! Let me
pass! Don't follow me!"
With fright afresh, Raoul shrieked in terror. "Rats! My God, rats! I'll be eaten
alive! They'll take me to their king and eat me!" Raoul continued on in a ranting and
raving manner until he realised he was by himself again, all alone in the dark. Convinced
he was the reason they had left, he grew triumphant.
"Well, then, I scared them away! I showed them! Never step out of line with a
Chagny!" He brushed his hands together and strolled off down the passage. He was
getting closer and closer to Christine, he could feel it! And soon, he would rescue her!
Before long, he saw a bluish glow and the air became thick with moisture. He
realised he must be near the lake Christine spoke of and beyond that-Erik's house! The
house beyond the lake! Raoul began running toward the light and came upon an immense
lake.
Gasping for breath, Raoul panted wearily, "I've got you now Christine! Don't
fear! I shall dispose of the demon!"
He continued trotting toward the shores of the underground lake until it was too
late to stop. He blundered straight into the water and fell. The icy water closed above his
head, soaking his evening clothes.
Thinking it was the end, but still not giving up, Raoul gathered his strength and
pushed his head above the water. Splashing around wildly, he yelled, "Help me!
Somebody help me! I'm drowning! Help!"
Losing all hope, Raoul stopped splashing and said goodbye to the world. He
waited for his body to sink to the bottom. After a minute or two of waiting in soaked
clothes, he didn't sink anywhere. Why? Raoul kicked his heel. It struck the bottom of the
lake with a crack.
Raoul realised he was sitting in waist deep water. Standing up sheepishly, he
shook off the excess water like a dog. He managed this without success, for his opera
clothing had soaked up the water like a sponge. Now he was completely soaking wet.
But he forgot his wetness when he remembered the boat in the lake Christine had
told him about. All he had to do was row across and confront Erik! Sloshing out of the
shallows, he came back ashore. He circled around the lake until he came to a dock.
Scratching his head, he stared in consternation at the empty dock.
"Hmm, where could the boat be? I know there is a boat! Christine told me so!"
Raoul insisted to nobody in particular.
He stomped his foot childishly and whined, "Now how am I going to get across?"
Raoul made the mistake of stomping his foot again, and this time it went through the old
wood of the dock. His leg stuck there tightly.
"Blast!" Raoul muttered. This was just not going to be his night. He pulled and
tugged, and tugged and pulled, until his foot finally came loose. On the way, he managed
to rip his trousers and lose his shiny black shoe. He looked down at his foot and a large
pout covered his face.
"Christine! Do you hear me? I am still coming! Don't worry! And you! Erik! I
hope you're happy!" Raoul shouted insanely into the dark. Then he trudged off of the
planks of the dock and onto solid ground.
Speaking to himself once more, he said, "There is no way I am going to swim
across this god-forsaken lake! I must find another way to get to the house beyond the
lake!"
But there was no other way Raoul could think of to get to the house beyond the
lake. It was completely dark and Raoul was already cold and wet, so what did it matter if
he just swam across a cold and wet lake?
Jumping into the inky black waters, Raoul paddled as best as he could. He was, in
fact, a very good swimmer, and made it across the lake in no time at all. Of course, he
was still exhausted and freezing cold when he got out. Noticing the boat floating gently
on this side of the lake, Raoul's eyes started out of his head.
"Ah, so now I find the boat! Well, I shall use it on the way back, after I save
Christine. Oh yes! Christine! I'm here!" Raoul called out. But he couldn't see very much
at all in the dark, except a small slit of light near the ground.
Crawling on his hands and knees toward the light, Raoul began to think that the
sliver of light must be coming out from below a door.
"Hullo! This must be a door! The door to Erik's house!" Raoul started to sit back
on his heels when the door opened up and conked him on the noggin. He fell to the side
unconsciously.
When he woke up, he found himself lying on the cold ground, half in the water,
and half out. The dock was to his right and the door was no where to be seen. Someone
had deposited him back on the other side of the lake.
"Oh no! I have to cross the lake again?" Raoul whined incredulously. He gingerly
touched his forehead, feeling he had a third bump. His head throbbed and he was
shivering from the water. His pants were ripped and his shoe was missing.
"Bother! I must save Christine! And I know it is past bed-time by now!" He shook
his head sadly and looked for the boat. It was gone, probably back by the house beyond
the lake. Though he was past dead tired, he jumped back into the lake.
About halfway across, he heard the swishing noise of someone paddling a boat.
The monster must be rowing across to get me! Raoul thought. He remained as quiet as he
could and saw the boat with a small lantern approaching. A tall figure in a long cloak was
rowing the boat with a steady arm. Raoul watched in awe of the magnificent creature with
a formidable presence, stupefied. Before he could make a move, an oar came done upon
his hand.
Raoul held back a yelp of pain and quickly swam away. Erik and his boat rowed
off in the opposite direction, and Raoul beached himself on the bank. He was now again
before the house beyond the lake. He stood up, not wanting to make the same mistake as
he had already done. No one would catch him in the head with a door again!
Raoul straightened his soaking wet dress coat and walked stiffly to the door. His
remaining shoe made a funny squish squish noise, and Raoul would've laughed madly if
it were not for his headache. Coming upon the door, he found that it was slightly ajar.
Light was streaming forth from it, so delicious looking in warmth that Raoul could not
restrain himself. He wildly pushed the door open and stumbled into a brightly lit drawing
room.
Shielding his eyes, Raoul looked around the room madly in search of Christine.
Where was she? Raoul spun around, taking in the room. It was decorated in ridiculous
flowers, the colours so bright they made his headache worse. The couch in the room
looked so inviting, Raoul decided he would lie down just for a minute to rest.
Raoul closed his eyes and his sighed deeply. All this work for nothing. Christine
was nowhere to be found. Maybe she would find him lying on the couch. Raoul started to
drift off into sleep when a slam of the front door jolted him awake. Blinking in the light,
Raoul made out the tall figure of the demon in expensive opera clothes. Raoul squinted.
Even more expensive than his own!
Shaking his head and emerging from his reverie, Raoul stood up, not able to walk
straight. His head was pounding and his eyes were cross-eyed, but he must confront Erik!
He took a few drunken steps toward his rival.
"Surrender Christine, monster! I shan't leave without her!" Raoul demanded
bravely, waving his arms comically. "I say, what have you done with her?"
Erik took one look at the character in his house and burst out laughing. Holding
his stomach, he laughed so hard he fell into a chair, breathless. Straightening up for a
minute and forgetting his laughter, Erik asked dangerously, "How did you get in my
house?"
"I tell you, I'm not leaving without Christine! Bring her to me or I shall bring the
police!" Raoul commanded, pointing at Erik.
Sniggering again uncontrollably, Erik shook his head in between bouts of
chuckles. He rolled around in his chair, tears of laughter emerging from under the mask.
Erik was doubled over in laughter. The thought of the Vicomte actually doing something
like that was just too hilarious.
Raoul narrowed his eyes and raised his voice. "I shan't stand for it! I demand that
you show me Christine!"
Erik shook his head, still chortling. Raoul stomped his foot without a shoe and
water squished through his sock. Erik laughed even harder, unable to control his laughter.
Then a door in the wall opened and Christine appeared.
"Christine! I've saved you! I shall take you up to the surface and away from this
monster forever!" Raoul proclaimed, striding up to Christine to give her a hug. She turned
away, and ran to Erik, who was lying on the floor, shaking with laughter.
"Erik, Erik, are you hurt?" Christine touched his arm and he shook her away.
"I'm fine Christine, it's just..." Erik took one look at Raoul and burst into tears of
laughter. Gesturing with a long slim hand, Erik choked out, "Him!"
Raoul glanced around and didn't see anyone remotely funny. He did not realise
Erik meant him. Christine looked at Raoul and covered her mouth with her hand. She
turned to Erik and the two of them burst into wild giggles. Raoul glared at them and
began whining. He didn't think he was a riot.
"Why am I so hilariously funny? What is wrong with me? I came to save you
Christine, from his evil clutches and you laugh at me! I nearly died! You know that?"
Raoul shook his head sadly.
Christine stopped laughing for a minute and motioned for Erik to stop too. He did,
but still stifled a laugh then and again. She became serious and asked Raoul, "Tell us
what happened."
Raoul's eyes bugged out of his head, and began. "Well! Since you insist! First,
that infernal mirror of yours [here he pointed an accusing finger at Erik] banged my head!
Twice!"
Erik let out a large and uncalled for guffaw, but clapped his hand over his mouth
when Christine gave him a stern look. Christine nodded for Raoul to go on.
"Then, I got some slimy muck all over me! From the walls!" Raoul shuddered and
Christine tried to keep a straight face. Erik had his hands over his mask, rocking back and
forth on the floor, snickering.
"And the water in the little well was frigid! I'll be darned if I don't have frostbite!
Next, I was attacked by killer rats! You hear me? Rats!" Raoul shrieked insanely,
unconsciously doing a little dance, as if to brush off rats.
"Oh my...that must have been simply...horrid, " Christine interjected, quite sure
that Raoul was not right in the head.
Raoul's eyes started madly out of his head for the umpteenth time that night.
"Yes, yes! It was! You can't imagine! To continue along, I soon came upon the lake. And
there I nearly drowned! For you Christine! All for you!"
Christine stared at him, not sure whether to cry or to laugh. "Raoul," she said
gently, "you graduated from a naval academy and you almost drowned in a lake?"
Erik was roaring with laughter and rolling around on the floor wildly. Christine
patted his shoulder adoringly and said, "Now dear, compose yourself. We must hear the
end of Raoul's tale." Erik shook his head, but stopped rolling around.
"Go on, Raoul, we're listening."
"Yes, yes! And that's not the worst of it! Oh no! The boat was not docked and the
wood planking is not good at all! Not good at all..." Raoul rambled. "My foot went clear
through it!" He waved his foot in the air, showing he was missing a shoe and his pant leg
was torn. "I'm missing a shoe! And my best trousers are torn! And my clothes are
soaked! Ruined! All ruined!"
Christine opened her mouth to soothe him, but Raoul went on. "But still! I was
intent on saving you! I jumped back into the lake and swam across. Of course I was
freezing to death, but I only thought of you! Then someone hit me on the head with the
door!" Raoul jabbed a finger at his head, gesturing mercilessly at the bruises.
Christine could no longer hold back her giggles and joined in with Erik's wild
laughter. Obviously it had been Erik who managed to knock out Raoul with the front door
and left him on the opposite bank.
"I don't see anything amusing about it! It's my welfare we're talking about!"
Raoul shouted.
He was answered by Erik chuckling crazily. Indeed, Erik had hit Raoul on the
head with the door, and was then, too, laughing. What a great source of entertainment the
little Vicomte is! Erik thought. How very droll!
"Really, if you insist, Monsieur le Vicomte! We shall try to be more considerate
of your feelings, " Erik replied, not trying to keep a straight face. Raoul couldn't see it
under the mask anyway.
"Well, yes! I should think so! And still! There's more!"
Erik didn't think he could bear much more of this. He had cried what he had
thought all of his tears, and yet, there were still more coming! Christine tried to put on
what she thought was a sorry face, but inwardly she was laughing just as hard as Erik.
"Again, I jumped back into the lake for you, my dear Christine. I was fine and
dandy until someone [here he glared at Erik] happened to come along in a boat and hit me
with an oar!"
This sent Erik into a fit of laughter. He hadn't seen the Vicomte in the water, but
all the same, he had wondered what in the world had he hit.
"Ah, Monsieur le Vicomte, so that was you! My sincerest condolences to you,"
Erik solemnly mock apologising to the boy.
"Yes, you should be sorry! Because once I get Christine out of here, I shall have
you thrown into the penitentiary!" Raoul stated.
Erik just rolled his eyes at the dandy standing in his drawing room and said to
Christine, "Dear, is he going to really 'rescue' you from me?"
Christine smiled and turned to Raoul. "Raoul, you see, Erik didn't steal me away.
It was planned."
Raoul realised with alarm that Christine must be mad. "Christine darling, no! You
are raving! He has drugged you and now I have saved you. Come along, we shall be
going!"
Raoul ran over to the door and motioned for Christine to follow. Christine shook
her head. "Raoul, I am not going with you. I am staying with Erik. If you haven't already
guessed, we are getting married tomorrow."
"No, I say you aren't! You're going to marry me!" Raoul insisted stubbornly,
refusing to give up Christine.
Christine and Erik looked at each other for a moment and both knew exactly what
to do. Christine walked slowly up to Raoul, with Erik trailing behind.
"Oh fine, Raoul, you win!" Christine uttered dramatically. "Take me away from
my love! Oh Erik! Whatever shall I do? I shan't live without you!" At that, Christine
pretended to faint into Erik's arms.
"Look what you've gone and done, you fop! Poor Christine, fainted dead away at
the thought of leaving her love! You shan't get away with this!" Erik carried on the
pretence in an aristocratic tone of voice, sounding quite like Raoul. He took a step toward
Raoul, raising his arms high in the air for effect.
"Leave! Before I dispose of you!" Growled Erik, pouncing on Raoul. Raoul fell
backwards out of the door, and before he could blink, Erik had slammed the door shut
and locked it.
**********
Of course, in the end, Erik and Christine lived happily ever after. Raoul on the
other hand, returned from the Opera that night in a state of lunacy. No one believed his
wild tale of a monster in the Paris Opera. They all took him for a rich aristocrat who had
been tipping one too many after the night's opera. It appeared someone had beaten him,
stolen his shoe, and thrown a bucket of water over him. He spent the rest of his life
confined to a small, padded room, cared for by his manservant. Sometimes, he would talk
to nobody in particular, addressing them as Christine.
"Christine who?" The attendant would ask.
Raoul's eyes would start out of his head and he would laugh maniacally, "The one
I must rescue from Erik's evil clutches!"