They ran fast towards Christine's dressing room. 'There's no telling what he could do to her.' the Persian said. He opened the door quickly. 'Leave your hat in here.' He pointed towards Christine's vanity. Raoul agreed. He put his hat down as someone knocked on the door. It was the Persian's servant, Darius. 'Come in Darius.' he said. He put down a case on Christine's vanity, beside the Viscount's hat. 'Here are your pistols sir!' he said. 'Thank you, now don't let anyone see you.' He bowed low, and walked out the door. Raoul opened the box slowly. 'Pistols? Are we to fight a duel?' 'And what a duel sir. What a duel!' the Persian said. The Persian, in fact, had no time to tell the poor boy about the threat of the Punjab lasso.
Erik was at work stacking barrels down in the cellar under the torture-chamber. 'She will have to pick me', he thought, 'She wouldn't want to die.' But then again, she tried to commit suicide. 'How could she ever love Erik.' he thought. Christine was yelling at Erik. 'Untie me Erik!' she screamed. 'No! You will just try suicide again!' He left the cellar, locked the door, and tended to his prisoner.
While that went on, the Persian and Raoul had gotten to the discarded set piece. The Persian pushed against the wall. It opened. The Persian went first, dropping towards the ground. 'Drop down now!' he said. Raoul dropped down. The Persian gasped loudly. Beside his feet was the Punjab lasso, and beside it, the iron tree! He broke out in a sweat. 'Is there something wrong?' the Persian closed his mouth.
Erik was talking to Christine. 'Please, turn the scorpion.' he begged. 'Not until 11 o'clock tonight.' A knock at the door. 'I have to get that.' He chuckled darkly. He left the room. 'Christine, Christine!' Raoul's voice echoed around her. 'I must be dreaming…' she said. 'No it is real!', he said, 'Could you possibly reach the door, to knock on it?' 'No! You have to leave.' The Persian sighed. 'We can't.' Christine echoed his sigh and said, 'He has tied me up.' The footsteps were coming back. 'Stop talking. I will get out of this.'
Erik walked towards Christine. She gasped. 'Sorry.' he said. He put his mask back on. 'It's not your mask, it's these bonds. Please take them off Erik.' she said. He replied, 'You will try to kill yourself again.' 'You have given me until tonight.' she said. He untied her bonds. 'I am sorry. Did Erik hurt your wrists? That alone deserves death.' he said. Erik looked up. Did he hear rustling? 'Is that rustling?' She shot him her most innocent look. She didn't have to try hard. 'No, that's just your imagination. ' He nodded. 'I will fix you something to eat.' And he went into the kitchen. Christine ran into his room, and grabbed his bag with the key to the torture-chamber. He ran in the room instantly. 'What have you done with my bag?' he asked.