Erik brought me back up to the opera the next day. In the morning he told me, that he had been up there while I was sleeping and that the managers had thought about calling the police - I'd have to tell them that I would work as their soprano under the condition that I'd spend all my free time on my own in my private room.
'You left me alone here?' I asked with unease. 'I am sorry, Christine. I know you don't like being alone here but I didn't see a better way than going at night'
On the previous evening, he had awkwardly broken the embrace we had shared on the piano bench. Then, we had eaten a late meal and he had sent me to bed - he had seemed mentally absent, as if he had been thinking about something else, so I just obeyed and went to my room. Now he asked permission to take my hand and when I nodded, the smooth leather of his black glove enfolded my hand. He slowly lead me through the twisted pitch black corridors. I think he knew that I was still very much afraid of this dark labyrinth, so he guided me until we finally reached my room. There, he opened the mirror and I reluctantly let go of his hand and entered. When I turned back at him just a second later, the mirror had been closed and all I could see was my reflection. Absently, I laid my hand on the cold glass. Was Erik already gone? Or was he watching me? The mirror didn't tell me anything about it.
I hastily broke away from the mirror and stepped towards the Chaiselongue when I heard someone bang on my door. 'Christine!' Raoul's angry voice shouted. 'Yes?' I hesitantly called back, unsure of how to meet him now. He stormed into the room and stopped right in front of me. 'Where have you been, Lotte? I've been worried sick!' He took my hand and as he pulled me closer to himself, I could smell alcohol in his breath.
'Raoul, have you been drinking?' I asked with concern.
'I know I shouldn't, but what could I do? I thought that monster had gotten you again! Are you ok?' He replied.
'Raoul, please...' I stepped away from him because I couldn't stand the smell of brandy.
'I swear, if the beast has harmed you, I'll kill him!' Raoul exclaimed angrily.
I shushed him: 'Don't talk like that! He would not... On the contrary, I like him! He made me feel like nothing I had ever felt before. Not bad, just... Different' I whispered, now hoping that Erik was not listening anymore. I knew that he'd be amused by my statement.
'So, has he' Raoul grumbled, now seeming even more angry, 'Come, I should bring you to rehearsal' and with that he ushered me out of the room. We walked in silence and shortly before we reached the stage, a group of men, probably Raoul's friends, came towards us and one of them enthusiastically asked: 'Hey, Raoul, how are you doing?' Raoul made a sign for me to walk the rest of the way on my own and stopped to talk with them. As I walked on, I heard his response behind my back.
'Couldn't be better. I ran out of brandy and my fiancée got seduced and raped by a madman' he snapped sarcastically. I pretended to not having heard anything. I didn't exactly know what rape was, but I was confident that Erik wouldn't do it to me. The men laughed. 'Come on, old friend, we'll get some more brandy and everything will look better!'
Then I shut a door behind me and didn't hear any more. I had completely forgotten that I was engaged to Raoul... Was that what I wanted? Did I want to marry Raoul?
I got through rehearsal without really paying attention to what I was doing, but nobody complained. Later, the ballet girls asked me if I'd like to join them in the small café in West-Paris for the evening and I agreed, grabbed my coat and followed them.