Chapter Seven

First Day

The alarm woke Anna after what seemed to be only minutes instead of the hours she knew she had slept. Since she had no idea what time it was she thought it would be prudent to make sure she did not arrive late for work. She had been able to guess the hour last night by calculating how long it had taken her to traverse the stairs then rummage around for everything she had needed. She felt sure that she had been correct within an hour of the actual time.

Getting to her knees Anna wiped her hands over her face. She had not found the water last night as she had fallen into a deep untroubled sleep. After making her corner habitable she had not felt like trudging the miles of corridors she knew ran underneath the building.

Anna did not like sleeping bare but had taken her dress off so as not to wrinkle it any more than it already had been. When she had begun taking the dress off she had the odd feeling of being watched. She had even turned around to check. She had not seen anyone.

The feeling only intensified when she had heard scuffling coming from inside the wall. She had thought of rats immediately. Paris seemed to have more than its fair share of the vermin.

Perhaps Anna would befriend one of those alley cats and bring it down here with her. Anna did not relish the idea of coming face to face with one of those disease ridden creatures. Yes a cat might be just the thing.

Hurriedly Anna dressed. Her stomach had begun to complain again. It had been too late last night to go back up in search of food after she had eaten the apple even if she had dared. Anything that had been cooked in the kitchen would have been eaten long ago and the remains if any would have been thrown out so as not to attract those rats from the walls.

Once Anna had put her dress back on she surveyed her handiwork. If there were walls around her little corner one might think she had a small rented room somewhere instead of the corner in the third cellar of an opera house.

Anna had spied a metal bathing tub late last night. She had dragged it to her corner. If she brought a bucket at a time by midweek she might have enough water to sit and rinse off. It would not be an up to her chin bath but it would at least clean away the dirt and smell of sweat. Her nose wrinkled as she inhaled her own odor. At least she would be working with other women who would not notice her smell as theirs would be just as strong. Not all of course would be in a similar circumstance as Anna. She imagined some would adhere to some sort of hygienic regime. She herself loved to bath daily. Sadly that now would not be possible.

The blankets were a little musty, well really they smelled quite awful but beggars could not be choosey. The lamps were still half full of oil. If she used them sparingly they should last until she got her first pay.

Remembering the money in her pocket Anna scrambled to check to make sure she had not lost it when searching the piles of stacked discarded items. Squeezing her pocket she heard the comforting crinkle of the franc notes.

If she did not find anything to eat in the kitchen this morning she would go out during her lunch break to find something.

Pulling on her shoes her feet protested having the shoes on again with no stocking to cushion it from the hard scratchy leather. In her haste to leave Anna had forgotten about undergarments or stockings. She did not mind not having a corset as they were an uncomfortable thing in anyone's opinion. Her chemise she could have used as a nightgown. She could feel the blisters from her long walk to the opera house yesterday. Her shoes rubbed them quit painfully. Heaven only knew what her feet would look like by the end of the day.

Anna lit one of the candles she had found in one of the many piles she had looked through. She would need to find another book of matches. She could not leave her lantern burning as she had no means to purchase more fuel.

Once the candle flamed up Anne picked up the candle holder. Blowing out the lantern Anna began the long trek back up the stairs. She lit sconces on the wall as she went to help her see the stairs. She had no wish to fall and break anything.

She had only gone one flight up when she stepped on the next landing. Her foot had barely touched the floor when it gave way with a squeak of rusty metal. Her foot plunged downward. Luckily for her only her leg fell into the vast opening. She had dropped her candle and the flame had gone out. She had managed to save herself from falling completely through the hole.

Pulling herself up Anna sighed in relief once she had regained a standing position. Picking up her candle she went back down a few steps so she could reach up and light her candle once again. She'd remember this trap door next time. Going back up carefully Anna raised her candle over the gaping hole. All she saw was deep black nothingness. She had no idea where it ended or why in the world anyone would do such a thing as to put a trap door where people had to walk. She could only surmise a cruel, evil mind had thought of this. A demented mind to be sure.

Continuing on with greater caution in her steps Anna at last made it to the door she had entered the first cellar last night. Slowly pushing it open Anna peered around the door. She saw no one about so she stepped into the corridor.

The building seemed to be as quiet as a church. Walking down toward the door that led to the lobby Anna looked about her trying to memorize a few of the names on the doors as she passed.

This obviously was used for cleaning staff and offices for the lower level employees who held a little authority. There would more than likely be small living quarters behind those doors as well. A plaque with the name of a Madame Eloise Dubois caught Anne's eye. Underneath her name was the title Head Housekeeper.

Anna opened the door into the lobby. No one seemed to be in this area either. If Anne did not know better she would swear the place was deserted.

Spying a large ornate clock that resided over the huge fireplace Anna stepped cautiously closer. She did not what areas workers were allowed to hang about in but the lobby most assuredly would not be one of those places.

Anne was rather taken aback to see that it was now only 2:00 in the morning. A good two hours before anyone else would be congregating in the lobby to wait for their assignments.

Noting the rather cheery glow of the fires embers Anne decided to enjoy the warmth while she could. Last night she had been warm enough with the blankets but when she had gotten out from under their warmth she had shivered in the slight breeze she could feel.

Seeing a water cooler in the corner Anna glanced about. Why should she not at least have a cup of water? Taking one of the paper cups provided Anna filled it with water. She drank thirstily. Filling the cup again she drank the contents then crumpled the cup to throw in the trash receptacle.

Going back over to the fireplace Anna blew out her candle. Sitting down she drew her knees up to rest her cheek upon her knees.

Dozing as she waited Anna would not let herself think of the reason for her present state. She felt it best not to dwell upon it. Past was past. Nothing could be done. If she lamented losing the one thing she would have had to offer a gentleman, if ever she found one to propose, Anna brushed that aside as best forgotten as well.

Anna must have fallen asleep as voices echoing through the lobby woke her. Lifting her head she saw about twenty women and perhaps twice as many men filing in the front doors.

These people had to be more of the staff. They looked ordinary just as she herself did.

A woman stepped out of the door Anne had come through. She wore a severe black dress with a pristine white ruffled full apron. The cap on her head held iron grey hair on the top of her head in a bun.

A hush came over the talking crowd of people. The woman had only entered the room and everyone quieted immediately. She must be some sort of harridan to control so many with only her presence.

Looking down at the clipboard in her hand Eloise read the names of her new workers. Eloise had so many she commanded that it was not possible to become friendly or no any certain one intimately. That system worked well for Eloise as she did not wish to entangle her life with any of her underlings. She was not their mother or their friend. Her only job was to assign them their tasks each day and make sure the accomplished those tasks to the best of their ability or lose their employment.

Eloise read the side notations Dora had made about each new person. She had recommended this Anna Carlyle person clean in the auditorium. Hmph. A newcomer did not get to work in the auditorium. Cleaning the seats and boxes was among the easiest jobs. Eloise assigned those to women who had been here longer. Women she had a somewhat cordial association with.

"Attention. Attention please. If you go to the board just to the side of the auditorium doors you will find a list with your names and your assignments for today. Anyone who is just starting today please stay behind so that I may give you your assignments."

Once the crowd had thinned and Eloise could be heard once more she called out names giving the person where to find the supplies they would need and directions to where they should go. Breakfast would be at six o'clock and cost a franc for the week. Each person would be given on croissant and a cup of tea or coffee. Work was to commence precisely at six thirty. Anna concluded they certainly did not want one to dawdle. She would barely have time to run to the other side of the opera to fetch her breakfast then run back to be back at work on time.

Madame Dubois informed them she called everyone by their first name and they could address her as Eloise.

Anna had been given the task of scrubbing down the steps and the lobby. She was to polish the marble stairs and lobby floor once the dirt had been removed.

Anna went to the closet behind the door she came out this morning. The janitor's closet for this area was located just down from the housekeeper's office.

There was a small bathroom located just down the corridor from that. Anna filled her bucket then set about cleaning her assigned area. Anna had been used to hard work so she did not mind it in the least. Her knees and back on the other hand began to complain about two hours later. Anna had made it almost down the last landing of stairs on the one side. Stepping down to the floor she put her hands to her back and stretched.

Glancing at the clock she saw that it was five before six. Surely no one would notice her leaving five minutes early. Anna did not know eyes watched her and the person who those eyes belonged to certainly did mind her cheating him out of five minutes. A full hours pay deserved a full hours work. He would be instructing the housekeeper Eloise to make the adjustment.

Quickly she finished the last few stairs then went to empty her bucket. Returning her bucket to the closet Anna all but ran to the kitchen. She had not eaten anything in so long. If she could have two croissants instead of one and tea she'd rather have the extra croissant.

The young man behind the serving counter gave Anna a wink when she asked for the extra bun instead of tea or coffee then gave her an extra croissant and her tea. Anna smiled widely.

The man clearly was taken aback by the difference her smile made to her appearance. He had thought her a plain Jane when he first saw her. When she smiled it seemed like the sun had come out.

As he watched her walk away he wished he had asked her name. Oh well there was always tomorrow.

Anna returned to her job feeling much better with food in her belly. Things did indeed look brighter with a full stomach.

Anna fetched her bucket filling it with clean water. Anna went to the opposite set of stairs. After finishing that task Anna could barely move. She had started on the lobby floor when she sat up with her hands on her knees. Looking at the clock she saw that it was lunch time. Had another four hours passed already? Her stomach rumbling let her know that indeed they had passed.

She followed the same routine for lunch that she did for breakfast. She paid another franc for a weeks worth of lunches. She only had one franc left. She would have to split her lunch and eat half for dinner. She could not afford to spend her last franc just in case something came up like needing kerosene or candles.

The young man from breakfast was not there for lunch. A sour faced woman had taken his place. Anna held out her plate that sat upon the tray. A couple slices of bread were put on along with a long sausage and a rather nice size piece of cheese. Drinks at lunch and dinner were extra so Anna had water.

Looking at her meager meal she decided the sausage might not keep until dinner time. She would eat that and one slice of bread. The other slice of bread and cheese would be her evening meal. She carefully wrapped the bread and cheese in the cloth napkin. She hoped they did not mind if she took it. She would bring it back.

Finishing her lunch she emptied her tray and then trudged back across the building to the area where she had been cleaning. Perhaps later Anna could ask to be transferred to that side of the building where the dining hall was located. She would have a longer time to eat her lunch if she was on the same side as the dining hall.

Of course she could not ask for any favors right away but perhaps later once she had proven herself to be reliable. Before she left she wanted to remember to look at the time. She would set her clock accordingly.

It took her about thirty minutes to walk up all those steps. She would need to take that into account. She wanted to remember to carry her bucket of water when she went down to her little corner once more. All in all things weren't so bad. She had a roof over her head and food. She was back to square one. She could be happy with that.

A/N: I know I need not ask but still I do. Please review.