The Episode:
M. Fauxvoix entered close behind Maria that morning. He was quiet and calm and brought with him an entourage of new people. Flowers and boxed, brightly decorated and elaborately arranged, were piled around the small dressing room as Gabriella watched stunned by what was going on. There was a steady stream of people coming and going for quite a while. Envelopes were left addressed to her on her dressing table, boxes of chocolates and sweet smelling perfume filled the air. When the room was filled and the new people left Gabriella could hardly see the mirror at the far end of the room and her dressing table and sofa were coved with things.
"What is all this?" she asked as she looked around the room.
"They are from your admirers," Fauxvoix said angrily, "more comes every day and I can't turn it away without angering the press. I have given in to giving you the mail because I am sick of looking it over before hand. It disgusts me to read some of the gushing for you. Not to mention the superstitions of the people around here are ridiculous."
"What do you mean?" Gabriella asked as Maria tried to move some of the things to help the young Diva get read for the day.
"Most of the packages are from the opera ghost," Fauxvoix rolled his eyes, "you won't be leaving Paris with this junk but you may as well enjoy it while you're here."
"The opera ghost," Gabriella laughed as she picked through some small boxes, "all operas have ghost why is this one so special?" she played dumb.
"God only knows but the management has been getting letters about you from this so called ghost. He 'fancies' you they say," Fauxvoix grunted and pushed some boxes out of his way, "you have a signing in the theatre foyer this morning. Maria have her their by ten sharp," he added and stormed out the door.
Gabriella was like a child in a candy store once her manager had left. She excitedly opened packages as Maria tried to do her hair, "do you think Maria, that M. Fauxvoix would get angry if I sported some of the opera ghosts gifts today?"
"You best be careful," Maria sighed, "Fauxvoix is very suspicions of this Opera Ghost."
"Does he not know the stories of this place?" Gabriella asked.
"He doesn't, but he is hearing a lot about it from monsieur Belville and doesn't believe a word of it." Maria said quietly, "and this is really making the workers and the management of this place nervous."
"And rightly so,"Gabriella said as she opened more packages, "The mysteries of the phantom of the opera left many stunned and alarmed. It must make the workers even more nervous to know that the phantom lurks again. I think it is so utterly romantic that I feel like a girl again. How could I be more happy than to be living a dream that once was my reality in Montreal. I feel like a princess in a palace filled with gold and silver. All this is the perfect opera which I dreamed so long and entirely about for many years. To be swept off my feet and taken away into the sunset by a mysterious, amazing man. To live happily ever after," she said as she twirled in front of her crowded mirror sporting a beautifully beaded shawl.
Golden jewelry were also among some of the fine things that the ghost had sent to her. Diamond earings and necklaces, pearls and precious stones collected in a jewelry box that she was able to bring with her as she travelled. She placed as much as she could into the small jewelry box and placed the empty packing boxes closer to the corner. In some larger boxes Gabriella found some very elaborate gowns, furs, shawls, and other magnificent pieces of clothing.
"Please Gabriella," Maria finally said, her voice filled with impatience, "you have to be read by ten and it is closing in on the hour. If you do not sit still for a moment we will never have you ready and I will be the one to have to face an already furious M. Fauxvoix. Please come here and sit down I don't know if my heart could take that today."
"Why what is wrong Maria?" Gabriella asked suddenly feeling a sense of concern for her old nurse, "is something wrong? Are you not well?"
"Gabriella," Maria sighed, "you have to know everyone is uneasy with this whole affair of the new phantom of the opera. People are frightened again. You can't walk around a corner without having someone tell you to watch your back. I am becoming afraid, not only for myself but for you! What if this phantom really does plan to take you from here. I fear for you!"
"Let that be so," Gabriella smiled, "let the angel of music comes to me and sweep me away from the angel of silence that we know M. Fauxvoix will be. Let this, my dream of freedom be through the wings of the greatly feared angel. For I would follow him to the depths of hell to be in heaven."
"Gabriella you blush as though you were in love," Maria said as she finished the diva's hair, "are you?"
"I think, perhaps I may be in love with the phantom of the opera," Gabriella smiled as she pulled a beautiful pink gown from a box and quickly ran behinds a changing screen. She came out and was a vision of beauty in rose. Her blue eyes twinkled like the diamonds she placed in her ears. Her lips were soft and pail with the beautiful shade of lipstick she put on. She covered her shoulders with the white beaded shawl and small white, slipper like shoes, she placed on her feet. Her hair fell in curls on her shoulders and her skin was pail cream, soft and pure, "I pray that I can only be the beautiful Christine the angel of music longs for." she said happily and floated out of her room and to the theatre foyer where she was greeted by the flashing of cameras and the cries of adoring fans.
M. Fauxvoix put on an act, that morning, that could fool even the greatest of police detectives, he was happy and bubbly and praised his Diva for her beauty and her grace. The growing crowd cheered and jostled each other just to get close to this angel of life.
The evening came quickly, another flawless performance and more gifts poured in. Gabriella did not see M. Fauxvoix again that day. She found quiet solitude in her dressing room as she finished opening her gifts and curled up, wrapped in a great woolen blanket to read the messages from her phantom love. Her heart was filled with excitement for the return to her of her new friends and the man she felt she was growing to love. The man in the mask that would save her from her hell and bring her on to heaven. She placed all letter from her Matthew beneath her pillow and the rest from the admirers in a small letter box she had been given as a gift that day. She laid down in her bed happily and fell quickly to sleep.
Matthew did come to her room that night, but upon entering he found her asleep and looking more beautiful in the great gifts that he had sent to her. His heart was filled with joy to see her face so radiant and calm, accented by the beautiful diamonds and pearls that she had fallen asleep in. Her hair, still curled fell loosely around her face and her cheeks were still a light blush colour. He leaned into her and unconsciously he kissed her lips. Her eyes fluttered a little and he moved away realising what he had done. He watched for a moment in silence but she did not wake from her sleep. He sighed with relief and scolded himself for what he had just done. He felt like he had just betrayed her trust that she had so willingly given to him. He knew that she hoped that she would be saved from the evil that encompassed her life. He got up slowly and walked to her dressing table there he left another note and sat for a great amount of time admiring her from the other side of the room. He could feel his heart in his chest, beating hard and fast. He tried with all his might to force it back, he would not kiss her again. He would not wake her that night to see her in his world of darkness, that he had become so accustom to, and yet he wished to take her away at that moment but he knew of the dangers that were arising. He would leave her and stick to his plan, to break the manager and throw him so far into a crazed fit that he would betray his cool exterior when the diva disappeared and give the chance to the public to see the craziness that he did hold within him, making it easier for the girl to be free and to get away from this a terrible monster of the real world.
He turned slowly walked to the mirror and opened it silently when he heard her move in her bed, he turned back to her once more to see his sleeping beauty. Her lips parted and as if the angels themselves were speaking he heard a soft whisper like song come from her mouth, "say you'll share with me one love one life time..." and her voice trailed off into slumber again.
"Christine, I love you..." he sang softly into the night and walked through the mirror, into the darkness of the great romantic opera house.
