Hi everybody,
I m sorry for the lack of update last week and the delay this week. I hope a severe cold is enough of an excuse for being late? Thank you everybody for sticking with me despite my infrequent updates, for reading, for putting on alert, adding to favorites, and most of all, for reviewing! I really do not know what I would do without you!
Anyway, here is the much anticipated (at least I hope so!) next chapter, and keep in mind that I do not own these characters... Sadly.
Chapter 12 – Can You Deny Us The Triumph In Store?
Raoul once again nervously fumbled with a letter over a steaming kettle. He was not too interested in reading yet another of those sugary sweet declarations of love that Christine and her criminal teacher-turned-lover were exchanging. The first letter he had intercepted had been one from Christine to this Erik, in which she told him how much she missed him and how worried she was because of his injured arm. A few days later Erik had answered, telling her how relieved he was to hear from her and to get a reassurance of her love, now that she was so far away, and how he feared that she might meet other men, more worthy of her.
Raoul grinned at the memory of reading those lines. That deformed monster really seemed to have low self-esteem. The guy probably knew how revolting he looked and therefore had no illusions about the way the fairer sex perceived him, and as a consequence he doubted the sincerity of Christine's love. That was some very important information. It would probably not be too difficult to convince him that Christine had abandoned him. Not right now, of course, but after a suitable period of time, a few weeks maybe, or a couple months. Yes, Raoul would have to make sure this beast thought Christine had left him for another suitor...
Christine had answered this letter full of insecurity with yet another declaration of her undying love, had assured this Erik, who she sometimes called her "Angel", of her fidelity, repeating over and over again how much she missed him and how much she wished he could be with her.
The letter Raoul was now about to open was Erik's reply. Raoul was not really looking forward to reading it. Those letters between the two lovers always depressed him and made him angry. How could Christine prefer such a disgusting person to himself? What was it about such a hideous creature that attracted her, especially since that freak had next to no self-esteem and thus probably little personality and presence?
Raoul carefully extracted the letterhead from the now open envelope and began to read. Sure enough, the letter once again started with words of love, of relief that Christine still thought of him and similar romantic stuff that made Raoul puke. That thing even mentioned that he kept remembering their last kiss and that it was that memory what gave him strength and hope for a better future.
Then Raoul's eyes widened. He had to reread the paragraph in order to make sure he had understood it correctly. Had that creature really written that he was going to meet the owner of a theater in the hope of finding employment there?
Raoul laughed. What an utterly ridiculous thought! Surely that freak must be mad. Delusional at least. A theater was a place of the arts, an ideal place that inspired beauty, aesthetics, harmony. No theater owner or manager in their right mind would hire somebody hideous and deformed. Somebody like this monster would not even be allowed to clean the toilets in such a place!
Raoul quickly put the letter back into its envelope and carefully sealed it again, then returned it to the managers together with another one for Mme. Giry, so that they could forward them to the ladies as they always did with their employees' mail. He tried to imagine Christine's face when she read those latest news. Would she be as amused as he was? Or maybe shocked at her lover's preposterous plan? Would she finally realize how utterly insane that fiend must be?
He would have to find out somehow, what she thought about this. He would take Christine to dinner again, and if necessary, that bothersome Mme. Giry as well. He would behave like the perfect gentleman and best friend, in order to win the ladies' trust, and he would start an innocent conversation about Christine's singing career which would inevitably also lead to a discussion of her teacher. Oh yes, Raoul would find ways to learn more about Christine's relationship with that criminal.
Xxxx
"Mme. Giry!" Christine looked up from her letter. "Erik is going to meet somebody, a potential employer!" Her head spun. That information had thrown her into a turmoil of emotions. What could such a meeting mean? She felt somewhat excited, but the prospect certainly made Erik nervous. True, he had tried to sound confident when he wrote that letter, but Christine knew him well. She could read between the lines, and what she found there was anxiety, fear of being rejected, despair of not being able to make a living for the two of them.
Mme. Giry looked up from her own letter. "Yes, he told me so as well," she admitted.
"And?" Christine asked, playing with the paper in her hands. "What do you think? Will he be able...?" Christine could not finish the sentence. She was too nervous. So much depended on the outcome of this meeting!
One quick glance at Christine revealed the latter's emotional state to the elder woman. "I do not know that," Mme. Giry told Christine. She tried her best to sound calm and composed. "But it is definitely a start. One does not always get the first job one applies for, but once you've gone through one job interview, the next one will be that much easier, because then you know what the potential employer will ask you. Erik is an intelligent man and very talented. Sooner or later somebody will realize that. I have faith in him!"
Christine nodded nervously. "But what if," she began. "I mean, if this Mr. Stanton does not want to hire Erik because... you know. Will that not be like a confirmation of his worst fears for him? Will Erik then not be more convinced than ever hat he will never be able to lead a normal life?"
"He might feel that way," Mme. Giry admitted. "That's why we have to tell him that we believe in him, that we know he will sooner or later find a good job, be it with this Mr. Stanton or with somebody else. We have to boost his morale, so to speak," she added with a smile.
"I will answer his letter right away," Christine decided. "I will tell him that I believe in him, that I know he will find work soon, be it with Mr. Stanton or somebody else. Of course I wish it could be with Mr. Stanton, since the sooner Erik finds work, the sooner I can join him and we can get married, but if for some reason this won't work out, I am confident that the next opportunity will not be far away."
Mme. Giry smiled. „That's the right attitude, Christine," she said. „I will write at once as well and tell him something similar!"
Xxxx
"Papa," Amanda-Ann Stanton begged, her huge blue eyes looking up at her father. "May I come with you today, when you are going to see this French gentleman that may be able to help you with my Opera house?"
"Darling, you know that would be very exhausting for you," the middle-aged merchant replied, his voice full of love, but also of concern.
His beloved wife had died young, and Amanda-Ann was all he had left now. He loved his child dearly, but his daughter had inherited her mother's delicate constitution, was even frailer than his wife had been, and he knew that her days were counted. That was one of the reasons why he had bought that little theater. His child loved music, especially opera, but because of her ailment she more often than not had to use a wheelchair, and theaters were not built to grant access for such a contrivance. In his own theater he would make sure that his child would be able to access the box with the best view with her wheelchair, he could also schedule more intervals, so that the performance would not be too tiring for Amanda-Ann, and thus he would make sure she could enjoy her favorite hobby as much as possible despite her decaying health.
"But papa," Amanda-Ann begged, "I want to meet this gentleman as well! You have been looking for somebody capable for quite a while now, and if we want to stage our first production soon..."
"I know, I know," Carl Stanton replied. "If he is only half as good as this oriental told me, then I will have to hire him, even though..." He shook his head. "He is supposedly hideously disfigured and has to wear a mask at all times. I am not sure... you see, our employees might not respect him because of that, and you..." He shuddered. He did not want his daughter to get nightmares because the only applicant for this important position had a monster's face.
Amanda-Ann smiled. "But papa," she cooed, "don't you understand? He is different. Like me. He probably cannot do everything he wants to do, just like me. He is coming to see you at a time when it is already fairly dark. He does not want to be seen in public, with this mask that he must wear to conceal his deformity. He cannot move around freely like normal people do, just like me. It would mean so much to me to meet somebody who has to face similar problems. And if he can help you make this theater work..."
"Forgive me, my darling," Carl Stanton was at his daughter's side now, putting an arm around her thin shoulders. "I had not thought about that. Of course I understand how important it is for you to meet another person that has to live with a disability, and I also know how much you are looking forward to the opening of our little theater. I just thought it might be wise if I checked out this gentleman first, before introducing you to him. But it seems you have already decided that I should hire him, have you not?"
Amanda-Ann's eyes were burning with passion. "Yes, papa," she said, "assuming that he is as knowledgeable as you were told, of course. Just imagine, how difficult it must be for him to find work anywhere! I am sure it was no coincidence that he heard about our problem, I am sure he was meant to work for you."
Mr. Stanton nodded. "Since it is that important to you to meet Monsieur Givenould, I will allow you to accompany me to the theater this afternoon," he decided. "But you must promise me to hold a long siesta before we leave, and you will have to take your wheelchair. The carriage ride is exhausting enough for you, I will not allow you to walk around!"
Amanda-Ann accepted those conditions. What would she not have promised her father in order to be allowed to attend this meeting with their potential new artistic head of the theater! Though she was certain she would not be able to close an eye during siesta. She was so excited!
Xxxxx
Erik had been nervous all day. In the late afternoon he would have to meet this Mr. Stanton, the rich merchant who had bought a theater for his daughter. How would this man react to his mask? Would he even want to hear any of his suggestions, once they met and Stanton realized that the mask made him uncomfortable? Was the fact that the theater was currently anything but profitable and that therefore no qualified person was interested in the position of artistic advisor really a chance for him? Would Mr. Stanton, after having met him, not prefer to wait a bit longer with hiring such a person, until his theater was fully renovated and refurbished and rehearsals could actually start?
Nadir almost had to shove him out of the apartment when it was time for Erik to leave. Out in the streets, Erik forgot his imminent job interview for a while, since he had to concentrate on getting to the theater without anybody noticing his mask and starting to scream.
Once he reached "The Music House", he once again hesitated. Should he dare enter? Even though it might mean he would have to face rejection again, to see people look at him with disgust? He took a deep breath.
"If I want to find work, I have to do this," he reminded himself. "It might cause me some more humiliation, and I probably won't get the job anyway, but at least I can tell Christine and Antoinette that I tried." He summoned all his courage and entered. "For you, Christine," he thought.
Xxxxx
Erik had been told to proceed to the stage for the interview. That way, he would be able to assess the house's acoustics and it would also be important for an artistic advisor's work to know the size of the stage and the layout of the backstage area.
It was not difficult for him to find his way onto the stage. A jovial middle-aged man with friendly brown eyes and brown hair that showed a little gray at the temples greeted him.
"Monsieur Givenould?" the man asked, and as Erik nodded, he continued, "I am Carl Stanton, and this," he turned to the side and pointed towards a wheelchair in the wings, "is my daughter Amanda-Ann."
A maid now pushed the wheelchair forward, and Erik got a better view of its occupant. He realized at once that Miss Stanton was doomed. She would not live much longer. He had seen such translucent pallor before. She also seemed extremely weak. She was leaning more than sitting in the chair, and she was so very thin! There was something ethereal, though, about her ghostly pale little face surrounded by honey-blond hair. Her huge blue eyes were the color of the sky on a sunny summer day. The child's – for she could not be more than fourteen in Erik's opinion – delicate features reminded him of an elf or a fairy, an otherworldly creature.
"Pleased to meet you, Monsieur, Mademoiselle," Erik politely greeted father and daughter with a slight bow.
Carl Stanton was pleasantly surprised. He was not sure what he had expected, but certainly not a man in his prime with impeccable manners. This Monsieur Givenould was well dressed, and despite the mask – or maybe because of it - he looked rather distinguished.
"I have heard that you might be interested in the position of artistic advisor?" Mr. Stanton began his interview. "This is the theater we are talking about, and it is currently undergoing renovation. What would be your suggestions how to proceed so that we can open as soon as the construction work is finished?"
Erik looked around, then went to the piano that was standing in a corner and played a few notes. He listened carefully, shook his head, walked over to the center of the stage and counted to three on the top of his lungs, then he turned to Mr. Stanton again.
"The acoustics of this place leave a lot to be desired," he informed his potential employer. Gone was all his nervousness, he had forgotten that he was trying to get hired, the situation at hand had caught his full attention. "Since the theater is undergoing renovation, it might be wise to also make a few minor changes that would improve acoustics tremendously." And he began to explain what he had in mind.
Mr. Stanton frowned. He had to admit that what Erik said made a lot of sense. If acoustics could be improved with a little more construction work that certainly was an investment that would pay off in the long run.
"You are knowledgeable in the area of construction as well?" he asked Erik, rather surprised.
Erik nodded. "I worked for a mason once, in Italy," he explained. "If you wish, I could also have a look at the building and make sure that nothing that needs repair gets overlooked."
Mr. Stanton thought that a second opinion on his planned renovations could not hurt. Then he began to ask Erik about his plans for the theater.
"I will need to see every single one of the current ensemble members," Erik explained. "I will need to hear them play their instruments or sing or dance or whatever else it is they do, in order to determine if they are good enough to stay or if we need to hire some new talent."
Once Mr. Stanton had agreed to this, Erik continued. "The stage is of medium size," he said, "and since we most likely will have to build up a new ensemble, I recommend a piece that needs fewer resources for our first production. Something with maybe only one or two sets, three to four soloists, a small orchestra and choir, preferably no dancers. Something like Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore might be a good choice."
Amanda-Ann looked at Erik with adoration. This man knew so much! "Is this a good opera?" she asked shyly. "I have never heard of it."
"It is a comedy of sorts," Erik explained. "About a young farmer girl who does not admit her feelings for a young man until the latter buys some supposedly magic love-potion, which in reality is strong wine. Once he ignores her in his drunken stupor she realizes her true feelings for him and there is a happy ending."
Amanda-Ann clapped her hands in delight. "That sounds wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I like happy endings. Please, papa, can we stage this opera?"
Mr. Stanton looked at Erik. "Would you be able to oversee rehearsals?" he asked. "And to help me with finding a set designer, costume designer etc. in addition to a cast?"
Erik nodded. "I would be able to do the designing myself," he offered, "and I will see what can be built here, and for what kind of work we will need outside help. As to rehearsals, once the principal roles have been cast, we can start working with a piano anywhere. The first few weeks of rehearsals do not have to take place here, just like custom fittings could take place elsewhere. That way we can already get a good head start and only have to do the final run-throughs here, once the renovation will be completed."
Mr. Stanton smiled. "I am glad I met you, Monsieur Givenould," he said. "Since this theater will be closed for the next two to three months at least and I will have to pay salaries for cast members as well, I won't be able to pay you much until our reopening, but once this place is up and running and making profits, we can discuss a suitable salary for you as well. Would that work for you?"
Erik nodded. He suddenly realized that he had the job. That the first step towards his reunion with Christine had been taken. He would not make much money at first, and most of it would have to go into clothes. In his new position he needed a high-quality wardrobe. And he would also need to work on his more life-like mask, thus spend money on various materials he had to try out. But the theater would not be closed and unprofitable for ever, and he would do his best to turn it into the single most acclaimed theater of London, to make it more than profitable. Once he had proven himself to Mr. Stanton, his salary would increase and then... He smiled. Then he would be able to make savings and eventually buy a little house. And then he would ask Christine to come over and they would get married.
