For: Vicomtesse Christine de Chagny
Questions formatted and curated by Erik Destler, Angel of Music, Mr. Y, The Phantom of the Opera, The Living Corpse, Father, Husband, and Grandfather.
First, I would like to address that some of these questions may go unanswered, but I would prefer if you did your best to answer each without regards to your nerves. I shall never think differently of you, darling.
1) Are you truly Christine de Chagny, nee Daae?
2) Is it true your father died when you were but a young girl?
3) Was it the Opera Populaire that your father worked at that enabled you to end up under Madame Giry's tutelage?
4) Was he kind? What is that like?
5) When you cried, like many of the other ballet girls did, did you know you were the first one I pitied?
6) I had heard you pray in the chapel for your father, could you sense my presence then?
7) Can you sense it now?
8) When I first spoke to you, were you more scared or intrigued since I had come under the guise of angel?
9) How old were you when you thought I could be something else? What about when you first wondered why it was you I had chosen?
10) Did you think I worked you too hard? Possibly not hard enough?
11) Did the work pay off… at first? (I am not naive, darling, I know that a part of you cursed the gift I bestowed upon you, especially in those early days of stardom.)
12) Was there any part of you that loved your angel before I revealed myself to you? Any part that resented the angel?
13) Were you happy to finally stand in Carlotta's place, or did I take too many liberties at once that evening?
14) Did you ever really love the Vicomte? He was brash and presumptive, yet I suppose I was no better. Or did you love the idea of him, young and friendly for a time?
15) When you first saw me, was it the mask or my voice?
16) If it was the mask, darling, had you been planning to remove it since you saw it? Or was there any rationale in that lovely head of yours?
17) I recall being overcome with anger, and so your reaction to my face escaped me. I am assuming that by the amount of times after that you did not fear it, but that first time? Could you elaborate, my love? Was it my temper that pushed you away, caused you to run to the Vicomte whom you had only spent a single summer with?!
18) Were you glad I returned you? Or did you wish we had spoken about that fateful evening?
19) Did you at least love the sound of my voice?
20) For Il Muto, an opera no one can really do well by in the first place, were you even the least bit sad to not have been playing the role originally? That you were upstaged by that cow of a woman?
21) Can you blame me for being upset?
22) Can you forgive me?
23) Did you know I heard you that night on the roof of the opera? Every word, my love, and while I was extremely offended, did you know that you did not return the Vicomte's beckoning of love? He told you that he loved you, darling, and you merely told him to protect you. I do not want the answer to this one, but I would care that you ponder it.
24) I do not think when I murder. I took many lives, yet only created one. Did the creation outweigh the destruction?
25) When I discovered you engaged, did you know that I cried after leaving the masque ball?
26) I heard you refuse to do the opera, but did you know I would not have been upset if you did not perform it? Did you know that if you merely became my student again we could have started over?
27) When you visited your father's grave, for the first time in a while, were you aware I had kept track. Your engagement to Raoul had kept you away for six months! The longest you have ever gone without visiting him.
28) Who did you surmise I was that evening? Angel, father, friend, phantom?
29) Was it necessary to kiss the boy before me? Do you know what kind of knife got shoved into my abdomen?
30) During Don Juan, you were not at your best. In fact, I would say you were sorely lacking, could you tell?
31) Could you tell I was disappointed?
32) Why did you remove my mask?
33) Why could you not have let the opera play out? Not that it would have gone far when they saw my masked face.
34) Did you feel what I felt yet? The feelings that brought you back to me a few weeks later?
35) Or had you felt it the whole time?
36) When I forced you into the dress, do you recall my eyes being closed?
37) Did you know I can hardly recall the evening, but I will do my best? Most of it is black with despair I do not care to recall.
38) When did your Vicomte come to you? How?
39) Did I truly put a noose around his neck? Did you know I never would have killed him? You loved him so, and he was but a bargaining chip at that point, but I don't think you did know. I might have hurt him… I might…
40) Did you despise me?
41) When you kissed me, what were my arms and hands doing?
42) When you kissed me a second time, was it because you wanted to? Or because you were discouraged by my lack of response?
43) Did the Vicomte let himself loose, or had I cut him down?
44) Could you tell I hated myself then? That was the epitome of my self loathing, the apex if you will.
45) Why did you return my ring? You had every right to keep it, you had every right to escape and pretend like the evening never happened, that Raoul was your prince charming ready to carry you off on his well-groomed steed! Why did you need to torture me?
46) What did you do while I cried and played away my days after escaping from the mob for a moment, nothing but my mask left behind.
47) Did you know I could not wear it because I felt that it had been the cause of too much trouble?
48) Were you planning a wedding? Were you happy? Were you tortured?
49) When you came to me, in the dark of night, did you know I didn't believe it?
50) Did you know I wanted to?
51) True or false now, darling, to make it easier for you.
You came of your own free will.
You initiated everything that happened that evening.
I was the first lover you ever took.
You begged.
You loved me.
It was not merely once.
It was in the dark for no other reason than your fear of your own body and mine.
52) That next morning, did you know I left and came back several times? Did you know I had been in contact with Madame Giry at that point, my belongings had been gathered, and I was set to sail out of Calais but a few hours later? (I had no idea they were both to come with me, it had not been the original plan.)
53) Do you know why I chose to leave? That I was ashamed? Ashamed you were so willing, ashamed that you might not care for me any longer after getting what you desired from me?
54) Why did I chose the side-show as my first purchase?
55) Did your husband ever tell you about the fact I was locked in a cage as a man? That I was nothing but a freak to those looking in?
56) What about the other rumors, all of which are true. Did he tell you those?
57) Did you two speak of me at all, or were things alright without talk of me for a while?
58) When did the strain on your relationship begin? Was it early on like I suspect, or did it develop over time?
59) Was that when he began to drink?
60) Do you think he knew about Gustave subconsciously, long before he ever truly discovered the boy's parentage? Or maybe our love for one-another?
61) Did you know I thought I was incapable of conceiving children for the mere fact that I thought God would not be so cruel as to allow a child to be fathered by me?
62) Did you know Mademoiselle Giry had become attached to me?
63) Could you believe that I hadn't known until the night you died?
64) I had known nothing… I merely thought her charming. Was I naive for not seeing such things?
65) You do know the music I composed for her means nothing compared to what I created for you, my love?
66) Did you know I never truly trusted Madame Giry? Why should I have? She is the reason the Vicomte found you all those years ago in the cellars.
67) If he had not come, would you believe me when I say that you might have gotten through to me? You might have loved me sooner? It's what I like to think, anyways. I don't truly remember much at all. I try not to or it is merely gone.
68) Did you know that I heard your voice in my dreams for years? Every moment.
69) How did you live with me doing it to you in your youth? I was maddened. I suppose I understand you better, now.
70) When I first saw you… and you fell to the ground… did you trust that I would pick you up?
71) Did you truly not love me then? Or were you merely hiding the secret?
72) Is it not strange I had people there I trusted? It was an odd feeling.
73) When I had finally ensnared your voice for a performance, had you figured it out that Hammerstein had been bought out by me far before you even landed ashore?
74) Every moment we were close, were you not also so deliciously tempted to lean into yet another embrace? A kiss, even?
75) Was your husband ever unfaithful? He did seem to love you, so I beg your forgiveness for the question, I merely ache to know if it had gone both ways.
76) Were you going to tell me Gustave was mine, or did you really leave it to me to find out?
77) Do you know I slipped into being a phantom again, if only to ensnare your Vicomte in another trap?
78) Were you remorseful for taking Meg's place, or did you think nothing of it? Was your plan and presence there truly that fleeting?
79) Could you tell she was jealous at all?
80) Without any interference from the either of us, who would you have chosen?
81) Were you not shot, would you have told Gustave who his real father was considering the Vicomte was going to leave?
82) Did you know, I still did not want you to tell him? Even if the both of you were to be mine forever, I would not have wanted him to live with the shame of it.
83) Would you believe he is happy with me as his father?
84) From where you are, do you feel my remorse and grief? Is it palpable?
85) Did you love me when you died?
86) Did you love the Vicomte?
87) I need not ask over Gustave. But what of Meg, one of your oldest friends?
88) Do you forgive her? I never did. It helps I never saw her or Madame Giry again.
89) Are you happy with how I am raising Gustave?
90) Are you pleased I let Raoul stick around?
91) Do you have a smug smile on your face knowing we are friends? (I say this lightly, my love, there were a lot of things we allowed to flow under the bridge simply for Gustave.)
92) Are you proud of the man our son is becoming?
93) Of the woman he chose as his wife?
94) Would you consider yourself happy, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, or upset with the women both Raoul and I chose as our wives after you?
95) Did you think I was even capable of moving on? (I did not.) What about Raoul?
96) Would you believe I became a grandfather?
97) Do you hold my first grandchild after they were taken from the womb and care for them?
98) While melancholy, would you believe me if I said I had a good life?
99) Can you feel that life coming to an end?
100) Did you miss me?