The performance of the Paris Opera's portrayal of the flamboyant gypsy woman Carmen went surprisingly wonderful that night. The audience fell in love with Christine all over again and all of those seated in the audience stood to their feet for her when the final curtain call occured and she stepped out to beautifully curtsey in respect toward the never-ending music of thousands of hands clapping together in adoring applaude. The only person who didn't stand, nor did he clap, was Erik who sat in his ever reserved position in Box Five looking down upon his angel with a slight smile formed upon his thin lips. He would shower her with praise in due time but for now he slowly stood to his feet and, with the help of a secret door that only he had access to, vanished from Box Five as if he didn't attend the performance for the evening at all. Yet everyone in the opera management knew that he did attend for he left behind the wicked beauty of his presence that gave him infamous notoriety with everyone associated with the Paris Opera. Especially the silly Ballet girls and their rather humorous stories of him they uttered when they thought no one would hear. Little did they know that the Phantom heard and knew all within the esteemed walls of that building.
After his abrupt vacancy of Box five his sole intentions were to visit his Angel, Christine, whom would soon retire to her dressing room to remove her costume and gaudy stage make-up, why they made her look paler than she already was he'd never know, and prepare herself to return to whatever Parisian flat she had saught out now that her wages were considerably higher due to easy instilled fear he placed within the managers if they didn't increase her pay. Erik wove his way through many a secret and dark, dank corridor that would lead him to the very mirror and dressing room he first saw Christine appear in. To think that once the very dressing room he now frequented often was one area he had once avoided due to one very horrid, to say the least, woman who believed her voice could make the angels weep. La Carlotta was that diva's name who, in the experienced opinion of Erik, sounded quite like a shrill seal during mating season everytime she opened her mouth to attempt a magnificent aria. If it was one person, besides the fool Raoul, who raked fully upon his sanity it was Carlotta and her bird strut upon the stage for the woman truly believed herself a superb actress indeed. It was actually quite humorous now that Erik thought upon it but, nevertheless, he was rid of La Carlotta for the time being. How sad that she had come down with a sudden "ailment" that the doctors couldn't quite put their finger on.
From afar Erik could see the light of Christine's dressing room reflecting off the two sided mirror with brilliance to light the darkness of the narrow corridor he traveled through. The very sight of that welcoming light quickened his steps upon the ground to allow the sound of his shoes upon the floor below him to give off a louder click in a echo around him. Oh if all such bright lights were as welcoming to him and as well offered to him as the light that drove him with anxious intent forward until near enough to shuffle his feet to hushed steps until they ceased before that mirror, opening his vision to the coziness of Christine's dressing room. Yet any such fine spirit entering Erik's body with happiness to see and speak with Christine intimately again were vanquished into a million pieces as the coldness of his eyes narrowed with dangerous anger as his vision was displeased with a sight he had not expected to see there. Sitting so elegantly in his over paid suit of gleaming black was Raoul in all his handsome splendor that nearly made Erik pull back the level of the mirror with murderous thoughts.
Raoul was every well to do woman's dream of a husband. He stood tall and proud with his head held high and his walk in a masculine strut that was far worse than La Carlotta's parade upon the stage. His features were dark yet so alluring that when he walked into a room and smiled his pearly white smile so bright and friendly every head would turn to gaze upon him with envy. Yet it was always an envy that everyone would forget once they spoke with Raoul for, even with conversation, Raoul was no idiot yet quite eloquent with his words. Perhaps that was what irked Erik more than anything. Competition. Though Raoul didn't yet know that he was falling prey to Erik's foul torrents of anger and hate that was not too soon to simmer at any present time. The only thing Erik could not compete with, or so he believed he couldn't, was the dashing good looks Raoul innately became blessed with. Raoul smile was as bright as the rays of the sun in spring yet more so tempting and kinder that brightened liquid eyes of constant darkness that never showed ill will toward anyone and, in Erik's firm belief, were innocent to most things he, himself, was accustomed to such as hate and anger.
Erik glared hard in silence at the nobleman's figure resting in a chair and became increasingly tempted to dispose of him then and there were it not for the sudden twist of the dressing room door's handle and fluid entrance of Christine into the picture. Her presence put him at a small amount of ease yet not quite enough to drive out that ache to wrap skeleton digits around Raoul's neck to squeeze the life out of him. In fact Christine's sudden arrival ironically heightened that murdering want to show his singing bird the lasting effect of his actions should his warnings proceed to go unheeded. Such actions, though, would be put off with Christine's notation of Raoul within her dressing room.
The glittering sapphire of Christine's eyes widened with fear upon Raoul yet he seemed not to be aware of her sudden horror at his presence nor did he seem to notice the way Christine's gaze drifted in rapid succession between himself and their reflections in the mirror, but Erik was well aware of Christine's discomfort and fright and, perhaps evilly, relished it in his dark silence. "Oh yes, Christine," he thought to himself, "fear what you cannot see and pray that I don't know when everything you do I shall always be made aware of and comment on with proper punishment. Ah, but punishment not for you, child, never for you but for your handsome friend who has yet to gather to his one tracked mind that you are far from interested in him courting you. Go ahead Christine, tell him that you wish never to lay your beautiful eyes upon him again."
Raoul jumped to his feet and gave a polite bow to his childhood friend as soon as she entered into the room and flashed for Christine, in visible achings of love, a smile that put within Christine's heart a extra beat for she really did feel something for Raoul no matter how slight it was.
"You, Christine, were wonderful tonight! You make me honored and proud to patron the Opera for talent such as your own only comes to those blessed by an angel." With Raoul's words so unknowingly spoken Christine had to visibly cringe at the word "angel" and inwardly pray in a soft mantra for Erik not to be close enough to see this untimely encounter.
"You.......You flatter me, Raoul," She slowly moved past Raoul to set her lithe form down upon the soft cushioned seat before the mirror to now stare at the mere reflection of herself and Raoul, "But you really shouldn't be here right now I'm in a awful hurry to get myself home tonight, Raoul, for I'm extremely tired. As you can imagine such a demanding role costs a lot of energy to one's body." She now adverted her eyes away from his well refined features and manners to stare at herself deeply as if she could burn a hole through the mirror with that vacant stare and see for herself if her teacher lay watching with stifled anger.
"Christine...." Raoul's voice was soft as he spoke her name which, in Christine's state of mind, amply confused her senses enough to have that small hand flutter to press against the mirror in habit.
"Angel...."
"What?" Raoul had slowly stepped forward to kneel at Christine's side with a look of confusion slowly beginning to surface upon his handsome countenance, "Angel? Christine what one earth are you talking about?" Sincerely upon his visage a expression of worry visited him on behalf of the trance-like Christine who suddenly looked upon Raoul and struggled to express an excuse for her lack of attentiveness to him. As she faltered over her thoughts to find words Raoul's hand had found a place to caress upon her cheek to steady and calm her and Christine, to Erik's utter dismay, did nothing to stop that touch from occuring.
"I'm sorry Raoul what were you saying?" she spoke gently even as she dared to tilt her head to press her flawless cheek to his awaiting fingers and permitted her satin lips to form for Raoul a smile of pleasant means that gave the fuming Phantom watching with a sneer the impression that Christine's main priority was not yet fully upon him or her singing. In fact she seemed most willing to abandon her goals to disappear then and there with Raoul to live a life of marriage, balls, feasts and, last of all, children. Just the single thought of never seeing the beauty that was Christine dissipated Erik's anger into oblivion to be replaced with a unexpected fear and as Erik lingered upon that fear of betrayal of her he failed to hear the words exchanged between them and, before he could master a plan of interference, Christine had reluctantly agreed to have a celebration dinner with him in honor of her performance that night.
"Then it is settled, Christine, I shall wait at the doors for you to present yourself and then we shall be on our way!" Raoul's face, as he spoke, now was aflame with boyish excitement upon the agreement of Christine instead of the usual refusal and he could hardly contain the brightness of his smile as he took her hands lovingly into his own to bend and place to each of them a row of kisses. "And thank you. Thank you Christine. I wait...." With those final words Raoul was dashing out of the door to alert the driver of his carriage of the change of plans for the evening, leaving Christine to her own bright smiles and forgetfulness of warnings voiced only a few short hours ago. How pitiful it all was suddenly to Erik as his heart thumped madly with anger and hurt. How utterly unaware he had become to his final decision. The ultimate choosing to now bestow upon Christine what he swore she'd never see. His slender hand rose to graze the very tips of his fingers gently over the pure white mask that well hid the deformities of his face and he shook his head with dire melancholy and aroused anger like none had before. "Oh Christine," he spoke inwardly to himself, "How you play me so like a fool that perhaps I have doubted your prima donna status. Well, child, all games now end and it is time for you to see not with a child's eyes but with a woman's what you have so insisted on seeing since our first meeting."
"How easily we are to forget our promises, Christine. And how foolish that boy is to think he shall have your heart and interfere with your career. He floats in your pond of success and you allow him to do so and even encourage him by agreeing to his fancy meals to show you off to the world as if he held your heart. Does he have your heart Christine?" Erik's voice was eerie and calm as it arose from his lips like a melodic tune of hypnotic means to take back to him what he felt he rightfully deserved....his singing bird. As he spoke Christine seemed forced back into that protective shell she often brandished to all and suddenly she felt regret upon not refusing Raoul for the sake of one night's relaxation. For now she dealt with a anger she couldn't have controlled even if she were the strongest person inwardly.
"Erik......oh please Erik my decision was made in haste! Forgive me, angel, I couldn't refuse his pleas," yet as she finished speaking she was greeted with a silence that put immediate panic into her heart and gave her pale face the expression of terrible woe. With a silent sob she fell to her knees before the mirror and pressed her damp forehead to the cold glass as tears began to waterfall down her cheeks with a crystaline sparkle. She was afraid of losing her angel, her teacher. That much was for sure as she pleaded in her heart for his voice to once again reign in the air.
"I am your angel, Christine. Lift your face and dry your eyes..........you have an engagement this night with a certain young man....." there came after that phrase a long pause that caused Christine to suddenly look up with a start to gaze at the mirror with a baffled look upon her face. ".....I am your angel....."
Christine stood back to her slipper clad feet slowly while still intently gazing within the mirror with little suspicion that Erik was merely biding his time in stalling his angel. He wanted that silly fool Raoul to come back to Christine and question her on what kept her. He wanted Raoul to see him steal her away no matter how Christine's innocent heart may grow up from the mere sight of a man hidden behind a mask with the power of his voice the only calm she will then ever no.
The clocks read 10:02, ten minutes after Raoul's departure, and there upon Christine's door finally came the impatient knock from that nobleman and the slow sliding of the mirror to open before the shocked eyes of Christine who remained statuesque in standing as the Phantom's whisper was soft enough to tame her fear and loud enough rouse Raoul's own into sight as he heard a strange voice leaking past the cracks of the door.
"Come to me......Christine........angel....."
After his abrupt vacancy of Box five his sole intentions were to visit his Angel, Christine, whom would soon retire to her dressing room to remove her costume and gaudy stage make-up, why they made her look paler than she already was he'd never know, and prepare herself to return to whatever Parisian flat she had saught out now that her wages were considerably higher due to easy instilled fear he placed within the managers if they didn't increase her pay. Erik wove his way through many a secret and dark, dank corridor that would lead him to the very mirror and dressing room he first saw Christine appear in. To think that once the very dressing room he now frequented often was one area he had once avoided due to one very horrid, to say the least, woman who believed her voice could make the angels weep. La Carlotta was that diva's name who, in the experienced opinion of Erik, sounded quite like a shrill seal during mating season everytime she opened her mouth to attempt a magnificent aria. If it was one person, besides the fool Raoul, who raked fully upon his sanity it was Carlotta and her bird strut upon the stage for the woman truly believed herself a superb actress indeed. It was actually quite humorous now that Erik thought upon it but, nevertheless, he was rid of La Carlotta for the time being. How sad that she had come down with a sudden "ailment" that the doctors couldn't quite put their finger on.
From afar Erik could see the light of Christine's dressing room reflecting off the two sided mirror with brilliance to light the darkness of the narrow corridor he traveled through. The very sight of that welcoming light quickened his steps upon the ground to allow the sound of his shoes upon the floor below him to give off a louder click in a echo around him. Oh if all such bright lights were as welcoming to him and as well offered to him as the light that drove him with anxious intent forward until near enough to shuffle his feet to hushed steps until they ceased before that mirror, opening his vision to the coziness of Christine's dressing room. Yet any such fine spirit entering Erik's body with happiness to see and speak with Christine intimately again were vanquished into a million pieces as the coldness of his eyes narrowed with dangerous anger as his vision was displeased with a sight he had not expected to see there. Sitting so elegantly in his over paid suit of gleaming black was Raoul in all his handsome splendor that nearly made Erik pull back the level of the mirror with murderous thoughts.
Raoul was every well to do woman's dream of a husband. He stood tall and proud with his head held high and his walk in a masculine strut that was far worse than La Carlotta's parade upon the stage. His features were dark yet so alluring that when he walked into a room and smiled his pearly white smile so bright and friendly every head would turn to gaze upon him with envy. Yet it was always an envy that everyone would forget once they spoke with Raoul for, even with conversation, Raoul was no idiot yet quite eloquent with his words. Perhaps that was what irked Erik more than anything. Competition. Though Raoul didn't yet know that he was falling prey to Erik's foul torrents of anger and hate that was not too soon to simmer at any present time. The only thing Erik could not compete with, or so he believed he couldn't, was the dashing good looks Raoul innately became blessed with. Raoul smile was as bright as the rays of the sun in spring yet more so tempting and kinder that brightened liquid eyes of constant darkness that never showed ill will toward anyone and, in Erik's firm belief, were innocent to most things he, himself, was accustomed to such as hate and anger.
Erik glared hard in silence at the nobleman's figure resting in a chair and became increasingly tempted to dispose of him then and there were it not for the sudden twist of the dressing room door's handle and fluid entrance of Christine into the picture. Her presence put him at a small amount of ease yet not quite enough to drive out that ache to wrap skeleton digits around Raoul's neck to squeeze the life out of him. In fact Christine's sudden arrival ironically heightened that murdering want to show his singing bird the lasting effect of his actions should his warnings proceed to go unheeded. Such actions, though, would be put off with Christine's notation of Raoul within her dressing room.
The glittering sapphire of Christine's eyes widened with fear upon Raoul yet he seemed not to be aware of her sudden horror at his presence nor did he seem to notice the way Christine's gaze drifted in rapid succession between himself and their reflections in the mirror, but Erik was well aware of Christine's discomfort and fright and, perhaps evilly, relished it in his dark silence. "Oh yes, Christine," he thought to himself, "fear what you cannot see and pray that I don't know when everything you do I shall always be made aware of and comment on with proper punishment. Ah, but punishment not for you, child, never for you but for your handsome friend who has yet to gather to his one tracked mind that you are far from interested in him courting you. Go ahead Christine, tell him that you wish never to lay your beautiful eyes upon him again."
Raoul jumped to his feet and gave a polite bow to his childhood friend as soon as she entered into the room and flashed for Christine, in visible achings of love, a smile that put within Christine's heart a extra beat for she really did feel something for Raoul no matter how slight it was.
"You, Christine, were wonderful tonight! You make me honored and proud to patron the Opera for talent such as your own only comes to those blessed by an angel." With Raoul's words so unknowingly spoken Christine had to visibly cringe at the word "angel" and inwardly pray in a soft mantra for Erik not to be close enough to see this untimely encounter.
"You.......You flatter me, Raoul," She slowly moved past Raoul to set her lithe form down upon the soft cushioned seat before the mirror to now stare at the mere reflection of herself and Raoul, "But you really shouldn't be here right now I'm in a awful hurry to get myself home tonight, Raoul, for I'm extremely tired. As you can imagine such a demanding role costs a lot of energy to one's body." She now adverted her eyes away from his well refined features and manners to stare at herself deeply as if she could burn a hole through the mirror with that vacant stare and see for herself if her teacher lay watching with stifled anger.
"Christine...." Raoul's voice was soft as he spoke her name which, in Christine's state of mind, amply confused her senses enough to have that small hand flutter to press against the mirror in habit.
"Angel...."
"What?" Raoul had slowly stepped forward to kneel at Christine's side with a look of confusion slowly beginning to surface upon his handsome countenance, "Angel? Christine what one earth are you talking about?" Sincerely upon his visage a expression of worry visited him on behalf of the trance-like Christine who suddenly looked upon Raoul and struggled to express an excuse for her lack of attentiveness to him. As she faltered over her thoughts to find words Raoul's hand had found a place to caress upon her cheek to steady and calm her and Christine, to Erik's utter dismay, did nothing to stop that touch from occuring.
"I'm sorry Raoul what were you saying?" she spoke gently even as she dared to tilt her head to press her flawless cheek to his awaiting fingers and permitted her satin lips to form for Raoul a smile of pleasant means that gave the fuming Phantom watching with a sneer the impression that Christine's main priority was not yet fully upon him or her singing. In fact she seemed most willing to abandon her goals to disappear then and there with Raoul to live a life of marriage, balls, feasts and, last of all, children. Just the single thought of never seeing the beauty that was Christine dissipated Erik's anger into oblivion to be replaced with a unexpected fear and as Erik lingered upon that fear of betrayal of her he failed to hear the words exchanged between them and, before he could master a plan of interference, Christine had reluctantly agreed to have a celebration dinner with him in honor of her performance that night.
"Then it is settled, Christine, I shall wait at the doors for you to present yourself and then we shall be on our way!" Raoul's face, as he spoke, now was aflame with boyish excitement upon the agreement of Christine instead of the usual refusal and he could hardly contain the brightness of his smile as he took her hands lovingly into his own to bend and place to each of them a row of kisses. "And thank you. Thank you Christine. I wait...." With those final words Raoul was dashing out of the door to alert the driver of his carriage of the change of plans for the evening, leaving Christine to her own bright smiles and forgetfulness of warnings voiced only a few short hours ago. How pitiful it all was suddenly to Erik as his heart thumped madly with anger and hurt. How utterly unaware he had become to his final decision. The ultimate choosing to now bestow upon Christine what he swore she'd never see. His slender hand rose to graze the very tips of his fingers gently over the pure white mask that well hid the deformities of his face and he shook his head with dire melancholy and aroused anger like none had before. "Oh Christine," he spoke inwardly to himself, "How you play me so like a fool that perhaps I have doubted your prima donna status. Well, child, all games now end and it is time for you to see not with a child's eyes but with a woman's what you have so insisted on seeing since our first meeting."
"How easily we are to forget our promises, Christine. And how foolish that boy is to think he shall have your heart and interfere with your career. He floats in your pond of success and you allow him to do so and even encourage him by agreeing to his fancy meals to show you off to the world as if he held your heart. Does he have your heart Christine?" Erik's voice was eerie and calm as it arose from his lips like a melodic tune of hypnotic means to take back to him what he felt he rightfully deserved....his singing bird. As he spoke Christine seemed forced back into that protective shell she often brandished to all and suddenly she felt regret upon not refusing Raoul for the sake of one night's relaxation. For now she dealt with a anger she couldn't have controlled even if she were the strongest person inwardly.
"Erik......oh please Erik my decision was made in haste! Forgive me, angel, I couldn't refuse his pleas," yet as she finished speaking she was greeted with a silence that put immediate panic into her heart and gave her pale face the expression of terrible woe. With a silent sob she fell to her knees before the mirror and pressed her damp forehead to the cold glass as tears began to waterfall down her cheeks with a crystaline sparkle. She was afraid of losing her angel, her teacher. That much was for sure as she pleaded in her heart for his voice to once again reign in the air.
"I am your angel, Christine. Lift your face and dry your eyes..........you have an engagement this night with a certain young man....." there came after that phrase a long pause that caused Christine to suddenly look up with a start to gaze at the mirror with a baffled look upon her face. ".....I am your angel....."
Christine stood back to her slipper clad feet slowly while still intently gazing within the mirror with little suspicion that Erik was merely biding his time in stalling his angel. He wanted that silly fool Raoul to come back to Christine and question her on what kept her. He wanted Raoul to see him steal her away no matter how Christine's innocent heart may grow up from the mere sight of a man hidden behind a mask with the power of his voice the only calm she will then ever no.
The clocks read 10:02, ten minutes after Raoul's departure, and there upon Christine's door finally came the impatient knock from that nobleman and the slow sliding of the mirror to open before the shocked eyes of Christine who remained statuesque in standing as the Phantom's whisper was soft enough to tame her fear and loud enough rouse Raoul's own into sight as he heard a strange voice leaking past the cracks of the door.
"Come to me......Christine........angel....."