Part 2
A chill ran down Christine's spine. A double fool she had been to think that the Angel had kindness in his heart. I want to leave she thought and realised that she had spoken aloud when Raoul nodded grimly and said "Let us indeed leave. No lady should be persecuted in such a manner. That – that fiend, whoever he is, needs to be hunted down."
He stood decisively and then smiled, bowing to Christine and then a wide- eyed Meg, his blonde hair shining golden in the light of the great chandelier above. "My ladies, will you permit me to escort you both to find some refreshments now?"
"Yes, thank you!" Christine said in relief while Meg babbled her thanks. She did not feel annoyed that Meg was coming along as well – she had had a shock too and deserved an outing as well. Besides, any nosy gossip looking on would assume one of them was a chaperone for the other. Raoul smiled and offered his arms to both of them (no doubt enjoying the thought of escorting two ladies, Christine thought in sudden amusement). Then he paused and asked diffidently if they needed to fetch shawls from their rooms.
"No, I am fine" Meg said shyly. Christine started to say that she needed to fetch a shawl when she stopped. Fetching her shawl meant going back to her room. Where her mirror had been cracked (smashed?) by the Phantom, who might be there awaiting her. "No, I will be fine as well" Christine made herself say, though she was only wearing a delicate, lacy white dress suitable for indoor use.
She bit her lip. He wardrobe was full of similar dresses – provided by the Phantom. Early on in their 'acquaintance' he had imperiously declared that at all times she was to be attired in clothing of his choosing, the dresses appearing the next morning in her wardrobe as if by magic. They were all a perfect fit (which made her feel uneasy now that she thought about it) and her old faded dresses had been removed. Only her dark blue cloak had been deemed suitable for her and had remained.
She had been delighted with the dresses and the stares of envy she had received from other ladies but now she suddenly felt like a dressed up doll. A doll that was expected to have no wishes of its own. She smiled inwardly. At the first opportunity she would ask a dressmaker to make a few dresses for her in a new colour – sky blue, perhaps. She was sure a local Ladies Charity would delight in her white dresses.
Raoul inclined his golden head. "Then shall we depart my ladies?" They both nodded and after taking an arm of his each the three of them made their way out of the Opera, all of them eager to depart.
Christine felt a prickle on her neck and did not dare look back.
Meg wondered nervously if her mother would tell the Phantom he was going to far now.
Raoul wondered about the best way to hunt down the madman.
High in Box 5 Erik, the Phantom of the Opera watched Christine leave with his rival, his eyes narrowed. That foolish boy was heading for an 'accident' if he did not mind his own business. As for Christine, his love – why had she turned from him? He would have made her the greatest singer in Paris history. Why had she given that up for this upstart? The foolish child would be easily swayed by his foppish looks and her beautiful voice would be neglected. This could not be allowed to happen. It would not happen.
Later, Christine leaned back in her chair and sighed in pleasure. This had been the best meal she had had in a while – Raoul had spared no expense and had taken both her and Meg to one of the finest restaurants in Paris and now she felt so full! The waiters had fallen over themselves to make sure they had the best seats and the finest food. Raoul had accepted this treatment casually, for as a Vicomte he was obviously used to this treatment. Ah, to be rich.
Meg told Raoul in a hushed, dreamy tone that she had never been to such a fine restaurant. "Nor I" Christine agreed. Raoul gave a boyish smile and inclined his head gracefully. "It was my pleasure to treat such fine ladies" he said, laughing when Christine and Meg giggled and accused him of flattery.
Then his mood sobered and he looked at them thoughtfully. "I do not feel happy about ladies such as yourselves dwelling in the Opera while that madman is on the loose there." Christine's smile faded while Meg stared down at her hands. Then Meg looked up and gazed at Raoul earnestly. "The Phantom would never hurt ladies, I know it."
Raoul raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Oh? So he would prefer to just torment you like he did to La Carlotta?" While Meg bit her lip in chagrin, Raoul apologising for his unkind words, Christine had the wild urge to tell them both "he tormented me!" but she stayed silent. How would she explain it? "A voice talked to me from my mirror, I believed it was the Angel of Music but it was really the Phantom of the Opera". They would think her a naïve fool. No, it was best to keep quiet. Yet something needed to be done. She stared at Raoul resolutely. "Raoul, he needs to be caught – the Opera managers must contact the authorities." Raoul nodded grimly. "I will see to it that this is done when we return to the Opera." Meg opened her mouth as if to say something then paused, and the moment was lost.
When they returned to the Opera, it was at the conclusion of a show, for people of all classes were streaming out of the main entrance. It seemed that the Phantom had not made an appearance, for amongst the crowd could be heard the occasional mutter that for the amount of money they had paid surely they could have seen of glimpse of this Phantom? The trio looked at each other silently as they managed to make their way into the Opera. A feeling of malevolence seemed to permeate the majestic building, a feeling that the Phantom was merely biding his time before making a move.
"I regret leaving but I must see the managers" Raoul said gravely. "Where is their office to be found?" Christine gave him directions and he nodded his thanks, informing them he would return tomorrow at the earliest convenience to ensure they were safe.
"I will look forward to that" Christine said shyly and blushed when Raoul bent over her hand and kissed it before bidding farewell to them both and striding away. Christine gazed at her hand in amazement. No one had every kissed her hand before. Meg suddenly blurted out "Christine, I must see Maman" and rushed off, leaving Christine alone in the lobby. She took a deep breath. Now that Raoul would be busy talking to the managers, she would not wait for their permission to seek out a new room – she would go ahead and shift now.
If she remembered rightly, there were a couple of empty rooms in the level above her. But oh, she hoped the Phantom would not be waiting for her when she returned to her room. She could not help prevent a shiver of fear running through her. "May God and my father watch over me" she murmured and made the sign of the cross. Feeling slightly better she took a deep breath and headed to her room, feeling as though hidden eyes were watching her the whole way. She made her way along corridors that became shabbier and dimly lit until she reached her room at the end of a corridor.
Cautiously she opened the door, but before it was half opened it suddenly slammed in her face. She gasped, her face white as a sheet. Her hands trembling now she tried the door again. It opened easily this time and she walked in slowly, gulping. She cried out in shock at what she saw but shut the door behind her instead of fleeing. The room was freezing and the cause of this was clear – the mirror that had covered a whole wall was marred by a huge, gaping black hole in its centre and jagged pieces of glass were scattered over the floor.
There was a low moaning sound as a cold damp breeze rushed through the hole in the mirror at intervals, ruffling the sheets on her bed. It was the wind that had caused her door to slam. Christine's heart froze when she saw what appeared to be dried blood – lots of it – on the sides of the jagged hole. It was as if the breaker of the glass had pummelled it in a mad frenzy, who had not cared when his hands had started bleeding.
A chill ran down Christine's spine. A double fool she had been to think that the Angel had kindness in his heart. I want to leave she thought and realised that she had spoken aloud when Raoul nodded grimly and said "Let us indeed leave. No lady should be persecuted in such a manner. That – that fiend, whoever he is, needs to be hunted down."
He stood decisively and then smiled, bowing to Christine and then a wide- eyed Meg, his blonde hair shining golden in the light of the great chandelier above. "My ladies, will you permit me to escort you both to find some refreshments now?"
"Yes, thank you!" Christine said in relief while Meg babbled her thanks. She did not feel annoyed that Meg was coming along as well – she had had a shock too and deserved an outing as well. Besides, any nosy gossip looking on would assume one of them was a chaperone for the other. Raoul smiled and offered his arms to both of them (no doubt enjoying the thought of escorting two ladies, Christine thought in sudden amusement). Then he paused and asked diffidently if they needed to fetch shawls from their rooms.
"No, I am fine" Meg said shyly. Christine started to say that she needed to fetch a shawl when she stopped. Fetching her shawl meant going back to her room. Where her mirror had been cracked (smashed?) by the Phantom, who might be there awaiting her. "No, I will be fine as well" Christine made herself say, though she was only wearing a delicate, lacy white dress suitable for indoor use.
She bit her lip. He wardrobe was full of similar dresses – provided by the Phantom. Early on in their 'acquaintance' he had imperiously declared that at all times she was to be attired in clothing of his choosing, the dresses appearing the next morning in her wardrobe as if by magic. They were all a perfect fit (which made her feel uneasy now that she thought about it) and her old faded dresses had been removed. Only her dark blue cloak had been deemed suitable for her and had remained.
She had been delighted with the dresses and the stares of envy she had received from other ladies but now she suddenly felt like a dressed up doll. A doll that was expected to have no wishes of its own. She smiled inwardly. At the first opportunity she would ask a dressmaker to make a few dresses for her in a new colour – sky blue, perhaps. She was sure a local Ladies Charity would delight in her white dresses.
Raoul inclined his golden head. "Then shall we depart my ladies?" They both nodded and after taking an arm of his each the three of them made their way out of the Opera, all of them eager to depart.
Christine felt a prickle on her neck and did not dare look back.
Meg wondered nervously if her mother would tell the Phantom he was going to far now.
Raoul wondered about the best way to hunt down the madman.
High in Box 5 Erik, the Phantom of the Opera watched Christine leave with his rival, his eyes narrowed. That foolish boy was heading for an 'accident' if he did not mind his own business. As for Christine, his love – why had she turned from him? He would have made her the greatest singer in Paris history. Why had she given that up for this upstart? The foolish child would be easily swayed by his foppish looks and her beautiful voice would be neglected. This could not be allowed to happen. It would not happen.
Later, Christine leaned back in her chair and sighed in pleasure. This had been the best meal she had had in a while – Raoul had spared no expense and had taken both her and Meg to one of the finest restaurants in Paris and now she felt so full! The waiters had fallen over themselves to make sure they had the best seats and the finest food. Raoul had accepted this treatment casually, for as a Vicomte he was obviously used to this treatment. Ah, to be rich.
Meg told Raoul in a hushed, dreamy tone that she had never been to such a fine restaurant. "Nor I" Christine agreed. Raoul gave a boyish smile and inclined his head gracefully. "It was my pleasure to treat such fine ladies" he said, laughing when Christine and Meg giggled and accused him of flattery.
Then his mood sobered and he looked at them thoughtfully. "I do not feel happy about ladies such as yourselves dwelling in the Opera while that madman is on the loose there." Christine's smile faded while Meg stared down at her hands. Then Meg looked up and gazed at Raoul earnestly. "The Phantom would never hurt ladies, I know it."
Raoul raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Oh? So he would prefer to just torment you like he did to La Carlotta?" While Meg bit her lip in chagrin, Raoul apologising for his unkind words, Christine had the wild urge to tell them both "he tormented me!" but she stayed silent. How would she explain it? "A voice talked to me from my mirror, I believed it was the Angel of Music but it was really the Phantom of the Opera". They would think her a naïve fool. No, it was best to keep quiet. Yet something needed to be done. She stared at Raoul resolutely. "Raoul, he needs to be caught – the Opera managers must contact the authorities." Raoul nodded grimly. "I will see to it that this is done when we return to the Opera." Meg opened her mouth as if to say something then paused, and the moment was lost.
When they returned to the Opera, it was at the conclusion of a show, for people of all classes were streaming out of the main entrance. It seemed that the Phantom had not made an appearance, for amongst the crowd could be heard the occasional mutter that for the amount of money they had paid surely they could have seen of glimpse of this Phantom? The trio looked at each other silently as they managed to make their way into the Opera. A feeling of malevolence seemed to permeate the majestic building, a feeling that the Phantom was merely biding his time before making a move.
"I regret leaving but I must see the managers" Raoul said gravely. "Where is their office to be found?" Christine gave him directions and he nodded his thanks, informing them he would return tomorrow at the earliest convenience to ensure they were safe.
"I will look forward to that" Christine said shyly and blushed when Raoul bent over her hand and kissed it before bidding farewell to them both and striding away. Christine gazed at her hand in amazement. No one had every kissed her hand before. Meg suddenly blurted out "Christine, I must see Maman" and rushed off, leaving Christine alone in the lobby. She took a deep breath. Now that Raoul would be busy talking to the managers, she would not wait for their permission to seek out a new room – she would go ahead and shift now.
If she remembered rightly, there were a couple of empty rooms in the level above her. But oh, she hoped the Phantom would not be waiting for her when she returned to her room. She could not help prevent a shiver of fear running through her. "May God and my father watch over me" she murmured and made the sign of the cross. Feeling slightly better she took a deep breath and headed to her room, feeling as though hidden eyes were watching her the whole way. She made her way along corridors that became shabbier and dimly lit until she reached her room at the end of a corridor.
Cautiously she opened the door, but before it was half opened it suddenly slammed in her face. She gasped, her face white as a sheet. Her hands trembling now she tried the door again. It opened easily this time and she walked in slowly, gulping. She cried out in shock at what she saw but shut the door behind her instead of fleeing. The room was freezing and the cause of this was clear – the mirror that had covered a whole wall was marred by a huge, gaping black hole in its centre and jagged pieces of glass were scattered over the floor.
There was a low moaning sound as a cold damp breeze rushed through the hole in the mirror at intervals, ruffling the sheets on her bed. It was the wind that had caused her door to slam. Christine's heart froze when she saw what appeared to be dried blood – lots of it – on the sides of the jagged hole. It was as if the breaker of the glass had pummelled it in a mad frenzy, who had not cared when his hands had started bleeding.