Chapter 3: In which Julpe embarrasses Raoul
I went to the Opera after noon, hoping to meet Christine at rehearsal. When I entered the auditorium, she was sitting secluded in a corner, with a vacant look in her eyes. As the ballet was reviewing their routine, I knew I had some time to speak with her.
"Mademoiselle Daaé?"
She jumped up from her seat looking horribly startled, then sighed with obvious relief when she saw me.
"Oh, Raoul, it's only you," she breathed.
I had had every intention of confronting her about the man in her dressing, but I lost my nerve. Besides, I didn't want our conversation overheard by all the gossips.
"Christine, would you care to step outside for a few minutes? I would like to speak with you."
She gave a hallow laugh, glancing around the auditorium. "Ah, but you are speaking with me now!"
"Yes, but it would be best to take the conversation outside," I insisted.
"Anything we say is heard in the heavens, so what does it matter if a few people on earth hear?"
I starred at her. She was acting very strange.
"Please, Christine...only for a moment."
She looked around again. "I suppose..."
I escorted her out to the Grand Foyer.
"Well, Raoul, what is it? I am working, you know," she said once we reached the Foyer.
"Christine, you see...I'm a bit concerned for your safety. Last night I heard..."
"Raouly!" I heard a voice call from behind me. Before I could turn around, I was glomped and ended up on the floor with a young girl on my back.
Christine blinked. "You're...acquainted?"
The young woman got off of me and we both stood up. As I blankly starred at her, she gave Christine a warm handshake.
She couldn't have been more than fourteen-years-old, yet her hair was such an odd color. I would have said it was a light gray, only it wasn't. It was lavender. Her manner of dress was shocking, as well. She wore a pleated skirt that came to above her knee, and a sailor suit top.
"Dear God," I thought in horror. "Christine must think she's a prostitute! Oh, Lord...what if she is a prostitute?"
"Um, Mademoiselle, what is your name?" I asked.
"You know me, silly. I'm just checking up on you." She winked.
My jaw dropped. It couldn't be. "Julpe...?!"
"'Julpe?'" Christine repeated, uncertain.
The young girl grinned, her amber eyes flashing. She extended her hand to Christine again, and my childhood friend again received an exuberant handshake.
"Julperinia Nekonique," she introduced herself.
"That's quite an unusual name..." Christine exclaimed.
"Aw, just call me Julpe," she shrugged.
"Julpe, go away!" I hissed.
"I just got here! And I wanted to pretty your pretty lady friend."
"What?" Christine demanded.
My talking was now a human and talking to Christine...my world was falling apart!
"How did you get like this?"
"The tomato," she replied nonchalantly.
I looked from Julpe to Christine. "Impossible...impossible..." I felt dizzy.
"Raoul, are you alright? You look quite pale," Christine stated.
"He looks seasick," Julpe commented, her eyes portraying a wicked innocence.
"But...you're a cat...you're a cat! You're not real..."
And I do believe I fainted.
I went to the Opera after noon, hoping to meet Christine at rehearsal. When I entered the auditorium, she was sitting secluded in a corner, with a vacant look in her eyes. As the ballet was reviewing their routine, I knew I had some time to speak with her.
"Mademoiselle Daaé?"
She jumped up from her seat looking horribly startled, then sighed with obvious relief when she saw me.
"Oh, Raoul, it's only you," she breathed.
I had had every intention of confronting her about the man in her dressing, but I lost my nerve. Besides, I didn't want our conversation overheard by all the gossips.
"Christine, would you care to step outside for a few minutes? I would like to speak with you."
She gave a hallow laugh, glancing around the auditorium. "Ah, but you are speaking with me now!"
"Yes, but it would be best to take the conversation outside," I insisted.
"Anything we say is heard in the heavens, so what does it matter if a few people on earth hear?"
I starred at her. She was acting very strange.
"Please, Christine...only for a moment."
She looked around again. "I suppose..."
I escorted her out to the Grand Foyer.
"Well, Raoul, what is it? I am working, you know," she said once we reached the Foyer.
"Christine, you see...I'm a bit concerned for your safety. Last night I heard..."
"Raouly!" I heard a voice call from behind me. Before I could turn around, I was glomped and ended up on the floor with a young girl on my back.
Christine blinked. "You're...acquainted?"
The young woman got off of me and we both stood up. As I blankly starred at her, she gave Christine a warm handshake.
She couldn't have been more than fourteen-years-old, yet her hair was such an odd color. I would have said it was a light gray, only it wasn't. It was lavender. Her manner of dress was shocking, as well. She wore a pleated skirt that came to above her knee, and a sailor suit top.
"Dear God," I thought in horror. "Christine must think she's a prostitute! Oh, Lord...what if she is a prostitute?"
"Um, Mademoiselle, what is your name?" I asked.
"You know me, silly. I'm just checking up on you." She winked.
My jaw dropped. It couldn't be. "Julpe...?!"
"'Julpe?'" Christine repeated, uncertain.
The young girl grinned, her amber eyes flashing. She extended her hand to Christine again, and my childhood friend again received an exuberant handshake.
"Julperinia Nekonique," she introduced herself.
"That's quite an unusual name..." Christine exclaimed.
"Aw, just call me Julpe," she shrugged.
"Julpe, go away!" I hissed.
"I just got here! And I wanted to pretty your pretty lady friend."
"What?" Christine demanded.
My talking was now a human and talking to Christine...my world was falling apart!
"How did you get like this?"
"The tomato," she replied nonchalantly.
I looked from Julpe to Christine. "Impossible...impossible..." I felt dizzy.
"Raoul, are you alright? You look quite pale," Christine stated.
"He looks seasick," Julpe commented, her eyes portraying a wicked innocence.
"But...you're a cat...you're a cat! You're not real..."
And I do believe I fainted.