"I hope you enjoyed dinner," Raoul exclaimed as I took his arm. He was all
politeness and charm, and I could hardly believe that this person, my one
time friend, was a raving madman.
"Of course! I'm enjoying everything. My life has seemed to be just
wonderful since I met you Monsieur Vicomte." I looked up at him and smiled.
He smiled back.
"Please, call me Raoul, I insist." He looked quite dashing as he set
me down on a stool. "Are you musical, Mademoiselle Rouen?"
"Oh, I've played the piano off and on since I was a young girl. I'm
afraid I cannot sing, though I've always yearned to be able to. One reason
I was so excited to be accepted at the Opera house is I could meet
Christine Daae," I threw it out, to see what Raoul would do. I glanced
over and his face didn't change. "but unfortunately she disappeared before
I came to the opera."
"Yes she was talented, and beautiful too. She and I were to be
married." He shook his head slightly.
"I'm sorry," I said. "It must be quite painful."
"But she will return, I'm sure. You see I have the thing she needs
and wants most." Raoul leaned forward in his seat. "I have her precious
phantom. He's upstairs tied to a chair. Would you like to see,
Mademoiselle Rouen? You don't seem to me like the kind that would be
scared of a former opera ghost."
"I'm not scared. By the way please call me Genevieve."
"Oh yes of course," Raoul said.
"May I have a tour of your lovely home afterwards? It's so
beautiful!" I stood up and walked over to him.
"Of course! Why had I not thought of that before?" I took the arm he
offered me. He smiled down at me. If I had been another girl that smile
would have melted me. I had other things on my mind that night though. I
could not bear it anymore.
"May I see the phantom now? I was always interested in the mystery."
"Of course," he said with a sly smile. "Follow me." We climbed up
many flights of stairs. I held on to Raoul with one hand, and held up my
skirts with the other. He led me to a door.
"Open it!" he said eagerly, almost exactly like when we were children
and he had given me a gift. I opened it a crack.
"Oh Raoul," I gasped. "He is not in there!"
"What? Let me look!" He threw open the door. "The thing has escaped! But
how.?" He bent down and examined some rope on the floor. "Cut with a
knife," he exclaimed. "How does he do it?" He turned around to face me.
"I apologize Miss Rouen, but we will have to postpone the rest of your
visit. I hope to see you back again soon." He accompanied me to the door
and sent me back to the Opera in his carriage.
* * * * *
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