"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.
* * * * *
"Where is Miss Rouen?" Raoul demanded. He had come to visit Monsieur Firmin. It had been four days since the Gala. "Who? Oh yes, Miss Rouen. She is now occupying Miss Daae's dressing room. She is very talented. She has only been here six days and Madame Giry has already made her Prima Ballerina." Raoul's first thought was to immediately remove Genevieve from that room. The Phantom could take her in an instant. But he soon realized the problems with that idea. The Phantom would soon detect Genevieve's presence if he had not already. It would be the perfect trap! Raoul thanked and said good day to Monsieur Firmin, but as he was leaving, Madame Giry came in with a note. Raoul stayed in the doorway hoping to overhear. "Monsieur, I have a note," she said. Monsieur Firmin looked up from his paperwork. "Really? I thought that maybe our phantom would leave us be since Miss Daae was gone. It has been a week since we'd heard from him. Please read it to me." "Monsieurs, I have returned, as I knew you intelligent gentlemen would guess. I applaud your choice of Opera. Hannibal really is one of my favorites. I will be watching the performance from my box, but don't come running with guns today. I will be too busy watching to make anyone croak, drop any chandeliers, or abduct anyone. Your obedient servant,
O.G."
"Well," Monsieur Andre sighed. "I believe we should leave him be tonight. The only time he ever gave us trouble was when Miss Daae was here, and since she's not I'm sure he'll be no trouble." "Nonsense!" Raoul cried, pulling out of the shadowed doorway. "Can't you see? He's going to be watching Miss Rouen! Soon he'll abduct her also!" "Oh," Monsieur Firmin said, glancing up. "You're still here. Why is it any concern of yours? My God, don't say you're in love with her! It only ends up making things difficult. I assure you Monsieur Vicomte, we will keep a close eye on Miss Rouen." Raoul briskly strode out of the office. Madame Giry quickly followed him, catching him just as he entered the theatre. "Monsieur, please don't disturb Miss Rouen. She is working very hard for the performance tonight, and you know clumsy dancing only attracts his attention. Wait until after the performance." Raoul turned, and opened his mouth as if to protest. Then he closed it, and nodded. He left the theatre quickly. Madame Giry turned her attention up on the stage. "Meg Giry! Worry about your dancing, not your hair! Genevieve, stop slouching! I thought we had rid you of that habit, and as the Prima Donna it should not happen!" "Yes Madame," Meg and I said. "All right then. Ladies, you are dismissed. Remember to be on stage at six thirty for rehearsal!" With great hustle and bustle the ballet girls left. I walked to my dressing room. I locked my door, and then collapsed on the chaise. I was so tired now, with all the work I had to do on ballet. I could no longer practice ballet with Meg because it was too risky. I had to practice with Madame Giry who worked me harder and harder every practice. I had lots of blisters, and sometimes my feet even bled. Soon sleep came, and I slept for two hours. I woke up at four o' clock. I rubbed my eyes, and looked around. Everything was as I left it. Why was I worried? I had almost convinced myself nothing was amiss, when my eyes fell upon my small table. On it was a single red rose accompanied by a note. An involuntary shudder passed through me. It was from my Phantom no doubt, but where was he? I stood up and walked slowly over to the table and picked up the note. It was in Erik's scrawled hand.
Miss Rouen, I have been watching you at rehearsals lately. You are very talented and enjoyable to watch. Good luck at the performance tonight.
The Phantom
* * * * *
"Where is Miss Rouen?" Raoul demanded. He had come to visit Monsieur Firmin. It had been four days since the Gala. "Who? Oh yes, Miss Rouen. She is now occupying Miss Daae's dressing room. She is very talented. She has only been here six days and Madame Giry has already made her Prima Ballerina." Raoul's first thought was to immediately remove Genevieve from that room. The Phantom could take her in an instant. But he soon realized the problems with that idea. The Phantom would soon detect Genevieve's presence if he had not already. It would be the perfect trap! Raoul thanked and said good day to Monsieur Firmin, but as he was leaving, Madame Giry came in with a note. Raoul stayed in the doorway hoping to overhear. "Monsieur, I have a note," she said. Monsieur Firmin looked up from his paperwork. "Really? I thought that maybe our phantom would leave us be since Miss Daae was gone. It has been a week since we'd heard from him. Please read it to me." "Monsieurs, I have returned, as I knew you intelligent gentlemen would guess. I applaud your choice of Opera. Hannibal really is one of my favorites. I will be watching the performance from my box, but don't come running with guns today. I will be too busy watching to make anyone croak, drop any chandeliers, or abduct anyone. Your obedient servant,
O.G."
"Well," Monsieur Andre sighed. "I believe we should leave him be tonight. The only time he ever gave us trouble was when Miss Daae was here, and since she's not I'm sure he'll be no trouble." "Nonsense!" Raoul cried, pulling out of the shadowed doorway. "Can't you see? He's going to be watching Miss Rouen! Soon he'll abduct her also!" "Oh," Monsieur Firmin said, glancing up. "You're still here. Why is it any concern of yours? My God, don't say you're in love with her! It only ends up making things difficult. I assure you Monsieur Vicomte, we will keep a close eye on Miss Rouen." Raoul briskly strode out of the office. Madame Giry quickly followed him, catching him just as he entered the theatre. "Monsieur, please don't disturb Miss Rouen. She is working very hard for the performance tonight, and you know clumsy dancing only attracts his attention. Wait until after the performance." Raoul turned, and opened his mouth as if to protest. Then he closed it, and nodded. He left the theatre quickly. Madame Giry turned her attention up on the stage. "Meg Giry! Worry about your dancing, not your hair! Genevieve, stop slouching! I thought we had rid you of that habit, and as the Prima Donna it should not happen!" "Yes Madame," Meg and I said. "All right then. Ladies, you are dismissed. Remember to be on stage at six thirty for rehearsal!" With great hustle and bustle the ballet girls left. I walked to my dressing room. I locked my door, and then collapsed on the chaise. I was so tired now, with all the work I had to do on ballet. I could no longer practice ballet with Meg because it was too risky. I had to practice with Madame Giry who worked me harder and harder every practice. I had lots of blisters, and sometimes my feet even bled. Soon sleep came, and I slept for two hours. I woke up at four o' clock. I rubbed my eyes, and looked around. Everything was as I left it. Why was I worried? I had almost convinced myself nothing was amiss, when my eyes fell upon my small table. On it was a single red rose accompanied by a note. An involuntary shudder passed through me. It was from my Phantom no doubt, but where was he? I stood up and walked slowly over to the table and picked up the note. It was in Erik's scrawled hand.
Miss Rouen, I have been watching you at rehearsals lately. You are very talented and enjoyable to watch. Good luck at the performance tonight.
The Phantom