Morning bright and early, Erik had his hat on and was ready to leave.
A knock on the door, could only bee one.
As Nadir entered the room, he looked at Erik and smiled a little.
- Believe it or not, but I'm gonna miss you, he said and one of the corners on Eriks mouth lifted a little, but sank very fast again. It could have been a smile.
- I'm gonna miss you too.
- Now that you're leaving, is there anything I can take care of for you?
Erik couldn't think of anything, but he heard a small "purr" by his feet. He looked down and saw Ayesha. Something stirred in the animals face, as if she knew that he was going too leave. Erik took up her little body in his hands and handed her to the Daroga.
- Take care of her for me Nadir, and my house too, so nobody is ruining it while I'm gone.
- I will, Nadir said, Erik hugged his friend, a "meaw" escaped from Ayeshas mouth. Erik looked down at her and caressed her soft furry head.
- I'm going too miss you more than anything, ma petite, but I will come back, he said and kissed her little head, she licked his hand as a response.
- Well, good bye, he said, lift his bag and went out.
He looked one last time at his home, then went out in the sunshine for the first time in many years.
He took a carriage to the harbour. The mask was hidden beneath his wide- brimmed hat, his left side was visible and was very handsome. Once, when he looked at a bunch of girls with a normal look, they all started to wave hysterically with their fans. He shrugged on his shoulders a little and started too walk up the stairs to the ship.
* * *
- Is everything in order, monsieur Dequense? the purser asked him when his luggage was in it's right place.
- Yes, thank you, Erik said and pressed a gold coin in the pursers hand.
He looked around at his suite, it was very beautifully decorated in white and gold. This would be his home for the coming four days.
He took up his music-papers, that the purser had laid down on a table, and studied them, he had no piano to play on so he decided to write down everything that came to his mind, and the inspiration would flow now that he was travelling on the deep blue sea. He took up a photograph of his mother. She was so beautiful, she looked like Christine very much. Only a little older.
Someone was knocking on the door.
- Enter, he said and to his surprise the Captain of the ship stood in the door way.
- Monsieur Dequense? he asked.
- Yes, Erik replied and shook the Captains hand.
- I'm monsieur Lambert, the Captain.
-Yes, I know, Erik replied.
- Well, one of my pursers said that a musician, with a very beautiful voice, would travel on this ship, and I wondered if you would like to have a seat at my table for dinner? I myself love music.
Erik looked a little surprised at the Captain.
- Yes, of course, it would be an honour, he said. He noticed how the Captain looked at him from head to tow.
- Good, he said and gave Erik a little smile, they also say that you are a man of good taste. The Captain looked at the photograph of Eriks mother.
- May I ask who the woman is?
- She was my mother, Erik answered, - She died a long time ago.
- I'm so sorry, may I also ask why you wear a mask?
- Well, if I'm going to be frank, I'm deformed.
The Captain merely nodded.
- Isn't it amazing how cruel God can bee sometimes? he asked, Erik only nodded as a reply.
-Well I see you at dinner, eight o'clock, the Captain shook Eriks hand once more.
- Nice to meet you, monsieur Lambert, Erik said.
- You too, indeed, the Captain replied then left.
Erik closed the door behind him and was a bit happy that someone liked him. Not only anyone but the Captain of the ship, and the ladies had been flirting with him too.
A knock on the door, could only bee one.
As Nadir entered the room, he looked at Erik and smiled a little.
- Believe it or not, but I'm gonna miss you, he said and one of the corners on Eriks mouth lifted a little, but sank very fast again. It could have been a smile.
- I'm gonna miss you too.
- Now that you're leaving, is there anything I can take care of for you?
Erik couldn't think of anything, but he heard a small "purr" by his feet. He looked down and saw Ayesha. Something stirred in the animals face, as if she knew that he was going too leave. Erik took up her little body in his hands and handed her to the Daroga.
- Take care of her for me Nadir, and my house too, so nobody is ruining it while I'm gone.
- I will, Nadir said, Erik hugged his friend, a "meaw" escaped from Ayeshas mouth. Erik looked down at her and caressed her soft furry head.
- I'm going too miss you more than anything, ma petite, but I will come back, he said and kissed her little head, she licked his hand as a response.
- Well, good bye, he said, lift his bag and went out.
He looked one last time at his home, then went out in the sunshine for the first time in many years.
He took a carriage to the harbour. The mask was hidden beneath his wide- brimmed hat, his left side was visible and was very handsome. Once, when he looked at a bunch of girls with a normal look, they all started to wave hysterically with their fans. He shrugged on his shoulders a little and started too walk up the stairs to the ship.
* * *
- Is everything in order, monsieur Dequense? the purser asked him when his luggage was in it's right place.
- Yes, thank you, Erik said and pressed a gold coin in the pursers hand.
He looked around at his suite, it was very beautifully decorated in white and gold. This would be his home for the coming four days.
He took up his music-papers, that the purser had laid down on a table, and studied them, he had no piano to play on so he decided to write down everything that came to his mind, and the inspiration would flow now that he was travelling on the deep blue sea. He took up a photograph of his mother. She was so beautiful, she looked like Christine very much. Only a little older.
Someone was knocking on the door.
- Enter, he said and to his surprise the Captain of the ship stood in the door way.
- Monsieur Dequense? he asked.
- Yes, Erik replied and shook the Captains hand.
- I'm monsieur Lambert, the Captain.
-Yes, I know, Erik replied.
- Well, one of my pursers said that a musician, with a very beautiful voice, would travel on this ship, and I wondered if you would like to have a seat at my table for dinner? I myself love music.
Erik looked a little surprised at the Captain.
- Yes, of course, it would be an honour, he said. He noticed how the Captain looked at him from head to tow.
- Good, he said and gave Erik a little smile, they also say that you are a man of good taste. The Captain looked at the photograph of Eriks mother.
- May I ask who the woman is?
- She was my mother, Erik answered, - She died a long time ago.
- I'm so sorry, may I also ask why you wear a mask?
- Well, if I'm going to be frank, I'm deformed.
The Captain merely nodded.
- Isn't it amazing how cruel God can bee sometimes? he asked, Erik only nodded as a reply.
-Well I see you at dinner, eight o'clock, the Captain shook Eriks hand once more.
- Nice to meet you, monsieur Lambert, Erik said.
- You too, indeed, the Captain replied then left.
Erik closed the door behind him and was a bit happy that someone liked him. Not only anyone but the Captain of the ship, and the ladies had been flirting with him too.