Christine looked after him when he left the dining-room, he didn't notice
her. But she would meet him and talk to him, and even confess her love for
him
- Where are you going, darling? Raoul asked when she rose from her chair.
- To the ladies-room, she lied, Raoul only nodded.
When she got up she went to the Captains table.
- That was the most beautiful piece of music that has ever been played in this dining-room, the Captain laughed.
- Excuse me, monsieur le Captain, Christine said and laid her hand on his shoulder.
- Mademoiselle Daae, the Captain said and kissed her hand. Then got up from his chair and followed Christine to a little more silent spot in the dining-room.
- I wondered who that man was that played the piano, it certainly was exquisite, Christine asked.
- It was a musician from Paris, very talented, and very nice I have to say.
- What is his name?
- Erik Dequense, he's travelling first class. You know what, mademoiselle, you look like his mother, only younger.
Christine gasped. She remembered the photograph of Madeline, his mother, they almost looked the same.
- Mademoiselle Daae? the Captain asked, - Would you like to meet him?
- No, that was all I needed to know. Thank you, monsieur le Captain, you certainly were a big help.
Christine ran to the lobby of the ship. Thank God, they were not closed.
- Excuse me, may I just write a message before you close? she asked.
- Of course, the man answered and gave her a pen and a paper.
When she was finished, she handed the paper to the man.
- Give this to Erik Dequense, she said later.
- Oh, the man that was playing the piano? he lifted his eyebrows in interest, - A remarkable man, isn't he?
- He certainly is, she smiled, then returned to her table.
* * *
- One more time? Erik asked the Captain.
- Sure, if you beat me one more time in poker, I will go under with my ship.
Erik laughed and drank some more of his brandy.
- A cigar, monsieur Dequense? the Captain asked.
- No, thank you, I don't smoke.
- Why not, the Captain said while he lit his own.
- It's not good for the voice.
- Ah, I see. This time, monsieur Dequense, you lose, the Captain said with a smile. - Straight in diamonds.
- I'm sorry, monsieur le Captain, Erik said. - Royal flush in spades.
- Oh, damn! - Well I owe you 2 500 francs, the Captain said and counted his money, then handed them to Erik.
- By the way, who was that lady you talked with when I was gone? I saw you two, Erik said.
- Oh, she wondered who you was, actually. A charming woman, mademoiselle Daae.
Erik froze, his eyes shot wide opened.
- Mademoiselle Daae?
- Yes, she's engaged to Raoul, vicomte de Chagny. She looks like your mother, on the photograph, in young years.
Erik almost became mute, could it be...?
- What was her first-name?
- Christine, the Captain said and puffed on his cigar. - Well, thank you for a nice evening, will you be at my table tomorrow again?
- I'd be delighted, he said and drank the last of his brandy.
- Good night, the Captain said, shook Erik's hand and left.
Erik was confused, the love of his life was on the same ship as he. He had to do something.
- Monsieur Dequense?
Interrupted in his thoughts, he turned around and looked at a man behind him.
- This is for you, he said and gave Erik a little note, and Erik gave him a gold coin.
When the man disappeared, he opened the note.
"Meet me in the fore at midnight" it said with a very familiar handwriting. Erik looked at the clock, it was 23.30. Half an hour until he would meet her again.
- Where are you going, darling? Raoul asked when she rose from her chair.
- To the ladies-room, she lied, Raoul only nodded.
When she got up she went to the Captains table.
- That was the most beautiful piece of music that has ever been played in this dining-room, the Captain laughed.
- Excuse me, monsieur le Captain, Christine said and laid her hand on his shoulder.
- Mademoiselle Daae, the Captain said and kissed her hand. Then got up from his chair and followed Christine to a little more silent spot in the dining-room.
- I wondered who that man was that played the piano, it certainly was exquisite, Christine asked.
- It was a musician from Paris, very talented, and very nice I have to say.
- What is his name?
- Erik Dequense, he's travelling first class. You know what, mademoiselle, you look like his mother, only younger.
Christine gasped. She remembered the photograph of Madeline, his mother, they almost looked the same.
- Mademoiselle Daae? the Captain asked, - Would you like to meet him?
- No, that was all I needed to know. Thank you, monsieur le Captain, you certainly were a big help.
Christine ran to the lobby of the ship. Thank God, they were not closed.
- Excuse me, may I just write a message before you close? she asked.
- Of course, the man answered and gave her a pen and a paper.
When she was finished, she handed the paper to the man.
- Give this to Erik Dequense, she said later.
- Oh, the man that was playing the piano? he lifted his eyebrows in interest, - A remarkable man, isn't he?
- He certainly is, she smiled, then returned to her table.
* * *
- One more time? Erik asked the Captain.
- Sure, if you beat me one more time in poker, I will go under with my ship.
Erik laughed and drank some more of his brandy.
- A cigar, monsieur Dequense? the Captain asked.
- No, thank you, I don't smoke.
- Why not, the Captain said while he lit his own.
- It's not good for the voice.
- Ah, I see. This time, monsieur Dequense, you lose, the Captain said with a smile. - Straight in diamonds.
- I'm sorry, monsieur le Captain, Erik said. - Royal flush in spades.
- Oh, damn! - Well I owe you 2 500 francs, the Captain said and counted his money, then handed them to Erik.
- By the way, who was that lady you talked with when I was gone? I saw you two, Erik said.
- Oh, she wondered who you was, actually. A charming woman, mademoiselle Daae.
Erik froze, his eyes shot wide opened.
- Mademoiselle Daae?
- Yes, she's engaged to Raoul, vicomte de Chagny. She looks like your mother, on the photograph, in young years.
Erik almost became mute, could it be...?
- What was her first-name?
- Christine, the Captain said and puffed on his cigar. - Well, thank you for a nice evening, will you be at my table tomorrow again?
- I'd be delighted, he said and drank the last of his brandy.
- Good night, the Captain said, shook Erik's hand and left.
Erik was confused, the love of his life was on the same ship as he. He had to do something.
- Monsieur Dequense?
Interrupted in his thoughts, he turned around and looked at a man behind him.
- This is for you, he said and gave Erik a little note, and Erik gave him a gold coin.
When the man disappeared, he opened the note.
"Meet me in the fore at midnight" it said with a very familiar handwriting. Erik looked at the clock, it was 23.30. Half an hour until he would meet her again.