I did not sleep that night because I wasn't tired. I looked around
to find something for Christine and I to work on at the lesson. It had
been at least four months since we had a lesson, and her skill level had
increased. Perhaps, I thought, I should just compose some little pieces.
That is just what I decided to do. I spent all night composing three
arias, with uncomplicated rhythms. They would be easy to learn.
Christine came as expected at ten o'clock the next morning. We had a pleasant morning. I will not go into specific details, not because I don't wish for you to know, but I'm sure you can imagine a lesson yourself. We had lunch at noon, and then she returned to the surface.
She had done as I asked, and went to the managers. They immediately gave her the part, and she started at rehearsals. I was there, of course, watching from my box. Carlotta was not pleased, and made it clear that she was not happy about Christine's involvement. But, there was nothing she could do about it, so she went on.
Rehearsal ended abruptly at five o'clock, like it always did on Thursdays. Everyone left, and soon only M. Reyer and Carlotta were left on the stage.
"M. Reyer!" Carlotta exclaimed, coming up to him. "What is that girl doing in this opera? I thought we had gotten rid of her!"
"I am sorry Signora, but I tried my hardest. She refused to stay, and only wanted to come back here and sing. I cannot, in my heart of hearts, deny anyone whose only wish is to sing."
"Oh stop it!" Carlotta yelled. "We had made a deal! I held up my end of the bargain! You have an extra fifty thousand francs in your pocket, but that wench is still on stage! I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT!" She had advanced on M. Reyer, and he looked like a rabbit being cornered by a fox. As much as I hated M. Reyer for his part in the plot just outlined before my eyes, I couldn't leave him to die by Carlotta. If anyone was going to kill him, it would be me. How dare he even think of participating in such a scheme?
"Now, now," I said, throwing my voice all over the place. Carlotta stopped mid-charge, and looked up, her face turning a sickly white. "I'm sure we can all think of better ways to spend our time. After all, such behavior may induce me to violence. We don't want that do we?" Both people seemed to be temporarily paralyzed. Suddenly, with an ear shattering soprano shriek, Carlotta ran offstage. M. Reyer was left by himself.
"Monsieur Phantom?" he said weakly. I did not answer, but he kept talking. "Please do not hurt me! What I did was not meant to harm anyone! I did not know the Signora wanted the young mademoiselle permanently gotten rid of! That is why I brought her back!" For some reason, I actually believed him. This new side of me was becoming increasingly troublesome.
"Go then, man!" I yelled. "And may you never trouble me again!" He scuttled off rather quickly. Smiling to myself, I tapped on the column and was about to go back to the House Beyond the Lake when I realized how much time I had spent there recently. There were some parts of the Opera I had not been in for months. I decided I would take a walk. I don't know if I would've if I had known what things I would discover.
Christine came as expected at ten o'clock the next morning. We had a pleasant morning. I will not go into specific details, not because I don't wish for you to know, but I'm sure you can imagine a lesson yourself. We had lunch at noon, and then she returned to the surface.
She had done as I asked, and went to the managers. They immediately gave her the part, and she started at rehearsals. I was there, of course, watching from my box. Carlotta was not pleased, and made it clear that she was not happy about Christine's involvement. But, there was nothing she could do about it, so she went on.
Rehearsal ended abruptly at five o'clock, like it always did on Thursdays. Everyone left, and soon only M. Reyer and Carlotta were left on the stage.
"M. Reyer!" Carlotta exclaimed, coming up to him. "What is that girl doing in this opera? I thought we had gotten rid of her!"
"I am sorry Signora, but I tried my hardest. She refused to stay, and only wanted to come back here and sing. I cannot, in my heart of hearts, deny anyone whose only wish is to sing."
"Oh stop it!" Carlotta yelled. "We had made a deal! I held up my end of the bargain! You have an extra fifty thousand francs in your pocket, but that wench is still on stage! I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT!" She had advanced on M. Reyer, and he looked like a rabbit being cornered by a fox. As much as I hated M. Reyer for his part in the plot just outlined before my eyes, I couldn't leave him to die by Carlotta. If anyone was going to kill him, it would be me. How dare he even think of participating in such a scheme?
"Now, now," I said, throwing my voice all over the place. Carlotta stopped mid-charge, and looked up, her face turning a sickly white. "I'm sure we can all think of better ways to spend our time. After all, such behavior may induce me to violence. We don't want that do we?" Both people seemed to be temporarily paralyzed. Suddenly, with an ear shattering soprano shriek, Carlotta ran offstage. M. Reyer was left by himself.
"Monsieur Phantom?" he said weakly. I did not answer, but he kept talking. "Please do not hurt me! What I did was not meant to harm anyone! I did not know the Signora wanted the young mademoiselle permanently gotten rid of! That is why I brought her back!" For some reason, I actually believed him. This new side of me was becoming increasingly troublesome.
"Go then, man!" I yelled. "And may you never trouble me again!" He scuttled off rather quickly. Smiling to myself, I tapped on the column and was about to go back to the House Beyond the Lake when I realized how much time I had spent there recently. There were some parts of the Opera I had not been in for months. I decided I would take a walk. I don't know if I would've if I had known what things I would discover.
