"I think that's covered, is it not, gentlemen?" Kloppman finished. Denton nodded slowly, while David and Specs nodded enthusiastically. They were just glad to be taking over such a prominent theatre.
"Is that all?" David asked, then made to stand up.
Kloppman looked at Denton gravely for a moment.
"Wait just a minute," Denton stopped him. David leaned back in his seat and watched the two older men with interest. He couldn't imagine what else there could be. Denton drew out a book from a drawer in the desk. The book was about the size of a modern-day binder, and bore the word "Memorandums" on its light gray color. Specs and David exchanged glances, then returned their attentions forward again and listened.
"This contains the Ghost's instructions," Denton informed the two young men in front of him.
"Excuse me-Ghost?" Specs asked curiously.
Denton and Kloppman nodded. David and Specs looked at one another for a moment, then looked forward again in disbelief as they listened to the old men take turns reading aloud from the book.
" 'And finally, I expect to be paid 20,000 francs each month on the first. You will seal it up in an envelope, which I will provide and seal it (with your official seal), and place it in the trustworthy hands of Moe Jenkins, who, as I mentioned before, is to be kept at the post of watching my box as always. Once again, you are never to sell my box, nor place another person in the charge of it. And with this, I will leave you very much in peace at all times.'" Kloppman finished reading.
"Any questions, gentlemen?" Denton asked. Specs and David just continued to stare for a time, then looked at one another, and then forward again. It was at this moment that they broke into hysterical laughter.
"What's so funny?" Kloppman queried, looking quite confused.
David and Specs continued to laugh uncontrollably.
"Good one, you two!" Specs huffed. "A ghost in the opera house!" He started to wheeze.
"I assure you we aren't joking," Denton remarked soberly.
Specs and Davey slowly calmed themselves.
"Alright, guys, Opera Ghost, then, eh? Okay, we'll play along," David sighed, finishing his laughter. "Oh my! We must be sure to do everything the ghost tells us to! I'm scared of what he might do!" he enthused, managing to keep a straight face until the last line. At this he and Specs burst into laughter again.
"Fine, joke if you will, but it is no longer in our hands what happens, gentlemen. Kindly remember that when the first disaster occurs."
Both Denton and Kloppman stood up at this point. "Well, there is a party down in the lobby for us, so I suppose we ought to get back to it now," Denton said cordially. He held out his hand in front of him, followed by Kloppman. "Enjoy your theatre, and take care of her as well as we have." The four shook hands and exited the office.
Just outside the office at that time, though, Snoddy and Bumlets were conversing quietly.
"We shouldn't tell them now. Not tonight. It's their retirement party," Bumlets argued.
"But they have to know! They're still the ones in charge until tomorrow! We gotta tell 'em!" Snoddy shot back.
"Tell whom what?" Denton asked as they exited the office.
Bumlets looked startled. "Oh it's uh-n-well-we-"
"We… we found Swifty dead in the cellar. He was… hanged it looks like." Snoddy said quietly.
"Good god," Kloppman muttered, and then ran helter-skelter down the stairs. Denton sideswiped Fool Walker as he ran through the lobby.
"Owe!" She whined as she stood up. RiffRaff patted her arm.
"You'll be fine, dear," she assured the young girl as if she were three years old still. Sharks rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded like "Oh, grow up…" before hugging RiffRaff possessively once more. He didn't care what was happening, he just wanted to make sure everyone knew that she was his, no questions asked. (As if anyone would have ever thought otherwise anyway.)
"What did they come running through here like bats outta hell anyways?" RiffRaff sneered. "They oughta have some respect for people. Well, namely: me." She nodded decisively, as if her statement ought to make sense to everyone.
Across the room, the Corps de Ballet had finished their outbursts and were now calmly conversing with one another in their rather large group.
"Is that all?" David asked, then made to stand up.
Kloppman looked at Denton gravely for a moment.
"Wait just a minute," Denton stopped him. David leaned back in his seat and watched the two older men with interest. He couldn't imagine what else there could be. Denton drew out a book from a drawer in the desk. The book was about the size of a modern-day binder, and bore the word "Memorandums" on its light gray color. Specs and David exchanged glances, then returned their attentions forward again and listened.
"This contains the Ghost's instructions," Denton informed the two young men in front of him.
"Excuse me-Ghost?" Specs asked curiously.
Denton and Kloppman nodded. David and Specs looked at one another for a moment, then looked forward again in disbelief as they listened to the old men take turns reading aloud from the book.
" 'And finally, I expect to be paid 20,000 francs each month on the first. You will seal it up in an envelope, which I will provide and seal it (with your official seal), and place it in the trustworthy hands of Moe Jenkins, who, as I mentioned before, is to be kept at the post of watching my box as always. Once again, you are never to sell my box, nor place another person in the charge of it. And with this, I will leave you very much in peace at all times.'" Kloppman finished reading.
"Any questions, gentlemen?" Denton asked. Specs and David just continued to stare for a time, then looked at one another, and then forward again. It was at this moment that they broke into hysterical laughter.
"What's so funny?" Kloppman queried, looking quite confused.
David and Specs continued to laugh uncontrollably.
"Good one, you two!" Specs huffed. "A ghost in the opera house!" He started to wheeze.
"I assure you we aren't joking," Denton remarked soberly.
Specs and Davey slowly calmed themselves.
"Alright, guys, Opera Ghost, then, eh? Okay, we'll play along," David sighed, finishing his laughter. "Oh my! We must be sure to do everything the ghost tells us to! I'm scared of what he might do!" he enthused, managing to keep a straight face until the last line. At this he and Specs burst into laughter again.
"Fine, joke if you will, but it is no longer in our hands what happens, gentlemen. Kindly remember that when the first disaster occurs."
Both Denton and Kloppman stood up at this point. "Well, there is a party down in the lobby for us, so I suppose we ought to get back to it now," Denton said cordially. He held out his hand in front of him, followed by Kloppman. "Enjoy your theatre, and take care of her as well as we have." The four shook hands and exited the office.
Just outside the office at that time, though, Snoddy and Bumlets were conversing quietly.
"We shouldn't tell them now. Not tonight. It's their retirement party," Bumlets argued.
"But they have to know! They're still the ones in charge until tomorrow! We gotta tell 'em!" Snoddy shot back.
"Tell whom what?" Denton asked as they exited the office.
Bumlets looked startled. "Oh it's uh-n-well-we-"
"We… we found Swifty dead in the cellar. He was… hanged it looks like." Snoddy said quietly.
"Good god," Kloppman muttered, and then ran helter-skelter down the stairs. Denton sideswiped Fool Walker as he ran through the lobby.
"Owe!" She whined as she stood up. RiffRaff patted her arm.
"You'll be fine, dear," she assured the young girl as if she were three years old still. Sharks rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded like "Oh, grow up…" before hugging RiffRaff possessively once more. He didn't care what was happening, he just wanted to make sure everyone knew that she was his, no questions asked. (As if anyone would have ever thought otherwise anyway.)
"What did they come running through here like bats outta hell anyways?" RiffRaff sneered. "They oughta have some respect for people. Well, namely: me." She nodded decisively, as if her statement ought to make sense to everyone.
Across the room, the Corps de Ballet had finished their outbursts and were now calmly conversing with one another in their rather large group.
