Melanie began to slowly make her way down the sidewalk in the
direction Erik had indicated. It wasn't long before she felt the heat of a
streetlight on her face. She stood for several seconds, contemplating what
to do next. She knew she had to find Christine, but she had no idea how to
go about it. The night air suddenly felt chilly and she shivered. She
suddenly heard the sound of a door opening and it scattered her thoughts.
She heard footsteps descending some stairs. When they reached the sidewalk
they paused.
"Can I help you Mademoiselle?" A kin voice asked
"If you would be so kind, monsieur," Melanie smiled, "I heard of a church around here that would allow me to stay for a night or two, and I am in need of a warm bed and a meal."
The man gave her a slightly puzzled look. "Yes of course Mlle, the church is right here in front of you."
"Oh, I hadn't noticed, thank you..."
"Joseph, Father Joseph."
Well, then, thank you very much Father Joseph," she smiled, "My name is Melanie. Would you mind guiding me up the stairs?"
"Of course I wouldn't." There was a small pause, "You are blind?" He walked to her and placed her hand on his arm.
"Yes, ever since I was a child." A cold wind blew and Melanie shivered again.
"Here, take my jacket, it is only a short walk, but I would not want you to catch cold." He placed his jacket about her shoulders and she thanked him. It puzzled him that there was a blind girl wandering about on the Paris streets alone. "So what brings a blind girl to walk about on the Paris streets by herself?" When she did not answer right away he added, "Only if you do no mind me asking." He guided the small girl up the church steps.
"Oh I don't mind at all," She silently debated whether to tell him about Erik or not. She quickly decided against it. Finally she said, "I am looking for a Mlle Daae. Christine Daae. I have an important message for her that I am sure she would like to know."
"Are you speaking of the Christine that was mixed up with the business with that ghost at the opera house, that Christine Daae?"
"Yes Monsieur, the very same. Do you know of any way I could get a hold of her?" At least he knew who she was, Melanie thought, that's a start.
The priest led her up several steps into the church door. He led her swiftly to the rooms the church kept empty for people seeking shelter, just as she was. They entered one of the rooms and he shut the door behind them. "Now, about Mlle. Daae. She, in fact, goes to this very church. First of all I would like to tell you she has gone through a lot of changes in the past year. I know the reasons why, but I am not at liberty to discuss them. If it is at all possible, I would like to know what this business is about."
Melanie shook her head, "I wish I could tell you, but I am only a messenger. The matters at hand are not mine to discuss."
"I understand." The priest contemplated for a few minutes whether or not he should allow this girl to see Christine. She did not wish the woman any more harm then has already come. He did not think the blind girl in front of him meant any harm, but he had to decide whether the message she had would be harmful to Christine. Finally he said, "She will be here tomorrow for Sunday mass. I will bring her to you after that." He hoped he was doing the right thing.
Relief showed clearly in Melanie's face. "Thank you very much."
"You should probably try and get some sleep now. It's rather late. I'll bring you something to eat in the morning."
"Thank you again father. You've done so much for me I wish there was something I could do in return for you kindness," Melanie sat down on the bed.
The priest paused for a moment. "There is something you can do, Melanie. Be careful. Christine has been through a lot and she is very hurt. I just don't want her to be hurt anymore than she already is."
"I promise to be careful." Melanie smiled, "Goodnight."
"Good night." Father Joseph exited the room and closed the door softly behind him, pondering the strange events that had happened that night.
"Can I help you Mademoiselle?" A kin voice asked
"If you would be so kind, monsieur," Melanie smiled, "I heard of a church around here that would allow me to stay for a night or two, and I am in need of a warm bed and a meal."
The man gave her a slightly puzzled look. "Yes of course Mlle, the church is right here in front of you."
"Oh, I hadn't noticed, thank you..."
"Joseph, Father Joseph."
Well, then, thank you very much Father Joseph," she smiled, "My name is Melanie. Would you mind guiding me up the stairs?"
"Of course I wouldn't." There was a small pause, "You are blind?" He walked to her and placed her hand on his arm.
"Yes, ever since I was a child." A cold wind blew and Melanie shivered again.
"Here, take my jacket, it is only a short walk, but I would not want you to catch cold." He placed his jacket about her shoulders and she thanked him. It puzzled him that there was a blind girl wandering about on the Paris streets alone. "So what brings a blind girl to walk about on the Paris streets by herself?" When she did not answer right away he added, "Only if you do no mind me asking." He guided the small girl up the church steps.
"Oh I don't mind at all," She silently debated whether to tell him about Erik or not. She quickly decided against it. Finally she said, "I am looking for a Mlle Daae. Christine Daae. I have an important message for her that I am sure she would like to know."
"Are you speaking of the Christine that was mixed up with the business with that ghost at the opera house, that Christine Daae?"
"Yes Monsieur, the very same. Do you know of any way I could get a hold of her?" At least he knew who she was, Melanie thought, that's a start.
The priest led her up several steps into the church door. He led her swiftly to the rooms the church kept empty for people seeking shelter, just as she was. They entered one of the rooms and he shut the door behind them. "Now, about Mlle. Daae. She, in fact, goes to this very church. First of all I would like to tell you she has gone through a lot of changes in the past year. I know the reasons why, but I am not at liberty to discuss them. If it is at all possible, I would like to know what this business is about."
Melanie shook her head, "I wish I could tell you, but I am only a messenger. The matters at hand are not mine to discuss."
"I understand." The priest contemplated for a few minutes whether or not he should allow this girl to see Christine. She did not wish the woman any more harm then has already come. He did not think the blind girl in front of him meant any harm, but he had to decide whether the message she had would be harmful to Christine. Finally he said, "She will be here tomorrow for Sunday mass. I will bring her to you after that." He hoped he was doing the right thing.
Relief showed clearly in Melanie's face. "Thank you very much."
"You should probably try and get some sleep now. It's rather late. I'll bring you something to eat in the morning."
"Thank you again father. You've done so much for me I wish there was something I could do in return for you kindness," Melanie sat down on the bed.
The priest paused for a moment. "There is something you can do, Melanie. Be careful. Christine has been through a lot and she is very hurt. I just don't want her to be hurt anymore than she already is."
"I promise to be careful." Melanie smiled, "Goodnight."
"Good night." Father Joseph exited the room and closed the door softly behind him, pondering the strange events that had happened that night.