(The following chapter will not be in Christine's point of view. The first small section will be Meg Giry, and the second part will be the author (me) Thanks for the understanding. Also, I understand that a few reviewers were upset with my past chapter (Ch. 3) and on how the Phantom appeared to be greedy. I did not intend for him to appear this way. Also it has come to my attention, that people are thinking I am trying to make Christine seem dumb for not seeing that the Phantom is not an angel, but a man. You will see, that she has her doubts, but still wants to hold the feeling that Erik IS an angel. I am not sure which chapter it will be, however. I hope my perspective on this story will be cleared up for those that had trouble catching with it!)
p
A small circle of dancers sat around Joseph Buquet, as he told his stories of the Opera Ghost, and how he had seen him. He showed us how to ward off the ghost, and demonstrated, as we clapped with horror and delight.
p
Holding up his index finger, he warned us, "You must be always on your guard, or he'll catch you with his magical lasso." He demonstrated this with an old rope. At that moment, a trap door in the back of the stage opened, and a dark figure wearing a cloak emerged out of the darkness, with something (or someone) under his cloak.
p
It was him: The Phantom of the Opera! I stood, screaming, as I ran to the corner to hide, followed by a trail of ballet dancers. Horror filled Buquet's eyes as we ran for cover. Out of the shadows, my mother appeared, and scolded Buquet.
p
"Madame Giry!" Buquet cried, shuddering. "Joseph Buquet!" she said, "Hold you tongue. He will burn you with the heat of his eyes!"
p
-
p
(Authors narration)
p
Papers filled the desks of the two managers, as they sorted their mail. Firmin's desk, which was to the left, portrayed a mess of letters, documents, and odd sketchings, while André's, to the right, was only cluttered with letters.
p
Firmin held up a news paper article to the light, and searched it's headline with a magnifine glass. "Mystery after Gala night. Mystery of Soprano's flight, we suspect foul play." He read aloud to André.
p
"First Carlotta, now Christine," he announced. André tore his concentration off of his paper work, and cried to Firmin. "Damnable! Our audience will walk out on our shows at this rate!" Firmin calmly explained, "It's publicity André! People live to hear stories like this."
p
André shook his head, and pointed out, "but we have no cast!" Firmin quickly replied, "but André, have you read this letter?" Firmin holds up a small envelope up. He looks at André desk, and notices the same red ink, and sloppy hand writing addressed to André. "Oh..." he said, "It seems you've got one too..."
p
André opened the envelope, and carefully read the letter aloud: "Dear André, what a charming gala! Christine enjoyed a great success! We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left. Otherwise, the chorus was enchancing, but the dancing was a lamentable mess."
p
André stopped and starred at Firmin, as he read his note aloud as well: "Firmin, just a brief reminder. My salary has not been paid. Please send it addressed to the Opera Ghost. Remember, no one likes a debtor, so it is better if these orders are obeyed."
p
André was appalled at having such letters sent to them. He could only imagine that someone clearly insane was behind the whole scam. Firmin grabbed André's note, and examined it's signature at the bottom. With an odd expression written on his face, he pointed out,
p
"Why, these are both signed O.G...who on earth do we know with the initials O.G?" André stared off in deep thought, and quickly came to a conclusion. "Opera Ghost!" "This really is not amusing" Firmin said. André nodded, pointing out how their position was abused by this act of intolerance.
p
The door swung open, as Raoul Vicomte de Chagny entered the room, crying, "Where is she!?" André asked quite quickly, "You mean Carlotta?" Raoul answered, "No, I mean Christine Daaé; where is she?" Firmin answered puzzled, "How should we know Monsieur?" Raoul became irritated with the managers. He held up a letter addressed to him in sloppy red ink. "Well, I take it that you sent me this note."
p
André answered, "Of course not! Don't look at us!" Raoul looked back stupidly at the managers. "She's not with you then?" he asked. Firmin replied, "No she is not monsieur. We have not seen her since last night's performance!" "Well if you didn't write this letter, then who did?" Raoul demanded.
p
Firmin grabbed the note out of Raoul's hands, and read it aloud, "Do not fear for Miss Daaé. The Angel of Music has her under his wing. Make no appempt to see her again." All three men stood starring at each other, trying to find some sort of answer to these strange series of notes.
p
The door swung open again, as Carlotta stormed into the room. "Where is he!? Where is the Vicomte de Chagny?" Raoul answered irritatedly, "What is it now Signora...?" Carlotta brushed herself up in an angry manner, and explained, "I have a letter which you sent me, that displeased me!" Raoul made a face as Firmin asked him, "and did you send Signora Carlotta this note which she speaks of?"
p
"Of course not! What exactly does this letter say Signora?" he asked. Raoul took the letter, and read it aloud. "Your days at the Opera Populaire are over. Christine Daaé will sing in your place tonight. If you attempt to take her place, a great misfortune should come upon you!"
p
Both managers looked at each other, and shrugged their shoulders. So many notes in one evening, and all of them revolved around Christine. It was almost as though from the day they arrived at the opera house, that all they ever heard was the name of Christine Daaé.
p
The door slowly opened, as Meg and Madame Giry entered the room. Madame Giry announced, "Christine Daaé has returned. I thought it would be best if I sent her home." Meg, still frightened from seeing Christine just less then thirty minutes ago, added, "She needed rest."
p
Raoul, letting a little of the excitement of not knowing where she was, asked, "May I please see her?" Giry answered quickly, "No monsieur, she will see no one at this moment." At this, she pulled an unaddressed envelope out of her black dress, and carefully unfolded the note. After announcing that she had a letter for the managers, she started to read out loud;
p
"Christine Daaé has returned to you, and I am hoping her career will progress. In the next production shown at the Opera Populaire, 'Il Muto,' you will cast Carlotta as the pageboy, and have Miss Daaé play the role of countess. The role which Miss Daaé will play calls for charm and appeal - the role of the pageboy is silent, which makes my casting perfect for Carlotta, seeing as though she cannot sing. I remain gentlemen, your obedient servant, O.G. "
p
Carlotta rounded furiously, "This is all a ploy to help Christine! And I know who did this! The Vicomte - her lover!" Raoul, stressed enough about the whole incident, perked up. "Indeed! Can you believe this? I had nothing to do with this, Signora!" He cried. Ignoring Raoul, Carlotta because crying out words in Spanish. "O traditori! O mentitori!"
p
The two managers, trying to calm Carlotta's anger, cooned her with exactly she wanted to hear. "Signora, you are our star! We will not take orders from this O.G..." "This man is mad, you'll always be our star!" Finally, Firmin announced, "Miss Daaé will be playing the silent role of the pageboy, and Carlotta will be playing the Countess!"
p
As Firmin and André only tried to retain the order of Signora Carlotta, Raoul, Giry, and Meg thought aloud about Christine.
p
Meg - "I must see her, What new suprises are in store for us?"
p
Giry - "Do not scorn O.G.'s words! He knows everything that goes on in this opera house!"
p
Raoul - "Why did Christine leave me...I must see her...Where could she have gone?"
p
As the managers almost had Carlotta where they wanted her, they began to enchant her with complements, and encouragement. "Your public needs you! Your crowd adores you! Enchant us once again!" they cooned. But once again, Giry, Raoul, and Meg were abstracted, thinking about Christine, and this strange series of letters.
p
Raoul - "Christine spoke on an Angel...Is this, 'O.G.' her Angel of music? Christine must be protected!"
p
Giry - "She has heard the voice of the Angel of Music. Do not ignore his orders! If his demands are rejected, who knows what will happen to us all!"
p
Meg - "Is this ghost an Angel of madman? Voice of hell, or of heaven? Bliss or Damnation? Sureley he'll strike back...If his threats and demands are rejected..."
p
Carlotta has finally agreed to stay at the opera house. Firmin and André's false promises saved her career; or atleast what was left of it. Carlotta would play the role of the Countess, and Christine was to play the pageboy: the part with no lines.
p
Dark in a corner, however...the Opera Ghost overheard it all. Firmin and André pestering Carlotta to stay, their ignorance to his letters, Giry and Meg... But most of all, he was curious of the Vicomte's strange attraction to Christine. To the ghost, there was only one thing he could say; Raoul was falling in love with Christine.
p
To himself, the Opera Ghost said, "So...it is to be war between us. If my demands are not met, a disaster beyond all of their imaginations will occur!"
p
A small circle of dancers sat around Joseph Buquet, as he told his stories of the Opera Ghost, and how he had seen him. He showed us how to ward off the ghost, and demonstrated, as we clapped with horror and delight.
p
Holding up his index finger, he warned us, "You must be always on your guard, or he'll catch you with his magical lasso." He demonstrated this with an old rope. At that moment, a trap door in the back of the stage opened, and a dark figure wearing a cloak emerged out of the darkness, with something (or someone) under his cloak.
p
It was him: The Phantom of the Opera! I stood, screaming, as I ran to the corner to hide, followed by a trail of ballet dancers. Horror filled Buquet's eyes as we ran for cover. Out of the shadows, my mother appeared, and scolded Buquet.
p
"Madame Giry!" Buquet cried, shuddering. "Joseph Buquet!" she said, "Hold you tongue. He will burn you with the heat of his eyes!"
p
-
p
(Authors narration)
p
Papers filled the desks of the two managers, as they sorted their mail. Firmin's desk, which was to the left, portrayed a mess of letters, documents, and odd sketchings, while André's, to the right, was only cluttered with letters.
p
Firmin held up a news paper article to the light, and searched it's headline with a magnifine glass. "Mystery after Gala night. Mystery of Soprano's flight, we suspect foul play." He read aloud to André.
p
"First Carlotta, now Christine," he announced. André tore his concentration off of his paper work, and cried to Firmin. "Damnable! Our audience will walk out on our shows at this rate!" Firmin calmly explained, "It's publicity André! People live to hear stories like this."
p
André shook his head, and pointed out, "but we have no cast!" Firmin quickly replied, "but André, have you read this letter?" Firmin holds up a small envelope up. He looks at André desk, and notices the same red ink, and sloppy hand writing addressed to André. "Oh..." he said, "It seems you've got one too..."
p
André opened the envelope, and carefully read the letter aloud: "Dear André, what a charming gala! Christine enjoyed a great success! We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left. Otherwise, the chorus was enchancing, but the dancing was a lamentable mess."
p
André stopped and starred at Firmin, as he read his note aloud as well: "Firmin, just a brief reminder. My salary has not been paid. Please send it addressed to the Opera Ghost. Remember, no one likes a debtor, so it is better if these orders are obeyed."
p
André was appalled at having such letters sent to them. He could only imagine that someone clearly insane was behind the whole scam. Firmin grabbed André's note, and examined it's signature at the bottom. With an odd expression written on his face, he pointed out,
p
"Why, these are both signed O.G...who on earth do we know with the initials O.G?" André stared off in deep thought, and quickly came to a conclusion. "Opera Ghost!" "This really is not amusing" Firmin said. André nodded, pointing out how their position was abused by this act of intolerance.
p
The door swung open, as Raoul Vicomte de Chagny entered the room, crying, "Where is she!?" André asked quite quickly, "You mean Carlotta?" Raoul answered, "No, I mean Christine Daaé; where is she?" Firmin answered puzzled, "How should we know Monsieur?" Raoul became irritated with the managers. He held up a letter addressed to him in sloppy red ink. "Well, I take it that you sent me this note."
p
André answered, "Of course not! Don't look at us!" Raoul looked back stupidly at the managers. "She's not with you then?" he asked. Firmin replied, "No she is not monsieur. We have not seen her since last night's performance!" "Well if you didn't write this letter, then who did?" Raoul demanded.
p
Firmin grabbed the note out of Raoul's hands, and read it aloud, "Do not fear for Miss Daaé. The Angel of Music has her under his wing. Make no appempt to see her again." All three men stood starring at each other, trying to find some sort of answer to these strange series of notes.
p
The door swung open again, as Carlotta stormed into the room. "Where is he!? Where is the Vicomte de Chagny?" Raoul answered irritatedly, "What is it now Signora...?" Carlotta brushed herself up in an angry manner, and explained, "I have a letter which you sent me, that displeased me!" Raoul made a face as Firmin asked him, "and did you send Signora Carlotta this note which she speaks of?"
p
"Of course not! What exactly does this letter say Signora?" he asked. Raoul took the letter, and read it aloud. "Your days at the Opera Populaire are over. Christine Daaé will sing in your place tonight. If you attempt to take her place, a great misfortune should come upon you!"
p
Both managers looked at each other, and shrugged their shoulders. So many notes in one evening, and all of them revolved around Christine. It was almost as though from the day they arrived at the opera house, that all they ever heard was the name of Christine Daaé.
p
The door slowly opened, as Meg and Madame Giry entered the room. Madame Giry announced, "Christine Daaé has returned. I thought it would be best if I sent her home." Meg, still frightened from seeing Christine just less then thirty minutes ago, added, "She needed rest."
p
Raoul, letting a little of the excitement of not knowing where she was, asked, "May I please see her?" Giry answered quickly, "No monsieur, she will see no one at this moment." At this, she pulled an unaddressed envelope out of her black dress, and carefully unfolded the note. After announcing that she had a letter for the managers, she started to read out loud;
p
"Christine Daaé has returned to you, and I am hoping her career will progress. In the next production shown at the Opera Populaire, 'Il Muto,' you will cast Carlotta as the pageboy, and have Miss Daaé play the role of countess. The role which Miss Daaé will play calls for charm and appeal - the role of the pageboy is silent, which makes my casting perfect for Carlotta, seeing as though she cannot sing. I remain gentlemen, your obedient servant, O.G. "
p
Carlotta rounded furiously, "This is all a ploy to help Christine! And I know who did this! The Vicomte - her lover!" Raoul, stressed enough about the whole incident, perked up. "Indeed! Can you believe this? I had nothing to do with this, Signora!" He cried. Ignoring Raoul, Carlotta because crying out words in Spanish. "O traditori! O mentitori!"
p
The two managers, trying to calm Carlotta's anger, cooned her with exactly she wanted to hear. "Signora, you are our star! We will not take orders from this O.G..." "This man is mad, you'll always be our star!" Finally, Firmin announced, "Miss Daaé will be playing the silent role of the pageboy, and Carlotta will be playing the Countess!"
p
As Firmin and André only tried to retain the order of Signora Carlotta, Raoul, Giry, and Meg thought aloud about Christine.
p
Meg - "I must see her, What new suprises are in store for us?"
p
Giry - "Do not scorn O.G.'s words! He knows everything that goes on in this opera house!"
p
Raoul - "Why did Christine leave me...I must see her...Where could she have gone?"
p
As the managers almost had Carlotta where they wanted her, they began to enchant her with complements, and encouragement. "Your public needs you! Your crowd adores you! Enchant us once again!" they cooned. But once again, Giry, Raoul, and Meg were abstracted, thinking about Christine, and this strange series of letters.
p
Raoul - "Christine spoke on an Angel...Is this, 'O.G.' her Angel of music? Christine must be protected!"
p
Giry - "She has heard the voice of the Angel of Music. Do not ignore his orders! If his demands are rejected, who knows what will happen to us all!"
p
Meg - "Is this ghost an Angel of madman? Voice of hell, or of heaven? Bliss or Damnation? Sureley he'll strike back...If his threats and demands are rejected..."
p
Carlotta has finally agreed to stay at the opera house. Firmin and André's false promises saved her career; or atleast what was left of it. Carlotta would play the role of the Countess, and Christine was to play the pageboy: the part with no lines.
p
Dark in a corner, however...the Opera Ghost overheard it all. Firmin and André pestering Carlotta to stay, their ignorance to his letters, Giry and Meg... But most of all, he was curious of the Vicomte's strange attraction to Christine. To the ghost, there was only one thing he could say; Raoul was falling in love with Christine.
p
To himself, the Opera Ghost said, "So...it is to be war between us. If my demands are not met, a disaster beyond all of their imaginations will occur!"