Erik felt no further attraction to the couple and went about his own business for the next few days. In fact, it was not until the next week that he remembered the couple at all. Or, at least, he remembered the young woman named Adelyn.
He had been slipping in and out of his usual haunts when he suddenly stumbled upon the lady-most improperly, in fact. She was staring at herself in the mirror that was part of one of the ladies' dressing rooms-the dressing room that now served as a makeshift hotel room for the young woman. He growled lowly in severe annoyance. It was not that he minded having a particularly lovely young woman in one of his rooms, but did she have to interfere with his movement? Not to mention she was acting quite strangely. She was moving her mouth in odd directions and breathing heavily, all the while watching herself in the mirror intently.
It took Erik only several seconds to realize what she was doing. Why, she was pretending to sing! He chuckled to himself and shook his head. The longhaired man was engaged to a lady, but this lady was an opera singer at heart! However, whether or not she sang was no matter to the Opera Ghost. He doubted that anyone who had lead that soft of a life could amount to any talent.
"Miss Adelyn!"
Erik gave a start. So did Adelyn. At the door was one of the opera's chorus brats, Meg Giry. Her eyes were watching Adelyn in fervent admiration.
"Will you come watch us rehearse? We will only be a few minutes," she added quickly, as if too long of an engagement might be a bore to the lady.
"Of course!" Adelyn smiled radiantly. "I'll come right this minute."
"Oh but... Miss... Don't you think you ought to make yourself a bit more... decent?" Meg blushed deeply.
"Oh." Adelyn looked down at her robe absentmindedly. "Does it matter, really? It's only going to be the lady ballet dancers, isn't it?"
"But miss, if your fiancé were to visit... My mother said to make sure that I don't make any trouble, and I think he might..."
"Oh, all right," grumbled Adelyn, pulling at the ties of her robe. "What a bother."
Meg blushed again. "We're in the third corridor, just so you know. The stage is being used for something or other."
"I will only be a few minutes. Thank you for coming for me," Adelyn said with warm sincerity.
Erik chuckled again, delighted with Adelyn's childlike selfishness. She was very unlike many of the ladies in the opera company. Most of them were quiet, demure things, flitting about like small birds. That, of course, excluded the big-name stars, who were as pigheaded as they were talented. Though, lately, not much talent had passed through the company. With the loss of both Carlotta and Christine Daae, the company was in desperate need of new lifeblood.
Once Adelyn had pulled on some moderately decent clothes, she threw open the door and paced quickly down the hall. Erik followed close behind her like a shadow, curious not only to see her next actions but also to observe the progress of the dancers. Again, Erik smiled at Adelyn's childish antics as she paused to make faces in the hallway mirrors, and occasionally, when she thought no one was watching, to twirl around in a circle and observe the effect on her skirts. Perhaps he had been mistaken about her womanhood. The girl could not possibly be out of her teens-at least not in heart.
"Miss DuBois!" Little Meg Giry rushed forward to meet her as she came upon the third corridor. "Everyone, this is Miss DuBois."
"Charmed," said Miss DuBois, grinning impishly.
The lady dancers shifted uncomfortably on their feet. It wasn't so much that they hated Adelyn as much as they resented her. For someone to stumble upon a man of such wealth meant that they certainly must be a real vixen. They all acted as politely as they were bred to be, however, and before long, began to dance under the watchful eye of Madame Giry, Meg's mother.
The rehearsal itself didn't last very long. Madame Giry declared the group hopeless and suggested that they go home and get some sleep, lest they disgrace the ballet any further. None of them were too keen to rush home, however-They were interested in Miss DuBois.
"Why have you come to stay with us?"
"Have you ever been to opera before?"
"How rich is your fiancé?"
"Is your father rich?"
"Have you yourself ever sung?"
Adelyn looked around bewilderedly at the inquisitive young girls, not answering any of the questions until the last-"Have you ever sung?" With that question in the air, she beamed delightedly and nodded.
"I sang very often as a child, and still do, if no one is around to hear me," she gushed excitedly, her eyes burning like a blue flame. "My grandmother had a voice like an angel, and she taught me to sing a bit before she died."
"Oh, sing, Miss Adelyn! Won't you?" begged little Meg Giry.
"Oh, but I mustn't!" exclaimed Adelyn, but one could tell that in a few moments time, her voice would be ringing through the hall. "You would only laugh at me. I am a poor student of my grandmother."
"Come now, just give it a try," urged Meg, looking excited.
"Very well then," sighed Adelyn, pretending to look resigned.
"Se quel guerriero io fossi!
Se il mio sogno si avverasse!...
Un esercito di prodi da me guidato...
E la vittoria
E il plauso di Menfi tutta!
E a te, mia dolce Aida,
Tornar di lauri cinto...
Dirti, per te ho pugnato,
E per te ho vinto!
"Celeste Aida, forma divina,
Mistico serto di luce fior,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor.
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol,
Un regal serto sul crin posarti,
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol.
"Celeste Aida, forma divina,
Mistico raggio di luce fior,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor.
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol,
Un regal serto sul crin posarti,
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol."
There was a stunned silence around the hall. Even Erik was shocked. Who had expected that this silly-looking fiancée of a rich man could sing so beautifully? Her voice was nothing like Christine Daae's, Erik admitted. Christine Daae's voice had been light and angelic, like a bell. How sweet her voice had been, thought Erik, recalling her sadly. However, this woman's voice was rich and dark, and it sounded mature beyond her years. It was shockingly thick and almost uncontrollably strong; yet, it had a resonant ring to it that made it pleasant to the ear.
"Why... Miss... You can sing better than any I've heard here!" gasped Meg Giry, curtsying in appreciation.
"Please. That song doesn't suit me particularly well. But I do enjoy singing it." Adelyn, though feigning modesty, was obviously pleased with the attention.
Her eyes froze on Meg Giry, but suddenly, her smile faded.
"What is it, Miss? Are you all right?"
"I think I am going mad!" gasped Adelyn, pressing her hand to her forehead. "I... I am seeing a dark shape in the form of a man!"
It took Erik only a few moments to realize that she could see him. He quickly ducked behind the nearest pillar and disappeared.
"Oh, don't take any notice of that, Miss," laughed Meg Giry, relaxing. "That's only the Opera Ghost!"
"The Opera Ghost!" Adelyn's eyes widened. "I thought that was merely a rumour."
"Oh no, Miss, it's true all right!" Meg stepped forward in excitement. "He kidnapped one of our sopranos, Christine Daae, once, and he's done even worse than that! He hasn't been around for a few months, but I suppose he's back now." She shuddered involuntarily. "I do fear him so."
"Fear him!" Adelyn smiled mischievously. "I would rather like to meet him!"
"Meet him!" cried the girls in disbelief.
"Yes," she replied enthusiastically. "I've never really met a ghost."
Despite the protests of the other girls, Adelyn firmly stood by the belief that meeting a ghost would be very exciting. They normally would have stayed and told her every excruciating detail of the Opera Ghost's existence, but it was growing late and the young girls were tired. Adelyn took notice of this and, with a small nod and a smile, picked up her skirts and started back towards her room. She had tried as hard as she could to contain her excitement, but once she had moved out of earshot of the girls, she laughed vivaciously. A ghost! Now that would be interesting. As much as she loved the opera house, besides rehearsal, everything had been very boring. She longed to explore the lower parts of the building, or at least go beneath the stage, but her fiancé, Drew, had strictly forbidden it. Once back in her room, Adelyn tried summoning the ghost, but to no avail.
"Opera Ghost, I know you must be there! You were watching me sing, you surreptitious creature! Come, add a bit of excitement into my life," she coaxed, her eyes darting from the ceiling to the floor and back.
But no answer came.
"I must be mad, talking to the walls," she mumbled disappointedly, climbing into bed. "There really is no one to hear."
But someone had heard. And he was intrigued.
* * *
He had been slipping in and out of his usual haunts when he suddenly stumbled upon the lady-most improperly, in fact. She was staring at herself in the mirror that was part of one of the ladies' dressing rooms-the dressing room that now served as a makeshift hotel room for the young woman. He growled lowly in severe annoyance. It was not that he minded having a particularly lovely young woman in one of his rooms, but did she have to interfere with his movement? Not to mention she was acting quite strangely. She was moving her mouth in odd directions and breathing heavily, all the while watching herself in the mirror intently.
It took Erik only several seconds to realize what she was doing. Why, she was pretending to sing! He chuckled to himself and shook his head. The longhaired man was engaged to a lady, but this lady was an opera singer at heart! However, whether or not she sang was no matter to the Opera Ghost. He doubted that anyone who had lead that soft of a life could amount to any talent.
"Miss Adelyn!"
Erik gave a start. So did Adelyn. At the door was one of the opera's chorus brats, Meg Giry. Her eyes were watching Adelyn in fervent admiration.
"Will you come watch us rehearse? We will only be a few minutes," she added quickly, as if too long of an engagement might be a bore to the lady.
"Of course!" Adelyn smiled radiantly. "I'll come right this minute."
"Oh but... Miss... Don't you think you ought to make yourself a bit more... decent?" Meg blushed deeply.
"Oh." Adelyn looked down at her robe absentmindedly. "Does it matter, really? It's only going to be the lady ballet dancers, isn't it?"
"But miss, if your fiancé were to visit... My mother said to make sure that I don't make any trouble, and I think he might..."
"Oh, all right," grumbled Adelyn, pulling at the ties of her robe. "What a bother."
Meg blushed again. "We're in the third corridor, just so you know. The stage is being used for something or other."
"I will only be a few minutes. Thank you for coming for me," Adelyn said with warm sincerity.
Erik chuckled again, delighted with Adelyn's childlike selfishness. She was very unlike many of the ladies in the opera company. Most of them were quiet, demure things, flitting about like small birds. That, of course, excluded the big-name stars, who were as pigheaded as they were talented. Though, lately, not much talent had passed through the company. With the loss of both Carlotta and Christine Daae, the company was in desperate need of new lifeblood.
Once Adelyn had pulled on some moderately decent clothes, she threw open the door and paced quickly down the hall. Erik followed close behind her like a shadow, curious not only to see her next actions but also to observe the progress of the dancers. Again, Erik smiled at Adelyn's childish antics as she paused to make faces in the hallway mirrors, and occasionally, when she thought no one was watching, to twirl around in a circle and observe the effect on her skirts. Perhaps he had been mistaken about her womanhood. The girl could not possibly be out of her teens-at least not in heart.
"Miss DuBois!" Little Meg Giry rushed forward to meet her as she came upon the third corridor. "Everyone, this is Miss DuBois."
"Charmed," said Miss DuBois, grinning impishly.
The lady dancers shifted uncomfortably on their feet. It wasn't so much that they hated Adelyn as much as they resented her. For someone to stumble upon a man of such wealth meant that they certainly must be a real vixen. They all acted as politely as they were bred to be, however, and before long, began to dance under the watchful eye of Madame Giry, Meg's mother.
The rehearsal itself didn't last very long. Madame Giry declared the group hopeless and suggested that they go home and get some sleep, lest they disgrace the ballet any further. None of them were too keen to rush home, however-They were interested in Miss DuBois.
"Why have you come to stay with us?"
"Have you ever been to opera before?"
"How rich is your fiancé?"
"Is your father rich?"
"Have you yourself ever sung?"
Adelyn looked around bewilderedly at the inquisitive young girls, not answering any of the questions until the last-"Have you ever sung?" With that question in the air, she beamed delightedly and nodded.
"I sang very often as a child, and still do, if no one is around to hear me," she gushed excitedly, her eyes burning like a blue flame. "My grandmother had a voice like an angel, and she taught me to sing a bit before she died."
"Oh, sing, Miss Adelyn! Won't you?" begged little Meg Giry.
"Oh, but I mustn't!" exclaimed Adelyn, but one could tell that in a few moments time, her voice would be ringing through the hall. "You would only laugh at me. I am a poor student of my grandmother."
"Come now, just give it a try," urged Meg, looking excited.
"Very well then," sighed Adelyn, pretending to look resigned.
"Se quel guerriero io fossi!
Se il mio sogno si avverasse!...
Un esercito di prodi da me guidato...
E la vittoria
E il plauso di Menfi tutta!
E a te, mia dolce Aida,
Tornar di lauri cinto...
Dirti, per te ho pugnato,
E per te ho vinto!
"Celeste Aida, forma divina,
Mistico serto di luce fior,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor.
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol,
Un regal serto sul crin posarti,
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol.
"Celeste Aida, forma divina,
Mistico raggio di luce fior,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor.
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol,
Un regal serto sul crin posarti,
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol."
There was a stunned silence around the hall. Even Erik was shocked. Who had expected that this silly-looking fiancée of a rich man could sing so beautifully? Her voice was nothing like Christine Daae's, Erik admitted. Christine Daae's voice had been light and angelic, like a bell. How sweet her voice had been, thought Erik, recalling her sadly. However, this woman's voice was rich and dark, and it sounded mature beyond her years. It was shockingly thick and almost uncontrollably strong; yet, it had a resonant ring to it that made it pleasant to the ear.
"Why... Miss... You can sing better than any I've heard here!" gasped Meg Giry, curtsying in appreciation.
"Please. That song doesn't suit me particularly well. But I do enjoy singing it." Adelyn, though feigning modesty, was obviously pleased with the attention.
Her eyes froze on Meg Giry, but suddenly, her smile faded.
"What is it, Miss? Are you all right?"
"I think I am going mad!" gasped Adelyn, pressing her hand to her forehead. "I... I am seeing a dark shape in the form of a man!"
It took Erik only a few moments to realize that she could see him. He quickly ducked behind the nearest pillar and disappeared.
"Oh, don't take any notice of that, Miss," laughed Meg Giry, relaxing. "That's only the Opera Ghost!"
"The Opera Ghost!" Adelyn's eyes widened. "I thought that was merely a rumour."
"Oh no, Miss, it's true all right!" Meg stepped forward in excitement. "He kidnapped one of our sopranos, Christine Daae, once, and he's done even worse than that! He hasn't been around for a few months, but I suppose he's back now." She shuddered involuntarily. "I do fear him so."
"Fear him!" Adelyn smiled mischievously. "I would rather like to meet him!"
"Meet him!" cried the girls in disbelief.
"Yes," she replied enthusiastically. "I've never really met a ghost."
Despite the protests of the other girls, Adelyn firmly stood by the belief that meeting a ghost would be very exciting. They normally would have stayed and told her every excruciating detail of the Opera Ghost's existence, but it was growing late and the young girls were tired. Adelyn took notice of this and, with a small nod and a smile, picked up her skirts and started back towards her room. She had tried as hard as she could to contain her excitement, but once she had moved out of earshot of the girls, she laughed vivaciously. A ghost! Now that would be interesting. As much as she loved the opera house, besides rehearsal, everything had been very boring. She longed to explore the lower parts of the building, or at least go beneath the stage, but her fiancé, Drew, had strictly forbidden it. Once back in her room, Adelyn tried summoning the ghost, but to no avail.
"Opera Ghost, I know you must be there! You were watching me sing, you surreptitious creature! Come, add a bit of excitement into my life," she coaxed, her eyes darting from the ceiling to the floor and back.
But no answer came.
"I must be mad, talking to the walls," she mumbled disappointedly, climbing into bed. "There really is no one to hear."
But someone had heard. And he was intrigued.
* * *
