Chapter 14: The Trial (Plans Revealed)
Two days after arriving from New York and four months after leaving Paris, Caroline de Sainte appeared in a Parisienne court. People from L'Opera Populaire, her friends from Le Cirque Boheme, Raoul, the Admiral, the Captain, Erik and Guilliame were all there to see the outcome. Caroline released a breath slowly, to calm herself down. 'This will end everything,' she thought.
The judge appeared at his seat and called the court into session. He called up Meg Giry as the first testimony. Meg sat down and began to tell her story. "Caroline came in and made friends easily with Christine and me. She had a more difficult time with the chorus members. I think they saw right through to her criminal intentions. Caroline became popular with the audience but yearned for more. She yearned for Mademoiselle Daae's role. A few nights after the show's opening, I saw Caroline and Christine talking when I went to check in with the other members of the corps de Ballet. When I came back, people were screaming that Christine was dead. When I got to the room, they said it was poison. I thought instantly of Caroline. When we got there, she was gone. I guessed she fled to avoid persecution," Meg said.
The judge dismissed Little Meg and called Carly up to testify. Carly began to speak: "Caroline was so excited to go to the opera. IT was always her dream—she did the nightclub circuit after being turned away from L'Opera Populaire. She was so beautiful and happy on opening night, except for one thing. As Mademoiselle Giry said, the chorus didn't like Caroline. They ganged up on her, but Christine stood up for Caroline at rehearsals and we did at the Gala. Why would Caroline kill her only ally at the Opera? It just doesn't make sense. I think Caroline was framed. AS for her disappearance, I was informed by Mademoiselle de Sainte herself that she was taken to America unwillingly by the Vicomte de Chagny."
Carly stepped down after finishing her testimony. The judge called Caroline to speak to the court, to attest to her innocence. "As Carly already said, I always wanted to be an opera singer. I wound up on the nightclub life instead. When I got accepted into the opera it was a dream come true. As both witnesses said before me, the chorus and I didn't get along. They were jealous that I had gotten a lead and sensed my jealousy of Christine's role, not Chrisitne. But I was happy with my role. The chorus also found out about my previous engagement to Captain Dupont, now a major patron.
"The night in question, I did talk to Christine. She encouraged me since the chorus was hassling me again. I thanked her and went to my room. My friend and mentor Guilliame was there to give some performance advice. About twenty minutes later, the Vicomte de Chagny burst into my dressing room and told me Mademoiselle was murdered. When Meg Giry named me as a suspect, Raoul took me to a secret exit and later to England to board a boat for America. I didn't want to go, but Raoul insisted."
The judge looked down on Caroline. "Why did Raoul kidnap you if you killed his fiancée?" he asked. Meg Giry stood up and addressed the court. "His wife, Your Honor. She continued to keep her maiden name for stage use," she said. The judged thanked Meg and corrected his question. "Because," Caroline answered, "I am Raoul's lover. I have been for nearly three years, not including the time he broke off our relationship. That's when he became engaged to Christine." The court gasped. The judge turned to where Raoul's place in the courtroom was. "Is this true? Is Mademoiselle de Sainte your mistress?" he asked. Raoul turned bright red and nodded. Caroline started crying and said, "He promised to leave Christine and marry me. But he cheated on me as well. It happened while he kept me in New York, promising other women there to marry them." The judge consoled Caroline while shaking his head at Raoul.
"Here now! This has nothing to do with my wife's death. Is this a court of law?" Raoul yelled, upset that his infidelity was out in public. Caroline suddenly stopped crying and smiled at Raoul. "This has everything to do with Christine's death. And you're right—this really isn't a true court of law," she said. She nodded at Meg, who left the courtroom. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Raoul's lover. Yes, I did believe he would marry me. And in some ways, I am guilty of Christine's murder. I didn't want to be. When Raoul proposed his master plan to be with me, I protested the part with Christine's murder. I asked him to send her to another opera, one far away. He agreed but later said we had no choice but to kill Christine.
"But what Raoul didn't know was that I knew he had married Christine. I read the newspaper religiously and read the article about their wedding. I felt angry and upset. I also felt his wife deserved to know. One day, I told her."
"Naturally I was upset," cam a new voice. At the back of the room stood Christine, very much alive. "Caroline apologized and together we plotted revenge. We employed the help of Erik and Guilliame. Erik lent us a wax figure of me he had and I dressed it in my costume. Then I placed the cup of wine on the floor before I went down to the lair to wait."
"Everyone in the room—with the exception of Raoul, the Admiral, and the Captain—knew of the plot. Christine would disappear until Raoul's infidelity was revealed. We didn't plan on him kidnapping me," Caroline said. Raoul stood up, pulling his female companion with him. She pulled away, disgusted. "Ellen! You will pay, Caroline. Come, Christine," Raoul said, holding his hand out to his wife. "No, Raoul, you aren't going anywhere," Christine said. "Vicomte de Chagny, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Christine Daae and the kidnapping of Caroline de Sainte," a police officer said, arresting Raoul. "And dear," Christine said, "we are getting a divorce and an annulment!" As Raoul was lead from the courtroom, those present began to clap.
"I guess this finished?" the judge asked. Caroline turned back. "Yes. Thank you, Monsieur Lagrange," she said. "No problems. Send my regards to your uncle Max. Very good lawyer," Monsieur Lagrange said before leaving. Caroline and Christine shared a hug before Mme. Giry ushered the latter out of the room. Carly and the girls (except Tymara, who was watching little Estella) huddled around their friend. Guilliame grabbed her and spun Caroline around. The two kissed and the group went to celebrate.
On the way out, Monsieur Firmin stopped Caroline. "You still have a contract with us. See you tomorrow," Firmin said. Caroline whispered something and the man left, smiling.
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A/N: Thanks to all who read this! Thanks to all who reviewed! Thanks to everyone. And to anyone who read my AN at the end of Chp 12, I did see my college advisor, and no she didn't yell at me. I did burst out crying in her office for no clue. Maybe it was my body telling me it was tired or overstressed or my period's coming…uh oh, I hope it's not the latter. Thanks anyway! ~*Mac*~