Chapter Thirteen

The Opera

Suzette was reading cozily by the fire the night that Erik brought home a rather large and fine box. Her eyes ran over the dazzling silver paper and ribbons. Erik knelt by her side and motioned for her to open it. She undid the package with great care, not wanting to rip the lovely paper. The box was opened and inside it there was a lovely gown, very elegant, and deep blue in color. Suzette gasped as she fingered the soft satin and the intrinsic beading.

"I'm supposed to wear this gown, Erik?"

"Well, of course! Who else do you think I bought it for? You are, after all, a real lady now. You ought to play the part." Her eyes were wild with excitement.

"And exactly what am I supposed to wear this dress for?"

"Saturday night. You and I will be going to Paris!"

"What for?"

"To see the opera!" At this, Suzette broke into a wide, childlike grin.

"You've never invited me to an opera before!" Erik took her hand elegantly, and kissed it.

"That's because you were too much of a garcon manqué and not a grand lady, ma chere mademoiselle!" She laughed and embraced him. She had a feeling that there would be more to this surprise later.
On the day that she and Erik were to go to the opera, Suzette spent most of the afternoon with Madame Colette, who was nearly as excited as she was.

"Such a wonderful occasion!" she exclaimed as she pruned her roses. They were in the garden and Suzette was perched on a stone bench, hugging her knees, and reading a Paris newspaper article about the opera that Erik had invited her to. She was quite sure that Erik had more up his sleeve than he was letting on. She knew very well that Erik wasn't going out in public tonight for the first time in years just for his health, or even for hers. No, something very special was going to happen tonight and once she'd picked up the article, it didn't take her a moment to form a pretty good idea of what it was.

"Look here, Madame!" she said. "Guess who is singing the lead role in the opera tonight!"

"Isn't it that Viscountess? Christine De Chagny?"

"That's what this is all about!"

"What all what is about, Lapin?"

"That's why he's dragging himself outside and risking being seen. You know he never wants to go anywhere where anyone might see him. I was getting quite concerned about what he might be up to, but he just wants to see this Madame de Chagny! He's told me himself that she hasn't performed in Paris or anywhere close in years!"

"I guess that your Erik is a fan?"

"Oh, he adores her! He has probably read every word written about her in the reviews and the paper. I don't know where or how it started but one night I noticed how he had collected so many stories about her and pictures of her. I joked with him that he seemed to love Madame Christine more than myself but he didn't seem to hear me and he didn't answer. No, I believe that he couldn't answer. He was far away, in some world where some operatic angel sang and sang, unhindered and just for him." Suzette sighed to herself as she thought of Christine de Chagny, queen of the stage, dripping with beauty, grace, and charm.

"She must be gorgeous," she moaned sadly. Madame rose and took Suzette's hand in hers.

"You will be gorgeous tonight, Lapin. Come now. Lets get you ready for your first opera!"

Madame Colette spent the rest of the afternoon instructing Suzette on how to walk and how to act. She told her stories of her own nights at the opera when she was young. She helped her to dress, did her hair, sprayed her with perfume, and helped her to choose from her mother's jewelry. Suzette sighed as she lifted a lovely pair of earbobs. "Too bad I don't have my ears done. I'd love to wear these!" Madame glanced down from Suzette's golden curls which she was shaping into a heavenly twist and decorating with flowers.

"They are perfect with this dress," she said thoughtfully. Suzette held them to her ears, admiring them.

"How lovely they are. They shine like little stars!" She looked hopefully at Madame who simply shrugged and smiled back.

"Will it hurt very much?" Suzette asked her.

Later, Suzette found Erik still dressing in his room. He was distracted and didn't see her enter and it seemed to Suzette that he was mumbling something to himself beneath his breath.

"Are you near ready, my dear sir?" Erik turned about sharply and saw her. He was silent and still as she twirled around the room and into his embrace.

"How do I look, Erik?"

"Like an angel, my dear Suzette." He whispered as he took her hands in his, "No, like a grand lady. I'm quite proud!" His hands were shaking slightly as he lightly touched her new earrings.

"Do you like them?" she asked.

"They're fascinating!" he exclaimed, "Didn't they hurt very much?"

"Only a bit." she admitted.

"You didn't cry?"

"No, of course not!"

"Girls seem to me to be very brave." Erik told her fondly. She squeezed his hand and tried to be nonchalant. She had screamed like an ally cat. "But at any rate, they do make a tremendous effect." He bowed to her dramatically and laughed as if he had just insulted her.

"Well, I'm not the only one effected around here, my good sir", she argued as she lifted the corner of the rather long and elegant cape he was wearing with her thumb and forefinger. "What in heaven's name is this supposed to be?"

"It's an opera cape, you silly little thing!"

"Why should anyone want to wear a thing like that?"

"Because it's so stylish, ma petite. Besides, I will have something to lay over you when you start to complain about being cold." As he spoke he searched his chest of drawers until he found a silk bag, from which he removed a mask the likes of which Suzette had never seen before. He turned form her slightly to remove his old mask and replace it with this new one. Suzette stared at him and tried to figure it out. As far as Suzette could recall, Erik had only wore two masks. Around the house, he wore the brown fabric mask, which hid the entire space from around his eyes down to just below his jawbone. On the rare occasions that he left the house, he wore a black satin mask, which was nicer and had a false nose. This chilling new mask covered his face entirely, ear-to-ear, hat brim to chin, and was white as snow. It took Suzette only a moment of study to decide that she hated it.

"You aren't really going to wear that, Erik?"

"Why not?" The sound of his voice from behind this lifeless thing made her want to shiver. Even his eyes had disappeared into darkness behind it. She had to think of a good excuse fast.

"I'm sure you can't even breathe."

"But I am aren't I?" he retorted.

"How will you see the opera?"

"I can see." Suzette was becoming desperate.

"I thought you didn't like people to look at you," she accused, "Don't you know that a half-blind man would notice that thing on a cloudy night from a block away and across the alley. It's like wearing the moon on your face."

"But no one will guess what is behind it."

"It's absolutely frightful, you look like some sort of ghoul!"

"Would you rather I went without any mask at all?" he retorted in a daring voice.

Quite possibly, Suzette told herself but she knew she had lost this one.

"Are you ready to go", she asked.

"Yes I am, Mademoiselle." Erik took her by the arm and together they strolled out into the street to meet their carriage. Suzette held tightly to him. She wanted to close her eyes, but she had to be content with staring straight ahead and telling herself that it was her own dear friend who was beside her, and not some other creature altogether.