Chapter Eighteen
A Duel
Suzette and Erik had made their way from the boxes to the stage, where most of the patrons and performers were celebrating the success of the show. They stood in the shadows and watched the people in glorious costume laughing, drinking, flirting, and dancing. Suzette was overwhelmed. She glanced up at Erik, who appeared to be searching the crowd for someone. 'The Viscountess', she thought to herself.
"Are you going to find her and shake her little hand?" she asked him. She regretted it instantly for she felt his sadness, even through that lifeless mask. She took up his hand, which was trembling, and squeezed it tight. He squeezed hers back as if to say, 'apology accepted'.
Suddenly, they were both aware of a pair of eyes gazing toward them. Suzette looked up and saw Thomas standing along the back wall of the stage with a group of friends. Aurelie was among them and everyone was listening to her tell a story with great fascination. But Thomas wasn't paying attention. He was staring a hole straight through Suzette's face. Erik observed this and felt numb all over. He began to tremble even more violently and Suzette looked at him with questioning eyes. He took a deep breath and leaned forward so that she alone could hear his whisper.
"Well, my dear girl? Aren't you going over to shake his hand?" Suzette became quite pink and she turned her face to the floor. He lifted her chin and whispered, "I will meet you outside." Even before she had realized it, she had made her way alone and stood by Thomas' side, listening to Aurelie's story.
Erik left the opera house through a side door that led down four wooden steps and onto a small, dark lane. He chose this way because hardly anyone used it and there was little chance of being seen. He turned toward the road and saw that there were many people still there, talking and waiting for their carriages. He would have to go around another way. He turned to his left and there she was. She was there in lane with her young son, Nicolas, and keeping away from the crowd. Erik was stunned and before he could even think of what he was doing, he approached her.
As soon as Christine saw him, she screamed and backed away, clutching her little boy. Erik stopped cold. She had never screamed like that at him. Not even when she had first removed his mask so many years ago, had she issued a cry like that. Erik didn't know what to do. He wanted to take her in his embrace and tell her that he would never let anything harm her. He wanted to dry her tears and tell her how much he still loved her, but he couldn't because it was he that terrified her. It was he that was making her cry and tremble and scream out for her husband. Erik was sure that he would die of sorrow.
Suddenly, he felt something strike his head and he was on the ground. Everything went black for a moment and when he came back, he realized that Raoul de Chagney was on him and striking him in his back and head, amid the shrieks of Christine and Suzette, who must have just come outside. He sprang up suddenly and Raoul was thrown off. As Erik remained on his hands and knees and struggled to regain his vision, he heard a loud click to his left, and dove just in time to get a ball in his shoulder and not his head. The Viscount cocked his pistol again, but Christine got between them and stopped him from firing it.
When Erik's eyes returned to him, he found Suzette kneeling beside him with tears running down her face and covering his wound with the opera cape, which she had removed from him.
"At least this thing is good for something," she told him, "I think you'll be all right, if you just hold still while I try and stop the bleeding."
"What a horrible episode!" he moaned, "Now you know why I don't go out anymore." Suzette laughed and sobbed at the same time.
Christine wasn't far from fainting and Raoul held her close, comforting her.
"You shot him!" she whispered with wide eyes, "You shot Erik!"
"Do forgive me, Christine. I could never lose you again." She nodded and fell to weeping.
"Take Nicholas to the carriage.", she said to her husband. He began to protest, but gathered his terror-struck son in his arms and carried him away with out saying a word. Christine mustered up some courage and walked toward her old friend, who Suzette was trying to help to his feet without much success. Finally, he was up, although most of his weight was on Suzette. Suzette looked to Christine.
"Can you help me get him to the carriage?" she asked timidly. Christine looked at Erik who was dirty, bleeding, and had lost his mask when Raoul threw him to the ground. She didn't see how she could refuse. The three of them made their way slowly toward the street that had already been deserted by the opera patrons, leaving the Viscount bewildered and alone.
Just as they neared the corner, a shadow came to life and pulled Christine away, brandishing a knife. Erik fell back on Suzette.
"Good evening, Madame la Viscountess!" the man snarled. He raised his knife and Erik pounced on him, trying to wrench the knife from the man's hand. The man released Christine, who stumbled to keep on her feet and ran to her husband, and turned on Erik, slamming him into the stone wall of the opera house.
"Run Suzette!" he screamed, desperately. Suzette remained frozen.
"Run!" he repeated and she obeyed. The man didn't chase her. He was staring in horror and amazement at the creature crouched before him.
"What kind of freak are you?" he demanded.
"The last one you're ever going to see!" Erik hissed. He was weak but his voice echoed, as strong as ever, through the streets. The man wasn't convinced.
"Who are you?" he shouted. Erik considered the question for a moment.
"Who am I?! I am Erik!" He paused as his only real name echoed down the street. Erik! Erik! Erik! He continued.
"I am the living dead boy, the Angel of Music, the trapdoor lover, the phantom of the opera, and the master of the house!"
"What house?"
"You know, the house? The one you've been creeping around all week? The one that is haunted? It's mine! I am the ghost!" There was a long silence. The man dropped the knife and began to laugh hysterically.
"It's his house! He's the ghost! Oh the fools, the fools!"
"It is rather amusing isn't it?" said Erik smugly.
"Oh yes!" the man agreed, "Very amusing indeed But the fun has only just begun. I'll get your little friends later. Right now I am going to enjoy skinning you alive and dragging your body behind my carriage."
"Not yet. I've introduced myself. But you haven't told me your name. You are Claude aren't you? Suzette's uncle? I do hope so. I am getting tired of killing all the assassins that you hire to chase after her." The man laughed.
"And such a clever little phantom! Won't this be fun? You'll be a real ghost soon!" He reached down and lifted him by his wounded shoulder. Erik twisted in pain and his eyes burned. With his good arm free he slashed at the man's throat with the knife. Then, they both collapsed.
The Viscount and Viscountess arose trembling and came to Erik's side.
"Oh, my poor, unhappy friend." Christine moaned. She kissed his forehead and he awoke to her.
"Am I dead?" he whispered.
"No, dear." said Christine.
"What about him?" he asked.
"I think so." She answered. Erik sighed. There always seemed to be more and more blood on his hands. Finally it was over. Suzette was safe, and so was Christine.
Suddenly, they heard approaching shouts and footsteps. Someone was coming! Erik started to rise in a panic, but Christine held him.
"Stay still, you're hurt!"
"No! I must hide! If they find me I'm done for. They'll lock me up like an animal again and-
"Shhh! I won't let them."
"I can't move!" he moaned, "Please Christine, I'd rather your little chap shot me again! I'd rather die right now in your arms than locked up in a cage and before their cruel stares!"
"Shhh! You aren't going to die tonight. We'll take you to our apartment and you'll be safe there with us." Christine motioned for Raoul to help her and together they lifted him easily into the carriage. She sat beside him and stroked his back. She could tell that he was fighting to stay awake.
"Go to sleep, dear," she whispered to him, "You are safe now." And he did.