2018 December 3

Have found a stash of gold coins (obviously French) and many, many precious gems. And a note:

My dearest Angelique:

I know how much you'll need it if you ever come back as an adult. So I have stashed some of my fortunes here for your use. For although I may be an accomplished magician, I will not always be there to protect you from the horrors this world can present to you. I hope that until now, you have had a good life. How long did the mask last? I would love to know… if I should be fortunate enough to live as long, I shall come back every fifty years.

Your loving Father,

Erik Noir

1920 October 31

Tomorrow, I shall go shopping! I've already determined the coins to be valid tender. Bur it most assuredly won't last. One night I had sneaked into the managers' office and read the contents of the contract. Ah yes, I have an idea! Time to write a note!

--- Angelique

1905 May 30

I don't understand. She acts totally indifferent to her dark fate in this life. Lately all she talks about is wanting to go aboveground—beyond the Palais Garnier. Whatever gave her that idea?

Today she asked to go shopping. Women! Although I can understand. She has grown so much (especially in height) that most costumes that I can filch from the Opera wardrobes and what she has now do not fit.

So I told her we could go if she agreed to wear a mask.

"Why must I wear a mask?" She asks in her heavenly voice that I absolutely cannot resist. (Though I can tell where she gets it from.)

"Do you want to scare people with your ghost-like qualities?" I ask.

"No, I would not want them to be neither unduly frightened, nor be recognized as a ghost," she sighs.

"I will pick one out for you."

I chose a flesh-colored cloth mask fir her. She accepted without comment. I realized that for most of her life, she had never been outside the Opera. How would she react to all the people?

--- Erik

1905 May 31

She (Angelique) was unusually quiet. Could it be she was actually afraid if the other people? Have I raised my child to be afraid of people, outsiders, and crowds? How? She has never shown fear of anything else. Everyone mistook her for a man. Is it because she is so thin? She has barely a chest on her, not like her mother. Is that how my angel can be mistaken for a man?

She did not like any of the dresses I had procured for her (although I doubt that they would have fit anyway), except for one. It was, of course, black and was made of velvet. She insisted in me buying her dress clothes made for men rather than dresses! What kind of girl child have I raised?

--- Erik