I never considered myself to be a weepy, overly-sensitive person…however, the sight of another person aside from my captor and a caring tone of voice nearly sent me into hysterics. I began to weep before the stranger's echoes finished ringing through the caverns of the underground hell. Without knowing who this man was, who he was to Erik, or anything at all…through sobs I choked out the entire story. He sat very quietly and looked right at me through the entire recitation. Only after I had finished, did he stand up and walk towards Erik's organ where the shredded music still remained from the second day of my captivity.
I rushed to his side and began bombarding him with questions. Who was he? Was he with the police? How soon could I leave? Had my husband been contacted? What was known about me to the rest of the world? Was I thought dead, or simply missing? To my extreme frustration, he answered none of these, but continued looking at the mess Erik's rage had caused.
"Sir!" I shouted, nearly reaching hysterics once more. He turned and faced me.
"I am afraid, Madame, it is not my place to take you away from here," I am sure my entire face fell at that. Noticing this, the stranger continued: "However, I shall talk to him."
"You shall talk to him?" I repeated, outraged. Before completely losing my tempter, I calmly asked, "Who are you?"
"I knew Erik in Persia, we met again years later here in Paris."
I scoffed at his assumption that that brief statement was explanation enough. I was also now quite embarrassed that I been weeping in his presence but a few moments ago. I felt as if I no longer had control over myself.
"And you knew Christine Daae?"
It was the first moment we had said her name.
"I did," he said slowly, "and did nothing when I knew Erik had her down here."
I drew myself up to my full height, completely irritated with this weak man. "You are at just as much fault as the captor for saying – for doing – nothing while knowing so much." I felt myself about to snap, and tried to maintain composure. "What is to happen to me then, as you seem all-knowing. Am I to be killed?"
"Oh, no," he exclaimed immediately, "Erik would never kill….you, that is," he added quickly and almost smiled at his own blunder.
"Comforting."
A noise was heard by both of us, though from where I knew not as I had yet to discover a true door into and out of the structure. I turned sharply when I heard footsteps and saw the masked madman stumble in. I was surprised by his posture; normally his stance mirrored his evening wear. The foreign stranger picked up on his condition faster then I, and rushed to his side, but was swatted at by Erik who seemed to be having difficulty breathing.
"You're ill!" I said, ignorantly. For, it was quite obvious and unnecessary to say.
"Leave," he hissed through gritted teeth, "leave!"
I did.
