One of the backdrops directly above Carlotta had come crashing to the ground, almost landing on her. The canvas had covered her and she was screaming something incomprehensible from underneath it. Piangi, the Opera's leading male vocalist, had rushed over and was trying to help her get out from underneath it. After a few minutes hard work, Piangi managed to get her out from under the canvas of the backdrop.
"Signora, these things do happen." André said with a slight chuckle. He realized, to late, that this was a mistake…
An enraged and shocked Carlotta turned to faceLefevre. "For the past three years these things do happen! And did you stop them from happening? NO!"
She then whipped round to André and Firmin. "And you two - you are as bad as him! 'These things do happen!' ... Until you STOP these things from happening THIS THING DOES NOT HAPPEN! Ubaldo! Andiamo! Bring my doggy and my boxy!"
As Carlotta stormed off in anger at having a backdrop almost crush her, with André and Firmin at her heel groveling for her to reconsider. The main theatre grew silent and most of the dancers eyes were gazing upwards towards the place from where the backdrop had fallen.
Joseph Bouquet, the stage manager, who was standing near the backdrop at the time, couldn't find any sort of explanation as to why it had fallen in the first place as he did not see anyone else standing on the platforms. "There's nobody there, and if there is... well then, it must have been a ghost!" he called down jokingly.
This of course started the girls whispering to each other and made them look around with a more edgy feeling amongst them. Their gossiping was soon cut short as André and Firmin returned.
"Alright girls it's over now, please continue to practice your dancing for the meantime." Madame Giry's icy tone swept over the few whispers. Obediently, the girls resumed their dancing in silence.
Madame Giry strode over to where André and Firmin were standing pointing and discussing the event that had occurred a few minutes previously. "Messieur's, may I please have a word?" She asked sternly.
"Yes of course Madame, what is it?" Replied Firmin.
Madame Giry held out her hand in which she held a faint yellow envelope. André took it from her cautiously, there was no name on the front, however, on the back it was sealed with blood red wax in the shape of a skull.
Both Firmin and André looked at each other, then to Madame Giry, then back at the envelope.
"It's a message from the Opera Ghost," she stated coldly.
André broke the carefully secured wax seal and pulled out the piece of old parchment that was neatly folded inside. Firmin and André's eyes followed the thin, messy scrawl, which lead down the page.
Gentlemen,
Welcome to my Opera House, I trust this letter finds you well as it contains a few instructions, which I believe you need to be aware of, as Lefevre has not told you himself.
Box 5 is to be kept empty for my use, should you decide to ignore this, you will suffer the consequences of your actions. Also you shall be receiving several more of these letters, they will contain the details of how my Theatre is to be run, as before if you do not obey these words of advice then you will soon see what I mean by consequence.
Your Obedient Servant,
O. G.
P.S. My salary is due at the end of this month, which is 15,556 francs; this will be left in box 5 on the 31st of March.
"WHAT!" Boomed Firmin, his face turned red and contorted with rage as he read the last sentence. "You cannot be bloody serious! That's outrageous!"
"Oh I'll think you will find he is being serious. Monsieur Lefevre used to pay him 20,000 francs a month. He is being lenient with you." Madame Giry said calmly.
"Lenient!" Firmin cried. "I am NOT paying 20,000 francs a month for no reason!"
Whoever is writing these notes is having a joke surely, and there is no Opera Ghost! If there was then why didn't Lefevre warn us? He thought angrily. "We have only been here for a day and we are already having people play jokes on us! Well, I will not stand for…"
"Monsieur please can you calm down and lower your voice." Hissed Madame Giry.
A slight pink colour surfaced on Firmin's face. All eyes were on him, he had grown exceedingly loud while shouting that he had drawn attention to himself.
André timidly leaned over to his friend and nervously whispered. "Maybe we had better discuss this matter in private. Madame Giry, would you care to come with us so that you can explain this situation more clearly?"
"Very well monsieur." She turned to Reyer who was busy talking to the orchestra. "Monsieur Reyer could you be so kind as to keep an eye on the girls until we return?" She asked politely. Reyer simply turned round and gave her a nod before resuming his talk with the orchestra.
Firmin, André and Madame Giry then headed up the main aisle, with Firmin still holding the letter he had received very tightly in his hand, their voices trailing behind them as they walked through the main doors leaving the dancers free to whisper again.
"I don't think the backdrop falling on Carlotta was an accident Christine, I think it was him The Phantom of the Opera." Meg said excitedly.
"Oh Meg you assume too much." She replied, clearly fed up with all the Phantom rumors going around.
"Do I?" She said with a smile. "I reckon he couldn't stand Carlotta's awful singing, that's why he tried to shut her up by smothering her with the canvas!" She began to giggle.
Christine couldn't help but smirk at that remark, as she did agree with it. "But Joseph Bouquet said there was no one up there, he didn't see anything so how could it of been him?"
"No one ever sees the Phantom as he…" Meg began.
"That's the point Meg, no one has ever seen him…" She said rather irritably. "How can anyone know for sure if the 'Phantom' even exists?"
They are all obsessed with this Opera Ghost, and now Meg! I thought of all people she would be the one not to believe it, but she talks about 'him' as if he's some sort of angel. She thought.
"Well if that's what you want to believe… did you see the manager? He was furious when he read the letter!" Whispered Meg.
"Yes I did, they've only been here for a day too!" Christine giggled at the thought and also of the look on the managers' face when he finished reading the letter.
Is that partly the reason why Lefevre retired? Because of the money he was paying? Or was it really his health? She began to ponder over this question, when the main doors flew open and the managers strode down the aisle, Madame Giry in their wake, quieter than when they had left.
Upon seeing Madame Giry enter the other girls immediately resumed their dancing, however Meg and Christine were so deep in conversation that they failed to notice her return.
"MEG GIRY!" she shouted at her daughter, making both Meg and Christine jump with fright. "Why aren't you practicing? The performance is tomorrow night, have you perfected the dance yet?" She was now standing above them, giving Meg a piercing look.
"Umm … not really mother." She replied in a faint whisper.
"Well don't you think you should at least try for tomorrow?" Snapped Madame Giry, and without another word, Meg hurried over to where the other dancers stood practicing the routine.
Madame Giry's eyes followed her daughter then traveled to meet Christine's. She looked at her with a curiosity for a moment before saying. "My dear would you come with me please?"
Christine took Madame Giry's outstretched hand. They then walked over to where the managers stood. The managers seemed to be discussing how they were going to find a replacement for Carlotta as Reyer had told them that: 'There is no understudy for La Carlotta!'
"Christine Daae could sing it messieurs, she has been well taught." Madame Giry said confidently.
"What? A chorus girl?" André said surprised. "Don't be si…"
"She has been taking lessons from a great teacher." Madame Giry told them, cutting André off.
"Ok then, well…" He turned to face Christine. "Don't be shy my dear… come on." André said to Christine softly.
"André, this is doing nothing for my nerves." Firmin whispered.
André had grown tired of Firmin and his nerves. "Don't fret, Richard." He reassured him.
They looked to where Christine was standing ready to sing.
"From the beginning of the aria then please mademoiselle." Reyer instructed her.
