Chapter 30 – Madame Giry's Tale

Zurie found it difficult to focus on the day after her meeting with Erik. This earned her a few rebukes from Madame Giry in her ballet lesson. The others thought that this was very unusual as Zurie was always one of the best students.

From the moment that she had woken up she had replayed the entire conversation between herself, Erik and Christine in her mind, and each time she felt more hatred for her step mother. She wondered if her father knew the truth. If he did she was sure that he would throw Catherine out. She was also certain that she had told him a pack of lies to excuse her strange behaviour.

She still had doubts in her mind about Erik really being Catherine's son. But knew Christine wouldn't lie, after all why would she have introduced him if none of it was true?

To avoid awkward questions about why she was so late going to bed last night, no sooner had Madame Giry dismissed them from their regular ballet lesson in the morning she sped off in the direction of Christine's room. Determined to ask more questions and get the answers from Erik.

-

Christine looked worriedly at the mirror she stood in front of. "How do you think she took that news?"

"Well I know she did not tell any other ballet rats. She took it surprisingly well. I would have expected her to respond more like the way you did when we had our first encounter." Erik's voice replied.

Christine looked at the floor sheepishly. "Will you come out from behind the mirror so I can make it up to you?"

Erik couldn't help but smile. He pulled the lever and stepped over the threshold into her room to be welcomed by a gentle embrace from Christine.

They looked deep into each others eyes for a moment; Erik slowly pulled her face closer to his. Both taking in a silent, deep breath. When a knock came at the door.

Talk about perfect timing! He thought ever so slightly annoyed.

Christine released him and called to the door. "Who is it?" with a deep sigh.

"It's me." Came a familiar voice. "Zurie."

"Come in Zurie." Christine turned round to face the door. Erik stood close behind her placing his hands upon her shoulders.

Zurie walked in, shutting the door quickly behind her. "I'm sorry for intruding, but I had to get away from the others. They will only ask questions, and I don't really want them pestering me all day. I knew that I would be safe from them if I came here."

Erik nodded in response and Christine walked over to Zurie and led her to the bed so that she could sit down because she looked slightly out of breath. Erik walked over, folding his arms over his chest and looking at her curiously.

"I must say Zurie; I am very pleasantly surprised that you managed to keep your silence." Zurie looked up into to his eyes, worried in case she had done anything wrong. To her surprise Erik's face softened into a smile. "I appreciate it." Zurie relaxed a bit when she heard those words. He patted her shoulder and then stood back, reading her expression. "You didn't come here just to get away from the others. You came here for answers did you not?"

Zurie looked down and nodded. "Yes, if you do not mind me asking." She looked back up into his blue eyes.

"No, I do not mind but, for the moment, I will not give you any answers." Christine looked at him. He had told her most things. Why would he refuse to tell Zurie? "But…" He continued. "…both of you may find your answers from Madame Giry. She will tell you what you need to know."

Zurie and Christine looked at each other then over to Erik. "What do you mean?" Christine asked. Zurie was thinking exactly the same thing.

"Ask her and you will find out." He replied simply.

"Wait." Zurie said with her eyes shut, playing what he had said over in her mind. "Madame Giry knows you?"

Erik nodded. "There are only four people who know me personally." Erik knew that was a lie. But if he had told the truth he would of finished the sentence with 'who have survived' as the others like Bouquet, Carlotta and Massort had either come close to death or had their life taken away by Erik's hands.

"However." he continued, explaining briefly what he meant. "Christine, you know some things of my past. Even you, however, do not know how I came to be here at the opera house. That is something that I told you that I would explain a lot later and now I feel you should know, but I cannot explain it myself." Christine nodded to show that she knew what he was talking about.

He turned to face Zurie. "The answers you are looking for will confirm that I was telling the truth yesterday and yet if they come from me you will still be in doubt. You trust Madame Giry more than anyone. She is not a liar and you know that. Her version of events will confirm that I'm not lying."

Zurie nodded showing she understood. Then she remembered how her ballet teacher had been worked up that morning and how picky she was being. Maybe it was best to mention it to Erik before they went to see her.

"I think there is something that is deeply troubling Madame Giry. But no one knows what it is." She piped up.

Erik guessed what it could be. Antoinette had briefly mentioned it before when Meg ended up in the oubliette. "I believe it is the managers. They are very suspicious of her connections with me. Possibly it is them who have been giving her trouble. We shall go to see her and she will be able to tell us the reason why. I shall have a talk with her later on."

He walked over to the mirror and pressed down on the tile which made the mirror slide open. "Come, she will be in her office. I will take you to her." He gestured down the passageway.

Zurie and Christine got off the bed and followed Erik down the dark tunnel. Zurie held Christine's hand as she thought they would have to walk all the way in pitch black.

So this is how he gets around. I would prefer going this way so I don't bump into anyone. Even if it is in total darkness.

Erik clicked his fingers making the passage light up. Zurie gasped but all three continued down the passage, Erik leading the way.

-

Madame Giry had been very worked up and it had become more obvious day by day. Being the stubborn woman that she was, she would not talk about it to anyone. She knew that the managers had mentioned their suspicions to the patrons. This worried her as she was afraid that it would cost her job. Ballet teaching was her life.

She was in her office finishing off some paper work. The managers had explained about the up coming ball. It was now the middle of April and if they had the ball for new years it would be too far away and so they had decided to throw the ball to celebrate the Opera Populaire's 60th Anniversary. This was on August the 9th. She was in charge of arranging the dances and it needed a lot of preparation.

She heard a click and turned round to see not just Erik, but Christine and young Zurie Beaumont standing beside him.

"Antoinette." Erik said, taking a small bow.

"Erik, Christine, Zurie." She replied. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I want you to tell them." He said coolly. "They have a right to know about 'you know what'. If that is alright with you?"

"Very well, I will do so. Oh, have you heard about the ball?"

"The masquerade ball in August, yes I have. I will come to speak to you alone later."

He will ask me to tell him what is troubling me. But I assume he already knows part of it.

"As you wish." She replied.

Erik bowed and departed, leaving the three women alone in the office. Madame Giry walked over and locked the door. She turned round to face Zurie. "So he has told you then?"

"Yes. He said to talk to you." She replied.

"Have a seat." She pointed to two chairs at the side of the room. Zurie and Christine both sat down. Madame Giry leaned against the wall opposite them.

"It was years ago. There was a travelling Gypsy Fair in the city. I was very young, studying to be a ballerina, one of many living in the dormitories of the Opera house…"

-

Antoinette Giry was a young girl. Only 15 years of age. She was in a group of other young girls, who were also studying to be ballerinas.

They had heard of a travelling fair that was just around the corner and were given permission by their ballet mistress to go and look around as long as they promised to stay together.

Gypsies, in Antoinette's opinion, were strange people who travelled from place to place, showing magic and any other things that would make money.

The group passed a woman who was calling out: "Come! See the wonders from the east!"

They didn't seem that interested, so continued to wander round, passing people who had their legs over their head, people making strange faces and others dressed up and laughing a horrid cackle.

They then passed a tent. The entrance was suddenly flung open and a man in a grey, faintly stripped shirt, with a short, shaggy tash and dirty skin who called out: "Come" in a rusty, hoarse voice. "Come, Come inside! See the devil's child!" He beckoned the visitors standing nearby to come inside. The tent had a sign above it which read in black writing. 'The Devil's Child'

She walked in among the others; in the middle of the tent was a cage. Antoinette walked up to the bars and looked inside.

Sitting in the middle was a young child, sitting on a rough layer of straw, wearing dirty black trousers and a sack over his head. He was playing with what looked like a monkey figure, with cymbals.

The man opened the cage and walked over to the child, Antoinette assumed it was a boy, and looked on in horror. The man lifted his foot and placed it quickly down on the monkey, crushing the boy's hand, he then picked up a club, raised it and brought it down with force so it hit the boys ribs.

All the people surrounding the cage were laughing, as the poor child was struck at least four or five times, each blow harder than the previous one. All Antoinette could do was watch, feeling helpless as the boy was beaten.

His master then lifted his foot off of his wrist, so he sat upright; a hand was then placed on top of the sack covering the child's head. "Behold Mesdames et Messieurs; The Devil's Child!" The sack was removed, and the other hand grabbed the hair underneath; revealing a boy about 10 years of age with a hideous scar covering the right side of his face.

He closed his eyes; it was the only way to bear the leering faces, and the cruel jeers and comments. The people who were there threw scraps of food and coins into the cage. Eventually the boy was let go, he quickly pulled the sack back over his head, as the master said mockingly: "The devil's child!"

The audience began to leave the tent as the money was collected. Antoinette was reluctant to leave him. She felt so utterly helpless. She couldn't believe how the people had laughed, even the other girls who were there with her.

Just as she headed back out she heard a gasping sound and turned round to see the boy on his master's back holding a rope around his throat, pulling it tighter and tighter. She gasped as she looked at what she was seeing. He was strangling him.

The Master went limp, Antoinette ran over to the cage flung open the door and held out a hand. "Come with me!" She pleaded. The boy bent down to pick up the monkey he was holding earlier then reached out, took her outstretched hand and they both ran. Just as they left they heard someone scream: "Murder! He's killed him!"

Antoinette led the boy back around the corner. She could hear footsteps coming after them. She ran to a little grating and opened it. "In there." She ordered. She slammed it shut checking for anyone looking around. Then she ran into the building of the Opera Populaire, before the guards came into the yard.

She ran down a level into the room where she knew he would end up in. He took her hand again and they both ran down the corridor. After a little way she stopped and turned to look at him. "Keep going along here. You will be safe, they won't find you."

The boy nodded. And whispered weakly; "Thank you."

"Meet me here again tomorrow evening. I will bring you some food and other stuff you will need." Again the boy nodded.

Antoinette turned and wandered back along the corridor which she and the boy had come down, leaving him to continue down the passageway into the darkness.

-

"I hid him from the world and its cruelties." She finished. "He has really not known much else of life since then, except this Opera house. It was once his play ground, now his artistic domain."

Zurie had paled by the story. "I cannot believe she did that to him. That wicked witch!" She finished angrily.

Christine felt dumb struck. Erik, oh dear god Erik, no wonder you wanted to spare me the details of what they did to you. You suffered like that for two years.

Zurie and Christine both felt complete and utter hatred for Catherine now. The worst part was she had walked back into his life. Christine saw how badly Erik had reacted when he saw her on the first evening of Faust. Zurie now knew why Erik attacked her; she had no more doubt left in her mind about what she had been told.

Madame Giry broke the uneasy silence. "Despite his appearance, he is a genius; he is a designer, architect, composer, magician and a ventriloquist. A genius." She said brightly.

Zurie looked confused at the last word she has said of that list. What is a ventriloquist?

Christine wasn't familiar with that word either. "A ventriloquist?" She asked.

Madame Giry Opened her mouth to explain. But a different voice answered which appeared to be from no particular source. "A ventriloquist is one who can manipulate their voice, so It can appear from everywhere." It echoed around the room.

Christine laughed slightly. "You mean like that?"

Zurie's mouth was slightly open. Her eyes darting around the room. She was apparently trying to determine where Erik was.

How on gods green earth does he do that?

There was then a huge puff of red smoke. Causing all three to gasp, splutter and cough slightly. As the smoke cleared a cloaked figure emerged. Zurie's jaw almost dropped onto the floor.

OR THAT!

"Zurie." Erik said softly. "Surely you have been taught that it is rude to stare, or gawp?"

Zurie turned a slight pink and snapped her jaw shut. "I'm sorry." She looked sad. "And I'm sorry I did not believe you before, please forgive me." She now looked as if she was going to cry.

Erik walked over to her and bent down on one knee so that he was level with her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done, besides this happened a long time before you were born, but it's over now." He whispered to her softly.

Zurie looked at him, and then suddenly threw her arms around his neck. Sobbing into his shoulder. Erik closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. "Shhh." He whispered.

"This is all my fault, If I had never wanted to become a ballerina here then I would not have brought that witch back into your life, I'm sorry." She said In a muffled tone.

"No it's not. There was no way you could have known." He whispered.

She lifted her head off his shoulder, and Erik stood up. "Here." He said pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and handing it to Zurie. "Take this and wipe those tears away." Zurie took it, expressing her thanks.

Erik looked over to Christine who looked as if she was about to cry too. Erik took a few paces toward her, and they embraced each other tightly. Like they had done when he had told her about the time Javert, Roscoe and Desoto had come to take him away.

They eventually broke apart and he pulled another handkerchief out of his pocket, as Christine's face was now tear stained. "Here. There is no need for tears." Christine gratefully took the hankie and dabbed her eyes.

"It is time for lunch. Both of you go down to the dining room to get your fill. Go now. I will see you both tonight as there is a music lesson." He smiled at them.

"See you later then." Christine said. Zurie joined her and they headed over to the door, unlocked it and disappeared, leaving Erik and Antoinette alone.

-

Christine and Zurie talked all the way down to lunch.

"I swear if I see my step mother, I will do something I shouldn't." Zurie hissed.

"Zurie Beaumont!" Christine exclaimed jokingly. "I never had you down as a violent girl, but I do agree with you on that."

"But surely my father does not know."

Christine had originally thought that Ivan did know, but if he did, he would surely have thrown her out. Obviously she had told him a pack of lies.

Christine shrugged. "Did you hear them mention a masquerade ball? Instead of a production?"

Zurie smiled. "Yes, the managers thought of it. I was not supposed to tell anyone about it as my father told me, but it's to mark the Opera Populaire's 60th Birthday. Which is sometime during August." She looked at Christine. "But you must not tell anyone."

They continued their conversation until they got to the dining room. To the annoyance of both of them Catherine was there smiling that thin, twisted smile of hers. They both ignored her and went to sit down to have a regular lunch.

-

"…I swear to you Antoinette, if they do anything they will pay. But I think my mother cannot risk the truth coming out. She would lose everything should it become known." He said reassuringly.

"Thank you Erik and I know you will do what you can." She smiled at him. "By the way how is your Opera coming along?"

"Getting there. I need to finish it off now. As there is nothing really happening until August, I plan to focus completely on that after tonight, so I may disappear for a few months. I will explain this to Christine and Zurie after their singing lesson tonight but nothing will have happened, and if there is any problem, Write a letter and leave it on your desk." He told her.

"No!" She stated. "You promised to keep your cat away from me!"

"Alright, leave it with Christine. Porsche will come to visit her every night, and will bring down any letters to me." He said quickly.

Madame Giry nodded. "I can live with that."

Erik smiled. "Well I must depart. Good luck with the masquerade ball." He gave a small bow. "And thank you. Au revoir."

"Au revoir." She replied as Erik vanished, leaving her alone in the room.