After Christine and Catherine explained their situation to Monsieur Cholet, he glanced behind them and saw Carlotta had returned from her errands.
"Ah darling! My darling! This lovely young girl would like a place in the Orchestra and her sweet younger sister would like singing lessons. What can we do?" he explained to his wife.
"Nothing!" she answered abruptly.
She circled around her husband to get a closer look at the Daae sisters.
"You think this girl can play the Violin and this child can sing" she chuckled as she analysed the sister and saw Christine holding a Violin case in her left hand.
She began making her way up the stairs and her husband followed close behind her.
"Look at how they stand. Look at what they are wearing. Where did you grow up, on a farm?" she chuckled and addressed the Daae sisters, pausing after walking up three steps.
"Sort of Madame" answered Christine in a soft meek voice.
"The world of Opera has nothing to do with farm life. Why are you asking me this?" she informed the sisters and then addressed her husband.
"Because they have a patron who is powerful" Cholet answered in a nervous tone.
"Aha...there is only one way to learn to sing, observe singers. My dear I am going to do you a favour I am going to let you work for me" said Carlotta addressing Catherine after she contemplated the situation for a moment.
Catherine's face lit up with joy and she curtsied with gratitude.
"In the costume department. She has just replaced Joseph Bouquet as my costumer" she said to her husband.
"What?" asked Cholet in confusion
"Bouquet has quit!" said Carlotta as she handed her husband a note she was holding in her hand.
"Quit!?" said Cholet in a surprised tone.
"Doesn't like the working conditions. Can you believe it? After all I've done for that man? Good riddance it what I say!" Carlotta said in an outraged tone as she started making her way up the stairs again as Cholet followed behind her, reading the note in disbelief.
"If it is not too much to ask Madame, Monsieur. Will you allow my sister Christine to play something for you? I promise she has what it takes to play in the Orchestra" said Catherine in a nervous tone which stopped them in their tracks.
Carlotta and Monsieur Cholet looked at each other for a moment before looking down at the sisters again.
"Oh, very well my dear" said Carlotta.
Catherine then took the violin case from her sister's hands and held it up for her to open. Christine then took the violin out, checked it to make sure it was in tune, rested it on her shoulder and began to play. The tune was a piece from Vivaldi that her father taught her before his death and Monsieur Cholet and Carlotta were struck with awe as they watched her bow arm move up and down fluidly like water and her fingers on the stings were doing just the same and in turn it produce the most beautiful sound they heard. When Christine had finished there was a moment of silence and then it was broken by her sister and the man in red, who had followed behind Carlotta but stayed to the side, applauding her.
"Well I must say, impressive. I suppose we could find a place for you my dear. Report to the Orchestra conductor in the morning" said Carlotta breaking herself from her trance and with that she and her husband continue on their way upstairs and then disappeared from sight.
Catherine ran and gave her sister a hug to congratulate her and then they turned to speak with the man in red.
"Thank you Monsieur" they said.
"It's nothing" he said brushing them off a bit. He then looked down at the girl belongings in their arms.
"Where are you staying?" he asked.
"Um no place we have no money" said Christine nervously as she packed her Violin away.
The man in red quickly glanced upstairs to make sure no one was around.
"I am not supposed to do this, you mustn't tell anyone" he said gesturing for the sisters to be quiet as he led them to the door under the stairs. He led the girls through the door then took a second glance around before closing the door behind him.
He led the Daae sisters down a dark staircase, grabbing a lantern that was hanging on the wall as he made his way down. They came to a storage room filled with different props and in the corner, there were two beds.
"You can stay here until you can afford something. And at night do not wander around the Opera House. This place is huge, you could get lost" said the man in red as he lit a candle and handed it to Catherine.
"It is for you own protection. Goodnight" he said and then left the sisters to settle in.
"Thank you" said Christine.
"Goodnight" said Catherine as the two watched him leave.
"Just make yourselves at home" he said before disappearing.
It was quiet after man had left.
Christine and Catherine looked around their new, temporary, living quarters and were relieved to have found a place to stay after traveling such a long way. They saw the place needed a bit of a clean, so they put their belonging on the beds, rolled up their sleeves and began their task.
XXX
After about an hour of moving things around the Daae sisters were happy with their work and then moved on to unpacking their belongings. Christine glanced over at Catherine and could not help but feel overwhelmed by guilt after recalling today's earlier events. Catherine could feel her sister's eyes on her and turned to see the expression on her sister's face.
"Is something wrong Chrissie?" she asked in a worried tone.
"Oh, dear Cathy I just can't help but feel guilty. Here I am being given a chance to be in the Orchestra and the best that can be done for you is a place in the Costume Department" she said lowering her head in shame.
Catherine gave a small smile before rising from her bed and sat in front of her sister.
"Chrissie don't feel bad. Even though I will not be given the lessons I was promised I am content with just being in this great place and I would rather see you have your dream come true than either of us having nothing at all" she said as she placed her hands on her sister's shoulders.
Christine raised her eyes to look at her sister and seeing Catherine smile made her smile too and she pulled her into a hug.
"You will get lessons someday Cathy and you be a great singer just like father and I have always said" said Christine as she held her sisters close.
"Yes, that would be a dream come true and soon you will be playing the Violin for all of Paris to hear" said Catherine as she gave her sister one last squeeze before pulling away. Catherine was so happy at the prospect of her and her sister's future that she began to sing.
I lose my way
No one cares
The words I say
No one hears
My life it seems is a world of dreams
Deep in the night
You'll find me
Dream and you're right behind me
Stay...if you will stay
We'll dream the night away
Catherine sang with a sweet, angelic voice and its warmed Christine's heart to see that despite what has happened so far Catherine can keep a smile on her face. As Catherine sang her voice echoed all around the room and even as far down as the fifth cellar where "The Phantom" Erik was listening.
He was sitting at his dressing table wearing a mask that was made out of shards of glass and he listen to the singing above he removed the mask to reveal his plain white one and powdered his chin with a powder puff as he kept listening to the sweet sound.
Dreams to dream
In the dark of the night
When the world goes 'round
I can still make it right
I can see so far in my dreams
I'll follow my dreams until they come true
As Catherine kept singing, she put her belongings away and picked up a jug that was on its side and blew the dust from it. She then looked out the corner of her eye and saw a doorway in the far corner and was curious to where it led. Christine went with her to make sure she wouldn't get in trouble.
The two sisters went through the doorway and saw a staircase leading up. Keeping a hold of each other's hand they made their way up the stairs slowly and when they reached the top, they found themselves backstage. They looked all around them in awe at all of the sets and props that were left lying around and then they looked through a gap in the sets and saw the stage and the beautiful auditorium with its red velvet chairs and gold trims. Catherine was curious as to how much her voice would echo and began to sing again.
There is a star
Waiting to guide us
Shining inside us
When we close our eyes
Come with me
You will see what I mean
There's a world insight
No one else ever sees
You will go so far in my dreams
Somewhere in my dreams
Your dreams will come true
Unbeknown to Catherine as she sang Erik has made his way through the secret tunnels and was now hiding in Box Five, watching her as she was singing a twirling around.
Don't let go
If you stay close to me
In my dreams tonight
You will see what I see
Dreams to dream
As near as can be
Inside you and me
Will always come true
Inside you and me
That always come true
And with that Catherine gave one last twirl and bowed as if there was an audience watching her. Christine came up behind her and placed her arm around her shoulder in a side hug.
"Soon Cathy there will be a theatre full. Listening to you and adoring you" she said giving her a gentle squeeze.
Catherine sighed as she looked all around her.
"Come on now it's time for bed. We have a long day tomorrow" said Christine as she led Catherine back where they came from.
Erik kept watch over the younger Daae sister and couldn't help but feel mesmerized, not only by her angelic voice but her beauty as well.