Il Muto rehearsals went well. The performance was set to happen that very night and Christine already felt anxious, knowing that Erik would likely disregard her pleas for him to allow the show to go on. He wished her luck from the mirror opening in her dressing room, commenting also on her silly appearance as the Pageboy.
"Oh, but all the wrapping they bound me in is dreadfully uncomfortable! I may not be the most full-figured girl and yet they used up an entire roll of it." She sighed, hunching over in a most unlady-like fashion.
"My goodness, poor Christine entombed like an Egyptian mummy. Now I understand why this role is silent, the bindings prevent you from using your lungs to their full extent. But that does not mean that I am accepting of this terrible casting decision." He blabbered, trying to avoid the subject of her chest being wrapped tightly.
"I'd rather sing in that heavy wig than be silent in all of these wrappings."
"It isn't too late for me to stage a temporary disablement to that insufferable diva, if you wish."
"No Erik! You mustn't, I will be granted another opportunity. Please promise me you won't hurt Carlotta."
"Fine. Good luck, dear girl, I shall be watching you."
She smiled as he disappeared behind the mirror with a swish of his cloak. Madame Giry called her out to the wings of the stage and observed everything from her position. La Carlotta looked simply ridiculous in her costume: strange black inking over her collarbones, outrageously bright pink gown, tall white wig, and over-drawn stage makeup. The ballet girls standing backstage had to stifle their giggles at her so the audience wouldn't hear.
Christine heard her cue from the orchestra and pranced onstage in her Pageboy-pretending-to-be-a-maid costume. Everything was going smoothly and she was exaggerating all of her expressions just as needed for the character. As soon as the Count, played by Piangi, left his wife's chambers, Christine threw off the maid's skirt boldly and earned the gasps of audience members.
But something went wrong. Instead of completing her cadenza, La Carlotta began to croak rather than sing on the descending line. Christine immediately knew this to be Erik's doing. The diva wouldn't have exposed herself to cold air nor had she ever lost her voice from screeching extensively. But there she was in the center of the stage, croaking before the audience like a toad.
The managers immediately stopped the performance, practically sprinting from their seats down to the front of the stage. The velvet curtains were drawn and music stopped for their announcement. As expected, the men stuttered out that the Swedish soprano would replace Carlotta for the performance and that the ballet for Act III would be presented while the changes were being made.
Madame Giry once again pulled her away, this time dressing her as the Countess. All of the layers of restricting binding were removed and replaced by a tight bodice for the pink gown. There wouldn't be enough time to don the wig, so her hair was left in its natural curls and only pinned in an elegant fashion. Christine added diamond jewelry that Erik previously gifted her to appear more regal just before going back to the stage.
She was warmly welcomed on stage and sang the Countess' part flawlessly. Her teacher was indeed watching from his box, enchanted by her talent but only noticing the slight errors in her acting. This character was more brash and womanly than how Christine portrayed her. Erik didn't find himself comforted at the thought of having to comment on this, but knew he must if she was to improve.
At the end of the performance, the audience cheered for Miss Daae and threw several bouquets of flowers onto the stage for her. Erik always left her a single rose tied with a black satin ribbon on her vanity. But as she went back to her dressing room, it was the Vicomte Raoul de Changy that came to congratulate her first. He announced himself as a patron of the Populaire and was even prouder of this fact after hearing Christine's performance.
"It's amusing to think that this diva before Parisian society is the same girl who foolishly ran along the banks of Perros-Guirec and lost her scarf." Raoul joked.
"I did not lose my scarf, you bravely went to go fetch it. You gave your governess a heart attack from how drenched you were." Christine reminisced.
"Would you care to join me for a celebratory outing?"
She paused, "I do not think that would be wise, my instructor still does not allow me to become distracted from music. Besides, it is quite late and I would hate to fall asleep in the carriage."
"Perhaps on another day? When you aren't occupied with rehearsals or performances?"
"That may be manageable, tomorrow is a day off for the performers. It was nice seeing you again Raoul, but I must retire now." She said dismissively with a polite smile.
He bid her a goodnight and left the dressing room, excited for future prospects with the soprano. Christine was glad to see her childhood friend, but it was highly improper for him to waltz into a lady's dressing room unannounced. Instead, the girl was giddy at seeing the usual rose before her vanity and waited for her instructor to spirit her away.
She changed out of the frivolous costume behind the screen, now donning a white nightgown and covered it with a matching robe. Christine removed all of the pins from her hair, allowing it to loosely hang around her shoulders and down her back. The arrival of her teacher seemed to be taking longer than usual, setting a sense of disappointment in the student.
Time passed, Meg and Madame Giry visited her. They were overjoyed at her success and smugly amused at the croaking of Carlotta, both knowing it was the doing of Christine's teacher. It seemed like a fitting punishment for her taunts and vile behavior- humiliation upon her stage in front of an esteemed audience. The Girys noticed that the brunette didn't seem very invested or interested in conversation, assuming she was exhausted from the lead role's strain. They bade her goodnight and left.
Suddenly all of the candles blew out simultaneously and an air of mystery cloaked the air. Christine welcomed it, feeling the presence of Erik somewhere within the walls. His rich voice sang in its ghost-like echo through the entire room, scrutinizing the Vicomte for behaving so inappropriately towards Christine and disgust at his pompous breed.
"Angel, I dismissed him immediately. I only waited for you to arrive." She confessed.
"If you insist...your performance went well and you'll be pleased to know that the harpy's condition is only temporary."
Christine laughed at his name for Carlotta.
"Erik, why aren't you showing yourself? I already know you aren't a ghost."
"Do not goad me into bringing you back to my home, you must rest and it would not be beneficial for either of us."
"O-oh, if you truly think so...wh-whatever is best." She stuttered in hurt.
"Goodnight Christine."
She laid down upon the reclining sofa in the dressing room and whispered him a goodnight. Unbeknownst to the girl, her teacher remained watching her from the mirror and he frowned. Her disappointment was evident, but he couldn't come up with a reasonable answer as to why. However, Erik decided it would be unacceptable to have her sleep the entire night in her drafty dressing room, especially on a couch. Once the masked man was sure she had fallen asleep, he lifted her from the room and took her down to his home as carefully as possible. She spent the night in the plush, scarlet cushioning of the bed with the pewter dove frame.
Seeing her pure, angelic form among the richly-colored sheets inspired him to edit sections of his Don Juan. It became evident that his project wouldn't quite be ready for performing after Il Muto stopped running. Perhaps there was a different project he could suggest the managers take up in the meantime- the uncommonly performed Ruslan and Lyudmila by Glinka...or maybe Beethoven's Fidelio, the old Cavalli's La Calisto, Smetana's recent release of The Bartered Bride. Christine would excel at any of the lead roles. She was his muse and inspiration for art.