"Christine, I understand that it is a lot to take in all at once, but you really must understand that we have a schedule we must keep if you are to sing in my opera," I said, having tried everything else I could think of already to coax her from bed. I didn't want her to feel that I was pushing her to be in better spirits, but I couldn't help but wish that she would cheer up.
"I want no part in your opera," she whimpered, her voice shaking with both sadness and anger. I frowned severely.
"That is not for you to decide," I said, fighting to maintain my composure. My hard work would be for nothing if she played no part in the finished product.
Finally it seemed I had said the right combination of words to get a rise out of her. She sat up and turned to face me, glaring at me with an intensity the likes of which I'd never seen before. "You've no right to tell me what roles I must or mustn't accept," she growled. She growled. I couldn't believe my ears.
"Christine, you would be a fool to-"
"No," she spat the word at me as she stood up, straightening her dress as she did so. "You would be a fool to think that I would go along with any of this! You act as though- as though I'm your property! I am not a piece of furniture, Angel!" The sound of her name for me the way she said it made my blood run cold. It almost seemed that time had slowed down. All at once I felt angry and embarrassed. How could she think that of her angel? I only wanted to treat her to the finest things and to keep her happy and singing for me.
Still I knew if I tried to make her happy, she would merely have me making concessions until she could sneak away to the surface and to her precious viscomte, who no doubt was busy plotting my demise while I stood arguing with Christine. The way she was looking at me made me almost certain she, too, was planning a way to bring my life to an end. But Christine didn't have it in her to kill another.
I balled my left hand up into a fist and clenched my eyes tightly shut. "Fine," I stammered finally, "If that is your decision, then you shall never see the light of day again. All your remaining days shall be spent down here, alone with your angel as your only companion."
The shock and sadness that overtook her face was too much for me to bear to watch, and so I closed my eyes again and I turned away, retreating to my organ.
I smashed a few angry chords out before I simply began to hit the keys with my fists, great sobs building up in my chest. I didn't want to cry, not with Christine so nearby. The last thing she needed to see was Erik blubbering like a child, begging for her forgiveness and her love. It was only by chance that I managed to hear the heavy splash as Christine fell into the lake, tipping my boat just too far to one side for her to hold her balance.
How had she managed to sneak past me? Had I really been that intently focused on the tantrum I was throwing?
And why wasn't she coming up for air?