'No European captial posseses an opera house so comprihensive in plan and execution, and none can bost an edifice equaly vast and splendid...' extract form the publisher's note of the origional American eddition of 'The Phantom of the Opera'


Celeste made her way through the grandiose corridors of the front lobby in the Opera Garnier. She stopped a few times, to chat to one the ballet girls and to give directions to a porter, but eventually she made it to the office she was looking for. The door was closed, but Celeste had been expecting that. Gailhard had the Herculean task of running the Opera on his own. He managed it perfectly though, if with a little help from her father. For as long as she could remember, Gailhard had been like a second father to Celeste. He could deny her nothing.

There was a man waiting outside on one of the velvet chairs, so she sat opposite him, fully intending on waiting for her turn.

"Do you have an appointment?" he asked, looking at her. He looked as if he was in his mid forties, with a dark mop of hair and a small pair of spectacles.

"No I don't" she answered quietly.

There was a slight pause. He seemed to be examining her with a faint hint of recognition in his face.

"I don't think we've met before. I'm Gaston, Gaston Leroux." He extended his hand for her to shake, which she did.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Celeste Delven"

there was another pause. Celeste occupied herself by staring out one of the large windows and cleaned his glasses a little too thoroughly.

"Do you work here?" he asked not quite able to stand the silence any longer

"Yes I'm a violinist in the orchestra."

"I see"

Exchanging pleasantries was not one of Celeste's strong points, but she tried to strike up an ample conversation, "So what brings you to the opera, M. Leroux?"

"I am a reporter for L'Echo de Paris. I'm doing some research for an... article"

"Ah yes, I thought I knew the name. I read your article on Mount Etna. It was very interesting"

He chuckled to himself "I'm glad some one likes my work"

At that point, Monsieur Gailhard stepped out from the office. He was a short man in his late forties, with a thin black moustache and a small scraping of black hair on his head.

"Ah Celeste, what a nice surprise, what can I do for you?"

"Oh it's only something small" she replied, "M. Leroux was here first. You should talk to him."

"Nonsense" M. Leroux said, "I can wait"

"Thank you Monsieur, I won't take long"

She stepped in to the small but comfortable office, whilst M. Gailhard moved through a sea of papers to his desk in front of the window.

"Well Celeste. What can I do for you?"

"It's about what I came to see you for last week" she replied, taking a set.

"Ah, what did he say?"

"He said yes!" she handed him the paper. "I think I might need a reference, I was wondering if you would do mine for me"

"Of course I will. Do you know the family?"

"I'm afraid not. But the address is on the Rue Auber, and I have picked up a few of my fathers tricks."

"The name Madame Roussel sounds familiar, I'm sure she's the governess of a respectable family" he thought for a bit. "Tell you what Celeste, M. Leroux out there is waiting for a tour of the Opera. I was going to take him myself, but I'm too busy. If you take him round, I'll have your reference ready for you by the time you get back."

"Thank you so much M. Gailhard" she got up, and curtseyed

"My pleasure Celeste. It's always nice to see you my dear"

She left the office and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Ah, Monsieur Leroux. Monsieur Gailhard is very sorry but he can not take you on the tour today. So I'm afraid I am your guide today."

"Well, I'm sure your tour of the Opera house shall be just as riveting as his. Shall we?"

They moved on down the highly polished corridor together.

"So is there any places you would like to go in particular, Monsieur?"

"Well I would of course like to see the auditorium. Then perhaps, as it is your area of expertise I should very much like to see the pit, and the stage, naturally. Then, the chapel here and the ballet rooms."

She turned down a corridor and opened a door, gesturing for him to follow her through it.

"And I should very much like to see the dressing room that belonged to Christi…" he was about to finish his sentence but the words died in his throat.

She had taken him through a very small entrance, that lead straight onto the stage. She walked with him quietly past the wings. He had been to the Opera many times before, but never like this. He stood awed by the shear size of the auditorium. The sea of red seats spread before him, then rose up to the crystal stars in the sky. The chandelier looked even more impressive from the stage view and the gods looked down on him with golden smiles.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Celeste asked with a smile. She moved leisurely to the centre of the stage and he followed her. There where other people around. A few ballet rats that had been practising in their lavish costumes. One of the stage hands gave he a smile and she returned it with a slight blush.

"Now I understand why people get stage fright" Leroux sighed

"Luckily for me, it's not something I have to worry about." She looked over the edge of the stage, and gestured to the pit "this is my domain"

Leroux stared down into the abyss there where several instruments scattered around and bits of manuscript that seemed to form some sort of organised chaos.

"Well Monsieur, maybe form here you would like to go to the..."

Just then something caught her attention. There was a horrible screeching sound that came from somewhere upstage.

"Where is he?" came an incensed cry

Celeste blanched an almost impossible shade of pale and gave a half hearted smile "Monsieur Leroux, this may be our cue to leave"


A/N you know what to do. Let me know what you think! Please I've just come up with what I hope will be an effective ending but I could still use some encouragement. Loves, L x