Author's note: Would you all be lambs and review...

Around two o'clock in the afternoon a very handsome boat came sailing down the Seine and pulled over and a very young man appeared. Erik and Nadir approached the boat.

"Excuse me, Monsieur le Vicomte?" Erik asked and was surprised when he heard the young man say "At your service."

'Goodness! The man is a boy!' he thought and looked at the Vicomte who couldn't be more than eighteen.

"On the contrary, I'm at your service, Vicomte."

"Really?" the Vicomte said and looked curiously at the masked man.

"Yes, I'm here to take you to your maison."

"Oh but I have a room waiting for me at Plaza Athenée."

"The Plaza is closed because of...of...Nadir?" Erik said in panic.

"Due to damp damage" Nadir blurted out.

"Yes, damp damage" Erik nodded in agreement.

"Al right, this is my servant: Franz" Raoul said and gestured toward a tall and very thin man.

"I see, this is my servant: Nadir" Erik said and nodded toward the very short Persian.

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A very angry Christine stormed inside the house of Bernard de Guard who was startled from his thoughts as he heard the door opening.

"Who has been here?" Christine asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have been showing someone my latest writing, who has been here!" she now screamed.

"No one's been here, I never show anybody anything. You come here and leave your things and get them published in my name as usual" the man stuttered out.

"Where is the latest pamphlet?"

"Over there" he said and pointed at his desk. Christine picked it up and flipped through the pages, the had not been touched since the other day when she had left them.

"Monsieur de Guard, your services are no longer required. Just publish this one then I will no longer be in any need of you" she said and left the house, slamming the door after her.

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"So this is the place that belonged to the libertine the Phantom of the opera" Raoul said as he looked around

"Yes, we got it for a very good price after the poor man was thrown out because he couldn't pay his debts" Erik said as he opened a window that Nadir had been washing only minutes ago.

"And how much was that price?" Raoul asked.

"Nadir?" Erik said.

"1500 francs, Monsieur" the Persian said and accepted a bag of coins from the Vicomte. Relief washed both over him and his master, now they would be free from their debts.

"Do I get a bath along with my 1500 francs?"

"Yes, of course, I understand that you're tired from your journey. Nadir will prepare your bath" Erik said and looked around, after the Vicomte had went off to the bathroom, and suddenly panicked.

He grabbed Nadir by the collar. "Where is his servant?" he whispered.

"He went out" Nadir whispered back.

"Went out where?"

"How am I supposed to know."

Both of them straightened up as the Vicomte came back, dressed in a robe.

"The first thing I'll do after this bath is taking a visit at my betrothed's house."

"Excellent, Monsieur" Erik said and smiled towards Raoul. Raoul turned around and stepped into the tub and sank back. As he did that, Erik and Nadir started digging through his luggage.

"What are we looking for?" Nadir whispered.

"We'll know once we find it" Erik said and soon found what he was looking for. "Letters" he mumbled and later found book. "By Bernard de Guard" he said and opened it and at the back of the front cover stood 'To Vicomte Raoul de Chagny with my hopes, Christine Daáe.'

"Even more excellent" he said and showed it to Nadir who only nodded in agreement.

"I'm very excited about meeting her" the Vicomte said from the bathroom. "I only hope she doesn't think I'm too...too...what is the word now again?"

"Childish" Nadir mumbled.

"Excuse me what did you say?" Raoul asked.

"Nothing."

Just as the Vicomte's servant returned, Erik pocketed the book he had found.

"I have just returned from the opera house and Madame Giry and Mademoiselle Daáe are expecting you for tea this afternoon."

"Al right, take out some clean clothes for me, Franz." As the servant walked in to the bathroom, to help his master, Erik turned to Nadir and started whispering.

Later Raoul came out in new clothes.

"Ah! You look fantastic, Vicomte."

"Thank you."

"Now didn't I have an errand, Nadir?" Erik asked.

"Yes you needed to go to the publisher."

"Yes! The publisher, to see how my new book is doing."

"Oh, are you a writer?" Raoul asked.

"Yes, I'm known for scribbling here and there."

"Perhaps you have heard of him, Monsieur le Vicomte, he is Bernard de Guard."

"Nadir! Hush!" Erik said and held up a finger against his lips.

"But he's our guest."

"You, you are the Bernard de Guard" the Vicomte looked completely stunned.

"Now Bernard de Guard is only a name I use for my books. You must promise not to tell anyone."

"I swear, by God, I swear" Raoul said and putted his hand over his mouth. "But you are Bernard de Guard?"

"Yes" Erik said and the Vicomte sat down.

"Is something wrong, Vicomte?" he asked later.

"I want you to help me!" Raoul nearly screamed out

"Help you with what?" Erik asked frowning.

"I am incapable of speaking with women, you see I'm like a babbling twit around them who doesn't know what to say."

"Yes, but so what, she loves you as you are" Erik sat down opposite his guest who shook his head.

"She's never seen me."

"Oh" he said and leaned back against the sofa.

"Not even a glimpse, or talked to me, I've never even written her a letter. I don't know how to talk to women. Talk me under your tutoring wing, Monsieur, and I'll pay you what ever you want, I'll pay it!"

"You want me to tutor you?" Erik asked and raised his eyebrows.

"I want you to learn me about women."

"Oh, my dear man, but you have but an hour until you must meet her."

"I'm not going, I don't want to go, you can't make me go!" the Vicomte whimpered like a baby.

"As you wish, but it will take time and you'll have to isolate yourself in this house."

"Of course, whatever you say, Maestro! I want to start right away." With that said, Erik rose from his seat and went out from the room and returned later with five books in his hands which he had purchased yesterday, all written by Bernard de Guard.

"These books says everything that you need to know about women." He said and placed them in front of the Vicomte who immediately grabbed one and started to read.

"Franz? Tell Mademoiselle Daáe that I will have to cancel our meeting today."

"That won't be necessary, I will be passing by the opera house during my walk to the publisher. Let me inform her" Erik said and a smile spread across his masked face.

Author's note: As much as I would have liked to make Raoul fat as the character, Paprizzio, in the movie 'Casanova' I couldn't...naaah I'm not that mean ;)