I own zilch
Chapter 4- New Managers
Erik
Entry 2
It is amazing how so much can change in so short a time.
It has been a week since my first entry and the Opera House is under new management.
Madame Giry of course has informed me ahead of the company who will be finding out tomorrow when the two new managers will be paying a visit – to inspect their purchase no doubt.
Of course, being the resident spirit it would be inexcusably rude of me not to introduce myself, so I have a note ready for their arrival. It tells them of my existence, my roll and my salary.
When I began playing the part of the Phantom or Opera Ghost I left notes in the manager's office containing suggestions on how to improve productions, from sets, scenery and costumes, to the dancers, singers and orchestra.
Monsieur Lefevre would accept these suggestions putting them to use and profiting from the results. So, after another success, I decided that I to might as well profit so I requested a salary.
He refused.
He found it very amusing. After all, what possible use could a ghost, a spectre, have for money.
So I planned a number of incidents.
Scenery began to collapse, the opera live stock would be found wondering the auditorium, and the theatre would be plunged into darkness in the middle of performances. And so it continued this way for several months. They bolted the scenery into place, I moved on to the massive curtains. They locked the animal paddocks in the Opera stables, I took the keys and as far as they new spirited the animals out of their locked enclosures – while just letting the animals free, relocking the gates and replacing the key. But still only a ghost could manage such a feat. As for the lights going out, surely that was the final confirmation. A ghost was in residence, and he was not happy.
He finally agreed.
Now I have a tidy sum saved away. I dress as a gentleman and wear a fine leather half mask over the damaged side of my face.
Overtime I assembled my organ. Madame Giry purchased the parts that I needed and had them delivered to the Opera House and left in the lowest basement where I could easily collect them. Ever since bringing me here as a child Madame Giry has been ever present despite her interference being unwelcomed – especially where Christine is concerned. But I must admit in some things I am glad to have her assistance.
In the purchasing of birthday presents for Christine she has been invaluable.
When I first informed her of my lessons with Christine she was worried about the effect I would have on the child as she had just suffered a loss. She soon came to realize though that my time with Christine was good for the child. She told me how Christine was coming out of herself more and was no longer acting like an empty shell. Because of this she agreed to help me in the purchasing of a present for Christine's birthday.
I had noticed that apart from the variety of costumes that she wore for dancing in the child had no dresses apart from the few that she had brought with her and she was quickly growing out of them. But I wanted something special for her also.
I told Madame Giry of my requirements.
Christine had been in black since she had arrived almost seven months previously so I insisted on two new, light coloured dresses being bought for her; she was only a child and in my opinion should not have to have worn the remembrance of her loss for so long.
Second, I wanted something involving a violin purchased for her, something to remind her of the happy times that she had spent with her father.
Christine had come racing to her lesson that evening, breathing heavily and smiling widely as she greeted me.
The black was gone and she stood in the dimly lit chapel looking for all the world like the little angel I had already named her, her small figure no longer robed in the colour of death but the colour of the sky.
"What has you so excited little one?" I asked her, smiling almost as broadly as she was.
"I have a new dress angel," she answered me running her words together in her excitement.
She spun around in a circle and gave a pretty curtsy.
"Madame Giry gave me it for my birthday, and there is another one too it is pink." she continued, her enthusiasm almost buzzing in the air.
I was glad that my presents had pleased her. I did not even mind that another was being given the thanks; her happiness in them was all the thanks that I needed.
But I wanted to know if Madame Giry had managed to find the special item that I had requested of her.
"Were you given anything else Christine?"
"Yes angel I was," she was almost jumping up and down on the spot at this point, her eyes glowing and her smile never faltering.
She spun around slowly several times pointing at a decorative piece in her hair that was keeping her dark curls at bay.
I leaned closer into the wall and pressed my eyes to the hole that allowed me to see her.
There in her hair was a silver clasp in the shape of a violin.
"My new dresses are pretty," she told me as she stopped spinning and lowered her arm "but this reminds me of my father and I cannot out grow it, I will have it forever,"
My heart swelled as I listened to her small voice tell me this. I silently praised the ballet mistress for her choice.
It has continued this way down the years.
Each year Madame Giry on my instruction would find Christine something that in her eyes was so special that she would come running to me, her angel, to proudly display her new treasure...
But this is distracting from the point.
Where was I, the new managers – I really must stop my thoughts from constantly drifting to Christine.
They arrive tomorrow, along with the new patron in tow – some wealthy duke or vicomte, I was not really paying attention when Madame Giry was informing me of this - I was too busy thinking of Christine's next lesson.
She has progressed more than I could have ever dreamed. Her pure, clear voice can soar to such heights.
I have had her practising one of the songs from the upcoming production of Hannibal which opens tomorrow. 'Think of Me'. She sings it perfectly. If I close my eyes it is almost as though she is singing it to me and not just for me – NO. I must stop with such thoughts.
Thoughts like this can lead to nothing but pain and disappointment.
They will never be true.
Please, please, please let me know what you think. I need to know if I need to do better.