Chapter XXII: The Second Tragedy
"Please let me out, I have to get out of here!"
"Won't someone explain what is going on?"
"Dear God, it was the chandelier... didn't you see it?"
"Is anybody hurt? Where is the light?"
The concert hall was pitch black, but the room was buzzing with voices, some confused, others frightened or angry. Nobody was sure exactly what had happened, but we all sensed that whatever it was, it must be serious. As a minute passed in darkness, word spread that it was the large chandelier which had fallen down. It seemed unbelievable that most people hadn't actually seen it fall, but such was the power of Christine's last performance that a majority of us had been distracted by the thoughts and feelings it had evoked. Now, as it became clear that the electricity had gone out and would not be returning soon, a caretaker opened the emergency exit at the side of the stage. It led out to the courtyard, and in the last faint daylight of the spring evening we could finally witness the whole horrible scene.
The chandelier had indeed crashed onto the stage. Underneath it lay Signor Piangi, in a pool of blood. I was close enough to see that his skull had been cracked open by the heavy glass, and the vacant stare in his eyes revealed at once that he was dead. People around me screamed and cried, some rushed towards the exit, others to the stage. Carlotta had risen from her seat, frantically mouthing the word "PapĂ ", but the only sound that came out was a hideous inarticulate croak. I felt as though I was going to be sick, but was unable to look away. My mind was blank.
I don't know how long I had been standing there when Raoul suddenly shook me by the shoulder.
"Where is Christine?" he said with desperation in his voice.
At first I didn't understand what he meant.
"She must be backstage", I said.
"No!" Raoul said frantically. "I already looked. She isn't there. Not in the dressing room either, or the bathroom, or in the courtyard. And she isn't here."
Only then did the full significance of his words dawn on me. This was what we had been fearing and looking out for. Now, it had happened!
"Where is this demon, this 'Erik' creature?" Raoul continued, grabbing me by the arm. "Tell me where he has taken her!"
"I only know he lives somewhere in the sewers underneath the college", I said. "There is a trapdoor in Christine's practice room, but I have no idea where to go from there."
"Then show me the door, Meg, for God's sake!" Raoul pleaded. "There is not a second to lose!"
I didn't pause more than a few moments to think. Part of me thought it would be very unwise for Raoul or me to try to pursue Erik on our own, but on the other hand, there was no time now to wait for reinforcement. If Erik had found out that Christine was planning to go away with Raoul, there was no telling what desperate actions jealousy and rage might drive him to. He had already brutally killed a man merely to create a distraction while he abducted Christine. It was with this in mind that I led Raoul to the backstage dressing room and nodded towards Christine's purse, which was lying on a chair.
"The key to her practice room must be in there with her other keys", I said. "I know what it looks like."
As I was still in my strait jacket, I couldn't open the purse myself. Raoul rummaged through it and, with my help, found the key without much delay. He was immediately on his feet again.
"Where is this room?" he asked.
"Halfway down the basement corridor, to the left. I'll show you."
"No, I'll go alone. Someone has to stay and alert the police", Raoul said in the voice of one who has made up his mind.
"Raoul, no, it's too risky!" I said.
"I am not helpless", Raoul said, opening his suit jacket just enough to reveal a revolver hidden underneath it. "This belonged to my grandfather. I took it from the attic this evening because I was afraid something like this might happen."
"Is it loaded? Do you even know..."
"I will be all right", Raoul said, smiling at me bravely as he hurried away.
I tried following after him, but he was too quick for me. Since the accident, I was not a very fast runner. The last thing I managed to call after him was to beware of Erik's voice if he started singing, but I couldn't be sure if Raoul had heard me.
After Raoul had disappeared towards the basement corridor, I didn't know what to do. Instinctively, I wanted to run after him and try to catch up with him, but I was sure that he was already well on his way towards the sewers by now. What worried me the most was his courage - it indicated that he had no idea what a dangerous opponent he would be facing. How could he? Raoul de Chagny was hardly more than a boy and had, form what I had heard, lived a very sheltered life. I was sure he had never met anyone like Erik before.
But what good could I do, if I went with him? I was small, thin, not very strong, and much less fit than I had once been. It was true that I had been on relatively good terms with Erik in the past, but in a situation like this I doubted that that would be of much use to me. Surely, the wisest thing for me to do now was to make contact with the police and persuade them to track down Erik as fast as possible.
With this in mind, I went back into the concert hall. The audience had started to leave, ushered out by the caretaker and other members of the college staff. Asking one of them for help, I finally got rid of my restraining costume. Meanwhile, I heard fragments of a phone conversation, and understood that the police were on their way, along with an ambulance. The stage had been cleared of people and someone shouted with a powerful voice that nothing must be touched. It was still dark, except for the small ray of light from the emergency exit. From what I could understand, the power was out everywhere in the building, and it was clear that someone had tampered with the fuses.
"Child, I have been looking for you."
I suddenly found myself face to face with M. Ivanovich, who was peering at me through his glasses. He was evidently very upset.
"I found the map this morning", he said. "I have been meaning to show it to you. But now, I think it would be better to wait and hand it to the proper authorities. This is certainly Erik's doing."
"There may not be time, M. Ivanovich", I cried. "My cousin Christine has gone missing, and I am sure she is with him. We need to find her before it is too late!"
"You should not go after him by yourself", M. Ivanovich objected.
"I know, but Raoul de Chagny is already in the sewers, looking blindly for Erik's home. If I go down there with the map, at least I can help him find his way."
"What madness!" M. Ivanovich sighed, shaking his head. "Then take it and go to him. But be careful, and whatever you do, do not interfere unless you have to! I will stay here and talk to the police when they arrive, and hopefully they will be with you soon."
He handed me a yellow old sheet of paper, with one spot clearly marked with an X.
"Thank you, M. Ivanovich!" I said and prepared to leave.
"Wait a little!" he called. "I found something else too, as I was looking for the map. I know it is not much against Erik, but I can not permit you to go completely unarmed."
Drawing me close to him, M Ivanovich gave me a small bottle with an old label in Russian.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It is something that was used in the old days, during the war. Rather than being taken as prisoners, some high officers preferred to take a more dignified way out."
"Poison?" I said, incredulously.
"Yes. Only if you must, of course. If Erik intends to hurt you, or your cousin. He has a wine cellar, you see. He appreciates a glass of fine wine in the evening. It is unlikely, but the opportunity may present itself, and if so..."
"I won't kill him!"
I was appalled.
"Of course not", said M. Ivanovich. "But keep the bottle all the same."
Finally, I agreed to put it in my pocket, since I feared that M. Ivanovich wouldn't let me go otherwise. But I had already promised myself that no matter how desperate the situation may become, I would not open that bottle.
As I left for the basement corridor, I could hear the old Russian's voice calling out behind me, clear and without a trace of his usual confusion:
"Good luck, Meg Giry!"
