Page 35 - Phantom of the Opera

A few weeks later, after the tragedy at the Opera, which you They both ran to Box Five, laughing like madmen, went
will soon know about, the police spoke to Viscount Chagny about inside, and found no shape at all. They looked under the
that night at Perros-Guirec. He told them that he had followed furniture in the box, but found nothing. There was nothing
Christine to the church, where she knelt down at her father's grave different about this box.
and began to pray. At midnight, Mademoiselle Daae lifted her eyes
"Those people are making fools of us!" said Monsieur
to the sky and stretched out her arms. Suddenly, Raoul heard the Richard. "On Saturday, let's both see the performance from Box
most perfect music. It was a piece of music that Monsieur Daae Five!"
used to play to them when they were children — The Resurrection of
Lazarus* Christine stood up and walked to the gate, but she did
not see or hear Raoul. When Raoul got up to leave, a skull rolled Chapter 4 The Curse
toward him .. then another .. and another. There were hundreds
.
.
of them up against the wall of the church, held in position by a
On the Saturday morning, the managers found a letter from O.G.:
wire. He had seen these skulls when he had been at the church
My Dear Managers:
earlier that day, as they are often seen in old Breton churches. Then
So it is to be war between us?
he saw a shadow move along the church wall. He ran up. The
If you still care for peace, here are my four conditions:
shadow pushed open the door and entered the church. Raoul
1. You must give me back my private box for my use only.
caught his coat. The shadow turned around and Raoul saw .. the
.
2. The part of Margarita will be sung this evening by Christine
face of Death with a pair of burnt-out eyes. He told the police that
Daae — not Carlotta, who will be sick.
he felt he had been face-to-face with the devil. Then he fainted,
3. I must have the loyal services of Madame Giry, my box-
and he saw nothing again until he was in the Setting Sun.
keeper, and you will give her back her job immediately.
4. Reply by letter through Madame Giry, who will make sure
•
that it reaches me, saying that you accept the conditions in my
At the opera house, Monsieur Richard and Monsieur memorandum book and will pay my allowance. I will inform
Moncharmin went to have a look at Box Five. They stood below you later how you will give it to me.
If you refuse, you will perform Faust tonight in a house with a
and looked up. It was dark in the theater, but both men saw a
curse on it.
shape in the box. At that moment, they seized each other's hand.
O.G.
They stood, wide-eyed, but the shape had disappeared. They
went out and spoke about what they had seen. Moncharmin had At that moment the door opened. It was Madame Giry,
seen a face of Death resting on the edge of the box. Richard had holding a letter in her hand.
seen the shape of an old woman who looked like Madame Giry. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I had a letter this morning, from
the Opera ghost. He told me to come to you, that you had
.
* The Resurrection of Lazarus: a piece of music about a man who comes back to something to .."
life after death.
She was unable to complete her sentence because she saw
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