Page 36 - Phantom of the Opera

Monsieur Richard's face, which was a terrible sight. He seized Carlotta was not afraid; her friends were all at the Opera that
her, spun her around, and kicked her out — leaving a footprint on night and they were looking around for the enemy. The only
the back of her skirt. The Opera rang with her screams and unusual thing was the presence of Monsieur Richard and
violent protests as she threatened him. Monsieur Moncharmin in Box Five.
About the same time, Carlotta, who lived in a small house on Monsieur Richard, who was sitting in the ghost's own chair,
Rue du Faubourg St. Honore,* was brought her letters. There asked Moncharmin, "Well, has the ghost whispered a word in
was one written in red ink which said: your ear yet?"
"Wait, don't be in such a hurry," replied Moncharmin. "The
If you appear tonight, you must be prepared for a great
performance has only just begun and you know that the ghost
misfortune at the moment when you open your mouth to sing —
does not usually come until the middle of the first act."
a misfortune worse than death.
Nothing happened during the first act, but this did not surprise
She had never received a letter as threatening as this, and she Carlotta's friends because Margarita does not sing in this act. The
thought there was a plot against her, but she was not going to be managers looked at each other when the curtain came down.
frightened. "That's one!" said Moncharmin.
In fact, if there was a plot, it was led by Carlotta herself against "Yes, the ghost is late," said Richard.
poor Christine, who did not suspect it at all. Carlotta had never "It's not a bad performance," said Moncharmin, "for an opera
forgiven Christine for the triumph she achieved when she took house with a curse on it."
Carlotta's place. After that night, Carlotta never missed a Richard smiled and pointed to a fat woman in a bright dress,
performance and asked her powerful friends to persuade the sitting between two men who were wearing cheap coats.
managers not to give Christine an opportunity for a fresh "Who are they?" asked Moncharmin.
triumph. Now, she collected all of her supporters and told them "They are my servant, her husband, and her brother."
that Christine Daae was threatening her. She asked them to fill "Did you give them their tickets?"
.
the house that night with her, Carlotta's, admirers. "I did .. My servant has never been to the Opera before and,
Monsieur Richard's secretary called to ask about her health. as she is now going to come every night, I wanted her to have a
She replied that she was well, but that "even if she were dying," good seat. After tonight, she will be showing other people to
she would sing the part of Margarita that evening. theirs." Monsieur Richard explained that he wanted his servant
It was five o'clock when the mail brought a second letter in to have Madame Giry's job. Maybe then there would be no
red ink. It was short and simple: surprises in Box Five.
Then Christine Daae came on stage as Siebel, looking
You have a bad cold. If you are wise, you will see that it is
charming in her boy's clothes. When Margarita crossed the
madness to try to sing tonight.
stage and sang her only two lines for this second act, Carlotta
was received enthusiastically by the audience. But nothing else
* Rue de Faubourg St. Honore: a famous street in Paris. Rue is the French
word for street. happened.

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